LOS ANGELES — An important factor to the Rams’ surprise run to the playoffs last season was capitalizing on scoring opportunities. When they got inside the red zone, the Rams scored a touchdown 60.34% of the time.
During their 1-3 start to this season, it’s been a different story. That red zone touchdown rate has dropped to 41.18% through four games, 28th in the 32-team NFL entering their Week 5 game against the Green Bay Packers (2-2).
That area will be a focus for the Rams as they go about practice this week.
“You do, but you can’t let the other stuff fall by the wayside,” McVay said Wednesday when asked if he would spend more time on red zone situations in practice this week. “That will be a big point of emphasis. But figuring out the right spots, that’s something that we get to a little bit later in the week. But that will be something that we will have an added emphasis on because it’s cost us so far this year.”
In their three losses this season, the Rams are 4 for 12 in scoring touchdowns in the red zone. The reasons for the shortcomings vary by possession. Sometimes it’s missed blocks in the running game. Other times, it’s a sack or penalty that drives the offense. Sometimes it’s as simple as a miscommunication in the passing game.
Take last weekend’s 24-18 loss to the Chicago Bears. In their first red zone trip, the Rams faced third-and-3 from the Chicago 18. Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw a ball in the direction of tight end Colby Parkinson, who had already run out of bounds and could not legally make a play on the ball. The pass was intercepted, only to be overturned because safety Jaquan Brisker had stepped out of bounds, too.
The second squandered opportunity came because receiver Tutu Atwell was called for offensive pass interference on a screen play to Parkinson, an error that McVay blamed on his own play call. The third red zone trip was undone by three passing plays from inside the Bears’ 10, only one of which was successful, and for only 2 yards gained.
“We just need to execute the plays that are called a little bit better,” Stafford said. “You go back and look at the tape, and there’s opportunities to either get ourselves in more favorable positions on third down in the red zone or put the ball in the end zone.”
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“It hasn’t been just that game,” McVay added. “We’ve been in the red area a lot, but there’s a lot of different reasons. Sometimes it’s the run, sometimes it’s the execution of the pass, sometimes it’s recognizing a blitz and where’s our quick element throw. The field shortens, the margin for error gets that much smaller. And so ultimately we have to do a better job.”
NOTES
Wide receiver Demarcus Robinson (groin) was limited in practice on Wednesday.
Defensive tackle Larrell Murchison (arm) and cornerback Darious Williams (hamstring) returned to practice on Wednesday after missing the first four games of the season on injured reserve. Williams was designated for return, but McVay said he still needs to see how practice goes this week before deciding if either will play against the Packers.
“I think it’s really just them looking like themselves, and them being able to just go cut it loose and play the way that you need to be able to play when you’re playing in a real full-speed game,” McVay said. “There’s nothing quite like getting out here on the grass in these competitive settings.”
