Three questions for posters at the midseason point...

[Rams43]

Chris Weinke was hired to mentor/coach Foles. I was expecting more and better results. Am I alone?

Jeff Garcia was hired to work with our WR's. Here again, where are the results? Seems like regression to me, other than Austin. What gives?

Finally, Rob Boras was promoted to some kind of Run Game asst HC title. So where is the big improvement in our run game (other than Gurley's natural gifts)? And hasn't his other responsibility, our TE unit regressed? A "too many cooks" kinda thing?

All three above moves were new this year by Fisher. Am I the only one thinking that those moves are backfiring?

 

[drasconis]

Chris Weinke was hired to mentor/coach Foles. I was expecting more and better results. Am I alone?

Jeff Garcia was hired to work with our WR's. Here again, where are the results? Seems like regression to me, other than Austin. What gives?

Finally, Rob Boras was promoted to some kind of Run Game asst HC title. So where is the big improvement in our run game (other than Gurley's natural gifts)? And hasn't his other responsibility, our TE unit regressed? A "too many cooks" kinda thing?

All three above moves were new this year by Fisher. Am I the only one thinking that those moves are backfiring?

I agree Weinke and Garcia so far seem like a waste - I guess those inside might feel different about Weinke since Foles is new here (maybe he has helped get him up to speed faster...not that it is showing in games). Garcia as a WR coach seems like a complete failure - all the guys have been here for a while, and it seems like regression. Boras might be considered a success due to TG seeming being up to full speed in the NFL so quickly (how much credit he should get I do not know)...

 

[HometownBoy]

To be fair, I don't really think you can give guys 8 whole games to decide everything about them.

 

[CodeMonkey]

I don't know if I'd use the term backfiring. I think it's fair to say we expected better production from our passing game though.

We were pretty high around here on both Weinke and Garcia this off season. The offensive coach unit is a patchwork it seems and I wonder about the "too many cooks" idea. The idea that we have one coordinator for the run and another for the pass seems wonky to me. Maybe it is done but it sure seems like there would be an issue with coordinating an overall plan. It bothers me that Cignetti has another job as a private detective too. I think Fisher is the kind of a coach who is as good as his coordinators are and we don't really have a strong one but a collective of meh. As a programmer we talk about the "mythical man month"...that units of work aren't necessarily divisible. Sort of like the saying that 9 women working together cannot make a baby in one month.

 

[Rmfnlt]

To be fair, I don't really think you can give guys 8 whole games to decide everything about them.

True... and consider this:

Frank Cignetti
7 years NFL experience (KC, NO, SF and the Rams) all at QB coach - first time OC

Chris Weinke
0 years NFL coaching experience

Jeff Garcia
0 years NFL coaching experience

Boras has 7 years experience in the NFL, all at TE coach until his new position this year.

to recap:
4 coaches, all in new positions in the NFL.
2 with prior NFL experience and 2 with none.

I think it's reasonable to expect they'd struggle in the beginning.

 

[RedRam]

Chris Weinke was hired to mentor/coach Foles. I was expecting more and better results. Am I alone?

Jeff Garcia was hired to work with our WR's. Here again, where are the results? Seems like regression to me, other than Austin. What gives?

Finally, Rob Boras was promoted to some kind of Run Game asst HC title. So where is the big improvement in our run game (other than Gurley's natural gifts)? And hasn't his other responsibility, our TE unit regressed? A "too many cooks" kinda thing?

All three above moves were new this year by Fisher. Am I the only one thinking that those moves are backfiring?

I never thought much of Weinke as a quarterback so I didn't really have much in the way of expectations.

On Garcia, having a QB as a WR coach is specious logic IMO.

Boras I guess has to rely on/work with Boudreau to improve the run blocking. On TEs, unless he can figure out a way to catch the ball, there's one "Cook" I'd like to see less of out there.

 

[DR RAM]

Chris Weinke was hired to mentor/coach Foles. I was expecting more and better results. Am I alone?

Jeff Garcia was hired to work with our WR's. Here again, where are the results? Seems like regression to me, other than Austin. What gives?

Finally, Rob Boras was promoted to some kind of Run Game asst HC title. So where is the big improvement in our run game (other than Gurley's natural gifts)? And hasn't his other responsibility, our TE unit regressed? A "too many cooks" kinda thing?

All three above moves were new this year by Fisher. Am I the only one thinking that those moves are backfiring?

Some things can't be fixed.

Receivers can't get better, if they aren't receiving balls.

I think the run game has improved.

 

[bomebadeeda]

The questions could be answered if it was ascertained if it's coaching or execution........
Because a coach can tell someone how to do it.......but if that guy on the field doesn't..... (Because I bet Boras isn't telling Cook to drop the ball......)

 

[Prime Time]

So where is the big improvement in our run game (other than Gurley's natural gifts)?

This made me lol, so thanks for that. Saying "other than Gurley" is like saying what's so great about the Vikings running game other than Adrian Peterson? Gurley is the running game, the bell cow, as was intended.

