Saying the quiet part out loud…

[AvengerRam]

I have to say, this past Sunday's loss was a bit of a gut punch.

The Rams had every opportunity to win and go to 4-3, which would have placed them in the heart of the playoff chase. Instead, they dip below .500 after a second blown chance to get a win (the other being against the Bengals). Its left many of us with doubts as to whether this team - which clearly has some young talent - is ready to consistently win.

So where does that leave us with 10 games to go.

I, for one, am still holding out hope. I see a schedule ahead of us with many winnable games, and I can still see a path to the postseason.

But, let's be honest... that's about all we can realistically aspire to at this point. I don't think there is anyone here who sees this team competing for a title this year.

So, here's the question... while we will all pull for the Rams to win each and every week, at some point is it okay to see a benefit in falling a bit short? Is a one and done playoff run better than an early offseason and higher draft picks? Would success in reaching the postseason have the unwanted side effect of masking issues that will need to be addressed in 2024?

Again, I don't have it in my fan-DNA to advocate for "tanking" of any sort. Still, if this team continues to let their chances slip away and falls out of the playoff hunt, I confess that I might start looking for silver linings.

That day may come…

 

[ScotsRam]

I was a proponent of filing this season down the pan before it even started if it resulted in the opportunity to draft Caleb Williams. The last few USC games have soured me on him somewhat however, and whilst I would still draft him 1st overall if I had the pick, I wouldn't tank for him.

I don't think there's value in tanking for anything other than a franchise QB. The difference between say 8th overall and say 15th overall is negligible for teams that draft well. So I'll still be rooting for rams wins regardless of record.

 

[Boston Ram]

Unless you are blowing up the organization you never tank. Meaning new coaches, FO, Etc. Its always important in my opinion to foster a win first mentality. More so with a young team. Teach them to win early and never allow or accept losing. 1 game even if a loss in a playoff environment has to have some value. Plus we have proven that we can still acquire the #1 pick from the 15th slot if we really want to....its been done before

 

[Allen2McVay]

How would they go about Tanking?
Sit a healthy Stafford, Kupp and Donald?
That’s not practical or realistic.

However, the Tanking idea may explain why they keep sending Derion Kendrick out there.

 

[Snaz]

How would they go about Tanking?
Sit a healthy Stafford, Kupp and Donald?
That’s not practical or realistic.

They did last year.

 

[Rams8821]

Mark my words, this is a playoff team. Nothing that happened Sunday will sway my opinion of this.

 

[FrantikRam]

This team is loaded with young talent, and that (saying this to myself as a reminder) is what we should be focused on. We were never winning a Super Bowl this year. A winning record and playoffs would be great, even if we're one and done, to get these young guys that experience.

So far we can say this defense is better than last year's, and that was with Ramsey, Floyd, Wagner, etc. That's really fucking cool.

Puka.....I mean, c'mon.

Tutu has played pretty well.

Kyren.

Avila.

And next year we'll have cap space and draft picks? So exciting.

 

[swmizzou83]

Mark my words, this is a playoff team. Nothing that happened Sunday will sway my opinion of this.

Agreed. We don't just completely lay an egg against the Bengals and if we actually had a reliable kicker we are sitting at 5-2 right now with our only losses to the 9ers and the Eagles and we were in both of those games. This very young team is going to figure things out before the season is over

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

I came into this season with the expectation that this is a rebuild year and every win is house money to me. All of our losses were close and not blow outs, and that is a positive sign. We've seen flashes and only have to clean up the execution.

Losing to the Steelers doesn't mean we're out of the playoff race. That 7th seed will be wide open until the end of season. We can beat any team in the NFC South, and at least half of both North and East divisions. We've already proven what we can do within our own.

As far as tanking? Hell no! We need to play our best so we know which positions to upgrade next year.

 

[Londoner]

We should have beaten both Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.

We could have beaten both San Francisco and Philadelphia.

We haven’t lost a game by more than nine points, despite dodgy play calling and dubious refereeing decisions. This despite a crap kicker and a disaster-waiting-to-happen cornerback.

There’s no way we can control the refs, but everything else is fixable. As a team capable of reaching the playoffs, there’s no way we should be even thinking of tanking.

 

[Allen2McVay]

They did last year.

You really believe that Stafford and Kupp were healthy last year when they went on IR?

 

[69superbowl]

50+year, Bleed- Ram-Blue fan here. Nothing wrong with having another down year, it's been done dozens of times. This Ram team is just too inexperienced to be consistent. Stafford has pretty decent talent around him, but I think he's pressing too hard and trying to make the perfect, difficult throw far too often, leading to 50/50 plays on the ball with very little room for error. Bad referees happen. Young players going brain dead happens. Vomiting timeouts (ugh) happens. Injuries, penalties, lucky opponents happen. Our excellent veteran QB playing like it's a beach nerf ball 7-on-7 game shouldn't happen. Control what you can control - check down, run the ball, medium passing attack - basically, patience. The offensive line is playing far better than I thought they would. Use them while still healthy. McVay and Stafford need to tighten up the play calling and execution and things will be moderately OK. Eight, nine wins is doable. The playoffs would be a nice bonus, but against the best-of-the-best this team is going nowhere as is. Just beat the f*#@!#g whiners, OK?

 

[Tano]

You really believe that Stafford and Kupp were healthy last year when they went on IR?

