It's Kind of Telling ....

[Robocop]

And what would that urgency look like? Pulling a lesser talent off of someone's practice squad? Who is out there that we could pull in and demonstrate that urgency? I don't see anyone waiting in line to give us a real O-line talent in trade for say - Cook for example.

Sure there are examples of teams that have gotten to the playoffs quicker with their new teams. There are also plenty of examples of teams that have gone in reverse or not gone much of anywhere with their new coaches.

The fact is that we are very much in the hunt for the division title this season. We have beaten the only two teams in our division we have played against. Every team would like to have turn arounds like we saw in AZ and Seattle. A couple of teams in the south are winning right now and MAYBE that is a sign that they are playoff bound. Maybe not though. It's still pretty early in the season.

I guess we'll see but I don't see lack of urgency in his demeanor. Lack of panic? Sure. If he doesn't get this team into the playoffs soon, I'm sure the seat will get hotter regardless of how urgent any of us see his steps. But I just don't see culling someone else's practice squad as a good step or one that shows he suddenly now means business.

sorry i meant this in a more preemptive way. We shouldn't be in situation year 4 with two starting rookies, a backup guard, a first year center and a underperforming second year 1st round draft pick LG

 

[snackdaddy]

I don't know why people are in such a hurry to rush this rebuild. Its only year 4 in Fisher's regime. And year eleven in the overall perpetual rebuilding process. You gotta be patient. In time good things will come. We'll all be happy when we're in our retirement homes for the next Rams superbowl.

 

[Merlin]

Gotta agree with Redding, it's a great sign. Fish had said by midseason this OL should be rolling, and what this does is back up his words a bit. And when I watch games around the league there are a lot of teams with worse OLs.

So when you consider that they have a OL somewhere around 15th to 20th in the league and take into consideration their youth and talent... I'm quite happy with things right now. And that's even with the struggles of GRob which I did not expect. They just gotta keep improving and this team will have a chance to get into the playoffs and actually be peaking when they start.

 

[RamsSince1969]

As long as Foles isn't getting killed back there like in the Green Bay game, I hope they gel soon. A good lineman is sure hard to find. Orlando Pace, what a stud!

 

[ramsince62]

Fisher does seem like the easiest sleeping sub .500 coach on the planet.

7 or 8 million a year buys a lot of comfortable pillows.

 

[Ramhusker]

I can understand some people's frustration with the state of our OL but you can't dismiss what is going on here. This team had to rebuild a lot of moving parts. The OL is the latest project. Most everything else is in place. ( The need for the right type TE and THAT #1 WR of course in question.). I think most expected ( including the Rams' coaching staff and front office) Saffold and Robinson to be leading the unit at this stage. Before the season started, I expected some rough roads traveled for the OL before the bye. They have met my expectations. Although Saffold is done and Reynolds has to take on his leadership role, I feel we haven't lost much in the transistion. I thought the Reynolds pickup was good one and thank heavens it happened. The rookies have held up for the most part and seem to be progressing and Barnes has held his own at C. If GR can get his act together, I think we are going to be ok. We'll definitely know what shape our playoff hopes lie after the next couple of weeks and that will mostly be due to OL play.

 

[blue4]

I can understand some people's frustration with the state of our OL but you can't dismiss what is going on here. This team had to rebuild a lot of moving parts. The OL is the latest project. Most everything else is in place. ( The need for the right type TE and THAT #1 WR of course in question.). I think most expected ( including the Rams' coaching staff and front office) Saffold and Robinson to be leading the unit at this stage. Before the season started, I expected some rough roads traveled for the OL before the bye. They have met my expectations. Although Saffold is done and Reynolds has to take on his leadership role, I feel we haven't lost much in the transistion. I thought the Reynolds pickup was good one and thank heavens it happened. The rookies have held up for the most part and seem to be progressing and Barnes has held his own at C. If GR can get his act together, I think we are going to be ok. We'll definitely know what shape our playoff hopes lie after the next couple of weeks and that will mostly be due to OL play.

It's not just the OL. If we don't win this year the excuse hat is empty. We did have a very low level of talent when Fisher took over, but in my mind having a huge number of high draft picks due to trades offsets this to some degree. Expecting the playoffs in what looks to be an off year for the NFC West should be the minimum expectation for a coach this experienced in his 4th year.
It should also be noted that we aren't building the GSOT. It's a run first, ball control offense. It should be farther along than it is. It should also be noted that JL, Long, Quinn were already here and Brockers, JJ, and TJ came in the first draft year. So there's been time to get this O settled. Sitting where we are at 2-3 with a weak schedule coming up a good coach would have this team contending for a playoff spot. I think that's very reasonable expectation.

