Los Angeles Rams fans have spent the season riding a wave of offensive whiplash. One week the unit can barely get off the mat, the next it looks like a different team entirely. That boom-or-bust feel has kept the frustration alive, especially because the answer may already be on the roster.
The issue isn’t just who the Rams are playing. It’s how often they’re leaning on the same familiar options instead of expanding the load for the guys who are producing. The offense has already shown it can feature emerging playmakers, and that’s exactly why the current hesitation stands out.
A few names deserve a bigger slice of the action in the second half of the season, starting with running back Blake Corum. Moving more work his way doesn’t have to mean taking carries away from Kyren Williams.
It could simply mean less pressure on Matthew Stafford to keep throwing through soreness. Corum is averaging 5.2 yards per carry, which puts him among the NFL’s top five runners after eight games.
Even with that efficiency, he has only 75 carries. That’s a light workload for someone producing at that level, especially when his per-carry average matches Atlanta Falcons star Bijan Robinson.
Corum has picked up 28 carries over the past two games after averaging under eight through Week 6, so there’s at least some sign the Rams may be warming to the idea.
Tutu Atwell is another easy candidate for more snaps and more targets. The Rams have been hearing plenty about their missing deep threat, and Atwell answered that concern against the Chargers with a 40-yard grab that helped spark the offense late in the first half.
He has caught five of eight passes for 83 yards, a 62.5 percent catch rate, yet those eight targets still rank him 10th on the team among receivers. Konata Mumpfield may have the coaches’ trust, but he has turned nine of 21 targets into 142 yards.
If Atwell were given the same volume, his production would project to 218 receiving yards. It would also force defenses to keep two defensive backs deep.
Then there’s Davis Allen, the tight end who doesn’t always get treated like a weapon even though he keeps showing he can be one. He has caught 75 percent of the passes thrown his way this season and has scored on 12.5 percent of those catches.
Still, he’s averaging only two targets per game. Allen’s value goes beyond the box score, too.
Because he can block, defenders have to respect that look, which opens the door for him to slip out uncovered and make plays in the passing game.
The Rams don’t need any of these players to become stars. They just need more steady production from more sources. Corum, Atwell and Allen have all done enough to justify larger roles, and if the coaching staff opens that door, the offense may finally start turning yards into touchdowns with more regularity.
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Rams Punt Return Decision Could Reveal What They Really Trust
The Rams latest roster shuffle says a lot about how they are trying to balance immediate needs with special teams stability. By moving Alex Bachman to the practice squad to create room for cornerback Cam Lampkin on the active roster, Los Angeles opened up a question it has been carrying quietly for a while: who do they actually trust to handle punt returns if the game turns on field position?
For now, the options are all familiar ones. Bachman remains in the mix, Brennan Presley is waiting on the practice squad, and Tutu Atwell is still a possibility as a receiver who can add return value. The Rams could also look outside the building for someone who offers both return ability and offensive help, which would be a sign they want more certainty than the current group provides. [Read more 🡒]
Justin Herbert Just Became The Face Of The Chargers' Latest Embarrassment
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Quentin Lake added to the chatter this week when he took aim at Herbert on a podcast, pointing to the quarterbacks interceptions in a recent game. Herbert has thrown 10 interceptions against five touchdown passes this season, a jarring line for a player expected to steady the Chargers through this kind of stretch, and the criticism is only going to grow louder until the offense shows some kind of answer. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Face One Big Defensive Question Against Surging Commanders
The Rams head into their matchup with Washington riding a two-game winning streak and sitting tied for second in the NFC West, a stretch that has helped steady them as the division race tightens. The Commanders, meanwhile, are coming off a statement win over the Philadelphia Eagles and are trying to string together consecutive victories for the first time this season, so this one carries a little more weight than a typical early-November meeting.
Injuries are part of the backdrop on both sides, with several key players getting back on the practice field in limited fashion while others remain out after surgery or lingering ailments. For Los Angeles, the bigger concern is how its defense handles a Washington team that has found some momentum and is starting to look more dangerous by the week, especially with both clubs trying to keep pace in crowded division races. [Read more 🡒]