Here’s what is most impressive about the Rams’ hot start on offense
It’s only been two games but the Rams’ offense has looked much better this season than it did in the last two years. They already have as many 50-yard touchdown passes as they had last season, and in two weeks, Matthew Stafford somehow has the same number of touchdown throws that traveled 15 yards downfield as Jared Goff had last year.
The offense is more explosive, tougher to stop and they’ve turned the ball over just once so far. All this is to say how impressive it is that the Rams rank fifth in total points and fifth in yards per play through two weeks of the Stafford era in Los Angeles.
But what makes their early-season performance all the better is the fact that they haven’t had a single cheap touchdown drive. They lead the league in drives that end in points (57.9%) and have only run 114 plays (27th) in 19 drives (25th), and have an average starting position of their own 28.2-yard line – tied for 16th in the NFL.
Through two weeks, the Rams have averaged 39.3 yards per drive, which is the sixth-highest total in the league.
When they’ve scored touchdowns, they’ve done so by going 70-plus yards and nothing less. As J.B. Long points out, all six of the Rams’ touchdown drives have been at least 70 yards long.
Rams have scored 6 TDs through two weeks. All on long fields. Shortest TD drive has been 70 yards. Average has been 76.5.
61 total points is impressive, but even more so in the context of long fields, time of possession deficits, and trailing for only 2:03 of the season so far.
— J.B. Long (@JB_Long) September 22, 2021
The Rams defense has forced four turnovers and made three fourth-down stops in just two weeks, but those takeaways have mostly come deep in the Rams’ own territory. That helps keep points off the board for the opponent, but Los Angeles hasn’t exactly had many short fields to work with.
There’s always a noticeable difference in the average distance of drives that end in touchdowns, field goals and no points, but the Rams have taken that to an extreme this season.
Here’s a breakdown of how far their drives have gone, separated by the end result (excluding kneel-downs and the end of games).
Touchdowns
80
75
75
70
90
74
70
Average: 76.5 yards
Field goals
24
54
79
55
Average: 53 yards
No points
-3
0
2
-8
-7
5
Average: -1.8 yards
The Rams have yet to go more than five yards on a drive and that doesn’t end in points. So essentially, when they’ve started moving the ball, they’ve come away with points. It’s the penalties and negative plays that have led to the offense stalling.
Los Angeles has shown the ability to strike quickly and from just about anywhere on the field. Against the Colts, they had touchdown drives of 4:55, 3:24 and 2:03, picking up first downs and moving down the field with ease.
Just imagine how many points this team will begin to score when they get short fields and don’t have to go 70 yards to score all of their touchdowns.
