2019 Record - 9-7-0
Head Coach - Sean McVay
New Players in 2020 - Leonard Floyd (LB), A'Shawn Robinson
(DL)
Players opting out for 2020 season (COVID-19) - Chandler Brewer (OL)
OFFENSE - Jared Goff is the quarterback and last season passed for 4,638 yards along with 22 touchdowns and 16 interceptions while scoring two rushing touchdowns. His backup is John Wolford.
The wide receivers include Robert Woods, who had 90 receptions for 1,134 yards and two touchdowns while Cooper Kupp (94, 1,161, ten TD) and Josh Reynolds (21, 326, one TD). Rookie Van Jefferson (Florida) will get an opportunity as well. The tight ends are Tyler Higbee (69, 734, three TD) and Gerald Everett, who made 37 catches for 408 yards and two scores.
The Rams will have a new set of running backs this season as main man Todd Gurley signed a free agent contract with Atlanta. Rookie Cam Akers (Florida State) was the top draft pick for Los Angeles and he will be given the chance to earn the spot. Malcolm Brown (255 rushing yards, 3.7 ypc average and five TD) brings some experience with him and Darrell Henderson, Jr. is also available.
DEFENSE - Aaron Donald (12 1/2 QB sacks) leads the way up front at the tackle spot along with A'Shawn Robinson and defensive end Michael Brockers, who registered three sacks last year. The linebackers will be Samson Ebukam (4 1/2 sacks) and Justin Lawler on the outside and Leonard Floyd (three sacks with Chicago) and Micah Kiser inside. Rookie Terrell Lewis (Alabama) will get his chance to play as well.
The secondary has Jalen Ramsey and Troy Hill playing cornerback while Josh Johnson III (two interceptions) and Taylor Rapp play the safety spots. Adding depth are David Long, Jr., Darious Williams (two INT), Jake Gervase, Nick Scott and perhaps rookie Terrell Burgess (Utah).
Los Angeles gave up 340 yards per game last season to finish 13th in total defense. The Rams run defense was 19th (113 YPG) and the pass defense was twelfth (227 YPG) along with allowing 22.8 points per game. The Rams totaled 50 quarterback sacks and had 13 interceptions.
OUTLOOK FOR 2020 - The Rams had a roller coaster type season in 2019 and missed the playoffs after making the Super Bowl two years ago. Head Coach Sean McVay took some of the heat as the team became very one dimensional with the offense.
The Rams scored 24.6 points per game and finished seventh in total offense, gaining 375 yards per game, but the pass offense accounted for nearly 70 percent of the yardage last season, gaining 281 YPG while the running game only managed 94 yards per game, which was 26th overall.
The O-Line did a good job protecting Goff, who was sacked just 22 times (in 648 drop backs) last season, but the team struggled to put together a solid rushing attack. If the new tandem of Akers, Brown and Henderson can deliver, it would really help the Rams as they look to push San Francisco and Seattle in the NFC West division.
A lot of skeptics claim the "window of opportunity" is fast closing on the Rams and with a young and improving Arizona team also in the NFC West, might the Rams finish in last place this year? That's a stretch, but with the COVID-19 situation around and not a lot of normalcy in training camps this year, teams will be more susceptible to injuries and the Rams cannot afford that, especially at the quarterback position.
As long as the defense plays consistently and the running game improves, the Rams will be in most games this season. They both won and lost three one-score games in 2019 and they were also 3-3 when it came to blowout wins and losses. Avoiding injuries and playing consistently will determine whether or not the Rams return to the playoffs this year.
TEAM SCHEDULE
Week One - vs. Dallas
Week Two - at Philadelphia
Week Three - at Buffalo
Week Four - vs. N.Y. Giants
Week Five - at Washington
Week Six - at San Francisco
Week Seven - vs. Chicago
Week Eight - at Miami
Week Nine - BYE
Week Ten - vs. Seattle
Week Eleven - at Tampa Bay
Week Twelve - vs. San Francisco
Week Thirteen - at Arizona
Week Fourteen - vs. New England
Week Fifteen - vs. N.Y. Jets
Week Sixteen - at Seattle
Week Seventeen - vs. Arizona
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