As the Seattle Seahawks look to make another playoff run in the 2020 season, they face stiff competition in what could be the NFL’s toughest division next year. In the second entry of this three-part series, we review the team that finished third in the NFC West in 2019 – the Los Angeles Rams.
Los Angeles Rams
2019 record: 9-7, 3-3 NFC West
Against Seattle: 1-1
Key additions: LB Leonard Floyd, DT A’Shawn Robinson
Key losses: WR Brandin Cooks, EDGE Dante Fowler, RB Todd Gurley, LB Cory Littleton, EDGE Clay Matthews, S Eric Weddle, K Greg Zuerlein
After winning the NFC in 2018, the Rams surprised many in the 2019 season by missing the playoffs entirely (albeit with a winning record). This season, coach Sean McVay and his team look to return to their former glory in their brand-new SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA., but will have to overcome the hurdle of fielding one of the thinnest rosters in the league after the departure of several key players in free agency.
The 2020 NFL Draft class could prove key to the Rams’ success this year. Second-round pick Cam Akers will immediately compete with Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown to replace the void left by Todd Gurley at the RB1 position. A quick and explosive back who accumulated 3,361 yards from scrimmage and 34 touchdowns in three seasons at Florida State, Akers has plenty of experience producing big numbers behind a subpar offensive line. This bodes well for the Rams, who had the No. 26-ranked rushing attack in the league in 2019.
Their other second-round pick, wide receiver Van Jefferson, is a “vicious” route-runner who will be a strong contender to take over Brandon Cooks’ former starting spot alongside Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods.
Other intriguing names from this year’s class include edge-rusher Terrell Lewis (a first-round talent and physical specimen at 6-foot-5, 262 pounds with a worrying history of injuries) and safety Terrell Burgess, who should bolster the Rams’ young safety corps with his backfield presence to balance out the strong-safety skillsets of John Johnson III and Taylor Rapp.
After receiving a substantial extension (four years, $134 million) in September of 2019 that set an NFL record for guaranteed money, quarterback Jared Goff has plenty to prove in 2020 after a disappointing post-Super Bowl campaign in which he passed for just 22 touchdowns while also throwing 16 interceptions.
He is not fully to blame, Gurley’s regression essentially took away the Rams’ rushing threat and put more pressure on the passing attack, while several key injuries ravaged the offensive line, which frequently sent Goff running for his life. In December, he showed signs of returning to 2018 form, throwing 11 TDs and four picks with a 66.2 completion percentage.
New offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell certainly has faith in Goff, announcing an intention to give the fifth-year quarterback “some ownership” of the offense. However, the jury is out on how much of an impact O’Connell will have on gamedays, as McVay has previously stated that he is unlikely to ever give up playcalling. Still, the hire of O’Connell, who worked with McVay under former coach Jay Gruden in Washington, indicates that McVay might be ready to relinquish some control of the offense.
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