Achilles injuries are starting to look like ACL tears with current medical advances. Good news for athletes, and JR. He's just gotta attack the rehab like Cam did.Not sure who’s injury was more severe but maybe this gives some hope for James Robinson owners too.
It's very encouraging and I was thinking about Robinson last night and hoping he attempts to reach out to Akers for rehab advice.Not sure who’s injury was more severe but maybe this gives some hope for James Robinson owners too.
I said very similar comment in the game thread last night. Really hope Robinson follows his path if he can.It's very encouraging and I was thinking about Robinson last night and hoping he attempts to reach out to Akers for rehab advice.
CAM AKERS RB, LOS ANGELES RAMS
The Rams have a 52 percent pass rate since Week 15, the seventh lowest in the NFL over that span.
Head coach Sean McVay has made a concerted effort to establish the run and lean heavily on the team's backs when game script allows. Perhaps spooked by Matthew Stafford's disastrous late-season decision making, McVay's offense has become one of the run-heaviest in the league over the past month. That wasn't always the case: LA's season-long pass rate of 59 percent ranks 11th in the NFL, and their pass rate over expectation was among the league's highest during the season's first month. The new approach has translated to hefty volume for Sony Michel -- who had 13 carries on Monday night against Arizona -- and Cam Akers, who led the team with 17 rushes in LA's Wild Card win. Akers, recently returned from a preseason Achilles tear, totaled 55 yards on the ground but had several long runs called back on penalties. Look for the Rams to once again go run heavy in the Divisional Round against Tampa, hiding Stafford as well as they can.
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Sony Michel
Jan 18, 2022, 10:34 AM ET
D'Onta Foreman would like a word, too.Absolutely astonishing. I thought once you blew an Achilles' it was over.
Sure, it not in the same season.D'Onta Foreman would like a word, too.
No, it's not. But a torn Achilles' heel used to mean done for good. Mykel Leshoure done.Sure, it not in the same season.
For sure, which is why what Cam has done is unreal and unprecedented. And btw looks GREAT too. It’s hard to comprehend honestly.No, it's not. But a torn Achilles used to mean done for good. Mykel Leshoure done.
Cam Akers rushed 13 times for 48 yards in the Rams' NFC Championship win over the 49ers.
He caught his lone pass-game target for a gain of two yards. After losing two fumbles last week in the Divisional Round win over the Bucs, Akers narrowly out-carried Sony Michel 13-10, but Michel did nothing with his 10 carries, rushing for an abysmal 16 scoreless yards. Akers hasn't been efficient at all since his return from a torn Achilles', rushing 54 times for 151 yards (2.8 YPC) and no touchdowns. He's still be coach Sean McVay's preferred lead back. It will be interesting to see if Darrell Henderson (knee) will be activated from I.R. in two weeks. Akers has done nothing to deserve the lion's share of work.
- NBCSportsEDGE
He looks like he needs an offseason and some actual rehab timeLooking very below average, but the run blocking isn’t helping.
Looks like Henderson will have a role+ going into next year.Buckna said:He hasn’t looked great other than a awesome 40 yard reception play against the Cardinals. But they’ve also played a lot of tough defenses in the post season (Cinci & Tampa are both top 5 run defenses for example. 49ers are stout too.)
The fact he’s even out there is still amazing. Full off-season to heal some more should help a lot. The fact they are still trusting him after those fumbles is really encouraging for next season.
Yep Sony getting stuffed too.Cant even tell how he looks. One step and surrounded every carry
He definitely will have a role. Akers will have to play better to keep him at bay. I would say Sony looks likely gone despite the love people were giving him his first few games as a Ram.Looks like Henderson will have a role+ going into next year.
Cam Akers rushed 13 times for 21 yards in the Rams' Super Bowl LVI victory over the Bengals, adding three receptions for 14 additional yards.
