Los Angeles Rams: A pessimistic look at 2018 offseason

[tomas]

Los Angeles Rams: A pessimistic look at 2018 offseason
by Nick Fox10 hours ago

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This is part one of a two-part series looking at the larger trajectory of the Los Angeles Rams. Are they headed in a good place or a bad place? Today we take a pessimistic angle. Next week we will take a more positive outlook.
We all have that pessimistic voice in side of us. When things are going well, the voice whispers that this will all end. We have a sense for future dread. A propensity for pessimism. Let’s indulge that for a moment (because things are rarely as bad as we fear, right?).

Everything went right for the Los Angeles Rams in 2017. Few (if any) writers predicted an 11-5 season, not to mention the top scoring offense in the league after being last in 2016. But, here comes the pessimistic voice since things rarely go so well two years in a row.

Here are some things that may not go as well going forward for Los Angeles heading into 2018, even if they will be considered one of the top teams to beat in the NFC early on.

Injuries

The Rams were very fortunate in the 2017 season, as they stayed very fee major injuries to their starters. Cornerback Kayvon Webster ruptured his Achilles tendon, wide receiver Robert Woods was out a few weeks, and linebacker Mark Barron along with safety Lamarcus Joyner both were banged up here and there. But overall, the team was remarkable healthy through the season. Injuries test a teams character. Exhibit A: The Philadelphia Eagles, who despite having great players at several important position out for the year, still managed to make the Super Bowl. Would the Rams have the character to lose key players and keep winning? Will the Rams be able to build the depth going forward to survive one or several key injuries in the season?

Related Story: Pro Bowl adds depth to quality of Goff, Rams season
The Coaching Honeymoon is Over

Sean McVay went 11-5 in his first season as the Rams head coach. And though the turnaround was Coach of the Year worthy, it is not uncommon for coaches to make changes and reap benefit the first year. Remember, Jeff Fisher took the Rams from 2-14 to 7-8-1 in his first year, but never did better than that in subsequent seasons. Ben McAdoo took over the New York Giants, who were 6-10 the year before he got there and won 11 games his first year. But with only two wins into December in his second year, McAdoo was eventually fired. Could McVay hit a sophomore slump?

Defenses Could “Figure Goff Out”

We also must consider the chance that Jared Goff, who had perhaps the greatest single season turnaround in a decade, returns a bit to the middle of the pack next year. With a year of tape on the young quarterback and his tendencies, might 2018 see him throw more picks, get more pressure, and ultimately take a step back? What does this offense look like if Goff is more Brian Hoyer than Carson Wentz? Does the offense still work, and will the Rams go quarterback shopping again?

Free Agency

Lastly, we know that every team is unique. This offseason, players will come and others will leave. We will never see this exact mix of players we saw this season. It is unlikely that the Rams will be able to sign all of their own free agents, let alone add significant free agents from other teams.

Next: 3 picks Rams should consider in first round of NFL Draft
The Rams do have significant cap space going forward, but also some very expensive stars they will need to lock up. Was this year the sweet spot of youth and experience, one-year contracts and prove-it stars? In the end, winning in this league is very difficult, even for talented teams. Los Angeles needs to keep growing and building to take that next step, especially since the league will not do it for them.


https://ramblinfan.com/2018/01/31/los-angeles-rams-pessimistic-look-offseason/

 

[Angry Ram]

 

[Merlin]

 

[Farr Be It]

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

It doesn't take more than a season for teams to figure out weaknesses and tendencies on certain players. Goff cleaned up a tendency of moving backwards instead of stepping up into the pocket, he had early in the season. I don't believe Goff is a finished product and he will continue to improve. I also don't think he has an exploitable weakness to his game right now. As long as the OLine protects him long enough, teams won't find anything to beat him on.

McVay and Snead made great moves out of the gate. If anything, I expect them to further improve the team this off-season. Most of the time a coaching staff benefits from a full year with a roster. They get to know the players better, personally and on the field. They can identify how those players fit the system, better than they can by watching film from a previously bad regime.

 

[shaunpinney]

Now that was a Meh article, but a couple of points were interesting

Injuries
Yes we were lucky, could this be down to a different conditioning regime by Coach Rath? We still had a few knock-backs however. Webster, Woods, Dunbar, Barron, Easley, Austin and lets not forget Zuerlein, who's placement on IR IMHO really shook the ST. I think we did ok in the 'character' stakes to 'keep on winning'

The Coaching Honeymoon
It ain't over baby. Apart from winning more games this season (obviously) the whole team mentality changed, guys were playing for each other, not just for themselves. I see a development of Coach McVay in the coming years. The kid has class, he's continually self-evaluating and I think that will make sure that he's one of the top coaches for a number of years. I think it's unfair to compare him and McAdoo, their style is totally different, the way they treat players etc.

