As we’ve been doing for several years now, we’ll break down the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponent each week, telling you what to expect from a scheme and individual standpoint. Like last year, Josh Carney and I will cover the opposing team’s offense. I will focus on the scheme, Josh on the players.
Today, our report on the Los Angeles Rams’ offense.
ALEX’S SCHEME REPORT
RAMS RUN GAME
The Rams will look much different this weekend than last weekend. Their top two runners, Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers, are out of the game due to injuries. That leaves rookie Zach Evans and veterans Royce Freeman and Myles Gaskin as the team’s top options. In 2023, those three backs have four carries for the Rams, all from Evans.
It makes their seasonal numbers skewed. But here they are. The Rams are averaging 4.2 yards per carry with seven rushing scores, the latter tied for sixth most in football. They have 11 runs of 10 or more yards, tied for only 25th, so they’re a more consistently successful group as opposed to one ripping of big plays.
They are a strong 11-personnel team, especially with WR Cooper Kupp back. That’s generally always been Sean McVay’s personality to use three-receiver sets. Backup tight end Brycen Hopkins has logged just 48 snaps all year, and they don’t use a fullback.
Conceptually, it’s an inside zone-and-toss scheme. The Rams like to use this quick motion on their split zones so the Y-off player is less of a pre-snap tell, as it becomes for other teams like Pittsburgh. You see with tosses, too. Examples of both.
In short yardage, they will go with a straight man-blocking/duo to power ahead and pick up the first down. Two examples of that from the last two weeks. The first on 3rd and 1, the other on 3rd and 2.
Some other stats. The Rams are averaging 23 points per game, 12th most in the NFL this season. They’ve scored 23 or more points in four of their six games. Situationally, they’re a good unit. Ninth on third down (42.2 percent) and 11th in the red zone (57.9 percent). They’ve turned the ball over six times this year, a top-10 figure that equals the Steelers’ offense this season.
RAMS PASS GAME
Veteran QB Matthew Stafford remains under center, healthy and back after missing chunks of 2022. Just as important, WR Cooper Kupp is back and healthy after missing the first month of the year. This will be the third game he’s played this season.
Stafford is having an okay season but some of his numbers are down. His completion percentage is just 61.2 percent, which would be his lowest mark since 2014 and down from 68 percent last year. Don’t blame that on Kupp’s absence either. In the two games with him back, Stafford’s completion percentage is 59 percent. His touchdown percentage is also 2.6 percent, the lowest mark of his long career. He’s thrown six touchdowns to five interceptions, an unappealing ratio.
Beyond Kupp, rookie Puka Nacua has been excellent and filled in well for Kupp the first four weeks. He’s been targeted a whopping 70 times this season, second in the NFL behind only Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase, with 50 receptions (tied with Chase for the most in football) with 598 yards and two touchdowns. Even since Kupp’s return, Nacua has 18 targets over his last two games, though he’s worked underneath more and hasn’t been used as vertically. Kupp has been a high-impact guy now that he’s back with 21 targets in his two games. He’s been productive with 8/118/0 in his 2023 debut and 7/148/1 in last Sunday’s win over Arizona. They feed him the ball. He already has more yards than every Steeler this season except for George Pickens.
Their Calvin Austin III is Tutu Atwell, who’s even smaller than Austin but speedy and explosive. He’s seen the biggest reduction of targets with Kupp’s return with just six combined targets over his last two weeks. Atwell had at least eight targets in each of his first four games of the year. Right now, he’s more window dressing than anything else. Tight end Tyler Higbee is a solid target over the middle.
The Rams have 24 completions of 20-plus yards, fourth-most entering Week Seven. It’s worth pointing out that Stafford has been sacked 16 times this season, including seven times over the last two games.
Conceptually, as soon as Kupp came back healthy, the team immediately looked to target him. That can mean aligning him as No. 3 in the slot for free releases and easy wins (and a little Hoss Y Juke in that third clip).
Or as the isolated backside X with the Rams taking deep shots to him in 1v1 coverage, as they did here to start a two-minute drill against Arizona. He’s the primary on basically every play, especially third down.
There’s a lot of empty and 3×1 “Nub” formations with three receivers to one side and the tight end “nub” backside. L.A. runs a lot of crossers and overs off this look.
The Rams also use this fast motion by Atwell in 3×1 to create late stacks and bunches and often run over routes with underneath stuff to help free up Kupp. This is all over their tape the last two weeks.
And alert screen game on 2nd and long, 3rd and short, and to begin two-minute drills. They especially like this wide receiver tunnel screen, which I charted them running a combined four times in the first halves of their games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Cardinals.
Josh’s Individual Report
It’s Rams week, Steelers fans!
For the first time since the 2019 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Los Angeles Rams will face off Sunday, this time at SoFi Stadium. The Week Seven road trip marks the first time since 1993 that the Steelers take on the Rams in Los Angeles.
