Confidence Meter: Why Matthew Stafford, Rams Offense Can Bounce Back vs. Giants

While a lot of the focus following the Los Angeles Rams’ loss to the San Francisco 49ers has been on the defense, that has arguably overshadowed the biggest issue from the performance, which was the offense.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford said it best after the game, noting that the offense only had two good drives. “We didn't play well enough,” said Stafford. “Only had probably two good drives, to be honest with you, the entire day. One of them ends up in a touchdown.”

Rams Offense Gives Plenty of Reason for Concern

The Rams averaged -0.29 EPA per play on offense against the 49ers and went 2-for-9 on third downs. For as bad as the defense might have been, the offense and passing game were worse. Stafford had his worst performance in a game since 2018. At the half, he had completed just 4-for-11 passes. The offense as a whole averaged 5.1 yards per play. The Miami Dolphins with Malik Willis at quarterback averaged more.

“The lack of efficiency and effectiveness in the pass game prevented us from getting any continuity. We weren't able to sustain drives,” said head coach Sean McVay. “There are a lot of things that we could really go through there, but the big area of focus improvement will be in regard to the pass game and some of the different things that we can do collectively.”

Rams Offense Had Few Excuses in Week 1

While the Rams certainly won’t resort to excuses, the defense can at least point to Myles Garrett not being 100 percent. The offense and passing game doesn’t have the same benefit of the doubt. Coming into the game, the offensive line was healthy and they played well. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum had a 48.3 percent rushing success rate, which ranked eighth in Week 1. There was no excuse for the offense.

If the Rams are going to survive without Garrett on the defensive side of the ball, they need the offense to do its part. That’s not something they did against the 49ers. The defense may have given up two back-breaking drives in the second half, but the offense was completely shutout after trailing by three at halftime. If the offense is able to punch it in from the one-yard line, it might have been a different game.

In a way, the performance against the 49ers might have been the wake-up call that the Rams needed and somewhat of a perfect storm. As optimistic as the Rams might have been about traveling to Australia a little more than 24 hours before the game, it may not have been the best approach, especially with a 38-year-old quarterback. Since then, the focus has been on the Giants and Week 2.

Giants Matchup Provides Reason for Optimism

With 11 days to look inward and prepare for the New York Giants on Monday Night Football, there are some reasons for optimism. After only scoring seven points in the opener, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a much more focused and efficient performance from the offense. For starters, it won’t hurt that the Rams won’t be going up against a Raheem Morris defense.

After leaving the Rams for a head coaching job, Morris seems to have his former team’s number. Stafford’s worst game last season came against a Morris led defense as he threw three interceptions and had a 64.5 passer rating. There was more context in that game as Alaric Jackson was out at left tackle, but it still wasn’t a great game from Stafford.

The Dallas Cowboys may have lost to the Giants last week, but their offense moved the ball well. They averaged 0.18 EPA per play, which was the sixth-highest for the week. While it may have been against a less-talented defense, the Rams scored 33 points last year against Wilson’s Titans in Week 2. Stafford threw for 298 yards in that game while wide receiver Davante Adams had six receptions for 106 yards.

Confidence Remains in Matthew Stafford, Rams Offense

At the end of the day, this is a Sean McVay offense with the reigning MVP at quarterback. Last season, the Rams had a poor offensive showing in the opener, but the defense held on to win a low-scoring game. The offense went on to score 20 or more points in five of their next six games.

That doesn’t guarantee that the offense will suddenly flip the switch and look like the unit that many expected coming into the year. However, the Rams won’t have a long road trip and are back at home. The offensive line is still healthy and the run game showed some positive signs in Week 1. Both of those things being true should help support Stafford as he finds his rhythm.

Heading into Week 2 against the Giants, there are some reasons for optimism that the offense can turn it around. Still, the Rams need to be able to show it on the field. With Garrett sidelined, there may be less margin for error on defense over the next month. If the Rams are going to navigate that stretch successfully, Stafford and the offense will need to look much closer to their potential than they did while scoring seven points in Australia.

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