Which Rams players need to see more action?

After running their opening game record to 7-2 under Head Coach Sean McVay, the Los Angeles Rams will hit the road for Week 2, jaunting cross country to take on the Tennessee Titans in Nashville. No true Rams fan can forget the “Greatest Show on Turf” edition knocking off the Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV back in 2000.

Most fans are satisfied with L.A.’s Week 1 win over the Houston Texans 14-9. It was a tight battle of two good defenses against inconsistent offenses, with enough surprises and fireworks plays to keep it exciting until the very end. But there were some surprises on the snap count chart, players who didn’t get as much time on the field or have as much relevance on the outcome as expected. And with a disappointing first injury report now out, Who will see more action in Week 2?

Offense

Running back Blake Corum

The Rams preseason plan to lighten the running game load on Kyren Williams did not come to fruition. Maybe it was just how the first game unfolded, but Corum had a mere 10 offensive snaps and only two touches. With such a small sample, it’s hard to make a defensible judgement on his play. Like him or not, Williams was Williams, often making lemonade out blocking lemons ahead of him, but they are regularly smaller portions, sips, not gulps.

In their opening week loss, L.A.’s next opponent, the Tennessee Titans, gave up 151 yards at a 5.0 clip per carry. On film, they appeared to have a fairly decent run defense and better suited to stop the tougher, lunch-pail style back (JK Dobbins), while giving up some ground to the darting, change-of-pace player (rookie RJ Harvey).

As an aside, in short yardage and particularly near the goal line, the Rams will likely need to attack off tackle or use some kind of longer developing lead plays to run up the middle. Quarterback sneaks with Matthew Stafford behind Coleman Shelton are not the high percentage plays most might think, Shelton is not big and strong enough to drive nose tackles off the line. Run to the strong side and get those big tackles going downhill

Wide receiver Jordan Whittington

Wide receiver Tutu Atwell

It’s not that they didn’t see much on-field action, Whittington saw 50 percent of offensive snaps (30), while Atwell garnered 42 percent (25). While Whittington did indeed cause a bit of a stir with his special teams play, the duo was limited to two offensive touches. Atwell caught his only target, a short four-yard out pattern, while Whittington had single jet sweep run for five yards. Not much output out of the WR#3 and #4 slots.

A couple of things on the output of the wide receivers as a whole. If the Rams cannot shore up the pass protection, at least to the point of consistent, expect Matthew Stafford to sit back and read the field less, staying in a timing/rhythm mode to make quicker, one-read decisions....