Before they were the Los Angeles Rams we know of today, they were the joke of the NFL alongside the Cleveland Browns. Jeff Fischer, then the Head Coach, utilized a prehistoric style of football that resisted the new-school, offensively orientated style the game was moving towards. This had a disastrous effect, headlined by a horrendous record of 31-45-1 under Jeff Fischer, putting them in prime position to draft impact players such as Todd Gurley, Aaron Donald, and Jared Goff but these stars just could not find success in the offensive system Fischer abided by.
It was then that owner Stan Kroenke knew it was time to make a change. They fired Jeff Fischer, all but putting him out of the game for good, and took a chance on the then 30-year old offensive guru Sean McVay (making him the youngest Head Coach in NFL history). Following the hire, the Rams exploded to an 11-5 record and their first playoff berth since 2004, topping the NFL in most major offensive stats. Their impact stars, such as Todd Gurley and Jared Goff, saw immediate improvement playing in a system that actually utilizes their talents to its extent. Gurley even won Offensive Player of the Year, cementing his status as one of the most impactful offensive players in the league right now. A pass catching core that included guys like Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, and surprising standout Cooper Kupp gave Goff his best group of weapons he ever had while in the NFL. On defense, 2014 first round pick Aaron Donald made the NFL know of his dominance recording 11 sacks and 5 forced fumbles on his way to earning the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year award. Although they were ousted by the Falcons in the first round of the playoffs, they are a team to be on the lookout for this upcoming season. In free agency, they had moves to make. They lost impact players such as Trumaine Johnson, Sammy Watkins, Alec Ogletree, and Robert Quinn in free agency and through trades. But they were able rebound from these losses in an astounding way. They traded for a pair of superstar cornerbacks in Marcus Peters and Aquib Talib. Those additions more than makes up for the departure of Johnson. They were able to bring back underrated safety Lamarcus Joyner on the franchise tag. And they added even more star power in Ndamukong Suh to help Donald terrorize opposing offensive lines. Plus, rumor has it that the Rams may be in the running to trade for star WR Odell Beckham Jr. All these additions with the talent returning from a fantastic run last season puts this team over the top, making them a Super Bowl contender and a team that everybody should be on the lookout for.
