When building an NFL team, the first two positions to solidify are quarterback and the offensive line. If you can protect an above-average quarterback, you’ll most likely succeed.
This season has been just the opposite for the Rams. Not only have they been unable to protect their quarterback(s), but they haven’t gotten very good play out of their passers, either.
Need evidence? They have the eighth-fewest passing yards and are tied with the Broncos for the most sacks allowed (51) this season.
The Rams have an excuse, though. They’ve started 12 different offensive line combinations this season, which is the most ever through a team’s first 12 games. In fact, they set the record when they started 11 different combos in the first 11 weeks.
Additionally, no team this season has started more quarterbacks (4) than the Rams: Matthew Stafford, John Wolford, Bryce Perkins and Baker Mayfield. Eight other teams will have started three different quarterbacks by the time Week 16 concludes, but none can match the Rams’ four.
The Colts are the ninth team to start at least 3 QBs this season, joining the Panthers, Dolphins, Texans, Jets, Patriots, 49ers, Rams (league-high 4) and Cardinals (who will have to start a third QB this week).
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) December 21, 2022
That seems like a pretty big factor in their painfully disappointing 2022 season, one year after starting the same quarterback and only four different offensive line groups in their 17 regular-season games.
There are a lot of reasons the Rams have struggled this season, but the quarterback and offensive line play is the biggest one.
