Jeff Fisher's extension handled, but Rams continue to flounder
On the day when news of contract extensions for the Los Angeles Rams brass were leaked to the press, the franchise capped the afternoon by ensuring it would fall short of a winning season yet again.
The New England Patriots smashed the Rams, 26-10, Sunday afternoon in Foxborough, Mass., further plunging the Rams into a downward spiral in their first season after relocating to Los Angeles.
After the game, head coach Jeff Fisher confirmed that he signed the contract extension “well before the season started,” through the franchise has yet to make a formal announcement.
“It has never been my personal position to go ahead and release that stuff,” Fisher said in his postgame news conference. “I was very appreciative, with respect to (Rams owner) Stan (Kroenke), knowing what we were doing this year, it just somehow got out.
“I’m expecting to be the coach of this franchise. However, I relate and understand that wins and losses fall on my shoulders. That’s the fact of our business and I get that. I’m not looking over my shoulder. I’m doing everything I can on a daily basis to get this team in position to win football games.”
Fisher said it was out of his hands when asked why the team hasn’t announced the decision to extend Fisher – and general manager Les Snead – through the 2018 season. The team has yet to issue a release, other than to confirm to media outlets that the agreements have been reached.
Fisher’s record in his five years with the Rams is now 31-44-1. His streak without a winning campaign now sits at seven seasons, spanning back to his 13-3 year with the Tennessee Titans.
One facet of Fisher's team this season has been particularly ineffective.
“The elephant in the room is the offense,” Fisher said. “I get it. We’re working hard on it. We’re doing everything we possibly can, and we’ve got to get better.”
The Rams stumbled to just 25 total yards in the first half Sunday against the Patriots. That now marks the fewest for any team this season through the first two quarters of a game.
No. 1 overall draft pick Jared Goff has been inconsistent since replacing Case Keenum as Los Angeles’ starting quarterback. On Sunday, Goff completed just 14 of 32 passes for 161 yards and one touchdown and two interceptions, though his receivers dropped several catchable passes.
The offensive line continued to struggle, allowing Goff to get sacked four times, and running back Todd Gurley – whose 2016 season has been one of the most disappointing in the entire NFL – again failed to rush for 100 yards.
He gained just 38 yards on 11 carries.
The news of the contract extensions may create a picture of stability for the Rams. The franchise, however, wants to put its best face forward with the construction of a state-of-the-art stadium set to open in 2019. Unless Fisher wins more games, his future will continue to face more and more uncertainty.
“Yes, I do,” Fisher said when asked if he expected to coach the team in 2017. “We’ve got some work to do here to finish strong. We have some personnel issues we have to deal with and get better in and obviously a big part of that is on the offensive side of the ball.”
Follow Lorenzo Reyes on Twitter @LorenzoGReyes.
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