Sunday’s game wasn’t considered must-win for the Los Angeles Rams, but with the 49ers ahead of the pack in the NFC West and the Seattle Seahawks looking like playoff contenders, too, it was a huge matchup for Sean McVay’s team. Unfortunately, the result wasn’t what the Rams were hoping for.
They lost 20-7 at home to their division rivals, dropping their third straight game. There was almost nothing positive to take away from this one, except for the fact that the rushing attack got going on the first drive of the game.
Here’s what we learned from the Rams’ loss, which has caused some fans to panic.
Jared Goff has regressed to troubling levels
The Rams talked all offseason about how they’d prefer to wait a year before signing Goff to an extension, taking their time and addressing other needs first. That turned out to be a smokescreen because the Rams signed Goff to a massive contract this summer and he’s done very little to assure them it was a smart move. Sunday’s game against the 49ers – who admittedly have a great defense – was especially alarming because of how poorly he played.
Goff threw for 78 yards on 24 attempts, completing 13 passes but none for a touchdown and only one for a first down. He overthrew a wide-open Gerald Everett late in the fourth quarter on a pass that surely would’ve been a touchdown.
He had little time to throw and was under constant pressure, but that doesn’t excuse a 78-yard passing game with all those playmakers.
The offensive line needs major help
We talk about it seemingly every week, but the Rams’ offensive line is undoubtedly the weakest link on the roster. It’s not even close, either. Joseph Noteboom left the game with a knee injury and was replaced by Jamil Demby. There was almost no noticeable difference, which is both good and bad. It’s good because there isn’t a huge gap between the starter and backup. It’s bad because, well, there isn’t much of a gap between the starter and backup.
Brian Allen was a liability in pass protection on Sunday, while the tackles were bullied and beaten by the 49ers’ edge rushers. Andrew Whitworth doesn’t look like the Pro Bowler he has been. And let’s not get started on Rob Havenstein, who has regressed in a big way since last season.
Perhaps the Rams should give the Redskins a call about acquiring Trent Williams and playing him at left guard – especially if Noteboom is out for an extended period of time.
Sean McVay deserves plenty of blame
There have been very few instances where blame needed to be passed around at all with the Rams. After all, they’ve had an abundance of success the last two years. However, McVay should not be excused in this one. His play calling was questionable, beginning with running the ball into the teeth of the 49ers’ defensive line – the strength of the team – twice on third-and-goal and fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line. There’s nothing wrong with going for it in that situation with the score tied at seven, but the lack of creativity was unlike what we’re used to seeing from him.
The Rams tried to pound it up the middle on fourth-and-1 in another instance, too, but were stopped. There’s nothing wrong with McVay’s aggressiveness, but the play calls lacked any sort of creativity.
Yes, the players need to execute, but the game plan wasn’t very impressive. He has yet to find a true counter to what defenses are throwing at him this season.
Sloppy and undisciplined play plagued the Rams
Penalties, turnovers, miscues, missed tackles. The list goes on, and they’ve all had a significant impact on the Rams this season. On Sunday, the Rams had eight penalties for 59 yards, including an offsides infraction by Dante Fowler Jr. that extended the 49ers’ drive in the first quarter, leading to a touchdown.
Darrell Henderson fumbled a pitch, Troy Reeder and Marcus Peters (among many others) missed tackles and an illegal shift penalty on Mike Thomas negated a recovery by the Rams on a punt.
Los Angeles is typically very good in this area and cause few self-inflicted wounds, but that hasn’t been the case this season – and it certainly wasn’t against the 49ers. The Rams committed a lot of mental mistakes.
