2019 NFL power rankings, Week 10: Los Angeles Rams come out of bye week ready to rejoin NFL’s best

ESPN: 10th (10th)

Scary trend: 3.9 rushing yards per attempt

The Rams’ yards-per-carry mark ranks 21st in the league. With a running back corps that includes Todd Gurley II, Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson, that number must grow in the second half of the season. However, picking up more yards per carry doesn’t fall entirely on the backs. The offensive line, with three first-year starters on the interior flanked by veteran tackles Andrew Whitworth and Rob Havenstein, must show improvement.

NFL: 11th (12th)

The Rams had that beautifully symmetrical Week 9 bye, so let’s take a closer look at Todd Gurley at the halfway point. The running back was a constant source of speculation in the offseason, as concerns about his left knee created doubt he would still be an All-Pro-caliber player in 2019 and beyond. Things aren’t looking great right now. Gurley eclipsed 100 scrimmage yards just once in the first half of the season, a 101-yard effort in Week 1 against the Panthers. For context, he surpassed the century mark nine times in 2018 and 12 times in 2017. Gurley still has a nose for the end zone -- as his seven TDs in seven games attest -- but he doesn’t seem to have that same explosiveness. How much does his statistical decline have to do with a dip in the Los Angeles’ offensive-line play? That’s a question the Rams must answer internally.

CBS: 8th (10th)

They come off their bye with a tough road game against a Steelers team that is better on defense. Can Jared Goff keep his pre-bye roll going?

Yahoo!: 12th (12th)

The Rams aren’t sure when Brandin Cooks will return, but said his visit with a concussion specialist was positive. Football-wise it’s a big loss, though Josh Reynolds has talent and a big opportunity to fill that gap.

Pro Football Talk: 10th (10th)

If they can’t win Sunday’s rematch of Super Bowl XIV, the Rams may not get a chance to play for a potential spot in Super Bowl LIV.

USA Today: 10th (11th)

Jared Goff throwing more than ever under Sean McVay, yet his completion rate (61.1%), QB rating (86.8) and TD rate (3.5%) have all plummeted.

SI’s MMQB: 14th (12th)

The Rams suddenly find themselves sitting third in their division and on the outside of the playoff picture in the NFC. San Francisco and Seattle both won this weekend, and the Rams will need to do the same against Pittsburgh to keep pace.

The Athletic: 12th (11th)

Outside of a few ridiculous performances from Comeback Player of the Year candidate Cooper Kupp, the Rams’ offense was largely underwhelming in the first half of the season. We are curious to see what Sean McVay cooked up over his team’s bye week to get Jared Goff going over the next two months.