Los Angeles Rams running back Sony Michel stepped up in place of an injured Darrell Henderson during the team’s 34-24 win over the Tamp Bay Buccaneers in Week 3.
Henderson had been dealing with a rib issue stemming from Week 2. Although it was not deemed to be too serious, the Rams opted to take a cautious approach since it was still so early in the 2021 NFL season.
Head coach Sean McVay was notably pleased with Michel’s performance in Week 3. Fortunately, it appears the backfield is getting back to full strength leading up to their NFC West matchup versus the Arizona Cardinals.
McVay provided an encouraging update on Henderson and even indicted that he will be back in Week 4, via Adam Schefter of ESPN:
Rams’ HC Sean McVay said RB Darrell Henderson Jr. will play Sunday against the Cardinals after missing last week’s game with a rib injury.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 1, 2021
The prospect of Henderson being back in the lineup will provide a major boost to the offense. After all, they are going to need all hands on deck if they hope to out-duel Arizona’s high-powered offense.
Despite not having much time to get familiar with McVay’s offense, Michel did not miss a beat as he handled 20 carries for 67 yards against a stout Bucs defense. He also flexed some of his versatility by hauling in three receptions for 12 yards and earned some high praise from McVay in the process.
Such a performance will surely help Michel’s case when it comes to garnering more touches as a complementary option to Henderson in the backfield. Not only will it help keep the defense on their toes, but it will also reduce the amount of wear and tear and both players as the season goes on.
Establishing a potential 1-2 punch in the run game can pay some major dividends for the offense as a whole. It will be interesting to see how the workload is ultimately divided between Henderson and Michel down the line.
