Sean McVay's shuffling of the Los Angeles Rams' roster continued on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, mixing things up on both offense and defense. Unfortunately, it didn't work as planned because the Rams fell to the Panthers, 31-28, but we got another glimpse at the team's impressive depth on each side of the ball.
Offensively, the Rams used a three-man rotation behind Davante Adams and Puka Nacua at wide receiver, while continuing to utilize their top three tight ends with Tyler Higbee out. On defense, Ahkello Witherspoon returned and had a limited role, with Los Angeles keeping the status quo at cornerback.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOffense
Offensive snap countsThree-man committee at WR3: The Rams opted not to activate Tutu Atwell for this game, instead going with a three-man rotation at WR3 with Xavier Smith, Konata Mumpfield and Jordan Whittington. Smith was the only one of the three to catch a pass, leading the game with 82 yards receiving thanks to a 51-yard catch.
Colby Parkinson remains TE1: Parkinson, Davis Allen and Terrance Ferguson all played meaningful snaps, but Parkinson is the clear-cut No. 1 tight end with Higbee still sidelined. He played 15 more snaps than Allen and about twice as many as Ferguson.
Defense
Defensive snap countsForbes and Durant still top CBs: Even with Ahkello Witherspoon back, Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and Cobie Durant were once again the Rams' top cornerbacks, playing 91% and 62% of the snaps, respectively. Darious Williams was third with a 44% snap share, while Witherspoon played just 23% in his return. Josh Wallace operated as the slot corner in nickel and dime sets, playing 39% of the snaps.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPoona Ford limited: Ford was questionable to play with a calf injury and it's likely that affected his snap count. He played just 30% of the snaps, below his season average – especially considering how run-heavy the Panthers were. Tyler Davis played 48% and even Ty Hamilton was on the field more with a 22% snap share.
Kinchens and McCollough play similar snaps: Kamren Kinchens and Jaylen McCollough played 38 and 35 snaps, respectively, which is a narrow gap between the two safeties. Perhaps the Rams liked McCollough as a run defender better than Kinchens, given how often the Panthers were handing the ball off.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams snap counts: Playing time breakdown from Week 13
AdvertisementAdvertisement
