In Week 11, how the Rams should penetrate the Seahawks defense
Although the Los Angeles Rams trail the Seattle Seahawks by three games going into their Week 11 matchup, they defeated them in Week 1 and have since gathered even more information. This includes the Seahawks defense’s most obvious weakness, which opponents have been taking advantage of week after week: passing to the running backs.
This could be the big break for Darrell Henderson.
The Commanders exploited this weakness last week, as running backs Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson Jr. combined for 11 receptions, 161 yards, and two touchdowns. For some time now, the Seahawks have made fun of this flaw. It was demonstrated by rookie Jahmyr Gibbs of the Lions earlier in the season, when he caught seven passes for 39 yards. Miles Sanders of Carolina demonstrated it a week later, going for five receptions and 38 yards. Without Saquon Barkley, Matt Breida of the Giants did the same, catching five passes for 48 yards.
For Seattle, this issue has existed forever.
Follow the plan.
Although opposing teams haven’t always noticed, the Seahawks struggle to stop running backs from making big plays in pivotal situations during the passing game. A big play for the Browns came when Pierre Strong caught a 41-yard screen pass. It has existed forever. Why, then, did the Commanders take a point of weakness and make it so problematic for Seattle? It’s because they persisted in trying.
James Harrison and Commissioner Roger Goodell had a falling out.
Despite having one of the league’s better run defenses at one point, the Commanders were unable to run the ball with confidence. The brief passing game is the most effective way to “run the ball” without actually running the ball.
Targeting deep downfield against players like Seahawks cornerbacks Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen made Sam Howell uneasy. He therefore took the next best action and passed the ball to Robinson and Gibson, who both succeeded. However, Robinson was especially important and crucial after the catch, as he gained 113 yards in that area.
Receiver Dyami Brown was able to score a touchdown late in the game thanks to this establishing threat. Although Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks of Seattle are extremely athletic linebackers, between them they have given up 420 yards after the catch and two touchdowns. Teams that focus on the Seahawks defense’s middle have had amazing success.
They can exploit this weakness in the Rams.
Rams attack strategy
The Rams’ abundance of skill position players, including Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Tutu Atwell, and Tyler Higbee, is a great asset that teams must already take into consideration. The Rams can now capitalize on that and put the Seahawks linebackers under pressure to complete plays.
In order to really pierce the Seahawks defense, running backs Darrell Henderson, Royce Freeman, and rookie Zach Evans may all see touches in this contest and may even catch a few passes in the passing game. In three games since returning to L.A.’s backfield, Henderson has caught six passes for 75 yards, making him the only receiving threat among the three. Evans has only had four touches, all of which have come from rushing attempts, and Freeman has only been targeted once in six games.
It’s also important to remember how the Commanders, who were essentially fish out of water, got Boye Mafe and Dre’mont Jones on some large explosives last week. I anticipate that Sean McVay will devise a strategy and thoroughly examine the various methods the Commanders employed to move the ball last week in the passing game with little emphasis on running.
Although I’ve talked a lot about how the Rams must use Tutu Atwell, it’s also critical to take into account how vulnerable Seattle has been against running backs since safety Jamal Adams and running back Devon Witherspoon returned. This was undoubtedly a major factor in the Giants’ decision to send a second-round pick to acquire Leonard Williams during the trade deadline.
Although it hasn’t really mattered, teams are still choosing to attack the Seahawks linebackers by going around Witherspoon, Woolen, and that secondary. Remember that the Commanders are losing, but if you go back before the Commanders game, you’ll see that the Ravens recently destroyed Seattle 37-3.
Keaton Mitchell gained 138 yards and a touchdown on nine carries during the Ravens game. Gus Edwards gained 52 yards and two touchdowns on five runs. It’s just a matter of whether Los Angeles has an explosive running back now that Kyren Williams is on injured reserve; the Seahawks are simply unprepared to stop them.
The issue that Washington and Baltimore have highlighted is attacking Seattle’s defense in the passing game by using running backs and going after their linebackers; it’s time for McVay to highlight it even more.
Is it possible for the Rams to play a complete 60 minutes of football? They played Seattle the last time they were this close to accomplishing that.