Much ado about Al Saunders

Poor Al Saunders.

With the Rams once again in playing in oblivion, the new offensive coordinator is getting his fair share of blame. And with the Rams red zone percentage something akin to Marc Bulger's QB rating, it's not like he doesn't deserve a little heat, especially after befuddling fans with play calling that's included passes to guys like Anthony Becht, Joe Klopfenstein, and other confusing plays. 

How much leeway does the guy get given the talent he has to work with though? With Steven Jackson back in week 13 the Rams offense was better, but it hardly qualified as a resume builder. I feel like a lot of those stupefying play calls are the result of Marc Bulger's inability to do much with the football, especially with his favorite WR unable to escape tight coverage. It's clear that the Rams offense has really suffered without TE Randy McMichael, especially for an OC known for making his TE a key part of the equation.

Clearly, the idea of hiring Saunders made more sense than the reality. How did anyone really expect the Rams to run a complex offense with paper dolls on the offensive line, a QB in crisis, and Torry Holt missing a step? 

So what's next? Keep him and think things can turn around with returning players (McMichael) and a talent infusion in key areas? Or do the Rams need to turnover a new leaf, hire a new guy and start from stratch...depending on how the head coaching situation pans out. Saunders runs a complex offense, so the players, especially young guys like Avery and Burton, will have a year's experience with it to go with some talent on the line and other places (hopefully) brought in through the draft and free agency. How much blame does Saunders deserve for the Rams offensive failures?