Sad day indeed. Rest in peace, Coach.

Thanks Zack! Everything is great, in Ramsland and beyond.

Isiah58

I took my daughter to the game – it was her first Rams game. She is sixteen and got a kick out of the celebrities that they showed on the big screen. When I bought our seats, I bought them on the press box side and fortunately we have been in the shade the entire game for both 1 pm starts and it has made a big difference. It has been very comfortable, but I think if you are not in the shade the coliseum provides no relief from the sun. It is a giant bowl with no shade whatsoever, so it can be uncomfortable if you are not used to three plus hours of direct sunshine.

As to the crowds, I am not sure what people expect, but there were 80K tix sold for the game. In a venue that holds 100K, yeah, there are going to be open seats, but put that same crowd in a 65K seat venue and it would be overflowing from the rafters. The crowds have been great in my opinion, but what do I know. Some people are going to want to be critical no matter what happens. If they draw 80K, why didn’t they draw 90K?

As to the opposing fans, I used to get pissed about that when the Rams played in Anaheim. Like it was an insult that opposing fans were in our stadium – how dare they? But I guess I’ve mellowed. I’ve seen the Rams in many opposing teams’ stadia and I just wanted to watch my team play. Southern California is a melting pot, and the NFL is huge here as it is anywhere. I have just accepted that every team that comes here will have 15 – 20K fans at the game. For one, it is a once in ten year opportunity for them to see their team. Second, with 70,000 tickets available for each game, their is supply no matter how many die hard Rams fans there are. So yes, every single game there will be plenty of opposing fans at the Coliseum and we will have to hear about it. Its the same thing with the Chargers, the Dodgers, the Angels, etc., and its more a reflection of the populous of the region than the fanbase.

We tailgated in the parking lot for an hour or so before heading into the stadium. The coliseum really is a grand old historic stadium, and I was telling my daughter about the Olympics and as much of the architecture as I could remember. They light the torch before the game, which is kinda cheesy, but Nolan Cromwell was the honorary igniter which was very cool.

Anyways, we got to our seats about 45 minutes early, and I got out my binoculars and immediately looked for Quinn and Brockers. I got a sick feeling in my stomach when I didn’t see those guys, and got out my phone and saw they were inactive. I felt right then it that McCoy was going to have a big day against us. That feeling only got worse when they converted that 2nd and 29 on the first drive and converted it to a TD. Man, that sucked! Still, I thought our offense was fairly competent for most of the day except: (1) in the red zone; and (2) when it really counted. That’s when a QB really matters, though, doesn’t it? One thing that I noticed in person that I don’t know if it was apparent on TV or not, but it looked like Buffalo was NOT playing an 8 man box a fair amount of the time. I saw two safties deep quite a bit of the time, which is not what other teams have been doing to the Rams. Maybe that is why the Rams had a little more success running the ball against Buffalo.

Obviously, the loss came down to a couple of plays that went against the Rams. The 3rd and 1 bomb to Quick that Keenum missed that should have been six. The failure to stop Buffalo on the opening drive. The missed interception on the deflected pass. The pick-6. The botched fake punt (which I was ok with). At the end of the day, my daughter had a great day and we finished the day at 3 – 2, and I told myself I can live with that.

Well, here is the next question: Who do you replace Fisher with?

Jeff Fisher has 22 years of head coaching experience. He has taken a team to a Super Bowl. He has won 177 NFL games including playoffs. So, who have you got who is going to do better?

People mostly assume that the next person will automatically have all of Fisher’s positive attributes and fix all of the negatives. Or just want change for change’s sake. Well, it would be good if you are advocating a new coach to hear your plan for succession.

And let’s not have the same tired retreads like Jimmy Johnson and Bill Cower. Those guys are done. There are not a bunch of Super Bowl winning coaches just sitting on the sidewalk just waiting for the Rams to call. If the you think the hot new assistant coach is the proper path, just harken back to Scott Linehan and Steve Spagnuolu for the last time the Rams tried that avenue. So yes, Fisher and Snead have taken the long path but they have built a team that can beat anyone in the league right now and they are the youngest team in the league. They will get better. The best approach is to maintain continuity and keep the train on the path, IMHO.
Isiah 58

• This reply was modified 8 years, 1 month ago by Isiah58.

When absolutely everyone is picking against the Rams and they are given no shot of winning, that’s when they win. Look it up. It is known.

Last year at this time, people gave the Rams less than a zero chance of beating the undefeated Cardinals in Arizona. No one in the seven kingdoms would wager a copper that they would win. And yet . . . Same thing when they went into Seattle to play a red hot Seahawks team heading into the playoffs. Well Arizona is the Mountain, and the Rams are the Red Viper of Dorne. How do I know you ask?

It’s what I do. I drink and I know things.

From the replay, you cannot even see Westbrooks offsides. Without this call, the Rams Defense pitches a shutout against the Seahawks.

