The Los Angeles Rams have invested plenty of resources to revamp their defense this offseason. Now the question is whether the additions of Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson can finish as the best statistical defense of the Sean McVay era in 2026.
During the McVay era, Los Angeles has fielded some quality, though not exactly elite, statistical defenses, despite being largely anchored by Aaron Donald. Since the Rams coach took over in 2017, L.A. has finished as the NFL’s top defense once,
which came in 2020.
That season, the team finished atop the league in most defensive categories, including total defense (281.9 yards/game), passing defense (190.7 yards/game) and scoring defense (18.5 points/game). The defense also fared quite well against the run, ranking third, allowing 91.3 yards per game, and finished with the second-most sacks (53). Additionally, the Rams gave up 30+ points twice, the last coming in the Divisional Round loss to the Packers.
Outside of that top unit led by defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, here’s how the team has fared in the rankings in terms of yards and points allowed:
2017 (Wade Phillips) – 339.5 yards allowed per game, 19th in NFL; 329 points allowed (20.6 points/game), 12th in NFL
2018 (Wade Phillips) – 358.6 yards allowed per game, 19th in NFL; 384 points allowed (24.0 points/game), 20th in NFL
2019 (Wade Phillips) – 339.6 yards allowed per game, 13th in NFL; 364 points allowed (22.8 points/game), 17th in NFL
2021 (Raheem Morris) – 344,9 yards allowed per game, 17th in NFL; 372 points allowed (21.9 points/game), 15th in NFL
2022 (Raheem Morris) – 341.1 yards allowed per game, 19th in NFL; 384 points allowed (22.6 points/game), 21st in NFL
2023 (Raheem Morris) – 337.9 yards allowed per game, 20th in NFL; 377 points allowed (22.2 points/game), 19th in NFL
2024 (Chris Shula) – 353.1 yards allowed per game, 26th in NFL; 386 points allowed (22.7 points/game), 17th in NFL
2025 (Chris Shula) – 327.5 yards allowed per game, 17th in NFL; 346 points allowed (20,4 points/game), 10th in NFL
Statistically speaking, the defenses coached by Phillips and Morris were average at best. Though Morris’s units in 2022 and 2023 helped keep the team afloat as they dealt with injuries and then a transitional period highlighted by the team’s youth movement. His work those two seasons, especially ’23, helped land him the Falcons head coaching gig.
Things were more of the same statistically in Shula’s first season. However, he did not have the luxury of coaching the ultimate game-wrecker in Aaron Donald as Phillips and Morris had, as the future Hall of Famer retired before he took over. Shula’s unit was already on the uphill swing last season, and should be even better with Garrett, McDuffie and Watson now in the fold.
The Rams’ 2020 defense has been a hard act to follow, but the pieces are in place to not only finish as the league’s top defense, but to become the team’s best statistical unit of the McVay era. Whether L.A. can surpass those numbers this season remains to be seen, but given the offseason investments, this group appears to be well-equipped to give it their best shot.
