WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford dropped back to pass, then, after faking the handoff to running back Kyren Williams, fired a three-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson to give them a 13-7 lead over the Seahawks.
Ferguson was as involved as any tight end in the passing game with four targets – Davis Allen had five and Colby Parkinson four – serving as a trusted one option in the passing game despite their Week 16 loss.
"I think it's been steady and I think it's been something that you're really excited about how bright his future is because all he's doing is getting better," head coach Sean McVay said. "He's so coachable. He's secure enough to be able to acknowledge the areas that he can improve. I think he has great examples of these veterans around him of being able to see what it looks like to do right. He's getting a bunch of experience. You guys have heard me say it all the time, 'Repetition is the mother of learning.' He's playing a lot of meaningful snaps and in some big-time games and some big-time atmospheres. That's only going to continue to serve him well. I think the best is yet to come for him like I've talked to you guys about."
Ferguson's play time further reinforces that trust reciprocated from his development. He's played at least 64% of Los Angeles' offensive snaps over the last three games. Week 16 against the Seahawks marked his highest snap count to date, and he had three catches for 33 yards and one touchdown. If not for a ineligible man downfield penalty against the Rams, he would've had a second touchdown last Thursday.
"Yeah, whenever my number is called, and just being able to go out there and help the team try and win – obviously the result wasn't what we wanted – but that's kind of what we hang our hat on as a team, is getting that win no matter what we have to do," Ferguson told theRams.com. "13 personnel, 11 personnel, whoever jogs out there has a job to do. And so just being able to be trusted, to be out there that much, definitely it means a lot to me. And then just being able to go out there and execute, and that's what we want to do, is go out there and win with whoever."
That dependability has shown up outside of the redzone too. Entering Week 17, he's averaging 19.7 yards per reception. Of his nine catches on the season, six have gone for 18 or more yards – including a 27-yarder in last week's game against Seattle.
Ferguson's continued growth comes at a time when the Rams have been relying on tight end depth more than ever as they wait for veteran Tyler Higbee to get healthy. Echoing McVay, Ferguson said that development is a product of continually gaining experience more than any one thing.
"I couldn't probably pinpoint something for you, but just getting out there and getting the experience and putting myself in a bunch of different situations that the coaches trust me to put be put in, I've learned a lot," Ferguson said. "So I'd say just kind of all the experience of being out there and going against the best of the best, and whether that's run blocking, pass blocking, running routes, running split out routes, they've asked a lot of me and trusted me with a lot. So it's been really cool, and a lot to really learn from."
