"We couldn't tackle,' isn't good enough in Rams rout in Week 2 loss to Cardinals

Rams have little time to find answers

But the Rams are in trouble. Big trouble. In the first two games, this team has rushed 43 times for 136 yards. That is an average of just 3.16 yards per carry. But it gets worse. Featured RB Kyren Williams has rushed just 75 yards on 30 carries this season. That is an average of just 2.5 yards per carry, half his average from just one year ago.

In 2023, he needed fewer carries to put up 104 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.

In the heat of the battle, the Rams are already falling on old, familiar, and horribly ineffective habits. The team turns to veteran QB Matthew Stafford, who turns to his dependable receivers: Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. But Nacua and Kupp are injured. And at the pace of five quarterback sacks in a painful lopsided loss, the Rams will soon be considering Stafford to IR. This begs the obvious question, why did the Rams not sit Stafford?

It's time for a bit of soul searching.

Here's what we know. The Rams ignited in 2023 thanks to three very vital factors. The team discovered a running game. The defense, thanks to a running game, remained fresh and effective. And finally, the threat of the run threatened opposing defenses enough to allow the team's play action passing game to take off once more.

To reclaim that level of success, the team has to find a way to run the football. Regardless of how far behind the team ends up on the scoreboard, if opposing teams can continue to dictate the tempo in games, the plunge has only just begun. The team loaded up on tight ends and running backs. They outnumber wide receivers by a significant margin. So why have them just to bench them?

12 personnel packages. Two running backs. However the team opts to change the offensive configuration, the time to do so is now. Stafford cannot carry this offense with his two top receivers injured.

We can point at and scream at the defense, but that's just a blame game. The Rams need to establish the running game. Once opponents fear the running game, other components of this team will begin go fall into place.

As always, thanks for reading