How well will Rams run defense hold up over 17 games in 2025?

When it comes to run defense, the Los Angeles Rams were not the worst in the NFL. But they were the worst in the NFL Playoffs, by a large margin. By season's end, the team had surrendered 130.0 rushing yards per game, only good enough to be the 22nd-ranked run defense in the NFL. But to be fair, they felt much worse.

Compounding matters even further, the Rams are scheduled to face six of the top 10 rushing offenses in 2025, including the two top rushing offense in the Baltimore Ravens and the Philadelphia Eagles.

That's a tough sled to pull over 17 games.

The Rams front office did try to address the challenge in the offseason. The team signed free agent NT Poona Ford and ILB Nate Landman, both of whom specialize in stout run defense. And the team shored up the ranks by drafting NT Ty Hamilton, ILB Chris 'Poona' Paul Jr., and even signing rookies ILB Shaun Dolac, DL Bill Norton, and DL DaJon Terry.

Will they be enough? Will DC Chris Shula be able to muster a stingier run defense out of the team's current roster? He certainly worked miracles with the team's young pass rush in one season. The team started 2024 with just three QB sacks in two games, but finished the NFL Playoffs with 16 sacks in two games.

Nobody saw that coming.

So if you are skeptical about the Rams run defense, you are well within your rights. And you are not alone. The Rams struggled to stop Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley twice in two meetings in 2024. Why should we expect better efforts in 2025? Let's start off by reviewing the team's training camp and preseason games.

2025 training camp and preseason Games

The Rams have the benefit of playing in three preseason games. That has been the case ever since the NFL and NFLPA ratified a 17-game season. Because this is an odd year, the Rams (and all NFC teams) will play nine road games and eight home games. To make up the difference, the team will enjoy two home games in the preseason. The Rams' preseason schedule is:

• Week 1 - Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams
• Week 2 - Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Rams
• Week 3 - Los Angeles Rams at Cleveland Browns

The team sits starters and key rotational players in preseason games. But that will be perfectly fine, as most fans already know who will start for the team on the defensive front. Where the real fun happens in preseason is seeing how the busload of young rookies and 2024 practice squad players perform in the weeks leading up to the 2025 NFL season.

I expect that the only defensive rookie to sit out preseason games will be Michigan OLB Josaiah Stewart. That should mean that ILB Chris 'Pooh' Paul Jr., DT Ty Hamilton, ILB Shaun Dolac, DL Bill Norton, DL DaJon Terry, OLB Jamil Muhammed, OLB Josh Pearcy, S Malik Dixon-Williams, and S Nate Valcarcel should see plenty of action.

But with vanilla play calling and rapidly rotating game rosters, what can and should fans key on? Sure-handed tackling is the primary key. The Rams need tacklers who do not miss, an area that plagued the defense in 2024. Fans can also look for players to shed blockers, penetrate the line of scrimmage, and make tackles for a loss. Fans can also look for players who are in a position to make plays, who make the correct reads, and move to the ball carriers seamlessly.

Yes, the Rams will face depth players on the other teams. But do not forget that many teams still subscribe to the discipline of playing starters for a quarter or half in preseason, to knock off their rust and help them ramp up to NFL game speed. That often pits the Rams' second-string against starters. third-stringers against second-stringers, etc.

A perfect example of this was the Rams' preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024. While the Rams won that game, the Chargers played defensive starters for the first half of the game. That may seem counter-productive, but many coaches view preseason games as scratch pads to work out the kinks in the team.

The Rams view preseason games as the proving ground for young players who hope to earn a spot on the team's roster.

Regular Season Games

While you are likely all too familiar with the 2025 Rams schedule by now, let's introduce a new wrinkle for your benefit. Let's add the rank and average rushing yards per game from 2024 for each opponent to give you some additional information to use in judging the difficulty of the Rams' opponents this season.

• Week 1 - Houston Texans at Los Angeles Rams (112.3, 15th)
• Week 2 - Los Angeles Rams at Tennessee Titans (109.1, 20th)
• Week 3 - Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia Eagles (179.3 YPG, 2nd)
• Week 4 - Indianapolis Colts at Los Angeles Rams (137.1 YPG, 8th)
• Week 5 - San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams (TNF) (127.2 YPG, 12th)
• Week 6 - Los Angeles Rams at Baltimore Ravens (187.6 YPG, 1st)
• Week 7 - Los Angeles Rams @ Jacksonville Jaguars (@ Wembley Stadium) (101.7 YPG, 26th)
• Week 8 - BYE
• Week 9 - New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Rams (114.9 YPG, 14th)
• Week 10 - Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers (127.2 YPG, 12th)
• Week 11 - Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams (95.7 YPG, 28th)
• Week 12 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Los Angeles Rams (SNF) (149.2 YPG, 4th)
• Week 13 - Los Angeles Rams at Carolina Panthers (110.5 YPG, 18th)
• Week 14 - Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals (144.2 YPG, 7th)
• Week 15 - Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Rams (146.4 YPG, 6th)
• Week 16 - Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks (TNF) (95.7 YPG, 28th)
• Week 17 - Los Angeles Rams at Atlanta Falcons (MNF) (130.5 YPG, 10th)
• Week 18 - Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams (144.2 YPG, 7th)

As you can see, the Rams' run defense will certainly be tested this season. The Rams drew the top two rushing offenses in 2024 on their schedule, but missed the last four rushing offenses. The worst rushing offense facing the team this year, the Seattle Seahawks, plays the Rams twice in 2025. But the Rams face the Arizona Cardinals twice this season, and they had averaged 144.2 yards per game on their way to the seventh-most effective rushing offense last season.

The Rams did have mixed success against the Cardinals in 2024. In Week 2, the Rams allowed 231 rushing yards and one touchdown. In the rematch in Week 17, the Rams run defense stiffened, allowing only 113 yards and no touchdowns. That averaged 172 rushing yards per game, much better than the Cardinals 144.2 YPG average.

Still, the presence of undrafted ILB Omar Speights made a huge difference in the second half of the season. He ended the season with a 78.3 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus, much better than any of his ILB teammates.

Will Speights earn the starting slot as the team's play-calling inside linebacker? It's hard to envision a scenario where he does not, but the Rams have done wacky moves in the past. The team started veteran ILB Troy Reeder and Christian Rozeboom in 2024, despite their duplicative skillsets and ho-hum track record.

The Rams will need to show stiffer and stingier run defense this year if the team is to earn a playoff seed, let alone advance in the playoffs once they get there. But if they get the right people on the football field in Week 1, and stick with them, this could be another success story for the legacy of Rams DC Chris Shula.

I'm eager and optimistic. How about you?

As always, thanks for reading.

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