Zooey wrote:

I wonder if the Rams have “gone away from tendencies.” What with the different approach to the running game on offense, I am curious if their early success is “real,” or if defenses will catch up with the Rams once there is more film on the season.

i hear ya.  do other teams start to figure this offense out?  and i think defenses have underestimated this offense as well.  but i also wonder what this offense will look like when kupp comes back.

kupp and nacua.  and then atwell came out of nowhere.  i mean i know the camp reports were good coming out.  but i did not expect atwell to be performing like he has.

i’m guessing by the eighth game we’ll have a sense of what this offense is really capable of.

zn wrote:

To quote Ben: “When a guy has 25 catches over two games, and not that great at running routes yet…think about how many he’s going to have when he’s good at running routes.”

i don’t know for sure.  this is just my impression.  but i get the sense that kupp entered the league a much more polished receiver than nacua.  he came in a couple years older, and he was more developed physically as well.

i’m not saying that nacua will be as good as kupp.  but as much as he has produced in the first two games of his career, i still see a raw receiver with huge upside.  that’s what excites me the most.  he’s gotta stay healthy though.  and he’s not the most athletic receiver out there.  but he’s strong.  he’s tough.  he’s got the instincts.  if he can master the technique.  and i don’t see why he can’t.  he’s playing alongside a master technician.  and he already seems to have developed a bond with him.

he and steve avila.  and i should mention kobie turner as well.  the reports and highlights i’m seeing of those guys.  it’s given me hope that the rams future is bright.  this could be one heckuva rookie class.

some steve avila love.

https://x.com/BaldyNFL/status/1703818410688127410?s=20

he and kupp should be dynamite together.

if he’s supposedly playing the robert woods role. and cooper kupp will presumably play the uhhhh… cooper kupp role, they should complement each other instead of being redundant.

that’s also very encouraging.

i wanted three things out of this game.

1. for stafford to come out of it healthy.  check.
2. for puka to demonstrate he wasn’t a fluke.  double check.
3. for the rams not to lose by double digits.  check.

i was amazed at how competitive they were.  that first int really killed the momentum.  puka so far has surpassed my expectations.  can’t imagine what this offense looks like when kupp comes back healthy.  the oline continues to look solid.  that was a helluva defense they faced today.  i think the defense performed admirably.

disappointed cam akers was inactive today.  it doesn’t sound good.  i wonder how long he stays a ram.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 2 months ago by InvaderRam.

if stafford comes out healthy.  if puka continues to show he’s the real deal.  if the rams don’t lose by double digits.  i will have considered it a success.

Zooey wrote:

Gonna get a chance to show us what he’s made of next weekend.

so happy to see this post.  when i’m watching the game live i can’t really see how the oline is doing other than stafford not getting sacked a single time.  but seeing that post you get a good look at avila.  man.  so excited about this pick.  but the niners will be a different beast than the seahawks i’m assuming.  hopefully this oline can continue to get better as the season progresses.

wv wrote:

Prime-Warner or Prime-Stafford?

hmmm. that’s an interesting question. i guess it’d depend on who the supporting cast is. if the talent around them was less i’d go with stafford. if the talent around them was greater and i wanted to maximize that talent i’d guess warner.

i often wonder how warner would do in today’s nfl where qbs get so much protection due to the rules.

Billy_T wrote:

Also noticed that Tutu looks bigger, as does Kyren Williams. They’ve added good weight, and it’s helped their game.

oh yeah. williams looked strong running the ball. forgot about that.

i posted this in the reactions thread but thought i’d post it here because it’s so funny.

Geno Smith had a reasonable and very audible reaction to an unblocked Aaron Donald#LAvsSEA pic.twitter.com/pbNgXAoZdX

— crunchypuddle (@crunchypuddle1) September 10, 2023

oline solid. puka power.

defense surpassed my expectations.

Geno Smith had a reasonable and very audible reaction to an unblocked Aaron Donald#LAvsSEA pic.twitter.com/pbNgXAoZdX

— crunchypuddle (@crunchypuddle1) September 10, 2023

wv wrote:

Makes ya appreciate Aaron Donald even more.   He had a long run of good health.

yeah.  and why i was so shocked when last year his season was cut short.  made him seem mortal.

zn wrote:

And again having said all that, it’s still better to have Kupp.

no doubt. and i agree about hopkins and allen. power football combined with stafford kupp? that could be very cool to see. and i’m excited to see what avila brings to the oline.

wv wrote:

Cant replace that.  Cant game plan around a loss like that.

you can’t. although i’m hoping this gives the rams a chance to evaluate their other receivers until he gets back.

i for one hope they go the entire season without a kicker.