Somewhere along the way this season, Sean McVay and Rams had wandered from that identity.
asserted
McVay → wander → identity
Too many possessions, too many stretches, too many games unfolded on someone else’s terms while losing four of their first six games.
asserted
possessions → unfold → games
On Sunday, he and his team finally remembered who they were.
asserted
they → remember → Sunday
And then they made the Raiders pay a dear price for it, running the football down their throat.
asserted
Raiders → make → throat
The Rams’ 35-21 victory wasn’t nearly as competitive as the final score suggested.
uncertain
score → suggest → ?
They were tougher, more disciplined and better coached.
asserted
They → coach → ?
They established the terms of engagement, then spent the afternoon making sure the Raiders abided by them.
asserted
Raiders → establish → them
Thirty-nine carries for 198 yards will do that.
asserted
carries → do → that
So will two running backs, Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, who each exceeded 90 yards rushing.
asserted
who → exceed → yards
They essentially turned the Rams run game into their own Las Vegas Grand Prix, accelerating through big holes and leaving defenders in the rear view mirror.
asserted
They → turn → mirror
When they weren’t playing bully ball and running through would-be tacklers, that is.
asserted
that → play → tacklers
Thank the Rams offensive line, which spent the afternoon shoving people around and turning narrow lanes into open roads.
asserted
which → thank → roads
As McVay acknowledged Monday, that identity had been missing through their first six games, too often leaving the Rams staring into a mirror and struggling to recognize the team staring back.
asserted
identity → acknowledge → team
Williams and Corum helped bring that picture back into focus, accepting the challenge to set a physical tone and giving the Rams a standard they now have to sustain.
asserted
they → bring → standard
“Those guys did a great job.
asserted
guys → do → job
They deserved well-earned credit as were the blockers,” McVay said of Corum and Williams.
asserted
McVay → deserve → Corum
“When you do that, you’re not in a bad spot on 2nd and 3rd downs.
asserted
you → do → downs
Then came the revealing part.
asserted
part → come → ?
“That’s the first time we’ve had that all season,” McVay said.
asserted
McVay → ’ → that
For an offense with Matthew Stafford pulling the strings, the temptation is always to focus on what happens through the air.
asserted
what → pull → air
But the Rams are at their most dangerous when the defense has to respect everything.
asserted
defense → have → everything
Sunday, the running game made that respect mandatory.
asserted
respect → make → ?
Corum and Williams pressed the line of scrimmage, recognized defenders overplaying their assignments and found openings.
asserted
Corum → press → openings
Their blockers supplied the room and the attitude.
asserted
blockers → supply → room
“I thought our offensive line was excellent,” McVay said.
asserted
McVay → think → ?
“They had a great demeanor.”
asserted
They → have → demeanor
That demeanor became the afternoon’s defining characteristic.
asserted
demeanor → become → ?
The Rams weren’t merely calling running plays.
asserted
Rams → call → plays
They were committing to a physical standard, one that spread throughout the team.
asserted
that → commit → team
Funny how that works.
asserted
that → work → ?
Start throwing your weight around on offense, and the other side joins the party.
asserted
side → start → party
The payoff extended beyond rushing yards.
asserted
payoff → extend → yards
Manageable downs gave Stafford options and kept the Raiders guessing.
asserted
downs → give → Raiders
“Any good offense that we’ve had here that I’ve been a part of, you have to be able to do both,” McVay said.
asserted
McVay → have → both
“You have to be able to have balance, or you at least have to have the threat of if they overcommit to something, then you have to be able to make them pay.”
asserted
them → have → something
One afternoon doesn’t establish permanence.
asserted
afternoon → establish → permanence
The Rams still have to prove this version travels from week to week.
asserted
version → have → week
“It’s something that we have to build on because this is a long journey,” McVay said.
asserted
McVay → ’ → that
At least now they have something to hang their hat on.
asserted
they → have → hat
The Aporia
