Sean McVay is growing impatient with the Rams’ inefficient and ineffective rushing attack. Los Angeles is 31st in rushing yards and yards per carry this season, which has made the offense completely unbalanced and skewed toward the pass.
McVay gave perhaps his most unfiltered take on the running game during an interview on the “Coach McVay Show” this week after the Rams’ loss to the 49ers. He said at times, he feels like he’s wasting plays when the Rams try to run the ball.
“We’ve got to figure out how to make it a better operation that you don’t feel like you’re wasting plays because in some instances, that’s what I feel like. And we’re getting some of the looks that we want and we’ve got to be able to execute better. We’ve got to be able to hit blocks better, we’ve got to be able to handle movement better. And then we’ve got to be able to create a little bit more than what sometimes the play is blocked for. Those are things that I don’t think is asking too much.”
McVay doesn’t usually air out his frustrations publicly, but he’s clearly grown tired of the Rams’ inability to run the ball. They’ve tried to fix it, too. Cam Akers didn’t work, Darrell Henderson Jr. hasn’t been consistent enough and Ronnie Rivers didn’t do enough to provide a spark against San Francisco.
The Rams even pushed to acquire Christian McCaffrey, which would’ve been the most expensive way to help the rushing attack. They’re exploring all avenues but the issue persists.
“We also have to do a good job as coaches evaluating, what are some of the different things – if it’s applicable – to change it up to keep people a little bit more off balance?” he said. “But I think ultimately, those are things we’re always looking at. You absolutely have to run the football. What are the ways we can do it and have better chances for more consistent execution and efficiency is something we have to find because it hasn’t been good enough and that’s really through seven games.”
Through seven games, the Rams are tied for the league low with only 12 rushes that gained at least 10 yards. The Ravens lead the NFL with 47 such plays. The Rams also have just 44 rushes of at least 5 yards, the fewest of any team.
McVay isn’t wrong for saying the Rams are wasting plays sometimes when they run the ball because those plays aren’t picking up good yardage and it’s putting the offense behind the chains by setting up long third-down attempts.
McVay hopes Kyren Williams can provide a spark, but that remains to be seen. He hasn’t played a single offensive snap in the NFL yet and part of the problem is the offensive line failing to block defenders.
It goes beyond just one factor, and McVay knows that.
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