Rams offensive line deserves more flowers

Throughout the 2025 season, the Los Angeles Rams offense has been one of the best in the NFL. While it may not statistically be the best of the Sean McVay era, an argument can be made that it is the most balanced. They have a quarterback playing at an MVP level. One wide receiver is tied for the lead in receptions while the other leads the NFL in receiving touchdowns. They are one of three teams with two running backs who rank inside the top-30 in rushing yards.

Under McVay, the Rams have either been very good throwing the ball or very good running the ball. In 2017 and 2018, the offense was led by Todd Gurley and the run game. When the Rams won the Super Bowl in 2021, it was supercharged by Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp. They’ve never had both. This Rams team has both.

In earlier iterations of the McVay offense, it struggled to function without an elite offensive line. During the 2017 and 2018 seasons the offensive line ranked sixth in EPA per play in both years. The offense ranked sixth and third. In 2019, the offensive line ranked 31st and the offense ranked 18th. It was an offense that struggled to compete out of structure because the quarterback also struggled to make plays out of structure. The Rams won the Super Bowl in 2021 with a dropback offense in large part because they also had the best pass-blocking offensive line.

At surface level, all of that makes sense. In the NFL, everything starts up-front and in the trenches. It’s difficult to function without good offensive line play and the Rams learned that first-hand in 2022. However, over the last three years, the Rams have managed offensive line injuries and come out on the other side. Slow starts in 2023 and 2024 were in large part due to injuries. When the offensive line got healthy, the offense hit its full potential.

While the Rams dealt with injuries this season, the offense also didn’t really miss a beat. It’s true that the Rams lost two games when Justin Dedich filled in for Steve Avila at left guard early in the year. However, the offense scored more than 20 points in each of those games. Even still, the Rams have technically been without their starting right tackle for a majority of the season. Their backup has played like one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL.

Coming into the season, the offensive line wasn’t necessarily seen as a weakness, but it certainly had questions. Alaric Jackson was a question mark with blood clots. The Rams opted for familiarity, signing Coleman Shelton to start at center over Beaux Limmer. They also didn’t address offensive line in the draft at all. Even if there was confidence in the starters, there were some questions about the depth.

While there were certainly some early bumps, this has evolved into a dominant unit. They are one of three teams that rank inside the top-10 in yards before contact per carry, stuffed run rate, run-block win rate, pressure rate allowed and pass block win rate. According to ESPN, they are seventh in pass-block win rate and fourth in run-block win rate.

Having Matthew Stafford and his pocket mobility certainly helps in pass protection. Stafford has faced pressure on 43.6 percent of his dropbacks this season, but his pressure to sack rate of 12.5 percent when under pressure is the sixth-best in the NFL.

Still, among all offensive linemen, Avila and McClendon have allowed the second-fewest pressures. Coleman Shelton and Kevin Dotson also rank inside the top-50 among 176 qualifying offensive linemen across all positions. Alaric Jackson has allowed the most pressures and most sacks among the group, but he’s still a quality NFL left tackle.

Where the Rams offensive line really deserves credit is on the ground. This may be one of the best run-blocking offensive lines of the last decade. FTN Fantasy has credited the Rams with 5.6 adjusted line yards which assigns running back yards to the offensive line based on the yardage gained. The 5.6 adjusted line yards are the most since at least 2018. The Rams rank third with 2.47 yards before contact and Fantasy Points Data has the Rams with a 56.9 percent rushing success rate which ranks 1st.

For comparison, last year the Rams had a 49.8 percent rushing success rate and averaged 1.9 yards before contact. When the Rams made the Super Bowl in 2021, they had a rushing success rate of 50.2 percent and averaged 1.47 yards before contact.

This season, Kyren Williams and Blake Corum are averaging a combined 3.2 yards before contact. In 2018, Todd Gurley averaged 2.5 yards before contact. Some of that can be attributed to the vision of Williams and Corum. However, the offensive line plays a role in that as well.

It’s easy to look at the success that the Rams are having and focus on Stafford as well as Corum and Williams. This isn’t to take credit away from those players. Stafford is playing at a very high level and has consistently made high-level throws every week. Williams and Corum have been one of the best running back duos in the NFL this season.

However, the players doing the dirty work up-front can’t be forgotten. Interior players like Avila, Shelton, and Dotson have shown their value to the offense. Additionally, Ryan Wendell deserves a lot of credit for developing McClendon and having him ready to go at right tackle.

As seen throughout the McVay era, the Rams offense will only go as far as the offensive line will take them. Right now, this is an offensive line that has the Rams as the best team in the NFC.