Rams still feeling sting of Super Bowl loss as they begin offseason of healing

Rams still feeling sting of Super Bowl loss as they begin offseason of healing

Vincent Bonsignore

https://theathletic.com/844589/2019/03/01/rams-still-feeling-sting-of-super-bowl-loss-as-they-begin-offseason-of-healing/

INDIANAPOLIS​ —​ Maybe​ the​ biggest surprise​ general manager​ Les Snead​ discovered upon processing​ the​ Rams’​ loss to the New England Patriots​​ in Super Bowl LIII was how much it hurt. Not like a kick to the gut or a punch to the face type of sensation. This was something much deeper and internal and very difficult to put into words.

Nevertheless, in the hours and days after the Rams’ gut-wrenching 13-3 defeat in Atlanta, various snapshots of the game would flicker across Snead’s mind. They were recollections of plays that, had they simply turned an inch or so in another direction, could have resulted in the Rams celebrating on the Mercedes Benz Stadium field instead of the Patriots.

The mental toll is real. And it’s a potentially burdensome obstacle the Rams must overcome as they go about the process of mending their broken hearts and rehabilitating their spirit in order to mount another Super Bowl run in 2019.

The Rams’ ability to put the Super Bowl loss behind them is every bit as critical as their handling of a complicated offseason. Four starters and seven key backups are set to become unrestricted free agents, and the space under the salary cap to sign them is running thin.

“The letdown is massive,” said an NFL executive whose team went through the same situation. “The weeks of hype are so massive that losing just crushes you, from an anticipation of euphoria to complete depression.”

Meanwhile, redemption and rehabilitation stand months and months away.

“There’s such a finality,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said. “We went into that game with a confidence and an expectation to go win and finish it the right way. The thing that’s so different about that — and really, it was the same way in the playoffs the year before — is usually you get a chance to respond the next week, and that’s what you love so much about football.

“Well, when it’s over, it’s over.”

And in Snead’s case, the missed opportunity continued to cut deep.

“There’s a physical pain when you replay things in your mind,” he said, “like, ‘Oh, if we had just done (that).”

Snead didn’t get into specifics, but you can imagine him thinking about the 13-yard run by Todd Gurley into Patriots territory that got called back by a holding penalty. Rather than building on the momentum of a big run in a 3-3 tie with a first down at New England’s 44-yard line,, the Rams were pushed back to their own 33 to face a first-and-20. The drive ended with a punt, and the Patriots scored a touchdown on the ensuing possession to go up 10-3.

And then there was Jared Goff not seeing Brandin Cooks streaking wide open across the field for what should have been an easy touchdown. By the time Goff saw Cooks in the back of the end zone and heaved him the ball, Patriots cornerback Jason McCourty had plenty of time to slide over to break up the pass. Rather than taking a 7-3 lead in the third quarter, the Rams had to settle for a game-tying field goal.

For Snead, just replaying those moments in his mind was painful.

“I remember saying, ‘OK, what I’m going to do is journal all my thoughts and then I’m going to count how many days that I can actually have a flashback and not actually hurt physically,’” Snead said.

It took a while, but nearly a month later, Snead can finally close his eyes without worry.

“We’re at that point,” he said, almost hopefully.

The NFL Scouting Combine should help. It’s a marker of sorts, representing the official closing of one season and the beginning of a new one. But in Snead and McVay, you could already see the wheels spinning forward now that the offseason has started.

The steps the Rams take now — the selections in this year’s draft and the looming decisions on free agents Lamarcus Joyner, Rodger Saffold, Ndamukong Suh, Dante Fowler Jr. and C.J. Anderson — will go a long way toward determining whether they’ll return to the Super Bowl.

“I think the thing that’s exciting for me specifically, and for us as a coaching staff, is you love the process of what the entire year entails,” McVay said. “And that’s the combine, that’s evaluating your scheme, that’s evaluating some other things, that’s looking at, OK, what can we do as coaches to get better, implement a plan specific to the offseason program and how we attack that process to get better, to emphasize our players’ strengths, and then hopefully put ourselves in a position — the way that we do the offseason, training camp — to go compete and win our opener. And that’s really what our focus and concentration will be on.”

