Baldy’s Breakdowns: LA Rams run blocking means OL+TE+WR

The LA Rams have found their identity. It is no longer the team that lives and dies through the air, but rather a team that does it on the ground. Old school. The ground game. Whether you are newly indoctrinated to the sport of professional football, or you remember the days of undefeated Miami Dolphins and their three-headed rushing attack of Jim Kiick, Mercury Morris, and Larry Csonka that burned deep respect for the running game.

While the LA Rams have not replicated that mastery of pushing the pile, ducking, and weaving up and down the football field all day, they have created a new chapter in the annals of the NFL of their very own.

How so? Well, the LA Rams have perfected the use of tight ends and wide receivers as active and dependable blockers in the running game. No, not as some form of wide receiver screenplay. Not quite sure what I am talking about?

Baldy’s Breakdowns

Well then, with no further ado, let me turn over the run blocking analysis of the LA Rams wide receivers to Brian Baldinger, a man who is arguably one of the best in the NFL at breaking down the action on the line of scrimmage.

While the Rams are reconnecting with their running attack roots, keep in mind that the talents of the players to commit to and sustain blocks have been there all along. Wide receivers are drilled heavily on the art of engaging and holding blocks. The team’s two starting wide receivers, Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods, excel at the function.

The Rams are running again

Creating running lanes is a special form of timing between a patient running back and a dug-in and determined offensive line. If the back hits the hole too soon? They run into their own blockers. Too late? Other defenders swarm to close the lane.

Right now, the LA Rams offense has found that sweet spot of blocking for Sony Michel.  In the past four games, Michel has dashed for 423 yards and two touchdowns. Fans seem to be mystified as to how the Rams defense has suddenly ‘gotten better.’ The reason is that the defense doesn’t have to carry as heavy of a load in a football game now.

The Rams are running again. And we’re all beginning to notice.