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theramswire.usatoday.com] It's astonishing how bad the Rams are on early downs compared to every other team
Cameron DaSilva
November 22, 2022 6:02 am PT
Nothing seems to be getting better for the Los Angeles Rams on offense. In fact, things are just getting worse. Cooper Kupp is out 6-8 weeks with an ankle injury, Matthew Stafford may have suffered his second concussion in two weeks and the offensive line has started 10 different groups in 10 games.
Sean McVay has often talked about the Rams’ inefficiency on first and second down, which has made third down a huge challenge. This chart from Ben Baldwin shows just how bad the Rams have been on early downs this season, and they’ve separated themselves even further from the rest of the NFL since the last time we checked a month ago.
Running the ball well on first and second down can make third down a lot easier. The Rams haven’t been terrible on third down, all things considered – they rank 17th in conversion rate – but they’ve also struggled to sustain drives in large part because of their poor numbers on first and second.
Entering Week 11, the Rams rank 32nd in rushing attempts, 31st in yards and 31st in yards per carry. That’s after they rushed for a season-high 148 yards against the Saints on Sunday, too.
It’s going to be a painful final seven weeks of the season in Los Angeles.
