Lots of Rams players gave exceeded expectations, huh?

[jacktheripper85]

Some are big names, others were lightly regarded reserves.

Let’s see…

Offense

Matthew Stafford. Yes, we all expected much from him but I think he’s exceeded even those high hopes, especially in these playoffs. No hero ball, just been lethal.

Cam Akers. I included Cam because nobody expected to see him until ‘22. Yet here he is making significant contributions in the playoffs. Amazing.

Brian Allen. Not an All Pro but he’s exceeded expectations from the spring without question.

Kendall Blanton. Yes, it was only one game but he stepped up and stood tall when Higbee was injured and really impressed his teammates in the process. He really exceeded my expectations and at a critical moment.

OBJ. Another big name but let’s be honest. His career had kinda plateaued and yet he was forced to learn a new system with a new QB on the fly after Woods’ injury. That ain’t easy. But now he has become a virtually uncoverable weapon teaming with Kupp for Stafford.

Cooper Kupp. Of course we expected a big year from Kupp, but the Triple Crown? A Cinderella season that nobody saw coming, I’m sure.

Joe Noteboom. Rams O never missed a beat when Boom had to fill in. Didn’t surprise me much but I suspect Boom exceeded the expectations of many.

Alaric Jackson. Gonna give AJ an honorable mention for that one game during the Covid restrictions where he played LOT like a 5 year vet. That was huge.


Defense

Greg Gaines. Everybody’s new BFF. He’s become a stud alongside AD right before our eyes. What a feel-good story.

ARob. Don’t look now, but ARob has morphed into a run stopping beast, especially vs Bucs and 49ers.

Von Miller. A very big name player and he cost us a 2nd and a 3rd. Heck, I was lukewarm about this trade, at best. But man, has he ever solidified that edge opposite Floyd. Been superb on contain even against very mobile QB’s and RB’s while putting good pressure on some dangerous QB’s. We’re not in the SB without him, imo. How do you put a value on all that?

Travin Howard. Such a pleasant surprise when he finally got his chance. This kid is all over the place making plays. Has hugely exceeded my expectations.

Ernest Jones. Exceeded my modest expectations for him this year before injury. I think our D got noticeably better after Jones became starter inside. Hope he can play in SB.

Nick Scott. One of the biggest surprises of all. Was drafted to be a ST stud in 7th round and now he’s playing like a Pro Bowler in these playoffs. I don’t see how Morris could possibly sit Scott now. Let Rapp sit except in special packages.

Eric Weddle. I literally rolled my eyes at this late ‘desperation’ signing. Seriously. But Dang! Weddle is not merely bringing the intangibles to this D, but is also bringing the wood. Leading tackler in 49ers game, I believe? This is kinda getting into Kurt Warner type Cinderella story territory if you ask me.

Special Teams

Generally speaking, after a very sputtering start, DeCamillis has molded the return and coverage units into among the league’s best. Kudos to one and all. Special mention for Brandon Powell as returner. I’d never heard of him and certainly didn’t expect much when he was signed. He was about the 14th candidate as returner, wasn’t he? But Wow! Has he ever been a breath of fresh air.

Well, that’s my list. Probably missed a favorite or two of yours, but it’s a helluva list, nonetheless.

Two things.

There are a lot of unsung quality assistants behind these listed players greatly involved with their respective development. I’m not gonna name names but I guarantee that McVay knows about each and every one of them. Some will likely be poached by smart teams this offseason.

The other thing is that without many of these listed players who’ve exceeded expectations the Rams don’t sniff the SB.

Great list. I’d also add Havenstein. One of his best years in my opinion.

 

[FarNorth]

Might as well start off with the Stafford debate here again.

He certainly met or exceeded expectations just for the fact that they are in the SB.

However, I will say I didn't expect to be holding my breath worrying about INTs as much as I did. He is like the relief pitcher, who often walks a couple guys in the bottom of the ninth, but then strikes out the side to end the game.

He put us in the hole in a few games, but then plays great in the 4th Q to pull it out.

Even the season itself, his slump was a big part of the 3 game losing streak and the wk 18 loss, not all his fault, but a contributor, then as a 4 seed he rallies the team to 3 wins with the last one being another one where he rallied.

