Rams fire ST Coach Blackburn
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duanevalle22
Starter
Very interesting ...... Guess McVay is a politician as well..... "Look over there instead of over here."
The ST coach should had been let go after the 49er debacle. Even though McVay could had went for the tie.
This isn't going to fix anything, but let's hope it doesn't make things worse.
Someone had to be fired after costing Kronke $$$$$$$$$ on losing a guarantee of two home playoff games.
I wondered how McVay explained the four consecutive punts in the 4th quarter of last game.
..... Maybe he benches Stafford next game
The ST coach should had been let go after the 49er debacle. Even though McVay could had went for the tie.
This isn't going to fix anything, but let's hope it doesn't make things worse.
Someone had to be fired after costing Kronke $$$$$$$$$ on losing a guarantee of two home playoff games.
I wondered how McVay explained the four consecutive punts in the 4th quarter of last game.
..... Maybe he benches Stafford next game
Looks like I was WRONG!! I did have a couple drinks & I was yelling & getting Tavon All Pumped Up for a Run Back to WIN the game. I guess JJ21(The Rabbit had a 99 yard TD called back.
I was on the 40(35) & it was late in the game.Tavon was wide on my side I believe?? Can’t recall where he lined up,but I did see him break one for a TD that got called back.
Then all the way across field again Shaun Hill had it goal & goal.They called a hold that brought the TD to like the Chargers 26 from The Rams 40 on Tavon Austin’s TD called back.
www.espn.com
I was on the 40(35) & it was late in the game.Tavon was wide on my side I believe?? Can’t recall where he lined up,but I did see him break one for a TD that got called back.
Then all the way across field again Shaun Hill had it goal & goal.They called a hold that brought the TD to like the Chargers 26 from The Rams 40 on Tavon Austin’s TD called back.
Chargers 27-24 Rams (Nov 23, 2014) Game Recap - ESPN
Expert recap and game analysis of the San Diego Chargers vs. St. Louis Rams NFL game from November 23, 2014 on ESPN.
Well he benched Mattew Stafford against Detroit !!! Didn’t he ?? That caused one of them.Very interesting ...... Guess McVay is a politician as well..... "Look over there instead of over here."
The ST coach should had been let go after the 49er debacle. Even though McVay could had went for the tie.
This isn't going to fix anything, but let's hope it doesn't make things worse.
Someone had to be fired after costing Kronke $$$$$$$$$ on losing a guarantee of two home playoff games.
I wondered how McVay explained the four consecutive punts in the 4th quarter of last game.
I guess you can blame The FIRES for not having 1 of The 2 home playoff games for sure !! If your counting 2 & keeping it REAL !!
OntarioRam
Hall of Fame
I am with you!
Whittington has plenty of speed to function as a return man, look at his 40 time, and look at his tape when he gets downfield blocking. He should have enough speed to do okay in the role. Shiftiness and ability to secure the ball well when moving at speed both you would think are capable, as he was a RB for quite some time before witching to WR, I believe. And he looks good when he gets the ball in space. Before concluding he cannot do it, I'd want to see some good blocking. It feels the Rams never create a hole to run through on special teams.
Austin definitely had the talent.
Though as talented as he was, Austin thought he was even more so.
Sometimes you just need to head towards the EZ.
Austin thought he could juke everyone.
Ben Kotwica pronounced (Kout-week-a) He has 17 years of experience in the NFL, most recently serving as the Broncos’ special teams coordinator for the last two years. According to Rick Gosselin’s annual special teams rankings, the Broncos finished seventh in 2023 under Kotwica and fourth in 2024 in Bill Huber’s rankings.
Why was he fired in Denver? Well, one of the leftovers from a previous staff under Payton, if you remember, the Broncos lost a game to the Chiefs because of a blocked FG. Then Darren Rizzi, one of the premier special team coaches in the NFL became available once Kellen Moore was hired in New Orleans and Asshole Face wanted Rizzi, who coached with him in New Orleans, so IMO, the block FG gave Payton the excuse to get his guy, however, I understand why Payton wanted Rizzi, but I don't hold that against Kotwica.
Not sure what he can do, but if the Rams can improve their coverage plus maybe stop kicking the ball out bounds on kickoffs every single time and maybe forcing teams to not being at midfield after one first down would be a plus. Overall, Blackburn was awful, since John Fassel left for Dallas, the Rams have hired John Bonamego, Joe DeCamillis and Blackburn. Obviously, Bonamego was bad and McVay fired after one year, but IMO, that is because Joe DeCamillis became available and DeCamillis was the best of the lot, plus was the ST Coordinator during the Super Bowl.
I was shocked when McVay moved on from DeCamillis, but I think Chase Blackburn was always on his radar because they had asked for permission when he was in Carolina, but Blackburn chose to stay there. Overall, Blackburn brought in Alex Ward as the Long Snapper and Evans as the punter. Now Evans besides the Seattle game has been very good, but because he was both the FG kicker and punter at Wingate, never was the holder, so that was an ajustment. Plus they have moved on from Ward.
