It seemed like a recipe for disaster when 90 minutes before the Rams kicked off against the Bears in Week 11, it was announced that Robert Woods wouldn’t be available. He was never listed on the injury report, so him being inactive was a complete and utter surprise to fans.
We now know he was handling a personal matter, which he returned from the following week. But for that one night with Brandin Cooks already out with a concussion, it seemed like the Rams might be in big trouble as a shorthanded offense.
Not only did the Rams overcome those two WR absences, but it may have actually helped them in the long run.
In that game against the Bears, the Rams hardly ran their usual 11 personnel with three receivers and one tight end. Instead, there was a heavy dosage of 12 personnel, where two tight ends were on the field a time – a mild rarity in Sean McVay’s offense.
The result: A 17-7 win with 110 yards rushing, the Rams’ most in a game since Week 2. It wasn’t the prettiest game or the Rams’ best victory, but it came one week after the Rams were beaten by the Steelers 17-12, a game in which Todd Gurley didn’t touch the ball in the fourth quarter.
McVay’s ability to adapt was put in the spotlight and he responded by shifting his game plan after he was told a few hours before the game that one of his best offensive players wouldn’t be able to play.
He discussed how that game changed the Rams’ philosophy and forced them to adapt during Wednesday’s press conference.
“Against Chicago, you had some late changes where guys weren’t able to go,” McVay said. “That kind of just forced us to adjust and adapt. You end up seeing some of the success and the good things that both Tyler (Higbee) and Johnny (Mundt) did in there and you say, ‘All right, well let’s build off of this.’ What it does is it serves as a natural chance for some of our receivers to stay fresher throughout the whole game. … Like we’ve talked about before, for me, I’m learning that each year is a totally different deal. Maybe, what helped us be successful the first couple years, you’ve got to be able to adjust and adapt and most importantly, like always talk about, utilize your players. I think Johnny Mundt has done some good things that have earned the right to get on the grass.”
In the last two games, the Rams have rushed for 294 yards, only turned it over twice and won each game by at least two touchdowns. The offense has looked more balanced and Tyler Higbee is being featured as a receiver.
He has 14 catches for 223 yards and a touchdown in his last two games, catching seven passes and eclipsing 100 yards in each one. It’s no coincidence that his emergence has partly been the result of the Rams giving their wide receivers playing less, with Brandin Cooks (27) and Cooper Kupp (20) playing fewer snaps than Johnny Mundt (50) did on Sunday against the Seahawks.
McVay is forcing teams to prepare for other personnel groupings besides his three-receiver sets. It makes things more difficult for opponents, because now they have to account for Higbee and the ground game more.
As bad as it was for them to lose Cooks and Woods in Week 11 against the Bears, it may have opened McVay’s eyes in a way that has helped the offense in recent weeks.
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