LA Rams offense must run the football in 2023

The LA Rams offense, despite the strength and proficiency of the team's passing game, needs to establish the run in the worst way this year. Let's talk about that assertion.

In the NFL, there is a saying that goes: "Winning fixes everything." And for the most part, success does have a way of minimizing bad play, poor coaching, and a host of off-field distractions that would otherwise make headlines and be of significant interest to fans. That interest in diagnosing what is wrong with an NFL team diminishes as the team strings together victories.

But a quick examination of the LA Rams roster and veteran distribution reveals that most of the seniority of this team is on the offensive side of the ball. So if winning is the goal for the LA Rams this year, (it is), then the team will need to leverage the offense to shoulder more of the burden for the entire team's success this year. So how can the LA Rams Manage that? Simply by running the ball.

Control the clock

The best strategy for the LA Rams is to keep the ball out of the hands of opposing offenses. That means grinding it out, moving the chains, and putting points on the scoreboard. Of course those long aerial bombs that become instant scores are awfully thrilling to watch. But in terms of game-strategy, An offense that puts up points instantly puts their defense back onto the football field.

I would prefer that the Rams offense, and not the very young defense, sees more playing time in games. The benefit of a successful running game is more than clock management. It means first downs on third down and short yardage. It means points in the red zone. It means converting on third downs and fourth downs. Add all of those up, and that means victory

Take the burden off Matthew Stafford

We know that if the game is on the line, and the football is in the hands of veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, the LA Rams have a pretty good chance of driving down the field for a game-winning drive. The problem is keeping Stafford healthy enough to have a chance at late-game heroics.

Stafford will sacrifice everything he can to win. It will be up to the coaches, not the quarterback, to prevent him from doing so. Even with a healthy and reinforced offensive line, the Rams offense could do itself a tremendous favor by mixing up pass and running plays to keep opposing defenses off balance.

Stafford may be in the best shape of his short time as the LA Rams starting quarterback, but if he is constantly being thrown to the ground like a sack of feed, his body won't withstand that type of pounding for very long.

Give the defense a chance

As long as the LA Rams can run with the football, that will give the defense a chance to rest and make meaningful adjustments. We have witnessed on plenty of occasions that the Rams' defense will make a great play, stop, or force a punt, and the next series by the offense is either a quick turnover or a three-downs-and-punt scenario.

Just for grins, wouldn't it be wonderful to have an offense that can reliably move the ball? Even if the offense stalls at midfield, the act of digging the team out of deep in their own territory is enough to decide the outcome of some games.

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.