LOS ANGELES – Cobie Durant sat on the Rams bench and felt mixed emotions. The team had gone to overtime against the Seattle Seahawks due to two misplays by the third-year corner in beating Jaxon Smith-Njigba. But the defense had gotten the necessary stop on the first overtime drive, so his frustration was tempered.

But then Durant watched from his seat on the sideline as Rams receiver Demarcus Robinson streaked down the field, using his left arm to create some distance from his defender while using his right arm to set up the winning touchdown. Durant’s mouth and eyes opened wide. Still, he stood in disbelief as teammates ran onto the field or waved to the Seattle crowd.

“I’m thinking rewind,” Durant said. “Did this really happen? And it’s like, man, D-Rob, you saved me.

With that catch, Robinson pulled the Rams (4-4) back to .500 for the season. He completed his second two-touchdown game in as many weeks. And with his fifth touchdown of the year, Robinson set a career-high.

Robinson will make 2024, his eighth year in the NFL, a career year for himself. With 327 receiving yards in eight games, he is on pace to break his career high of 466, while also paced to average 15.6 yards per reception, another potential high.

All in his second season with his third team.

“I would just say, opportunity, man,” Robinson said when asked to explain the success. “Having the opportunity to get on the field with these guys and have a guy like Cooper (Kupp) and Puka (Nacua) take away a lot of the coverage. So I just have a lot of opportunities one-on-one, me and a DB alone on an island, just giving me an opportunity. And Matthew (Stafford) has confidence in me that I can go out there and beat man-to-man.”

Robinson played in other talented offenses for Kansas City with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid and Baltimore with Lamar Jackson. He was given some chance at the last stop due to injuries and produced 48 catches for 458 yards.

But the Ravens let him walk and signed a veteran minimum deal with the Rams in 2023. He was a standout during training camp as he split time between receiver and special teams in an effort to make the roster. With some injuries ahead of him, he was placed in the third receiver role and performed well enough for the Rams to sign him to a one-year deal before free agency opened.

“I think it’s just the right place, right time and right opportunity with those guys going down and getting hurt,” Robinson said. “And it’s just an opportunity. Just a chance to go out there and show the world that I can make plays. The coaches gave me that opportunity and Matthew just threw the ball to me.”

As beneficial as his situation in Los Angeles has been for Robinson, his presence as a veteran has also influenced his younger teammates, with rookie Jordan Whittington saying he acts like a big brother to him.

“He’s been in the league for a while. So he’s always there (for us),” Whittington said. “He is a great energy to have in the room.”

Robinson is not a vocal leader with his laid-back personality. But when Kupp and Nacua went down with injuries earlier this season, Whittington said, it was Robinson who took the lead in breaking down film in the reception area.

And the way he practices is an example every day.

“What people don’t know about him is that he practices very hard. So when you have someone who does that, that energy just becomes contagious and then everyone does that, so that leads to good games,” Whittington said. “Super attentive to details and the effort is always there when you watch the film. He moves fast all the time.”