Home Care In Evans, LA

As fate would have it, the Los Angeles Rams’ explosive rushing performance doesn’t seem like it’s here to stay. After Kyren Williams’ 158-yard performance and a 26-9 win over the Arizona Cardinals, it certainly seemed like Los Angeles was set to play its most complementary football of the season.

Just as quickly as Williams dismantled the Cardinals' defense, he found himself on the injury report. An ankle injury has him considered week-to-week and has the Rams scrambling for options. Backup running back Ronnie Rivers, who suffered a Grade 3 PCL sprain, will also be out for the foreseeable future.

Perhaps the most accessible option for Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay would be increasing the workload of rookie running back Zach Evans. The Ole Miss product finished off the Week 6 victory with four rushes for 10 yards.

It wasn’t enough to lock in the starting spot for Sunday. The Rams made a handful of moves at the position early in the week. They elevated running back Royce Freeman to the active roster and brought in Darrell Henderson and Myles Gaskin to the practice squad. Each could see snaps against the Steelers.

When asked if Evans could be expected to handle the bulk of the workload, McVay hesitated.

“I wouldn’t say that,” McVay said. “We’ve got the week to be able to evaluate and I would say all four of those guys are possibilities and we’re truly navigating through that.”

Freeman has spent the most time, aside from Evans, with the current rendition of the Rams. Henderson spent the first four years of his career in Los Angeles. Gaskin offers many similarities to Williams and is arguably the best schematic fit of the group.

That doesn’t mean Evans will be invisible, though.

“But I was pleased with what Zach did towards the latter part of the game,” McVay said.

It’s not yet clear which combination will be active on game day, but it seems Los Angeles doesn’t want to burden the rookie with more than he can handle, especially against a talented Pittsburgh front seven.

Expect the Rams to employ a committee in Week 7 and cross your fingers that you won’t have to start any of them in fantasy football.

There’s no telling what Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams’ plan will be at running back Sunday against a tough Pittsburgh Steelers defense. After losing starter Kyren Williams and primary backup Ronnie Rivers to what seem like multi-week injuries in their last game against the Arizona Cardinals where the running attached played a key role in the victory, LA must pivot to “Plan C” and go back to the drawing board for Week 7.

Rookie sixth-round draft pick Zach Evans—someone who the Rams traded up for the opportunity to select—was only other running back on the active roster as of last Sunday. Veteran and former Denver Broncos RB Royce Freeman has been on the practice squad since the start of the regular season. Players can be activated for game day off the practice squad up to four times in an individual season, and Freeman has already been called up three times. He did not receive any carries in the previous games he was activated for.

Los Angeles signed former member of the Miami Dolphins Miles Gaskin off the practice squad of the Minnesota Vikings. He’s a dual-threat running back that should provide a steady, experienced presence.

The Rams also reunited with Darrell Henderson who they selected in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft but cut before the conclusion of last season. Henderson was managed through a number of injuries during his tenure in LA and always seemed to be on a pitch count. He should be plenty rested after sitting out the first six weeks of the NFL season, though it’s fair to wonder whether he’s truly in game shape.

Good catching up with Darrell Henderson, who seemed delighted by all the young energy in locker room. He told me he doesn’t know how his role will shake out Sunday, but this week was a lot of “game conditioning” (he has not been on a team) and reviving muscle memory. “Whenever

— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) October 20, 2023

So what has changed at the running back position this week for the Rams? Turns out they’ve basically overhauled their entire depth chat.

Blaine Grisak: Who will carry RB load without Kyren Williams?

While the Rams—at least through the first six games—have defied reasonable expectations for them entering the season, 2023 was always intended as a rebuilding or setup year for the franchise. There are a number of young players learning on the fly on defense, such as Byron Young, Kobie Turner, Derion Kendrick, Cobie Durant, Russ Yeast, etc. While the offense is more veteran, players like Steve Avila and Puka Nauca are gaining valuable experience with each game and each rep.

It’s time to add Zach Evans to that list.

Rams RB Zach Evans was a problem at Ole Miss pic.twitter.com/w5fHWvDBGO

— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) October 18, 2023

Even if Evans isn’t as good as Henderson, Freeman, or Gaskin today, the experience he gains being on the field could benefit the Rams late into this season and in future years. LA isn’t contending for a Super Bowl in 2023, and it’s worth taking lumps now to put players in a better position to succeed down the line.

Evans is probably considered a more talented player than Williams—he was at one point considered a borderline first-round prospect before off-field concerns made him available late into the sixth. While it may not be realistic for Evans to dethrone Williams as the starter this season or next, Williams’ extensive workload and recent injury proves the importance of having two premier running backs. A one-two punch with Williams and Evans behind LA’s revamped offensive line could prove to be a potent combination in time for a run at the post-season.

