Coaches under intense pressure

[LesBaker]

Could not agree more. This was a playoff year. If we win 4-5 games, to me this is completely unacceptable and personally, I believe that changes should be made.
Whether they will or not is another question I guess

Why do you think this was a playoff year? It almost always takes 10 wins to get to the playoffs.

 

[theramsruleUK]

Why do you think this was a playoff year? It almost always takes 10 wins to get to the playoffs.

What else do you count as a "breakout year" as fisher and Snead have said many times? Going .500?

To me break out is either playoffs or 10 wins

 

[RamzFanz]

Schotty calls really good half games half the time.

Fixed it.

I just rewatched the KC game. It took me this long just to not be too pissed to do it. The play calling... I just don't get it. I'm not going to go on a rant, but TA up the middle and nothing else? He had the most RB snaps? 3rd and long runs or 3rd and short bombs to double covered receivers? Nothing for TA or Bailey imaginative at all. It's just a sad waste of talent.

KCs biggest weakness is TE coverage. Were there any throws to Cook? I don't have the heart to look.

...and then he calls half a great game every so often. It's not that he isn't capable.

Why, when stacking receivers works, do they abandon it the rest of the game?

Why, when TM is killing on the edge do they run him up the middle the rest of the game?

Why no hot reads to stop the pass rush?

Is TA still hurt maybe? Bailey stepped in to the TA role last season and tore it up.

ANYWAY, I hold the coaching staff 100% responsible at this point. I don't know that any one of them is better than the other. EVERY team has weaknesses and it's the coaches job to overcome their own with game planning and misdirection and detect the opposition's and exploit it.

 

[RamsJunkie]

I get what your saying, but if we go 4-12, what is there to cling onto? Change is good sometimes.

Put it this way, if we get 4/5 wins and nothing changes, would you be ok with that? I'm not sure I could be to be honest. Even if fisher keeps his HC job, I'd still hope that there would be some change of some kind

LOL I really dont know man every sunday im sitting in my recliner yelling at the TV to fire all there asses then by Wed I'm thinking this is gonna be the week we start rolling and sunday it happens again its a sick sick joke that remindes me of the movie groundhog day.

 

[Rams and Gators]

Why do you think this was a playoff year? It almost always takes 10 wins to get to the playoffs.

Can't speak for @theramsruleUK but I was expecting a top 5 D to quote Laurinaitis "There are absolutely no excuses. We need to be a Top 5 defensive team." we're currently 2nd worst, that's unacceptable in year 3 for me.

I also believe Fisher is to blame for throwing a load of money at a LT who was injury prone before signing him, and is now out for the season, a C who has missed 13 games in 2.5 season and is questionable for Sunday's game, and Saffold who hasn't played a full season since 2010, and having his back up plan being Davin Joseph (the worst OG in football last year). I blame Fisher for putting Jake Long in to protect Sam in a meaningless preseason game and allowing a defender a clear shot at his knee. I also blame Fisher for trading up into the top 10 to draft a player we have no clue how to use, when those two picks could have been used on 2 of the best young OGs in the NFL (or Gabe Jackson would have been nice in this draft just gone over Mason).

Looking at the mess that Fisher has created of our D and OL the playoffs seem like a ridiculous expectation now. But for a different coach who had made smarter decisions...

 

[theramsruleUK]

LOL I really dont know man every sunday im sitting in my recliner yelling at the TV to fire all there asses then by Wed I'm thinking this is gonna be the week we start rolling and sunday it happens again its a sick sick joke that remindes me of the movie groundhog day.

At least in Groundhog Day he got to do loads of decent stuff like rob banks and chase after pretty females. Dude even learnt how to play piano and ice sculpt.
If I had spent those 3 hrs on a Sunday doing that instead of watching the rams, I'd probably be the next Elton John haha

 

[Mojo Ram]

He'll get 5 years.

Agreed, and he should.

