Jeff Fisher said it again Monday, at his last news conference of the 2013 regular season.
“I think we’re closing the gap (in the NFC West),” Fisher said at Rams Park. “We’re not there yet, but I think with a year of improvement we’ll be much closer.”
It takes a coach with a résumé and a lot of self-confidence to make such a statement. After all, the Rams went 4-1-1 in division games last year and fell to 1-5 against the division in 2013.
They lost four of those five games by an average of 18 points, with none of those four losses coming by fewer than 10 points.
“We’ve got to be better in the division, no question,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said after Sunday’s 27-9 loss to the newly crowned NFC West champion Seattle Seahawks. “If you’re gonna win it, you’ve got to play really well and be really good in it. And we’ve got a tough (division).
“I think that’s the most disappointing part of the season is how poorly we did against the division. At home against San Fran, that one was tough to swallow. We still are haunted by the Seattle game at home.”
In the immediate aftermath of a 7-9 regular season, it’s clear that the Rams have closed the gap on becoming a playoff-caliber team. Resounding victories over Indianapolis, New Orleans and Chicago bear testament to that. After going 3-7 a year ago outside the division, they went 6-4 this season.
BURWELL: RAMS ON THE RIGHT TRACK
If the Rams were residents of the AFC South, NFC North, or even NFC East this season, they might have been preparing for a postseason game Monday instead of taking exit physicals and cleaning out lockers. But their home is the mighty NFC West, easily the strongest division in football.
Yes, what used to be the NFC Worst is suddenly the NFC Best.
Arizona (10-6) leapfrogged the Rams into third place this season in the West. Seattle (13-3) and San Francisco (12-4) once again are legitimate Super Bowl contenders. With just two wild-card berths per conference since the realignment of 2002, you’ve got to finish at least third in your division to even have a shot at Mr. Lombardi’s trophy.
“Anything can happen,” Fisher said. “All three teams play really good defense, and we’ve got to play better offense and score more points to compete with them. I think defensively we can compete with these teams.”
If Fisher and general manager Les Snead have shown anything in their two offseasons in St. Louis, it’s that they’re not going to sit on their hands. Since he has become controlling owner, Stan Kroenke has shown a strong commitment to spend money when necessary.
The Seahawks and 49ers certainly won’t sit still — they remain obsessed with each other and their quest for Best in the West. And the Cardinals, with the shrewd hire of coach Bruce Arians, look like they’re all-in as well. So keeping up with the Joneses has never been tougher in this neighborhood.
The starting point, of course, is possession of the No. 2 and No. 13 overall picks in next May’s draft. Do they trade one of those picks? Both? Stand pat? As Fisher pointed out Monday, they have no less than 4½ months to “massage that.”
“Obviously, we’re excited about that,” Fisher said. “We have a lot of exciting things ahead of us in the offseason. A lot of decisions to make.”
Fisher said he doesn’t anticipate any coaching staff changes, but things happen, situations change. For example, with longtime Fisher associate Jim Schwartz out as Detroit head coach, does Fisher find a place for him on his staff? (Assuming Schwartz doesn’t find another head-coaching job or decides to sit out a year.)
Deciding what to do with the current roster is a key part of the equation as well. There doesn’t figure to be as much turnover as in Fisher’s first two offseasons in St. Louis, but even well-established teams churn up to a third of the roster every year.
“I am proud of this team,” Fisher said. “This team — inside the building, on the practice field — is one of the better ones from a chemistry standpoint I’ve ever been around. They do everything that’s asked of them, and they do it well.
“I think we have a lot to look forward to from the standpoint of not only last year’s young guys, but this year’s. ... We have a young team that’s gonna get better. And it’s going to get significantly better over the offseason.”
Good enough to truly compete in the NFC Best? We’ll see.
“I’m optimistic,” Laurinaitis said. “This 53 won’t be the exact same next year. But let’s be frank. There’s a lot of young guys that are gonna be back. There’s gonna be a lot of talent in here that we can win with.
“So I’m excited about the prospects of this organization, this team, and the direction that we’re going. It’s a very big offseason for us. Very big. Third year in with the head man (Fisher). Sam (Bradford) rehabbing a comeback. It’s just a big offseason, and I’ll be in St. Louis for most it.”
