The Los Angeles Rams made commendable improvements on both offense and defense to land a spot in the Wild Card Playoff Round, but special teams proved to be a challenge all year long.
Sitting at the bottom of the NFL special teams DVOA rankings, the Rams have struggled mightily, missing a total of 16 field goals and extra points, the highest in the league this season.
However, in their playoff matchup against the Detroit Lions, Brett Maher made all three field goals and two extra points.
But one playoff game doesn't tell the season's special team story.
The kicking woes centered largely on kicker Maher, initially signed by the Rams in the offseason. Maher's tenure saw six missed field goals and two extra points, prompting his release after a Week 7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he missed two field goals and an extra point.
Lucas Havrisik stepped in as Maher's replacement but had struggles of his own, missing five field goals and three extra points in nine games. After the Rams secured a playoff spot before their Week 18 matchup they surprised many by re-signing Maher and waiving Havrisik.
Before re-signing Maher, head coach Sean McVay said the Rams surveyed the list of available kickers and decided nobody was a better solution to the season-long problem.
The Rams' kicking dynamics have proven to be a noteworthy and evolving aspect, with strategic decisions playing a pivotal role in addressing the team's challenges.
Maher's performance during the 2023 NFL season was uneven logging a field goal percentage of 73.9, the second worst in this category during his five-season NFL career to date.
As a result, the Rams are likely to be in the market for some help on special teams as they begin preps for the 2024 season.
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