USA Today: Rams face identity crisis: It's ugly and ugent, but not time to panic – yet
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Rams face identity crisis: It's ugly and ugent, but not time to panic – yet |
by Jarrett Bell
USA TODAY
Oct. 13, 2022
Eight months ago, the Los Angeles Rams were the envy of the NFL. Super Bowl champs, with the confetti raining in their home palace at that. Matthew Stafford shook off the frustrations of those losing Lions seasons to emerge as an ultimate winner. Aaron Donald finally won the ring he deserved as one of the NFL’s most dominant players. Sean McVay? Whiz kid to the next degree.
What a Hollywood ending.
But look at the Rams now, reeling off back-to-back Ls. They are a team with an identity crisis.
“The one thing I think is important for our players to contextualize is that, let’s not allow six hours of football change the whole sense of who we are, what we’ve become,” McVay told reporters this week. “If you’re not careful, you can let the outside narrative dictate that.”
Rams head coach Sean McVay is searching for answers with his team 2-3 and not looking like the one that won last season's Super Bowl.
There may not be a better coach in the NFL for using the right words at the right time than the energetic McVay, who has surely earned his reputation as a keen motivator who can relate.
But six hours? McVay was undoubtedly referring to the drubbings the past two weeks from the 49ers and Cowboys. Yet these woes have been present since the start of the season. The Rams (2-3) opened the defense of their Super Bowl crown by getting embarrassed by the Bills in primetime. And they nearly blew a big lead at SoFi Stadium in Week 2, escaping against, gulp, the Falcons.
Repeating as Super Bowl champion has posed an extreme challenge in this millennium. It hasn’t happened since the Patriots pulled it off following the 2004 season, and the way the Rams have looked during the first few weeks of the season, the pattern seems ripe to continue.
It’s also notable that for the first time since he became the Rams coach in 2017, McVay’s team has a sub-.500 record. You can believe that is eating him up a bit.
“A lot of the instances the last couple of weeks, some of the mental mistakes have occurred that have never been reflected in the last five years of how we’ve operated, have reared its ugly head,” McVay said. “That’s on coaching, that’s on me, and that’s where I really get irritated because I’m not doing a good enough job of communicating the clarity that’s necessary.”
No surprise that McVay points the finger at himself. That’s leadership. But there are fires all over the place that he’ll need to put out.
His typically potent offense has suddenly become an example of the notion that regardless of sharp schemes, it doesn’t work when the O-line is out of whack. For each game this season, the Rams have fielded a different starting offensive line combination due to injuries. That lack of continuity is one reason why the rushing attack ranks dead last in the league. Meanwhile, Stafford hasn’t been as effective as he was last season. Turnovers, like the three against Dallas, have been an issue. Yet that’s what happens when the protection wanes. The Rams have allowed an NFL-high 21 sacks, with 19 coming in the three losses.
Cowboys defensive end Dorance Armstrong (92) forces a fumble on Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
“I think he needs more help,” McVay said of Stafford.
True, but not just help up front. As prolific as wide receiver Cooper Kupp has been (NFL-high 49 receptions), boy have the Rams missed Odell Beckham, Jr. and Robert Woods. Beckham, a free agent, is still rehabbing from surgery to repair the torn ACL suffered in the Super Bowl. Woods left as a free agent, while Allen Robinson, the free agent signee projected to pick up the slack, has been a bust.
There’s also hardly a guarantee that Beckham will stay in L.A., judging by posts on social media this week that criticized Rams management for low-balling him with their contract offer.
“I love Odell,” McVay said. “We have constant dialogue. I think he also knows that certainly I don’t think that’s the last (offer) that would come from us. ... He knows how we feel about him. We got a little bit of time, but love Odell, nothing but good things coming from me.”
No, the Rams are not catching any breaks in seeking the repeat crown.
Jackie Slater, the Hall of Fame tackle, knows. Slater has kept a close watch on his former team for years in L.A. media roles. He admits that it’s been tough to watch lately – especially when it comes to his area of expertise on the offensive line.
“It takes time,” Slater told USA TODAY Sports, alluding to injury woes compounded by the need to quickly develop younger players. “It’s a craft. It bothers me a little bit for people to think that you can easily plug in young, inexperienced players who have to develop.”
Slater offers a bit of hope in recalling how injuries wreaked havoc on the Rams in 1979, when he and center Rich Saul were the only two offensive linemen who started each game. The Rams won the NFC West that season with a 9-7 record, then advanced to Super Bowl XIV.
“We didn’t have the continuity,” Slater remembers, “but once we got to the playoffs, we hit a stride. I hope that’s going to be the case for them.”
It’s ugly and urgent. But no, it’s not time to panic – yet. The Rams are fortunate to draw an opponent about now with even more issues as the Panthers – who fired coach Matt Rhule on Monday – visit SoFi Stadium.
Yet stiffer tests await, especially for an offense that has been manhandled this season by elite defenses.
McVay is stressing fundamentals, techniques, winning individual matchups and communication among boxes to check. They might also draw on lessons from last season’s Super Bowl journey. The Rams were 7-4 at the end of November, stung by a three-game losing streak. They rallied.
“Sometimes growth cannot occur unless you go through these types of experiences,” he said.
Especially when there is no other way.