Tre Mason has been hobbled most of the year and the backs are running behind a relatively inexperienced O-line. That's what happened. You do know that the Rams running game is the best that it's been in many years, right? And this is with one of the worst, if not the worst, passing attacks in the NFL.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

Well this year we switched to a zone running scheme, providing Gurley options with the cutback lanes, so that's an improvement. Also, Austin is getting more lateral runs rather than up the gut.

 

[Rams43]

This made me lol, so thanks for that. Saying "other than Gurley" is like saying what's so great about the Vikings running game other than Adrian Peterson? Gurley is the running game, the bell cow, as was intended.

Tre Mason has been hobbled most of the year and the backs are running behind a relatively inexperienced O-line. That's what happened. You do know that the Rams running game is the best that it's been in many years, right? And this is with one of the worst, if not the worst, passing attacks in the NFL.

So Prime...

Are you saying that Boras has had a dramatic positive effect on our run blocking?

I've seen Gurley make some unbelievable reads and cuts to rip off a handful of 35-50 yarders. But I've also seen him stuffed many more times when there was no hole whatsoever. I guess I'm saying that Gurley would have had his handful of chunk plays with or without Boras' promotion to run game coordinator.

I agree that our run game is the best in many years, of course. But Gurley is the best RB we've had since Faulk, too. I tend to give more of the improvement credit to Gurley than to Boras. That's all I'm saying.

 

[Prime Time]

So Prime...

Are you saying that Boras has had a dramatic positive effect on our run blocking?

I've seen Gurley make some unbelievable reads and cuts to rip off a handful of 35-50 yarders. But I've also seen him stuffed many more times when there was no hole whatsoever. I guess I'm saying that Gurley would have had his handful of chunk plays with or without Boras' promotion to run game coordinator.

I agree that our run game is the best in many years, of course. But Gurley is the best RB we've had since Faulk, too. I tend to give more of the improvement credit to Gurley than to Boras. That's all I'm saying.

I have no idea what difference Boras has made to the running game. That's not what I was saying. Would the running game if Gurley had not played the last four games been terrible? We don't know that for sure either.

The player always gets more credit or blame than the coaches behind him. That's a discussion for another day. I'll tell you this though, if Boras is in any way responsible for the way our running game is functioning these days, he should get a raise.

 

[Rams43]

I have no idea what difference Boras has made to the running game. That's not what I was saying. Would the running game if Gurley had not played the last four games been terrible? We don't know that for sure either.

The player always gets more credit or blame than the coaches behind him. That's a discussion for another day. I'll tell you this though, if Boras is in any way responsible for the way our running game is functioning these days, he should get a raise.

Let me come at this Boras question from a different direction, Prime...

In the 3 1/2 games before Gurley got a snap, did the Boras coached run game look scintillating? Even on Gurley's 9 snaps? Not hardly.

So I'm thinking our current run game is more a credit to Gurley than to Boras. Thus my original question.

 

[Prime Time]

Let me come at this Boras question from a different direction, Prime...

In the 3 1/2 games before Gurley got a snap, did the Boras coached run game look scintillating? Even on Gurley's 9 snaps? Not hardly.

So I'm thinking our current run game is more a credit to Gurley than to Boras. Thus my original question.

a) Mason has not been playing at full strength
b) Cunningham is what he is
c) the O-line, as far as the running game goes, is only now beginning to jell
d) Gurley is great

 

[LACHAMP46]

Give me 5 more games....I can tell a bunch more then.....

 

[Mikey Ram]

Give me 5 more games....I can tell a bunch more then.....

I'm curious why 5 more games, Champ...Is there some significance to 5 or is it just kind of an arbitrary number ???

 

[Raptorman]

This made me lol, so thanks for that. Saying "other than Gurley" is like saying what's so great about the Vikings running game other than Adrian Peterson? Gurley is the running game, the bell cow, as was intended.

Tre Mason has been hobbled most of the year and the backs are running behind a relatively inexperienced O-line. That's what happened. You do know that the Rams running game is the best that it's been in many years, right? And this is with one of the worst, if not the worst, passing attacks in the NFL.

Actually it's a fair question. Let me explain. With the Vikings last year we all know Peterson only played one game. So, how did he Vikings end up the 14th best rushing team with out him? (20 yards less per game than this year) Some of it was with our back ups being good, but some was on the coaching and the plays they ran. If your running game takes a major hit when your top back leaves the game, it's a problem. MN never hesitate to take Peterson out and put in one of their other backs during the game. And very seldom is there a drop off in production from the running game. Sometimes it goes up. Coaches will put 8 in a box for Peterson but they don't for McKinnon.

 

[LACHAMP46]

I'm curious why 5 more games, Champ...Is there some significance to 5 or is it just kind of an arbitrary number ???

Some very winnable games mixed in with some of the toughest we'll play all season....And we should be experienced and "know" one another better.....All the talk of "getting better" can really be exposed......I kinda have a feeling but I wanna give it a chance.....