Rams to "make major changes in offseason"

[Ramstien]

I blame McVay for not finding ways to get Gurley and Cooks involved in the game plan more. I noticed in the last game Goff targets Cooks a little more. McVay needs to get the ball in the hands of the guys that are getting paid all that money because they are worth it, if used effectively.

 

[LesBaker]

We made things way to difficult on our young QB this year, and it all comes down to a consistent run game, which we did not have all year. Way too many game with a 2:1 pass to run ratio. So there are 3 possibilities for the run problem as I see it.

I'd be fine with 2-1 pass to run ratio.

We've seen 3-4-5 to 1 this year.

 

[Tano]

Goff isn't one to throw people under the bus. But those of you that have access to the game go back and look very closely at both his INT's returned for TD's. There is another common denominator that people haven't bothered to look at.

In both cases it was Blythe's blown block that was a big contributor to those turnovers. The guy is a complete scrub. There have been times he's pulled and simply didn't see the guy he's supposed to block and runs right by him. Other times he pulls and lunges to make the block because he's too slow to get there and falls flat on his face. Get his ass off the team the guy is a clown in a Ram's uniform. Merlin broke down his play a few weeks ago and he saw what I've been seeing all through last year and this year as well.

KROMER HAS TO GOOOOOO!!!! HE CONTROLS WHO PLAYS WHERE ON THE O-LINE AND IS THE RUN GAME COORDINATOR. The run game sucks and the o-line issues point directly back to him. He was late in changing the blocking scheme when a casual observer watching TV could see what needed to be done before the season began. He kept Havenstein and Blythe in there when they were repeatedly proving they were scrubs. Even now he has Evans and Edwards playing out of position. Evans is an OG and Edwards is a OT. Both are playing as well as can be expected, but not as well as they should. WHAT THE HELL IS THE MATTER WITH KROMER?

DC isn't the issue, Kromer is a far bigger issue. IMO his poor performance as the o-line and run game coordinator is a huge part of the problem with the offense. It's clear he can't make adjustments either in the game plan or game day adjustments as well.

Snead has done a masterful job in building this team. It has elite talent on offense and defense and it has quality depth. If there is a failure right now it's at the assistant coaching level. But overall I think this season was an example of growing pains. To panic now would be foolish. This is the time to go back and re-assess who plays where and how they play. There needs to be tweaks schematically to maximize the team's performance.

For instance I've been saying all year that the Ram's have two of the most under rated TE's in the NFL. That McVay needed to game plan them into his schemes to utilize their talents. When he finally did look what a tremendous breakout season Higbee had. Going forward teams will now have to account for them as well as their 4 deep WR rotation. I think we will see a different offense next year. We saw the beginnings of it on Sunday where it looks similar but it isn't. It worked and it rang up over 30 points on a pretty damn good defense.

The difference this past Sunday than the first Niner game was the o-line. The young guys Snead brought in looked pretty good. They kept Goff pretty clean most of the game. The o-line needs to polish their gap blocking technique. Had it been installed in TC I think the run game would have been a whole lot better. Gap blocking needs to be executed properly and in coordination with the RB who have to understand the concept to know where to expect the holes. They need to be able to read the blocks before the snap. That is one of the strengths of gap blocking, because the holes will be dependent upon the defensive alignment. If the O-line and the RB are on the same page it's hard to stop. What do you think the 49er blocking scheme is? It's a gap power blocking scheme allowing for a double team at the POA.

At the beginning of the season Kromer was relying upon a very simplistic outside zone. Huh?? I've seen high schools use a more complex scheme. This is an NFL coordinator BTW. Why do you think I was advocating a change in blocking scheme? A simple outside zone is too easy to counter if you know it's coming. An NFL o-line needs at least 3 different blocking schemes so that the defense doesn't know what's coming. IMO a inside zone, outside zone, and a gap blocking scheme like the gap power. With the gap power you would normally see the team with a FB but the kickout can be done with a good blocking TE.

The gap power was a staple of the SD Chargers during the Tomlinson era. It still works today as evidenced by the Niners. But you need OGs that can pull and that completely is negated by a OG like Blythe that can't pull. Kromer should know this and IMO its one of the reasons he didn't install the gap power. He built his run attack around a weak OG rather than simply change the OG. That's why Kromer should go.

I just feel Kromer has to much on his plate. He is a great Offensive Line coach but adding the Run Game Coordinator job was too much for him to handle.

I forget what it's called but there is a point where promoting someone gets to the point where someone who was excellent at his job before the promotion can't handle his duties once he gets above his skill set.

Kromer is a perfect example. Take away his Run Game Coordinator duties and he will be fine.

 

[fearsomefour]

That is an approach for the regular season to which I agree. And the Rams came to that very decision after trying the limited carries thing early on.

But for offseason planning it's a whole different deal. If you're the GM do you stand pat with Gurley being McVay's horse? And how do you sell that to your head coach.

That ship has sailed IMO. They're stuck with Gurley and that contract most likely, but that doesn't mean they have to stand pat on the depth chart.

