WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. — The Rams offensive explosion leads to the all around domination of the Arizona Cardinals in their 45-17 win on Sunday afternoon.
Matthew Stafford was back to looking like an MVP candidate. Puka Nacua had a top-five receiver type performance and Los Angeles picked up a much needed bounce back win after losing to the Carolina Panthers a week ago.
As important as the passing offense’s excellence is needed to win, the most important aspect of the offense is the running game.
In the win over the Cardinals, Los Angeles ran the ball 36 times for 249 yards (6.9 yards per carry) and three touchdowns. Kyren Williams rushed 13 times for 84 yards and a touchdown which gave Los Angeles a 17-10 to take the lead for good.
Blake Corum has come on as of late giving the Rams a legit one-two punch out of the backfield alongside Williams. Corum rushed for a career-high 128 yards on 12 carries adding two rushing scores in the win. In the past two weeks, Corum has turned 19 carries into 209 yards with three touchdowns. He has rushed for 550 yards this season as the Rams secondary back.
“I think Blake's emergence has been awesome,” coach Sean McVay said during Monday’s conference call. “Kyren’s obviously done a great job for the last few years and you're seeing Blake just earn more and more confidence with the production that he's having.”
The duos ability to pick up chunk yardage on the ground and finish drives helps the offense stay balanced the way the coach McVay likes. His trust in the two backs helps him lean on them especially to close out games.
“I think it's really just trust in both of those players. [Rams running back coach] Ron Gould does a good job of getting a feel. I think there's a cool understanding of if you need a blow, let the other guy come in,” McVay said. “I think Blake articulated it really well in his postgame with you guys of how they positively spell one another. They positively push one another.”
Though a lot of praise will be given to the backs and deservingly so, the offensive line has been a huge positive for Los Angeles. The team averages 123.9 yards per game with averages of 4.7 per carry. The offensive line has been a big part of keeping Stafford clean and opening up huge rushing lanes for their backs to run through.
Another thing that makes the Rams running game so special is all 11 guys have been crucial in its success.
“You look at Blake's [Corum] long run, Kyren [Williams] had a handful of good slash running and it always takes all 11. It doesn't necessarily matter what the concept is. They're just bringing it to life. I think they have an ownership and an understanding of what the intent is. There's that clarity. There's great communication pre-snap and then the post-snap execution and the strain and finish.”
Coach McVay understands that for his offense to continue to be elite it is because of the ability to run which makes things easier for the passing game to succeed.
“We have to continue to do that because like I've told you guys before, you show me a good offense I'll show you an offense that can do either or. It's a numbers game and if they want to lean one way or the other, you have to be able to make them pay. 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.”
You better believe I believe that Stafford should be in line to possibly win his first ever MVP award but if the Rams want to continue their offensive success and make a postseason run. It will be their rushing attack that will be key for yet another Super Bowl title.