'I'm Gonna Trust Him!': Rams QB Baker Mayfield Already Building Rapport With New Target
Los Angeles-based productions often succeed or fail through the relationships of co-stars.
The Los Angeles Rams certainly hope they have a strong one forming on offense if only to make the final stages of their failed Super Bowl defense a bit more tolerable.
By now, Baker Mayfield's ascension from released Carolina Panther to SoCal late-game hero has been well-documented throughout the league. Just about 48 hours after he signed with the Rams, Mayfield led Los Angeles to an improbable comeback in a nationally-streamed contest against the Las Vegas Raiders last Thursday, guiding them to a pair of scoring drives that totaled 173 yards in the final frame of a 17-16 triumph.
Speaking with Peter King of NBC Sports, Mayfield was more than happy to give a co-author credit to one of his new teammates, receiver Ben Skowronek. Optimistic Rams fans could be thinking that the latest blue-and-yellow quarterback-receiver tandem could be forming, especially if the latter keeps on fulfilling the new passer's great expectations.
Skowronek was the Rams' leading receiver on Thursday, earning 89 yards on seven receptions. His longest was by far his most vital, nabbing 32 as part of the Rams' final 98-yard trek that ended in Mayfield's aerial score to Van Jefferson with 10 seconds remaining. Skowronek's reception put the Rams in Raider territory, yanking the highlight-reel grab away from Las Vegas defender Nate Hobbs.
"He’s a big dude. He’s a contested-catch guy. I just threw it up there and gave him a chance," Mayfield said of the 6'3 Skowronek. "Those are the moments in a two-minute drill, somebody’s got to make a play. Catching it right on top of the DB’s head, with the safety bearing down on him? That’s a guy I’m going to trust, a lot.”
As one of the few Los Angeles receivers to play in all 13 games thus far this season, the seventh-round sophomore Skowronek has earned increased opportunities. Thursday's first collaboration with Mayfield produced a career-best in yardage for Skowronek, who also had an eight-yard reception for a first down on the penultimate play before Jefferson hauled in the winner from 23 yards away.
Skowronek previously came through for the Rams with a 22-yard reception on a 13-yard third down in the second quarter that set up a scoring opportunity at the cusp of the red zone. A lost Cam Akers fumble, however, denied them a chance to cash in.
"He got into a rhythm, he made a couple of key critical catches," head coach Sean McVay said of the Northwestern/Notre Dame alum. "I thought the third down that almost got us down in a scoring position when we turned it over was huge, but he really was able to capitalize on that momentum and confidence is a powerful thing and it can compound quickly."
Skowronek and the Rams (4-9) have a chance to keep the offensive momentum flowing when they take on the Green Bay Packers on Monday night (5:15 p.m. PT, ESPN/ABC).
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