I'm not sure Coach Fisher is the answer because...

[RamWoodie]

If you're not at the meetings, or in the locker room...whatever you say about this team is assumption. While you're criticizing the coach, tell me what can he take action on when roughing the passer is called...but it's a wrong call...or when holding is called...and it's a WRONG call? Both calls gave Dallas first downs.

What can Fisher do about that, except seen the film in and get a letter saying they were bad calls?

Are you getting it?

 

[Rambition]

i do have some concerns about fisher's "game," and one of them is, as you touched on, the "no big deal" vibe he gives off so frequently when he speaks about certain aspects of the team. i'm a great admirer of his game-day sideline behavior; he never loses his composure and always seems very much confident, focused, and under control. in my opinion, players respond well to this, also. but when you take that same attitude and put it in the context of something like the chronic, excessive fouls committed (rather than phantom offenses imagined by some of the officials) by his players and get the same "yeah, we'll get that fixed" and a kind of shrug-off, i think it's something of a concern. i think he's got considerably more "upside" than "downside," but i wish he'd adopt a different attitude about things like the penalties.

 

[Rambition]

Yes.

The reward outweighed the risk. From 2009 to 2013(5 year period), there were 675 rushing plays on 4th and 1 or less. 66.1% of those rushing plays resulted in a first down. Over that same period of time, kickers converted 90.1% of FGs(1418 attempts) between the 10 and 20 yard line.

That means there was a 2/3 chance that the Rams would convert that first down if we're looking at the league average. The Rams were also on the Cowboys 15 and were running the ball with ease...both of which are factors that further mitigated the risk. The Rams defense was struggling to stop Dallas and Dallas had scored 17 unanswered points. You are looking at a 24.0% difference between hitting a FG in that situation and running for a first down.

In that situation, the risk outweighs the reward. Had the Rams defense been shutting Dallas down, I would have said, "Kick the FG". But with the defense playing the way they were, there was no reason to expect that they would stop Dallas from scoring. The Rams needed to keep Dallas on their heels. They needed to push for that two score lead.

The aggression there was warranted.

Here's something even more interesting...as sucky as the Rams have been from 2009 to 2013, we have converted 78.9% of our 4th and 1 or less yards rushing attempts for first downs. We have converted 90.0% of FGs between the 10 and 20 yard line over that time. That's an 11.1% difference for our team.

As I said before, the reward outweighed the risk.

i really do agree with this. sometimes, in those fourth down situations when a decision between going for a field goal and going for a first down, i confess to not being able to make up my mind, at least not fully or confidently, and within the small window of time a coach must make it. but right there and then, before fisher's decision was known, i had already decided that i thought they should go for it, for all the reasons you mentioned. i thought it twas the right call then, and will continue to think so. one thing, though, is that i kind of prefer to think of it as "the potential reward justified the risk."

 

[BriansRams]

Bringing this thread back up from September.
What does everyone think now? Have you changed your opinion of Fisher's coaching ability since then (for better or for worse)?

 

[Zombie Slayer]

For the first time I am starting to question if he is the right coach for this team long term. No winning seasons here so far. He has been a head coach in this league for a long time now and is a .500 coach. I hate to say it but it just doesn't seem like he will ever consistently have a team that is over .500. I realize the Bradford injuries have hampered the last season and a half but you still have to find a way to get it done. I just don't know anymore. Tired of also seeing the same mistakes from this team. His record during his long tenure in this league kind of speaks for itself at this point. If he had not been a head coach for so long I wouldn't worry about his overall record as much. But he's closing in on 20 years as a head coach.

 

[mr.stlouis]

Fisher is great

Davis sucks

Hill is average at best as a back up

And how dare you

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Fisher had a pretty disciplined and hungry team in Tennessee in 99/2000. He has proven that he can do it. Overall though I am not a huge Fisher fan. I think he could be a little harder on players than he is. Mostly I don't like the whole thing where he takes chances on guys with character red flags. That can work out fine and it can also bite you in the butt like PAcman and Haynesworth did. Those become wasted picks. Even something subtle like sulking on the sideline or quitting on the team when your behind can rear its ugly head with low character types. That is the one thing that I liked about Spagnoulo. He liked high character smart players. As much as I hate Bellicheck he has the same idea. Build the team with high character, intelligent players and then you can take an occasional Randy Moss. However if he screws up....adios muchachos.

