Jan 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay on the sidelines against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Rams' Secret Weapon Entering Final Stretch is Clear

Originally posted on Los Angeles Rams on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Jan 25, 2026 8:00 AM ET

There are a lot of things that have contributed to the success of the Los Angeles Rams this season. They avoided a slow start, which put them in contention for the number one seed in the NFC, even if they never held on to it for longer than a week.

Sean McVay had his team prepared from the start for a Super Bowl run, and now they're one game away from making that happen. A road trip to the Seattle Seahawks is all that stands in their way from etching their names into history once more. What's one player whose performance this season can't be swept under the rug to get them where they're at now?

Most Underrated Impact Player

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Zach Tantillo writes for Pro Football Focus , and he wrote an article breaking down one underrated player from each team who's been making impact plays all season. For the Rams, that player is none other than Poona Ford.

"Ford proved to be one of the league’s most impactful offseason additions after signing a three-year, $27.6 million contract with the Rams in free agency. He is the Rams’ highest-graded defender with an 88.1 PFF overall grade, bolstering an already vaunted defensive line. Ford also posted an 80.9 PFF run-defense grade, and 24.8% of his run-defense snaps resulted in a positive grade, the highest rate on the team", said Tantillo.

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A player like Ford was needed to reshape their defensive line, and he has done an amazing job at covering all of the bases for the Rams. Ford is an elite run-stopper with how much gravity he commands as a nose tackle.

Ford's signing this past offseason showed how well the Rams' front office is at identifying problems and solving them. Their defense also had a problem with tackling last season, which is why their Nate Landman signing in free agency has aged so well.

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If the Rams win it all this season, a lot of that credit needs to go to Ford. The Rams' defensive line has been able to take that step up thanks to him, even if players like Braden Fiske didn't take the leap they envisioned for him in his sophomore season.

Ford's addition to the defensive line has translated successfully into the playoffs. They haven't allowed a running back to go for more than 100 rushing yards, which includes the fearsome running back duo that the Chicago Bears boast. Their run-stopping ability will be put to the ultimate test against the Seahawks, which is where Ford's contract earns its value.

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Rams on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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