Domino effect of Odell Beckham Jr. injury in Super Bowl made Rams worse, claims Shannon Sharpe
The Los Angeles Rams suffered a crushing 24-9 loss against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on Monday Night Football. The usually potent LA offense, spearheaded by quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp, had a rare off night.
The Rams' defense gave up only 17 points, with a pick-6 accounting for the other seven. Stafford also lost a fumble late in the fourth quarter, effectively ending the game.
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LA's offensive issues stemmed from being unable to move the ball downfield and convert touchdown-scoring opportunities when they came along. Kupp and tight end Tyler Higbee played well, accounting for 122 and 73 receiving yards, respectively, while wide receiver Ben Skowronek caught two passes for 33 yards.
But offseason acquisition Allen Robinson had a poor outing, hauling in only two catches for seven yards. NFL Hall of Famer and Fox Sports analyst Shannon Sharpe believes Robinson isn't the best fit for the Rams' offseason, and the domino effect of Odell Beckham Jr.'s injury has worsened LA's offense. During the Monday Night Football game, he tweeted:
OBJ getting injured in SB really hurt Rams this yr at WR. Better off keeping Woods than signing Robinson twitter.com/dariusjbutler/…
Why did the Rams trade Robert Woods after signing Allen Robinson?
The Rams signed Robinson to a three-year, $46.5 million deal as a replacement for Odell Beckham Jr., who signed with the team midway through the 2021 season on team-friendly terms.
Beckham's knee injury in the Super Bowl meant the Rams had to acquire a deep target, and they chose to sign Robinson. The former Bears star's acquisition came at a cost as they traded wide receiver Robert Woods to the Titans for a sixth-round draft pick to create cap space.
Woods, who signed a four-year, $65 million deal with the Rams in 2020, tore his ACL in November 2021. The team opted to trade the wide receiver to avoid a $13.5 million cap hit.
Woods recorded 277 receptions for 3,492 yards during his five-year stint with the Rams. He was the go-to option after Cooper Kupp for the team's former quarterback Jared Goff and current signal-caller Matthew Stafford.
Woods' skillset was perfect for head coach Sean McVay's offense, which doesn't seem to be the case with Robinson, who has caught only nine passes for 95 yards and a lone touchdown in his first four games with the Rams.
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Would they have been better off had they kept Woods? The veteran wide receiver has struggled to make an impact in Tennessee, catching only 13 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown. But the Titans are a run-first team, with Derrick Henry spearheading the offense.
Needless to say, the domino effect caused by Beckham's injury hasn't helped anyone.