It wasn’t so way back that the 2024 Los Angeles Rams had been a staff that frightened no opponent. After their Week 5 loss to the Inexperienced Bay Packers, Sean McVay’s staff was caught in a quagmire at 1-4. Matthew Stafford was taking part in in a manner that did by no means resemble Matthew Stafford – primarily as a result of Stafford’s two prime receivers, Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, had been out with accidents. Stafford had been pressured on 65 of his dropbacks (34.0% general), and he was coping with again soreness.
Simply as disturbing was a protection that was stuffed with younger stars oozing potential, but it surely wasn’t exhibiting up. A line of defense with Jared Verse, Byron Younger, Kobie Turner, and Braden Fiske ranked twenty seventh in sacks and twenty second in whole pressures. Partly due to that lack of quarterback disruption, Los Angeles’ opponent passer ranking of 117.7 was the NFL’s worst. And solely the Dallas Cowboys (0.12) allowed a better opponent Dashing EPA per try than the Rams’ 0.10.
Mainly, none of what the Rams wished to do was working exterior of a run recreation that held every little thing collectively as a lot because it might. The staff had a Week 6 bye, and all McVay might hope was that key gamers would begin to return and get well from accidents, and the staff might flip issues round… in some way.
“It’s an important, superb stability,” McVay mentioned the day after the Packers recreation. “Finally, the aim is to encourage and encourage optimistic change with these guys, and the constant issues that we’re searching for. We’re at all times attempting to determine how to have the ability to join, ensure that we’re creating that readability, after which additionally perceive inside every of those matchups that happen on a week-to-week foundation… what are we doing inside our schemes, and what are we asking of our guys to attempt to assist them go shine?”
No matter magic occurred in that week off, it definitely confirmed up.
After that Week 5 loss, the Rams ranked twenty fifth in Complete DVOA; they’ve risen to seventeenth since. They ranked seventeenth in Offensive DVOA; now, they’re as much as seventh. And that Thirty first-ranked Defensive DVOA rating seems lots higher now at twenty second.
Clearly, the passing recreation is healthier with Kupp and Nacua again on the sphere, however simply how significantly better? In Weeks 1-5, the Rams had a Passing EPA of -0.03. With each of their prime abilities within the recreation, that has raised to +0.09. Stafford’s landing price has elevated from 3.6% to 4.8%, and his interception price has dropped from 1.8% to 1.5%. And the identical man who accomplished 118 of 175 handed for 1,238 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions, and a passer ranking of 86.3 within the first 5 weeks of the season has accomplished 175 of 264 passes for two,065 yards, 16 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, and a passer ranking of 103.8 since.
It additionally helps that Stafford’s strain numbers have dropped noticeably – for the reason that bye, he’s been harassed simply 81 instances (29.2%), which has allowed the 36-year-old to look much more just like the ninja we’ve got come to anticipate.
On protection, issues have additionally improved. That league-worst opponent passer ranking has diminished itself to 90.6 since Week 7 (post-bye), Eleventh-best within the league. The Rams’ 19.0 sacks rank tenth since then, and their 109 whole pressures rank fifth. The run protection has additionally improved – -0.03 EPA per try since Week 7, which is way extra center of the pack than earlier than.
Now, the 7-6 Rams, who’re 6-2 since their bye, put together to tackle the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night time in a recreation that might boot the 6-7 defending NFC champs out of playoff risk, and will additional McVay’s trigger as a no-doubt postseason nightmare for any opponent. Final Sunday’s 44-42 win over the Buffalo Payments actually cemented simply how far the Rams have are available in a brief area of time.
How has this occurred, and what does it imply as soon as the postseason rolls round?
Matthew Stafford has his star extensive receivers again
It’s not that the Rams had been fully bereft of playmakers when Kupp and Nacua had been out. McVay tailored as greatest he might, working much more 12 personnel (one again, two tight ends, two receivers) than the standard league-high eating regimen of 11 personnel (one again, one tight finish, three receivers) he would favor. Receivers Tutu Atwell, Jordan Whittingtonm, and Demarcus Robinson, in addition to tight finish Colby Parkinson, had been essentially the most prolific pass-catchers within the absence of the 2 superstars. Nevertheless it stands to motive that when your most gifted guys are again on the sphere, the situational receivers can return to that, whereas Kupp and Nacua can grace us with their brilliance. No person’s attempting to do an excessive amount of, and the chemistry Stafford has developed with Kupp and Nacua reveals up time and again.
When Stafford has his full array of receivers, and he can assault a protection with all of McVay’s condensed splits, goal deployments, and movement ideas… good luck stopping it for too lengthy. The Payments had few solutions in opposition to any of it.
