Los Angeles Rams: What went wrong this season, by the numbers

Barring a historical miracle and a lot of help in the last two weeks of the season, the Los Angeles Rams are essentially clinched out of the 2019 NFL Playoffs.

The Los Angeles Rams finally went down for the count after being blown out by the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Their 44-21 loss meant they were two games behind the Minnesota Vikings for the final playoff spot in the NFC with two games left. The Rams are not in control of their destiny and have a very slim chance of making the playoffs.

In reality, the up and down rollercoaster that was the Rams season has been a long Super Bowl hangover where they never showed they were a consistent winner.

The Rams started their post-Super Bowl season at 3-0 and since then they’ve gone 5-6 and with the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks being two of the better teams in the NFC, their playoff odd dwindled.

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The season can’t be distilled to one play or one game but there are underlying numbers that can explain why the Los Angeles Rams’ season took such a downturn.

It’s the Offense

The first two years of the Sean McVay coaching era the Rams’ offense was ranked first and second in points, this season it’s 13th. Last season the team was ranked second in total offensive yards, this season it’s 12th. In point differential, in McVay’s first year, the Rams were a plus 149, last year they were a plus 143, this season they are a plus 26.

Simply put, the Rams scored less, gained less and their lack of offensive output could not be mitigated by a mediocre defense. Did the league catch up to McVay and their offense, how much did Todd Gurley‘s injury affect play calling? Or was there another reason the offense became bad so fast?

It’s Jared Gof’s Fault

Sorry for being simplistic but it’s the NFL and the only person to touch the ball every offensive possession is the quarterback. Jared Goff is the Rams’ quarterback and he’s been terrible this year, regressing to the point where the Rams’ future is in jeopardy.

Last season Goff threw for 32 touchdowns, this year it’s 17; the problem is that he has been just as turnover prone. Goff threw for 12 interceptions last year, this year he’s already at 15 with two games still left to play. Last year he led the league with 12 fumbles, this year he’s at 10 with two games left.

Frankly, Goff hasn’t been good and his regression could not come at the worst time for the franchise. At the beginning of the season, Goff extended his contract tying him to the Rams for three guaranteed years and five if his option gets picked up. The problem is Goff’s salary cap hit goes from 10 to 36 million dollars next year, a significant sunk cost if he continues to struggle.

Defense Got Better (Just Kidding)

The Rams defense actually did improve going from 19th in yards two years in a row to 12th this season, and from 20th in points, last year to 15th but those numbers just cover up what still is a mediocre defense.

Of the Rams six losses, in three of those they gave up greater than 40 points, giving up 55, 45, and 44. Opponents converted 63.6 percent of their red zone opportunities putting them 29th out of 32 in the league this year. Worst of all the Rams defensive personnel were not ball hawks causing just 21 turnovers a year after causing 41.

Conclusion

The Los Angeles Rams’ mediocre offense was run by a mediocre quarterback that a mediocre defense could not prop up. With all this mediocrity stinking up the joint, the Rams move into a new stadium with an uncertain future next year. If the front office collective can’t come up with a solution, the Rams will be playing in a prime jewel box filled with empty seats.