our reactions to the Chicago game

jeezus fucking christ

i am too old for this

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InvaderRam wrote:

i’m ok. i’m still… ok.

turnovers rams got ’em. they needed ’em. thankfully they didn’t give any up.

Yeah. Turns out they needed them.

Zooey wrote:

I don’t understand McVay’s play-calling sometimes. Under these conditions, with a clear superiority in the ground game over the Bears’ defense, he…throws 75% of the time? WTF?

that was infuriating. i don’t know why he kept trying to throw it so much. maybe what the defense was giving them? i don’t know.

man that was stressful. i was thinking at some point a special teams play was going to bite them in the ass. i thought that the bad punt at the end of regulation was going to be it.

i was sure the bears were going to score in overtime and then the unbelievable interception by curl.

and it’s going to be even tougher at seattle. i’m already getting stressed out.

Some of the things that I feared would happen (i.e. Williams extending plays and the Rams secondary making mistakes in response, McVay insisting on passing despite the conditions and ST being counted onto win the game)happened and yet the Rams still found a way to win. During the first half, on the Rams broadcast MJD was hoping that the Rams would start running to set up the play action in response to the Bears blitzing so often on first and second down. I was disappointed by lack of rushing attempts in the first half, but it was good to see Kyren get his chances in the second half.

Once again, I wouldn’t mind seeing this vaunted pass rush come up with a couple of sacks when it matters most. Yeah, I know Caleb Williams is a magician, but still.

Great win. I honestly thought that the weather would do them in. On to Seattle.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by canadaram.

kyren had a great game. if i had one criticism. i wish he woulda tried a little harder to stay in bounds on that one rush with a little over two minutes left in the fourth quarter. but i understand the first down was more important and the defender was closing in on him hard, so it’s hard to complain too much.

zn wrote:

That was a running commentary (so to speak) in chat. Where’s the run game, where’s the run game. It’s a running commentary (so to speak) in twitter. Maybe the post-game articles will come up with something to explain it, other than it just being McVay mishandling playcalling.

And Stafford was way off in that game. Plus, lucky thing that unlike the Rams, the Bears defenders don’t know how to catch the ball. Nacua, under these conditions, was not his usual dominant self, though he came through a number of times (he caught only 50%).

But here’s what I saw that I didn’t expect. Remember earlier in the season when the Rams defense included good secondary play? Well as much as this group can do that, it did it. The secondary was tighter this game than in the last few games.

In the end what won it for the Rams (IMO) were 2 things. The INTs, and Stafford, in spite of a rough game, being steady eddy when it counted. No matter what happened (sacked 4 times, less than 50% completions) he bounced back up and engineered enough scoring drives to win it. It was clear this was not the Rams usual offensive dominance, cause it was in snow and wind and cold on the road…so the game came down to them toughing it out to do just enough to win. For that to happen Stafford had to be unflappable and just keep slugging away. He did it. Remember this is a comeback overtime win for him (comebacks count against ties).

It might sound odd, but I am glad Caleb Williams came through with huge plays. I am glad he was everything he was advertized to be. Including that impossible tying TD at the close of regulation. First, because it was fun to see–in spite of it coming at the Rams expense. But also because this way, the Rams beat them in spite of a good showing by Williams. He wasn’t like Stroud falling apart for the Texans. No, Williams was everything he was supposed to be, but the Rams toughed out a win nevertheless.

I like that post.

I expected this game to feature an emphasis on running, with screens and 10-12 yard passes mixed in, and the occasional “keep-em-honest” shots downfield on 2nd and 2. And here’s Stafford wildly missing receivers again and again. Was it bad traction so WRs didn’t get where they were supposed to? I don’t think so. For the icy conditions, we actually didn’t see a lot of slipping on the field. Cold? Sprained finger? I dunno. Off game from Stafford, though, and another one of those games (which he has cut waaay down on) where McVay seems to call plays like he’s playing Madden in his den. What are you doing? And we’re all very lucky that none of those errant throws came down in the arms of a defender because many of them were not even close.

You’re absolutely right about the secondary play. It was tighter than it’s been since Lake’s injury, and it may not be coincidence that we Lake had his name called out on crucial plays here and there. (How about that highlight tackle?). And as much as – at the time – I had a WTF? reaction to Durant being way off Kmet, that was a tough ask: to track some guy for 20 seconds all over creation. He couldn’t watch Kmet AND Caleb at the same time and that pass did not get thrown in the ordinary amount of time. And you just have to give it up to Caleb Williams. I’m sure you all thought, as I did, when the pocket broke down and Williams went into full retreat that the game was over. That pass had to have single-digit probability of success. It was a ridiculous play. If that had been a game-winner, we would see that highlight from time-to-time for the next 40 years, along with the Immaculate Reception and the Dwight Clark catch. So the secondary was the difference in this game. Credit to the DL for getting relentless pressure (although no sacks) on Williams all night. The defense held Chicago to 17. That’s getting the job done.

And I like your point about Stafford. It’s hard to believe this offense is statistically comparable to the GSOT bc the GSOT looked effortless. This group looks like the lunch pail variety of offense. I have confidence in Stafford. He can have long, ineffective stretches, but there is a “winning time” switch in him. He just cannot be demoralized or rattled.

The Rams nearly got bounced last week, and nearly got bounced this week, but strangely, I never got that sinking feeling in either game.

Next week will be epic.

As others have already said, they toughed it out, and a win is a win. But I’m still hoping for them to rev up their offense and dominate their opponent. Seattle will be a difficult test, but I think the Rams can do it. They need to establish the running game and then unleash the passing game. Not another nail-biter. Got to win big.

. . .

i think i woulda preferred a comfortable win.

and i’m already getting stressed out about next week’s game.

how much this game matters depends on how far the rams get.

Oh…and does anyone have an explanation/interpretation of WTF happened in the secondary on Caleb’s miracle-pass? Why/how did the Rams defenders end up so far away from the receiver?

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Zooey wrote:

wv wrote:

The Bear game was a bit like that. Anybody feel like the Rams ‘outplayed’ the Bears in that game? I dunno.

Yes. Not by much, but yes. For me it is the 4th down plays on both sides. The Rams stopped them. And the Rams got a big one.

From a vid you posted, here’s a stack of the “make or break” plays in short yardage that the Rams won. This line play reminded my of the 1970s. “You’re not getting that yard.”

wv wrote:

zn wrote:

The receiver, a Rams TE, physically pushed Durant away. Durant couldn’t keep his eyes on the TE and CW at the same time. Any decent clip of that play will include the TE pushing Durant after they hand fight a bit.

I dunno. It looked like a rather ‘mild’ pushoff to me. It would not account for how FAR the Rams CB ended from the Bears receiver. There was a F’ing mile of separation.

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Yeah, I wanna see this “reporter’s cellphone” angle. From what I saw, I wouldn’t have flagged that for offensive pass interference.

Unless the receiver was Puka Nacua. I mean, fuck that guy.

it probably coulda gone either way. but in a game like this i don’t think it should be called. i’d rather it not be called. woulda felt like a cheap win if they did call it.

it was stressing me out at the time, but i much preferred it this way or rather he not caught the ball at all.

unfortunately the rams now have nearly a quarter more miles on their bodies and a day’s less worth of rest.