LA Rams: 3 tweaks to improve ‘sloppy’ rushing attack vs. Raiders

If you watched the LA Rams host the LA Chargers, then no doubt your eyes are glued to one of these (NFL Waiver Wire) for one of these (NFL Free Agent Tracker – Running Back). Well, I don’t want to sound all preachy and such, but the LA Rams would have struggled to get much in the running game against the Chargers no matter who was running the ball, simply because this was not a dedicated effort to move the ball on the ground.

Let me clarify. It was clear that former defensive coordinator turned head coach Brandon Staley used the intimate information he took away from the LA Rams organization. That information became the basis for a game plan.  It was too easy for him to develop a game plan to defeat the Rams based upon what he knew about the team’s vulnerabilities. Of course, putting starting defensive players onto the field versus the Rams backups didn’t hurt his cause either.

It’s preseason.  I get that. With the Rams pushing second-stringers onto the football field to face their starters, it’s going to end up as a lopsided score. But the score is not what I’m talking about here.

What I am referring to is the fact that this is an evaluation, a test of players who are struggling to earn a roster spot. From what we saw against the Chargers, the Rams running backs are hopelessly outgunned. You can’t hit a tennis ball with a badminton racket. You can’t hit a baseball over the fence with a Wiffle ball bat.

But the Rams are going to get a good assessment about their running backs when the entire group rushed 20 times for 50 yards? Nah. I don’t think so.