The Los Angeles Rams, for the first time this season, are facing something tough other than their opponents. The injury bug hit them this past week, and heading into their Week 12 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football at SoFi Stadium.
The Rams will be without some key pieces on offense and defense. They will now have to make sure they play more as a unit than they already did this season.
On the defensive side of the ball, they lost a captain in Quentin Lake. Lake was a ball hawk at the safety position and someone the Rams trusted to keep everything in front of the defense from the secondary. Lake will now miss some time, and he will help teach up his replacement from the sidelines and at practice. A big blow for the Rams' defense, which was playing like the best in the league. They will play more together than before and help each other with anything and everything.
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November 9, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams safety Quentin Lake (37) after the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
“Everybody knew how much this meant to Q, how he put his heart into the game,” Rams safety Kamren Kinchenssaid. “To see him go down is already so emotional. It means so much to him for it to just be taken away. … It’s extra motivation to make sure he can be a part of the team and a part of the playoff run.”
“It starts by us being more intentional — me and Kam,” added Kinchens. “It’s understanding that now they’ve got to rely on us for that clarification. They used to rely on Q. … We’ve got to step up in that aspect.”
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Nov 16, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula on the field prior to the game against the Seattle Seahawks at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
“You don’t replace a Quentin Lake,” Rams head coach Sean McVaysaid. “He’s so valuable for so many reasons with what he can do, with who he is as a human, with the way that he elevates and leads. He’s a glue guy for us.”
“I feel like it’s nothing that’s going to be too hard for me. I’ve been in this situation before. I know it,” Roger McCreary said of the nickel spot. “I hope I can pick back up where Q was at, for real. … I feel like I’m ready for the moment.”
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Nov 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams cornerback Roger McCreary (25) warms up during pregame of a game against the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The Rams coaching staff will have this team ready to move forward without some key teammates. That is the only way they could move. The Rams coaching staff has done a great job when players go done and the backups come in and play well.
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