Les Snead’s lack of vision has hurt the Rams offense

We explore the issues that have caused Sean McVay’s once fearsome offense to sputter.

It goes without saying that Les Snead is one of the best general managers in the NFL. The Super Bowl champ is known for his big trades that brought Matthew Stafford, Jalen Ramsey, and Von Miller to L.A. but the foundation for his championship squad was built through the draft. Yes, we know about the importance of adding talent in different ways but the selections of Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp were critical in their success. It was a team supplemented by Day 2 and 3 picks like Rob Havenstein, Van Jefferson, Jordan Fuller, and Greg Gaines, amongst others who helped the Rams get over the line. However, since then, the Rams’ offense has performed below standard for the past two years. Let’s take a look at why.

The first problem starts with the offensive line. Obviously, we know that since Andrew Whitworth retired, Snead’s solutions to the left tackle position have not lived up to expectations. The problem was that outside of Rob Haverstein, Whitworth’s replacement, Joe Noteboom, was arguably the best lineman on the team. The interior of the offensive line has remained a mess and it seems that in the past four years, Snead has failed to address it. Yes, he drafted Steve Avila, who looks like a home run pick, but one can not ignore the multiple misses that might’ve caused Stafford to go from Super Bowl champ to chronically injured. Players like Creed Humphrey, Daniel Faalele, and Jamaree Salyer were available but didn’t fancy Snead’s taste. More importantly, Snead’s refusal to bring in veteran players to supplement the struggling line is both uncharacteristic and unacceptable.

Quite frankly, he doesn’t value interior linemen. He’s given big deals to Whitworth and Havenstein but Snead believes that he’s able to replace linemen on the cheap, allowing him the resources to spend money elsewhere. Since the Rams moved back to Los Angeles, Snead let stud linemen such as Rodger Saffold Austin Corbett go after the Rams’ Super Bowl runs and has yet to see the individual production of their replacements match what those two did.

However, the offensive line isn’t the only issue. When we think of legendary wide receiver groups, we notice a pattern. Each receiver brings a different element to the room that causes mismatch nightmares for defenses. The 1999 Rams are a prime example. They had the route-running specialist in Isaac Bruce, the target man that can outshake and out-muscle DBs in Torrey Holt, the slot threat in Ricky Proehl and the speedster in Az-Zahir Hakim.

Snead hasn’t done a good job supplementing Kupp with talent that attacks in different ways. Puka Nacua is similar to Kupp, and Van Jefferson is gone and Ben Skowronek continues to be ineffective. Tutu Atwell is a different type of receiver with his speed.

The Rams could’ve drafted DK Metcalf or Dionte Johnson but picked Taylor Rapp instead. They could’ve had Terry McLaurin but went with Darrell Henderson Jr. The irritating part is that when the Rams won the Super Bowl, Kupp was complemented by Robert Woods and Odell Beckham Jr, two receivers that bring something different for the QB to use.

The last part has been the Rams’ approach to the running back position since the departure of Todd Gurley. Listen, I get it. You spent a lot of money on him. You didn’t feel like you got a good return on your investment. I understand. However, since the Rams realized Cam Akers’ Achilles injury in 2021 would mean that they would have to search for another running back, they’ve gone with boring, conservative selections that seem to align with their plan to attack the salary cap instead of building a fearsome rushing attack. Players like Henderson, Jake Funk and Zach Evans haven’t impressed, and Kyren Williams feels like what an average running back looks like. No pop, no pizzaz. Just inside runs.

Long story short, in the post-Super Bowl era, Snead has not done enough to address the offense. Yes, he made some excellent decisions to draft some young, promising defenders but his lack of firepower on offense has directly contributed to the Rams’ lack of success. The 2024 offseason scouting plans and ideas for acquisitions must have an offensive focus or you could kiss another year goodbye.

Rams should make a last-minute move for Texans QB Davis Mills

On trade deadline day in the NFL, the Rams need make make a move. Here’s why Les Snead should go after Texans QB Davis Mills.

