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3 ways to pave LA Rams road back to the NFL Super Bowl
Football Gameplan analyzed the LA Rams 2020 NFL season, and host Emory Hunt does a great job of breaking it all down, particularly in ways to get back to SB
ramblinfan.com
Bret Stuter
The LA Rams may not be wowing some of the top names in the national media circuit right now. Still, the team has been slowly winning over some advocates. In fact, as I was researching a story, I stumbled across another projection of the LA Rams. This one was different though, as it was a comprehensive video analyzing the LA Rams in depth.
Have you ever stumbled onto something in a flurry, paused anyways to check it out, then be so incredibly thankful that you did? Well, I had that experience recently when I stumbled onto Football Gameplan’s 2020 NFL Team Preview: Los Angeles Rams. It was a 20-minute video projecting the LA Rams 2020 outcome, and it was hosted by Emory Hunt.
View: https://youtu.be/ijcMiyGrriU
Unlike so many who simply invest minimal work to analyze the Rams, Hunt proved almost immediately that he had done his homework. The result was a comprehensive video analysis that touched base on so many aspects of the team, such as:
– Four-Minute Offense
– Offense – Positional Breakdown
– Defense – Positional Breakdown
– Training Camp Quick Hits
– Reasons for Optimism
– Reasons for Concern
– What must the team do to get back onto the road to the Super Bowl
– Prediction
The video’s most interesting quality was a breakdown of things the Rams must accomplish to get back to the Super Bowl this year. In the video, Hunt listed the Rams running game, the linebacker play, and HC Sean McVay restoring his magic as the three main items needed. While I truly enjoyed the video analysis, the discussion triggered my own thought about the Rams list of “must do’s” to get back to the Super Bowl, and I found myself arriving at a very similar three-item list:
Step I – Become one of NFL’s Top-10 rushing attacks
The LA Rams may have an excellent passing attack, but it all starts with the run. We saw it with the struggles of the offensive line, and with the struggles of veteran running back Todd Gurley. The Rams offense lives and dies by the running game. Return explosiveness and production to the run, and suddenly the Rams offense is cooking with gas once more.
The trick is not to get all hung up on using the minimum number of blockers to make it happen. Hopefully, the lessons from 2019 by using two tight ends in the offensive formation will not be easily forgotten in 2020. The Rams became incredibly creative with two tight ends, using Tyler Higbee as a primary receiving threat and Johnny Mundt as a primary blocker. In fact, the Rams used Mundt both on the offensive line and in the backfield with devastating effect.
Domino effect
The Rams offense had a lot of reasonable causes for their 2019 underperformance. Right now, those conditions are no longer in effect, which gives the Rams reason to presume they’ll better performance in 2020 as the base projection. So that gives reason for a better showing from the offensive line. That in turn gives the Rams hope for better performance running between the tackles. That, in turn, slows down the pass and give Goff more opportunities to make his progression reads. The running game adds yards, moves the chains, and eats up the game clock.
But it also opens up an entirely new section of the Rams playbook. The Rams passing attack is so effective because the Rams’ use of three wide receivers forces defenses to go with nickel and dime packages. That should allow the Rams to run into that. If defenses stick with stronger run defense, the Rams can beat them through the air. Defenses were able to shut down both run and pass in 2019 because they controlled the line of scrimmage. The Rams will look to retake the line of scrimmage in 2020, and with it, get the running game into the NFL’s Top-10.
Step II- Linebackers must play very well, one pro bowler from the group
The LA Rams have an incredible defensive line and an incredible defensive secondary. As far as the team’s linebackers? It’s anyone’s guess, which makes virtually everyone skeptical of their production this year. But the Rams are just as likely to be successful with their 2020 linebacker roster as to fail. Let’s explore some reasons why?
The parallel career tracks of Dante Fowler Jr. and Leonard Floyd are very similar with one exception. Fowler has left the Rams, while Floyd is just arriving. In both cases, they were very good defenders who are respected by their coaches and teammates prior to arriving at the Rams. In both cases, their production was good, but not at the level many expected by their talents. In both cases, they are players who joined the Rams as underachievers.
LB may prove to be better than expected
On a similar matter, ILB Troy Reeder’s career path is remarkably similar to that of Cory Littleton. But are undrafted additions to the linebacking corps, both are a nice size at 6-foot-3, and both found a way to get starts for the Rams defense. You see, both players have the benefit of playing behind Aaron Donald.
Of course, there are other stars-in-waiting. Rookie OLB Terrell Lewis could be a good one, as can veteran OLB Samson Ebukam and OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo. At ILB, the Rams have last year’s projected starter Micah Kiser, mid-season addition Kenny Young, and rookie LB Clay Johnston who could surprise many. The team doesn’t need four superstars. Just a solid group of linebackers who can make plays. And if the team has that one player who excels this year? So much the better.
Step III- Rams special teams return to NFL’s Top-10, particularly FG kicker
The LA Rams special teams play hurt the team in 2019. Most of all, the field goal kicker, Greg Zuerlein, simply lost the ability to kick beyond the 40-yard line in 2019. That is not to say that he could not turn it around in 2020. But if he does so, he’ll do so for the Dallas Cowboys. In summary, the Rams finished the season with a 10-18 accuracy for field goals over 40-yards.
The NFC West does not boast the best kicking in the NFL. The San Francisco 49ers were 10-17 at field goals over 40 yards. The Arizona Cardinals were 7-10 at field goals over 40 yards. Finally, the Seattle Seahawks were 6-11 from long distance. If the Rams can turn the corner with a field goal kicker in 2020, they will win the close games in the NFC West.
Three kickers for one job
To do so, the Rams are choosing from Sam Sloman, Austin MacGinnis, and Lirim Hajrullahu. Sloman was drafted in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft. MacGinnis was an XFL star signed as a free agent. Finally, Hajrullahu was a CFL star signed up as a free agent. The Rams have a choice to make from these three players, and the decision could have a significant impact on the team’s success.
The team will likely look to pare it down to a two-player contest soon. Perhaps the return of Terrell Lewis to the active roster will force the team to commit to a two-player competition at the kicker position. Even so, the Rams will be hard-pressed to simulate the type of game-like circumstances that are so crucial in choosing the “right guy” for the team. The Rams have a chance to claim a significant advantage over the other NFC West teams with a strong field goal kicker. As simple as that sounds, it’s the final piece to a Super Bowl team for the Rams in 2020.