I would stick with him yes.
Basically because I’m not sinking anymore money in the RB position. If there is a cheap FA upgrade for Brown that can be a workhorse back, that’s fine.
There are too many other places money needs to go that will help the team win other than RB in my humble opinion.

 

[RamDino]

I don't believe blaming Kromer is fair. Kromer does not draft o-lineman, or cut them, or sign them. He is given players, and he does his best to coach them up. A perfect example is Noteboom... he seemed to be on the right track to becoming a left tackle, but then Whit came back, they relegated Boom to guard... which didn't seem to be an ideal fit. Brian Allen was drafted in the fourth round... the Rams had an ideal opportunity to give him a try when Sully was cut.. Then these 1-year players get injured, and we have basically 3 rookies starting. Actually, I think Kromer did ok this year, considering how well those new guys played.

 

[RamWoodie]

Of course major changes are coming but I'm not sure which ones.

I'd hate to see Fowler leave but it's gonna be hard to keep him and Ramsey.

Does Brockers, or Cooks, or Brown go?

One change I wanna see McVay hiring a seasoned OC to help him with plays and play calling. He needs the help.

With so few draft picks the moves made need to be carefully thought out. Very little room for error.

Lots to consider!

 

[Merlin]

I don't believe blaming Kromer is fair. Kromer does not draft o-lineman, or cut them, or sign them. He is given players, and he does his best to coach them up. A perfect example is Noteboom... he seemed to be on the right track to becoming a left tackle, but then Whit came back, they relegated Boom to guard... which didn't seem to be an ideal fit. Brian Allen was drafted in the fourth round... the Rams had an ideal opportunity to give him a try when Sully was cut.. Then these 1-year players get injured, and we have basically 3 rookies starting. Actually, I think Kromer did ok this year, considering how well those new guys played.

Kromer has done some good things here. But this is the NFL and fair doesn't have as much to do with it as accountability. The Rams' offseason plan of playing Boom and Allen, to include sitting them in preseason, all comes back to his stamp of approval. So he's going to eat this season as it pertains to the OL.

And here's a quote from an old article from before McVay became a head coach. I think he and Callahan reuniting just makes all kinds of sense:

It’s a Tuesday night in June, and Washington’s football headquarters are mostly empty. It’s been a few hours since the second day of the team’s final minicamp practice wrapped up, and offensive coordinator Sean McVay is in his spacious corner office, watching film on a flat screen. There’s a light tap on the open door.

It’s Bill Callahan, the coaching lifer who now oversees Washington’s O-line. His eyes are twinkling. Really twinkling, like in a Disney cartoon. He has an idea for a new run play.

From behind his desk McVay leans forward as Callahan draws on a white board. “And so you know how we usually do this against these defensive fronts?” Callahan says. “Well, OK, OK, OK, follow me here. What if we, instead, were to do this?” He redraws the running back’s path to the other side of the formation, and now his eyes are twinkling even more.

So are McVay’s. “I love it,” McVay says, adding that Washington could also use it as a check (an audible) at the line of scrimmage. For the next 10 minutes, McVay, the NFL’s youngest coordinator at 30, and Callahan, a month shy of his 60th birthday, go back and forth, rapid fire, about when and how they can practice this new play; what they’ll tell the guards and centers to do; what they’ll tell the quarterback to look for; and how they’ll instruct the running backs to set up the cut.

 

[iamme33]

the way mcvay puts the blame on himself for almost every loss I don't know if he will fire anyone. he might be to nice a guy for his own good.

 

[RamDino]

Kromer has done some good things here. But this is the NFL and fair doesn't have as much to do with it as accountability. The Rams' offseason plan of playing Boom and Allen, to include sitting them in preseason, all comes back to his stamp of approval. So he's going to eat this season as it pertains to the OL.

Merlin, I don't think Kromer was the one who decided to sit Boom and Allen during the preseason. And McVay better be careful to not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Kromer has had an excellent 2 years here, and this year wasn't too bad, considering 3 rookies were starting! I say give Kromer another year.

 

[Faceplant]

Agreed. Not to mention, this team was 3-0 to start the season..... 3 and fucking 0. Everyone had shaken off the rust by then, and the newbs had gotten their feet plenty wet.

 

[Ramstien]

I forget what it's called but there is a point where promoting someone gets to the point where someone who was excellent at his job before the promotion can't handle his duties once he gets above his skill set.

They call it the Peter principal. It happens when a company wants to get rid of someone but for whatever reason can not outright fire the person. Maybe, he or she has something on them or may be related to a wealthy stockholder in the company. They simply promote this person to a level of incompetency, in order to make it very obvious that this person has to be let go for the good of the company.

 

[Ramstien]

the way mcvay puts the blame on himself for almost every loss I don't know if he will fire anyone. he might be to nice a guy for his own good.

