When you look at the Chiefs as a team, what immediately comes to mind? Probably their high-powered offense led by a future Hall of Fame quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. What about the Browns and Titans? Likely their ground-and-pound attacks, headed by outstanding running backs capable of carrying an offense to the playoffs.
When it comes to the Rams offense, what jumps out? It’s hard to say, and that’s the problem. We’re 14 games into the regular season and the Rams offense still has absolutely no identity.
Early in the year, the three-headed monster at running back got a lot of attention. Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown were all running the ball fairly well, with L.A. ranking among the league’s best rushing teams. It looked like the Rams were going to be a team that ran the ball down opponents’ throats, with a dose of play-action passes and roll-outs by Jared Goff.
Goff attempted 38 or fewer passes in each of his first seven games, taking care of the football with 12 touchdowns and four interceptions. He was only sacked eight times and the Rams were moving the ball consistently on the ground.
Since then, Goff has struggled, the offense has sputtered and the line isn’t doing as good a job protecting the quarterback as it was previously. Goff has thrown the ball at least 40 times in three of his last seven games, has just eight touchdowns and eight interceptions, and has been sacked 12 times.
The offense is averaging one point fewer per game in its last seven games than it did in the first seven, scoring more than 30 points just once since Week 8; the Rams scored 30-plus points in three of their first five games. After rushing for at least 150 yards four times in the first seven weeks, the Rams have eclipsed that mark only once since Week 8 thanks to Cam Akers’ 171-yard effort against New England.
The problem with the Rams offense is we don’t know what its strength is. It certainly isn’t the passing game. The offensive line looked like a strength in the first seven games but that simply hasn’t been the case since. The ground game remains the Rams’ best asset on offense, but they’re averaging 117 rushing yards per game since Week 8 after gaining 138.7 per game in their first seven weeks.
The Rams are throwing the ball more often now and it simply isn’t working. That’s likely to continue in the final two weeks against the Seahawks and Cardinals, too, teams they rushed for 106 and 119 yards against in their first meetings; Goff attempted 84 total passes in those two games. And with Akers sidelined by a high ankle sprain, more will fall on Goff’s shoulders – which isn’t necessarily a good thing, based on the way he’s played.
Before the postseason starts, the Rams need to find an identity. That’s not easy to do without Akers and with Goff averaging 6.7 yards per attempt in his last seven games, but it must happen. Right now, this offense strikes no fear in opposing defenses and it’s causing the entire team to stall.
Scoring 20 points against the Jets is unacceptable, as was losing the depleted 49ers twice. Those losses fall on the offense and if Sean McVay can’t get that side of the ball rolling, this team will go nowhere in the postseason.
[vertical-gallery id=642867]