Raheem Morris discussion thread

[WestCoastRam]

Mock me all you want but I understand what is happening while those who mock me don't.

 

[Allen2McVay]

...

Mock me all you want but I understand what is happening while those who mock me don't.

I don't think most of us felt like we needed permission but thank you for granting it.

 

[WestCoastRam]

I don't love Morris as a D coordinator but it's actually somewhat enraging to not see the incredible job he's doing this year with a bunch of rookies, 2nd year nobodies and AD.

 

[TXRams86]

I'm not blaming Morris for the defensive failures. What does he have to work with? Donald is great. Jones is a little better than average. Young and Turner might be good enough at some point. The rest are day 3 JAGS. When given lemons you can't make lemonade if too many are rotten.

As much as I want to shit on Morris and the D, he doesn't have a ton to work with. The fourth quarter collapses are frustrating but the offense is equally crappy in the second half and they're supposed to be the strength of this team.

I have been happy seeing the D blitz this season. They don't get home often but at least we're running em.

Hopefully we get some talent on the D this offseason. We've seen what it can be when we have some playmakers.

 

[Tano]

amuck amuck amuck
If you play a gap and a half with your DL they aren't pressure in 2.5 seconds. You aren't getting home when you put their 2nd best pass rusher in coverage which they do with Young. So tell me again how much they value a pass rush? They only value it situationally not on every down. OCs know they will play the run on first downs. Thats a huge advantage.

You guys have been hating on Hoecht but they turned him loose and he got home. If you watched replays you would see him in the mix whenever they came after the QB in other games as well. When you expect your DL to read / react they aren't going to get a whole lot of pressure on the QB. You guys should realize by now it's how the players are played which is the primary reason for the apparent inconsistencies in the defensive play.

People were complaining Hoecht wasn't setting a hard edge but how do you do that if you are playing a gap and a half read /react? They would see him pinch inside not understanding that is what he's supposed to do playing that gap and a half scheme. Thats why they need to play a WIL behind him. They play their JACK in wide 9 so that doesn't apply to him.

Mock me all you want but I understand what is happening while those who mock me don't.

Oops wrong word

 

[snackdaddy]

I don't love Morris as a D coordinator but it's actually somewhat enraging to not see the incredible job he's doing this year with a bunch of rookies, 2nd year nobodies and AD.

Exactly. He's got one great player in Donald. A fairly good player in Ernest Jones. Two guys who have potential but likely won't reach that in their rookie year. The rest are day 3 JAGS. What coach can win with that?

 

[Ellard80]

The defense collapsed in the 4th quarter

but the roster on that side is atrocious - we need to score more points.

 

[PARAM]

Exactly. He's got one great player in Donald. A fairly good player in Ernest Jones. Two guys who have potential but likely won't reach that in their rookie year. The rest are day 3 JAGS. What coach can win with that?

I think it would be fair to say, we haven't lost a game this year because of defense. They've been stressed by terrible showings by the offense, but they haven't outright lost a game for us. On the other hand, they haven't won a game for us either. But we're not known for our defense. We're know for our offense, developed and game planned by our genius head coach (and I'm not being facetious). We aren't playing anywhere near that on offense this year. Morris is doing great work for us and if you look at the scores, had our offense performed the way they're supposed to we'd be 5-2 or better. The problem is we haven't put 2 good halves of offensive football together in the same game. We have put 2 good halves together but that was the 2nd half vs Seattle and the first half vs SF. We've given up 30 just once, 23 twice and 24 once. We should have won all (or at least 2) of those last 3 instead of just 1 but we only managed 14 in one, 17 in the other and we lost a game where we gave up just 19 points by scoring just 16. The finger should be firmly pointed at the offense and like Cowherd sometimes says (about the HC), "if your side of the ball is the reason you're losing, you need to fix it now".

 

[Ellard80]

Offense & special teams blow/give up 13 points in a 7 point loss and we’re here again.

Good times.

We dont have a ton of talent on the team by design - saving our money for next year.

Neither side is overly talented, but the offense has more - if we are going to win, we have to score more points.

We can't expect that lineup on defense to hold teams down consistently.

They did collapse and give up 14 pts and 200 yards in the 4th quarter.

But ya the offense has to be a plus - otherwise we have little chance.

 

[Allen2McVay]

I don't love Morris as a D coordinator but it's actually somewhat enraging to not see the incredible job he's doing this year with a bunch of rookies, 2nd year nobodies and AD.

Agree with you and @snackdaddy .

An all-time great player (Donald), a solid third-year off-ball-LB taken in the 3rd Round (Jones) and two impressive rookie 3rd rounders (Young and Turner). Durant was a 4th Round draft choice and Witherspoon was a former 3rd round pick who was an excellent/cheap free agent signing.

Every other starter and top reserve on defense was a late round pick or undrafted free agent.

By contrast there's the Philadelphia Eagles' Defensive Line, including Edge players ...
Six former 1st Round draft choices ... All by the Eagles. SIX!!!
Plus a 3rd rounder, a 4th rounder and a top-tier free agent in Hasson Reddick.

