No complacency for one of the NFL's most explosive offenses

[CGI_Ram]

No complacency for one of the NFL's most explosive offenses heading into regular season: “You’ve always got to adapt”

Los Angeles has earned a reputation of having one of the NFL’s most dynamic and productive offenses, but adjustments are always necessary as opposing teams become more exposed to its scheme.

www.therams.com

No complacency for one of the NFL's most explosive offenses heading into regular season: “You’ve always got to adapt”

Since Sean McVay took over as head coach in 2017, the Rams have annually produced one of the NFL’s top performing offenses. His own players, in fact, have regarded the league’s youngest head coach as a “modern day genius” and someone with a “creative mindset” when it comes to his schemes.

However, as defensive coordinators gain more exposure to L.A.’s offense, they start to recognize concepts and develop a better understanding of what to look for. Consequently, it forces McVay to make modifications, and the 2019 season is no different.

“I think it’s a game that you’ve got to always adapt, adjust, and evolve,” McVay said. “I think coaches do a great job of doing that.”

While perceived to be a revolutionary scheme, in reality, it’s just McVay molding L.A.’s offense around each member of the unit and what they excel at, according to QB Jared Goff’s comments at Super Bowl media day earlier this year.

Still, as McVay indicated, that doesn’t mean the Rams can get complacent with what they choose to run offensively.

Part of those adjustments, and staying ahead of ones opposing defenses are likely to make, comes from self-assessment by the coaching staff.

“The challenge for us as coaches, whether it be offense, defense, special teams, is always to stay up to date, not lose sight of what some of the foundational things are that have helped you sustain a certain level of success,” McVay said. “Or what you haven’t done great, you’ve got to be able to fix that. We talk about being able to face it, fix it and then do it better the next time.”

It has been an effective approach so far.

The Rams finished 10th in the NFL in total offense during McVay’s first season in 2017, producing 361.5 yards per contest. They also averaged the 10th-most passing yards and 8th-most rushing yards in the league that year.

In 2018, those rankings jumped to second, fifth and third respectively in those categories behind 421.1 total yards per game, 281.7 passing yards per game and 139.4 rushing yards per game.


Understandably, McVay wouldn’t reveal exactly what those changes will look like in order to avoid giving the Carolina Panthers some early help with their game prep.

McVay said it’s “hard to say” what kind of offensive changes people may see. Adjustments are like a chess match, he explained – the offense responds based on what the defense shows or throws at them, and vice-versa.

If there’s one thing that can be counted, on, though, it’s the Rams adapting against Carolina in Week 1 and throughout the regular season.

“On both sides of the ball, we’ve expected to adapt and evolve,” McVay said. “We are looking forward to see if that shows true against a great opponent on Week 1.”

 

[oldnotdead]

I didn't ever think so. It's why I've been saying I expect McVay to expand the offense and IMO Henderson will be part of that expansion. Even if used in the same jet sweep motion a fast elusive RB must be accounted for differently than a WR running the same action. With the emergence of Everett I can see more use of a double TE set. A two RB set with Brown and Henderson gives them a power RB and a fast outside guy with breakaway speed. That will change the defense and they will still have 3 downfield receivers either with a slot receiver or Everett running the Y tree.

Think of it this way. Third and short, with Brown and Henderson, Woods, Cooks and Everett. Run or pass? Nickel or base defense? Henderson changes the threat level to two potential runs, inside or outside, yet they still have 3 receivers in patterns so they can't simply load the box to stop Brown. Do they play zone to account for the jet sweep motion and keep DB's facing the LOS and allow free releases? If they play man then the CB on the sweep side will have his back turned so they need to cover the sweep with a LB out of the box or safety, either way it's one less box defender.

Same motion just different personnel changing the threat level to the defense and the options for Goff. I think McVay will give Goff more options at the line. Expansion of the offense can be overt or subtle and I think we will see both.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I expect McVay to expand the offense and IMO Henderson will be part of that expansion. Even if used in the same jet sweep motion a fast elusive RB must be accounted for differently than a WR running the same action.

I am expecting this too. We just haven’t seen it yet from preseason.

 

[LARams_1963]

I expect we will see growth and change. Honestly though, I expected it in the SB and surprisingly didn't see it. I have faith in McVay, but I would be lying if I said I was not at least a little concerned. Guess that doubt is the hangover from over a decade of crap teams.

 

[coconut]

I expect we will see growth and change. Honestly though, I expected it in the SB and surprisingly didn't see it. I have faith in McVay, but I would be lying if I said I was not at least a little concerned. Guess that doubt is the hangover from over a decade of crap teams.

Well when you give your opponent an obvious "tell" it makes their job much easier. Hopefully McVay has got people crunching the numbers and personal scenarios so it won't happen again.

 

[fearsomefour]

I expect we will see growth and change. Honestly though, I expected it in the SB and surprisingly didn't see it. I have faith in McVay, but I would be lying if I said I was not at least a little concerned. Guess that doubt is the hangover from over a decade of crap teams.

PTRD....Post Traumatic Rams Disorder......always waiting for the wheels to come off.

 

[fearsomefour]

One of the things that would help the O would have the D not be terrible for most of the year.
A couple of extra possessions per game for this O should make the Rams a 12 or so win team again.
Avoiding the dreaded super bowl loss hangover.

 

[jetplt67]

I was expecting to see some wrinkles and changes for the Superbowl but uhhhhhh didn't happen. I hope he learned something for being so predictable. I'll believe it when I see it and I hope to see it

 

[Riverumbbq]

I was expecting to see some wrinkles and changes for the Superbowl but uhhhhhh didn't happen. I hope he learned something for being so predictable. I'll believe it when I see it and I hope to see it

The McVay era is young and i'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt for the foreseeable future, although when criticism is due ...
He's been pass happy in some crucial situations, so I do hope he is learning from his mistakes and not just paying lip service, ... though we'll know soon enough. jmo.