New Look Rams, Fishers vision will start to show this year..

[Clayton]

I saw this in a football outsiders article titled 'The Rams determined to bring back the 1970s'

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In terms of two-back play percentage, your 2014 leader by a wide margin was the St. Louis Rams. The Rams have increased their two-back usage over each of Jeff Fisher's three seasons at the helm. To their credit, St. Louis stuck with what worked, as the Rams were a much better two-back team. Though their -6.8% two-back DVOA was a relatively middling number, their -23.7% rushing DVOA out of single-back sets was the fifth-worst in the league.

Fisher's evolution is a little confusing, for it's not as though he earned his coaching degree from Vince Lombardi's "Seal Here" University. From 2007 to 2010, his Titans teams ranked between 12th and 20th in two-back usage. And apart from 2008, when Tennessee finished sixth in two-back DVOA, they were never particularly good with an extra blocker in the backfield. Rather, this seems more like a Bartleby-esque preference not to accept the rule changes that have drastically favored passing and instead make the Rams a smashmouth ground bound outfit. After drafting Todd Gurley 10th overall and augmenting that with five offensive line selections (including the newly added Isaiah Battle from the supplemental draft), St. Louis appears hell-bent on getting over that 7-9 hump with 3 yards and a cloud of rubber pellets. A great ball-control running game can certainly be part of a successful offense, of course, but this particular effort seems unlikely to end well for the Rams.

Then again, Fisher might simply be reacting to his surroundings. Excluding Philly, the top three two-back rushing teams by DVOA were the Seahawks, Cowboys, and Packers, the triumvirate that St. Louis and other NFC teams are trying to chase down

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I don't think football outsiders is factoring in that the Rams have had backup QBs playing the past two years. It does seem like Fisher is doubling down on the concept this year. I think at worst the Rams will be running three average running backs next year and at best maybe Gurley is a superstar and Mason is solidly above average.

The Rams had the worst passing game situation going last year with a terrible interior oline and no franchise QB. Say what you will about Nick Foles but he has gone 14-4 the past two year with 30TDs and 12INTs and he might actually be tall enough to see over the monsters that the Rams drafted on the oline.

Thats what hope looks like. A winner at QB. Fresh faces at a weak spot from last year. One of the better running back prospects in years. Its up to the coaching staff to put it all together but the upside is there.

 

[MIKE75]

With all the changes i'd actually be shocked if Fisher doesn't at least go 8-8. He has made big changes to the offensive line,brought in a RB that is the best in a while in Gurley,traded for what should be a franchise QB. Fisher already has the makings of a dominant defense now he put the last touches on the offense. From watching Tennessee while has was there he had three to four years he could've won it all in 1999,2000,2002,2003 and 2008 all those teams were good.

 

[MIKE75]

Nick Foles has gone 14-4 the past two year with 40TDs and 12INTs and could definitely be the missing ingredient needed for St Louis to win. They did have the defense but lacked offense especially a QB but Fisher has taken care of that this offseason. Whats scary is besides McNair he has done a pretty good job coaching not to have a decent pocket passer. In fact pretty much through Fisher's whole coaching career he has never had a top notch pocket passer.

 

[Clayton]

I do think Josh McDaniels (and by extension Schottenheimer) and Steve Spagnuolo have their fingerprints all over the roster still. The Tavon Austin pick in particular doesn't make any sense if the plan was to pound the ball especially since they were eyeing DJ Fluker a lot. Jared Cook is also more of a 'hey, lets spread the ball around' kind of player.

The defense is still predicated around Chris Long and Robert Quinn and pass rusher packages. Spags and Fisher both have that Eagles system background so its not too surprising. Fisher is just wildly more competent than Spags ever was.

The long term plan might be a little more balanced. Or they'll just cut their losses with guys like Austin and Cook. They'll definitely be ground and pound next year, though. No doubt about that.