Los Angeles Rams running back Darrell Henderson (ribs) will be a game-time decision for Sunday’s showdown with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, head coach Sean McVay announced Friday. Henderson’s ribs aren’t cracked, but he does have a cartilage injury that is quite painful.
“We’ll be smart” with Henderson, McVay told reporters Friday afternoon. “… It’s a pain tolerance thing.”
Update 09/26/21: Darrell Henderson has officially been ruled out for the Los Angeles Rams game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Darrell Henderson (ribs) a game-time decision
The Rams’ plan all along was to keep Henderson out of practice Wednesday and Thursday and evaluate his level of pain. Henderson’s injury occurred on the first play of the fourth quarter of Los Angeles’ Week 2 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
He left the game and did not return, with Sony Michel getting all 10 of his carries after his exit.
Henderson has been the Rams’ featured back this young season, out-carrying Michel 29-1 before his injury. He has 123 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns in basically seven quarters of work. It’s fair to expect that distribution of labor to change with Henderson’s health status, even if he’s available to play Sunday.
The Rams traded for Michel, the former Patriots’ first-round pick, after Cam Akers tore his Achilles tendon prior to the start of training camp. But his workload has been lower than many expected.
Rams’ RB depth getting thin
And yet, Los Angeles GM Les Snead hasn’t panicked this week after another top back went down. The Rams’ personnel department did swap practice squad running backs — signing Javian Hawkins and cutting Otis Anderson — but the active roster has not changed.
The only other back on Los Angeles’ 53-man roster is Jake Funk, a rookie out of Maryland taken in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Buddy Howell, who has 21 carries in 45 career games, is also on Los Angeles’ practice squad.
The sledding will most certainly be tough against a Buccaneers team that is quite stingy against the run. Tampa Bay ranks second in run defense (57.5 yards per game) and third in yards per carry (3.0).