20 Random Back on Track Thoughts

[AvengerRam]

1. A bit messy, and some fourth quarter nail-biting, but a very solid win in the end.

2. We really needed that one.

3. Matthew Stafford had an uneven night. He revealed after the game that he dislocated his finger and popped it back in (been there, done that). That might account for some of the errant throws. He's a tough guy, though, and made more than enough plays in the end.

4. Robert Woods had a great "remember me?" performance.

5. And Cooper Kupp did his thing too!

6. Darrell Henderson and Sony Michel combined for 28 carries, 119 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs, and 2 receptions for 25 yards. When we lost Cam Akers, we were justifiably worried, but our RB corps really did their job tonight.

7. The defense also was a bit uneven, but overall, you have to like the night they put together, holding the Seahawks to 354 yards, 5.9 yards per play, and forcing two turnovers. They were lights out in the 3rd quarter when the Rams turned the game around.

8. Geno Smith played well in the fourth quarter. He may play again, as I would not be surprised if it turns out that Russell Wilson broke his middle finger (Pete Carroll just said it was a bad sprain, but we'll see).

9. Aaron Donald is playing well, as usual.

10. Leonard Floyd was in the backfield and Wilson's face all day.

12. Terrell Lewis is starting to be a player you really notice on the field.

13. We're definitely having a problem at the 3rd CB spot. I think Rochelle (who, after some bad plays, made a nice play in the end zone in the 4th quarter) is the guy with the most upside.

14. What happened to Terrell Burgess? Seems like he should have a role.

15. Matt Gay had a bad night, but hit an important FG at the end to somewhat redeem himself.

16. That double-punt was one of the oddest plays I've ever seen, and I'm not sure the refs got it right.

17. Certainly was one of the least productive blocked punts in the end.

18. Great thing about a Thursday night win is you get those extra days to rest while basking in the glow of victory.

19. Next three opponents: Giants, Lions, Texans. There are no gimmees in this league, but let's just say there is an opportunity there.

20. Sean McVay is 6-3 (regular season) and 1-0 (playoffs) against the Seahawks. Those Seattle fan must really hate us!

 

[SteezyEndo]

1. A bit messy, and some fourth quarter nail-biting, but a very solid win in the end.

2. We really needed that one.

3. Matthew Stafford had an uneven night. He revealed after the game that he dislocated his finger and popped it back in (been there, done that). That might account for some of the errant throws. He's a tough guy, though, and made more than enough plays in the end.

4. Robert Woods had a great "remember me?" performance.

5. And Cooper Kupp did his thing too!

6. Darrell Henderson and Sony Michel combined for 28 carries, 119 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs, and 2 receptions for 25 yards. When we lost Cam Akers, we were justifiably worried, but our RB corps really did their job tonight.

7. The defense also was a bit uneven, but overall, you have to like the night they put together, holding the Seahawks to 354 yards, 5.9 yards per play, and forcing two turnovers. They were lights out in the 3rd quarter when the Rams turned the game around.

8. Geno Smith played well in the fourth quarter. He may play again, as I would not be surprised if it turns out that Russell Wilson broke his middle finger (Pete Carroll just said it was a bad sprain, but we'll see).

9. Aaron Donald is playing well, as usual.

10. Leonard Floyd was in the backfield and Wilson's face all day.

12. Terrell Lewis is starting to be a player you really notice on the field.

13. We're definitely having a problem at the 3rd CB spot. I think Rochelle (who, after some bad plays, made a nice play in the end zone in the 4th quarter) is the guy with the most upside.

14. What happened to Terrell Burgess? Seems like he should have a role.

15. Matt Gay had a bad night, but hit an important FG at the end to somewhat redeem himself.

16. That double-punt was one of the oddest plays I've ever seen, and I'm not sure the refs got it right.

17. Certainly was one of the least productive blocked punts in the end.

18. Great thing about a Thursday night win is you get those extra days to rest while basking in the glow of victory.

19. Next three opponents: Giants, Lions, Texans. There are no gimmees in this league, but let's just say there is an opportunity there.

20. Sean McVay is 6-3 (regular season) and 1-0 (playoffs) against the Seahawks. Those Seattle fan must really hate us!

In a nutshell everything you say is true. We got an elite squad, that we seem to forget we even have. Just need to start utilizing our squad to our advantage.

 

[Angry Ram]

MS gotta take care of the football better too. That's a 3 - 7 pt swing right there. TOs in back to back weeks. Need a stronger game against some weaker opponents then next 3 weeks.

 

[LouisvilleRam]

*liked #10 Floyd was a beast tonight

 

[Zodi]

Sean McVay is 6-3 (regular season) and 1-0 (playoffs) against the Seahawks.

