6 things that could prevent Rams from winning Super Bowl

[theramswire.usatoday.com]
6 things that could prevent Rams from winning Super Bowl


Cameron DaSilva
September 10, 2021 9:31 am PT
The Rams are among the favorites to win Super Bowl LVI, which will be played at SoFi Stadium in February. That’s largely because of the addition of Matthew Stafford, who should be an upgrade over Jared Goff at quarterback.

We already laid out seven reasons the Rams could win the Super Bowl this season, but now we’re playing the other side of the card. What could prevent them from being the last team standing?


Here are six possible reasons the Rams won’t win it all this season.

1
Interior offensive line

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If there’s one weakness on offense, it’s the interior of the offensive line. Brian Allen was below average in 2019 and while there’s hope that he’s improved, there’s no guarantee he’ll be any better than he was two seasons ago.

Austin Corbett should continue to get better and build on a promising 2020 campaign, looking like the Rams’ best interior lineman. But David Edwards needs to be better against power rushers on the inside, which comes with experience after previously playing tackle in college.

If the middle of the line can’t hold up, it’ll impact the entire offense.


2
Lack of depth at OLB and CB

(AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

The Rams have two really good cornerbacks in Jalen Ramsey and Darious Williams, as well as an above-average edge rusher in Leonard Floyd. But beyond those three players, the depth at corner and outside linebacker isn’t great.

One injury to Ramsey or Williams thrusts David Long Jr. into a full-time starting role and likely Robert Rochell into the nickel spot. That’s a vastly different secondary than one with Williams and Ramsey starting.

At outside linebacker, durability is a huge concern. Terrell Lewis has recurring knee issues and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo is already on injured reserve. If Justin Hollins or Floyd were to get hurt, the Rams would be in big trouble.

3
Defensive regression

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When you lose your defensive coordinator, No. 3 corner, top safety, a starting edge rusher and two defensive ends, it’s reasonable to think there will be a regression on defense. That’s what the Rams are facing this season after Brandon Staley, Troy Hill, John Johnson, Morgan Fox and Samson Ebukam left in free agency, and with Michael Brockers being traded to the Lions.

Although the Rams have starters lined up to replace each player, they have a lot to prove. And with the success that Staley had a season ago, Raheem Morris has his work cut out for him. It’ll be tough for the defense to be as dominant as it was in 2020 when it ranked No. 1 in the NFL.

4
Matthew Stafford doesn’t live up to the hype
What if – and hear me out – Stafford doesn’t come out and throw for 6,000 yards with 50 touchdowns like so many are expecting him to? What if he doesn’t live up to the hype and is only average, making him a minor upgrade over Jared Goff?


(AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

Everything is setting up for him to have a big season, but it’s certainly possible that he doesn’t light the world on fire like fans and some analysts think he will. The Rams aren’t going to win the Super Bowl if Stafford plays the way Goff did last season. Quarterback play was one of the many reasons the Rams didn’t reach their potential despite having the best defense in football.

Stafford should be a significant step up from Goff. He should put up huge numbers with the cast of playmakers around him. But there are no guarantees in this league and if Stafford doesn’t exceed expectations, the Rams might come up short of their goal.

5
Ground game struggles

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Darrell Henderson Jr. and Sony Michel have both dealt with injuries in the NFL. Jake Funk was injury-prone in college, too, with two torn ACLs. The Rams don’t have any good options beyond those three players and there’s a possibility that one of the two starters (Henderson and Michel) misses time with injury this season.

There’s also a chance that neither Henderson nor Michel is productive running the ball. We’ve seen flashes from both in the last couple of years, but Henderson has never been a workhorse and is often used as a complementary back behind a starter.

I would expect the Rams to be pass-heavy anyway this season, but they’ll need to get contributions out of their running backs, too, especially when facing good secondaries. If the ground game can’t get on track or injuries occur, there will be a lot riding on Stafford and the passing attack.

This wouldn’t be much of a question with Cam Akers atop the depth chart and Henderson behind him, but the backfield looks much different now.

6
Inside linebacker play

(Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

Right there with the interior of the offensive line, the inside linebacker group is looking like a weak link. Kenny Young and Troy Reeder will be the top two linebackers, but neither was particularly impressive last season when they got opportunities. Ernest Jones and Travin Howard could emerge as the better options at some point, but they’ll start the season as the backups.

Opponents might realize that throwing the ball to running backs and keeping it on the ground against this defensive front is the way to go. If the linebackers don’t step up, we could see a repeat of what happened in the divisional round against Green Bay when the Packers rushed for 188 yards.