The New England Patriots are the modern NFL dynasty with five Super Bowl titles over the last 16 years. With quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick heading into the sunset of their careers, it is fair to wonder which franchise will emerge to become the next dominant franchise.
There are several teams on the rise, including Carson Wentz’s Philadelphia Eagles. However, there is one team uniquely positioned to emerge as a league power: the Los Angeles Rams. Here are three reasons to believe the Rams are primed to become the NFL’s next great dynasty:
Youthful core
The Rams began the 2017 season as the league’s second-youngest team. Normally, being young would mean plenty of growing pains and a couple of years spent in the losing column. However, the Rams have already been there and done that. They were the NFL’s youngest team from 2013-2016, resulting in years of boneheaded mistakes and a lack of discipline. Fortunately, the Rams also developed several young stars during that stretch.
The skill position starters on the offense currently average 24.16 years of age, and that doesn’t include rookie Cooper Kupp. The defensive starters feature only one player over age 28 (Connor Barwin). Altogether, the current Rams starting lineup is young, athletic, and confident.
The team has already taken a massive step forward under new head coach Sean McVay, and there is plenty of room to grow. Several members of this unit are already playing at or near a Pro Bowl level. Given more time to develop, Rams’ core will make this team a serious contender for the foreseeable future.
A creative football mindset
The Rams hired now former head coach Jeff Fisher to turn the team around, which meant changing the culture of a franchise that hasn’t posted a winning season since 2003. Fisher not only failed to do this, but his teams actually regressed over the latter part of his tenure.
Enter new head coach Sean McVay. The league’s youngest head coach embraced the position with a creativity and zeal that had long been lacking on the Rams’ coaching staff. McVay eats, drinks, and lives football. His enthusiasm and mind for the game are apparent in everything he does.
McVay's influence can be found in his relationship with Jared Goff. The second-year quarterback spent much of the offseason refining his mechanics and fixing some of his flaws. When he met with McVay, he found a coach willing to build an offense to his strengths instead of force-feeding him a traditional scheme.
According to MMQB's Greg Bishop, McVay and Goff meet daily to work on strategy and go over plays. They are partners, just like McVay was with his previous quarterback Kirk Cousins. This kind of relationship is the reason the Rams averaged 30.3 points in their first seven games.
As for the defense, one of the smartest decisions McVay made was hiring one of the best defensive coordinators in the game, Wade Phillips. The defense quickly transitioned into a modified 3-4 and has now given up just 33 points combined over the last three games.
Finally, the front office stepped up in the offseason, bringing in players with high football IQs to support McVay’s system. Rookies like Cooper Kupp and John Johnson made near immediate impacts on the team. Meanwhile, veterans Connor Barwin and Andrew Whitworth stabilized crucial parts of the defense. General manager Les Snead hit a home run this offseason by hiring McVay. Together, they already have built the Rams into a contender. The combination of McVay’s staff and the front office has put the franchise in a great position to emerge as an annual championship contender.
The limelight of L.A.
Los Angeles remains the Entertainment Capital of the World for a reason: it’s full of stars. Whether it’s show business, media, theme parks or sports, L.A. has it all. The Rams gained an edge over many NFL teams when they returned to Southern California. They moved from a city that would occasionally draw solid free agents to one where players will actively seek to move. All it takes is the right system and coaching staff to be in place, and the players will come.
Add in the state of the art stadium opening in Inglewood, and the Rams will soon be one of the hottest tickets in the NFL. The lure of L.A. gives the Rams an edge over most of the league when free agents look for a new home. All the Rams have to do is continue to play exciting football. The fans will come and the players will as well. It’s been the recipe for success in L.A. since the Rams originally moved there in 1946.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the Rams are emerging as a contender this season. They enter their Week 9 matchup with the New York Giants with their best start since 2003 at 5-2. If they continue on the path they have paved this season, the sky's the limit for this franchise. The Rams’ young core of talent combined with the motivated and innovative coaching staff will ensure that the team will be a contender.
However, that final piece is the one few markets in the league can match. Add in the L.A. factor, and the Rams appear ready to become the next great NFL dynasty.
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