The Aporia · Rams’ kicking curse strikes again as new kicker Blake Grupe gets hurt

Rams’ kicking curse strikes again as new kicker Blake Grupe gets hurt

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Duarte, M. (2026, October 18). Rams’ kicking curse strikes again as new kicker Blake Grupe gets hurt. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/10/18/sports/rams-kicker-blake-grupe-suffers-knee-injury-seconds-after-first-field-goal-against-cardinals/

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Quick Summary

Los Angeles Rams kicker Blake Grupe suffered a knee injury just moments after successfully kicking a 44-yard field goal against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium. This incident follows a trend where recent kickers have been injured or ineffective due to poor kickoff coverage, leading to Harrison Mevis’s release and Grupe’s signing from the New York Jets’ practice squad only days prior. The Rams are now left with punter Ethan Evans as a potential emergency field goal kicker, marking the franchise’s ninth different kicker since 2020.

Written by AI on 2026-10-18, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Blake Grupe, the newly signed kicker for the Los Angeles Rams, tore his ACL during Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals, resulting in him being placed on injured reserve by head coach Sean McVay. Grupe was hurt while attempting to tackle Devin Duvernay after making a 44-yard field goal early in the first quarter of their 18-16 loss. The injury marks another setback for the Rams' special teams, who had already released Harrison Mevis due to poor performance against the Buffalo Bills just days earlier.

Written for “Rams Kicker Injury Curse” on 2026-11-01, grounded in this article and the 3 other(s) covering the same event.

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 20% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

Rams kicker Blake Grupe knocks himself out of his debut with a disastrous tackle attempt Same event

Fox News

Hedges 2 of 17 claims Outlet record 69/100

Rams special teams takes another massive hit with tragic injury news to newly-signed kicker Same event

New York Post

Hedges 1 of 8 claims Outlet record 66/100

Rams kicker Blake Grupe injures knee vs. Cardinals in first game with new team Same event

Toronto Star

Hedges 0 of 12 claims Outlet record 64/100

Rams’ season hits new low after stunning last-second Cardinals loss Different event

New York Post

Hedges 1 of 51 claims Outlet record 66/100

“Article A describes an injury to new Rams' kicker Blake Grupe during a game against the Arizona Cardinals, while Article B discusses the overall outcome of the game and mentions a last-second loss involving another team's kicker.”

Rams’ kicking nightmare continues as Sean McVay turns to yet another veteran Different event

New York Post

Hedges 1 of 11 claims Outlet record 66/100

“Article A describes Blake Grupe's injury during a game on Sunday, while Article B reports the signing of Brandon McManus as a new kicker on Tuesday to address ongoing issues with the kicking position.”

Rams shed 100 pounds at kicker, but special teams problems still weigh ton Different event

New York Post

Hedges 1 of 44 claims Outlet record 66/100

“While both articles discuss Blake Grupe replacing Harrison Mevis as kicker for the Rams, ARTICLE A is about the signing change and shift in team dynamics, while ARTICLE B focuses on an injury incident during a specific game.”

Super Bowl favorite Rams' latest loss has Sean McVay searching for ways 'not to beat ourselves' Different event

Toronto Star

Hedges 0 of 35 claims Outlet record 64/100

“Article A focuses on an injury to Blake Grupe during a game, while Article B discusses the overall performance and loss of the Rams in that game.”

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted

sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

20%

3 of 15 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

not political

takes no side on a contested political question

Publisher signals

66/100

New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

Outlets on this story

Sports

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Michael Duarte

84 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 Entering Saturday’s BIG10 showdown on Saturday, Lincoln Riley was running out of excuses, running out of goodwill and, depending on whom you asked, running out of time as head coach of the USC Trojans.

2026-11-01 · assertive framing · From the hot seat to Halloween hero: Lincoln Riley shocks No. 2 Ohio State in USC’s biggest win in years

🔮 But Thursday, they were confronted with a sobering reminder that football’s most devastating hits might not reveal their consequences for decades.

2026-10-30 · assertive framing · Aaron Donald and Puka Nacua’s candid reaction to alarming CTE study

🔮 After a week in which the Rams lost Davante Adams, Poona Ford, Kobie Turner and Blake Grupe to significant injuries, with Trent McDuffie and Nate Landman also sidelined and Puka Nacua battling a calf injury, McVay could have spent his postgame press conference explaining why his depleted roster couldn’t compete.

2026-10-26 · assertive framing · Sean McVay delivers best coaching performance of season as Rams beat Raiders, revive playoff hopes

🔮 That physical mentality could prove invaluable Sunday against a Raiders defense that has struggled to limit yards after the catch.

