Rams must fix offensive-line issues to make turnaround

By Eric D. Williams
FOX Sports NFC West Writer

With a constant turnstile along the offensive line limiting his team’s production, Rams coach Sean McVay is running out of options.

The defending Super Bowl champs have struggled mightily to protect Pro Bowl quarterback Matthew Stafford, who has been sacked a league-high 21 times. The consistent pressure has contributed to Stafford’s NFL-high 10 turnovers, tied with Colts QB Matt Ryan.

Stafford has more interceptions (seven) than touchdown passes (five) through five games for the first time since 2015. According to Pro Football Focus, the Rams have allowed the most pressures through five games this season (84) after allowing the seventh-fewest all last season (144).

Cowboys’ defense dominates Rams

The Cowboys forced two fumbles, blocked a punt and had an interception in their 22-10 victory over the Rams, who were held to just 38 rushing yards.

The Rams have faced three of the top defenses this season in losses to the Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys. However, lack of continuity up front has been L.A.’s main issue. The Rams have started five different offensive line combinations in five games and nine different starting offensive linemen overall.

The changes up front began when Pro Bowl left tackle Andrew Whitworth announced his retirement after the Super Bowl victory in March. The Rams also lost starting right guard Austin Corbett to the Carolina Panthers in free agency.

The Rams drafted Logan Bruss in the third round to replace Corbett, but he suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee during a preseason game and was lost for his rookie season.

Pro Bowl center Brian Allen was brought back on a new deal but suffered a knee injury in the team’s season opener that required a procedure to fix. Allen could be back after L.A.’s bye week following this Sunday’s game against Carolina.

Allen’s replacement, Coleman Shelton, moved from right guard to starting center but suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 4 loss to the 49ers. Shelton was placed on injured reserve and will be out four to six weeks. Third-string center Jeremiah Kolone took over for Shelton.

Shelton’s replacement at right guard, Tremayne Anchrum Jr., suffered a fractured fibula in his first career start, Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons, and is done for the year. Alaric Jackson replaced Anchrum in the starting lineup.

And finally, left guard David Edwards suffered his second concussion in two weeks during the fourth quarter of L.A.’s loss to the Cowboys last week, being replaced by Bobby Evans. Edwards remains in concussion protocol and his availability is in question for Sunday.

Left tackle Joe Noteboom signed a three-year, $40 million deal to replace Whitworth this offseason. Noteboom has started every game but has missed snaps due to a strained MCL injury suffered in Week 1 and has given up a team-high five sacks, according to Pro Football Focus.

The only L.A. offensive lineman who has played every snap this season is right tackle Rob Havenstein. The Rams’ co-captain said the offensive line had a closed door, players-only meeting Monday after film study to hash out some of the group’s issues.

“I’d say we lost a little bit of the foundation we’ve had success with over the years, whether it’s communication, effort or technique,” Havenstein said. “Some of that has been slipping. There were a handful of plays [Sunday] that just can’t happen. That’s inexcusable stuff. … The only good thing is that it’s early enough in the season that we can get back to work and still write the script the way we want it. But that’s a mindset thing that we’ve got to change.”

The carousel along the offensive line has led to poor production in McVay’s usually explosive offense. The Rams are averaging just 16 points per game, No. 28 in the NFL, and 300 yards a game in total offense, No. 26 in the league.

The 80 points scored by L.A. through five games is the fifth-fewest ever by a reigning Super Bowl champ in the first five games of its title defense. The first four teams missed the playoffs after Super Bowl wins.

The Rams have just one touchdown in their past nine quarters and are averaging a league-low 62.4 yards per game on the ground.

The team’s philosophy of giving up top picks for high-end skill players such as Jalen Ramsey, Von Miller and Stafford might be coming back to bite the Rams. They don’t have the younger, developmental players through the draft to replenish overall depth on the roster.

According to Over the Cap, the Rams were 30th in offensive line spending this year and No. 27 last season.

Former NFL offensive line coach Paul Alexander has been in this situation before. He says there’s no quick solution for the Rams.

“You get a lot of injuries and player movement in free agency and so forth with a new group in there, and the only answer is to work through it,” Alexander told FOX Sports. “That’s not what people want to hear, but it’s a reality. You grind and guys get more and more comfortable with each other.

“They did a nice job in my opinion of trying to run all sorts of max protections to help out — chips, receivers in there and tight ends blocking with the back helping. It’s just hard to put it all together. Unfortunately, this is the ‘No Excuse League.'”

As expected, McVay is not making any excuses. L.A.’s coach said he will keep all options open, including bringing in new players, and vowed to get the problem fixed during practice this week.

Earlier this season, the Rams brought in two experienced offensive linemen in Oday Aboushi and veteran center Matt Skura, but so far neither has seen the field.

“We’ve been at our best when there is an identity but enough versatility to be able to alleviate stress off some of your core concepts,” McVay said. “And it takes all 11. It has been a challenge because we’ve never had the same guys up front. We’ve had backs that haven’t really practiced. We’re trying to get a bunch of different things going.

“All of which is an excuse that is just for what I think is weak-minded people. I’m not going to make them. But we’ve got to keep swinging.”

Havenstein echoed those sentiments.

“I think it comes down to a mindset thing,” he said. “Physical mistakes are going to happen, but our mindset the last couple games hasn’t been right. And it’s something we’re going to address at practice.”

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.