Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › Can the Rams beat Seattle?
- This topic has 24 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 11 months ago by InvaderRam.
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December 23, 2014 at 11:08 am #14554znModerator
It doesn’t help that the Rams OL is beat up. So that’s not good.
Remember this is the Rams. The big defeat against the Giants? IMO that’s not THE Rams anymore than the Denver/Oakland/Washington games are THE Rams.
So I dunno, I think it’s possible, on paper, to win.
December 23, 2014 at 11:29 am #14555ZooeyModeratorOkay, well, I was expecting a more definitive answer from you, of all people.
So if that’s all you got, I guess I will just have to watch the game and find out for myself.
Of course, now that I think about it, even watching the game won’t give us a definitive answer because a bounce here, a bounce there, and the outcome could change. In fact, there is reason to believe that there WILL be different outcomes in an array of parallel universes.
So this is a completely open thing, I think.
December 23, 2014 at 12:39 pm #14559znModeratorSo this is a completely open thing, I think.
Maybe so. Maybe not. Could be. You never know.
December 23, 2014 at 12:53 pm #14561AgamemnonParticipantDecember 23, 2014 at 12:58 pm #14563rflParticipantNo.
By virtue of the absurd ...
December 23, 2014 at 12:58 pm #14564DakParticipantSeattle whips them, because Seattle is playing its best ball.
24-10 Seahawks.
December 23, 2014 at 1:02 pm #14565AgamemnonParticipantDecember 23, 2014 at 3:17 pm #14588bnwBlockedWe suck. They don’t.
The upside to being a Rams fan is heartbreak.
Sprinkles are for winners.
December 23, 2014 at 3:45 pm #14601wvParticipantNo.
Yes.
I mean, I disagree with
your No.This team is capable of “anything.”
Quinn could get a strip-sack and the D
could get Six early…etc, etc.Seattle does not have an Odell Beckham
or a Dez Bryant. I could see the Rams
staying close the whole game.Probably not, but i could see it.
They’ll have to stuff Lynch,
of course.And Ogletree will have to play
with his eyes open this time.w
vDecember 24, 2014 at 11:55 am #14656znModeratorThis team is capable of “anything.”
Quinn could get a strip-sack and the D
could get Six early…etc, etc.Seattle does not have an Odell Beckham
or a Dez Bryant. I could see the Rams
staying close the whole game.Probably not, but i could see it.
They’ll have to stuff Lynch,
of course.And Ogletree will have to play
with his eyes open this time.w
vPlus again…there’s match-ups. The Rams just match up with Seattle. They DON’T match up with Arizona.
Now as you say anything can happen, so this is not a prediction.
But the Rams have played Seattle tough at home now with 3 different qbs. Two of which were Clemens and Davis. Out of 2 previous games on the road, they were taking it to them in 2012 after a 3-game stretch where Seattle was averaging 50 points a game, and everyone predicted the Hawkz would slaughter the Rams. In 2013, unfortunately, the OL had fallen apart by the time that game came around. And I mean much worse than the present OL. More like 2007 level fallen apart.
It’s actually very simple. Seattle is 32nd in passing attempts and yet Wilson is 28th in sack percentage. They make up for that because Wilson can improvise his way out of trouble.
So what do they not match up well against.
A tough division foe who knows them, who is also capable of the following: containing Lynch (which the Rams have done before), containing Wilson (which the Rams have done before just not last game), and beating Seattle’s average or below average OL (which the Rams have done before).
Seattle regularly leaves Rams games bruised and beaten up…and that’s regardless how well they were playing in previous games.
That’s all potential though, I know. The vegas odds favor Seattle. But the Rams ARE capable of beating those odds against that team.
I am not predicting it, but yeah it’s possible.
December 24, 2014 at 2:38 pm #14663AgamemnonParticipantDecember 26, 2014 at 8:42 am #14723sdramParticipantRams offensive line has to play well – offensively. If Rams can move the ball, score some points, not turn the ball over then the whole game won’t be on the defense to win or lose it.
December 26, 2014 at 10:24 am #14729wvParticipantRams offensive line has to play well – offensively. If Rams can move the ball, score some points, not turn the ball over then the whole game won’t be on the defense to win or lose it.
Yeah, its about the Oline.
And after the last two weeks
I aint real optimisitc.Rams 9
Seahawks 24One pick 6,
and one Wells-snap over Hill’s head,
and one Tre Mason fumble.w
vDecember 26, 2014 at 11:35 am #14734wvParticipantSeattle’s D is on a franchise record-setting pace
the last 5 games or so. They’ve allowed, 3, 3, 14, 7 and 6 points.They’ve played two teams twice in that time: SF and Ariz.
(Ranked 23rd and 28th on offense)
Philly ranked no.5 on offense.Rams rank 25 on offense, fwiw.
