There’s trouble in LA. Goff has regressed. The running game isn’t what it was. There are aging vets on defense.
Last year, the NFC champ Los Angeles Rams looked like the best team in the conference. The Rams have started out 3-0 this year. They’ve picked up right where they left off. Right? No. Here’s why.
For starters, the Rams have flip-flopped. Last year, it was all offense. Gurley, Cooks, Woods, and Goff were as in sync as you can get, led by the brilliance of head coach Sean McVay. The offense had to be special because the defense–although led by DPY Aaron Donald–was mediocre. The ‘O’ knew it had to score 30 points a game to win. And it did.
This year, LAR has the 3rd ranked defense in the league but it’s ranked only 16th on offense. How did that happen?
The big reason is that Todd Gurley’s injury is holding back his performance. That situation gives opposing defenses an advantage: they know Goff will have to throw 40-50 times a game. When you don’t have to worry as much about Gurley, that makes game planning a lot easier.
Game film prep shifts to the Rams’ defense. And what does that tell opposing teams? Well, the Rams have a lot of playmakers on defense–players like Aaron Donald, Clay Mathews (33), Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib, and the ageless Eric Weddle–not to mention Dante Fowler Jr, a young linebacker who’s making plays all over the field. But this defense doesn’t have a lot of depth.
What’s it add up to? LAR has offensive and defensive stars, but I’m not impressed with LAR as a team. And that’s showing this year.
The Rams gave up 27 points to the Panthers to kick off the season, squeaking by with a field-goal victory. The following week Goff couldn’t matriculate the ball down the field for more than a half–even at home. The Rams ended up beating the Saints in what I view as a defensive victory. Then, last Sunday, LAR managed only six points in the first half against the banged-up Browns’ defense. Rams won, but barely–holding off the Browns with a goal-to-go stand.
This is not the same Rams’ team that was blowing out teams last year. They were favorites in most games in 2018 and just about always covered in convincing fashion. They won because the offense took the lead early and never looked back. The defense was able to pin back their ears and go after quarterbacks.
This year it’s fair to say that the Rams could easily be 1-2, not 3-0, heading into Week Four. Each week, they’ve relied on this or that to pull off a win. To get the win against Cleveland, for example, LAR needed Cooper Kupp to impersonate Jerry Rice.
Three things bother me. Goff seems to have regressed. The running game isn’t what it was. There are aging vets on defense (Mathews, Talib, and Weddle).
I think the answer to success this year (at least one of them) is for the Rams to get more creative on offense and figure out more ways to score. Goff also needs to get back to basics and work on timing routes with Woods, Cooks, and Kupp.
The Rams may be undefeated, tied with the 49ers in the NFC West, but I see trouble ahead. LAR plays the Niners and Seahawks twice. Plus they have the Bears, Ravens, and Cowboys on the schedule. That road won’t be easy.
The competition has improved. The Rams aren’t a surprise anymore. LAR will get every team’s ‘A’ game. For now, at least, they aren’t what they appear to be–an undefeated team.
