WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. - - —The Los Angeles Rams are beginning to find their identity at the right time, and it starts with a commitment to playing more physical football on both sides of the ball.
After an up-and-down start to the season, the Rams have put together back-to-back victories over the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers, improving to 4-4 and getting themselves back into the playoff conversation.
While the offense has showcased its ability to attack through the air with Matthew Stafford, the team's recent success has been fueled by something that could become even more important as the season progresses: the running game.
Behind Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, Los Angeles has demonstrated an ability to control the line of scrimmage, wearing down opposing defenses and finishing games with a physical brand of football. Just as importantly, the defense has responded with two strong performances, helping establish the type of complementary football head coach Sean McVay has been looking for.
In Las Vegas, Williams and Corum combined for 192 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries. Both backs consistently found running lanes, broke tackles and forced the Raiders' defense to account for the ground attack. Williams provided the physical presence between the tackles, while Corum brought an explosive element that allowed the Rams to punish the Raiders when they began crowding the line of scrimmage.
The combination has given McVay another dimension to his offense. Rather than relying exclusively on Stafford's arm to move the football, Los Angeles have established the run early, creating favorable passing situations and dictating the pace of a game.
Against the Chargers, that approach was on display once again.
After struggling offensively throughout the first half, the Rams entered halftime with a slim 10-9 lead. Instead of abandoning the ground game, McVay leaned on Corum to open the second half. The second-year running back responded with four consecutive carries to begin the drive, setting the tone before breaking loose for a 23-yard touchdown score.
Corum finished with 11 carries for 73 yards, while Williams added 56 yards and a touchdown on 16 attempts.
McVay believes the commitment to running the football has been one of the biggest developments in the team's recent success.
"That's a huge deal. I thought it was really on display from start to finish last week. Then in the second half [Sunday], we had the two-minute drive but then there were a lot of just good positive runs where Blake Corum did a great job on that next drive. It was a 23-yard touchdown actually that he did have yesterday. He did a great job. I think that was a big deal," McVay said.
The Rams head coach also emphasized the importance of finishing drives and allowing his offense to take control of the game's closing moments.
"I thought both Blake and Kyren [Williams] did a great job of running behind their pads and getting everything. I loved even on the fourth-and-one [in the fourth quarter], the way we were able to push the pile to ensure that game was over. They did a great job on that drive to be able to never relinquish possession of the football. That was huge."
That final possession was particularly important. With approximately 6:40 remaining in the fourth quarter, Los Angeles took possession and never gave the football back to the Chargers. The ability to move the chains, win in short-yardage situations and bleed the clock is something that can separate good teams from legitimate contenders.
While the running game deserves plenty of credit, the Rams' defensive improvement has been equally important.
Los Angeles has allowed just 42 rushing yards to the Raiders and 64 to the Chargers over the last two games. Holding opponents to a combined 106 rushing yards across consecutive victories is a significant accomplishment, particularly for a defense that has experienced its share of inconsistency throughout the season.
The Rams slowing down the run games of Las Vegas and Los Angeles led to more pressure on the teams quarterbacks which led to turnovers to help Los Angeles. Against the Chargers, two interceptions flipped the game for them.
Quentin Lake and Trent McDuffie provided the game-changing plays, turning interceptions into opportunities for the offense to extend its advantage.
The defense also showed an ability to finish. After holding the Chargers scoreless in the second half, Los Angeles prevented any late comeback attempt, including stopping a fourth-down conversion inside Rams territory.
That type of defensive toughness gives the offense confidence that it doesn't have to win every game through explosive passing plays.
The Rams still have plenty of work ahead of them, but these last two performances offer a blueprint for what they can become over the second half of the season.
The importance of Williams and Corum cannot be overstated. Having two capable running backs who bring different styles gives McVay flexibility with his offensive personnel and allows him to keep both players involved throughout the game.
Defensively, continuing to stop the run will be equally important. The Rams have experienced difficulties closing out games when opponents establish their ground attack and control possession. Their recent performances suggest they are beginning to correct that problem.
The challenge now is consistency.
With upcoming road matchups against Washington and Arizona, the Rams have an opportunity to build on their momentum before entering a difficult stretch of the schedule. Maintaining their physical identity will be critical, especially against teams that will challenge them at the line of scrimmage.
The talent has never really been the question in Los Angeles. Finding an identity and consistently executing it has been the challenge.
After back-to-back wins, the Rams are showing that their path forward might be paved through physicality, complementary football and a commitment to running the football.