 

[LesBaker]

Can't speak for @theramsruleUK but I was expecting a top 5 D to quote Laurinaitis "There are absolutely no excuses. We need to be a Top 5 defensive team." we're currently 2nd worst, that's unacceptable in year 3 for me.

I also believe Fisher is to blame for throwing a load of money at a LT who was injury prone before signing him, and is now out for the season, a C who has missed 13 games in 2.5 season and is questionable for Sunday's game, and Saffold who hasn't played a full season since 2010, and having his back up plan being Davin Joseph (the worst OG in football last year). I blame Fisher for putting Jake Long in to protect Sam in a meaningless preseason game and allowing a defender a clear shot at his knee. I also blame Fisher for trading up into the top 10 to draft a player we have no clue how to use, when those two picks could have been used on 2 of the best young OGs in the NFL (or Gabe Jackson would have been nice in this draft just gone over Mason).

Looking at the mess that Fisher has created of our D and OL the playoffs seem like a ridiculous expectation now. But for a different coach who had made smarter decisions...

That would be a big leap from where they were the previous year. Top 5 is lofty. And nothing against JL but that's just an off the cuff remark that has no bearing on reality.

I'm wondering if too much kool aid got consumed in the off season. I've been guilty of that myself.

Most people had this team at about 3 wins at this point in the schedule and they have 2, so it's not that far off of what most had as expectations. I cannot get overly amped up about firing the coaches when they have been tasked with the biggest rebuild in the history of the NFL. It may even take until the 5th year to become a contender, which is what everyone wants......not just a playoff berth because there are 2-3 teams every year in each conference that are in the playoffs that everyone knows aren't a threat.

I am not hitting the panic button for about 12 more months because of what had to be done, and after a lot of meaningful thought and consideration I have decided that this was simply a lot bigger of a job than perhaps any of us thought it was.

 

[Mojo Ram]

I'm not here to criticize Fisher. Obviously there have been some mis-steps thusfar, but things don't always work out according to plan in life...same thing applies to professionals in sports.

 

[Rams and Gators]

That would be a big leap from where they were the previous year. Top 5 is lofty. And nothing against JL but that's just an off the cuff remark that has no bearing on reality.

Not that big of a leap, last 12 games we were 7th, on the season we were 12th, if Fisher's defensive picks were worth their draft position, and if we had an improved DC we should have improved. From where we were with Walton to where we are now is a much bigger leap than to top 5.

I am not hitting the panic button for about 12 more months because of what had to be done, and after a lot of meaningful thought and consideration I have decided that this was simply a lot bigger of a job than perhaps any of us thought it was.

Yeah it was a big job, and yet for me, ignoring injuries, the best players on this team are still Spagvaney guys. If you said I could protect 5 players from being snapped up by other team I'd go (again assuming all healthy):
Bradford
Safold
Long
Quinn
Donald

Fisher had a big job to do and hasn't done half as much as he should have given 5 first round picks.

 

[RamFan503]

Change is good sometimes.

The last 25 years - 8 coaches (not including Vitt and Haslett), 4 winning seasons, 6 of those coaches without a winning season.

Yeah - change is good SOMETIMES. Change can also mean literally decades of rebuilding and retooling and gutting and watching your favorite players in opponent's jerseys, etc... Change hasn't exactly been good to us. In fact, it has been the opposite. Vermeil was being torched by the fans until '99. Then the Rams hired from within in transitioning to Martz who had 3 of the four winning seasons. Did we completely change philosophies when we went to Martz? Did we gut the team? I would say in that case, the front office let us down BIG TIME. And yes, there were some real poor decisions by everyone to let that team slip into the abyss.

But we have seen this organization "change" to the tune of a new HC every three years. How about the "change" being to build some continuity?

 

[RamFan503]

At least in Groundhog Day he got to do loads of decent stuff like rob banks and chase after pretty females. Dude even learnt how to play piano and ice sculpt.
If I had spent those 3 hrs on a Sunday doing that instead of watching the rams, I'd probably be the next Elton John haha

This you?

