The Ravens were the cream of the crop, and then they had a couple of down years, a couple of mixed years, and now they're back on top. What happened? Injuries. Development. Good FAs leaving that weren't affordable. Getting a good QB. The HC was always a really good HC no matter how much the sports media decided he couldn't coach any more.
I see Sean McVay as potentially similar. The sports media are the elite of bandwagon jumpers. They love to put coaches on the pedestal and then a year or two later put them in the grave. Neither are true (especially for the guys on a pedestal) except for a few. The Rams developed some really good players, signed some others, and lost them through FA as not affordable. Injuries in the secondary and the Oline just killed them last year. They are building an Oline from young guys. Last year's experience is invaluable. They have much more idea of what they have, and who to play where. They have depth. They are building LBs from young guys. This takes time. I'm not sure the Rams will be Superbowl material for the 2020 season. But.... come 2021 I suspect the development and maturing and the ability to keep and sign FAs will be better and that could be the big jump.
That said, I see the Rams with a 10 win season in 2020; maybe 11 if things fall just right. Some of that is because the NFC West is so tough. The Niners will be tough to contend with, but the Rams will be better equipped to handle them. I think Seattle will take a step back due to a lesser D. The Cards are a big question mark to me. Murray just doesn't do it for me as a QB. Seems too small (he's smaller than Russell and simply isn't in his class). But he might surprise me. Fitzgerald is really now a small TE and less so a WR. Age eventually gets everyone. The addition of Hopkins is big for sure. We'll see.
McVay is a very good HC and I suspect Kroenke understands that McVay is a long, long term keeper. Will he ever become Bellicheck elite? Hard to say. It takes a lot of years to sort that out. And some good fortune.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/27/2020 05:33AM by RockRam.
