Rams WR Demarcus Robinson is fitting in nicely

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – If Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Demarcus Robinson continues to play at the level he has been playing at this season he could make a push to finish the year with a career-best in pass receptions and yards receiving. 

Robinson has 22 catches for 350 yards through the first nine games this season. His career-best for catches in a season is 48, a mark he landed during the 2022 season as a member of the Baltimore Ravens.

His high mark in yards receiving came during the 2020 season with the Kansas City Chiefs when he picked up 466 yards. As a member of the Rams standout wide receiving corps, Robinson is not asked to be the star of the show.

He’s that guy you know he’s there and then for a split-second, you forget about him until he wheels by you for a walk-off, one-handed, game-winning touchdown grab in overtime like he did against the Seattle Seahawks in the Rams’ 26-20 win in Week 9.

Robinson’s spectacular game-winning score against Seattle wasn’t his first rodeo. This is his ninth season in the NFL. He’s accustomed to making big plays. He is a savvy veteran who knows his way around a football field.

The role Robinson plays for the Rams is to be the third wheel in operation when defenses pay too much attention to Cooper Kupp or Puka Nacua. While his production level has risen this season, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said he has not seen any difference from Robinson in the way he preps for games and in the way he practices. 

“No real difference to him as a player,” Stafford said. “I think he’s just gotten some more opportunities. The coverage has kind of dictated that the ball goes to him and he’s done a great job of making the plays. A couple weeks ago, they wanted to press him on a play. I gave him an opportunity and made a great play last week to end the game.” 

“It’s not a play we’re designing to throw there. We’re just kind of designed to get out on the edge and try to make a play, but he made the play. He is just getting some opportunities coming down with him and that’s the biggest difference,” Stafford added.

This is Robinson’s second season with the Rams. His first season was more of a get-to-know-me basis year as Robinson struggled to get pass-catching opportunities. Playing in 16 games during the 2023 NFL season, Robinson caught 26 passes for 371 yards and scored four touchdowns.   

The Rams liked what Robinson brought to the table in that first season and re-signed him to a one-year contract in the offseason. With a year under his belt being in the Rams offense, Robinson is getting more opportunities to catch passes this season. He has already surpassed the number of times he was targeted (43) than all of last season (39).

 A big part of Robinson being targeted more than before has to do with the injuries that hit Kupp and Nacua. With Nacua sidelined for five weeks and Kupp out for a time, Robinson became one of the main go-to weapons for Stafford. 

Before facing off against the Miami Dolphins in a Monday Night Football game, Robinson made his presence felt in wins against the Minnesota Vikings and the Seahawks. During the Rams’ 30-20 win against Minnesota, Robinson caught two passes in the victory. 

Both receptions turned out to be touchdowns against the Vikings during a Thursday Night Football game. To keep up with his magic, Robinson may have outdone himself in the Rams’ overtime win against the Seahawks.

Robinson caught six passes for 94 yards and two more scores in the road victory. Robinson’s second touchdown grab of the afternoon is going to be what people are going to remember. Following a defensive stand by the Rams defense on Seattle’s first drive in the extra session, Stafford connected with Robinson on a 39-yard pass play to end the game and extended LA’s win streak to three games. 

“I think for a guy his size, he’s sudden and explosive,” Stafford said. “He is not a small person. He is a big dude, wiry, sudden mover and has a great feel for what’s going to get him open. Some guys just have a great feel. He does a great job of that, especially in those sticky man-to-man type situations. He has done a nice job of finishing some big plays for us, so that’s a huge plus.”

After blowing by a Seattle defender, Robinson made an acrobatic one-handed catch as he dove into the endzone for the game-clincher.    

“Amazing. It was an amazing catch and a great play. From my angle, I didn’t know, he just got up with such confidence. I knew he didn’t drop it. I’m glad he made the play he made and glad it worked out for us,” Stafford remarked. 

Nacua said he has picked up a thing or two while watching Robinson. One good habit he has learned is that Robinson leaves no wasted motion when he makes a catch.

“I think one thing is D-Rob’s body control,” Nacua stated. “I think it’s some of the catches you’ve seen you go down and one of the only people to have a one-handed game-winning walk-off overtime [catch]. His body control and even the plays in Minnesota where his back-to-back touchdowns of beating somebody off the line of scrimmage, but then also having the body controller to go out and get another one-handed catch while you’re getting a ‘PI’ [pass interference] call.” 

“You’ve seen him countless times on some of our out cuts of his body control to take a hit, go up there and snag the ball. I think his awareness out there on the field of him trusting all his physical capabilities to go up there and get the ball, but then also have the ability to make sure you’re aware of where you are in the football field,” Nacua added.

Top Image Caption: Demarcus Robinson of the Los Angeles Rams comes out of the tunnel during pregame introductions at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on Oct. 24, 2024, before the team was to face off against the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night Football. Photo credit: Mark Hammond/News4usonline