32 Teams/32 Days: Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles Rams

Inaugural Season: 1936

All-time Win/Loss Record: 604-592-21

Division: NFC West

2022 Regular Season Record: 5-12 (1-5), 3rd place in division

Playoffs: Eliminated from playoff contention on 12/19/22 by Green Bay Packers

Pro Bowl Honors: CB Jalen Ramsey (6th straight appearance)

Stadium: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA

Head Coach: Sean McVay

Offensive Coordinator: Liam Coen

Defensive Coordinator: Raheem Morris

Special Teams Coordinator: Joe DeCamillis

General Manager: Les Snead

Team Subreddit: /r/losangelesrams

[]32 Teams/32 Days Hub

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Introduction

Welcome, /r/NFL, to Rams House! Home of the now former defending Super Bowl champions.

I know the term “Hollywood Ending” in sports gets thrown around ad nauseam these days, but Rams fans got to experience the purest and most literal iteration of it in 2021. Nearly one year ago, our horned heroes brought home the Lombardi Trophy to the City of Angels for the first time in NFL history, fulfilling the dreams of a fanbase that had been waiting half a century for a(n LA) Super Bowl. Led by a group of seasoned veterans who spent most of their careers in football purgatory (Stafford, Whitworth, Hekker), underdogs breaking out in a big way (Kupp, Gaines, Scott, Gay), midseason additions looking to rewrite their narratives (Miller, Beckham Jr.) and even the unretirement of a past legend (Weddle), the Los Angeles Rams finally delivered. Finally.

While the following offseason immediately started off with uncertainty surrounding the futures of head coach Sean McVay and future hall of famer Aaron Donald, the Rams brass managed to quickly secure our winning core long term while retooling the roster (Bobby Wagner, Allen Robinson) to compensate for the departures of Von Miller, Robert Woods,and Odell Beckham Jr. With good vibes all around, seemingly, the Rams were poised to become the first team since the 2004 New England Patriots to “run it back.” So what did the sequel to our Hollywood Ending hold? Would we be looking at a Godfather II, or Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2?

Welp, we found out the answer rather quickly. Our season absolutely Blarted. Blarted all over the damn place. After getting thrashed by the presumed future Super Bowl champions, the Buffalo Bills, in game 1 of the season, the roster was absolutely decimated by untimely injuries week after week. They became the first team in NFL history to start 12 different offensive line combinations in their first 12 games. Our QB1, WR1 and HOF DT were lost to season-ending injuries early. The team ultimately finished with an abysmal 5-12 record, setting a historical worst for defending Super Bowl champions. The 2022 NFL season became one to forget rather quickly. But Rams fans could find some comfort in knowing that major injuries were the primary cause of their demise, and not necessarily due to a lack of talent or gaps in player personnel (time will tell). Looking forward to a brighter 2023!

Offseason Notable Additions/Transactions

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Name	Position	Transaction Description
Sean McVay	Head Coach	Contract extension through 2026 season for unknown amount
Les Snead	General Manager	Contract extension through 2026 season for unknown amount
Aaron Donald	Defensive Tackle	Contract extension, 3 years, $95 million
Matthew Stafford	Quarterback	Contract extension, 4 years, $160 million
Cooper Kupp	Wide Receiver	Contract extension, 3 years, $80 million
Allen Robinson	Wide Receiver	FA signing, 3 years, $46.5 million
Bobby Wagner	Inside Linebacker	FA signing, 5 years, $50 million
Troy Hill	Cornerback	Trade from Cleveland Browns for 2023 5th rounder
Joseph Noteboom	Left Tackle	Contract extension, 3 years, $40 million
Brian Allen	Center	Contract extension, 3 years, $18 million
Coleman Shelton	Combo OL	Contract extension, 2 years, $3.25 million
Brandon Powell	Kick Returner	Contract extension, 1 year, $920K

