Although the Los Angeles Rams defense managed to show plenty of promise in the preseason opener versus the Oakland Raiders, the same cannot be said for the offense.
Aside from opting to sit his starters out of the preseason, Rams head coach Sean McVay also decided to hand the play-calling reins over to passing game coordinator Shane Waldron. It is safe to say that the offense as a whole endured a bit of a rough start after mustering up just three points and 190 yards of total offense in the loss to the Raiders.
There is no question that the performance was largely underwhelming. Regardless, it appears McVay does not plan on making any changes moving forward.
According to Stu Jackson of the team’s official website, he made it clear that Waldron will continue to call plays this preseason:
A few notes from Rams HC Sean McVay's presser this evening…
– Pass game coordinator Shane Waldron will continue to call plays during the preseason.
– No decision yet on which players will sit out trip to Hawaii for next week's preseason game vs. Cowboys. More clarity Tues.
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) August 12, 2019
McVay has not been shy about experimenting with his preseason approach regarding the starters and it seems that extends to the coaching staff as well. His willingness to allow Waldron to continue calling plays after a rough game is indicative of his confidence in those around him.
The Rams opted not to go with an official offensive coordinator ever since the departure of Matt LaFleur and have since essentially split the duties between Waldron as the pass game coordinator and Aaron Kromer as the run game coordinator. Meanwhile, McVay plans to continue his role as the primary play-caller and brains of the operation once the regular season rolls around.
Los Angeles may be tempering expectations a bit on offense with all the new faces that arrived this offseason, however, there is no question they will be looking to put on a better show against the Dallas Cowboys in Hawaii. It will be interesting to see if Waldron can get more out of some of the fringe players on his side of the ball.
