It’s no secret to anybody that the LA Rams have struggled this season. Sitting at 3-3, the Rams midseason grades, in my opinion, aren’t on par with what they were through six weeks last season. I have to say overall; this team has performed at a B- level. That grade is a tad generous after a few performances resulting in blowout losses. Let’s take a deep dive into the Rams midseason grades for offense and defense
Rams Midseason Grades- Offense:
The overall grade for the offense is a C+. The Rams offense has undoubtedly underperformed this season. Of course, with how things went last year, there was quite a lot to live up to in year two. Why has this unit not performed at an elite level? The easiest thing to say is they’re awful. It’s a Super Bowl hangover, and start finger-pointing.
It might be the case of the dreaded Super Bowl hangover, but the case of an underperforming Rams offense is injuries. LA has gone through six combinations on the offensive line in six games. That’s not in the cookbook for best recipes for a successful offense. Right tackle Rob Havenstein is the only starter on the o-line from last year’s championship team. LA has 12 players on injured reserve, five coming from the offensive line. Both are the most in the league.
Matthew Stafford has struggled for much of the year due to the lack of protection from a damaged o-line. His numbers have fallen compared to last season, while his sacks taken have risen. Being sacked 21 times compared to six a year ago, Stafford has very little time to make his reads. On top of that, he’s been hit 48 times. Posting a league-leading eight interceptions, Stafford has forced terrible throwing decisions due to the amount of pressure he’s faced.
Looking at Stafford’s splits for 2022, six of his eight interceptions have come on throws with less than 2.5 seconds in the pocket. It’s quite a contradiction upon further review because Stafford has thrown all of his touchdowns with less than 2.5 seconds in the pocket, with most of his yards coming in the same allotted time. With no run game to speak of and no protection for the 13-year veteran, Stafford has played better than most would in his situation. But due to his play dropping, he’s contributed to the Rams midseason grades being low.
Rams Midseason Grades- Defense:
On the other side of the ball, the Rams defense is hurting just as much as the offense, but somehow, they’ve played better. The pass rush has taken a step back, but overall; the Rams midseason grades for defense is a B+. The Rams defense ranks 17th in scoring and ranks at the bottom of the league in pressure rate, QB knockdowns, and sacks. But when it comes to the rushing attack, the Rams are near the top in the fewest yards allowed and fewest touchdowns allowed.
With the offensive struggles, we’ve seen the defense keep this team in games. However, the unit has a B+ because they haven’t gotten after the quarterback and have failed to get off the field in critical situations. A defense that has Bobby Wagner, Aaron Donald, and Jalen Ramsey should be able to generate more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. But there’s been games in which the pass rush is rendered neutralized, and teams have picked away on the defense.
This unit has shown out in the three wins and in the loss to division rivals, the San Francisco 49ers. In two of the three wins for LA, the Rams defense held the opposing team out of the endzone. The Arizona Cardinals settled for four field goals, while the Carolina Panthers came away with just three points on offense. LA’s defense has the talent and has shut down opposing teams, but we haven’t seen both units play together in unison. Those performances have contributed to the Rams midseason grades.
Final thoughts:
The Rams midseason grades hold no bearing on the rest of the season. Sitting with a 3-3 record through six games is perfect for an injury-riddled team. Coming out of their week seven bye, the Rams host the 49ers at home, followed by a playoff rematch against a struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers team and a divisional matchup with the Cardinals. Realistically with so many key players coming back, the Rams could be 6-4 by week 11.
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