Notable Offseason Departures

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Name	Position	Transaction Description
Kevin O’Connell	Offensive Coordinator	Signed with MIN as head coach
Von Miller	Outside Linebacker	Signed with BUF for 6 years, $120 million
Roberts Woods	Wide Receiver	Traded to TEN for 2023 6th round pick
Odell Beckham Jr.	Wide Receiver	Unsigned FA, recovering from ACL tear
Johnny Hecker	Punter	Signed with CAR, 3 years, $7.6 million
Darious Williams	Cornerback	Signed with JAC, 3 years, $30 million
Sebastian Joseph-Day	Nose Tackle	Signed with LAC, 3 years, $24 million
Austin Corbett	Guard	Signed with CAR, 3 years, $26 million
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo	Outside Linebacker	Signed with HOU, 1 year, $3.25 million
Johnny Mundt	Tight End	Signed with MIN, 2 years, $2.4 million
Kendall Blanton	Tight End	Waived, re-signed with LAR, cut midseason, signed with KC, 1 year, $1.1 million

2022 NFL Draft Selections

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Name	Position	College	Age at Draft	Pick	Round
Logan Bruss	Guard	Wisconsin	23 years old	Pick 104	3rd Round
Decobie Durant	Cornerback	South Carolina	24 years old	Pick 142	4th Round
Kyren Williams	Running Back	Notre Dame	21 years old	Pick 164	5th Round
Quentin Lake	Safety	UCLA	23 years old	Pick 211	6th Round
Derion Kendrick	Cornerback	Georgia	21 years old	Pick 212	6th Round
Daniel Hardy	Outside Linebacker	Montana State	23 years old	Pick 235	7th Round
Russ Yeast	Safety	Kansas State	21 years old	Pick 253	7th Round
RJ Arcuri	Offensive Tackle	Michigan State	24 years old	Pick 261	7th Round

2022 Regular Season Stats

Offensive Stats:

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Stat	Value	Avg/Game	League Rank	2021-22 Rank	+/- Rank Change
Total Yards	4769	280.5	#32	#7	-25 ⬇️
Passing Yards	3108	182.8	#27	#5	-22 ⬇️
Rushing Yards	1661	97.7	#26	#27	+1 ⬆️
Points For	307	18.1	#27	#6	-21 ⬇️
Passing TDs	16	0.94	#28	#6	-22 ⬇️
Rushing TDs	15	0.88	#18	#29	+11 ⬆️
Turnovers	23	1.4	T-#19	#21	-2 ⬇️
Interceptions	15	0.88	T-#22	#27	-5 ⬇️
Fumbles-Lost	8	0.47	T-#8	#13	-5 ⬇️
Sacks Allowed	59	3.47	#3	#26	-23 ⬇️

Defensive Stats:

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Stat	Value	Avg/Game	League Rank	2021-22 Rank	+/- Rank Change
Yards Allowed	5798	341.1	#18	#13	-5 ⬇️
Passing Yards Allowed	4092	226	#21	#21	0
Rushing Yards Allowed	1956	115.1	#13	#5	-8 ⬇️
Points Against	384	22.6	#20	#9	-11 ⬇️
Passing TDs Allowed	23	1.35	#15	#2	-13 ⬇️
Rushing TDs Allowed	12	0.71	T-#9	#23	-14 ⬇️
Takeaways	22	1.3	T-#17	#13	-4 ⬇️
Interceptions	16	0.94	T-#7	#5	-2 ⬇️
Fumbles Won	6	0.35	T-#29	#30	+1 ⬆️
Sacks	38	2.23	#21	#4	-17⬇️

