After facing persistent issues with their special teams, the Los Angeles Rams made significant changes. Head coach Sean McVay acted on his promise to evaluate their performance after a challenging game against the Buffalo Bills.
Kicking Troubles Lead to Changes
In their recent game, Rams kicker Harrison Mevis struggled. He missed a 50-yard field goal in the first quarter and faced a devastating block on a potential game-winning 48-yard attempt during overtime. The Rams lost to the Bills 37-34.
As a consequence, the team released Mevis. Replacing him, the Rams signed Blake Grupe from the New York Jets’ practice squad. This roster change aims to fortify the Rams’ kicking game, which McVay bluntly criticized by stating it was subpar and cost the game.
Consistent Challenges Since 2017
Special teams have been a troublesome area for the Rams since McVay’s tenure started in 2017. An alarming statistic reveals 81 missed or blocked kicks since then, ranking them third in the NFL for such hurdles. From the beginning of last season, the Rams matched the highest number of blocked kicks, with three incidents pinned against them.
Commenting on the recent miss, Mevis mentioned feeling confident in his execution but recognized the need to reassess.
Performance and Expectations
Despite these setbacks, Mevis had a strong previous season. Signing in November, he successfully made 12 of 13 field goals and all extra-point attempts across nine games. His playoff record showed perfection in attempts. Unfortunately, performance dropped this season, achieving only five out of nine field goal tries.
Grupe, the new recruit, brings experience from his stints with the Colts and Saints. Over his career, he has solid stats with an 86% success rate on field goals and nearing perfection in extra points. Notably, during his last season with the Colts, he made all 11 field goal attempts over five games.
The Rams are hopeful that Grupe will bring stability and improvement to the special teams as they proceed through the season.
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