Kotwica is a former Helicopter Pilot, so I am sure he has no fear and should be able to motivate. However, he has two weeks to get his unit ready for the playoffs and this unit has cost the Rams dearly this season and I only wish McVay made this change sooner.
Dolac had a bad game. The TD return he was in position to make the play but tried ineffectually to push the runner out of bounds instead of trying to wrap his legs or trip him up. Then on top of that the penalty.
RE Timing of dismissal:
Many here expected it last off-season, feel McVay was overly patient and hiring Kotwica was a likely harbinger.
Obviously not typical for McVay to make a move like this during the season, but ST has clearly been our Achilles heel (most of McVay's tenure (systemically), but particularly this year).
In short, the firing was an inevitability (not if, but when)... and given the magnitude of our issues and direct correlation to our losses, this decision would have just been a distraction going into the post season.
The timing makes sense, though any expectations of a grand improvement seem dubious.
Many here expected it last off-season, feel McVay was overly patient and hiring Kotwica was a likely harbinger.
Obviously not typical for McVay to make a move like this during the season, but ST has clearly been our Achilles heel (most of McVay's tenure (systemically), but particularly this year).
In short, the firing was an inevitability (not if, but when)... and given the magnitude of our issues and direct correlation to our losses, this decision would have just been a distraction going into the post season.
The timing makes sense, though any expectations of a grand improvement seem dubious.
I'm with you on diggin the military background. Apaches are bad MFers. That said what will drive his success or failure with McVay is giving the team an edge schematically, and for now just going back to basics and shoring up the weaknesses. Kickers and coverages working together. Blockers identifying overloads. Dudes maintaining lane integrity, wrapping up runners and actually blocking opposing gunners instead of free release after free release.
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DeaconJones
Rookie
Sadly, my permanently-retained memory of Pharoh Cooper is fumbling on the opening kick off of the 2017 playoff game against Atlanta. He was ok otherwise.
And I thought that 503 and I got a little bit effed up at games.Looks like I was WRONG!! I did have a couple drinks & I was yelling & getting Tavon All Pumped Up for a Run Back to WIN the game. I guess JJ21(The Rabbit had a 99 yard TD called back.
I was on the 40(35) & it was late in the game.Tavon was wide on my side I believe?? Can’t recall where he lined up,but I did see him break one for a TD that got called back.
Then all the way across field again Shaun Hill had it goal & goal.They called a hold that brought the TD to like the Chargers 26 from The Rams 40 on Tavon Austin’s TD called back.
Chargers 27-24 Rams (Nov 23, 2014) Game Recap - ESPN
Expert recap and game analysis of the San Diego Chargers vs. St. Louis Rams NFL game from November 23, 2014 on ESPN.
Attachments
Rams adding former 49ers special teams assistant after staff shakeup
Sean McVay shook up his coaching staff unexpectedly over the weekend, firing special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn after two-plus years in the role. With Blackburn now gone, the Los Angeles Rams promoted Ben Kotwica from assistant special teams coach to special teams coordinator, a job he previously held with the Denver Broncos.
To help Kotwica run the special teams group, the Rams are bringing in another coach. McVay told reporters on Monday that the Rams are hiring Matt Harper.
Harper most recently spent time as the 49ers’ assistant special teams coach, a job he landed in 2021. He also had two separate stints as the Eagles’ assistant special teams coach from 2013-2014 and 2016-2018.
Harper will help Kotwica manage the special teams for the rest of the season. After that, the Rams will presumably evaluate the unit and decide who to hire as their next permanent special teams coordinator.
It’s been a troublesome spot for the last few years in Los Angeles, which led to Blackburn’s firing. Joshua Karty missed a league-high eight kicks in the first eight games of the season and on Thursday night, Ethan Evans’ two poor punts – one of which was returned for a touchdown – and Harrison Mevis’ 48-yard miss led to the Rams’ collapse.
Rams adding former 49ers special teams assistant after staff shakeup
After firing Chase Blackburn and promoting Ben Kotwica, the Rams are adding some help by hiring former 49ers special teams assistant Matt Harper.
theramswire.usatoday.com
Mevis - first miss, was going to happen at some point. Barely missed.....good with him moving forward.
Evans - I've been saying this off and on for a while, but he is not good. That punt was the worst of his time, which is saying something. Maybe the ST Coordinator will fix this but I'm skeptical
Evans - I've been saying this off and on for a while, but he is not good. That punt was the worst of his time, which is saying something. Maybe the ST Coordinator will fix this but I'm skeptical
IDK, did you forget his punt against the Seahawks in LA, that went out at the one inch line and the Seahawks had the longest way to go for a game winning FG? They gave Evans a game ball for that. Well, IMO, he has been a very good punter, however, on Thursday night was his worst two punts of his career that I can recall.
Sometimes the new guy has decent early success because opponents don't have tape/scouting on the new guy. No-one knows exactly what Kotwica and Harper are going to do with this particular group. Maybe they change things up. Hoping the Rams can get 6 weeks of new guy magic out of them (5 weeks of magic if the Rams get that 1 seed).