Sean McVay got a game ball from the team for carrying them through adversity.
The Los Angeles Rams have faced a great deal of adversity this season, more so on Sunday night than ever before in 2019. They faced the Bears without two starting wide receivers, two starting offensive linemen and had three tight ends who were banged up throughout the week of practice.
Yet, despite missing several key players, the Rams pulled out a 17-7 win at home to improve to 6-4 on the year. Sean McVay couldn’t have been more pleased with the way his team responded to the challenges they faced, specifically losing Robert Woods to a personal issue just hours before the game.
After the victory, McVay gave a great speech in the locker room, specifically pointing to the job the offensive line and defense did in the game. He had rookie Bobby Evans break down the team, and afterwards, special teams coach John Fassel announced to the locker room that McVay would be getting a game ball.
“We just decided as a coaching staff and as players that when you talk about adversity, we’ve got a leader who always carries through the highs and the lows. And he does a lot of stuff behind the scenes, and when it’s time to work, he keeps us focused on the mission. The game ball is for you, man,” Fassel said to McVay.
Next up, the Rams will face the Ravens on Monday night in Week 12. The team rallied around Evans, David Edwards and the new-look offensive line, and they hope to keep it going against a good defensive front.
The Rams went run-heavy on Sunday night, which is different than what we’ve seen all year.
From their very first play on offense, the Rams set out to prove they could win a game on the back of their rushing attack. Granted, Todd Gurley lost a fumble on Los Angeles’ first play from scrimmage, but Sean McVay didn’t abandon the run or put Gurley in the proverbial doghouse.
Instead, he called another 24 running plays for Gurley and five more for Malcolm Brown, too. In total, the Rams finished with 34 rushing attempts, 30 of which were by running backs. It was the second-most times they’ve handed the ball off to running backs all season, doing a great job to ride Gurley to victory.
Sean McVay said afterwards that it was all part of the game plan, giving the ball to Gurley as much as they did. And it truly showed a new side of the offense that we hadn’t yet seen this season. This was the second time all year the Rams had more rushes (34) than pass attempts (18), with the other game being almost an even split (30 rushes, 28 passes vs. New Orleans).
But the changes offensively go deeper than just running the ball more often. It all started with their personnel adjustment. The Rams utilized 12 personnel (one running back, two receivers, two tight ends) on 34 plays Sunday night, which is their most in a game all year. On those plays, Gurley rushed for 92 yards on 22 carries.
It was by far the Rams’ most effective personnel grouping when it came to running the ball.
The Rams relied more on 12 Personnel (1 RB, 2 TE) without wide receivers Brandin Cooks & Robert Woods (season-high 34 plays).
What was really good to see was Sean McVay’s ability to adapt. Just hours before the game, the Rams found out that Robert Woods wouldn’t play as he tended to a family matter. For a team that’s so reliant on having three receivers on the field at a time, this was a big problem for the Rams.
Rather than simply replacing Woods with Mike Thomas or JoJo Natson in the starting lineup and continuing to roll with three receivers on the field at almost all times, McVay adapted. He had tight ends Tyler Higbee and Johnny Mundt out there together often, with a mix of Gerald Everett, too.
The Rams even used an I-formation with Mundt as a fullback, which isn’t something often seen in McVay’s offense. Higbee and Mundt were non-factors in the passing game as receivers – neither was targeted even once – but they were great as blockers and opened holes for Gurley.
Instead of relying on Jared Goff to sling the ball around the field as he often does, the Rams only had him throw the ball 18 times behind their new-look offensive line – his fewest in a game all year. The result was a low pressure rate and a safe game by Goff.
Jared Goff was pressured only once on 18 dropbacks (6% pressure rate), the lowest pressure rate Goff has faced in a game in his career.
The question now is whether the Rams will continue to utilize this new run-first approach in the future. When Woods and Brandin Cooks return, expect to see them assume their usual roles on offense. Cooper Kupp should play the majority of the snaps, too.
