In 2025, the Los Angeles Rams had the NFL's No. 1 passing offense, and with a full training camp and preseason to prepare, many believed the team's efficient aerial attack would continue in 2026.
It didn't, as the San Francisco 49ers shut them down in Melbourne, Australia. The Rams scored the fewest points of any team in Week 1, with Matthew Stafford going 15 of 25 passing for 155 yards and one interception. Puka Nacua and Davante Adams were grounded, and outside of one major play for Nacua, no one made an impact on the receiving scoresheet.
The good news is that it was just one game – halfway across the globe – and with a home contest coming up, the Rams should be getting back to their best. Head coach Sean McVay is demanding it, as he highlighted
their passing inefficiency as a point of emphasis this week.
“The lack of efficiency and effectiveness in the pass game prevented us from getting any continuity," McVay said on Monday. "We weren't able to sustain drives. We weren't efficient on the conversion downs. There are a lot of things that we could really go through there, but the big area of focus improvement will be in regard to the pass game and some of the different things that we can do collectively. And like I told you, it always starts with me.”
McVay's play calling was scrutinized as the Rams took many downfield shots while under siege from a suffocating 49ers pass rush. Stafford was rushed all day and the team's pass catchers also failed to get open quickly enough. The rushing attack was working, but when the team attempted to take advantage with the pass, the continual letdowns stalled promising drives.
With the New York Giants and their strong defensive line awaiting them on Monday night, the Rams will have to make changes quickly. Fortunately, they had a long weekend to rest up before getting back to work.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams making the pass game a 'big area of focus' after Week 1 letdown
