Colin Cowherd ranks LA Rams as top NFL team after week one

When the LA Rams rolled the dice to acquire veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, there were many who saw this as the right move for a team that had fallen short in the past. But there were others who were not quite as convinced. Some viewed the pricetag of quarterback Jared Goff, a 2021 fourth-round pick, a 2022 first-round pick, and finally a 2023 first-round pick, as too much compensation.

But what is the price of excellence? The Rams had traded a similar type package (sans a player) to the Jacksonville Jaguars for All-Pro defensive back Jalen Ramsey. That turned out pretty well. So the value of that exchange will be best assessed years down the road, after the Rams and the Lions truly can gauge what they have ultimately traded to one another.

But Fox Sports analyst Colin Cowherd doesn’t need to wait years, or even months, to give his take on the LA Rams pickup of Matthew Stafford. He loves Stafford’s fit in this offense. He cited a curious take in his defense of placing the Rams atop his ranking. In 2020, the Rams only had two pass plays resulting in touchdowns over 50 yards. Yesterday, in the first game of the season, the Rams had two touchdown pass plays of over 50 yards.

That bit of quick-strike ability is the missing ingredient to this offense, in Cowherd’s opinion.

Is it the missing piece? Well, it’s one of about four key components to bolster the Rams’ chances of success this year. The Rams offense needed to I-protect the football, II-handle A-gap blitzes, III -adapt to defenses, IV-hit on deep passes. The Rams offense demonstrated a better ability in the opener than the 2020 version of the offense. A good first step, and a very good start, to the 2021 NFL season.