3 vital lessons that LA Rams must learn from SB LVIII

The LA Rams did not participate in Super Bowl LVIII. But that does not mean that there are not plenty of lessons to draw from in that game, and that can and should be applied to the team in 2024 to ensure that they are that much more competitive.

The game that pitted the San Francisco 49ers against the Kansas City Chiefs was as good as advertised and was a thrilling back-and-forth battle that blew past regulation play to require overtime to finally settle which team had earned the right to lay claim to the Lombardi Trophy. And even now, after the game, some are still questioning how the Chiefs managed to pull out that crazy victory in overtime.

Well, that is a topic for another time.

For now, let's focus on the lessons that the LA Rams must learn and the strategies that the team must adopt to ensure success in 2024. There was certainly plenty to watch, and learn in this one. Games at the level of an NFL Championship are truly decided by how well an NFL team truly prepares. Any weakness, and mental mistake, any single play can be the margin of victory.

And that game of inches reputation that is the NFL truly has been reinforced. Inches played a huge role in a game that witnessed the 49ers jump out to a 10-point lead, the Chiefs come back to put up a three-point lead, and the score to end as a tie after four quarters of regulation play.

This was by no means an error-free game. Both teams turned the football over twice. Neither team's offense was particularly effective. The 49ers offense was just three of 12 on third down. The Chiefs struggled in the red zone, scoring just twice in six attempts. Nearly half of the 49ers offensive yards was thanks to RB Christian McCaffrey, who rushed 22 times for 80 yards, but caught eight of eight passes for another 80 yards and a touchdown.

In the end, it was the 49ers vulnerability to mobile quarterbacks that proved to be their downfall again. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes not only passed 34 of 46 times for 333 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, but he rushed nine times for 66 yards, many occasions on critical down and distance plays that resulted in first downs.

So what can the Rams organization take away from watching Super Bowl LVIII? We have three lessons that the team must learn:

3 vital lessons that LA Rams must learn from SB LVIII

1. III: Rams must find a Top 10 kicker
2. II: Rams must get better production from tight end position
3. I: Big games are won by big guys in the trenches

III: Rams must find a Top 10 kicker

The Rams front office invested next to nothing in special teams for the 2023 NFL season. In a year that was earmarked as a season for development, growth, and rebuilding, that may have made some sense. After all, special teams play is the final flourish and window-dressing required to convert a competitive team into a Super Bowl Champion. Curiously, the team was ahead of schedule in 2023, a rapid pace that forced the spotlight on special teams play that was not very special.

While I was content to see what Rams re-signed kicker Tanner Brown might offer the team in his second attempt, the performance of Super Bowl kicks has made me retreat on that comfort level. Both the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs benefitted from field goals made from incredible distances. Had either Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker or 49ers kicker Jake Moody failed to make those field goals, the game would never have gone into overtime.

An NFL Championship is often won or lost on the strength of a kicker. Just look at how well Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker performed this season:

The LA Rams rifled through four different kickers in 2023, but not one kicker performed anywhere close to the proficiency of Butker.

If the Rams intend to compete in a Super Bowl game, let alone win one, the team has got to land a Top-10 kicker for the 2024 NFL season. That may take the shape of a veteran, a rookie, or poaching a kicker from an alternate football league like the CFL/XFL/USFL. But the front office must prioritize landing a kicker who has the strength to make 50+ yard field goals, and who has some respectable accuracy.

II: Rams must get better production from tight end position

It truly was no coincidence that both the Kansas City Chiefs (TE Travis Kelce) and the San Francisco 49ers (TE George Kittle) made it to Super Bowl LVIII. For that matter, notice that they had to get past the Baltimore Ravens (TEs Mark Andrews and Isaiah Lively) and the Detroit Lions (TE Sam LaPorta) respectively. To succeed in the NFL, teams must have a top-notch tight end who can block, move the chains, and score in the red zone.

While I do not intend to accidentally throw shade at starting tight end Tyler Higbee, rookie tight end Davis Allen, backup TE Hunter Long, or any other tight end currently on the Rams roster, the lesson learned from SB LVIII was clear. The team simply does not boast the firepower at the tight end position that the other teams do. And if that trend continues, perhaps the team will fall behind in 2024.

While there are a number of intriguing prospects who are up for grabs in the 2024 NFL Draft, there is a great deal of pre-combine buzz over Georgia tight end Brock Bowers. As of right now, he is projected to be among the first 10 prospects selected, and that may only intensify after he is tested and evaluated during the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.

The Rams were rumored to have attempted to trade up in Round 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft, with speculation that they were hoping to select Utah TE Dalton Kincaid. Kincaid was ultimately selected by the Buffalo Bills in Round 1 at the 25th overall selection. In 2023, Kincaid caught 73 of 91 passes for 673 yards and two touchdowns. While just a rookie, that is significantly better than any tight end on the Rams roster in 2023.

Perhaps rookie tight end Davis Allen can put up similar numbers if given a chance in 2024. But with both Tyler Higbee and Hunter Long recovering from injuries, the Rams may be wise to target a top-tier rookie tight end in the 2024 NFL Draft like Brock Bowers.

I: Big games are won by big guys in the trenches

Forget the MVP awards and the highlights. the biggest games are won by the big men in the trenches. Throughout the game, the battles between the offensive and defensive lines between both teams were a master class in NFL trenchwork. In the game, there were combined totals of 10 tackles for a loss, four quarterback sacks, and 169 tackles.

But even when big players did not record tackles, there often applied sufficient pressure to force mistimed or off-platform throws that fell harmlessly to the ground. For LA Rams fans, it was reminiscent of the outstanding impact felt in Super Bowl LVI by the combination of Aaron Donald joined by Von Miller. Now, the Rams must find that 'other guy' to create havoc for opposing offenses.

Don't get me wrong. I believe that young players on the team like OLB Byron Young, Michael Hoecht, LB Ernest Jones, and NT Kobie Turner could have a huge impact in 2024, both in the regular season and in the postseason. It's just that in an NFL Championship, it's nice to have sufficient veteran leadership to ensure pressure comes with each snap of the football.

The team's front office will have plenty of opportunities to add a veteran or two to the offensive or defensive front. We recently reported that an All-Pro could hit the trading block for an affordable price. If the team believes like I do that 2024 is another opportunity to make a run at the Super Bowl, investing in game changers could be a very wise strategy this offseason.

Both the Chiefs and 49ers have invested in their offensive and defensive fronts. While the Rams began to do so in 2023, the job's not finished. Does that mean re-signing current players to ensure continuity for next season? Or does that entail drafting new faces in hopes to upgrade even higher?

The Rams now know what must be done. The next question is: Can the team do it all this offseason?