A few thoughts on ‘fixing’ this Ram O...

[Rams43]

My thoughts for when Goff is healthy, not for this next game. Probably more about next year, actually.

I’m no fan of QB by committee, so pick a QB and train the heck out of him. That QB will be Goff, I’m sure.

Hire a legit OC and let him call the plays. McVay should transition into an executive type HC because even he has too much on his plate at gametime. Consequently, important things are not properly managed and his O then suffers. A pure QB Coach with a like mindset wouldn’t be a bad idea, either. I would move mountains to try to get Goff back to at least a top 10 QB status.

My evidence? This O has been in a downward spiral since mid ‘18. Yeah, Gurley became injured and Cooks had to be jettisoned, but c’mon. It’s not as if they were replaced by chopped liver and the other 9 O players from ‘19 are pretty much the same, aren’t they?

Goff is currently a mess and it seems to be largely an above the neck thing. Is it an O philosophy ‘no turnover’ overreaction, does he have some other unknown injury, a scheme thing, or what? I dunno and I don’t care. Just FIX it! WTH happened to that ‘genius’ O Coach that we once had?

Get the TE’s back in the O game plan. The reasons are obvious. Make D’s once again defend every blade of grass.

Get together with Kromer and develop a plan to upgrade this OL’s run blocking ability. Might require a FA at C or maybe a high draft pick there. Hate to spend a 2 or a 3 on C considering all of our other needs, but a stud C for this O could be invaluable. He’s in on every snap and his blocking impacts that crucial interior on every single play, making him surely one of Goff’s best friends and a helluva security blanket. I thought we could ‘make do’ with Blythe but I no longer think we can go far in the playoffs with a ‘make do’ C. And I’m not at all sure that our future starter is on the roster. Sooooo...

The above would be a nice start toward ‘fixing’ this stumbling O. And it would perhaps cost only the acquisition of a stud C one way or the other. Everett is a goner, so they must decide whether Hopkins can start next year or should they draft another TE, bearing in mind that it typically takes 2-3 years to bring along a rookie TE.

Assuming that Staley remains, I’m sure that he can fill holes he sees in his current D. Including those that will come from departing UFA’s. So I’ll save commentary on D for another time.

Bonamego will surely be fired and hopefully McVay will be more successful in choosing Bonamego’s replacement. Gay played well and Hekker is fine. Just need to improve coverage and return units. Should be very doable by a competent ST Coordinator.

Bottom line? ‘Fix’ this O and we are a SB caliber team. Top 5 in the entire league. So, THAT’s how important fixing this O is. We’re counting on you, Coach...

 

[ottoman89]

I agree with everything. I would also add find another deep threat and a 50/50 ball guy.

 

[FrantikRam]

McVay, who is a top 5 play caller in the NFL - you want him to stop calling the plays?

I really think we're starting to take McVay's offense for granted.

The only thing that has stopped us from finishing as a top 10 unit is turnovers - McVay is responsible for that too, but having him not calling plays won't fix that.

 

[matt30]

McVay, who is a top 5 play caller in the NFL - you want him to stop calling the plays?

I really think we're starting to take McVay's offense for granted.

The only thing that has stopped us from finishing as a top 10 unit is turnovers - McVay is responsible for that too, but having him not calling plays won't fix that.

I agree. Even predictable plays have a purpose. It's the difference between strategic vs tactical thinking.

 

[blackbart]

Always been a fan of building from the inside out. The oline has to be top notch including a couple of young studs being groomed. Whit will not be around forever. Noteboom has done a damn fine job as his replacement. RG seems to be the weakness to me but a bonafide stud at C for a decade would be a great fix.

Tools to prop up Goff would be great too. RB might be good for a couple of years if they can stay healthy. TE might suffice with replacing Everett with an in-house option.

A big fast WR to become the new #1 should be a top of the draft board (whatever that is for the Rams) need.

 

[Rams4life]

Nice write up. All of that is easier said then done.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Get an above average Center

Get a better tight end 2

get a deep threat WR

This will fix most of the problem.

some other possibilities that would help:

I’d love it if Evans or Brewer could win the ORT spot over Havenstein.
Get the OLT of the future. Joe has downgraded the line play too much.

 

[Merlin]

Hire a legit OC and let him call the plays.

It's not the play calls 43. It's the players. To turn this shit around and make noise in the playoffs here is what we need:

1. Resurgent run game. Akers is a windfall in this. But it's not just him we need the line to get back to who they were. We need Whit to swoop back in and give us that plus left side so that we'll have a full complement of options for run calls. And we need the TEs to get back to winning more in the C gaps.

