The Los Angeles Rams were motivated following a 5-12 season in 2022 and in Week 1, they pulled off the upset on the road against the Seattle Seahawks. Despite being nearly touchdown underdogs entering the divisional showdown, the Rams defeated the Seahawks, 30-13, on Sunday.
In a dominant road victory over the Seahawks, there were a handful of players that stood out for the Rams. Holding Seattle’s offense to 13 points and 180 yards of offense is no easy feat, so there are a lot of players who deserve credit for the win.
Buy Rams TicketsFollowing an impressive season opener on the road against the Seahawks, here are the studs and duds for the Rams.
Stud: RB Kyren Williams
From early in Sunday’s contest, Kyren Williams ended up overtaking Cam Akers in the backfield. The second-year back would lead the Rams with 52 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 15 attempts, giving the offense a much-needed presence at the running back position. While Akers would finish with more touches by the end of the game, Williams looked like the better back for the Rams.
Stud: WR Puka Nacua
With Cooper Kupp sidelined for the Rams on Sunday, they desperately needed the other skill players to show up. It’s safe to say Puka Nacua showed out in his NFL debut as he hauled in 10 of his 15 targets for 119 yards. The first-year wideout flashed his ability to find holes in the coverage and he used his physicality to make plays in the passing game. Matthew Stafford has always looked in the direction of Kupp in the offense, but Nacua is emerging as another reliable option through the air.
Stud: Tutu Atwell
Along with Nacua, Tutu Atwell took advantage of Kupp being out for the Rams by putting together the best performance of his career. The former second-round pick caught six of his eight targets for 119 yards, giving the Rams a vertical threat against a talented Seahawks secondary. Even though Atwell isn’t the biggest wideout, he made a couple of catches in between defenders on Sunday. If Atwell can continue to produce amid Kupp’s absence, his role in the offense could gradually increase.
Stud: Offensive line
There were a few stellar performances by members of the Rams in Week 1, but the entire offensive line deserves a heap of praise for how it played against the Seahawks. On Sunday, fans finally got to see the new-look starting offensive line of Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Joe Noteboom, and Rob Havenstein. And in that starting five’s debut together, they prevented Stafford from getting sacked once and they gave him plenty of time to survey the field in the passing game. Among all of the positives to take from this game, the offensive line’s performance is potentially the biggest.
Dud: Cam Akers
Akers ended up finding the end zone in the second half of Sunday’s double-digit win, however, he wasn’t efficient with his touches. After finishing last season on a high note, Akers carried the ball 22 times for only 29 yards and a touchdown versus the Seahawks. It was Williams who looked more like the starting running back in Week 1 as the Rams leaned on the second-year back more until the game got out of reach. If Akers wants to prevent Williams from taking over the backfield, he’ll need to be more efficient with his touches moving forward.
Dud: Van Jefferson
The wide receivers played extremely well with Kupp inactive, but Van Jefferson was unable to take advantage of the vacated targets. Jefferson, who is in a contract year with the Rams, tallied only four receptions for 24 yards on five targets. The veteran wideout also dropped a deep pass from Stafford that likely would have been a touchdown had Jefferson brought it in. With Nacua and Atwell making the most of their opportunities on Sunday, Jefferson has to be better in Kupp’s absence to maintain his role once the All-Pro pass catcher returns.
