For those currently undecided about Boras' first three weeks...

[CoachO]

I guess I'm on an island thinking our receivers aren't good enough. I guess we are all entitled to our opinion. I just want to see this team win next year and feel that our passing game is the reason we have sucked the last few years. I don't think it's just the QB. Foles was bad. I totally agree, but I just don't see these receivers making plays either.

Foles and Davis and Hill and Clemens. Two+ years of pathetic QB play. So I agree with you its not just Foles.

As a WR it's very difficult to make plays when the guy that is throwing the ball can't or doesn't throw it where and when he should. And that has been the only consistent issue in the passing game for almost three years.

All the other stuff is just a bi product of that.

 

[Ky Ram]

And with improved execution there is no reason THIS offense can't do just that.

Got my fingers and toes crossed

 

[Ky Ram]

21, 31 and 23 in the last 3 games

Yep, and if we can continue that then we'll be just fine

 

[Ky Ram]

Remember that Lombardi was the THIRD choice to take the Packers head coaching job. It doesn't matter who is the first choice is,the thing that matters is who does the most with the opportunity.

I see the point you're trying to make. Not sure this is anything close to that but I see your point.
My point is simply that this defense became great when GW came in and Fish backed the help up. I don't see Boras receiving the same autonomy

 

[ramsince62]

So I guess from your comments you discount the impact that the inordinate number of injuries to the OLINE the past 3 years has had with regards to building a decent unit. Or for that matter the injuries to both the starting QB and backup (Bradford and Hill) last year?

Say what you want about Shawn Hill, as a BACKUP, he was an upgrade over Clemens and if he would not have gotten hurt himself should and would have been a better "plan" last year.

I realize that some look at these as excuses. That somehow an organization needs to plan for this and somehow overcome. But as I mentioned....: ask Jerry Jones how that works out.

Nope, I agree that injuries played a role. But it's also true that there have been a number of teams during this same period who have over comes similar circumstances and still managed to win with back-ups. And yes, as the years go by, the injuries and circumstances (coaching selection-player decisions) including Bradford or even Hill take on less meaning from the perspective that there are and will always be obstacles and injuries.

But it's what the team and coaches do to over come or at least minimize these circumstances, injuries and deficiencies that matters most. How long have we discussed the needs for a competent back up at OB? Or the critical needs of the OL? How many years has Fisher mentioned the excessive penalties week after week and month after month (they managed 12 today) or the bone headed acts at critical moments? Yeah, for awhile it's "we gotta work on this or that", then it becomes the injuries, or whatever the latest whiz bang explanation happens to be. Meanwhile during this same period, every other team in this division has won the division title (or more) and in far less time and in some ways with less talent.

So yes Coach, the injuries and so on eventually become tired and begin to represent little more than excuses for continued failure.....I guess that's easier than taking responsibility for real change. Certainly there are legitimate reasons for a lack of success during some period of time, especially early, but after past 4 years, there appears to be a pattern here of sorts.

 

[CoachO]

Nope, I agree that injuries played a role. But it's also true that there have been a number of teams during this same period who have over comes similar circumstances and still managed to win with back-ups. And yes, as the years go by, the injuries and circumstances (coaching selection-player decisions) including Bradford or even Hill take on less meaning from the perspective that there are and will always be obstacles and injuries.

But it's what the team and coaches do to over come or at least minimize these circumstances, injuries and deficiencies that matters most. How long have we discussed the needs for a competent back up at OB? Or the critical needs of the OL? How many years has Fisher mentioned the excessive penalties week after week and month after month (they managed 12 today) or the bone headed acts at critical moments? Yeah, for awhile it's "we gotta work on this or that", then it becomes the injuries, or whatever the latest whiz bang explanation happens to be. Meanwhile during this same period, every other team in this division has won the division title (or more) and in far less time and in some ways with less talent.

So yes Coach, the injuries and so on eventually become tired and begin to represent little more than excuses for continued failure.....I guess that's easier than taking responsibility for real change. Certainly there are legitimate reasons for a lack of success during some period of time, especially early, but after past 4 years, there appears to be a pattern here of sorts.

All I'm gonna say in response to your entire post..... I'm not sure how ANY team prepares for the starting QB to go down for three successive years.

You make mention of "a number of teams during this same period who have over come similar circumstances and still managed to win with back-ups.".....

And there hasn't been a single team who has been forced to play the past two+ plus seasons with their backup QB.

How did Green Bay do last year in Rodgers absence? Dallas with no Romo? Indianapolis with no Manning or this year without Luck? How would New England do without Brady for two years?

 

[jrry32]

All I'm gonna say in response to your entire post..... I'm not sure how ANY team prepares for the starting QB to go down for three successive years.

You make mention of "a number of teams during this same period who have over come similar circumstances and still managed to win with back-ups.".....

And there hasn't been a single team who has been forced to play the past two+ plus seasons with their backup QB.

How did Green Bay do last year in Rodgers absence? Dallas with no Romo? Indianapolis with no Manning or this year without Luck? How would New England do without Brady for two years?

Our starting QB went down in two successive years. Not three. Foles didn't go down. He just sucks. And that's why we all gave Fisher a pass until this year.

 

[Ramlock]

All I'm gonna say in response to your entire post..... I'm not sure how ANY team prepares for the starting QB to go down for three successive years.

You make mention of "a number of teams during this same period who have over come similar circumstances and still managed to win with back-ups.".....

And there hasn't been a single team who has been forced to play the past two+ plus seasons with their backup QB.

How did Green Bay do last year in Rodgers absence? Dallas with no Romo? Indianapolis with no Manning or this year without Luck? How would New England do without Brady for two years?

