What is wrong with the offense?

[Ramfan72]

I get it. Yeah, we’re a 10 win team and I should be happy for that. The defense is what it is. We were one play away from an embarrassing loss to an average Cardinal team. My biggest concern is the offense. What in the heck is going on? Stafford was off from the start. Again. McVay’s playing calling almost doomed us. Noteboom was Noteboom. I hate to say it but this team is one and done in the playoffs if we don’t fix the offense.
There was a point last night where we had second and two from close to midfield and, instead of running twice and keeping the drive alive, McVay being McVay, called a pass. Noteboom gets a holding call, Puka gets us close to a first, and we run a two yard route on third and three. WTF? The chemistry is totally absent between Stafford and Kupp, any creativity McVay once had is long gone, and our red zone woes continue. Go back and watch the throw to Puka in the end zone on the right side. I think it was second down. Kupp was open underneath for the TD but Stafford just didn’t look his way. Matthew didn’t have that confident, killer look in his eyes last night. He looked pressured and not just because our OL was terrible. Something is going on with him. He has no chemistry with anyone but Puka. And where has Robinson been the last three weeks? Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[Londoner]

McVay.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I think it’s time he changes things up. Teams stack the box to stop the run and blitz on passing downs doesn’t give any time for plays to develop. Mixing coverages also confuses things. Sometimes man, sometimes zone.

Maybe it’s time to do more 12 personnel.

Myself and @ArkyRamsFan discussed the possibility that maybe Stafford is injured. Maybe Kupp is also. I’ve never seen a player just drop off a cliff in the middle of a season like Kupp has.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

McVay has done a decent job staying ahead of the trends through the years. This offense is designed to exploit the match zone trend that started with Fangio and Staley. The Bills played a lot of zone and the Rams picked it apart. A few of these teams mixed coverages and also stacked the box to stop the run and blitzed often. Instead of McVay keeping them guessing with his motions and similar sets for several plays, the defenses are not getting fooled.

 

[badnews]

The problem is inconsistency, imo. But why? A lot of little, mostly fixable reasons and a few more complicated ones.

Stafford is off target early, every single game. Nothing looks clean or well rehearsed. There are never easy completions. Everything is challenged, the margins are always fingertips away and frankly Staffords accuracy hasn't been dialed in enough to make this Offense hum in these conditions. I think he struggles to get his adrenaline up in regular games. Like someone with ADHD waiting to do something at the last minute, he can only get hot when the clock is ticking.
Puka is the only person providing explosive plays. Stop him and you stop any threat of a quick score.
The offense going out and just winging it worked a lot better when we had a cohesive O-line and WRs running free. We haven't had that in a while now and not at all this year, so in turn we've played 11 games without a 1st Q score. BARF!!!

BUT - IT'S WORTH CONSIDERING
The previous 2 weeks, weather was not going to cooperate for high scoring games. We couldn't do anything on O but our opponents could do even less.
Last night the weather wasn't an issue - but nerves were. I mean, we started the season at 1-4 and quickly removed the pressure/expectations for a bunch of 1st and 2nd year players. They just put their heads down and played one game at a time, only trying to be the best team they can. All of a sudden (for the players) they are playing a prime time home game with a playoff clinch in the balance. This wasn't just "one more game" and the team knew it this time and it showed.
We played a tough division rival with nothing to lose and that gave them a big advantage.

Yes, obviously the offense has been in a funk and not having Havenstein only made it worse but I think the conditions over the past 3 games have played a bigger role in our offensive woes than recognized. Last night's win was a huge one and despite the ugliness, I think that was a tougher challenge and a bigger win than many are giving credit for.

 

[I like Rams]

I personally think Staff is rusty. Last 2 games he's played in the elements and barely threw the ball. I also think Noteboom playing for Hav was getting to him. Not only did he have to make sure to get the ball out quickly before Boom got beat, I'm sure it was in the back of his head, that the longer he's in the pocket the more likely it is that Boom is going to draw a hold to keep protection.

