BALTIMORE – All week, his teammates were adamant. This was the game where Rams safety Quentin Lake would snag his first career interception. It's something Lake had been manifesting for a while, and it took less than a quarter for that materialize on Sunday against the Ravens.
Late in the first quarter, Ravens quarterback Cooper Rush stepped up in the pocket and fired over the middle to speedster Zay Flowers. But Lake, glued to his hip, leapt in front to intercept the pass and give L.A. the ball in Ravens territory.
"I've been in a lot of opportunities to get one and haven't did it, and to be able to do that today, it was a great feeling. Felt like a big weight off my shoulders," Lake said. "The biggest thing about it is, manifestation is a real thing. No doubt about it. You have to speak it and put it into existence to be able to accomplish the things that you want to. And that was exactly that."
As much as Lake's mental will contributed to that pick, he also acknowledged their detailed preparation for that specific pass put him in the exact right spot. That play call on that down and distance (third and long) came up in practice many times throughout the week, Lake said. The personnel was different, but the route concepts were what the Rams had prepared for. So, Lake knew to press Flowers off the line and where to position himself on the backend to jump in front for the pick.
Lake's elite ball production through five games resulted in six passes defended entering Sunday, which was tied for fifth in the league. It felt like he was on the cusp of a takeaway each time he got his hands on the ball. In Week 6, his interception drought finally ended, and he also recovered a fumble to help the Rams keep Baltimore out of the end zone in their 17-3 road victory.
Rams training camp showed off a different side of Lake. Despite entering his fourth NFL season with zero interceptions, Lake picked off multiple passes and broke up a bunch more during the team periods at Loyola Marymount University. It was just a matter of time before that translated to Sundays.
In 2024, Lake's breakout season included a captainship, a 100% snap share (apart from Week 18 when many starters rested) and career highs in tackles and sacks. It almost felt wrong looking at that zero on the stat sheet under career INTs because he'd made such a sizable impact on the defense all year. When the stats update tomorrow morning, that zero will finally be gone.
"He's been around the ball," said head coach Sean McVay. "He's made so many plays. He's so instrumental in so many different things that we do, and he had a great game today."
Outside linebacker Jared Verse echoed that, saying Lake's proclivity for forcing tight windows in coverage helps give the defensive line more time to rush the passer. "You get that one little extra second 'cause Q is kind of just right in the zone where the quarterback wants to throw it."
Fittingly, Lake made more than one impact play on Sunday.
Early in the second half, Flowers tried to spark the offense with some jukes and weaves after the catch, but Verse knocked the ball loose with an outstretched arm. Lake, who had followed Flowers all the way across the field, scooped it up and carried it 20 yards just outside the Ravens' red zone.
Lake was originally the deep safety on the left side, but never gave up on the play and ended up recovering the fumble near the right sideline. His dad, former NFL safety Carnell Lake, always told his son that "good things happen for to those who run," and that play was "just a prime example" of his father's teachings, Lake said.
But after his second impact play of the afternoon, the same teammates who had encouraged Lake's emotional plea for a pick were clowning him for not getting in the end zone on the return. That's the great thing about having supportive teammates: They can motivate you to be better in vastly different ways.
"I gotta check the film," Lake said with a smile. "They were saying I was slow this and that like I made the wrong cut, I should have been in the end zone, but it's gonna be interesting, I gotta look back at it, they were giving me a little bit of crap for not scoring but, luckily the offense got in the end zone, so it was all good."