The blown call against Britt in the endzone was even more infuriating on the Rams drive where they had first and goal at the 4. How many times are Rams DBs flagged for ticky-tack calls, and Sherman basically spins Britt around to deny the touchdown and the Ref gives Sherman a free pass. Just a horrible call that probably cost the Rams and Gurley a TD.

Isiah 58

I think there are two reasons why these talks went nowhere.

First, Denver offered a fourth round pick for Kappernick in the offseason, but SF wanted a 2nd. It is unlikely John Elway would have given up more than a 4th for Keenum since nothing has changed from Denver’s point of view.

Second, it is likely the Rams will let Keenum walk after the year to begin the Goff era. If a team gives Keenum a contract, the Rams would get a compensatory pick. If he plays decently, it might be a substantial contract, which could net the Rams a 4th round compensatory pick. So they can keep Keenum this year and get basically what Denver was offering next year.

So unless Denver was offering something outrageous, which was very unlikely, the Rams were probably never interested in a trade of Keenum.

One thing that Snead said in an interview a few months back is that the mistake the Rams made organizationally is that they handed Foles the starting job last year and didn’t make him earn it. I felt like this would lead to Goff having to “earn” his way into the starting line-up. Several intervening factors have delayed that transition, but make no mistake that day is still coming.

First, one has to concede that Case Keenum has played pretty well in the preseason. Not “house-on-fire” kind of play, but steady, consistent, and with a fair amount of success. Had Keenum played poorly in the preseason, I think that the situation would have been much different.

I do not care about Dak Prescott or Carson Wentz starting week one. I do not think either of those players would have been starting for the Rams week 1, and I think Jared Goff would have been starting for both the Eagles and Cowboys week 1. Different team philosophies. The Eagles are so ready to justify their selection that they are starting Wentz over Chase Daniel even though Daniel probably gives them a much greater chance to win.

Many, if not all, of the so-called media experts said that Goff and Wentz would need to sit and learn early on. If you don’t believe me, go back and read the scouting reports. Yet, there is now panic at the disco when Goff is not starting week 1. I am actually relieved that the Rams had the courage and conviction to sit Goff until he is ready. And Fisher said that Goff will start when he is ready. I believe allowing him to sit will be the best thing long term for his career.

This also shows a certain attitude by Fisher that he is still coaching with a long view. The Rams again have the youngest team. The star QB that they packaged a bunch of picks for is put on ice for a while. A veterans like Ayers is jettison for a couple of raw and unheralded rookies. This is a long term approach.

Back to Goff, there was a scene in Hard Knocks where Goff is getting the play relayed into his helmet, and he needs to spit it out right then to the huddle. The play sounds like an 18 word random phrase generator, and Goff calls the play but messes up part of the middle section of the play. A confused offense breaks the huddle, but soon everyone just stops and Boras goes over to Goff and asked him what he called. A frustrated and embarrassed Goff replies, “I’m not sure.” It is not the physical part of being a QB that is holding Goff back, its the mental part. In the same episode, you see Keenum in the kitchen with his wife going over play calls, just going over repeating the plays. You get a sense for what seems like an impossible task, and Keenum was here last year and the whole spring. The Rams have repeatedly said that Goff is working hard, but it just takes some time. When he is ready, he will start.

Lastly, I wonder how Goff would have looked starting with the 1s and with Gurley, instead of the 2s with a bunch of rookie wide receivers. The one time he had Britt to throw to, he went right down the field and scored a touchdown. Against the Broncos and the Vikings, Goff was continuously and repeatedly in third and 8 or 9, and few QBs can operate successfully in that situation.

When he does start, it will be with a firm grasp of the offense and then its going to be sink or swim for good with Goff. Until then, the Rams want to see how well Keenum plays and if he can hold the fort until Goff is ready. Barring something crazy, I think Goff starts game 4 or 5 regardless of how the Rams are doing, and Goff will finish the year and get better and better each game.

Isiah 58

I was at the game, and it was a really fun game to be at. Lots of electricity and excitement, and lots of friendly back and forth with a large Cowboy contingent. The fact that it was a preseason game helped lighten the mood and keep the exchanges good natured I think.

Random observations:

The PA announcer was kind of obnoxious, but I guess I understand. He was just too over the top for my taste.

On the opening kick-off, it seemed like the Rams had the player completely contained on both sides, but Reynolds was too aggressive and fell down, and the Cowboy returner is extremely fast and surprised the cover team. The Rams recently have been very good at kick-off coverage and I think this was more of an aberration than a problem area. Just unfortunate that it came at the first play back in LA. BTW, when it happened I expected a huge emotional let down from the fans, but the excitement wasn’t really dampened. I was kind of “What The F,” but the fans shook it off. Don’t know if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

The biggest difference I saw in the first half was the Cowboy receivers made catches and the Rams’s receivers dropped to many catchable balls. Cooper, Thomas, and Austin made drops on drive sustaining passes, while Dez Bryant made outstanding, highly contested catches. The Rams passing offense was actually pretty functional, and Boras is doing a nice job.

