Rams Pro Bowl kicker Greg Zuerlein was placed on injured reserve due to a back injury, meaning his season is over just as the Rams enter the stretch run.

The Rams signed former Penn State kicker Sam Ficken to replace Zuerlein. Ficken, who has spent time on the Jaguars’ and Chiefs’ practice squads, will make his NFL regular season debut when the Rams play at the Titans on Sunday.

Zuerlein, 29, was having the best season of his career. He has made 38 of 40 field goal attempts and is 12-12 from 40-49 yards and 6-7 from over 50 yards. He was selected to his first Pro Bowl on Tuesday. 

It’s a big blow to a Rams team that validated its Super Bowl contender status by thrashing their division rival, the Seahawks, 42-7 in Seattle. Zuerlein, whose nickname is “Legatron,” made both of his field goal attempts and four of five extra points in the blowout.

Los Angeles can clinch the NFC West title with a win in Tennessee on Sunday.