Rams must adapt to highlight most effective aspects of injury-ravaged offense

The Los Angeles Rams boasted the NFL's top-scoring offense in 2025. But this year, fans would be delighted if they just remained healthy. As the team enters Week 10, the offense already knows it will suit up without receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, tight end Terrance Ferguson, and left guard Steve Avila.

To top it all off, Matthew Stafford has been fighting through elbow soreness.

That's not promising news for a team that many expected to compete in the Super Bowl. As it stands, LA is in third place in the NFC West and ninth in the conference. The NFC will send four division winners and the next best three teams to the postseason. Right now, the Horns are on the outside looking in.

Of course, an extended winning streak would change all of that. The Rams have taken three straight, but how realistic is it to expect a team that started 2-4 to win all but one or two of its final 11 games? If they want to make the playoffs, it's nearly to that point.

Thankfully, there is a silver lining here. The offense and defense are still potent enough to win games. Rather than rigidly adhere to a strategy developed for a fully healthy roster, they must adapt to new circumstances. Here's what we mean:

Rams must prioritize these points of emphasis moving forward

Pivot to tight ends in passing attack

With Adams and Nacua unavailable, LA cannot rely on Stafford to elevate untested youngsters. Stafford relies on receivers to create separation, if only a tiny window of it. He needs them to be where they are supposed to, and when they're supposed to be there. Obviously, he needs his targets to catch the football.

Until his remaining options prove capable of doing so regularly, the wiser strategy is sticking with multiple tight ends.

In 2025, Rams TEs managed to score 17 touchdowns. Through nine games in 2026, they have only managed to cross the plane five times. Even without Ferguson, this group should be able to do better than that.

Run game must be prominent

Kyren Williams and Blake Corum have been very effective. Through nine games, they've combined for 1,040 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Curiously, the duo has averaged under 24 carries per game. Despite the less-than-optimal workload, LA's rushing attack remains among the NFL's top 10 in yards gained.

While defenses may gear up to stop the run, the Rams must stick with it as long as it works. A strong rushing offense not only means good things for the offense, but it could mean great things for the defense as well. With a ball-control offense, the defense will have more time to rest and less game time to defend.

Both Williams and Corum are capable of 1000-yard seasons. Hopefully, they will get the carries to make that happen.

Commit to ball-control offense

Regardless of opponent, until this team gets healthier, the offense should emphasize controlling the clock. The best defense in any football game is an offense that can grind out the clock and keep the opposing offense off the field. Even as LA's defense has proven capable of superb performances, their teammates must be more deliberate in their strategy on the other side of the ball.

The Horns have all the tools to get the lead in a game and then frustrate the opponent by running the ball and turning the defense loose to hold the advantage.

LA no longer has a margin of error. Nearly every game left is a must-win for one reason or another. And with a depleted offense, the team will need to shift gears to emphasize aspects that are still intact and productive. Hopefully the Rams will heal up and be able to feature more weapons in its remaining games.

As always, thanks for reading.

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