McVay’s offensive scheme

[TXRams86]

Straight and to the point question:
Do you think that McVay’s offensive scheme needs some new elements added in?

The reason I ask is because I see offenses like (ewww) Shannahan’s using different formations, using a full back, and just more unpredictable than ours. I’m no defensive guru by any means but when you, as a defensive coordinator, need to game plan against an offense that looks the exact same game in and game out, I’d imagine it would be easier than trying to game plan against one that shows you something different almost every series.

 

[dang]

McVay needs to admit he needs some OC help - both for creating a game plan and more importantly for making adjustments as the game progresses. This year he was way too slow in addressing whatever aint working. Is Higbee a top 5 TE or a JAG? Is Goff a pure pocket passer or a rollout artist? Is Gurley part of the pass game or not? Is our run game going to focus on pound and ground up the middle or jet sweep/off tackle approach? Are we going to be a fast paced rhythm offense or not? Way too much identify crisis and inconsistency this year on offense. The good news is this is a very talented offense that needs to address its weaknesses and expand its strengths.

 

[OldSchool]

Nope, I think we need to change a few things on the OLine or give some of the young guys more time and we'll be fine. I could see Malcolm Brown not being back and a late round pick being added to the RB room. He was a non factor running the ball 13 times in the last 5 weeks. Get rid of him it saves a million in cap space. I also don't think Kelly is worth anything more than a practice squad spot so maybe two picks. Our TE room is solid. Do they keep Cooks or bite the bullet? The rest IMO doesn't need to change. He just needs to make drive to drive adjustments better which is something we hope comes with more experience.

 

[TXRams86]

McVay needs to admit he needs some OC help - both for creating a game plan and more importantly for making adjustments as the game progresses. This year he was way too slow in addressing whatever aint working. Is Higbee a top 5 TE or a JAG? Is Goff a pure pocket passer or a rollout artist? Is Gurley part of the pass game or not? Is our run game going to focus on pound and ground up the middle or jet sweep/off tackle approach? Are we going to be a fast paced rhythm offense or not? Way too much identify crisis and inconsistency this year on offense. The good news is this is a very talented offense that needs to address its weaknesses and expand its strengths.

I agree with everything you said there. I hate the phrase “finesse offense” because I don’t think we’re even that. We don’t have an identity and we have a lot of unanswered questions at the conclusion of this season. I really hope McVay takes some time to reflect on what went wrong instead of just praising those things that went well.

 

[Merlin]

Jesus H Christ. When will people realize that any scheme works if it has the right players? You could line up a fucking run only scheme probably if you had the right players. McVay didn't suddenly forget how to coach. The scheme isn't "figured out." The Rams just have too many JAGs at key spots effing it up.

Fix the line. Suddenly everyone will be amazed what a genius McVay is again.

 

[TXRams86]

Nope, I think we need to change a few things on the OLine or give some of the young guys more time and we'll be fine. I could see Malcolm Brown not being back and a late round pick being added to the RB room. He was a non factor running the ball 13 times in the last 5 weeks. Get rid of him it saves a million in cap space. I also don't think Kelly is worth anything more than a practice squad spot so maybe two picks. Our TE room is solid. Do they keep Cooks or bite the bullet? The rest IMO doesn't need to change. He just needs to make drive to drive adjustments better which is something we hope comes with more experience.

O line is the biggest need this offseason I think. But even that isn’t as simple as we think. Do we favor linemen who are better at pass blocking or run blocking? We need to get that identity established first. Last year our offense was predicated off the run. This year we were more of a passing team. We can make arguments for why that happened but the simple fact is we need to iron that identity out and work from there.

Our tight ends proved a lot this season so that’s a plus. Our receivers, we know what we have in them. With respect to Cooks, we never know when he’s gonna get knocked out of a game but we’ve come to expect it. That’s not a good thing.

There’s a big question mark around the running backs. Gurley, is he just a guy now? Brown didn’t seem necessary this season. Henderson didn’t get enough touches to have a fair assessment done on him.

 

[Reddog99]

Mcvay comes out doing one thing and when it doesn't work he adjusts and it works then he goes right back to what doesn't work. It's baffling to be honest. Is he that hell bent on things going a certain way? Or is he trying to keep switching it up to keep the opponent from adjusting? I don't know but I think in order for this team is to take the next step Mcvay is going to have to take the next step. I think we're still just a few tweaks away from being back in it.

 

[Ellard80]

I'll take McVay over anyone else and twice on Sunday.

He outdid every one (including some of this boards) favorite girl Shanahan..

If not for a pick six and two 3 down and 16 conversions McVay outduels shanny resoundedly.

 

[TXRams86]

Jesus H Christ. When will people realize that any scheme works if it has the right players? You could line up a fucking run only scheme probably if you had the right players. McVay didn't suddenly forget how to coach. The scheme isn't "figured out." The Rams just have too many JAGs at key spots effing it up.

Fix the line. Suddenly everyone will be amazed what a genius McVay is again.

Whoa, calm down there buddy. Nowhere in my post did I say McVay’s offense had been figured out. Maybe you mistook me saying it might be easier to game plan against as that.

