Man, what a way to start the season, huh? A 27-7 beatdown from the 49ers in Week 1 is never what you want, especially at home. But amidst all that frustration and the bumps and bruises that come with any NFL game, Coach Sean McVay dropped some news on Monday that every Rams fan needed to hear. He called the updates on four key players “positive,” suggesting some big contributors could be back on the field way sooner than we thought. That’s the kind of silver lining you cling to after a rough opener.
Kam Curl’s Ankle Scare and the Relief That Followed
When you saw Kam Curl go down in the second half of that Thursday game, didn’t your heart just sink? The man left the field with an ankle injury, officially questionable to return, and you immediately start thinking the worst. But get this, McVay came right out and said Curl “is good,” straight-up downplaying it as just some ankle soreness. Seriously? That’s incredible! This isn’t just some guy, either. Curl is one of the most important pieces of the Rams defense. The dude started all 17 games last season, playing a ridiculous 99% of the defensive snaps. Think about that, 99%! He’s an absolute ironman and just signed a massive $36 million contract extension this offseason because of how crucial he is. Losing him for any real time would be a gut punch. Jaylen McCollough stepped in for a bit, grabbing two tackles after Curl exited, but having your defensive leader back is everything. This “good” news is huge.
Landman, Speights, and Allen: More Positive Signs After a Brutal Day
It wasn’t just Curl who took a hit. Inside linebacker Nate Landman went down in what felt like insult to injury, late in the fourth quarter with the Rams already trailing by 20. He appeared to hurt his shoulder and thumb on a play involving Christian McCaffrey, walking off holding his arm in a way that just looked painful. McVay confirmed Landman “got his shoulder and his thumb” in that collision. But the coach expects him to be ready to roll for Monday Night Football against the New York Giants next week, even if they plan to be cautious with him in practice. That’s a testament to his toughness, and it’s awesome news for the defense.
Then there’s Omar Speights, another inside linebacker, who also went down with a hip injury in the first half. Shaun Dolac replaced him, but Speights was back in the game by the second quarter. Talk about shaking it off!
And finally, the scariest moment for sure had to be tight end Davis Allen in the third quarter. The guy went down hard, showing a “fencing response,” and was evaluated for a concussion before being carted off to the locker room. That image is never good. He was officially questionable to return. But then, boom, he was back in the game! That just tells you his evaluation cleared him, which is honestly a miracle after seeing how he went down. Having him back on the field, especially with the team needing to bounce back, is a huge relief.
So yeah, the 27-7 loss stings, no doubt. But with these injury updates, especially on Curl and Allen’s quick returns, it feels like the team caught a massive break. Now, they’ve gotta dust themselves off and get ready for Monday Night Football on September 21st against the Giants. It’s time to turn this thing around.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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