LOS ANGELES — On a second-and-1 during Sunday’s loss to the Chicago Bears, the Rams called one of their standard duo running plays. It would be up to the offensive line to overpower the first level of the Bears’ defense, then for running back Kyren Williams to read the second level and make his move.
Williams found himself alone against safety Jaquan Brisker, one-on-one. And while Williams picked up 3 yards and the first down, he couldn’t help but feel like he left some meat on the bone.
“I felt as if there were opportunities where I could have hit the vertical seams in the defenses and I kind of bailed them out,” Williams said Thursday. “If I just step on [Brisker’s] toes, press him and break to the left I’m running in green grass. So just little things like that where as a running back I left some yards out there that I gotta go get back this week.”
Williams’ critical evaluation began in the immediate aftermath of the Bears game, which also happened to be his best statistical performance of the young season. He rushed 19 times for a season-high 94 yards.
He rushed for 4.9 yards per carry, the first time he’s cracked 4.0 yards per rush this year after doing so in 10 consecutive games to close the 2023 season. And it was the first time this year the Rams (1-3) have rushed for more than 100 yards in a game collectively.
“It was a step in the right direction,” offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said. “It started out there on the practice field about two weeks ago, how we started getting going in the run game against San Francisco, took a step last week and we’ll see if we can continue.”
Perhaps this shouldn’t come as a surprise, given Weeks 3-4 were the first time this season the Rams have had the same offensive line on the field for consecutive games. Williams could see the benefits of that consistency as he watched blocks unfold in front of him in Chicago.
“I was seeing that like I had Blu-ray vision. I was getting the ball, pressing it and seeing just exactly where I needed to go,” Williams said. “Hats off to the O-linemen and them doing their job and them staying connected on their blocks and expecting the movement that we expected and them handling it well. They just allowed me to do that thing.”
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Now, Williams wants to take his own performance to the next level this weekend against the Green Bay Packers (2-2). No more missed opportunities, now that the line is back on level ground and he has a better understanding of defenses are playing the Rams this year.
“That’s my main focus is just attacking people in space, not bailing them out and making them tackle me one-on-one,” Williams said. “I feel like if we can average five yards a play running the ball, running duos specifically, we’re in good shape. That’s something that we did very well last week and we gotta keep on doing it.”
BRIEFLY
Rams cornerback Darious Williams (hamstring) was upgraded to a full participant in practice on Thursday after being limited Wednesday in his first practice since he was designated to return from injured reserve. Defensive end Larrell Murchison (arm) did not practice Thursday after being limited on Wednesday.
Receiver Demarcus Robinson (groin) was a full participant Thursday after being limited on Wednesday.
