A few things I’d like to get off my chest…

[blackbart]

McVay also let or pushed Aaron Kromer to leave for unexplained reasons. It's fair to conclude that Kromer walked because he was unhappy about something. Be interesting to know what the dispute was in light of Rams' current situation.

Could have sworn it was reported that they wanted to change the scheme.

 

[FarNorth]

Could have sworn it was reported that they wanted to change the scheme.

I think you're correct about the reporting, but scheme also implicates players, signings, draft choices, cross training etc. We don't know the full story. In any event McVay was not supporting Kromer.

Carberry may yet prove to be an outstanding coach-- the injuries have been devastating-- but at the moment the Rams can't run the ball and can't protect the qb. So I wonder where the o-line improvement from Kromer leaving was supposed to come from and where it went.

 

[blackbart]

I think you're correct about the reporting, but scheme also implicates players, signings, draft choices, cross training etc. We don't know the full story. In any event McVay was not supporting Kromer.

Carberry may yet prove to be an outstanding coach-- the injuries have been devastating-- but at the moment the Rams can't run the ball and can't protect the qb. So I wonder where the o-line improvement from Kromer leaving was supposed to come from and where it went.

I think they were better last year than the two previous years but, it’s not like he hand picked the group he is working with.

I really don’t think he is going anywhere next year. And it will be his 3rd year so there will most likely be some noticeable improvements.

Bruss will hopefully be fully recovered for his second camp and have a full year with the training staff. I expect him to be an improvement.

Havenstein will still be the leader and hopefully top 5 RT in the game.

Allen at center?? Shelton???

Who knows if Jackson will be back.

Noteboom looks like too much of a risk to be your starting LT.

They need to spend some draft capital on this group. And, maybe bring in someone new to evaluate OL talent.

 

[oldnotdead]

Hasn't anyone noticed this defense has suddenly deteriorated? Yup ever since Morris arrived he's driven this #1 defense under Staley into passive mediocrity. Floyd is suddenly garbage. The secondary can't stop anyone.

The stats go to hell when you play prevent as your base defensive scheme.

Why do you think Morris didn't even get a whiff of a chance at being a HC?

This is the problem when the HC becomes buddies to his assistants. How does McVay fire the guy he's been consistently touting as HC material? Kromer is gone because he sucked just like I was saying. He was eased out after being "promoted" to an offensive assistant. So maybe Sean can do the same with Morris. Promote him to defensive assistant and hire a real DC who will put the fire back into this defense. It was built specifically to play an aggressive 3-4 hybrid scheme. This is why I keep saying John Pagano should be the DC. He and his brother were the key architects of the system in the NFL. When he was with the Chargers they consistently had a top 10 defense with far less talent than Morris is squandering. John taught Wade the system and it's what elevated Wade Phillips into HC consideration. He also had several top 10 defensive units when he was at his best.

I'm confident McVay will retool his offensive scheme next year. Injuries and a slow start with Robinson sabotaged this season.

 

[Haden]

Hasn't anyone noticed this defense has suddenly deteriorated? Yup ever since Morris arrived he's driven this #1 defense under Staley into passive mediocrity. Floyd is suddenly garbage. The secondary can't stop anyone.

The stats go to hell when you play prevent as your base defensive scheme.

Why do you think Morris didn't even get a whiff of a chance at being a HC?

This is the problem when the HC becomes buddies to his assistants. How does McVay fire the guy he's been consistently touting as HC material? Kromer is gone because he sucked just like I was saying. He was eased out after being "promoted" to an offensive assistant. So maybe Sean can do the same with Morris. Promote him to defensive assistant and hire a real DC who will put the fire back into this defense. It was built specifically to play an aggressive 3-4 hybrid scheme. This is why I keep saying John Pagano should be the DC. He and his brother were the key architects of the system in the NFL. When he was with the Chargers they consistently had a top 10 defense with far less talent than Morris is squandering. John taught Wade the system and it's what elevated Wade Phillips into HC consideration. He also had several top 10 defensive units when he was at his best.

I'm confident McVay will retool his offensive scheme next year. Injuries and a slow start with Robinson sabotaged this season.

I've noticed. I agree with you 100%

 

[Malibu]

the amount of injuries this year makes everything a footnote - there was no fixing any of this.

Got to agree because no one would be complaining if we were 6-3 everyone would chalk it up to parity which is true very few easy wins in either the AFC or NFC.

This is why the OPs post is so off point. A true evaluation of players/coaches happens when the team is healthy then everyone that is performing or underperforming stands out.

The OP could be right on all his points but we will truly not know until we have a fair playing field and having 9/10 different online combinations, forced to play PS players 4 on IR for the season, our 2-4 cbs out at one point, etc I think you get my point.

 

[blackbart]

I just saw the NFL network show nfc playoff picture. They list the cards in the hunt at 4-6.

I think it is still possible for the Rams to get there. I’d rather see them trying than packing it in because they are afraid to get hurt.

 

[BrooklynRam]

I just saw the NFL network show nfc playoff picture. They list the cards in the hunt at 4-6.

I think it is still possible for the Rams to get there. I’d rather see them trying than packing it in because they are afraid to get hurt.

I would disagree with this IF...we had our 1st Round Pick. Otherwise I agree with you, go play, try to avoid being the horse's ass's that handed over the 1st OVERALL pick...☹

 

[Memento]

I would disagree with this IF...we had our 1st Round Pick. Otherwise I agree with you, go play, try to avoid being the horse's ass's that handed over the 1st OVERALL pick...☹

I don't care if we hand over the number one overall pick to the Lions; they more than deserve it, seeing their old quarterback get a Super Bowl right after trading him. That team, more than any other, deserves a chance to win.

