"Nothing but respect for him" - Rams' Cam Akers clarifies taunting Budda Baker after serious head injury
Following the Los Angeles Rams' 34-11 dismantling of the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night, running back Cam Akers took to Twitter to clarify his actions during the NFC Wild Card game.
During the third quarter, Akers taunted Cardinals safety Budda Baker with a hand gesture after the two collided on the five-yard line.
Arizona's 26-year-old safety was injured on the play and required the medical team to cart him off the field, but Akers insists he did not realize the safety was injured.
"Prays up to Budda. I didn’t know he was hurt after the play but I have nothing but respect for him," Akers wrote on Twitter.
🏾 . I didn’t know he was hurt after the play but I have nothing but respect for him .Prays up to Budda 🙏🏾 . I didn’t know he was hurt after the play but I have nothing but respect for him .
Baker, who was ranked by fellow players in the NFL as the 19th best player in the league going into this season, also tweeted after the game to let everyone know he wasn't seriously injured and to thank them for their support.
"Thank you all for the prayers. I am doing good," he wrote.
Thank you all for the prayers. I am doing good 🙏🏾
Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury said after the game, “[Baker] had feeling in everything, so he’s at the hospital being examined now, but seems to be positive news that I’ve got so far.”
The injury to Baker compounded the Cardinals' night, and after such a promising regular season, the loss to their bitter rivals will hurt for a while.
Since defeating the Chicago Bears on December 5, the Cardinals have lost five of their previous six games, including Monday's playoff trouncing. With so much potential on their roster, it is a case of what might've been for Arizona.
Los Angeles Rams head to Tampa for divisional showdown; Matthew Stafford earns 1st career playoff win; OBJ shines
It was a dominant performance by the Rams from start to finish, with wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. putting in a stellar performance. After a turbulent few months in Cleveland, the star wideout finally looks settled in this L.A. offense.
He scored the first points of the evening, a four-yard touchdown on a perfectly-thrown fade by quarterback Matthew Stafford.
The former 12th overall pick also proved he has throwing talent. On the first possession of the second half, Beckham threw a 40-yard dime to Akers. The trick-play set up the Rams' fourth score of the night as wide receiver Cooper Kupp got in on the action with a seven-yard touchdown.
It was also a big night for Stafford, who hadn't won a playoff game in his career before Monday's win. He finished with a stat line of 13 out of 17 passes completed, two touchdowns thrown for 202 yards and one rushing touchdown.
Next up for Los Angeles is a trip to Tampa to face Tom Brady and the Buccaneers on Sunday night in the NFC Divisional Round.