4th Quarter Failings Have Been a Theme in 2023. Why?

[WarnerToBruce]

People like to think it's all these huge issues. But the losses when looked at individually show they were for a variety of reasons.
1. Morris' obsession with starting a completely unqualified CB in DK. At least one perhaps two can be attributed to his issues,

2. Point shaving by the refs, Overturning Tutu's clear TD which was the margin of victory. Cost a game. Giving the bogus first down preventing the possibility of a Ram's comeback.

3. McVay intentionally, made the offense one dimensional when there was no reason. His premature abandoning the run exposed an OL that they cobbled together at the last possible minute before the start of the season. Not giving them an opportunity to gell before the season started.

4. McVay's insistence upon sticking with smurf Henderson as his lead RB when Freeman was clearly by a huge margin better.

5. Both McVay and Morris have proved they struggle to make in game adjustments. A prime reason I give Morris a D grade for this season.

On number 4, channeling Suess:

We do not know this, I will claim,
from what I see, they look the same.

Neither of them shed their blocks,
neither kill 4th quarter clocks.

Until we see this, oldnotdead,
your faith is only in your head.

 

[RamFanWA]

Look how that has worked out for NE.

All coaches, even the best, have a sell-by date.

You mean, the THROW IT OUT DATE ?? !!!

 

[Alaskan Ram]

I think the primary root cause for 4th quarter struggles is the lack of depth at key positions.
Elite teams can overcome adversity. And many adversities have been listed in this thread (my favorite is point shaving by the refs - fucking sure feels like it).

Perspective:
Until last season, McVay teams were never below .500 at any point in a season.
Our Coach came out of the gate with a historic streak of 45 straight victories when leading at half.
McVay was a tactician. His teams were like an MMA fighter who got in front of you on points and DICTATED the outcome.
And his teams were loaded with talent -- including an Elite left Tackle.

The reality:
McVay' s coaching staff has been poached every year.
Restructured backloaded contracts followed by dead money has crippled the Rams' ability to retain/acquire free agents - most notably a successor to Big Whit.

Why it can and will get better?
This team has just had one of the best drafts I can remember in my lifetime.
This team (despite California taxes and no home field advantage) still has a great culture of cultivating players and getting them paid - either here or elsewhere.
This team is loaded with young talent.
This team will have the $'s to grab that elite Left Tackle next season.

Expectations for rest of this year coming out of the bye?
Fuck it. My expectation is that we "Miracle on Ice" this shit and win out.

Go Rams
(Fuck the 9ers).

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

When your defense has been on the field for 40 minutes because of the bend and THEN break, it's hard to stop the other team from scoring.

 

[kurtfaulk]

yeah just a quick glance...

We have given up 7 TD's in the 4th quarter - most we have given up in any quarter,

We gave have scored 3 TD's in the 4th quarter - least we have scored in any quarter.

So yeah its bad all around play.

there's no bigger indictment of mcvay's offense than this stat.

other teams start making plays in the 4th qtr while the mcvay offense gets comfortable in the fetal position. even with stafford at qb i have zero hope the rams will convert any 3rd down play. it's sad really.

.

 

[RamsSince1969]

It’s the principle: no coach has a job for life.

I beg to differ! 17 years and I'm the teflon Don!

 

[Oregonram]

Listening to the 11 Personnel podcast...Jourdan made a statement that Sean is trying to re-invent himself on the fly with his play calls...it may be the reason why the Rams, to me, do not look like they have an identity as a football team. We certainly pass more than we run, but the team was no doubt more effective with Kyren in the game. I think Sean isn't sure whether he wants to run the ball more, or stick to his more pass happy offense. After awhile, using the same excuse for losing ( lack of execution) either means you just don't have the personnel to run the plays you are calling, or you are just not calling effective plays. Probably a little of both.

 

[Ellard80]

It’s the principle: no coach has a job for life.

A 36 year old coach who has coached 7 years is hardly in the "for life" category.

Whereas Billy has coached for nearly 25 years with one team.

It's a bad comparison.

 

[Londoner]

It's a bad comparison.

Again: I’m not making a comparison. I’m commenting upon the principle.

 

[AvengerRam]

Again: I’m not making a comparison. I’m commenting upon the principle.

The “principle” that nobody coaches forever is pretty trite, no?

The operative question is not whether McVay will reach an expiration date but, rather, when that will occur.

We can only hope it will be after a run like Belichick’s.

 

[oldnotdead]

your faith is only in your head.

LOL That is the most ridiculous statement yet.

