Rams special teams have been every bit as bad as it seems

Los Angeles Rams special teams have been just as bad as any fan could tell you. By EPA per play, Bubba Ventrone's group ranks dead last in the NFL. 

Not just last, though. The gap between the Rams in 32nd and the Titans in 31st is greater than that between any other consecutive pairing on the list. The Rams have cost themselves 28 points, 9.5 points more than the 30th-place Chargers. 26.3 points more than the 16th-place Steelers. 

The difference between last-place Los Angeles and the first-place Vikings is 53.5.

Why is no one surprised? 

Rams' special teams remain a collective catastrophe

Since-released kicker Harrison Mevis was a big part of the problem. He just cost the Rams a win against the Buffalo Bills. On field goal attempts of 40-plus yards, he went 3-of-7. Against the Eagles, the Rams attempted a fourth-and-eight from the 36-yard-line rather than trust Mevis' leg. 

For some kickers, like the Cowboys' Brandon Aubrey or the Jaguars' Cam Little, that's barely more than a chip shot. College kickers make those these days.

Mevis' release on Tuesday, the morning after the Bills game, was the most predictable move in the world. Perhaps Blake Grupe, signed off the Jets practice squad, will help.

But the Rams have far more than a kicking problem. Their return game has been anemic. Their longest runback on a kickoff is 34 yards. They have allowed returns of 45 and 70. 

Xavier Smith, no longer with the team, owns LA's longest punt return, at 19 yards. The Rams have surrendered returns of 41 and 28 yards. Their own group ranks 29th in yards per kickoff return and 22nd on punts.

Ventrone's coverage unit is a problem. Creating runback lanes for his own returners is a problem, too. To be fair, what is he supposed to do with Jordan Whittington and Alex Bachman returning kicks? Smith was unreliable but their most explosive option. Now he's with the 49ers.

Rams have nothing to show for offseason changes

LA's protection problems on field goals may well be the last straw if it keeps up. There's no guarantee Mevis' potential game-winning kick against the Bills would have gone through - it wasn't pretty off his foot - but having it blocked dashed even those wretched hopes. 

Wretched is an appropriate descriptor. Despite attempting a long of 50 yards (naturally, he missed), Mevis' 55.6 success rate gave the Rams the worst in the league. They tied for last with five makes.

Wanna hear about punting? Ethan Evans hasn't been horrific himself. The Rams are respectably below average in gross punting average (20th). 

In net average, however, they sit 31st. That's thanks to allowing the third-highest punt return average, 12.8, in the league. 

Despite the offseason tweaks, the "under-the-radar" additions like linebacker Grant Stuard - despite hiring a new coordinator and, supposedly, emphasizing special teams with fresh rigor - the Rams are no better than last season. 

If anything, it's worse.

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