Commentary and stats to consider before making your Super Bowl pick.
2018 Statistics
(rankings are 2018 regular-season only)
Total offense: Second (421.1 yards per game)
Rush offense: Third (139.4 yards per game)
Pass offense: Fifth (281.7 yards per game)
Scoring offense: Second (32.9 points per game, 527 points)
Total defense: 19th (358.6 yards per game allowed)
Rush defense: 23rd (122.3 yards per game allowed)
Pass defense: 14th (236.3 yards per game allowed)
Scoring defense: 20th (24 points per game allowed, 384 points)
Dropped passes: Nine (second-fewest)
Penalties: 95 penalties (fifth-fewest), 868 yards (tenth-fewest)
Turnover ratio: Plus-11 (fourth-best) with 18 defensive interceptions (T-3d most with New England)
—The Rams’ franchise has had a rather nomadic existence, beginning in Cleveland in 1937. Nine years later, owner Dan Reeves wanted to move the team to Los Angeles, which had the 103,000-seat Memorial Coliseum, but the league owners wouldn’t let him move. Reeves threatened to pull his ownership, and that threat led to a settlement. But before a lease could be drawn up, Reeves was told he had to integrate the team. He then signed the first two modern-day African-American players, Kenny Washington and Woody Strode.
–In 1980, frustrated by the NFL’s blackout rule – which no longer exists – late owner Carroll Rosenbloom’s estate moved the Rams from the Coliseum to Anaheim Stadium. It was a smaller venue that could sell out more quickly, allowing local television broadcasts. The team stayed there until 1995 when it moved to St. Louis despite the owners rejecting the move and owner Georgia Frontiere threatening a lawsuit. Two decades later, the franchise–by then owned by Stan Kroenke– moved back to Los Angeles in 2016 and reclaimed its former Coliseum home.
–In 83 full seasons, the Rams’ franchise has won 20 division titles and 29 playoff appearances, tied with Minnesota for the fourth-most in league history. The Rams’ NFC West crowns in 2017 and 2018 were the team’s first since 2004. The franchise won championships in 1945 and 1951 before the 1970 merger and have won just one Super Bowl since–Super Bowl 34 v. the Tennessee Titans. The Rams are 4-6 in the NFC Championship Game and 1-2 in Super Bowls–losing to Pittsburgh in Super Bowl 14 at the Rose Bowl and New England in Super Bowl 36 at New Orleans.
–-The NFC champion is the designated home team for an odd-numbered Super Bowl. That means the Rams will likely occupy the far-side bench (as viewed from the main TV camera). The team logo will appear in the left-side end zone. As the designated home team, Los Angeles has jersey choice, and it has chosen to wear its throwback blue-and-gold 1970s-style jerseys.
–This season, the Rams got off to a hot start, winning their first eight games by an average of nearly 14 points per game. A loss to New Orleans, which determined the top two NFC seeds, was followed by a three-game winning streak, then a 1-2 finish. The Rams outscored their opposition in all four quarters this year, with their greatest advantage coming in the second quarter (174-112).
–The team scored a staggering 60 total touchdowns. That helped the Rams become one of only two teams in the league to score more than 500 points this year (Kansas City was the other). However, in league history, of the 22 teams that have scored 500 or more points in a season, only four have won the Super Bowl in the same season in which they broke the 500-point barrier.
–Like the Patriots, the Rams were one of the league’s least-penalized teams. They have been called only 12 times for false starts and just ten times for offensive holding. The Rams were flagged a higher-than-average 13 times for defensive holding, but–as New Orleans fans can certainly attest–just seven times for defensive pass interference. Amazingly, despite playing in many loud environments this season, the Rams have only jumped offsides once on defense. Eight players committed five or more penalties this year, led by defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh and left tackle Andrew Whitworth (seven each).
–The Rams held the ball for a per-game possession average of 30:42, the league’s 12th-best mark. In the red zone, the Rams scored touchdowns at a pace that ranked them 18th in the league. But on third-down plays, Los Angeles converted 45 percent of the time, the league’s fifth-best mark. The Rams were 14th in red-zone defense and 12th on stopping third downs. The Rams’ healthy turnover number was helped by losing only seven fumbles (Jared Goff lost five) and getting 18 interceptions from ten different players.
–Second-year head coach Sean McVay (26-9 career record, including playoffs) is the 23rd full-time head coach in franchise history. He is the youngest in modern-day NFL history, turning 33 in late January. He will be the youngest coach to lead a team to the Super Bowl. In 2017, he directed a seven-win turnaround for a team that ended a 13-year postseason drought. Before joining the Rams, McVay was the Washington Redskins’ OC and was the tight ends coach before that. He is the grandson of John McVay, a noted front-office executive with the Giants and 49ers. John McVay was the Giants’ head coach in 1978, losing his job due to the infamous “Miracle At The Meadowlands” loss to Philadelphia.
–Quarterback Jared Goff is in his third season in the league. He was the top overall pick in the 2016 draft after the Rams traded with the Tennessee Titans to get the pick. He has already been named to two Pro Bowls and has helped resurrect a long-moribund team. Goff was named the league’s Most Improved Player in 2017 and was the NFC’s Offensive Player of the Month in September of this year. He threw a career-high 32 touchdown passes this year but has also tossed a career-high 12 interceptions. He’s completing 64.9 percent of his passes and is playing to a 101.1 passer rating. In three career postseason games, Goff has played to a 78.9 rating, but he has developed a good play-action fake move, hitting on ten of 12 such passes in the NFC title game at New Orleans.