Figuring Goff out
Of course, all these pro-defence coaches need an off-season to work out a player! If it's just a matter of 'figuring out' Goff, that would have been done by week 4. As long as our o-line keeps him intact and our WRs keep their hands on the ball and Gurley put out MVP performances, Goff will be good. As @Elmgrovegnome said, he was tweaking his game throughout the season, I expect that to continue until he's reached his ceiling. He's not there yet.

Free Agency
McVay and Snead did an amazing job last year in FA, if they're quiet this year, then I trust them. But, I expect them to re-sign who they want to stay and bolster the team in other areas. I have total faith in them. Last FA wasn't a happy accident, it was well orchestrated. IMO, quite possibly the best FA drive I've ever seen from ANY team.

 

[Corbin]

Are you seriously going to compare a Jeff Fishers 2-14 to 7-8-1 to Mcvays first and second year turnaround? Thank God that was the first thing I picked up scanning the article. It’s Trash season gentlemen. Time to get your trash bags and boots on.

 

[Akrasian]

Of course this article is negative - it explicitly is the pessimistic view. If it appears one sided, that is why.

That being said, looking at a few of the points.

Injuries. Yes, the Rams had fewer injuries than expected, though the injury to the best kicker in the league on his way to a record year was important. That being said, while more injuries are likely next season, they will (hopefully) be counterbalanced by more depth - both because the Rams will have brought in players McVay wants, and because the backups (and the starters) will have had a year in the new systems, and will fit better. Those who just don't fit well, even as backups, will have been weeded out. That is a process we saw all this past season.

Goff. Perhaps teams will find a weakness in Goff. This is a copycat league, and if a team figures out how to better play him others will try the same things. However, Goff is likely to keep on improving too. He is a young player, with a lost rookie season thanks to lack of coaching and a horrible system. His second season in a quality season, with actual coaching, should see him prove in some ways. I would expect some regression in terms of interceptions of course, but improvement in other ways.

Coaching. I think McVay will improve in some ways, not regress. He still was learning how to do it all. It's not comparable to Fisher, who was a veteran coach who got a bounce by improving some things compared to the season before, but who never grew as a coach once he was hired by the Rams.

Free Agency. Yeah, the Rams are unlikely to have such big successes as Whitworth and Woods. OTOH, the Rams are a much more desirable destination for free agents now than they were last offseason, and have fewer holes that have to be filled. They need quality role players, excepting for a CB or two, plus they need to keep their own free agents that they want to keep.

There will be challenges this offseason, but nothing incredible.They should do fine, and prosper.

 

[den-the-coach]

I prefer a sanguine approach when it comes to the Los Angeles Rams.

 

[T-REX]

The Coaching Honeymoon is Over?

 

[tomas]

Are you seriously going to compare a Jeff Fishers 2-14 to 7-8-1 to Mcvays first and second year turnaround? Thank God that was the first thing I picked up scanning the article. It’s Trash season gentlemen. Time to get your trash bags and boots on.

órale ese vato loco

 

[DaveFan'51]

Los Angeles Rams: A pessimistic look at 2018 offseason
by Nick Fox10 hours ago

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This is part one of a two-part series looking at the larger trajectory of the Los Angeles Rams. Are they headed in a good place or a bad place? Today we take a pessimistic angle. Next week we will take a more positive outlook.
We all have that pessimistic voice in side of us. When things are going well, the voice whispers that this will all end. We have a sense for future dread. A propensity for pessimism. Let’s indulge that for a moment (because things are rarely as bad as we fear, right?).

Everything went right for the Los Angeles Rams in 2017. Few (if any) writers predicted an 11-5 season, not to mention the top scoring offense in the league after being last in 2016. But, here comes the pessimistic voice since things rarely go so well two years in a row.

Here are some things that may not go as well going forward for Los Angeles heading into 2018, even if they will be considered one of the top teams to beat in the NFC early on.

Injuries

The Rams were very fortunate in the 2017 season, as they stayed very fee major injuries to their starters. Cornerback Kayvon Webster ruptured his Achilles tendon, wide receiver Robert Woods was out a few weeks, and linebacker Mark Barron along with safety Lamarcus Joyner both were banged up here and there. But overall, the team was remarkable healthy through the season. Injuries test a teams character. Exhibit A: The Philadelphia Eagles, who despite having great players at several important position out for the year, still managed to make the Super Bowl. Would the Rams have the character to lose key players and keep winning? Will the Rams be able to build the depth going forward to survive one or several key injuries in the season?

