Do Young Rams Know How to Win?

The LA Rams have a young roster with limited success. Do they have the ability to create a winning culture in Los Angeles?

Now that offseason activities are in full swing for the Los Angeles Rams, talks around the team have slowly started to shift from focusing on the move from St. Louis to the preparation for the upcoming 2016 season.

While players may still be adjusting off the field to their new homes, the business of football has remained largely unchanged between the lines.

Can Jared Goff be the answer at quarterback?  Will guys like Todd Gurley and Aaron Donald take the leap and become true NFL superstars?

Most importantly, will the Rams return to Los Angeles also mark a return to winning football?

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So much has been made of all the “new” associated with the LA Rams going into 2016.  But is it possible that it can be something that has become very familiar to the Rams and their fans over the years that might ultimately dictate the outcome of their season?

In a recent interview, linebacker James Laurinaitis had some strong comments about the key differences he was seeing from a cultural standpoint in New Orleans compared to his old home with the Rams.

Laurinaitis now sees himself surrounded by an organization that he feels is committed to winning.  He is around players like Drew Brees that are used to both individual and team success.

While he did not speak negatively about any of the members of his former organization, his point was still very clear.

The Rams may have moved to a new city.  But is their culture still the same?  Running down the list of players on the roster, there are very few with winning experience.

Every key member of the team has either no NFL experience or only losing NFL experience.  Jeff Fisher, for all of his experience, is known for producing very average results in most cases.

How does an organization full of personnel that has very limited experience winning at the highest level create a culture of winning?  How do they instill a believe in all of their players that 7-9 is not “good enough”?

It may be the answer to these questions that ultimately determine how successful the Rams will be in their return to Los Angeles.  Excitement is high and the spotlight has gotten much bigger for this team.  The players may enjoy the added exposure they are getting off the field.

But, if they fail to win, that additional time in the public eye will start to feel like more of a curse.

Do the Rams have enough players in that locker room that understand that building a winning program is not just about the numbers you put up on the field, but it is about the work you put in and the way you conduct yourself off the field.

The Rams have the a lot of talent and, at the end of the day, that talent meeting or exceeding expectations could see the Rams having more success on Sundays.

If this happens, talk of the Rams not having a winning culture will quickly vanish to be replaced by praise and increased optimism for the future.

But, until the Rams show they are truly ready to shed their label as perennial under-achievers, doubt will continue to creep into the minds of Rams fans everywhere.

Fans can only hope that, while the physical move from St. Louis might be the most visible change with the team this offseason, it will actually be a cultural change behind the closed doors of that locker room that ultimately turns out to be the most significant adjustment this team makes heading into the 2015 season.