ANALYSIS : No Simple Solution Will Fix Rams

The Rams are stuck in the muck of one of those if-it’s-not-one-thing-it’s-another seasons. During the first few games, the defense performed as if it were playing in quicksand. Then the defense got out of the mire, and an ineffective offense started pulling the team under.

So now everyone wants to know: Where’s the O?

It seems to be quite a mystery for the players.

After Sunday’s 31-7 loss to the Giants, tailback Cleveland Gary said he thought the Rams were “doing everything well.” Then he added a familiar refrain in Ramland these days: “It’s just a matter of a couple plays here and there.”

Quarterback Jim Everett is admittedly perplexed. “We just aren’t making the plays that we’re used to making,” he says. “Somehow, we’ve got to do that.”

But how?

Here’s some theories on Where the O Went:

--The Rams’ finesse, pass-oriented approach, with precision timing a prerequisite, is bound to be less consistent than a more simple style.

Sunday’s game against the Giants shed some light on recent woes. The teams played even football for more than a half, but somewhere in the third quarter, the Rams’ finely tuned offense began to misfire. The Rams passed for 74 yards in the second half. New York’s blood-and-guts attack kept plowing away, and the result was a rout.

All of which points out one of the drawbacks of the Ram offense. Like any complicated, high-tech machine, there are a lot of little things that can go wrong. And that pretty much sums up the offensive troubles to date. No major breakdowns. Lots of minor glitches.

“We had a lot of balls that were almost in our hands, or just ticked off us, or we dropped,” Coach John Robinson said. “We couldn’t sustain anything. We’re just not making the plays we have in the past.”

--Opponents are more familiar with these kinds of offenses now and defending them better.

“I think that’s an ongoing cycle,” Robinson said. “This offense will be a good offense in 1997, I think. It’s the execution of it that determines success.”

--Preseason injuries to wide receivers knocked the passing game out of whack, and the Rams still haven’t found their rhythm.

Because of injuries to Henry Ellard, Flipper Anderson and Aaron Cox, Everett spent the preseason refining his timing with backup receivers. Ellard led the three in exhibitions with one catch. But all three played in the season opener at Green Bay, and the Rams figured all would be well with the passing game in a couple of weeks.

And, at times, the Rams have flashed back to ’89. Everett threw for 372 yards against Cincinnati and 302 against Atlanta, but he has also fallen short of 200 in three of the past five games.

--Maybe it’s really all the fault of the defense.

Robinson is quick to point out that the Rams have been facing some pretty steep deficits recently. After all, there’s only so much an offense can do when facing a two- or three-touchdown disadvantage.

“We’re way out of balance in terms of running and passing,” he said. “You need a combination of play that includes the ability to stay even in the football game and not get pushed on the edges by the scoreboard.”

Sure, it’s too early to panic--the Rams are fifth in the league in offense--but maybe Robinson should be thinking about getting a punishing tailback and big, dominant offensive line and . . .

“When we were running the football all the time, people said, ‘You’re never gonna win without a pass offense,’ ” Robinson said, managing a smile. “Now we have a pass offense, and it doesn’t click. You tend to think, ‘Gosh, if you ran the football, you probably would (win).’ ”

Robinson insists he’s a long way from altering, much less abandoning, offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese’s system.

“I don’t think we want to say, ‘Gee, why don’t we do what the Giants do and be the Giants. Or be the Kansas City Chiefs,’ ” Robinson said. “I don’t think we want to do anything other than our scheme.

“When evaluating styles, you have to remember that a system like the Giants’ is built on the premise that they have as good a defense as there is in the league. What we have to do is do what we do better than we’ve been doing it.”

So how often does Robinson remind himself that his team could break out of the offensive doldrums and spend the rest of the season racing up and down the field?

“Every night when I lay me down to sleep,” he says.