Blake Grupe, the Rams’ kicker, went down hard on Sunday, doubtful to return after making a tackle on the very first kickoff. Yeah, you read that right: their kicker, taking down a returner. If that doesn’t scream “special teams nightmare,” I don’t know what does, especially since this unit has been an absolute mess for a while now. This group’s first chance on Sunday just made everything even more complicated.
The Kicker Becomes The Tackler (And The Injured)
This whole wild situation kicked off right after Grupe actually nailed his first field goal for Los Angeles. You’d think that would be the highlight, but nope. On the ensuing kickoff, the Rams’ coverage was straight up awful. Devin Duvernay, the returner, almost hit midfield before Grupe, of all people, had to step up and drive him out of bounds. The guy making field goals suddenly became the guy making tackles. Wild.
What Happens When Your Kicker Is Out?
Problem is, Grupe suffered a knee injury on that play. He’s now doubtful to return, which means the Rams are scrambling big time. Multiple reporters on the scene are saying punter Ethan Evans is already on the sideline, practicing kicks into the net. It’s a rough scene when your punter is suddenly your emergency kicker, and it just highlights how truly complicated things got for the Rams’ special teams on Sunday.
So, with their kicker sidelined by a tackle, and the punter warming up, the Rams have some serious questions to answer about their special teams unit. This isn’t a new problem for them; the unit has been a mess for a while. And now, it’s an injured mess, with a backup trying to fill in mid-game. You gotta wonder how they bounce back from this.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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