Slow starts have been costly for the Rams this season

[theramswire.usatoday.com] Slow starts have been costly for the Rams this season

Skyler Carlin
November 29, 2021 9:13 am PT
There is a ton of finger-pointing going on with the Los Angeles Rams right now after they lost their third consecutive game on Sunday versus the Green Bay Packers. While there is plenty of blame to go around, slow starts on offense have been a common theme for the Rams in recent weeks.


In the first month of the season, Los Angeles was scoring the eighth-most points (5.7) in the NFL in the first quarter. Matthew Stafford and the offense had scored at least seven points in the first quarter in three of their first four games of the season.

However, things have gone awry for the Rams on the offensive side of the ball. Since Week 5, Los Angeles has combined to score a total of 13 points in the first quarter, including just three points total amid their three-game losing streak.

On the season, the Rams are now 17th in first-quarter scoring with a mere 3.6 points. The good news is that Los Angeles is second in the NFL in second-quarter scoring with 9.9 points. Despite that being positive, it would be best if the Rams could avoid having to try and dig themselves out of a hole to begin games.

Turnovers by Stafford and the offense have been detrimental to the team’s efforts to get back in the win column as the veteran signal-caller has thrown three pick-sixes in the past three games. When you spot the opposing team easy points, it’s tough to get in a rhythm early in games, especially against talented teams like the Tennessee Titans, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Packers.

Following another disheartening performance by the Rams on Sunday, they get a favorable matchup with the 2-9 Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 13. If Sean McVay and the offense are unable to get off to a fast start versus Jacksonville’s 29th ranked defense in DVOA on Sunday, then it’s officially time to start questioning if this offense has enough time to get back on track this season.

Skyler Carlin
November 29, 2021 9:13 am PT
There is a ton of finger-pointing going on with the Los Angeles Rams right now after they lost their third consecutive game on Sunday versus the Green Bay Packers. While there is plenty of blame to go around, slow starts on offense have been a common theme for the Rams in recent weeks.


In the first month of the season, Los Angeles was scoring the eighth-most points (5.7) in the NFL in the first quarter. Matthew Stafford and the offense had scored at least seven points in the first quarter in three of their first four games of the season.

However, things have gone awry for the Rams on the offensive side of the ball. Since Week 5, Los Angeles has combined to score a total of 13 points in the first quarter, including just three points total amid their three-game losing streak.

On the season, the Rams are now 17th in first-quarter scoring with a mere 3.6 points. The good news is that Los Angeles is second in the NFL in second-quarter scoring with 9.9 points. Despite that being positive, it would be best if the Rams could avoid having to try and dig themselves out of a hole to begin games.

Turnovers by Stafford and the offense have been detrimental to the team’s efforts to get back in the win column as the veteran signal-caller has thrown three pick-sixes in the past three games. When you spot the opposing team easy points, it’s tough to get in a rhythm early in games, especially against talented teams like the Tennessee Titans, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Packers.

Following another disheartening performance by the Rams on Sunday, they get a favorable matchup with the 2-9 Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 13. If Sean McVay and the offense are unable to get off to a fast start versus Jacksonville’s 29th ranked defense in DVOA on Sunday, then it’s officially time to start questioning if this offense has enough time to get back on track this season.