The Rams have the makings of a team that can really turn around next year

[Fortuninerhater]

[QUOTE=chiguy;193616]What surprises me is all the needs on offense.




Actually, if you subtract all the injuries, this is still a top 5 offense in this league. The problem with this offense is not the players, it's the coaching although our receivers are getting a little long in the tooth.

In my opinion we have had only two good game plans all year. The SF and Arizona games. All the other game plans couldn't win a pop warner game. It is also well noted that the play-calling has been horrible all season.

I was happy to see Dominique Byrd and Marques Hagans on the field, and I thought they looked good for the most part.

[tomahawk247]

so you would spend a number 1 on a backup QB that wouldnt see the field for ages when its clear we have glaring weaknesses at so many other positions where the drafted player would come in and start?

[chiguy]

[QUOTE=Fortuninerhater;193637]

Actually, if you subtract all the injuries, this is still a top 5 offense in this league. The problem with this offense is not the players, it's the coaching although our receivers are getting a little long in the tooth.


I was happy to see Dominique Byrd and Marques Hagans on the field, and I thought they looked good for the most part.

I'm not going to disagree with the game planning, but I do want to point out that there is no reason to believe this is a top 5 offense. They struggled in the red zone *last year* without the injuries and things look even worse this year. But let's assume we'd be better, I still think there are clear needs here:

1. Leonard is still not a proven backup. He's been OK, but is he really that #2 that can get 10 reps or so a game? Remains to be seen.

2. We overestimated what our o-line play meant at the end of last season. We definitely need depth at *every* position and Pace isn't getting any younger and Barron is probably "good" but never going to be better than that.

3. Our wide receivers are clearly lacking in quickness. Some of this are the bad route calls, but we do not have a legitimate down-the-field deep threat. Hagans might be that guy, but he strikes me as being more like a jitterbug/Az Hakim type of guy...if he can catch the ball consistently.

4. Who is our back-up tight end? Byrd might not be able to stay on the field, Walker is a glorified offensive tackle, and Klop seems uninterested in blocking.

5. We have no developmental prospect at QB. Bulger is the guy for the forseeable future, but you need to always have someone who can step in and get it done in case the QB's play goes down the tube fast (ala Warner when he was here).

Am I overstating any of this? I don't think so, but I'm sure some others have a different point of view. The longer we wait to start addressing these issues, then the more likely it is that we end up with a decent core of defensive players and are rebuilding on offense.

[AvengerRam]

To respond to some of the comments in this thread...

I doubt the Rams would cut Pace. Financially, it would be a big hit. They could try to trade him, though I wonder what value he has at this point. The real question is whether you bring him back as a LT, a RT, or even an OG (I actually think he'd make a great OG if he were willing to move inside, which I doubt).

Bruce will be a question mark every year at this point given his age. That said, I'd like to see him back.

Wroten is a guy I really want to succeed, despite his problems, but he'll have to make an impact on the field at some point to keep his job.

As for taking Brian Brohm - absolutely not. Bulger is 30, has been to two Pro Bowls, and is signed long term. The Rams may wish to take a QB to develop on Day 2 of the draft, but there is no way they should be even looking at a QB in the first round.

[laram0]

Why would we spend a first round pick on a quarterback after signing Bulger to a huge contract?

Should we have kept the draft pick that would have landed Cutler???

After seeing Gus throw 5 int's I'm really beginning to wonder?

[Rambos]

They struggled in the red zone *last year*

Not true we where one of the better teams in the red zone.

1. Leonard is still not a proven backup. He's been OK, but is he really that #2 that can get 10 reps or so a game? Remains to be seen.

He looks good behind this line, I'm sure he would look even better behind the starters.

Our wide receivers are clearly lacking in quickness.

Both are not 100%, but Bennett had 6 yards on that ball that was under thrown by hmmm 6 yards.

We have no developmental prospect at QB

True...

Bruce will be a question mark every year at this point given his age. That said, I'd like to see him back.

Too bad we did not keep Curtis and tell Bruce you are now number three.

Wroten is a guy I really want to succeed, despite his problems, but he'll have to make an impact on the field at some point to keep his job.

I agree, Wroten has only played one game, its now or never.

[r8rh8rmike]

In my opinion we have had only two good game plans all year. The SF and Arizona games. All the other game plans couldn't win a pop warner game. It is also well noted that the play-calling has been horrible all season.

I wouldn't argue that there have been times when the play calling has been questionable. Early in the season we were trying those useless quick hits to the WR's and some slow developing misdirection plays that were just not working. Yesterday against the Ravens, there were too many running plays late in the game when we were playing catch-up.

That said, IMO it's almost impossible to get into any kind of rhythm or follow any game plan when the personnel you set things up for changes DURING every game. It doesn't help that we've been reduced to working with talent that dwindles every week like clockwork. There is absolutely no continuity or any type of consistent base for Linehan to work with and it shows in our execution.

I don't care who you have calling plays, in our present situation it's not going to be effective, especially with all the turnovers. We're just stuck in a very bad situation.

[I'm not going to disagree with the game planning, but I do want to point out that there is no reason to believe this is a top 5 offense. They struggled in the red zone *last year* without the injuries and things look even worse this year.

As Rambos pointed out, we didn't struggle in the red zone last year and we did have injuries. McCollum was lost for the season in week one and Pace was lost in week two. The OL was a shifting mass of confusion after that until the last few games of the season when a set group was able to settle in and show some effectiveness.

[chiguy]

Apparently you guys missed the first quarter of the season where we did struggle in the red zone. Wasn't that the whole point of going out and signing Bennett and McMichael afterall?

[r8rh8rmike]

Apparently you guys missed the first quarter of the season where we did struggle in the red zone. Wasn't that the whole point of going out and signing Bennett and McMichael afterall?

We did struggle early, but turned it around to become one of the best red zone efficiency teams in the NFL. There's always room for improvement and Bennett and McMichael were part of the plan, but obviously this year, we don't have the personnel to be effective or efficient at anything.

[chiguy]

So despite trotting out the same personnel, plus two free agents, we're unable to score (that was before injuries hit) and you think we're OK? I'm sorry, but we played weak competition at the end of the year and that's why our red zone offense looked better. Ditto the o-line.

[ramsanddodgers]

I like the way you reconstituted the Kool-Aid, AV.. it was getting kinda watered down!

[r8rh8rmike]

So despite trotting out the same personnel, plus two free agents, we're unable to score (that was before injuries hit) and you think we're OK? I'm sorry, but we played weak competition at the end of the year and that's why our red zone offense looked better. Ditto the o-line.

Where did I say I think we're OK?? We're not OK as a result of what we have to work with on the field of play, and the injuries started before the season even began with Cogs, Steussie and Bennett.

As far as the red zone play last year, over the course of the entire season, (through the good AND bad competition) we were near the top in efficiency.