McVay wants to win and will do whatever he feels is necessary to get the Rams back on track. He has grown up in the world of coaching and seen coaches and players come and go. If a head coach is worried more about being nice to his assistance coaches then winning he is on the way out the door. Believe me McVay will fire whoever he needs to because he understands that in the NFL, it is all about winning.

 

[dang]

film

This season will eat McVay up offseason. He won’t rest until he has a plan that allows him to win each and every game. It became obvious with the 3 loss streak that his team was not consistent enough to win each and every game. You have to make changes to improve. You have to make tough choices to improve. so I would be shocked if it didn’t include a decent number of coaching changes this offseason. Remember the last 3 years was a dress rehearsal for the 2020 unveiling a new stadium/unis??/place as one of the perennial top dogs in the NFL.

 

[Tano]

They call it the Peter principal. It happens when a company wants to get rid of someone but for whatever reason can not outright fire the person. Maybe, he or she has something on them or may be related to a wealthy stockholder in the company. They simply promote this person to a level of incompetency, in order to make it very obvious that this person has to be let go for the good of the company.

This is close but I am thinking of the promotions where the person deserves the promotion but once gets there, can't handle the job since it exceeds the persons ability.

 

[iamme33]

McVay wants to win and will do whatever he feels is necessary to get the Rams back on track. He has grown up in the world of coaching and seen coaches and players come and go. If a head coach is worried more about being nice to his assistance coaches then winning he is on the way out the door. Believe me McVay will fire whoever he needs to because he understands that in the NFL, it is all about winning.

hope you are right because there sure need to be some changes.

 

[1maGoh]

the way mcvay puts the blame on himself for almost every loss I don't know if he will fire anyone. he might be to nice a guy for his own good.

He does that because ultimately a leader is responsible for the performance of their entire organization. There will come a point when McVay will say, "We're failing and it's my fault. I let you stay here too long."

They call it the Peter principal. It happens when a company wants to get rid of someone but for whatever reason can not outright fire the person. Maybe, he or she has something on them or may be related to a wealthy stockholder in the company. They simply promote this person to a level of incompetency, in order to make it very obvious that this person has to be let go for the good of the company.

That's not the only reason it happens. Great technicians get promoted to be managers and fail. It's not necessarily to get rid of people. It's just a thing that happens.

I know I bag on my time in the Army too much, but you see it there a lot. You get a great soldier and make them a crappy Sergeant. Or you take a great team leader and end up with a crappy section Sergeant. They had the best intentions, but some people aren't cut out for the next level.

This is close but I am thinking of the promotions where the person deserves the promotion but once gets there, can't handle the job since it exceeds the persons ability.

See above. It happens all the time for a lot of reasons, but what you're thinking of us the Peter Principle.

From the Wikipedia:

Peter principle - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

The Peter principle states that a person who is competent at their job will earn promotion to a more senior position which requires different skills. If the promoted person lacks the skills required for their new role, then they will be incompetent at their new level, and so they will not be promoted again. But if they are competent at their new role, then they will be promoted again, and they will continue to be promoted until they eventually reach a level at which they are incompetent. Being incompetent, they do not qualify to be promoted again, and so remain stuck at that final level for the rest of their career (termed "Final Placement" or "Peter's Plateau").

 

[OldSchool]

I don't believe blaming Kromer is fair. Kromer does not draft o-lineman, or cut them, or sign them. He is given players, and he does his best to coach them up. A perfect example is Noteboom... he seemed to be on the right track to becoming a left tackle, but then Whit came back, they relegated Boom to guard... which didn't seem to be an ideal fit. Brian Allen was drafted in the fourth round... the Rams had an ideal opportunity to give him a try when Sully was cut.. Then these 1-year players get injured, and we have basically 3 rookies starting. Actually, I think Kromer did ok this year, considering how well those new guys played.

Just like Bones and Wade though he does have input on the players taken. We saw during the last two drafts him talk about how much he liked and wanted the players taken. I'm not blaming him I think he needs to be just the OLine coach the 2nd hat might be too much. But I'm also not absolving him of anything that went wrong with the OLine this year.

 

[Ellard80]

McVay isn't the problem... someone will have to explain to me how it was McVay's fault that we lost against the 49ners, or at Seattle.

McVay isn't beyond criticism, but more than not we were in position to win and players made mistakes.

When we were destroyed a few times - the defense fell apart, which is not really his area. We didn't have a great running game, but that was more a result of an aging running back and green offensive line.

 

[den-the-coach]

Just like Bones and Wade though he does have input on the players taken. We saw during the last two drafts him talk about how much he liked and wanted the players taken. I'm not blaming him I think he needs to be just the OLine coach the 2nd hat might be too much. But I'm also not absolving him of anything that went wrong with the OLine this year.

I concur here and history has shown when Kromer has been given more responsibility (Chicago & New Orleans) the results have been unfavorable. Move him back to OL Coach, bring in Bill Callahan with the title of Offensive Coordinator/Run Game and let them work in concert together to retool the Offensive Line and running game, however, if they did just replace Kromer with Callahan, that is the only person I would consider an upgrade to Kromer IMHO.