Sean McVay and the Rams almost became synonymous with the phrase 11 personnel in the last three years due to the coach’s heavy reliance on that package. It features three receivers, one running back and one tight end on the field together, which fit the Rams roster perfectly thanks to their depth at wideout.
In the second half of the 2019 season, however, things shifted a bit. McVay didn’t use 11 personnel as often as he did previously, getting two tight ends on the field more often down the stretch. And that seems to have carried over into this season after just one game.
In Week 1 against the Cowboys, the Rams were less reliant on 11 personnel, expanding the playbook a bit. Here’s how their personnel groupings broke down, according to Sharp Football.
11 personnel: 68%
49 total plays
- 25 passes: 15-for-24, 9.2 Y/A, 0 TD, 1 INT, 1 sack
- 24 runs: 3.9 YPC, 2 TD
12 personnel: 28%
20 total plays
- 7 passes: 5-for-7, 7.7 Y/A, 0 TD, 0 INT, 0 sacks
- 13 runs: 4.2 YPC
13 personnel: 4%
3 total plays
- 0 passes
- 3 runs: 1.3 YPC
Warren Sharp also shared a comparison of the Rams’ personnel usage in Week 1 versus years past, which shows a clear shift toward tight ends being more involved in different packages.
Rams usage of 11 personnel on early downs (quarters 1-3):
2018: 92.6%
2019: 69.2%
2020: 59.5%League avg the last two years has been ~ 53%.
McVay still called a high rate of the passes from 11, but ratcheted up run from 12:
2018: 9.6% of rush att from 12
2020: 45.8% from 12— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 17, 2020
With Tyler Higbee, Gerald Everett and Johnny Mundt all on the roster, the Rams have the tight end depth to mix things up. Higbee and Everett, in particular, are good receivers capable of making plays after the catch, but also holding up in blocking situations.
Even though they only combined for four catches and 47 yards, expect to see Higbee and Everett more involved this year when both are healthy. McVay has a ton of options with this roster, and he seems to be exploring them early on.