I don’t have much knowldege of the 49ers this year. After Garoppolo went down, the season was over, and I have not heard anything about them since. They had already lost McKinnon, I think. So that’s that. Whatever they had to offer, it was gone. Just imagine the Rams without Goff and Gurley.

Season Over.

Usually I unavoidably hear about the 9ers (and Raiders) because that’s what people talk about up and down the radio dial. But 9er talk just stopped, basically. All the fans and the radio hosts just turned the page.

Matt Breida and Dante Pettis are also out, so the 49ers will not score. I’m sure the Rams will make RB Jeff Wilson look like a legitimate NFL RB since the Rams are good at that kind of thing, but it won’t be enough.

This has all the makings of one of those games that will resemble an NFL game in a semi-satisfying way for about the first 28 minutes, and then just turn into a time-killing slopfest with the Rams just playing not to lose, and the 49ers mentally cleaning out their lockers by halftime. I think it’s going to be difficult to sit through.

Billy_T wrote:

I’m fine with the league protecting the health of its players. In fact, I think it’s necessary and just.

But the calls that get me are the ones where the D barely taps the QB, and it’s a flag. Or when they’re basically already airborne and end up against the QB’s legs. I wouldn’t call that. I think you need to be intentionally trying to hurt the QB — or any player, for that matter. Flag that. Repeat offense, throw the guy out.

Helmet to Helmet stuff is really where they should focus, IMO. “Spearing” should get the two strikes and your out rule, and, again, I wouldn’t limit that to particular players, or just parts of the field. In my view, it should be universally applied. I cringe whenever I see it. Scares me to death for the players.

Full agreement.

Billy_T wrote:

nittany ram wrote:

One thing I noticed and I think the commentator pointed it out as well…the Rams didn’t stay in 11 personnel almost exclusively like they did prior to this game. They mixed in a lot of other personnel packages.

For example, they seemed to use 2 TEs a lot, which probably helped the running game.

Yeah, I know, since Kupp’s been gone Everette and Higbee have been on the field together a lot, but not as TEs.

Usually when Everette was in the game with Higbee he was the slot receiver (Kupp’s role).

In this game they were both on the field together as TEs. I bet the Cards didn’t expect to see that.

Heading into the playoffs I think McVay will have to continue to mix things up like that to keep defenses honest.

I think you’re exactly right. I’ve been pushing for mixing things up, too, but I’d like to see more than just two tight end sets. They should bring in extra linemen at times. Noteboom, or Allen, or both of them. Go jumbo. Maybe even Suh in the backfield, either as blocker or runner.

Speaking of Suh, I think he had his best game of the season, and looked almost like his old self. Seemed to be having some fun out there too. He’s been a big disappointment, but if he can play like that in the playoffs, take some pressure off of Donald, the Rams D is gonna be a ton better. Johnson, who should have been an All-Pro (Woods was robbed as well), is coming on and really making the secondary viable.

A fun game to watch, and obviously, Anderson was a great pickup. I honestly thought that before Sunday. Was happy they brought him in, though had no idea he’d be that good.

They can safely rest Gurley until the playoffs, and they should. Keep him working out on the sidelines, etc. But don’t play him. Goff shouldn’t play more than the first half next week . . .

Yep, yep, and yep.

Also, the Rams ran a bunch of jet sweeps again for the first time in forever.

Anderson was unbelievable…although he blew his blocking assignment a couple of times, notably the sack/fumble on the opening possession.

It’s too bad the 9ers couldn’t finish the Bears.

And I saw the last drive. Their QB just threw the game away (literally) on 4th down on their last possession. He could have tucked and run easily for a 1st down, and he threw the ball out of bounds. Like…what?

Here is a handkerchief, Bernie.

You might want to wipe your chin. You’ve got a little venom dripping off it.

It’s not real noticeable, or anything, but….

zn wrote:

Also against Chicago, they did not adjust to how defenses are playing them now. Defenses are subtracting the intermediate “chunk” passes they thrived on earlier, and then also both (1) attacking the OL and (2) gameplanning Donald out of the picture which means fewer dramatic defensive plays limiting the score.

