The Los Angeles Rams didn’t wait until the second half of the season to turn things around this year.
A month ago, things looked bad for the Rams when they went into their bye week with a 1-4 record. Injuries had taken down their top two wide receivers, and their defense, under a new coordinator, was struggling to stop teams.
However, after winning three games in a row, the Rams (4-4) are on the upswing. Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua came back from injury, leading a refreshed offense, while Chris Shula’s defense became more competitive and started making bigger plays.
Even though the season is still not halfway done, things feel much better now compared to last year. In 2023, the Rams had a disappointing 3-6 first half, but they went on to win 7 of their last 8 games and made it into the playoffs.
Coach Sean McVay’s team is solving problems quickly again this season, but they are doing it in a way that looks more sustainable, thanks to the development of their young players in just eight games.
While the Rams have only won one game by more than one score—thanks to a last-minute safety that sealed a 10-point win over Minnesota—they have shown resilience late in games and the ability to make big plays when needed.
In Sunday’s 26-20 overtime win over Seattle, the Rams made some lucky but crucial plays, including two red zone interceptions by rookie Kam Kinchens, a 103-yard interception return for a touchdown by Kinchens, and a key defensive stop in overtime on the Rams’ 16-yard line. The game ended with Demarcus Robinson making a one-handed touchdown catch.
“There’s no style points in this league,” McVay said. “I think we want to do some things a lot cleaner. There’s going to be a lot of things we can learn from… It’s our job to adjust, and I think we were able to do that in the moments that mattered.”
The Rams knew that the year after Aaron Donald’s retirement would be a big change for the team, which had been built around Donald’s ability to dominate opposing offenses for the past decade.
The defense without Donald isn’t as strong, but it is getting better with a mix of young draft picks and veteran free agents. Even though teams are still gaining a lot of yards against them, the Rams’ defense has managed to score in four straight games, including three touchdowns and a safety.
At the halfway point of the season, the Rams don’t look like Super Bowl contenders. But after all the improvements they’ve made over the past month, it’s hard to say what their limits are, and it seems foolish to count out Coach McVay and his team.
McVay and Matthew Stafford can still throw the ball. After a slow start, the Rams have climbed to ninth in passing offense in the NFL, with McVay and Stafford adding excitement to the game plan, even after struggling without Kupp or Nacua. Demarcus Robinson has stepped up several times, and Tutu Atwell, though often overlooked, leads the Rams in receiving yards.
