NFL preview 2017: Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams got their first look at Jared Goff under center last year, and now they’ll see how the team does with him after a season to mature.
The Los Angeles Rams had a rough year in 2016, but it may have been the start of what could be a great era in the team’s history.
The team found itself in third place of the NFC West last season, despite falling all the way to a 4-12 record. A big reason for the lackluster year was the team’s offense, which was led by Goff. While some of the blame can be thrown on the young gun for his play, a lot of the struggles came from the team throwing Goff into the fire with lack of experience and knowledge of the playbook, as well. Add in the lack of weapons in the passing game, and there wasn’t a ton for Goff to really do with that lineup.
As a good sign for the offense, and for something that could potentially help out Goff in a big way in the passing game, the team added Sammy Watkins to the squad from the Buffalo Bills in a trade this summer. The Rams didn’t have a big threat for Goff to work with for his receivers, and he was forced to make things work with what he had in Los Angeles last season. Now, with a legitimate threat to help take defenders and attention away from some other targets, Goff could see a real improvement to his game, and the Rams offense as a whole should benefit.
Another big key for the offense is Todd Gurley, who struggled in a big way in 2016. The addition of Watkins should help the offense in multiple ways, but it may help Gurley the most, giving him some room to run in and make some moves like he did in his rookie campaign. If he can get going, it works the other way as well, giving Goff a chance to open things up more with defenses expecting more of a rushing attack.
The Rams have a chance to make a run in the NFC West this year, but it’s going to take a lot of work on offense, and a lot of production from guys like Aaron Donald and Robert Quinn on defense. They have a tough schedule considering they have to play the Seahawks twice along with tough NFC East games.
Despite Russell Wilson and Earl Thomas dealing with respective injuries throughout the year, no one in the division could take down the Seahawks last year. Now, the NFC West’s top team is at 100 percent, and the Rams, Cardinals and 49ers are likely going to be battling for the second spot in the division and a hopeful wild card spot in the postseason.
There’s a lot riding on this Rams campaign, especially for fans who aren’t known as hardcore in Los Angeles.
X-Factor
A big reason the Rams struggled last year was Todd Gurley’s issues in the backfield, and his inability to replicate the amazing rookie season that put him on the map in 2015.
While some of the blame had to go to the offensive line, a lot of the issues fell onto Gurley and head coach Jeff Fisher, as well. He couldn’t live up to the hype that was built up around him for 2016, and now he’s a bit under the radar as the Rams get ready for action in 2017.
If Gurley can get back to his rookie form, that’ll open things up a bit more for Goff in the passing game, and will help to make the team more of a dual threat, rather than just trying to force their rushing game. Gurley needs to live up to his expectations.
Best case
The NFC West is one of the weakest divisions in all of football, and it seems like random contenders can come out of nowhere in this division more than other years. We’ve seen the 49ers come out of nowhere before, the Seahawks’ quick rise to fame and even the Cardinals over the years, so it shouldn’t be a big surprise if the Rams go on a run.
The Rams are a very young team with a lot of potential on both sides of the ball, and they could be a threat considering how the 49ers have struggled, and how the Cardinals have been inconsistent. While they’re no Super Bowl contender, the Rams could be a threat for a second-place finish in the division, and injuries to their divisional rivals could even change that for the better.
There’s a lot of question marks in the division, and with some challenges along the way outside of it on the schedule, the Rams could shock the world if the cards fall in their favor.
Worst case
Unfortunately, we are talking about the Rams here, and the team went just 4-12 last season in their first year with Goff under center.
While it’s tough to put blame on the rookie quarterback in his first year, the worst-case scenario here sees he and Gurley struggling again on offense, even with a better offensive line to work with. If that were to happen, serious decisions would need to be made on all ends of the game, and it could be disastrous for the Rams.
The Seahawks and Cardinals look like they should be tough this season. With the Rams playing each twice, it may turn south quickly in any hope of making a run in the NFC West, and a postseason run would dissipate just as quickly as the thought even popped into their heads.
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Final word
It’s tough to judge a team with as much young talent as the Rams have, because they showed their inexperience on the field last year with their poor record, but also showed flashes at times of what could turn into serious success for some big names like Gurley, Goff, Donald and Quinn.
If things roll in the right way for the Rams, they could be looking at one of their best finishes in the division in years. However, that can turn pretty quickly if that youth and inexperience shines through too much, and that’s a big question mark heading into the 2017 campaign for a team in desperate need for a good season.