OC Frank Cignetti Rams’ latest scapegoat after firing

By Michael Condon | Dec 7, 2015

Just 12 games into his career as offensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams, Frank Cignetti Jr has been fired. Cignetti has been behind the wheel all season long as this Rams offense has toiled away as one of the worst in the league making this move less than surprising. This is the first time head coach Jeff Fisher has relieved a coordinator of his duties during the regular season. Fisher and Cignetti have teamed up to compile a 4-8 record.

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Tight ends/Assistant head coach Rob Boras will take over for Cignetti as the new offensive coordinator. Boras was another internal candidate when St. Louis went searching for the heir apparent to Brian Schottenheimer this offseason. Cignetti was eventually chosen over Boras for his experience as the quarterbacks coach and his ability to maximize the limited production from the likes of Sam Bradford, Austin Davis and Shaun Hill.

Cignetti arrived in St. Louis in 2012 along side Fisher. However, the team has seen a steady decline in offensive production since then. This year the team ranks 31^st in yards per game (296.3), 32^nd in passing yards per game (178) and first downs (175). The Rams have scored just 18 offensive touchdowns this year, which also ranks toward the very bottom of the league.

Nov 22, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; St. Louis Rams head coach Jeff Fisher reacts to a call during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore Ravens defeated St. Louis Rams 16-13. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

An honest evaluation of the numbers will certainly reveal Cignetti did a very poor job of helping the evolution of this offense, but one cannot place all of the blame on him. It was Fisher show hired Schottenheimer and ousted him after three years of an abysmal track record. With an opportunity to look to greener pastures, Fisher opted to stay in house and hire Cignetti. It was also Fisher that chose the players that would be asked to produce in that system. They have also failed miserably.

Firing Cignetti with just four games remaining does nothing for the 2015 season. It will offer up a very small sample size for further evaluating Boras as a potential long-term solution in offensive coordinator role. However, one has to imagine that should Fisher get the axe come seasons end, his staff will follow suit.

The St. Louis offense has never finished better than 23^rd in the NFL in yards per game, and 22^nd in offensive points per game under Fisher. Fisher has also provided nothing but a stubborn, hard-headed sense of run first football that has gotten the Rams exactly nowhere in three-years.

Now, Boras takes over an offense with limited options across the board and a beat up offensive line. Case Keenum has been declared the starter once again by Fisher for this coming Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions. His leading receiver is Kenny Britt, who has yet to crack 450 receiving yards, and while running back Todd Gurley is a legitimate weapon, the offensive line is so banged up the team has neutralized his offensive abilities.

Boras has no choice but to rip the top off this offense and let it all hang out for the final four games of the season. Boras has to call these games with no fear, because come the end of the season it’s very realistic that the entire coaching staff is updating their resumes.

With the team now in a complete downward spiral it’s tough to see how/why Fisher is still allowed to make these types of decisions given his mediocre track record. Should Boras not be successful, the Rams will begin their search for their fourth offensive coordinator in just over a year. The team has run out of places to point the proverbial blame finger. Fisher needs to take a long hard look in the mirror because that’s probably the only place the finger isn’t pointing squarely at him.