The Rams had 11 runs of 15-plus yards in 19 games last year. They broke off four such runs in Week 2 against the Titans, their most in a game since Week 8 of the 2021 season, according nflverse data.
It's no coincidence that took place in a matchup where the Rams employed their most even backfield split between running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum since the latter entered the league (70-30% snap ratio).
Williams had nine breakaway runs last season (including playoffs), according to Pro Football Focus, but none came in the fourth quarter. With just two minutes remaining against Tennessee, Williams shrugged off an arm tackle at the line, juked a defender in the secondary and then kept his legs churning through contact for a 15-yard gain. He acknowledged later that Corum's increased opportunities helped him preserve energy for a drive where L.A. ended up icing the game.
"I think (Corum) being able to come in, spell me, allows me to see the game from a different lens, see the game from a different perspective and... get my breath back whenever those long runs are needed," Williams said.
"Staying fresh is key," Corum told theRams.com. "That's how you make those explosive runs, when you're fresh."
The Rams finished the 2024 season with a 2.3% breakaway run rate, ranking 29th in the league, per PFF. Through two games in 2025, they are fifth in the NFL with 8.7% of their carries going for at least 15 yards. L.A. hopes that's a sign of things to come, courtesy of a more even backfield split and thorough run blocking.
Center Coleman Shelton said finishing blocks so that the runner is unaffected by the first level or two of the defense is the most important thing the offensive line can do to help create those longer runs. After that, someone will make a guy miss to slash into the secondary, and that's exactly what happened last Sunday in Nashville, Tenn.
Two of Corum's five carries on Sunday went for exactly 15 yards. On both of them, every single defender in the first and second level of the defense was accounted for. Corum wasn't touched and his rushing lane wasn't impacted until he'd already built up a head of steam.
"First, the offensive line, they have to do a great job, and they do," Corum said. "But other than that, I'm reading where my blocks are gonna go, what type of defense they're in, and where it could possibly hit. And then I just go from there, I let natural instincts take over, let vision take over, and when I see something, I try to hit it as fast as possible because in the NFL, those gaps close really quick and you have to hit it."
The second-year running back out of Michigan said the game has "slowed down" for him a lot so far this season. He's reading his blocks and anticipating where the defenders are going to be in order to make the right reads consistently. About half the time, the hole he hits is the one he's scripted to go through, the other half, it's about finding the gap and bursting through it.
On the first drive of the game, wide receiver Puka Nacua took a jet sweep 45 yards to the house, another indication that fresh legs (and play calls) equate to explosive runs. Later on, the offense kept its foot on the gas, as more rested backs gashed the Titans' defense.
"As the game went on, I thought our guys really just kind of kept leaning on them a little bit more," said offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. "... That's a very, very good defensive front and very good defense that we played last week. So I thought it was just kind of one of those things as we kind of got in a little bit of a groove there in the second half... That's where I think you saw those explosive runs come to fruition."
Both backs agree they are at their best when Corum gets a few drives as the main back, and McVay said last game's split is a more accurate representation of what they plan to do moving forward.
"We have certain substitution patterns," McVay said. "I think the best way to be able to be consistent with it is you're able to sustain drives. I think what you're looking for is something around a 65-35 ratio for those guys."
The Rams had two breakaway runs in each of their games against the Eagles in 2024. Those tied for their most in a game last season and accounted for 36.4% of their season total.
Ahead of Sunday's playoff rematch with the defending Super Bowl champions, the Rams are hoping a backfield split that's more conducive to creating big gains will lead to even more success on the ground.
"Just continuing to be a two-headed backfield, man, it's so cool," Williams said. "It's so cool to be able to feed off of each other, it's so fun just continuing to see how far each of us can go."
