20 Random Some Blame, No Shame, Tough Game Thoughts

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OntarioRam

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Goff may have beat his old team, but he beat his old team in a rebuild year. Come back to me when he beats a Rams team that's predicted to win the super bowl, and not 3 games the entire season.
Kind of agree. And I am a huge Goff fan. I loved him in LA and continue to defend him on these boards. Don't get me wrong. Goff played well! But it was nothing special. Except for one throw where he really threaded the needle over the middle where I think Whiterspoon (?) almost got it, his throws were mostly to wide open WRs, as he stood in the pocket without a Ram even in the vicinity. Not many times (or at all?) did he have to really put good touch on the ball, fit it in a tight window, place it where the defenders could not make a play on it, or even throw it deep. But course, that is hardly Goff's fault! I thought Stafford was more impressive. And he did it getting beat up. His throws were of much greater difficulty.
 
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Tano

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We gotta start calling something better than "the deep shot" on third down. 3 times tonight alone where we just chucked the ball up on third down for it to fall to the turf.
Yeah I told my wife that they should go for the first down on third down and go for the deeper shots on 1st down or 2nd and short.
 

Ramrocket

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Thanks.

I'll do one or two more weekly lists, then switch to a more situational schedule during the offseason. I'm sure I'll have plenty of random things to say about free agency and the draft!
Love your work! Appreciate the effort
 

Tano

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Kind of agree. And I am a huge Goff fan. I loved him in LA and continue to defend him on these boards. Don't get me wrong. Goff played well! But it was nothing special. Except for one throw where he really threaded the needle over the middle where I think (Whiterspoon?) almost got it, his throws were mostly to wide open WRs, as he stood in the pocket without a Ram even in the vicinity. Not many times did he have to really put good touch on the ball, fit it in a tight window, place it where the defenders could not make a play on it, or even throw it deep. I thought Stafford was more impressive. And he did it getting beat up. His throws were of much greater difficulty.
I agree and I am also a Goff fan. But as I have always said - if you give Goff a clean pocket - he will rip you to shreds like he did in the first half. The second half we stopped the run and made sure Goff did not have a clean pocket. I don't think he has the ability to make plays on his own.
 

PhillyRam

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I hope so. I blame Hoecht a lot for our first half woes. And then to miss the tackle at the end of the game was just icing on the cake.
I don't blame Hoecht, he is playing out of position. He needs to be a 3rd down interior rusher like Morgan Fox was. He did what he could at OLB... Next yr get a legit guy who can rush and cover. Simple as that.

Their weaknesses showed today. Need to be a little better running ball along the OL and the front seven needs to be more physical with a little more size to better handle the run game, while adding more juice to the pass rush with a more athletic edge.

Then of course add a top level CB in FA and draft a guy high.

Guys like Jonah Williams, Rozeboom, and Hoecht among others, need to be replaced with with better athletes and more physical players.
 

Ram_Rally

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Yeah I told my wife that they should go for the first down on third down and go for the deeper shots on 1st down or 2nd and short.
I love our aggressive attitude but we need to just keep the chains moving sometimes.
 

Tano

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I don't blame Hoecht, he is playing out of position. He needs to be a 3rd down interior rusher like Morgan Fox was. He did what he could at OLB... Next yr get a legit guy who can rush and cover. Simple as that.

Their weaknesses showed today. Need to be a little better running ball along the OL and the front seven needs to be more physical with a little more size to better handle the run game, while adding more juice to the pass rush with a more athletic edge.

Then of course add a top level CB in FA and draft a guy high.

Guys like Jonah Williams, Rozeboom, and Hoecht among others, need to be replaced with with better athletes and more physical players.
I did add another post where I said I do like Hoecht on the DL. He should never have been made an OLB. But as others have said, who else do we put there.

But I had a huge feeling this season that Hoecht was probably going to cost us a game by trying to cover receivers outside instead of being on the line of scrimmage.

Edit - when I saw Higbee beat Rozeboom across the middle in a preseason practice by 10 yards, I did not want Rozeboom to be a starter or even on the team other than maybe special teams. He is just so slow. But same question - who do we replace him with? Hummel?
 

