In his post-game press conference, Sean McVay was correct in saying that he didn’t coach a good game, that it’s difficult to get into flow with 12 penalties for 115 yards, and that the Tennessee Titans did a solid job overall and particularly in several one-on-one pass-rush scenarios.
A worrying trend is forming in the Los Angeles Rams’ offense, but he chose not to mention it.
When the unit is able to play at a fast pace and has the down-and-distance in its advantage, it is a wonder to behold. On those days, points are as plentiful as the rays of the Southern California sun. When the Rams face muscular defensive fronts supplemented with speed and coverage skills on the back end, the sky goes gray. These situations can appear to be disadvantageous for Los Angeles’ offense and especially its pass protection.
In the first two quarters of Sunday’s game, Jeffery Simmons became only the second player since 2016 to record six quarterback pressures and three sacks in one half, per Next Gen Stats, putting David Edwards on roller skates and bull-rushing Matthew Stafford into a flurry. Before this season, the team was restricted to a single field goal in 43 minutes of a 37-20 loss to the Cardinals after a strong first quarter. Los Angeles gave up four sacks and converted only two of eight third downs in the Packers’ 32-18 playoff loss last year. We witnessed it three years ago when the Patriots beat the 49ers 13-3 in the Super Bowl.
When a game is more rough and muddy, there is a growing belief among Rams fans that they don’t enjoy playing it. It is all about movement and misdirection, and making opponents a half-step slower to comprehend all that they are seeing, in order to create advantages for themselves. Once an opposing team gets upfield in passing situations, the potential advantage is gone, as the Titans repeatedly did in those scenarios.
When McVay’s squad was physically overloaded, he remarked, “I don’t think it’s [an issue]. “Tonight, the Titans performed admirably in a handful of situations. If you were concerned about a certain matchup, you’d remark, “OK, maybe that’s an issue.” You become one-dimensional when you’re behind the sticks, like we were. That’s challenging against any defense, let alone one as good as theirs.”
The left tackle is called upon. When it was directed against Andrew Whitworth, he was even less inclined to accept it. He noted that the problems in pass protection were primarily a result of Tennessee’s coverage strategy and the ball’s inability to exit the hoop fast.
If you play in a game like this, “it’s a struggle,” remarked the player. “Some times the ball gets out, and other times, it doesn’t. In terms of the physical aspect, I’m not sure I agree with you. We were running the ball exceptionally well. It seemed to me that some of the sacks they had were more late coverage-type scenarios, where for some reason up front, we were unable to get the ball out and were unable to get open. There are games like this, and that’s the truth. After the first time, you go back to the same strategy and hope for the best.”
After hearing his lineman’s criticism, Stafford agreed with him, admitting he sometimes held the ball too long in the hopes of making an enormous play. One touchdown and two interceptions came on back-to-back plays in the second quarter, which saw him sack five times. Ryan Tannehill connected with Geoff Swaim for a short touchdown pass, and safety Kevin Byard returned a fumble 24 yards for a touchdown to give the Titans a 14-3 lead.
After a Tannehill goal from the one-yard line with 2:10 remaining in the first half, the outcome seemed certain. It was an impressive display for a squad hoping to demonstrate that the sum of its parts is greater than the sum of its parts.
Derrick Henry was sidelined for the first time since fracturing a bone in his foot, and Tennessee understood that the offense would struggle without him. The Titans offense is one of the few that can be attributed to a single player as tightly as the Titans offense is to Henry, a huge sprinter whose speed is equaled only by his physicality. There is no doubt that the ball is going to go to him when he is in the starting lineup, but it doesn’t really matter. When it came to the running game, the reigning two-time league champion was going to get his due.
If you think Tennessee’s offense can be as productive without Henry, you’re kidding yourself. You can’t replace a guy like that. This team hopes to win by committee, with to the additions of Adrian Peterson and D’Onta Foreman, who will join third-down back Jeremy McNichols. When Peterson and Foreman were both signed throughout the week, Peterson was given the opportunity to get off to a fast start and to do most of the work. It’s fair to say that he appeared to be a player who hadn’t played since the previous season. It wasn’t his best performance, but he still managed to rack up 21 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries. However, he was a factor.
They were worried about running back Adrian Peterson so much that they allowed Tannehill to throw to Swaim for a 2-yard score and then Tannehill to run for another touchdown on a bootleg.
After missing out on a Super Bowl berth, the Titans proved that they are still a serious contender with this victory. They are currently 7-2 overall and undefeated in their previous six games versus playoff teams. They’ve beaten the Rams, Colts, Chiefs, and Bills in their last four games. As far as we’re concerned, we’ve identified them. The Rams are an entirely other story. We need to answer certain questions.
So far this season, they’ve gone all-in, beginning with the summer trade for Stafford and includes the most recent acquisition of Broncos edge rusher Von Miller, who was inactive for Sunday’s matchup. A boom-or-bust season is not an exaggeration. It was clear that McVay and Whitworth had faith in the team’s ability to bounce back against the 49ers next Monday. That night the experienced lineman said to his team: “Kids pout, guys respond” in the locker room afterward.
As well, the 7-2 Rams could reply. However, worries about their ability to compete against certain types of teams are likely to remain well after their next matchup. There is a good chance that they will be in the postseason as well.