Raheem Morris discussion thread

[Merlin]

So much hate for the “soft” or bend but don’t break mentality and I don’t get it. Correct me if inwrong but that the same type of D we played the sb year was it not?

No. That is in fact a common misconception shaped by the Super Bowl result where our defense got worn down by the Titans ground game.

In fact their third down percentage that season was among the top teams at 33.5% which would place them 3rd in this season's rankings. That defense got off the field all season long and the games where they struggled to do that were our toughest matchups. Because that offense would be magnified by extra possessions.

Also and btw that season had one of the finest run defenses I can recall in horns. So good that you would have to go to the 70s to find a Rams defense that was comparable and even then not sure what those teams put up as I was a kid. 3.5 yards per rush is insanely good, that will put you in the 1-3 slot in any given season. That team had a knack for putting most offenses behind the chains with the terror of punting to the offense hanging over them. Top run defense this year is New Orleans at 3.7 in fact.

 

[Kupped]

No. That is in fact a common misconception shaped by the Super Bowl result where our defense got worn down by the Titans ground game.

In fact their third down percentage that season was among the top teams at 33.5% which would place them 3rd in this season's rankings. That defense got off the field all season long and the games where they struggled to do that were our toughest matchups. Because that offense would be magnified by extra possessions.

Also and btw that season had one of the finest run defenses I can recall in horns. So good that you would have to go to the 70s to find a Rams defense that was comparable and even then not sure what those teams put up as I was a kid. 3.5 yards per rush is insanely good, that will put you in the 1-3 slot in any given season. That team had a knack for putting most offenses behind the chains with the terror of punting to the offense hanging over them. Top run defense this year is New Orleans at 3.7 in fact.

It was an excellent, excellent defense, for sure.

 

[ottoman89]

No. That is in fact a common misconception shaped by the Super Bowl result where our defense got worn down by the Titans ground game.

In fact their third down percentage that season was among the top teams at 33.5% which would place them 3rd in this season's rankings. That defense got off the field all season long and the games where they struggled to do that were our toughest matchups. Because that offense would be magnified by extra possessions.

Also and btw that season had one of the finest run defenses I can recall in horns. So good that you would have to go to the 70s to find a Rams defense that was comparable and even then not sure what those teams put up as I was a kid. 3.5 yards per rush is insanely good, that will put you in the 1-3 slot in any given season. That team had a knack for putting most offenses behind the chains with the terror of punting to the offense hanging over them. Top run defense this year is New Orleans at 3.7 in fact.

It does help having Suh and Donald up front for that Run Defense

 

[blackbart]

Can we get a more creative blitz package? Jimmy g should have been picking teeth up off the field today.

Beat the shit out of him for 4 quarters. Send 5 or 6 if 4 aren’t getting home.

Even run blitzes have a place in the game.

Prevent is the worst option of all.

 

[Rams77]

it all comes down to personnel. We were built a certain way to play a certain way-we were NOT built to play the way the Niners and teams like the Titans and Patriots and Packers make us play. Simple as that. We are built on great skill players on O and speed on defense. That will always produce playoff level teams but NOT championship level teams. Too finesse. Its just who we are. We have to accept that for now. It was not Goff after all

 

[thirteen28]

it all comes down to personnel. We were built a certain way to play a certain way-we were NOT built to play the way the Niners and teams like the Titans and Patriots and Packers make us play. Simple as that. We are built on great skill players on O and speed on defense. That will always produce playoff level teams but NOT championship level teams. Too finesse. Its just who we are. We have to accept that for now. It was not Goff after all

It's why I said in the vent thread that this offseason and maybe the next couple, Snead needs to focus on building this team explicitly to beat the 49ers. This is fucking inexcusable.

But also, Morris has to go, especially after letting a mediocrity like Jimmy G drive the length of the field with no timeouts to score the tying TD. McVay's worst hire by far.

 

[Ellard80]

morris done fucked up...

when your secondary is confused the entire most important drive of the season.

 

[TXRams86]

I just don't understand the defensive play calling to close out the game. Especially in OT. But even before then, you'd HAVE to think that McVay at least knew the score of the Cardinals/Seahawks game and that it was going to be very slim for the Cards to come back and win. So the division was all but won already, why not just go aggressive on both sides of the ball? On defense, he should have had Morris going man or blitzing the shit out of Jimmy. What's the worst that could have happened? The same outcome we got today. At least we played aggressively knowing the division was won. But instead we play this discombobulated prevent defense where no one know who the fuck they were covering. Just stupid and Morris has plenty of blame to shoulder for his play calling.

 

[TXRams86]

I'm sure Ramsey will be happy if Morris is fired and takes Rapp's liability ass with him.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

I don't like calling for someone's job after one season, but man I don't like the prevent D call, especially with a back up safety in for Fuller.

Fangio for Morris anyone?

 

[oldnotdead]

The worst thing to do was get that lead early. As I've repeatedly pointed out Morris goes limp dick when the Rams have a lead and he allows the opposing team to hang around. That is a sure way to get beat by better teams. Morris has zero killer instinct in him.