It’s worth mentioning that Evans has mostly been practicing with the scout team, whose purposes is to provide quality looks for the defense and prepare them for game action. Still, Evans has impressed coaches with his running ability in recent weeks and received four carries against the Cardinals with Rivers out of the game. Working primarily on the scout team limits Evans’ opportunities to learn the Rams’ playbook, but he’s still making progress as he adapts to the professional level. Here’s an excerpt from Jourdan Rodrigue’s recent update on LA’s running back situation over at The Athletic:

“Zach has been working his butt off out there, giving the defense a great look on the scout team. He’s been recognized by Sean (McVay) in a couple meetings of just the way the guy has been running,” veteran right tackle Rob Havenstein said. “He even said it before (Sunday), ‘When your opportunity comes, you’re going to be ready to go just by the way you’ve been working.’”

It’s important to remember that playing only on scout team for the first several weeks of the season, as Evans has, means that he has not gotten legitimate reps in the Rams’ own offense — because he is charged with simulating other running backs in opponents’ run game, to give looks the Rams’ defense can practice against. This week will represent Evans’ first actual week in the offense.

“It’s very different in terms of looking at a card (on scout team), (or) running our offense where Matthew’s communication in the huddle and all of the different things that he can do (are happening),” McVay said. “It’ll be a good challenge, but I’m confident that he’ll handle it well.”

The easy decision is to revert to a comfortable answer and start either Freeman or Henderson against Pittsburgh, but being diligent to prepare Evans and allowing him opportunities to show what he’s capable of could prove beneficial in the long run. The Rams should start Zach Evans on Sunday afternoon against the Steelers.

Ole Miss RB Zach Evans showing his agility and burst on this TD run in the Texas Bowl.The TCU transfer is one of the most physically gifted RBs in a deep 2023 NFL Draft class of them. pic.twitter.com/i1SonqXKKt

— Seven Rounds in Heaven (@7RoundsInHeaven) December 29, 2022

The Los Angeles Rams' offense, defense, and special teams return coverage failed to meet expectations in all three of their preseason games.

Although an offense never wants to see their punter trot onto the field, rookie Ethan Evans has had to do so quite a bit. However, he's been nothing short of excellent.

The offense's struggles forced Evans to punt more than any other team (19), as he led the league in yards (1,017) and was third in average (53.5 yards). The 22-year-old also logged four punts of at least 60 yards, with his best traveling for 65.

Evans reflected on his preseason performance after Monday's practice.

"I feel like I've done pretty well, but I definitely need to back down on some of the long balls and put a little more hang time on them," Evans told reporters. "It was awesome getting to play in preseason games."

Evans went to Wingate University, which is a Division II school. He explained how "cool" it was going from "1,800 people" watching his games to "62,000." Despite defying the odds of being recognized by an NFL team, Evans admitted that he has a lot more work to do.

"After the preseason games, me and (Rams special teams coordinator Chase) Blackburn discussed that we're definitely going to work harder on directional kicks, but we're still going to keep the 60-yarders in the back pocket just in case," Evans said.

Evans made his impact on the special teams room during the preseason opener and revealed his mindset during that memorable day.

"When I walked into SoFi Stadium, I was like 'wow...we're here now,'" Evans said. "(I just wanted to) stay calm, focus on one or two things at a time, not get too flustered in the head and just swing easy to hit a good ball."

Evans explained that his biggest takeaway from the preseason was to "stay smooth, don't try to kill (the ball) and have faith" in his teammates. He believes those are the keys for him to succeed during his rookie campaign.

"When I'm out there just having a blast and not really thinking about too much, that's when I do my best," Evans said. "My biggest thing is to be a good teammate as well—celebrating with the guys, going down with my coverage unit and high-fiving them. Punting is my first job, but being a better teammate is my second."

The LA Rams ran wild in Week 6. But the question that faces LA Rams fans now is: What comes next?

An electric second half from the LA Rams featured running back Kyren Williams in a Week 6 win has come with a bit of a sting. You see, it was revealed today, October 16, 2023, that the second-year running back hurt his ankle in the second half against the Cardinals. LA Rams second-string running back Ronnie Rivers exited the game with a PCL sprain and is expected to miss four to six weeks, per Ian Rappaport.

In Rapaport's update, he mentioned that Rivers could be placed on IR. These two injuries could pave the way for a rookie rusher. Yes, I am referring to LA Rams 2023 NFL Draft sixth-round pick Zach Evans, who could get his first NFL start and lead the Rams' backfield in week seven.

Evans started his college career at TCU and then transferred to Mississippi for his junior season. Zach is a walking explosive player at 5-foot-11 and 202 pounds. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry across his college career, according to sports-reference.com. In 12 games at Ole Miss, Evans totaled 936 rushing yards, 119 receiving yards, and ten touchdowns. He averaged 5.5 yards per carry in his lone season at Ole Miss.

Evans was the first five-star recruit to commit to TCU in program history. His Horned Frog career was decimated due to injuries, which led to his transfer. Evans' injury history is the reason he fell to the sixth round. Zach has the size and explosiveness to make plays in the NFL. Evans was the ninth-ranked running back on NFL.com's 2023 draft analysis. Head coach Sean McVay and the Rams could have a hidden gem in Zach Evans.

LA Rams head coach Sean McVay can be scarce with rushing attempts. For example, in the first half against the Cardinals, the LA Rams offense ran just four run plays. It was not until the Rams committed to running the football that the momentum in the game turned in the Rams' favor.

