Rams as run blockers

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The way I gauge a team's run game is what they do on third and short. Do you have a good chance to convert a 3rd and 3 for example.
 
The way I gauge a team's run game is what they do on third and short. Do you have a good chance to convert a 3rd and 3 for example.
League average success on a run on 3rd and 3 or less is 35%-45%, FWIW (per nextgen and PFF).

Rams conversion rate on 3rd and 3 or less was 52.6% including both run and pass and Rams passed on 68% of those times. Given that it's more successful to pass than run on 3rd and less (50%-60% success rate league wide), one would expect most teams to pass in those situations.

But with the Rams only having a 52.6% success rate on that down and distance (think top short yardage teams were closer to 60%), the Rams have some area of improvement that could be made there though the statistics may be skewered due to how much fewer attempts the Rams made in the down and distance since they were so good at picking up 1st downs before getting to 3rd down this year.
 
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The way I gauge a team's run game is what they do on third and short. Do you have a good chance to convert a 3rd and 3 for example.

MERLIN - we can break down 2025 for all its worth.

As far as The Rams I’ve liked who were IMPRESSIVE & some of The CHIT YOU were talking.

#1 ALARIC JACKSON- I won’t call you out,but SOME were saying WHY would The Rams sign HIM to a long term contract. PLUS he STOLE FROM THE RAMS,because he(they) knew about his BLOOD CLOT issue!!
-I called BS from The beginning & if any RAM FANS saw ? He didn’t go to HAWAII,but flew home after OTA’S !! He took CARE of his BUSINESS to be The Rams starting LT which he had gotten PAID for after being a UDRFA !!! LMFAO for all The DOUBTERS!! I won’t throw Jimmy G & Stafford in there.That was who he was protecting.GRADE(All Pro type of season) $4$ !!

—ADD #4# BEST PASS BLOCKING RB in THE NFL !! Kyren Williams!!
You know what makes him & that group GREAT?? Is they play for each other.Blake has improved SO much there & as a RB in general.Speaking of GENERAL!! Coach G(Gould) has been this groups leader since 2023,after he had spent 32 years coaching in college(6 internships w/ NFL teams). Jarquez Hunter to get into this mix.

BIGGEST RAMS mistake in 2025 ?? Well imo personal wise & the affect Alaric Jackson’s blood clots caused.It was The SIGNING of DJ Humpries.Rams FANS will see in The FUTURE the affect it had.KT Leveston was the BETTER player.He had upside & The Rams had control. BTW David Quessenberry would have been a better LT than Humpries as well. LOOK BACK at what LOSSING to the Falcons CAUSED just Draft pick status alone?

Anyways That is & the way I saw it the whole time.I actually did believe maybe Humpries brought VALUE. He was on the Right Side of a Karty FG attempt.Once I saw how BAD he was on that 1 SNAP alone.I KNEW then he was such a mistake & made me EXTREMELY upset that they(Rams)went $$$ vs sense!! Why keep him ?? KT was the better player & his upside will SHINE.
 
BTW - as soon as The Rams signed Humpries KT was DONE as a Ram !!
Especially when Big Rob coming off shoulder surgeries?
Quess was already signed & went through OTA’s.It was a GOOD situation,but The RAMS went in sort of speaking.Humpries was insurance.It SUCKS when the coaching staff can’t go by there gut & believe.

KT earned his place in The NFL,that’s why he brought back a draft pick.Other teams saw his play in the preseason.
 
League average success on a run on 3rd and 3 or less is 35%-45%, FWIW (per nextgen and PFF).

Rams conversion rate on 3rd and 3 or less was 52.6% including both run and pass and Rams passed on 68% of those times. Given that it's more successful to pass than run on 3rd and less (50%-60% success rate league wide), one would expect most teams to pass in those situations.

But with the Rams only having a 52.6% success rate on that down and distance (think top short yardage teams were closer to 60%), the Rams have some area of improvement that could be made there though the statistics may be skewered due to how much fewer attempts the Rams made in the down and distance since they were so good at picking up 1st downs before getting to 3rd down this year.
What this doesn't tell us is the run success rate on 3rd and 3. It's a little surprising to me they only ran 32% of the time in those situations.
 
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What this doesn't tell us is the run success rate on 3rd and 3. It's a little surprising to me they only ran 32% of the time in those situations.
Sounds about right and I never felt confident in that most important situation. Felt like we had a lot of drives stall out when we tried to move the chains on the ground.

Either way if I had to describe our run game I'd call it a "high success rate on early downs when defenses are worried about the pass" type operation. And the problem seemed to be penetration into the backfield on too many snaps.

This is why I keep wondering if the Rams are going to zig when we're zagging again by perhaps reloading this OL with some fresh blood in this offseason and next. Or are they going to just sign and extend everyone and be happy with what they had. I think this year's OL was good enough in protections, which with a McVay offense tends to be the primary consideration. But when you think about it, McVay has dealt with a non-optimal OL just about every year he's been in charge. Not once has he had what I would call an elite line.

