Letters: Rams more than half bad, and Chargers can’t finish
Sean McVay and the Rams’ coaching staff need to figure out what most of the league already has.
Michael Gray
Yorba Linda
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Time for Rams fans to face an unpleasant reality: Jared Goff isn’t a top-tier NFL quarterback. His four turnovers against Miami prompted him to say for the umpteenth time since losing the Super Bowl, “I have to get better. I will.” When? Does any fan seriously think that the lowly Dolphins would have embarrassed top-tier quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, or Ben Roethlisberger they way they did Goff? And none of them was a No. 1 overall draft pick.
Tom Stapleton
Glendale
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It has now been nearly two seasons since the Bears did a number on the Rams’ offense, and Sean McVay still has not managed to figure out how to deal with other teams copying it. I always thought the way to beat the blitz is via a quick slant or other play to get the ball over the heads of the drawn-in secondary. Ironically, with all those defenders in the box, the Rams were still able to run on it. So why, on a first and goal at the four yard line, do you not just run straight ahead four times and push the runner over the end zone like they did against the Bears last week? Sometimes McVay gets too cute for his own good.
Mike Schaller
Temple City
After this week’s open date, Rams will begin preparing for their toughest stretch of their schedule which begins with the Seattle Seahawks visiting SoFi Stadium.
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Who scheduled the Rams to play the NFC East and the AFC East in the same season, the Marquis de Sade? Four trips to the Eastern time zone in their first eight games is brutal. Time for the NFL to get some new software for their Commodore 64 scheduling computer!
Mike Gamboa
Buena Park
Not enough Boltage
Our Chargers team is lost at sea. We have no rudder. The captain does not know the bow from the stern. Coach Lynn wanders the sidelines with a paper play sheet that looks like a handkerchief. NFL teams know they only have to show up in the second half and they will win.
Fans and players are losing hope. We need a new coach now or create a losing culture for the next decade.
Michael Garcia
Burbank
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It was heart-wrenching to watch the Clippers … sorry, make that the Chargers, choke a large lead against Denver.
Tom Fielding
Pasadena
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After watching yet another distressing Chargers loss, I finally figured out a way for them to end this spate of embarrassing defeats. Tossing that football analytics manual in the garbage would be a great start.
Mark J. Featherstone
Windsor Hills
Sam Farmer makes his picks and predictions for Week 9 of the 2020 NFL season.
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When the Chargers get 16 points ahead, they are playing not to lose. Let’s start playing to win. Let Justin Herbert continue to work his magic in the fourth quarter instead of running the three and out.
Marvin Gerlach
Ventura
Blue wave
Thank you so much for Bill Plaschke’s article Sunday. What a beautiful thing that was for the entire Dodgers team to stand with Mookie Betts against police brutality toward black men. I really believe that played a large part of the reason they won the World Series. I wish more of us could learn from this beautiful gesture, to listen to each other, no matter what our color or faith. Thanks again for putting it out there, Bill.
Lynn Thompson
Redondo Beach
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As a Dodger fan that does not speak Spanish, I want to thank The Times for the articles published in Spanish in Sunday’s special Title Town section. It was terrific to see our Spanish-speaking players and fans recognized, honored and shown some respect in this way. I have always loved the ethnic and cultural diversity of the Dodger family and how it is truly an America team — a North, South, Central and Caribbean American Team. Thanks again L.A. Times, and congratulations, Dodgers, on winning the World Series.
Frank Colcord
La Crescenta
Spreading the blame, MLB says it won’t punish Justin Turner for joining the Dodgers’ World Series celebration after his positive coronavirus test.
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Kiké Hernandez is the epitome of versatility. He is the only Dodger in history to hit three homers in a postseason game. His legendary dugout dances, sense of humor, and love for the game are infectious to his teammates. His defensive skills are superior and he can play virtually every position. And now he has added a byline to the L.A. Times Sports section.
Now free agency looms and it is unclear whether he will leave or stay, but he will forever remain a Dodger fan favorite and will bleed Dodger blue eternally.
Jeremy Smith
El Segundo
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Thank you, LZ Granderson, for putting so nicely into words my exact feelings about Dave Roberts.
It is tempting to think about the influence of his parents, the self-discipline of a career Marine father and the dignified restraint of a Japanese mother. Or maybe that’s just him.
“Dignity and grace” describe him exactly. He joins the ranks of that greatest Dodgers manager, Walter Alston.
Bob Wieting
Simi Valley
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If you are familiar with Justin and Courtney Turner’s foundation, you’ll know that this foundation fed thousands upon thousands of hungry families during the pandemic this past summer. Cars lined up to receive the one solid meal they could count on that day for their hungry children. Does this negate the fact that Justin and Courtney were reckless in celebrating without their masks? No, but let’s also remember the good that was given back to the community by these two people.
Karen Ohrenberger
Torrance
The Dodgers won the World Series, Justin Turner made a poor choice, and MLB decided to point the finger at him first and investigate later.
It’s no party
Why on earth would you use three-quarters of your sports front page to tell us who donated money to which candidate, party or proposition? We read sports to escape that.
It’s akin to putting the story on the UK’s Boris Johnson locking the country down again ... in the Calendar section.
Cy Bolton
Rialto
COVID care
The juxtaposition of Eric Sondheimer’s two columns in today’s issue was revealing. One very nice, writing about a compassionate and intelligent soccer coach, Marvin Mires, who truly cares for the students under his care. Then there is Jason Negro, a win-at-all-costs football coach, who is willing to expose himself, his staff and players and their families to COVID-19 simply to play high school football. This man needs extensive training in the care of minors.
Bernard Harrington
Long Beach
The Trojans play the Sun Devils in a 9 a.m. game Saturday at the Coliseum to open the long-delayed season. Here is how USC and Arizona State match up.
Fight on
In the last four college football rankings by the Associated Press, USC has gone from No. 25 to 24 to 21 and now No. 20. The Trojans have yet to play a game. At the rate they are going, if they canceled all their remaining games, they might end up in the top 10.
Bernard Rapkin
Los Angeles
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