InvaderRam wrote:

i’m also hoping they sign staley for new rams left tackle.

I agree, sign Stafford.

At OT, I would sign Jackson. Improved over last year, solid, knows the system. I would draft tackles though. 1 to replace Hav sooner if not later. They need OT depth. I would also argue that you don’t bring in a new FA to replace a young one who has been with you…keep your guy, and use FA money to bring in an outsider who fits a position where you have issues to fix.

Here’s PFF on Jackson. One of these comments is embedded in their take on the Steelers LOT, Dan Moore.

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2025-nfl-free-agent-rankings

46. T Alaric Jackson, Los Angeles Rams
The former undrafted free agent out of Iowa has settled in quite nicely over the past few years protecting the blindside of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, with a career year across the board in 2024 coming at just the right time.

Top free agent comparison: Jared Veldheer, 2014

47. T Dan Moore, Pittsburgh Steelers
… Moore and Los Angeles Rams tackle Alaric Jackson stand to benefit as the young, potential multi-year solutions at left tackle who are hitting free agency.

Zooey wrote:

zn wrote:

There are matchups where the Rams aren;t quite ready to win yet, no matter how well they play. That’s just how I see it.

Yeah, I think that’s true. But you asked for one good game, and I think we will get it. We might get two. Depending on what you mean by “good.”

I think the window we are looking it ranges from “Crappy game against Seattle, followed by a thumping like the one they got from Philadelphia” on the low end, to “Some things to really like about the Seattle game, followed by a valiant effort in the Divisional Round, but ultimately just not enough.” That’s what I think the bell curve looks like to me. I’m sure there are other multiverses out there in which things end far worse or far better, but I expect that to be the low side/high side of the next couple of weeks.

We’re just tabulating this somewhat differently. I am counting as a good, watchable game as one they win with the starters. They could play well in a playoff loss, but my own private “what I want to watch” meter isn’t counting that.

On this, I am being a spoiled fan, exercising the god-given right of every spoiled fan to bitch and whine a bit. 😎 It’s actually kind of liberating.

Zooey wrote:

He didn’t age 10 years after the Buffalo game. He didn’t forget how to play. He’s had pretty good protection. So, he’s hurt. Maybe he got a bad bruise in his shoulder, or fractured his ring finger, or something. In which case… you know… he could be fine in two weeks.

I’m with you. The Buffalo and Minnie games stand out as exceptions to this “Stafford doddering on the edge of geriatric collapse” argument.

Zooey wrote:

I propose that we vote against zn’s proposal for a good game against Seattle, and instead put Stafford on ice until next Monday, then fire him up.

I didn’t propose that. I assume Stafford will be out against Seattle. That just means the final game is less fun for me. I didn’t argue that Stafford should play in that game. I just accepted that he isn’t but then lamented that that comes close to meaning the end of fun to watch games.

Of course he should rest. It would be stupid not to do that. But…the game is, then, less watchable, for me anyway.

My hope for one more good game would be if they win in the first playoff round. That depends on who they play, I think.

…

I don’t really look forward to this that much. I don’t like watching the 2s in a meaningless game, and then that could be quickly followed by a Rams playoff defeat, depending on who they get in the first round (not their year). So if it goes that way–a 2s game followed by a playoff loss–the next good Rams game we get to see will be next September. Unless they win their 1st playoff game, which depends on who they play. That could be a win and a good watch, depending.

I just want one good game before the season ends.

They could do a lot between now and September and field a real contender in 2025. Need to draft and/or sign an OT, a CB or 2, an ILB, and probably a fast receiver. Which is all do-able.

All that remains… 👀

🏈 AFC Wild Card – Bengals, Broncos, Dolphins
🏈 NFC South – Buccaneers, Falcons pic.twitter.com/SmsZj8aatW

— DraftKings (@DraftKings) December 30, 2024

Greg Beacham@gregbeacham
The Rams win the NFC West for the 4th time in 8 seasons under Sean McVay. Only Chuck Knox (5) won more division titles as the Rams’ coach. McVay’s 7 winning seasons are a team record, and now his 6th playoff berth matches John Robinson’s record.

Sarah Barshop@sarahbarshop
The Rams are the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons after being three games under .500, according to ESPN Research.

One play puts 2 teams into the playoffs. Commanders clinch a wild card and the @RamsNFL clinch the NFC West pic.twitter.com/QL7aUiFRT7

— trey wingo (@wingoz) December 30, 2024

nittany ram wrote:

Maybe they can trade Joe Noteboom for Justin Jefferson?

No way. You don’t trade a franchise lineman like that for just another receiver.

nittany ram wrote:

Precisely, thus rendering your precious Seahawks’ trip to SoFi next week a waste of time.

No, that just means Seattle can rest its starters.

😎

wv wrote:

No, i get the ‘what’ of it. I dont get the ‘how’ of it. How can they determine the ‘strength of victory’ stuff when there is still a full slate of games NEXT week. Why wouldnt next weeks games change the final totals.

w
v

Sorry I misunderstood. And the answer is…I don’t know, I can only speculate. So here I go. It more or less it amounts to this–SoV (strength of victory) can be established this week if you only focus on certain teams. They don’t look at every single team that both Seattle and the Rams played, just the ones whose SoV can be established now. It’s roughly the same as team record. In terms of team record, Buffalo at 13-3 will win the AFC East no matter what, since their closest rival is Miami at 7-8. And SoV is not just a matter of who wins, it’s also who loses, because losing means they have a lower SoV. There’s a certain threshold that can be reached this week regardless what happens next week. Again determining this does not mean looking at every single team played by Seattle and LA, they’re only looking for 4 out of 6 teams to cross a certain threshold this week. Those are just the teams whose numbers can be determined this week. So for example, Miami is 7-8 and they played both Seattle and LA. If Miami loses it doesn’t matter what happens next week–if they lose this week they will have a losing record no matter what (7-9). They therefore count less as a tie breaker.

So if the Bills have a strong record now (13-3) beating them counts more than beating Miami (if they go 7-9). As it happens Seattle beat Miami but lost to Buffalo. So the Rams losing to Miami doesn’t count as much as beating Buffalo. That’s a heavy determination if Miami does not end up with a winning record. If they lose today they can’t possibly have a winning record even if they win next week.

It’s more complicated than that because each team’s SoV also counts. Neither Seattle nor the Rams played the Bengals or Broncos, but then whoever won that game will determine the SoV of some teams both the Rams and Seattle did play.

Anyway, I don’t “know” any of this, I am just speculating based on what it looks like.
…

Checklist! The key teams, ie. the ones that we need to win, are bolded.

*Saturday

Broncos at Bengals, 4:30 et

*Sunday

Jets at Bills, 1 et

Dolphins at Browns, 4:05 et

Packers at Vikings, 4:05 et

Falcons at Commanders, 8:20 et

*Monday

Lions at 49ers, 8:15 et

Bengals won.

Today:

Bills
Browns
Vikings
Commanders

…

Arash Markazi@ArashMarkazi
If I’m a Rams fan, I’m not concerned about Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams and the rest of the offense scoring points. The bigger takeaway is the defense holding opponents to single digits in 3 straight games for the first time in 49 years.