We need to experiment and get right

[Kevin]

Its funny we as fans completely understand some of the adjustments that need to be made. Some have been calling this for 2 weeks now. Yet still no real adjustments.

I have seen enough of Josh Reynolds and would be pleased if I don't have to see him again this year.

Well, we as fans THINK we know what adjustments need to be made. Instead, maybe we as fans are more willing to see the team try different things as adjustments to what they have been doing.

 

[Mojo Ram]

A Monday post-loss thread with ideas and solutions. Critical thinking instead of knee jerk finger pointing. I like it.

 

[jrry32]

A Monday post-loss thread with ideas and solutions. Critical thinking instead of knee jerk finger pointing. I like it.

Sorry. FIRE EVERYBODY NOW!

 

[Giles]

Mcvays gotta adjust and Goff just needs to play better.
Take what the d gives you even if it means checking down all game.
Tom brady has become a sure fire hall of Famer playing that way.
Please for god's sake....run the football idc who's in there, run the football.

 

[Faceplant]

Good thoughts. Ultimately, I think most of what ails the Rams can be corrected via scheme and possibly personel changes as mentioned in the OP. The one outlier is Goff and how he handles pressure situations. The kid has learned from every mistake so far, and I have no reason to believe he won't do the same going forward.

Once the game slows down a bit more for him, he should be able to limit some of the back breaking mistakes he has been making as of late. He just needs to remain calm when the pocket breaks down on him or when he gets stepped on like last night. Cover the ball and live to fight another day. Avoiding turnovers is something Goff has been great at the last two years up until the Detroit game. That is something he can fix.

Considering that almost EVERYTHING went wrong last night, it is almost amazing that we had a chance to tie that game at the end. I take some solace in that. Now I just hope the Rams get right and tune up on the cards and niners and hit the playoffs on a hot streak.

 

[kurtfaulk]

For me, lining up in 11 personnel worked so well early doors, simply because it had our best players on the field at the same time. With Kupp out I now don't think that is such the case.

Absolutely. It worked so well because kupp was on the field. With Reynolds out there it's nowhere near as effective. Kupp would swallow up nearly all of the drive killing incompletions to Reynolds. I miss him so. Time to move away from it.

.

 

[Rainram]

I'd sub Brian Allen in for Sullivan at Center or sub Noteboom in for Blythe at RG and move Blythe to Center. Sullivan seems to be hitting a wall this year. I'd like to see if one of the younger guys can step up and handle the job. It might be safer to play Allen because Noteboom is our backup LT. We can't afford him getting hurt.

Give me Noteboom. I ain’t gonna go into the playoffs playing scared. I want that big sucker in there, and I want to punish defenses. He can benefit from the game reps too going forward and he’s smart enough and athletic enough to handle it.

I also agree about Kiser. Been calling for him for weeks. I know he’s a liability in the passing game. But we need something more in the middle right now.

I trust McVay to handle the offensive scheme. Whether it’s more 12 personnel, or using the same grouping but running plays that are a bit more effective against the defenses we’ve seen lately (e.g. WR screens).

I’d like to get Joyner out of there too, but I just don’t think that’s happening. What are your thoughts on Joyner jrry? (At least Johnson is playing well back there.)

 

[jrry32]

I’d like to get Joyner out of there too, but I just don’t think that’s happening. What are your thoughts on Joyner jrry? (At least Johnson is playing well back there.)

Our DBs have been terrible at handing off WRs this year. I can't explain it. With the veterans we have, there's no excuse. I don't think we can fix the Joyner issue for now. The best fix is likely having Joyner play near the LOS and Johnson play the deeper zone responsibilities.

 

[JonRam99]

We can't afford to pretend Reynolds is a TE. Nor can we afford to pretend he's Kupp. Our small-ish WR's are getting jammed too much as it is, with Reynolds getting jammed a bit at the goal line causing just enough delay to throw him off.
Everett is proving he's capable, and Higbee is as well, and neither is gonna get jammed without the DB paying for it.

That said, your suggestions @jrry32 are great as usual. I'd love to see me some Whit - Saff - Blythe - Boom - Hav. From what I've seen, I do believe Sully is getting roughed-up as the season wears on. Lots of pressure coming up the middle.

 

[Merlin]

At CENTER and RG we have quality depth to replace both those guys if needed. Problem is the poor play is recent in nature so not going to lambaste the staff for not making a move just yet. But it's coming if they don't improve, and IMO Allen is a little more stout in the run game at Center just don't know how well he can make the calls.

At WR and TE the consideration is whether we continue to trot out a high percentage of 11 personnel. I do agree with Jrry here and have said it before myself that it's time for more 12 personnel because JRey isn't high enough quality as a starter yet to continue favoring 11 personnel so profoundly. It is Everett's time now, so let's balance it up and see how him and Higs do knowing they're going to have a larger role. Like with C/RG the other options are definitely there.

OLB is a position that we're gonna have to just roll with unfortunately. Only other option is a rookie who missed too much time, so barring him pushing for playing time we're gonna have to dance with the girls who brought us as it were, even if they aren't what we want.

NT as bad as Suh is our only real option is to move Brockers back to the nose and put Franklin in there at 5T. Let Suh rotate in on passing downs between the nose and 5T it is what it is we whiffed on that signing big time. Problem is Brock hasn't looked like his best self either and I do suspect he's been dinged up. Might have to just endure this position the rest of the way.

