Hmmm, which “hook” to use for this week’s Wiggins’ World subject, the NFL’s red-hot Los Angeles Rams?
dave wiggins
A hook is journalism jargon for a catchy beginning that makes you want to read on. Hooks you. Get it?
WW could go with the angle that the Rams, at 8-0, are the NFL’s only undefeated team. But there are always unbeatens part-way into the season.
A more catchy “storyline” might be that they are, in a way, one of the few “dream teams” assembled in the off-season that actually performs up to its moniker when it comes time to play.
But, then, an even better way to snag your attention might be to say that these Rams are the Oakland Raiders of yore reincarnate.
Think former owner-general manager Al Davis and his “Just Win Baby” collection of cast-offs, misfits and unsavory characters who donned the silver and black during the Raiders’ halcyon era late last century.
When it comes to potential hooks, then, WW’s cup runneth over.
So howzabout Wiggins’ World combines all three? Here goes.
To be sure, that the Rams are halfway home to an undefeated regular season should be enough to stand alone as an attention-getting premise.
Put it this way, the NFL’s only undefeated team in history, the 1972 Miami Dolphins, are now sweating having company in that department.
Their celebratory champagne supped when the last unbeaten team falls has been on ice longer than usual this campaign.
Who’d have thought that the source of their worry would be a Ram team that only two years ago stumbled to a 4-12 mark causing the snarky to label them the LA Lambs.
But in just a season and a half under new head coach Sean McVay, the Rams have become an offensive juggernaut.
Once known as the Greatest Show on Turf when they won a Super Bowl in St Louis, they are now the Greatest Show By Surf.
Under McVay, quarterback Jared Goff, a former No.1 draft pick, has blossomed and is flinging the ball all over the lot to a slew of talented receivers.
That is, when running back Todd Gurley — an ex-No.1 draftee reborn under McVay — isn’t ripping opponent’s defences to shreds.
Gurley led the NFL in rushing in 2017 and this season is the league’s individual leader in total offence (yards running and receiving combined).
The Rams currently top the NFL in team offence, cranking out 443 yards per game.
However, their potent offence wasn’t enough in the postseason a year ago to sustain them when the Ram pass defence was picked apart in a play-off loss to Atlanta.
That’s where the dream team factor comes into play.
To improve their leaky D, the Rams began collecting stars, albeit ones with, um, “character issues”.
They acquired Pro Bowl cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters to play tight man-to-man pass coverage.
And then traded for superstar defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh to add more oomph to their inside pass rush.
All three have delivered the goods thus far.
Meanwhile, on offence the Rams added wide receiver Brandin Cooks, surprisingly let go by New England after a terrific 2017.
Cooks has given the Rams the deep threat they had been lacking.
Prior to their arrival in LA, all four players named were considered tremendous talents not worth the headaches they caused their former teams.
That’s how the Rams were able to land them.
They are probably the only star-studded group slapped together — other than the 1992 US Olympic basketball team — to live up to the hype.
So far at least, they have been more dreamy than nightmarish.
Now for that Raiders resemblance.
These newcomers also bring to the Rams an element of roguishness unseen in the NFL since ex-Raiders Lyle Alzado, John Matuszak, Ted “The Mad Stork” Hendricks and Kenny “The Snake” Stabler et al wrought havoc in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Back then, Al Davis rosters were always dotted with former rejects and ne’er do wells.
Commitment to Excellence AND Thuggery is how the Raiders slogan SHOULD have read.
But the Raiders organisation cared about only one thing back then: Could the rascals play? Deportment be damned.
And could they ever. Those Raiders notched three Super Bowl titles — while annually leading the league in penalties — with some of the motliest crews this side of those headed by Blackbeard the Pirate.
The Rams now seemingly seek to to emulate those Raider ballclubs.
All in all, it could be said that these Rams are like an angler with a bunch of hooks decorating his hat, trying to land the big one.
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