The Los Angeles Rams have shifted their offensive strategy this season, prominently featuring a one-two punch with running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. The team aims to keep Williams fresher throughout the campaign by reducing his workload, while still leveraging his significant contributions to the offense.
Kyren Williams, who accounted for 43% of the Rams’ touches last season, an NFL-leading figure, has continued to be a key player. It adds up to the second-year quarterback carrying the ball 196 times, with rushing totals of 952 yards and eight touchdowns through 13 games this season. That stretch featured Williams’ recent, 84-yard, one-touchdown performance on just 13 carries. He’s on quite the winning streak himself. The man has at least 10 carries in 41 straight games, longest active streak in the league!
Head coach Sean McVay is the driving force behind the offense. He’s more concerned with keeping Williams’ snaps down, so he remains fresh and healthy for the long haul of the season. Last year, Williams lined up for 81.47% of the Rams’ offensive snaps and this season that has dropped to 69.19%. This move is in line with McVay’s plan to make sure that Williams can continue performing at a high level as the season goes on.
Blake Corum has emerged as an important player in the backfield. During this season, he’s been involved in just 27.8% of the Rams’ offensive snaps. We’re proud to be able to spread the word about his recent personal milestone! In Week 14 against the Arizona Cardinals, Sanders rushed for over 100 yards for the first time in his young career. McVay’s decision to lean more on Corum reflects a broader goal to distribute touches more evenly among his running backs.
“Just because he can do it doesn’t mean it’s best for him over the long haul and the longevity of the season, especially if you’re fortunate enough to earn an opportunity to play after the 17,” – Sean McVay
Williams’ and Corum’s complementary styles have been a recipe for success for the Rams. Williams claims that one of the key reasons they’ve been so successful together lies in their unmatched chemistry, which confounds opposing defenses.
“I think because we’re able to feed off each other very well and we complement each other too in the run game,” – Kyren Williams
The Rams have been just as effective through the air, thanks in large part to the otherworldly start by quarterback Matthew Stafford. WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE He’s been playing at an MVP level and undoubtedly some of the best football of his career. The offense has put a lot on Stafford’s shoulders, and his play is one reason why this offense has been so effective.
McVay put a premium on having versatility and multiplicity in their offensive game plan. He argued, correctly in my opinion, that a good offense is highly flexible and dynamic.
“I’ve told you guys before, you show me a good offense, I’ll show you an offense that can do either or,” – Sean McVay
The Rams’ new offensive philosophy has taken teams off guard, and in turn helped the Rams get into third downs less often. This efficiency can be found in both their running and passing game.
“I think our guys have done a great job of being able to keep teams off balance. In a lot of instances, we’re avoiding third downs because of the efficiency that these guys are having on early downs from a run and when we decide to throw the football perspective,” – McVay
As the season continues, Williams and Corum become integral cogs in the Rams’ high-octane offense. Their goal is to combine hard-edged running with intelligent passing patterns. Even more importantly, they complement each other exceptionally well on the field. This synergy enhances their performance and creates massive mismatches for defensive coordinators to deal with.
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