They talk about the Rams at 2:11 in.

…

Zooey wrote:

I’m going to go to a staff meeting now because they are always more interesting than reading the Rams board leading up to an unexpected playoff game.

I dunno man, that sounded a bit sarcastic….

😎

Anyway I don’t think the theory on the ref was that the guy deliberately screws the Rams, the theory is that he heads a bad crew that makes controversial calls and non-calls. Wrolstad’s crew officiated this game at the end of last season:

from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2023/01/08/rams-seahawks-penalties-kicker-ramsey-diggs/

They were all penalties the Rams could’ve overcome by making plays afterwards, but the officials did Los Angeles no favors whatsoever in this game. Specifically, there were three penalties that benefited the Seahawks in their 19-16 overtime win over the Rams, all of which happened in the fourth quarter or OT.

First, there was the running into the kicker penalty called on Jonah Williams, which gave the Seahawks a free first down on fourth-and-3 with 8:47 left in the game. The Rams led 16-13 at the time and were getting the ball back with a chance to increase their lead, but the penalty extended the drive for Seattle. Six minutes later, the Seahawks made a game-tying field goal to send the game to overtime.

The problem with the penalty is it shouldn’t have been called. Williams was pretty clearly shoved into the punter by a Seahawks player, which should have caused the flag to be picked up after it was thrown.

Another miss by the officials was the unnecessary roughness penalty on Jalen Ramsey for his “hit” on Geno Smith along the sideline. Smith ran directly into Ramsey, who was simply standing his ground.

Furthermore, DK Metcalf could be seen sticking his fingers in Ramsey’s facemask, which could’ve been called a penalty, too. Instead, it gave the Seahawks a free 15 yards and gave them a chance to win the game in regulation, but Jason Myers missed the field goal attempt that would’ve ended it.

In overtime, Quandre Diggs picked off Baker Mayfield and as he was going to the sideline, he held the ball out and taunted his former teammate, Bobby Wagner, who was off the field and not part of the play.

It very easily could’ve been called taunting, which the broadcast booth agreed with, but no flag was thrown on the play. Had Diggs been penalized, it would’ve set the Seahawks back 15 yards and made their game-winning drive much tougher.

You could also argue that Smith should’ve been called for intentional grounding on the Seahawks’ opening drive of overtime after Bobby Wagner pressured him and he threw the ball away without escaping the pocket. That would’ve given the Rams some extra yardage on the ensuing drive, which ultimately may not have made a difference. But that’s not the point.

The penalties called in Sunday’s game greatly favored the Seahawks. They weren’t the reason the Rams lost, but they made it a much tougher game for them to win.

from https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2024/1/8/24030186/rams-49ers-pff-grades-carson-wentz-russ-yeast

Top PFF five grades on offense:

1 – Brycen Hopkins, TE: 82.2

There has maybe been no bigger mystery across the Rams’ roster since Super Bowl LVI in how the franchise has not gotten more out of Brycen Hopkins. When he’s on the field and given opportunities he tends to make plays, and i’s possible that he can be a difference maker for another team in 2024. By hauling in two receptions for 47 yards (long of 29), Hopkins made the most of his “audition”.

Wentz willed the Rams to victory in this one. The broadcast announced that his 17 rushing attempts were the most by a Rams QB since 1950, and he accumulated 56 yards and a touchdown on those carries. He also completed 17 of 24 passes for 163 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception that was deflected at the line of scrimmage.

What does the future have in store for Wentz? Could he return to Los Angeles to backup Stafford in 2024, or did he show enough to warrant a potential starting job somewhere else?

Shelton played a clean game in pass protection and did not allow a pressure. The offensive line overall allowed only four pressures: three by Alaric Jackson (mostly against Chase Young) and one by left guard Steve Avila.

4 – Davis Allen, TE: 73.7

Los Angeles involved rookie tight end Davis Allen early and often. He was given several catch and run opportunities and totaled four receptions for 25 yards. Allen is a natural catcher of the football, which he displayed when given the chance in the preseason.

5 – Kevin Dotson, RG: 73.6

Dotson is a member of this top five nearly every week. He’s proven to be one of the best and most consistent guards in all of football. He played 23 snaps before being replaced by Tremayne Anchrum.

Other notes on offense:

Tremayne Achrum played at right guard in replacement of Dotson. While he finished with the lowest offensive grade at 48.6, he earned a very good pass blocking grade of 83. 5(highest of any Ram in this game). Anchrum seemingly struggled in run blocking and earned a lowly mark of 43.2.

Top five PFF grades on defense:

1 – Russ Yeast, DB: 79.1

Jordan Fuller suffered an ankle injury last week against the New York Giants but managed to suit up for San Francisco. He played 12 snaps on defense before being ruled out for the remainder of the game with either the same or a different ankle injury. That thrust second-year safety Russ Yeast into action, and he rose to the occasion

Yeast broke up two deep passes late in the game while LA was defending a one-point lead. Completing either of those passes would have put San Francisco in likely field goal territory. He also finished with six tackles.

Hummel appeared on only 17 snaps but made his presence felt. He was targeted once in coverage and allowed a catch for only one yard and a PFF coverage grade of 76.0. He fared much better than his middle linebacker counterpart, Christian Rozeboom, who was graded at 35.7 and the second-lowest player on the defense in Week 18.

3 – Bobby Brown, NT: 72.7

The Rams will need a strong performance from Brown next week against the Lions in order to slow down Detroit’s physical running game. Brown proved against the 49ers that he excels in that department. He finished with a run stop and two total tackles on 24 snaps.

4 – Byron Young, OLB: 72.4

Byron Young led LA in total pressures in this game with four. Kobie Turner, Michael Hoecht, and Jonah Williams all had three. Trent Williams played about a dozen snaps for San Francisco at left tackle, and then you could feel Young come on after that point. He had several well-timed hits on Sam Darnold to force incompletions.

While you can debate how strong of a 2023 season Witherspoon has had and whether he should come back on a new contract next season, he’s still the best outside corner that the Rams have currently. He played 49 snaps on the game (second behind only Hoecht at 50), so it’s good he came away without any bumps or bruises.

Witherspoon was targeted five times in coverage and allowed just three catches for 17 yards and a passer rating of 66.3.

Zooey wrote:

Yeah, that’s funny. I don’t have any feelings about the Colts or Texans, but I found myself pulling for the Colts to win that for the same reason. They were behind and driving in the last minute.

Yeah I was really bothered when they failed on the 4th and 1. And then I had to go, why? I don’t care about the Colts. Why didn’t I just think it was funny? But like you I get drawn in with those scenarios–if an offense is driving for a win in the last minute, I tend to find myself rooting for them.

I have a long internal list of great football watching moments where normally with the teams involved I would just be neutral, but a drive to win in the final minutes captures my interest. I actually saw all these moments live (on tv): Marino and Pitt beating Georgia in the 1982 Sugar Bowl (before that moment I had not watched college ball all year and learned who Marino was in that game). I actually saw Ghost to the Post (Raiders and Colts, 1977). I actually saw Montana throw The Catch to Dwight Clark (and was the first to yell “he caught it!” in a crowded sports bar).

Unless of course they are a hated team, in which case I root for the defense. Every single Patriots last minute win in the Brady era pissed me off, not just the ones against the Rams.

Jonathan Taylor is FEASTING. #ForTheShoe

Via NFLpic.twitter.com/qjfpMiaYeD

— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) January 7, 2024