I agree Coach, I'm not sure either.

All of those teams failed without their starters playing for the most part.

 

[CoachO]

Our starting QB went down in two successive years. Not three. Foles didn't go down. He just sucks. And that's why we all gave Fisher a pass until this year.

Semantics.

 

[iamme33]

Except that they are really not running some new offense. There are minor differences between the Boras offense and the Cigs offense. Keenum is playing better than Foles and the offense has been tightened up a bit. We are actually running fewer of the gadget plays with Boras as well. So what is to figure out? If anything Boras has simplified things and will be adding more next season.

didn't mean figure out the scheme ment figure out something that kennon doesn't handle well like zone coverage or bump and run or zone blitz .my post was about kennon getting better when he plays more games. I was just saying that he might get worse like Austin davis once their was film on him

 

[jrry32]

Semantics.

No, it's not semantics. It's a key point. It's why people are so angry. I can give him a pass for what happened with Bradford. Tearing his ACL in back to back seasons? Who would expect that? But this year, that's on him. He chose Foles. He chose Cignetti. He chose Keenum. And we got another 7-9 season. Because of his bad choices and incompetence.

 

[CoachO]

No, it's not semantics. It's a key point. It's why people are so angry. I can give him a pass for what happened with Bradford. Tearing his ACL in back to back seasons? Who would expect that? But this year, that's on him. He chose Foles. He chose Cignetti. He chose Keenum. And we got another 7-9 season. Because of his bad choices and incompetence.

Sounds like you need to take a step back. And catch your breath. You're one of the best posters on here but you've been unusually bitter and quite combative recently.

 

[FRO]

Sounds like you need to take a step back. And catch your breath. You're one of the best posters on here but you've been unusually bitter and quite combative recently.

10 straight losing seasons does that to fans. To be so close to being a playoff team to only have one facet of your team be so inept you miss out on the playoffs. Fans have every right to be angry that after 4 years of one regime we haven't gotten over the hump, and it's going to be hard to get over it next year because veteran QBs that are good don't just grow on trees. Fixing the QB position is going to be difficult.

 

[jrry32]

Sounds like you need to take a step back. And catch your breath. You're one of the best posters on here but you've been unusually bitter and quite combative recently.

I've taken a step back all year. And I keep coming back to all the ways Fisher has failed us. This was the year after two mulligans. He failed.

 

[Merlin]

I guess I'm on an island thinking our receivers aren't good enough. I guess we are all entitled to our opinion. I just want to see this team win next year and feel that our passing game is the reason we have sucked the last few years. I don't think it's just the QB. Foles was bad. I totally agree, but I just don't see these receivers making plays either.

You're not alone. Our receivers are not good enough. As fans we have overvalued just about all of them. QB has been a problem and still is in my estimation since Keenum is also not good enough. I genuinely hope the front office and staff are not interested in deluding themselves that either position are good enough, for their sakes as well as our sanity.

OC, meanwhile, has been a problem and I will give Boras some benefit of the doubt right now because the offense played much more as a whole unit under him. While it's hard for us to evaluate coordinators, a common indicator that they are up to snuff is having the players playing fast and not making mistakes, i.e. executing what is called and they did that reasonably well under Boras so he might be a guy who can help the team win moving forward into next season. That said, it is risky for Fish to go with him in his last season, so he'd better be sure and tbh I'd feel better about Boras if he had done some time in the NFL under an elite OC but at some point you gotta gamble on coordinators it's how the league works.

 

[Ramlock]

I've taken a step back all year. And I keep coming back to all the ways Fisher has failed us. This was the year after two mulligans. He failed.

Wow

Taken a step back this year?

There is a LOT of emotion in the posts I've seen from you today. Interesting.

 

[kurtfaulk]

How would New England do without Brady for two years?

They went 11 and 5 with Matt cassell after brady blew his knee in the first game of the season.

No excuses for Fisher this season. His team, his choices.

.

 

[jrry32]

Wow

Taken a step back this year?

There is a LOT of emotion in the posts I've seen from you today. Interesting.

Yep. I've been ready to move on from him for well over a month now. Nothing has changed. I'm frustrated today that the things I and others have been complaining about for a long time are still popping up and people still refuse to believe it's a problem.

 

[rams24/7]

Sounds like you need to take a step back. And catch your breath. You're one of the best posters on here but you've been unusually bitter and quite combative recently.

4 STRAIGHT LOSING SEASONS.

In the NFL, at least on 31 other teams, you don't have your job on Monday morning. Hell, most coaches don't make it to year 4. Having to endure 12-straight losing seasons will wear a fans patience thin, but jrry is not acting emotionally with his opinions of Fisher. This isn't year 2 or 3. This is the end of year 4. All of the players on this team are "his." The talent is there, yet the results are not.

What makes it even tougher as a Ram fan is seeing everyone in the division have great success in recent years with new coaches, except us. And this is not for lack of talent. One could argue (and I'd agree), that we have the most talented roster in the division. So what is lacking? After 4 years there's a large enough sample size for me to think it's more so the coaching and the culture.

-Carroll had 3 playoff berths, 2 division titles, & a SB after year 4
-Harbaugh had 3 playoff berths, 2 division titles, & 3 straight NFC CCGs after year 4
-Arians has 2 playoff berths and a division title after year 3

Is it too outlandish to expect a team with this much talent to reach the playoffs in 4 years? And if we continue to make the same coaching and personnel mistakes then shouldn't we remove those responsible for those repeated blunders?

I love your posts and the knowledge you share on this site @CoachO , but I just don't see what's in jrry's posts that seems out of line or far off from what many of us are thinking and feeling right now.