Perhaps probably the most stunning results of the whole Week 16 slate got here on Christmas Day. That’s when the Los Angeles Rams, led by recently-signed quarterback Baker Mayfield, throttled the Denver Broncos by a remaining rating of 51-14. That included a second the place Patrick Star, a part of the printed on Nickelodeon, roasted a Russell Wilson interception.
Another stunning growth from that sport? The play from Mayfield himself. The quarterback turned in maybe his finest sport of the whole season, finishing 24 of 28 passes for 230 yards and a pair of touchdowns, with out throwing an interception. This got here in opposition to a Broncos protection that heading into Week 16 was the most effective cross defenses within the league, permitting -0.099 Expected Points per Play per Dropback, fourth-best within the NFL. Denver has additionally allowed an Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt of simply 4.7 this yr to opposing quarterbacks, second-best within the league.
Since becoming a member of the Rams, Mayfield has accomplished 58 of 84 passes for 571 yards (69% completion share) and 4 touchdowns, in opposition to only a single interception. During his time with the Carolina Panthers this yr, Mayfield hit on 57.8% of his throws for six touchdowns, and 6 interceptions.
Is Baker again?
Rams followers, or Mayfield believers, who wish to lean into that notion do have some proof to drag from Sunday’s blowout victory over the Broncos. Mayfield appeared as calm and comfy within the pocket as he has in a very long time, and it confirmed on performs like this completion on a dig path to tight finish Brycen Hopkins. Watch as Mayfield targets Hopkins within the secondary window, working round security Kareem Jackson:
Jackson drops down into an beneath robber method, studying Mayfield’s eyes. When the QB first appears to be like on the dig route, Jackson breaks to his proper, anticipating a throw in that course. That’s when Mayfield matches the throw round Jackson, connecting along with his tight finish for a giant achieve.
Another throw to a good finish stands out from this win, a brief landing to Tyler Higbee from early within the second quarter:
The Rams face a third and purpose on the 7 yard line, already out to a 17-3 lead. Denver goes with a zero blitz on this snap, and linebacker Alex Singleton has a free run on the QB. Mayfield first peeks the swap idea on the correct facet of the sphere, earlier than getting his eyes to Higbee’s look route on the left. The QB is aware of the large hit is coming, however he hangs within the pocket and makes an ideal throw for the landing.
But whereas Mayfield deserves credit score for the way nicely he has tailored to life with the Rams, his coach, Sean McVay, has carried out some adapting of his personal. According to Sports Info Solutions, heading into Week 16 the Rams led the league in using 11 personnel, a bundle with three broad receivers and a good finish on the sphere, with 794 offensive snaps in that bundle.
That modified Sunday in opposition to the Broncos. Los Angeles leaned into 12 personnel, placing two tight ends on the sphere, for the primary time all season. The Rams ran 49 snaps Sunday in that bundle, and it created some large performs within the passing sport.
One instance was this boot-action design from halfway by the primary quarter. Both Higbee and Hopkins are within the sport, in a YY wing alignment on the correct. Mayfield comes out of a run pretend and rolls to his proper, hitting Hopkins on the deep nook route:
12 personnel was additionally on the sphere late within the third quarter, when Mayfield and Hopkins linked on this out path to the left facet of the sphere:
What stands out about this throw? The placement from Mayfield. The Broncos are in Cover 4 right here, and with the skin receiver going vertical — which pulls the cornerback with him — Jackson, the protection, has to cowl the out route from the tight finish. Jackson does a very good job at breaking on the route, and he beats Hopkins to the skin. If Mayfield leads the tight finish, Jackson has a very good probability at an interception. But Mayfield’s throw throttles Hopkins down, and the tight finish is ready to defend Jackson away from the ball with physique.
He then breaks the sort out try for good measure.
So, what does one make of Mayfield proper now? Is his success in opposition to the Broncos extra an element of Denver folding the tents on the finish of a disappointing season? Is McVay discovering a method to cater his offense to what Mayfield does nicely within the passing sport?
Or is Baker truly again?
Since becoming a member of the Rams, Mayfield has regained a number of the confidence and swagger that made him a Heisman Trophy winner, and the first-overall choice within the 2018 draft. He appears to be like comfy and assured once more within the pocket, and good performs are following on the sphere.
But McVay additionally deserves credit score for adapting his offense briefly order to his new quarterback. This is, in spite of everything, the job of a coach. Adapt what you do to the expertise you may have on the roster.
McVay has been criticized previously for being gradual to adapt to both his roster, or what defenses are doing to his schemes. In three quick weeks, nevertheless, he has tweaked his offense to match the quarterback underneath middle. Many of the ideas are the identical, however the personnel bundle is a departure from McVay’s offenses of the previous. The offense mirrors what McVay was working with Jared Goff on the helm, with an emphasis on play-action and boot-action designs to create alternatives for the QB
But the emphasis on 12 personnel additionally helps Mayfield, because it creates extra favorable matchups with tight ends working in opposition to linebacker and safeties. On each of the above examples, the Broncos have been in larger defensive personnel teams, with three down linemen and 4 linebackers on the sphere. One of the tenets of McVay’s offense in the course of the Rams’ run to Super Bowl LIII was working out of 11 personnel, working in opposition to sub defensive packages, and creating lighter packing containers to work in opposition to within the run sport.
Sunday? The Rams discovered methods to throw out of 12 personnel, in opposition to heavier personnel groupings.
So to reply the query. Is Baker again?
We’re not able to say that.
Yet.
But it does seem to be if a profession revival goes to occur for him, he might need landed in one of the best place doable.