Week by Week Season Game Log

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Week	Opponent	Result	Final Score	Highlights	Game Summary	Injuries
1	Buffalo Bills	Loss	10-31	Highlights	A Super Bowl banner night soured by 7 sacks from a ferocious Bills defense.	Brian Allen (knee), Van Jefferson (Knee), Kyren Williams (ankle)
2	Atlanta Falcons	Win	31-27	Highlights	Jalen Ramsey’s game-ending interception on Marcus Mariota prevents a 28-3 blown lead.	Tremayne Anchrum (ankle), Troy Hill (groin), Decobie Durant (groin)
3	@ Arizona Cardinals	Win	20-12	Highlights	Rams hold on as Kyler Murray throws for 37-of-58 and 314 yards.	Derion Kendrick (concussion)
4	@ San Francisco 49ers	Loss	9-24	Highlights	Deebo Samuel and Talanoa Hufanga absolutely feasted as the Rams lose 7 straight regular season match-ups.	Coleman Shelton (Ankle), Jordan Fuller (hamstring)
5	Dallas Cowboys	Loss	10-22	Highlights	Cooper Kupp cashes in a 75-yard touchdown reminiscent of his score against TB in the divisional round.	David Edwards (concussion), Taylor Rapp (ribs)
6	Carolina Panthers	Win	24-10	Highlights	Little did the Rams know, Christian McCaffrey would be lining up against them in red and gold next time.	Joseph Notebook (achilles), Grant Haley (knee)
7	BYE
8	San Francisco 49ers	Loss	14-31	Highlights	A rejuvenated McCaffrey and dominant George Kittle seal 8 straight against the Rams.	Cooper Kupp (ankle)
9	@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Loss	13-16	Highlights	A brutal TD pass to Cade Otton with 9 seconds remaining ends an ugly bout.	Alaric Jackson (blood clots), Matthew Stafford (concussion)
10	Arizona Cardinals	Loss	17-27	Highlights	Rams flounder with John Wolford at QB.	Cooper Kupp (ankle)
11	@ New Orleans Saints	Loss	20-27	Highlights	Stafford suffers second concussion in three games as Dalton puts on a stellar performance.	Matthew Stafford (concussion), A’Shawn Robinson (torn meniscus), Ty Nsekhe (ankle), Alaric Jackson (shut down for season)
12	@ Kansas City Chiefs	Loss	10-26	Highlights	A well-rounded beatdown by the eventual SB champs without Stafford.	Allen Robinson (shut down for season), Aaron Donald (ankle)
13	Seattle Seahawks	Loss	23-27	Highlights	Bobby Wagner goes off against his former team for 7 tackles, 2 sacks and an interception.	Matthew Stafford (shut down for season)
14	Las Vegas Raiders	Win	17-16	Highlights	Retire Baker Mayfield’s number at SoFi please.
15	@ Green Bay Packers	Loss	12-24	Highlights	ANOTHER away game at Lambeau? Stop, stop, we’re already dead!	Cooper Kupp (shut down for season), David Long Jr. (groin)
16	Denver Broncos	Win	51-14	Highlights	Christmas game! Rams take advantage of a tired Broncos defense and drop a 50-burger.	Aaron Donald (shut down for season), Ben Skowrownek (shut down for season), Brian Allen (shut down for season), Baker Mayfield (picked up by the Nickelodeon blimp, slimed)
17	@ Los Angeles Chargers	Loss	10-31	Highlights	Austin Ekeler dominates the ground game with 122 yards and 2 touchdowns.
18	@ Seattle Seahawks	Loss	16-19	Highlights	A gutsy Geno Smith performance keeps the ‘Hawks in a playoff spot and forces the Lions out.

Analysis of the Offense

An in-depth review of the offense can be found here (thanks /u/kawaii5o).

Season Highs and Lows

Notable Season Highlights:

• THE BAKER ERA: With severe question marks at back-up quarterback in the latter half of the season, the Rams snatched Baker Mayfield after week 13 through the waiver wire from the Carolina Panthers. Though he was not tasked to win any meaningful games with LA, he gifted us a memorable comeback win versus the Raiders during week 14 and a beatdown of the Denver Broncos on Christmas Day. Stafford is expected to return next season despite retirement rumors, leaving a resurrected Mayfield to seek a starting job elsewhere in 2023.

• NO, THIS IS PATRICK: Ever have a cartoon starfish roast you on cable television in front of a nationwide audience? Just ask Russell Wilson. The Rams played in a Christmas game to remember as Baker Mayfield is crowned Nickelodeon’s 2022 NVP.

• REJUVENATED RUN GAME: Despite failing to attract any suitors midseason for disgruntled RB Cam Akers, the Rams enjoyed a running renaissance of sorts during the final stretch of the season. It was one of the few offensive areas that did not suffer a precipitous drop in 2022. Akers finished the year with 100+ yards in three consecutive games.

• FRANCHISE TIGHT END: Tyler Higbee set franchise records for his position on Christmas day, becoming the all-time TE leader in touchdowns and receptions for the Rams.

