Maybe the St. Louis Rams should name former wrestling superstar Joseph “Animal” Laurinaitis as coach, coordinator or even team captain. At least then fans and media could use the term “Legion of Gloom” to describe the lackluster product on the field. I hate to be pessimistic, but the outlook for the Rams’ remainder of the season is as bleak as Donald Sterling’s chances to spit a verse on the next BET Cypher. As we reach the halfway point of the season, Rams fans’ postseason dreams have been replaced with the harsh, but familiar reality of yet another top five pick in the draft. As Kevin Gates would say, when it comes to picking at the top of the draft, Rams execs don’t get tired.
The Rams’ defense was supposed to be a team strength. Last season, the team gave up 22.8 points per game, ranking 13th in the league. With breakout performances by Robert Quinn and the entire defensive line, the Rams looked ready to wreak havoc across the league. So far this season, the team has allowed 30 points per game. That’s good enough to rank 31st of our 32 teams. In a race to the bottom, we’re still not at the top.
The Rams have a whopping six sacks through seven games. Five of those came in the past two weeks. The only team Gregg Williams and Co. held to less than 25 points this season was the Tampa Bay Buccanneers, whose awful offense would struggle to put up 25 points on a JV team. The lack of legitimate pressure the d-line and lackluster linebacker play have led the team to languish as the laughingstock of the league. Enough Ls for you? I hope not, because more are sure to come.
Of course the defense isn’t the only culprit. Bless Austin Davis’ heart for trying to make the most of out a crummy situation, but the Rams’ passing game leaves much to be desired. Davis appears to be much more competent than his third-string preseason status suggested, but he still holds the football far too long. Part of the reason may be the eternal wait for a wide receiver to actually get open.
Third-year wideout Brian Quick was finally putting it together to become a solid NFL receiver. Now a torn rotator cuff and separated shoulder has put him out for the season. Without Quick, the Rams lose any real shot at turning the season around. He and tight end Jared Cook have been the only two receivers to make plays on a weekly basis. While their receiving numbers are comparable (25 rec., 375 yards vs 27 rec., 331 yards respectively), Quick caught 64% of the balls thrown his way versus just 56% for Cook. Cool is like the Michael Beasley of the Rams, he came in with plenty of natural skill and hype, but makes just as many boneheaded plays as he does beneficial ones. The rest of the receiving corps just isn’t producing as it should.
Some diehard fans may be tempted to blame the good ol’ injury bug for the Rams’ woes. I just can’t do it. Sam Bradford’s ACL injury shouldn’t be a surprise. Neither should Jake Long’s. Offensive lineman Roger Saffold is helped off the field seemingly every game. The absences of Trumaine Johnson and Chris Long have certainly affected the defense, but the team was supposed to have enough depth to absorb those injuries.
If I was coaching the Rams, I’d be tempted to channel the ghost of the Greatest Show on Turf and ask WWMMD (What Would Mike Martz Do)? Martz always found a way to get the most talented players on the field and get the ball into their hands. Call me crazy, but I think the Rams should trot out all four of the team’s tailbacks at once. They seem to be the most talented group, so why not put Zac Stacy, Tre Mason, Trey Watts and Bennie Cunningham all on the field together? Mix in some wishbone, wildcat, double running back slots and more. Davis could handoff or throw screen passes all day like Bradford. It could work, couldn’t it?
Absolutely not.
Hopefully the Rams will find some type of way to patch up the ginormous hole in its defense and put points on the board without the team’s only big play receiver. The only non-playoff contending team remaining on the Rams’ schedule is the Oakland Raiders. That means unless there’s a drastic turnaround, things could get a lot worse before they get any better.
Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @IshmaelSistrunk and on Google+