With Matthew Stafford currently listed as day-to-day with a thumb injury, the Rams have been calling around for some quarterback help. Brett Rypien is the current backup but he could be called into service if Stafford isn’t good to go. With rookie backup Stetson Bennett being away from the team and former Rams quarterback John Wolford electing to stay with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Rams need a new quarterback. With the NFL’s trade deadline coming at day’s end, it’s time Les Snead makes an eleventh-hour move for Texans QB Davis Mills.

Mills is a victim of time and circumstance. A five-star prospect coming out of Georgia, he beat out K.J. Costello for the starting job at Stanford in his redshirt sophomore year. The problem was that he played during the worst era of David Shaw’s tenure and thus he wasn’t exposed to the nation like Cardinal players in years past.

He decided to not extend his time in college because of this and some other factors, opting to enter the 2020 NFL Draft. The QB-loaded draft saw Mills fall to the third round. Had he gone the following year, not only could Mills have been the highest-selected QB in the 2021 NFL Draft, but he might’ve gone first overall.

However, that is then and this is now. The Texans decided that with a new head coach in DeMeco Ryans, they would also reset the clock on their QB with C.J. Stroud. Stroud is off to a hot start this year and when he eventually breaks all of the Texans’ rookie QB records, you will find that some of those records belong to Mills.

Mills shocked people in his first two years in the league. With two different head coaches and a front office oozing dysfunction, Mills put up a career completion percentage of 63.6, over 5,700 passing yards and 33 touchdowns. He did throw 25 interceptions but since he consistently had to play hero ball in an offense full of average players, it’s bound to happen.

Now, Mills is in the third year of his rookie deal, wasting away on the Houston bench. Two things have become evident for the Rams: Stafford’s time in the NFL may be running out faster than we would have hoped and the Rams have no true backup/replacement for him. Mills could be that guy.

Mills possesses the arm talent, intelligence and resume to be a star in Sean McVay’s offense. He is cheap to acquire and to have on the books contract-wise. He’s healthy, he wants to play and he has overachieved since the moment he came into the league. If the Rams want to get serious in 2023, Mills is the perfect place to start.

3 keys to victory for the Rams against the Cowboys today

We take a look at the Rams’ matchup against the Dallas Cowboys as we identify three keys that the Rams need to do in order to win.

When the 3-4 Los Angeles Rams visit the 4-2 Dallas Cowboys today, both teams will find themselves in a familiar position. Both teams trail in their division to their historic long-time rival, both teams are fringe wild card teams at the moment and both teams know a loss will severely jeopardize their playoff ambitions. Here are three keys for the Rams to escape Dallas with a dub.

Rams need to run the ball on second down

As previously discussed, the Rams’ loss to the Steelers last week came from constantly being in third and long. There was also a direct correlation to the Rams running the football on second down and having a higher conversion percentage on third down. With Darrell Henderson and Royce Freeman establishing themselves as solid starters within the Rams’ offensive system, rely on them more to get the dirty yards that will open up play-action opportunities down the field.

Defense needs to shut down CeeDee Lamb

In the Cowboys’ six games this season, CeeDee Lamb was the Cowboys’ leading receiver for four of those games. In the two games that the Cowboys lost, there is a direct correlation between shutting down CeeDee Lamb and the opposing team winning.

Lamb was the Cowboys’ leading receiver in their 42-10 loss to the 49ers but he was held to four receptions for 49 yards. In their 28-16 loss to the Cardinals, Lamb was held to four receptions for 53 yards. In the four games that the Cowboys won, Lamb averaged 6.5 catches per game for 93.25 reception yards. Double Lamb and take away Dak Prescott’s safety valve. If Lamb is covered, you will also see Aaron Donald and Byron Young get constant pressure on Prescott due to his hesitancy to pull the trigger on other pass catchers.

Lucas Havrisik has to come through

It’s no secret why Lucas Havrisik is putting on a game jersey this week. His predecessor Brett Maher had an awful day last week where he singlehandedly left 7 points on the board and was subsequently cut by the Rams. Havrisik needs to make the makeable kicks.

