We’re partnering with Football Outsiders again this year to promote the release of the Football Outsiders Almanac 2018. FO continues to raise the bar for quantitative analysis, and the 2018 almanac is proof positive. In our five-part preview, we’ll look at how they modeled the 2017 Los Angeles Rams and what they’re looking at for 2018 with FO’s Bryan Knowles (@BryKno).

Pt. I: An offense renewed

Last year, the projection was for the defense to jump to 2nd defensively in DVOA from 15th. They about halved that getting to 6th. What was foreseen in terms of defensive improvement that didn’t take place that could take place this year and close that gap even further?