Yes, they are a ways away from being what they can be, but I don't think that prevents them from contending for a playoff spot this year.
While I think they are probably no better than 8-8 this year, the key is Goff on whether the Rams are better or worse.
Wade will improve the defense enough to prevent it from being the major reason we lose games again. Also, I think they are still not quite comfortable with the new scheme. The Skins figured out how to take advantage of that. So who really got out coached, McVay or Philips?
If the OL can stay healthy then history has shown they will get better due to chemistry and cohesiveness. If they do, it should allow Gurley to really get going and McVay needs to take advantage of that.
But to really make the move up, it all falls on the shoulders of the QB whisperer, McVay, and Goff.
Odds are Goff won't be good enough this year to allow us to do any better than 8-8. He's still too raw. Still, there are flashes like the plays you mentioned, the asses to Everertt and Gurley. There are still those downside plays that will likely continue this year, hopefully with less frequency, but they will be there to some degree. What we need to see is Goff making some deep throws to Watkins, and not immediately thinking check down so much. The question is how long will that take?
~ max ~
“The consciousness of good intentions disdains ambiguity.” - Alexander Hamilton
