setting up the Falcons game

Called back due to penalty, but my goodness Bijan Robinson… pic.twitter.com/uV7rftg6Oy

— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) December 21, 2025

If the Rams take Atlanta, the war is virtually over.

I say after Atlanta, keep going. March to the sea.

Zooey wrote:

zn wrote:

If the Rams take Atlanta, the war is virtually over.

I say after Atlanta, keep going. March to the sea.

Absolutely. It would be awesome to do something historically unprecedented like that.

I was a disappointed to find out my analogy doesn’t hold up. Turns out, Arizona does not border the ocean. (That’s true, I looked it up.) So my little Revolutionary War analogy isn’t very accurate.

from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/rams/2025/12/26/rams-matthew-stafford-falcons-blitz-stats/87919304007/?taid=694eb6e8469db40001f5c37d&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter

With Jeff Ulbrich as their defensive coordinator, the Atlanta Falcons feature a blitz-heavy attack. According to Pro Football Reference, they blitz 35.4% of the time, which is the second-highest rate of any team. They also rank second in the NFL with 50 sacks, in large part because of how often they send extra rushers at the quarterback.

That plan may not work very well against the Rams this week. Matthew Stafford has made a living picking apart defenses that blitz him this year, putting up some eye-popping numbers when five or more players are on the rush.

He has thrown 26 touchdown passes and only one interception when blitzed this season, according to Pro Football Focus. His 126.1 passer rating is the best in the NFL against the blitz, completing 83 passes for first downs – also the most of any quarterback.

zn wrote:

McVay said Rams LT Alaric Jackson (knee) will be questionable to play on Monday night against the Falcons. McVay said if Jackson cannot play, D.J. Humphries will start in his place.

Stu Jackson@StuJRams
Sean McVay says OL Kevin Dotson (ankle) and CB Josh Wallace (ankle) will be OUT

Okay that’s 3 OL out: Jackson, Dotson, Hav. McClendon has been doing well, but replacing 3 OL at once does not put you in optimal territory, as Rams fans know all too well.

And 3 DBs out: Witherspoon, Lake, Wallace. McCreary stepping up.

On the other hand…they’re saving it for the postseason.

…

zn wrote:

Okay that’s 3 OL out: Jackson, Dotson, Hav.

I was premature. Jackson’s not officially out.

…

Adam Grosbard@AdamGrosbard
Rams LT Alaric Jackson will be limited at practice today and listed as questionable for Monday. Sean McVay said questionable is a true description, and DJ Humphries would start at LT if Jackson can’t go

BTW, if Atlanta loses twice and the 3 teams immediately ahead of them win, the highest their pick can go is 8th.

Draft order as of now:

Las Vegas Raiders: 2-14; .544 SOS
New York Giants: 3-13 record; .531 strength of schedule
New York Jets: 3-13, .548 SOS
Tennessee Titans: 3-13, .576 SOS
Arizona Cardinals: 3-13; .577 SOS
Cleveland Browns: 4-12, .494 SOS
Washington Commanders: 4-12; .504 SOS
New Orleans Saints: 6-10; .491 SOS
Kansas City Chiefs: 6-10; .511 SOS
Cincinnati Bengals: 6-10; .520 SOS
Atlanta Falcons (pick belongs to Los Angeles Rams): 6-9; .498 SOS

If Atlanta wins either one of its remaining games, they could be lower than 11.

The only teams that can let them rise higher in the draft order by winnning are the Saints, Chiefs, and Bengals.

Their schedules:

Bengals are home against Arizona then Cleveland. They could easily win at least one of those.

Chiefs have just one game, the Raiders. Raiders are tanking for the 1st pick.

Saints are on the road in both Tennessee and … Atlanta! They could easily win one of those, and if they have to beat the Falcons or none of this works.

So highest possible pick is 8th.

….

wv wrote:

I’m worried that the Rams are actually a 4-win team, the practices are too damn long, players are about to mutiny, and Isaac Bruce is a malingerer.

For some reason I am reminded of this poem by Robert Creeley

…—John, I

sd, which was not his
name, the darkness sur-
rounds us, what

can we do against
it, or else, shall we &
why not, buy a goddamn big car,

drive, he sd, for
christ’s sake, look
out where yr going.

Drive, he said.