Turf Show Times
Throughout the Sean McVay era, the Los Angeles Rams have added twists within the offense in-season, but that’s all they’ve ever been. McVay has utilized 12 personnel before, but only when the matchup dictated it. The Rams used six offensive linemen back in 2021 while managing injuries. In 2022, the Rams used Ben Skowronek as a fullback and had success.
When the Rams rolled out 13 personnel against the Jacksonville Jaguars, many would have thought that it was just another twist. The Rams were without Puka Nacua and the Jaguars were without linebacker Devin Lloyd. It made sense to use 13 personnel to get the Jaguars in their base defense.
However, the Rams took what they did against the Jaguars in 13 personnel and expanded on it against the Saints. Against the Saints, 35 of the Rams’ 77 plays came out of 13 personnel. Their 45.7 percent usage rate of 13 personnel was the highest of any game in the last decade. The Rams have taken the 12 personnel that they began to utilize early in the season and expanded it into 13 personnel.
When the Rams were in 12 personnel, teams still had the ability to match them in nickel. However, unless defenses are going to concede in the run game, it forces teams to get into their base defense, especially on early downs. This gives the Rams severe mismatches, especially in the passing game.
Last week, the Rams were able to get Terrance Ferguson matched up on a linebacker in Dennis Gardeck. The result was Ferguson winning vertically down the field and scoring a touchdown. On the play below, the Rams are facing 2nd-and-6. That down and distance are important as this is a run or passing situation for the offense. Because of that, the Saints have to be ready for both, and therefore must match in base. The Rams go play action and Terrance Ferguson finds the hole in the zone for a big play.
What’s really been interesting about how the Rams use 13 personnel is how they are marrying it with what they already do out of 11 personnel. The Rams aren’t completely shifting what they do on offense and instead inserting bigger bodies where a wide receiver would be.
In the play below, the Rams are using all three tight ends condensed on one side of the field. They shift Davis Allen over and he blocks through the B-gap. That’s essentially what the Rams would typically have Puka Nacua or Jordan Whittington do in that situation. Instead, the Rams are using a tight end there and in this case, Davis Allen.
It is worth noting just how good of a blocker Allen has been this season. Against the Saints, he ranked third in run-blocking among tight ends and he’s sixth on the season. Allen has taken the step forward that many thought he might take last season. The third-year tight end has been an important piece of the offense, especially as the Rams look...
