Los Angeles Rams 2019 Season Preview
Chris Ransom follow @DraftUtopia Posted on 8/3/2019.
Los Angeles Rams Free Agency Recap
The Rams got Blake Bortles as a backup to Jared Goff. This gives the Rams some leverage with quarterback Jared Goff if he does not play up to expectations in 2019. Los Angeles also signed Clay Matthews as a 3-4 middle linebacker as well as free safety Eric Weddle to improve the defense.
Los Angeles Rams Draft Recap
The Rams traded out of the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. They used this draft to add more depth at key positions. Washington free safety Taylor Rapp, their 2019 second round pick will be learning behind Eric Weddle which will allow Rapp to improve his ability to take bad angles in coverage. Oklahoma left tackle Bobby Evans gets to be the successor to Andrew Whitworth as well as a backup left tackle for depth. Wisconsin right tackle David Edwards provides solid insurance for depth at right tackle behind Rob Havenstein. Memphis running back Darrell Henderson gives the Rams a replacement to C.J. Anderson.
Los Angeles Rams Quarterback Summary: Jared Goff continues to thrive under head coach Sean McVay. His last two years with McVay have shown why Goff is an effective quarterback. It honestly makes me wonder how effective Blake Bortles can be under McVay if something happens to Goff. Honestly, I can see Bortles doing with Nick Foles did with the Eagles under McVay since he's that good of a coach. He got the Rams to a Super Bowl while being a head coach and an offensive coordinator at the same time. Shane Waldren was the passing game coordinator in practice sessions learning under McVay for an entire year. Waldren did so well learning under McVay, that he got promoted to quarterback coach.
Goff had a head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach that all specialized in developing quarterbacks. McVay is such a good offensive coach that he can revive Blake Bortles career if something happens to Goff.
Los Angeles Rams Running Back Summary: Todd Gurley dominated at running back in 2015 during his breakout rookie season. Gurley had a sophomore slump. He rebounded in a big way in 2017. As a result, Gurley got extended. Gurley had excellent depth with C.J. Anderson as a backup and Malcolm Brown as a third stringer. Brown is now the backup running back and rookie Darrell Henderson out of Memphis is the third string running back.
Running back coach Skip Peete is the teams running back coach. Peete is one of the better running back coaches in the NFL. He had a lot of depth at running back last year, and will continue to have depth in the backfield.
Los Angeles Rams Wide Receiver Summary: The Rams have Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp. Josh Reynolds did well in the slot when Kupp went down, but he's not the same receiver as Kupp in terms of production. Los Angeles has good depth for their two wide receiver sets and solid depth for their three wide receiver sets. Eric Yarber returns as the wide receivers coach as he enters his third season with the Los Angeles Rams.
Los Angeles Rams Tight End Summary: Los Angeles has a two tight end set with Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett. Everett has surpassed Higbee on the depth chart, but both tight ends can be effective and compliment each other well. Sean McVay was a tight ends coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator. Do not be surprised if we see McVay do what New England does with the two tight end set. That's a strong possibility when you consider that he's a great play caller and great at developing tight ends while the Rams have two other guys besides him that can work with quarterback Jared Goff. Wes Phillips is the tight ends coach.
Los Angeles Rams Offensive Line Summary: Andrew Whitworth enters his third season at left tackle with the Los Angeles Rams. That will give Jared Goff more time in the pocket. Joseph Noteboom, their 2018 third round pick out of TCU takes over at left guard where he may actually be able to replace Rodger Saffold. If Noteboom struggles, left guard may be a position the Los Angeles Rams look at in the 2020 NFL Draft. Brian Allen, a 2018 fourth round pick out of Michigan State is the new starting center. Austin Blythe is now the new starting right guard. Rob Havenstein got extended. Los Angeles added depth at the offensive tackle position in the 2019 NFL Draft with Bobby Evans and David Edwards as stated earlier. Now Goff will have even more time to dominate through the air as a result. The Los Angeles Rams have three new starters on the interior offensive line. If there is a weakness in this offensive line that is the weakness, but the depth at offensive tackle may compensate for the weakness on the interior offensive line.
Aaron Kromer's run blocking scheme allowed the Rams offensive line to pave the way for Todd Gurley. Kromer did so well in his first season that he got promoted to running game coordinator. Kromer is still the offensive line coach and the running game coordinator.
The Rams should be a top 10 offense in points per game and total yards per game. The Rams have a top 15 offense in passing yards. Los Angeles has a top 5 offense in rushing yards.
Los Angeles Rams Defensive Line Summary: The Rams run a 3-4 defense. That's the defense that Wade Phillips prefers running. Aaron Donald will play at 3-4 right end. Tanzel Smart is playing nose tackle. Michael Brockers is the 3-4 left end. This is now the NFL's best 3-4 defensive line in the entire league.
