LA Rams training camp: Spin balance this offense

The LA Rams have shopped the free agency market, the draft, and have shopped again. Now, this team must suit everyone up in pads, get them out to the football field, and balance everything out. That’s due to the fact that not all players have the same cadence. Timing is critical, and that requires repetitions to ensure that all players are following the same drum beat. So the LA Rams will need to spin balance this offense. It really isn’t enough to add a Matthew Stafford, a DeSean Jackson, or promote a Van Jefferson. Just like buying car tires, the coaches will need to be put through their paces to balance everything out.

If you have disposable income and a functioning car, you are eventually going to invest in new tires. New tires look good, and if you shop wisely could save your life. Forget the steering, the engine, and the brakes. Automobile tires are what propel vehicles, stop vehicles, and turn vehicles. They are the only part designed to contact the concrete, asphalt, gravel, or dirt road, so they are one of the most critical parts to the car.

Don’t skimp.

Los Angeles Rams

But tires are manufactured. Specifications for a tire can result in one section being slightly thicker or thinner. Mount that on a car rim and spin it at ridiculous speeds, and you will notice that the tire will shimmy, or wobble, due to uneven distribution of weight. So auto mechanics add a bit of weight to the tire rim to balance everything out, make it uniform, and function as intended. Voila! Imperfections are eliminated.

Coaches at training camp are like those auto mechanics. Players come out of meeting rooms and away from the whiteboards with the expectation to execute flawlessly, harmoniously, and consistently. But there are imperfections in their demonstration of plays. Players get off the ball at various times and at different speeds and power.

Tilt. Out of balance.

Coaches are there to redistribute the weight. Drill constantly. Put things back into balance so center to the quarterback is automatic, so that quarterback to the running back hand-offs are flawless, and so quarterback passes to receivers are timed perfectly. Just like tires from the factory, so many exchanges in the game are expected to go without a hitch. But the LA Rams offense will never attain any highlights without nailing the mundane aspects of getting out of stances at the same time, snapping the football, and hitting the mark on timing routes.

Even through preseason games, the coaches will be spin balancing this offense. No glamour. No spotlights. Just the offense going through the motions at various speeds and with various personnel packages to discover the right personnel to put on the field to move the chains and put points on the board.

This is a high-octane offense. That means that this offense will undergo a significant amount of ‘timing’ adjustments, balancing tweaks, and a bit of leeway to get everything purring at peak performance on opening day. Think of the Rams offense as being up on the mechanic’s rack for the next couple of weeks. The team will no doubt concern a fan or two as everything gets adjusted.

The Rams will be ready for the Chicago Bears. For now, it’s time to spin balance this offense.