LOS ANGELES – Jared Goff stepped up into the pocket and unloaded a deep ball to Sammy Watkins, his best vertical threat. But Watkins stopped midway through his route, the ball sailing over his head with nobody in sight. That play encapsulated a weird Sunday afternoon for the Los Angeles Rams’ offense, because of the five turnovers that doomed them and because of a game plan that went away from their two best offensive players for long stretches.
Watkins was targeted only four times and finished with zero catches for the second time in his 42-game career, seven days after drawing only two targets against the Dallas Cowboys. Todd Gurley, who led the NFC in scrimmage yards and touchdowns through the first four weeks, received a season-low 16 touches and often found himself off the field during early downs.
“The flow of the game kind of dictates and determines whatever plays we feel like are going to work best,” Rams coach Sean McVay said after a 16-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. “Obviously, we know what a special player Todd is, but given some of the things that they were presenting, we felt like there were some other chances with some different things. But nothing that Todd wasn’t doing.”