Fisher has a big goal for the Rams
Coach says on ‘Hard Knocks’ show that team is too talented to struggle again.
Jeff Fisher is not making predictions. Not publicly at least. The Rams have not had a winning season since 2003, have not made the playoffs since 2004 and are coming off a 7-9 record in 2015, the fourth of four losing seasons under Fisher.
Will it be different in the Rams’ return to Los Angeles?
Fans might get some hints on Saturday night when the Rams play the Dallas Cowboys in an exhibition opener at the Coliseum.
It won’t be a complete picture, of course, as starters probably will play only a few series. But it is an opportunity for the Rams to show if they have made progress during training camp.
Fisher on Thursday addressed his comments about the Rams’ potential record that were captured in Tuesday night’s debut episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks.”
Fisher and quarterback Jared Goff, who were featured prominently, were not scheduled to address reporters after Wednesday’s special teams work-
out. So Thursday was their first opportunity to discuss appearances that drew widespread reaction in print, television, radio and social media.
During a team meeting that followed the release of receiver Deon Long for violating a team rule about having visitors in dorm rooms, cameras captured Fisher using a few expletives while explaining why “little things” were important.
Fisher said that he was not going “7-9 or 8-8 or 9-7, OK? Or 10-6 for that matter. This team’s too talented. I am not going to settle for that, OK? I know what I am doing.”
On Thursday, Fisher was asked where he was going with the numbers.
“People can read into whatever they want but that was me talking to the team as if the cameras weren’t there,” he said, adding, “I stopped at that point. I could have gone on.
“You don’t know that I didn’t go on because there’s an edit guy there, so there’s a lot of stuff that took place that was edited.” Did he go on? “May have,” he said. Fisher said he heard from his mother regarding his language. He said he knew something was wrong when she called him Jeffrey.
“I said, ‘Sorry, Mom. That’s our world. I’ll try to do better,’ ” he said.
Goff, the top pick in the NFL draft, said he was ready for his first preseason game.
Case Keenum will start, but Fisher has said Goff would probably play about a half.
“I’m going to try to go out there and treat it like every other game I’ve played in my life,” Goff said. “Have fun and execute and enjoy my time and do the best I can.”
That seems to be the attitude he has adopted regarding “Hard Knocks.”
Goff got roasted in social media for struggling with a question regarding sunrise and sunset. The cameras also captured him in other scenes.
“I don’t really care what they do,” he said. “I know it’s a TV show and they’re trying to make a story line, and whatever that may be — it doesn’t bother me.
“It’s funny. I think it’s cool and something I can probably watch for years to come.”
Fashion statement
The Rams announced they will wear white uniforms at home this season.
The Rams had blue and white uniforms in the mid-1960s and then changed to blue, yellow and white in the 1970s. The St. Louis Rams’ colors were blue, gold and white.
“In the days of the Fearsome Foursome, the Rams used to wear white on white — so this is a modern nod back to our history in the Coliseum and in Los Angeles,” the Rams said in a statement.
The Rams will wear throwback royal blue uniforms for two games, the team said. The games have not been determined.
Kevin Demoff, chief operating officer and executive vice president for football operations, has said that the Rams would not roll out new uniforms until the 2019 season, when they are scheduled to move into a new stadium in Inglewood.
Middle man
Pro football Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary is with the Rams for training camp, observing and offering players and coaches insights.
Fisher and the 10-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker were Chicago Bears teammates from 1981 to 1985.
“There’s a lot of wisdom there,” said Alec Ogletree, who is playing middle linebacker for the first time. “A lot of history. … He played on one of the best defenses to ever play this game, so what better person to have in your room than him?”
Singletary addressed the linebackers as a group on Tuesday.
“It was kind of breathtaking,” linebacker Cameron Lynch said. “I got my notepad out like, ‘Oh snap, he’s about to drop some knowledge.’
“He talked about the stance and being ready to strike. He gave us some oldschool flavor and that was nice.”
‘I’m going to try to go out there and treat it like every other game I’ve played in my life. Have fun and execute and enjoy my time.’ — Jared Goff, on his first game as a pro