The 2018 Los Angeles Rams Are Stacked In Wrong Places
August 14th, 2018
The 2018 Los Angeles Rams are destined to be one of the best teams in the NFL this season. At least, that’s what everyone is saying. Is it true? Could the Rams return to prominence this coming season? Some say a regression to the mean is likely after adding so many new faces, big egos and supreme talents. It's a line that coach Sean McVay is going to have to manage delicately.
Under the hood, the Rams offense might need some work Sounds crazy but the offense might not be as productive this season as it was last season. There’s a single reason why but before we get over that, let’s discuss the superlatives:
Best running back in the NFL? Check! Todd Gurley isn’t just the best rushing RB in the NFL, he might also be the best pass-catching RB in the NFL.
Top QB to throw the ball? Check! Jared Goff proved in his second season that all he needed was the right system to become one of the better quarterbacks in the league. Goff should be better this season at reading defenses after notching a top-five quarterback rating last season. That’s scary.
Great wide receivers to flatter your great QB? Check! The Rams traded their Round 1 pick for speedy WR Brandin Cooks. Cooks can flat out fly. Not only that, but he’s played his entire career with Drew Brees and Tom Brady. That means, he’ll ensure that Goff continues to develop as a passer.
Those are all advantages that the 2018 Los Angeles Rams offense will have over opposing defenses. But, there’s a single issue that could develop that might throw the Rams into disarray. Left tackle Andrew Whitworth is 36-years-old. Center John Sullivan is 32-years-old. Both must stay healthy and play at the highest possible level.
The 2018 Los Angeles Rams have spent wildly throughout the season, but seemingly forgot to ensure that their offensive line is sturdy enough to build this shiny new house on.
Defense is high on star power, but, is it high on chemistry? The Rams decided to upgrade their defense by trading for the two best cornerbacks in the league. Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib are both shut down corners. Both can also tackle. They weren’t done there. They also signed free agent nose tackle Ndamukong Suh. What it means is that the Rams, with Suh and Donald playing next to each other, might have the most feared front 3 in any defense in the NFL.
That sounds great. The problem is that we don’t know how Suh and Donald will play together. That’s the first issue. The second issue is that the Rams pretty much decided to sell out their outside linebacker positions in the 3-4. The outside linebacker position in the 3-4 is comparable to the DE position in the 4-3.
There’s a strong chance that teams with excellent blocking tight-ends and excellent offensive lines block down on Donald and Suh. That could lead to running backs getting the edge with nothing but green in front of them, or pass catching RBs finding seams in the back 4 of the 3-4.
Are the Rams true Super Bowl contenders? The answer is, “yes”, the Rams are true Super Bowl contenders. Two things mustn’t happen, though. Whitworth and Sullivan must stay healthy and opposing offenses can't find a way to counter Donald and Suh. There are weaknesses on both sides of the ball for the 2018 Los Angeles Rams. The foundation of their offensive line, and the mid-level of their defense, are both suspect.
If either crumble, the 2018 Los Angeles Rams could have a letdown regular season after a stirring off-season of big spending.
Under the hood, the Rams offense might need some work Sounds crazy but the offense might not be as productive this season as it was last season. There’s a single reason why but before we get over that, let’s discuss the superlatives:
Best running back in the NFL? Check! Todd Gurley isn’t just the best rushing RB in the NFL, he might also be the best pass-catching RB in the NFL.
Top QB to throw the ball? Check! Jared Goff proved in his second season that all he needed was the right system to become one of the better quarterbacks in the league. Goff should be better this season at reading defenses after notching a top-five quarterback rating last season. That’s scary.
Great wide receivers to flatter your great QB? Check! The Rams traded their Round 1 pick for speedy WR Brandin Cooks. Cooks can flat out fly. Not only that, but he’s played his entire career with Drew Brees and Tom Brady. That means, he’ll ensure that Goff continues to develop as a passer.
Those are all advantages that the 2018 Los Angeles Rams offense will have over opposing defenses. But, there’s a single issue that could develop that might throw the Rams into disarray. Left tackle Andrew Whitworth is 36-years-old. Center John Sullivan is 32-years-old. Both must stay healthy and play at the highest possible level.
The 2018 Los Angeles Rams have spent wildly throughout the season, but seemingly forgot to ensure that their offensive line is sturdy enough to build this shiny new house on.
Defense is high on star power, but, is it high on chemistry? The Rams decided to upgrade their defense by trading for the two best cornerbacks in the league. Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib are both shut down corners. Both can also tackle. They weren’t done there. They also signed free agent nose tackle Ndamukong Suh. What it means is that the Rams, with Suh and Donald playing next to each other, might have the most feared front 3 in any defense in the NFL.
That sounds great. The problem is that we don’t know how Suh and Donald will play together. That’s the first issue. The second issue is that the Rams pretty much decided to sell out their outside linebacker positions in the 3-4. The outside linebacker position in the 3-4 is comparable to the DE position in the 4-3.
There’s a strong chance that teams with excellent blocking tight-ends and excellent offensive lines block down on Donald and Suh. That could lead to running backs getting the edge with nothing but green in front of them, or pass catching RBs finding seams in the back 4 of the 3-4.
Are the Rams true Super Bowl contenders? The answer is, “yes”, the Rams are true Super Bowl contenders. Two things mustn’t happen, though. Whitworth and Sullivan must stay healthy and opposing offenses can't find a way to counter Donald and Suh. There are weaknesses on both sides of the ball for the 2018 Los Angeles Rams. The foundation of their offensive line, and the mid-level of their defense, are both suspect.
If either crumble, the 2018 Los Angeles Rams could have a letdown regular season after a stirring off-season of big spending.
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