[snackdaddy]

The way I see it, according to the experts the Lions, Bears and Patriots all exposed our offense. They saw something and it worked. Now that McVay and the offense knows what teams are going to do, its up to them to counter that with something different.

They used that particular offense because it fit perfectly with the skill guys we have. Now they have to find something different that fits. It doesn't have to be anything drastic. You don't want to change your identity once you've established it. You don't want to be that team still finding your identity. You just have to figure out a way to make it work and impose your will on them.

[Rams43]

I think that the Ram O “situation” has many facets, and therefore might take some time to finally be fully resolved.

McVay is still the sharp and innovative HC that he was in ‘17 and ‘18. But his hands are a bit tied by a variety of circumstances.

Where to start?

Well, opponents are throwing hybrid D schemes at the Ram O that are specifically designed to take away favorite Ram plays and tendencies. And they are hampering the Ram O, no question.

McVay’s counter-moves are kinda restricted because of 3 newbies on his OL. They may not quite be ready to execute needed counter-moves well.

Todd Gurley seems a bit “off” to me. Is it attitudinal? Or a health issue?

This 6-1 D that Goff is often facing is giving him adjustment problems. He’ll get it worked out, but it might take a bit of time.

Rams have faced 3 consecutive strong DL’s and front 7’s, for that matter. That’s a very relevant factor that cannot be ignored.

The above are 5 different balls that McVay/Goff are juggling while playing 3 consecutive respectable opponents, 2 on the road after traveling cross-country.

I think that they just need time. And this schedule over the next few weeks might just be what the doctor ordered.

[10:01]

This is from the Alabama board:

“Agree Completely - 2009 is a fine example. We didn't dominate VaTech in the opener.
South Carolina had us ON THE ROPES!!! IF we didn't have good success with Ingram in the "Wlldcat" we probably LOSE that game.
UcheaT took us to the LAST PLAY. We had to block TWO FG attempts to ESCAPE that game!!
But no one seems to remember any of that.....

OR - what about 2014 and 2015??? BOTH teams made the P_ayoffs - 2015 won it all. How can anyone forget the way Ole Miss PUNKED us Both years????? Then they took us Right to the wire in 2016!!

Yes, this team has lots of issues, but its MYTHOLOGY to claim this is unique or unheard of. 2018 was maybe the ONLY Saban team that Didn't struggle at any point in the regular season.”

We are having the same issues as Alabama fans. I’ll take it!

[Curly Horns]

Interesting, because I was thinking about this off and on throughout the day.

I think it's possibly a little bit of both. The success of this offense is rooted in the running game. The scheme that other defenses have used successfully is rooted in stopping the run.

I think he's unwilling to give in to changing knowing he just needs to get the run game going. But he doesn't have the horses with the offensive line being a work in progress along with recent injuries. Higbee is also a key loss in run blocking, not just Blythe.

Maybe I'm way off base and it's entirely something else. I think back to the opening of the panther game and McVay came out calling pass after pass.

It is interesting because we know that he knows what the opposition is throwing at him. And I tend to think he knows how to counter. Then again maybe he has yet to come up with the key counter punch.

[safer]

McVay does need to make adjustments earlier. BUT, the guy is only 34 and people are already doubting him? Obviously, the Pats showed the world the best way to defend against us, and McVay has yet to completely figure it out. He will
We continued to run stretch plays, A) against a team that is fast on D, and B) with Brown who isn't all that fast. Those plays cost us negative yards several times.
Our Oline actually did better when we ran right at the middle of their D...not great, but better.
Did we even throw a single pass over 20 yards? I know they were in a cover II shell, but what about a T/E in the middle after the safeties were covering deep?
I agree that McVay is F'ing up with how we use Gurley. Starting with the playoffs last year, I think it got inside his head and Gurley is MUCH more tentative now.
I'm not as concerned about our O line because we have played against strong D fronts in all three games.
Goff is locking onto his receivers and it cost us two, late, bad decision picks.

[MikeRam]

(Sarcasm)

I don't know what we were thinking, hiring such a young coach. He is just too inexperienced. If we couldn't hire Belichick away from the Patriots, we should have stayed with a much more experienced coach: Fisher. Think of all the positives. No one would ever start a thread like this complaining about a 3-0 start under Fisher. McKay has done so many foolish things. One, for example, is hiring a 37 year old left tackle when we could have kept GRob on his rookie deal. Think of all the money we would have saved!

[PARAM]

I think it's borderline "much ado about nothing". We scored 30 on the Panthers. We scored 27 on the Saints. And we scored a miniscule 20 in Cleveland (23 if Z makes the missed FG). I agree with the idea the O line is still working towards full-gel and that will have an affect on the run game. I agree Goff looks for chunk plays but that's when we put up the points. The 2 picks he threw were different.

On the first one the DB made a helluva play. It was looked at and though it was ruled a pick, I'm not sure it was as the ball appeared to hit the ground. But either way, great play by the DB. On the second it was tipped up in the air. It happens but to borrow a phrase from the much hated ex-Arizona coach, no risk it no biscuit.

We're 3-0 and we've yet to gel as an O line, an offense or a complete team. I'm not worried because I don't think a guy (McVay) just forgets how to scheme his offense to be successful. I don't think Gurley is the least bit disgruntled. I don't think Goff is too inexperienced. They're 3 and Oh!

[DirtyFacedKid]

We're 3-0 and we're not even firing on all cylinders on offense yet. Here's to hoping Sunday's Bucs game will give the O the opportunity it needs to sort itself out so we're in Beast Mode for SF and SEA. We need to make a statement in the Niners game, specifically.

[snackdaddy]

I think it's borderline "much ado about nothing". We scored 30 on the Panthers. We scored 27 on the Saints. And we scored a miniscule 20 in Cleveland (23 if Z makes the missed FG). I agree with the idea the O line is still working towards full-gel and that will have an affect on the run game. I agree Goff looks for chunk plays but that's when we put up the points. The 2 picks he threw were different.

On the first one the DB made a helluva play. It was looked at and though it was ruled a pick, I'm not sure it was as the ball appeared to hit the ground. But either way, great play by the DB. On the second it was tipped up in the air. It happens but to borrow a phrase from the much hated ex-Arizona coach, no risk it no biscuit.

We're 3-0 and we've yet to gel as an O line, an offense or a complete team. I'm not worried because I don't think a guy (McVay) just forgets how to scheme his offense to be successful. I don't think Gurley is the least bit disgruntled. I don't think Goff is too inexperienced. They're 3 and Oh!

I remember a comment about Martz on why he never got pissed at Warner after throwing a pick. He once told Warner "Don't sweat it. You're just playing football. Keep attacking them". That was the pedal to the metal attitude Martz had about the game. Keep attacking. I see the same with McVay. But maybe not as reckless.

[/zn/]

McVay cares about INTs and will work on them.

From game 1 in 2017 to before the bye last year, counting the Atlanta game, Goff threw 13 picks in 28 games.

Since the bye last year he has thrown 11 picks in 11 games. Even if you discount the Chicago game, as some want to, that's still 7 picks in 10 games, which is worse than the previous 13 picks in 28 games.

McVay will work on this, he doesn't tolerate picks the way Martz did.