Another strong Rams running attack, another win. But next week, will it matter?

Another strong Rams running attack, another win. But will it matter next week?

[ramblinfan.com]

Bret Stuter

When the Rams run, the Rams win. But will the Rams abandon the run next week?



fficult to get a sense of just how good the young Rams roster really is. They lack consistency, which is another way of saying that you really do not know which version of the Rams team will show up on any given week.

When the Rams lose the game, there are a host of reasons. Tunovers, time of possession, poorly timed penalties, missed tackles, missed catches. The laundry list of bad football fundamentals when the Rams lose a football game seems to go on and on.

But when the Rams win the game, do they suddenly proved to be fundamentally sound? Or does the joy of victory cloud subjective scrutiny? Do the Rams really play better in winning games? Or does the fact that the Rams win dictate better football play? In short, do the Rams play better with a lead? Or does the fact that the Rams better play leads to a lead, which results in winning the game?

Solving the Chicken vs. the Egg paradox

The Rams have returned to .500 football, having won three games and lost three games over six weeks of the 2023 NFL schedule. At first glance, you could simply come to the conclusion that the erratic play of young players on the Rams roster has left the Rams to fight through inconsistency and unpredictable results.

But there are common elements to the Rams losses, and to the Rams wins. So what is it about the Rams losses that are common? When the Rams lose, the Rams have been very pass-happy. In all three losses to date, the Rams have passed 32+ times. Similarly, the Rams have run the football 22 times or fewer, but never so often as to be more than 30 percent of the offensive plays. In losses, the Rams have allowed quarterback sacks, averaging nearly four quarterback sacks per loss. Finally, in each loss the Rams have been penalized heavily.

So what is it about the Rams that allow them to win? In all three victories, the LA Rams have rushed for 30 or more times. With a commitment to running the football, the Rams have won the Time of Possession battle in each victory. In all three victories, the Rams defense was able to shut out the opposing team for a full half of play.

Rams + Runs = Victory

The Rams proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that this offense must run the football to be effective. The Rams attempted only a handful of runs in the first half of Week 6, and that left the Rams trailing at halftime by three points. The Rams had done next to nothing on offense, and it appeared as though the Rams would remain winless at SoFI Stadium.

Whether it was a coaching decision or urgings by RB Kyren Williams, the Rams dominated the bewildered Cardinals defense by coming out swinging in the second half. As a result, the Rams put up 20 unanswered points to claim a desperately needed win.

The LA Rams ran the football to defeat the Seattle Seahawks. The LA Rams ran the football to defeat the Indianapolis Colts. And the Rams ran the football to defeat the Arizona Cardinals. It's really just that simple. But the most inconsistent factor in the Rams organization is the play-calling. The Rams are built to run the football. So will the Rams finally start running the football?

That, I fear, is the most inconsistent factor about these LA Rams right now. And that may not change this year.