The Los Angeles Rams, who basically invented the “13 personnel” offense, just got absolutely hammered in Week 1 by teams using their own playbook. They lost 27-7 to the 49ers, and get this: they were the *only* team in the entire league that couldn’t even crack 10 points. That’s a brutal start when everyone else copying your scheme is winning big.
The 13 Personnel Takeover: Everyone Copied, Everyone Won (Except L.A.)
Look, the Rams were *the* team for 13 personnel in 2025. You know, three tight ends, one running back. It was literally called “the Sean McVay style” because they were so good at it. They ran it on 30.8% of their plays, which was more than double the next closest team, the Steelers. And it worked! They led the whole league in scoring with 30.5 points per game. The rest of the NFL was only using it on 5.3% of plays on average. The Rams were six times more potent than a normal offense with it. So, yeah, we all knew teams would try to copy that success in 2026.
But Week 1 blew that prediction out of the water in the wildest way. The league average for 13 personnel nearly doubled from Week 1 of 2025, going from 4.5% to 8.1%. Even the Rams were still all-in, using it on 36.8% of their plays against the 49ers. But the Buffalo Bills actually surpassed them, going 40.4% against the Texans and winning 36-31. Here’s the kicker: teams that ran 13 personnel on at least 15% of their plays went 6-1 in Week 1. That *single loss* belonged to Sean McVay’s Rams. Matthew Stafford, his supporting cast, and McVay all looked completely off. Talk about an ironic twist!
Who’s Winning With the Rams’ Old Playbook?
It wasn’t just the Bills, either. Almost every other offense that embraced the three-tight-end formation in Week 1 absolutely crushed their opponents. The Jaguars beat the Browns 34-10 using it on 17.9% of plays. The Jets took down the Titans 23-10 with 17.5%. The Bears ran it 15.7% of the time and blew out the Panthers 59-37. The Ravens handled the Colts 41-23 (15.6%), and even Mike LaFleur’s Cardinals, who basically snatched McVay’s scheme after he left L.A., beat the Chargers 26-14 (15.3%). The Cardinals even got Hunter Long, who used to be a tight end for the Rams a couple years ago.
It’s clear the league is loaded with tight end talent now, too. We’re talking first-rounders like Dalton Kincaid, Kenyon Sadiq, and Colston Loveland. And Trey McBride, a second-round pick, is already being called perhaps the best tight end in the NFL. These guys are making this personnel package dangerous for everyone else.
What happens next? Are the Rams going to stick with their signature look or pivot after such a brutal opening loss? This early trend is telling us that 13 personnel is here to stay, but maybe, just maybe, the original architects need to go back to the drawing board to figure out how to make it click again. It’s going to be wild to see how this strategic battle plays out the rest of the season.
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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