The Los Angeles Rams enjoyed a much-needed bye this past weekend, as they look to have star wide receiver Puka Nacua back and healthy when they return to action this week.
It’s been a strong start for the 5-2 Rams, with both offense and defense proving to be dominant.
Their own two losses were tightly-fought battles, with both outcomes being decided by the last snap of the game. In their Week 3 matchup vs. the Philadelphia Eagles, the Rams lined themselves up for a potential game winning field goal, down one with three seconds left. However, the Eagles blocked the attempt and returned it for a touchdown. Just two weeks later, following an offensive failure on 4th and one, the Rams lost on a walk-off field goal to their division rival, the San Francisco 49ers, in overtime.
Still, despite these heartbreaking losses, the Rams have looked unstoppable otherwise.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford entered the season dealing with an aggravated disk in his back, missing the majority of training camp due to the injury. However, all doubts about his health have evaporated in game one, and Stafford is performing like an MVP. He’s thrown for 1,866 passing yards and 17 passing touchdowns, tying the league lead in touchdowns despite missing a week in action due to a bye.
His top-two targets, wide receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, have turned Los Angeles’ offense into one of the league’s scariest.
Before exiting Week 6’s matchup vs. the Baltimore Ravens in the second quarter with an ankle injury, Nacua had opened the season on a historic pace. He entered Week 6 having caught the most passes through the first five weeks of an NFL season ever,(52) and was second in the league in receiving yards.
While Nacua has yet to return since, his 6x Pro Bowl counterpart Davante Adams has stepped up to fill his absence. In Week 7’s matchup vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars, Adams hauled in three touchdowns to help lift the Rams to a commanding 35-7 victory.
However, despite the explosive passing attack, the Rams have lacked a quality run game to back it up. Running back Kyren Williams has had a solid start to the year, averaging just over 67 rushing yards per game. However, he has scored just two touchdowns on the ground and has only one game over 80 yards rushing.
While these numbers might not jump out at you, they are a significant dip from last season. Through the first seven weeks of the 2024 season, Williams had scored eight rushing touchdowns, with four games over 80 yards rushing.
If the Rams want to continue their hot start, they will have to get Williams more involved, which will further open up the passing game and allow for future Stafford and Nacua hookups.
Not only have the Rams exceeded expectations on offense, their defense has proven to be elite.
The Rams have allowed the fewest touchdowns in the entire NFL (11) and rank third in points allowed per game. Additionally, the Rams are tied for first in the NFL for their Red Zone defense, allowing a touchdown on just 40% of all trips to the Red Zone. They are second in the league in sacks (26) and have the fourth best third down percentage in the NFL, allowing the opponent to convert only 34% of the time.
Yet, one area which needs improvement is Special Teams. Rams kicker Joshua Karty has been dependable, making 10 of his 14 field goal attempts on the year. However, as the second half of the season begins, the Rams must look for more consistency out of their second year kicker.
Last season, Karty missed just five field goals. However, he has already had two field goals and an extra point blocked while only attempting two field goals beyond 50 yards. To add insult to injury, three of his four missed field goals occurred in the Rams two losses.
The Rams are currently tied with the Seattle Seahawks for first place in the NFC West. If they want to claim sole possession of the division and make a deep run this season, they will have to tighten up these mistakes, which have proven to be costly.
The team returns home on Sunday, November 2, to take on the New Orleans Saints in a Week 9 inter-conference matchup.