The Los Angeles Rams will take a short-handed roster into their rematch against the Carolina Panthers. This time, the two teams will battle in the NFC Wild Card Round. However, the Rams will also be getting some reinforcements.
This is a rematch from Week 13 in the regular season, a contest which the Rams lost.
The stakes are far greater this time around, making the respective statuses of all players even more significant.
Sean McVay, Rams Get Mixed News in Roster Update
GettyLos Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay reacts against the Carolina Panthers.
The Rams announced their final injury report of the week via their official website on January 8, and six of the 10 players listed were cleared, meaning they will not have any designation for Saturday’s contest.
That includes safety Quentin Lake and wide receiver Davante Adams (hamstring).
Adams missed the final three weeks of the regular season, partly due to what he and Rams head coach Sean McVay described as an abundance of caution for the postseason.
Adams led the NFL in touchdown receptions during the regular season, despite his extended absence, and is Matthew Stafford’s top target in the red zone. He had four receptions for 52 yards and 2 touchdowns in the regular-season matchup against the Panthers.
Lake has been sidelined since Week 11, landing on injured reserve with an elbow injury.
A safety by trade, Lake is the Rams’ nickelback, and his versatility allows them to disguise what they are doing on the back end more effectively.
Both players should provide significant boosts for the Rams, who snapped their two-game losing streak with a win over the Arizona Cardinals in the regular-season finale. The Rams also cleared Braden Fiske and Tyler Higbee, both of whom are dealing with ankle injuries.
Byron Young and Darious Williams will play, too, after non-injury-related absences from practice.
Rams Rule Out 2 Players
GettyLos Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay calls plays against the Seattle Seahawks.
Getting starters back also helps the Rams’ roster depth. To that end, Rams cornerback Josh Wallace and tight end Terrance Ferguson are questionable for Saturday after missing the finale against the Cardinals.
However, starting right guard Kevin Dotson and backup wideout Jordan Whittington will both miss the game after the Rams ruled them out.
McVay expressed some doubts that Dotson would be able to return even in the postseason.
The Rams also remain without right tackle Rob Havenstein, who is on IR and has yet to begin practicing. Those are two key absences in front of Stafford, whom the Panthers intercepted and sacked two times apiece.
Adams’ return softens the blow of losing Whittington, who suffered a knee injury in the Rams’ win over the Cardinals.
The Rams’ roster is healthy in most spots, but the Panthers appear to be in even better shape.
Panthers Healthy for Rams Wild Card Game
GettyLos Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay looks on during a game against the Atlanta Falcons.
The Panthers listed eight players on their final injury report of Wild Card weekend, but six of them will enter the contest without a designation. The two players who were not cleared, starting guards Chandler Zavala (IR) and Robert Hunt, are listed as questionable.
Notably, four of the players that Carolina cleared were at the defensive tackle position. That includes starters A’Shawn Robinson and Derrick Brown.
McVay and the Rams must overcome the Panthers, with both teams’ rosters fairly healthy.
Rams Make Critical Roster Decisions Before Wild Card Game vs Panthers