3 Los Angeles Rams to blame for deflating Week 10 MNF to Dolphins

Week 10's Monday Night Football interconference showdown between the Los Angeles Rams and the Miami Dolphins represented two teams heading in polar opposite directions. Yet, surprisingly, the squad trending downward prevailed.

Winners of three straight entering the contest, Los Angeles had been one of the hottest teams in the NFL. Alas, any momentum the Rams had is officially gone, with the Dolphins derailing them.

Falling to 4-5, the Rams squandered an opportunity to keep pace with the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West race. Los Angeles' shortcomings against the Dolphins were mostly attributed to their offensive woes. The defense held up their end of the bargain — generating pressure/takeaways and stopping the run.

Ultimately, it takes a collective effort to win. Nonetheless, Los Angeles' scoring unit failed to deliver, headlined by these three culprits.

3. Matthew Stafford

Despite Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Rams offense outgaining Miami by 99 yards, Los Angeles didn't score a single touchdown. They had three red zone trips and yielded a trio of field goals.

Frankly, that's not going to get the job done. Stafford and the Rams moved the ball decently but couldn't find paydirt. As the team's franchise passer, it falls on the 36-year-old to ensure the operation stays on schedule. Meanwhile, his shoddy decision-making at the end of the game proved costly, missing running back Kyren Williams for a presumed wide-open touchdown in crunch time.

Instead of potentially facing a four-point deficit with over six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Stafford and the Rams were down eight. Not seeing Williams put Los Angeles in a position where they needed to score a touchdown and successfully go for two. However, that lone instance epitomizes the signal-caller's rough day at the office.

Stafford completed 32 of his 46 pass attempts for 293 scoreless yards and an interception. His four sacks and two fumbles weren't anything to write home about either, though he recovered the football both times he muffed it.

2. Kyren Williams

Miami's game plan for this affair was relatively clear: Contain Kyren Williams.

Williams has operated as the engine of Los Angeles' offense since establishing himself as the team's workhorse runner last year. Leading up to the clash with Miami, he scored a touchdown in seven of eight games this season. Be that as it may, the Dolphins made a concerted effort to limit him, which paid dividends.

Amassing 82 scoreless scrimmage yards on 20 touches, it was a quiet night by Williams' standards. But more importantly, he coughed up the rock, fumbling early in the second quarter. Notably, the Rams defense bailed him out, strip-sacking Tua Tagovailoa on the ensuing drive to regain possession. So, it was a no-harm, no-foul blunder. Still, it's far from encouraging, especially considering he briefly lost the ball in Week 9 versus the Seattle Seahawks before landing on it.

For whatever it's worth, Williams' (and Stafford's) struggles weren't entirely their fault. They didn't get the help they needed, specifically up front.

1. Rams offensive line

On an evening when the Rams welcomed back two starting offensive linemen — Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson — the group ostensibly regressed.

From Weeks 7-9, without Avila and Jackson, Los Angeles' blockers had been the most stout unit in the league, allowing only a single sack. Suddenly, with the duo back in the lineup, Stafford was getting taken down regularly and Williams had minimal rushing lanes.

Perhaps the lack of continuity and cohesion shell-shocked Jackson, Avila and the Rams' offensive line. They weren't on the same page in this one, and Miami's front seven made them pay for it.

To make matters worse, stalwart right tackle Rob Havenstein was inactive due to an ankle issue. He usually makes things easier for the Rams offense, and his presence was sorely missed in the primetime loss to the Phins.

Furthermore, Joe Noteboom looked incapable of filling Havenstein's void, often getting beat off the edge and rushing Stafford's internal clock. Overall, the musical chairs of protectors put the Rams at a major disadvantage straight out of the gates.