I was excited about Fisher bringing in solid assistants as opposed to the nobodies that Linehan and Spags brought along but I am tired of the long in the tooth crowd already and want some innovation among the assistants. Bones is the most refreshing coach on the staff.

But in the end when questioning the coach you always have to ask the question, if not Fisher then Who. Off the top of my head I cannot think of many that are not already employed.

 

[jrry32]

Fisher had a pretty disciplined and hungry team in Tennessee in 99/2000. He has proven that he can do it. Overall though I am not a huge Fisher fan. I think he could be a little harder on players than he is. Mostly I don't like the whole thing where he takes chances on guys with character red flags. That can work out fine and it can also bite you in the butt like PAcman and Haynesworth did. Those become wasted picks. Even something subtle like sulking on the sideline or quitting on the team when your behind can rear its ugly head with low character types. That is the one thing that I liked about Spagnoulo. He liked high character smart players. As much as I hate Bellicheck he has the same idea. Build the team with high character, intelligent players and then you can take an occasional Randy Moss. However if he screws up....adios muchachos.

I was excited about Fisher bringing in solid assistants as opposed to the nobodies that Linehan and Spags brought along but I am tired of the long in the tooth crowd already and want to some innovation among the assistants. Bones is the most refreshing coach on the staff.

I gotta disagree. I like taking chances on character guys. You just have to take the right chances. I think we've done that thus far.

And I'm not having really any issues with the assistants.

Fisher is who he is. He's an average to above average but not elite coach.

But in the end when questioning the coach you always have to ask the question, if not Fisher then Who. Off the top of my head I cannot think of many that are not already employed.

Right now, Todd Bowles and Hue Jackson strike me as possibilities but both are risks...whereas Fisher is not. And I'm not sure Todd Bowles is a fit here because I have a feeling he'll want to run a 3-4. But then again, I don't know. Maybe he'd be okay with the 4-3. Maybe Kyle Shanahan? Although that's an enormous risk...and again, the personnel here are a questionable fit.

 

[Memento]

Tell you what: if Fisher starts Wells over Barnes and Jones in the Seattle game, then I want him to be barred from entering any place that the Rams play. Forever. I can tolerate Davin Joseph because I know that we have literally no depth at guard. But for us to have three centers and start the most ineffective one for whatever reason is unforgivable.

 

[yrba1]

Been questioning Fisher since the loss to the Whiners on Monday Night.. but then he gets my hopes up with an upset against Seattle and Denver

I'm fine with keeping Fisher for 2015; the players like him, he brought a huge roster turnover that shows flashes of brilliance than what this team has shown since the GSOT's decline. The offense remains an enigma at the moment though, I understand execution is an issue but Schotty ought to put players in a position to succeed because so far, I see a dependence on scheme.

Williams is a good DC but the lack of adjustments against our defense's weaknesses is mind-boggling. His reliance on McLeod past 20 yards is frustrating to watch. Aside from a contingency plan at QB, we really need a true free safety because when the blitz fails, there's an 80% chance a big play will occur for offense.

Lastly, I expect Snead to fix the interior line with young talent. If Fisher insists on putting washed up veterans on the O-line while Bradford's under center during the first of the preseason/regular season of 2015, he ought to be fired if Bradford gets injured again.

 

[brandonk2293]

Dick vermeil was a .500 head coach too. Granted he won a Super Bowl but look at that 99 team he had. Not every head coach has the luxury of a Peyton manning, Tom Brady or Aaron Rogers to carry a team. Fisher has brought this franchise a long way since he's arrived. He's building something special here and it's only a matter of time before everything clicks. We've been in nearly every game we've played in this season against arguably the toughest schedule in the NFL without our starting QB and all the other injuries. I'm all in with Fisher, with a solid and healthy offseason we are legitimate contenders. Lol and you can't say bilicheat and "high character" in the same sentence together.

 

[jrry32]

Been questioning Fisher since the loss to the Whiners on Monday Night.. but then he gets my hopes up with an upset against Seattle and Denver

I'm fine with keeping Fisher for 2015; the players like him, he brought a huge roster turnover that shows flashes of brilliance than what this team has shown since the GSOT's decline. The offense remains an enigma at the moment though, I understand execution is an issue but Schotty ought to put players in a position to succeed because so far, I see a dependence on scheme.

