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

Little Fixable IV: Why are Rams throwing TDs to Robert Woods in garbage time?

The path to the playoffs for the LA Rams has GOT to include their veteran wide receiver, Robert Woods. Let’s be honest, the fact that this had to be brought up in an article with four games in the rearview mirror absolutely astonishes me. Robert Woods should not be disappearing for four games. Robert Woods deserves more than to be thrown to for a touchdown in garbage time. The Rams have done so twice in this young season so far.

The LA Rams are not a showboat spotlighting-style sort of team. And their spiritual leader on offense is Robert Woods. Has been. Is. Will be. Lest we forget the fact that when the LA Rams have advanced in the playoffs twice in the past three seasons, they’ve done so without Cooper Kupp. It’s been Steady-Freddie Robert Woods who the Rams have leaned on when the going has gotten tough.

Little Fix IV for Week 5: Simple enough. Target Robert Woods all game long

Is there a reason that Robert Woods is not the target of many pass plays? Well, we know that the Rams offense creates a series of progression reads. We had cited a series of video analyses by former Rams great, Kurt Warner, of the tendencies of newly acquired Matthew Stafford. Stafford can process defenses instantly. And he has a ton of confidence.

Now, here’s the catch. He believes in himself strongly and will make the errant throw into a tight window on a deep ball, rather than take a shorter route that is wide open. The only answer then is to make Woods a primary read on a passing route. If that doesn’t work, then simply start playing 12-personnel packages and pull Kupp off the field.

Remember, it’s Kupp who struggles to stay healthy late in the season. The Rams tend to be very episodic, running the hell out of a player, and then scrambling to replace him later in the season. Slow down on the Kupp-fest now. Save some for later. In the meantime, give Robert Woods some love.