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For most of this season, the Rams have been like action-movie heroes, those who deftly and narrowly dodge disaster even though they’re surrounded by explosions.
So many teams, including the Rams’ closest competitors in the NFC West, have suffered devastating injuries this season. Meanwhile, each Friday, the Rams issue an injury report that is as short as the menu of a trendy bistro. Not since training camp have the Rams dealt with a significant season-ending injury.
Every week, it seems, the Rams are healthier than the opposition, which won’t change this Sunday when they host the Houston Texans. Credit good training, or luck, but don’t underestimate the significance.
“You don’t lose a lot of players, normally,” said Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, who has worked in the NFL since 1976. “The years we’ve lost a lot of players, we didn’t do well.”
Thus it’s no coincidence that the Rams take a 6-2 record into Sunday’s home game against the Houston Texans, who are 3-5 and already have suffered season-ending injuries to their quarterback, Deshaun Watson, and defensive end J.J. Watt, one of the NFL’s most dominant players.
The Rams issued a rare bit of bad news after Friday’s practice at Cal Lutheran, when Coach Sean McVay told reporters that linebacker Robert Quinn would be “doubtful” for Sunday because of an illness.
Quinn’s absence would hurt, particularly since he’s a strong pass-rusher and the Rams would like to get after Watson’s replacement, Tom Savage, but the Rams have good depth at linebacker.
Beyond that, the most substantial injuries the Rams have sustained during this season came to safety Cody Davis, a part-time starter, and to backup running back Malcolm Brown. Even Brown’s injury was tempered by the fact that he will be replaced by Lance Dunbar, who has overcome knee problems.
So now, halfway through the season, the Rams have a completely healthy starting offense and a defense that has dealt only with minor setbacks. Knock on wood?
“No, we’re not superstitious,” McVay said. “I think when you look around the league, you feel very fortunate to have such a good training staff that has put the guys in positions to try to prevent some of the things that are preventable. Then there is always going to be things that are going to occur, that might be those freak-type accidents that just you don’t know what you can do to really avoid them.”
That’s what happened in training camp, when Rams starting defensive lineman Dominique Easley tore his ACL during a run-coverage drill that he probably had executed hundreds of times before without incident.
But the Rams have taken many preventative measures. Each week, four veterans — linebackers Quinn and Connor Barwin and offensive linemen John Sullivan and Andrew Whitworth — sit out the Wednesday practice, which gives them three full days to recover after each Sunday game.
Rams coaches and players consistently have praise for trainer Reggie Scott, who is in his eighth season with the Rams, and first-year strength and conditioning coach Ted Rath.
“They’re outstanding and they do a good job with monitoring those guys and keeping on top of it,” Phillips said. “There’s certain injuries you can’t prevent, but I think they do a good job of getting them where we don’t have some soft tissue things and things some people have.”
HE’S BACK
McVay indicated Friday that Dunbar not only will be added to the Rams’ 53-man roster but will be active Sunday and serve as a backup for running back Todd Gurley.
The Rams, in search of a replacement for Brown, who will miss multiple weeks with a knee injury, also looked at rookie Justin Davis but apparently have decided on Dunbar, who would make his season debut.
Dunbar signed with the Rams in March but never even made it to the field for offseason workouts because of knee problems. The Rams put him on the “physically unable to perform” list, which made Dunbar ineligible to return to the active roster until last week.
Dunbar, who spent the previous five seasons with Dallas, has more receiving yards (646) than rushing yards (422) during his career. Dunbar, seemingly, can fill a role similar to that of Tavon Austin, a receiver who has been used both as a traditional running back and as a receiver.
“I think part of the reason we brought (Dunbar) here is he’s a pretty versatile guy out the backfield,” offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur said. “He’s got very good receiving skills. He’s a guy that’s been in the league for six years, so he’s got that veteran experience as well.”
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