Why isn’t Tre’Vius Tomlinson playing for the Rams against the Saints?

As New Orleans travels to Los Angeles in what has turned out to be a must-win game, the Rams are in pretty good shape overall. For the most part, they are healthy. There are, however, a few nicks in the lineup.

The biggest loss is perhaps in that defensive backfield with Tre’Vius Tomlinson out with a hamstring injury. Tomlinson has not worked out all week and has been officially ruled out in what comes as something of a hammer blow to a secondary that has underperformed all season.

Originally Tomlinson was given a shot at corner in mid-season due to injuries suffered by Ahkello Witherspoon and Tutu Atwell. Tomlinson showed promise and could the rookie Jim Thorpe Award winner out of TCU saw only 33 snaps before suffering an injury in last Sunday’s win over the Commanders. The silver lining is that Witherspoon and Atwell are both back in the lineup, but the Rams will be looking to get some consistency in what has so far been an inconsistent defensive secondary.

Another blow to the Rams is the status of backup offensive tackle Joe Noteboom, who has missed practice all week with a foot injury. It is likely that he will not play, although limited snaps might be seen by Noteboom.

In that O-line, Rob Havenstein is struggling with a groin issue. While he is likely to play against the Saints, he may not be at 100%. A hard push by that Saints defensive line could expose the Rams to a dangerous situation.

The best news for the Rams faithful is that, as many little nicks as Los Angeles have, the Saints are in worse shape. This week 16 matchup is definitely the game of the week and maybe the back-breaker for one of these teams.