Quite frankly, the Rams aren’t good enough to make that many errors and still be expected to win. With clear deficiencies on both sides of the ball, the Rams need a near-perfect performance from their special teams. Points should be at a premium so it is crucial that the Rams grab all of them when they get their chance.

The Rams will have to deal with multiple issues in terms of both roster construction and scheme. I trust Raheem Morris will put up a defensive effort that will give the Rams an opportunity to win. The question when it comes to victory will be on the offensive side of the football.

Will Sean McVay be as prepared as he needs to be with the birth of his son occuring in the middle of the week and will Matthew Stafford’s bad habits sink a winning effort from the Rams? I have faith in both. McVay and Stafford will be on their game and the Rams will win 20-17. However, if they don’t follow these three keys, it could be loss number five for L.A.

Rams, LAPD team up to rename local youth football team

The #Rams undertook a partnership with the LAPD to rename a local youth football team during their Week 16 win against the #Broncos

In conjunction with the Los Angeles Rams, the Los Angeles Police Department announced on Wednesday that they would be renaming their youth football team coached by officers of the police force to the “North East Lincoln Rams”. The youth team, which is part of an outreach program run by the LAPD in the Ramona Gardens public housing development in Boyle Heights, was formerly known as the Tigers.

The name change officially took place during the Rams’ blowout win over the Denver Broncos on Christmas day, when players and coaches of the former-Tigers were invited onto the field at SoFi Stadium during a second-quarter intermission. The players and coaches were presented with new North East Lincoln Rams jerseys.

According to a release put out by the team regarding the initiative, the Rams have committed to funding all football-related components of the youth team’s program, including uniforms and equipment. Additionally, the team will provide engagement opportunities with current and former members of the Rams organization, as well as front office staff including scouts, coaches, and football operations personnel.

Another component of the initiative will be to “develop joint programs that focus on character development and community service to expand their knowledge and ignite their passions beyond the playing field,” according to the release put out by the Rams on Wednesday.

Clearly, the team is going above and beyond to help the Los Angeles community however it can, and is strengthening its commitment to entrenching itself in southern California with this partnership. They undertook a similar initiative in 2019 with another youth program in the Watts neighborhood in Los Angeles, which their newest program will be modeled after.

With just two games remaining on their 2022 schedule, the Rams will look to the future and do their best to ameliorate their disappointing season with good deeds around the Los Angeles area.

Sean McVay on his message to players, coaches over final weeks of 2022 season: ‘Let’s go cut it loose’

McVay told reporters that he is telling his players and coaches to “cut it loose” in the #Rams’ last two games of the 2022 season

Sean McVay has his sights set on greatness in 2023 after the Los Angeles Rams’ 2022 campaign saw the team fall flat on its face. The defending Super Bowl champions only have five wins to show for their efforts through 15 games so far this year, and haven’t lived up to the sky-high expectations that many fans had back in August.

But McVay didn’t seem too concerned about his team’s position heading into the final weeks of the 2022 season. In comments to the media after the Rams’ Week 16 win against the Denver Broncos, he told reporters that he is instructing his coaching staff and players to play with abandon and show him everything they can as the team looks to reload next year.

“[What] you saw yesterday was a great reflection of complimentary football all culminating at the right spots and in the right three-hour window of time,” McVay explained after the Rams’ blowout win. “Those are the things that you take some pride in and want to continue to see that reflected where (you say), ‘Hey guys, let’s play to the best of our ability. Let’s go cut it loose.’ Let’s continue to pour into guys that are getting opportunities that maybe we didn’t expect or anticipate, and some of these guys are really doing a great job of establishing themselves as key figures for years to come hopefully, and that’s kind of the approach that we’ll take for these last 13 days.”

Los Angeles has been plagued by bad luck and injuries all season, and it seemed that their chances at a Super Bowl repeat were unlikely from the very beginning of this most recent campaign. When quarterback Matthew Stafford went down in Week 10, it effectively sealed their fate as an early-out in the NFC playoff picture.

