The Rams pushed their win streak to three games with a 20-13 road victory over the Commanders on Sunday at Northwest Stadium, highlighted by the effectiveness of outside linebacker Myles Garrett and defensive end Aaron Donald in tandem and wide receiver Puka Nacua making more history thanks to an efficient performance while carving up the Commanders' zone coverage.
Here are five interesting stats from the contest, presented by DraftKings Daily Fantasy Sports. All statistics and rankings are pre-Monday Night Football.
With both Garrett and Donald on the field (23 plays), the Rams' defense allowed 5.0 yards per play and recorded four sacks. (Next Gen Stats)
Conversely, the defense allowed 8.1 yards per play and a touchdown with no sacks on all other plays (19).
Good things happen when two players with five combined NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards share the field simultaneously, of course, but besides the obvious, it's worth noting because Garrett only played 60% of the Rams' defensive snaps in his return from injury.
Imagine the possibilities as that snap count increases.
Sunday was Nacua's ninth career game with at least 150 receiving yards, two more than any other player since he entered the NFL in 2023. It also breaks a tie with Hall of Famer Elroy Hirch for third-most such games in franchise history, trailing only Hall of Famer Isaac Bruce (13) and Torry Holt (12). (NFL Research)
Normally 100 yards is the barometer of a strong game rushing or receiving, but for Nacua that threshold might have to be bumped up at the level he's playing.
Nacua achieved this history with efficient route-running and exploiting zone coverages. Per Next Gen Stats, Nacua's 3.5 yards per route run were his second-most in a game this season. Meanwhile, Washington played zone on 84.1% of his routes, and Nacua caught 12 of 17 targets for 128 yards against it – his most yards against zone coverage in a game this season.
Nacua added two receptions for 22 yards and a touchdown against man coverage.
In 13 personnel, the Rams averaged 5.3 yards per play with a 57.5% success rate and a touchdown. (Next Gen Stats)
Despite not having Terrance Ferguson after he pulled his hamstring in last Friday's practice, Los Angeles was able to get into 13 personnel because Colby Parkinson – who was questionable for last Sunday against the Commanders with a ribs injury – was active, alongside Tyler Higbee and Davis Allen.
Parkinson and Higbee collectively accounted for nine of Stafford's 43 targets; Parkinson with four receptions on five targets for 13 yards and Higbee one on five for 13. While not the most statistically productive or involved from a passing standpoint, having those three available is still important from a blocking standpoint and the identity of the offense overall, as the above metrics showed.
The Athletic's Mike Sando defines success rate as "percentage of plays that produce positive EPA (Expected Points Added)," or "how frequently a unit creates value." So, those three-tight end sets created value often on Sunday.
Next Gen Stats said the Rams' 13 personnel usage rate of 54.8% (40 of 73 offensive plans) on Sunday against the Commanders was highest by an offense in a game this season.
Garrett's three sacks put him in the 99th percentile among defenders entering Week 9, while his 28.6% pass rush win rate was in the 97th percentile (SumerSports)
Not surprising, but just goes to show how elite Garrett's performance was in his first game back from knee surgery.
The Rams defense has not allowed a second half touchdown in five games this season, the second-most such games in the NFL.
That mark was reached thanks to holding the Commanders to just a 41-yard field goal by kicker Drew Stevens in the third quarter. Los Angeles' defense has shown up multiple times with timely plays to give the team a chance to win, or at the very least the ball back in the offense's hands.
