
Trick: Rams rushing defense
The LA Rams run defense is not abhorrent. It’s not even incredibly bad. But when the Rams need to make a stop, they seem to slip on tackles, forget their lane assignments, and be pushed out of the way by offensive linemen. And that’s problematic, folks.
In terms of yards allowed, the Rams defense ranks at 21st in the NFL. The defense is 15th-ranked in terms of rushing yards and 21st-ranked in terms of passing yards. But when it comes to scoring? The Rams defense is tied at seventh-ranked in terms of points allowed. That is because the Rams pass defense is tied for the third-best defense in terms of touchdowns allowed at seven. But the run defense? Well, they are tied as the 21st-easiest team to score against on the ground
Raheem Morris 2021 #Rams Defense vs. Brandon Staley 2020 #Rams Defense through week 7 pic.twitter.com/XUdGqifk6Z
— JAKE ELLENBOGEN (@JKBOGEN) October 25, 2021
Stopping the run is certainly something that the Rams need to improve upon. For a clearer picture, we turn to the LA Rams’ ability to stop opponents on third-down. Per teamrankings.com, the Rams are a paltry 23rd-ranked defense this year, allowing opponents to convert on their third-down attempts at a 43.18 percent rate. Just one short year ago, the Rams were able to limit that success rate to just 35.74 percent, good for fourth-best in the NFL.
Thankfully, not all is lost. On fourth-down conversions, the Rams have improved from a 43.48 success rate in 2020 to a 33.33 percent success rate in 2021, which is good enough to tie for fourth-best in the NFL.