5 low budget instafixes to get the LA Rams back on victory track

Okay, here we go again. The LA Rams have fallen to a record of 1-3, and once again stand at the crossroads of a deeply disappointing season or reclaiming a chance to compete in the postseason. But with each loss, the odds of earning a berth in the upcoming NFL Playoffs diminishes. And that means that perhaps it's time to remind the team that not all improvements involve outlays of cash.

We dared to cite no-cost improvements after a Week 2 drubbing at the hands of the lowly Arizona Cardinals. While not all suggestions were incorporated the Week 3 gameplan, some did seem to pique the team's curiosity enough to warrant some experimental use. Two suggestions that the team did not adopt in Week 3 was the option to start rookie ILB Omar Speights and run rookie RB Blake Corum 15 times.

But two options were deployed. The Rams did tinker with the defensive line rotations. And the team did use 12 personnel at least 25 percent of the time.

Since the Rams seemed to adhere to some of the suggestions we thoughtfully provided, its time to double down and set up the team for a new set of helpful hints to carry them through a challenging Week 5, and throughout a tough October schedule.

(5) - Stop using Troy Reeder/Christian Rozeboom exclusively

While I understand the interest in playing two veterans at the inside linebacker position to start the season, I have viewed the presence of both ILB Troy Reeder and Christian Rozeboom as training wheels for the group. After all, neither player has had a particularly successful NFL career. In fact, they both seemed to have peeked long before expected.

And the problem is compounded when both play side by side in this defense. They are passive competitors, neither showing any ability to detect what the offense is doing until after the running back makes a break for the hole. And even after the play is obvious to everyone, they are hesitant to do more than sit back on their heels and wait for the ball carrier.

That was not the case when either rookie ILB Omar Speights or Elias Neal played in the preseason.

I'm not suggesting that preseason is as competitive as the regular season. Nor am I suggesting that the coaches simply swap out parts like a bad mechanic until the defense is 'fixed.' But I am seeing two inside linebackers who are not doing the job in run defense. They are passively making first contact five to six yards downfield, are often taken out of the play by blockers, and even when they get arms on the ball carrier, struggle to bring him down.

There has to be at least one inside linebacker on the team who has no hesitation of meeting a running back in the hole. It's up to the coaches to find him, and get him onto the football field.