The Rams have a way to go in order to challenge for a title of any kind, but with the youngest team in the league they have time to grow as a collective. They've begun the rebuild and next year is hopefully the next step toward a playoff run.
2013 Recap:
All things considered, last season wasn't bad for the Rams. It could have been a lot better, but it wasn't a disaster. Their defense helped steady the ship, as the offense was held together with rookies who will eventually be excellent starters and backups (Kellen Clemens replaced Sam Bradford for several weeks). Their record (7-9) is defined by the defenses ability to keep the game close, coming 13th in the league in points allowed, while the offense struggled to 30th in points gained. A quick summation of those numbers may make for a bleak prospect but the difference is equal to 1 point, and I'm sure you don't need any reminder of how many points you need to win a game - just one more.Rookies Zac Stacy and Tavon Austin prove themselves through the season as real difference makers for the offense. The Rams now have a duo akin to Marshawn Lynch and Percy Harvin in Seattle, and that's not a raw deal at all.
The Rams threatened late into the season, and with a team that was evidently very much still in development Jeff Fisher went in with a plan, and put his team into a place where they can contend for a playoff spot next season.
Key Players:
- Tavon Austin: One of the most exciting young wide outs in the game. He's a more durable Trindon
Holliday, he's Devin Hester with better hands, he's St Louis version of Ace Sanders. I'm a big fan of this type of receiver and Tavon has the potential to be one of the best.
Austin is an X-Factor for the Offense in St Louis - TJ McDonald: Another rookie to prove the truth of the Rams youth. McDonald is an excellent prospect in the secondary, and had some stand out performances this season. He needs to improve his identification of plays, and be a better gap filler than he was this season. If he has learnt that the NFL is a whole other game this season, we'll see a stronger and still potential filled McDonald for the 2014 season.
- Zac Stacy: There were realistically two breakout rookie runners last season, the first was Eddie Lacy (who won OROY) and then there was Zac Stacy. And he was picked out while rushing behind a line that wasn't really together all season. When you consider it like that, his prospective gains over the next two or three years (as the Rams team extends into it's prime) could be huge.
- James Laurenitis: Let's start with the headlines; Defensive Captain, Tackle Leader every year with the team. He is the leader of this defense. He's the guy tasked with keeping this young squad in contention on the field and he's done an excellent job. As long as he stays healthy this defense can only improve.
Missing Pieces:
Traditional Primary Wide Receiver
In spite of the Rams GM declaring otherwise, the Rams still need a clear number one on the outside. Tavon Austin is a great offensive weapon, regardless of where he lines up. Chris Givens is likely to develop into a strong outside receiver but I cannot help but look at that group and think that there's no really challenging matchups for an average to above average secondary. And I'd be rooting for Sammy Watkins to go to the Rams at the second pick if it wasn't for something that is certainly more crucial to get right this season, the O-Line.
Offensive Line
Name players on the Rams offensive line; Jake Long, and... erm... it's not easy. Jake Long is the only stand-out player on the line, and they need someone to line up on the other side of the line. With Wide Receivers you need to cover every guy, but you don't even need to properly cover every offensive lineman (especially on passing downs). Good lines are build from balance. You could have 3 all pro players, but if you have two late round rookies on one side of the ball, that could cause problems for you all day.
How They Improve:
The Rams have a lot going for them in terms of their youth, and with two draft picks in the top 15, that's not going to change too quickly. They have really outperformed their stature despite what could be characterised as a bad season.
Prediction:
Can they challenge for the playoffs? Definitely. Can they actually get there? It seems unlikely with both Seattle and San Francisco crowding out the top of their division. That really only leaves them one spot to challenge for in the wildcard, and while the NFC wasn't up to scratch last season, I find it difficult to see a way that three teams from the same division could head to the playoffs. If they do pull it off, and make the playoffs, I don't see the Rams taking in more than four quarters. This is another building year, another stepping stone towards a division title run but they're not quite ready. And by that I mean there are two other teams that aren't quite ready to release their stranglehold yet.