Despite depleted offensive line, Brian Baldinger loves LA Rams offensive options

When the LA Rams stepped onto the football field at Ford Field to face the Detroit Lions, by all accounts, they should have been blown out. The team entered the game without a starting cornerback, both starting offensive tackles, and during the game, a sensational starting wide receiver and three offensive linemen were injured.

The only projected Rams starting offensive lineman who finished the game was free agent veteran Jonah Jackson, who himself had to move from center to left guard after left guard Steve Avila was injured. And yet, this team, out manned and outgunned, particularly on offense, took the home field Lions into overtime. And after ending regulation play in a dead heat, the Rams offense never took the field in overtime as the Lions offense simply ran the football down the Rams throats.

Is there such a thing as a 'good' loss? Premier NFL Insider and analyst Brian Baldinger seems to think so. Despite both Joe Noteboom and AJ Arcuri struggling throughout the game, the Rams' offense seemed to maintain positive momentum throughout the game. So how did they do it?

Baldy's breakdowns reveals Rams innovative offense

The Rams offensive line for Week 1 was, at best, a patchwork of players thrown onto the field together with little reps of competing as one unit. And it got progressively worse once starting offensive linemen began to fall to injuries. We will cover the offensive line transformation throughout the game, but the focus in this article is how that lack of familiarity and continuity left the offensive linemen completely vulnerable to stunts and blitzes.

As Brian Baldinger so eloquently narrates, the offensive strategy of Rams HC Sean McVay continues to grow ever more sophisticated. The repeating theme of Baldinger's astute analysis shows how the team used the ability of players on the football field to see, understand, and react to what the Lions' defense was dialing up on virtually every play.

How effective was this Rams offense? Despite fielding was was essentially a junior varsity offensive line, the team allowed just two quarterback sacks. That is outstanding.

Of course, the Rams cannot rely exclusively on outsmarting defenses all season long. Eventually, this team will need to get healthy, get their five starters on the football field one again, and establish this offense as one of the most dangerous scoring offenses in the NFL.

But with their backs against the wall and painted into a corner with so many simultaneous injuries, this Rams team did not toss the white flag and surrender. They had solid answers. And that, I assert, is what fans can expect from the team all season long.

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