But if the Rams truly want to run the ball more often, 12 personnel might be the answers – which will cost a wide receiver playing time.
From missed FGs to finishing with a potential quarterback controversy, there was a lot to unpack in the Bears’ 17-7 loss to the Rams.
A de facto game to see who remains in the playoff hunt on Sunday evening took place as the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams squared off in primetime. After a back and forth game, the Rams landed the final blow, scoring a touchdown in the final few minutes to secure the win 17-7, effectively ending the Bears playoff hopes as they fall to 4-6.
It was the same old story for coach Matt Nagy’s squad. The offense continued to sputter when the team needed a spark, and their defense played well enough to keep the team in the game until the final minutes when Rams coach Sean McVay and quarterback Jared Goff orchestrated a 4 minute drive that resulted in a touchdown.
From starting out with two missed field goals to finishing with a potential quarterback controversy, there was a lot to unpack in this game. Here are my five takeaways from the Bears loss.
1. “Benching” quarterback Mitchell Trubisky was a cowardly move by Matt Nagy
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
You can call it a hip injury, but I’m calling it a benching. Down 10 points and following the Rams’ final touchdown, Trubisky was removed from the game in favor of backup quarterback Chase Daniel. The team sent out a memo, saying he was dealing with a hip injury and Nagy explained in his press conference he hurt it in the second half, but Trubisky says the injury occurred in the first half.
Those reports do not add up and the situation did not pass the eye test after seeing Nagy talk with his quarterback on the sideline and watching Trubisky walk off the field when the game ended. I could end up being wrong, but I’m not buying the injury. I saw a coach attempt to save his skin by playing his backup and a dejected (potentially former) starting quarterback look like someone told him his dog had died.
Benching Trubisky does nothing at this point in the season except raise more questions and create unrest in the locker room. Trubisky didn’t light it up tonight, but until the final couple of drives, he played alright and was plagued by drops from his receivers. Still, in my opinion, the decision to remove Trubisky with three minutes to go was the wrong move, and I’m not buying the injury excuse.
Sean McVay said it was part of the game plan to get Todd Gurley the ball on Sunday night.
Sean McVay hasn’t made it a point to feature Todd Gurley much on offense this season. Coming into Week 11, Gurley didn’t have a single game with at least 20 touches and only topped 100 total yards once (Week 1) this season.
That changed on Sunday night against the Bears.
McVay called Gurley’s number throughout the game, getting him a season-high 28 touches. He turned those opportunities into 97 yards rushing on 25 carries and 36 yards on three receptions, looking like his old self under the bright lights of the Coliseum.
After the game, he seemed pleased with his performance. He told reporters that he “felt good” and felt like his old self.
Todd Gurley on his game: "It felt good, man. I guess I felt like the old Todd."
The Rams hadn’t seen that version of Gurley at all this season, but clearly he can still be an effective running back when given the chance. He had a long run of 13 yards and a 23-yard reception, showing the usual burst and cutting Rams fans have gotten used to seeing.
After the game, McVay evaluated Gurley’s performance and said getting him the ball was part of the game plan.
“That was part of the game plan tonight,” McVay said. “I thought he did a great job. What I loved the most about what Todd did was after we put the first carry on the ground, he didn’t flinch. He came back, had some good tough, physical runs, made some good catches out of the backfield and he was a big-time contributor tonight.”
About 10 minutes before kickoff, McVay told Gurley that the Rams were going to “pound the rock” and for him to get ready. Needless to say, he was.
Sean McVay told Todd Gurley before Sunday night’s game with Chicago that he was going to “pound the rock.” The result was the running back’s biggest workload in more than a calendar year. @usatodaynfl@DowntownRams@CVRamsClubpic.twitter.com/ZkOH8pDo6v
As McVay mentioned, Gurley did fumble the ball on his first carry, but it was uphill from there. He never had another miscue and helped carry the offense to victory. It wasn’t the vintage 150-yard, two-touchdown performance we’ve seen in the past, but he was productive and looked like a workhorse again.
