Running game was a problem not the solution

When you look at the drive chart, the Rams got in an early hole because

1) Ineffective Running Game
2) Penalties

Drive #1

1) 1 yard run - Drive killer settled for field goal after having good field position


Drive #2

2) 9 yard run
3) 2 yard run first down
4) -1 yard run Drive killer punt

Drive #3

ten yard penalty Drive killer leads to poor down and distance and interception.

Drive #4

9 passes and moving the ball well

5) 0 yard run - Another drive killer field goal


Drive #5

5 years penalty - Drive Killer leads to punt


Drive #6

5 year penalty - Another bad down and distance and interception

Drive #7

6) -5 yard run - another drive killer that leads to safety


AT THIS POINT IN THE GAME, THE CADENCE OF THE GAME IS ESTABLISHED AND WHILE THE RUN WAS BETTER LATER IN THE GAME BECAUSE THE BEARS WERE PLAYING PASS, THE RAMS WERE IN A WHOLE. The problems were two fold. Ineffective running game and penalties. When you don't get first downs because of that, there is no flow. The best movement of the ball was when the Rams had 9 straight passes and got the field goal.


last 5 runs were

7) 2 yards
8) 12 yards
9) 0 yards
10) 2 yards
11) 5 yards

Simply put, the reason Gurley is 2nd in the NFL because they don't give up plays to runs that will not be successful. Hence they move the ball with more first downs which equals more runs.

By running the ball less early in the game, they get to run more for the entire game, because there are more first downs. In this game the 6 early runs killed drives, along with the penalties, which caused the Rams to punt or turn it over with bad down and distance scenarios.