The Los Angeles Rams are seriously shaking things up for their Week 8 showdown against the Los Angeles Chargers, rolling out what looks like a wild two-kicker, one-punter strategy. Joshua Karty, with his unique “knuckleball” kickoff, is back on the squad, and coach Sean McVay is apparently ready to bet big on this unorthodox approach to fix the team’s much-maligned special teams unit.
Desperate Times, Knuckleball Measures
This isn’t some normal activation, folks. The Rams have used practice squad call-ups for special teams before, usually for coverage guys. But this time, it’s kicker Joshua Karty and long snapper Jake McQuaide making the jump. Both were with the team last season before landing on the practice squad this week. The plan? Brandon McManus is probably still handling field goals, but Karty is *maybe*, *possibly* expected to take on kickoffs. Ethan Evans remains as the punter.
Why the desperation? Just last Sunday against Las Vegas, McManus watched Raiders returners tear off huge gains, 42 and 39 yards, on kickoffs. McVay actually resorted to telling McManus to just kick the ball through the end zone, which isn’t fixing the problem, it’s basically throwing in the towel. That’s where Karty comes in. He was drafted by the Rams in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, then waived after missing multiple field goals and extra points. But the guy developed this “knuckleball” style kickoff, like a soccer free kick, aiming for minimal spin and unpredictable movement. Some in the media are buzzing about it, seeing it as a potential game-changer for their terrible coverage issues. McVay’s calling it a “crazy two-kicker gamble” but you gotta wonder if it might actually be genius.
Nacua Carries the Load
While all eyes will be on the special teams fireworks, the Rams offense is still leaning hard on star wideout Puka Nacua. With Davante Adams sidelined due to a hamstring injury, it’s clear the L.A. offense will run straight through Nacua as long as he’s out there. The dude is putting in work, too. In Week 7, he played a massive 84.7 percent of the team’s offensive snaps, snagging eight catches on ten targets for 68 yards and a touchdown. This season, in just five games, Nacua has hauled in 45 catches on 62 targets for 485 yards and two scores. He’s averaging over 12 targets per game, which tells you everything about his importance and gives him a crazy high floor for anyone watching the prop market.
Sunday’s game against the Chargers is not just another Week 8 contest, it’s a huge test for the Rams. Especially for that special teams unit, and frankly, for the whole team. Will the “knuckleball” actually work? Can Karty provide the spark they need? We’re about to find out if McVay’s gamble pays off.
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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