The Los Angeles Rams continue to see their title defense fall to pieces as they lost to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10.
The Rams were dealt a bad hand before the game started when it was announced that Matthew Stafford would be held out due to concussion protocol. John Wolford got the start in place of Stafford and largely struggled to deliver after the team’s initial script of plays was finished.
Los Angeles found themselves trailing well into the fourth quarter, but even though the game was already in hand Van Jefferson managed to snag his first touchdown of the 2022 season. Afterward, Jefferson admitted that the touchdown meant a lot to him because of the issues he encountered when trying to make his way back from offseason knee surgery, via Stu Jackson of TheRams.com:
“I would say (it was) maybe kind of emotional,” Jefferson said during a video conference Monday. “I mean, it was tough finding out I had to have another knee surgery, knowing that you’re going to miss training camp. We all know how training is and how pivotal that is to the process of just a season, and then be missing six to seven games, seeing my teammates out there, me wanting to be out there, it was tough on me. I think it would be tough on any player or just any normal person. They feel like, when you miss time, you’re just so eager to get out there, and your mind is just like, ‘I gotta find a way to be out there, I gotta do this, I gotta do this.’ So for me to get in the endzone, and for it to be against my dad too at the same time, it was great.”
Jefferson made his season debut in Week 8 against the San Francisco 49ers but didn’t log any targets in 31 snaps. The wideout was a little more involved in Week 9 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he drew five targets but again didn’t haul in a pass.
The game against the Cardinals is certainly encouraging though as Jefferson caught all three of his targets for 27 yards including the touchdown. Los Angeles has been missing a vertical threat to the offense all season, and that’s a role Jefferson has proven he can fill.
The confidence boost for Jefferson comes at a good time as he may be asked to do more with Cooper Kupp being forced to miss time due to his ankle injury. Regardless, it’s good to see a key piece of the offense finding their way back.