Akers' inefficient postseason continued, as he finishes the playoffs with 67 carries for 173 yards (2.58 YPC) across four contests. The No. 52 overall pick of the 2020 draft, Akers closed out his rookie campaign with 141/645/4 over his final seven appearances. There seemed to be nothing in the way of Akers and 2021 RB1 status until he suffered a torn Achilles’ tendon training on his own just days ahead of training camp. That would typically mean zero reps for the upcoming season, but there is nothing typical about Akers’ athleticism and power. He was back by Week 18 and the centerpiece of the Rams’ rushing attack by the Wild Card Round. Although Akers’ long-run explosion did not appear all the way back during the Rams’ Super Bowl run, his Peterson-ian power did. Akers has arguably experienced the best of both worlds during his injury recovery, racing back to get reps but avoiding further injury during a five-game cup of coffee that was really just a prelude to a full return in 2022. With Sony Michel headed to free agency and Darrell Henderson a pure change-of-pace option in the Rams’ eyes, the RB1 runway will again be cleared for Akers in 2022.
- NBCSportsEDGE
None of their RBs had any room.Akers nearly killed the Rams this post-season. Historically terrible.
From ESPN (the terrific Bill Barnwell) :
"The good news is that Akers was on pace to have the worst single game of the season for a running back before that final first down. The bad news is that the player he would have beaten out for that nod is ... Cam Akers, who produced minus-16.5 EPA when he ran 24 times for 48 yards and fumbled against the Buccaneers in the divisional round. (Akers added a second fumble as a receiver.) His return from a torn Achilles has been remarkable, but he was a major detriment to the Rams this postseason."
Yep, Henderson had 4 carries for 7 yards. Michel had 2 carries for 2 yards (10 for 16 the week before.) Perhaps the Rams just suck at running the ball against good run defenses? That “1st down, run it up the gut” every time play wasn’t very successful and yet they kept at it over and over again.None of their RBs had any room.
They really gotta work on that run blocking, yeesh
Yep, Henderson had 4 carries for 7 yards. Michel had 2 carries for 2 yards (10 for 16 the week before.) Perhaps the Rams just suck at running the ball against good run defenses? That “1st down, run it up the gut” every time play wasn’t very successful and yet they kept at it over and over again.
5th best rush defense in the league statistically. Their pass defense was abysmal leading to an average overall rating.The Bengals had good run defense?
Clearly the Rams struggled as a team running the ball but Akers was bad and shouldn't have got so many touches coming back from injury.
I personally was more impressed with a healthy Henderson than Akers at any point....but Henderson is rarely healthy and the Rams love to feed Akers as a bell cow for some reason.....Im thinking classic RBBC next year with an edge to Akers as the lead.We can talk about all the great run defenses the Rams faced down the stretch, but to be honest, I wasn't impressed with Akers either way. Others want to say he wasn't ready to be activated and to me, well, I'm not sure if that is a cop out or truth to be honest. I don't know what he is at this moment. I do think Henderson will have a role+ in 2022 however and that will cut into Akers value.
I agree with this.Kiddnets said:I personally was more impressed with a healthy Henderson than Akers at any point....but Henderson is rarely healthy and the Rams love to feed Akers as a bell cow for some reason.....Im thinking classic RBBC next year with an edge to Akers as the lead.
Akers will definitely be the lead back, no question, but Henderson will get plenty of work. Perhaps as high as 40% and will be in on a lot of passing downs IMO.Assuming McVay is back, I don't see a RBBC. Hasn't been his style, except early in 2020 and it didn't seem like that was by design.
Akers should have a good workload next year if he has a healthy offseason. Whether he keeps it depends how he does at the start of the year, I guess.
I'll be surprised if Henderson gets 40% or close to it. The safest assumption is that McVay will continue to favor a bellcow IMO.Akers will definitely be the lead back, no question, but Henderson will get plenty of work. Perhaps as high as 40% and will be in on a lot of passing downs IMO.
I doubt it and everyone keeps taking up his passing down work but he's not very good in pass protection.Akers will definitely be the lead back, no question, but Henderson will get plenty of work. Perhaps as high as 40% and will be in on a lot of passing downs IMO.
Maybe something to do with getting 27 touches in a game about 6-7 months after his injury.I can’t even fathom why people think Akers will be a bell cow for the team considering the injury he had.
Not only a small sample size, but also late in the season blah blah. People are entitled to believe what they a want. I won’t be buying into it.Maybe something to do with getting 27 touches in a game about 6-7 months after his injury.