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LA Rams to hire Kevin O’Connell new offensive coordinator

By Bret Stuter

LANDOVER, MD - AUGUST 29: Washington Redskins offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell looks on before a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at FedEx Field on August 29, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - AUGUST 29: Washington Redskins offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell looks on before a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at FedEx Field on August 29, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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LA Rams to hire new offensive coordinator, former Washington Redskins offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell

The LA Rams wasted no time in hiring their new offensive coordinator.  He will be former Washington Redskins offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell. If you didn’t know the Rams were in the market for a new offensive coordinator, you are not alone.  The news of the search only became public earlier today when ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler linked the LA Rams to O’Connell as an offensive coordinator.

O’Connell is a natural fit for head coach Sean McVay’s offense.  After all, the same people who hired on McVay at Washington, brought in O’Connell as his protege’.  The offensive coordinator is a brand new role for the LA Rams under McVay, but is long overdue.

The Rams offense showed weakness initially in Super Bowl 53, mustering only 3 points against a not-that-good New England Patriots defense.  The offensive malaise carried over throughout 2019, amplified by a larger number of injuries to the offensive line.  When the smoke cleared, the offense scored far fewer points and struggled to run the ball. Despite those struggles, the Rams never seemed to deviate from the same offensive formula. Try to run. Abandon the run. Pass the rest of the game.

O’Connell is a young and rising star in the NFL, much like McVay in 2017.  He was a leader in the offensive coordinator roles in both the Cleveland Browns and the Philadelphia Eagles. Fortunately, the Rams succeeded in getting him.

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Don’t make the mistake of checking the box stats of the Washington Redskins to judge just how good O’Connell can game plan. He worked with inferior talent and an offense decimated by injuries. The Redskins averaged nearly 100 yards per game by featuring 34 year-old running back Adrian Peterson. The same  offense featured a familiar name, QB Case Keenum, as well as rookie QB Dwayne Haskins Jr. and was dead last in passing offense. The issue there was a devastated receiving corps with no standouts.  No general wins a war without soldiers.

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O’Connell is imaginative, features a good mix of both run and pass, and placed his quarterback into a good position. In 10 games, Keenum threw for just 1,707 yards, but added 11 touchdowns to just five interceptions.  His quarterback rating was 91.3. only second to his miraculous playoff bound season with the Minnesota Vikings.

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Adding O’Connell may have other tremendous benefits as well. We’ve named a number of offensive line free agents the LA Rams should target this offseason, two of whom are Tony Bergstrom and Donald Penn.  O’Connell will no doubt have a huge say in recruiting both players to shore up the Rams offensive line woes.

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