LA Rams offense must run the football in 2023

Lean on RB Cam Akers and Sony Michel

The LA Rams have not had a very successful ground attack since the team has parted ways with star featured running back Todd Gurley. Some simply gloss over the annual stats and conclude that the Rams rushing attack is bad. But dig through some game footage if you can. On many occasions, the Rams refused to run the ball even though the running game was working. Meanwhile, when the ground game was ineffective, the team seemed to be content to rush frequently.

The Rams have powerful running backs in Cam Akers and in Sony Michel. The team also has the young and tremendous upside of Kyren Willams, Ronnie Rivers, and rookie Zach Evans. That is simply too much talent and offensive weaponry to collect dust on the bench.

This is not the year to debate the benefits of running the football. This year, this team, must run the football effectively to have a chance at winning. If the Rams cannot run the football, then the coaching staff must find a way to make it work.

Run those running backs

We know from the 2022 NFL season that many of the presumptions about the struggles of a player was intermingled with the struggles to give that player adequate opportunities. We know that WR Tutu Atwell was finally able to deliver on the football field when the quarterback threw the football his way.

And after the LA Rams and RB Cam Akers hugged it out, it was Akers who ran for over 100+ yards in the last three consecutive games of the 2022 NFL season. That was behind a patchwork offensive line. It was against teams that were vying for a playoff berth. And most of all, it was after he had suffered a horrific Achilles Tendon injury just one year earlier.

The Rams offense will find plenty of opportunities to air out the football if they have the ability to run the football at will. A healthy rushing attack fixes the team and gives them a better chance at winning. Once this team starts winning, that will fix everything else.