The Los Angeles Rams snuck away with a crucial victory against the Bears on Sunday Night Football. Steve Rebeiro gives his takeaways.
(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Rams snuck away with a 17-7 victory against the Bears in prime time on Sunday night.
It wasn’t pretty, but neither was last year’s Sunday Night Football showdown between these two teams. The Rams lost that one 15-6, but they escaped with a victory tonight.
Here are five takeaways from a win Los Angeles desperately needed against the Bears.
Rookies lead impressive offensive line performance
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Rams’ offensive line has been an absolute dumpster fire this year. They went from one of the NFL’s best units last season to arguably the worst in the NFL this year. Last week, they lost two starters, including longtime starting tackle Rob Havenstein to injury. Fans were praying for Jared Goff’s health with a bunch of unproven backups protecting him against Khalil Mack and Chicago’s tough defense.
Oddly enough, the Rams offensive line turned in one of its best performances of the year with its back against the wall.
The big difference was switching from Havenstein, who has started 68 games for the Rams over the past five years, to rookie Bobby Evans, who played three snaps in his career. Evans and fellow rookie David Edwards gave both Todd Gurley and Goff all the protection they could ask for against the Bears. It resulted in a major victory for the Rams in prime time.
Sean McVay will have a decision to make when Havenstein comes back from injury. He’s been a weak link on the line this season, and Evans looked better tonight than Havenstein has all season. Evans should hold the job until he gives them a reason to bench him.
Sean McVay didn’t have much of an update on Robert Woods’ situation after the Rams’ win.
The Los Angeles Rams delivered some surprising news just 90 minutes before kickoff on Sunday night when they announced that Robert Woods would be inactive against the Bears. It wasn’t initially clear whether he suffered an injury at some point this weekend or exactly why he wouldn’t be suiting up, but it was revealed that he’s dealing with a personal matter.
It was a big loss for the Rams, but they were still able to come away with the 17-7 win at home. According to Sean McVay, the team didn’t know until “a couple hours before the game” that Woods wouldn’t be available.
He wouldn’t elaborate on what exactly Woods is tending to, saying he doesn’t know when the receiver will be back with the team.
“Yeah, it’s hard to say,” McVay said of when Woods will return. “I don’t want to give a finite answer on that. I most importantly want to be able to talk to him afterwards. I talked to him before the game, but want to be able to check with him and out of respect for his family, that’s why we’re just kind of leaving it at what it is.”
Woods has been the Rams’ most consistent receiver the last three seasons, playing a key role on offense. He’s not only a reliable pass catcher, but also the Rams’ best blocking wideout, leading the way for Todd Gurley countless times on the edge.
McVay should have more of an update this week as it pertains to Woods’ situation, but it’s clear the team is behind him during this time and supports him completely.
“It was a personal matter. That’s all we are going to say about that,” he said. “We love him, respect him, we are with him and his family all the way and that’s really where we will leave that at.”
Sean McVay won’t mind “winning ugly” if that’s what it takes on Sunday.
At 5-4, the Los Angeles Rams need wins any way they can get them. A third straight NFC West title is rapidly slipping away, and in the wild-card race, they’re also falling behind teams like the Seahawks and Vikings.
With just seven weeks remaining, the Rams can’t waste any more time. Each mounting loss pushes them further back and hurts their playoff chances – which currently sit at 16.5% through 10 weeks.
Sean McVay isn’t panicking, but he’ll take a win any way he can.
“I think we’re comfortable with whatever we feel like we need to do to win the football game,” McVay said when asked if he’d be OK winning an ugly game against the Bears. “That’s one of the things that you continue to learn is, ‘All right, with this specific approach it’s about putting all three phases together and it’s about winning as a team.’ That’s the most important thing. We do have an approach that we’d like to see how the game plays out. You know in an ideal setting for us, things always don’t go according to plan but if that’s the case and we end up coming away with the win, we would take it however we end up getting that.”
