Three mortal locks for the Rams this upcoming season

In an upcoming season with much uncertainty, Los Angeles Rams fans can count on three things in 2017. Getting to .500 isn’t one of them.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff enters his 2017 audition/campaing hoping to improve upon number of games played, wins total, and a firm grasp on what direction the sun will rise and set.

Ok, that was a shot at the second year quarterback, but he made it easy sometimes.

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All that said, and speculation aside, fans and NFL watchers can count on three things in 2017. In no particular order, here are three absolutes, mortal locks if you will, that you can look for in Los Angeles.

1. Defense will win more games for the Rams than Goff and the offense.
Los Angeles will have some challenges offensively in the early season as Goff and head coach Sean McVay begin to execute the Rams game plan in real time. But as the offense experiences some requisite growing pains, the defense will have to carry the water.

Simply put, Aaron Donald and company will be the best and most reliable component in any wins that the Rams have in 2017. It’s an unbalanced team at the moment, and that isn’t necessarily a knock, but with Goff essentially one year behind, the defense will put the Rams in more opportunities to win, especially early, than the LA offense.

2. Special teams may again be MVP worthy.

Be it Johnny Hekker or Greg Zuerlein, aka “Legatron”, Rams special teams will be a critical element, again, in Los Angeles. Expect close games in 2017, and that’s not a bad thing. But those close games will result in how field goals and field position play out. Would it be unlikely that the offense breaks down as this young group of players is still figuring it out?

No.

But such a scenario isn’t out of the realm of possibility. Most unique to this Rams team is the potential for this team to win games, five games I believe, with an offense and quarterback that won’t always be very productive when they have the ball.

3. Rams 2017 team MVP won’t be a player.
Yes, Trumaine Johnson will have a big year in search of a contract for next season, Aaron Donald will be the best player in Los Angeles, and both Goff and Todd Gurley will have a better season than last.

But none of those listed above will be why the Rams have a better, if not more optimistic season.

If I’m betting, I believe both McVay and Wade Phillips will be the reason Los Angeles turns the corner this year. I’d make the argument that last year’s coaching staff may have cost the Rams some games, as penalties and poor offensive game plans hurt that team.

Such dysfunction won’t exist this season.

Both McVay and Phillips will immediately establish what they want to do. While the offense may be behind the defense to begin the season, the improvement with Goff and his unit will emerge, while the Rams ‘D’ will be one of the most dominant in the league.

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What those two coaches will do, and why they will be the most valuable component of 2017, is because they represent a new direction and attitude. I’ll readily concede that all the “good feelz” won’t win many if any games. But the long breath of fresh air and a coach beholden to no one will allow the Los Angeles Rams to play away from the shadow of the chronic losing that came to best represent the Jeff Fisher era.

That will mean something now, and moving forward in LA.