The reigning Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams have a negative record after Week 5. Departures, injuries and a weak offence: the list of the team’s construction sites is long. But it’s about time to rub the hangover sand out of their eyes.

Munich – “Here’s to a night we’ll never forget” – the Los Angeles Rams might well have toasted with this phrase after winning Super Bowl LVI.

Whether one or the other player was missing a tooth the morning after the party or a tiger turned up in the hotel bathroom is not known – but the Rams are still feeling the hangover today.

“We’ll bring everyone back! Coming back. OBJ, Von Miller we’re bringing back too, let’s do it,” said a euphoric Aaron Donald still after the Super Bowl parade regarding the upcoming season. But who, and above all what, is left of the reigning champion?

Sean McVay: “We are in a difficult phase “

On Sunday the Rams conceded their second defeat in a row and the third of the season. In the 10:22 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the offense led by reigning Triple Crown champion Cooper Kupp showed itself to be a shadow of its former self. “We are in a difficult phase right now. But I’m not going to fold, the coaches won’t and the players won’t either,” said head coach Sean McVay.

But he faces a big task: in 2021, the team ranked among the top 10 in the league in both total yards and scoring. This year, the Rams find themselves among the bottom six teams. LA scored only 39 points in the past three games – 21 of which were provided by kicker Matt Gay.

One problem for the Rams is the offensive line. Andrew Witworth’s career ending after the Super Bowl hurts more than ever and few O-lines in the league have been similarly plagued by injury woes. Centre Jeremiah Kolone was the ninth different starter on the front line. Against the Cowboys, quarterback Stafford conceded five sacks, and he’s already gone down a total of 21 times.

Stafford, Kupp – and then?

“He fights and hangs in there for this team. But he needs some help. We have to be able to help him,” McVay said of his quarterback after Sunday’s loss.

After all, Stafford completed 28 passes for 308 yards and a touchdown against Dallas. The one man. Because wide receiver Kupp is Stafford’s only reliable target. He has caught 527 yards so far and has been responsible for five of the Rams’ eight touchdowns. Next to him, almost no one radiates danger. Only tight end Tyler Higbee is a popular target next to the star receiver.

That’s not the only reason rumours of Odell Beckham Junior’s return have been circulating for weeks.

Los Angeles Rams: Hardly any alternatives

The Rams’ running game is no relief without Sony Michel, who left for Miami, and makes it easy for opponents to adjust to the offense. Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson are running well short of expectations. “We have some issues, but we have to be able to run the football efficiently,” the head coach also summed up succinctly.

At the same time, the Rams’ defence has not been effective enough so far to offset the one-dimensional offence. 163 rushing yards were achieved by the Cowboys in the last game, quarterback Cooper Rush was hardly put under pressure. Aaron Donald and Bobby Wagner aren’t showing the dominance they used to, cornerback Jalen Ramsey took a lot of flak for his performance, especially early in the season.

The Rams are running out of steam

In every loss this season, the Rams have also entered the fourth quarter trailing. Last season, that was Stafford’s favourite quarter. Twelve touchdowns and no interceptions came in the final 15 minutes of a game in 2021 – this year he stands at zero touchdowns and four picks.

The franchise is also the worst in the league with a -44 point differential in the fourth quarter. Once the opponent has adjusted to the Rams, Stafford’s team never comes back. Once the playmaker’s signature discipline.

Super Bowl hangover: myth or reality?

The Super Bowl hangover still seems to be in the Rams’ bones – harking back to the 2019 season, when the Rams previously lost the Super Bowl but the season still left its mark. With a record of 9-7, Los Angeles missed the playoffs. They were thus in “good” company with the Carolina Panthers (2016) and San Francisco 49ers (2020), who suffered the same fate.

But whether the post-Super Bowl hangover is real or a myth cannot be answered by the Rams’ drop in performance.

Incidentally, the last team to win the title for the second time in a row was the New England Patriots in 2005.

To repeat that feat 18 years later, the Rams must now slowly turn their season around. They’ll have to start in Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers, who recently became the first team to fire their head coach this season.