2. Third heat in the pass game. Our top two wideouts occupy the focus of defenses. After that it's gravy for them. To get back to who we know this offense to be requires guys who can beat the lesser DBs and LBs who they draw thereafter. Jefferson is up man. Higs too. And Christ I hope they don't try to feed Everett again because that's a fuckin dice roll and I don't like relying on that dude. But they may need him since their rookie probably doesn't know the playbook cold yet (if he did I have to think we'd see him by now). I'd love to see our rook TE out there and think he could help us but either way that pack of options needs one fucking dude to step up. In each game.

3. Limit turnovers. This is playoff 101. It's the one tendency for us where they really come up short.

If those three things happen we'll see some shit IMO.

 

[Mojo Ram]

1. Stop the turnovers
2. Add some speed outside (TY Hilton or draft)
3. Upgrade interior Oline

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

1. Stop the turnovers
2. Add some speed outside (TY Hilton or draft)
3. Upgrade interior Oline

Is Hilton still that fast?

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

It will be interesting to see what happens at WR. We’ve seen that Van Jefferson can play, but it doesn’t seem like he has that deep speed they need.

Woods and Kupp are still important cogs to this offense. How do they choose who to play or trade or release? Will they just keep Van in reserve most of next year if they do actually get a deep threat WR? Do they move Kupp or Woods and roll with Jefferson? Or do they feel that Van still is capable of being the deep threat? (I don’t think he has that type of speed)

 

[Mojo Ram]

Is Hilton still that fast?

Give him a call. I'll bring the stopwatch and the beer.

 

[Mojo Ram]

It will be interesting to see what happens at WR. We’ve seen that Van Jefferson can play, but it doesn’t seem like he has that deep speed they need.

I think he's too soft to become anything more than a #3 guy for us. Granted he hasn't had a lot of opportunities this year, but so far i see a guy who's a good route runner, decent hands but isn't aggressive enough and i'm not sure he'll be one of those guys who will continue to compete if he gets challenged physically.

 

[FrantikRam]

It will be interesting to see what happens at WR. We’ve seen that Van Jefferson can play, but it doesn’t seem like he has that deep speed they need.

Woods and Kupp are still important cogs to this offense. How do they choose who to play or trade or release? Will they just keep Van in reserve most of next year if they do actually get a deep threat WR? Do they move Kupp or Woods and roll with Jefferson? Or do they feel that Van still is capable of being the deep threat? (I don’t think he has that type of speed)

Hindsight is 20/20, but Robbie Anderson would have made a huge impact. Nobody wanted him for a while either.

I think that's the play - just target a fast guy that doesn't play every down, but when he's in there teams have to account for his speed. The Saints did this with Ted Ginn who is a below average WR for years.

 

[FrantikRam]

Get an above average Center

Get a better tight end 2

get a deep threat WR

This will fix most of the problem.

some other possibilities that would help:

I’d love it if Evans or Brewer could win the ORT spot over Havenstein.
Get the OLT of the future. Joe has downgraded the line play too much.

TE2 is on the roster. We can't afford to spend another pick on a TE with Hopkins having been a fourth rounder.

 

[Cjcinec]

TE2 is on the roster. We can't afford to spend another pick on a TE with Hopkins having been a fourth rounder.

Hopefully Hopkins will be physically and mentally prepared to fill that role. Not sure why he hasn’t seen the field much in 2020. Rams need a bigger center that can anchor the offensive line.

 

[tklongball]

I was watching some Charger highlights, as my wife is a fan, and boy they seem to run a lot of vertical routes, which got me thinking, and I just don't remember us running a lot of them. Seems like they have a guy going vertical about 60-70% of the time. If nothing else, that keeps the Safety(s) Honest.

 

[sjm1582002]

Saw these stats over at TST.

Largely agree with the position up grade wish lists and wanted to point out some "blandness" in our offense.

Rams out of the shotgun pass 96% of the time. Highest percentage in the NFL. The few running plays out of the gun have gone nowhere. We need to see some new running plays out of the gun and call them in short yardage situations. If the D thinks they have a 96% chance of knowing if a pass is coming based on the formation their job just got much easier if that holds true. Use this against them.

Under center it's a 40/60 -- run/pass split, which at least has the opposing D guessing at what's coming.

 

[PhillyRam]

Need a guy like this. GBN Report only lists him in the 90's in their top 100, but we need this skill set once again.

WR Anthony Schwartz - Auburn

Billed as the fastest guy in college football.


View: https://youtu.be/K76Yh0FaN8k

 

[Mackeyser]

Get an above average Center

Get a better tight end 2

get a deep threat WR

This will fix most of the problem.

some other possibilities that would help:

I’d love it if Evans or Brewer could win the ORT spot over Havenstein.
Get the OLT of the future. Joe has downgraded the line play too much.

Im kind of amazed at how many of us are saying the exact same thing and often in the exact same order. We don’t know what FA will bring, but that we’re all seeing the same thing is either an indication that we’re seeing something real or we’re all out to lunch...