Everyone knew the Los Angeles Rams’ schedule to start the season was going to be tough. Opening on the road in Detroit was a test right off the bat, followed by divisional games against the Cardinals and 49es in the next two weeks. And with the Bears and Packers lurking in Weeks 4 and 5, the road to a 3-2 or 4-1 record was always going to be a challenge.
At this point, the Rams would love to be 3-2 after five games. This season has gotten off to a worse start than they could’ve imagined and their issues go well beyond just an 0-2 record.
We’re only two weeks in but this season has the feel of the disastrous 2022 campaign where the Rams finished 5-12 and lost Cooper Kupp, Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald all to season-ending injuries. This team has some major flaws that could prevent them from having any chance of making the playoffs.
This isn’t to say the season is over or the Rams are dead in the water, but with an angry 49ers team up next on the schedule, Los Angeles is staring an 0-3 record in the face – and in a division that looks like it could be one of the best in the league.
Obviously, the biggest concern for Los Angeles is the injury situation. For a team that rested its starters all preseason, injuries have hit the Rams unbelievably hard.
Puka Nacua, Darious Williams, Steve Avila, Joe Noteboom, Derion Kendrick: all on injured reserve. Rob Havenstein missed Week 1. Who knows when Tyler Higbee will be back from his knee injury, if at all this season.
And as if that wasn’t bad enough, Kupp injured his ankle on Sunday and was spotted in a walking boot after the Rams’ 41-10 loss to Arizona. The injury bug isn’t just biting the Rams. It’s devouring this team.
We don’t yet know how much time Kupp will miss, or if he’ll be out at all, but the prospect of losing him for any amount of time is undoubtedly worrisome for a Rams offense that’s already struggling. It could be the final blow that sinks the offense into new lows.
Aside from the injuries that have ravaged the roster, the Rams looked like a broken team on both sides of the ball Sunday. Offensively, there was absolutely no running room for Kyren Williams, who managed just 25 yards on 12 carries – the second straight week he’s been held in check. The pass protection was even worse than the run blocking, and that’s with Havenstein back in the lineup.
Stafford was pummeled and under constant duress, which gave him very little time to find open receivers. According to NFL Pro, Stafford was pressured on 37.5% of his drop backs (12 of 32) Sunday, the sixth-highest rate of Week 2 so far.
The Rams allowed nine QB hits on Sunday and 12 in Week 1, meaning Stafford has taken 21 total hits in just two games. He’s also been sacked seven times in just two games after being brought down 30 times in 15 games last season – nearly two more sacks per game compared to his 2023 rate.
https://twitter.com/AZCardinals/status/1835426578228187249
And then there’s the defense. Kyler Murray looked like he was back in college with the way he picked apart Los Angeles defense. As talented as Murray is, he’s never looked as good as he did on Sunday in his NFL career. He completed 17 of 21 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns, posting a perfect passer rating of 158.3.
It was only the second time in Rams history that they allowed a perfect passer rating to an opposing quarterback, with the other coming in 2007 against Ben Roethlisberger. This was one of the worst defensive performances by the Rams under Sean McVay, which has to set off some alarms in that building.
They allowed 489 total yards to the Cardinals, the second-most given up by the Rams since 2017. The only time they allowed more yards was in 2018 against the Chiefs in that epic 54-51 win at the Coliseum. Their 31-point margin of defeat was also the second-largest of the McVay era. The 231 yards rushing allowed by the Rams was the fourth-most they’ve given up in the last eight years, as well.
There were missed tackles all over the place and the secondary was discombobulated from start to finish. Just look at this play where Marvin Harrison Jr. was left wide open down the sideline because no one stuck with him after Murray broke the pocket – a complete lack of awareness from the defensive backs.
https://twitter.com/AZCardinals/status/1835418364610781615
The current recipe of this Rams team is one destined for disaster. They can’t run the ball, they can’t protect their quarterback and they can’t stop the run. They’ve allowed the third-most rushing yards in the NFL and the most total yards of any team. Offensively, they’re 26th in points scored.
Injuries are partly to blame, but this is the hand the Rams have been dealt and they’ve done very little to overcome a tough situation. If they don’t get the ship back on track soon, they’ll be looking at a season similar to 2022.