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Jared Goff: Rams offense found 'new identity' in final 5 games
- By Riverumbbq
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 8 Replies
Cameron DaSilva
3 hours ago
When you look back on the Rams’ 2019 season, it’s difficult to say what their identity was on offense. The past two years, they were a team that ran the ball successfully and utilized play-action passes better than just about any other team in the NFL.
This season, neither was the case. Todd Gurley averaged 3.8 yards per carry and wasn’t a factor as a receiver, while Jared Goff had two touchdowns and five interceptions on play action.
The lack of consistency on that side of the ball was startling. The Rams would go weeks with 35-plus pass attempts and abandon the running game in the fourth quarter, while other times, they’d try to run the ball down the opponent’s throat with Gurley and Malcolm Brown.
In Week 13, they seemed to find a groove. Sean McVay turned to more two-tight end sets with Tyler Higbee and Johnny Mundt, taking some pressure off of the receivers. Cooper Kupp and Brandin Cooks played fewer snaps as a result, but the offense was more consistent.
Goff says the Rams found a “new identity” in that 34-7 win over the Cardinals, changing things for the final five weeks of the season. He says that’s how the offense was supposed to look all along, with an abundance of play action, rollouts and heavy packages.
“It’s supposed to look like how it looked today. How it looked today, how it a handful of the last weeks, if you take out Dallas. I think since we played Arizona, we kind of did find a new identity. I think ultimately, we found different ways to win games,” he said after Sunday’s season finale.
Defenses adapted to what the Rams did best, which was outside zone runs and play action. They figured out ways to counter McVay’s scheme, just as the Patriots did in the Super Bowl and the Bears did last season.
Goff acknowledged that fact, admitting teams figured out parts of the Rams’ offense.
“I think that’s the biggest thing we can take away, is that we were so specific the last two seasons and then this year, we had to find different ways to win. Teams figured some stuff out where we had to adjust,” he continued. “We did adjust and we adjusted well, just unfortunately, we were one game short, two games short, whatever you want to call it. That’s the way it goes. I think it’s a good learning experience for all of us, coaches included. I know myself, personally, like I mentioned, we’ll use this as motivation and come back next year stronger. It’s something that eats at you and you never want to – especially if you think about the fans.”
The Rams will have to adjust and adapt again in 2020 as teams gather film on McVay’s offense. It’s part of being a coach in the NFL, needing to find different ways to win each week. Los Angeles just took too long to figure it out, coming up a little bit short of the playoffs.
Jared Goff: Rams offense found 'new identity' in final 5 games
When you look back on the Rams’ 2019 season, it’s difficult to say what their identity was on offense. The past two years, they were a team that ran the ball successfully and utilized play-action passes better than just about any other team in the NFL. This season,…
theramswire.usatoday.com
Does Sean Need OC Help?
- By CoachAllred
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 33 Replies
Sean McVay and the Rams need to re-hire a full-time offensive coordinator
Rich Hammond
theathletic.com
Calif. — Even one of history’s greatest bands couldn’t get by without a little help from its friends. So there’s no shame in scrolling through your list of contacts, Sean McVay.
The Rams need an offensive coordinator. A full-time, full-fledged one. Not a run-game coordinator or a pass-game coordinator or whatever role that an “assistant coordinator/offense” fills. McVay can, and should, retain offensive play-calling duties in 2020, but he needs another voice — and a strong one.
McVay, the Rams’ offensive architect and play-caller, hasn’t employed a traditional coordinator since Matt LaFleur left almost two years ago. Over the past 12 months, it’s become increasingly clear that McVay could benefit from a little more help from a staffer who isn’t also a position coach, someone who can watch the game with more of a calm detachment and gently guide McVay in the right direction.
The Rams’ regression on offense this season — and, more notably, the lack of a consistent identity — make it clear that something needs to change. Is McVay prepared to make a proactive move?
“You’re always evaluating,” McVay said this week. “The one thing, for myself in this role, is you’re constantly evaluating all the elements that this role entails. You always want to continue to do it at a high level. The way you do get better is, you surround yourself with people that are better than you.”
