Love it and pretty much agree at least partially with everything there.
On the OL, I was surprised by the PFF #2 ranking thing too. If someone asked me to rank the Rams OL or where I think it was I'd have said "maybe 12th, 13th." It was
not a bad unit. And it was much better than 2019. But was it elite/top 5? No way... Really big, physical DLs were a bad matchup for them. Could they use an upgrade? For sure, and center seems like the most logical place to look.
McVay- he's right. The offense truncated to within 10 yards of the LOS and that can't continue. Was it compensating for the OL? Goff's issues? Likely both. They have found a really good RB in Akers and with a real upgrade at center he could be a 1,300-yard back and that would help a good deal of what ails them.
On the redzone, McVay has always- going back to WASH- been fairly average in redzone scoring. And that's OK if you can get into the redzone more frequently (their red zone attempts were the lowest of McVay's tenure) and also score some
outside the RZ. The 6 non-redzone TDs stat is a good one. I went back and look and that number for them was 7 TDs in 2017, 9 in 2018, and 4 in 2019. They don't have to score 16-17 TDs that way like KC or GB. But the Rams being able to score 3-5 more TDs outside the redzone in 2021 is important. Enter a WR4 with deep speed that can loosen things up. And a TE2/3 that can block well...
With Goff it has been the fumbles more so than INTs that have irked me and to the point his INT% is not bad- though it's also outside the top 20 in the league each of the past two years. It really needs to be 2.0% or better.
With Snead and personnel, the cap, etc. I am more in the camp of 'resetting' in 2021. This doesn't mean they can do nothing. But tighten your belt by not signing any big FAs, live with Goff's contract another year and set yourself up well for 2022 when you can (a) move on from Goff much easier if they want to (b) have a full arsenal of draft picks- 1st, 2nd, possibly three 3rds (including two comps), a 4th (comp.), 5th, 6th and two 7ths and (c) get back into the top half of the league in cap space.
This team has the talent and coaching to be very competitive in 2021 without any splash moves. They just hired a ST Coordinator that could get their special teams back into the top half of the league- not insignificant. Upgrade at C. Find a speedy WR4 and a good blocking TE3. On defense focus on restocking at Edge and finding a 3rd or 4th CB (depending on what Long can be). They have the Draft and cap ammo to do those things while setting themselves up well for 2022 and beyond.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2021 10:02AM by LMU93.
