Game On The Line. Offense Chasing a Lead or Defense Defending a Lead?

[kurtfaulk]

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Title says it all.

2 mins to go.

Do you want Stafford driving down the field when the Rams are behind and a td wins the game.

Or do you want the defense trying to defend a lead when a td wins the game?

While I would rather the Rams had the lead i would be more confident with Stafford driving down the field chasing the win.

Maybe it will be different with Lake coming back and the pass rush has a chance to get to the qb. But I'd have to see it first.

.

 

[Noregar]

Sort of Depends on the opponent.

EG Both sides failed in Settle. Although Rams finally scored a TD in overtime the offense had a chance to just drive in FG range to win and still failed.

After beating Seattle the first time all of the Rams wins have been pretty convincing margins while they lost all three of the close games they were in. I love this team and the talent but I am not sure they have what it takes to win it all and most of that comes down to lack of confidence in the defense and special teams.

So give me Stafford and the deficet.

 

[sloramfan]

right now? the offense

 

[duanevalle22]

The Rams offense has put the defense in compromising positions. Finally watching the Rams last weekend illustrates what the offense should be doing when you have a team on the ropes..... You step all over the facemasks of the defense and score. It has to be difficult for a defense to watch an offense go into limp mode, knowing you're only going to get maybe two minutes to catch your breath and back on the field to try and contain an offense that is desperate to score.

 

[Ellard80]

The Rams offense has put the defense in compromising positions. Finally watching the Rams last weekend illustrates what the offense should be doing when you have a team on the ropes..... You step all over the facemasks of the defense and score. It has to be difficult for a defense to watch an offense go into limp mode, knowing you're only going to get maybe two minutes to catch your breath and back on the field to try and contain an offense that is desperate to score.

the rams offense did struggle muc h of the 4th quarter against seattle. However they still drove into fg range for a possible game winner and scored a td in overtime.

37 pts and a 581 total yards which is the most seattle had ever given up in its history.

You are also completley disregarding the fact the seattles defense is top 3 and perhaps the best in the nfl.

The 49ners had back to back games of 42 points and scored 3 pts at home against seattle.

the notion that the offense put the defense in a "comprimusing situation" in that game is disregarding the majority of the game and the caliber of the opponent.

37 pts wins 97% of nfl games.

 

[Ellard80]

In regards to this thread its a bit unfair because most teams struggle stopping teams at the end of the game..its just a difficult strategic situation.

However are offense #1 in total yards and points.

On defense we rank 17th in yardage and 10th in.pts which is solid and enough to win it all.

But no bones about it offense is this teams bread basket.

 

[duanevalle22]

the notion that the offense put the defense in a "compromising situation" in that game is disregarding the majority of the game and the caliber of the opponent.

I disagree..... Small segments of a game can be the primary mitigating factor why a team loses.

For example:

When an offense punts the ball 4x and ST misses a field goal in the final 9 minutes of a quarter of a game, it diminishes (not disregards) anything that put the team (Rams) in a position to have a 16 point lead in the final 9 minutes. It's all a matter of what stands out the most when a team blows a game they should have one.

You're just assuming that all other factors are being disregarded, to help substantiate a point of you wanting to be 100% correct in your response.

 

[PARAM]

The Rams offense has put the defense in compromising positions. Finally watching the Rams last weekend illustrates what the offense should be doing when you have a team on the ropes..... You step all over the facemasks of the defense and score. It has to be difficult for a defense to watch an offense go into limp mode, knowing you're only going to get maybe two minutes to catch your breath and back on the field to try and contain an offense that is desperate to score.

The offense has AVERAGED 34.4 PPG from week 7 through week 18. We went 9-3 and won 1 game when we scored less than 34 points. If you consider scoring 28 points (L @ Carolina) or 37 points (L @ Seattle) compromising position, then yeah, the offense has put the D in compromising positions. Hell we scored 24 point @Atlanta and that would have been enough to win 4 of the first 6 games of the year. Truth is, the defense has been a lot less than stellar since the beginning of the season. They've allowed almost 28 PPG (27.8) the last 6 weeks and I'm pretty sure we can't blame that on the offense.

In answer to the question posed, at this point in time, I want the ball in Stafford's hands down 6 rather than the other way around.

 

[Ellard80]

I disagree..... Small segments of a game can be the primary mitigating factor why a team loses.

For example:

When an offense punts the ball 4x and ST misses a field goal in the final 9 minutes of a quarter of a game, it diminishes (not disregards) anything that put the team (Rams) in a position to have a 16 point lead in the final 9 minutes. It's all a matter of what stands out the most when a team blows a game they should have one.

You're just assuming that all other factors are being disregarded, to help substantiate a point of you wanting to be 100% correct in your response.

Up 16 with 8 min left the offense should literally do nothing but hand off and you should win. The punt return completley fucked the game..

So yeah the offense getting some first downs there would be beneficial but no way you lose that game even if they dont.

