Turf Show Times
After a start that could best be described as hot and cold, the Los Angeles Rams offense showed the Jacksonville Jaguars (and the rest of the NFL) that they were capable of an efficient four-quarter effort. The finishing stats weren’t gaudy, but the Rams, for the first time this season, controlled the flow of the game from start to finish in a 35-7 win.
The bye week offers a good time to review and discuss, not only where the Rams have been, but also where they’re going. Using the snap chart as guide, I’ll offer my thoughts on the offense and members of the forum community can set me straight, agree, or expand on the first seven games.
With Matthew Stafford (450, 99.3%) playing so well, the debate over who will succeed him has cooled. After all, he’s under contract for 2026 and there’s little room for contract drama about guaranteed money. According to overthecap.com, he will have $40 mil vested on the fifth day of the 2026 league year. How well has Staff played? Sparkling, to say the least. He’s in the Top 10 of almost all statistical passing categories and more importantly, his 17 : 2 touchdown to interception ratio signifies how well he’s protecting the ball. Jimmy Garappolo (3, .66%) had a couple of mop up snaps vs Jacksonville, his only action of the season.
Not much difference from the past two years in this unit. Kyren Williams (337, 74.4%) is the lead dog and will handle 60-70 percent of the carries as well. His vision and toughness between the tackles make him a fit into the McVay run scheme Where there is some difference is how the Rams are using him as a receiver. KWill is on pace for 50 catches, highest for an L.A. back since the heyday of Todd Gurley (2017-18). Still mostly check downs and short circle routes, but a departure from the past just the same.
Rookie Jarquez Hunter (0, 0%) has only been activated for five of the seven games and last week, Ronnie Rivers (0, 0%) was elevated off the practice squad to be RB#3. Neither have seen any action on offense and limited to a handful of special teams reps. With Rivers, that’s not a surprise, it’s what his career has been built on, but the preseason/camp love that the Rams coaching was heaping on Hunter was obviously just a fleeting summer romance.
That leaves Blake Corum (108, 23.8%). He shown some flashes of potential, looking particularly strong off tackle and out in space, but appears to lack some of the “A gap” toughness that Rams run scheme demands. He’s already at his snap count from last year and the offensive braintrust seems confident in his use. As the season progresses, Corum is on a pace to run for 500 yards, if he can show consistency catching the ball as well, he’ll be a solid RB#2.
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