zn wrote:

That was a running commentary (so to speak) in chat. Where’s the run game, where’s the run game. It’s a running commentary (so to speak) in twitter. Maybe the post-game articles will come up with something to explain it, other than it just being McVay mishandling playcalling.

And Stafford was way off in that game. Plus, lucky thing that unlike the Rams, the Bears defenders don’t know how to catch the ball. Nacua, under these conditions, was not his usual dominant self, though he came through a number of times (he caught only 50%).

But here’s what I saw that I didn’t expect. Remember earlier in the season when the Rams defense included good secondary play? Well as much as this group can do that, it did it. The secondary was tighter this game than in the last few games.

In the end what won it for the Rams (IMO) were 2 things. The INTs, and Stafford, in spite of a rough game, being steady eddy when it counted. No matter what happened (sacked 4 times, less than 50% completions) he bounced back up and engineered enough scoring drives to win it. It was clear this was not the Rams usual offensive dominance, cause it was in snow and wind and cold on the road…so the game came down to them toughing it out to do just enough to win. For that to happen Stafford had to be unflappable and just keep slugging away. He did it. Remember this is a comeback overtime win for him (comebacks count against ties).

It might sound odd, but I am glad Caleb Williams came through with huge plays. I am glad he was everything he was advertized to be. Including that impossible tying TD at the close of regulation. First, because it was fun to see–in spite of it coming at the Rams expense. But also because this way, the Rams beat them in spite of a good showing by Williams. He wasn’t like Stroud falling apart for the Texans. No, Williams was everything he was supposed to be, but the Rams toughed out a win nevertheless.

I like that post.

I expected this game to feature an emphasis on running, with screens and 10-12 yard passes mixed in, and the occasional “keep-em-honest” shots downfield on 2nd and 2. And here’s Stafford wildly missing receivers again and again. Was it bad traction so WRs didn’t get where they were supposed to? I don’t think so. For the icy conditions, we actually didn’t see a lot of slipping on the field. Cold? Sprained finger? I dunno. Off game from Stafford, though, and another one of those games (which he has cut waaay down on) where McVay seems to call plays like he’s playing Madden in his den. What are you doing? And we’re all very lucky that none of those errant throws came down in the arms of a defender because many of them were not even close.

You’re absolutely right about the secondary play. It was tighter than it’s been since Lake’s injury, and it may not be coincidence that we Lake had his name called out on crucial plays here and there. (How about that highlight tackle?). And as much as – at the time – I had a WTF? reaction to Durant being way off Kmet, that was a tough ask: to track some guy for 20 seconds all over creation. He couldn’t watch Kmet AND Caleb at the same time and that pass did not get thrown in the ordinary amount of time. And you just have to give it up to Caleb Williams. I’m sure you all thought, as I did, when the pocket broke down and Williams went into full retreat that the game was over. That pass had to have single-digit probability of success. It was a ridiculous play. If that had been a game-winner, we would see that highlight from time-to-time for the next 40 years, along with the Immaculate Reception and the Dwight Clark catch. So the secondary was the difference in this game. Credit to the DL for getting relentless pressure (although no sacks) on Williams all night. The defense held Chicago to 17. That’s getting the job done.

And I like your point about Stafford. It’s hard to believe this offense is statistically comparable to the GSOT bc the GSOT looked effortless. This group looks like the lunch pail variety of offense. I have confidence in Stafford. He can have long, ineffective stretches, but there is a “winning time” switch in him. He just cannot be demoralized or rattled.

The Rams nearly got bounced last week, and nearly got bounced this week, but strangely, I never got that sinking feeling in either game.

Next week will be epic.

Yeah, a win is a win.

The Rams gutted it out against the Panthers, and gutted it out against the Bears. They don’t seem to do anything the easy way this season.

I’m never comfortable unless they are up by two scores, but they have a knack for coughing up a two score lead. But somehow, they just get it done.

The Rams and Bears both have good offenses, but the Rams have a better defense. And in the end, that was the difference. The Rams’ defense just held up a bit better than the Bears’.

I don’t understand McVay’s play-calling sometimes. Under these conditions, with a clear superiority in the ground game over the Bears’ defense, he…throws 75% of the time? WTF?

What jolly good fun!

Zooey wrote:

Have we considered running the ball? Especially since Stafford is missing everyone by 15′, and the Bears can’t stop the run?

45 plays so far. 11 rushes. WTF?

I don’t think McVay should be reading this board during a game, but I’m glad he is.

It is 89 degrees here in Singapore, with a 22% chance of rain.

Let’s get this done.

wv wrote:

So, the 49ers have all these injuries, but are they all coming back next year? Are they gonna be a force next year?

I’m afraid I have to think that the answer to that is yes.

They were a force this year with a staggering number of injuries to key players. And while I don’t watch them much at all outside Rams games, I do peek at them from time-to-time, and I hear a few samples of what the local radio sports dudes say when I’m in the car, and I just don’t think there was much “fluke” in their record this year. At some point you have to acknowledge that they aren’t over-achieving. You can’t simply win 12 games in the NFL, even against a last-place schedule, unless you’re really pretty good. That defense got the job done again and again without its 2 All-Pro players in Bosa and Warner, and without its #1 draft pick DL Mykal Williams. And the offense go the job done again and again without Trent Williams, Brock Purdy, Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall, and George Kittle for some/most/all of the season.

