The Rams don’t need a perfect game against the Chargers. They just need to stop handing the other side free chances.
That’s the real issue hanging over Los Angeles as Week 8 arrives. The matchup may carry more weight for the trade deadline than the playoff picture, but it also puts a spotlight on a problem Sean McVay has already talked about more than once: the Rams keep beating themselves.
Through seven games, Los Angeles has coughed up the ball 11 times. Only six teams have done it more.
On the other side of that ledger, the Rams have forced just six takeaways, with only four teams producing fewer. That’s not a winning formula, especially for a team trying to stay afloat in a crowded season.
The penalties haven’t helped either. The Rams are tied for the 10th-most penalties heading into Week 8.
Some of those flags have come on questionable calls, while others have wiped out big plays. Either way, the damage is real, and this team can’t afford to keep giving away yardage and momentum.
There are reasons the season has felt so choppy. The Rams had to navigate a brutal early stretch that included travel halfway across the globe and back to open the year.
Then came a run of prime-time games against top-tier opponents. After a brief soft spot in the middle, the prime-time stretch ramps back up after the Week 11 bye.
Offensively, the Rams have spent much of the year leaning on the pass. Defenses have been ready for it, and while Los Angeles still sits among the league leaders in passing yards, the touchdowns haven’t come at the pace fans want. The Rams are tied for fourth in interceptions thrown, which only adds to the frustration.
But Week 7 offered a reminder that this offense doesn’t have to be one-dimensional. In the win over the Las Vegas Raiders, the Rams leaned into the run and got strong results. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum have been too effective to leave on the sideline when the offense needs a lift, and the hope now is that the ground game stays part of the plan.
So when the 3-4 Rams meet the winless Chargers, the spotlight won’t just be on who controls Los Angeles. It’ll be on whether the Rams can clean up the mistakes that have dogged them all season.
They should be able to win this one. The bigger question is whether they can do it without sabotaging themselves along the way.
In Other News...
Rams Defense Suddenly Has A Myles Garrett Question Again
The Rams have spent most of the early season waiting on a defensive boost, and Myles Garretts name has stayed at the center of that conversation since he landed on injured reserve with the knee injury he suffered in Week 1. His absence has been felt on a unit that the Rams believe can still improve, and any news around his recovery has carried extra weight because of what he means to the front seven.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, there is optimism Garrett could return to practice as soon as this week and potentially play soon after. For a defense looking for a lift down the stretch, that kind of timeline matters, even if the next step still has to come before anyone can count on him being back in game action. [Read more 🡒]
Rams May Be Making The Smart Call With Trent McDuffie
The Rams spent the offseason trying to raise the floor of their defense, and Trent McDuffie was one of the key additions meant to help do it. He has played well when available, but the groin injury that has already cost him multiple games has complicated the early returns, leaving Los Angeles to balance his value against the reality of a long season.
McDuffie is listed as questionable for Week 8, and the cautious approach makes sense with a softer matchup on the schedule. Josh Wallace has held up reasonably well in his place, which gives the Rams some flexibility to avoid rushing McDuffie back before he is fully ready. For a defense that added Myles Garrett, McDuffie and Jaylen Watson to change its outlook, the bigger picture may matter more than forcing one player into action too soon. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Offseason Squeeze Is Putting Several Veteran Jobs In Doubt
The Rams roster picture is already getting crowded, and that is before the front office even gets to the harder part of the offseason. Injuries have complicated the depth chart, pending free agents are hanging over the roster, and Les Snead is once again trying to balance immediate needs with the kind of long-term flexibility that keeps a contender from getting boxed in.
For veterans such as Tutu Atwell, Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and David Quessenberry, the squeeze is real. Limited opportunities, roster depth and salary cap considerations all point in the same direction, and the Rams may have to make some uncomfortable choices as they sort out who fits beyond the present season. The decisions ahead are less about sentiment than survival, and they could reshape a few familiar spots on the roster sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]