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The Los Angeles Rams started their 2019 NFL campaign out with a win on Sunday, defeating the Carolina Panthers by a score of 30-27.
The Rams are considered by most to be one of the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, as they did not lose any talent on offense and actually added some pieces to a defense that sorely needed it.
Los Angeles has a pretty difficult schedule to open the season, as it will take on the New Orleans Saints in an NFC Championship Game rematch at home next week before battling the Cleveland Browns on the road on Sept. 22 (although I'm not sure that game is going to be that difficult anymore).
So, getting off to a 1-0 start was important.
Here are the three biggest takeaways from the Rams' season-opening victory.
3. Cooper Kupp Bounced Back Well
Cooper Kupp played in just eight games last season due to a torn ACL, ending a year in which he was on pace to record 1,000 yards receiving had he stayed healthy.
Well, Kupp returned in Week 1 and was impressive, catching seven passes for 46 yards. The wide receiver represented a security blanket of sorts for Jared Goff, particularly with Brandin Cooks being blanketed by the Panthers defense and logging only two catches.
Kupp said he felt good after the game, and the Rams seem thrilled to have him back. For good reason, too.
Los Angeles' offense was already deadly with Cooks and Robert Woods, but now that Kupp is back in the mix, defenses will have three really good receivers to worry about.
Hopefully, Kupp can maintain this level of play.
2. Jared Goff Was Shaky
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Jared Goff certainly had a weight lifted off his shoulders after getting his contract last week, but it didn't appear that way in Week 1.
Goff struggled throughout the game, completing 23 of his 39 passes for 186 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He missed numerous throws, including a throw behind Woods that was picked off.
To be fair, Goff could have just been rusty, as he did not play at all during the preseason, but taking into account how much criticism he dealt with after a poor second half of 2018 and a horrid Super Bowl showing, this is obviously not the way Goff wanted to start off 2019.
Luckily, it's just Week 1, but this performance did nothing to soothe the minds of those who are wondering whether or not Goff is actually the real deal moving forward.
1. Todd Gurley and the Ground Game Looked Just Fine
There was a lot of apprehension surrounding Todd Gurley heading into Week 1 due to the knee injury he suffered last year that caused him to miss the final two games of the regular season and turned him into a non-factor in two of the Rams' three playoff games.
Gurley also did not get any reps during the preseason and remained mum on his knee throughout the entire offseason, so many were wondering whether or not he was 100 percent.
Well, he looked fine on Sunday, carrying the ball 14 times for an efficient 97 yards, and Malcolm Brown put the icing on the cake with 11 carries for 53 yards and a couple of touchdowns.
If the Rams can get this type of outing from both Gurley and Brown on a weekly basis, they are going to have nothing to worry about.
