It wasn't all that long ago that the Rams were arguably the worst team in the NFL. During the 2016 season, the Rams finished dead last in both yards and points scored, while also finishing 23rd in points allowed. They ended the season with a 4-12 record that was better than only three other squads in the league. Then they hired Sean McVay and McVay hired Wade Phillips as defensive coordinator, and since then they have been one of the best teams in football.
The Rams finished 11-5 during the first year of the McVay era, but they unfortunately lost their wild-card playoff game to the Atlanta Falcons. The team came back even better during Year 2, though, and followed up a 13-3 regular season with a trip to Super Bowl LIII. They unfortunately came up short during that game, but Phillips doesn't think the team is nearly done yet.
He's got high hopes for next year's squad.
Wade Phillips (@sonofbum) in town to present Dan Pastorini who's going into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame. His @RamsNFL came close: "I might have to say it. The first year we knocked on the door. This year we beat on the door. Next year we're gonna kick the son of a bitch in." pic.twitter.com/03tChdY883
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) February 7, 2019
If what Wade said sounds familiar it's because his dad, Bum, said the same thing about his Oilers many years earlier.
The Rams have a fascinating offseason ahead of them. Players like Ndamukong Suh, Lamarcus Joyner, Rodger Saffold, and Dante Fowler Jr. are all free agents, and the Rams do not have a ton of room on their books to keep them all. The upcoming season will likely be the last one where the Rams can take advantage of Jared Goff's comparatively low salary because it's the final year of his rookie contract, so it'll be interesting to see who they prioritize bringing back and how that affects their attempts to "kick the son of a b---h in" as Phillips so eloquently put it.
