The Rams fatal flaw is their defense, plain and simple

The 45-35 loss to the New Orleans Saints exposed a Los Angeles Rams defense that looks to be the weak link on an otherwise legitimate contender.

Don’t pretend that what you saw in the Los Angeles Rams 45-35 loss to the New Orleans Saints was an anomaly because it was not. As LA rolls to a Week 10 matchup with their NFC West rival Seattle Seahawks, the writing on the wall is not a complicated read.

The defense is a legitimate concern.

When cornerback Marcus Peters gave up the long and deciding dagger to Saints receiver Michael Thomas, it was akin to the dam breaking on what most knew but hadn’t needed to own up to to. The much hyped, much ballyhooed defense that would terrorize opposing quarterbacks and offenses hasn’t materialized and will not be materializing anytime soon. What we all know is that what you see is pretty much baked into the cake that is the 2018 Rams.

For head coach Sean McVay, it’ll be pedal to the metal for the balance of the season. With the big name defensive acquisitions being big in name only, it’ll be his offense led by running back Todd Gurley who will need to carry the water for this team. It will also be quarterback Jared Goff who will need to be bigger than his third year of experience.

If Week 9 taught fans and the NFL media anything, it’s that the Rams fatal flaw is a defense you can push around and that an offense who can score 35 on the road will have to find a way to score more.

Lots more.

That’s right. The Saints showed that 35 points might not always be enough.

Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will need to find a jar of magic beans to solve what is becoming a serious issue with the Rams Super Bowl aspirations. Most shocking, the defense was supposed to be the one area most if not all thought was a mortal lock for this team this season.

It’s not.

The Rams may still be a contender for a Lombardi Trophy. But the talent they dumped a lot of money into should offer a refund, as the investment hasn’t been worth it so far.