So exceeded, I guess, still a four seed though and I would expect most of us thought we could have been better than that when the season started, but he rallied them to the SB for sure.

We knew Stafford was really talented. He showed it many times over with the Rams this season.

But anyone who cared to look could also see that he was inconsistent in his years with Detroit and mistake prone in more than a few games with the Rams. Whether he could play at a high level consistently in the playoffs was a legitimate question, not some made up headline.

So far Stafford has answered these questions in the playoffs with outstanding play, great plays when needed, and few mistakes.

More broadly, Stafford and McVay have answered the questions together. Each has dialed back the aggressiveness and gunslinger mentality for the playoffs to play a short and midfield passing game with more patience and precision, less risk, and more carefully planned plays down field. (Though the deep throw dropped by Tartt from inside our 10 yard line in the 4th quarter imo was an exception that could have cost us the NFC championship.)

The integration of OBJ in the offense has also been a big factor. McVay's increased use of the running game with Akers and Sony has helped the offensive balance and has enabled better play action to go deep. The stepped up, game winning play of the defensive line with Von Miller is also a plus for the offense. Stafford doesn't have to win every game on his own-- the defense can get it done too.

The best news imo is Stafford has not yet fully reached his potential to be elite yet. Just as McVay can still improve as a play caller. If Stafford and McVay continue to refine their approach to limit needless errors and sloppy habits Stafford could still take it to another level.

 

[dang]

Donald mentored/motivated Gaines early in the season. His play elevated quickly snd had remained strong. I believe the Donald mentoring/motivation finally caught a hold of Robinson. I saw Robinson hanging on every word when Donald rallied the defense on the sideline against the 69ers. Those 3 playing at 110% may be the best DL in the league. Let’s hope that continues.

 

[TexasRam]

Some are big names, others were lightly regarded reserves.

Let’s see…

Offense

Matthew Stafford. Yes, we all expected much from him but I think he’s exceeded even those high hopes, especially in these playoffs. No hero ball, just been lethal.

Cam Akers. I included Cam because nobody expected to see him until ‘22. Yet here he is making significant contributions in the playoffs. Amazing.

Brian Allen. Not an All Pro but he’s exceeded expectations from the spring without question.

Kendall Blanton. Yes, it was only one game but he stepped up and stood tall when Higbee was injured and really impressed his teammates in the process. He really exceeded my expectations and at a critical moment.

OBJ. Another big name but let’s be honest. His career had kinda plateaued and yet he was forced to learn a new system with a new QB on the fly after Woods’ injury. That ain’t easy. But now he has become a virtually uncoverable weapon teaming with Kupp for Stafford.

Cooper Kupp. Of course we expected a big year from Kupp, but the Triple Crown? A Cinderella season that nobody saw coming, I’m sure.

Joe Noteboom. Rams O never missed a beat when Boom had to fill in. Didn’t surprise me much but I suspect Boom exceeded the expectations of many.

Alaric Jackson. Gonna give AJ an honorable mention for that one game during the Covid restrictions where he played LOT like a 5 year vet. That was huge.


Defense

Greg Gaines. Everybody’s new BFF. He’s become a stud alongside AD right before our eyes. What a feel-good story.

ARob. Don’t look now, but ARob has morphed into a run stopping beast, especially vs Bucs and 49ers.

Von Miller. A very big name player and he cost us a 2nd and a 3rd. Heck, I was lukewarm about this trade, at best. But man, has he ever solidified that edge opposite Floyd. Been superb on contain even against very mobile QB’s and RB’s while putting good pressure on some dangerous QB’s. We’re not in the SB without him, imo. How do you put a value on all that?

Travin Howard. Such a pleasant surprise when he finally got his chance. This kid is all over the place making plays. Has hugely exceeded my expectations.

Ernest Jones. Exceeded my modest expectations for him this year before injury. I think our D got noticeably better after Jones became starter inside. Hope he can play in SB.

Nick Scott. One of the biggest surprises of all. Was drafted to be a ST stud in 7th round and now he’s playing like a Pro Bowler in these playoffs. I don’t see how Morris could possibly sit Scott now. Let Rapp sit except in special packages.

