When Sean McVay arrived in 2017, the Rams‘ offense ranked dead last in scoring. By Week 8 that season, they led the NFL in points – the fastest turnaround in modern league history. Seven years later, his system still delivers top-10 production despite the constraints: late-round skill players and an offensive line built from waiver wire pickups. What makes McVay different? His coaching tree produces winners. Matt LaFleur, Zac Taylor, and Kevin O’Connell all run successful versions of his offense elsewhere. Now, after quietly fielding one of 2023’s most efficient attacks (4th in red zone scoring, 7th in yards per pass), McVay appears ready to evolve the formula again.

Key clues suggest this year’s changes trace back to a familiar face. One whose recent NFL work could reshape how the Rams deploy their personnel. Sean McVay just tipped his hand about the Rams’ 2025 offensive makeover. And it’s got Liam Coen‘s fingerprints all over it. The HC confirmed he’s borrowing from Coen’s 2024 Buccaneers offense.

Specifically pointing to “more versatility” in personnel groupings and a renewed commitment to the run game. “Yeah, I think the biggest thing would be just a little bit more versatility,” McVay said. Discussing Coen’s work with Bucky Irving in Tampa Bay, noting how the Bucs evolved their ground attack, Sean added, “One of the coolest things… was when you watch them and what they evolved to with Bucky Irving and the way they ran the football.“

In just one season as Bucs OC, Coen turned Baker Mayfield into a 41-TD passer, shattering the QB’s previous career high by 13 scores. Even more impressive? He pulled this off while missing Chris Godwin for eight games and Mike Evans for three, proving his system elevates whoever’s on the field.

But Coen’s real masterpiece was transforming Tampa’s ground game. The same Bucs who averaged a league-worst 88.8 rushing yards in 2023 exploded for 149.2 per game under Coen. That balanced attack helped score nearly 29 points per game, trailing only Tom Brady‘s legendary Bucs teams. Now, McVay wants that same offensive alchemy in the Rams. 

Sean McVay’s offensive evolution takes shape

While Liam Coen worked miracles with Bucs castoffs, McVay now gets to deploy these concepts with Pro Bowl talent at every turn. This Rams offense feels different. Sean now has something he hasn’t enjoyed since his Super Bowl runs: legitimate depth at every skill position. Davante Adams and Puka Nacua give Matthew Stafford two elite outside threats who demand double coverage, while Kyren Williams provides the hard-nosed running that makes play-action lethal. But what changes the calculus is how McVay plans to use them.

The HC acknowledged last season’s inconsistencies, taking full responsibility. “You can’t allow [injuries] to inhibit us the way that it did… that’s nobody’s responsibility but my own.” But now he is ready to bring the positional flexibility to the Rams’ offense. Imagine Nacua motioning into the backfield like Irving did in Tampa, or Adams running jet sweeps to freeze linebackers. Even role players like Tutu Atwell gain new value in this system – the exact kind of ‘underrated options‘ Coen maximized when Godwin and Evans missed time.

Stafford remains the engine, but McVay seems determined to ease his load. The 37-year-old QB won’t need to force throws when Williams can grind out four yards per carry behind (hopefully) a patched-up offensive line. He won’t have to play hero ball when third-string receivers suddenly become reliable targets in Coen-inspired personnel packages.

The challenges are real – that banged-up O-line could derail everything. But McVay’s track record suggests he’ll adapt. After all, this is the coach who turned Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp into stars. Now with Adams’ route-running mastery, Nacua’s YAC ability, and Williams’ between-the-tackles violence, Sean has his most complete chess set yet.

Coen’s influence shows most in the little details: the way McVay talks about “run variety perspective” and making everyone “more fully functional.” This isn’t just about adding plays. It’s about building an offense where the third receiver and backup running back matter as much as the stars. If it works, the Rams won’t just have a good offense. They’ll have one that survives the long NFL season.