Five Takeaways: Rams 26-10 loss to Patriots

Five Takeaways: Rams 26-10 loss to Patriots

By Myles Simmons

After Sunday’s game against the Patriots, the Rams have now dropped three in a row and seven of their last eight. With just the final quarter of the 2016 season to go, here are five takeaways from Week 13.

1) Poor offensive production

It’s been an ongoing story for the Rams for a while now, and the lack of offensive production continued on Sunday against the Patriots.

Los Angeles managed only 162 total yards — 66 of which came on wide receiver Kenny Britt’s reception just after the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles finished just 1-of-12 in third-down efficiency and had only 36 yards rushing.

“The elephant in the room is the offense, and I get it,” head coach Jeff Fisher said postgame. “We’re working hard on it, and we’re doing everything we possibly can, and we’ve got to get better.”

“That’s a great team we played today,” running back Todd Gurley said. “But they’re one of 32 teams just like we are. So that doesn’t make an excuse for us to go out and play like we did.”

The Rams have scored 10 points or fewer in four of their last five games, and in six of their 12 games overall. L.A. is currently No. 32 scoring just 15.0 points per game. That will have to improve if the Rams are to make a run in the last four games of the season.

2) Too many offensive errors

Drops from receivers and an inability to effectively protect the passer were significant factors that limited the Rams’ offensive production. In his third pro start, quarterback Jared Goff completed 14 of his 32 passes for 161 yards, with one touchdown and a pair of interceptions. But both of those turnovers had issues that had to do with more than just the signal-caller.

On Goff’s first pick, the ball went off the hands of tight end Lance Kendricks and cornerback Maloclm Butler secured it before it hit the ground. On the second, Goff’s arm was hit as he was throwing, which led to the ball floating in the air midfield.

“Both interceptions, one was the result of a drop and one was the result of bad protection and he got hit and let the ball go,” Fisher said. “So if he’s making a bad decision and hitting a defender in the chest with the ball, then that’s one thing, but you know, he didn’t do that.”

“I have to look at the tape so I can give you a more realistic evaluation of his play, but Jared Goff wasn’t the reason we lost this football game today,” Fisher continued.

Going forward, one of the Rams keys will be to limit the negative plays that can pop up during games.

“We had a lot of errors across the board, really, offensively — myself, everybody really,” Goff said. “Errors, they’re obviously going to happen, you just want to limit them. I mean, when one thing happens, you can’t get down about it. You’re OK, move on.”

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