(Written on 12/7/15)
In what comes as to surprise to almost anyone, the St Louis Rams dropped their fifth straight game in uninspiring fashion, losing 27-3 to the Arizona Cardinals. The offense sputtered again as Nick Foles posted another miserable stat line: 15-35 (43 percent) for 146 and an interception, averaging 4.2 yards an attempt. The offensive line failed to open any holes for Todd Gurley as he toted the rock nine times for 41 yards, 34 of which came on one run and was not targeted in the passing game. 35 attempts with a quarterback who fails to generate any momentum against nine rushes with a young, talented running back is especially head scratching considering his outing last time these two teams met. Tight end Jared Cook led the team with nine targets (odd considering his consistent ability to drop passes including one on a crucial third down), but Tavon Austin and Bradley Marquez both had three, another odd fact due to the quality of players.
Austin only had one catch for 24 yards and two carries for 14 yards which is upsetting as he will need to be more involved if the offense wishes to score points. The offense only managed nine first downs and committed seven penalties for 104 yards. The defense’s performance was was equally unimpressive and even more uncharacteristic as they allowed 524 yards as Carson Palmer shredded the Rams secondary for 356 yards and two touchdowns while Arizona gained 175 yards on the ground, a disappointing performance by the the Rams often reliable front seven. The defense was bitten by the injury bug as corner Trumaine Johnson and defensive end Robert Quinn were inactive and fellow corner Janoris Jenkins left the game with a concussion and is unlikely to play next week. The absence of linebacker Alec Ogletree and kicker Greg Zurlein are being felt as the Rams have been outscored 58-10 in their last two games.
Sitting at 4-8, the St. Louis Rams have virtually no shot of making the playoffs especially with the Seahawks and 49ers are on the rise and playing at a much higher level. Following the game, Fisher told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he’s run out of answers as he looks to complete his 14th losing season in 20 years as a head coach and likely signaling his last season at the helm of the Rams should they finish under .500, Fisher will be one of four coaches since 1941 with at least five straight losing season with one team according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Rams rank 31st in attendance this year and media members said the Edward Jones Dome was only half-full (if that) as support is dwindling.
It is easy to sit here and point out the negatives surrounding the Rams on a weekly basis, but the narrative gets old, and unless someone can point to the one positive factor surrounding the nucleus of this team (other than the possible relocation), it will continue until they can win and generate some momentum. Many remember my article in October where I was essentially calling Gurley the best thing since sliced bread and almost a shoo-in for Rookie of the Year, but that ship has sailed (Amari Cooper is also playing at another level, while Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls and Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota are making strong cases of their own) and I’m glad that I included the word “currently” in the title of that article.
With reports surfacing of interest in quarterbacks Johnny Manziel and Colin Kaepernick, I’m beginning to wonder how invested owner Stan Kroenke is in building a competitive team. They have a talented, young defense, potential All-Pro running back, and a young offensive line with a bright future but the thought of Manziel or Kaepernick as the Rams’ quarterback going forward is frustrating. Manziel has shown flashes of what he can do on the field, but they have been just that: flashes, not solid evidence of a franchise quarterback. His off the field antics are well documented and it might be time to face the reality that he’s not going to change. While Manziel would likely provide a spark to the offense and sell tickets, he’s best suited in a zone-read scheme that allows him to keep the ball and provides him with more opportunities to make plays outside the pocket. The only issue is the fact that Gurley is not a zone-read running back, and at this point, it’s best to build the offense around him. The same can be said for Kaepernick’s fit in an offense, athough he has proven to be a better passer within the pocket and a better decision maker. I understand Kaepernick was the Niners quarterback when they made a Super Bowl appearance in 2013, but many forget the offensive weapons around him and a defense that was one of the NFL’s best in almost every category; six members of the defense were All-Pro selections in the 2012-2013 season. Kaepernick was especially awful this season as he under and over threw and one-hopped many receivers this season; according to STATS LLC., 47 of his 100 incompletions were the result of a poor throw. He has thrown only six touchdowns against five interceptions.
Should Kroenke retain Fisher, then it’s safe to say he’s given up. In his only start, Keenum was unimpressive and didn’t show any signs of progressing. Even though he returns from his concussion there’s no guaranteeing he will remain healthy and should his next two starts be dismal, I believe Sean Mannion deserves a chance. If Keenum doesn’t generate any spark or momentum, it’s highly unlikely, barring defensive scoring coupled with early-season Gurley performances, the Rams will score enough points to win games against two surging offenses in Detroit and Tampa Bay. Should they reach 4-10, I say start Mannion and give him a chance to show what he can do, especially against the 49ers’ and Seahawks’ defenses. They spent a third round pick on him and there’s no reason he doesn’t deserve a chance should the Rams be sitting at 4-10 with a chance to earn a top five pick on a talented receiver they are in dire need of. Regardless, it’s time to start looking to the future and the Rams need to exhaust all options to win games, and with Mannion being a project he deserves a shot. If all else fails, the Rams will adjust their draft plan accordingly.
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