Did the Patriots draw the Panthers a map through the Rams’ schemes of confusion?

Carolina Panthers safety Tre Boston doesn’t believe the Super Bowl exposed the Los Angeles Rams, but the New England Patriots sure provided a clue by holding those Rams to three points:

Communication is the antidote to confusion.

The Rams offense was second in the NFL last season in average points (32.9 per game) and average yards (421). A big factor is the Rams’ ability to send a defense’s eyes one way and the ball goes the other way.

Boston, back for a second stint as Carolina’s free safety, will do abundant traffic-copping Sunday in the season opener against the reigning NFC champions.

“They do a lot of motioning, trying to get your eyes (to shift) here and there. As a safety, a great part of my job is communicating. allowing my guys to line up and play fast,” Boston said Wednesday after practice.

“I take pride in watching film — to alert my guys of two or three things that could happen right now.”

Swirling

Rams coach Sean McVay wants everything to swirl in front of an opposing defense before the snap. Nothing new in that, but the extent of all those “little guys,” as defensive end Bruce Irvin calls them, running around creates data overload.

“A lot of uptempo stuff, a lot of crossing routes, a lot of motion,” Irvin said, describing the L.A.’s approach. “They have a lot of little guys who run fly sweeps and stuff like that. They’re a rhythm offense. Hard-count you. Quick-count you. It can get frustrating.

“When they’re ready (to snap the ball), you’ve got to be ready. They do a great job of disguising. But if you jump out on them and get physical with them, it will go how we want it to go.”

It certainly did for the Patriots, in winning 13-3. That was only the second time last season the Rams were held below 23 points. The Panthers have studied that game video extensively preparing for the opener — in part because New England was so effective defensively, in part because it’s McVay’s policy not to use his starters at all in the preseason.

But that doesn’t mean the Panthers see something indicting about the Rams offense off one terrible performance.

‘Swiss Army Knife’

Panthers defensive lineman Gerald McCoy calls the Rams offense the NFL’s “Swiss Army Knife” for its marvelous utility.

“One game doesn’t define who they are,” McCoy said, “but you can learn from that game, say, ‘This worked (against) this.’ Take these pieces and try to apply it to what we do.

“You never want to say, ‘Oh, they aren’t what people said they were.’ They are who people say they are! Their offense has been that great over two consistent years.”

Boston doesn’t like the word “trickery,” as it sounds too theatrical in describing the Rams’ approach.

“They are on the high end in fast pace and trying to get your eyes somewhere else. They can confuse you,” Boston said.

“It’s the football we’re seeing now. We’re seeing it with the (Kansas City) Chiefs with their faster guys. Tyreke Hill motioning. Teams know you can’t just run the ball straight at (defenses). You’ve got to run outside zone, you’ve got to make sure guys are unbalanced. And make sure it works together.”

A huge challenge, Boston says, and exactly what he prefers.

“Against a team like that, you know who you are,” Boston concluded.

“In Week One, you don’t want to ease into it. See how good you are right now, and this is a test.”