Takeaways pay off for the Rams  

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Cobie Durant didn’t record a single forced fumble his rookie season. He picked up three interceptions that year. He got the best of both worlds against the Las Vegas Raiders during a 20-15 win by the Los Angeles Rams. 

“The emphasis on attacking the ball was at an all-time high today,” said Durant following the Rams’ second win of the season. “All week we emphasized attacking the ball, attacking the ball, attacking the ball. And it [was] displayed today. What a great day it is to attack the ball.”  

Durant attacked the ball pretty well late in the second quarter when he decked Gardner Minshew on a blitz, forcing the ball out of the hands of the Las Vegas quarterback. Safety Kamren Curl picked up the ball and ran it back for a 33-yard touchdown. 

“It was a big play,” Curl said. 

The sack fumble by Durant and subsequent touchdown return by Curl turned the game in the Rams’ favor. For one, it allowed the Rams to go into halftime with a 14-6 lead. When Durant blasted Minshew, the Rams had a tenuous 7-3 lead with a little more than a minute to go (1:07) before intermission. 

That all changed when an unsuspecting Minshew got bopped by a hard hit from Durant, causing the Las Vegas signal-caller to be separated from the ball.

“I was just rushing the quarterback,” said Curl. “Cobie flashed in front of my face. I seen him get the ball out, ball is rolling, you know, trying to get a little clean scoop. I didn’t really play baseball like that, but I tried to get a clean scoop and it worked, got into the endzone.” 

While he applauded Curl’s scoring effort, Durant said he was hoping he would be the one to get his hands on the ball after the forced fumble. 

“I really was trying to get the ball before he did,” Durant said. “Why not? When I stripped him [Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew], and I seen the ball, I was trying to get the quarterback out of the way. So I like pushed him down, but I kind of like tripped. So then I seen Kam, and I was like, ‘Oh, Kam got it.’”

Durant’s forced fumble was one of four turnovers the Rams created against the Raiders. After the team’s bye week, Durant said there was a heavy emphasis on takeaways during the week of practice leading up to the game. That charge was on the entire defensive unit, he said. 

“The defense as a whole…we always talk about eleven as one,” Durant said. 

Curl echoed his teammate’s thoughts about getting turnovers.  

“It was just an emphasis on takeaways,” Curl said. “We feel, as a defense, we haven’t created enough takeaways so far this season.”   

That internal memo was picked up pretty well by rookie safety Jaylen McCollough. McCollough grabbed two interceptions against the Raiders. His last pick of the day secured the win for the Rams. Like Curl and Durant, McCollough said the push to create turnovers was revved up in the week of practices.  

“The emphasis of the week…turnovers,” McCollough said. 

With the addition of the two picks he collected from the Raiders’ game, McCollough has three interceptions on the season.  

“Just the right place at the right time,” McCollough said. The ball just found me. Great team win. Proud of our guys. Thankful for the opportunity. We got Minnesota on Thursday. Let’s focus.”