Rams’ pass rush remains a question mark on an otherwise stout defense
The early returns on the Rams’ new-look defense have been extremely encouraging through two weeks. After allowing just 17 points to a high-powered Cowboys offense in Week 1, the Rams came right back and limited the Eagles to just 19 points – seven of which came after a Cooper Kupp fumble inside the Rams’ 15-yard line.
What’s even more impressive is the fact that the defense has played up to such a high level despite getting almost nothing from its pass rush.
When Dante Fowler Jr. left in free agency, it was expected that the pass rush would take a hit. He was the team’s most consistent edge rusher, providing a nice complementary piece to Aaron Donald on the interior. But through two weeks, the pass rush has generated minimal pressure, ranking among the worst teams in the league in that department.
For starters, they’ve only sacked the quarterback three times – one each by Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers and Leonard Floyd. All of those sacks came in Week 1, too. That’s the 10th-fewest sacks in the NFL, and eight fewer than the league-leading Washington Football Team has.
According to Pro Football Reference, Los Angeles has only recorded 14 pressures on the quarterback, which puts them 11th from the bottom of the NFL. Donald has accounted for six of those pressures, with cornerback Troy Hill and inside linebacker Kenny Young recording one each.
No player besides Donald has recorded more than two pressures up to this point, which is highly concerning. Brockers and Leonard Floyd have two pressures each, Sebastian Joseph-Day has one pressure, as does Morgan Fox.
But that’s it.
You’ll notice that Samson Ebukam and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo are both missing from that list, as they have yet to record a single pressure on the quarterback through two weeks – at least according to PFR. That’s not to say they haven’t had encouraging reps, but their rushes haven’t actually pressured the quarterback to throw the ball early.
The Rams’ pressure rate of 15.7% is seventh-worst in the NFL, with their hurry rate of 4.5% being fifth-worst. Put simply, the pass rush has not been good enough, and Donald is getting very little help from his friends.
No Rams defender ranks in the top 10 of their position’s Pass Rush Win Rate metric from ESPN, Donald included. As a team, the Rams’ Pass Rush Win Rate of 32% is 30th in the NFL, less than half the rate of the league-leading Bills (66%).
And it’s not related to the pass rush, but the Rams’ Run Stop Win Rate of 26% puts them 31st, so the defensive line and front-seven as a whole has not been getting off its blocks to stop the run, either.
Carson Wentz and Dak Prescott don’t hold the ball as long as some other quarterbacks, but it’s not as if they’re getting rid of the ball immediately after the ball is snapped. Wentz has the 11th-lowest time to throw in the NFL, according to Next Gen Stats, while Prescott ranks 18th in the league.
Fortunately, Josh Allen holds the ball longer than most quarterbacks so he could give the pass rush more time to get home on Sunday – he has the sixth-longest time to throw average this season – but the Rams will have a hard time remaining near the top of the league in total defense without getting more out of the pass rush.
Right now, it’s one of the only things holding back Brandon Staley’s defense, which has otherwise been highly impressive through two weeks. It’s early, but this unit must improve soon.
