After ripping off three straight wins after their Week 6 bye, the Los Angeles Rams welcomed their outdated pal Jalen Ramsey and his Miami Dolphins to SoFi Stadium for a particular showdown on Monday Evening Soccer.
Lastly, after wanting extremely shaky to start out off the season, the Rams would get to point out simply how good they’ll look with Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp again on the sector and the remainder of the NFC West, nay, the remainder of the NFC, nay, the remainder of the NFL must readjust their expectations accordingly.
…however then the precise recreation occurred.
Reconfiguring the offensive line for what felt just like the tenth time this 12 months, LA’s offense as soon as once more regarded disjointed, with the group struggling to maneuver the ball by means of the air, Matthew Stafford making some unlucky errors, and the Rams failing to succeed in the endzone on any of their drives.
Disappointing stuff? You wager; the Rams had an opportunity to essentially take a step ahead within the NFC West standings with a win and are actually as soon as once more tied for final place with the Seattle Seahakes in probably the most aggressive division within the NFL.
Happily, the Rams have an opportunity to make issues proper in Week 11 after they go face to face in opposition to a New England Patriots group that’s taking part in a lot better than when Jacoby Brissett was below heart however will nonetheless probably finish the 12 months with a shedding file.
Is that this the sport the place the Rams lastly get again on observe? Will the protection give New England’s rookie quarterback matches? Will Kyren Williams run wild on an injured Patriots protection? And what about Stafford? Will he flip in one other Professional Bowl-caliber recreation or add to his interception streak? Let’s delve into the numbers as an alternative and try to search out out.
1. Matthew Stafford has a bounce-back recreation
In 2024, the Rams’ offense has kind of sunk or swam primarily based on the play of their fearless chief, Matthew Stafford.
When the Georgia product is totally slinging it, hitting huge passes down the sector, making sensible reads, and commanding the offense just like the oldest beginning quarterback within the league ought to, the Rams look borderline unstoppable, as they’ve a set of offensive expertise on-par with every other group within the NFL. However when he is off? When he is launching bullets to receivers he isn’t used to taking part in with or has to chuck it deep on third and lengthy with the sport on the road?
Effectively, there is a purpose why the Rams are 4-5.
Now granted, the Patriots’ greatest defensive participant – and possibly participant generally – would possibly simply be Christian Gonzalez, the group’s second-year cornerback out of Oregon who’s taking part in some fairly unbelievable soccer for New England after recovering from a shoulder harm. Additionally they have just a few fascinating gamers up entrance in Christian Barmore and Yannick Ngakoue, who could or could not play as they return from harm and be taught a brand new system respectively. However on the 12 months, the Patriots rank sixteenth in passing yards allowed, nineteenth in completions allowed, and twenty third in yards per try, which. *spoiler alert* will not be excellent.
The Rams, in contrast, rank thirteenth in passing yards, eleventh in completions, and twentieth in yards per try and have thrown for a minimum of 200 yards in six of their 9 video games to date this season. Throw that each one collectively and what do you’ve? A statistical mismatch that McVay ought to be capable to exploit, particularly if the harm report shakes solely in LA’s means.
2. Kyren Williams makes a press release for the Rams
Whereas the Patriots’ protection is simply okay in opposition to the move, they’re beneath common in opposition to the run, rating twenty fifth in speeding yards allowed, twenty sixth in makes an attempt, and fifteenth in yards per try.
Now granted, that hasn’t actually mattered to McVay in 2024, as if Williams and firm do not get something happening the bottom early on, the Tremendous Bowl-winning head coach has proven a perpetuity for abandoning the run with out batting an eye fixed. However in Week 11, even with the offensive line doubtlessly a query mark as soon as extra, there’s little purpose to consider that Williams should not be capable to assault the Patriots on the bottom successfully, as at this level, it is virtually a weekly routine.
That is proper, over the primary ten weeks of the 2024 NFL season, the Patriots have allowed a minimum of 100 speeding yards in seven of their ten video games, together with a seven-game streak from Week 3-9. The Rams, in contrast, have solely 4 video games with 100 yards on the bottom out of 9 efforts, which is not dangerous however is much from supreme for a group seemingly constructed to run the ball properly.
Is that this the sport the place the Rams lastly put all of it collectively, get plus play from all 5 offensive linemen, and virtually pressure McVay to maintain pounding the rock over and over? On paper, it definitely appears like that might be the case, however till followers see it, they must hold believing that someday, the Rams will area a dynamic offense that strikes the ball on the bottom and thru the air with ease. I imply, hey, it in all probability will not occur, however you realize what? You’ll be able to’t knock followers for desirous to see it.
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3. The Rams defeat Drake Maye with their stout protection
The Patriots’ passing offense is dangerous.
How dangerous? Effectively, by means of ten video games of motion, the Patriots rank useless final in passing yards, with all 31 different groups – sure, even the group you are pondering of – someway having extra yards regardless of New England not even having their bye till Week 14.
To make issues worse, it isn’t just like the Patriots are some neo-rushing ideologues who scoff on the move in favor of a dominant speeding assault, as New England really has tried the nineteenth most passing yards within the NFL. However when a group has a internet yards per try mark of 4.6, which ranks thirtieth within the NFL, even quantity cannot make up for a brutal passing offense slowed down by poor planning and execution.
Now positive, the Patriots are slinging it higher with Drake Maye below heart, as he is averaging 21 extra yards than Brissett on just below one fewer try per recreation, however even the pleasure of UNC is simply averaging 159 yards and has solely surpassed 200 yards in three of the six video games he is appeared in.
The Rams, in contrast, have an ascending passing protection, as whereas they at present rank twenty second in yards allowed, sixth in makes an attempt, and twenty ninth in NY/A, they’ve solely allowed opposing groups to surpass 200 yards in three of their final six video games, with the Miami Dolphins solely attending to 171 yards by means of the air on Monday Evening Soccer.
May the Patriots discover a strategy to mild up the Rams in Week 11? May Maye have his first-ever 300-yard passing recreation on the NFL degree? Or will the Patriots as an alternative see their very own string of success come to an finish, very like the Rams in Week 10? Whereas something is feasible, this positive looks like a recreation the place the Rams get again into the winner’s circle, fuel up their followers with false hope, and seemingly get issues again on observe… till they face off in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Evening Soccer in Week 12 and that momentum and positivity comes crash down as soon as extra.