The Los Angeles Rams were well aware of their problems thus far through the season. The offense wasn’t contributing nearly enough touchdowns, while the front seven held down the fort for the defense. Head coach Jeff Fisher saw the exact opposite of their storyline enfold on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
The Rams would go on to score three first-half touchdowns, courtesy of Jared Goff. Kenny Britt, Tavon Austin and Lance Kendricks each hauled in a touchdown catch, as Goff seemed comfortable in his second career start.
However, while the Rams put up 21 points, the Saints were able to muster four touchdown drives in the first half. Heading into halftime, the Rams only trailed by one score and the game was still within reach.
From there on out, the Rams were seemingly outcoached by the Saints, as both the offensive and defensive unit of the Saints made the necessary adjustments to succeed. The Rams were outscored 21-0 in the second half, as the offense couldn’t muster lengthy drives and the secondary of the Rams was torched.
With the Rams needing to win out to hold a winning record this season, Fisher stated that the sole focus of the team needs to be one week at a time, via Myles Simmons of TheRams.com:
“It’s a one-week-at-a-time-thing,” Fisher said. “We have to focus all our attention on the Patriots and Tom [Brady] and the way they’re playing. They’re a great football team and they’ve got a great record at home. Our focus has to go there. That’s all we do.
The Rams have perhaps their most difficult matchup of the NFL season in Week 13. After traveling to The Big Easy, the roster travels to Gillette Stadium for a showdown against the New England Patriots.
There is certainly a frustration amongst the team, as the players understand that winning is all that matters in the NFL. It isn’t hard to forget that the Rams are still in their first season back to Los Angeles following their relocation.
With all that came with the relocation, the organization is embarking in a new territory. Football has returned to Los Angeles for the first time in 21 years and the team currently isn’t meeting expectations.
The team has had certain contests this season that have demonstrated a dominant football team, but the roster hasn’t been able to collect it into consistency.
Fisher was asked about all that the Rams have faced this season and stated that the relocation and transition to Los Angeles has taken a toll on the team:
“We’ve been through a lot. And it’s not an excuse, but we’ve been through more than any other team in the National Football League this offseason in the moves, and the travel, and all those things,” Fisher said. “So we’re dealing with those as best as we can.”
The situation regarding the team was certainly amplified by the recent situation regarding Eric Dickerson. The frustration by perhaps one of the greatest Rams in franchise history certainly doesn’t work in Fisher’s favor, who has been on the hot seat since the beginning of October.
A win on the road against the Patriots certainly could be a job-saving victory for Fisher, as the team will require near perfect execution to defeat the Patriots at home.