 

[duanevalle22]

Up 16 with 8 min left the offense should literally do nothing but hand off and you should win.

So yeah the offense getting some first downs there would be beneficial but no way you lose that game even if they dont.

1970's - 80's NFL football I might agree.... Todays game you have hit it hard until 0:00 is showing on the clock in the 4th quarter.

 

[majrleaged]

Sort of Depends on the opponent.

EG Both sides failed in Settle. Although Rams finally scored a TD in overtime the offense had a chance to just drive in FG range to win and still failed.

After beating Seattle the first time all of the Rams wins have been pretty convincing margins while they lost all three of the close games they were in. I love this team and the talent but I am not sure they have what it takes to win it all and most of that comes down to lack of confidence in the defense and special teams.

So give me Stafford and the deficet.

Rams did drive into FG range against philly, against SF, and against the hawks. So stafford definately.

 

[Ellard80]

1970's - 80's NFL football I might agree.... Todays game you have hit it hard until 0:00 is showing on the clock in the 4th quarter.

I get where you coming from but simple math and anaylitcs would say just turn dont the ball over and you win.

"hitting it hard" until the end sounds cool but might actually increase your chances if the losing...especially i this situation.
A sack fumble or int and now your really effed up.

In a one score game 100% you need to be aggressive but up 16 with 8 min left.."hitting it hard" is actually likley a bad decision

Tbh the rams would have even been better served to kneel it out than incompletions on 3rd down

 

[dieterbrock]

If it's a 2 point game, would you rather have the ball trailing or on defense leading?
I'd have to go with the offense
If its a 6 point game either way, I'd rather be on defense with the lead

 

[Mojo Ram]

Offense

By a country mile. My answer is still the same even when our D was playing lights out.

1) This offense (a McVay offense) is better when facing adversity than it is when front running.

2) This defense and most defenses play soft when defending a lead.

3) The NFL is not a safe place to be when trying to close out a game anymore. A lot of massaging going on to set up lead changes late in games.

“Unbelievable!” Is it though?

 

[duanevalle22]

The offense has AVERAGED 34.4 PPG from week 7 through week 18. We went 9-3 and won 1 game when we scored less than 34 points. If you consider scoring 28 points (L @ Carolina) or 37 points (L @ Seattle) compromising position, then yeah, the offense has put the D in compromising positions. Hell we scored 24 point @Atlanta and that would have been enough to win 4 of the first 6 games of the year. Truth is, the defense has been a lot less than stellar since the beginning of the season. They've allowed almost 28 PPG (27.8) the last 6 weeks and I'm pretty sure we can't blame that on the offense.

In answer to the question posed, at this point in time, I want the ball in Stafford's hands down 6 rather than the other way around.

I don't look at football through beans counter lens. There can always be mitigating factors why an offense or defense may have stretches of not being successful as it should be. So for me to look at a remedial ending stat line really doesn't tell me much in the larger scheme of a game progression.

My view has always been the Rams offense needs to score 30 plus to win games. To me it was obvious the Rams secondary was going to give up points, and early on to my surprise they were better than expected, but it just took one injury (Lake) to set the Rams defense back. And the same could be said for the Rams offense losing Adams and Higbee, though there is no excuse for punting the ball 4x in 5 minutes of possession, especially when having Stafford and Puka at your disposal.

 

[OldSchool]

the rams offense did struggle muc h of the 4th quarter against seattle. However they still drove into fg range for a possible game winner and scored a td in overtime.

37 pts and a 581 total yards which is the most seattle had ever given up in its history.

You are also completley disregarding the fact the seattles defense is top 3 and perhaps the best in the nfl.

The 49ners had back to back games of 42 points and scored 3 pts at home against seattle.

the notion that the offense put the defense in a "comprimusing situation" in that game is disregarding the majority of the game and the caliber of the opponent.

37 pts wins 97% of nfl games.

7 of those 38 came from the ST and the defense gave the offense a drive starting at the Seattle 1. All three phases lost that game.

 

[Ellard80]

7 of those 38 came from the ST and the defense gave the offense a drive starting at the Seattle 1. All three phases lost that game.

Punt return was what fucked the game the most.

 

[rdlkgliders]

Chase,
I want our stronger unit and best 2 players on the field taking it to the opponent.

 

[duanevalle22]

Punt return was what fucked the game the most.

With knowing the Rams ST's is subpar, one would think prior to punting, maybe getting a few first downs to get better field position and running some time off the clock might put the ST's in a little better position to punt on a shorter field.

 

[DzRams]

Up 16 with 8 min left the offense should literally do nothing but hand off and you should win. The punt return completley fucked the game..

So yeah the offense getting some first downs there would be beneficial but no way you lose that game even if they dont.

Even without a punt return, if the offense doesn’t get at least a few first downs, you're vulnerable for an upset. The defense can also give up an explosive play resulting in a quick score like we saw the other day in Arizona after the fake punt.

Bottom line, eight minutes left is way too much time to say it's ok to go into a shell.