BALTIMORE – At times, they've been on the same page and connected for explosive gains through the air. At other times, they've looked like a wide receiver and quarterback who weren't able to spend much time repping together on the practice field this spring and summer.
"It's not how I drew it up as far as efficiency goes," Rams wide receiver Davante Adams said prior to Wednesday's practice, evaluating his connection with quarterback Matthew Stafford thus far. "I think we both would've liked to be a little bit more efficient, but I know for myself over the last few (games), just based off how we started, (there's been) a little bit of pressing. I think just playing, going out and playing and figuring it out, me being Davante Adams, him being Matthew Stafford, everybody else being themselves and not feeling a sense of having to fix it and do anything crazy to fix it but just going out and making plays."
So far, wide receiver Puka Nacua has been the focal point of the passing offense and Stafford's top target. But with a sprained ankle sustained against the Ravens making Nacua's status for Week 7 against the Jaguars uncertain – Nacua did not practice for the second-straight day on Thursday – Sunday's game in London could be an optimal time for both players to get in sync.
Through the first six games of the season, Adams' 55 targets make him Stafford's second-most targeted player in the passing game behind Nacua's 65. So far, Adams has caught 26 of those 55 targets.
Even the most prominent quarterback connection of Adams' career took time – he noted that it took two years for him and Aaron Rodgers to establish that chemistry while they played together in Green Bay.
"We're not taking our time by any stretch of the imagination," Adams said, when asked whether he feels a sense of urgency to develop the connection with Stafford quicker with Nacua being injured. "I wouldn't say a sense of urgency is the necessary term, given we have a pretty good sense of urgency now. It's just not easy man. I played with (current Steelers quarterback) Aaron (Rodgers) for the majority of my career. We played nine years together basically (in Green Bay). It definitely didn't start off the first couple years, let alone first couple of games the way that we got going. Not that we have another 10 years to go, but it takes time. It's not easy. Puka and Matthew have been playing together for years now and they have a little better understanding of where one another is going to be, what to expect, and just making it work. It's been a few where there's really no excuse for me or him. We just have to put it together."
At its best, that connection has delivered plays like Adams' 44-yard touchdown catch against the Eagles on a Stafford deep ball down the left sideline. Moreover, 13 of those 26 completions from Stafford to Adams have gone for 15 or more yards.
Stafford said it's on him to make sure those opportunities are being maximized and put Adams in a better position to be successful.
"There's been some good ones. There's been some missed ones. I would take the majority of the blame on a lot of those and just give him a better chance on a couple," Stafford said prior to Wednesday's practice. "He's still doing a great job of winning. I missed him on the one corner route in the end zone and he made this guy look foolish. He's doing a great job separating. I have to give him a couple of better chances."
