Early in the Rams’ 27-9 wild-card playoff victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, it felt like tight end Tyler Higbee was trying to carry his team to victory single-handedly. He caught five passes in the first quarter for 58 yards and three first downs, accentuating each of them with an arm-waving celebration.
But a hit to his chest at the end of the quarter ended Higbee’s night. He still led the team in receiving for the night despite the abrupt exit, but he had to follow the rest of the game from a local Arizona hospital because he was spitting up blood.
Higbee was discharged Monday night and flew home with the fourth-seeded Rams, head coach Sean McVay said during a press conference Tuesday. And discussions between the coach and tight end have left McVay optimistic the ninth-year veteran can return to play in Sunday’s divisional round matchup against the second-seeded Philadelphia Eagles.
“He has full expectation that he’ll be ready to go,” McVay said, “but I do not have any updates from [VP of medicine Reggie Scott] yet. … You felt his presence early. He was on pace to have a really big night and he still made a huge contribution even just playing a quarter.”
But in Higbee’s absence after the first quarter, the Rams got good contributions from the rest of the tight end room in Davis Allen, Hunter Long and Colby Parkinson.
Each gained exactly 13 yards through the air against the Vikings, with Allen taking his lone catch into the end zone for a touchdown that put the Rams up by 21 entering halftime. And all three were in the thick of the run blocking as the Rams tried to work down the clock in the second half.
“I think it’s a tremendous credit to really [tight ends coach] Nick Caley’s leadership in that room. You look at how much better all of those guys have gotten throughout this year,” McVay said. “They’re very good football players that are interchangeable and I think that’s a really valuable trait for us.”
All three got plenty of playing time early in the season as Higbee recovered from offseason knee surgery. And with the depth of the room, the Rams have been able to deploy 12 personnel – a grouping that includes two tight ends – more than in recent years.
Per Sumer Sports, the Rams have utilized 12 personnel on 13.9% of snaps this season, up from 4.8% in 2023. The Rams still fall below the league average of 21.7% – 11 personnel still reigns supreme in a McVay offense, after all – but the depth of the tight end room has allowed the Rams to be more diverse in their game plans.
On the Rams’ opening-drive touchdown pass to running back Kyren Williams on Monday, McVay actually deployed 13 personnel with Higbee, Parkinson and Allen all on the field for the play-action call.
“In a lot of instances, I think it allows us to not let people sometimes dictate the terms on you,” McVay said. “So, a little bit of versatility, a little bit of a changeup, maybe some different things. That’s what’s cool about the playoffs. … Being able to activate those different things based on the availability and the versatility of those guys is a good thing for our group and something that if we feel like it fits this week, I think being able to mix up personnels is beneficial.”
As for this week, the Rams are planning on practicing at their Woodland Hills facility, assuming that air quality remains in a healthy range.
Last week, the Rams left for Arizona three days before their game due to concerns over air quality and so players would not have to worry about potential evacuations in the wake of the fires that have impacted the Los Angeles community of late.
“I’m very hopeful that we’ll be able to be here this week,” McVay said. “All of our expectations for the time being are that we’re going to be able to have our preparation here and then we’ll leave on Saturday before the game to go to Philly.”