How Cam Akers’ first playoff game ranks among all-time rookie leaders

So far, Cam Akers is winning our “Who was the DIFFERENCE?” poll this weekend and you won’t get an argument from me. Not in that direction at least. Instead, I will argue that Akers was the right pick in the draft for the LA Rams and he is one of the most interesting rookie stars in recent franchise history.

How did Akers’ first playoff game rank, historically speaking?

• His 131 rushing yards ranks as the ninth-highest total for a rookie in playoff history.
• His 176 total yards from scrimmage ranks as the third-highest total for a rookie in playoff history, behind the 213 of Timmy Smith (Washington, 1988) and 207 of Ryan Grant (Green Bay, 2008).
• Akers is the first Rams rookie to rush for 100 yards in a playoff game; Eric Dickerson had 23 carries for 99 yards in the 1983 wild card win over the Cowboys.
• Akers is the first rookie to rush for at least 130 yards in a playoff game since Shonn Green with the Jets in 2010.
• He is only the sixth rookie to get at least 30 touches in a playoff game. Curt Warner, Fred Taylor, Joseph Addai, Duane Thomas and Jamal Lewis (twice) have also done that.
• Teams are 23-3 in the playoffs all-time when they have a rookie who rushed for at least 100 yards.
• He is the first rookie to rush for at least 120 yards and have at least 40 receiving yards in the same game.
• His 131 rushing yards ranks fifth all-time in Rams franchise history, behind Eric Dickerson (248), Lawrence McCutcheon (202), Marshall Faulk (159) and Dickerson (158). His 176 total yards ranks third, behind Dickerson and McCutcheon. Todd Gurley’s playoff high in rushing yards was 118.