The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Washington Commanders 28-20 on Sunday, thanks to another strong offensive performance. Despite two fumbles, running back Kyren Williams had an impressive day on the ground, gaining 152 yards and scoring once. Now, Williams has a chance to do something that no running back has done since 2018.
If Williams can get just 47 yards on the ground against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday, he will be the first Rams running back to top 1,000 yards in a season since Todd Gurley in 2018. His eight rushing touchdowns have already surpassed Gurley’s 12 in 2019.
Williams has been outstanding since taking over for former Rams running back Cam Akers, averaging 95.3 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry. Williams has 493 yards and two rushing touchdowns in the last four weeks alone. He also has 88 yards receiving and two more touchdowns through the air in that time frame.
Williams’ stats are even more impressive when you consider he missed four games on injured reserve in the middle of the season and still has a chance to break the 1,000 yard mark.
As previously stated, Williams would be the first player since former Rams running back Todd Gurley to reach 1,000 yards. Gurley led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in 2018, was named First-Team All-Pro, and was instrumental in leading Los Angeles to their first Super Bowl berth under Sean McVay. Los Angeles hasn’t had much rushing success since Gurley’s MVP-caliber season, with no running back going over 860 yards on the ground until Williams this year.
The Rams will need Williams to continue his success in the backfield against the New Orleans Saints, who are also 7-7 in the NFC and vying for the final wild card spot. Los Angeles will benefit from a Saints rush defense that ranks 24th in the league, allowing an average of 126.4 yards to opposing running backs. A win over the Saints would be huge for the Rams, as it would give them the tiebreaker over the Saints and move them one step closer to a playoff berth.
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