Warren Sharp from Sharp Football Analysis just dropped a massive truth bomb on Awful Announcing, and if the Los Angeles Rams don't make it to the Super Bowl in 2026, he thinks he knows exactly why. Sharp's take is brutally honest: Sean McVay needs to stop playing old cards. The biggest thing that could hold the Rams back this season, he argues, is simply trying to replay what worked like magic in 2025, a strategy the rest of the NFL is already fully hip to.
The League Knows What's Coming For McVay's Old Tricks
Last season, it felt like McVay was once again a genius, truly revolutionizing the NFL and setting some serious trends with his heavy use of 12 and 13 personnel. The Rams initially started 2025 by leaning hard into two-tight-end sets. Then, when they got hit with some nasty receiver injuries, they pushed it even further, stacking up three-tight-end sets on the field. But here's the kicker, according to Sharp: that's a card McVay has already thrown down. He made a clear pivot from running the highest rate of 11 personnel to suddenly featuring the highest rate of three-tight-end sets. Now, the rest of the league, and yeah, that includes your very own Seattle Seahawks when they're on the schedule outside the division, knows *exactly* what's coming. McVay won't be able to just trot out that same old playbook this year and expect the same mind-blowing results. Defensively, sure, the Rams added some talent in the secondary and even brought in Myles Garrett. But even with those pieces, Sharp suggests it's going to be incredibly tough for them to replicate the overall success they had last season.Doubling Down on Predictability, Despite the Warnings
The numbers from 2025 truly don't lie when it comes to the Rams' tight end dominance. L.A. ranked first in the entire league for 13 personnel usage, showing up on a whopping 30.5% of their plays. To put that in perspective, that's more than double the second-place Pittsburgh Steelers, who were way down at 14.5%. When they ran those sets, the Rams absolutely *feasted*, leading the NFL with a massive +77.4 Expected Points Added. That's a huge number, trust me. They also averaged a solid 4.8 yards per carry and 6.2 yards per play out of that 13 personnel. Despite Sharp's serious hesitations about McVay hammering away with 12 and 13 personnel again in 2026, there's absolutely zero indication McVay plans to dial back his tight end usage. The Rams are bringing back a stacked group: Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen, and Terrance Ferguson are all returning. Plus, they even went and drafted Max Klare in the second round! This method, heavy on tight ends, helps the Rams avoid needing a third receiver as badly as other teams, something that became painfully clear when the $10 million man, Tutu Atwell, stopped getting snaps. Honestly, it would be genuinely surprising if they *don't* utilize this deep tight end group heavily this season. So, for those L.A. Rams, the real question isn't whether their tight ends are talented enough to produce. It's whether McVay can somehow pull another unexpected rabbit out of his hat and find a new offensive trend, or if his predictable, familiar approach with guys like Higbee and the newly drafted Klare becomes a major trap. The entire league is watching closely, and for us Emerald City faithful, knowing what's brewing with our division rivals is always something to keep an eye on.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.