Thanks to NFL Schedule, Rams Need to Improve Run Defense

No one questions the Rams’ ability to rush the passer. But until the defense proves it can consistently stop the run, expect opponents to get all they can on the ground.

And that’s a formidable group of opponents. The Rams’ 2025 schedule includes eight of the 10 best running backs in Jeremy Fowler’s NFL survey of executives, scouts and coaches.

Improving in that area should be at the top of the team’s priority list entering camp. In addition to uncertainty at left tackle, the run defense might be Sean McVay’s second biggest concern.

That murderer’s row, in chronological order: Joe Mixon (No. 9 on Fowler’s survey) in Week 1 vs. Houston, Saquon Barkley (No. 1) in Week 3 at Philadelphia, Jonathan Taylor (No. 7) in Week 4 vs. Indianapolis, Christian McCaffrey (No. 5) in both Week 5 at home and Week 10 at San Francisco, Derrick Henry (No. 2) in Week 6 at Baltimore, Alvin Kamara (No. 10) in Week 9 vs. New Orleans, Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 3) in Week 15 vs. Detroit and Bijan Robinson (No. 4) in Week 17 at Atlanta.

But that Sept. 21 date with Barkley and the Super Bowl-champion Eagles jumps off the page. Last year during his historic season, Barkley beat up the Rams more than any opponent. He posted an NFL-record seven rushing touchdowns of 60-plus yards and four came against Los Angeles – 72 and 70 yards in the regular-season game and 78 and 62 in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Including postseason, Barkley compiled a single-season record 2,504 rushing yards over his 20 games. Incredibly, he got nearly 20 percent of those yards (460) in his two games against the Rams (255 in the regular-season game at SoFi Stadium, 205 in the playoff win at Philadelphia).

No question, Chris Shula and the Rams’ defensive front have their work cut out for them.

The league did not schedule the Rams to meet Josh Jacobs (No. 6 in Fowler’s poll) or James Cook (No. 8). But if those other eight backs weren’t enough, Los Angeles also gets Bucky Irving and the Buccaneers at home in Week 12 and a pair of games against James Conner and the Cardinals (Weeks 14 and 18). Irving and Conner ranked 10th and 11th, respectively, in rushing yards last year.

In 2024, the organization’s first season since Aaron Donald’s retirement, the Rams’ defense ranked 26th in yards allowed per carry (4.63) and 22nd in rushing yards per game (130.0).

The Rams hadn’t allowed numbers that high since 2018, the year Aaron Donald led the NFL with 20½ sacks as a first-team All-Pro.

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