Rams Secret to Cooper Kupp Success: Bad Matchups
The Los Angeles Rams likely wouldn't have gotten far this past season without 2021 Offensive Player of the Year and triple-crown receiver Cooper Kupp.
But without the masterful offensive scheming from coach Sean McVay, Kupp may have not reached his record-breaking numbers either despite his all-world skill as a receiver.
According to a statistical study done by Pro Football Focus, Kupp had the highest percentage of routes run when covered by a linebacker in pass coverage last season at 21.3 percent. Even more impressive? Kupp's former teammate and recently-traded receiver, Robert Woods, was fifth on the list at 17.7 percent last season.
It doesn't take a professional offensive analyst to predict how many of these matchups ended up benefiting the LA offense last season.
In Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts, Kupp lined up in the backfield and ran a small wheel route that matched him up with the linebacker while the rest of the secondary was already in the end zone. The end result? Six points.
And in Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks, Kupp barely needed to have his eyes on the ball to complete a catch when matched up against another linebacker.
These are just two examples. But take a quick look at Kupp's highlights from this past season and you'll see a handful of times where a linebacker is struggling to keep up with him in short coverage, often leading to long catch-and-runs.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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