LA Rams punch list after first four games of 2020 NFL season

LA Rams’ on-the-fence, surprises, and disappointments after the 2020 season’s first four games

The LA Rams have played four games so far, and have twelve remaining. Since that is 25 percent completed of a 16 games NFL season, why not pause here and take a breath.  The journey is all part of the fun.  We wait for months for football to be back, and yet when it arrives we race through the season in a rush to accumulate wins.  Then, we hope for a berth in the NFL Playoffs, which means the end of another season.

Well, let’s not have that this year. Why not take pauses and celebrate the pleasant surprises, and discuss the disappointments.  The Rams were not very popular in the offseason. By some accounts, this team was destined to collapse under the weight of an inflated payroll and supersized egos. Many pointed to the exodus of talent from a disappointing 9-7 team as reason enough to be bearish on the 2020 LA Rams. Many predicted a six to eight-win season this year.

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But surprise folks.  the Rams are already 3-1 and are trailing the NFC West-leading Seattle Seahawks by a game. For NFC Playoff calculations, the Rams have won three games in the conference which places them in an excellent position for a playoff berth. The Rams are in second place in the NFC West, a division that has a combined 11-5 record.  Only the AFC North is comparable, at 10-4-1. But the NFL postponed the Tenessee Titans game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Some would challenge whether the Rams ‘deserve’ a playoff berth. To do so, there are plenty of shortcomings to cite with this Rams team.  Let’s face it, all teams have bad plays, bad football quarters, and bad games. There are no perfect NFL seasons.  Winning a game in style is no more important than winning a game in an ugly fashion.

Disappointments

The LA Rams have plenty of work to do this year. If you were under the impression that any aspect of the team would suit up and be a finished product from the first game of the season, you may need to sit down to hear this.  This season had no preseason, not OTAs, and a crash course training camp. Based on that alone, 32 NFL teams entered the season with multiple weaknesses.

They include blocking, tackling, penalties, and a host of other football fundamentals that have been sporadic this season. While the Rams have been consistently good on penalties, they have struggled with tackling. Not just the act of wrapping up the ball carrier, but in pursuit angles and getting multiple defenders involved.

For that matter, the referees have not been doing a good job this year, at all.

Not-so-special special teams

The LA Rams special teams are not very special this year. The Rams are ranked 31st after three games by Football Outsiders.com and are ranked 27th in the NFL by Lineups. com. While the Rams punting unit remains outstanding thanks to the booming foot of Johnny Hekker, the team is struggling with field goals and coverage units. I don’t know anyone who is happy with WR Cooper Kupp returning punts. And so far Sam Sloman is kicking at 71 percent accuracy, with no field goals made over 40+ yards. Tsk tsk.

Perhaps the greatest disappointment so far to the LA Rams fans is the status of both NT A’Shawn Robinson and OLB Terrell Lewis. Both players arrived with the optimism of fitting a specific need on the team. And then, they were both placed on Injured Reserve. The Rams defense has done well with the new defensive scheme, but there are parts where this defense still struggles.  It’s been disappointing not to witness either player contributing yet.

Still on the fence about

With so many rapid changes, the LA Rams are still in the ‘under construction’ phase in some vital areas of the team. While that is to be expected, there are some pieces that have had flashes of brilliance co-mingled with moments of deep regret.  It’s a young team with new schemes. It’s not unusual, but it does sustain that shroud of uncertainty.

The LA Rams have not truly addressed their Inside linebacker position for several years. While the team was content to start Travin Howard and Micah Kiser at inside linebacker, Howard suffered a season-ending injury before ever taking the field. That has resulted in the Rams starting Kiser with Kenny Young.  While Kiser had an outstanding game against the Philadelphia Eagles, the play at inside linebacker has been inconsistent. Will it work? Well now Kiser left the Giants game with a groin injury, so the Rams are running thin at the position.

Depth charges

The LA Rams quarterback depth was a concern this year as the Rams are carrying just two quarterbacks on the active roster. That seems fine until week four arrived and with it came positive COVID-19 tests on four NFL teams. Those teams included the Tennessee Titans, the Kansas City Chiefs, the New Orleans Saints, and the New England Patriots. In an instant, the false sense of security was shattered, replaced by the endless ‘what if’ scenarios. Depth at a position is like insurance, it seems excessive until you need it.

While we are discussing adequate depth, the LA Rams secondary depth has been a mixed bag so far this season.  While the unexpected discovery of safety Jordan Fuller in round six of the 2020 NFL Draft was incredible, the status of the secondary when he is not playing is concerning.  The belief was that with his arrival, the Rams would be in a position to absorb free agency losses from the secondary in 2021. That is a very big question mark right now.

Surprises

What have you been pleasantly surprised by with the Rams so far? Is it the offensive line? The quality of quarterback Jared Goff’s plays? The number of receivers who are within reach of a 1000 yard season? Or the running game after releasing longtime star runner Todd Gurley? Let’s pull apart the pieces and hold some up to the light for discussion.

Let’s start with a good update on the Rams defense. The team has four interceptions so far, and two from cornerback Darious Williams. The Rams had 13 interceptions in 2019, so they are a bit ahead of that pace this year. Added to that is the Rams sack total so far this season at 12, which is nearly on pace for last year’s 50 sacks. The Rams have had a pretty brutal schedule so far and will continue to at a difficult pace through the bye week.

Goff back?

Quarterback Jared Goff finished 2019 having completed 62.9 percent of his passes  4,638 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. So far in 2020, he’s completed 72.1 percent of his passes for 1,063 yards, six touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. To be fair, one interception resulted from an unpenalized hands-to=the-helmet by Cowboys defensive end Aldon Smith. While Goff’s numbers are solid, they are not going to headline anywhere. But Goff’s completion rate is the fifth-best in the NFL, and he’s showing complete command of the offense.

Perhaps one of the most pleasant surprises is the fact that the Rams can run the ball this year. After a 2019 season of rushing over 400 attempts for 1,499 yards and 20 touchdowns, the Rams cut starting RB Todd Gurley.  While many expected a setback, the Rams have rushed 134 times for 569 yards and seven touchdowns, a far cry better pace than a year ago.  While that is a clear indication that the offensive line is playing well, it’s also the evidence of the Rams committing to running the ball once more. Perhaps the fact that the Rams going back to what the Rams do best is the best surprise of all.