LOS ANGELES -- It was Week 3 of the 2025 season -- nearly a year ago -- and the Rams were on their way to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2021.
But after leading the Philadelphia Eagles 26-7 early in the third quarter, the Rams imploded. Along with not scoring another point on offense, the Rams had two field goals blocked in the fourth quarter, including one on the final play of the game that was returned 61 yards for a touchdown that gave the Eagles a 33-26 victory.
"That seemed like a crazier one," Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said when asked whether he's ever experienced an ending to a game like that. "Obviously, we played well in the first half of that game. We had some opportunities to distance ourselves and didn't do that for one reason or another. Then they made some great plays on special teams."
That loss to the Eagles was the first big crack to show in a unit that struggled for most of last season. Although the Rams were 11-4 through Week 16, Los Angeles fired its special teams coordinator after a loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Earlier in the season, the Rams had replaced their long snapper and kicker after the unit continued to have issues throughout the season, missing field goals and extra points.
Their new kicker, Harrison Mevis, was 12-of-13 on field goals and 39-of-39 on extra points to finish the regular season. He did not miss a kick during the playoffs.
More changes came this offseason, when the Rams hired Bubba Ventrone as their special teams coordinator. The Rams will get a chance to see how effective these changes have been when they travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX). Through three games, the Rams rank last in special teams DVOA and are ranked 30th, according to ESPN Analytics, ahead of only the Dolphins and Titans.
During training camp, coach Sean McVay said it has been a focus to not overlook the phase, but instead show how "important" and "impactful" the unit is.
"I'm not going to run away [from the fact] that I haven't done a good enough job of making that an emphasis, and it's cost us," McVay said. "And that is nobody's fault but my own."
Now, a year later, McVay is asked whether he thinks the special teams unit is in a better position than it was last season.
"Yeah, I do and that particular phase, without a doubt," McVay said. "... That particular operation I thought was a major step in the right direction, especially Mevis going 4-of-4 and 2-of-2 on the extra points [against the Denver Broncos in Week 3]. But you have to do it again."
Mevis said he's felt the "change of culture" since Ventrone was hired by the Rams.
"Special teams is at a premium all across the board," Mevis said of the emphasis this season. "I think obviously there's been past games I think that have been influenced on special teams, and we've seen how it influences games. So it's at the top of the list for us. We're pushing for good special teams."
McVay said this week that he feels very confident in Mevis, saying "he has great range." McVay said Mevis made a 68-yard field goal in warmups in the attitude in Denver in Week 3. Through three games, Mevis' season-long field goal is 48 yards.
"Sometimes when you see us go for it, it doesn't have anything to do with my confidence and his ability to be able to execute," McVay said. "It's more about, do we think we can play for points? And if we didn't convert there, are we comfortable with where we put our defense on the field? There are a lot of layers that go into the decision making, but I am very comfortable and confident in Mevis and his range."
But while Mevis had success against the Broncos, the Rams had a big special teams miscue that affected the game. Late in the third quarter, with the Rams leading 16-8, punter Ethan Evans pinned the Broncos to the 9-yard line. But after an unsportsmanlike penalty on cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr., the Broncos elected to make the Rams punt again. This time they started their drive at the Denver 48-yard line. The Broncos scored on that drive to tie the game.
Los Angeles is allowing 28.6 yards per kick return this season (25th), and their 11.2 yards allowed per punt return ranks 21st.
Ventrone said he thinks that the coverage unit has been "decent," saying, "I think that we need to get more consistency" from punter Ethan Evans.
"I think Ethan can do a better job being able to elevate the ball and match hang times and distance at a greater rate," Ventrone said. "I think that he understands that too. So really we got to do a better job in his position and then obviously fielding the balls."
Ventrone said he thinks there's room for growth for Xavier Smith in the return game, as well. The special teams coordinator said there's no thought about replacing Smith on punt returns and that the team has "a lot of trust in X."
"I would say overall he's been inconsistent," Ventrone said. "We need to do a better job of tracking the ball, judging the ball, fielding the ball when necessary, not fielding it in other situations. He knows that and hopefully we'll get the improvements that we need in that area."
Although McVay said the Rams have seen growth with their field goal protection unit from the last time they played the Eagles, he said it is a challenging group to face.
"Because of their interior defensive line and the way they do it, they always have a great field goal rush so that certainly is not anything we're taking for granted," McVay said.
Mevis said because of that, "ball height's at a premium."
"I think just getting the ball up and op time obviously is going to be at a premium as well," Mevis said. "So those two things are a focus -- and they're always a focus -- but I know I have one of the faster [operations] in the league. I've always had a faster op, so I feel like I'm at an advantage there."