The Los Angeles Rams are officially in a kicker nightmare. Blake Grupe, signed this week to finally solve their special teams woes, went down with a knee injury covering a kickoff against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Now, he’s officially on injured reserve, sidelined for at least four weeks. This isn’t just a bad beat for Grupe, it’s a gut punch for a team already struggling to convert points.
Harrison Mevis Was A Mess, But Grupe’s Arrival Was Supposed To Be The Fix
Let’s be real, the Rams have had a kicker problem all season. Before Grupe even stepped onto the field, Harrison Mevis was making fans rip their hair out. He was a dismal 5-for-9 on field goals this season. Remember that absolute horror show, the 37-34 overtime loss against the Buffalo Bills last week? Mevis had a miss and a blocked attempt in that game alone. His release wasn’t shocking to anyone watching. Head coach Sean McVay has been tearing his hair out over special teams for a while, even firing coordinator Chase Blackburn late last season because of consistent gaffes that cost them games. McVay himself admitted this season, “This isn’t the first time that we’ve had adversity and the first time that we’ve had some different things that I have to do a better job of. We’ll lean in. We’ll go back to work. We’ll use these as growth opportunities.” Sounds like a man beyond frustrated.
From Indy Hero To IR In A Flash: The Kicker Curse Continues
Grupe, at 27 years old, was the guy everyone hoped would turn things around. He’d shown real promise, starting his career with the New Orleans Saints from 2023-25. Last season, he had a five-game stint with the Indianapolis Colts where he was absolutely lights out: a perfect 11-for-11 on field goals and 10-for-10 on extra points. His career overall shows him hitting 86 of 105 field goals, which is solid. Grupe even told reporters this past week, “Those five weeks in Indy were seriously big for me, big for my career. I was able to get the ball rolling and show what I can do, and that was big for me.” But the Colts decided to hand the starting job back to Spencer Shrader over the summer and cut Grupe. He ended up on the New York Jets’ practice squad before the Rams scooped him up this week, hoping for that immediate upgrade. And then, Sunday happened. His injury immediately threw the team into chaos; they went for a two-point conversion after their first touchdown instead of kicking, and guess what? They failed.
So, the Rams are right back where they started, maybe even worse off than before. They are now on the hunt for *another* new kicker. What a mess.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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