How Kyren Williams fumbles in Week 12 led to Rams win over Saints in Week 13

Kyren Williams fumbled twice in last week’s loss to the Eagles. Those fumbles might wind up as the most important thing that happens to the 2024 Rams. On Sunday in a 21-14 win over the Saints, Williams responded with a season-best 104 rushing yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.

“Kyren’s energy was outstanding,” head coach Sean McVay said after the win, which kept the Rams (6-6) just one game out of first in the NFC West. “When he put his foot in the ground, he was really level… doing a great job on slash running on the second and third levels. The offensive line… and tight ends were doing a good job of being able to get him to the second and third level.”

Williams may not have reached those levels without what appeared to be a coaching decision to sit him early in the win at New Orleans, perhaps as discipline for the fumbles a week earlier. In his place, rookie Blake Corum got the game’s first five carries and produced 32 yards.

And if that was the case, McVay and the Rams’ coaches hit a jackpot. Not only did Los Angeles produce a season-best 156 rushing yards – including 42 from Corum — that running game also resurrected the Rams’ offense after halftime. It was the first time in 129 straight games that an opponent shut out McVay’s Rams in the first half, snapping the NFL’s longest streak.

That’s when Williams went to work, getting nine carries for 62 yards (6.9 avg.) in the second half. He stormed out of the locker room to lead Los Angeles on an 11-play scoring drive on their initial second-half possession, finishing the march with a patient, weaving 4-yard touchdown. And the Rams, who are now 6-2 when they have 24-or-more carries in a game, got a great look at the Williams-Corum tandem at its best. More importantly, Williams didn’t fumble.

“It felt like I was me, myself and I,” said Williams, who ranks fifth in the league with 926 rushing yards, “and I was out there playing like that. Had great energy, and I was distributing that amongst the team.”

Matthew Stafford was distributing touchdown passes to Puka Nacua and DeMarcus Robinson, and Sean McVay was distributing game balls – although in belated fashion to Cooper Kupp. The veteran receiver played his 100th regular-season game on Sunday and finished with 625 career receptions. Kupp surpassed Keenan Allen (624) for the most receptions by an NFL player in his first 100 games all-time. Unaware of the accomplishment after the game, McVay vowed to recognize Kupp when he returned to the facility on Monday.

The win sets up one of the marquee games on the NFL’s Week 14 slate. Los Angeles on Sunday hosts Buffalo (10-2) at SoFi Stadium (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX).

For more information on the Rams and Saints, visit the L.A. Rams and New Orleans team pages at ProFootballPost.com.