I like Rams

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Kind of agree. And I am a huge Goff fan. I loved him in LA and continue to defend him on these boards. Don't get me wrong. Goff played well! But it was nothing special. Except for one throw where he really threaded the needle over the middle where I think (Whiterspoon?) almost got it, his throws were mostly to wide open WRs, as he stood in the pocket without a Ram even in the vicinity. Not many times (or at all?) did he have to really put good touch on the ball, fit it in a tight window, place it where the defenders could not make a play on it, or even throw it deep. But course, that is hardly Goff's fault! I thought Stafford was more impressive. And he did it getting beat up. His throws were of much greater difficulty.
I'm a big Goff fan, but he wasn't playing against a Rams team like the ones he was on. So while yes, the story line technically was true, it is also true he was playing a Rams team that was playing with house money.

As far as Staff playing, he made some SICK no look passes this game. Staff was on fire. Just wish the oline would have kept him from getting hit so much.
 

HE WITH HORNS

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I'm not going to root for the Detroit Kneecaps to win another game, ever.
They were literally headhunting and going for the knees.
It will be amazing if Higbee doesn't have an ACL.
 

JimY53

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They definitely dialed up pressure with Jones more in the second half, but part of that was due to a much better job of stopping the run on first down, which set up more obvious passing situations.

5 of 6 blitzes in 1st half

View: https://x.com/53_jim70721/status/1746769869834539177?s=20

3 of 5 in 2nd half but he got 2 sacks ... 8 blitzes in 9 third downs, one second and very long and a fourth down that was a no-play.. was going to be a blitz...or a blitz sim


View: https://x.com/53_jim70721/status/1746774202919665952?s=20
 
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JimY53

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20. We'll be back!!!
Rams a year ahead. This season was the rebuild. 2024 is the run for the Super Bowl... need edge, CB --- have money to sign people... if Stafford stays healthy ... this will be a very good team next year...
 

Texram

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Morris did a great job with limited talent. FA edge is needed. Watching Darnold double teamed every snap hurts my heart. Talent in the back end of our defense was rough. If we were to draft an edge and cb and space eating DT 1, 2, and 3 I would not be disappointed.

Great job by McVay scheming open receivers. I'm concerned that Cupp is at the tail end of a great career. We will need new talent at receiver. Williams and the offensive line was a joy to watch. Believe we need to draft a rb as a 1b to Williams.

What a pleasure to see a re-energized McVay and veteran players feeding off the exuberant rookies.

Next year will be fun.
 

Flint

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I agree and I am also a Goff fan. But as I have always said - if you give Goff a clean pocket - he will rip you to shreds like he did in the first half. The second half we stopped the run and made sure Goff did not have a clean pocket. I don't think he has the ability to make plays on his own.
I’m happy for Jared and I’m glad he has come back from the way it went down in LA, but the old Jared made an appearance, the rams just weren’t able to capitalize on it. Once you get past the emotion of it all the 2 qbs at the center of it all are still the same. Give Goff a clean pocket and he can go 10 in a row with 3tds In a half, but knock him around some and he’ll throw a “wtf Jared!” pass like he did when he threw it backwards to avoid a sack.
Stafford is one tough SOB just like he was in Detroit, I didn’t think for one second that whatever happened to his hand would keep him out, he’s got all that shit, side arm, submarine, no look, 98 mph fastball, and he’s going to keep getting up like the terminator.
I would love for Detroit to take out the niners but that pass rush is much better and you can’t triple team all those guys so Jared will have to hold it together.
 

XXXIVwin

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We gotta start calling something better than "the deep shot" on third down. 3 times tonight alone where we just chucked the ball up on third down for it to fall to the turf.
Don't forget the beautiful long TD pass to Puka on 3rd and 1.
 

JimY53

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QB Matthew Stafford completed 25-of-36 passes for 367 yards
and two touchdowns with a passer rating of 120.9.
• WR Puka Nacua finished the game with nine receptions for 181
yards and one touchdown. He set the NFL rookie record for most
receiving yards in a playoff game. Additionally, he set a new
franchise record for most receiving yards in a Wild Card game. The
last time a Rams receiver recorded 100+ yards receiving in a Wild
Card game was Robert Woods in 2017.
• With five receptions, WR Cooper Kupp passed Marshall Faulk (49)
and became the franchise leader in postseason receptions.
• WR Demarcus Robinson finished the game with three receptions
for 44 yards.
• WR Tutu Atwell recorded the first postseason touchdown of his
career. He finished the game with one reception for 38 yards.
• RB Kyren Williams led the team in rushing with 13 carries for 61
yards (4.7 avg).
• RB Ronnie Rivers finished the game with three carries for nine
yards and three receptions for 35 yards.


