Los Angeles Rams: Season in Review

Story posted January 29, 2019 in CommRadio, Sports by David Green

As the Los Angeles Rams prepare to take on the New England Patriots in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia in Super Bowl LIII, let’s look back on an electrifying 13-3 season under second-year head coach Sean McVay.

The Rams played excellent as a unit all season long both offensively and defensively and entered the season as Super Bowl contenders in the eyes of most. When you look at the Rams roster, it makes sense why some football fans say, “Super Bowls are won in the offseason.”

Perhaps selecting quarterback Jared Goff with the first overall pick in 2016 marked the beginning of this run, well, definitely once the Rams parted ways with former head coach Jeff Fisher. Current head coach Sean McVay, became the youngest head coach hire in NFL history when the Rams brought him in at the age of 30.

The Rams also made key moves in free agency as well as trades. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald was given an extension and is regarded as a top defensive player in all of the NFL.

The team also signed defensive back Aqib Talib, pass rusher Ndamukong Suh, as well as made a pivotal trade for wide receiver Brandin Cooks to play alongside leading receiver Robert Woods. Some argue the one acquisition that pushed the Rams past the brink this postseason was running back CJ Anderson coming in with fresh legs and making a huge impact since Todd Gurley has been banged up.

The only three teams that were able to defeat the Rams this season are the Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints. It is particularly impressive that the only teams to beat the Rams are all challenging matchups in their own respect.

The Eagles may have had many injuries this season and underachieved, but they are still the defending Super Bowl champions and a very worthy opponent. The other two teams, the Bears and Saints, were also  playoff teams respectively.

Fans saw in week 11, which is what many fans thought was a Super Bowl preview, just what this team is capable of when the Rams and the Kansas City Chiefs combined for over 100 points. The Rams came out on top at home with a score of 54-51.

Jared Goff just had his career year and has a golden opportunity to top it off with a Lombardi trophy if he can perform the way he has all season. The third-year quarterback out of Cal threw for 4,688 yards and 32 touchdowns on an impressive 101.1 passer rating.

It will be interesting to see a 2001 Super Bowl rematch between the Rams and the Patriots. Super Bowl Sunday will be the moment of truth to see if head coach Sean McVay this team can put all of its talent together and not get out-schemed and outsmarted by the likes of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

 

 

David Green is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email davidrgreen95@gmail.com.