Only problem is Juggs NFL coaches laugh at this shit we'll sneak up on no one every coach who had a draft board KNOWS the d-line that challenged for the most sacks last year just got the best pass rushing d-tackle in the draft , possibly since Suh ,it's the idiot writers who don't.We have an elite dline, we have one very consistent MLB, a young play making OLB, the other spot is a question. And our secondary has to scare anyone. The rams aren't going to earn a spot based on our line, which is hands down the best. I like being the underdog, give them a chance to sneak up on folks
Same front 7 as last year and how did that go? Projecting Donald as a significant upgrade (I do too) is also no different than projecting Clowney as a significant upgrade for the Texan's defense. Say what you will about Walton (I have nothing good to say about him) but how good would have our D been under his leadership had he had a decent slot CB (instead of CF) and a decent FS? It's much easier to be a good/great coach when you have good/great players. I'm looking forward to seeing what our new DC can do but you still need the other pieces.Prime Time expecting a lot from national reporters:
I wasn't even thinking of Joyner but of our front 7 and our DC. What bothers me about some "sports writers" is that they only look at what happened last season and then prognosticate what will happen in the coming season based on that. It's lazy journalism.
We don't know what, but maybe we need to try it, if this is the effect ...LMAO the Jets!? will have a better defense than us!? What is this dude smoking?
Same front 7 as last year and how did that go?
IOW this is one of the Bounty NazisSame front 7 as last year and how did that go? Projecting Donald as a significant upgrade (I do too) is also no different than projecting Clowney as a significant upgrade for the Texan's defense. Say what you will about Walton (I have nothing good to say about him) but how good would have our D been under his leadership had he had a decent slot CB (instead of CF) and a decent FS? It's much easier to be a good/great coach when you have good/great players. I'm looking forward to seeing what our new DC can do but you still need the other pieces.
IMO, we only addressed one of the two huge issues our D had last year and even then, it was with a smurf. I see the logic of all, or at least most of our draft picks but it only reinforces my belief that we are still a year away from a serious run in our division. Maybe we'll get extremely lucky and our FS is already on the roster. Maybe.
As has been stated many times before, it's almost impossible for a national reporter to be as knowledgeable on each team as we are on the Rams. If you're going to write an article that predicts future performance you're already out of the realm of journalism and into the realm of mysticism and tea reading before you write a single word. I also disagree with your assertion that they only used what happened last season (see the inclusion of Clowney) to predict what will happen this year.
Downtime fluff with the usual amount of cogent thought involved.
Once TC starts I'll increase my intake of kool-aid and join the rest of the community. Like Picasso with his "blue period", I have to go through my usual "realism period" right before TC.
I'm lost here. Splain please.Thordaddy catching me before I'm fully awake:
IOW this is one of the Bounty Nazis
Other than the fact that that's only 14 games , might our opponents have had something to do with that? In addition, Langford always seems to start off really slowly and then come on a few games into the season. I'm hoping that the addition of Donald will change that paradigm. No way am I saying we don't have a great, if not the best, front 5 in the NFL. It's the the other two LBs and the backfield that keep me awake at nights.[/QUOTE]Rams and Gators with a little cherry picking:
pee pee poor the first 4 games, then top 10 in both scoring and turnovers over the last 12. With the 10th best run D since 2000 for the last 6 weeks of the season.
Rams and Gators with this:
4+12=?
If you're going to make the contention that after a rough start we had a dramatic improvement and use certain rankings to bolster that view, then you have to include all the last 12 games and not just 10 of them to determine those rankings don't you? That's why I mentioned your math.
I seem to remember a Ram team that won like 7 out of their last 9 to finish the season at around .500 and then completely tanking the next year. Trends are interesting but ultimately pretty meaningless IMO.
While the maturation and learning curve of our rookies is a valid point (Ogletree), there are other issues that counteract that. You usually face the other team's best players in the early part of the season (before the injuries start mounting up). How good did the Rams offense make our opponents D look after SB went down?
"Might our opponents have had something to do with that?"
Sure, I mean they only scored 367 points on average, compared to a league wide average of 374.
I think you're making a mistake when you discount how well a team matches up against a particular team versus just trying to use stats like their average points per game. When, for example, has the Dallas rushing game not made our rushing D look pathetic?
My bad R&G. That's what happens when you try reading while blind. Not as bad as driving while blind but right up there. I looked at the "10" in your first post and went wild. :seizure:Rams and Gators pointing out my error:
I'm not sure where you're even getting 10 from? my original quote "pee pee poor the first 4 games, then top 10 in both scoring and turnovers over the last 12."
Sure our D being good for 3/4 of the season may mean nothing, but then why even both trying to make a prediction based upon anything at all?
My bad R&G. That's what happens when you try reading while blind. Not as bad as driving while blind but right up there. I looked at the "10" in your first post and went wild. :seizure:
To be fair, no one who is rating Ds is using trends except for you. I'm not saying that trends mean nothing, I'm just saying that you shouldn't read too much into them either. Using last years data and trying to figure out the impact of your new players and the loss of some of your old players is pretty much all you have when trying to guesstimate something like this. I don't fault his methodology, I just don't agree with all his conclusions. I wouldn't put the Rams in the top 10 though. I don't think being in the top 10 is a requirement for success either. Moving our offense into the top 15 will do much more for us than moving up a few slots in our D ranking.