• RISE OF YOUNG STARS: Massive injuries to the roster’s major pieces allowed for the Rams’ young talent to earn valuable playing time. CB rookie Decobie Durant at one point led the team in interceptions (3) and the league (!!) in interception yardage (151) despite missing about half the season. Other standouts include WR Ben Skowronek, DT Larrell Murchison, and OLB Michael Hoecht.

Notable Season Lowlights:

• CATASTROPHIC INJURIES: After being one of the healthiest rosters during Sean McVay’s first five seasons, the Rams did their best San Francisco “49IRS” impression as they finally let the injury bug catch up to them. Injuries accounted for 223 total missed games this season, a majority of the credit given to the severely obliterated offensive line.

• ALLEN ROBINSON II: While few Rams fans expected Robinson to completely make up for the WR2 void left by Robert Woods and OBJ, it was an ugly debut for #1 before a foot surgery ultimately cut his season short. Signed in hopes of being an athletic, 50-50 ball type catcher, Robinson’s production failed to take off during his time on the field. Lack of quarterback and offensive line consistency was a major culprit, of course. We hope to see an expansion of his role as he continues to learn under Sean McVay’s system with a bit more roster stability next year.

• SEAN MCVAY’S FUTURE: Retirement talks surrounding head coach Sean McVay resurfaced after the conclusion of the 2022 season despite reportedly signing a long-term contract extension. Though he has confirmed to be returning for the 2023 season, Rams fans will have to come to terms with the fact this may be an annual concern as McVay continues to cite burnout during his tenure with the Rams.

• BRAIN DRAIN: This offseason has already seen major changes to the Rams coaching staff, which at this point has become a yearly tradition. OC Liam Coen returned to Kentucky and much adored RB coach Thomas Brown signed on to be the new Panthers OC. We've also witnessed the departure of ST coach Joe DeCamillis, OL coach Kevin Carberry, and DB coach Jonathan Cooley. We hope that a lack of year-to-year consistency among the coaching staff doesn't compound too deeply with an ever-fluid roster situation.

Looking Forward

New coaching hires:

• Mike Lafleur (Offensive Coordinator): Sean McVay tends to hire his primary coordinators from external sources and here he successfully grabs another coach from the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree. The younger brother of former Rams OC and current Packers head coach Matt Lafleur, Mike inherits much less responsibility as McVay continues to do the majority of the playcalling for his offenses.
• Jimmy Lake (Role not specified): The former University of Washington head coach is in intriguing hire but has yet to be named to a specific positional group. Has past NFL coaching experience with the Lions and Buccaneers.
• Aubrey Pleasant (Defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator): Pleasant resumes the roles he most recently fulfilled with the Detroit Lions last season.

Notable Free Agents:

• A'Shawn Robinson (defensive end)

• Baker Mayfield (quarterback)

• Matt Gay (kicker)

• Greg Gaines (nose tackle)

• Taylor Rapp (safety)

• Nick Scott (safety)

• David Edwards (guard)

• Troy Hill (cornerback)

• David Long Jr. (cornerback)

• Brandon Powell (kick returner/wide receiver)

2023 Draft Picks:

• Round 2: Pick 36
• Round 3: Pick 69
• Round 6: Pick 182
• Round 6: Pick 189 (from ATL)
• Round 6: Pick 191 (from TEN)
• Round 6: Pick 211 (projected compensatory pick)
• Round 7: Pick 237
• Round 7: Pick 252 (projected compensatory pick)

Positions of Need

• Edge rusher: Von Miller has been sorely missed, as many mock drafts have the Rams taking an edge rusher with their first pick at #36.
• Cornerback: Rumors have been swirling around the potential trade of Jalen Ramsey. It seems the Rams may be testing the waters for more cost-friendly and cap-friendly alternatives this offseason.
• For the love of god, the offensive line. Enough said.

Conclusion

Hopefully it's not too much of a cop-out to say that major injuries this year have prevented any meaningful evaluations of the current roster as it stands. Optimistic fans will tell you that any team that employs multiple HOF-bound players on both sides of the ball will sustain themselves as serious playoff contenders for the near future. In order to avoid another house-of-cards collapse situation next season, the front office MUST bring in a better crop of young, cheap talent from this year's draft to complement an extremely top-heavy roster. Otherwise, you can catch us praying to the football gods on the daily to undo the horrific injury voodoo cast upon us this past season.