Jared Goff got very little help from his friends last season due to struggles along the offensive line and in the running game, but that wasn’t the case in 2018. That season, Goff had one of the best supporting casts in the NFL, led by a dominant running game, an outstanding offensive line and a receiving corps that caught just about everything thrown its way.
It was so good, in fact, that Pro Football Focus ranked it as the best of the decade. That’s right, no other team from 2010-2019 had a better supporting cast than the Rams did in 2018.
It includes all non-quarterbacks on offense and is calculated by PFF’s WAR (wins above replacement) metric.
Best offensive supporting casts of the decade (All Non-QBs) per PFF WAR:
1. 2018 Rams
2. 2016 Falcons
3. 2014 Cowboys
4. 2011 Saints pic.twitter.com/76khbnyOi6— PFF (@PFF) July 1, 2020
In 2018, Todd Gurley rushed for 1,251 yards and 17 touchdowns, and added another 580 yards receiving with four more scores. Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods each caught at least 80 passes for more than 1,200 yards, while Cooper Kupp and Josh Reynolds – who split time as starters due to Kupp’s knee injury – combined for 69 catches and another 968 yards.
The Rams also won 2018 Offensive Line of the Year at the NFL Honors show, even though PFF ranked it sixth in the league; still a high mark for the unit. Goff was only sacked 33 times and threw a career-high 32 touchdown passes with just 12 interceptions and a passer rating of 101.1.
Only one team scored more points and gained more yards than the Rams two years ago, but no one picked up more first downs or won more games than the Rams’ 13 victories. It was truly a historic season for the franchise, making it all the way to the Super Bowl where they lost to the Patriots, 13-3.
Considering it was only Sean McVay’s second season as a head coach, it’s remarkable just how much success the Rams had in 2018, and it was truly a complete team effort from top to bottom.