[www.usatoday.com]
by Jarrett Bell
USA TODAY
Oct. 13, 2022
Eight months ago, the Los Angeles Rams were the envy of the NFL. Super Bowl champs, with the confetti raining in their home palace at that. Matthew Stafford shook off the frustrations of those losing Lions seasons to emerge as an ultimate winner. Aaron Donald finally won the ring he deserved as one of the NFL’s most dominant players. Sean McVay? Whiz kid to the next degree.
What a Hollywood ending.
But look at the Rams now, reeling off back-to-back Ls. They are a team with an identity crisis.
“The one thing I think is important for our players to contextualize is that, let’s not allow six hours of football change the whole sense of who we are, what we’ve become,” McVay told reporters this week. “If you’re not careful, you can let the outside narrative dictate that.”
Rams head coach Sean McVay is searching for answers with his team 2-3 and not looking like the one that won last season's Super Bowl.
There may not be a better coach in the NFL for using the right words at the right time than the energetic McVay, who has surely earned his reputation as a keen motivator who can relate.
But six hours? McVay was undoubtedly referring to the drubbings the past two weeks from the 49ers and Cowboys. Yet these woes have been present since the start of the season. The Rams (2-3) opened the defense of their Super Bowl crown by getting embarrassed by the Bills in primetime. And they nearly blew a big lead at SoFi Stadium in Week 2, escaping against, gulp, the Falcons.
Repeating as Super Bowl champion has posed an extreme challenge in this millennium. It hasn’t happened since the Patriots pulled it off following the 2004 season, and the way the Rams have looked during the first few weeks of the season, the pattern seems ripe to continue.
It’s also notable that for the first time since he became the Rams coach in 2017, McVay’s team has a sub-.500 record. You can believe that is eating him up a bit.
“A lot of the instances the last couple of weeks, some of the mental mistakes have occurred that have never been reflected in the last five years of how we’ve operated, have reared its ugly head,” McVay said. “That’s on coaching, that’s on me, and that’s where I really get irritated because I’m not doing a good enough job of communicating the clarity that’s necessary.”
No surprise that McVay points the finger at himself. That’s leadership. But there are fires all over the place that he’ll need to put out.
His typically potent offense has suddenly become an example of the notion that regardless of sharp schemes, it doesn’t work when the O-line is out of whack. For each game this season, the Rams have fielded a different starting offensive line combination due to injuries. That lack of continuity is one reason why the rushing attack ranks dead last in the league. Meanwhile, Stafford hasn’t been as effective as he was last season. Turnovers, like the three against Dallas, have been an issue. Yet that’s what happens when the protection wanes. The Rams have allowed an NFL-high 21 sacks, with 19 coming in the three losses.
Cowboys defensive end Dorance Armstrong (92) forces a fumble on Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
“I think he needs more help,” McVay said of Stafford.
True, but not just help up front. As prolific as wide receiver Cooper Kupp has been (NFL-high 49 receptions), boy have the Rams missed Odell Beckham, Jr. and Robert Woods. Beckham, a free agent, is still rehabbing from surgery to repair the torn ACL suffered in the Super Bowl. Woods left as a free agent, while Allen Robinson, the free agent signee projected to pick up the slack, has been a bust.
There’s also hardly a guarantee that Beckham will stay in L.A., judging by posts on social media this week that criticized Rams management for low-balling him with their contract offer.
“I love Odell,” McVay said. “We have constant dialogue. I think he also knows that certainly I don’t think that’s the last (offer) that would come from us. ... He knows how we feel about him. We got a little bit of time, but love Odell, nothing but good things coming from me.”
No, the Rams are not catching any breaks in seeking the repeat crown.
Jackie Slater, the Hall of Fame tackle, knows. Slater has kept a close watch on his former team for years in L.A. media roles. He admits that it’s been tough to watch lately – especially when it comes to his area of expertise on the offensive line.
“It takes time,” Slater told USA TODAY Sports, alluding to injury woes compounded by the need to quickly develop younger players. “It’s a craft. It bothers me a little bit for people to think that you can easily plug in young, inexperienced players who have to develop.”
Slater offers a bit of hope in recalling how injuries wreaked havoc on the Rams in 1979, when he and center Rich Saul were the only two offensive linemen who started each game. The Rams won the NFC West that season with a 9-7 record, then advanced to Super Bowl XIV.
“We didn’t have the continuity,” Slater remembers, “but once we got to the playoffs, we hit a stride. I hope that’s going to be the case for them.”
It’s ugly and urgent. But no, it’s not time to panic – yet. The Rams are fortunate to draw an opponent about now with even more issues as the Panthers – who fired coach Matt Rhule on Monday – visit SoFi Stadium.
Yet stiffer tests await, especially for an offense that has been manhandled this season by elite defenses.
McVay is stressing fundamentals, techniques, winning individual matchups and communication among boxes to check. They might also draw on lessons from last season’s Super Bowl journey. The Rams were 7-4 at the end of November, stung by a three-game losing streak. They rallied.
“Sometimes growth cannot occur unless you go through these types of experiences,” he said.
Especially when there is no other way.
[www.usatoday.com]
| Subject | Author | Views | Posted |
|---|---|---|---|
 | MamaRAMa | 184 | October 13, 2022 10:02AM |
| mtramfan | 110 | October 13, 2022 10:21AM |
| Ramgator | 137 | October 13, 2022 10:21AM |