And that's ok, again, if the protections are there, because he is among the best at WCO'ing an opposing defense to move the chains with schemed up completions or Stafford opening up the defense with his eyes. But is that good enough for him or does he maybe want more from his line. The secondary is going to be the priority this offseason, however there is room for them to do some tooling on that front if they so choose.
 
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The interesting thing about a really good bruising lead blocking fullback in the draft, is that they are usually available in the 5th and 6th round consistently.
I will never figure out why more teams don't take advantage of that.
 
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Let’s strengthen that Oline. Rams need to be bullies more in the run game. Time of possession and just drain the clock with our two-headed team of Kyren and Corum.

As for that graphic- makes it all the more clear- Jeanty would have been rookie of the year with even an AVERAGE offensive line. The dude was mauled by 3-4 guys 4 yards behind the line on half his runs
 
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Starting offensive linemen are very good. Depth at tackle is atrocious now that Hav is no longer on the roster as RT2. One of our top 4 picks has to be a tackle IMO, which means taking one in the top 3 rounds. Dedich has proven he can do well when called upon. And I am comfortable with Limmer in a backup capacity. We aren't bad on the interior for depth. Ideally, we draft a tackle that has some position versatility to also kick inside.
 
Well if the Rams were to do the following:

1. Cut Shelton and Sign Linderbaum.
2. Extend Dotson.
3. Tell Avila he's gonna play out his contract in 2026.
4. Let McClendon walk in FA.

Then they would need to draft a RT, which is risky.

But if they were to:

1. Cut Shelton and Sign Linderbaum.
2. Sign McClendon.
3. Tell Avila and Dotson they'll play out their contracts in 2026.

Then they would have a superior OL across the board. And would only need to replace two OGs after the season.

And the new, elite 25 year old Center would be there to bring a new QB along if Stafford retires after hoisting his second Lombardi.
 
Then they would have a superior OL across the board. And would only need to replace two OGs after the season.
They would have a superior OL for 2026. But replacing two starting OGs after the season is risky for future years.
 
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Sounds about right and I never felt confident in that most important situation. Felt like we had a lot of drives stall out when we tried to move the chains on the ground.

Either way if I had to describe our run game I'd call it a "high success rate on early downs when defenses are worried about the pass" type operation. And the problem seemed to be penetration into the backfield on too many snaps.

This is why I keep wondering if the Rams are going to zig when we're zagging again by perhaps reloading this OL with some fresh blood in this offseason and next. Or are they going to just sign and extend everyone and be happy with what they had. I think this year's OL was good enough in protections, which with a McVay offense tends to be the primary consideration. But when you think about it, McVay has dealt with a non-optimal OL just about every year he's been in charge. Not once has he had what I would call an elite line.

And that's ok, again, if the protections are there, because he is among the best at WCO'ing an opposing defense to move the chains with schemed up completions or Stafford opening up the defense with his eyes. But is that good enough for him or does he maybe want more from his line. The secondary is going to be the priority this offseason, however there is room for them to do some tooling on that front if they so choose.
Well...I would say many times it was a bad playcall. How many times did we see McVay run inside where the defense is stacked? It boggled my mind!!!
 
They would have a superior OL for 2026. But replacing two starting OGs after the season is risky for future years.
Draft one midrounds this year. Then a higher round selection next offseason.

OGs are the easiest OL position to find. They are available later into drafts than tackles. And unlike Centers you don't have to worry about line calls.
 
Well...I would say many times it was a bad playcall. How many times did we see McVay run inside where the defense is stacked? It boggled my mind!!!
Fans wouldn't say anything if the OL opened a seam and the RB hit it for big yards. But on any play that does not work, which often is simply due to one or more players being beaten by their man on their assignment, fans will decide that the play call was stupid or bad and vent their frustrations via that mental outlet.

Now there are times when I get pissed at McVay for his calls. Like when he concedes a drive by running the ball on third and long. There are times his calls are overly conservative (or overly aggressive like a fucking go route shot on 3rd and short). However in order to establish the run you must call run plays. And when those run plays are called it is generally up to the players to win their fucking assignments and make it a good call.
 
Well if the Rams were to do the following:

1. Cut Shelton and Sign Linderbaum.
2. Extend Dotson.
3. Tell Avila he's gonna play out his contract in 2026.
4. Let McClendon walk in FA.

Then they would need to draft a RT, which is risky.

But if they were to:

1. Cut Shelton and Sign Linderbaum.
2. Sign McClendon.
3. Tell Avila and Dotson they'll play out their contracts in 2026.

Then they would have a superior OL across the board. And would only need to replace two OGs after the season.

And the new, elite 25 year old Center would be there to bring a new QB along if Stafford retires after hoisting his second Lombardi.
Avila and Dotson are integral to this OL it's too risky to attempt replacing them imo