Rams news in the bye week

Jared Goff receives a C+ as the Rams get graded at their midseason point

Vincent Bonsignore

https://theathletic.com/1339690/2019/10/31/jared-goff-receives-a-c-as-the-rams-get-graded-at-their-midseason-point/?=twittered

Just before Sean McVay and the Rams left London to begin their bye week and start to prepare for the second half of the season, the third-year coach provided a glimpse into what might unfold during the seven-day break. He tipped his hand a bit in terms of where he thinks his Rams are heading into the last eight games of the season.

“Our staff will get some rest and look at ourselves, figure out what can we do a great job of from an evaluation standpoint, especially these first eight weeks, and then putting ourselves in a position to hopefully peak at the right time,” McVay said.

He could not have been any clearer, most notably with the “peak at the right time” tag line.

In many ways McVay saw exactly what everyone else did during the first eight weeks of this Rams’ season: A talented team that, for whatever reason, simply hasn’t put it all together on a consistent basis. And while it’s understandable for him to hope the Rams will be able to soar to their highest peak at just the right time to make another run at the Super Bowl, at this point that seems more like a wishful possibility than a full-on certainty.

The Rams’ inability to develop a productive and consistent run game at any point of the season is a worrisome inefficiency that has rendered their offense less explosive and balanced than in years past. Todd Gurley provided the backbone of their offensive operation the last two years, and their ability to play off his production in the pass game often made them unstoppable.

But with Gurley on a load management program — and unable thus far to flash the explosiveness and power he showed before a late-season injury last year — and the offensive line simply not performing up to past standards, the Rams’ offense looks and feels decidedly different.

That, more than anything, is the cause of their 5-3 record and third-place standing in the NFC West. And as they self-evaluate and begin plotting their attack for the next eight games, it behooves them to figure out a way to run the ball more productively and consistently.

That said, as the Rams hit the midway point of their season, here is the first half report card by position:

Quarterback
Grade: C+

Jared Goff leads the NFL in passing yards with 2,367, but among qualified quarterbacks his 86.8 QBR is 28th in the league. He was much better the last two weeks against the Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals, posting ratings of 99.8 and 119.3, respectively, a sign that when Goff is protected and given time to stand in the pocket he can do damage.

But he hasn’t consistently been afforded a high level of protection over the majority of the season — partially the result of an inconsistent run game and a leaky offensive line — and when Goff has been asked to carry more of the burden to make up the difference, the results have been uneven to say the least.

In addition, teams have been determined to take away the Rams’ big pass plays by playing deeper zone cover concepts, forcing Goff to be more patient and operate more underneath. The last two weeks are proof he is getting better in that area, by utilizing his tight ends more and consistently finding Cooper Kupp in open spaces, but the quality of opponent has to be taken into account.

Goff can play better, but he also needs his offensive line and running game to be better, too.

Running back
Grade: C-

Todd Gurley has 92 carries for 355 yards. To put that in perspective, at this point last season Gurley had 169 carries for 800 yards. And his 436 total yards from scrimmage this year is down considerably from the 1,151 he had at this point last season.

Gurley isn’t being utilized as much as he was in the past and he simply isn’t playing as well when he is being used. Whether that’s due to lingering issues with the left knee that broke down last year, or him not being able to get into a groove within in a much more guarded usage pattern, Gurley just isn’t the force he’s been the last two seasons.

And that is a major problem the Rams continue to try to work around.

The question now is, will the Rams begin easing the workload management program Gurley has been operating in, or is this just the new reality?

Backups Malcolm Brown (154 yards on 37 carries) and Darrell Henderson (119 on 29) have been more effective than Gurley, but Brown has missed time with a foot injury and Henderson doesn’t appear ready to assume a bigger role.

One way or another, the Rams must get their run game squared away, whether by unleashing Gurley or expanding the role of Brown or Henderson.

Wide receiver
Grade: B+

Cooper Kupp has returned from last year’s knee injury with a vengeance, and his 792 receiving yards on 58 catches provides proof of what the Rams missed late last season after he was lost to a knee injury. Robert Woods has been efficient with 471 yards on 38 catches while Brandin Cooks has fallen off with 27 catches for 402 yards. Cooks suffered his second concussion of the season against the Bengals, and his overall production has been diminished by injuries and the way defenses are taking away the Rams’ long ball. If he can stay healthy the rest of the way, it behooves the Rams to find a way to get him more involved downfield.

