OL pass blocking breakdown

[Twopointtry]

Has anyone talked about this play?

On the snap immediately before Stafford's pivotal pick 6, The 1st down play happens with about 6 minutes left in the 4th quarter, we're up by 3 points. As I noted, it should have worked, good call by McVay, but we don't execute the blocks well. So, it becomes 2nd& 10 instead of a successful gain.

On 2nd down, it is 2nd, we have a chance to break another good one to set up a short 3rd down. Alaric Jackson combos up to the LB but allows his guy to shed the block and tackle the RB. If LT had sustained his block, I bet Corum gets 2 to 3 more yards on that play.

In other words, instead of it being a medium 3rd down, it would have been a short 3rd down and maybe the Rams call a different play.

Everyone focuses on the interception and the controversial penalty but IMO everything that happened later could have changed if the Rams just made slightly better run blocks on those 2 downs right before Stafford's pick.

That's how narrow the margin for error is in the NFL. It literally can be a game of inches. Do your job 2% better and the Rams would have beaten the Broncos. Maybe we get that 1st down, keep the clock moving and either get a FG or TD to end that drive.

 

[Ram65]

@Twopointtry.........Thanks for the effort you put into doing this analysis thread. Did you give any +2/-2 on plays or just use +1/-1?

There is a lot of information to unpack.

The offensive line is not performing up to the standard of last year. You show that Dotson is a liability in pass protection. That was the knock on him when he was with the Steelers. Stafford needs the middle of the pocket to be clean.

Last year they needed help from the 13P sets and a strong run game. I think the demanding travel and venues affected the energy level of the offensive line. They do need help from the 13P and play calling. If the Rams are going to contend, they need to clean up communication.

This is just an average or below-average offensive line talent-wise. Having Puka Nacua helps Stafford speed up his passes, which can mitigate the pass-protection flaws. They could keep more protection in when Puka comes back. Sending him, Adams and a TE in routes could allow them to keep the RB and TE in for extra protection at times.

 

[Ramlock]

@Twopointtry.........Thanks for the effort you put into doing this analysis thread. Did you give any +2/-2 on plays or just use +1/-1?

There is a lot of information to unpack.

The offensive line is not performing up to the standard of last year. You show that Dotson is a liability in pass protection. That was the knock on him when he was with the Steelers.

Last year they needed help from the 13P sets and a strong run game. I think the demanding travel and venues affected the energy level of the offensive line. They do need help from the 13P and play calling. If the Rams are going to contend, they need to clean up communication.

This is just an average or below-average offensive line talent-wise. Having Puka Nacua helps Stafford speed up his passes, which can mitigate the pass-protection flaws. They could keep more protection in when Puka comes back. Sending him, Adams and a TE in routes could allow them to keep the RB and TE in for extra protection at times.

Puka can be very strong as a blocker. We miss the guy.
Will be looking at today’s practice reports.

 

[Merlin]

Appreciate the effort as always of looking deeper at the line mechanics. You're a brave man rewatching that SF game. I am flat disgusted by two of these games and have no desire to revisit either of them, even if I am interested in some of the elements that contributed to the ass beating we received in the first game and second half of the third. So thanks for putting up the effort.

I'll just add that you can always tell in the game what the staff is thinking by watching the TE support on the edges. Just like you can tell on the interior with their gameplan on specific players. Some guys are just gonna get duo'd in there because of their threat. Also I don't blame them for helping McClendon more, as that was a good decision but obviously not enough to overcome the disparity in SF intensity level and execution vs our boys who looked slow, old, and disinterested in comparison. It is what it is.

 

[Twopointtry]

Appreciate the effort as always of looking deeper at the line mechanics. You're a brave man rewatching that SF game.

Watch the running plays. We pushed them around, great job by the OL most of the time. Even Whittington got in on one play and threw a guy to the ground.

Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, those guys are crazy quick. So, sometimes they roasted us, it is like trying to block a ninja. Niners also gambled and attacked, so some of it is just a chess match between the coaches and a game of trying to get more bodies at the POA.

I don't think there's a guarantee will run the ball all over them next time we play them, but it should be a war. They are really talented, so a fun matchup.

 

[Ram65]

It is what it is.

You have given both lines much-deserved criticism.

I've been countering that the travel and venues are part of the problem. No game experience in preseason etc....

Can they make improvements on the offensive line?

What can they do?

 

[Twopointtry]

Did you give any +2/-2 on plays or just use +1/-1?

1. I made no attempt to differentiate between great and good blocks for the running plays. Just decided that it would be too much work and I didn't want to study all 3 games to that level of detail.

2. I agree with the other posters that maybe Dotson has some type of injury. I liked him as a draft prospect and thought he was underrated, because at the end of the day he's just a big, strong, tough guy. He's a powerful run blocker, but not quick. I don't expect him to be an elite pass blocker, but I don't think he's as terrible as he's looked so far in 2026. Combination of a small sample size, great defenses and maybe playing hurt.

Also, to play OL, you have to read the movement of the DL in the split-second immediately after the ball is snapped and sometimes it looks to me that Dotson doesn't always adjust properly. For example, there was a play where he and McClendon are going to double team the DT, then Dotson is going to climb to the 2nd level. Coleman Shelton is taking the other DT. Shelton's DT slants and crosses his face and the LB is going to blitz into the vacated space behind. I don't know exactly what Dotson was supposed to do, because we don't know the specific assignments, but it just seems to me to be logical that if he's the combo guy, he should have awareness and notice that Shelton's guy is coming his way. Dotson drives off the line too far forward, pushing with McClendon to drive the other DT back, but what this does is it puts Shelton in an impossible position. He can't take both the DT and the blitzing LB. If Dotson had stayed back a little, he could have taken the DT from the C, then the C could have switched over to pick off the LB.

