Davante Adams, Quentin Lake set to return for Rams’ wild-card matchup vs. Panthers – The Athletic
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. — The Los Angeles Rams are getting two of their best players back with their season on the line.
Wide receiver Davante Adams will make his return against the Carolina Panthers in Saturday’s road wild-card playoff game. Safety Quentin Lake will also make his return after a seven-game absence for elbow surgery.
The Rams have ruled out right guard Kevin Dotson and wide receiver Jordan Whittington. Tight end Terrance Ferguson and cornerback Josh Wallace are listed as questionable.
A three-time first-team All-Pro, Adams missed the past three games with hamstring and knee issues. But he practiced in full this week after a pair of practices last week in preparation for this game. He doesn’t see any issue in re-creating the strong connection he formed with quarterback Matthew Stafford around midseason.
“I’ve been out there catching balls last week at least, and still trying to find a way to stay connected with him,” Adams said. “I don’t think a couple weeks off at this point is going to deteriorate the success and the growth that we’ve been able to have over the course of the season.”
Adams became the first player in NFL history this season to lead the league in touchdown receptions with three different franchises. It took a little time for him to build chemistry with a new quarterback in Stafford who missed most of training camp, but Adams scored 14 times in 14 games, proving to be the red zone star the Rams envisioned when they signed him to replace Cooper Kupp in the offseason.
“As soon as I got to know him a little bit … you like him even more, and you hear the way that his brain works,” coach Sean McVay said. “You have an inclination and intuition when you watch the tape of how smart, cerebral and how passionate he is about the game. Then when you get to know him, I think we’re very similar personality-wise, competitiveness.”
Lake’s return is arguably just as big for a defense that has slipped some without him. The Rams believed enough in his status to extend him to a three-year, $42 million deal with $25.7 million guaranteed last week. Lake is a captain and one of the team’s most vocal leaders. He rotates between nickel cornerback, strong safety and free safety in a way that disguises the Rams’ looks between base and dime personnel, and he has also proven to be one of the team’s best run defenders.
The run defense allowed explosive gains and more than 6.0 yards per carry in recent losses to the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons.
Lake’s return is especially significant against the Panthers, as the Rams allowed 164 rushing yards on 40 carries in a Week 13 matchup that was defined by physicality.
“He’s so versatile and he’s so physical,” McVay said. “He’s really just so productive in general. His communication, his command … there’s a reason why he’s been voted a captain for our group. He’s got this presence where you just feel better.
“I thought that was a real edge he provided for us in terms of some of the production, particularly setting edges and doing some of the things that we ask of the star. When we’re in our base defense, he’s very active as a fit safety in the run defense.”
The Rams feel they’re getting healthy at the right time after losing three games in a five-week stretch when Lake and Adams were dealing with injuries. But they’re not all the way there, as they have to find a way to play without Dotson for a third straight game after he injured his ankle against the Seahawks.
Justin Dedich will start in Dotson’s place and will face a challenge against Panthers Pro Bowl defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who sealed Carolina’s 31-28 victory over the Rams with a strip-sack of Stafford in the final minutes in Week 13.
The Rams placed linebacker Shaun Dolac on injured reserve this week after he suffered a PCL injury. Dolac played in all 17 games and was one of the team’s best special teams players while playing 57 percent of those snaps, but he will miss the entire postseason due to the injury.
Los Angeles wanted to use Thursday’s practice to weigh the availabilities of Ferguson, Wallace and Whittington, but Whittington spent the open portion with a knee brace on while working with a trainer off to the side. Los Angeles then downgraded him to out.
Wallace was primarily a fill-in at nickel cornerback for Lake, but he has also played 39 percent of special teams snaps this season. Ferguson was the team’s top draft pick last spring and presented a matchup problem in the Rams’ three-tight-end sets, though the return of 10-year veteran Tyler Higbee bolsters the options at that position.
Ferguson tweaked his hamstring last Friday, which led to the Rams holding him out against the Arizona Cardinals as well as the first two practices this week with the schedule moved up a day. He practiced in limited form Thursday but was running routes in the open portion of practice.
