Rams' losing streak surely spells the end for Jeff Fisher

The St. Louis Rams' 27-3 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday - the Rams' fifth-straight defeat - dropped the team to 4-8 and ensured Jeff Fisher will finish without a winning record for an astounding 15th time in 21 seasons as an NFL head coach.

In a world where coaches are sometimes fired after just one subpar season, Fisher's longevity is one of football's great mysteries.

This time, it's surely the end of the line for Fisher.

He hinted he's aware of his career mortality last week when he told reporters questioning his team's effort to kiss his ass. When Fisher turns on the media, you know it's bad. There may be no coach in football better at playing buddy-buddy with those covering his team and exploiting the relationship to avoid harsh (and deserved) public criticism.

There's no hiding the truth now. As the Rams' once-promising season is flushed away, all of Fisher's inadequacies will be laid bare.

Fisher hasn't developed a quarterback since Steve McNair, and his pre-season trade for Nick Foles (and subsequent contract extension) proves how inept he is at identifying talent at the position.

After Sunday's loss, Foles was benched (again), but there's no reason to expect replacement Case Keenum to perform as even a league-average passer.

It didn't have to be this way. Fisher's Rams were set up for sustained success after trading the right to draft Robert Griffin III for a bounty of draft picks.

Instead, Fisher spent his acquired capital in building a studly defensive line and a woefully bad offense.

It's not a model that can succeed in today's high-paced, pass-happy NFL. If you can't score, you can't win.

As opponents light up the scoreboard against the Rams, Fisher flails and falls back on the power rushing attack that worked in his heyday. He seemed to catch lightning in a bottle when Todd Gurley - the 10th overall pick this spring - started his career like a rocket. It didn't last. Gurley had only 41 yards on nine carries on Sunday, 34 of those coming on one play.

The Rams are dull, predictable, and far too easy to shut down.

It's all on Fisher, and a change in St. Louis has been long overdue.