And you didn’t answer the question. Seems like the question I posed here struck a nerve.

 

[OC_Ram]

All we need is a few maulers on the Oline. If we could run the ball at will this pass game with our TE’s would be deadly. I think the rams have evolved past Cooks. I like the guy but head injuries and huge cost makes it a necessary subtraction.

 

[Merlin]

Whoa, calm down there buddy. Nowhere in my post did I say McVay’s offense had been figured out. Maybe you mistook me saying it’s easier to game plan against as that.

And you didn’t answer the question. Seems like the question I posed here struck a nerve.

Didn't mean to come off accusatorial there man. I just can't believe all the grief McVay's been getting not just here (this place is more sane) but many other places I frequent to include twitter. It's insanity IMO.

My answer: the WCO can be run a multitude of ways. McVay has run his version different ways too, just from Washington to LA. The fact that this offense ranks 13th in the league demonstrates how good McVay is. He has had to disguise the OL weaknesses all season long and has kept the Rams viable in the playoff chase in the league's best division until tonight.

Also the "unpredictable" nature of Shanahan's offense has less to do with scheme and more to do with personnel than people realize. He's got the right guys this year to get the matchups he wants that enable him to attack defensive schemes.

McVay needs the personnel side fixed. That's Snead. IMO. And cheers for the reasonable response.

 

[TXRams86]

Didn't mean to come off accusatorial there man. I just can't believe all the grief McVay's been getting not just here (this place is more sane) but many other places I frequent to include twitter. It's insanity IMO.

McVay needs the personnel side fixed. That's Snead. IMO. And cheers for the reasonable response.

You’re good, I knew the timing of the thread might not be the best but it was on my mind.

Whats insane is some of the investments we’ve made on the defensive side of the ball. I like Ramsey but that draft capital could and should have gone towards the offense. I know that’s on Snead but that’s just one that left me scratching my head when our head coach can’t have his offense executing to their full potential due to lack of personnel.

I’d take a high powered, unstoppable offense with a mediocre defense any day. It always seems like once offenses get rolling and scoring, defenses feed off that and play out of their minds. Even the mediocre ones.

 

[Wisconsinram]

I appreciate the reasonable replies to this thread on a tough night.

Our OL can't run block worth a shit and isn't much better at pass blocking. McVay responds by pressuring the edges and rolling out Goff, puts up 31 against the #1 seed, and fans want to bitch about why he didn't do it differently. I don't get it.

Heck, I look at the transition the offense has been forced to go through this year and am amazed we are a top 13 offense with this OL. I will never understand how others not only find it disappointing, but also "scheme" related. We don't have an OL.

 

[Flint]

Well 7 of those points came from the defense so this diverse Shanahan offense came up with 24 points and the McVay offense that needs an overhaul put up 400 yds of offense on the one of the best defenses in the league. Add to that having rookies and midseason pickups starting and you get inconsistent offense.
I think not being able to protect has hampered the deep passing game in addition to Cooks injuries. The run game and deep passing game compliment each other and neither has been great.
The pieces are still there to be effective, not saying that there aren’t issues including playcalling.

 

[TXRams86]

I appreciate the responses. Consensus seems to be that it isn’t a scheme issue but more of not having the personnel to execute the offense right now.

Let’s just rewind to last year really fast. Our offense was high flying until we met the Bears defense. We had the personnel then but failed to counter that defense when other teams ran it against us. I know we got better at it, I can’t say we exactly “solved it” but could we have countered it by switching some things up earlier?

 

[Wisconsinram]

TX- I can't tell if you are a troll, anti-McVay, or are really trying to gain an understanding.

Regardless, my take on your question is that McVay and company took longer to figure out the 6 DL formations they faced in the latter part of the season that any of us would have liked. Hindsight and all.

We haven't faced those formations in the second-half of the current season, despite our OL play. I would assume that's been a result of the successful counter our scheme has provided.

 

[TXRams86]

TX- I can't tell if you are a troll, anti-McVay, or are really trying to gain an understanding.

Regardless, my take on your question is that McVay and company took longer to figure out the 6 DL formations they faced in the latter part of the season that any of us would have liked. Hindsight and all.

We haven't faced those formations in the second-half of the current season, despite our OL play. I would assume that's been a result of the successful counter our scheme has provided.

Not a troll, give my criticism of McVay as well as the team as a whole when it’s warranted and posted a question I had interest in discussing. Seems like theres more and more of a reluctance to participate in a conversation when an “unpopular” question is posed. Teams have areas for opportunity and I see nothing wrong in discussing those topics.

Thanks for your response.

 

[jrry32]

The OL is a problem, and Goff has been a bit off his game this year. But in terms of the scheme itself, I don't see a lot of issues. Yeah, I have some complaints, but no play-caller is perfect. McVay is still better than the vast majority of the NFL. And frankly, he outcoached Kyle Shanahan today (offensively, at least).

 

[Zodi]

What scheme works when your center is in the backfield .25 seconds after the snap?

I agree with others that the fault of our offense is personnel moreso than scheme, but I would like for McVay to get a qualified OC this offseason.

 

[“Turbo set!”]

His hands are tied with the mediocre play of the o-line.