The Rams offensive line is well being(ier)
A part of the rationale Stafford isn’t getting pressured as a lot for the reason that bye is that his protectors are feeling higher. Deal with Joe Noteboom and guard Steve Avila had been every positioned on injured reserve following the Rams’ Week 1 loss to the Detroit Lions, and Avila has been again since Week 9. Noteboom can play both left or proper deal with, however the efforts of Alaric Jackson on the left facet have been a really nice shock. Jackson, the fourth-year undrafted free agent from Iowa, made Secret Superstars this week after a dominant efficiency versus the Payments’ pass-rushing and run-stopping efforts.
The @RamsNFL‘s offense was definitely explosive and bodily in opposition to the @BuffaloBills within the Sport of the Yr So Far, and LT Alaric Jackson was a giant a part of that. Excellent in go professional, and he was sealing his edge time and again within the run recreation. pic.twitter.com/XLJpBhTA1M
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) December 10, 2024
Jonah Jackson, the previous Lions star who was imagined to be the Rams’ heart of the longer term after signing a three-year, $51 million contract this offseason, has simply 200 snaps this season as he battles his personal accidents. If Jackson may be prepared for the ultimate regular-season run and the playoff push, all the higher. Beaux Limmer, the sixth-round rookie from Arkansas, has stuffed in ably in Jackson’s absence.
“I’ve loads of expectations for that group, as a result of I understand how gifted they’re, and I do know what sort of group they are often,” offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur mentioned Tuesday of his line. “Extra importantly, I do know they’ve that customary for themselves. With continuity not simply on Sundays, however with what they’ve been in a position to do Wednesdays by way of Fridays… simply beginning to get used to hitting mixtures collectively, passing off video games collectively, being within the huddle collectively, and never being within the coaching room all day like they had been throughout the first a part of the 12 months battling their accidents. It’s good to have them again.”
And it could possibly be even higher.
The Rams protection is coming collectively
The transition from Raheem Morris to Chris Shula at defensive coordinator took a second to kick in, as is mostly the case. Ask the Philadelphia Eagles about their protection early within the season below Vic Fangio, and the way it’s appeared for the reason that gamers took Vic’s philosophies to the sphere.
Within the Rams’ case, Shula is extra prone to run five-man fronts as a result of he has the expertise to take action. The additions of Jared Verse and Braden Fiske – Florida State rookies who had been already used to working collectively – has made a giant distinction, and that’s confirmed up on the sphere. These Rams are additionally a bit extra prone to press and match opposing receivers, and there’s a comparatively unknown group of defensive backs who’re benefiting from that.
Cobie Durant, the third-year fourth-round decide from South Carolina State who additionally made Secret Superstars this week, has been maybe the most important benefactor. We’ll see what the latest addition of 2023 Washington Commanders first-round decide Emmanuel Forbes, who washed out along with his first staff, can convey to that equation.
Shula additionally has a tremendously versatile group of safeties and slot defenders in Jaylen McCollough, Kamren Kurl, Kamren Kinchens, and Quentin Lake. It’s a contemporary protection in that Shula can name a number of fronts and coverages, and whereas these complexities additionally require time for everybody to get on the identical web page, it’s beginning to occur.
“It’s actually about getting the most effective 11 on the sphere, and likewise what the offense presents,” Shula mentioned this week. “There are particular groups that, primarily based on the personnels that they do, dictate what personnel you’re going to be in and what 11 you might have on the sphere. Luckily, we’ve got loads of guys again there that we will form of transfer round. That dictates a matchup, the kind of schemes and the kind of personnels they placed on, and the provision of our guys to be versatile. If we’ve got a man that we really feel is sweet at nickel or good at security, we’re going to get our greatest 11 on the sphere it doesn’t matter what.”
That “it doesn’t matter what” mindset appears to have the whole staff firing on all required cylinders. 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is aware of precisely what the problem might be on Thursday night time.
“I believe they do lots to be sincere, simply coverages and the way they play,” Purdy mentioned Tuesday. “They’ve lots on tape, which as an offense and a quarterback, you’ve simply obtained to be on prime of your stuff per play. Typically, there’s these defenses the place you stroll up and you recognize what they’re in and form of anticipate them to do sure tendencies all through the sport from what you’ve seen on movie. However I believe these guys do job of switching issues up, and also you’ve simply obtained to be on prime of your stuff. Their entrance is basically good and explosive. They’ve gotten higher all year long. Their secondary, the linebackers, everyone, all of them tie collectively. They’re taking part in [their] greatest soccer proper now.
“So, big problem for us.”
How far can the Rams take this?
At this level, it might be a bit obsequious to say that the Rams are up there with the Lions, Eagles, and Vikings among the many NFC’s greatest groups. Nevertheless it’s additionally true that for the reason that bye, there aren’t many groups in both convention who would discover them something however a tricky out at worst.
Now, the Rams have turn out to be a type of “Objects are nearer than they could seem” groups that you really want no a part of. The remainder of the NFL is taking discover. They’re at present the NFC’s eight seed, in order that they’ll have to proceed the nice vibes to even make the event.
But when they do? Watch the heck out.