AS FANS THAT APPLIES TO EVERY FAN OF EVERY TEAM INCLUDING THE RAMS. LMFAO

Yeah, I'm an over the top fan and fucking damn proud of it!!

I PREFER SEEING THINGS HALF FULL NOT HALF EMPTY BUT APPARENTLY A LOT HERE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT CONCEPT.

PEOPLE'S NEGATIVITY SAYS AS MUCH ABOUT THEM AS MY POSITIVE OUTLOOK DOES ABOUT ME.

NO TEAM IS PERFECT AND NO COACH IS EITHER. I LOVE MCVAY BUT I'M NOT BLIND TO HIS FLAWS AND WHAT IS WRONG WITH POINTING THEM OUT? YEAH THIS TEAM HAS WARTS BUT IT DOESN'T STOP ME FROM LOVING THEM. IF PEOPLE ARE WAITING FOR PERFECTION THAT AIN'T HAPPENING AND ISN'T NECESSARY. THE 2021 RAMS WERE FAR FROM PERFECT AND PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS NUTS FOR SAYING THEY WERE A SUPER BOWL ROSTER. I SAID IT BEFORE THE SEASON TOO.

I SAID THIS TEAM WAS BETTER THAN MOST REALIZE AND I STILL SAY IT. BAD CALLS BY REFS AND MOST OF ALL BAD COACHING BY BOTH MCVAY AND MORRIS ARE THE REASONS THIS TEAM IS WHERE IT IS. WHAT WILL YOU SAY IF THEY TURN THINGS AROUND IN THE SECOND HALF? I'VE BEEN SAYING IT ALL ALONG AND BELIEVE THEY WILL. WHY? BECAUSE I'M A FUCKING PROUD DIE HARD RAM FAN THAT'S FUCKING WHY AND IF THAT MAKES ME CRAZY IN THE EYES OF OTHERS ON THIS BOARD THEN THAT SAYS MORE ABOUT THEM THAN ME AND I'M THE ONE LAUGHING AT THEM.

 

[AvengerRam]

LOL That is the most ridiculous statement yet.

AS FANS THAT APPLIES TO EVERY FAN OF EVERY TEAM INCLUDING THE RAMS. LMFAO

Yeah, I'm an over the top fan and fucking damn proud of it!!

I PREFER SEEING THINGS HALF FULL NOT HALF EMPTY BUT APPARENTLY A LOT HERE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT CONCEPT.

PEOPLE'S NEGATIVITY SAYS AS MUCH ABOUT THEM AS MY POSITIVE OUTLOOK DOES ABOUT ME.

NO TEAM IS PERFECT AND NO COACH IS EITHER. I LOVE MCVAY BUT I'M NOT BLIND TO HIS FLAWS AND WHAT IS WRONG WITH POINTING THEM OUT? YEAH THIS TEAM HAS WARTS BUT IT DOESN'T STOP ME FROM LOVING THEM. IF PEOPLE ARE WAITING FOR PERFECTION THAT AIN'T HAPPENING AND ISN'T NECESSARY. THE 2021 RAMS WERE FAR FROM PERFECT AND PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS NUTS FOR SAYING THEY WERE A SUPER BOWL ROSTER. I SAID IT BEFORE THE SEASON TOO.

I SAID THIS TEAM WAS BETTER THAN MOST REALIZE AND I STILL SAY IT. BAD CALLS BY REFS AND MOST OF ALL BAD COACHING BY BOTH MCVAY AND MORRIS ARE THE REASONS THIS TEAM IS WHERE IT IS. WHAT WILL YOU SAY IF THEY TURN THINGS AROUND IN THE SECOND HALF? I'VE BEEN SAYING IT ALL ALONG AND BELIEVE THEY WILL. WHY? BECAUSE I'M A FUCKING PROUD DIE HARD RAM FAN THAT'S FUCKING WHY AND IF THAT MAKES ME CRAZY IN THE EYES OF OTHERS ON THIS BOARD THEN THAT SAYS MORE ABOUT THEM THAN ME AND I'M THE ONE LAUGHING AT THEM.

1. Why are you yelling?
2. Why are you incapable of staying on topic?
3. Have you tried decaf?

 

[bomebadeeda]

As many have chimed in. The run game has been crippled w/ injuries. McVay does like to pass more than run the ball. But running the ball eats up clock allowing the defense to be fresher. And our inability to get off the field on 3rd down (and sometimes on 4th....) kills us. Now is it lack of talent on defense. Or is it the inexperienced of youth. Time will tell. Next year we might get the oppertunity to get some needed talent through free agency, But....... We are talking about this year right now.

