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When the Los Angeles Rams signed head coach Jeff Fisher back in 2012, it was something to celebrate. Desperate to step away from the shadows of the failed experiments that were Steve Spagnuolo, Jim Haslett and Scott Linehan, the Rams looked for veteran leadership in Fisher. While at times his experience has made a difference, a recurring theme lately has been poor coaching and questionable decision-making.
Don’t get me wrong, Fisher did improve the Rams from the atrocious 2-14 and 1-15 seasons. Many fans forget that there were actually even more miserable seasons, but that’s better left forgotten. Initially, the team’s improvement overshadowed some of his more questionable decisions. However, after several seasons with the same “7-9 bullsh—,” the question has to be asked: are the Rams really improving? The Rams have a roster littered with talented players, but they still haven’t taken the team to the next level.
It’s hard to believe for some, but this season has been an indicator of how ineffective Fisher has been for the Rams as they attempt to move forward. Heading into Week 6, the Rams are 3-2 with each loss reflecting an undisciplined and unprepared team. It’s also important to note that there hasn’t been a single decisive victory. There hasn’t been a single game where I felt that the Rams outcoached the other team. In fact, there hasn’t been a game where Fisher hasn’t made a crucial mistake. It’s not uncommon for a head coach to make a tough decision only for it to backfire, but Fisher’s judgment lately is questionable at best.
First off, why does Fisher insist on running the ball when the box is stacked with defenders? Running back Todd Gurley is human, although it may not seem like it since he is looked upon as a human bulldozer, but even he has his limitations. If Fisher continues run against a loaded box, it will result in turnovers and possibly injure the Rams’ potential franchise player. Even if the calls are being made by offensive coordinator Rob Boras, then it is Fisher’s job to either consult with Boras or take over completely.
Fourth down situations haven’t been kind to Fisher either. Thus far the Rams have only converted once this entire season. Fisher picks the worst moments to go for it on fourth down and often opts to punt when the Rams have the most momentum. Last week against the Buffalo Bills, his decision to run a fake punt deep in their territory was quite possibly the worst coaching decision in his career. Nevermind the fact that he chose, of all people, Bradley Marquez to make the attempt and everyone in the stadium saw that coming from a mile away.
Time management has been something he always struggled with too. Taking timeouts early have come back to haunt the Rams throughout the years. Recently, he made poor judgments twice in the same game against the Arizona Cardinals on challenges. Luckily the Rams were dominant enough to not need those timeouts, but it was still a close game and could have been the deciding factor between a win or a loss.
Finally, why are the Rams still an undisciplined team? The penalties have been devastating this year on both sides of the football. I’m not just referring to the countless false starts or neutral zone infractions. Unnecessary roughness, holding, pass interference etc. are all still common, and these boneheaded mistakes are what win and lose games. They were certainly a factor in the loss against the Bills last week.
In short, look back at the film and notice how the Rams are skidding by due to the players’ talent alone. Subpar coaching continues to hold this team back, despite a 3-2 record. I’ve never been one for firing a coach mid-season, however, it may prove to be necessary if Fisher continues to lose games for the Rams. I sincerely hope that the rumors of Fisher signing a contract extension are false.
You can follow Johnny Gomez on Twitter @Johnny5not6. Be sure to follow Rams Talk on Twitter @TalkRams.
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When the Los Angeles Rams signed head coach Jeff Fisher back in 2012, it was something to celebrate. Desperate to step away from the shadows of the failed experiments that were Steve Spagnuolo, Jim Haslett and Scott Linehan, the Rams looked for veteran leadership in Fisher. While at times his experience has made a difference, a recurring theme lately has been poor coaching and questionable decision-making.
Don’t get me wrong, Fisher did improve the Rams from the atrocious 2-14 and 1-15 seasons. Many fans forget that there were actually even more miserable seasons, but that’s better left forgotten. Initially, the team’s improvement overshadowed some of his more questionable decisions. However, after several seasons with the same “7-9 bullsh—,” the question has to be asked: are the Rams really improving? The Rams have a roster littered with talented players, but they still haven’t taken the team to the next level.
It’s hard to believe for some, but this season has been an indicator of how ineffective Fisher has been for the Rams as they attempt to move forward. Heading into Week 6, the Rams are 3-2 with each loss reflecting an undisciplined and unprepared team. It’s also important to note that there hasn’t been a single decisive victory. There hasn’t been a single game where I felt that the Rams outcoached the other team. In fact, there hasn’t been a game where Fisher hasn’t made a crucial mistake. It’s not uncommon for a head coach to make a tough decision only for it to backfire, but Fisher’s judgment lately is questionable at best.
First off, why does Fisher insist on running the ball when the box is stacked with defenders? Running back Todd Gurley is human, although it may not seem like it since he is looked upon as a human bulldozer, but even he has his limitations. If Fisher continues run against a loaded box, it will result in turnovers and possibly injure the Rams’ potential franchise player. Even if the calls are being made by offensive coordinator Rob Boras, then it is Fisher’s job to either consult with Boras or take over completely.
Fourth down situations haven’t been kind to Fisher either. Thus far the Rams have only converted once this entire season. Fisher picks the worst moments to go for it on fourth down and often opts to punt when the Rams have the most momentum. Last week against the Buffalo Bills, his decision to run a fake punt deep in their territory was quite possibly the worst coaching decision in his career. Nevermind the fact that he chose, of all people, Bradley Marquez to make the attempt and everyone in the stadium saw that coming from a mile away.
Time management has been something he always struggled with too. Taking timeouts early have come back to haunt the Rams throughout the years. Recently, he made poor judgments twice in the same game against the Arizona Cardinals on challenges. Luckily the Rams were dominant enough to not need those timeouts, but it was still a close game and could have been the deciding factor between a win or a loss.
Finally, why are the Rams still an undisciplined team? The penalties have been devastating this year on both sides of the football. I’m not just referring to the countless false starts or neutral zone infractions. Unnecessary roughness, holding, pass interference etc. are all still common, and these boneheaded mistakes are what win and lose games. They were certainly a factor in the loss against the Bills last week.
In short, look back at the film and notice how the Rams are skidding by due to the players’ talent alone. Subpar coaching continues to hold this team back, despite a 3-2 record. I’ve never been one for firing a coach mid-season, however, it may prove to be necessary if Fisher continues to lose games for the Rams. I sincerely hope that the rumors of Fisher signing a contract extension are false.
You can follow Johnny Gomez on Twitter @Johnny5not6. Be sure to follow Rams Talk on Twitter @TalkRams.
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