LA Rams News: Offensive line rated 9th best by NFL Next Gen Stats

LA Rams News: Offensive line was the NFL’s ninth-best at better than expected rushing yards in 2019

The LA Rams offensive line was the 31st-ranked offensive line overall, and the running game was 26th ranked overall. So how is it that the NFL’s own Next Gen Stats has the team’s offensive line ranked ninth-best? Well, it all depends on where you look. In this case, Next Gen Stats compared the Rams to the NFL’s average expected yards-per-carry. That average was 4.18, while the Rams performed at 4.31, or good enough for ninth-best in the NFL.

Expected yards-per-carry, or xYPC, is a new statistic developed by the NFL’s Next Gen Stats to eliminate some of the variations of NFL teams to describe the team’s actual performance against their norm. The model removes the linemen and calculates the speed and strength of just the running back versus 11 defenders.  Teams that do less than expected are ineffective on the offensive line. Teams that do better than expected are making the most of their offensive linemen.  Surprisingly, the Rams were able to milk their offensive line play better than expected in the running game last year. So what does that mean?

A new day is dawning for the LA Rams

The statistic is not the end-all answer for how the LA Rams offensive line will play this year. But it does do a fine job of filtering out all the crazy injuries, mid-season promotions of rookies and players signed to the team to be thrust into starting roles.  In essence, it confirms what we’ve known, that the Rams have a pretty good offensive line coach who was able to get the most out of a very bad situation in 2019.

Of course, reading further into the article, the Rams attacked the perimeter with the running game more than any other NFL team, going outside of the tackles a full 64 percent of the time.  Perhaps the Rams better than expected results were more to do with better playcalling and coaching? We know that the Rams are definitely aware of the situation, and had hoped to address the center position in the 2020 NFL Draft. Instead, the team signed rookie center Cohl Cabral after the draft, and he could play an important role in improving the Rams offensive line this year.

When all is said and done, the Rams have work to do this year to boast a more effective offense. But the hardest part is behind them. They’ve gotten healthy.