I hate to say it, but Kupp does not look himself. He looks like he lost a step, and always looks like he's in pain when getting off the ground after being tackled. We need to utilize Atwell and Whittington more, as well as getting Allen more touches in the passing game. All each have their own qualities but all 3 also have strong hands. This will diversify our O, imo, by opening up the play book a little more as well.

We need to also start utilizing our RB's in the receiving game. Gurley was very active in the passing game and that's when our offense was at its best. I like what I've seen from Corum in the passing game, and he's had some of the longest runs we've had all season on the ground (unfortunately all were called back) but we need to get him the ball more as well.

 

[Haden]

I would have to vote for Stafford. The guy who was throwing no look passes suddenly can’t see open players. If he does, throws are off. His passing yards are terrible the last three games. I hope he hits the fountain of youth and lights it up in the playoffs, but I am worried that he is on the downside

 

[swmizzou83]

I think the offense looks tired especially Stafford and Kupp. It feels like we are just sleepwalking on offense the last few weeks. Hopefully we can lock up the playoff bid and rest players next week. I think that will help a ton.

 

[12intheBox]

It seems that we have a few different offenses and we rarely see them all used in the same game.

The jet sweep is either run 5 times a game or not at sll

We throw wide receiver screens or run draw plays on long yardage situations at like a 95 percent clip.

Bootlegs seem incredibly effective and seldom used

When tutu is out there - it seems to open up the field but he is never out there

Cooper Kupp seems to have lost a lot of juice - if he can’t do his thing - it may be worth using him more sporadically

I just feel like the playcalling is so limited - yet at the same time I know that McVay has forgotten more about football in the last week than all of us combined will ever know.

Stafford seems to get a bit set on his guys out there. I’d like to see him use more of his options in the passing game. I’d also like to see more of an effort to get the middle to deep passing game going again. Everything is so shallow lately.

 

[dang]

I personally think Staff is rusty. Last 2 games he's played in the elements and barely threw the ball. I also think Noteboom playing for Hav was getting to him. Not only did he have to make sure to get the ball out quickly before Boom got beat, I'm sure it was in the back of his head, that the longer he's in the pocket the more likely it is that Boom is going to draw a hold to keep protection.

I hate to say it, but Kupp does not look himself. He looks like he lost a step, and always looks like he's in pain when getting off the ground after being tackled. We need to utilize Atwell and Whittington more, as well as getting Allen more touches in the passing game. All each have their own qualities but all 3 also have strong hands. This will diversify our O, imo, by opening up the play book a little more as well.

We need to also start utilizing our RB's in the receiving game. Gurley was very active in the passing game and that's when our offense was at its best. I like what I've seen from Corum in the passing game, and he's had some of the longest runs we've had all season on the ground (unfortunately all were called back) but we need to get him the ball more as well.

Gotta utilize more weapons than Nacua and KWill or the Rams will be easily outscored by a good playoff team. Time for Atwell, Whitt, Corum, Higs. I think 28+ points is the key.

 

[ottoman89]

I think it's a mix of:

1) Stafford. Not sure if he's dealing with an injury or what. But looks off.

2) Kupp has clearly lost a step and it's showing. Which is why I was adamant on a WR at the deadline and think we need to heavily pursue a guy like Tee Higgins this off-season to pair with Puka.

3. Noteboom. Felt like he was an absolute drive killer with penalties and play. Putrid.

4. McVay inconsistency. Yesterday we needed to run the ball way more and didn't. Also didn't help that we were in a lot of 1st and 2nd and longs.

 

[Faceplant]

I think DCs have pretty much figured out Mcvay's offense.... Or they at least have a good grasp of it and certain "tells" that may or may not be helping to diagnose what's coming.

Stafford had a clean pocket for most of the night and couldnt find ANYONE other than Puka? Stafford looked like Will Levis last night, but they shouldn't need him to play hero ball to get first downs. It seems that every play they are able to even make is tightly covered. Meanwhile other teams play pitch and catch between the 20s on our D. FRUSTRATING.

 

[majrleaged]

I think a lot of this has to do with stafford. He makes the decisions at the line of scrimmage. I think he is getting fooled by the D pre snap. McVay has said this all the time how Mathew gets them into the right play. He hasn't been able to do that lately.