 

[theramsruleUK]

The last 25 years - 8 coaches (not including Vitt and Haslett), 4 winning seasons, 6 of those coaches without a winning season.

Yeah - change is good SOMETIMES. Change can also mean literally decades of rebuilding and retooling and gutting and watching your favorite players in opponent's jerseys, etc... Change hasn't exactly been good to us. In fact, it has been the opposite. Vermeil was being torched by the fans until '99. Then the Rams hired from within in transitioning to Martz who had 3 of the four winning seasons. Did we completely change philosophies when we went to Martz? Did we gut the team? I would say in that case, the front office let us down BIG TIME. And yes, there were some real poor decisions by everyone to let that team slip into the abyss.

But we have seen this organization "change" to the tune of a new HC every three years. How about the "change" being to build some continuity?

Continuity is great when you see improvement.
We're 2-5 right now with regression in a lot of areas. If we end up at 8-8 or 7-9 then I'm more inclined to agree. But even then the season is a disappointment as this was billed as a breakout year.
Still trying to be positive though man haha

 

[ram007]

It would be nearly impossible for this team to win 3-4 games next year. There is too much talent on the roster for that and the division is going to be weaker by next season. That said if it did happen then yes he would probably get fired.

I don't see him giving hall passes to his buddies, he fired BW and Walton was also a "friend".

Care to explain how division will be weaker?

SF, SEA and ARZ all have decent QBs and good coach.

RAMS have big question mark at QB and good coach.

Half the battle is already lost before first snap of the game if NFL team doesn't have decent QB.

I like Sam Bradford over all 3 of them in the division but the dude is coming off back-to-back ACLs not sure where he will be mentally and physically.

So I don't get the point why 3 other teams in division are weaker than Rams in 2015

 

[CoachO]

Fixed it.

I just rewatched the KC game. It took me this long just to not be too pissed to do it. The play calling... I just don't get it. I'm not going to go on a rant, but TA up the middle and nothing else? He had the most RB snaps? 3rd and long runs or 3rd and short bombs to double covered receivers? Nothing for TA or Bailey imaginative at all. It's just a sad waste of talent.

KCs biggest weakness is TE coverage. Were there any throws to Cook? I don't have the heart to look.

...and then he calls half a great game every so often. It's not that he isn't capable.

Why, when stacking receivers works, do they abandon it the rest of the game?

Why, when TM is killing on the edge do they run him up the middle the rest of the game?

Why no hot reads to stop the pass rush?

Is TA still hurt maybe? Bailey stepped in to the TA role last season and tore it up.

ANYWAY, I hold the coaching staff 100% responsible at this point. I don't know that any one of them is better than the other. EVERY team has weaknesses and it's the coaches job to overcome their own with game planning and misdirection and detect the opposition's and exploit it.

A few thoughts based on your comments regarding the play calling. It seems as if you are saying that when the QB fails to throw the ball to the TE, or continues to throw the "short bombs into double coverage" that is on the OC. No hot reads? Again, do you put that on the play caller, or the inexperienced QB who doesn't recognize the blitz or where it is coming from, and fails to get the ball out to the hot read?

Jared Cook was open most of the day running underneath crossing routes, and Davis never looked for him, or was too busy bailing on the pocket to find anyone "on time". McNabb kept talking about getting Davis into a rhythm, but yet, even on the quick, 3 step drops, Davis just doesn't get the ball out on time. Same issues were present in training camp.

I see people asking why no screens or quick slants...... But they just aren't all that effective play calls against zone coverage, which is what the Rams offense seems to see MOST of the time. When teams do play straight man, we tend to have much better success.

IMO, if there is one criticism of Schottenheimer that seems to becoming a pattern, it's abandoning the running game far too early, when they get behind. Even if they are only down by "one score". Happened vs. SF, and again this past week vs. KC.

I also think that many are overlooking the impact that losing Bradford has had on this team. Say what you want about the "talent" on the roster now, the bottom line for me, is they just aren't deep enough to overcome the amount of KEY injuries they have endured already. Not only Bradford, but T. Johnson, C. Long, not having Bailey from the outset. Then losing Jenkins, among the multitude of others this past week.