Just my 2 cents,

 

[WarnerToBruce]

LOL That is the most ridiculous statement yet.

AS FANS THAT APPLIES TO EVERY FAN OF EVERY TEAM INCLUDING THE RAMS. LMFAO

Yeah, I'm an over the top fan and fucking damn proud of it!!

I PREFER SEEING THINGS HALF FULL NOT HALF EMPTY BUT APPARENTLY A LOT HERE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT CONCEPT.

PEOPLE'S NEGATIVITY SAYS AS MUCH ABOUT THEM AS MY POSITIVE OUTLOOK DOES ABOUT ME.

NO TEAM IS PERFECT AND NO COACH IS EITHER. I LOVE MCVAY BUT I'M NOT BLIND TO HIS FLAWS AND WHAT IS WRONG WITH POINTING THEM OUT? YEAH THIS TEAM HAS WARTS BUT IT DOESN'T STOP ME FROM LOVING THEM. IF PEOPLE ARE WAITING FOR PERFECTION THAT AIN'T HAPPENING AND ISN'T NECESSARY. THE 2021 RAMS WERE FAR FROM PERFECT AND PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS NUTS FOR SAYING THEY WERE A SUPER BOWL ROSTER. I SAID IT BEFORE THE SEASON TOO.

I SAID THIS TEAM WAS BETTER THAN MOST REALIZE AND I STILL SAY IT. BAD CALLS BY REFS AND MOST OF ALL BAD COACHING BY BOTH MCVAY AND MORRIS ARE THE REASONS THIS TEAM IS WHERE IT IS. WHAT WILL YOU SAY IF THEY TURN THINGS AROUND IN THE SECOND HALF? I'VE BEEN SAYING IT ALL ALONG AND BELIEVE THEY WILL. WHY? BECAUSE I'M A FUCKING PROUD DIE HARD RAM FAN THAT'S FUCKING WHY AND IF THAT MAKES ME CRAZY IN THE EYES OF OTHERS ON THIS BOARD THEN THAT SAYS MORE ABOUT THEM THAN ME AND I'M THE ONE LAUGHING AT THEM.

Bro, my comment that spawned this fired up response ("your faith is only in your head") was specific to point number 4 of your post where you imply that Freeman is "obviously" the best RB.

Although it may be true, I need to see it with my own eyes before I hold McVay accountable for such an egregious error in choosing to give snaps to "Smurf Henderson" instead.

...and it was fun to write it like Dr Seuss would have...

 

[Allen2McVay]

Bro, my comment that spawned this fired up response ("your faith is only in your head") was specific to point number 4 of your post where you imply that Freeman is "obviously" the best RB.

Although it may be true, I need to see it with my own eyes before I hold McVay accountable for such an egregious error in choosing to give snaps to "Smurf Henderson" instead.

...and it was fun to write it like Dr Seuss would have...

... Well Done

 

[snackdaddy]

So we're trying to figure out how the failures occurred? Seems pretty simple to me. Our guys ain't as good as the other guys. Coaching can only do so much.

 

[Faceplant]

Sometimes I wish we had a STFU reaction on here.... But, that's mean.

 

[Noregar]

My simple answer is that I think it is overall talent deficiency and also having a young team. The cream always rises to the top so to speak. Better teams with better talent tend to pull ahead as time passes. Statistically speaking good/bad breaks tend to even out more over time and so better talent becomes the differentiator in the later part of the games. (except blatantly bad officiating).

I think our Rams have some good young and older talent to build around but they also have too many big holes for the good talent they do have to overcome.

 

[snackdaddy]

My simple answer is that I think it is overall talent deficiency and also having a young team. The cream always rises to the top so to speak. Better teams with better talent tend to pull ahead as time passes. Statistically speaking good/bad breaks tend to even out more over time and so better talent becomes the differentiator in the later part of the games. (except blatantly bad officiating).

I think our Rams have some good young and older talent to build around but they also have too many big holes for the good talent they do have to overcome.

It is starting to look like its all about next year and beyond. They didn't trade any assets before the deadline. Which is good. This year should be more like auditions for young guys to show they can be contributors down the road.

But I would like to see more wins than expected. 7 or 8 wins might keep us out of the top ten in the draft but that is what a young team needs to build confidence that they can pull out wins instead of losing games that were winnable. Going 2-6 over the last 8 games will do more to damage the confidence.