The Los Angeles Rams are in a massive rut out the gate in the 2022 NFL season, starting out the year at 3-5. While the defense has been solid, the Rams' offense has been among the worst in the league. While Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp are still in sync with one another, they seem to be the only pair of players who are actively on the same page. When Stafford throws to any other Rams player other than Kupp, his stats are glaringly bad.
“Matthew Stafford [Minus Cooper Kupp]
W1: 112 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT
W2: 164 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
W3: 205 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
W4: 132 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
W5: 183 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
W6: 173 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
W8: 108 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
W9: 38 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
1,115 yards, 2 TD, 8 INT”
Yikes.
The numbers provided by Barrett showcase just how reliant Stafford and the Rams' offense as a whole is on Cooper Kupp. Without the reigning Triple Crown winner at his disposal, Stafford would be vastly below replacement level, and very well could be at risk of being benched.
Of course, that's just a hypothetical, as Kupp is very much an important part of the Rams' offense, and figures to be going forward. In 2022, Kupp has 72 receptions for 813 yards and six touchdown catches. Stafford, on the other hand, has 1,928 passing yards for eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. He's completed 195 passes, meaning Kupp has caught nearly 37 percent of Stafford's pass completions this year. Of Stafford's 285 pass attempts, he's targeted Kupp 93 times, good for 32.6 percent of the team's total target share.
Having a go-to receiver like Kupp has been crucial to Stafford's success in LA, but fans were hoping that Allen Robinson would serve as a reliable WR2 after the team signed him during the offseason. In Robinson's first year with the Rams, he's caught 25 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns. Stafford has not thrown a touchdown pass to another receiver.
Such dependence on Kupp could prove dangerous for the Rams, especially if something were to happen to the star receiver, such as an injury. If he's unavailable, the Rams would be forced to throw to less reliable targets or lean on their running game which is also in shambles right now.
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