LA Rams 0, Carolina Panthers 7: 2nd Half Open Thread

How much is too much to ask a fan base to take?

That’s what I was asking myself as the Los Angeles Rams’ final drive of the first half against the Carolina Panthers as the crowd at the Coliseum chanted “WE WANT GOFF” beyond an ignorable audible level. That drive petered out and the Rams defense took advantage of a holding call to take the legs out of the Panthers’ drive that ended in a missed field goal to keep the game Rams 0, Panthers 7.

How much is too much to ask a fan base to take?

Is perennial #7and9bullshit too much? It wasn’t after four years. It does perhaps seem like 4.5 years is, arbitrary as it may be.

How much is too much to ask a fan base to take?

Rams RB Just Todd Gurley, who was sold as the offensive face of the franchise and a superstar who would dominate the new home market of Los Angeles, has all of 35 yards on 10 carries. A 2nd half repeat of that would make today one of his better games of the season, sadly.

How much is too much to ask a fan base to take?

The Rams piled up four penalties for 59 penalty yards, perhaps indicative of the “culture change” Head Coach Jeff Fisher alluded to in the preseason.

How much is too much to ask a fan base to take?

After trading up to take a quarterback with the #1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Rams continue to trot out Case Keenum. He’s yet again putting up the pedestrian numbers that are generally to be expected in Fisherball -- 9/19, 115 yards, 0 TDs (and thankfully 0 INTs) at the half.

The margins are thin. Two missed field goals could have made the scoreline look tighter. A turnover for the Rams defense could have changed the look of the game.

The problem is that we’re leaning on those yet again.

Yet again, we’re left wanting the slightest of adjustments, the smallest of “could-be’s” to justify the continued misery of mediocrity.

The 2016 Los Angeles Rams are 3-4. They’re 30 minutes from either flopping to 3-5 or fishing to 4-4.

They’re losing the home crowd.

They’ve buried the reputation of their starting QB.

They’ve ruined any warmth of homecoming for their head coach.

They’re running on empty.

How much is too much to ask a fan base to take? The next 30 minutes might give us an answer.