–-On the ground, the Rams are paced by workhorse back Todd Gurley, who missed a large portion of the NFC Championship for undisclosed reasons. Gurley ran for nearly a five-yard average this season, gaining 1251 yards and scoring 17 of the Rams’ 23 rushing touchdowns. His 132 points made him one of the few non-kickers to lead his team in scoring.
–The Rams got a needed boost this offseason with the re-emergence of league veteran CJ Anderson. Anderson gained 167 yards in two games, scoring twice. Previously, he was part of the Denver Broncos squad that won Super Bowl 50, and Anderson is one of only three Rams with Super Bowl experience (CB Aqib Talib, Broncos in SB 50, and receiver Brandin Cooks, Pats in SB 52).
–Through the air, six different Rams players have scored three or more touchdowns, contributing to the team’s total of 32 passing/receiving scores. Leading receiver Robert Woods caught 86 passes for a 14-yard average and six scores, while Cooks was right behind him with 80 receptions at 15 per catch with five touchdowns. Gurley was next at 59 receptions out of the backfield, but Cooper Kupp’s 40 receptions won’t be available as he has missed most of the season through injury. Josh Reynolds has five touchdowns among his 29 catches, and the Rams have gotten great production from tight ends Tyler Higbee (24 catches, two TDs) and Gerald Everett (33, three).
–The Rams’ veteran offensive line allowed 33 sacks, tied for the league’s eighth-lowest total. The O-line is a big reason for the Rams devastating running attack. Left tackle Andrew Whitworth is in his second year with the Rams after having played 11 years in Cincinnati and going 0-7 in career playoff games before this season. Left guard Rodger Saffold was the Rams’ second-round pick in 2010 when the team was still in St. Louis. Center John Sullivan is in his 11th year, and right guard Austin Blythe is a third-year player who can also move over to center. Fourth-year right tackle Rob Havenstein was an All-America pick at Wisconsin.
–The Rams’ 3-4 defensive front has some of the biggest names in the game but has been surprisingly porous against the run. Nose tackle Ndamukong Suh (54 tackles, 4.5 sacks) is a three-time first-team All-Pro who has also played in Detroit and Miami. Michael Brockers (47 tackles) is in his seventh season after being the team’s 2012 first-round pick. Aaron Donald was the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2014. Donald racked up a league-high 20.5 sacks this year and has a total of 59.5 career sacks. He is a four-time first-team All-Pro selection as well as a four-time Pro Bowl pick.
–Cory Littleton, an undrafted linebacker just completing his third season, has made a name for himself as one of the game’s best. He earned his first career Pro Bowl selection in 2018. Littleton led the team with 125 total tackles–contributing four sacks, intercepting three passes, and running one back for a touchdown. Mark Barron was fourth on the team with 60 regular-season tackles. Samson Ekuban contributed 40 tackles and three sacks, along with a 25-yard pick-off runback for a score. The Rams go nine-deep at linebacker, including rookie Micah Kiser, a UVA product.
–Second-year safety John Johnson, the Rams’ 2017 third-round pick, was second on the team with 119 tackles and led the squad with four interceptions. He also made a falling-down interception in overtime of the NFC title game in New Orleans. Johnson plays alongside LaMarcus Joyner, who tallied 78 tackles (the team’s third-highest) and one interception. Former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters grabbed three interceptions, running one back for a touchdown. Aqib Talib returned in December after missing time due to ankle surgery. Corners Sam Shields (a former Green Bay Packer) and Nickell Roby-Coleman. who registered a non-flagged controversial hit in the NFC title game, lend depth.
–Second-year return specialist JoJo Natson is a 5-foot-7, 153-pounder who went undrafted after playing college football at Utah State and Akron. Despite his size, he has run back 26 punts for an average of just under 11 yards per return. He has called for ten fair catches. On kicks, Blake Countess, who’s currently slowed by a foot injury, has run back 17 balls for a 24.6-yard average. The Rams’ coverage teams are a bit below average, though, allowing 8.7 per punt return and 22.5 on kickoff runbacks.
—Punter Johnny Hekker was a standout at Oregon State. He was backed up by Ryan Allen, who transferred and eventually became New England’s punter. Hekker grossed 46.3 yards per punt this year, netting 43 while having only two touchbacks in 43 total punts. Hekker put 21 of his punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line, and teammates have blocked two opponents’ punts this season. Hekker, an undrafted free agent in 2012, made four Pro Bowls and four All-Pro teams.
–Placekicker Greg Zuerlein’s 57-yard overtime game-winner in the NFC Championship Game should come as no surprise. Zuerlein missed just four field goals in 31 tries this year, but he did miss an extra point. Zuerlein was a 2012 sixth-round pick, who made his first Pro Bowl in 2017 and has converted 83.5 percent of his career field-goal tries. Zuerlein had his left (plant) foot in a walking boot the day after the win in New Orleans.
–-Neither Zuerlein nor any of the Rams are expected to miss the Super Bowl. Zuerlein reportedly injured the foot during halftime of the NFC title game while warming up for the second half. He still played the rest of the game.
