The Rams’ 1-2 start has a simple, ugly pattern attached to it: they’ve been far better before halftime than after it. Through three first halves, Los Angeles has piled up a 31-13 scoring edge. Then the game turns, and the slide is steep - in the second halves, the Rams have been outscored 50-30.
That’s the part that keeps showing up, including in Week 3 against the Denver Broncos. Whatever the explanation is - tired legs, bad adjustments, or both - the momentum keeps swinging away from LA after halftime.
The coaching staff has changed, too, with OC Nate Scheelhaase helping head coach Sean McVay and special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone working to clean up last season’s issues. But so far, neither the offense nor special teams has been especially effective.
The offense, in particular, has leaned too hard on Matthew Stafford. Stafford was MVP in 2025, but this season has asked him to carry too much of the load.
He has thrown for 874 yards and six touchdowns in four games, yet he is completing just over 60 percent of his passes and has already tossed four interceptions in three games, including a pick-six. He had only eight interceptions all of last season.
That burden has only grown with Puka Nacua injured. Without him, Stafford is trying to make do with less margin for error, and the Rams paid for it in Week 3. That game was there to be won, but the offense moved away from a run game that was working and instead bet on a passing attack that was less dependable.
Kyren Williams averaged nearly 5.9 yards per carry in the loss, even though he got just 15 carries. Most of those came in the first half, when the Rams built a 16-0 lead. Blake Corum had a rough outing, but Williams’ efficiency made the limited usage stand out even more.
Stafford still has a reputation for delivering in the fourth quarter, and that reputation is earned. But the flip side is clear, too: too often, he’s being asked to rescue games after the Rams have already let them slip.
In Other News...
Rams Fans Have A New Reason To Be Furious About That Late Flag
A late pass interference flag in Week 3 already left Rams fans seething, and now Pat Bryant has made the whole sequence look even worse. The Broncos receiver admitted in an interview that he exaggerated the contact on the play against Josh Wallace, a call that wiped out Wallaces interception and kept Denvers drive alive before it ended in a game-winning touchdown.
Bryants comments have only added fuel to the frustration because the play had such a direct impact on the outcome. He also played a part in the Broncos win with two catches, including a touchdown, but it is the flag he helped draw that has drawn the loudest reaction from Rams supporters and plenty of criticism online. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Already Face Doubts About A Linebacker Bet They Needed To Win
Before Week 12 of the 2025 season, Nate Landman had done enough to convince the Rams he was worth locking in. The linebacker signed a three-year, $22.5 million extension after 11 strong weeks, a move meant to give the defense some needed stability in the middle and reward a player who had quickly become part of the plan.
Since then, the return has not matched the investment. Landmans play has slipped, his Pro Football Focus grades have dropped, and the disruptive moments the Rams were counting on have become harder to find. For a team that viewed the deal as a way to secure a reliable presence at linebacker, the timing of the extension is suddenly looking a lot less comfortable than it did when the ink was still fresh. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Non-Call Revived A Debate Fans Know All Too Well
A controversial no-call on a potential pass interference play involving Josh Wallace and Broncos receiver Pat Bryant sent old memories rushing back for Rams fans, because this is the kind of moment that tends to linger long after the final whistle. The play itself sat in that gray area officials live in on Sundays, where contact, timing and interpretation all collide in real time and leave plenty of room for disagreement.
For Los Angeles, the debate was less about one snap than about a familiar frustration that has followed the franchise before, including the 2018 NFC Championship non-call that still comes up whenever a borderline decision goes against them. Pass interference remains one of the league's most subjective judgments, and this latest sequence was another reminder that two viewers can watch the same play and come away convinced of entirely different things. [Read more 🡒]