But that doesn’t mean all is lost. The Rams have a great chance to give more underrated contributors a chance to justify their spot on the roster next season. If McVay’s comments after their blowout win against Denver are to be taken seriously, fans should expect every member of Los Angeles’ 53-man roster to have a chance to show what they’ve got over the Rams’ next two matchups.

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These six underrated Rams have impressed Sean McVay in 2022

With the season winding to a close, Sean McVay pointed to these six players as guys who have made the most of their opportunities in 2022

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay faced serious adversity in 2022 as his team looked to defend their Super Bowl title and ended up with less-than-desirable results in the process. Not for lack of effort on his part, the Rams currently sit at 4-10 on the season and are starting to look to the future in the final weeks of the season.

He addressed the media on Wednesday at a team press conference and was asked about which players have stood out to him through all the trials and tribulations 2022 has brought for his team. Injuries have played a major factor for Los Angeles, so it was no surprise that the Rams’ depth players were the first that came to mind for him.

“I think when you look at it, I think a lot of those young defensive
linemen,” McVay explained. “I’ve been really pleased with [DT] Bobby Brown [III] and the way that he’s played. I think you’re seeing a lot of opportunities for [DT] Michael Hoecht and then even in the backend, it’s been really good to see guys like [DB] Cobie Durant and [DB] Russ Yeast, [DB] Quentin Lake got a chance to play for the first time, so those are the guys that would come to mind for me whereas a lot of the guys that…[RB] Kyren [Williams] is a guy we want to continue to be able to see. I think he’s done some good things with his opportunities, but those are the guys that come to mind for me.”

It is safe to say that McVay has kept his eye on players who might be able to help Los Angeles achieve a better record in 2023 as his team has suffered their share of defeat over the course of the season. In football, resilience in the face of hardship is a key to success, and McVay seems confident that the guys he has on his roster are capable of making that toughness their primary strength.

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Bobby Wagner is PFF’s highest-graded LB entering Week 15

Bobby Wagner boasts the highest grade among LBs on PFF in his first season with the Rams.

Bobby Wagner has been one of the few bright spots for the Los Angeles Rams and he’s legitimately been one of the best linebackers in the NFL this season. Before Week 15 gets underway on Thursday night, Wagner is PFF’s highest-graded linebacker this season.

The All-Pro linebacker logged a season-high 14 combined tackles in Week 14 versus the Las Vegas Raiders as he’s played on all but one defensive snap for the Rams this season. Following his productive outing last Thursday against the Raiders, Wagner now has 111 combined tackles, seven tackles for loss, five sacks, and four pass breakups thus far.

The 90.7 overall grade on PFF is Wagner’s third-highest grade of his career. The experienced inside linebacker was awarded a 91.7 overall grade in 2018 and a 91.4 overall grade in 2017 when he was with the Seattle Seahawks.

Wagner also became part of history in the win over the Raiders in Week 14 as he became the 10th all-time leader in tackles. The eight-time Pro Bowler has registered 100-plus tackles in each of his 11 seasons in the NFL.

Despite Wagner being 32 years old and the Rams not being in playoff contention, he continues to show that he’s still one of the premier linebackers in the league.

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Rams still week-to-week with receiver Van Jefferson

Jefferson may miss more time than expected after Rams head coach Sean McVay described his status as week to week on Wednesday.

A breakout contributor in 2021, Los Angeles Rams receiver Van Jefferson is off to a much slower start in the team’s latest campaign as he nurses a knee injury following a procedure performed on it in August. Head coach Sean McVay announced that the receiver is still week-to-week in his recovery process, implying that he will likely be out for quite some time longer than initially expected.

The 26-year-old receiver played a key part in Los Angeles’ Super Bowl run last season, hauling in 50 receptions for 802-yards and six touchdowns in his second year in the NFL. Originally drafted as a second-round pick in 2020 out of the University of Florida, Jefferson was slated for a huge role in the offense in 2022 in the absence of Odell Beckham Jr. who started opposite Cooper Kupp in 2021.