Even crazier when you consider two of those losses came down to a then-rookie Cooper Kupp drop in the endzone and a missed game winner by Zuerlein. Two plays away from being 8-1 versus the Seahawks.

 

[Merlin]

MS gotta take care of the football better too. That's a 3 - 7 pt swing right there. TOs in back to back weeks. Need a stronger game against some weaker opponents then next 3 weeks.

I agree that INT was a lazy BS throw. And I also think he needs to play better and more consistently.

But overall Stafford is sitting at a 4-1 record. 12 TDs and 3 INTs and that's with a 9.1 yards per pass attempt (4th). 117.6 Passer Rating on the year (3rd). And our maligned offense is at 54% third down conversion percentage (2nd) and 6th in the league in scoring.

Maybe some stats from tonight's game need to load still or whatever but either way QB is now not a primary concern for this team.

 

[FaulkSF]

Even crazier when you consider two of those losses came down to a then-rookie Cooper Kupp drop in the endzone and a missed game winner by Zuerlein. Two plays away from being 8-1 versus the Seahawks.

Not sure many players would have been able to make that fingertip grab.

@AvengerRam you do a great job with these. Great reads, loving reading these.

Seattle has some good docs. Not sure if I want to try and pop that in either if I'm the trainer. Looks like damage to mid and front digit. Popping it in would exacerbate any hairline fracture.

Hate to see a competitor go down. Wish Russ the best until we meet again

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

1. A bit messy, and some fourth quarter nail-biting, but a very solid win in the end.

2. We really needed that one.

3. Matthew Stafford had an uneven night. He revealed after the game that he dislocated his finger and popped it back in (been there, done that). That might account for some of the errant throws. He's a tough guy, though, and made more than enough plays in the end.

4. Robert Woods had a great "remember me?" performance.

5. And Cooper Kupp did his thing too!

6. Darrell Henderson and Sony Michel combined for 28 carries, 119 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs, and 2 receptions for 25 yards. When we lost Cam Akers, we were justifiably worried, but our RB corps really did their job tonight.

7. The defense also was a bit uneven, but overall, you have to like the night they put together, holding the Seahawks to 354 yards, 5.9 yards per play, and forcing two turnovers. They were lights out in the 3rd quarter when the Rams turned the game around.

8. Geno Smith played well in the fourth quarter. He may play again, as I would not be surprised if it turns out that Russell Wilson broke his middle finger (Pete Carroll just said it was a bad sprain, but we'll see).

9. Aaron Donald is playing well, as usual.

10. Leonard Floyd was in the backfield and Wilson's face all day.

12. Terrell Lewis is starting to be a player you really notice on the field.

13. We're definitely having a problem at the 3rd CB spot. I think Rochelle (who, after some bad plays, made a nice play in the end zone in the 4th quarter) is the guy with the most upside.

14. What happened to Terrell Burgess? Seems like he should have a role.

15. Matt Gay had a bad night, but hit an important FG at the end to somewhat redeem himself.

16. That double-punt was one of the oddest plays I've ever seen, and I'm not sure the refs got it right.

17. Certainly was one of the least productive blocked punts in the end.

18. Great thing about a Thursday night win is you get those extra days to rest while basking in the glow of victory.

19. Next three opponents: Giants, Lions, Texans. There are no gimmees in this league, but let's just say there is an opportunity there.

20. Sean McVay is 6-3 (regular season) and 1-0 (playoffs) against the Seahawks. Those Seattle fan must really hate us!

13. Even though Rochelle made some mistakes, his size and athleticism are a big plus over David Long imo. He should only get better as the season goes on and I hope they continue to play him.

20. I have some close friends that live in Tacoma. Its not even fun to talk smack with them anymore. They've accepted that the Rams are the better team with the better coach, and that the LoB days are long gone. I feel bad rubbing it in. I didn't even text them tonight.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I felt the refs screwed the pooch on some missed calls tonight. It was not a great performance.

I'm impressed with the discipline on this team. The Rams lead the league with only 17 penalties after five games. They are tied with the Colts who played four games. The Eagles lead with 44.

 

[Flint]

Couple questions, who the heck is Jamir Jones? And why does Stafford keep under throwing Jackson?

 

[Mackeyser]

Jamir Jones blocked the punt. We acquired him recently.

Initially, it was timing, then it was his finger.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Couple questions, who the heck is Jamir Jones? And why does Stafford keep under throwing Jackson?

Jamir Jones was an OLB on the Steelers who had a very good preseason. Right after Hollins was injured the Steelers tried to sneak him onto their practice squad. Snead claimed him.

 

[Angry Ram]

I agree that INT was a lazy BS throw. And I also think he needs to play better and more consistently.

But overall Stafford is sitting at a 4-1 record. 12 TDs and 3 INTs and that's with a 9.1 yards per pass attempt (4th). 117.6 Passer Rating on the year (3rd). And our maligned offense is at 54% third down conversion percentage (2nd) and 6th in the league in scoring.

