[PARAM]

I think we are much closer on offense than we are on defense. If McVay can improve in the RZ we should be okay on offense, and getting our receivers back will really help down the road.

This is what worries me. We've had RZ issues for 3 years now. At some point doesn't McVay have to rip up that part of the playbook and figure out something else? Or if it's McVay, keep that part of the playbook and let LaFleur call the RZ plays.

The defense? For two years many have been screamimg for a pass rush. We have a good one. Let's see how all the new DBs gel and maybe we'll have something sooner than later. The LBs? I think everybody wants to see Speights.

[Zen_Ronin]

This is what worries me. We've had RZ issues for 3 years now. At some point doesn't McVay have to rip up that part of the playbook and figure out something else? Or if it's McVay, keep that part of the playbook and let LaFleur call the RZ plays.

What really worries me is after listening to McVay today, he fully thinks the RZ issues are performance based. He made ZERO mention of playcalling/decision making. In fact, it almost seemed like when he was about to bring up the playcalling, he doubled down on the guys just not getting it done the right way.

[actionjack]

What really worries me is after listening to McVay today, he fully thinks the RZ issues are performance based. He made ZERO mention of playcalling/decision making. In fact, it almost seemed like when he was about to bring up the playcalling, he doubled down on the guys just not getting it done the right way.

That isnt true he did mention he could have put guys in better position on a couple, but legit it is a lot about execution this season. FYI we were quite good in the redzone last year.

Here is snippet of Jourdan article on the topic. Again no Puka, Kupp or Tyler is going to make it tougher or when you new TE misses a key block etc. IMO the Rams have the most issues in the 8-12 yard line where the run is hard to be successful with. I feel inside the 5 or 6 yard line Kyren will make the tough yards to score.


LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Rams have a red zone problem.

Through their first four games they have gotten into the red zone 17 times, second most of any team. But they’ve scored just seven touchdowns on those drives, a 41.2 percent rate that ranks No. 28 in the NFL. The offense has 39 total overall drives, which means they are getting to the red zone almost half the time they have the ball — but struggling to end those drives with touchdowns (they have also kicked seven field goals after getting to the red zone). If their seven red zone field goals were instead touchdowns, they would have scored 42 additional points (49 with extra points) instead of 21. That would also bring them into the top 10 in average points per game, instead of their current standing at 10th worst (18.8).


“We’ve been able to move the ball,” coach Sean McVay said this week, “but we haven’t been able to finish drives.”

Neither McVay nor quarterback Matthew Stafford indicated there was a need for a change in overall strategy in that more condensed part of the field. McVay has allowed that there are a couple of different calls he would adjust in hindsight — “Are we putting the players in positions to be able to have success?” McVay said Wednesday — but he and Stafford have also cited the execution of plays as the issue.

“Individually as players and collectively as a group we just need to execute the plays that are called a little bit better,” Stafford said. “You go back and look at the tape and there are opportunities to either get ourselves in more favorable positions on third down in the red zone or put the ball in the end zone with some things that we can do just as players — execution, fundamentals, technique, all those kind of things. That’s what it boils down to. … And then if they cover us and I can extend a play and we can get out and try to find somebody or do those kinds of things (like a quarterback working out of structure), those usually result in good plays as well.”
go-deeper

GO DEEPER

NFL QB stock report, Week 5: Is Justin Herbert underutilized? Jayden Daniels surges up ranks

The Rams have a 54.3/45.7 percent pass-to-run ratio in the red zone; they pass the 14th most in the NFL in the red zone and run the 19th most. They have also been at or inside the 8-yard line 21 times (tied for second most in the NFL), scoring five of their seven red zone touchdowns from there. They have passed on 47.8 percent of those plays, which is on par with about half of NFL teams from that field position.

[azramsfan93]

This is what worries me. We've had RZ issues for 3 years now. At some point doesn't McVay have to rip up that part of the playbook and figure out something else? Or if it's McVay, keep that part of the playbook and let LaFleur call the RZ plays.

We were actually quite good in the RZ last year - 8th in TD percentage at 60%. That was due to Kyren and McVay running the ball.

The defense? For two years many have been screamimg for a pass rush. We have a good one.

To be fair, we are tied for 26th in the league with 7 sacks this year. Pressure? Yes, but mostly ineffective pressure as the opposing QBs have a 122.7 QB rating against us. Ugh.

Let's see how all the new DBs gel and maybe we'll have something sooner than later. The LBs? I think everybody wants to see Speights.

Our DB have been flat out awful. The QB rating success against us doesn't include all of the DB penalties that helped our opponents.

It says a lot that our only hope at LB is an unproven UDFA. Sad, and not encouraging.

The NFL is unpredictable, but all metrics tell us that GB should enjoy a ton of success on offense versus this D. Shula better scheme up something new, as what he has done so far has been pathetic.

[ramsman34]

“They have also been at or inside the 8-yard line 21 times (tied for second most in the NFL), scoring five of their seven red zone touchdowns from there. They have passed on 47.8 percent of those plays, which is on par with about half of NFL teams from that field position.“

That paragraph right there sums it up. We should be scoring a lot more TDs. And frankly our record would be 3-1 if that were happening. Fix that issue and this team becomes competitive. Figure out the secondary and ILBs sooner rather than later, then build chemistry and continuity with both groups, and the defense should improve markedly as well. But, they have to start winning games NOW. GB is must win. And the raiders after the bye is must win. Gotta assume the Vikings smoke us if nothing changes performance wise for the Rams. Maybe, just maybe, the Rams can win these next two AND build continuity on the defensive back end, and improve dramatically in red zone TD productions.

That’s a lot of contingencies, but it can be done.

[Elvis]

I don't know if anyone has the stats to back this up but supposedly if you get 1st and goal close to the 10, your odds of scoring a TD go way down compared to other parts of the redzone...

[actionjack]

I don't know if anyone has the stats to back this up but supposedly if you get 1st and goal close to the 10, your odds of scoring a TD go way down compared to other parts of the redzone...

yep that is kinda my point made earlier its tough sledding and it seems like they have had that multiple times. I do think they need better answers down there in the passing game, but field position matters a lot, especially with someone with a nose for the endzone like Kyren.

[Elvis]

yep that is kinda my point made earlier its tough sledding and it seems like they have had that multiple times. I do think they need better answers down there in the passing game, but field position matters a lot, especially with someone with a nose for the endzone like Kyren.

Obviously they need to score more TDs but the offense has been pretty good otherwise so how much of this is a real issue and how much is it just a small sample size?

As others have pointed out, they were very good in the RZ last year though we do tend to point to it a lot when we don't convert well and lose a game because of it...

[actionjack]

Obviously they need to score more TDs but the offense has been pretty good otherwise so how much of this is a real issue and how much is it just a small sample size?

As others have pointed out, they were very good in the RZ last year though we do tend to point to it a lot when we don't convert well and lose a game because of it...

Yeah it probably looks worse do to their own success of getting down there a lot. Obviously the Chicago game it was a problem. It wasnt an issue against SF 3 TD's and 1 FG... Kyren 15 yard pass, 3 yard run and 4 yard run. Arizona was a blow out and Detroit 2 TD's, and 2 FG's (one short 26 yard FG, so from the 9 yard line), the TD's were Kyren 2 yard run and 9 yd pass to Kupp.

I think in Chicago it just looked bad, like not even close when trying to pass.

I am more concerned about the defense.

[ramsman34]

If we continue to have issues scoring and on defense after the bye and getting guys back, then we really will be a bad team.