Despite roster depth, Rams plunge to 1-3 and among Top-10- draft pick teams

The LA Rams had a chance to win in Detroit Michigan. The LA Rams had a chance to win in Chicao Illinois. But in neither occasion did the team play up to their expectations. As a result, the Rams sit at 1-3, and the future is beginning to appear more about the 2025 NFL Draft than the 2025 NFL Playoffs.

It's a heartbreaking time for Rams fans. If only . . .

• The Rams roster was at full strength
• The team actually had a plan in place before trading away veteran ILB Ernest Jones
• The Rams were not so fixated on their best offensive weapons until they are injured, and then pivot to the next best offensive weapon
• QB Matthew Stafford was 26 years old, instead of 36 years old
• The team had hit on some of their major free agent signings in the offseason

But as the saying goes: 'If Ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Marry Christmas."

"If only . . . " is something that the LA Rams have to avoid at all costs. The team is injured and banged up, yes. But the same team was only blown out once, by the most unlikely of opponents, the Arizona Cardinals. In the other two losses, the Rams had every opportunity to win, and just did not do so. Of course, having a fourth of the team on crutches, and then shipping the Rams to distant cities and time zone in three of their first four games was never going to be easy.

The Rams are 1-0 at home this season. But this team is 0-3 on the road.

Ironically, this team has nine home games, and eight road games in 2024. That means that the Rams will play eight more times at SoFi Stadium, and five more times on the road. Let's hope that the team's home field advantage holds.

But in the meantime, this is who the LA Rams are right now. They were potent enough to beat the San Francisco 49ers. So I'm simply not willing to hide under the 'we are too injured to compete' rock just yet. The Rams offense outgained the Bears offense in Week 4. The Rams had more Time of Possession than the Bears did. And yet, the Bears won the game by a score of 24 to 18.

When the Bears were in the Red Zone, they scored. When the Rams were in the Red Zone, they passed, and then kicked field goals.

I'm not trying to assign blame for this loss. This team simply has to find ways to win. To do that, the coaches have to be willing to look in the mirror and objectively self scout.

This team abandoned their predictable patterns in Week 3 to claim a win. The offense has to be willing to innovate some more. Two running backs? Three tight ends? Why not. Playing it safe has allowed the team to fall to a .250 win rate. And here come the Green Bay Packers in Week 5.

The Los Angeles Rams are in great peril to fall to a record of 1-4 before their BYE.

As always, thanks for reading