The Rams might hobble to the playoffs, and not just because they blew an opportunity by missing their regular-season finale.
Safety Jordan Fuller will be sidelined for the remainder of the season with an ankle injury sustained in the Rams’ loss to the San Francisco 49ers, coach Sean McVay said Monday.
Fuller wasn’t the only Rams player injured in Sunday’s 27-24 loss at SoFi Stadium, which dropped the Rams from No. 2 in the NFC playoffs to No. 4.
Matthew Stafford played with a toe injury, McVay said, but the quarterback will play the No. 5 Arizona Cardinals in a wild-card game next Monday night at SoFi Stadium.
“He walked in, it felt good,” McVay said during a video conference with reporters. “I just had the typical pain.”
Fuller, captain and defensive flagger, was injured early in the fourth quarter once morest the 49ers. He is the team’s top tackler and had a key interception in the Rams’ win over the Baltimore Ravens on January 2.
“This is a great loss for us,” McVay said.
Other defensive backs also suffered injuries. Cornerback Darious Williams is being evaluated for a shoulder injury, McVay reported, and safety Taylor Rapp is on concussion protocol.
With Fuller out and Rapp on concussion protocol, defenders Nick Scott and Terrell Burgess might play in their places.
Linebacker Leonard Floyd suffered a back strain and wide receiver Van Jefferson is tending to a shoulder problem, McVay said, but they are expected to play the Cardinals in the teams’ third game this season.
Despite those setbacks, the Rams ostensibly strengthened with the return of running back Cam Akers Sunday, who suffered an Achilles injury in July.
Akers made 13 plays once morest the 49ers. He rushed for three yards on five carries and caught three passes for 10 yards.
It’s not a great production, but it was a first step.
“With the amount of touches he did in the space that he had, I thought it was really limited what he might do,” McVay said. “But I think it’s going to be great for him to just go out and play football. … I think he will feel better next week. “
The Rams’ loss to San Francisco left them 12-5. They won the NFC West because the Cardinals fell 38-30 to the visiting Seattle Seahawks on Sunday to finish 11-6.
McVay focused on the positives.
“What I don’t want to be lost is the entirety of a 17-game body of work,” he said of his team, adding that three NFC West teams, including the 49ers, made the playoffs.
“Really proud of this group, proud of their endurance, and I’m looking forward to responding with these guys in the right way.”
The Rams players overcame the loss to the 49ers on Monday and have moved on, offensive lineman Rob Havenstein said.
“You don’t ride the roller coaster of confidence, emotions, none of that,” he said. “You don’t go up and down. You stand your ground, so you take your entire 17-game season and pick the good, analyze the bad, and correct it. “
The Rams are in the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons under McVay.
In 2017, the Rams did not play with the starters in their last regular season game and lost to the 49ers. They then lost to the Atlanta Falcons in a wild card game at the Coliseum.
The following season, they won their season finale once morest San Francisco and made it to the Super Bowl, in which they lost to the New England Patriots.
Last season, they beat Arizona in the season finale and advanced to the divisional round before losing to the Green Bay Packers.
Etc.
With various NFL teams looking for new coaches, McVay confirmed that members of his staff have been contacted. He declined to identify which coaches. … McVay said he was surprised by the large number of 49ers fans at SoFi Stadium, which made it difficult for Rams players to communicate. “We were caught off guard just by the way this year has been. … Great atmospheres, great atmospheres. Yesterday it was the same, but there was a lot of red there. And that was definitely a surprise. “
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