 

[dieterbrock]

No Havenstein, we are sunk. Like Bobby Evans, I have no idea what the Rams see in Noteboom that earned him such a tenure. AJ77 is on his way to a big pay day because there’s no way they can replace both tackles and a swing T in the same off season.

 

[PhillyRam]

I think DCs have pretty much figured out Mcvay's offense.... Or they at least have a good grasp of it and certain "tells" that may or may not be helping to diagnose what's coming.

Stafford had a clean pocket for most of the night and couldnt find ANYONE other than Puka? Stafford looked like Will Levis last night, but they shouldn't need him to play hero ball to get first downs. It seems that every play they are able to even make is tightly covered. Meanwhile other teams play pitch and catch between the 20s on our D. FRUSTRATING.

If they just had a guy like Xavier Worthy, the D would have to change how they play us. Add in a dynamic TE, and Puka is getting singled and the HR hitter type WR is making plays down the field.

Need to add that big play skillset. Hard to score on 10-12 play drives all the time. No explosiveness to this offense.

 

[shovelpass]

For numerous reasons the majority of the season, the offense has been lackluster.

 

[SteezyEndo]

I firmly believe the Rams shocked themselves and didn’t think they would make it this far anyways. They are just going through the motions now. I rather see a well motivated team with a better playing purpose.

 

[Jacobarch]

Reading through every response on this thread there's some good points and bad ones imo.

I don't think Kupp has lost a step, or at least that much of one. He lit up the Bills just three weeks ago unless he's injured I don't see the loss in step.

Stafford has always been a streaky quarterback. Even back to his days in Detroit. What I don't like is him not seeing underneath defenders and throwing them the ball. Luckily they are DBs and they have dropped about 4 or 5 INTs in the last three games...

What I'm seeing overall is. Teams are sitting on underneath plays and loading the box. Playing a mix of man coverages that's makes it tough to get separation in small spaces. What we're not seeing is long developing plays, they either break down on the Oline, someone commits a holding penalty, or Stafford misses an open WR down the field. All of which happened just last night. Stafford also gets locked in on his favorite WR which is something he's always done. He almost got Puka killed last week against NY on that roll out play action. Thing is he had a TE running wide open about ten yards behind Puka...

After watching film for the last month I can say that the play calling isn't doing our team any favors. It's the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. As someone else pointed out. One game it's full of jet sweeps, another is full of screens, or 12 personnel. I've yet to see a game where he completely mixes it up and sprinkles in a bit of everything.
This is the most concerning thing is mcvays lack of adjustment to what his opponents are doing. Not scoring in the first quarter for the majority of games is proof in the pudding. The first one to two drives are scripted plays and teams have figured out mcvays tendencies thus rendering our offense uslees until he makes adjustments during halftime.

Unfortunately I don't see this getting resolved this season. I don't see this getting resolved at all until McVay either brings in legitimate OC help and reinvents himself or he gives up play calling completely.

 

[JBRam77]

Right Tackle is swiss cheese, Tight Man Coverage, Receivers and Tight Ends that can’t separate, our QB has an accelerated clock in his head and is rushing his progressions and throws and McVay not diverse enough or patient enough in his running game. Oh yeah-Gannon is a pretty damn good D coordinator.

 

[rdlkgliders]

It is likely a group of things hampering the offense.
The boom plays aren't as available as past seasons and it is pretty apparent that the inconsistencies in the offense are affecting play calling.

I didn't see much of anything go to a DR or TuTu and as bad as our protection was at times I have seen it worse and we still would take more shots,

I think McVay has shifted his philosophy and stuck to a more run first ball control offense and it has us starting off slow but still often playing in the lead or within a possession which is a key component to the game last night. The ball control offense wasn't doing it's job of eating the clock and winning the T.O.P but it did have us in the lead and we did open it up on the TD drive.

Maybe we are a little nicked up and willing to grind it out, Matthew has started as slow as the rest of the team, he looks off and out of sync at time which could be a lot of things.

No matter the cause this team has learned to win dog fights and has surprised me with there grittiness.