Following a controversial and difficult short week of practice, the Los Angeles Rams hit rock bottom yet again, falling to the Seattle Seahawks by a score of 3-24 on Thursday night. The Rams defense played a solid game, but the offense was unable to generate any type of momentum against the Seahawks. With the loss, Los Angeles now falls to 0-2 in prime time matchups this season, and have been outscored 48-141 in their last four games. Here are some takeaways from the Rams Week 15 loss.
Los Angeles Rams Week 15 Takeaways
Offense
Prior to the season, many believed the Rams were just a solid quarterback away from breaking out and becoming a playoff team. Their front office, therefore, decided to make a “splash” by mortgaging their near future in order to select Jared Goff with the first overall pick in this year’s draft. Los Angeles was probably hoping Goff would start immediately and help improve the Rams offense, but the rookie quarterback didn’t start until Week 11.
Four weeks later, Goff has now compiled an 0-5 record, and is completing just over 50 percent of his passes and has thrown four touchdowns and five interceptions. Despite posting a turnover-free game against the Seahawks, the California product wasn’t given much of a chance inside the pocket and connected on only 52 percent of his passes for 135 yards.
The offensive line displayed yet another underwhelming performance, allowing Seattle’s defense to tally five sacks and holding Todd Gurley to 38 rushing yards. Greg Robinson, who the Rams drafted number two overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, has continued to disappoint. Robinson allowed three of the five sacks, missing several assigned blocks throughout the night. The Seahawks were well aware and started sending two pass rushers at times against the former Auburn star.
Defense
The final score might not truly show it, but the Rams defense showed up strong against Russell Wilson and company. The rushing defense, which can be labeled as inconsistent at best, did a great job by neutralizing Thomas Rawls all game. Rawls carried the ball 21 times for 34 yards. Out of his 21 touches on the ground, eight of them resulted in tackle-for-losses and Rawls’ ended the game with a season worst 1.6 yards-per-carry.
The Rams passing defense also played a pretty inspiring game. Los Angeles entered the game without their starting free safety, Maurice Alexander, who was injured following a helmet-to-helmet hit last Sunday. A depleted and young secondary held the Seahawks team to 10 points in the first half, but were exposed for the majority of the second half.
Seattle always helps bring the most out of the Rams defense. However, there comes a point in time where leaving an entire unit on the field for over 60 minutes in a four-day span becomes detrimental.
Ignore The Past. Focus on The Future
Los Angeles is not a playoff team and the entire NFL knows it. The silver lining is that the Rams finish off the season against two divisional opponents at home, who also will not make the playoffs this season, beginning on Christmas Eve against the San Francisco 49ers.
The focus for Los Angeles is now set towards the beginning of next season. It’s hard to predict what is going to happen in the upcoming months, but there has to be personnel and player changes if this team is destined to improve on the football field.
Just like Todd Gurley professed following the team’s fifth consecutive loss,
“You’re playing for your job. This next head coach, whoever comes in, is definitely going to see your effort on film. And if he don’t like it, then you might not be here.”
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