The Los Angeles Rams suffered a heartbreaking overtime loss on the road to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Even though they came up just short, it was an promising performance for Sean McVay’s team to hang with the top seed in the AFC on the road.
Unfortunately, the Rams also did not leave the game unscathed. Backup tight end Hunter Long had to be carted off the field in the first half and the news was not good as McVay revealed he is done for the year.
“So coming off the game unfortunately (TE) Hunter Long got his MCL,” McVay said on Monday. “He’ll require surgery for that so he’ll be out for the year.
“It’s a bummer for him. He was doing a really good job. He has fought through a lot of adversity this year and I thought he played really well in the early parts of that game. You hate that for him but looking forward to him rehabbing and doing a good job with us moving forward.”
Long was traded to the Rams this offseason, along with a third-round pick, for star cornerback Jalen Ramsey. He had already dealt with a thigh injury that kept him out for most of the first part of the season but finally seemed to be rounding into form.
While primarily the backup tight end behind Tyler Higbee, Long had gotten the start on Sunday with Higbee out due to a neck injury. There is a belief that Higbee will be able to return to the field for the Rams’ Week 15 contest against the Washington Commanders, but if not McVay will roll with Davis Allen and Brycen Hopkins, the former of which hauled in four catches for 50 yards and his first career touchdown against the Ravens.
These final four contests are absolutely crucial for McVay and the Rams as they are in the thick of the NFC playoff race. They are currently one of five teams tied for the final playoff spot at 6-7, but thanks to tiebreakers currently sit at eighth in the conference due to a head-to-head loss to the Green Bay Packers.
But with a pair of winnable home games coming up against the Commanders and New Orleans Saints, the Rams have a chance to push ahead of the pack and give themselves a real chance to make the playoffs. Something that many didn’t feel Sean McVay’s squad was capable of at the start of the season.
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