Rams fans have a right to be angry...but not for the reasons you're thinking

Defensive strategy

This is the third week in a row I have mentioned Rams Defensive Coordinator Raheem Morris and I will likely continue mentioning him until he adjusts his game plan or gets fired. How long will it take him to figure out that his soft zone scheme and "bend but don't break" approach will not work with this Rams squad? This defense simply does not have the talent to pull it off, especially when the offense is setting them up for failure.

I will say, the defensive backs who played did have a pretty good game tonight, even CB Derion Kendrick. What killed the Rams in this game was the easy first downs they gave up and how open receivers found their way to the middle of the field. Tackling was also a huge issue because it appeared that the Rams defenders missed way too many tackles throughout the game. The Rams missed 12 tackles in the game, a game in which the Rams would record 63 tackles. That is nearly a 20 percent failure rate for the entire defense. Compare that number to two missed tackles by the Bengals' defense.

Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase finished the game with 12 receptions on 15 targets for 141 yards, averaging 11.8 yards per reception. If it weren't for numerous dropped passes by additional Bengals WRs and a beat-up Joe Burrow, I think this game would have ended up a blow-out loss for the Rams.

Pass Rush

The Rams' defensive line failed to put enough pressure on Bengals QB Joe Burrow. While the Rams players did account for two quarterback sacks, eight quarterback pressures, and six quarterback hits, it was not nearly good enough. The Bengals' offensive line had an easy time with the Rams defensive front giving Burrow all day to throw in a clean pocket.

Even during some of the quarterback pressures applied in the game after four, five, and even as much time as after six seconds had elapsed after the football was hiked into Joe Burrow's hands. That is an eternity for NFL quarterbacks in this league. Aaron Donald is looking more and more like prime-time Aaron Donald and rookie outside linebacker Byron Young joins Donald as the two bright spots on this pass rush. Still, the Rams need to sign some help, someone like free agent DE/OLB Robert Quinn. Either that or utilize more blitzes from the secondary to apply more pressure and disrupt the offensive timing.