The Rams are sitting on a two-game winning streak, but the numbers behind it don’t exactly scream comfort. Those wins came against three opponents with a combined 7-16 record, and Los Angeles is only 2-1 over that stretch after the Week 6 loss to the Cardinals. That’s why a matchup with the 2-4-1 Washington Commanders this week can’t be treated like a sure thing.
The bigger issue is what’s happening to the roster around Matthew Stafford. Terrance Ferguson has been missing for most of the season, Davante Adams is now on injured reserve, and even Stafford - usually the picture of durability - is dealing with arm soreness. That’s a rough mix for a team already trying to figure out how to turn production into points.
The Rams can still move the ball. In fact, the offense remains one of the NFL’s best in yardage.
But that hasn’t translated cleanly to the scoreboard, where Los Angeles sits 10th in scoring. That gap matters, because the current formula has obvious limits.
Fans have seen the pattern enough times to know it by heart: the offense starts slowly, Stafford throws an interception, the Rams fall behind, and then the comeback kicks in. They’ve been able to claw back and win often enough to make it work. This season, though, the holes have gotten deeper, and that margin for error is shrinking fast.
There is at least one part of the offense that appears to be coming around. The running game, long an afterthought at times, finally seems to be turning the corner. And that matters now more than ever, because the Rams can’t keep leaning on the same narrow path to victory.
Stafford is nearly 39, and at some point the offense has to be able to function without depending so heavily on him. The Rams have elite running backs, an outstanding receiver in Puka Nacua, and very good tight ends, but defenses know where the ball wants to go. Once Los Angeles falls behind, opponents can key on Stafford and Nacua, and the offense can get trapped in that loop.
So the question is simple: what comes next? With Stafford dealing with soreness, the most obvious answer is to run the ball more.
The problem is that this requires a level of commitment the Rams haven’t consistently shown until recently. Everyone can see what needs to happen.
The harder part is sticking with it.
In Other News...
Justin Herbert Drama Just Gave Rams Fans Even More To Talk About
Quentin Lakes postgame criticism of Justin Herbert added another layer to a crosstown matchup that already carried plenty of edge for Rams fans. After the Chargers loss to the Rams, Lake took aim at Herbert following an interception, then later apologized to the quarterback, turning a sharp on-field moment into a bigger conversation about how the game was being viewed from both sidelines.
Herbert and Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh both answered back, with Harbaugh defending his quarterbacks performance and pushing back on the criticism. Even with Herberts uneven season drawing scrutiny, the larger picture in Los Angeles remains unchanged for now, since reports say the Chargers have no intention of trading him. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Injury Report Just Put Matthew Stafford Under A Bigger Spotlight
Sean McVay spent part of his latest availability putting some guardrails around the concern that flared up after Matthew Stafford was seen with ice on his throwing arm following the game. The Rams officially listed Stafford with an elbow injury, but McVay framed it as routine maintenance rather than a setback, noting that the quarterback has been a full participant in practice and has not missed any reps.
For a team that leans so heavily on Staffords arm and command, any injury note naturally draws attention, especially when it lands on the same part of the body that matters most to his game. McVay said Staffords performance has not been affected, which is the part the Rams care about most, even if the injury report keeps the conversation alive for now. [Read more 🡒]
Myles Garrett Puts Rams Defensive Momentum To The Test Sunday
The Rams have spent much of the season trying to build on defensive momentum, and Sunday offers another good measuring stick for how real it is. One of the weeks more intriguing individual battles has Los Angeles edge rusher Myles Garrett lined up against Washington tackle Brandon Coleman, a matchup that could shape how often the Commanders can stay on schedule and how much pressure the Rams can generate without having to overcommit elsewhere.
Garrett has been the kind of force offenses have to account for snap after snap, and the Rams will be watching closely to see whether that edge presence translates into the kind of disruption that changes a game plan. With Washington dealing with the challenge of protecting Coleman against one of the leagues most disruptive defenders, this is the sort of test that can either reinforce what Los Angeles has been building or expose how much work still remains. [Read more 🡒]