Evans is the next man up on the depth chart, but expect Royce Freeman to be elevated from the practice squad for the matchup with the Steelers. The Rams can become one-dimensional with Matthew Stafford and must prioritize the run. Pittsburgh allows 4.8 yards per carry, sixth most in the NFL, according to nfl.com. Zach Evans gets a solid matchup for his likely first career NFL start.

Evans will be explosive each time he receives the ball. He fights for the extra yard and has elusive tendencies. Sean McVay will likely give Freeman his share of carries, but Evans will get to show his skills next week. Zach totaled ten yards on four carries against Arizona in week five following Ronnie Rivers's exit due to injury. With a week of preparation, expect Evans to come out firing against the Steelers. Coach McVay will have an opportunity to scheme Evans into the game plan and utilize his unique skillset.

Around ten carries is a realistic expectation for Evans on Sunday against the Steelers. The game flow will determine how many touches the rookie will get. If Evans shows he's up for the task of being an NFL running back early, McVay will keep feeding him. The Rams ran nine consecutive run plays to open the second half against Arizona, which led to a Stafford passing touchdown. Coach McVay is not afraid to lean on his running backs, it seems.

Rams fans should be excited about Zach Evans getting an opportunity to step into a prominent role. Sometimes, all a sixth-round pick needs is a chance and runs with it. Although Kyren Williams is expected to miss minimal time, Evans could prove he's worthy of the RB2 position moving forward due to the severity of Ronnie Rivers' injury. Rams fans will see their newest running back in action on Sunday against the Steelers.

Painter Nancy Evans’ terrestrial abstractions reference the elusive qualities of time and other phenomenological sensations—geological, celestial, psychical, botanical—creating elusive images with hefty physical presence. In directed pours and gently directed poolings, Evans both allows her materials to find their own ultimate form and texture, white also infusing their evolutions on the canvas with a mixture of memory and meaning. Her perennial interest in the alchemical qualities of the California landscape stretches from its ancestral and agricultural potencies, to its relationship to the elements and the planets, to its holding of her own memories. And like memories, Evans’ images are built from accumulations, accelerations, accidents of physics, and intentions to cultivate. Her work is featured as part of the Hammer Museum’s Made in L.A.: Acts of Living, where it speaks to the biennial’s investigation of deep materiality and expression of place—specifically this California place—with a view of the present that includes its most ancient histories.

L.A. WEEKLY: What is your short answer to people who ask what your work is about?

NANCY EVANS: Short answer, I make moody works inspired by landscape. Right now I bounce between vaguely figurative sculptures and atmospheric paintings indebted to early modernist painters like Arthur Dove. Longer answer, my working process is complicated. I sort of circle a subject using different media to present different ways of thinking about the content. This process allows me to surprise myself.

Did you go to art school? Why/Why not?

I went to UC Berkeley because I was interested in science as well as art. Ultimately I did graduate with a BA in sculpture, which led me to a community of intersectional artists practicing performance art, new music, sculpture & installation, etc… Additionally because I was in a university setting I was able to spend my junior year in Madrid, Spain which was beyond mind expanding.

Why do you live and work in L.A., and not elsewhere?

As a native of Central California we always thought Los Angeles was overcrowded and superficial, which is why I stayed in the Bay Area for ten years after graduating from UC Berkeley. Ultimately I was lured down to Los Angeles by High Performance Magazine and what seemed like a very vibrate art scene, and frankly I fell in love with the place. I moved to East Hollywood in a building with other artists, including Mike Kelley and Mitchell Syrop, and got the equivalent to a MFA without the huge expense. Megan Williams, who was then the performance curator at LACE, got me a job painting animation cels so I was able to make a living. I worked in VFX on and off from 1982-2006. Which is one “shout out” for Los Angeles I want to make, the film industry does support a huge variety of professionals and creative people.

When did you first know you were an artist?

When I was thirteen I took watercolor classes from my friend’s mother. We’d go out in the fields to paint barns and oak trees. I think that experience has had a lifelong influence on my color choices. I used to work in the attic of our house so even as a teenager I had a studio of sorts and I could spend hours alone working on projects. I did a lot of silk screening, a process that I use in my paintings even now. So this is really a part of the circling I do as a way to propel new ideas and imagery.

When is/was your current/most recent/next show or project?

I’m one of the 39 artists in Made in L.A.: Acts of Living which is up until December 31 at the Hammer Museum. It has been a really rewarding experience. My most recent gallery show was at Gallery RAM in Bakersfield. To my surprise Bakersfield has a very active art community which just goes to show that there are interesting things happening outside the major centers, especially for young artists just starting their careers.

What artist living or dead would you most like to show or work with?

I hope the show of Edvard Munch landscapes comes to the West Coast because I would love to see that work. Mimi Lauter exhibited some work at Tif Sigfrids’ small gallery in Hollywood that sent me on an exploration of complex composition in my own paintings. And, after many years of dialogue, I would love to show along with New York painter and writer Mary Jones.

Website and social media handles:

nancyevansstudio.com

@artblather

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