After scoring 30 points in three of their first five games, the Rams have topped that mark only once in their last nine. The offense has been stuck in neutral lately, most recently scoring only 20 points against a terrible Jets team.
Jared Goff has only eight touchdown passes and eight interceptions in his last seven games after throwing 12 touchdown passes and only four interceptions in the first seven, proving to be a big reason for the Rams’ offensive struggles. He’s not alone, but any time an offense stalls the way L.A.’s has, the quarterback is going to be at the forefront of that problem.
Kurt Warner perfectly explained what’s gone wrong with the Rams offense during an appearance on NFL Network, pointing to their inability to succeed after defenses take away what they’re trying to do.
“I’m just concerned about this offense because they’re really good when they do what they want to do,” Warner said. “Again, that’s not a newsflash there – most teams are good when they do what they do best. When the Rams run the football and play-action, they’re really good, Jared Goff is really good in that type of scenario. When they fall behind and they have to drop-back throw, when they have to spread it out and he’s got to drop back and read the defense and pick a team apart, that is where this team and that is where Jared Goff struggles.”
Sean McVay said on Monday that he doesn’t have an answer to why the Rams have been so inconsistent, saying it’s something they obviously strive for. But according to Warner, their inability to succeed off-schedule and to adapt are the primary reasons for their troubles on offense.
“And so that’s why we see this tremendous inconsistency with this team,” he said. “Sometimes they come out and they look like world-beaters because they’re able to play within their scheme, and Jared Goff fits that scheme extremely well. But when teams take that away, now you get really concerned because you say to yourself, ‘Well, you can do that, any team can beat the Rams, as well.’
“I am concerned because you have to get more consistency away from your strength.”
Assuming the Rams make the playoffs, which could happen with a win on Sunday against Seattle, they’ll have to find new ways to succeed on offense. Teams have figured out how to slow down the Rams on that side of the ball, and McVay has yet to come up with a proper backup plan to counter what defenses do.
If the Rams can’t adapt, they’ll be bounced from the playoffs early on.
