As trivial as it may sound, given all that is happening around the world, NFL life in Los Angeles has all but fallen into crisis mode, if not the Twilight Zone, at least for Los Angeles Rams fans. The off-season has been brutal. And in 2020 the Rams will have to compete with the Los Angeles Chargers in their same stadium and with the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals in their division.
But here is why the 2020 Los Angeles Rams will be better than expected.
Los Angeles Rams Will Be Better Than Predicted in 2020
For much of the 2020 NFL Draft, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead appeared to be thumbing their noses at NFL draft analysts and mass media-appointed experts everywhere. There wasn’t so much as a glance in the direction of an offensive lineman, until the seventh round (selection 250).
Needless to say, draft experts and Los Angeles Rams fans alike were perplexed well into the week of post-draft analysis. After all, the Rams needs had been all but ignored by two people who many believe to be two of the more intelligent people in the NFL. But there is reason for Rams fans to be hopeful entering the 2020 season.
The Maturation of Sean McVay
McVay is still a young head coach, but he has taken his lumps and he is one of the most innovative coaches in the NFL.The sting McVay felt in the loss at the end of his first Super Bowl appearance at the hands of the New England Patriots, and then missing the playoffs in 2019, probably allowed McVay to grown even more as a head coach. McVay knows he is a superb offensive coach and he is more confident than ever in that knowledge and ready to prove it in 2020.
Offense Should Be Able to Score Points
The Los Angeles Rams let go of some experience on defense and drafted some new offensive weapons for quarterback Jared Goff, in running back Cam Akers and wide receiver Van Jefferson.The NFL is now a league where defense doesn’t necessarily win championships like it used to. The league and its rules have evolved and head coaches have had to evolve too. McVay seems to be one of the coaches who is able to adapt.
The Rams no longer have Todd Gurley, but they still have some weapons on offense, including Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods and maybe they found a talented tight end in Brycen Hopkins in this year’s draft. And McVay is very capable of putting said weapons in the right place at the right time.
Talent on Defense
Yes, the Rams lost some experience on defense, but there is still plenty of talent on that side of the ball, including Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey. Those two play makers alone provide the Rams some flexibility on defense. In 2019 the Rams ranked 13th in the league in yards allowed (339.6 yards per game) and 17th overall in points allowed (22.8 points per game) and it’s possible they will be better in 2020 now that they will have Ramsey for an entire season.
Last Word
True, the Los Angeles Rams play in the tough NFC West and their schedule is difficult, but they have talent on both sides of the ball and McVay at the helm. They just might be better in 2020 than many expect.
Main Photo
