Is The Los Angeles Rams Shocking Post-Bye Offensive Turnaround For Real Or A Mirage?

The Los Angeles Rams began the 2024 season with a challenging start, struggling to establish a rhythm on offense, especially when faced with injuries to key players.

With a 1-4 record heading into their Week 6 Bye, the Rams’ offense appeared inconsistent, but post-bye performances in Weeks 7 and 8 indicate signs of a more balanced unit.

Let’s break down the stats on offense so far this year.

WeekOpponentTotal YardsPassing YardsRushing Yards
1Detroit40031783
2Arizona26921653
3San Francisco31922198
4Chicago343224119
5Green Bay394260134
7Las Vegas269154115
8Minnesota386279107

Los Angeles Rams Total Yardage Trends

The Rams’ offensive yardage saw a fluctuating trend before the bye, averaging 345 yards per game across the first five weeks, with their best output of 400 total yards coming against Detroit.

On the other hand, Week 2 against Arizona marked a low point with only 269 total yards as both the passing and rushing units struggled to find their footing.

Post-bye, the Los Angeles Rams averaged 327.5 total yards across Weeks 7 and 8. Although slightly lower than their pre-bye average, the yards have been more productive in scoring, with the Rams securing back-to-back wins.

Passing Game: Stafford’s Resilience

NFL: Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams | Quarterback Matthew Stafford
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Matthew Stafford has continued to play a central role for the Los Angeles Rams, showing resilience despite battling early-season injuries and limitations in the receiving corps.

In the season opener against Detroit, Stafford threw for a season-high 317 yards, connecting with Cooper Kupp and providing a glimpse into what the Rams’ passing game could achieve at full strength.

The re-emergence of Puka Nacua, alongside Kupp’s return, has diversified Stafford’s options in the passing game.

Also Read: Los Angeles Rams Offensive Lineman Gives Encouraging Injury Update

This new dynamic was evident in Week 8 against Minnesota, where Stafford threw for 279 yards, with Nacua leading the team with 106 receiving yards.

If Stafford can maintain this level of productivity with his full arsenal of targets, the Rams’ passing game could continue to be a critical factor in their success down the stretch.

Kyren Williams Provides Balance

NFL: Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Rams | RB Kyren Williams
Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images

Kyren Williams has continued as a reliable rushing option, helping to provide balance to the Los Angeles Rams’ offense.

Pre-bye, Williams’ best performance came in Week 5 against Green Bay, where he rushed for 134 yards.

Williams has continued to be effective post-bye, with 115 rushing yards in Week 7 and 107 yards in Week 8, showcasing his consistency and ability to grind out tough yardage.

The Rams’ offense the past two seasons has revolved around running Williams in the red zone, resulting in 10 total touchdowns this year, behind only Derrick Henry who has 11 touchdowns.

This level of production has been invaluable in keeping the Rams’ offense balanced, giving Stafford the ability to leverage play-action and keep defenses honest. If Williams can continue this pace, he’ll have one of the best seasons by a Rams back since Todd Gurley.

Yards Into Points

In the NFL, yardage only tells part of the story, scoring is the true indicator of offensive efficiency.

Pre-bye, the Los Angeles Rams averaged 20.6 points per game, struggling to capitalize on red-zone opportunities, as seen in low-scoring losses to Arizona (10 points) and Chicago (18 points).

Related: Tre’Davious White Free To Seek “Better Opportunities”

Post-bye, the Rams have boosted their scoring output to 25 points per game, reaching a season-high of 30 points in their Week 8 win against Minnesota.

Injury Impact And The Road Ahead

The Los Angeles Rams’ offensive struggles early in the season were compounded by injuries to key players, including Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, both who missed several games. The absence of other offensive contributors on the offensive line also forced adjustments, limiting Stafford’s time in the pocket and reducing the effectiveness of the run game.

It’s not a crazy concept that a fully healthy Rams squad is clicking, as this was the vision in the offseason.

With Kupp’s return and Nacua, the Rams now have a more complete and versatile unit, which could prove vital as they head into the second half of the season and vie to make the playoffs.