Precisely. And that’s why someone — ideally a veteran coach — needs to be in McVay’s ear, not only during early-week strategy planning but also at halftime, or even in the middle of the first quarter, when in-game adjustments are imperative. McVay and the Rams aren’t far off here — this isn’t a disastrous offense, even though things sometimes look grim — but a little help can go a long way.
McVay is one of only three NFL head coaches who does not employ an offensive coordinator. That’s not necessarily a red flag. The other two are McVay’s fellow young-gun NFC West coaches, San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan and Arizona’s Kliff Kingsbury, and the 49ers are enjoying a fantastic offensive season.
But the Rams are not. Independent of personnel issues — and there have been many — the offense has been inconsistent and slow to adjust. Opposing defenses, tired of getting steamrolled in 2017 and 2018, have flooded the Rams’ offense with different looks than they show on film and with multiple looks within games.
It’s lazy and inaccurate to say McVay has been “figured out.” Coaching requires constant adjustments, from season to season, week to week and even series to series. That’s not easy, and McVay has a lot on his plate. It’s not a failure to admit that he could benefit from some assistance.
For evidence, look no further than last Sunday’s dismal 44-21 loss at Dallas. The Rams’ first drive — which often is scripted before the game — was solid, with a mix of runs and play-action passes. The Rams ultimately punted from midfield but looked to have established some momentum. From there, though, they increasingly went away from the run and the types of roll-out plays that had helped quarterback Jared Goff get into a rhythm in previous games.
The Rams became more predictable and one-dimensional on offense. Todd Gurley had one rushing yard at halftime. (It’s also fair to re-raise the question of Gurley’s health status and how much McVay truly can use him, given that Gurley does not look dynamic even when he is fed the ball.)
Beyond all that, the point here is not to ridicule McVay, paint him as a bad coach or blame him entirely — or even primarily — for the Rams’ underachievement. In fact, there have been some clear positives.
At the start of this season, McVay got handed an offense that included a revamped, unproven offensive line and a running back with some type of load-management plan. More recently, McVay also engineered excellent plans for games against Chicago and Seattle and has been unwavering as a leader.
None of those things should be ignored. McVay’s offensive mind is sharp. He doesn’t turn 34 until next month, so it’s natural that there would be some growing pains in his head-coaching career. Everything remains in place for McVay to turn this around, assuming the Rams make some smart personnel moves. Plus, it’s not a nightmare. The Rams rank in the top half of the league in both points and yards.
It’s clearly not the same, though. The Rams have exceeded 30 points in only three of 14 games this season, even though, with some notable exceptions, the defense is improved. In 2017 and 2018, the Rams topped 30 points in 21 of their 32 regular-season games. So what has changed?
After his hiring in 2017, McVay brought in LaFleur as his offensive coordinator, and the Rams led the NFL with an average of 29.9 points per game. LaFleur left to become the Tennessee Titans’ coordinator, with a chance to call plays, which was a good, understandable move that helped LaFleur get hired as Green Bay’s head coach a year later (the Packers sit atop the NFC North in his first season).
Instead of hiring a new coordinator, McVay named tight ends coach Shane Waldron as his pass-game coordinator and offensive line coach Aaron Kromer as his run-game coordinator. By all accounts, things worked fine, as the Rams in 2018 totaled more points and yards than they did with LaFleur.
There were warning signs, though, particularly late in the season and in the Super Bowl, when opposing defenses enjoyed increasing success against the Rams. McVay stayed with his staff and elevated Jedd Fisch, who had assisted McVay with timeouts and clock management, to “assistant coordinator/offense.”
Early in the 2019 season, teams continued to give the Rams new and varied defensive looks. The Rams have been slow to adjust, and it’s hard to see how that isn’t complicated by the fact that McVay takes such ownership of the offense while also managing all other aspects of the team.