Also, it hasn't been mentioned, but not having Chris Long, has forced Wm. Hayes into much more of an extended role, after missing virtually the entire Training Camp recovering from his own surgeries. So expecting him to be even close to the same player he has been, (and IMO, he hasn't been) was unrealistic.

I totally get the frustrations, but I just think there are many who have set themselves up to become even more frustrated by not seeing what this team is at this point. I was as guilty as anyone thinking this looked like a playoff team in August. But the instant Bradford went down, that all changed for me. So I would say, frustration is accurate, but not surprised.

 

[LesBaker]

Care to explain how division will be weaker?

SF, SEA and ARZ all have decent QBs and good coach.

RAMS have big question mark at QB and good coach.

Half the battle is already lost before first snap of the game if NFL team doesn't have decent QB.

I like Sam Bradford over all 3 of them in the division but the dude is coming off back-to-back ACLs not sure where he will be mentally and physically.

So I don't get the point why 3 other teams in division are weaker than Rams in 2015

I didn't mean weaker than the Rams, I mean they will be weaker......the windows will close a little in FA losses, it always happens like that.......rarely does a team have a window of more than a few years. The Rams are going to be ascending and the 49ers and Seahawks are less likely to be what they are now. Already SEA has lost 3 games and have a hard schedule.

I'm fairly certain Bradford won't be the QB next year. Second ACL surgeries can take 18 months to properly heal.

 

[LesBaker]

Not that big of a leap, last 12 games we were 7th, on the season we were 12th, if Fisher's defensive picks were worth their draft position, and if we had an improved DC we should have improved. From where we were with Walton to where we are now is a much bigger leap than to top 5.



Yeah it was a big job, and yet for me, ignoring injuries, the best players on this team are still Spagvaney guys. If you said I could protect 5 players from being snapped up by other team I'd go (again assuming all healthy):
Bradford
Safold
Long
Quinn
Donald

Fisher had a big job to do and hasn't done half as much as he should have given 5 first round picks.

Bradford? Why, the ship has sailed.
Saffold I could see maybe.
Long certainly.
Quinn too of course.
Donald yes.

I don't agree that the best players on the team are from the previous regime. There is a mix. And there is plenty of time this year to let that settle in.

 

[Rambitious1]

Did Fisher or Snead once say that we would never be picking 2nd again?

Fisher did.
Maybe..................oops.

 

[Jumava1968]

Damn right! Of course, nothing was said about never picking first.

Lol

 

[RamFan503]

Continuity is great when you see improvement.
We're 2-5 right now with regression in a lot of areas. If we end up at 8-8 or 7-9 then I'm more inclined to agree. But even then the season is a disappointment as this was billed as a breakout year.
Still trying to be positive though man haha

Funny - and yeah I deserve that little jab. Not going to apologize for anything I said about that but I am good with being poked at. I find it kinda fun anyway, masochist that I am.

I know most of us billed this season as a breakout year (me included) and a few talking heads said we were potential playoff contenders but most picked us finishing last in our division. So I'm not seeing where this was "billed" as a breakout year. I - like you - have seen what I view as regression on the defensive side but in spite of having an UDFA QB playing his first snaps in the NFL, and the youngest team in the NFL, I don't think our offense has regressed. In fact, quite the opposite. If our O-line was ever healthy and capable of blocking for 60 minutes, I think we would see a vastly better product. As it is, the offense is better than last year - though that is not saying a whole lot.

We are in our first year with a new defensive coordinator. It may be more of a system learning curve that we are witnessing. If that is the case, is changing yet again the answer? I don't know but I doubt it. I'm just tired of changing just to see if we can trap lightning in a bottle. Even though losing sucks big time, I have been through enough change to want to try a different tac and let this regime have at least the number of years to which it was signed. Come contract time, I'm fine with re-exploring the options. But for now, I'm just tired of the fire everyone mentality in the NFL.