————————————————————-
12 Sun, Nov 23 Arizona 19-3 W
13 Thu, Nov 27 @ San Francisco 19-3 W
14 Sun, Dec 07 @ Philadelphia 24-14 W
15 Sun, Dec 14 San Francisco 17-7 W
16 Sun, Dec 21 @ Arizona 35-6 W17 Sun, Dec 28 St. Louis 4:25 PM ET
——————w
vDecember 28, 2014 at 9:13 am #14804znModeratorDecember 28, 2014 at 9:29 am #14805AgamemnonParticipantDecember 28, 2014 at 9:46 am #14809AgamemnonParticipant
Another oldie but goodie. How many is that Pete? 😉- This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Agamemnon.
December 28, 2014 at 11:31 am #14820PA RamParticipantLook for the Seahawks to exploit the open highway that goes through Joseph and Wells.
Look for them to take advantage of a Greg Robinson brain freeze at least once to pound Hill REALLY hard.
Look for them to stack the box and demand the Rams beat them through the air.
Look for Wilson to take off more than once for a few big gains.
Look for them to pound Lynch at Donald until the Rams show they can stop it.
Look for the crowd to cause the offensive line of the Rams into some false starts.
Look for the flags to fall hard against the Rams after last weeks episode combined with the Seahawks being at home.
Look for Johnny Hekker to shock the world with a winning touchdown pass on a fake punt.
You heard it here first.
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. " Philip K. Dick
December 28, 2014 at 12:23 pm #14827InvaderRamModeratorlook for the rams to race out to a 21-0 lead in the first half.
and then blow that lead in the second half losing 24-27.
- This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by InvaderRam.
December 28, 2014 at 3:58 pm #14836ZooeyModeratorThe Rams have almost no chance. Seattle has something to play for, they are rolling right now, it’s in Seattle, and they are going to be focused on making a statement with this win after they got “tricked” out of a victory by the Rams last time.
And they are very good team.
No way they suffer a “letdown,” and no way the Rams beat them when Seattle has their full attention on this game with everything clicking.
Rams 27 – 13.
December 29, 2014 at 3:50 pm #14954rflParticipantI want to revisit the question beginning this thread. I think it highlights what I see as a helluva lot of illusion on this board about the current state of the Rams.
I said no–the Rams had no chance at beating SEA. Why?
Because they cannot COMPETE with the SEA.
Look at the posts in this thread. There are all sorts of calculations and comparisons of team strengths and weaknesses. They do see real strengths on the Rams’ team. But they completely miss the point.
As you saw in the game, we have the ROSTER to play with a team like SEA. We beat them earlier and could well have beaten them yesterday. The game was actually there to be had.
But we had no chance. Because they were playing for home field and they competed. All game long. Every player on that field competed as if life was at stake.
And they did so in sound deployments that minimized the damage we could do on both sides of the ball and opened up opportunities that they eventually exploited.
We played in spurts relying on a highly suspect jet package and only intermittently deploying a sound defensive front. Look at the TD we gave up on the ground. In the red zone and there is no freaking discipline in covering the gaps along the LOS. Look at the damn play and tell me that defensive front is well deployed.
That game featured freakish plays, each of which went against us and arguably decided the outcome. Well, every one of those plays featured a major blunder on our part and a highly competitive effort by a SEA guy. Every single freaking one. Kendrick’s ridiculous fumble. Hill’s insane inability to complete a pass to the ground. Actually, you can’t blame Cunningham for the near-TD, cause on 3rd down he was seeking the flag. But the effort to hammer the arm was superb competitiveness.
You know, we make plays like that. Occasionally. Intermittently. But nowhere near often enough.
We do not compete at SEA’s level! We simply don’t do it. Or at AZ’s level, as they proved beating us with a 4th string QB.
It isn’t about rosters and talent. Sure, we need a better OL and QB. But given our OL and QB we could EASILY have won 3-4 more games this year.
It’s about playing like talented losers. And that’s what we are. Much more talented than we were 3 years ago. But stuck in the habits of losing. A winning team does not have a veteran QB throw the ball to a DT on the ground in the RZ. We do that. We give up 10 turnovers returned for TDs during the year. We give up STs plays, big runs, momentum-killing long passes.
This team has shot itself in the foot in scores of plays this year. It has played like losers.
Now, I blame the coaches more than the players. Others may disagree. I actually could see a case for saying that we lack the LEADERS among the players who can lift the team into competitive discipline. (I don’t see a case for denying that the coaches bear a healthy portion of the blame.)
But the key issue is competitive discipline. And we as fans, if we value our sanity, have to remember that.
This off season will not primarily be about upgrading the talent on the roster. Actually, I rate Snead pretty well, and I’ll bet he improves us at some key places.
But don’t be fooled. Don’t project, and assume that a roster tweak here or there is going to make the difference. It won’t.
If we don’t come into next season ready to play the 1st game as if it counted, …
If we don’t learn how to compete across the field, play after play, …
If we don’t stop making game-losing mistakes …
If we don’t figure out how to put our talented guys in positions to flourish …
We will lose 3 of the 1st 4 again and slide into mediocrity and yet another lost season.
No amount of roster tweaking will change that. The draft. The FA market. Encouraging training camp reports. None of that will mean a freaking thing UNTIL this team learns to compete.
Right now, we trail SEA by a long, long distance in competitiveness. It’s not remotely close. We have no chance of catching them–or AZ–until we deal with our own losing mindset.
