Rams roster and coaches… My thoughts

[Rams43]

Rams roster and coaches have been exposed this season…​

First, let me stipulate that the OL injuries are the root of at least 90% of Rams woes on O. I seriously doubt that ANY other team could have survived them any better. Just catastrophic.

I will further stipulate that Morris has managed his own player injuries rather well. I hate watching his soft zone D but it was both pretty darned effective and appropriate while dealing with so many inexperienced rookies he was forced to start. I do have issues with his scheming vs the 49ers, though. But that’s for a different thread.

Here’s why I said Rams roster and coaches have been exposed.

These are things that have been creeping up and yet have been ignored while I hadn’t noticed. I was too busy enjoying that SB winning season. But our opponents have noticed them and are attacking our weaknesses relentlessly.

Rams OL, even when healthy, hasn’t been good at run blocking. This is not just a ‘22 problem. It’s been going on for years. Is McVay’s preferred zone blocking types still the best way to go? I haven’t seen a strong consistent run game since Gurley’s heyday. That’s way back in mid-2018. I think McVay might want to reconsider his OL draft profile strategy because recent results have sucked. They simply ain’t working, Sean. To the point that you now lack confidence in our running game and it shows in your play calling. Opponents have noticed, btw. And scheme accordingly to the point that they practically ignore our run threat. It’s a vicious circle.

Perhaps Rams OL is suffering from being on the back burner too much while McVay focuses too much on skill positions? Recent examples include the Atwell pick over Humphrey, declarations about bringing back OBJ, apparent interest in trading for Cooks. It smacks of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic while Rams are struggling on OL and RB. OL should be officially Job One, Sean.

Which brings me to our pathetic RB situation. When was the last time you felt confident that Rams could run for a 1st on 3rd and short? Michel last year, maybe? Not to mention that our top 3 RB’s are notoriously unable to stay healthy. One RB, maybe. But all 3? There’s something else going on. McVay needs to self scout to determine whether he’s even seeking optimum effective RB’s with his current draft profiles. Rams have been hampered too long by too many RB’s to call themselves unlucky there. There’s something else going on that’s hurting our RB situation. Rams should leave no stone unturned in their RB examination.

Let’s talk TE. We currently have an inconsistent Higbee and a couple of nobodies. Is it coaching or is it drafting? Or both? I vote for both. And the maddening thing is that TE has been an orphan for years, too. SOMEONE should have noticed these trends at OL, RB, and TE and gotten into the ears of both Snead and McVay.

Now let’s talk Edge. It’s been a weakness opposite Floyd for years. Von Miller fixed that nicely last year but at a very high price for 6 months of work. Point being Rams have been deficient at edge for years. This is another core position and yet weakness there has been tolerated for far too long. Are Snead and his scouts incapable of finding just one quality Edge player? Or is the problem coaching? Including scheming those edge players. Maybe all 3 are at fault simultaneously?

Now I have a couple of coaching questions. Why is Evans starting on this crippled OL? Hell, why is he even on the roster? Insert either Skura or Brewer and bench Evans until Shelton returns. To do otherwise seems incompetent. Gawd!

Why is Rapp starting? Give Yeast a shot for crying out loud. Burgess. Or somebody off the street, dammit! Does Rapp have incriminating pictures of Morris? I’m only half joking. Starting Rapp is a self inflicted wound.

These are shortcomings of our current Rams that have been glaringly exposed already this season.

Yeah, I’m angry, frustrated, and upset. All the above are creeping problems that were never identified and addressed for several years. And now, even though we are defending SB champions, these things are killing us.

I’m sure I missed a few, but these are the ones off the top of my head this morning.

Thoughts?

MOD EDIT - THREAD TITLE CHANGE. These are Super Bowl winning coaches.

 

[Kupped]

I just don't know how much Oline injuries did/didn't distort EVERYTHING on offense. I don't know that the offense would've been great.. but I think with a healthy line it would've been functional. That would have a cascading effect on everything.. including the defense, to an extent.

I think there were/are roster mistakes... and coaching mistakes.. but all teams make mistakes. Having a catastrophic number of injuries to one position group is hard for any team to overcome.

 

[GoodBadUgly]

I agree to a point, but you don't give them enough credit on some things.

For example, they tried to address the RB and drafted two guys, one got hurt before playing a snap, the other didn't impress beyond special teams. If Funk ends up being a great RB elsewhere, it will really look bad on a staff desperate for a run game.

