2012-2016- The Fisher Era

First Semester Report Card: Jeff Fisher and the L.A. Rams coaching staff

Progress report

The Los Angeles Rams are currently having their best start since 2006. So why are Rams fans still groaning at the thought of a Jeff Fisher extension? Anyone who has watched the Rams through four games knows how easily they could be 0-4. They’ve made plenty of mistakes and shown glimpses of the “same old sorry ass Rams.” But here we are, sitting at 3-1 and in first in the NFC West. The Rams have beaten two division rivalsthat made the playoffs in 2015. Now Jeff Fisher is leading one of the hottest teams in football.

We’re done with the first quarter of the NFL season, and it’s time to give Fisher and the Rams coaching staff their report card.

Gameplanning: B. Nothing even resembled a gameplan in Week 1, but the Rams have had a clear strategy in the following three games:

  • Week 2: Play conservative offense and make Russell Wilson beat them. The Rams didn’t take many shots against Seattle in Week 2 and left it up to the Seahawks offense to win the game. They got after Wilson and they dominated the game. For whatever reason, Fisher seems to always have Seattle’s number.
  • Week 3: Take shots at a weak secondary, lock down Mike Evans and make the rest of the Doug Martin-less Tampa offense carry the load. The Rams finally let Keenum air it out in Week 3, and he made a couple huge plays against a weak Tampa secondary. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams had Trumaine Johnson locked onto Mike Evans all game. This one didn’t really work out, but it was a solid strategy nonetheless. The Rams shut down the running game but still allowed a few big plays to happen in the passing game. Tampa Bay scored 32 points, but six of those came on a pick-six and another seven was a result of great field position on a Kenny Britt fumble. The Rams had a solid gameplan that could have been executed a bit better.
  • Week 4: Prove the passing game can be a threat. The last time the Rams played in Arizona, Todd Gurley exploded for 146 yards. They knew Arizona would not let Gurley do this again, and they answered the Cardinals dare to beat them through the air. Case Keenum executed the gameplan to perfection.

The Rams have looked like a team prepared to fight since looking like ghosts in Week 1. Kudos to Jeff Fisher and his staff here.

Playcalling: C. The playcalling has improved as the season has gone on. Week 1 was one of the most pathetic things I’ve ever seen, but it’s definitely gotten better. Defenses are daring the Rams to beat them through the air and the Rams are doing just that. Offensive coordinator Rob Boras has let Keenum air it out on a few more deep balls over the last two games with great results. They’ve started to get Todd Gurley involved in the passing game since defenses won’t give him any space in the box. They’ve even managed to revive Brian Quick. At some point defenses are going to have to respect the passing game, and this should open up the ground game for Gurley.

Despite all of the improvements, the staff receives a “C” because of three glaring negatives: the incompetence of the first two weeks, the lack of running space for Gurley, and the fact that they still can’t consistently get Tavon Austin the ball in open space. Oddly enough, Rob Boras is by far the best offensive coordinator the Rams have had since Fisher took over. I’m still having nightmares thinking about the Brian Schottenheimer era.

Personnel: A. The best thing Fisher and his staff have done this season is put the right guys on the field. Assembling this group wasn’t perfect, as Snead and Fisher certainly made some mistakes with a few additions and cuts, but they’ve played the right guys this season. A few examples of great personnel calls by the Rams this year:

  • Benching Coty Sensabaugh after a brutal first two weeks.
  • Finding the right mix of guys to replace Akeem Ayers after Week 1.
  • Keeping Brian Quick in the lineup.
  • Not playing Jared Goff if he isn’t ready despite pressure from the fans and the media.

The right guys have been playing for the Rams this season. At some positions it’s for better or worse, but this is the team we have and Fisher has put the right team on the field.

Discipline: D-. The Rams have consistently been near the top of the NFL in penalties per game during Fisher’s tenure, and this year they sit at nine per game, good enough for fourth in the league and a Fisher-era high. Team captains Todd Gurley and Aaron Donald each had unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in Week 1 and Donald got himself ejected. Eugene Sims was ejected in Week 3 against Tampa Bay. The Rams have had costly penalties at critical moments during the first four weeks. It’s insane to me that this team is still this undisciplined with a coach who’s been in football for nearly 40 years.

Challenges: F. How can you miss so many challenges with the technology we have in 2016? Fisher challenged two blatant incomplete passes against Arizona and both calls were confirmed by officials. The coaches in the booth have to tell Fisher that these aren’t catches before he wastes two timeouts like this.

Overall Performance: B-. Look, I want to tear apart Fisher and his staff as much as anybody for how much the team has ran in place during his tenure, but the fact of the matter is the Rams are 3-1. None of these wins were handed to them. At times they almost blew each of them, but the Rams have earned this three-game win streak. Some of the credit has to go to the coaching staff.

They’ve made some horrible challenges, they haven’t kept this team disciplined during big moments, and they didn’t even remotely prepare this team for Week 1. But they’ve also adjusted their personnel when players aren’t performing, they’ve answered the call when defenses have dared them to pass, and they have the Rams off to their best start in a decade.

The overall performance of the staff has been average, something that Fisher has become accustomed to during his time in the NFL. Yet the team’s record is above average. If the Rams find themselves floating around the 7-9 bubble they’ve been at for the past five years, Fisher needs to go. However, if the days of “7-9 bulls—” are truly behind Jeff Fisher and he gets this team to 10 wins, then he will earn the right to remain at the helm of this team.

During the second quarter, the Rams take on the Bills, Lions, Giants, and Panthers. The next three games in particular will be crucial to understanding what direction this team is heading in.

Steve Rebeiro is a staff writer and podcast host for Rams Talk. He graduated from Marquette University in 2016. For more of his opinions, follow him on Twitter here.

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