As NFL groups lock in for the upcoming season, excuse the Los Angeles Rams as they seek for the date of the bye week.
Whereas most groups are intent on incorporating new faces and one other 12 months of expertise into the combo, the Rams are extra interested by when they should hit the fuel pedal.
Head coach Sean McVay has one other Tremendous Bowl contender on his fingers, even when some wagering prognosticators record them across the ninth or tenth greatest choice to win a second title in 5 seasons.
The Rams aren’t the horny decide to win all of it. They’ve stars like Matthew Stafford at quarterback and Puka Nacua at extensive receiver. However Aaron Donald has been gone for a full season, and Cooper Kupp is now with the rival Seattle Seahawks.
And whereas getting off to a quick begin is the objective for a lot of, the Rams are the thoroughbred in search of a cushty spot by way of the primary two turns — intent on making their transfer towards the tip of the backstretch earlier than discovering a gap on the rail or going 4 extensive to chase down the sphere.
The Rams underneath McVay stress the preseason however have by no means burdened over it — a minimum of the video games anyway. During the last two seasons, they’ve handled the beginning of the schedule because the time to determine their pluses and minuses.
In 2023, the Rams have been simply 3-6 on the bye week and written off as a staff wanting extra towards the draft. Stafford missed the final of these first 9 video games — a loss to the Inexperienced Bay Packers — with an elbow harm.
After the bye, although, the Rams went 7-1 and pushed the Detroit Lions to the brink within the wild-card spherical of the playoffs, and on the street no much less.
In 2024, it was one other ugly begin with Nacua and Kupp nursing accidents. The Rams have been 1-4 on the bye however went 9-3 down the stretch, crushed the Minnesota Vikings within the wild-card spherical and took the Philadelphia Eagles to the restrict within the divisional spherical, once more on the street.
Higher generally known as the day Saquon Barkley had a monster, chest-thumping day working by way of the snow for the Eagles, the Rams noticed issues in a different way.
On a day they allowed a humbling 285 yards dashing — 205 of that to Barkley alone — the Rams nonetheless discovered their approach to the Philadelphia 18-yard line on second down with 1:19 remaining and an opportunity to advance. A sack and two incompletions ended their season.
They have been a manageable landing go away from a date with the Washington Commanders at dwelling within the NFC Championship recreation. A win there would have created a full head of steam and a date towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs within the Tremendous Bowl.
So whereas the Chiefs enter the season seeking to shore up particulars from their Tremendous Bowl loss to the Eagles as a way to win all of it once more, the Rams are quietly doing the identical factor.
Key to the boldness in Los Angeles is a dynamic younger protection that emerged from the shadow of Donald’s departure. The go rush is relentless with Byron Younger, Jared Verse and Braden Fiske. The run protection? Not a lot.
Additionally very important is the well being of the 37-year-old Stafford, who has barely participated in preseason practices with an aggravated disk in his again. He doesn’t play in preseason video games anyway and already is aware of the offense in addition to anyone.
Positive, he may have used extra time to get in sync with new extensive receiver Davante Adams. Or perhaps that’s what the pre-bye schedule affords.
Alaric Jackson stays a query mark early at left deal with after coping with blood clots, whereas Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Kevin Dotson and Rob Havenstein anchor the go safety and run-blocking schemes.
The working again place is a power with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. Williams simply agreed to a three-year, $33 million contract extension following a Professional Bowl look in 2023 and an Eleventh-place end in offensive participant of the 12 months voting final season.
But it’s Stafford who holds the keys — figuring out he can red-line the engine early, or go into fuel-saving mode because the season will get underway.
“He appears to be like just like the stud that we all know,” McVay stated of Stafford, earlier than shifting to a extra cautious tone whereas speaking about Stafford making all of his progressions in his return to the sphere.
“I do know he’s doing every thing he can to take nice care of himself,” McVay stated.
Success after the bye week this season relies on it.