2026-10-25 · assertive framing · Rams receiver opens up about Davante Adams injury, stepping into spotlight

🔮 For a Rams team desperately trying to climb out of last place in the NFC West, Stafford’s historic afternoon couldn’t have come at a better time.

2026-10-25 · assertive framing · Matthew Stafford makes NFL history with record-breaking touchdown pass against Raiders

🔮 Afterward, McVay admitted he regretted the decision. “I wish I would have had a better play call and gone forward, got it a lot tighter.

2026-10-25 · assertive framing · Sean McVay is the reason the Rams are falling apart — and the only man who can fix them

🔮 “Vegas, baby, Vegas!” Thirty years later, Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams could use a similar intervention. Because what began as a season filled with Super Bowl aspirations has become a five-alarm fire, and the team that dreamed of playing for a Lombardi Trophy in its own stadium might need a miracle just to escape the NFC West basement.

2026-10-25 · assertive framing · Vegas, baby, Vegas! Why the Rams’ season could go bust in Sin City

🔮 McVay confirmed McDuffie will sit out Friday’s session and is questionable against Las Vegas.

2026-10-23 · assertive framing · Rams’ injury nightmare gets worse as another defensive star ruled out

🔮 And now, they might have lost one of the most important players they can least afford to lose.

2026-10-22 · assertive framing · Rams’ injury nightmare gets even worse as Puka Nacua suffers new setback

🔮 For an organization that prides itself on finding answers, the kicking position remains a glaring indictment of its personnel decisions. The Rams have changed kickers frequently and the only question now is how long McManus will last.

2026-10-20 · assertive framing · Rams’ kicking nightmare continues as Sean McVay turns to yet another veteran

Also by Michael Duarte

Lincoln Riley erupts at Ohio State coaches in wild postgame confrontation after USC upset

2026-11-01 · New York Post

From the hot seat to Halloween hero: Lincoln Riley shocks No. 2 Ohio State in USC’s biggest win in years

2026-11-01 · New York Post

Aaron Donald and Puka Nacua’s candid reaction to alarming CTE study

2026-10-30 · New York Post

Sean McVay delivers best coaching performance of season as Rams beat Raiders, revive playoff hopes

2026-10-26 · New York Post

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 84 articles by Michael Duarte →

Narrative

Claims (15 extracted, 3 hedged)

At this point, somebody might want to check whether the Los Angeles Rams’ special teams unit was built on an ancient burial ground. uncertain

unit → want → ground

Because whatever curse has been haunting the Rams’ kicking game apparently followed their newest kicker straight onto the field Sunday afternoon. asserted

curse → haunt → field

Blake Grupe, making his Rams debut after replacing Harrison Mevis earlier this week, drilled a 44-yard field goal to give Los Angeles an early 3-0 lead over the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium. asserted

Grupe → make → Stadium

Seconds later, he was being helped off the field with a knee injury. asserted

he → help → injury

You can’t make this stuff up. asserted

You → make → stuff

On the ensuing kickoff, Arizona returner Devin Duvernay broke through the Rams’ coverage unit, leaving Grupe as the last line of defense between him and the end zone. asserted

Duvernay → ensue → him

The 5-foot-7, 150-pound kicker managed to force Duvernay out of bounds, saving a potential touchdown. asserted

kicker → manage → touchdown

Unfortunately, he injured his knee making the tackle and subsequently headed to the locker room with trainers. asserted

he → injure → trainers

The Rams listed him as doubtful to return. asserted

Rams → list → him

For the second consecutive game, Los Angeles’ kickoff coverage was so poor that its kicker was forced to make a touchdown-saving tackle. asserted

kicker → force → tackle

Last Monday against Buffalo, it was the 6-foot-1, 250-plus-pound Mevis, nicknamed the “Thiccer Kicker,” who pushed the Bills’ returner out of bounds on the opening kickoff. asserted

who → nickname → kickoff

Mevis subsequently missed two field goals, including a potential overtime game-winner, prompting the Rams to release him Tuesday and sign Grupe off the New York Jets’ practice squad. asserted

Mevis → miss → squad

Now, after one successful kick, his replacement might be sidelined too. uncertain

replacement → sideline → kick

Rams punter Ethan Evans was spotted practicing field goals on the sideline and could be pressed into emergency duty. uncertain

Evans → spot → duty

If he attempts one, Evans would become the franchise’s ninth different field goal kicker since 2020. asserted

Evans → attempt → 2020

Rams’ kicking curse strikes again as new kicker Blake Grupe gets hurt

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Claims (15 extracted, 3 hedged)