As the Rams’ lost season took yet another downward turn Tuesday — center Brian Allen and receiver Ben Skowronek will not play in the final three games because of calf injuries — coach Sean McVay looked around the NFL to see former Rams coaches and players flourishing.
Kevin O’Connell, the Rams’ offensive coordinator the previous two seasons, is enjoying success as coach of the Minnesota Vikings, and quarterback Jared Goff is playing well in his second season with the Detroit Lions.
Under O’Connell, who took former Rams assistant Wes Phillips with him to Minnesota as offensive coordinator, the Vikings are 11-3 and have clinched a playoff spot.
McVay, whose team dropped to 4-10 with a 24-12 defeat by the Green Bay Packers on Monday night, said he spoke with O’Connell and Phillips after the Vikings’ dramatic comeback victory over the Indianapolis Colts last Saturday.
“You’re always happy to see people that you care about go have success,” McVay said during a videoconference with reporters. “Gives me a smile in spite of all the challenges we’ve been through.”
In January 2021, the Rams traded Goff, two first-round draft picks and a third-round pick to the Lions for quarterback Matthew Stafford. It worked out well for the Rams: Stafford led them to a Super Bowl LVI title.
This season, Goff has passed for 23 touchdowns with seven interceptions for a Lions team that has won six of its last seven games to remain in contention for a playoff spot.
“He’s done a great job,” McVay said of Goff. “You can see he’s playing with confidence. [Lions offensive coordinator] Ben Johnson has done an outstanding job of being able to kind of put them in good spots and then Jared ultimately brings it to life. … Jared’s playing at a very high level and he’s done outstanding.”
Stafford, meanwhile, remains on injured reserve and will not play again this season because of what McVay described as a spinal cord contusion. The 14th year pro passed for 10 touchdowns with eight interceptions in nine games.
Allen and Skowronek joined Stafford, star receiver Cooper Kupp and a long list of offensive linemen lost because of season-ending injuries.
McVay declined to rule out the return of star defensive lineman Aaron Donald from a high-ankle sprain.
But the defeat by the Packers eliminated the Rams from playoff contention so Donald almost certainly will not play Sunday against the Denver Broncos or in the final two games against the Chargers and Seattle Seahawks.
The nine-time Pro Bowl selection is not on injured reserve, but he has not practiced for three weeks.
“We are taking it a week at a time, and a lot of that entails, OK, what kind of progress is he making?” McVay said.
The injury Allen suffered Monday was the latest in a string of setbacks for the fifth-year pro.
In a season-opening rout by the Buffalo Bills, Allen suffered a knee injury, forcing Coleman Shelton to move from right guard to center.
Rams center Brian Allen reacts after the team scored a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 8 at SoFi Stadium.
(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
Allen underwent surgery, returned after a six-game absence and played through various injuries before he was sidelined for two more games during a season where the Rams started Stafford, John Wolford, Bryce Perkins and Baker Mayfield at quarterback.
“Coleman does a nice job stepping in, but it has [an] effect on the totality of the unit,” McVay said of losing Allen. “So that’s a challenge for sure, especially with the amount of moving parts we’ve had at the quarterback position.”
Second-year pro Skowronek’s profile grew after projected starting receiver Van Jefferson had knee surgery during training camp.
Skowronek played receiver in the opener before being deployed by McVay at fullback against the Atlanta Falcons. He scored his first career touchdown on a 17-yard run on a jet sweep against the Carolina Panthers.
Skowronek has 39 receptions for 376 yards. He caught a career-high seven passes in a 17-16 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, including a 32-yard reception that helped set up Mayfield’s game-winning touchdown pass to Jefferson.
Skowronek said last week that he was enjoying his versatile role.
“It’s fun” he said. “I take pride in it, and it’s helped me learn the game even more.”
McVay acknowledged the growth.
“He’s done a good job of getting a lot of opportunities to continue to mature and grow as a receiver and really a complete player on this team,” McVay said.
Etc.
Linebacker Jake Gervase, the punt play-caller and special teams staple, suffered a season-ending ankle injury against the Packers, McVay said. … Tight end Tyler Higbee’s touchdown catch against the Packers was the seventh-year pro’s first this season. Higbee had five touchdown catches in each of the last two seasons.
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