Yes, Kromer, Waldron and Fisch help, but they also have other responsibilities. It isn’t ridiculous to think the Rams would benefit from adding someone to assist offensive overview beyond Fisch’s analysis. Plus, Fisch might be on the move, as Bruce Feldman of The Athletic recently mentioned him as a candidate for the Florida Atlantic job.
“We’ve got a lot of good people here,” McVay said, “but I think it’s always continuing to find that good balance of, what does it look like structurally — really, for our organization in terms of that setup — and we want to be able to get the best people here. I think you’re always looking at those things, but I feel really good about what our group has done, if you’re asking about that.”
No, that’s not it. Kromer, Waldron and Fisch are not bad coaches. The suggestion is that they could be supplemented, not replaced. If 29 teams have a full-time coordinator, why can’t the Rams?
For some interesting perspective, McVay need only turn to his defensive coordinator.
Wade Phillips had three stints as an NFL head coach. In Denver in 1993-94, he employed Charlie Waters as defensive coordinator. In Buffalo from 1998 to 2000, he had Ted Cottrell. In 2007, when Phillips got hired in Dallas, he hired then-San Diego Chargers defensive backs coach Brian Stewart as his coordinator. Phillips, one of the great defensive minds in league history, clearly still ran the unit, but he had help.
The Cowboys fired Stewart after Phillips’ second season and did not replace him. Phillips ran the defense himself in 2009, and it thrived as Dallas allowed the second-fewest points in the league. But it didn’t last. In 2010, the Cowboys allowed an average of 29.0 points in their first eight games. Phillips got fired.
“I thought it was the right thing to do at the time. We did it,” Phillips said. “You’re involved on your side of the ball, no matter what. I mean, with Charlie and Ted and those guys, you set the game plan together and that kind of thing. You’re more involved on your side of the ball.”
Every situation is different, but McVay is very much in the minority when it comes to going it alone.
Of the 15 current head coaches who previously worked as an NFL offensive coordinator, only McVay and Shanahan do not have an offensive coordinator. Of the 15 current head coaches who call their team’s plays — it’s a different list — only McVay, Kingsbury and Shanahan do not have a coordinator.
Even the league’s most-veteran, play-calling coaches — such as Oakland’s Jon Gruden, New Orleans’ Asshole Face and Kansas City’s Andy Reid — have coordinators under them.
Minnesota recently took it a step further. Coach Mike Zimmer made staff changes after last season and not only promoted Kevin Stefanski to full-time offensive coordinator but also hired veteran coach Gary Kubiak as “assistant head coach and offensive advisor.” The Vikings are scoring an average of 4.5 points per game more than they did last season and have a top-five scoring offense.
There is always the risk of having too many cooks in the kitchen, or coaches in the office in this case. For that reason, McVay should remain the unquestioned leader of the offense and should retain play-calling duties. He enjoys doing that and, for most of his Rams tenure, he’s been good at it. He just might benefit from a little help, and McVay sounded open to anything, even the suggestion that he might one day hand off those play-calling duties.
“If I felt like there was a setup where we would be a better football team if that wasn’t the case, and it enables you to do some other things, I would never say never,” McVay said, “but those are always things you evaluate.
“Right now our focus is on the 49ers, doing a great job, and then when the offseason hits, whenever that is, there will be some time for us to really be able to look inward and figure out what’s going to be the best thing for the Rams moving forward.”
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Really agree McVay could use some help. It's very easy to get tunnel vision when calling plays. Having a second set of eyes that focus solely on the overall aspect of game flow,would IMHO be a huge help.
Just someone to say from time to time,during the game. What about this or hey we need to get back to that. Someone McVay could trust and use as use as a sound board.
Thoughts??
Rich Hammond
Sean McVay and the Rams need to re-hire a full-time offensive coordinator
McVay doesn't need to give up play-calling duties but he might benefit from bringing in another voice.
theathletic.com
Calif. — Even one of history’s greatest bands couldn’t get by without a little help from its friends. So there’s no shame in scrolling through your list of contacts, Sean McVay.
