The tired old narratives about the LA Rams are back

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Some NFL analysts make solid and objective assessments, and the LA Rams typically end up on the positive side of their deep dives. But when critical assessment is necessary to point out flaws, they do that too. NFL Insiders/Analysts who I have found to be both objective and fair include such household names as Brian Baldinger, Andrew Whitworth, Dan Orlovsky, and even Peter Schrager.

But there is that other side of the coin, the dark and subjective ‘analyst’ whose reputation is rooted in the death, destruction, and doom cries. In their world, the sky is always falling, the LA Rams have been a perennial train wreck, and the LA Rams have spent all of their money and draft picks, leaving this team nothing to repair and restock their roster.

Different year, the same tired old narrative

Such as?  Well, here is one shameful take on the LA Rams, an NFL show hosted by Craig Carton (I’ve not heard of him before) who is suddenly full of insight about the LA Rams and head coach Sean McVay:

This is about as meaningful, and factual, as The National Enquire headlining a report with news that ‘UFOs landed in my backyard and we had a great interstellar barbecue!

Craig Carton is not someone who has any ties to the LA Rams, nor do his clams have more than an iota of truth to them. His claim of no draft picks is meaningless, as the Rams have a projected ten picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, seven picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, and seven picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. While the aging quarterback may be true, Matthew Stafford is 34 years of age. That means he has at least two-three good years in him, and with a good offensive line, perhaps more.

That young Rams roster gets lost in the shuffle

In terms of an ‘aging defense,’ again he is just tossing mud at the barn door and hoping that some of it will stick. The truth of the matter is that the entire LA Rams roster opened the 2022 season as the 10th-youngest team in the NFL. The Rams’ defense average age plummeted as the team’s more senior players like A’Shawn Robinson, Aaron Donald, and more were injured, and the players who took the football field in their place were still on rookie contracts.

Constructive criticism is both valued and necessary to maintain a healthy perspective. But the first rule of thumb is that criticism must be based on objective facts, not simply rehashing the same tired old narrative that was written before, and just refreshed with rearranging the words.

The truth of the matter is that the LA Rams had to endure this type of chatter after their 2019 NFL season. At that time, the failure of the Rams in Super Bowl LIII was so disastrous that the LA Rams would never recover. The Rams won Super Bowl LVI at the end of the 2021 NFL season.

No, the sky is not falling over the LA Rams. But they certainly do want you to believe that it is.

And yes, this is going to be a very long offseason.

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