Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams are the NFC’s mystery team
What to make of the Los Angeles Rams after splitting their last six games after a 2-0 start?
The skeptics have been out for the majority of the season and understandably so. The Los Angeles Rams won their first two games and open the season with four victories in their first five contests.
The doubters looked at their first four victories and noted that they all came against the subpar NFC East, a division whose four teams owned a combined 9-24-1 record entering Week 10. The Rams also handed the Chicago Bears a 24-10 setback on a Monday night at Los Angeles in Week 7.
However, Los Angeles’ three losses have come to the Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins. And in the setbacks to the Niners and ‘Fins, Sean McVay’s offense struggled to reach the end zone and was limited to 16 and 17 points, respectively. The 35-32 defeat at Orchard Park saw the Rams down 28-3 in the third quarter. It all adds up to a 5-3 mark halfway through their season.
That means the club is tied with the Arizona Cardinals for the second-best record in the NFC West. And if the club can knock off Russell Wilson and the visiting Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, they would be part of an either two- or three-way tie atop their division. McVay’s club still has five games vs. their NFC West rivals, including a pair with the ‘Hawks and the Cardinals.
Quarterback Jared Goff has thrown more than twice as many touchdown passes (13) as interceptions (6) but he’s also lost two of his four fumbles. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald has nine sacks in as many games and the Rams’ defense is much better than a year ago. But it’s also been erratic at times.
The Los Angeles Rams entered Week 10 with the NFL’s sixth-ranked offense and second-ranked defense. McVay’s club is averaging just over 24 points per game and the club has allowed only 15 offensive touchdowns in eight contests.
Next. 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Cowboys surprise with Parsons. dark
But there have also been too many mistakes: 12 turnovers in eight contests, seven in the club’s three losses. They are obviously still very much in the NFC West title chase and is a team that has recent postseason experience. But the inconsistency by Goff and company is concerning indeed and needs to be rectified sooner than later.