The Rams need an offensive coordinator. A full-time, full-fledged one. Not a run-game coordinator or a pass-game coordinator or whatever role that an “assistant coordinator/offense” fills. McVay can, and should, retain offensive play-calling duties in 2020, but he needs another voice — and a strong one.
McVay, the Rams’ offensive architect and play-caller, hasn’t employed a traditional coordinator since Matt LaFleur left almost two years ago. Over the past 12 months, it’s become increasingly clear that McVay could benefit from a little more help from a staffer who isn’t also a position coach, someone who can watch the game with more of a calm detachment and gently guide McVay in the right direction.
The Rams’ regression on offense this season — and, more notably, the lack of a consistent identity — make it clear that something needs to change. Is McVay prepared to make a proactive move?
“You’re always evaluating,” McVay said this week. “The one thing, for myself in this role, is you’re constantly evaluating all the elements that this role entails. You always want to continue to do it at a high level. The way you do get better is, you surround yourself with people that are better than you.”
Precisely. And that’s why someone — ideally a veteran coach — needs to be in McVay’s ear, not only during early-week strategy planning but also at halftime, or even in the middle of the first quarter, when in-game adjustments are imperative. McVay and the Rams aren’t far off here — this isn’t a disastrous offense, even though things sometimes look grim — but a little help can go a long way.
McVay is one of only three NFL head coaches who does not employ an offensive coordinator. That’s not necessarily a red flag. The other two are McVay’s fellow young-gun NFC West coaches, San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan and Arizona’s Kliff Kingsbury, and the 49ers are enjoying a fantastic offensive season.
But the Rams are not. Independent of personnel issues — and there have been many — the offense has been inconsistent and slow to adjust. Opposing defenses, tired of getting steamrolled in 2017 and 2018, have flooded the Rams’ offense with different looks than they show on film and with multiple looks within games.
It’s lazy and inaccurate to say McVay has been “figured out.” Coaching requires constant adjustments, from season to season, week to week and even series to series. That’s not easy, and McVay has a lot on his plate. It’s not a failure to admit that he could benefit from some assistance.
For evidence, look no further than last Sunday’s dismal 44-21 loss at Dallas. The Rams’ first drive — which often is scripted before the game — was solid, with a mix of runs and play-action passes. The Rams ultimately punted from midfield but looked to have established some momentum. From there, though, they increasingly went away from the run and the types of roll-out plays that had helped quarterback Jared Goff get into a rhythm in previous games.
The Rams became more predictable and one-dimensional on offense. Todd Gurley had one rushing yard at halftime. (It’s also fair to re-raise the question of Gurley’s health status and how much McVay truly can use him, given that Gurley does not look dynamic even when he is fed the ball.)
Beyond all that, the point here is not to ridicule McVay, paint him as a bad coach or blame him entirely — or even primarily — for the Rams’ underachievement. In fact, there have been some clear positives.
At the start of this season, McVay got handed an offense that included a revamped, unproven offensive line and a running back with some type of load-management plan. More recently, McVay also engineered excellent plans for games against Chicago and Seattle and has been unwavering as a leader.
None of those things should be ignored. McVay’s offensive mind is sharp. He doesn’t turn 34 until next month, so it’s natural that there would be some growing pains in his head-coaching career. Everything remains in place for McVay to turn this around, assuming the Rams make some smart personnel moves. Plus, it’s not a nightmare. The Rams rank in the top half of the league in both points and yards.
It’s clearly not the same, though. The Rams have exceeded 30 points in only three of 14 games this season, even though, with some notable exceptions, the defense is improved. In 2017 and 2018, the Rams topped 30 points in 21 of their 32 regular-season games. So what has changed?
After his hiring in 2017, McVay brought in LaFleur as his offensive coordinator, and the Rams led the NFL with an average of 29.9 points per game. LaFleur left to become the Tennessee Titans’ coordinator, with a chance to call plays, which was a good, understandable move that helped LaFleur get hired as Green Bay’s head coach a year later (the Packers sit atop the NFC North in his first season).
