The Los Angeles Rams snatched a 35-21 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, a victory that felt good, no doubt. But for anyone watching closely, one glaring issue screamed for attention: their wide receiver unit, beyond Puka Nacua, earned a measly two targets the *entire* game. That’s not a typo, folks. Two targets, shared. As satisfying as that win was, it laid bare a problem that could snuff out any offensive sparks before they even become a real fire. The question of who steps up as the true WR#2 for this squad is still totally up in the air.
Who IS the WR#2, And Where Are the Targets Going?
Let’s break down the numbers, because they paint a pretty bleak picture for anyone not named Puka. Konata Mumpfield, who was on the field for 31 snaps against Vegas, got both of those two targets, hauling in one catch for 15 yards. That’s it for the non-Nacua wideouts. When you look at his full Rams career over 24 regular season games, Mumpfield has logged 584 snaps, seen 42 targets, and made 19 receptions for a 45% catch rate.
Then there’s Tutu Atwell, who played 25 snaps on Sunday. Over that same career span, he’s only had 275 snaps, catching 9 of his 19 targets, a 47% catch rate. Jordan Whittington, getting 15 snaps last Sunday, fares a bit better with a 71% catch rate, pulling down 20 of 28 targets in the same timeframe. Combined, these three in-house candidates for the WR#2 spot have been targeted only 89 times out of a whopping 879 L.A. pass attempts. That’s a pathetic 10% target rate. You can’t contend when your number two options are getting this kind of look.
Short Game Is Fine, But Explosives Are Missing
Quarterback Matthew Stafford was incredibly efficient against the Raiders, but it was all in an underneath passing game plan. He was consistently under five air yards per attempt, getting the ball out fast and accurately by hitting the open spots. It felt like the pass blocking was good enough to let him take a few more shots downfield, but they stuck to what was working short.
The run game was a different story, and frankly, a welcome one. The Rams absolutely mauled the Raiders on the ground, piling up 199 yards on 38 attempts and two touchdowns. Blake Corum had a career-high 17 carries for 93 yards and a touchdown, even with two other touchdowns called back by penalties, including a 43-yard explosive scamper! Kyren Williams also ran well, but had his 12th career fumble, which is definitely something to keep an eye on. While multiple tight end usage and leaning on the run is great, to truly vie for playoff contention and win against the league’s better teams, the Rams HAVE to show they can press the ball downfield with the pass. The Rams’ offense is middle of the pack in explosive plays this season and has been trending down over the last couple of games. On Sunday, their only two plays over 15 yards were both running plays. They simply need a viable WR#2, and fast.
This team needs to figure out who that true second receiving threat is going to be if they want to build on wins like this and make a real run. The stakes are getting higher every week, and relying solely on Nacua won’t cut it against the tougher competition coming their way.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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