Little fixables from LA Rams Week 4 L can create Week 5 W

When it rains, it pours. That old adage was also the marketing pitch for the old Morton salt, salt that sold itself on the fact that it didn’t clump up when it got wet. But it also described the deluge of little things that plagued the LA Rams entire team in Week 4, lending itself to an old-fashioned beat down at SoFi Stadium at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals.

Was this a bit of overconfidence on the Rams part? It certainly looked like they, and not the visiting Arizona Cardinals, were the team that was a bit awestruck. While the emotional overreactions are a personal choice of fans, they really don’t do anything constructive or analytical to define the problems that the Rams experienced and deliver solvent solutions that can be deployed in three days, in time for the Thursday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks.

You never count your money while you’re sitting at the table. It seemed that the Rams failed to consider that bit of wisdom, as they were guilty of so many little things that simply led to a huge and unavoidable loss. And yet, it was and is only one loss.

Little Fixable I: The offense is in a rut in just four games

The problem in Week 4 when the LA Rams had the ball is that the offense has become so very and utterly predictable. Too predictable. In years past, this would be swept under the carpet and attributed to one of the fatal flaws of quarterback Jared Goff.

But…

Matthew Stafford is under center, and he loves to improvise after the snap. Head coach Sean McVay is still designing that offensive playbook and still calling the plays. So the problem wasn’t the last guy, but the current guys. When a defense can admit after the game what the offense will do before the offense does it, that’s a problem.

Little Fix I for Week 5: Break the habits

The LA Rams offense is way too predictable, a point we repeated going into Week 4. So why not change it up? We came up with a few strategies, but find some more and implement them. The Rams can go with 12 personnel more frequently. The Rams can commit to running the ball with one running back more frequently. The Rams can even simply choose to throw to anyone not named Cooper Kupp.

If there is any defense to deploy a new offensive strategy, it’s that of the Seattle Seahawks. They give up more yardage than any other defense. But in the same breath, they are particularly more difficult to score against. For that matter, converting third downs and getting touchdowns in the red zone are places this offense needs to improve. In the belief that the Rams offense can more the ball, there should be plenty of opportunities to trial new red zone plays to see if any are effective.