Now that the Rams have bowed out of the running for post-season before the New Year, as they do annually, it’s time to take a look at the good, bad and ugly. The Rams showed glimmers of hope this season, only to be followed by frowns of frustration, as there was more talk than action.
There are some things to feel good about and it starts with the defense, or should I say defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. If there was ever a difference-maker when it comes to coaching, it would be Williams. His style of teaching and challenging players to be better was noticed from day one. After serving a one-year suspension, Williams took some players whom we had wondered about to a different level that they may have been shocked to see.
Rookie defensive tackle Aaron Donald did not disappoint anyone from the day he showed up to Rams Park. He made the Pro Bowl and will certainly be a heavy favorite to be Defensive Rookie of the Year.
As for the rest of the squad, the numbers may not have overwhelmed, anyone but they showed up more Sundays than the other two units that make up the Rams.
There were some bright spots on the offense, as running back Trey Mason stepped up and took the starting job. Mason at least made the opposition pay attention. Wide receiver Kenny Britt got a second chance to play in the NFL, and he took full advantage of it in making some big plays and being a team leader that was desperately needed. Flanker Tavon Austin improved as well, as the Rams used him in a variety of roles, some of which even worked.
How about the bad? Where should we start?
The play-calling on most Sundays was anywhere from predictable to downright ridiculous. The quarterback situation was obviously an issue once Sam Bradford went down in the pre-season. An early-season injury to veteran backup Shaun Hill gave us free agent Austin Davis to start the season. It did not take long to learn why he was not drafted, as mistake after mistake cost him his job and perhaps his career in St. Louis.
Shaun Hill was more steady once he was healthy enough to play, but mistakes each week exposed his shortcomings, hence his labeling as a “journeyman backup.”
As for the remaining bad issues, how could we forget the dropped passes and blown coverage that were a constant staple each week? You name them and they flubbed one or two during the course of the game.
When it comes to tackling, the Rams got better as the season progressed, but it continued to be glaring problem, especially up the middle where tackles were missed or players were out of position to make plays when they counted.
Now for the ugly. This team continued to find a way to make mistakes that you would see in week two of the season all the way into week 16. Turnovers, poor offensive play-calling and suspect special teams when it came to coverage helped do the Rams in most Sundays.
The penalties bordered on embarrassing, only to be followed by coaches making excuses for some of them. When you are a bad team like the Rams were, it’s hard to get a break from the officials so why complain?
The Rams were one of the most penalized teams in the league, and their penalties were of the dumb variety. How many times did the Rams kill a drive or extend an opponent’s drive with a bad penalty this year? Yes, not enough fingers and toes to count. If anything, this group led the league in bad penalties and tough talk.
Then there was the offensive line, where the second pick in the draft could not start early in the season. They also were responsible for getting Bradford sidelined for the season, not mention an assortment of other protection and run-blocking debacles. You could count on at least one lineman going down with an injury each game, only to return to action later. You had a somewhat questionable collection when it came to showing any sort of toughness. How these linemen can be counted on next season will be a mystery.
When you think coaching, you look at the resumes and wonder why the Rams are not better on the field. You also have to wonder when the coaching staff will stop coddling players who have not earned that right yet. When you are as inconsistent in execution as the Rams have been, the weekly scrutiny of the officiating will quickly fall on deaf ears.
What was considered a vaunted pass rush last year paled in comparison this season. The loss of Chris Long was somewhat of a factor, but after looking at the numbers before he was hurt, the Rams were not very good in that department of putting heat on the passer.
Overall, the evaluation of this year’s team would be one of regression, starting with the record. The 6-10 record would indicate that the Rams took a step back in several categories. Excuses? The loss of Bradford would certainly be one. Injuries to suspect starters only proved that their replacements were not strong enough.
The coaches continue to put work in, but the problem is there are still not enough good players to compete for every position and play like winners. This will take a while longer, longer than I thought. It’s my hope that next year this time the ugly will be reduced dramatically. After all, the same annual issues continue to plague this team, so it is fixable. At least I think it is, though maybe not with this cast of characters. By the way, the Rams will pick 10th in the draft. What could they use? Believe it or not, everything.
The team’s future home has been in question all season, which has hurt fan support. I was mildly amused to hear a Rams official on say on KMOX radio last week that the Rams needed more corporate support. He forgot to mention on why no one has gone all in on a team that is not assured of being here after next season.