Christian McCaffrey played all season, though. I think he’s their MVP. In fact, there’s no doubt in my mind. McCaffrey is crucial to their offense. He put up HOF production levels this year, actually. I think he would be a slam dunk HOF guy if it weren’t for his injury history. He’s been hurt a lot, and the RB position has a short shelf life, as we all know. He’s played 9 years, although 3 of those were mostly washed out with injuries. Still, he has had 6 full seasons in which he’s stayed healthy, and he is clearly a force when he does so. He showed no signs of diminished or fading play this year, so I’m expecting him to be every bit as good next year.

All of those guys will be ready to go in camp (except Aiyuk, who’s divorce from SF is inevitable). Trent Williams and Nick Bosa are the only two who will possibly be diminished players, but since they are both elite at their positions, being diminished is still better than most guys at their positions. And any hope that Brock Purdy was a lucky beginner whose shortcomings would be exposed is gone. The 9ers redeemed themselves from the Trey Lance disaster by getting a borderline pro bowl QB with the last pick in the draft. He’s going to be in SF for a long, long time.

And how well they played this season is a reflection of outstanding coaching. They could well lose Salah, but it starts at the top. Shanahan is every bit as capable of managing an ongoing influx of coaches as McVay is. Both of these guys have replaced many coordinators in the 9 years they’ve been in the league, and I don’t think either one has failed to find a solid replacement. Shanahan was starting to have a few skeptics among the fan base after last year, but he’s put all that to rest by giving the fans here a very memorable season when they were completely demoralized after Bosa, then Warner were lost. They resigned themselves to a second consecutive miserable season, and Shanahan had them believing they could go all the way by the end, and with Kittle’s injury just adding an exclamation point to their season, the 49er faithful is pretty damn happy with this season, and will be all on board next year. And John Lynch has been a pretty good general manager. Their drafts have been pretty good, although their last 2 first round picks have been hurt a lot, and haven’t made waves. Yet.

The 49ers are a really good football team, and they are going to be a problem next year. A big problem.

• This reply was modified 3 months ago by Zooey.

zn wrote:

Zooey wrote:

That’s the shot I want to see again.

If you find it, post it here. I’m curious myself.

I cannot find it. I’ve been looking. It was AFTER the clip you have, and that clip is common,the one up to the ruling. But after that, once play resumed, they revisited it with 3 or 4 more clips, all but one of which we had seen before, but the first one was straight up the gut. They showed it only one time. That’s the one I want to see again a couple times. And I haven’t found it. It’ll turn up eventually, I think.

Let me just say that there is no way on god’s green earth that the Broncos can beat Houston with Jarrett Stidham at QB, a guy who hasn’t thrown a pass since 2023.

I hope the Drew Maye magic can last one more game.

InvaderRam wrote:

seahawks look good.

They do, but also the 49ers look like the team they should have been all season. Somehow they were playing for the #1 seed the last week of the season when they had lost Bosa, Warner, Kittle, Purdy, Aiyuk, Pearsall, Bethune, and 1st round draft choice Williams for large chunks if not the entire season, and just kept winning somehow.

This day was bound to come.

I was just hoping it was going to be next week at SoFi.

Meanwhile, the 49ers haven’t overcome the time zone difference.

wv wrote:

I do have a soft-spot for the Bills though. That team is cursed.

Another gut-wrenching loss for Buffalo. Former Ram Brandin Cooks has the ball taken from him, and then former Ram Tre’Davious White commits a terrible DPI.

wv wrote:

Bears 27
Rams 23

Rams defense sucks.
On the road.
California team playing In the frigid-arctic tundra.
Bears defense great at creating turnovers.
Caleb has a QB-rating 17 points higher when he plays in Chicago.
(7 game-winning 4th-quarter-drives in 2025.)

w
v

I got no idea. Nothing would surprise me at this point, except a Bears’ blowout. I think the Rams will win because I think they’re better overall, but I expect the outcome to be in doubt until the waning moments. I’m not a bettor, but I wouldn’t have bet on the Rams to cover last week, and I wouldn’t bet on them to cover this week, either.

Next week, though. When they play the 49ers, who will undoubtedly win today even though McCaffrey will break his ribs on the opening drive, I think that’s when the Rams cover and blow the doors off the 49ers.

zn wrote:

Zooey wrote:

7 out of 60.

Got it.

Which leads me to ask, how many of the 12 wildcard week teams were top 10 in OL play during the season?

Chicago, LAR, SF, Buffalo, Phil, Pitt. 6.

How many were bottom 10?

LAC, Houston, Jax.

How many of the remaining 8 have top 10 OLs? Denver, Chicago, LAR, SF, Buffalo. 5.

I have no idea what that tells us, if anything. It’s just the kind of question I like to ask.

Well, let’s see…

6 over 10 is 6/10, or 60% , multiplied by 5 = 300.

So Matthew Stafford should pass for 300 yards behind that line. It’s just math.

zn wrote:

Los Angeles Rams PR@TheLARamsPR
Coleman Shelton finished with the 7th-highest Pass Blocking Grade (82.1) among all offensive linemen in Wild Card Weekend (min 80% snaps played), according to @PFF.

Wild Card weekend = 12 teams x 5 OL = 60.

7 out of 60.

Got it.