Eric Weddle. I literally rolled my eyes at this late ‘desperation’ signing. Seriously. But Dang! Weddle is not merely bringing the intangibles to this D, but is also bringing the wood. Leading tackler in 49ers game, I believe? This is kinda getting into Kurt Warner type Cinderella story territory if you ask me.

Special Teams

Generally speaking, after a very sputtering start, DeCamillis has molded the return and coverage units into among the league’s best. Kudos to one and all. Special mention for Brandon Powell as returner. I’d never heard of him and certainly didn’t expect much when he was signed. He was about the 14th candidate as returner, wasn’t he? But Wow! Has he ever been a breath of fresh air.

Well, that’s my list. Probably missed a favorite or two of yours, but it’s a helluva list, nonetheless.

Two things.

There are a lot of unsung quality assistants behind these listed players greatly involved with their respective development. I’m not gonna name names but I guarantee that McVay knows about each and every one of them. Some will likely be poached by smart teams this offseason.

The other thing is that without many of these listed players who’ve exceeded expectations the Rams don’t sniff the SB.

Great post and summary. It really is great to see how many players exceeded expectations.

I'll give my 2 cents here for what it's worth.

Stafford - He definitely exceeded my expectations. His regular season was what I expected. Led the league in interceptions and pick 6's but also threw for the same amount of yards Goff did in 2018 when the Oline was solid. But Stafford had more TD's and overall a slightly better QB rating. Lots can be said about the surrounding talent with Kupp for a full season in his prime and OBJ etc. But overall Stafford was able to learn the system real quick and return the Mcvay offense to 27 ppg. Not exactly 33PPG like 2018 but good enough to get us into the playoffs. Where Stafford really excelled was the playoffs. We didn't see the hero ball or inconsistent play the plagued him at times in the regular season. We saw consistent play and some big time throws. He almost threw the season away on one bonehead throw that was no where near anyone in a crucial moment in the game. But after Tart dropped the int Stafford caught fire and lead the team to the winning FG. It must be noted that Skow and Kupp dropped would be TD's so Stafford's NFC championship game was better then the stats show. He also held onto the ball when sacked. Something Goff constantly failed at. One more big game for Stafford. I believe he delivers in the Super Bowl and if he does he justifies what Mcvay saw in him.

Akers - Unbelievable comeback. I think he lacks the power of an elite back but his ability in the open field makes him a huge asset.

Allen - Not as good as PFF graded him. Better than Blythe overall but often requires help with double teams. But in the biggest games in the playoffs vs Powerful fronts Allen came through big time.

OBJ - Really close to returning to his former Pro Bowl form when on the Giants. We didn't know what we would get but we got the old good OBJ.

Blanton - Bro. Unbelievable contributions by a guy who almost never caught a pass for us. He came up huge in the biggest game and was much better than anticipated. Caught the ball in traffic and turned up field quickly to get big first downs and yards. The fact that he didn't fumble being so new to live elite contact amazes me.

Kupp - We all knew he had it but his ability to continue to get better and better and stay so consistent all year is mind blowing. Was is he at 2300 yards now for the season?

Noteboom - Big time showing the in the Tampa game. He bought himself a new contract. Not there as a run blocker yet but shows top level pass pro as a LT which is highly valued in the NFL.

Gaines - I started documenting Gaines impact last year when he started showing his explosive play. I remember one play vs Kyler Murray last year where Gaines showed his pass rushing ability. Since then I though he should be a starter. The more playing time he has got the more he has proven his worth. Great in both pass rush and the run game which turned out to be huge for us in the playoffs. His game against the Niners in the NFC championship was next level the closer you look at it. Down the stretch he made critical plays to win the game.

ARob - I don't agree with those that said ARob didn't play good in the regular season. I documented it all year. He was nails on 4th down stops and in the run game all year. His post season play has been excellent and his NFC championship game was his best game yet. Truly dominant performance in the run game.

Miller - I loved the trade and said as much. When looking at his sacks and pressures and considering his injury he still projected as the same Miller who is an elite level pass rusher and run stopper. I expected a bit of a dropoff due to age but he looks fully like the old Miller. What a late season add that will be talked about for years.

