Williams Nacua feel the noise in practice as Rams breakout youngsters prep for playoff debuts
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) If Kyren Williams and Puka Nacua had any doubts about the atmosphere they'll face in Detroit in their first NFL playoff games, they've literally heard all about it in practice this week.The Rams have cranked up the speakers on the fields at their training complex to near-deafening levels in an attempt to mimic the aural obstacles Los Angeles' offense will face Sunday night at Ford Field, where Detroit fans will be celebrating the end of the Lions' 30-year playoff home game drought.When were at practice, the music is as loud as it can be, Williams said Thursday. You cant even hear yourself think, really. It might be kind of overboard, but Id rather it Glen Perkins Jersey be overboard than not enough. Weve been practicing all week with the loud noise.Williams and Nacua are getting their playoff debuts as one reward for their impre sive breakout seasons with the Los Angeles Rams (10-7), who have surged into the postseason with seven wins in eight games built largely on their young players.ADVERTISEMENT Williams was rewarded with a Pro Bowl selection after finishing third in the league with 1,144 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns despite mi sing five games. He'll be joined in Orlando by Nacua, the most prolific rookie receiver in NFL history after catching 105 pa ses for 1,486 yards and six TDs.But for everything they've accomplished this season, they've had very few tastes of high-stakes postseason football tension. Williams' only bowl experience Robbie Grossman Jersey in three years at Notre Dame was in the Irish's lo s to Alabama in the displaced Rose Bowl held in Texas in 2021, while Nacua played in one minor bowl in four collegiate seasons.Its definitely about sticking to the proce s, Nacua said. Were here in Week 97, it feels like, and just trying to continue to keep doing the same things we feel like weve been good at for the past couple of weeks, which is being a physical team in the run game and then taking advantage of the opportunities we get in the pa sing game.Williams and Nacua are only the two most prominent members of a large cla s of playoff debutantes for the Rams, who had one of the NFL's youngest rosters all season long. Much of the Rams secondary will be making its playoff debut, and inexperience stretches acro s the roster.Although the Rams won Willians Astudillo Jersey the Super Bowl just two years ago, that's an eternity for rosters in the modern NFL and particularly for a franchise that held a cap-clearing talent purge in the past offseason after finishing a miserable 5-12 in their title defense season. Just 18 players remain on the active roster from that title team, and le s than a dozen played a significant role Zach Duke Jersey in the 2021-22 playoff run.Coach Sean McVay said he consciously isn't making a big deal out of the first playoff experience for a large chunk of his group. The Rams usually ranked second or third in the league in roster youth this season, and the team struggled into the bye week before roaring into the playoff picture.I think you acknowledge that its a great opportunity, but I think we want to be consistent in our approach, McVay said. "A lot of the things this team has done so well ... from the bye on, its like, Hey guys, lets continue to trust the proce s, continue to trust one another. I dont think you want to pre s. You know the atmosphere and environment is going to be outstanding, but I dont think you want to get too far outside the framework of the things that allowed us to be in this position.McVay has made one conce sion to the importance of the moment: The Rams are prominently displaying their Lombardi Trophy from two years ago in their locker room, accompanied by a handwritten sign reading: Whatever it takes!Seeing that trophy every day is a reminder that its po sible, Williams said. If we keep Kennys Vargas Jersey working as a team, as a unit, well be right where we want to be when its time to be there.___AP NFL:
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