Instead of hiring a new coordinator, McVay named tight ends coach Shane Waldron as his pass-game coordinator and offensive line coach Aaron Kromer as his run-game coordinator. By all accounts, things worked fine, as the Rams in 2018 totaled more points and yards than they did with LaFleur.
There were warning signs, though, particularly late in the season and in the Super Bowl, when opposing defenses enjoyed increasing success against the Rams. McVay stayed with his staff and elevated Jedd Fisch, who had assisted McVay with timeouts and clock management, to “assistant coordinator/offense.”
Early in the 2019 season, teams continued to give the Rams new and varied defensive looks. The Rams have been slow to adjust, and it’s hard to see how that isn’t complicated by the fact that McVay takes such ownership of the offense while also managing all other aspects of the team.
Yes, Kromer, Waldron and Fisch help, but they also have other responsibilities. It isn’t ridiculous to think the Rams would benefit from adding someone to assist offensive overview beyond Fisch’s analysis. Plus, Fisch might be on the move, as Bruce Feldman of The Athletic recently mentioned him as a candidate for the Florida Atlantic job.
“We’ve got a lot of good people here,” McVay said, “but I think it’s always continuing to find that good balance of, what does it look like structurally — really, for our organization in terms of that setup — and we want to be able to get the best people here. I think you’re always looking at those things, but I feel really good about what our group has done, if you’re asking about that.”
No, that’s not it. Kromer, Waldron and Fisch are not bad coaches. The suggestion is that they could be supplemented, not replaced. If 29 teams have a full-time coordinator, why can’t the Rams?
For some interesting perspective, McVay need only turn to his defensive coordinator.
Wade Phillips had three stints as an NFL head coach. In Denver in 1993-94, he employed Charlie Waters as defensive coordinator. In Buffalo from 1998 to 2000, he had Ted Cottrell. In 2007, when Phillips got hired in Dallas, he hired then-San Diego Chargers defensive backs coach Brian Stewart as his coordinator. Phillips, one of the great defensive minds in league history, clearly still ran the unit, but he had help.
The Cowboys fired Stewart after Phillips’ second season and did not replace him. Phillips ran the defense himself in 2009, and it thrived as Dallas allowed the second-fewest points in the league. But it didn’t last. In 2010, the Cowboys allowed an average of 29.0 points in their first eight games. Phillips got fired.
“I thought it was the right thing to do at the time. We did it,” Phillips said. “You’re involved on your side of the ball, no matter what. I mean, with Charlie and Ted and those guys, you set the game plan together and that kind of thing. You’re more involved on your side of the ball.”
Every situation is different, but McVay is very much in the minority when it comes to going it alone.
Of the 15 current head coaches who previously worked as an NFL offensive coordinator, only McVay and Shanahan do not have an offensive coordinator. Of the 15 current head coaches who call their team’s plays — it’s a different list — only McVay, Kingsbury and Shanahan do not have a coordinator.
Even the league’s most-veteran, play-calling coaches — such as Oakland’s Jon Gruden, New Orleans’ Asshole Face and Kansas City’s Andy Reid — have coordinators under them.
Minnesota recently took it a step further. Coach Mike Zimmer made staff changes after last season and not only promoted Kevin Stefanski to full-time offensive coordinator but also hired veteran coach Gary Kubiak as “assistant head coach and offensive advisor.” The Vikings are scoring an average of 4.5 points per game more than they did last season and have a top-five scoring offense.
There is always the risk of having too many cooks in the kitchen, or coaches in the office in this case. For that reason, McVay should remain the unquestioned leader of the offense and should retain play-calling duties. He enjoys doing that and, for most of his Rams tenure, he’s been good at it. He just might benefit from a little help, and McVay sounded open to anything, even the suggestion that he might one day hand off those play-calling duties.
“If I felt like there was a setup where we would be a better football team if that wasn’t the case, and it enables you to do some other things, I would never say never,” McVay said, “but those are always things you evaluate.
“Right now our focus is on the 49ers, doing a great job, and then when the offseason hits, whenever that is, there will be some time for us to really be able to look inward and figure out what’s going to be the best thing for the Rams moving forward.”
