In a surprising mid-season decision, Sean McVay, the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams, has dismissed special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn. This marks the first time in McVay”s nine-year tenure that he has let go of a coach during the season, driven by ongoing struggles in the special teams unit.
The Rams” special teams have been a significant liability this season, with their issues culminating in a devastating loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday. The Rams (11-4) appeared to be in control, leading by 16 points in the fourth quarter, but Seattle mounted a comeback, eventually winning 38-37 in overtime thanks to a two-point conversion by quarterback Sam Darnold.
Blackburn”s tenure with the Rams was marked by consistent special teams errors, which have played a crucial role in three of the team”s four losses this season. The critical slip-ups continued against the Seahawks, who capitalized on a 58-yard punt return touchdown by Rashid Shaheed and benefited from a missed 48-yard field goal attempt by kicker Harrison Mevis.
In earlier losses to the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles, the Rams had already made changes to their kicking unit, replacing long snapper Alex Ward and kicker Joshua Karty in response to ongoing issues. McVay had previously issued a warning about the team”s special teams struggles, indicating they “can”t continue.” Although Mevis has improved since taking over as the starter, the lack of reliability in this phase of the game persisted.
With Blackburn”s departure, assistant special teams coach Ben Kotwica will step up as the new coordinator for the remainder of the season. Despite clinching a playoff spot, the Rams” recent defeat has cost them the top seed in the NFC West, leaving them positioned as the No. 5 seed, which could mean a challenging road ahead in the wildcard round.
The Rams are set to face the Atlanta Falcons (5-9) on December 29, and a victory will be crucial for their playoff aspirations as they aim to recover from the setback against the Seahawks.