 

[blackbart]

Division
Are you freaking kidding me hags at 6-4

WC
NYG 7-2
Cowgurls 6-3
SF 5-4

In the hunt
Commodes 5-5
GB, Atl and Cards all at 4-6

 

[Merlin]

Hasn't anyone noticed this defense has suddenly deteriorated? Yup ever since Morris arrived he's driven this #1 defense under Staley into passive mediocrity. Floyd is suddenly garbage. The secondary can't stop anyone.

The stats go to hell when you play prevent as your base defensive scheme.

Why do you think Morris didn't even get a whiff of a chance at being a HC?

This is the problem when the HC becomes buddies to his assistants. How does McVay fire the guy he's been consistently touting as HC material? Kromer is gone because he sucked just like I was saying. He was eased out after being "promoted" to an offensive assistant. So maybe Sean can do the same with Morris. Promote him to defensive assistant and hire a real DC who will put the fire back into this defense. It was built specifically to play an aggressive 3-4 hybrid scheme. This is why I keep saying John Pagano should be the DC. He and his brother were the key architects of the system in the NFL. When he was with the Chargers they consistently had a top 10 defense with far less talent than Morris is squandering. John taught Wade the system and it's what elevated Wade Phillips into HC consideration. He also had several top 10 defensive units when he was at his best.

I'm confident McVay will retool his offensive scheme next year. Injuries and a slow start with Robinson sabotaged this season.

Morris has a lot of season left to get this defense rolling. As many here keep suggesting, I think he needs to get over guys like Long and Rapp. It's the same old shitters hurting his unit's efficiency, well, that and he has a tendency to be overly conservative though that might be McVay in part telling him to lock down the big plays. Kendrick and Durant both have significant weaknesses but they also have strengths so put them in the scheme in ways that best utilizes them. Keep Rapp's ass on the bench and let Yeast settle in and maybe he can start calling different looks without getting BBQ'd.

For all Staley's issues with the homeless San Diego crew the first decision he made as Rams DC was to draft two safeties that could play the calls he wanted. How Morris can't see some of these things I have no idea.

So not going to fully judge him yet because I was very concerned when we hired him that he would struggle with quarters calls that McVay supposedly wanted. This was based on his lack of quarters experience as a defensive coach. And he proved me wrong. Now granted part of that may have been the insane rush behind Von and AD, and I think that was the case, but willing to admit my fears were wrong.

Going forward yes I think there's a good chance he won't get hired away due to this unit and McVay may need to make a hard decision with a good friend. Because I don't think a prevent defense is the style McVay wants to run, though as always I am not completely sure of this. But all of these things together suggest to me that McVay might take that big TV offer that is inevitably coming. I mean let's see would you rather rebuild an aging roster with tons of holes and maybe fire your good friend, or would you rather take a huge TV deal where you'll undoubtedly excel. Big worry for me.

 

[Merlin]

Re: the OL... I think for McVay and Snead it is going to be crucial to look past the number of injuries and fully see the truth of the unit.

Starting with RG Bruss getting hurt was shitty and ill timed. But he was in over his head. Had he not been hurt maybe by now he would be hitting his stride and killing it. But he did get hurt. By itself going with a rook as a projected starter is not the worst thing to do, but if you do it you should have a really good OG depth piece standing by behind him on the depth chart. We did not have that.

In fact it seems to me that it was always unlikely that they'd get good play at OG over time from Shelton. Shelton looked good replacing Allen in limited action and they ran with it, but was he ever a real option to give this team a full season of good OG play? Doubtful at best. In fact he is a depth Center who can moonlight at OG and his inability to stay healthy is just icing on that shitty cake.

LT is the same. I was rooting hard for Boom and I backed the approach so I can't criticize the decision making. But in hindsight and in conjunction with the RG plan it was a pipe dream was it not. He was never going to give us a full season plus playoffs, to play 21 games is no joke for a guy like him. And on top of that he struggled with power so clearly, which is something he had gotten better at but when you're the guy the other team is gameplanning for you get the full onus of the gameplan based on your weaknesses.

So what I'm saying here is aside from all the injuries that we are collectively excusing the offense for, the OL plan was bad. It's fine for fans to make excuses but execs and coaches do not have that luxury. Truth is that the plan involved two spots on the OL suffering lesser play and this was on a line that most of us wanted to see run block better this year. Pretty sure McVay even mentioned that too. So even if they had stayed healthy this would have been a rocky start to the season with the hopes that Bruss would figure shit out and hit his stride and that Boom would adjust to the tougher job of being a starter on the blindside.

Pipe dreams. That's what it was. And I don't blame them, again. But internally and in the season review where they look at their decisions and learn from them I think there are a lot of takeaways and IMO they clearly went a little too budget with the line and got burned.

 

[Kupped]

It’s kinda funny how many posters talk about the fall off from Staley.
Broncos are outperforming both Rams & Bolts… and Evero’s unit is outperforming Fangio’s.

 

[Cjcinec]

Gone in 2023:
Akers
Higbee
Robinson
Noteboom
Allen
Wagner
Floyd
Donald (retire?)

Just my opinion

Unfortunately the cap hit and dead cap in future years for just a few of the key players on the list would be immense. It would cash strap the Rams to a point that they would be unable to operate. I think they could move on from a few of these players for Example Akers, Noteboom, Allen and possibly Wagner but they couldn’t get out from Robinson, Floyd and AD. If they were to be traded, retiring or cut the cap ramifications would be severe. The Rams would be bleeding dead cap for 4 years.

 

[“Turbo set!”]

Injuries are not a fluke. Less talented late round picks do not have the athleticism of high round picks. They also don't have the durability.

I would expect close to he same with injuries next season.