Rams PFF grades: Best and worst performers vs. Eagles in Week 5
The Los Angeles Rams were handed their third loss of the season on Sunday, this time at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles. Though the Rams held their own in the first half and even led 14-10 late in the second quarter, they were shut down and shut out in the second half, giving up 13 unanswered points to the Eagles.
There were some good and encouraging performances by Rams players on Sunday, but there were also too many mistakes made, from drops to overthrows to penalties.
Pro Football Focus handed out grades for all Rams players who took the field and we’ve sorted them by the best and worst performers on each side of the ball (min. 10 snaps played).
Top 5 offense
WR Cooper Kupp: 82.3
RB Kyren Williams: 70.9
QB Matthew Stafford: 69.5
RT Rob Havenstein: 69.1
LG Steve Avila: 67.2
Kupp shined in his first game of the season, catching eight passes for 118 yards with no drops, seven first downs and two missed tackles forced after the catch.
Williams didn’t have impressive numbers, rushing for just 53 yards on 13 carries, but he forced four missed tackles so he was making defenders miss in the open field.
Stafford had one turnover-worthy play despite not turning the ball over, likely on the pass that was nearly intercepted over the middle but hit the ground.
Havenstein and Avila were the two standout linemen on Sunday, but not necessarily for their pass blocking. Avila allowed a team-high five pressures and Havenstein gave up three, but Avila had an 83.9 run-blocking grade.
Top 5 defense
OLB Zach VanValkenburg: 79.1
CB Ahkello Witherspoon: 77.8
NT Bobby Brown III: 76.5
LB Ernest Jones: 70.1
DT Larrell Murchison: 65.5
VanValkenburg recorded his first NFL sack, which was partly thanks to the coverage behind him. He had three total pressures in just nine pass-rush snaps.
Witherspoon picked off his second pass of the season, coming down with a big play in the end zone to take points off the board.
Brown had two run stops in limited action due to two injuries suffered in the game.
Jones made a team-high 15 tackles and had three tackles for a loss, but his grade took a hit because of the 40 yards he allowed in coverage.
Murchison had two stops and one pressure in 18 total snaps played.
Bottom 5 offense
WR Puka Nacua: 57.7
TE Tyler Higbee: 56.6
WR Tutu Atwell: 50.4
LT Alaric Jackson: 49.8
C Coleman Shelton: 26.0
Nacua only had a grade of 57.7 despite catching seven passes for 71 yards, and it was partly because of his two drops, one of which came on third down over the middle at a key point in the game.
Higbee caught two passes for 20 yards but had blocking grades of at least 68 in both pass protection and the run game.
Atwell caught one touchdown pass but his only other reception was a 6-yarder, so he had just 9 total yards in the loss.
Jackson allowed two pressures and one sack, also struggling in run blocking with a grade of 31.4 in that area.
Shelton was a real weak link, allowing four pressures in the game. He did have to face Jalen Carter, which isn’t an easy matchup for any lineman.
Bottom 5 defense
NT Kobie Turner: 52.5
OLB Byron Young: 47.9
DE Jonah Williams: 34.7
OLB Michael Hoecht: 32.7
LB Christian Rozeboom: 28.2
Turner had one pressure in the loss and graded out at 58.0 against the run.
Young had four pressures, so he was relatively effective rushing the passer, but he missed two tackles and wasn’t great against the run.
Williams rushed the passer 26 times but didn’t have a single pressure in the game.
Hoecht missed a tackle, gave up 65 yards in coverage and only had one pressure, continuing to struggle on the edge for the Rams.
Rozeboom gave up four catches on five targets for 34 yards and also missed one tackle.
Other notables
DT Aaron Donald: 61.6
CB Derion Kendrick: 55.2
CB Cobie Durant: 52.8
RG Kevin Dotson: 61.6
Donald had a very quiet afternoon, recording only one pressure and no sacks. He didn’t miss any tackles but he had just four tackles in the game.
Kendrick had a couple of costly penalties before halftime and gave up 61 yards on four catches (five targets).
Durant missed two crucial tackles that allowed the Eagles to pick up first downs, and he also gave up two catches for 23 yards.
Dotson’s 80.0 pass-blocking grade was the best of any Rams lineman, but he had a 48.1 run-blocking grade.
