The Los Angeles Rams had an interesting first half of the season, to say the least, especially when it comes to the box score.
Jared Goff might be the only player to have recorded a game with over 500 passing yards and under 100 in a three-week span. Cooper Kupp has been putting up earth-shattering numbers. The rest of the skill players have not been.
At the halfway point of the Rams’ season, let’s take a dive into what kind of numbers some of the team’s key players are on pace to finish with this season.
Jared Goff: 384 for 628, 4,734 yards, 22 touchdowns, 13 interceptions
This would mark a career-high in every one of these categories for Goff with the exception of touchdowns, which would be his lowest since his rookie year.
Goff’s season has been a letdown given the massive contract extension he signed this offseason and the strides he made in his development last season. He’s noticeably missed on a few crucial deep balls and just hasn’t looked as sharp as usual standing in the pocket. The offensive line shoulders a good amount of the blame for Goff’s regression, but he’s not blameless either.
Still, if those are the numbers Goff is going to finish with in a slump year, there isn’t a ton to complain about.
Todd Gurley: 761 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, 32 receptions for 173 yards and 2 touchdowns
Keep in mind that this is on a 15-game pace as Gurley missed a game this season. These would all be career-lows across the board for Gurley except for touchdowns, although that would be his lowest touchdown total since McVay took over.
Gurley’s usage rate has taken a nosedive from last season to this season, but that doesn’t make these numbers any less disappointing. Gurley isn’t taking advantage of the carries he’s getting. Again, the offensive line can be blamed quite a bit here, but Gurley ran circles around defenses his rookie season behind a bad offensive line.
Gurley is a prime candidate to pump these numbers up in the second half of the season. The offensive line is getting more and more settled by the week. If there was a time for Gurley to take the ball and (literally) run with it, it’s after the bye week.
Cooper Kupp: 116 receptions for 1,584 yards and 10 touchdowns on 174 targets
These totals would shatter Kupp’s previous highs and also be the most yards and receptions ever for a Los Angeles Ram. He’d still trail Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce in both categories for the single-season reception and yardage leads in the franchise’s overall history.
Kupp is on pace join Robert Woods, Brandin Cooks, and Kenny Britt (??) as the only Rams receivers to record 1,000-yard seasons since Torry Holt left the team. It would take a serious amount of serious-amount regression for him not to join this club.
It’s been obvious since game one of the McVay era that Kupp was Goff’s favorite target, but the third-year receiver has been much more than a safety-blanket in 2019. These numbers would make Kupp a lock for his first Pro Bowl and place him in the discussion for an All-Pro slot. There’s no sign that Kupp is going to slow down anytime this year.
Robert Woods: 76 receptions for 942 yards and 0 touchdowns
Keep in mind that Woods does have a rushing touchdown this season, so it wouldn’t be a total goose egg for him in that regard.
Woods would see a drastic drop-off from his receiving numbers last season if these numbers hold. While he’s still been a reliable receiver for Goff this season, the numbers feel disappointing, especially for any fantasy football players who spent a fourth-rounder on him.
The truth is that Woods’ stats have taken a dip due to the overall regression of the passing offense and the emergence of Kupp. Kupp has been gobbling up targets, and sometimes there just hasn’t been enough to go around. If the passing offense turns it around, expect Woods’ numbers to turn around as well.
Brandin Cooks: 54 receptions for 804 yards and 2 touchdowns
It feels likely that Cooks will finish with under 1,000 yards for the first time since his rookie season. Two touchdowns would mark the lowest total of his career.
There are bigger concerns for Cooks moving forward than the stats. The star receiver suffered his second concussion of the season last week and has been sent to Pittsburgh to see a specialist. It remains unclear when, or if, Cooks will return to the field this season.
Still, the numbers were immensely disappointing before the injury. Cooks has been a victim of the same things that Woods has, only he’s suffered more from Goff missing on a few deep balls.
Aaron Donald: 50 total tackles, 10 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 22 TFL and 18 QB hits
Donald is on pace to finish with less than half of his sack total from last season.
Truthfully, it doesn’t matter. Donald’s impact on a game rarely shows up in the box score. Last season was the exception to that. He’s just as dominant as he’s ever been and is setting up his teammates for sacks rather than taking them for himself.
It may feel like a disappointing season due to his absurd sack total from last year, but it really isn’t. Donald is as good as ever.
Other notables
Dante Fowler Jr.: 64 tackles, 13 sacks, 18 TFL, 18 QB hits
Cory Littleton: 132 tackles, 4 INT, 2 forced fumbles, 3 sacks
Michael Brockers: 68 tackles, 3 sacks, 10 QB hits
Gerald Everett: 52 catches, 594 yards, 4 TDs