Though his knee injury isn’t likely to affect Jefferson’s long-term outlook as a contributor within the offense, it may delay his ascension to starting status as the team leans on other players in his absence. To this point, Los Angeles has tried to replace his production with veteran free agent addition Allen Robinson, whose disappointing performance against the Buffalo Bills was cause for concern in Week 1.

It has become clear that the team needs Jefferson back as soon as possible, but knee injuries rarely progress ahead of schedule. With every passing week that he doesn’t play, Jefferson’s role when he comes back becomes even more nebulous, as he’ll likely need time to adjust to the offense once he gets back in practice.

2022 may not end up being a year of massive progress for Jefferson, but when the receiver finally gets back to full health, fans can expect him to be a motivated competitor who is eager to prove he was worth waiting for. If he can return quickly enough to help alleviate the early-season struggles that seem to be looming for Los Angeles’ offense after their brutal Week 1 loss, Jefferson may be able to make up for the time he missed and secure an every-down role in the Rams’ offense.

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4 takeaways from the Rams’ 45-6 loss to Baltimore

The Rams were embarrassed by Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens on primetime. Here are four takeaways from the depressing outing.

The Los Angeles Rams were embarrassed on Monday Night Football by the Baltimore Ravens. It was complete opposite of last year’s barnburner on Monday Night Football against Kansas City. Here’s a few takeaways from the primetime debacle.

Rams’ defense nonexistent

It appears that something must have happened to the Rams over the past week that didn’t allow their defense to practice or come up with a game-plan to stop Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore offense. Maybe Wade Phillips just gave the team the week off. Any excuse as to why the Rams forgot to come up with a game-plan would be less embarrassing than if this was actually their game plan. 

The Ravens scored a touchdown every single time they touched the ball in the first half and Lamar Jackson completed all nine of his passes. The Rams were hopeless every time the defense touched the field.

Something also must have happened at halftime that caused the Rams to make any adjustments, because if they actually attempted to make any adjustments, they were meaningless. Baltimore scored a touchdown on their first two possessions of the second half before Lamar Jackson called it a night.

These games happen to everyone. Good teams get blown out. Bad teams get blown out. Mediocre teams get blown out. The Rams were decimated by Baltimore’s elite offense. It happens. But it certainly stings a little more when it’s on primetime and it drops your record to 6-5.

Rams C Brian Allen out for season with MCL injury

The Rams lose yet another starting offensive lineman, as center Brian Allen has been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Los Angeles Rams starting center Brian Allen has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2019 season with a knee injury, the team announced on Monday.

Allen suffered the injury during Sunday’s loss to Pittsburgh. It’s yet another blow to an offensive line that has been plagued by injuries and poor play all season long. Allen will likely join fellow first-year starter Joseph Noteboom on the injured reserve.

A fourth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Allen and fellow 2018 mid-round pick Noteboom were tasked with taking over for departing veterans John Sullivan and Roger Saffold. Sullivan, the team’s starting center last season, was cut simply due to his poor play and cap number. Allen didn’t prove to be much better. He finishes his season with a PFF grade of 53.9, the 27th-best among eligible centers and slightly better than Sullivan’s 51.8 grade from last year.

The Rams chose to replace Allen with starting guard Austin Blythe on Sunday, sliding him over from left guard to center and replacing him at guard with Austin Corbett. Blythe had primarily played center up until last season when he replaced suspended guard Jamon Brown. Corbett also has experience at center, but it seems likely the Rams will continue to roll with Blythe at the position.

The Rams have a severe lack of depth up front and losing Allen is a devastating blow. With starting right tackle Rob Havenstein also out for Week 11’s matchup with Chicago, the Rams will be without three of their Week 1 starters on the offensive line. The Rams replaced Havenstein with Coleman Shelton after the former was injured against the Steelers. It remains unclear what combination of players the Rams will roll out to protect Jared Goff against Chicago.