Rams OT Andrew Whitworth compares 3-1 start to Super Bowl season
At 3-1 through the first four games, the Los Angeles Rams have the same, identical record through the first quarter of the season as they did last year.
However, veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth believes this year’s version of the Rams is much better equipped to make a deep playoff run than the 2019 version that finished 9-7 and on the outside looking in when it came to the postseason.
“You’ve seen a little bit of a lot of the things that you would want to see,” Whitworth said. “You’ve seen a big-time comeback in Buffalo. You’ve seen us dominate offensively in Philly and pull away in that game, and against Dallas start off fast the way we did.
“So I think you’ve seen a little bit of everything offensively. And then as a team, you’ve kind of seen that defensively, too. You’ve seen all the different things in games where you’ve had to make stands, and they have. Without an unfortunate penalty in Buffalo, they really have done it every time.
“I think it’s one of those things as a team, we feel good about the first quarter. I know this: last year I think we were similar at 3-1, this feels like an entirely different 3-1 to me. So that’s what I do feel good about.”
Whitworth went on to compare this year’s team and the resiliency they have shown late in games to the Rams advancing to the Super Bowl after the 2018 regular season.
“In our Super Bowl year and one of the best years we had -- and one of the better teams I’ve been around for sure -- you really look at that season and it wasn’t always picture perfect at the end,” Whitworth said. “In a lot of those games we were clawing it out at the end, finding a way to win, catching a big break and doing the most with it. … And I think we’ve showed that in all four games (this year). Regardless of our record, we’re going to be in it, and we’re going to find a way to try and win it.”
Through four games, the Rams have done a good job of playing complementary football. The Rams are tied for No. 14 in the NFL in points scored (25.6 points per game) and No. 6 in the NFL in points allowed (20 points per game).
They have a plus-1 turnover differential and have played their best football when it matters most, outscoring opponents 35-13 in the fourth quarter. L.A.’s 12 sacks is tied for fifth in the NFL.
While they have played solid, Rams head coach Sean McVay also knows his team can play better.
“We have found a way to win three games in three different ways,” McVay said. “I have seen contributions and I’ve seen improvements steadily from our team. I’ve seen a defense that is capable of giving real problems. I think we’ve played outstanding in the second half of games.
“And then I’ve seen an offense that is capable of being efficient down in and down out. Even when we weren’t efficient at all, we found a way to make a play when we had to, in a game that the defense really did carry a lot of the momentum throughout. And so, that’s what I’m encouraged about. I expect us to just continue to improve, but there’s a resolve, there’s a feeling about this team that I do feel good about. And, you know, those are good feelings right now, but we’ve got a long way to go.”
