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2018 Preseason: LA Rams coaching gives Ravens a great challenge

By Richard Bradshaw

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 26: Head Coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams reacts after attempting to call a timeout but the referee did not hear during the against the New Orleans Saints game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 26, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 26: Head Coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams reacts after attempting to call a timeout but the referee did not hear during the against the New Orleans Saints game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 26, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Rams coaching staff is one of the best in the NFL, and will provide the Ravens with a great challenge Thursday night.

Coaching is ultimately what results in wins and losses. Great players can be squandered on bad teams if the coaching simply doesn’t match-up with it’s talent pool. The Los Angeles Rams are an excellent example of this.

Look at what the team was doing with Jeff Fisher as the Head Coach for the Rams. Not even a single winning season was produced under his watch, and the Rams were the laughing stock of the NFL. As soon as new Head Coach, and offensive mastermind, Sean McVay was introduced to the situation, things changed for the better, and in a hurry.

Joining McVay’s success was Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips, an extremely intelligent defensive mind. The two of them formed a tremendous nucleus which resulted in an 11-win season for the Rams, their first winning record since 2003. Now headed into 2018, expectations are as high as ever, and rightfully so.

Must Read. How Lamar Jackson can show improvement against the Rams. light

On Thursday night, the Baltimore Ravens will host the Rams for their first official game of the 2018 preseason schedule. Forget about the fact that this is only a preseason game, because this match-up will be a battle between coaching staffs. Ravens Offensive and Defensive Coordinators Marty Mornhinweg and Don Martindale, respectively, will have to be on their A-game.

A test of philosophy:

When the Rams come to town, they’ll certainly be looking to flex their play-calling prowess that earned them rights to the NFC West crown in 2017. The Rams are absolutely stacked and the team will surely be looking forward to testing their young players out against the Ravens.

Offensively, coach McVay is brilliant. This will make his duel against Don Martindale and the defense an exciting spectacle to watch. Martindale’s defense looked great last week against the Chicago Bears, forcing all sorts of turnovers and getting to the quarterback regularly. Even second and third-stringers will provide us with a well-fought game between the two coaches.

Meanwhile, coach Monhinweg will have his work cut out for him against Wade Phillips’ defense. Phillips has long been hailed as a clever and profound play-caller, even winning a championship with the Denver Broncos just a couple years ago behind his outstanding defense. Mornhinweg, meanwhile, has been pedestrian in his play-calling, making this match-up one to watch closely. How Morhinweg calls this game will be very telling of how he plans to use the offense in 2018.

Next. 2018 Preseason: 5 Ravens to watch versus the Rams. dark

I know, I know, preseason games don’t mean much. However, most of the time that’s only true to the starting players. However, coaches use the preseason to test out their schemes and make adjustments based off their personnel. On Thursday night, make sure you’re tuned in to the Ravens vs. Rams game and expect to see a fantastic battle of coaching styles.

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