One answer to the defensive strategy of taking away the 11-25 yard chunk plays is to develop a patient short passing game. They WERE doing that against the Eagles but then getting behind meant they had to junk that approach.

And when they junked the short passing game in desperation late in the game, they nearly came back.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 4 months ago by Zooey.

BTW…I didn’t see it…I read it in the play-by-play…did the Rams really go for it on 4th down from their own 30?

I did not see all of it, but what I saw was discouraging.

The Rams started off the season with some dominating performances. When they played a tough team in the Chargers, they came through. Since the game where Talib and Peters got hurt, though, this team has been in decline.

The offense still rolled, and McVay made great halftime adjustments right up through the KC game while the defense struggled. Well…now the offense is struggling, too. I will admit that the defense has improved since Talib returned in terms of points allowed…but they still can’t stop the run. I am pretty damn tired of seeing 7 and 8 yard runs against this defense again and again. And when the Rams can’t get to the QB…they lose.

I didn’t see the D step up and make plays tonight. Sacks, stuffs, TOs, busted plays…you just don’t see the Rams’ defense assert itself and take control. Like…ever. Talib’s interception tonight saved the Rams from being blown out, but you never get the sense the Rams defense is the master of the game. And this is a defense of all-stars. On paper, it looked absolutely fabulous except for the LBs.

Now I don’t know if it is personnel, or scheme, but it looks like scheme to me. The players they have on D have proven themselves to be red and blue chip players with the exception of Ebukam.

And now the offense can’t get going. Losing Kupp matters, but his loss alone does not account for the sudden mediocrity of the offense. Since the KC game, this team has gone from moving the ball at will to struggling to put together a drive. And the big strikes are a thing of the past. Goff’s accuracy is off, the receivers seem to be covered, the OL can’t keep the pressure off, and Gurley gets nailed for losses and short gains frequently.

This looks like a team on the decline at the time of year everyone needs to get hot. They look just so-so. They have lost to the Bears, the Saints, and now the Eagles while barely surviving the Chargers, Packers, and Chiefs.

This does not look like a team of destiny. At all.

In spite of the rickety show we saw in Chicago last week, my confidence in the Rams beating the Bears pretty easily in Los Angeles remains pretty high. I don’t have any Xs and Os to back that up, and can’t really say where that belief comes from. But the Bears don’t scare me. Now, I hope the Rams get the winner of the Saints/Bears game in the championship because…that would be easier, but I think the Rams have to get the #1 seed for that to happen.

I think the Rams are going to win out. The Eagles have, like, more than a dozen guys on IR. They are done. They may give the Rams some trouble, but they aren’t going to win. And if they do, it is officially panic time in Los Angeles. But I don’t see it. I’m expecting a double digit victory.

This week would be a good time for the Panthers to put together their best game of the season.

Yeah, I thought of you, too.

And that is a sick thing to do.

nittany ram wrote:

Chiefs, Chargers…<Yawn>

The Rams beat both of those teams.

So Saints vs the Bears is what you want to see?

Me, too.

Yeah, that 4th and 7 pass was stunning. I was thinking, “What’s wrong with you? Why are you making that dumbass throw?” Then it was…”Oh.”

But I’ve seen the replay several times, and I still can’t believe he caught that. He was wearing that defender like a cape, and then just a tiny step outside, then in, and Bam! The ball was right there. That play was ridiculous.

That wasn’t good, and that’s not what you want to see, especially when gearing up for the playoffs. I was not able to give my complete attention to the game, but I saw enough to see what is obvious from the score anyway…the Rams could not get anything going on offense.

Goff was terrible. Receivers dropped balls. Gurley ran nowhere. I saw a couple penalties on Whitworth. The OL couldn’t keep Goff clean when the Bears rushed 3 guys.

I don’t know.

I thought the Rams needed to win 2 of 3 against the Chiefs, Saints, and Bears, and they escaped with just one. That’s a concern. Not a hope-killer, but a concern that the Rams aren’t quite “there.” On the other side, no other team has looked inevitable, though the Saints are still showing stronger than the Rams overall.

If the Rams struggle with Philadelphia, the confidence level will take another dip.

Anyway. Bash on, regardless.