It was the third quarter Sunday in Buffalo, and the Rams had the ball back after falling 25 points behind the Bills. Normally a team in their predicament immediately revs up the jets of the aerial attack, impatient for yards and points. Instead they kept gassing up the ground game.
On first down, Jared Goff handed off to Darrell Henderson, and the running back cut between blocks by tight end Tyler Higbee and wide receiver Cooper Kupp on the right side to gain 14 yards before Bills safety Micah Hyde shoved him out of bounds.
There were more talked-about plays in the Rams’ wild 35-32 loss, but maybe none said more about the team’s offensive identity this season.
The Rams kept running on that possession on their way to their first touchdown, and kept mixing in runs as they scored 29 consecutive points to briefly take the lead.
“We got off to a slow start. We just stuck to our game plan,” Henderson said Monday. “As long as we’re executing, doing our job, I feel like ain’t nobody stopping us.”
The Rams got away from that plan last season, when running back Todd Gurley’s knee trouble and the offensive line’s problems put more on quarterback Jared Goff’s shoulders. In 2019 they threw three passes for every two times they ran the ball. In games where they trailed by multiple scores, they passed three times for every run.
This year, with Gurley gone and Henderson, Malcolm Brown and Cam Akers taking turns behind a more comfortable line, the Rams are one of three NFL teams running as much as they throw. Runs and passes were perfectly split, 32-32, against the Bills.
Henderson had a career-best game for the second week in a row, gaining 114 yards on 20 carries and 6 yards on one reception, becoming the first Rams running back with 120 or more yards from scrimmage in two straight games since Gurley early in 2018.
The Rams have rushed for 150 or more yards as a team in three straight games for the first time in McVay’s four seasons as coach.
And Goff’s numbers aren’t suffering. His passer rating, 111.6 on Sunday, has topped 100 in two straight weeks for the first time since 2018.
Maybe that’s the point: Running the ball effectively makes passing easier.
So McVay kept the offense in balance while playing catchup.
“I thought that was a great job by Sean play-calling there, because we were running the ball so well, but at the same time, you do have to be aggressive,” Goff said Sunday.
McVay wasn’t giving away any intentions Monday, saying he kept calling running plays because they were working in the first half even though the Rams weren’t scoring points.
“It wasn’t like we weren’t in an up-tempo offense,” McVay said. “We just happened to be able to stay a little more balanced in our running and our passing.”
Watching the offense from the sideline, ninth-year Rams defensive end Michael Brockers said Monday he’s pleased to see the trust in the run game returning.
“That’s our motto, man. We set up the pass with our run game,” Brockers said. “I love the fact that we’re running the ball. I think that will help our team continue to be great.”
Health Department
Safety Jordan Fuller, who left the Buffalo game in the first half with a shoulder injury, isn’t expected to miss this Sunday’s game against the New York Giants at SoFi Stadium, McVay said Monday.
The same goes for wide receiver Josh Reynolds (ankle) and defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day (ankle), McVay said.
Akers (ribs) is still day to day. It’s possible the rookie running back will miss a second game.
Ends and odds
The Rams (2-1) are 13-point favorites over the Giants (0-3). Brockers was asked how to avoid a letdown after the hard loss in Buffalo. “We just (have to) take it out on the Giants,” Brockers said. “Not to say they’re not a good team.” … Brockers was the latest Rams player to dispute the game-changing pass interference call against Darious Williams in Buffalo. “We started to celebrate, and then 30 seconds later the flag come out,” Brockers said. “If you’re going to call it, call it. Don’t wait ‘til somebody begs or somebody’s upset with a no-call.” He was exaggerating. The flag flew a moment after the play ended. … McVay declined to criticize the call. “There’s a lot of things that occurred in that game, and it’ll never come down to one play.” … Goff’s audibles were quite, well, audible on TV Sunday. McVay said the Rams will keep changing their wording to keep defenses from decoding plays. But he said: “You tell me if you think you know what ‘Water, water’ and some of those other things really mean, and I’ll tell you I bet you’re wrong.”
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