Does Jeff Fisher Deserve Contract Extension?

A few weeks ago, the Front Office for the Los Angeles Rams offered fifth year Head Coach, Jeff Fisher, a three year contract extension and everyone thought he already signed it. However, to my dismay and a few people that I talked to, he actually signed it today and I am dumbfounded that the offer was still on the table. This especially after the horrible showing by the Rams where they lost to the 49ers on Monday Night Football 28-0. This was a game where the Rams not only scored zero points, but also crossed the 50 yard line twice only to have starting Quarterback Case Keenum throw an interception both times.

I am going to put it bluntly to anyone reading this, but it is something that I have been saying for weeks, the Rams could be the worst team in the NFL this season and I have a hard time seeing them win a single game. Now they do play the Seahawks twice this season, a team that they have taken three games out of four against, but this team is absolutely depleted. They lost their starting Defensive End, Chris Long to the New England Patriots, their starting Middle Linebacker, James Laurinaitis to the New Orleans Saints, they lost their best Cornerback, Janoris Jenkins to the New York Giants, and their best Safety, Rodney McLeod to the Philadelphia Eagles. So in all actuality, the best players on their team is Todd Gurley at Running Back, Michael Brockers at Defensive Tackle, and Alec Ogletree at Linebacker.

Here is the main reason why I feel that Jeff Fisher does not deserve that extension and the Rams were not smart to give it to him. Jeff Fisher is a great defensive coach. You can look back at how daunting his defenses have been and the number of great players that have come out of his system of play. But much like the late great Buddy Ryan, Jeff Fisher doesn't care about offense at all and will unintentionally constrict the play at Quarterback. The best Quarterback he ever had was Steve McNair, who not only went to a Super Bowl with the Tennessee Titans, but also won Most Valuable Player in 2003 with Co-MVP Peyton Manning. However, McNair's play declined because of the "ground and pound" play calling of running it on first and second and then passing it on third down, which would have worked twenty years ago, but didn't work in 2004 when the NFL became a passing league. That along with the fact that the league has overrated Fisher as a Head Coach as he only has five total playoff appearances in the last twenty years.

Not to mention, the drafting of Quarterback Jared Goff and sticking him at the number three Quarterback position and deactivating him on game days does not validate Fisher either. Their defense is not good enough nor does their offense have enough talent to give Case Keenum the nod at Quarterback. You could see a lot of griping by the fans if Goff does not start soon and I still wonder why the Rams organization did not pull the plug on this Jeff Fisher experiment. Hopefully for their sake there is a clause that says they don't have to give Fisher all of his money if they fire him, but as of right now, it looks like he will get all of his money and the Rams will be out of luck. As a final matter of speaking, if the Rams are last place in the NFL this season, they will not get the first pick, but rather it will be given to the Tennessee Titans, the team that got copious draft picks in exchange for the pick the Rams used on Jared Goff.