How the Rams Turned a Red-Zone Weakness into a Goal-Line Strength in 2025
A year ago, the Los Angeles Rams' goal-line offense was more of a liability than a weapon. Fast forward to 2025, and it’s become one of their most reliable ways to put points on the board.
What changed? A smarter scheme, better execution, and a quarterback-receiver connection that’s doing serious damage in tight spaces.
The Goal-Line Makeover
Let’s start with the numbers. Through 25 plays inside the five-yard line, the Rams have punched in 14 touchdowns - a 56% success rate. That’s not elite efficiency, but it’s a meaningful jump from last season, when brute-force runs into stacked boxes often left them settling for field goals.
This year, they’re mixing it up - 15 runs, 10 passes - and that balance is forcing defenses to play honest. When you’ve got a quarterback like Matthew Stafford and weapons like Davante Adams, single coverage near the goal line is a risk most defenses can’t afford to take. But that’s exactly what the Rams are seeing, and they’re making teams pay for it.
Davante Adams: The Red-Zone Assassin
Adams has been the centerpiece of this goal-line revival. Of Stafford’s 10 pass attempts inside the five, seven have gone to Adams - and he’s turned six of those into touchdowns.
That’s an absurd 85.7% conversion rate per target. He’s not just catching the ball; he’s finishing drives.
Tight end Tyler Higbee and rookie Puka Nacua have chipped in as well, each scoring on their lone goal-line targets. Davis Allen, meanwhile, has yet to register a catch in that range, but the Rams haven’t needed to spread it around too much when Adams is this automatic.
Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur summed it up well: “If you’re going to give us one-on-ones, we’re going to take it.” And with Adams, that’s not just taking a shot - it’s playing the odds.
A Smarter Ground Game
Even with the passing game taking center stage, the Rams haven’t abandoned the run. Kyren Williams leads the way with eight goal-line carries and four touchdowns.
Rookie Blake Corum is right behind him with five carries and two scores. The duo isn’t just splitting the load - they’re keeping each other fresh, which is exactly what LaFleur wants heading into the postseason.
“We’re targeting January and February games,” LaFleur said. “We want everyone as fresh as possible.”
That rotation has helped Williams look sharper in short-yardage situations, while Corum has brought a burst that complements the Rams' more physical run concepts. Interestingly, their traditional man-blocking schemes have taken a step back in efficiency - just a 33.3% success rate - but they’ve made up for it with zone and pull-lead runs, both of which have converted every time they’ve been called.
Stafford’s Command in the Red Zone
Matthew Stafford has been surgical inside the 10-yard line this season. Of his 32 touchdown passes, 22 have come from 10 yards or closer - nine of those from within the five, and six from the one-yard line. That’s not just volume; that’s trust.
Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown put it plainly: “You only get that kind of green light if you’ve been in the league as long as Stafford has.”
LaFleur echoed that sentiment, pointing to Stafford’s ability to read leverage and throw with anticipation: “If you can run a fade and a slant, you’re going to be unstoppable in the red zone. Matthew takes chances because he can, because he’s earned that right.”
And when those chances are going to Adams? The Rams are playing with house money.
The Numbers Tell the Story
The Rams are running more red-zone plays in 2025 - up to 12 per game from 10.6 last year. They’ve scored 35 touchdowns in the red zone, two more than in 2024, and their touchdown rate has climbed to 24.3%, up over six percentage points.
The most telling stat, though, is the shift in play-calling. They’ve increased their red-zone passing rate to 56.3%, a 10.4% jump from last season.
That’s led to 26 passing touchdowns in the red zone, up from 18. Meanwhile, rushing scores are down - but that’s by design.
The Rams are leaning into what works, and right now, that’s Stafford’s arm and Adams’ hands.
Inside the five, they’ve run 25 plays - up from just 14 last season - and while the touchdown rate has dipped slightly from 64.3% to 56.0%, the passing game has been far more productive. Adams alone has nearly doubled the Rams’ goal-line passing touchdowns from a year ago.
Balanced, But Not Predictable
The Rams aren’t just calling plays - they’re playing chess. Their goal-line tendencies show a calculated approach: seven plays to the left (42.9% success), six to the right (50%), and two up the gut (0%). That’s not randomness - it’s targeted play design based on defensive looks and matchups.
When one side gets clogged, Stafford has the green light to pivot - whether that’s flipping the play, checking into a run, or trusting his receiver to win a one-on-one. That kind of flexibility makes the Rams dangerous in the red zone, especially with a healthy Adams and a backfield that can finish drives without wearing down.
What It Means for the Stretch Run
The Rams aren’t perfect inside the five, but they’re lightyears ahead of where they were a year ago. They’ve evolved from a predictable, run-heavy unit into a multi-dimensional red-zone offense that can beat you in the air or on the ground. And with Stafford making smart decisions, Adams dominating matchups, and LaFleur scheming to get the most out of every snap, this group is built for playoff football.
Come January, opponents won’t just have to stop the Rams from moving the ball - they’ll have to stop them from finishing drives. And that might be the toughest ask of all.