And while the Rams have started 2017 with a strong year-to-year turnaround, a tough Minnesota team could present them with their toughest challenge yet — pitting the NFL’s top scoring offense against a Vikings’ defense that is allowing just 18.3 points per game.

Okay, well, first of all, the Rams’ defense allows 18 points per game, so I don’t know why the game is framed as if it’s an offensive team against a defensive team. I do think the Vikings are ranked higher overall by other statistics, however, but in any event, I tend to think this storyline is a bit superficial.

So…I’m sitting here with about 10 minutes to kill, so I decided to look at those opponents and run some useless equations. I looked at all of MN’s opponents, and what they score on average, and what they scored on the Vikes. 3 teams scored about on the button for their average, 3 scored significantly less (9 points, 13, and 12 below avg), 1 scored 5 points below average, and 2 scored above average (7 and 3 above).

Then I averaged it all. On average, teams have scored 4 fewer points against the Vikings than their season average. Or to put that the other way, the Vikings have, on average, held their opponents to 4 points fewer than their season average.

I would take 28 or 29 points to win the game for the Rams tomorrow. The Vikes average 24 points a game. I didn’t calculate how many points on average the Rams’ Defense takes away from opponents’ season averages because my 10 minutes is up. And so you will have to live with this incomplete bullshit salad as it stands.

TSRF wrote:

I don’t buy the argument that he only had back-up QB’s in 2016.

Look how good Goff AND Keenum are doing this year…

I was glad when Fisher was hired, I liked the swagger he brought to the D, but over the years, the O just rotted under him.

I wonder what Fisher thinks when he watches Rams games. I wonder what Martz thinks too.

I would love to know what Fisher thinks, too.

If I had to guess, though, I would bet he feels a little bit like Moses. Did all the dirty work in Egypt, building a nation from from the ground up, led them through the wilderness for 40 years, and then God kills him right when the Promised Land is visible on the horizon.

I bet he feels like Kroenke shafted him something terrible. And that he woulda had it this year if he had been retained.

I’m thinking I may have to locate my shoebox filled with mini-helmets that I acquired as a kid, and pile all my Rams helmets on top of a Vikings helmet to see if that helps. It didn’t always work when I was a kid, but this is a new era.

zn wrote:

Zooey wrote:

Belichek, Payton, Carroll, Arians, Shanahan, Gruden, McCarthy, Rivera, Tomlin, Pederson, Zimmer, Pagano.

Dunno.

I think this is a tangent that isn’t helpful, however.

I would say Bellichick and Zimmer. Rams have talent but IMO they don’t have “7-2 in the first year of a new regime with ANY good coach” talent. I think McVay supplied that extra percentage.

…

Well, I don’t konw. I know all those coaches have had success.

The dramatic turnaround is dramatic partly because they played below their ability last season. That wasn’t a 4-12 team on paper. I think the move affected them more than I expected it to, and I don’t think Fisher/Wentz/Boras knew how to work with Goff.

But Snisher acquired a lot of talent. A lot of it. What Fisher never did was hire an innovative OC, or get good WRs. He tried to fix the OL, and some of those guys – Grob especially – just didn’t cut it. He built a pretty good foundation of talent, though, which is why I put money on the Rams for the first time in my life when I saw them get Whitworth and WRS and a guy who knows offense. It was a good ship with a couple of leaks, and no wind in its sails.

I agree that McVay is better, and better substantially. I agree with everything people have said in this thread, basically, and I’m glad now that Fisher is gone. He tolerated sloppiness, and he didn’t adjust during the game. Hell, we have seen more in-game adjustments that matter from McVay/Phillips this season than we saw in 5 seasons combined with Fisher, I’d warrant.

I was never a Fisher fan. I thought he was the right choice at the time, and was hopeful he would produce a winner. I would have given him one more season (this year) to produce, but I’m very, very glad Kroenke didn’t agree with me. Fisher seemed to develop this “I got this” attitude where he just thought he was a very good coach, and he stopped evolving. McVay is out there watching everybody’s film, and stealing plays that work, and applying them in exactly the right situation, and brings his hunger to everything he does. Fisher was coasting. And I think McVay’s success reduces Fisher’s chances of landing another coaching gig.

Anyway. Long Live McVay.

Everyone who thinks the Rams would be 7-2 right now if Fisher was still coach…raise your hand.

I hate the Vikings.

That happened.

Okay. I guess that’s not really news.

I got the impression that the training camp move of Hav inside, and Brown outside, had more to do with Hav’s limitations than with Brown’s prowess.

I think OL is the number one priority. After Blythe, they don’t have anybody afaik who can actually play. If Whitworth goes down, I’m pretty sure Saffold would move outside, and Blythe take over at LG – as he did when Saffold got injured Sunday.

He must be the most underappreciated Ram in the past decade, or so.

I’ll say this. The Rams have a very good offense, a very good defense, very good special teams, and a creative coaching staff that makes good halftime adjustments.

We’ve seen teams play at a higher level.

But…the team’s only real weakness is inexperience and youth. It also lacks depth is certain places, but the starters are doing well in every unit. This is a good team.

We are entering the gauntlet now, and we will get an idea in the next couple of games whether the Rams are a cut above, roughly equal with the best, or a notch below.

In any event, the future looks good (sign Donald), and we are clearly finished with the long, cold winter of nothingness. The Rams are relevant again, at the very least.

Let’s go.

Agamemnon wrote:

Starting with the Vikings, it is like being in the playoffs

I like them to sweep the division rivals. Splitting the other four should get them the division. I think if the Rams are still a game up after the Saints game, going into December, they’ve got it.

Remember all those Viking flamers years ago?

I can’t remember the handle of that one guy. I remember Mjollnir’s Wrath, I think it was, who was actually “conversational.” There was another guy, though. Those were that days! Over at Rivals.

I don’t know if I can take the stress.

This is why one should never wager on sports. It changes the experience.

Anyway. Go Rams.

canadaram wrote:

zn wrote:

18) I think we clobber the Vikings next week. I don’t think they have enough on offense to keep up. I think they’ll have turnovers and their defense won’t be able to keep them in it.

I don’t agree with that at all. I think Diggs and/or Thielen can both light up the Rams secondary. Furthermore, the Rams offense will be hard pressed to put up big points against the Vikings defense.

I watched about 4 drives of the game today, and it looked to me like the Vikings defense is good.

InvaderRam wrote:

goff. 101.5 qb rating on the season so far. he’s not playing lights out. but he’s hanging in there. seems to keep his cool. what a pass to woods. right on the money.

woods. what a signing. i was lukewarm on the signing. i wanted garcon. but shoot. i was wrong. more dynamic than i thought.

yeah. i agree with you. team win. defense hung in there. they did get a little lucky at times. but really turned it around in the second half. as did the offense.

these next four weeks. whoa, man. whoa! how long has it been???

Halftime adjustments.

We haven’t seen them in a decade.

This year…they do them.

zn wrote:

Zooey wrote:

The OL is where my biggest worry lies. An injury there could end the season for the Rams.

They will certainly be adding to the OL in the offseason.

I think they could handle someone being out for a game or 2.

This has been the Rams healthiest OL season since 2010, and then before that, 2003.

I do, too. But if someone goes out for the season (with the possible exception of C where Blythe seems sufficient), they are toast.

I guess Greg Robinson is available in a pinch.