LA Rams News: OC O’Connell repackaging O for QB Goff

LA Rams new OC Kevin O’Connell’s first assignment? Repackage offense for QB Jared Goff

There is a bit of a metamorphosis happening right now in the LA Rams offense. No, it’s not on the practice field, but in the mindset of LA Rams quarterback Jared Goff. Much like the metamorphosis that happens with actors who begin to take on the roles of directing in movies, Goff is transitioning from the bus driver for the LA Rams to the guy who plans the routes. The person who is responsible for helping Goff in that transition?  Offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell.

That’s not a sign of anything breaking down, or even of something not going according to plan. Quite the opposite, to be honest. The setback of the LA Rams’ offense in 2019 was not simply a failure of the quarterback to make the right reads, but of calling the right plays to neutralize what the defense is doing on any given Sunday.

Injuries, struggles, and 2019 hopefully forgotten

It’s the historical record of an offensive line that suffered poor play and injuries to more than 80 percent of the starters that set the stage for the Rams offense. Injuries impacted first-time starting center Brian Allen, left guard Joseph Noteboom, right guard Austin Blythe, and right tackle Rob Havenstein.  Although Blythe returned to take over at the center position, both he and veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth had corrective surgery following the season.

So the summary of the 2019 season was a battered offensive line that only found bedrock late in the season when head coach Sean McVay shifted to a two tight-end offensive default. While that was enough to reset the Rams’ offensive output in 2019, it remains to be seen just what the Rams plan for 2020 to ensure a similar breakdown can be avoided.