In his first five games with the Rams, Allen Robinson caught just 12 of his 23 targets for a total of 107 yards and a touchdown. He was nowhere near the playmaker the Rams thought he’d be, putting up more than 23 yards in just one game all year.
Buy Rams TicketsHe didn’t light it up on Sunday against the Panthers, but he did have his best game as a member of the Rams. Despite only being targeted six times, Robinson caught five passes for 63 yards and a touchdown, setting season-highs in yards and catches.
It was the types of catches and plays that Robinson made, too.
This touchdown grab is the sort of play the Rams signed A-Rob to make. He’s a big receiver with a wide catch radius, something the Rams haven’t necessarily had at wideout in recent years. He’s able to elevate over the defender and make a twisting grab for six, giving Matthew Stafford plenty of room for error.
9️⃣ FINDS 1️⃣ IN THE ENDZONE!
🏈 @AllenRobinson 📺 @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/I8CnLV08kk
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 16, 2022
He made a similarly impressive catch later on along the sideline, contorting his body to come down with this one for a first down. Robinson wasn’t wide open, but Stafford showed trust in his receiver by throwing it up to him in a spot where only he could make a play.
.@AllenRobinson went UP and got it!
📺 @NFLonFOX 📲 https://t.co/4beUdmlymg pic.twitter.com/cyq15ihqZz
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 16, 2022
Finally, on Ben Skowronek’s 17-yard touchdown run, Robinson did the dirty work that the Rams ask of their wide receivers. He helped seal off the edge by blocking two players, allowing Skowronek to run free to the end zone untouched.
It might seem like a benign play, but it’s one coaches will appreciate.
THERE HE SKOW! First-career TD from @BennySkow!
📺 @NFLonFOX 📲 https://t.co/4beUdm4vkg pic.twitter.com/nTtM6mrK36
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 16, 2022
Was Sunday’s performance a sign of things to come for the Rams’ big free-agent signing? That’s the hope. And he now has an extra week to build on it during the bye. It’s clear Stafford trusted his receiver more than usual against the Panthers, even if it did only translate to six targets.
And Robinson showed more confidence in himself with those aggressive, contested catches at key moments. Hopefully he and Stafford can continue developing some chemistry, thus taking some pressure off of Cooper Kupp.
If Robinson can get going, the Rams offense might, too.
