LOS ANGELES — When the Los Angeles Rams lost Quentin Lake to a dislocated elbow in mid-November, their defense suffered and slumped.
Lake is returning for the wild-card round, and the Rams (12-5) are hoping he’s a key to a long playoff run.
As for Lake himself, he’s just eager to get back to work as the do-it-all defensive back who has become the unlikely engine driving a precocious young defense.
“I’m ready to go throw my elbow in there, have fun, fly around and help this team win again,” Lake said Thursday.
After several weeks to recover from surgery, Lake will be back in uniform when the Rams visit the Carolina Panthers (8-9) on Saturday in the first game of the NFL postseason. He wasn’t in uniform Nov. 30 when the Rams made their first trip to Charlotte, and his absence was felt in that game — and in every game the Rams have played since he went down nearly two months ago.
“He’s got this presence where you just feel better,” coach Sean McVay said.
Lake’s job is big and complicated, but the former sixth-round pick from UCLA has grown into the role filled by Jalen Ramsey during Los Angeles’ Super Bowl championship run four years ago.
Lake usually plays the “star” position in the schemes utilized by McVay and his past three defensive coordinators. The job requires him to line up frequently as a slot cornerback in coverage, but also to contribute heavily to the Rams’ run defense in the box.
He earns his “Captain Q” nickname by leading the defense on the field, making sure his teammates on the NFL’s least expensive defense are lined up correctly — and keeping a cool head amid the late-game pressure that will only be ratcheted up in the postseason.
“It’s extremely important,” defensive coordinator Chris Shula said of Lake’s return. “He’s a great player, whether you’re just talking about scheme-wise or all the things that he does for us. Really what he brings to the team as far as from a physicality, from communication and the questions he’s asking, it’s awesome to have him back.”
Lake’s importance can be measured by what happened while he was out.
The Rams fell to the bottom quarter of the NFL in scoring defense, yards allowed per play and big plays allowed, among several metrics. Los Angeles yielded 28 points per game in its final six outings, dropping the defense into the middle of the pack in the final NFL standings.
Lake showed his leadership qualities when asked about the Rams’ defensive play during his absence. Los Angeles went 3-3 in its final six games.
“We had a lot of guys come in for my spot that did great things,” Lake said. “At the same time, my job is, how can I come back and really help this team? That’s it. I don’t really look at, hey, what was happening when I was out, what wasn’t happening, the difference between when I was in and when I wasn’t. I was just focused on getting back, and luckily the team gave me a shot to come back and play meaningful football.”
Lake has known about big-time football pressure his whole life: His father, Carnell, played on several playoff teams and reached the Super Bowl during his decade as a dominant defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Quentin Lake made 23 tackles in his first three playoff games, and he believes that the Rams’ experience will matter in Charlotte and beyond.
“The playoff atmosphere is amazing,” Lake said. “Guys either rise to the occasion, or they sink to the level of their training, and I know we have a lot of guys that are built for it. Guys that when the pressure and the moment is big, they rise to the occasion.”
NOTES: RG Kevin Dotson has been ruled out this week due to his injured ankle, an absence that compromises the Rams’ rushing attack and overall offensive structure. Dotson got hurt when Seahawks LB Derick Hall stepped on him last month, earning a one-game suspension. The game in Carolina will be the third straight missed by Dotson. … Rookie TE Terrance Ferguson is questionable for Saturday after injuring his hamstring in practice last week, but he participated in parts of Thursday’s practice after missing the first two workouts this week. … CB Josh Wallace (ankle) is also questionable.
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