3. What I like about our OL is all 5 players are solid. They all add something positive to the cause. They fit the scheme, because other than Shelton, we have 4 big, strong guys to push the DL backwards on double teams. Shelton can go to the 2nd level and get the angle to cut off LBs or safeties. We don't have like 3 superstars and 2 backup level guys. I think we have 5 legit starters.

What I don't like about our OL is I don't think any particular player is a true Pro Bowl level talent. If we face a really good defense that is loaded up front, which matchup do we like? In theory, if all 4 DL starters are studs, we have potential problems everywhere. Most weeks, this isn't going to be a problem. Over the course of the regular season, we should be good. We have Super Bowl aspirations, however, so we have to be able to beat any opponent we might face. If we get all the way to the SB, we might have to play Denver again. We might have to revisit the Broncos tape and figure out what to do differently next time around.

 

[Twopointtry]

Puka can be very strong as a blocker.

True. One play, I thought it was Ferguson blocking, then I saw the jersey number and it wasn't a TE, it was Puka.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Puka can be very strong as a blocker. We miss the guy.
Will be looking at today’s practice reports.

I remember playing unorganized football in the neighborhood as a boy with friends and other kids.

In general we were all the same size and build, but there was always that one kid who didn’t look strong but was made of concrete. Hard to tackle and could run thru everyone.

Puka is that kid grown up.

 

[Twopointtry]

Not related to our OL, but I watched the Broncos passing plays.

1. Trent McDuffie is even better than you think. On 3rd downs early in the game, the Rams let McDuffie take the more difficult assignment himself, then roll the rest of the coverage to the other receivers. This messes up Nix, because the progression read says the QB should target McDuffie's WR, but this isn't a good place to throw the ball. This is one of the key benefits to having a stud DB, it impacts the rest of the coverage and can make the other defenders more effective.

On a key 3rd down in the 3rd quarter, instead of doing what we did in the 1st half, we sent McDuffie on a blitz. IMO, this was a mistake. So, I think the criticism of Shula doesn't hit the mark. His overall plan was very good. If anything, he was too aggressive at certain moments and should have just stuck to what we were doing to begin the game.

2. The problem isn't the coaching. Building on the same theme, on multiple plays in the 2nd half, we had critical mental blunders within the coverage. The Broncos struggled to do much most of the game and Nix was playing poorly. We let them off the hook by being sloppy. Individual players need to do their jobs and know their assignments.

3. Byron Young is playing out of his mind. His PFF grade is top 10 among EDGE defenders. He's 4th for EDGE rushers in pass rush win rate per ESPN.

4. Quinn Meinerz solo blocked Aaron Donald on multiple plays and won those reps. That concerns me.

 

[Twopointtry]

According to SISDatahub stats, Byron Young's 2026 pressure rate is a career high for him and it currently ranks 14th in the NFL among DEs and LBs with at least 50 pass rush snaps. He's performing like he's a former 1st round draft pick.

 

[Merlin]

You have given both lines much-deserved criticism.

I've been countering that the travel and venues are part of the problem. No game experience in preseason etc....

Can they make improvements on the offensive line?

What can they do?

All we can do is get healthy and hope we stay that way.

The DL may be able to dominate anyone once they get Garrett back and healthy and then give him a couple games to get on the same page with the rest of the boys. Again that season we added Miller it took him a handful of games before the line as a whole hit its stride as the dominant unit that helped win us a title. So maybe the DL has enough, though I still think the way to play them is to mash that fucking ball down their throat.

And one thing that affects whether teams can do that is our offense. Because if our offense is putting points up and making teams chase, then our defense is perfectly built to destroy QBs. But if our offense is fucking about like they did vs SF and the second half vs Denver, then teams are going to mash. And in the playoffs generally you have teams that can run the ball and stop the run.

So I think we have problems on both sides of the ball. I think we have a physicality problem vs the run on defense. And on offense I don't think this OL is going to be able to handle the best DL it's going to see in the playoffs. Assuming we get into the playoffs, which at this point sitting there at 1-2 and possibly being in a bigger hole in a couple weeks this could easily end up being a transition season for the Rams where they make accountability moves with players and staff.

Hopefully not of course. But I am not nearly as confident about this team as the rest of you are. Also I don't think our pass game weapons are very good at all. Nacua lost his shit the moment Kupp moved on and isn't healthy on top of his off field nonsense. Adams is old as fuck and contact shy, though he's done an admirable job thus far of being the top target. Thing is though this offense is not going to keep any DC up at night in terms of their weapons quality. And Stafford has looked like dogshit.

I am not seeing a super team. I see a team of entitled names who wilt in the face of physicality.

 

[SteezyEndo]

The offensive line is not performing up to the standard of last year. You show that Dotson is a liability in pass protection. That was the knock on him when he was with the Steelers.

I thought it had to do with covid/injuries to why he never panned out for the steelers. I do know that for as long as he has been a Ram his weakness is pass pro, but he is best as a road grader for the run.

Should the Rams consider rotating him and Limmer? Seems Limmer has better pass pro.

 

[Ram65]

I thought it had to do with covid/injuries to why he never panned out for the steelers. I do know that for as long as he has been a Ram his weakness is pass pro, but he is best as a road grader for the run.

Should the Rams consider rotating him and Limmer? Seems Limmer has better pass pro.

There were a number of reasons why the Steelers were willing to trade him.

The Steelers signed guards Isaac Seumalo and James Daniels. Seumalo took the starting left guard spot.
Dotson was entering the final year of his rookie contract.
I thought he was considered a better run blocker than pass blocker.