Maybe some stats from tonight's game need to load still or whatever but either way QB is now not a primary concern for this team.

Yeah he's been streaky and starts slowly, which is aggravating but thankfully I don't ever stress of him ultimately finishing strong.

12:3 is nothing to sneeze at. I don't think he's lost a fumble either.

 

[thirteen28]

3. Matthew Stafford had an uneven night. He revealed after the game that he dislocated his finger and popped it back in (been there, done that). That might account for some of the errant throws. He's a tough guy, though, and made more than enough plays in the end.

That was a nice gut check for him dealing with adversity the way he did. Things weren't going his way at the beginning but he found a way to get on track and played pretty well once he did.

7. The defense also was a bit uneven, but overall, you have to like the night they put together, holding the Seahawks to 354 yards, 5.9 yards per play, and forcing two turnovers. They were lights out in the 3rd quarter when the Rams turned the game around.

Other than the two Geno Smith-led scoring drives, I thought they played pretty well. Better coverage in the secondary and much better contain.

20. Sean McVay is 6-3 (regular season) and 1-0 (playoffs) against the Seahawks. Those Seattle fan must really hate us!

I cannot overstate how happy this part makes me, including the part in bold. My schadenboner rages.

 

[madrid311]

Stafford misses with Jackson right now. I see quite a few completions in the future, just think of the possibilities when those 2 work it out. they will and it will be a sight to see.

 

[OntarioRam]

Good analysis.

A road win in Seattle is never easy. So first and foremost, celebrate the victory!

This offense appears to be nearly impossible to stop when it is clicking. Hopefully, it clicks a bit more often and with more consistency going forward. Stafford looked great in the first few weeks, but is now missing way more wide open and easy throws than Jared Goff ever did - that no starting QB should miss, really. He is also starting to turn the ball over. And one turnover last night was not only egregious, but in the red zone at a key juncture. Those kinds of mistakes can be fatal. They were exactly what booked Jared Goff's ticket out of town. Hopefully, it's just due to his throwing hand being a bit banged up, and it heals up fast with no serious effects. If Stafford can't throw, the season is realistically over (and the 1st rounders we traded for him wasted).

The offensive line is playing at an absolutely elite level. This, in addition to Stafford's throwing hand, is what will make or break the season, and why I currently am extremely bullish on the Ram's Super Bowl chances. Games are won and lost in the trenches. Amazing pass protection. Lots of running lanes. Hats off. Hopefully this group can stay healthy.

It's no surprise both RBs look great right now given the o-line's dominance. I still maintain that the RB position needs to be more of a time-share. Michel looks very good in his own right, is the better pass protector IMO, and offers some elements that Henderson doesn't in terms of tough running. Utilising Sony can help make our running game more diverse, and will also keep the seemingly always gimpy Henderson healthy. It's a mystery to me why the coaching staff seems determined to have a bell cow in Henderson.

Some very curious play calls by McVay last night, especially in the first half. Poor clock awareness too - some strategic timeouts could have saved flags. Not a strong performance by McVay, although he did have some bright spots too. Some beautifully schemed plays that Stafford simply missed on.And a perfect screen pass call against a blitz.

Gay had a rough night but came through when it mattered.

The defence took a step in the right direction - and Lewis in particular could be a game changing asset if he stays on the field - but the secondary is clearly an issue outside of Ramsey. I think (hope) a lot of that can be fixed with some scheme adjustments. Way too much cushion at present. Rochelle was up and down but all things considered did well for his first start. In Seattle against elite WRs. Baptism by fire. He made some nice plays. If he can become a reliable piece that will be huge. We also need Williams' ankle injury to avoid serious damage.

The long rest followed by an "easy" stretch in the schedule comes at the right time. The Rams are starting to get banged up. Hopefully positive news on Stafford, Floyd, Williams, Higbee, and Henderson who all were receiving treatment on the sidelines at points.

 

[spamlord]

Floyd had a heck of a game against the run. Multiple instances of him crashing down from the edge to make tackles for small or no gains. Glad we kept him this past offseason.

 

[ottoman89]

Floyd had a heck of a game against the run. Multiple instances of him crashing down from the edge to make tackles for small or no gains. Glad we kept him this past offseason.

And that's a big reason we resigned him. He's a nice complimentary pass rusher and had a good pass rush game yesterday, but he's an elite run stopper and his length helps a lot.

 

[poLARizing]

Heard on the radio prior to the game that Russel Wilson was 9-1 on Thursday night games. 9-2 now but still impressive.

 

[poLARizing]

On #7 - one of the announcers after they drove down to score from their own 2or 3 yard line, stated that last years defense wouldn’t have allowed that offense to drive 97 yards down like that.