NFC West Power Rankings: Week Three

2 – St. Louis Rams, 1-2 (last week: 2)

Sep 27, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams quarterback Nick Foles (5) throws the ball past Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward (97) during the first half at The Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Lindsey-USA TODAY Sports

St. Louis is another team that came away with an impressive win in week one, but has spiraled downward since. They were defeated in week three by the Steelers, despite holding them to just four field goals, and knocking quarterback Ben Roethlisberger out in the second half with a gruesome-looking knee injury.

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Overall, the Rams’ defense was as good as it was expected to be, even against the high-powered Steelers’ offense. Pittsburgh gained only 259 yards overall, and the Rams’ defense got steady pressure on the quarterback, racking up five sacks. The Steelers managed just three field goals before Big Ben’s injury, but the Rams’ offense couldn’t counter. They totaled just six points and 258 yards of their own.

Nick Foles continues to work with a short passing game, and even though Kenny Britt totaled 102 yards through the air, Foles totaled just 197 yards. The run game isn’t working as well as they’d like, as apart from Chris Givens 24-yard run (his only carry of the day, they gained 47 yards on 18 carries (an abysmal 2.6-yard average).

The Rams’ defense should be encouraging. They did well to keep Antonio Brown out of the endzone and limited the Steelers’
run game as much as possible, but the offense has to be able to back up those efforts. Since week one, they haven’t shown that ability. If they want to be able to keep pace in the NFC West, which featured two of the best defenses in the game, they have to find a way to get in the endzone.

Next: Leader of the Pack