Darrell Henderson Shines in Rams' Lopsided Loss to Cardinals
Coming into the Week 4 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, everyone assumed the game would be a high-scoring affair. The Los Angeles faithful were not short-changed on total points scored, but ultimately the Rams fell by the score of 37-20 to Arizona.
The positives in this one don't exactly jump off the page, but the Rams' rushing attack did prove to be a bright spot.
Most notably, the return of running back Darell Henderson. After missing the Week 3 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a rib injury, Henderson returned and performed well against Arizona. He carried the ball 14 times for 89 yards, averaging 6.4 yards per carry on Sunday afternoon.
While the Cardinals largely minimized wide receiver Cooper Kupp, the running game of the Rams was an important aspect against quarterback Kyler Murray. Although the Rams are certainly capable of winning a shootout, it's very important for coach Sean McVay to continue establishing the running game in all four quarters.
Thankfully for the Rams sake, it appears the initial rib injury to Henderson was a short-term issue. Henderson played 90% of the Rams' offensive snaps yesterday. Even though quarterback Matthew Stafford attempted 41 passes, the Rams still made sure to turn to Henderson when it mattered.
Henderson received 89% of the snaps on short distance plays and 92% on long distance plays. After missing a week and seeing the slight emergence of Sony Michel, Henderson looked true to form, returning to his RB1 role.
Additionally, Henderson made his mark in the passing game as well. Not normally known as a receiving back, Henderson caught five passes for 27 yards. Through the first four weeks – even missing a game – Henderson is tied for the third-most total targets for all NFL running backs.
Also, Henderson can handle the ball inside the red zone, exemplifying his power in which he runs with. So far in 2021, McVay has shown trust in Henderson around the goal line. In red zone targets, Henderson is second on the team with 33.3%, only trailing Kupp.
The biggest question is why McVay did not run the ball more. While the Rams trailed after falling behind early, Arizona came into the matchup as the fifth-worst run defense in the NFL, allowing 140 yards per game. It appeared that every time the running game got its rhythm, it would then get followed up with an abundance of passing attempts.
The Rams have a short week before their Week 5 game where they play the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football. With the Seahawks boasting the worst run defense in the NFL, McVay needs to rely heavily on Henderson to get the job done. Keeping the ball out of Russell Wilson’s hands and exploiting their biggest defensive weakness will be the key to victory.
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