Rams have lost four games this season, three of which were due in part to special teams breakdowns.
After the loss to the Seattle Seahawks coach Sean McVay took a significant step.
Chase BlackburnThe Rams' special teams coordinator for the past three seasons has been fired, a team spokesman said Saturday.
Assistant Ben Kotwika remains on staff.
Earlier this month, Blackburn said, “The job of a special teams coach is to be able to adapt and overcome any adversity.”
That proved to be a tall order for a team that boasts a powerful offense and at times dominant defense.
On Thursday night in Seattle, the Rams led by 16 points in the fourth quarter when they allowed Rashid Shaheed to return a punt 58 yards for a touchdown. The play sparked a Seahawks comeback that sent the Rams into a stalemate. defeat in overtime 38-37.
The loss dropped the Rams' record to 11–4 and knocked them out of first place in the NFC and first place in the NFC West.
The accident was the latest in a series of special teams issues that have plagued the Rams.
In September in Philadelphia, the Eagles blocked two field goal attempts by Joshua Carty and returned the second for the game-winning touchdown on the final regulation play.
Two weeks later, in a 26–23 overtime defeat of the San Francisco 49ers, Carty missed a long field goal attempt and was blocked on the extra point. Carty's kickoff in overtime fell short of the touchdown zone, giving the 49ers the ball at the 40-yard line.
Before the Week 10 game against the 49ers, the Rams signed kicker Harrison Mevis to replace Carty and signed veteran tackle Jake McQuaid to replace Alex Ward.
The kicking game has strengthened. Mevis made all eight of his field goal attempts, including three against the Seahawks, before he missed a 48-yard attempt with just over two minutes left in regulation.
The playoff-clinching Rams will play the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 29 in Atlanta before finishing the regular season at home against the Arizona Cardinals.
