One thing you’ll notice about the graph is that many of the NFL’s best offenses are at the top with heavy pass frequency on first and second downs. The Cowboys, Packers, Bills and Chiefs all rank in the top five in total yards this season, while the Seahawks rank fourth in yards per play.
The Rams are second in yards per play and third in total yards, but they’re at the bottom of Ben Baldwin’s chart showing early-down pass frequency. That’s a rarity and also a testament to the effectiveness of the Rams’ ground game.
The running backs’ ability to pick up 4 or 5 yards on first down has been huge, keeping the Rams ahead of the sticks and making third down easier to handle. That’s certainly not lost on McVay.
“I mean, it’s big. I think the ability to be efficient on those early downs keeps us in third-and-manageables. I think that’s been a result of why we’ve been a little bit better on third downs,” McVay said last week. “So, a long way to go, but I think the first two weeks have been reflective of some things that we’ve wanted to focus on and being able to get a bunch of carries off is good because it means you’re able to control some of the possession as well, which I think has been good for our team.”
