Rams have already cut bait with Harrison Mevis, but more changes are needed

There is no doubt in any Los Angeles Rams fan's mind that special teams are a huge concern. Coordinator Bubba Ventrone is in the headlines on a weekly basis. Even after shedding kicker Harrison Mevis, plenty of problems remain.

For example in Week 5, Buffalo Bills returner Ray Davis fielded the opening kickoff and ran it right up the middle for 70 yards to LA's 26. That one play is an unfortunately accurate microcosm. Not only are special teams not fixed, but they may be regressing.

And the Rams simply do not have enough of an error margin to survive losing ground.

Mevis's fate was sealed after he missed his fourth field goal attempt, a potential game-winner, this season. No kicker has missed more. In a game like that, mistakes stand out. Mevis was as good as gone.

How did LA special teams perform overall? Not good, my friend, not good.

Rams special teams were even worse against the Bills

Since Rams fans are already aware that special teams are not exactly competing for top honors, it's simpler to compare the team's season averages entering the game to its performance in Week 5. Even that comparison turned out poorly on the whole:

Kick coverage: 27.0 yards vs 33.0
Kick returns: 21.9 yards vs 27.7
Punt returns: 9.0 yards vs N/A (no returns)
Punt gross: 47.6 yards vs 46.5
Punt net: 37.9 yards vs 39.5
Field goals: 5-for-7 vs 0-for-2 (misses from 50 and 48))
Extra points: 10-for-10 vs 4-for-4

Mevis had an opportunity to win the game in overtime. But his 48-yard field goal was blocked. That sent the Bills onto the field with great field position. They moved into range and kicked their own field goal through the uprights.

Still, Rams fans cannot expect new kicker Blake Grupe to be a permanent solution. He was added without competition, without any practices. He has a week to 'get right' with the remaining specialists. LA had to make a move. But to be honest, general manager Les Snead may be forced to make several more before special teams shows signs of improvement.

It's never wise to toe tag any individual player. But Bills kicker Tyler Bass made three field goals, while Mevis failed to make either of his. Even accounting for Bass's missed extra point, the differential in kicking points was 11 to 4 in Buffalo's favor. The winning margin was three.

'Nuff said.

As always, thanks for reading.

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Rams special teams were even worse against the Bills

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