Lions Week 15 preview: Breaking down Rams’ offensive, defensive schemes

The Detroit Lions (8-5) and Los Angeles Rams (10-3) will square off in a Week 15 battle between two teams positioning themselves for the NFC playoffs.

Let’s take a closer look at the Rams’ coaching staff, the scheme they run, and some scouting notes from previously viewed games.

Rams head coach: Sean McVay

NFL coaching seasons: 16
Offensive coordinator: Three (Washington 2014-16)
NFL head coaching seasons: Nine (Rams 2017-present)
Influences: Mike Shanahan, Kyle Shanahan, Jon Gruden, Jay Gruden, Chris Petersen, Matt LaFleur
Playcaller: Yes

Dan Campbell on McVay:

“I think McVay’s always done a good job of putting players in the best position to have success. Using the roster, the totality of it, as much as you can use your personnel. If you’ve got it, use it. And he does a great job of that.”

Offensive coordinator: Mike LaFleur

NFL coaching seasons: 12
Offensive coordinator seasons: Five; Jets (2021-22), Rams (2023-present)
Previous positions: Passing game coordinator (49ers 2017-20), WR coach
Influences: Matt LaFleur (brother), Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan
Key Staff: Dave Ragone (QB coach)

Offensive scheme

Passing game: West Coast, Shanahan-inspired
Running scheme: More power, Duo, inside zone in 2024-25
Staples of scheme:

• Heavy 11 personnel: 67% of the time in 2025, have hit 90% in seasons past
• Heavy West Coast themes (pre-snap motion, play-action, end-arounds, screens, outside-zone runs, and condensed formations)
• Pre-snap motion usage near the top of the NFL
• Big shift from wide zone run to power/duo/inside zone run game has been difference making
• Inside runs (56.1%, second most in NFL), outside runs (37.3%, last in NFL)
• Preferred quicker plays in 2024, resulting in long drives and ball possession
• Always capable of explosive plays
• Constantly sets up plays
• Use offensive formations to get specific defensive formations on the field – setting up mismatches

Scouting notes

• Primarily operates with 11 (67%) and 13 personnel (22%)
• Last week (vs. Cardinals), used 13 personnel 60% of the time (40 of 67 offensive snaps)
• Multiple receiver sets or multiple TE sets … not much in between in 2025
• Matthew Stafford manipulates secondary with eyes
• Play-action on 36.3% of plays, most in the NFL (for reference, Jared Goff uses PA 30.6%, 5th)
• Stafford is equally successful against man and zone (top 10 EPA vs. both)
• Stafford’s only real weakness right now is pressure: EPA when pressured = -0.44 (35th in NFL)
• OL is top 3 in pressures (119) and sacks (17), but when pressure comes, it’s fast (ave. 2.56 seconds, 27th)
• WR Puka Nakua is their version of Amon-Ra St. Brown – high volume, highly trusted
• WR Davante Adams leads NFL in TD receptions – a red zone weapon
• No LaPorta level TE, but four (!) who can produce at a higher level than Brock Wright
• RB tandem of Kyren Williams and Blake Corum not far behind Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery
• Offensive line has produced in both pass and run game
• Yards after catch is average (21st), but rushing yards after contact (3.56 yards, 4th) is elite
• Third down conversion rate: 38.81% (17th)

Dan Campbell on Rams’ offense and how it’s evolved in 2025:

“I think a lot of this under center run gives them a chance to really lean on you a little bit, that’s where a lot of it has changed. There’s more of a concerted effort in the run game, I feel like, to apply pressure on you. I think that gives some of those receivers a break, that helps a little bit, and now you bring them back in at 11, it’s just a good changeup.

“And I think there’s predictability in 13, normally you know what you’re going to get. Sometimes in 12, you don’t know if you’re going to get nickel or base defense. So, that’s another reason. They know what they’re going to attack. They know probably the defense, the fronts, the coverages, that helps. And they’ve got tight ends. They’ve got some tight ends that are versatile and do a little bit of everything, that’s always going to help.”

Defensive coordinator: Chris Shula

NFL coaching seasons: Nine
Defensive coordinator seasons: Second (Rams 2024-present)
Previous roles with Rams: Pass game coordinator and DB coach, Pass rush coordinator and LB coach
Influences: Don Shula (Grandfather), Raheem Morris, Brandon Staley, Wade Phillips
Key Staff: Aubrey Pleasant (Asst. HC/Pass-game Coordinator)

Jared Goff on the Rams’ DC Chris Shula:

“I think Coach Shula, when I was there, was a damn good linebackers coach and then has become a damn good coordinator. When we played them in the first game of the year last year, you can see the evolution from then to now. And they’re just all on the same page, they play really sound football. They’re really well coached from the backend, they’re really well coached from the second level, and the D-line gets after the quarterback. So, it’s a good recipe.”

Defensive scheme

Base: 2-4-5 (3-3-5)
Coverage: Off-man zone heavy, primarily Cover-3 and Cover-4
Staples of scheme:

• Zone — Cover-2: 10%, Cover-3: 35%, Cover-4: 20%, Cover-6: 13%
• Man — Almost exclusively Cover-1: 17%
• Center field safety over 50+% of snaps
• Nickel sets will fluctuate between 3 CB (2 S) and 3 S (2 CB) sets
• Secondary designed to limit big plays
• Stunts, even with an odd front
• Blitzes used to scheme up pass rush

Scouting notes

• Young but fast evolving defense
• Top 10 in pressures (188, 4th) and sacks (36, 7th) but average time to pressure (2.69 seconds, 18th)
• Top 10 in defending the run in virtually every meaningful category
• Zone coverage lends itself to YAC (13th in NFL)
• Disguise blitz: Threaten middle pressure that often drops and blitz comes from another spot
• Prefer lighter boxes and more players in coverage
• Only blitz 20.8% of the time (29th)
• If you can control the front 4, you control the game
• When they stack the front, you need to find the holes in the zone

Jared Goff on the Rams’ defense:

“The D-line’s really good. They get after the guys, and our O-line’s ready for the challenge, they are, but that D-line has been building that for a few years now and they’re starting to come together now. And I think just how well coached they are, you can tell how sound it is. I think (LB Nate Landman) 53 is playing as well as anyone in the league right now at linebacker, and they’re doing a good job.”

Dan Campbell on the Rams’ edge rusher Jared Verse:

“We liked Verse. Yeah, he’s a good player. He’s a really good player. And he’s grown so much in a year. I mean this guy is a violent player and he can wreck a game. I mean this guy sets violent edges in the run game and then he gets an edge, it’s over. Those guys collectively do a good job running stunts and pick games, things like that. He’s really grown. But yeah, we liked him. We liked him.”