Kyren Williams is off to a running start for Rams

INGLEWOOD, CA (News4usonline) – Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers rushed for a touchdown in the team’s road win against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1. With the Rams entertaining the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2 at SoFi Stadium, Akers was listed as inactive on game day. 

Kyren Williams, who rushed for two scores in the Rams’ upset win, was pushed up to the No. 1 spot. Williams followed up his season debut with another productive outing. In his second game of the season, Williams impressed as he did in Week 1.

In the first half against San Francisco, Williams caught a touchdown pass and then powered his way into the endzone for his second score. The two touchdowns Williams produced in the 30-23 defeat the Rams absorbed at the hands of the 49ers at SoFi Stadium were his third and fourth scores in two games. 

In a postgame interview, Williams, who rushed for 52 yards on 14 carries and caught six passes for an additional 48 yards against the 49ers, said the number of touchdowns he’s already scored means he has more room to improve.   

“It means that I’ve got more work to do,” Williams said. “Like I said, last week I tried to be better than this week and next week I’m trying to do better than this week, this past game. So, like I said, I’ve got a lot more work to be done. I can’t wait until Monday…really tonight when I get home to watch the film and Monday to put action to corrections I got to make.”  

On his scoring reception, Williams took a short pass and ran through the San Francisco defense to complete the 6-yard scoring toss from quarterback Matthew Stafford. 

On the Rams’ 88-yard drive just before the half, Williams punched in his second touchdown of the day by taking the handoff from Stafford and powering his way up the middle of San Francisco’s defense for a 4-yard score. 

Rams head coach Sean McVay liked what he saw from Williams in regards to his performance against San Francisco. 

“I thought he did really well. I thought he had great command of what was going on. I thought he made his plays. I thought his extra effort, especially whether it was running it or just his feeling the screen game or being able to catch a low pass and then be able to create a little bit after the catch. It was unfortunate, but those are things that can sometimes occur in football and I was really pleased with Kyren overall.”

Both touchdowns that Williams scored came in the second quarter. His rushing score marked his third touchdown coming on the ground in the first two games. Williams had two rushing touchdowns in the Rams’ 30-13 win against the Seattle Seahawks. 

Listed as 5-foot-9 and 194 pounds, Williams, a second-year player out of Notre Dame, gives the Rams a versatile player at the running back position. He runs hard and low to the ground, blocks, and catches the ball out of the backfield with ease.

“I do whatever coach asks me to do,” said Williams. “That is why I love the game of football. I love the game, you know, being a running back and all of the involvement I have in the offense and how, you know, the key part that we are. It’s fun and it’s a blessing to be able to do this.”  

Williams was targeted 10 times by Stafford and came up with those six catches. But of the four other passes he didn’t catch there is one toss that Williams wishes he could have caught. 

That one pass occurred when the Rams were driving down the field in the third quarter with the momentum at their backs. Stafford flicked a pass to Williams, which bounced off of him and into the waiting hands of San Francisco defender Isaiah Oliver for an interception.   

Because the game was tightly contested, the momentum swung back in San Francisco’s favor. The 49ers rode that momentum to their second win of the season. Stafford said the Rams still had enough time and opportunities to flip the game’s outcome.  

“There was a lot of time left. We have more opportunities in that game,” said Stafford. “There’s no more conscientious guy on our team, nobody that wants to do right more than that guy, so I got no problem with it. Obviously, he knows he can catch that ball but it’s part of it. There are going to be those things that are unfortunate that don’t go your way in this game. All the trust in the world in him and his process and his ability to get it done.” 

Despite the unfortunate miscue, running back Ronnie Rivers was nevertheless impressed with the way Williams played against San Francisco’s vaunted defense.  

“He did a tremendous job out there tonight,” Rivers said. “Just carrying the load and doing his job tonight. It’s admirable to watch.” 

Rams offensive lineman Rob Havenstein is an admirer of Williams as well. What Havenstein sees in the 23-year-old running back is a lot of passion.  

“Kyren is obviously a young, fiery guy with all the drive in the world,” Havenstein said. “You can tell he cares a lot. it means a lot to him. He cares a lot…He treats every opportunity like it could be his last.”