The Los Angeles Rams are off to a well-deserved 3-1 start for the second year in a row. However, after starting 3-0 in 2019, they rattled off three straight losses, with two coming to divisional opponents. It was at this point that players like offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth began to notice the flaws with the team.
This season, although they sit four games in with the same record, has felt much different. The Rams have looked noticeably better than their opponent in all three wins, and almost completed a 28-3 comeback against the undefeated Buffalo Bills. Jared Goff and the offensive line look like the same unit as 2018 when they went to the Super Bowl, and the committee run game has nearly matched Todd Gurley’s production from that season.
Whitworth spoke about the 3-1 start, echoing the sentiment that this season’s start feels much better than the 2019 season, according to Eric Williams of Sports Illustrated:
“You’ve seen a little bit of a lot of the things that you would want to see,” Whitworth said. “You’ve seen a big-time comeback in Buffalo. You’ve seen us dominate offensively in Philly and pull away in that game, and against Dallas start off fast the way we did.
“So I think you’ve seen a little bit of everything offensively. And then as a team, you’ve kind of seen that defensively, too. You’ve seen all the different things in games where you’ve had to make stands, and they have. Without an unfortunate penalty in Buffalo, they really have done it every time.
“I think it’s one of those things as a team, we feel good about the first quarter. I know this: last year I think we were similar at 3-1, this feels like an entirely different 3-1 to me. So that’s what I do feel good about.”
He also compared the ways in which the Rams have won their games to 2018:
“In our Super Bowl year and one of the best years we had — and one of the better teams I’ve been around for sure — you really look at that season and it wasn’t always picture perfect at the end,” Whitworth said. “In a lot of those games we were clawing it out at the end, finding a way to win, catching a big break and doing the most with it. … And I think we’ve showed that in all four games (this year). Regardless of our record, we’re going to be in it, and we’re going to find a way to try and win it.”
Perhaps the 2019 season can be attributed to a Super Bowl hangover. However, the Rams look to be a much more cohesive unit this season compared to last year, and that’s led to a more convincing 3-1 start.
Part of that can be attributed to the play of Whitworth and the offensive line, which is one of the most improved units in football so far this season.