Howard - Why was this guy not in the lineup earlier? I don't get it. When he finally got his chance he showed top notch coverage skills.

Jones - I didn't think Jones had what it took to be a good player at this level. Boy was I wrong. He has shown he can be an impact player. Much better than I had expected for sure.

Scott - Scott has made some big plays for us in the playoffs. No question. He also seems to have improved overall. It's possible we found a starting safety here. It's a little early but he sure is showing everyone something right now.

Weddle - I didn't realize Weddle could still tackle and use his play recognition skills to be such an impact player for us in these playoffs. He had I think 9 or 10 tackles in that Championship game. Critical stops. The big second down tackle for Loss to force a punt at the end of the game probably saved the game for us. Incredible story. He roved between third LB and safety alot in the Championship game and showed the savy needed from the position to move presnap to confuse the QB and offense. Can he provide pass coverage vs a great Bengals pass game? We will see.

Special Teams - Incredible come back by our special teams coach to clean up the units in time for the playoff run. The Return game became a huge asset and the coverage team has been nails. One more game baby. Don't let us down!

 

[Riverumbbq]

Donald mentored/motivated Gaines early in the season. His play elevated quickly snd had remained strong. I believe the Donald mentoring/motivation finally caught a hold of Robinson. I saw Robinson hanging on every word when Donald rallied the defense on the sideline against the 69ers. Those 3 playing at 110% may be the best DL in the league. Let’s hope that continues.

Yes indeed, let's hope that continues ... with Bobby Brown likely taking snaps that went to SJD this season. A defensive tackle rotational front consisting of Robinson, Brown, Gaines & Donald would appear rather beastly.

 

[PhillyRam]

We knew Stafford was really talented. He showed it many times over with the Rams this season.

But anyone who cared to look could also see that he was inconsistent in his years with Detroit and mistake prone in more than a few games with the Rams. Whether he could play at a high level consistently in the playoffs was a legitimate question, not some made up headline.

So far Stafford has answered these questions in the playoffs with outstanding play, great plays when needed, and few mistakes.

More broadly, Stafford and McVay have answered the questions together. Each has dialed back the aggressiveness and gunslinger mentality for the playoffs to play a short and midfield passing game with more patience and precision, less risk, and more carefully planned plays down field. (Though the deep throw dropped by Tartt from inside our 10 yard line in the 4th quarter imo was an exception that could have cost us the NFC championship.)

The integration of OBJ in the offense has also been a big factor. McVay's increased use of the running game with Akers and Sony has helped the offensive balance and has enabled better play action to go deep. The stepped up, game winning play of the defensive line with Von Miller is also a plus for the offense. Stafford doesn't have to win every game on his own-- the defense can get it done too.

The best news imo is Stafford has not yet fully reached his potential to be elite yet. Just as McVay can still improve as a play caller. If Stafford and McVay continue to refine their approach to limit needless errors and sloppy habits Stafford could still take it to another level.

Yeah, I think he is learning how to win on a team when he doesn't have to do everything. If he stays healthy he should be better from a game manager standpoint over the next few yrs even if his skill set slowly dininishes.

Just hope the bumps & bruises do not catch up to him like it did Rothilsberger, who also got beat up a lot.

 

[Oregonram]

Might as well start off with the Stafford debate here again.

He certainly met or exceeded expectations just for the fact that they are in the SB.

However, I will say I didn't expect to be holding my breath worrying about INTs as much as I did. He is like the relief pitcher, who often walks a couple guys in the bottom of the ninth, but then strikes out the side to end the game.

He put us in the hole in a few games, but then plays great in the 4th Q to pull it out.

Even the season itself, his slump was a big part of the 3 game losing streak and the wk 18 loss, not all his fault, but a contributor, then as a 4 seed he rallies the team to 3 wins with the last one being another one where he rallied.

So exceeded, I guess, still a four seed though and I would expect most of us thought we could have been better than that when the season started, but he rallied them to the SB for sure.

I think McVay really brought Matt’s game up when he started featuring Sony and re-energizing the play action. Bye bye hero ball after that.