Turf Show Times
The Los Angeles Rams have had the week off as they prepare for the meat of their schedule over the second half of the season. Given how well the Rams have been playing, it wouldn’t have hurt for the bye week to come later in the season. However, this will be a good time to self-evaluate and attempt to fix some issues heading into a very important part of the schedule. Here are five questions that the Rams must answer coming out of the bye.
This is arguably the most pressing question for the Rams heading into the bye week. With a made field goal at the end of regulation against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Rams are 6-1 right now. Had Joshua Karty not had his extra point blocked against the San Francisco 49ers, the Rams could have played for a field goal to win rather than a touchdown late in the game.
While Karty certainly hasn’t been perfect, many of the issues have to do with the protection. Before the two blocked attempts against the Eagles, Karty had made 26 straight field goals. This is a team that currently ranks 31st in field goal DVOA. In a league that thrives on close games, those missed opportunities to score points can be devastating. It’s up to Chase Blackburn to figure this out before it costs the Rams in a significant way.
The Rams may have to make a difficult decision at right tackle coming out of the bye week. The reason that the decision is difficult is because it’s personal. Over the past decade, Rob Havenstein has given a lot to the Rams organization. However, it might be time for him to take on a different leadership role. It’s fair to note that Havenstein has been managing an ankle injury. At the same time, for the sake of chemistry, does it make sense to ruin what the Rams have built over the last three weeks?
Last season, the Rams attempted to go back to Jonah Jackson for the sake of experience, and it cost them. They immediately went back to Beaux Limmer the following week. Warren McClendon hasn’t given the Rams a reason to take him out of the lineup and therefore the question is whether or not they should. McClendon has allowed one pressure over the last two weeks, and offers more in the run game. With Havenstein as a security blanket, it may be a natural time to make the change.
At this point, it’s unlikely that the Rams make a trade during the bye week. However, it’s a good opportunity to self-evaluate and make some calls prior to the trade deadline. A few weeks ago, the Rams had a 10 day break. The bye week would have been a good time to check in on any calls that were made...
