NFL
By George Lopez
The Los Angeles Rams entered the 2023 season coming off a disappointing 5-12 record in 2022. This season was labeled as a rebuilding season for the Rams with the loss of key players as they dealt with their salary cap constraints. Entering their bye week at 3-6, most “experts” called it a season and looked for the Rams to trade players to stockpile draft picks and begin building toward the 2024 season. Since the bye week, the Rams have been one of the hottest teams in the NFL, winners of 7 of their last 8 games have secured a Wild Card birth in this year’s playoffs. In what was basically considered a throwaway season has become Coach Sean McVay’s finest job as head coach of the Rams.
Coach McVay is well known for his passing schemes within his offense. A knock on McVay has been abandoning his running game far too early. Over the last 8 games, McVay has made a concerted effort to stay with the running game. RB Kyren Willams has given McVay a type of running back he has not had since Todd Gurley. Though he missed 4 games due to injury, Williams rushed for 1144 yards on the season. Over his last 5 games, Williams has been at his most valuable for the offense, averaging 109 yards per game. The least amount of carries Williams has had in a game over that stretch has been 20. For the season, the Rams are averaging 120 yards rushing per game.
The offense is more explosive when they are balanced. The effectiveness of the running game has opened up the passing game. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has passed for 3965 yards with 24 touchdowns on the season. Over the same 5-game stretch as Kryen Williams (games 12-16) Stafford has passed for 1476 yards with 11 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions. By keeping the offensive balanced, McVay is not putting all the offensive production on Stafford’s shoulders. Though his passing yardage may be down, the offense has been firing on all cylinders, averaging 28 points per game in their final 8 games.
The play of the offensive line has been a big key in the Rams play in their last 8 games as they got healthy coming off the bye week. A change in the starting lineup as well as a change in McVay’s blocking scheme has been a significant factor. Kevin Dotson, who was acquired during the offseason has been inserted into the starting lineup at the guard position. Inserting Dotson into the starting lineup as well as McVay using straight-up blocking as opposed to constantly using zone blocking has improved the running game.
This change has given the Rams running attack a physicality not seen under McVay in a number of years. The improvement of the offensive line is not just in run blocking as they have shown a tremendous improvement in pass protection. Last season, Rams quarterbacks were pressured due to poor pass blocking. With the improved play from the O-line, Stafford has not been forced into rushed throws.
For a coach in any sport to be successful, they must have the ability to adapt. This season, Coach Sean McVay has adapted his play calling as well as his blocking schemes that have given his offense some grit. His subtlety in his offensive philosophy has turned what was to be a rebuilding team into a playoff-bound team that is playing its best football of the season. Sean McVay deserves to receive serious consideration for Coach of the Year as he has done his finest coaching job as head coach of the L.A. Rams.
