The Los Angeles Rams just snatched another tight one, holding off the Washington Commanders 20-13 on Sunday. That’s their fifth game this season decided by one touchdown or less, and while they are only 2-3 in those nail-biters, this win makes it their third consecutive overall, pushing them to 5-4 for the season. They’re now sitting tied for second place in the NFC West. But here’s the wild part: even though they’re winning, the Rams offense is still looking inconsistent, and it’s making you scratch your head when you see the numbers their offensive line is putting up.
Warren McClendon and the O-Line Are Built Different
Listen, the Rams offense might be all over the place, but their offensive line? That unit is playing out of its mind. Especially right tackle Warren McClendon. This dude is in his fourth NFL season, but it’s his first as a full-time starter, and he is absolutely owning it. At 6’4″ and 315 pounds, McClendon played every single snap against the Commanders, all 75 of ’em. And get this: he has not missed a single rep in 2026, logging a massive 634 snaps already. ESPN has him rated as the number two tackle in the league, boasting an 83 percent run block win rate. He is not just a run blocker either, he is also ranked number 11 with a 90 percent pass block win rate. When you look at the entire Rams offensive line, they are collectively rated number one in run block win rate and number ten in pass block win rate for the season. Their 9.5 percent run stuff rate allowed is the lowest in the entire league, and their rushing success rate is an insane 49.6 percent, good for second overall. With numbers like that, you’d think they would be running the ball down everyone’s throats, right?
Stafford’s Struggles and Questionable Play-Calling
Here is where it gets confusing. Despite that monster offensive line paving the way, the Rams offense is only middle of the pack, 16th in the league, with 26.9 rushing attempts per game. Quarterback Mathew Stafford, who played every snap on Sunday, just does not look comfortable out there yet this season. His accuracy seems way off, especially early in games and when trying to lead receivers. Sure, the secondary receivers are not exactly lighting it up, but there have been just as many bad throws as dropped passes. To try and find some rhythm, the Rams went no-huddle on 17 percent of their plays, which is their second-highest mark of the season, usually staying under 10 percent. The running back duo of Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, who had 48 and 27 snaps respectively, were a force again, combining for 26 carries and 103 yards. The source asks if they could use the run earlier in games, and yeah, absolutely! But at its core, this L.A. offense is pass-based, so 29 runs in a game is actually considered a “very good compliment” for them.
Puka Nacua: Stud Horse or Overloaded?
Then there is the Puka Nacua factor. The guy is a total stud, no doubt. He played 70 snaps, 93 percent of the offensive plays. But way too often, the Rams passing offense is just “force it in to Nacua” and hope he makes a play. Only seven total targets went to the rest of the receiving unit, and honestly, the drops do not exactly inspire confidence. Head Coach McVay had talked about CJ Daniels getting more opportunities, but he only saw one snap. Nacua is a stud horse, and the Rams should ride him, but when every screen and jet sweep goes to him, it is just not fooling anybody anymore. Seriously, giving Nacua the ball on a jet sweep to milk the clock towards the end of the game against Washington felt senseless. Zero upside there. Nacua now has 70 receptions, but man, you gotta spread the love a little, or defenses will just key in harder.
The Rams are finding ways to win, but you gotta wonder if they could be even more dangerous if they actually leaned into what their offensive line does best. Next up, they will need to keep this momentum rolling to stay competitive in the NFC West standings. Meanwhile, back here in the Emerald City, the Seahawks just crushed the Arizona Cardinals 17-3. Big win for our boys!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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