COMMENTARY : At Midway, Rams Have Lost Battle
The Rams took satisfaction in last year’s 6-10 finish, citing progress in doubling the number of victories the team had scored in John Robinson’s final season.
The Rams opened this season with talk about the playoffs, and while that chatter continues, who are they kidding?
This team has lost four games in a row, is 2-6 and appears to have no firm quarterback to build on.
After one game and less than two weeks of practice, the Rams gave up on T.J. Rubley.
Although there is talk in the organization that Jim Everett must be traded before next season, the coaching staff has decided now to play on with him this year. Everett gives the team its best chance to win, and coaching staffs are evaluated on victories.
“At the end of the season, I will discuss the options,” Everett said when asked if it might be better for both the Rams and the quarterback if he were to play elsewhere next year. “You could be totally right, but right now I’m just trying to play for me.”
Although Everett has absorbed most of the criticism for the Rams’ poor first half, there is a long list of unfulfilled promises.
The defense was going to be better this season, but it ranks 27th in the league at stopping the opposition on third down.
The special teams were going to help because of the Rams’ improved depth, but they stand last in the league in punt-return average, net punting average and 25th in kick-return average.
The 1993 draft class was going to add zip to the offense, but with the exception of running back Jerome Bettis, it has been a bust.
The addition of free agents such as linebacker Shane Conlan, defensive end Fred Stokes and linebacker Henry Rolling were going to make a significant difference on defense, but so far their impact has hardly been noticed.
Wide receiver Flipper Anderson reported to training camp committed to a big year in 1993--his final year under contract with the Rams. But in eight games, the team’s No. 1 game-breaker has only 17 catches.
Cleveland Gary was going to be traded, and as a result, the Rams were going to acquire the ammunition to get a No. 3 receiver. It didn’t happen, and now Gary is unhappy and the Rams are still woefully lacking at wide receiver.
“The goal was to get into the playoffs,” Knox said. “That still is not out of the picture.”
Here’s how the Rams stand at the midway point, with a bye this week.
QUARTERBACK
Chevy Chase lasted longer than Rubley. Meanwhile, “the greatest passer in Ram history” would have trouble hitting the ocean while standing on the Santa Monica pier the way things have been going this season. No matter, the Rams are still going back to Everett for the second half because he’s the man with experience, Coach Chuck Knox said. Hey, Steve DeBerg’s available.
RUNNING BACK
Jerome Bettis put Gary on the bench and has provided hope for better days ahead. Russell White, however, is now available to make appearances, give speeches and sign autographs each Sunday afternoon.
WIDE RECEIVERS
There are two ways to look at rookie Sean LaChapelle: He’s a bust, or he’s emulating “Rudy,” and while out of his league, one day will run onto the field for the final play of the game and catch a pass. Management’s decision to not sign a free-agent receiver, because that would spur Flipper Anderson and Henry Ellard to ask for more money, backfired.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
A shoulder injury to Jackie Slater forced the Rams to play Robert Jenkins at tackle. That’s like asking Woody Allen to fill in for Arnold Schwarzenegger. The coaching staff considered Darryl Ashmore not as good as Jenkins, and now he starts for an injured Jenkins. The addition of Irv Eatman as left tackle replacement for Gerald Perry figured to unnerve Everett, but Eatman has held his ground. Lack of depth across the board, however, puts a premium on Tom Newberry and Bern Brostek staying uninjured.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Sean Gilbert continues to demonstrate that he is the team’s best player. Gilbert left the game against Atlanta with a hamstring injury with the Rams leading, 17-3. When Gilbert couldn’t return, the Falcons ran unchecked and recorded a 30-24 victory. A knee injury sabotaged Robert Young’s opportunity to become one of league’s leaders in sacks. Stokes and Gerald Robinson have to provide more firepower.
LINEBACKERS
Nobody is going to make a fool out of Conlan, the Rams’ $2.35-million defender. No way anybody is going to make fun of him this year for losing a fourth consecutive Super Bowl. Why do the Rams take a run-stuffing Conlan out of the game on goal-line plays? Conlan, Roman Phifer and Rolling give the Rams a solid linebacker corps, but on third down two of them are usually standing on the sideline while the Rams go to a nickel defense.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
The starters include Todd Lyght and Steve Israel. Can’t anybody around here hold onto the ball? Ram defenders have tipped three balls this year that have been caught for touchdowns. Of the starting players in the secondary, only Lyght has an interception. Loss of Darryl Henley contributes to a lack of big plays.
SPECIAL TEAMS
What a mess. Tony Zendejas holds the NFL record for long-distance field goals and shortest kickoffs. The longest punt return has covered 12 yards, and the guy who did it has been dropped to the practice squad. The bowling alleys are filled with guys who could do a better job of covering kickoffs than these players.
COACHING
The special teams collapse, quarterback switcheroo and anemic offense have ruined the playoff scenario. These guys met daily for five months before opening training camp and taking another six weeks to prepare for the regular season. They announced they were going to give Rubley every chance to become the No. 2 quarterback, a job he clearly won in exhibition play, and then he opened the season No. 3 because Mike Pagel was the holder. Pagel took all snaps as backup during the first six weeks of the season, while Rubley watched. Didn’t anyone suggest in one of those meetings that it might be a good idea to train Rubley as a holder during training camp?