Defensive deal with Kobie Turner mentioned the Rams’ lengthy however joyful common season primed them for what’s subsequent.
On Monday evening, the No. 4-seeded Rams will play the No. 5 Minnesota Vikings in an NFC wild-card recreation at SoFi Stadium.
“We’ve been waiting on this moment,” Turner mentioned after the Rams’ regular-season finale in opposition to the Seattle Seahawks.
Even earlier than the Rams knew their opponent — they needed to wait till Sunday evening for the end result of the Detroit Lions’ 31-9 victory over the Vikings — Turner and his teammates mentioned their rebound from a 1-4 begin confirmed they had been gritty, resilient and ready to make a run to the Tremendous Bowl.
“The energy in this group is insane,” Turner mentioned. “The urgency picks up, but we’ve been putting ourselves in position this entire last back half of the season.”
And the Rams, who will resume their common game-week prep and media availability on Thursday, will do it with a rested and wholesome roster.
Coach Sean McVay sat quarterback Matthew Stafford, operating again Kyren Williams, receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua and linemen Alaric Jackson and Kevin Dotson in opposition to the Seahawks so they’d be prepared, and unhurt, for the postseason.
The Rams might be with out No. 2 operating again Blake Corum as a result of he suffered a fractured forearm in opposition to the Seahawks.
Proper deal with Rob Havenstein will return after sitting out the final two video games due to a shoulder damage. Tight finish Tyler Higbee seems absolutely recovered from knee surgical procedure. Veteran security John Johnson III was designated to return from injured reserve Tuesday after lacking the ultimate 15 video games of the season.
“You can kind of see it in everybody’s eyes — how much they want it,” security Quentin Lake mentioned. “We know we need to take it one game at a time, that’s no doubt. But the vision is a lot bigger for us.
“We see ourselves as a really big Super Bowl contender, and we want to live up to that expectation.”
The Rams roster consists of veterans who had been a part of the Rams’ Tremendous Bowl run within the 2021 season.
Stafford and Kupp starred, and Havenstein performed a outstanding position for a group that defeated the Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers earlier than beating the Cincinnati Bengals to win Tremendous Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium.
However the roster is dominated by younger gamers.
Williams and Lake are third-year gamers. Turner, Nacua, edge rusher Byron Younger and offensive lineman Steve Avila are second-year execs. Edge rusher Jared Verse, the lone Rams participant voted to the Professional Bowl, defensive lineman Braden Fiske, linebacker Omar Speights, safeties Kamren Kinchens and Jaylen McCollough and kicker Joshua Karty are rookies.
Rams cornerback Kamren Kinchens says he’s trying ahead to his first postseason recreation.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Occasions)
Kinchens, a third-round decide, didn’t get to play in a bowl recreation throughout his three seasons at Miami.
“So I’m excited,” he mentioned of taking part in within the postseason. “A lot of people don’t get to see the playoffs their whole career. So for it to be my first year, I’m grateful and ready to put in that work.”
Kinchens has intercepted 4 passes, and returned one for a landing.
His strategy gained’t change for the playoffs.
“It shouldn’t change your mindset,” he mentioned. “You don’t want to go outside the rules of your game. Just be calm, cool and collected.”
