THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Rams running back Cam Akers said Wednesday he didn't expect to have such a limited role during Los Angeles' 31-10 season-opening loss to the Buffalo Bills last Thursday night.
Rams coach Sean McVay, also speaking to reporters Wednesday, said he'd had a conversation with Akers about needing to play with more urgency, noting the reason the pair had that discussion is «a result of my confidence in him and the expectations we have and what we need him to be, which isn't anything more than what he's capable of.» Akers said that conversation happened during training camp, but that he wasn't expecting his limited workload in Week 1.
Akers played just 12 snaps against the Bills, finishing with 3 carries for 0 yards. And while Akers acknowledged that Thursday night was frustrating, he noted that the Rams still have 16 regular-season games remaining and said he didn't «want to make it too big, bigger than what it is.» «If Coach don't think I'm being urgent, then [I need to] be more urgent,» Akers said. «That's what it comes down to.» When asked what he thought McVay was referencing when he cited a need for increased urgency, Akers said, «Probably more so in practice, I would think.
Not in a game, obviously, because that was the first game. Probably practice. »Whatever Coach says, I'm going to take it and I'm going to learn from it.