The Rams are favored by 6.5 points over the Bears, but this is hardly an easy game for them. Chicago was the first team to truly shut down McVay’s offense, holding the Rams to just six points at Soldier Field last season.
The warmer weather and friendly confines of the Coliseum should help the Rams in this one, but Chicago is still a tough opponent. The Bears defense remains one of the more talented units in the league, especially up front.
Khalil Mack will have a very favorable matchup against rookie Bobby Evans, who’s expected to make his first career start at right tackle on Sunday. On the interior, the Bears have Eddie Goldman, too, who will face the Rams’ makeshift guard combo of Austin Corbett and David Edwards.
Getting the running game going in this one would certainly help Los Angeles move the ball offensively, and McVay knows sometimes you have to continually run it even if it struggles initially.
“I think in some instances, I think you do,” he said. “You have an appreciation that each play is so important throughout the course of the game. You don’t ever want to just really feel like you’re wasting plays. But I would say that based on the flow of the game and in some instances based on what you’re trying to get done, there might be some opportunities where you feel like, ‘all right let’s get a good tough physical downhill run and try to get some efficient yards.’ Even if it might not be that premier look that you’re looking for.”
The Bears will face the Rams in a rematch of last season’s defensive showdown. So we’re going Behind Enemy Lines to learn about the Rams.
The Chicago Bears (4-5) will face the Los Angeles Rams (5-4) in a prime-time rematch of last season’s defensive showdown.
The Bears broke their four-game losing streak with a divisional victory over the Detroit Lions in Week 10, and they’ll be looking to keep that momentum going against a Rams team that’s struggling on offense.
Before the game, we caught up with managing editor Cameron DaSilva of Rams Wire to get the scoop on the Bears’ Week 11 opponent.
Here are six questions with Rams Wire:
1. The Rams signed QB Jared Goff to a massive extension before the season, but he doesn’t appear to be living up to that contract. He’s had a string of bad performances against good teams. What’s going on with Goff?
A lot of the blame falls on the offensive line. It’s been one of the worst units in the NFL, and Goff is not a quarterback who can overcome poor play up front. He’s not exactly mobile, his pocket awareness is average at best, and he tries to do more with the ball than he should when he’d be better off just taking a sack. Even when he does get time, though, he’s throwing it inaccurately and missing open receivers. He just doesn’t have the confidence he had last season, and much of that is because of the constant pressure he’s been under.
2. Todd Gurley faced a lot of questions this offseason about the status of his left knee, where many wondered if he’d be as effective as he once was. Last week, Gurley had his most efficient game on the ground season the season opener. How have the Rams handled Gurley’s usage this season?
Put simply, not well. They’ve done a poor job managing his workload, as evidenced by him not even getting the ball once in the fourth quarter last week. They keep saying he’s not hurt and he isn’t on a pitch count, but he hasn’t carried the ball more than 18 times in a single game this season. He hasn’t been the player he was the last two years, especially as a receiver, and it’s held the Rams offense back. He needs to be involved more on offense.
3. In the first two years of Sean McVay’s tenure, the offensive line was successful. They were a big part of the Rams’ Super Bowl run. But this season, that hasn’t been the case. They’ve done a poor job of protecting Goff, allowing four sacks last week against the Steelers. What’s wrong with the offensive line?
Injuries and a lack of experience are the primary factors. On Sunday, they’ll have just one player on the offensive line who also started Week 1 (Andrew Whitworth). There will be three players making their first starts of the season at their respective positions, which could lead to a disaster at the Coliseum. This is one of the worst offensive lines in the league, and it’s a big reason for the Rams’ regression.
4. When talking about this defense, the conversation begins and ends with All-Pro DT Aaron Donald. While Donald’s numbers have died off a bit compared to last season — he has six sacks and two forced fumbles in nine games — stats don’t tell the whole story. How have Donald and the Rams’ pass rush looked this season?