As far as OL, the injury situation is well documented. But I am constantly questioning the overall approach. Even when healthy, we seemed lazy about the line and counted too heavily on an aging superstar in Whit (who kicked all kinds of ass for us). We spent some of our depleted draft capital, but didn't seem to adjust when we missed. And in true Rams tradition, the higher the pick we spend on OL, the worse the player. Then we seem to not want to admit our mistake and keep plugging in the same guys expecting different results.

Sigh.

It's all gloom and doom right now, but I'm going to be happy that we are still in range of the division just in case we get our act together. But we really need to have a better plan.

 

[OldSchool]

Not only are overly dramatic thread titles fun but repeating this mantra from last season is great fun.

Trust in McSnead, they know better than fans.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

Trust in McSnead, they know better than fans.

90% of the fans wanted to draft Oline instead of Tutu last year. Maybe the fans aren't completely clueless after all.

 

[OldSchool]

90% of the fans wanted to draft Oline instead of Tutu last year. Maybe the fans aren't completely clueless after all.

Trust in McSnead! That was used to hammer people into submission last year and to question fandom. Now some of the same people are the ones doing the questioning.
Also some of those people that didn’t like the Tutu pick, myself included, have wanted other players taken who didn’t work out. This fascination w8th that one pick is unhealthy. Nobody is right all the time especially us fans But its a fun little game to criticize one pick and ignore others where they were right and we were wrong.

 

[Kupped]

90% of the fans wanted to draft Oline instead of Tutu last year. Maybe the fans aren't completely clueless after all.

So, this is a big picture thing.

Is every poster who said this right on all the other picks?

Of course not.

Now, philosophically… if the Rams had *hit* on a deep threat? That’s a useful pic that helps this offense.

And… the Rams were right that they were okay at Center, ultimately.

Yeah… we’re right on some things… but they’re accountable for the entire package.

 

[Dodgersrf]

Sometimes bad luck just catches up with you.

The injuries we've seen this year are worse than what we witnessed back in 2011 with the secondary.

This time it's the oline and throughout other positions.

 

[Tano]

Trust in McSnead! That was used to hammer people into submission last year and to question fandom. Now some of the same people are the ones doing the questioning.
Also some of those people that didn’t like the Tutu pick, myself included, have wanted other players taken who didn’t work out. This fascination w8th that one pick is unhealthy. Nobody is right all the time especially us fans But its a fun little game to criticize one pick and ignore others where they were right and we were wrong.

Thing is - I wanted an OL in the second third or fourth round that year and would have been happy with any of them

They did none.

I find OL to be the most important position other than QB and they pretty much ignored that position in 2020 and 2021 even though we went into the season with suspect players at a guard and center spot before the season.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

Sometimes bad luck just catches up with you.

This time it's the oline and throughout other positions

It is bad luck, but I'd also say a bit of poor preparation.

 

[GoodBadUgly]

I think the biggest reason folks are so fixated on that Tutu pick is that we don't understand why he isn't working out. If it was a bust pick, OK, that happens. But watching him play when he does get reps, and knowing the need to attack over the top, we get frustrated and it really becomes clear we should have taken another player if we can't figure out how to use him.

 

[Kupped]

I think the biggest reason folks are so fixated on that Tutu pick is that we don't understand why he isn't working out. If it was a bust pick, OK, that happens. But watching him play when he does get reps, and knowing the need to attack over the top, we get frustrated and it really becomes clear we should have taken another player if we can't figure out how to use him.

He’s just a bust. It’s really that easy.

Overdrafted… way too small.

 

[Dodgersrf]

It is bad luck, but I'd also say a bit of poor preparation.

I don’t think any team is prepared, to have 4 of 5 starters on the oline go down.

 

[GoodBadUgly]

He’s just a bust. It’s really that easy.

Overdrafted… way too small.

I can't agree with that. I've watched too much of his college film and all-22 when he gets reps.

He's NOT Tavon Austin. This guy can run routes and catch the ball. So.....why not throw it to him? I mean, they TRIED and succeeded for a 50-yarder. Did they only get one success out of 30 long attempts? No, one out of three and two were poor throws.

So again, this is MY frustration at least. Prove to me he's a bust, then it will make sense. This means TRY TRY TRY to make it work.

Maybe it's just me, but I wish they'd show the same patience they give our OL picks to our deep threat.

 

[Allen2McVay]

I don’t think any team is prepared, to have 4 of 5 starters on the o-line go down.

THIS!!!

And 6 of the projected top-8 offensive linemen; including the top five interior O-Linemen!!!

 

[Dodgersrf]

THIS!!!

And 6 of the projected top-8 offensive linemen; including the top five interior O-Linemen!!!

