The Los Angeles Rams are showing signs of their Super Bowl contender potential, fueled in part by the emerging performance of running back Blake Corum. The Rams secured a 24-9 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, bringing their record back to .500 and positioning them second in the NFC West.
Corum, a third-year player, has been a crucial, albeit often overlooked, contributor. In the win against the Chargers, he rushed for 73 yards on 11 carries, notably scoring a pivotal 23-yard touchdown in the third quarter that extended the Rams' lead to 17-9. Despite having fewer carries than teammate Kyren Williams, Corum led the team in rushing yards for the game, demonstrating efficiency that coach Sean McVay highlighted.
"That’s a huge deal. I thought it was really on display from start to finish last week," McVay said, referring to the team's run game. "Then in the second half yesterday, we had the two-minute drive, but then there were a lot of just good positive runs where Blake Corum did a great job on that next drive. It was a 23-yard touchdown actually that he did have yesterday."
McVay also emphasized the importance of the team's ability to control the clock in the final minutes of the game against the Chargers, a feat aided by strong rushing efforts. "Then to be able to get the ball with 6:40 or whatever it was left [in the fourth quarter] and then to never have to punt it away or never put our defense back out on the field, I think that was a big deal," he stated. "I loved even on the fourth-and-1 [in the fourth quarter], the way we were able to push the pile to ensure that game was over."
Corum is currently averaging a career-best 5.2 yards per carry. The Rams will face the Commanders in their next outing, a matchup where Corum's contributions will likely continue to be a key factor for the team's offensive strategy.