If you’re looking for silver linings with the Los Angeles currently 1-2 and tied for last place in the NFC West, you probably won’t find them in this week’s grades from Pro Football Focus (PFF). Sunday night’s loss to the Denver Broncos was heartbreaking all around.
LA is short-handed. Usually reliable contributors are not performing up to their individual standards.
The Rams desperately need someone to step up and alter the course of the season. So far that hasn’t happened. The team will seemingly
continue on this unfortunate trajectory with upcoming tough games against the Eagles, Bills, better-than-expected Cardinals, and the 3-0 Raiders.
What can we glean from Sunday night’s shortcomings?
Top five grades on offense
1 – Kyren Williams, RB: 85.0
Williams rushed 15 times for 88 yards. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry. He also added six catches for 70 yards through the air.
The only thing he did wrong was not carry the ball more, and that is on the offensive play caller. The Rams were quick to shift away from the run and it didn’t play out in their favor.
2 – Tyler Higbee, TE: 81.0
Higbee received a large workload with both Terrance Ferguson and Colby Parkinson limited because of injury. The veteran tight end caught eight of his 11 targets for 62 yards and a score.
It’s nice that, even when short-handed, the Rams can turn to a quality and dependable tight end like Higbee. He’s probably not someone you want to run your offense through, however.
3 – Warren McClendon, RT: 69.5
While McClendon led the offensive line in PFF grading, it wasn’t a clean night for the right tackle. He allowed seven pressures in pass protection and was flagged two times. Kevin Dotson was the lowest performer of the group with three pressures.
4 – Davante Adams, WR: 68.0
Adams received the highest target total on offense with 13, although he finished behind Higbee in catches with seven. The veteran ripped off 137 yards in a tough matchup against Patrick Surtain. 52 of Adams’ yards came after the catch point. He dropped one pass.
5 – Konata Mumpfield, WR: 65.9
Second-year receiver Konata Mumpfield came out of nowhere to catch a 48-yard wide open touchdown when his team needed him the most. Mumpfield caught four of his eight targets for 93 yards. He also dropped one pass.
Other notes on offense
Matthew Stafford finished with a grade of 60.0, which was ninth on the offense overall.
Through three weeks, Stafford is PFF’s 27th quarterback in offensive grade and 24th in passing grade. Interceptions have been a major concern. He’s tied for second in the NFL with four behind Drake Maye.
More concerning is that the Rams offense has found very little success on the deep ball. Stafford is just 5/13 for 194 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions—good for a PFF passing grade of 58.3. That ranks him 30th in the NFL.
How do we explain Stafford’s drop off from last season? Is this late-career decline? Could there be something systemically wrong with LA’s approach?
No matter, the Rams need Matthew Stafford to perform better and fast.
Top five grades on defense
1 – Omar Speights, MLB: 89.8
Speights earned an impressive sack on Bo Nix that came at an opportune time. He notched two pressures on six pass rushing attempts. His run defense grade of 90.3 led the defense and he recorded two stops.
2 – Jaylen Watson, CB: 83.5
Watson played only 20 snaps before injuring his shoulder and exiting the game. The Rams defense had the Broncos bottled up until that point, and there was a clear drop off when his replacements came in.
LA must cross their fingers that Watson doesn’t miss much time moving forward.
3 – Josh Wallace, CB: 78.7
Put the controversial defensive pass interference call aside, Josh Wallace was still stingy in coverage. He allowed a single catch on three targets for 27 yards and caught an interception on a pass disrupted by Kobie Turner. If Watson misses time, Wallace should be the next man up.
4 – Quentin Lake, DB: 78.4
Lake allowed three catches on four targets, but he minimized the damage in terms of yards with 15. He’s started the season off well and added another two pass break ups in this game.
5 – Byron Young, EDGE: 77.4
Young led the Rams with seven pressures. The next closest total was two and there were four players: Speights, Aaron Donald, Josaiah Stewart, and Braden Fiske. Kobie Turner and Tyler Davis each had one.
That production isn’t good enough. All attention will be on slowing down Young while Myles Garrett is out. Someone else needs to step up.
Other notes on defense
It wasn’t the best night for Trent McDuffie, although he faced a tough matchup in Jaylen Waddle. McDuffie finished eighth in defensive grading and allowed two passes on five targets for 48 yards with a pass break up.
Nate Landman earned a coverage grade of 62.9 but allowed a passing touchdown on his lone target.