 

[ArkyRamsFan]

I don't think most of us felt like we needed permission but thank you for granting it.

Now that's funny!!

~ArkyRamsFan~

 

[PARAM]

19 PPG on offense (70 in the first half and a measly 66 in the 2nd). That is not the L.A. Rams under Sean McVay. You need to look no further.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Now that's funny!!

~ArkyRamsFan~

I try to contribute where and when I can.

 

[WestCoastRam]

19 PPG on offense (70 in the first half and a measly 66 in the 2nd). That is not the L.A. Rams under Sean McVay. You need to look no further.

Well it's not LaFleur's Rams (the older!)... I kid! Sorta.

He really did seem like the only one who could keep McVay on track in the 2nd half after all these years.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Agree with you and @snackdaddy .

An all-time great player (Donald), a solid third-year off-ball-LB taken in the 3rd Round (Jones) and two impressive rookie 3rd rounders (Young and Turner). Durant was a 4th Round draft choice and Witherspoon was a former 3rd round pick who was an excellent/cheap free agent signing.

Every other starter and top reserve on defense was a late round pick or undrafted free agent.

By contrast there's the Philadelphia Eagles' Defensive Line, including Edge players ...
Six former 1st Round draft choices ... All by the Eagles. SIX!!!
Plus a 3rd rounder, a 4th rounder and a top-tier free agent in Hasson Reddick.

Yeah, I don't think I was doing Jones justice by leaving him out (plus player). And while Young and Turner seem like plus players I think I still need to see more from them. Durant, I think, is probably just an average starter at the end of the day. Witherspoon has been a plus player. Lake seems like a solid spot starter but not an every down guy as of yet.

Still, aside from that it's a unit that is bereft of plus talent at every single level.

Just wild that Morris and his coaches have gotten what they could from these guys. Offense needs to hold up their side of the bargain and keep them off the field in the 2nd half.

I think it's laughable to think that these guys can do more than what they did with this talent level yesterday when we get late in the game without offensive support.

 

[Allen2McVay]

...

You guys have been hating on Hoecht but they turned him loose and he got home. If you watched replays you would see him in the mix whenever they came after the QB in other games as well. When you expect your DL to read / react they aren't going to get a whole lot of pressure on the QB. You guys should realize by now it's how the players are played which is the primary reason for the apparent inconsistencies in the defensive play.

...

Hoecht had an excellent game but have you watched the replays of his first quarter sacks?

On the first, Hoecht was on the left-side of the defense next to Jonah Williams who was over the RT (Okorafor). Hoecht was over the TE (Heyward). The RT took-on Williams, and the TE released without chipping Hoecht who ran unimpeded to the QB.

On the second, Pittsburgh let the RB (Warren) take-on Hoecht one-on-one, and Hoecht beat him.

Again, Michael Hoecht had an active and productive game but his two sacks came against AIR and a 5'8" RB.

 

[Tano]

Hoecht had an excellent game but have you watched the replays of his first quarter sacks?

On the first, Hoecht was on the left-side of the defense next to Jonah Williams who was over the RT (Okorafor). Hoecht was over the TE (Heyward). The RT took-on Williams, and the TE released without chipping Hoecht who ran unimpeded to the QB.

On the second, Pittsburgh let the RB (Warren) take-on Hoecht one-on-one, and Hoecht beat him.

Again, Michael Hoecht had an active and productive game but his two sacks came against AIR and a 5'8" RB.

And on the long gain called back due to a penalty, Hoecht was covering a receiver down field. Why does Morris insist on using Hoecht to cover pass plays longer than 10 yards. I just cannot believe Morris has belief in Hoecht being a downfield lb. It just doesn't make sense.

 

[rdlkgliders]

If the whole organization had performed at the level Morris is this season we would all be talking Super Bowl

 

[NCRamGuy]

Honest opinion I'm not too impressed with the guy. He can be a nice guy and people claim he's a great guy. Which is fine but hes not that good of a DC.

He was part of the Falcons that let the Patriots have the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history, and he was also a DC for the Falcons who started 0-5.

Sure Dan Quinn was HC but Raheem was the DC and their defense was one of the worst rated that year.


Also when we won the Super Bowl, he inherited a good stout Defense. What he has built I'm not impressed

 

[Allen2McVay]

And on the long gain called back due to a penalty, Hoecht was covering a receiver down field. Why does Morris insist on using Hoecht to cover pass plays longer than 10 yards. I just cannot believe Morris has belief in Hoecht being a downfield lb. It just doesn't make sense.

I don't know that it's always by choice or design (Hoecht in coverage downfield).

My guess is that, in certain personnel groupings and/or formations, specific positions have specific responsibilities. If Hoecht is the strong-side-Edge, the player at that position may have to take-on certain responsibilities given how the offense is aligned.

A big part of an offensive game-plan is to create miss-matches.