Los Angeles Rams' Case Keenum: 'We're just not doing enough'

A frustrated group of Los Angeles Rams wrapped up their final practice Wednesday before taking the next four days off for the bye week.

A season that began with a decade-best 3-1 start had deteriorated into a 3-4 record at the break. With hopes and aspirations high one month into the season, the goal was simply to get back on track.

Or, at the very least, figure out a way to play a complete game in which the offense and defense are playing at a high level together. In addition, the team looks to avoid silly mistakes, costly turnovers and back-breaking penalties.

Save for an opening-night blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Rams have been competitive in their six other games this year. Their four losses have come down to a missed play, an ill-timed penalty or a crushing turnover.

They aren't miles away, they are inches away - but making up that inch has been a major issue.

"You know, it's tough to say," Los Angeles quarterback Case Keenum. "We're just not doing enough. Whatever it is, we need to go back, look at film, correct it, and keep going."

They've been saying that for the last few years - and it's getting old.

The key is, are they closing in on answers?

"I'm trying to figure that out myself," running back Todd Gurley said. "I don't know. I don't know, man. We've just got to get it together."

So the Rams will take the rest of the week off, the hope being they return with some solutions.

They aren't out of the playoff race by any means, but they can't keep playing uneven football and expect to remain it in much longer.

Figuring things out will be a topic Rams coaches will focus on during the week off.

"That's where the staff has spent a lot of time. You say 'Bye week - oh, you'll be home for dinner at 6 (p.m.)' No, we push it pretty hard over the last few days, just to do the self-scout and those kind of things - what's good and what's not," Los Angeles head coach Jeff Fisher said.

"Where do we need to improve, what are teams doing against us and what are we not doing - those kind of things. We barely scratched the surface on our next opponent. Right now, our biggest opponent is ourselves, so spend time with yourselves."

The Rams return action on Nov. 6 against the Carolina Panthers. Fisher has said it will be Keenum, not first round pick Jared Goff, at quarterback. The defense is playing solid football, now it's on Keenum, Gurley and the offensive line to produce as well.

Time hasn't run out, but it's running out.

"These games have been close, we've been competitive," Fisher said. "You look at some of the outstanding effort plays on defense, and their contact, and just everything. You just kind of wonder at some point, this thing is going to get turned around. That's where we are right now, is holding on to hope that the health of this football team, and the experience is going to get it turned around."

-- Goff got the bulk of the first-team reps when the Rams practiced Wednesday, and his reps with the first unit are expected to increase next week when the team returns.

The extra work seems to be paying off.

"I feel tremendously more comfortable than I've ever felt," Goff said. "I feel confident that if my number's called, I'll be ready to go. Just waiting for that time."

When that happens is anyone's guess. For now, Goff will just bide his time.

"It's part of the process part of what's going on," Goff said. "I'm not going to sit here and complain or gripe. I'm going to support Case and continue to get ready and be ready and continue to be confident in myself and be ready when the time comes."

Fisher indicated he is confident Goff will excel if his number is called.

"We would not change a thing. We wouldn't scale anything back, we wouldn't change a thing," Fisher said. "He's got that good of a feel for what we're doing."

--OT Greg Robinson is struggling again. The second pick overall in the 2013 draft, Robinson has not developed the way the Rams hoped and is currently grading out among the worst starting linemen in the league.

His 10 penalties are the most among offensive linemen.

"I feel like I've made a lot of strides," he said. "It's not perfect. I don't expect it to be. I can't be too hard on myself because there are a lot of good things that I see, but the main thing is fixing mistakes and trying my best to really be strict on myself."

Fisher continues to have hope Robinson will develop into a productive left tackle.

"You have to look at each individual play, and the technique, and why. Like I said, Greg is going to be a really good player," Fisher said. "He's highly athletic. I thought, for the most part, he played an outstanding rusher in (New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul) 'JPP and he held his own in this game. There's no harder position to play besides the quarterback position, like I said, than the left tackle position, especially when you're going to throw the ball."