Stat shows Rams' O-line wasn't as bad as it seemed in the running game
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theramswire.usatoday.com]
Cameron DaSilva
Could it be possible that the Rams’ offensive line wasn’t actually the problem in the running game? According to one metric, it seems that way.
Next Gen Stats developed a new statistic that measures an offensive line’s effectiveness at creating yards for its running backs. It’s called expected rushing yards per carry, putting into perspective how successful a line was at creating opportunities in the running game compared to other units across the NFL.
The Rams surprisingly ranked ninth in the NFL despite finishing 26th in rushing yards and 18th in attempts last season. The offensive line had an expected yards per carry (xYPC) of 4.31 compared to the actual team average of only 3.7 yards per carry.
Here’s a snippet of Next Gen Stats’ evaluation of the Rams from last season:
The Rams should really be commended for landing on this list, especially after losing Joe Noteboom early in the season and needing a replacement so badly, they swung a deal (which could end up being a steal) with the Browns for Austin Corbett in the middle of the season. This might also be the most damning piece of evidence related to Todd Gurley’s future, as we covered above with Atlanta. The league average in xYPC was 4.18 last season, so the Rams’ mark of 4.31 is nothing to scoff at. Yet, the Rams weren’t able to break 4 yards per carry with Gurley (and friends) in the backfield.
The Rams cut Gurley for multiple reasons, not exclusively because of his knee issues or bloated contract. It was a combination of the two, in addition to his regression from 2018 to 2019. He simply didn’t do enough to create yards on his own, and this metric from Next Gen Stats reinforces that idea.
The Rams have to hope Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson, as well as a dash of Malcolm Brown, will improve the running game. It remains to be seen how that committee will play out when the season begins, but the Rams plan to run the ball more often – and hopefully, more effectively in 2020.
