• Home
  • Mail
  • Flickr
  • Tumblr
  • News
  • Sports
  • Finance
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Answers
  • Groups
  • More
Yahoo
    • Skip to Navigation
    • Skip to Main Content
    • Skip to Related Content
    Lifestyle Home
    Follow Us
    • Style
    • Beauty
    • Wellness
    • Pop Culture
    • News
    • Horoscope
    • Video
    • Polyvore

    Fond Farewell, Rams: How Los Angeles can fix its team this offseason

    Frank Schwab
    Shutdown CornerJanuary 12, 2018
    Reblog
    Share
    Tweet
    Share

    As teams get mathematically eliminated from the NFL playoffs, we’ll give you a jump on their offseason by examining what went right, what went wrong and what needs to change before next season. 

    LOS ANGELES RAMS

    Had you told the Rams before the season that they’d win the NFC West, their new coach would look like a grand-slam hire and their quarterback would emerge as one of the best in the NFL, they’d have signed up instantly, even if they knew it would end in a wild-card playoff loss. The loss to the Falcons was surely disappointing, but let’s not lose sight of the big picture. This was a remarkable season for the Rams. The future is bright.

    What went right: Todd Gurley is a legitimate MVP candidate, Sean McVay will probably win coach of the year unanimously or close to it, Aaron Donald should win defensive player of the year, Jared Goff became one of the top young quarterbacks in football … that enough for you?

    What went wrong: Other than falling apart in the playoff loss to the Falcons, not much. This is a team that had a fantastic offense, a very good defense and the special teams were good too. They pulled off the rare feat of finishing in the top six in offense, defense and special teams in Football Outsiders’ DVOA per-play metric. The only real negative is the Rams didn’t win a playoff game, and nobody in the NFL is guaranteed to make it back to the playoffs the following season. But this is a true growth stock.

    Will the coach be back?: Unless Sean McVay is going to move on from the Rams after one season to perhaps solve world peace or cure cancer, yeah, he’s going to be back.

    Do they have a quarterback?: No quarterback did more to help himself this season than Jared Goff. Before this season, Goff looked like a bust. What’s funny is everyone knew that Jeff Fisher and his staff weren’t good, but many of us didn’t factor that enough into Goff’s rookie struggles. When the Rams upgraded from a terrible coach to one of the best, Goff took off. Go figure. He posted a 100.5 rating, played well all season and should continue to grow. That’s a relief, because for most of his rookie season Goff looked like a lemon. He’s anything but that.

    Quick free agent fix: The Rams have a tricky offseason coming up. They have a lot of key free agents. It needs to be said that they need to take care of Aaron Donald. Donald wants a new deal and has earned it. Yet, there are other issues too. There was a report from Alden Gonzalez of ESPN that receiver Sammy Watkins could get the franchise tag. They have big questions in the secondary, where cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson and Nickell Robey-Coleman and safety Lamarcus Joyner are set to be free agents. After the season the Rams just had, they need to focus on their own free agents and bring as much of this team back as possible.

    Quick draft fix: The Rams will be drafting 23rd in the first round, and the secondary should be the focus. Even if they’re able to bring back Johnson and Joyner, cornerback Kayvon Webster will be coming off an Achilles injury and it’s never a bad thing to have secondary depth. And if the Rams do lose Joyner, Johnson or both, then they need to stock up on defensive backs.

    Give it to me straight, can my team make the playoffs in 2018?: The only warning is that teams that have an enormous improvement one year usually take a step back. The 2017 Raiders are a good example. The Rams were clearly a bit ahead of schedule. All that said, it’s hard to come up with a realistic argument they won’t be back in the playoffs next season. This was a good, balanced team and they’ll be good again next season.

    PREVIOUS FOND FAREWELLS

    Browns | 49ers | Giants | Bears | Broncos | Colts | Redskins | Buccaneers | Packers | Jets | Cardinals | Bengals | Cowboys | Lions | Raiders | Dolphins

    Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff took a big step forward this season. (AP)
    Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff took a big step forward this season. (AP)

    – – – – – – –

    Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
    Follow @YahooSchwab

    Reblog
    Share
    Tweet
    Share
    Polyvore

    What to Read Next

    • Dog Bites Woman On New York Subway After Allegedly Being Pushed

      HuffPost
    • A 4-year-old almost died from 'dry drowning' — a doctor weighs in on how to stay safe

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • What living on 'Mars' taught one space researcher about saving Earth

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • No Prom Or Graduation Ceremony For Teen Who Made Racist Promposal Sign

      HuffPost
    • Actress Allison Mack Is Released To Her Parents On $5 Million Bail In Sex Trafficking Case

      HuffPost
    • Scarlett Johansson Showed Off Her Huge Back Tattoo at the Avengers: Infinity War Premiere

      Allure
    • Jennifer Lopez Proves When It Comes to a Jaw-Dropping Leg Reveal, Three Times is a Charm

      Vogue
    • This pregnant woman watched YouTube videos to deliver her own baby after going into labor on a layover in Turkey

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • Husband of Southwest Explosion Victim Speaks Out About Her Loss: 'I Have Not Been Angry Yet'

      People
    • 'I'm going to die': Avicii predicted his own death last year

      Yahoo7 Be
    • We Bet You Didn't Even Notice Kate Middleton's Nod to Queen Elizabeth After Giving Birth

      Brides
    • New dad Prince William kisses future sister-in-law Meghan Markle at Westminster Abbey: See the sweet photos

      AOL.com
    • Donald Trump Roasted For Painfully Awkward Attempt To Hold Melania's Hand

      HuffPost
    • Why the first genital transplant is so important for war veterans

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • Ivanka Trump wears $12,888 polka-dot gown to state dinner

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • Kylie Jenner Shows Off Her 11-Week Post-Baby Body in Curve-Hugging Dress

      People

    Sean Hannity Isn't A Journalist And Fox News Isn't News

    paul: I've turned to the National Enquirer, for my news.

    Join the Conversation
    1 / 5

    8.5k

    • Paris Jackson Called Out Relatives After They Reportedly Said "She's Lost It"

      Teen Vogue
    • Princess Charlotte and Royal Baby 3 Are Bonding

      Cosmopolitan
    • 13 heroic truck drivers line up under highway bridge to prevent suicide attempt

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • Melania Trump sparkles in silver Chanel for first official state dinner

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • Prince George's cheeky big brother move caught on camera

      Yahoo7 Be
    • Ivanka Trump's state dinner gown stirs controversy over its $12,888 price tag

      Lifestyle News
    • Penn State is embroiled in a racism scandal, and people are unimpressed with the school's response

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • Inside the Misogynistic Philosophy Behind the Toronto Killer’s Attack

      The Cut
    • Trump Officials Are Now Openly Bragging About How Corrupt They Are

      GQ
    • Kanye West loses 10m followers in 10 minutes

      Yahoo7 Be
    • Did Prince William Fall Asleep Today?

      Harper's Bazaar
    • Kim Kardashian Shared a Fully Naked Picture

      Marie Claire
    • TIME 100 Gala 2018: Red carpet arrivals

      AOL.com
    • Tequila Sunrise Hair Color May Be Spring’s Most Fun Beauty Trend

      BRIT + CO
    • Serena Williams Has Some Sweet Words for Kate Middleton Following the Birth of Royal Baby No. 3

      Brides
    • Did Blake Shelton Call Out Miranda Lambert?

      Country Living
    Polyvore