SI’S 2019
PREDICTION
12 – 4
2018 RECORD 13– 3
SEP T. 8
@ CAR
SEP T. 15
VS. NO
SEP T. 22
@ CLE
SEP T. 2 9
VS. TB
OC T. 3
@ SEA
OC T. 1 3
VS. SF
OC T. 2 0
@ AT L
OC T. 2 7
(in London]
VS. CIN
NOV. 3
BYE
NOV. 10
@ PIT
NOV. 17
VS. CHI
NOV. 25
VS. BAL
DEC. 1
@ ARI
DEC. 8
VS. SEA
DEC. 15
@ DAL
DEC. 22
(Flex]
@ SF
DEC. 29
VS. ARIThe Rams’ offense is every bit as potent as it was a year ago, but defenses are more
familiar with their tactics. L.A.’s success hinges on its ability to evolve.96
× THE GROUND GAME EXPANDS. To dd
Gurley is still a quality runner at 25,
but to combat wear and tear on his much-
discussed-arthritic left knee, the Rams
give some of his touches to third-round
rookie Darrell Henderson. The Memphis
product brings more di-
mension to the screen and
misdirection games—and
L.A.’s updated scheme, in
turn, makes use of that.
Coach Sean McVay remains
committed to his outside
zone foundation, which not
only works in and of itself
but also sets up the team’s
lethal play-action game, in
which QB Jared Goff is at
his best. However, as the
Bears and the Patriots dem-
onstrated to the league last
season, this approach can be countered
with heavy, condensed defensive fronts, so
McVay responds by adding wrinkles that
lend more unpredictability to his rushing
attack. The only question is whether the
well-coached but suddenly youthful inte-
rior O-line, which lost left guard Rodger
Saffold and center John Sullivan, can keep
up. Second-year pros Joseph Noteboom andBrian Allen are new starters, and fourth-
year right guard Austin Blythe, though on
the rise, remains a work in progress.
× ROBERT WOODS SWIMS IN PRAISE.
Brandin Cooks is the Rams’ most danger-
ous receiver, but Woods is their best. His
route-running is pristine, and his blocking,
along with Cooper Kupp’s, is vital to the
ground game.
× ERIC WEDDLE MEANS A LOT. The savvy
of 13-year safety Weddle, signed as a free
agent, allows the Rams to add new layers of
disguised coverage that naturally build on
the hybrid man-zone concepts of coordina-
tor Wade Phillips. The updated defense has
more of a “matchup” feel,
but this doesn’t become a
pure man-to-man, in part
because right corner Mar-
cus Peters is much better
in zone concepts.
× AARON DONALD DOMI-
NATES AGAIN. It ’s u n fa i r
to suggest that any player
will have 20 sacks. But with
the scheme expanding to
include more diverse fronts
and designer pass-rush tac-
tics, Donald , who led the
NFL with 20^1 ⁄ 2 sacks last
year, makes another run at Defensive
Player of the Year.
× JOHN JOHNSON BREAKS OUT. T he
third-year safety can effectively provide
run support and, more important, cover
tight ends in man or zone. In fact, one
of the many battles he won last sea-
son was against Rob Gronkowski in
Super Bowl LIII.WHAT LIES AHEAD
Stre
ngthQB
13
RB
4
WR/TE
4
OL
7
FRONT 7
24
DBs
5KO
HJI
RO
(^) KIN
NO
(^) (GU
RLE
Y);
(^) JO
HN
(^) MC
COY
/GE
TT
Y (^) IM
AG
ES