LA Rams News: Likes and dislikes of Barnwell’s NFL offense ranking

LA Rams News: Likes and dislikes of ESPN Bill Barnwell’s NFL offense ranking

It happens every year in the NFL. Some offseason ranking typically falls towards another NFL team, not the LA Rams. So 2020 is not the exception, but rather the norm.  Still, the NFL’s top-rated offenses in the past three seasons have always included the Rams. Even the 2019 version of a decimated offensive line, a wobbly backfield, and a quarterback with a sharp drop in TD passes coinciding with a sharp uptick in interceptions, the Rams finished seventh in the NFL.

So the latest NFL offensive weapons rankings from ESPN writer Bill Barnwell should factor some of that into his assessment, right?  Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but objectivity does not always coincide with rankings, and trends seem to be ignored in the context of projections.

Can’t please everyone, but Brown fans ought to be pleased

All in all, it’s a good piece that has a solid overview of all 32 NFL teams.  And with any ranking system, there are those elements that strike many as “what was he thinking?”.   There is a sudden rise of the Arizona Cardinals offensive ranking from near the basement of the NFL to nearly the top of the heap. That also goes for the Buffalo Bills and the Carolina Panthers. Of course, the Cleveland Browns ranking as second best in the NFL will be discussed later.

It seems that a team that showed that much resiliency should be ripe for a rebound, not continuing on a death spiral out of NFL significance.

What’s not to like

The Rams faced a very difficult set of circumstances in 2019. From a 31st-ranked offensive line that played poorly due to widespread injuries, to a struggling running game, the Rams offense never seemed to be in synch. In fact, while Goff hurled over 4600 yards, his 22 touchdown passes were incredibly light.

Of course, the devil is in the details, so not many national writers get to that level in these types of articles. So it’s the headlines of the Cardinals trading for DeAndre Hopkins that makes the NFL national media give a standing ovation. But keep in mind that Deshaun Watson threw to Hopkins at Houston. Can Kyler Murray synch up in a limited training camp season?  Doubtful. The addition of Kenyan Drake is another plus.  But this was a bad offense in 2019, and while they can improve, will the Cardinals suddenly break into the top ten?  Hmmm… seems very optimistic,

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And while we are on the subject of excessive optimism, here are some more.  Pushing the Bills, Panthers, and Browns to the top of the NFL in 2020 seems a bit of a stretch. The Browns quarterback remains Baker Mayfield, and I have no confidence that he can lead an NFL top-ten offense. The Panthers added former Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.  But the Panthers’ offense has nowhere near the weapons as that of the Saints, so don’t look for the Panthers to crack a top-ten ranking in 2020.  Finally, the Buffalo Bills are a team built on managing a ball-control offense and playing superb defense.  Josh Allen is an adequate quarterback, but he’s not a star.  The Bills will rely, once more, on defense.

What’s to like

Surprisingly, the Rams are still rated second in the NFC West, and 11th overall. While Barnwell keeps the Rams offense within reach of a top-10 spot at 11, the write-up confirms that the Rams have three of the most dynamic offensive weapons in the NFL in Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, and tight end Tyler Higbee.

He does a fair job assessing the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers as well.  The Seahawks are at 15, thanks in large part to the play of WR D.K. Metcalf. And he does a good job of commenting that the 49ers have a deep offense, not necessarily a strong set of offensive stars.

All in all, I think there is plenty to debate over his rankings. He covers a lot of ground and in an easily read and understood format.  All in all, not a bad job. If only one article would be optimistic over the Rams’ chances in 2020.