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Really agree McVay could use some help. It's very easy to get tunnel vision when calling plays. Having a second set of eyes that focus solely on the overall aspect of game flow,would IMHO be a huge help.
Just someone to say from time to time,during the game. What about this or hey we need to get back to that. Someone McVay could trust and use as use as a sound board.
Thoughts??
Rumour - Bruce Allen to Rams as 'consultant'
- By ScotsRam
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 31 Replies
Don't shoot the messenger...
profootballtalk.nbcsports.com
Chatter emerges of Bruce Allen to the Rams
George Allen, the late and legendary NFL head coach, worked for the Rams before heading to Washington.
profootballtalk.nbcsports.com
What Sean McVay told Rams locker room after win over Cardinals
- By Riverumbbq
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 5 Replies
Cameron DaSilva
5 hours ago
One of the best parts about Rams wins are the victory speeches that come from Sean McVay in the locker room afterwards. He always knows how to fire up the room after a win, usually handing out game balls to standout players or those who deserve some recognition for one reason or another.
After the Rams beat the Cardinals 31-24 on Sunday afternoon, McVay rallied the locker room one last time in 2019. He didn’t hand out any game balls, but he did mention the defense creating a bunch of turnovers, as well as Jared Goff putting together a great performance.
To break it down, he called upon Andrew Whitworth, who’s a nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.
“Cannot say enough – we talked about finishing,” McVay said. “That says a lot about you guys. Being able to have four turnovers by the defense. Offensively, being able to respond time in and time out, give it up for Jared Goff – three touchdowns, 300 yards. Very appreciative of you guys. We’ll have a team meeting tomorrow and who better to close it than the guy that started it out in this locker room for this game. Give it up for Whitworth, man.”
https://twitter.com/RamsNFL/status/1211474737718628364
"Wherever you go, whatever happens from here — we’re family."
One last victory speech to close out 2019.#WPMOYChallenge + Whitworth
https://twitter.com/intent/like?tweet_id=1211474737718628364
The Rams will head into the offseason with plenty of questions to answer and a lot of decisions to make, but they do so with the core of the team still intact and McVay still at the helm.
They came up short in 2019, but there’s little doubt about the talent that the Rams possess for the future.
What Sean McVay told Rams locker room after win over Cardinals
One of the best parts about Rams wins are the victory speeches that come from Sean McVay in the locker room afterwards. He always knows how to fire up the room after a win, usually handing out game balls to standout players or those who deserve some recognition for one…
theramswire.usatoday.com
Eric Weddle says he won't return to Rams as backup in 2020
- By Riverumbbq
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 11 Replies
Cameron DaSilva
6 hours ago
Eric Weddle still has one year left on his contract with the Rams, but his time in Los Angeles could come to an end after only one season. With John Johnson set to return from injury in 2020 and Taylor Rapp looking like an obvious candidate to start opposite him at safety, there isn’t much room for Weddle in the future plans.
Fans know it and so does Weddle, and he made that very clear after Sunday’s win over the Cardinals. He told reporters in the locker room that he won’t be back with the Rams next season if he is a backup – and he’s fairly certain that’s what his role will be.
Here is Eric Weddle on his future with the Rams.
43
6:11 PM - Dec 29, 2019
Weddle had a mediocre season for the Rams in 2019, struggling to make many big plays on defense. He didn’t have a single interception for the second year in a row and only broke up four passes. He topped 100 tackles for just the fourth time in his career and started all 16 games, but his play left something to be desired.
His intangibles and leadership on the field and in the locker room are immeasurable, though. He was a big part of Rapp’s development, also helping the Rams’ other young defensive backs in their alignment and play diagnosis.
The Rams can save $4.25 million by cutting him in the offseason.
Eric Weddle says he won't return to Rams as backup in 2020
Eric Weddle still has one year left on his contract with the Rams, but his time in Los Angeles could come to an end after only one season. With John Johnson set to return from injury in 2020 and Taylor Rapp looking like an obvious candidate to start opposite him…
theramswire.usatoday.com
