Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › PFF ranks Rams roster 29th…
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Zooey.
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June 6, 2016 at 2:45 pm #45489
nittany ramModeratorIn the four years the Rams have employed Head Coach Jeff Fisher and General Manager Les Snead, the lion’s share of criticism has been directed at the former for the inability to produce a winning season. Much is made of the Rams’ effort to bring in a horde of new talent thanks to the trade in the 2012 NFL Draft.
But new rankings from PFF over at ESPN (which is behind ESPN’s insider paywall because the devil is real) that have the Rams holding the NFL’s fourth-worst roster suggest perhaps Snead is deserving of more of that criticism.
PFF’s Sam Monson explains the criteria for the ranking:
To determine the rankings, we took the past two years of PFF data and, giving the 2015 season more weight, averaged out the grades for each roster. Then we added a closer evaluation for added context, which allowed us, for example, to reward teams that have an excellent quarterback situation but a relative hole along the defensive line when it came to run defense.
We have also included a list of the top five players on each roster, plus a look at starters who aren’t up to par.
So how does that shake out for the Rams?
29. Los Angeles Rams
Top five players: DT Aaron Donald, DE Robert Quinn, DE William Hayes, RB Todd Gurley, CB Trumaine Johnson
Starters who should be upgraded: OT Greg Robinson, OC Tim Barnes, LB Alec Ogletree, OG Jamon BrownIn Donald, the Rams have the top player in PFF’s 2015 Top 101, but like the Texans and Watt, one man doesn’t make a roster. The quarterback problem could be solved quickly if Jared Goff proves to be the guy, but outside of him and Gurley, there is practically nothing of proven quality on offense. Robinson has been one of the biggest draft busts of recent memory, surrendering 43 total pressures last season. He has also given up 10 sacks and been flagged 26 times over the past two years.
The defensive line is still a strong unit, but depth is an issue.
Now as a Rams fan, it certainly strikes me as being overly critical. I get that PFF uses their ratings as the entire foundation for their analysis but to have Ogletree and Brown in the bottom five is just…well, odd.
The real question is how much of their projections are ahead of my biased interpretations as a Rams fan. The problem is that in Fisherball, it’s practically impossible to figure out.
(UPDATED by 3k at 12:40pm)
I didn’t think to include the rankings from the last two years, but credit this comment from RamsMan83 for getting me on track..
In 2014, Monson had the Rams at #31. Going into last year, the Rams had jumped all the way to #22.
June 6, 2016 at 2:45 pm #45461
bnwBlocked29th in the league is ridiculous. 17th to 22nd is more like it.
The upside to being a Rams fan is heartbreak.
Sprinkles are for winners.
June 6, 2016 at 6:16 pm #45490
znModeratorIt’s a theme.
..
Early lines show Rams favored in just five games
Nick Wagoner
OXNARD, Calif. — Late last week, Cantor Technology unveiled its early game-by-game lines for 16 weeks of the NFL season. If those lines hold true (and they won’t), the Los Angeles Rams could be in for a long season.
Going through the lines weekly, Cantor has the Rams favored in just five of their 15 projected games, underdogs in nine of them and a pick ’em in one. Cantor did not put out a line for week 17 because of the variance of teams resting players for the playoffs and other factors.
The Rams are favored in both games against San Francisco and at home against Buffalo, Miami and Atlanta. The team’s game in London against the New York Giants is considered a coin flip and the Rams are underdogs on the rest of the schedule.
Of course, most of these games have the Rams in close battles, something that’s been a common occurrence under coach Jeff Fisher. Eight of the games have point differentials of a field goal or less and all but two of the games are projected to be decided by more than one possession.
Naturally, these lines will change a lot as the games draw near but the one thing that jumps out is seeing the Rams as four-point underdogs at home against Seattle in Week 2 and then 10-point underdogs against the Seahawks in Week 15. It’s not unusual that Seattle is favored so much as the healthy lines on both games.
The Rams and Seahawks have generally had close battles in the four years since Fisher took over, with the teams splitting their eight meetings. The Rams swept the Seahawks last year and have been particularly good at home against Seattle. That’s not to say they’ll repeat that but it’s reasonable to think the Rams will keep it a bit closer, if not win, at least one of those contests.[
June 6, 2016 at 6:32 pm #45502znModeratorSee also this:
Mike Clay thinks the Rams among the worst teams in the NFL: http://theramshuddle.com/topic/mike-clay-of-espn-thinks-the-rams-will-be-among-the-nfls-worst-teams-in-2016/
June 6, 2016 at 7:01 pm #45505
ZooeyModeratorI think so, too. I think if the Rams win zero games, they will be lucky. There is no talent on that team whatsoever. My grandma is better than Aaron Donald Duck. Believe me, I am
Happy4Stl.
I’m changing my handle.
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