At halftime: Bootless and ineffective Rams offense is hard to watch

The LA Rams may not have had high hopes with backup quarterback Brett Rypien starting in place of veteran QB Matthew Stafford in Week 9, but it's almost a certainty that the Rams hopes for their offense in the first half was better than a (-4) points deficit and just 91 total yards. And there is no way that the Rams anticipated (-1) net yards from their passing offense with 7:28 to go in the second quarter. The Rams ended the half with 37 yards of net passing offense in the first half.

The game may have been a defensive standoff if not for an ugly fumble by quarterback Brett Rypien that allowed the Packers to drive a short field for the one and only score of the game. With that score, the Rams offense suddenly found itself trying to play catch up, a scenario that was doomed to fail without QB Matthew Stafford under center and RT Rob Havenstein out as well.

Let's be honest with ourselves. The LA Rams really do not invest much in the backup quarterback position, and when the starter cannot go, the Rams depend on their play calling to help set the team up for a win. But more and more frequently, the Rams offense has been diminishing in terms of surprising defenses.

Until a 34 pass play to WR Cooper Kupp, the Rams best offensive play was a 15 yard facemask penalty called on Packers outside linebacker Rashan Gary.

Rams Rypien needs help, not critics

The LA Rams have no business running an empty backfield for Brett Rypien. He needs blockers and a strong running game, not more receiver options. And the Rams have not gone with 12 personnel packages, not sent in any plays with two running backs in the formation.

This is a challenging game for the LA Rams to settle in. The Rams are in unfriendly territory. It's Lambeau Field. It's raining. And the Rams are not putting many positive plays on offense. It was not until the Rams' last offensive possession that the Rams cobbled together a 13-play. 56-yard scoring drive that culminated in a 52-yard field goal by new kicker Lucas Havrisik.

In a utopian world, the LA Rams may have taken a three-point lead into halftime. But a turnover, bad offensive play, and a short field touchdown by the Green Bay Packers has this game at a Packers lead and more than likely to finish this game off.