Safety Quentin Lake played an integral role for a plucky Rams defense that surged late last season, but it's the offensive side of the ball he saved his bold declarations for on Friday's episode of The Insiders.
Featuring one of the game's best throwers, a workhorse running back and a wide receiver room stocked full with talent, Los Angeles' offense has Lake reminiscing to the Rams' highest-flying days of yesteryear.
"We got our future Hall of Famer Matthew Stafford. I call him mister long handoff," Lake said. "I expect big things. You've got Puka (Nacua) on one end, you've got Davante (Adams) on the other. Tutu Atwell does a fantastic job, too. We have all the weapons that we need, and then Kyren (Williams) in the backfield. It's gonna be kind of reminiscent of the Greatest Show on Turf. I hope we kind of bring that name back this year."
"The Greatest Show on Turf" moniker belongs to the Rams offense from 1999-2001, when quarterback Kurt Warner lit up the league with the help of wide receivers Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce and running back Marshall Faulk. The Rams went 37-11, reached two Super Bowls with one win, and led the NFL in points and yards during each season during that span.
Thus, a Greatest Show part deux would certainly be a welcome sight to behold.
The current iteration of the Rams is by no means as dynamic or blazingly fast as that one, but that's no slight when being compared to one of the greatest-assembled offenses in NFL lore. And as Lake alluded to, the recipe for success certainly exists for the Rams.
The 37-year-old Stafford is locked in after finalizing his new deal with the team, and although he lost mind-meld partner Cooper Kupp, he has a three-time All-Pro in Adams to fill the void. Nacua's body of work speaks for itself, and Williams is coming off two straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He's capable of carrying the load, but L.A. has also built a versatile backfield behind him with Blake Corum and rookie Jarquez Hunter.
They may not ultimately outdo the entire league, but the Rams are plenty capable of wreaking havoc offensively should everyone stay healthy.
That was the team's biggest issue last year during a season nearly wasted by injuries.
The Rams entered their Week 6 bye at 1-4 but clawed their way back to the playoffs and were far more dangerous by season's end than their 20th-place finish in scoring suggested. Their defense, too, took time to gain footing. Once it did, the unit was arguably the more imposing of the two.
Lake and Co. held opponents to single-digit points in four consecutive games -- excluding Week 18 in which most starters sat -- from Week 15 through the Wild Card Round.
They lapsed against the Eagles during the Divisional Round, but even while allowing 28 points still gave the future Super Bowl winners their toughest test of the postseason.
As painful as the 28-22 loss to Philadelphia may have been, it's also a cause for hope.
"I always told myself, we were 14 yards away from winning that game," Lake said. "Obviously, the ball didn't shake our way. There were a couple plays that we might have wished we wanted back, but at the same time I don't think anybody really truly believed in us to even make it that far, mind you, to even give the world champions a run for their money. That gives us a lot of confidence going into this year.
"We've got a lot of guys. We have a young defensive front. We've got guys on the back end that can make plays. And obviously, in this offseason, we got a ton of new additions."
Lake actually spotted the Eagles a yard; the Rams had a third-and-2 on Philadelphia's 13-yard line, down six points, with 1:19 remaining. Stafford was sacked thereafter, then missed on a desperate fourth-down heave.
Nonetheless, few are doubting the Rams can bounce back right into contention.
Lake, the versatile do-it-all cover man for defensive coordinator Chris Shula, is counting on it as he enters a contract year.
A 2022 sixth-round pick, Lake established himself as a difference maker last season. Although he's still without an interception in his career, he's done nearly everything else, and in 2024 placed second on the team with 111 tackles. Lake played 100% of defensive snaps outside of the aforementioned Week 18 contest due to already having a playoff spot sewn up. He lined up everywhere: 519 snaps in the slot, 411 at free safety, 252 in the box and 50 on the defensive line.
His versatility makes him a candidate for a solid extension, although he's intent to keep his mind on the field. Produce there, and more money and security should fall into place.
"The thing for me is, and this is something that my dad always told me, your play on the field in between the white lines will take care of everything else outside," Lake said. "So, that's all I'm focused on right now. Obviously, we have a good team. There's a lot of things that can happen. But I'm just making sure I make this the best year. Had a lot of progression going from Year 2 to Year 3, and that's the same thing I want to do from Year 3 to Year 4."