Related Story: Pro Bowl adds depth to quality of Goff, Rams season
The Coaching Honeymoon is Over

Sean McVay went 11-5 in his first season as the Rams head coach. And though the turnaround was Coach of the Year worthy, it is not uncommon for coaches to make changes and reap benefit the first year. Remember, Jeff Fisher took the Rams from 2-14 to 7-8-1 in his first year, but never did better than that in subsequent seasons. Ben McAdoo took over the New York Giants, who were 6-10 the year before he got there and won 11 games his first year. But with only two wins into December in his second year, McAdoo was eventually fired. Could McVay hit a sophomore slump?

Defenses Could “Figure Goff Out”

We also must consider the chance that Jared Goff, who had perhaps the greatest single season turnaround in a decade, returns a bit to the middle of the pack next year. With a year of tape on the young quarterback and his tendencies, might 2018 see him throw more picks, get more pressure, and ultimately take a step back? What does this offense look like if Goff is more Brian Hoyer than Carson Wentz? Does the offense still work, and will the Rams go quarterback shopping again?

Free Agency

Lastly, we know that every team is unique. This offseason, players will come and others will leave. We will never see this exact mix of players we saw this season. It is unlikely that the Rams will be able to sign all of their own free agents, let alone add significant free agents from other teams.

Next: 3 picks Rams should consider in first round of NFL Draft
The Rams do have significant cap space going forward, but also some very expensive stars they will need to lock up. Was this year the sweet spot of youth and experience, one-year contracts and prove-it stars? In the end, winning in this league is very difficult, even for talented teams. Los Angeles needs to keep growing and building to take that next step, especially since the league will not do it for them.


https://ramblinfan.com/2018/01/31/los-angeles-rams-pessimistic-look-offseason/

I can't even begin to get on-board with this scenario! Even though I heard or Read somewhere that every Team, in recent History, that has had a " Worst-to-First" type turn-around in one year has followed that, the next year, with 4 more loses the 2nd year!
McVay is a "New-Bread-of-HC" and I see no backward step in him! He learns from his mistakes! We may have a 2nd 11-5 Season, But No Backward movement!! JMO!!

 

[96GS#007]

The writer missed one....A meteor may fall out of the sky and destroy the earth

I can hardly wait for part 2:wabbit:

 

[1maGoh]

Of course this article is negative - it explicitly is the pessimistic view. If it appears one sided, that is why.

That being said, looking at a few of the points.

Injuries. Yes, the Rams had fewer injuries than expected, though the injury to the best kicker in the league on his way to a record year was important. That being said, while more injuries are likely next season, they will (hopefully) be counterbalanced by more depth - both because the Rams will have brought in players McVay wants, and because the backups (and the starters) will have had a year in the new systems, and will fit better. Those who just don't fit well, even as backups, will have been weeded out. That is a process we saw all this past season.

Goff. Perhaps teams will find a weakness in Goff. This is a copycat league, and if a team figures out how to better play him others will try the same things. However, Goff is likely to keep on improving too. He is a young player, with a lost rookie season thanks to lack of coaching and a horrible system. His second season in a quality season, with actual coaching, should see him prove in some ways. I would expect some regression in terms of interceptions of course, but improvement in other ways.

Coaching. I think McVay will improve in some ways, not regress. He still was learning how to do it all. It's not comparable to Fisher, who was a veteran coach who got a bounce by improving some things compared to the season before, but who never grew as a coach once he was hired by the Rams.

Free Agency. Yeah, the Rams are unlikely to have such big successes as Whitworth and Woods. OTOH, the Rams are a much more desirable destination for free agents now than they were last offseason, and have fewer holes that have to be filled. They need quality role players, excepting for a CB or two, plus they need to keep their own free agents that they want to keep.

There will be challenges this offseason, but nothing incredible.They should do fine, and prosper.

But you can tell it wasn't written by a real pessimist. If it was, the author would have described it as a "realistic" vote. That's what pessimists always do.

 

[majrleaged]

Why?

 

[Rmfnlt]

órale ese vato loco

I hadn't thought about it before now... apparently, Fisher had real problems when it came to pockets.


http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...her-on-challenge-flag-mishap-it-was-hilarious

 

[-X-]

I prefer a sanguine approach when it comes to the Los Angeles Rams.

You've been itching to use that word.

 

[Loyal]

You've been itching to use that word.

 

[Ram65]

The Rams did have limited injuries and good timing on the scheduling. The big questions are how they handle the defensive free agents, Barron and Quinn.To be continued..............

 

[RhodyRams]

Guys, the title of the article gives away the content. It's a pessimistic look at 2018

This is part one of a two-part series looking at the larger trajectory of the Los Angeles Rams. Are they headed in a good place or a bad place? Today we take a pessimistic angle. Next week we will take a more positive outlook.

Next week we get the optimism that we all love