Los Angeles Rams Offensive Coordinator Rob Boras with rookie quarterback Jared Goff (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Rob Boras, the Los Angeles Rams Offensive Coordinator, should be fired. I have nothing against the guy, but he clearly does not understand how to use the tools that he has been given.
In my opinion, what separates good coaches from great coaches is the ability to adapt and understand the players skill set that you have to work with. A good coach has a good and strong game plan, and he or she sticks to that game plan and makes sure that his or her players buy into the system.
A great coach recognizes when his or her weapons are not fit to attack in the style that was predetermined. A great coach molds the system around the players to utilize the maximum output that is available.
Rob Boras may be a good coach, but through seven games, has failed to adapt.
The Rams offense does not take a brain surgeon to dissect. They should be a run-heavy system that will play for short yardage situations on 3rd down. People keep criticizing Case Keenum for his throwing ability when in reality he is just being used in the wrong way.
Look at the Kansas City Chiefs for example. In fact, you can compare Chief’s QB Alex Smith and Keenum to a degree. Smith is 6’4”. Keenum is 6’1”. Smith weighs 212 pounds. Keenum weighs 208 pounds. Smith ran a 4.74 second 40-yard-dash. Keenum ran a 4.82. Now, I’m not stating that because of these measurables Keenum should have the same success as Smith but you get the point. The Chiefs have adapted their offense to fit the skill set that Smith gives them. They are not going to light you up in the passing game. They are going to pound the rock and make high percentage throws.
Take notes Boras.
Todd Gurley was arguably the best running back in the NFL last season in his rookie campaign. The offensive line is literally the exact same this year as it was last year, with the exception of LG Cody Wichmann rotating with Jamon Brown due to injury. And for some reason, this season, Gurley is only averaging 19.14 rushing attempts per game, rushing 20+ times only twice. Ram’s apologists can argue that opposing defenses only have to game plan for Gurley, and so Boras has to try to change it up and throw it over the top to keep them guessing.
False.
It doesn’t matter if teams know Gurley is getting the ball. He should be getting it 25+ times a game, wearing defenses down. That’s called smash mouth football. And, guess what, the Rams have a fantastic defense that will keep them in games if the offense can just win the field position battle and keep grinding down the opposition. Hell, the Ravens won a Super Bowl with Trent Dilfer using this exact method. Is Dilfer a hell of a lot better than Keenum? Exactly.
In 2011, the Denver Broncos won a playoff game with Tim Tebow at quarterback. If you watched any of those games you know that the offense was tailor made to what Tebow could offer, albeit not very much, but they were able to win games. Had they run a “throw it 30+ times” a game offense, they probably would have ended up near the bottom of the division. Credit that playoff win to the offensive coordinator, Mike McCoy (now head coach of the San Diego Chargers).
The delusion of Boras’ offensive prowess came to fruition last week in London against the New York Giants. The Rams trailed the Giants by 7 points with four minutes left in the game. They were moving the ball nicely using a heavy dose of Gurley and high percentage throws. They were on the Giants 40-yard line when stupidity and cockiness set in. In a sequence of back-to-back plays, Keenum threw two 40-yard bombs into the end zone, the second being picked off by a Giants cornerback.
Let me remind you, there were 4:00 minutes left in the game. You were moving the ball great. Why throw two deep balls back to back? People can blame Keenum all they want, but at some point, you have to look at the play caller. If I challenge a Lamborghini to a race in my Honda Civic I lose that race every time. That’s not the fault of the car, it wasn’t built for that. That’s on me for challenging outside of my equipment’s means. Now if I challenged the Lamborghini to a long distance race where the superior miles per gallon of the Civic could be utilized, I might have something.
In the NFL, coaches always talk about “finding their team’s identity.” Understanding what your team is capable of and what it is not. Hopefully, Coach Boras uses the bye week to figure out his offensives identity, because we for sure all have.