 

[Debacled]

I don't know why people are in such a hurry to rush this rebuild. Its only year 4 in Fisher's regime. And year eleven in the overall perpetual rebuilding process. You gotta be patient. In time good things will come. We'll all be happy when we're in our retirement homes for the next Rams superbowl.

So...hit reset find another coach and do what the Rams have been doing for the past decade? Start over?

That'll fix it all.

Know why teams tend to remain cellar dwellers? They cycle through coaches so often the team never has time to actually build anything up. Its young players that fit a system, and once that system doesn't win by the time half those guys are closing in on 24 its onto the next coach. Next coach, next system, next group of young players. Next few seasons spinning tires with players who fit the old system and don't now while reloading with rookies and other young guys who don't have time to shine till this coach is getting booted out of office.

Its easy to pick out ineptitude in the NFL. Fisher doesn't fall into that category. Do his games even remotely resemble a Mike Singletary or Todd Haley coached football team? Does this team look even at a glance like a Scott Linehan or Steve Spagnolo run operation? Yeah I know setting the bar pretty low, but when the team on average is entering its what? 2nd-3rd, maybe on a good day 4th season in the league it isn't going to be a well oiled dominating machine.

The win now or get the hell out mentality in the NFL is a HUGE problem. You can have a guy like Chip Kelly roll in riding off the talent that a guy like Andy Reid spent more than a decade compiling and just watch him burn it to the ground, but hey he won his first couple years with the team so he must be a success.

Take a good long hard look at what Marvin Lewis is doing in Cincinnati

 

[Ramhusker]

It's not just the OL. If we don't win this year the excuse hat is empty. We did have a very low level of talent when Fisher took over, but in my mind having a huge number of high draft picks due to trades offsets this to some degree. Expecting the playoffs in what looks to be an off year for the NFC West should be the minimum expectation for a coach this experienced in his 4th year.
It should also be noted that we aren't building the GSOT. It's a run first, ball control offense. It should be farther along than it is. It should also be noted that JL, Long, Quinn were already here and Brockers, JJ, and TJ came in the first draft year. So there's been time to get this O settled. Sitting where we are at 2-3 with a weak schedule coming up a good coach would have this team contending for a playoff spot. I think that's very reasonable expectation.

And Fisher just might have the Rams poised to start that playoff push. We are 2-3. We are seemingly looking at a weak schedule. This team is playing competitive football. Some could argue, like most teams in this year's NFL, that the Rams could be 3-2 or 4-1 if a few plays were to have ended up differently. The only dud this team has hatched was in Washington. Sure, the Offense shot itself in both feet in GB but why was that? I'd say the OL play had a lot to do with it that day, just like we probably thought they would this early in the season. I don't think the sky is falling with this team. I think we are loaded with hope and are upward trending. ( except for a couple of players I'll not name here) Of course, if we come out flat and lose to Cleveland, I'll probably be flip flopping like Hillary Clinton at a congressional hearing and doing my best Chicken Little impersonation.:eek:

 

[blue4]

And Fisher just might have the Rams poised to start that playoff push. We are 2-3. We are seemingly looking at a weak schedule. This team is playing competitive football. Some could argue, like most teams in this year's NFL, that the Rams could be 3-2 or 4-1 if a few plays were to have ended up differently. The only dud this team has hatched was in Washington. Sure, the Offense shot itself in both feet in GB but why was that? I'd say the OL play had a lot to do with it that day, just like we probably thought they would this early in the season. I don't think the sky is falling with this team. I think we are loaded with hope and are upward trending. ( except for a couple of players I'll not name here) Of course, if we come out flat and lose to Cleveland, I'll probably be flip flopping like Hillary Clinton at a congressional hearing and doing my best Chicken Little impersonation.:eek:

I agree, we are really not setting too bad. The sky is definitely not falling, but 9 wins should be the absolute minimum to keep his job, playoffs should be the expectation. It's completely doable this year. People keep saying don't hit the reset button if we fail to reach .500 again, but to me if you've gone 4 years under .500 you're losing anyway. So what do you gain by standing pat?