Not to mention, we spent early draft capital on Bruss this past draft.

Just because we drafted Atwell, doesn't mean the line has been completely ignored.

Humphries would have been nice, but it's time to let it go. (Fans in general. I'm not referring to you)

 

[Kupped]

I can't agree with that. I've watched too much of his college film and all-22 when he gets reps.

He's NOT Tavon Austin. This guy can run routes and catch the ball. So.....why not throw it to him? I mean, they TRIED and succeeded for a 50-yarder. Did they only get one success out of 30 long attempts? No, one out of three and two were poor throws.

So again, this is MY frustration at least. Prove to me he's a bust, then it will make sense. This means TRY TRY TRY to make it work.

Maybe it's just me, but I wish they'd show the same patience they give our OL picks to our deep threat.

I had the same assessment of him coming out of college. He’s absolutely not Tavon. He’s smaller and isn’t a threat with the ball in his hands. AND he tracks the ball much better as a receiver than Tavon.

Problem is he doesn’t fit in this offense.

Maybe in a run and shoot… but he’s a completely one-dimensional player.

 

[GoodBadUgly]

I had the same assessment of him coming out of college. He’s absolutely not Tavon. He’s smaller and isn’t a threat with the ball in his hands. AND he tracks the ball much better as a receiver than Tavon.

Problem is he doesn’t fit in this offense.

Maybe in a run and shoot… but he’s a completely one-dimensional player.

So you're saying there's a chance!

Clear you hated the pick from the start. I did too, but held out hope he'd be Tyreek and make me look foolish. My point is he may not be Tyreek, but it's the staff that looks foolish if they can't take advantage of what he brings deep. And I've seen him cut off those routes and be wide open.

Dropping the subject. Feels too weird defending a pick I hated...

 

[oldnotdead]

I think you are omitting the reality of some things. The Rams addressed the OL in 2018 and 2019 when they drafted Noteboom, Allen, Edwards and Evans. They clearly missed on Edwards and Evans but got starters in Noteboom and Allen. Noteboom looked poor this season as he got hurt early and played hurt until he apparently aggravated the injury to where he couldn't play at all. They drafted Bruss to start at RG but he got hurt also at the beginning of the season. They obviously hit on Shelton who they extended and they hit on Jackson. So it's not like the Rams haven't been trying. A healthy OL of LT Noteboom, LG Shelton, C Allen, RG Bruss, and RT Havenstein/Jackson looks like a decent front when healthy. But they haven't played a healthy OL all season.

RB is the same issue. They drafted Akers and Henderson who looked like a great pair. Granted it was a mistake to let Michel walk but they planned on drafting Williams who got hurt and hasn't played yet. Akers suffered a potential career ending injury but was expected back. The problem is that Cam isn't the same player post injury.

Now add in the loss of Jefferson and a very slow start for Robinson and they only had Skowronek who no one fears and Kupp. Higbee is not having his normal year as well.

They thought they had addressed the second edge with Lewis with whom they have been more than patient. But his lack of production as a starter was unanticipated. These things happen. I don't blame the scouts because he came in with rave reports from not only Ram scouts but others. Like Akers his play lacks the explosiveness his collegiate film showed. So they drafted Okoronkwo who didn't pan out, and this year Hardy who of course got hurt in preseason.

It's not like the Rams haven't tried to address the holes in this roster. They have and had this roster been healthy they would be the team people expected. If any coach has been exposed it's of course Morris who isn't making use of the talent he's been given. Fuller got hurt at the end of Oct and not expected back until early December. Yeast has seen the field but isn't looking ready. The player expected to replace Rapp, Quentin Lake has yet to play. He was just activated off of PUP but missed all of TC. I don't really expect him to play meaningful snaps until December. I like Lake and the reason he dropped in the draft was because of his injury. Lake has stereotypical measurables as a SS. He's 6'1" 200 lbs with 4.59 speed, with a reputation of playing smart and alert. He would be best played in the box out to about 15 yards (underneath zone). He needs to hit the weight room to buff up, and to polish his technique for this level.

I still think this is a very good roster when it gets healthy again and if a few key young players develop. I don't see the doom and gloom others on this board seem to feel. I prefer not to waste time on missed opportunities but to look at what is and what they can be. I think this team will make the playoffs. Once they do they will be about as healthy as a team as they would have been all season. Can they make a run? I believe they can and will.

 

[RamDino]

Injuries have derailed the Rams season so far. But let's be honest... the run game sucked last year too. Why? I don't know for sure but I believe it is a combination of things, starting with the interior of the line and specifically the guards.