4 love-it takeaways from LA Rams first preseason game

III: Rams flashed signs of a power running back

While the team’s overall rushing is still mired in uncertainty, there are indications that the team can run it in from short-yardage situations in the red zone. In 17 games in 2021, the LA Rams scored just ten times on the ground. That was an all-time low for the Rams under the watch of head coach Sean McVay.

But is the cold winter giving way to a thaw of a warmer spring for the Rams’ ability to score on the ground? I certainly hope so, as the team would benefit greatly from a renewed ability to run it into the endzone. The offseason concerns that developed over veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford’s throwing arm soreness would be less concerning if the team could depend on scoring on the ground.

Rams A.J. Rose ran with red-zone authority

Well, running back A.J. Rose is out to secure that type of role for the LA Rams offense. While his first attempt generated modest results, every movement begins with one step. Right now, that is a flicker, a spark. Will this become something special this year? Well, there is a long way to go to get to that point. But, it’s a start.

Punching it in at point-blank range is a welcome change for the team and something this team is in dire need of executing throughout the season. The LA Rams had committed to smaller backs, but that could be changing. The Rams’ last two additions to their running back room, A.J. Rose and Trey Ragas, have both weighed in over 210-pounds and stand 5-foot-10 or taller. Prior to adding them, only Cam Akers fit that criteria on the roster.

So it’s a start. But it’s the start of something that I hope grows into something bigger. This LA Rams team needs to round out their offensive attack, and hopefully Rose is the right player to help the team do so.