How did the Rams end up in a do or die situation? Three weeks into the NFL season the Rams were the top dog of the NFC. They were 3-0, including a win over conference contenders, the New Orleans Saints. The Rams were the talk of the town, and rightfully so, but it’s been nothing short of disaster ever since.
L.A. followed up a Week 4 shootout loss to Jameis Winston and the Bucs with a heartbreaking loss on a last-second FG miss to the Seahawks last Thursday. Now, at 3-2, the possibilities of being .500 and having the same amount of losses as they had all of last season are coming at the Rams all too fast. Week 6 brings one of the NFL’s last two undefeated teams in the San Francisco 49ers. Whether you believe in the Niners or not, they’re going to be as hungry as they’ve been in years to prove that the NFC West is theirs now.
Rebalancing the Offense
The Rams aren’t scrambling just yet. However, as of today, they sit behind not only the 4-0 49ers, but also the aforementioned 4-1 Seahawks. A Week 6 loss, coupled with a Seattle win over the ever-so-unpredictable Browns will suddenly put the Rams in an unexpected situation.
As I highlighted earlier this season, I believe the Rams have been playing it safe, especially with Todd Gurley. Sean McVay had this team believing they could coast for a bit before amping it up as the season progressed. It’s safe to say, whether that was true or not, that the coasting is done.
It’s on McVay, the creative genius behind the new age of football, to get this team on course before it’s too late. He needs to abandon the preservation of Todd Gurley before there are no playoffs to unleash him in.
The problems start up front with the offensive line. And, even though that stat is one week old, it still tells part of the story. The line hasn’t been spectacular. Based on the amount of drop-backs the Rams are forcing Goff into, he’s going to be among the most pressured.
Goff is currently tied for the league lead with 222 pass attempts (44.4 per game) after being 10th last season. He’s also thrown seven interceptions through five games after throwing 12 in 2018. Todd Gurley, on the other hand, is averaging just 15.6 touches per game after averaging 22.5 a season ago. Figure it out.
Remasking the Defense
If you think the problems only came on the offensive end, you’d be dead wrong. We’re talking about a team trying to be a serious Super Bowl contender while giving up the seventh most points in the league, including 85 combined points in their two losses. They’re also middle of the pack in terms of yardage, currently ranked 16th against the pass and 15th against the run, despite all of their star power.
Now, to be frank, that’s collectively better than last season, but these problems become magnified when the team isn’t winning. They could be swept under the rug like Sean McVay had intended, but one slip up to the Bucs and a missed kick to the Seahawks later, and the weaknesses are incredibly visible.
Retaking or Rethinking?
To make things worse, the Rams aren’t going to catch a break at 3-2 to stay afloat. Instead, it’s the best rushing attack (200 yards per game), and in my opinion, the best front four in football. No one has created a formula to beat the 2019 installment of Kyle Shanahan’s football team. They’re a team built on overwhelming depth but boast blossoming stars, like George Kittle and Nick Bosa, and have no glaring weakness. It’s on McVay to find one.
There’s nowhere to hide anymore. Drop to 3-3 and face a level of scrutiny that hasn’t been experienced in the McVay era, or silence the doubters and begin to take back what’s theirs. Quite simply, it’s do or die in Los Angeles.
For more, follow me on Instagram @MattSpirioSports, Twitter @MattSpirio, or listen to my podcast, Past Our Prime, with new episodes weekly on Wednesdays.