Fans fervor to fire Rams DC Raheem Morris is misplaced

Here we go again. The shrieks to “Fire Raheem Morris!” are becoming more numerous and getting louder with each passing week.  We’ve been here before, as this pattern was the rule in 2021. Of course, that was a Super Bowl-winning season, and this clearly is not. But it is no more justified this season than it was a year ago.

The anger and frustration of LA Rams fans are justified. The focus of that anger and frustration upon the LA Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is not. How can I say that? Aren’t the LA Rams 3-6 and losing any chance at competing in the NFL Playoffs this season? Isn’t the LA Rams defense the unit that allows opposing offenses to score, sending the already stressed-out offense into that pass-only panic mode?

Well, perhaps the answer is more simple than many think. In short, we only hold what we see accountable for the results. In short, it’s tough to associate the LA Rams offense with the current struggles of the team, simply because the offense has really not shown much of a fight this season.  The Rams average 282.7 yards per game (31st), 68.1 yards per game running the football (32nd), and despite attempting 324 passes this season (16th), only have 214.6 passing yards per game (21st).

It’s easy to hold offensive linemen injuries, bad luck, and a host of other mystical cosmic forces accountable, and give the play-calling, the lack of commitment to run the football, and the willingness to pass the football 35+ times a game no matter who lines up under center a waiver.

But worst of all, the Rams offense has coughed up the football 15 times (28th), a key element to the Rams holding a net turnover of (-7), which comes in at 30th out of 32 NFL teams.

How soon do we forget that lesson from 2019

Hey, some things are within the team’s control, and some things simply are not. So what is in the realm of control for the Rams’ offense? Well, in 2019, the LA Rams’ offensive line was decimated by injuries. As a result, the rushing attack was inept, and that bled over to the passing game as well. So how did the Rams handle it? The team installed a 12-personnel package that gave the offense an extra blocker in TE Johnny Mundt and repurposed the passing game through TE Tyler Higbee.

The result was astounding. An offense that had managed only 35 points in the previous three games roared back to life, averaging 29 points per game over the final five contests that year. Higbee would put up 522 yards and two touchdowns over a five-game stretch. Even the Rams’ rushing attack, now bolstered with reinforced blocking and a resurging passing attack, got back on track. So why not even try that solution this year? So far, the Rams’ offensive minds seem to be simply spinning their wheels.

The Rams’ defense getting a bad rap

But that defense? Well that’s another matter, isn’t it? After all, fans witness opposing teams score points. Fans must endue the bend-not-break defensive philosophy that thanks to the offense’s ineptness, breaks long before it bends very much. But how much of that is truly a bad defense versus how much is simply amplified because the offense is simply that bad?  Let’s look at some objective facts and statistics.

The Rams’ defense, entering Week 11, has allowed just 310.8 yards per game (6th), just 96.1 rushing yards per game (4th), and just 214.7 passing yards per game (17th). So let’s look at some scoring statistics.

This Rams defense is putting up playoff worthy numbers

The Rams’ defense has allowed just six rushing touchdowns (6th), and just 11 passing touchdowns (9th). But there is more, so much more, about this defense that makes it a cut above what folks are discussing in the chat rooms and social media:

For those who may have forgotten, the LA Rams’ top-ranked defense in 2020 allowed an average of 26.0 points in the playoffs.  The Rams allowed 381.0 yards per game (7th of 14) and 26.0 points per game (9th of 14).  Why did it underperform so dramatically? When Brandon Staley was the defensive coordinator of the LA Rams that season, he stressed pass coverage over run defense, and NFL offenses figured out that the best way to beat the Rams was to attack the middle of the defense repeatedly.

The Rams’ secondary was hammered with injuries too

The Rams’ defense is actually playing pretty well.  That has been in spite of DL Bobby Brown III’s six-week suspension. That has been in spite of the injuries that have also decimated the LA Rams’ secondary, forcing the team to sign free agent Shaun Jolly to ensure sufficient depth.

So far this season, the Rams have already had to release DB Tyler Hall (injury settlement), release DB Dan Isom (injury settlement), place DB Troy Hill on IR, place DB Grant Haley on IR, place DB Quentin Lake on PUP/IR, and faced a number of weeks without DB David Long Jr., DB Jordan Fuller, or DB Cobie Durant. And this season is only at the mid-point.

Whenever the Rams’ offense has scored 20 or more points in a game, the Rams have won. Of course, we’ve been down this path before, less than one year ago. In 2021, the outcry to fire Raheem Morris only subsided when the Rams won the NFC Championship Game against the visiting San Francisco 49ers.

How many fans judged Raheem Morris hastily in 2021? How many are judging him hastily this season?

Be careful what you wish for, you just may get it

Not only is Raheem Morris coaching a pretty good defense, but he is keeping his players positively engaged and playing hard. What does that matter? If you hadn’t read the tale of defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson’s experience with the Detroit Lions, this is a perfect chance to click this link here and read just how poorly some NFL coaches act with their players.

Relax. Pause. Breathe.

Now, let’s walk the logic of firing DC Raheem Morris through to its outcome. Who do you hire to replace him now? Who do you hire in the off-season? You can’t fix the defense by firing a guy if you haven’t an upgrade at the position in mind. Now, with that in mind, scroll up to see just how well this defense has performed this season despite the numerous secondary injuries. Are there other defensive coordinators available right now who could truly do better?

Let’s focus on the real problem for now. Get whatever is left on the offense working again. Then? If you still want to fire Raheem Morris, shout it at the top of your lungs. But be careful what you wish for. If you get rid of Morris, there are no guarantees that his replacement will be able to get this defense close to where they are right now.

And worst of all, firing Morris does nothing to fix the inept offense.