LA Rams rushing attack is a cure for much of what ails the team right now

The LA Rams are not exactly getting their money's worth from the offense right now. In two games, the team has scored a total of 31 points. That is less than some offenses average on a weekly basis (hello Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills). And if you only begin to scratch the surface, you will discover that despite a record of 9-6, the Rams have a point deficit of (-18) points this season.

That's not a good place to be for a team with postseason aspirations.

Thankfully, there is more than a few positives about this Rams team that statistics do not effectively quantify. There is the opportunistic defense that seems to rise to the occasion of making key stops and forcing turnovers on downs. There is rookie kicker Joshua Karty who may be inconsistent, but who never fails to make the field goal or extra point that turns into the margin of victory. And then there is running back Kyren Williams.

Yes, the same Rams running back who struggled with ball security earlier in the season. Well, he has mastered keeping a handle on the football and a whole lot more. So far in 2024, Kyren Williams has rushed 303 times for 1,243 yards and 13 touchdowns. And with two games left to go in 2024, he has lots more where that came from:

As much as the LA Rams and HC Sean McVay love to integrate the pass, the Rams late-season surge of success in each of the past two seasons has been the result of Williams ability to run with the football. It's only logical that as the temperatures plummet, the running game becomes the primary offensive weapon for the Rams offense.

On a day where the temperature hovered between 11 degrees and 20 degrees Fahrenheit, Rams starting quarterback Matthew Stafford struggled. He completed just 14 of 19 passes for 110 yards, one touchdown and one interception. It was the kind of Stafford performance that typically results in a heartbreaking loss.

That was something that running back Kyren Williams would not allow. His rushing not only kept the Rams in the game, but he churned out more rushing yards than the entire Rams passing yards. And thanks to his ability to keep the offense on the football field, the Rams defense was able to regroup and hold QB Aaron Rodgers and the Jets offense to just nine points. Even after the loss, that is less than half of the average score by the Jets.

His Week 16 performance vaulted Kyren Williams from 22nd place to 13th place for his spot on the Los Angeles Rams Single-Season Rushing Leaders. With two games remaining on the season, Williams could still crack the Top-10. Better still, he has already raised his career rushing spot to the 16th-ranked Rams career rushing leader.

As temperatures plummet around the nation, the LA Rams will finish out the season with their final two games at SoFi Stadium. But if the Rams make the playoffs and must compete on the road, it's nice to know that the team can run with the football behind young RB Kyren Williams.

With strong running from Williams, defenses have to crowd the box. That makes the Rams offense that much more dangerous with play action passing. And it helps to smooth over the spikes of momentum for the opponent in case of a turnover. In short, a sound running game is the perfect cure to a sluggish offense.

Williams is the third-ranked running back in the NFL. And it's looking more and more likely that he will be the Rams' secret weapon in the NFL Playoffs. As always, thanks for reading.

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