The Loop
Rams defensive end gives perfect answer when asked what L.A.'s record would be if Jeff Fisher was still head coach
As incredible as Patrick Mahomes has been in Kansas City, the best storyline at the halfway point of the NFL season has to be the play of the L.A. Rams. After a gutty win (and gut-wrenching for some) last Sunday over the Green Bay Packers, they moved to a league-best 8-0, making them the only undefeated team remaining in the NFL. Even with a daunting schedule coming up (@New Orleans, vs. Seattle, vs. Kansas City in Mexico City), they don't appear to be slowing down anytime soon, as evidenced by their current odds to win the Super Bowl.
Much of the credit for their success has been given to second-year head coach Sean McVay, as it should be. The hotshot young coach took over a team that, with a few of its current stars, had gone 17-31 over the previous three seasons. Under McVay's watch they've gone a remarkable 19-5, which not only speaks to his coaching prowess but to the talent that was on the roster before he took over. The Rams obviously made plenty of key additions this past offseason that are paying off, but franchise cornerstones Todd Gurley, Aaron Donald and Jared Goff were all on the 4-12 2016 squad that was coached by Jeff Fisher.
Fisher has since become a running joke on the internet for going 7-9 throughout his entire career, and added fuel to that fire by saying they wouldn't go "f-ing 7-9" on HBO's "Hard Knocks". He did not, in fact, go 7-9 in 2016, instead going 4-9 before being fired, which stinks, because it would have been an epic 3-0 end to the season for the Rams.
Defensive end Michael Brockers was on all five of Fisher's Rams teams, starting in 2012 when they went 7-8-1, then 7-9 in 2013, then 6-10 in 2014 and finally, 7-9 in 2015. So Brockers has seen firsthand the difference McVay and his staff have made, instantly turning the franchise into a winning one. That's why he gave this brutally honest and perfect answer to Fox Sports' Kristine Leahy, who asked what the team's record would be at the end of the season if Fisher were still at the helm.
"Man... I don't know, 7-9?" said Brockers before grimacing as if he wish he didn't say it. "Ugh, that sucks, and I love you [Jeff] Fisher, I just want to let you know thanks for the opportunity, but, 7-9."
Ouch. The truth hurts. Here's the full clip:
It's hard to believe that not only did Fisher lead the Tennessee Titans to the closest Super Bowl loss ever, but he had them rolling for almost a decade. Just look at their run from 1999 to 2008:
And now Fisher is nothing but a punch line. That's the NFL for ya.