Despite Rams awful start, devastating injuries, Super Bowl run still in the cards

There’s an age-old adage in sports: Never let a team beat you twice.Well, the Los Angeles Rams apparently never got the memo because not only did they lose to the Arizona Cardinals on the scoreboard on Sunday afternoon, but also on the injury report that was revealed on Monday. The Cardinals delivered a humiliating 18-16 defeat that dropped the Rams to 2-4 and into last place in the NFC West.Then, less than 24 hours later, they were dealt another brutal blow when head coach Sean McVay revealed an avalanche of injuries that was somehow more devastating than the final score. Newly signed kicker Blake Grupe tore his ACL making a touchdown-saving tackle after another special teams coverage breakdown.

Star receiver Davante Adams ruptured his semitendinosus near his left knee and faces surgery and a six-to-10-week absence.Nose tackle Poona Ford ruptured his triceps and is finished for the season, while defensive end Kobie Turner suffered a groin strain that will sideline him for several weeks.Add those names to a growing injury list featuring Myles Garrett, Terrance Ferguson and Trent McDuffie, and the Rams now look more like a MASH unit than a team with Super Bowl aspirations.Let’s face it, if there were ever a time to burn sage inside SoFi Stadium and perform an exorcism, this might be it.

Between the Rams’ misfortunes and the Chargers’ 0-6 start, things could not get any worse for NFL teams in Los Angeles. “It’s unfortunate we will miss those guys and what they bring on the field,” tight end Tyler Higbee said.“But injuries are part of the game.

At the NFL level, everyone is getting paid to do their job.It has to be a next man up mentality.”At some point, the phrase “next man up” stops sounding inspirational and starts sounding like a desperate plea for healthy bodies.Safety Quentin Lake echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the importance of keeping injured teammates involved while preparing their replacements.“It’s now next man up, guys a...