The LA Rams offense lives and dies on the strength of the offensive line. That was never more obvious than the difference between the success of 2018 compared to 2019. The 2018 season ended in the team competing in Super Bowl LIII. The 2019 season ended with the team missing the post-season competition altogether. The difference? The offensive line.
While the offensive line has been good, it’s been the play of the LA Rams offensive tackles that have been truly spectacular so far this season. While the team has struggled in their last two losses, the season so far has been all about just how well the offensive line has withstood the pass rush of some very capable defenses.
How are the LA Rams offensive tackles holding up so far? Per ESPN Pass Block Win Rate? They are the NFL's best tandem. (Whitworth 4th, Havenstein 5th)https://t.co/h2OKF1xi5A pic.twitter.com/xWchl7rFNp
— Ramblin' Fan (@RamblinFan) November 27, 2021
Not only is Andrew Whitworth ranked fourth among NFL offensive tackles at pass blocking, but he also is ranked as the 10th most effective run blocker at offensive tackle as well.
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Per Pro Football Focus, Rob Havenstein has allowed four quarterback sacks so far this year, while his teammate, veteran offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, has allowed just one quarterback sack.
In fact, the ESPN NFL Analytics page is a cornucopia of positive news about the LA Rams offensive line. For example, on Saturday, November 27, 2021, they’ve ranked the team’s offensive line as the second-best in the NFL in pass-blocking win rate at 69 percent. At run-blocking, the Rams are a respectable 10th place with 72 percent.
While statistics do not tell the story, and any brandishing of statistics alone is an easy way to end up fooling yourself, it does provide ample evidence to the fact that the Rams team has the capacity to bounce back, and the talent needed to fix problems.
No, the LA Rams are not going to win the battles at the line of scrimmage just by showing up. But the team has been besting the competition more often than not so far in the 2021 NFL Season. It is enough to believe that they will do it again in Week 12. And we already know that if quarterback Matthew Stafford has time to throw, he can pick apart practically any defense.
Week 12 could go the LA Rams way.