[RAMMAN76]

Cameron DaSilva
September 16, 2024 1:11 pm PT

There are several things wrong with the Los Angeles Rams’ offense right now. They can’t run the ball with any sort of consistency, ranking 31st in rushing yards and yards per carry through two games.

When Matthew Stafford tries to throw the ball, he’s pressured quickly because the offensive line has struggled to protect him – even against a poor pass rush like the Cardinals’ unit on Sunday.

Trailing against both the Lions and Cardinals has something to do with it, making the offense one-dimensional and heavily skewed toward the pass, but the Rams need a solution to their current inefficiency. It especially won’t be easy to fix if Cooper Kupp misses time with an ankle injury.

One possible answer to the Rams’ problem is a shift toward more 12 personnel, which puts two tight ends, one running back and two receivers on the field together. Through two weeks, the Rams haven’t run a single play out of anything besides 11 personnel. The next-closest team is Cleveland, which has been in 11 personnel 85.5% of the time.

It might not be a bad idea to change that in Week 3 against the 49ers. The Rams took a similar approach in 2020 when they shifted away from 11 personnel and more toward 12 personnel, which yielded positive rushing performances of 119 and 186 yards against the Cardinals and Patriots that year.

For a team dealing with injuries along the offensive line and at wide receiver, it could be a perfect time to change philosophies and try to become a more physical team on the line of scrimmage.

They have three capable tight ends in Colby Parkinson, Hunter Long and Davis Allen (if healthy) to lean on, too.

Getting two tight ends on the field together would allow the Rams to chip edge rushers, hopefully making life easier for their tackles. It could also help seal off defenders on off-tackle runs to the outside, something that hasn’t worked through two weeks.

Under Sean McVay, the Rams have been able to use 11 personnel so heavily because they’ve always had a quality trio of receivers. They don’t have that right now with Puka Nacua out and Kupp possibly joining him on the shelf. Running the ball out of 11 personnel with Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson and Jordan Whittington or Tutu Atwell won’t come nearly as easily as it does with Kupp and Nacua blocking on the edge.

At least with two tight ends, the blocking up front should improve for Kyren Williams and the rushing attack, ideally sparking a ground game that has been non-existent for two games.

Much of this could hinge on Kupp’s health. If he’s good to go, the Rams can get away with still utilizing 11 personnel most of the time. If not, they should consider playing Parkinson and Long or Allen together because what they’ve done thus far has not worked.

The question I have is will McVay do it?

[BobCarl]

12 personnel

I'm all for it ... but not to establish the Run game ...rather to open up the Run game after setting the tone for establishing the passing to the TE game.

Sure Jourdan Rodriguez loves the play action (with apologies to Less Nessman and Chi Chi) ... but in my opinion, the 12 personnel is the modern-day play action.

The against the 12, the defense has no clue if it will be a run or a pass play, thus the defense will have to pause before rubbing the TE or rushing the gaps ... an extra 1/2 yard on every play.

McVay, before coming to the Rams, was the OC with the Washington team, and his reputation was established using TE's. I'm still waiting for McVay to go back to dancing with the girl he brought to the prom.

I still have hope for the Rams offense.

[ramsman34]

I don’t think he has a choice. He can’t run 11P with who he now has at WR. We saw it yesterday. They just aren’t as good or savvy at blocking the run game. And I agree with the effect 12P will have on a defense. Oir TEs can do some damage catching the ball as well. You have 4 WRs you can rotate at the 2 spots and you can motion a TE to an 11P look at any time. Or, from an 11 look to 12.


We will see if he does it. Or if he believes h can do it and it’s the best thing for who he has left to play.

[69RamFan]

I'm sure McVay will mix in the 12/PG, but he will still use the 11/PG,

It will all depend on how both RG/Bruss/317 & C/Limmer/312,

can handle the rush up the middle.

They are both light in weight, going between the center & right side.

Hopefully they worked on their strength over the camp and from last year on Bruss.

SF DT's wt are: 310, 305, 303, & 285

Plus, I feel, he will use Tutu more than the first two games,

using him on jet sweeps and the man in motion.

He played well at the end of the last game. 4 targets, 3 rec.

Where our other three WR are in the 205/wt range.

So, we should still see blocking schemes by them to help the run game.

[Elvis]

Jourdan was saying when Puka first got hurt, Rams could go to more 12 just because they like their TEs a lot but with Davis Allen hurt that probably complicated the situation. Some of this is semantics. In 11 personnel they run a lot of 12 type plays that depend on WR blocking similar to what a 2nd TE would do. So whether it's Whittington or Hunter Long, not sure there's much difference...

[69RamFan]

Jourdan was saying when Puka first got hurt, Rams could go to more 12 just because they like their TEs a lot but with Davis Allen hurt that probably complicated the situation. Some of this is semantics. In 11 personnel they run a lot of 12 type plays that depend on WR blocking similar to what a 2nd TE would do. So whether it's Whittington or Hunter Long, not sure there's much difference...

Exactly!!!

[ramsman34]

The problems is that none of the current WRs have a lot of reps in those 12 TE type blocking assignments. Kupp and Nacua did most of the motion, interior lead/removal blocking. Not saying they can’t. Just that they haven’t had to do it much.