The Los Angeles Rams, who everyone had pegged as Super Bowl 61 favorites heading into the 2026 NFL season, are somehow sitting at a dismal 2-4 after Week 6. This team has been the league’s biggest disappointment, period. They’re rocking an ugly 0-3 record in NFC West play and have lost three of their four designated home games. After a soul-crushing 18-16 loss to the Cardinals in Los Angeles last Sunday, they’re dead last in the division, staring up at a 3.5 game deficit behind the undefeated 49ers, who already handed them a beatdown in Australia back in Week 1. From injuries to a nonexistent run defense, from an offense that can’t get out of its own way to total collapses in close games, everyone’s trying to figure out what the heck is going wrong. But let’s be real, Coach Sean McVay absolutely does not get a free pass for this mess. He deserves a massive chunk of the blame.
McVay Is Forgetting How To Run The Ball
This is classic McVay, right? He gets so wrapped up in the pass game, especially with Matthew Stafford coming off an MVP season, that he’s just calling for throws way too often. The Rams are running the ball only 36 percent of the time, which is the fourth-lowest frequency in the entire NFL. Usually, this team is closer to 42 percent. What’s wild is their rushing offense is ranked 15th in yards per game at 112.7, and they’re eighth in the league, averaging a solid 4.6 yards per carry! So why aren’t they sticking with it more? They’ve got a strong blocking line and two legit backs in Kyren Williams and Blake Corum who can split the load. Williams is only getting about 13 attempts per game, and Corum is stuck around eight. They’ve got the linemen, the receivers, the tight ends to pound the rock and get downhill. Even if the explosive runs haven’t been constant, a more patient approach on the ground would seriously take some heat off a struggling Stafford. It’s a no-brainer.
Game Management Meltdowns Are Killing This Team
The Rams have blown multiple nail-biters this season against the Broncos, Bills, and Cardinals, all after getting clobbered by the 49ers in Week 1. Their one “solid” win was at home against the Giants in Week 2, and even the Eagles game in Week 4 was a lucky rally to win. Remember the Broncos game? They were up 16-0 at halftime, only to lose 30-26 because of Stafford’s second-half interceptions. They just kept chucking it, looking for big pass plays instead of controlling the ball to kill the Broncos’ comeback chances. Then against the Bills, they went for a two-point conversion way too early in the fourth quarter after scoring a touchdown to go up 20-19. Had they just kicked the extra point, the Rams would’ve won 35-34 in regulation instead of losing when former kicker Harrison Mevis missed a field goal. And against the Cardinals? Again, they should’ve run the ball more than 20 times in a tight game. Instead, Stafford was under heavy pressure with over 36 dropbacks. Being up 16-15 late in the fourth, you absolutely have to manage that clock and chew yardage on the ground. This stuff is basic football, man!
The Rams are in a deep hole, sitting dead last in the NFC West, looking up at an undefeated rival. If they don’t fix these fundamental issues, and fast, this season is going to be over before we even hit Thanksgiving. McVay needs to figure this out right now, or this Super Bowl favorite season is going to be an epic bust.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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