Eric Henderson was an assistant defensive line coach with the Los Angeles Chargers, but now he takes over as the new defensive line coach with the Los Angeles Rams. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips also has experience working with players on the defensive line.
Los Angeles Rams Linebacker Summary: The Rams Dante Fowler and Samson Ekubam don't wow me as pass rushers off the edge at 3-4 outside lihebacker. You also got Corey Littleton and Clay Matthews at 3-4 middle linebacker. It won't surprise me if Matthews has a comeback year and leads the Rams in sacks.
Wade Phillips is the defensive coordinator he specializes in developing linebackers. Joe Barry is the teams assistant head coach and linebackers coach. He also has experience as a defensive coordinator which is why you have to be optimistic about the linebacker play on this defense.
Los Angeles Rams Defensive Backs Summary: The Los Angeles Rams have Marcus Peters at field cornerback, Aqib Talib at boundary cornerback who has been a field cornerback most of his career covering number one receivers. I'd imagine with his speed starting to decline this is the right time for Talib to move to a boundary role where he will face weaker #2 wide receivers. Then you got Nickell Robey-Coleman at nickel cornerback.
John Johnson and Eric Weddle are starting at strong safety and free safety. I kind of like those two as starting safeties. Weddle is an upgrade over LaMarcus Joyner in the short-term. He can help the Rams win a Super Bowl right now, but he's bound to decline at some point since he went from having 6 interceptions in 2017 to 0 interceptions in 2018. Weddle like Clay Matthews coming off a down year is determined to rebound in 2019.
Los Angeles made the assistant defensive backs coach under Sean McVay in Washington the defensive backs coach with the Rams. Aubrey Pleasant specializes more in developing cornerbacks than safeties. By being so proactive in obtaining cornerbacks, McVay is playing to the strengths of his defensive backs coach.
The Rams defense turned things around. I see a top 10 defense in points allowed. I also see a team that could be a top 15 team in sacks. This could be a top 5 team in total yards allowed. The run defense will be a top 12 unit. I see the pass defense being a top 5 pass defense. I think the defensive line and cornerbacks are the strength of this Rams' defense.
Los Angeles Rams Special Teams Summary: Greg Zeurlein and Johnny Hekker may be one of the best kicker and punter tandems in the NFL. Zeurlein has his moments. JoJo Natson will be the teams kick returner wand punt returner. Honestly, Natson feels like a downgrade as a return specialist over Pharoh Cooper. John Fassel has done an incredible job with the Rams special teams unit.
Los Angeles Rams Worst Case Scenario: The Rams go 9-7 this season. Their Super Bowl hangover causes them to miss the playoffs due to a brand new interior offensive line along with a downgrade at the defensive line coach.
Los Angeles Rams Best Case Scenario: Los Angeles 13-3. They get home field in the NFC. They put everything together and win Super Bowl 54. The last time a Super Bowl was in Atlanta, the St. Louis Rams defeated the Tennessee Titans. The Rams were the last NFL team to lose a regular season game in 2018. They also made it to Super Bowl 53 only to lose to the New England Patriots. They may be motivated to rebound this season, but they have a much tougher schedule which is another thing you have to take into consideration.
Los Angeles Rams 2019 NFL Schedule
Week |
Date |
Opponent |
Time |
Cable Network |
Result |
Week 1 |
September 8 |
AT  |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
Week 2 |
September 15 |
VS  |
4:25 PM EST |
FOX |
L |
Week 3 |
September 22 |
AT  |
8:20 PM EST |
NBC |
W |
Week 4 |
September 29 |
VS  |
4:05 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
Week 5 |
October 3 |
AT  |
8:20 PM EST |
FOX |
L |
Week 6 |
October 13 |
VS  |
4:05 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
Week 7 |
October 20 |
AT  |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
L |
Week 8 |
October 27 |
VS  |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
Week 9 |
|
Bye Week |
|
|
|
Week 10 |
November 10 |
AT  |
4:25 PM EST |
FOX |
L |
Week 11 |
November 17 |
VS  |
8:20 PM EST |
NBC |
W |
Week 12 |
November 25 |
VS  |
8:15 PM EST |
ESPN |
W |
Week 13 |
December 1 |
AT  |
4:05 PM EST |
FOX |
L |
Week 14 |
December 8 |
VS |
8:20 PM EST |
NBC |
W |
Week 15 |
December 15 |
AT  |
4:25 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
Week 16 |
December 22 |
AT |
4:05 PM EST |
FOX |
L |
Week 17 |
December 29 |
VS |
4:25 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
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