 

[fearsomefour]

I think it's the sign of a head coach who isn't worried about losing his job based on wins and losses.

Agreed.
This goes to the fact he drafted and rebuild the line that way instead of throwing money at FA lineman. If he was under pressure to win this year the approach would have been different I am sure.

 

[fearsomefour]

If Carolina and Atlanta keep plugging along there will be one Wildcard spot open.
The Rams best shot may be winning the division, so, lets just do that.

 

[RamFan503]

sorry i meant this in a more preemptive way. We shouldn't be in situation year 4 with two starting rookies, a backup guard, a first year center and a underperforming second year 1st round draft pick LG

Yeah I get yuh. To me it is that you are either winning games or you're not. Certainly we have not won as many as anyone here would like - and that includes Jeff Fisher.

If we had gone O-line and let the defense be only ok, it is very likely that we would have had just as many fans upset that we didn't address whatever defensive position group if we were getting scored on left and right.

I happen to agree with Fisher's approach in theory. And IF Wells and Long had stayed healthy, I'm guessing we wouldn't be having this discussion. Fisher worked to make position groups a strength while trying to improve other areas - like the line. It is not like we didn't use resources toward the line. We did. The resources just didn't pan out.

But Fisher's idea of putting together a defense that could keep you in games is not a bad strategy as long as your starting QB doesn't go down, your starting LT doesn't go down, your center doesn't go from Probowler one year to walking wounded the next, your second round mauling tackle/guard having perennial shoulder issues, and your RT having one good year followed by being a matador the next. Add to that a few other draft picks not panning out like Watkins and Jones and you have our O-line woes.

 

[RamFan503]

The Rams best shot may be winning the division, so, lets just do that.

Yeah... Let's do THAT.

 

[Rmfnlt]

It's something I think they can do against the Browns. Not because the Browns are that bad. They're not. But because they will be prepared and actually show they are a team ready to take the NFC West.

Kinda counting on this!

 

[Prime Time]

So...hit reset find another coach and do what the Rams have been doing for the past decade? Start over?

That'll fix it all.

Know why teams tend to remain cellar dwellers? They cycle through coaches so often the team never has time to actually build anything up. Its young players that fit a system, and once that system doesn't win by the time half those guys are closing in on 24 its onto the next coach. Next coach, next system, next group of young players. Next few seasons spinning tires with players who fit the old system and don't now while reloading with rookies and other young guys who don't have time to shine till this coach is getting booted out of office.

Its easy to pick out ineptitude in the NFL. Fisher doesn't fall into that category. Do his games even remotely resemble a Mike Singletary or Todd Haley coached football team? Does this team look even at a glance like a Scott Linehan or Steve Spagnolo run operation? Yeah I know setting the bar pretty low, but when the team on average is entering its what? 2nd-3rd, maybe on a good day 4th season in the league it isn't going to be a well oiled dominating machine.

The win now or get the hell out mentality in the NFL is a HUGE problem. You can have a guy like Chip Kelly roll in riding off the talent that a guy like Andy Reid spent more than a decade compiling and just watch him burn it to the ground, but hey he won his first couple years with the team so he must be a success.

Take a good long hard look at what Marvin Lewis is doing in Cincinnati

Couldn't agree more. The Steelers are another example of stability and continuity. Since 1969 they've had three head coaches, Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin. That's a span of 46 seasons. The Rams have had 12 different head coaches over that same period of time.

 

[DaveFan'51]

If GR can get his act together, I think we are going to be ok. We'll definitely know what shape our playoff hopes lie after the next couple of weeks and that will mostly be due to OL play.

This^ is the Big Question mark! But I think we can do it!! We Will be their by Cinci in week 12!!

 

[drasconis]

Couldn't agree more. The Steelers are another example of stability and continuity. Since 1969 they've had three head coaches, Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin. That's a span of 46 seasons. The Rams have had 12 different head coaches over that same period of time.

Apples and Oranges, only Noll ever had 3 losing seasons in a row, and that was when he first started, cower and Tomlin never had more than 2 in row, and Noll didn't either after 1971....

 

[VegasRam]

I agree, we are really not setting too bad. The sky is definitely not falling, but 9 wins should be the absolute minimum to keep his job, playoffs should be the expectation. It's completely doable this year. People keep saying don't hit the reset button if we fail to reach .500 again, but to me if you've gone 4 years under .500 you're losing anyway. So what do you gain by standing pat?

Continuity. It cannot be overstated.