And if you’re smart, you’ll hold out on hope until you see the team empowering itself ON THE FREAKING FIELD.
Anything else is fan masturbation.
By virtue of the absurd ...
December 29, 2014 at 5:15 pm #14959MackeyserModeratorWell I agree with many of your points, rfl, especially about competing.
My only admonition would be that others are free to feel, think and believe as they see fit without feeling attacked as having illusions or masturbating.
This season has been wildly frustrating and it’s important that we all state our cases, make our points or simply vent without other posters being collateral damage.
That said, again, I agree with so much of what you said. I love our roster, but we shoot ourselves in the feet so damn much it’s a wonder we have any feet left and I think so much of that is on the coaches.
This is a great topic and will be talked about all off-season I’m sure. Let’s keep it fun since it’s gonna be s long off-season.
- This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Mackeyser.
Sports is the crucible of human virtue. The distillate remains are human vice.
December 29, 2014 at 6:20 pm #14962rflParticipantMy only admonition would be that others are free to feel, think and believe as they see fit without feeling attacked as having illusions or masturbating.
…
This is a great topic and will be talked about all off-season I’m sure. Let’s keep it fun since it’s gonna be s long off-season.
Well said, my friend.
I wondered about that line and wished I’d found a better way of expressing what I meant. I actually was thinking more of myself than of anyone else. As a fan, I imagine all sorts of things about the Rams. And the point is that it remains a mental construct–theory, fantasy, whatever–until it’s real on the field. I am as guilty as anyone else. I really expected something this year.
So, my intention was not to attack anyone. But, intention is one thing; action is another. And I apologize to any and all for any offense my expression might have caused. Mea culpa.
Now having said that …
I have been frustrated this year by the way the dialogue has shaped itself in our community. There has in my view been a lot of what I consider to have been unrealistic optimism and avoidance of the reality of what was happening. To the very end of the season, the board has tended to–again, IMO–avoid confronting deeply engrained patterns and trends that have not meaningfully changed in years.
I think we saw in preseason the clear evidence of a talented but unsound team that was going to mess up badly. Those trends continued throughout the year, until the last game. We gave up 1 TD to SEA’s defense yesterday, and that was a run against a ridiculously out of position D front. The very thing we were seeing in pre-season.
But, as far as I have been able to tell, the consensus of the board has been that things are better, that we’re a couple of breaks away from being contenders. And I think there’s a ton of evidence that this is far from being true. We are a long, long way from being where AZ, for example, is.
Well, one person certainly can’t dictate a consensus and I know I won’t be able to do that.
I just hope that, as we move forward, we take up in a serious way …
1. the difference between talent and competitive discipline
2. the responsibility of the coaching staff, especially Fisher and Williams
This is a community with almost 2 decades of more or less reality-based loyalty to the Rams. I hope we recover our grip on the persistent reality of the team’s inability to compete.
And I’ll do my best to minimize my tendency to beat dead horses.
By virtue of the absurd ...
December 29, 2014 at 6:29 pm #14963znModeratorThere has in my view been a lot of what I consider to have been unrealistic optimism and avoidance of the reality of what was happening.
I see it differently. (I speak here as a citizen not a mod.) I see what we get here as a mash of different perspectives and opinions. I don’t think we have the type of posters here who fight to be right about everything. The old huddle was more like that. And you don’t strike me as doing that. But you strike me as believing in this moral imperative to be honest, which is fine, but sometimes that blurs into a moral imperative to see things a certain way. What if we are being honest, and scrupulous, and just see some things differently? Yes that could mean in the end we’re wrong, but, it a lot of it could be right, too…and maybe people will shift with different kinds of things in front of them (eg. how they handle the off-season, how they play next year, etc.)
I would re-write that last bit I quote so that it stresses how you disagree with certain views. Or, how you can’t buy into the optimism. Or, how you just see it differently. Not that others avoided reality. I know you don’t mean to, but that approach always has the danger of making it all sound more loaded.
I will just speak for myself here. I do believe there are many ways to see all this. You make a compelling case for a lot of what you see, and the power of your convictions is energetic, but in the end there are things I just see differently.
December 29, 2014 at 8:36 pm #14981InvaderRamModeratora couple things.
the rams do have the ability to beat seattle. and in fact beat them at home earier in the season. they beat denver as well.
they’re just inconsistent. i think most of us realize this. and the optimism on the board i don’t think is necessarily being delusional. but part of just being a fan.
another thing. seattle is almost impossible to beat on the road. they’ve lost 2 games at home in the last 2 years. so it’s not just the rams who get beat badly at seattle.
arizona? they lost 19-3 at seattle this year. which is worse than the 20-6 beating that st. louis got. they then went to arizona and beat them worse than even that. 35-6. rams actually tied the series 1-1 this year.
i understand the frustration. and taking the season as a whole. the inconsistency of this team is certainly maddening.
but not without hope. i don’t think the disparity is as big as some people would like to believe. the rams are close. i really believe that. and i don’t think it’s blind optimism.
- This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by InvaderRam.
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