NFL analyst declares Rams are NFL's worst at this, and he's not wrong

If you could fix anything on the Los Angeles Rams team, what would it be?

Special teams. Not so special so far.

And when Los Angeles had to hold a post-BYE week meeting that focused on fixing the team's field goal kicking, that was just one of multiple challenges facing the team in 2025. If Los Angeles hopes to succeed in 2025, the special teams have to be special again.

And so far, if progress towards that goal is being made, it's coming at a snail's pace.

When one of the NFL analysts who knows more than the average Joe cites the special teams as LA's Achilles Heel, you know it's bad. But that is neither here nor there, as Dan Orlovsky has placed the Rams' special teams on center stage. And the more fans investigate, the more dire the perspective.

The team is struggling in multiple categories. It sits last in:
1. - Field goal accuracy
2. - Punt coverage
3. - Kickoff coverage
4. - No punt return of 25 yards
5. - No kickoff returns greater than 35 yards.

Worse yet, the team has only made changes with the field goal kicker. So, even if the worst shortcoming is corrected, special teams have multiple categories to address. And only seven regular-season games remain in which to do so.

Chase Blackburn is at the epicenter of special team struggles

Typically, the emotions that trigger fans to call for a coach to be fired or a player to be released are only good at half the equation. The other half, how to upgrade the vacancy with someone better, is completely ignored. But here we are, sitting last in multiple special team categories, which leads to the obvious conclusion.

This can't get any worse. Or can it?

No, this is not another voice joining the chorus line to fire special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn mid-season. But it is a harbinger of what may come at season's end. If the team is truly hiring a bevy of coaches and coordinators, Blackburn's role is anything but certain in 2026.

The first indication of Blackburn's demise happened in a Week 3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Unfortunately, things have not improved since then. For now, there appears to be homeostasis established at a low level of performance.

Can the team muster enough juice in the remaining games to stay successful? It's a tough gamble. But it's a safe bet to expect this team to part ways with Blackburn at season's end.

Dan Orlovsky certainly did not call for Blackburn's firing. But if you follow the breadcrumbs, that is exactly where this trail leads.

As always, thanks for reading.