When the opposition is down the last thing you do is give him an opportunity to get up off the floor. No, you stomp his face in. I mean he started the OT playing soft....WTF? Morris has a huge responsibility for his loss. Dropped coverages and confusion in the secondary is unforgivable.

Fire Morris and hire Abrey Pleasant as DC. Abrey knows how both Phillips and Staley played the defense. This secondary hasn't been the same since he left. He knows the players and how to play them. It's not the scheme as much as how it's played. Morris is too passive and calls a game like a scared rabbit.

This was the worst game I've ever seen Darious Williams play. His play has been deteriorating all season. IMO another side effect of losing Pleasant as is the discord between Rapp and Ramsey. IMO it's no coincidence it happened under Morris who IMO has done far less than a stellar job coaching this defense. Going from #1 to #16 is no coincidence and reflects a poor coach.

 

[TXRams86]

I don't like calling for someone's job after one season, but man I don't like the prevent D call, especially with a back up safety in for Fuller.

Fangio for Morris anyone?

I'd be up for it!

If you guys think that Morris has a place here, listen to Ramsey's post game interview. He didn't say much but he did specifically say "We needed to be more aggressive, in my opinion." I think that's a pretty telling shot at Morris and why Ramsey was yelling at him on the sidelines. I'm sure he's tired of this pussy, prevent defense when he can bring so much more to a competent defensive system.

 

[oldnotdead]

Fangio, Zimmer or Pleasant works for me. Why wait until Morris' loser scheme costs them a chance at a Super Bowl. Phillip's scheme didn't work because he didn't have the players. Now they have the players but not a coach who knows how to use them.

 

[blackbart]

I don't like calling for someone's job after one season, but man I don't like the prevent D call, especially with a back up safety in for Fuller.

Fangio for Morris anyone?

Pass

Give me someone aggressive.

 

[TexasRam]

I'd be up for it!

If you guys think that Morris has a place here, listen to Ramsey's post game interview. He didn't say much but he did specifically say "We needed to be more aggressive, in my opinion." I think that's a pretty telling shot at Morris and why Ramsey was yelling at him on the sidelines. I'm

Agreed. Morris defense has made everyone including Ramsey look bad all season. First it was the Star BS then there was all the weak ass zone and playing Ramsey 10 yards off WR's. Ramsey is a competitor and he knows the time. It's time this zone BS stops with the Playoffs up next. It all exploded in Morris face today including Ramsey.

 

[EasyE]

Make a damn QB with a bad hand hold the damn thing to throw it....u don't give him easy ass quick throws....how f'ing hard is that?

 

[thirteen28]

I don't like calling for someone's job after one season, but man I don't like the prevent D call, especially with a back up safety in for Fuller.

Fangio for Morris anyone?

Absolutely. I don't even need to think about that one.

 

[Merlin]

Morris is a Tampa 2 guy to his soul in terms of keeping the big play down. It's in his football DNA. And that approach works too statistically and can beat most teams. But you're also gonna allow certain teams to hurt you, like ball control offensive teams.

He's grown a lot I think as a DC btw. I think he knows what he's doing much more now than just a few months ago. I mean Shanny's a tough matchup and overall Morris put together a good gameplan, he just got run out of it.

Let's see how he does in the playoffs though. There is still room for him to get it right and maximize this defense. And btw some of the issues are definitely personnel. Rapp playing over the top is still bad. Our corners need more dogs out there. The secondary is totally dependent on the rush, if it doesn't get home the back end is gonna get roasted.

So if the Rams are gonna get this done this year they're going to need to play to their strengths. Meaning the DL has to keep the intensity up for a full 60. Those boys got worn down in this one. We need them to dominate.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

Pass

Give me someone aggressive.

Is he not aggressive? I thought McVay hired Staley to implement a version of Fangio's scheme.

 

[OntarioRam]

I am still unsure about Morris.

The defence has been outstanding lately - particularly in the trenches. Morris seems to have fixed the run D deficiencies, which is invaluable.

I also like how Morris seems to be matching up Ramsey on opposing WR1s more often now, and playing defensive backs more aggressively in general. In regards to the latter point, David Long's improvement has been a particularly noticeable. Happily, Morris seems to be learning and adapting to his players.

But Morris has still not convinced me that he can scheme anything up to stop a methodical QB from completely picking apart the Rams secondary with short and intermediate range passes.

The Rams faced a few good QBs in December (Kyler Murray and Russel Wilson), but of the explosive passing and scramble-able variety that you need to keep contain on. The last time the Rams faced a methodical passer (Rodgers, Jimmy G), we were embarrassed. I don't consider Kirk Cousins with an injured Adam Thielen to count for much.

Has Morris fixed this literally fatal flaw of any short-to-mid range pass being an automatic completion, by making necessary tweaks to his stem and learning how to better utilise his roster? Or.... is this a ticking time-bomb waiting to explode, masked by the style of opposition QB we have faced lately? Time will tell. Likely, we will not get our answer until the playoffs.

We have our answer. Morris is a dud. Dude needs to go. I don't want to hear about personnel. The complete ease that teams can dink and dunk on us is NCAA type stuff. He has enough pieces to not be a complete sieve on every short to intermediate pass, consistently, all game long, vs. every team that chooses to do it.