WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – The crab hands dance appears to have stuck as a touchdown celebration for Rams tight end Colby Parkinson. And he's been breaking it out often over the last few weeks.
Parkinson's six-yard touchdown catch from Stafford in Sunday's win over the Cardinals was his fourth touchdown reception in his last five games.
"I think you hit the nail on the head there," Parkinson said, when asked about the enjoyment he's been playing with this year. "It's just been an enjoyable year. I'm not out there trying to score touchdowns for myself or do this or that selfishly. I really just want the team to do well and to play to the best of my abilities for the team, whatever that looks like. Early on wasn't getting the ball as much in the red zone and I was totally fine with it, as long as I was helping the team win."
Parkinson's four receiving touchdowns this season are a career high. His emergence as a trusted red zone target, and his overall comfortability in Year 2 in the Rams' offense, have both been a factor in the depth established at tight end that has allowed them to rely more on 13 personnel since Week 6.
Rams head coach Sean McVay has noticed that enjoyment and playmaking.
"I've seen a guy that just is so present, so settled and enjoying playing," McVay said. "He's obviously so gifted, but he works hard. He has the right mindset mentally and physically. He has a great skill set. I think he's surrounded by a bunch of teammates that love and care about him and believe in him and it's the same thing with his coaches. You try to put him in situations that maximize the things that he does well and he's doing a lot of really cool stuff right now. He's making great plays in the pass game. He's being a key critical factor in the run game and in a lot of instances he's at the point of attack. He's done a great job and I could say the same thing for Davis (Allen) and I mentioned about (Terrance Ferguson) 'Ferg', but I'm really happy for him. I think our players are at their best when they're enjoying it and they're locked in. That's what I'm seeing from Colby. It's been really fun to witness."
For quarterback Matthew Stafford, Parkinson has shown up in a big way both inside and outside of opponents' 20-yard lines.
"I think he's just as steady as they come as a human being," Stafford said. "A great player, huge target, great hands. I mean, the catch he made last week was unbelievable. Great grab, kind of a tight window throw in there, guy on his back, and he was able to come down with it. So he's done a great job of that. And then I think he's showing up really, really nicely, run after the catch as well."