Barring a surprise, Joyner, Saffold, Suh, Fowler Jr. and Anderson will all use the upcoming 72-hour legal tampering window to gauge their worth. That doesn’t mean they will leave as free agents. It’s just that they’ll get clarity on what’s really out there for them and the Rams will have specific numbers to use in deciding who to bring back.

“Everything to date is speculation. ‘Here’s what the Rams think the value is. Here’s what the player, his reps, think the value is,’” Snead said. “If you can’t agree — I’m sure both sides are probably arguing that they’re somewhat right, so that 72-hour window allows, ‘All right, there’s reality now.’”

Beyond that, the Rams must decide what to do with their first-round pick, the 31st overall. They’ll need to explore every scenario, from keeping it to trading it for a proven veteran or using it as bait to trade back in the draft to collect additional picks.

It’s all part of how to best utilize the free agent and trade markets to supplement their talented core. The Rams could approach free agency much like they did last year when they dipped into it after the draft to fill needs with veteran players that were still on the market.

And what do they do about the Todd Gurley situation? Their star running back missed the last two games of the regular season with a knee injury, and after rushing for more than 100 yards in the playoff opener against the Dallas Cowboys, he was a virtual non-factor against the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship Game and against the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

McVay ruled out any sort of surgery this offseason for Gurley. While wear and tear was a factor down the stretch, Gurley’s disappearing acts in the postseason were just as much about McVay’s usage of Gurley as the running back’s physical condition.

That said, the effects of so many carries over the last four seasons on a knee that was surgically repaired five years ago was evident. So too was the benefit of having a true reliable backup in Anderson, who flourished in Gurley’s absence the last two games of the regular season, shined alongside him against the Cowboys and was called upon as much if not more against the Saints and Patriots.

With so much money now invested in Gurley, perhaps it’s time the Rams permanently added someone like Anderson to ease some of Gurley’s burden and enhance his chances to hold up over the course of a full season and the length of his new contract.

“I think it definitely affects the way, that you want to be able to first and foremost sit down and talk with Todd, figure out what is the best way to really navigate the way to maximize his skill set but then also have a long-term vision for the 16 games that you are guaranteed,” McVay said. “And then hopefully if you’re fortunate enough to get some action after that. So those are things that you definitely want to think through.”

“Are we going to give him the amount of load that he’s had in the past or are we going to lessen that load and, let’s say, keep him fresher for the season and for seasons beyond,” Snead said. “And then if you go that route, you have to have a good, let’s call it Batman and Robin, combination or add another superhero figure into that and figure out how you’re gonna do it. So we’re in the process of figuring that out.”

The next few weeks could also bring difficult decisions on pricey veterans like Michael Brockers, Mark Barron and John Sullivan. Each is a potential salary cap casualty. Snead says the Rams will have answers after they determine “who is right for us” for the upcoming season.

“Because that’s a part of the puzzle,” he said. “That’s the budget that we’re dealing with. Those are the internal discussions going on presently, to make sure we put the best version of the Rams, the 2019 Rams, on the field, also taking into effect that there are future seasons as well.”

“We do feel like we’re jacked about our core,” Snead added, “but again, you always want to say, ‘OK, what can we do in ‘19 to have the best version of the Rams?’ That could be many different acquisitions. … Last year was kind of sexy, but the goal is not necessarily to be sexy, but it is — I’ll keep saying it — to put the best version of the ‘19 Rams on the field.”

It’s a complicated situation with an enormous amount of moving parts. But you get the sense Snead and McVay are happy to be taking it on.

Because this is a return to normalcy. And with it, comes a chance to look ahead again after processing the wild roller coaster ride of 2018.

“I’ve told many people that I would wish everyone who is a part of the NFL to get a chance to win a conference championship and then prepare to win a world championship,” Snead said. “I don’t know if I’d wish upon my worst enemy the piercing sting of losing the game.”[/quote]