After a series of injuries and suspensions at the start of the 2024 NFL season, the Los Angeles Rams have finally received some positive news heading into Week 5. Darious Williams, their Super Bowl-winning cornerback who spent the last few seasons in Jacksonville, is officially set to return for the game against the Green Bay Packers.
During his Friday media session, head coach Sean McVay shared his expectations for Williams upon his return, praising his work ethic and potential impact. “He has experience, confidence, and has produced when he’s played, which is why we’re so excited to have him back. He has a great instinct for the game and a natural ability to get his hands on the ball when opportunities arise. We’re looking forward to having Darious back,” McVay told reporters.
So far this season, the cornerback position has been one of the few areas not significantly impacted by injuries, with the team’s three starting corners—Cobie Durant, Tre’Davious White, and Quentin Lake—remaining healthy. However, White has struggled, and Durant hasn’t performed much better, while Lake mainly plays inside when at cornerback. If Williams can establish himself as a reliable presence on the outside, whether by replacing White or Durant or rotating between the two spots, it could greatly improve the Rams’ defensive efficiency. After all, you don’t want to rank 13th in the NFL for receiving yards allowed when you have capable cornerback play.
Sean McVay believes the Rams’ receivers can beat Green Bay’s coverage
In his Friday media session, McVay also discussed the Packers’ defensive backfield, which often employs single coverage on the outside. He was asked whether the Rams’ receivers, still missing Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, could exploit this strategy. McVay expressed confidence that they could, despite the Packers’ solid defensive performance at times this season.
“Overall, if we get those chances, Coach [Jeff] Hafley does a great job of mixing things up,” McVay noted. “They’ve given up some opportunities, especially when they have a big lead late in games. They’re a strong defense and very opportunistic in forcing turnovers. We need to be efficient in all situations. If we get one-on-one opportunities, we have to capitalize, but they have some excellent corners that we respect greatly.”
So far this season, the Packers have allowed 83 receptions on 130 targets for 922 yards and eight touchdowns. While these figures rank no higher than 21st in the NFL, their eight interceptions lead the league, with free safety Xavier McKinney contributing four of those.
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