Get The Ball And Keep It

LA made a habit in 2018 of getting the ball, holding on to it, and refusing to give it up. Those Rams finished third in the league in takeaways with 30 in tandem with a +11 turnover differential, good for fourth in the NFL. Goff’s substantial strides in efficiency helped the team finish in the top third of the league in fewest giveaways, and many opponents saw significant struggle in terms of keeping the ball away from the Rams offense.

However, last season, most of these numbers began to dip. The team fell all the way down to a turnover differential of 0 as the defense recorded six fewer takeaways, normally not a major dip, but more stark when combined with five more turnovers by the offense. Turnover differential is generally one of the best indicators of team success, and returning to 2018’s winning ways will go a long way towards their return to prominence.

However, neither matters as much if an offense can’t hold on to the ball for long when they do have it, another area of struggle for LA in 2019. After an eighth place finished in 2018 as they averaged 30:46 in time of possession, the Rams fell all the way to 22nd at only 29:00 per game this past season. A declining offensive line, fewer yards per carry from their running backs, and fewer yards per pass from Goff are all factors, but not excuses.

The loss of Dante Fowler Jr. to Atlanta will do no favors to a defensive unit looking to increase pressure and turnovers, but the presence of Aaron Donald can always serve to mask a few issues. Another year with Jalen Ramsey, a former All-Pro with Jacksonville, could also rectify some of the chemistry issues in the secondary after the midseason trade of Marcus Peters to Baltimore.

Offensively, health and development from the running back group are vital to the production of the entire offensive unit. Goff has generally shown to only be as good as the pieces around him, but that doesn’t work when those pieces are all struggling.