Will Rams DBs Cobie Durant, David Long Jr. Play at Cardinals? Sean McVay Provides Answer
The Los Angeles Rams were already going to be without veteran cornerback Troy Hill for Week 3 at the Arizona Cardinals after he was placed on injured reserve Tuesday with a groin injury.
Now, LA will be without two of its most talented young players in the secondary as well. Rams coach Sean McVay said Friday that rookie cornerback Cobie Durant and fourth-year defensive back David Long Jr. will miss Sundays's game against the Cardinals.
Durant, who came out of nowhere with a sack and an interception during Sunday's 31-27 win over the Atlanta Falcons, picked up a hamstring injury during the game and was questionable throughout the week before McVay's official announcement.
Per McVay, Long Jr. suffered a groin injury in practice at some point during the week, forcing him to miss the NFC West opener as well.
Durant's big-time 54-yard interception return at the end of the first half against Atlanta was a game-changing play that likely saved the Rams in the long run given the Falcons' near-epic comeback.
The Falcons were in a position to at least get a field goal before the half, but the pass from quarterback Marcus Mariota's to running back Cordarrelle Patterson was bobbled in the air and into the arms of Durant, who nearly had a pick-six on the play.
And on Atlanta's first possession of the second half, Durant dashed to Mariota on a corner blitz, picking up his first-career sack and looking impressive while doing so.
Long Jr. is still waiting to make an impact through the first two weeks and will have to keep waiting. Still, the former third-round pick in 2019 is in position to build off the best year of his career last season.
In the regular season, he posted four passes defended, 40 total tackles, and had an interception. But Long Jr's highlight of 2021 came on the pick-six he had in LA's dominant 34-11 win over the Cardinals in the NFC Wild Card.
Durant and Long will now watch the Rams (1-1) and Cardinals (1-1) from the sidelines, as the two rivals are set for a 1:25 p.m. P.T. kickoff at State Farm Stadium on Sunday.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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