As good as the Rams offense was last season, they weren’t among the best in the red zone. In fact, they were merely middle of the pack, which makes the fact that they scored the seventh-most points in the NFL that much more impressive.
They scored touchdowns on only 59.1% of their red zone trips, which was 16th in the league – up slightly from 2020 when they scored 57.8% of the time (19th). What they were missing both seasons was a big, physical receiver who can box out defenders and make plays on the ball.
Enter Allen Robinson.
The Rams signed Robinson this offseason and he seems like a perfect solution to the team’s red zone woes. Strangely, he’s almost the same size as Cooper Kupp, with both players being 6-foot-2 and about 210 pounds.
But Robinson is one of the best wideouts when it comes to making contested catches and he has a bigger catch radius than both Kupp and Van Jefferson. He uses his size and length well, which makes him an asset in the red area.
This stat shows how useful his physicality will be near the goal line, coming down with more than half of his targets for 13 touchdowns in the last three years.
Today's pro-Allen Robinson tweet:
Red zone performance:
Van Jefferson (2021)- 4 receptions on 15 targets (27%), 42 yards, 3 TDsRobinson (2018-2021)- 29 receptions on 57 targets (51%), 224 yards, 13 TDs
Stafford and Robinson will be a dynamic duo, both feeding off each other
— Ian (@NFLFilmStudy) July 29, 2022
The Rams saw the value that Odell Beckham Jr. had in the red zone last season, using him on fades and isolation routes near the goal line. Robinson isn’t quite as twitchy or explosive as Beckham, but he can still win one-on-one battles on the outside.
With Kupp in the slot, Tyler Higbee lined up on the line as a tight end and both Robinson and Jefferson split out wide, Matthew Stafford will have options in the red zone. And that’s without even mentioning the receiving ability of Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson Jr.
Expect to see Sean McVay utilize Robinson on isolation routes and fades this season, taking advantage of his size and length when the field gets condensed.
