Which Possible Los Angeles NFL Team Should You Root For?
By Ryan Mayer, CBS Local Sports
Congratulations Los Angeles sports fans! You've won the NFL lottery! Within the next three years you will be receiving at least one (Rams), possibly two (either Chargers or Raiders) NFL teams to root for. Some of you may be old enough to have rooted for the Rams or the Raiders, some possibly even the Chargers before they left town the first time. In which case, you already know who you'll be rooting for in all likelihood.
However, this post isn't for you. It's for the LA sports fan who's an NFL fan free agent at the moment. You've seen the news about the teams heading to your backyard and you have a question. Which team should I root for? Or, probably more likely, which team is likely to be the best on field product to hitch my wagon to?
Well, that's what we're here to do. Let's take a look at each of the three teams in four separate categories (Offense, Defense, Coach, and GM) and try to determine which one is best set up for success so you can get behind that winning horse.
Offense
Rams- The Rams offense has been inept ever since the end of the "Greatest Show On Turf" era. Since Kurt Warner, the team has cycled through Marc Bulger, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Trent Green, Brock Berlin, Keith Null, Kyle Boller, Sam Bradford, Kellen Clemens, AJ Feeley, Shaun Hill, Case Keenum, and Nick Foles at QB. That's....not encouraging. Right now, you're looking at either Nick Foles or a drafted QB to lead the offense and an average group of wide receivers. This past season they were last in the league in yards per game on offense and averaged just 17.5 PPG. The lone bright spot? Rookie running back Todd Gurley who is a beast. So, hey, you've got that going for you.
Chargers- Phillip Rivers is on the downside of the career curve, but is still a very good QB. He's got a couple weapons to throw to in WR Keenan Allen, RB Danny Woodhead, and TE Ladarius Green. The team finished 9th in yards per game, but just 20th in points per game averaging 20 per contest. However, the offensive line and offense in general was devastated by injuries so those numbers are a little skewed.
Raiders- Young QB Derek Carr has the Raiders feeling like they have finally found their franchise guy. Amari Cooper is a stud at wide receiver and paired with Michael Crabtree, that's a dangerous duo. Latavius Murray is coming off a 1,000 yard season and looks like a feature back. The team was just 24th in the league in yards per game, but was 17th in scoring at a little over 22 points per game. A young exciting offense loaded with talent that can only get better.
Verdict: It's close between the Raiders and Chargers. Right now, the Chargers are probably a hair better due to Rivers being the more experienced QB. But, the Raiders are the younger crew with stars that should be around and improving for the next few years. If you're looking for offense, go with them.
Defense
Rams- This is the strength of the team in both talent and productivity. Former 1st round picks litter the defensive line with Chris Long, Michael Brockers, and stud Aaron Donald wreaking havoc in opponents backfields. James Laurinaitis leads the linebacking corps and the secondary has some exciting young ball hawks in Janoris Jenkins and LaMarcus Joyner. The group finished just outside the top 10 in scoring defense allowing 20.6 points per game (13th). They also got to the quarterback with frequency with 41 sacks good for 11th in the NFL. A young strong unit that should continue to improve.
Chargers- The Chargers have some good, young pieces too with LB Manti Te'o, DT Corey Liuget, DE Kendall Reyes and CB Jason Verrett. But, the team is likely to move on from its best defensive player in Eric Weddle during this off season and they finished the season giving up 24.9 PPG which was 21st in the league. There are some question marks on this side of the ball moving forward.
Raiders- Another team with some fun young talent. DE/OLB Khalil Mack is a monster. Malcolm Smith, DJ Hayden, TJ Carrie, and Mario Edwards are all young bright spots as well. Unfortunately, there are still holes, and the defense hasn't yet figured it out as a unit finishing tied with the Chargers giving up 24.9 PPG.
Verdict- This is the Rams category. That defense is the reason the team was in a bunch of games this season. It will continue to be that way. If you like good old fashioned, we're going to beat you up on defense-style of football then you'll love the Rams. Hop on the bandwagon and watch opposing QB's cower in fear of Aaron Donald.
Coach
Rams: Jeff Fisher (27-36-1 Rams, 169-156-1 career)- Fisher has yet to have a winning season in his four years as the Rams head coach. That said, look at the QBs he's had to work with back in the offense category. Hard to win with some of those guys under center. Still though, many are starting to question just how good of a coach he really is as even going back to his Titans teams, he hasn't had a winning record in his last six seasons as a head coach (2009 Titans were 8-8). In total he has five winning seasons in 20 years as a full time head coach.
Chargers: Mike McCoy (22-26 Chargers/Career)- McCoy has only been a head coach for three seasons and in that time produced back-to-back 9-7 years before this past year's disastrous 4-12 campaign. It's hard to get a read on him as a coach due to the fact that the team was decimated by injuries this season when many expected them to be on the border of playoff contention. He came over from Denver after being the offensive coordinator then and seems to have a flair for that side of the ball.
Raiders: Jack Del Rio (7-9 Raiders, 75-80 Career)- Del Rio just finished up his first year on the job with the Raiders and led them to a solid 7-9 season which is a huge step forward from the 3-13 year in 2014. Overall, Del Rio had three winning seasons in 9 years with Jacksonville and is 1-2 in playoff appearances.
Verdict: While Fisher is the only one of the three to make a Super Bowl as a coach, he's got easily the worst QB situation and that's a huge issue in the NFL, which is a largely QB-driven league. As for the Chargers and Raiders, both have good QBs. Carr is younger, but Rivers still has some good years left in him. The problem is both play in the AFC West, which is a tough division.
GM
Rams- Les Snead runs the football operations in conjunction with Jeff Fisher and they've swung and missed on some big picks. In particular they seem to have gotten very little out of the draft pick haul they got from Washington for the right to draft RGIII. They've built a very good defensive line, and an okay offensive line, but the skill positions (outside of Gurley) have been lacking.
Chargers- Tom Telesco has had some very good drafts. In his three years he's added DJ Fluker, Keenan Allen, Manti Te'o, Jeremiah Attaochu, Jason Verrett, Denzel Perryman and Melvin Gordon who all have made impacts on the team. Verrett and Allen are young stars and cornerstones of the team on offense and defense. His track record speaks well for him.
Raiders- Reggie McKenzie inherited a rough situation three years ago when he stepped into the GM role, but his draft record is looking pretty good so far. Khalil Mack, Derek Carr, and Amari Cooper look like franchise foundation type players. He's also added Gabe Jackson, Latavius Murray, and Sio Moore who are all starters. The turnaround has been a good one and the franchise looks to be looking up heading into the future.
Verdict: It's close between Telesco and McKenzie, but McKenzie seems to have found his franchise QB at a value pick in the second round, which swings the vote in his favor.
Overall, you can argue for any of the three teams as more promising over the other. But, for my money, if you're going to attach yourself to a team, hope that San Diego works out a deal to keep the Chargers and that lets the Raiders move back to LA. They're a young, exciting football team with a solid head coach and a GM who's building the team very well. The Raiders star looks to be on the rise.
Ryan Mayer is an Associate Producer for CBS Local Sports. Ryan lives in NY but comes from Philly and life as a Philly sports fan has made him cynical. Anywhere sports are being discussed, that's where you'll find him.