• LB Ernest Jones recorded nine tackles (four solo), 2.0 sacks, one tackle
for loss, two quarterback hits, one forced fumble, four pressures, and
three hurries. With 2.0 sacks, he recorded the most in his career in the
postseason.
• DB Quentin Lake finished the game with nine tackles (four solo).
• OLB Michael Hoecht totaled six tackles (two solo), 0.5 sacks, two
quarterback hits, four pressures, and two hurries.
• LB Christian Rozeboom finished the game with four tackles (two solo)
and one tackle for loss.
• OLB Byron Young recorded three solo tackles, one tackle for loss, two
pressures, and two hurries.
• NT Kobie Turner totaled one tackle, 0.5 sacks, two quarterback hits, two
pressures, and one hurry.
• DE Jonah Williams finished the game with three tackles (two solo) and
one tackle for loss

• K Brett Maher converted 2-of-2 extra point attempts and 3-of-3 field goal attempts.
• P Ethan Evans punted two times for 93 yards (46.5 yards/punt).
• The Rams offense finished with 22 first downs and the Lions had 23.
• The Rams offense had a 33.3% third down conversion percentage and the Lions also had a 33.3% conversion rate.
• The Rams offense totaled 425 total net yards and the Lions finished the game with 334 total net yards.
• The Rams offense ran a total of 55 offensive plays and the Lions also ran 55.
• The Rams time of possession was 30:05 and the Lions was 29:55.
• The Rams offense totaled 68 net rushing yards and the Lions totaled 79 net rushing yards.
• The Rams offense had four rushing first downs and 15 passing first downs. The Lions had six rushing first downs
and 16 passing first downs.
 

Oregonram

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Sean allows himself to get too one dimensional at times. Kyren Williams was the difference maker in our playoff run, but tonight just 13 touches????? Why make Matt throw one haymaker after another when his RB was averaging 4.7 yards per carry. Would have been nice to eat clock in the first half on long drives while working the body. Whoever suckered us out of running is partly why we lost. KW has a nose for the goal line and great vision…but to Chuck one fade after another looked anemic. I think Sean limited Gurley in his prime to 13 runs too in the first playoff game against the Falcons.
 

JimY53

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I don't blame Hoecht, he is playing out of position. He needs to be a 3rd down interior rusher like Morgan Fox was. He did what he could at OLB... Next yr get a legit guy who can rush and cover. Simple as that.
Yep. It's either him or Hampton or Thomas ... Rams need to invest FA money to get a replacement or draft one in the first round ... he's a guy you can keep around for what you say, a wave rusher, someone to be used in packages ... he's just a guy and will always be just a guy. but for depth --- that is okay. Just not a starter.
 

oldnotdead

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The Rams lost a tough game by a single point to a team I don't hate.

The Rams lost IMO mostly because as has been shown all season this defense doesn't know how to tackle. Their technique is pure shit. McVay needs to set aside time in OTAs and TC to coach proper technique for tackling. Poor tackling and self-inflicted wounds are not a winning recipe. Their margin was incredibly small going in and leaving 12 points on the board by settling for FGs instead of TDs cost them a comfortable win.

This is a young team that got tremendous experience going forward. They proved to themselves they are good enough to compete with the best right now if they simply don't make mistakes. The Rams look to be a formidable team next season. Put this season to bed, fire Blackburn on Tuesday and time to move on prepping for next season.

IMO Snead probably has 90%+ of his draft board created already. I think they will likely "promote" Morris to consultant to free him up to search for a HC gig. Promote Pleasant and Lake. Fire Blackburn and hire a new STs coach.

The draft is at the end of April which means the staff and FO will probably take most of February through the beginning of April off as their vacation time before gearing up for the draft and the start of the offseason program.

Me it's time for me to do my fishing. The weather should begin to get better every week from here until the monsoons in the summer. Yeah this was a good season, filled with hope an excitement. As long as Goff is still playing for his ring, I will casually follow the Lions. But the minute they are done I will put the lid on the NFL 2023 season.

Hope all of you have a good offseason. Maggie is trying to talk me into going to training camp but we will see. This is the first year she has been completely invested in the whole Ram fandom. Probably going to take a vacation for a few weeks in MX. Yeah it's not like the doom and gloom that ended the 2022 season. Enjoy the downtime brothers.
 

Londoner

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The draft is at the end of April which means the staff and FO will probably take most of February through the beginning of April off as their vacation time before gearing up for the draft and the start of the offseason program.
Free Agency starts on 13th March. Do you expect the Rams not to be involved?