The Los Angeles Rams have reportedly fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn and have named an interim replacement.
Special teams matter a great deal when it comes to a football team. Kickers are responsible for scoring points, punters help pin opposing offenses deep in their own territory, and players on both sides work their magic to stop big plays from happening. That was not the case on Thursday for the Los Angeles Rams, which has led to a major change.
Rams head coach Sean McVay has never dismissed a coach during a season, but that ended on Saturday. McVay has dismissed special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn.
There was a lot that went wrong with the Rams' special teams in the game, but some severely blown coverage and missed tackles led to Rashid Shaheed picking up a kickoff return touchdown that helped lead the Seattle Seahawks to a victory.
Though it was a compilation of plays that led to the dismissal, that play clearly did not help Blackburn's case.
Per reports, the Rams have moved on and have named Ben Kotwica as the interim special teams coordinator.
Blackburn was three years into being a special teams coordinator with the Rams. Kotwica was the assistant special team coordinator and will now take over.
The Rams had multiple chances to win the game, and it was not the special teams issues that cost them the victory. Being stopped on multiple drives in the fourth quarter also did not help. However, a change needed to be made.
With two games left in the regular season, this change looms large for the Rams, but Kotwica was already in a position where he was assisting with the special teams gameplan.
Los Angeles get a mini-bye week, and they will return in Week 17 against the Atlanta Falcons. Considering the Rams are chasing the top seed in the NFC and the NFC West, their loss to the Seahawks may come back to haunt them.
The season is not over, so the hope for the Rams is that the special teams coaching move can keep errors from happening as the team attempts to close out the season with two straight wins, and a No. 1 seed clinching performance.