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The Los Angeles Rams have caught fire during this push for the NFC West title. The Rams' stellar offensive line play is a major reason behind the surge to 9-6. But a new dilemma surfaced Thursday.
Key pass protector and captain Rob Havenstein suffered a shoulder ailment, head coach Sean McVay revealed. Havenstein sustained the injury during the Rams' Christmas practice, per Myles Simmons of NBC Sports' Pro Football Talk.
This means the veteran Havenstein enters Saturday with an uncertain playing status. The games are starting to become bigger for the Rams amid their four-game winning streak.
Havenstein has played a significant part of this late season turnaround.
Rams' turnaround engineered by key pass protector Rob Havenstein
Trench play is powering the Rams' winning streak.
This offensive line unit hasn't allowed a sack in the last three games. Havenstein's presence and leadership is a big reason behind the stellar line play.
Matthew Stafford hasn't gotten sacked since the Dec. 1 road victory over the New Orleans Saints. The quarterback took two drops behind the line of scrimmage. Stafford's last sack came at the 3:59 mark of the third quarter down in the Superdome.
That means the Rams haven't allowed a sack in 13 straight quarters — one of the best streaks involving an offensive line. Havenstein's fundamentally sound feet and powerful upper body is a prime reason in keeping Stafford upright.
Havenstein is delivering his own personal streak. The 32-year-old has gone seven straight games without allowing a sack, per Pro Football Focus. He surrendered two against the Green Bay Packers, which was back in Week 5.
The former Wisconsin Badgers offensive tackle is an established pillar of the Rams' trenches. Especially in the post Andrew Whitworth era. Both Havenstein and Whitworth won Super Bowl LVI together in the 2021 season. Havenstein assumed the leadership role for the OL group after Whitworth's retirement.
If Havenstein can't suit up, Joe Noteboom emerges as the likely starter at right tackle. The 29-year-old Noteboom has played for L.A. since 2018. Havenstein and the Rams earn a rare Saturday primetime spotlight this week.
The Rams and Arizona Cardinals game moved to that day — which features major playoff implications in Inglewood. A Rams win seals the NFC West title — regardless of how the Seattle Seahawks' Thursday Night Contest against the Chicago Bears shakes out.
That'll mean the fourth division title since 2017 for the franchise. It'll also mean the sixth playoff appearance for the Rams under McVay. The Rams are already a 6.5-point favorite to beat the Cardinals at SoFi Stadium.
