The Los Angeles Rams were one of the more disruptive defenses in the NFL in 2025, and are on track to be even better in 2026.
L.A. finished sixth in the league this past year with a defensive havoc rate of 8.6, according to data from nflfastR and Pro Football Reference compiled by @JoshiosTweets.
Havoc rate combines interceptions, forced fumbles, sacks, pressures and tackles for loss to determine how disruptive a defense can be at all levels of the field. The Rams’ 8.6 havoc rate tied them with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings for the sixth-best mark in the league.
Los Angeles posted well-rounded numbers across most categories. The teams’ 16 interceptions ranked among the better totals in the NFC. They recorded 47 sacks, tied with the Seattle Seahawks. Their 180 pressures were the fourth-highest in the league. Their 12 forced fumbles were solid, though their 66 tackles for loss ranked among the lower totals in the top 10.
The pressure number is the most notable data point. With 180 quarterback pressures, the Rams consistently put opposing passers in uncomfortable situations throughout the season, even in games where sacks didn’t always follow. The low TFL number is the one area worth watching heading into 2025. Tackles for loss indicate a defense’s ability to disrupt runs behind the line of scrimmage, and at 66, the Rams ranked in the bottom third among havoc top-10 teams in that category.
That weakness figures to be addressed in a significant way. The Rams acquired pass rusher Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns this offseason, and his 2025 numbers alone would have moved the needle considerably. Garrett recorded 23 sacks, 33 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and 53 pressures. Those numbers that would have pushed Los Angeles higher in nearly every weighted havoc category.
The Rams also added to their secondary, trading for Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie and signing fellow Chiefs corner Jaylen Watson. The two combined for three interceptions, one forced fumble and five tackles for loss in 2025 — contributions that shore up a back end that will now feature more proven playmakers.
With those additions folded into a defense that was already sixth in the league, the Rams project as a legitimate top-three havoc unit heading into 2026.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams defense poised to be even more disruptive in 2026
Reporting by Oliver G., Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Oliver G., Rams Wire | USA TODAY Network