ILB is killing us because it's eating up Christian, whereas he might be a good mix sliding into Johnson's role so he can in turn replace Joyner. Barron is like a bad case of herpes, just keeps coming back to ruin weekends. I don't hate any Rams player but can't wait to see that dude get cut, so tired of him clockin that paycheck while he gets swallowed up by any blocker.

FS is that position where Joyner should have been replaced by now, certainly after the KC game. Our safety position is full of guys who are better in the box and there's not much we can do about it other than move Johnson deep and try to get better play up top and still it's going to be a non-optimal situation for a playoff defense. We need an instinctive FS with range so badly it's sickening, as I have said before in spite of all our other defensive needs FS might be the greatest.

Other than that QB Coaching has not been discussed here much, but we have a guy in that role who needs to be looked at. Is Zac Taylor living up to his responsibility? Seems to me like Goff is regressing, and maybe it's the defenses we're facing but tbh if I'm McVay that QB coach is going to be under my damn thumb and I'm going to pay close attention to what he's teaching my QB room.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

The loss of Malcolm Brown hurts
I like Bonifay’s idea of moving Blythe to center and bringing in Noteboom

 

[jrry32]

FS is that position where Joyner should have been replaced by now, certainly after the KC game. Our safety position is full of guys who are better in the box and there's not much we can do about it other than move Johnson deep and try to get better play up top and still it's going to be a non-optimal situation for a playoff defense. We need an instinctive FS with range so badly it's sickening, as I have said before in spite of all our other defensive needs FS might be the greatest.

Wade doesn't play the traditional FS/SS designations. Both his safeties need to be able to handle both jobs. He's never traditionally had a guy like Earl Thomas. He doesn't look for rangy centerfielder types. I doubt we add a rangy FS this off-season. My expectation is that we add a guy like Darian Stewart to replace Joyner.

 

[Merlin]

Wade doesn't play the traditional FS/SS designations. Both his safeties need to be able to handle both jobs. He's never traditionally had a guy like Earl Thomas. He doesn't look for rangy centerfielder types. I doubt we had a rangy FS this off-season. My expectation is that we add a guy like Darian Stewart to replace Joyner.

I realize that. But Wade still has to cover the deep responsibilities and that's where we have sucked all season long. And the sucking will continue until he gets a guy who can do it.

Earl Thomas would help us a lot. But I don't want any more overpaid veterans who think they know better than the staff. I want young talent on defense that can be coached up by a very good staff.

I'd love to see a FS fall to us in this draft late round one for example. We're not gonna get a Derwin James but a guy like that would have profound impact in this scheme.

 

[jrry32]

I realize that. But Wade still has to cover the deep responsibilities and that's where we have sucked all season long. And the sucking will continue until he gets a guy who can do it.

Earl Thomas would help us a lot. But I don't want any more overpaid veterans who think they know better than the staff. I want young talent on defense that can be coached up by a very good staff.

I'd love to see a FS fall to us in this draft late round one for example. We're not gonna get a Derwin James but a guy like that would have profound impact in this scheme.

I'm just saying don't hold your breath on that one. I'd love to see us go after Eric Reid. I think he'd fit well with what we do, and he'll be underpaid again because of his role in the protests.

 

[Merlin]

I'm just saying don't hold your breath on that one. I'd love to see us go after Eric Reid. I think he'd fit well with what we do, and he'll be underpaid again because of his role in the protests.

Yeah I'm not thinking we're a favorite or anything to go get Thomas, as he'll be pricey and we have a lot of needs defensively. But the nice thing here is we are an elite playoff contender now. So maybe that brings in a guy or two we wouldn't get otherwise, maybe even a guy who wants to beat his former team a couple times a year.

Snead just needs to be shrewd this offseason and get it right on the defensive side. Nailing the first and third round picks and maybe one or two FA signings should get 'er done but not gonna lie I remain concerned.

 

[yrba1]

I have seen enough of Josh Reynolds and would be pleased if I dont have to see him again this year.

Don't mind sprinkling him in sparingly but would rather see Everett getting more reps as he is a mismatch with his large frame and can be used for TE blocking assignments and a receiving option.

Nothing against Reynolds but the nickel offense is getting neutralized easily.

 

[jrry32]

Its funny we as fans completely understand some of the adjustments that need to be made. Some have been calling this for 2 weeks now. Yet still no real adjustments.

I have seen enough of Josh Reynolds and would be pleased if I dont have to see him again this year.

I don't have an issue with Josh. He is a useful player in the right role. But he's just not the guy to replace Kupp. I think Everett is better at working the short to intermediate range. Reynolds is better in the intermediate to deep range. With teams taking away the deep ball, it makes more sense to use Everett more imo.

 

[Ramlock]

 

[Rams43]

Outstanding thread topic.

I, for one, would enthusiastically support any and all suggested moves to try during these final 2 games.

I mean, look at us. WTH do we have to lose by experimenting?

I will go so far as to say that if Wade is unwilling to even try some shuffling, then I would question whether he is really fit to be DC next year.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Activate Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and use him as a pass rush specialist initially.

Occasionally, bring in a 3rd OT and run the ball down teams throats.

MORE passes to GURLEY.

Line up LBs over the A Gaps and bit more to cause confusion. They don't have to rush all the time.