There are several things wrong with the Los Angeles Rams’ offense right now. They can’t run the ball with any sort of consistency, ranking 31st in rushing yards and yards per carry through two games.
When Matthew Stafford tries to throw the ball, he’s pressured quickly because the offensive line has struggled to protect him – even against a poor pass rush like the Cardinals’ unit on Sunday.
Trailing against both the Lions and Cardinals has something to do with it, making the offense one-dimensional and heavily skewed toward the pass, but the Rams need a solution to their current inefficiency. It especially won’t be easy to fix if Cooper Kupp misses time with an ankle injury.
One possible answer to the Rams’ problem is a shift toward more 12 personnel, which puts two tight ends, one running back and two receivers on the field together. Through two weeks, the Rams haven’t run a single play out of anything besides 11 personnel. The next-closest team is Cleveland, which has been in 11 personnel 85.5% of the time.
It might not be a bad idea to change that in Week 3 against the 49ers. The Rams took a similar approach in 2020 when they shifted away from 11 personnel and more toward 12 personnel, which yielded positive rushing performances of 119 and 186 yards against the Cardinals and Patriots that year.
For a team dealing with injuries along the offensive line and at wide receiver, it could be a perfect time to change philosophies and try to become a more physical team on the line of scrimmage.
They have three capable tight ends in Colby Parkinson, Hunter Long and Davis Allen (if healthy) to lean on, too.
Getting two tight ends on the field together would allow the Rams to chip edge rushers, hopefully making life easier for their tackles. It could also help seal off defenders on off-tackle runs to the outside, something that hasn’t worked through two weeks.
Under Sean McVay, the Rams have been able to use 11 personnel so heavily because they’ve always had a quality trio of receivers. They don’t have that right now with Puka Nacua out and Kupp possibly joining him on the shelf. Running the ball out of 11 personnel with Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson and Jordan Whittington or Tutu Atwell won’t come nearly as easily as it does with Kupp and Nacua blocking on the edge.
At least with two tight ends, the blocking up front should improve for Kyren Williams and the rushing attack, ideally sparking a ground game that has been non-existent for two games.
Much of this could hinge on Kupp’s health. If he’s good to go, the Rams can get away with still utilizing 11 personnel most of the time. If not, they should consider playing Parkinson and Long or Allen together because what they’ve done thus far has not worked.