Really good. It’s been a bright spot of the defense, as they’ve gotten production out of Clay Matthews and Dante Fowler Jr. at outside linebacker. Donald is as good as he always is, but the fact that other defenders are stepping up certainly helps the defense in a big way. That trio of pass rushers is a handful for any offense.
5. The Rams traded for CB Jalen Ramsey to strengthen their secondary. Has Ramsey been worth the pair of first-round picks the Rams gave up for him? How has the secondary looked since he joined the team?
He’s been somewhat up-and-down so far, but the defense as a whole has been much better since he arrived. He allows them to play more man coverage and blitz more often, which leads to an aggressive style of defense. He’ll match up with Allen Robinson on Sunday night in what should be a good individual battle, and lining him across from No. 1 receivers is why the Rams paid up to acquire him. He was worth the cost, in my opinion.
6. What’s your prediction for the game?
I think the Bears are going to pull off the upset. Their defense has the ability to shut down the Rams, as we saw last season. And while Chicago’s offense is not very good, it’s good enough to win this game. Bears 20, Rams 17
Sean McVay knows the importance of Jared Goff keeping both hands on the ball when pressure arises.
Jared Goff is having a rough year despite ranking among the league leaders in passing yards. He’s regressed in every other notable statistical category, from completion percentage to touchdowns, to turnovers to yards per attempt. His passer rating has dropped significantly, too, going from over 100 in 2017 and 2018 to 82.7 this season.
One of Goff’s biggest flaws is his inability to protect the ball in the pocket. He led the league with 12 fumbles last season and is on pace to shatter that number in 2019. Goff has already fumbled it nine times in nine games, losing five of those fumbles.
Against the Steelers, he had three fumbles (one lost) to go along with two interceptions. That’s not the ball security any coach wants to see from his quarterback, let along one making as much money with as much experience as Goff.
Sean McVay said on Thursday that the Rams’ coaches will continue to emphasize the importance of ball security to Goff – and the rest of the offense, for that matter.
“Anytime you talk about that, everybody has a responsibility – coaches, player. Playing in the timing and rhythm sometimes taking a sack, keeping two hands on the ball is the best thing to be able to do there. I think it’s a collaboration of everybody, but that is certainly something that is a point of emphasis, you try to drill it,” he said. “It’s always hard to truly mimic and emulate that when you don’t get tackled and you don’t have the ability for guys really swiping at that hand, but he understands the importance of it. It’s something that we’re going to continuously drill and make a big point of emphasis and just keep drilling and keep working at it. We trust that, the things that we are talking about and I know how conscientious he is as well. That’s where you will start to see, hopefully some tangible results. It is a credit to those guys, but that’s definitely something that’s a point of emphasis for us as an offense, not exclusive to Jared.”
Goff’s nine interceptions are certainly a cause for concern, but so are his nine fumbles. His careless nature in the pocket when it comes to protecting the ball has become a troubling trend for the young quarterback, and the Rams are fortunate only five of his nine fumbles have been lost.
You can bet the Bears’ defensive front has recognized Goff’s carelessness in the pocket and will attack the ball when getting close to the quarterback. He fumbled it once in the Rams’ loss to Chicago last season, also throwing four interceptions.
The Rams throw the ball 96% of the time when they’re in shotgun, and teams are picking up on that glaringly obvious trend.
For two years, Sean McVay was one of the toughest coaches to figure out. His offense was dynamic and difficult to stop, helping elevate the play of everyone from Todd Gurley to Robert Woods to Jared Goff.
The basis of his offense is utilizing 11 personnel, pre-snap motion and play-action passes to deceive the defense. After all, common says having the same 11 players on the field for nearly every play makes it difficult to predict whether it’s a pass or run coming.
For two years, his scheme worked to perfection. This season has not been so kind to McVay with many suggesting he’s been exposed by opposing defenses. To an extent, that assessment isn’t necessarily wrong. But at the same time, the offensive line is decimated and Goff has regressed as a result.
