The Los Angeles Rams are a team that runs their offense almost exclusively out of 11 personnel. But after Sunday’s win over the Arizona Cardinals, Sean McVay discussed why Davis Allen and Hunter Long got more snaps alongside Tyler Higbee in Week 12.
“Yeah, I think it was just what you mentioned,” McVay said. “Those guys have done a good job in practice. I think we wanted to make a concerted effort to be able to get some other guys some snaps. Higs has done such a good job, but to take a little bit off his workload just considering all the work that he’s gotten, continue to develop the depth at that position. (TEs coach) Nick Caley has done a really good job. Then we had another guy that wasn’t active who’s more than capable of filling in and playing snaps when he’s done that in previous games with Brycen Hopkins, as well.”
The Rams made Hopkins a healthy scratch ahead of Sunday’s matchup against the Cardinals, which paved the way for Allen and Long to get more reps. Allen received nine offensive snaps, while Long was on the field for 15 offensive snaps in the lopsided victory.
While Allen and Long combined for one catch for 6 yards, their contributions in the run game didn’t go unnoticed. The Rams would rush for 228 yards, with Kyren Williams and Royce Freeman accounting for 220 of those yards.
On the season, the Rams have run their offense out of 11 personnel at a 92 percent rate. In Week 12 versus the Cardinals, the Rams were in 11 personnel 89 percent of the time, and the other 11 percent was spent in 12 personnel. That was tied for the third-highest rate of running 12 personnel for the Rams this season.
Even though Higbee remains the starting tight end — and he caught his first two touchdowns of the season in Week 12 — we could see more of Allen and Long down the stretch.