Williams is a good DC but the lack of adjustments against our defense's weaknesses is mind-boggling. His reliance on McLeod past 20 yards is frustrating to watch. Aside from a contingency plan at QB, we really need a true free safety because when the blitz fails, there's an 80% chance a big play will occur for offense.

Lastly, I expect Snead to fix the interior line with young talent. If Fisher insists on putting washed up veterans on the O-line while Bradford's under center during the first of the preseason/regular season of 2015, he ought to be fired if Bradford gets injured again.

Somebody has to play the FS role. And McLeod is the best option right now. I'm hopeful that they'll give Joyner a chance this off-season when he gets the scheme down better.

And I disagree about the lack of adjustments. I was getting frustrated too until I saw we were pressing in the 2nd half and still getting beat. Tru was awful in this game. Was getting consistently beat when pressing. Which is likely why they decided to play soft...because the press wasn't working.

 

[Mackeyser]

Yeah, Tru isn't a press corner. JJ can do it, but Tru just can't. He looks really heavy footed doing it.

 

[A55VA6]

I think Fisher has done pretty decent without an actual starting QB for 2 years straight and a rough schedule..

I just don't think there's a head coach out there right now that could come in and do a way better job than Fisher. I don't like some of the things Fisher does, but he's our best option.

 

[Amitar]

I am really conflicted on who is the best QB for our next game.

Depends on who you want to get pummeled the most next game.

I did not like the Fisher signing and still don't. He should be in the front office not on the field. Him and Snead make a great team in the front office evaluating and signing talent. Even better then now.

 

[Thordaddy]

Yesterday was not anything I want to see again,it's clear the defense was out to knock Beckham out of the game and I think fines and even suspensions may be coming.
The lack of discipline in the way they went about it shakes my confidence in Williams and Fisher both.

I have never been one to be embarrassed to be a Rams fan regardless the record,but I had a real tough time with yesterday,I would have liked to see Fisher sit some people down as an indication he didn't condone that behavior and since that game wasn't going to impair any playoff appearance .

IMO he let it get out of hand ,I think he too was embarrassed but prefers to handle those things in the locker room not wanting to put people in face saving situations , we shall see how he handles this , if he doesn't do anything he will lose a great deal of support from me . He has assembled a talented team it would be a shame to see someone else come in here and take the talent he has ,instill discipline and he not be able to see the job through, BUT IMO unless he gets control of that shit ,he's not going to win no matter how much talent he has

 

[-X-]

This will be the eleventh non-winning season and the 4th head coach in that span. Let's go ahead and make another change, because *that* has certainly proven to be the winning formula. Every time we look for a new head coach, we end up with the one everyone wants, or the one who's the most sought after. Then we get him, he gets 3 years to turn things around, doesn't, and we rinse and repeat. Love it. We should write a book on the Rams Way.

 

[Thordaddy]

CGI said

I am really conflicted on who is the best QB for our next game.

Depends on who you want to get pummeled the most next game.

I did not like the Fisher signing and still don't. He should be in the front office not on the field. Him and Snead make a great team in the front office evaluating and signing talent. Even better then now.

Although I thought he held the ball too long at times and the TD to Givens was something anyone could have thrown, Hill didn't lose that game for us,in fact I thought he was knocked out of the game at one point ,but he showed me some real toughness.
Nah what he got yesterday was the same defensive support Davis got in several games this year and it would have taken a top five QB to win that one .

As far as Fisher goes , I'm waiting to see what he has to say and what he does about the way the defense seemed to be so preoccupied with roughing Beckham up they forgot to play football.

 

[ZigZagRam]

A few very candid thoughts:

1. Those that want an aggressive team need to stop whining about aggressive penalties. That's the way they play, and they're going to get calls playing that style. You can't have it both ways.
2. This team became a 6-win team the minute Sam Bradford crumpled to the ground in preseason Game 3.

 

[blue4]

I'm fine with Fisher for 2015. Don't really care for Schotty but if he's back oh well. Not sure if I want our WRs to learn a new offense. However, if they don't go at least 9-7 and challenge for a playoff spot next year Fisher and the staff need to go. Except the STs coach. I like Fisher, I think he's a good coach, but 4 years will be enough.