But if there’s one thing McVay can control, it’s tendencies and tells. One in particular sticks out like a sore thumb when you watch the Rams play – and it’s probably something you’ve noticed yourself.
The Rams never run the ball out of shotgun formations.
According to Inside Edge, running backs have only gotten 12 carries out of the gun this year, picking up 45 yards on such plays. Both numbers are the lowest in the NFL by a wide margin. When the Rams go into shotgun formations, they throw the ball 96% of the time, according to Sharp Football Stats. Of course, that’s the widest differential in the league, with the next-closest team being the Buccaneers (91% pass).
When under center, the Rams are more balanced. They throw the ball 35% of the time (8th-highest) and run it 65% (25th). That’s why they’re able to run play-action fakes when the running back is lined up behind Goff, because there’s actually a threat to run the ball.
Sharp Football Stats
Out of the gun, the Rams don’t even bother trying with ball fakes. You almost never see Goff fake the handoff to Gurley when the two are lined up side by side. That’s because Gurley has only carried it eight times out of the shotgun for a measly 17 yards. Where’s the threat defenses have to account for?
Against the Steelers on Sunday afternoon, this tendency was on full display in the fourth quarter. On their last two drives, the Rams were in shotgun on every single play. Even with all three timeouts and nearly three minutes on the clock during their first drive, there was never a threat to run the ball by Los Angeles. No fake handoffs, no under-center plays, no play action. This tendency is so glaringly obvious that the Steelers almost certainly picked up on it coming into the game and knew that when the Rams were in shotgun, there was almost no chance they were going to run the ball.
As a result, they pinned their ears back and rushed Goff every time he was in the gun. This might seem obvious late in the game, and it is. Down five points, most teams are going to be airing the ball out. The Rams didn’t have to with three timeouts, but that’s the strategy they opted for.
This is the play just before the two-minute warning – a situation where running the ball is absolutely an option. Look how quickly the Steelers’ edge rushers get up the field, knowing there’s no chance the Rams are going to hand it off.
Clearly, gaining 3.8 yards per carry on rush attempts out of the gun doesn’t inspire much confidence. However, the fact that they’re not even trying to run it out of that formation is allowing defenses to know what’s coming. This wasn’t as big of a deal last season when teams were still trying to figure out McVay’s offense, but the Rams rarely ran it out of shotgun then, either.
They threw it 96% of the time out of the gun and ran it just 4% of the time. In 2017, the gap was closer: 87% run, 13% pass. With a full year of tape from last season to watch, and that tendency standing out so clearly, defenses have likely figured out what’s coming when Goff is in the gun – and McVay has yet to adjust.
It doesn’t help that the Rams have been in the shotgun more often this year than they were last year. In 2018, they used shotgun 38% of the time compared to 46% of the time this season. The more they use shotgun formations, the more predictable the offense gets.
Goff came from an Air Raid offense in college and lived in the shotgun at Cal. McVay has catered the offense to his skill set the last three years, giving him far more pass attempts out of the gun than under center since 2017. It also fits with what Gurley does best, running it from traditional singleback formations.
As bad as Gurley has been out of the gun in his career, the Rams do have a guy with a skill set that can have some success in those situations: Darrell Henderson. With Gurley seeing his workload limited, the Rams should take advantage of Henderson and hand him the ball out of the gun. At least that will keep the defense on its toes, rather than allowing edge rushers to pin their ears back and get after the QB.
Or what about a run-pass option (RPO)? The Eagles used that heavily on their march to the Super Bowl a few years ago. It’s an easy way to limit the effectiveness of a team’s pass rush, causing the defensive linemen to freeze for a second to read the play. Running RPOs with Goff and Henderson could be a nice wrinkle to the offense.
No matter what the solution is, McVay has to at least bring some unpredictability into the equation when the Rams line up in the gun. With no threat to run the ball, defenses are hardly ever fooled and pass rushers are teeing off on Goff. With a makeshift offensive line, that’s a disastrous combination.