This is a much, much different team from the last time the Steelers matched up with the Rams, especially at quarterback. In 2019 the Rams were led by former No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff.
Though there’s still a former No. 1 overall pick under center, it’s Matthew Stafford this time for the Rams. Unfortunately for the Steelers, Stafford will be the best quarterback they have seen to this point.
While he’s dealt with injuries in recent years that have put his career in jeopardy at times, Stafford has bounced back in a big way in 2023. He’s fully healthy and has a great receiving corps.
The zip on his passes is still there. The arm talent is rather absurd. He can fit any throw into tight windows and the accuracy remains top notch. He hasn’t lost his fastball at all.
It helps that he has some terrific pass-catching weapons.
It all starts with Cooper Kupp, who returned in Week Five against the Philadelphia Eagles and has picked up right where he left off in 2022, putting up two straight 100-yard games.
He’s an elite route runner with great pace and footwork and always finds himself open. Stafford trusts him immensely and is always looking his way. Despite knowing this, teams still struggle to take him away.
Kupp is going to get his, it’s about limiting the big chunk plays though.
Along with Kupp, the Rams have seen rookie receiver Puka Nacua emerge as a legitimate threat, too. Though he’s seen his production decline in recent weeks with Kupp back, he’s proven himself a strong No. 2 next to Kupp, one who is tough as nails and has great hands.
He has a great feel as a route runner, too, and knows how to find soft spots in the zone and settle.
The guy was a playmaker at BYU, but his stock dropped due to injury concerns. He’s stayed healthy so far, landed in a great spot and has taken advantage. Right now, it’s pick your poison with the Rams’ top two weapons.
Then there’s Tutu Atwell, a serious game-breaker with his speed. He can take the top off defenses, has really developed as a solid route runner and can create after the catch. Chances are limited in Los Angeles’ offense with Kupp and Nacua, but don’t lose sight of Atwell.
Tight end Tyler Higbee has great chemistry with Stafford, too, and has come into his own. He recently signed a lucrative contract extension with the Rams and has seized the TE1 role. Though he’s known more as a receiving threat, he’s developed as a blocker and has played a key role this season helping unlock the Rams’ run game.
Really nice dual-threat tight end.
The backfield for the Rams is in flux. Kyren Williams looked very good early in the season and Ronnie Rivers was a strong change-of-pace complement, but both are hurt and will miss the game.
The Rams will turn to veteran Royce Freeman — just signed from the practice squad — rookie Zach Evans and potentially veteran practice squad signee Myles Gaskin. There are two experienced guys there in Freeman and Gaskin who have played well when given the opportunity.
Evans is a former five-star recruit but had a strange collegiate path, bouncing between TCU and Ole Miss before entering the NFL. He has great physical traits but didn’t put it all together in college. He hasn’t been given a shot in the NFL yet.
It might not matter who the top guy in the backfield is for the Rams though, thanks to the emergence of their offensive line. Here’s how I expect them to line up left to right on Sunday:
LT — Alaric Jackson
LG — Steve Avila
C — Coleman Shelton
RG — Kevin Dotson
RT — Rob Havenstein
It might not look like much on paper, but this has been a really good group this season, especially in the run game.
Avila looks like quite the find for the Rams. He’s a big, powerful guy on the interior, one whom I was high on coming out of TCU. He can play center or guard but has really grabbed hold of the left tackle position and established himself as a true building block.
Dotson, after a trade from the Steelers, has emerged as one of the best guards in football. He’s playing at a very high level and is making his presence known in the run game while holding up very well in pass protection.
He’s relatively healthy and back in his comfort spot at right guard. He’s taken off.
Havenstein and Jackson aren’t your prototypical tackles, but they both are solid in what the Rams ask them to do. They are athletic in pass protection and bring enough physicality in the run game.
Jackson, a second-round pick out of Iowa, has really grabbed hold of the left tackle spot, giving Los Angeles a good combination on that side of the line.
On special teams, the Rams are playing rather well. Punter Ethan Evans, a rookie out of Wingate, is playing some absurd football. He is averaging 49.15 yards per punt and has had seven of his 20 punts downed inside the 20-yard line. He also has a long of 72 yards on the season. Absolute weapon for the Rams, especially inside SoFi Stadium.
Kicker Brett Maher has had some inconsistencies with the Rams. On the year he’s 16-for-20 with a long of 54 yards. Twice, he’s missed two kicks in a game, though neither game ultimately cost the Rams. He missed two kicks in the season-opening win over the Seahawks and then missed two kicks in the overtime win over the Colts.
Austin Trammell serves as the kick and punt returner.
He’s flashed a few big plays this season with a big 29-yard return against the Cardinals in Week Six as a punt returner. He did fumble a punt last week, leading to a short field for the Cardinals. Former Super Bowl champion (Giants) linebacker Chase Blackburn is in his first year as the special teams coordinator of the Rams. He isn’t afraid to be aggressive.