Bennie Cunningham is a really talented runner. Chase Reynolds is not. I liked what I saw from Brown and Green. The Rams’ line was opening some nice holes all night.

After Dak Prescot’s night, I knew before Goff even entered the game that it was going to be a tough act to follow, but I was surprised driving home to hear local and national commentators keep saying how Goff “struggled.” I thought he did a very nice job, and three of his incompletions hit his receivers in the hands. The long ball to Quick was really the only ball that he missed, and it is very possible he threw it away because Quick got bumped off his route. The ball that was intercepted was a sideline out that ended up popped over the middle, which tells you the extent his arm was hit. Probably the first time he has been hit since December, to come back and throw that ball down the middle to Cooper was a courageous throw. It was too bad he couldn’t come back out, but I wasn’t discouraged at all by what I saw.

I think the Rams needed the win more than the Cowboys, and I am glad they got it. It makes for a different experience when they win, even though our minds all know the guys who won the game very likely won’t be contributing much in a month or so. Plus the negatives don’t seem so negative when they win.

Higbee doesn’t remind me at all of Gronk, but more of Eiffert. Which would be outstanding if he can continue in that mold. Eiffert is a total stud and a playmaker.

I haven’t seen Spruce flash much in practice, but he sure showed up in the game. Great hands. The fourth down catch to convert the first down was such a big play in the win. Very Amendola like.

Biggest cheer of the night was for Clayton Kershaw.

That’s all for now.
Isiah 58

I agree with all of that. And if Goff is who they think he is, then I would expect that the Rams would fall within your “balanced” criteria : )

I have another thought that is wholly unsupported by any empiracle evidence. The premise is that having a crappy pass offense can actually result in a higher pass to run percentage. Normally, we associate high pass ratios with better QBs and more sophisticated passing offenses. But the Rams have been a very poor passing offense since Bradford went down for the last time, with some notable exceptions.

If you try to pass unsuccessfully on first or second down, it virtually assures that you will need to pass again on third down. A better indicator would be how the offense runs when it’s running well (both running and passing). Evaluating what a coach or coordinator does in that situation I submit is a better view of what tendencies are organic rather than imposed.

Just a thought,
Isiah 58

yeah, you have to understand that I am the most polly-anish Rams fan you will ever meet. Seriously, its just the way I am wired. So I will root and believe in the Rams’ players and coaches to the very bitter end (I wanted Tony Banks to get another shot!).

That said, I am not blind. The home loss to Chicago last year really took me by surprise and made me doubt the team. A bunch of blow-out losses this year would obviously necessitate a change, although I would still hope that Snead is retained. I would then start over with the new guy being MY guy with my heart and soul.

But I believe what’s best for the team is continuity, and I believe that Jeff Fisher can get the job done. I also believe that there are only a few men on the planet who could have taken over the ’12 Rams and made them a winner in 3 years

while still building the team for long-term success

. This is a division where the 49ers went to 3 straight NFC championship games, the Seahawks have been to 2 Superbowls, and the Cardinals have been one of the best teams in the league the last two years. Looking JUST at Jeff Fisher’s record over this time is shortsighted IMHO. This division is brutal. The Rams would have won the AFC South last year. How many teams beat Arizona and Seattle last year in their buildings? A team that could accomplish that feat is very close.

I recently watched the Baltimore game again from last year. If you remember, the Rams lost that game. I forgot that they took a 13-3 lead into the 4th quarter. Two Gurley fumbles in Rams’ territory basically brought the Ravens back into the game, and a missed Zuerline FG gave the Ravens life to pull out a last second miracle, but the Rams dominated that game for the first three quarters. The managed to lose the 49ers game as well despite leading that game late, and missing a FG to win. They missed a FG with 2 minutes left that could have won the Vikings game. That’s all that stood between the Rams having a 10-6 record last year. See, I told you I was Polly-anish! : )

So, I see the team differently than most and it is definitely a minority opinion skewed by hardcore rose colored glasses, but I think the team is still ascending and I want to keep the coach and GM in place, if for no other reason than to prevent what happened to Bradford and the parade of offensive coordinators every year. Plus I LIKE Fisher and Snead, and want them to do well and flourish. Starting over is no guaranty of improvement (See Linehan and Spagnulo), and I don’t vote for change for the sake of change. My philosophy, your mileage may vary.

I58

I think if Fisher/Snead are running this team next year, Mannion will be the number 2. Keenum will move on, and the Rams will make use of that third round draft pick they used on Mannion. You can play in the NFL with clunky feet, if you do other things well. With two years in this offense under his belt, Mannion should be the favorite to be the back-up in ’17.

Of course, if Fisher and Snead don’t get re-upped (and believe they will and should), then all bets are off. They will likely have a new offensive coordinator (which won’t help Goff) and Mannion’s positive of having two years in the system will be for naught. We could see another veteran come in who is familiar with the new OC in that situation. That is, the would bring in someone who could help teach the system to Goff and already knows the new offense.

Isiah 58

it was only a few posts, but maybe it will make me seem like less of a dope, so yeah.