Offensive line
Grade: C

Things have picked up recently with this group, with the improved play of tackles Andrew Whitworth and Rob Havenstein and rookie left guard David Edwards solidifying that spot in place of the injured Joe Noteboom. But it’s been a bit of a roller coaster all year implementing three new starters — including center Brian Allen — and dealing with right guard Austin Blythe’s ankle injury. The hope all along was that this group would be ascending over the second half of the season after going through an early learning curve with so many new faces. The Rams need that to be the case.

Tight end
Grade: B

Gerald Everett continues to emerge as a target for Goff with 26 catches for 297 yards, and there are signs that his production will continue to rise as Everett takes advantage of the defensive mismatches he’s facing. Tyler Higbee has been his typically steady self as a reliable pass-catcher when called upon and as a run and pass protector.

Defensive line
Grade: B

Aaron Donald continues to be a game-breaker at the line of scrimmage, and while his five sacks leave him off the pace of last year’s 21.5-sack total, the pressure and problems he creates for offensive lines helps free up teammates to do damage. Michael Brockers has been solid at tackle with 34 tackles and 1.5 sacks, and first-year starter Sebastian Joseph-Day has been more than adequate at nose tackle. Rookie Greg Gaines, who the Rams had high hopes for, has not been able to get on the field much, and Tanzel Smart and Morgan Fox have provided only spot duty.

The Rams have been solid in run defense, giving up 96.9 yards per game, and the defensive line is a big reason why, with its ability to make plays and tie up blockers so that second-level defenders can attack and clean up.

Inside linebacker
Grade: B+

Cory Littleton has a team-high 66 tackles and is putting himself in line for a big payday after this season. He keeps getting better as an all-around defender capable of plugging holes, extending laterally to play sideline-to-sideline and being an asset in pass coverage. The Rams have been star-crossed opposite Littleton, with projected starter Micah Kiser suffering a season-ending shoulder injury during the preseason and replacement Bryce Hager dealing with injuries over the last month. But rookie Troy Reeder has been solid, with 31 tackles in three starts.

Outside linebacker
Grade: B+

The Rams have gotten sturdy play from this group, led by Clay Matthews and his team-high six sacks before he went down with a broken jaw five games in. Matthews is expected back soon after the break, and will provide a big-time lift. Dante Fowler Jr. has really raised his play, with 6.5 sacks, solid run support and 32 total tackles. Rotation players Samson Ebukam and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo both have been good off the bench, giving the Rams a nice mix of reserves and starters. The pressure this group creates while playing off Donald’s brilliance has been a bright spot this year.

Cornerback
Grade: B+

The Rams hit the reset button on this position by parting ways with both Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib in trades over the last two weeks. Both were set to be free agents at the end of the year, and given an opportunity to cut ties now and save $8 million in cap space while also making room for All-Pro corner Jalen Ramsey, the Rams opted to blow up the position early.

Ramsey has been mostly terrific in his first two Rams games and his ability to play man-to-man coverage is a game changer for Wade Phillips’ 3-4 defense. He’s now free to be much more aggressive with his blitz packages, knowing Ramsey can deal with his assignment one on one. Troy Hill has been steady opposite Ramsey and the Rams are high on youngsters Darious Williams and David Long Jr. Combined with slot corner Nickell Robey-Coleman, the Rams have been in good shape thus far at corner.

Safety
Grade: A

The Rams suffered a huge blow when John Johnson went down with what appears to be a season-ending shoulder injury, although rookie Taylor Rapp and valuable reserve Marqi Christian have stepped up in major ways. Rapp is playing like a veteran both as a tackler (43) and pass defender. Opposite them, veteran Eric Weddle has been everything the Rams hoped for, with 59 tackles and as the quarterback of the defense. This group’s ability to be flexible in pass and run coverage is invaluable.

Special teams
Grade: B

Greg Zuerlein has made 16 of 20 field-goal attempts, although one of the misses resulted in a back-breaking loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Given his usually high standards, Zuerlein has been a bit off this year, but there’s no cause for alarm. Johnny Hekker is averaging 44.2 yards per punt, down two yards from last year.

Coaching
Grade: B

The Rams’ record might not indicate it, but Sean McVay is handling some situations with a deft hand in order to put the Rams in prime position to make another run. An organizational edict to manage Todd Gurley’s workload — and Gurley simply not being as explosive and productive as in years past — has forced McVay to work around a major disruption to his offense. He’s also had to deal with injuries to three starters.

He hasn’t complained or pointed fingers. He’s simply gone about trying to find answers. He didn’t always locate them in the first half, but the Rams are a missed field goal from being 6-2. As the season progresses and McVay continues to push buttons to manage the health and spirit of his team, it will be interesting to see how it all plays out. But for now, he’s doing an admirable job.