3 takeaways from Rams’ latest loss: Time for L.A.’s extreme makeover

Is it too late to change my Super Bowl pick?

With the season on the line in front of their home crowd, the Los Angeles Rams decided to lay another egg in a complete dumpster fire of what’s becoming a lost season.

Not only was L.A.’s 27-17 defeat to the Cardinals about as excruciating to watch as a John Wolford pass attempt, it just seems the Rams have finally rolled over to die. I understand they finally got their Hollywood ending back in February, but they should’ve at least tried to make the sequel compelling. After an Oscar-winning effort in the Super Bowl, LA is destined to sweep the Razzies once the regular season mercifully comes to a close.

If the Rams are ready for their close-up, then they need to give this team a makeover. A makeover with the depth chart, with the starters, and with the playcalling. If that doesn’t happen soon, the Los Angeles Rams will go from the belle of the ball to the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Without further ado, here are three depressing takeaways from Sunday’s game.

Real contenders have a competent backup QB

I want you to consider a few teams and who they have behind their franchise passer.

In Buffalo, Case Keenum sits behind Josh Allen.

Miami has Teddy Bridgewater behind Tua Tagovailoa.

San Francisco kept Jimmy G behind Trey Lance and it likely saved their season.

Cleveland has Jacoby Brissett standing in for “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named”.

All of these organizations have unspectacular yet competent passers on their depth chart if anything were to happen to their QB1. Instead, the Rams decided to stick with John Wolford and that may come back to haunt them.

Why on earth would the front office entrust their offense to a guy who had only 48 career passes to his name before throwing 36 in the loss to Arizona?! IN AN EMERGENCY! What amazes me most is that this guy actually started a playoff game and was credited with the win despite completing half of his six passes. How much did Sean McVay dislike Jared Goff to even consider playing this joker?

In all fairness, an in over his head signal caller going up against a desperate Cardinals team was a recipe for disaster from the very beginning. LA shouldn’t expect to win with a guy who clearly doesn’t belong in the NFL. The guy rendered the most potent offensive weapon useless up until his injury.

How much should we really trust the judgement of this team if they truly believed he was a reliable option? Chasing rings can push the most glaring holes off to the side. If LA continues recklessly brushing aside their future, their present will suffer much as it did against the Cardinals. Backup QB should be another issue for the Rams to solve in the offseason. And their list gets longer and longer…

Play calling set up offense to fail from the start

As poorly as Wolford played, the play calling did him no favors either.

The running game had long been nonexistent going into this one but what was that? It should be common knowledge that a gameplan should ease a backup quarterback into a game. Apparently McVay can’t seem to comprehend this. For a supposed offensive boy genius, shouldn’t he know this by now? How long has he been doing this again?

I’ve always had a strong respect for McVay. I will always defend showing my appreciation towards him, especially considering what the Rams had suffered through prior to his arrival. However, this was simply stupid play calling at its finest. His decisions cost LA the Bucs game last week and he blew it again in one the Rams had to have.

John Wolford is clearly not Matthew Stafford so why treat him as such? You play to win the game Sean and your boneheaded schemes are costing this team crucial games. The Rams might have lost this game anyways but give them something better to go on.

Now the Rams sit in last-place of the NFC West and I have a sinking feeling the year might be over. Although, I’ve been lying to myself about having these doubts for a few weeks now. Blind faith sure is a funny thing isn’t it?

WR corps in deep trouble if Cooper Kupp misses extensive time

There is some great news to report as of Sunday night:

Cooper Kupp is the oil that keeps this Rams engine running. He’s the only elite offensive player on the roster and his absence for any period of time spells deep trouble for the wide receiver room.

Since Week 1, I’ve called out LA’s WR corps every week in this post and absolutely nothing has changed. If Allen Robinson wants to prove he’s not a ginormous free agent bust, there’s no time like the present to show the Rams exactly what they thought they paid for.

As for the other receivers, Ben Skowronek has largely been a welcome surprise and Van Jefferson is still working his way back from injury. This group hasn’t been sorted out all season and it’s too little too late to tinker with it now.

Or considering how this campaign has gone, McVay might decide to say YOLO and make Tutu Atwell the number one receiver. I joke but who would be surprised if that were to happen at this point? At least then he would be using his second round pick.

How the Rams have been choosing to use any of their players is anyone’s guess. Time for either new players or a new gameplan.