The Rams have assembled a roster capable of taking them all the way to the Super Bowl.
asserted
Rams → assemble → Bowl
It would help if their special teams stopped leaving banana peels along the route.
asserted
teams → help → route
Sunday’s escape in Philadelphia offered another reminder that, for all their offensive firepower and defensive talent, Los Angeles remains capable of sabotaging themselves in the few seconds between one unit leaving the field and another arriving.
asserted
another → offer → field
The Rams survived it against the Eagles.
asserted
Rams → survive → Eagles
But they should be careful about interpreting that as permission to keep trying.
asserted
they → interpret → permission
The Buffalo Bills, who visit SoFi Stadium on Monday night, would be happy to demonstrate.
asserted
who → visit → night
“We need better,” Rams coach Sean McVay said.
asserted
McVay → need → better
They needed better last season, too.
asserted
They → need → better
That is what makes this so maddening.
asserted
this → make → ?
The Rams changed coaches.
asserted
Rams → change → coaches
They changed personnel.
asserted
They → change → personnel
They had every reason to approach special teams with the urgency reserved for a problem that had already helped wreck a championship opportunity.
asserted
that → have → opportunity
Yet here they are again, with a unit that continues to be anything but special.
asserted
that → continue → unit
Britain Covey returned a punt 41 yards to the Rams’ 17, setting up an Eagles touchdown two plays later.
asserted
Covey → return → touchdown
Harrison Mevis, who helped stabilize the Rams kick game last year, missed a 48-yard field goal that would have cut a 10-point deficit to seven.
asserted
that → help → seven
Then, after the Rams finally pulled within three late in the fourth quarter, Mevis kicked out of bounds, handing Philadelphia possession at its own 40.
asserted
Mevis → pull → 40
The defense rescued them.
asserted
defense → rescue → them
That does not make the mistake less alarming.
asserted
mistake → make → ?
Neither did the return game provide much relief.
asserted
game → provide → relief
A second-quarter punt Bachman allowed to bounce was downed at the Rams’ 4, leaving the offense backed against its goal line.
asserted
Bachman → allow → line
Later, a holding penalty wiped away valuable return yardage.
asserted
penalty → wipe → yardage
Each problem asks somebody else to clean up the mess.
asserted
problem → ask → mess
An offense must travel farther.
asserted
offense → travel → ?
A defense must defend less grass.
asserted
defense → defend → grass
A quarterback must manufacture another late escape.
asserted
quarterback → manufacture → escape
Eventually, even good teams run out of answers.
asserted
teams → run → answers
“Obviously, I would have loved for us to have made that field goal kick, and then the long punt return is not good,” McVay said.
asserted
McVay → love → kick
“We have to do a better job of casting a net, being able to tackle.”
asserted
We → have → net
Nobody is demanding a touchdown on every return.
asserted
Nobody → demand → return
The warning signs preceded Philadelphia.
asserted
signs → precede → Philadelphia
Against Denver, Xavier Smith fielded a punt at his own goal line and returned it only to the 10.
asserted
Smith → field → 10
The Rams went three-and-out, then surrendered a 28-yard punt return that positioned the Broncos at the Los Angeles 42.
asserted
that → go → 42
Smith was waived before the Eagles game, with Bachman taking over.
asserted
Bachman → waive → game
McVay was careful to distribute responsibility Sunday.
“There are 11 moving parts on every single snap,” he said.
asserted
he → distribute → snap
He credited Bachman’s ball security and pointed toward inadequate blocking around him.
asserted
He → credit → him
“I think there can be some better perimeter play to give him some freedom to be able to get some things going,” McVay said.
asserted
McVay → think → freedom
Accountability should extend beyond whoever happens to be holding the football.
asserted
whoever → extend → football
But the entire operation belongs to the Rams, and their recent history makes patience a difficult sell.
asserted
patience → belong → Rams
Last December, they led Seattle 30-14 in the fourth quarter before Rashid Shaheed’s 58-yard punt-return touchdown helped ignite the Seahawks’ comeback in a 38-37 overtime victory.
asserted
touchdown → lead → victory
That loss swung control of the division race toward Seattle, which ultimately secured the division and home-field advantage.
asserted
which → swing → advantage
…and 12 more, not listed.
The Aporia