I have to say that I thought that once the season was out of reach that they decided to put Donald on IR and thought Kupp was going to be able to come back sooner but let's just keep him on IR now

Didn't realize that Kupp was hurt as bad as he was

 

[jrry32]

Yes, there's a benefit to winning. The benefit is that our young players must have progressed if we're making the playoffs. The other benefit is culture. Making the playoffs looks good and makes guys feel more confident. Losing doesn't. It makes the coach's job harder, both externally and internally. It'll be tough, but I hope we put up 9 or 10 wins.

 

[Malibu]

I have to say, this past Sunday's loss was a bit of a gut punch.

The Rams had every opportunity to win and go to 4-3, which would have placed them in the heart of the playoff chase. Instead, they dip below .500 after a second blown chance to get a win (the other being against the Bengals). Its left many of us with doubts as to whether this team - which clearly has some young talent - is ready to consistently win.

So where does that leave us with 10 games to go.

I, for one, am still holding out hope. I see a schedule ahead of us with many winnable games, and I can still see a path to the postseason.

But, let's be honest... that's about all we can realistically aspire to at this point. I don't think there is anyone here who sees this team competing for a title this year.

So, here's the question... while we will all pull for the Rams to win each and every week, at some point is it okay to see a benefit in falling a bit short? Is a one and done playoff run better than an early offseason and higher draft picks? Would success in reaching the postseason have the unwanted side effect of masking issues that will need to be addressed in 2024?

Again, I don't have it in my fan-DNA to advocate for "tanking" of any sort. Still, if this team continues to let their chances slip away and falls out of the playoff hunt, I confess that I might start looking for silver linings.

That day may come…

I had it in my DNA for sure in the Fisher era because I already knew the outcome of the season before we even ever played one game. So I spent endless hours studying lots of draft charts. Only focusing up at the top. 67

As it pertains to this season we all got our hopes up with the phenomenal draft class 2 amazing mid tier pick ups a healthy Stafford, AD and Kupp and the trouncing of Seattle at their house. I doubt one person saw that coming. All those things added up to a ton of hope, Puka is a super fun story, Young won defensive player of the week 2 weeks ago and based on the makeup of the team we felt at some point we would get it together.

Outside of Kendricks and Maher lousy play the team should've won Cincy and Pittsburg but their is one factor I'm not sure of but feels off. Either the OL is causing more problems then management wants to say publicly or more likely I feel something doesn't feel right with Stafford and the reason I think this is besides my eyes seeing what I am seeing, it's his horrible completion percentage. Puka is miles better than Robinson, Kupp is healthy, Tutu is better than anyone last year at #3 wr, Higby is fine not hurt and the OL is way better than last year and the running game has come really alive the last 2 games so their are no negatives and only WAY more positives on Offense yet the offense isn't scoring 27+ a game which they should be. So to me it's all the ints. over & under throws by Stafford that has me really concerned.

 

[dieterbrock]

This team should be 5-2 and a strong contender in the playoffs. There is no perfect team and the Rams showed the can play with (and beat) the 49ers and Eagles. So why sell low on this season? As long as they dont beat themselves, I dont see a team that they cant beat.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Given that there doesn't seem to be much of a home field advantage, I lean toward the team winning enough games to get the final playoff spot.

 

[madrid311]

I had it in my DNA for sure in the Fisher era because I already knew the outcome of the season before we even ever played one game. So I spent endless hours studying lots of draft charts. Only focusing up at the top. 67

As it pertains to this season we all got our hopes up with the phenomenal draft class 2 amazing mid tier pick ups a healthy Stafford, AD and Kupp and the trouncing of Seattle at their house. I doubt one person saw that coming. All those things added up to a ton of hope, Puka is a super fun story, Young won defensive player of the week 2 weeks ago and based on the makeup of the team we felt at some point we would get it together.

Outside of Kendricks and Maher lousy play the team should've won Cincy and Pittsburg but their is one factor I'm not sure of but feels off. Either the OL is causing more problems then management wants to say publicly or more likely I feel something doesn't feel right with Stafford and the reason I think this is besides my eyes seeing what I am seeing, it's his horrible completion percentage. Puka is miles better than Robinson, Kupp is healthy, Tutu is better than anyone last year at #3 wr, Higby is fine not hurt and the OL is way better than last year and the running game has come really alive the last 2 games so their are no negatives and only WAY more positives on Offense yet the offense isn't scoring 27+ a game which they should be. So to me it's all the ints. over & under throws by Stafford that has me really concerned.

you are not wrong. Stafford isn't playing smart or for longevity IMO. McVay isn't helping either. Go Rams.

 

[PARAM]

Yes, there's a benefit to winning. The benefit is that our young players must have progressed if we're making the playoffs. The other benefit is culture. Making the playoffs looks good and makes guys feel more confident. Losing doesn't. It makes the coach's job harder, both externally and internally. It'll be tough, but I hope we put up 9 or 10 wins.

Given that there doesn't seem to be much of a home field advantage, I lean toward the team winning enough games to get the final playoff spot.

^^^^^^^BINGO!!!^^^^^^^

The more games we play this year, the more experience the youth acquires.

There' doesn't seem to be a huge difference between drafting in the mid to late teens or in the 20's.

2023: Smith-Njigba #20, Zay Flowers #22, Jordan Addison #23
2022: Trent McDuffie #24, Devon Lloyd #27, George Karlaftis #30
2021: Kwity Paye #21, Najee Harris #24, Travis Entienne #25
2020: Justin Jefferson #22, Brandon Aiyuk #25, Patrick Queen #28

 

[Da-Rock]

I don't think they are a playoff team due to the swinging pendulum of talent and coaching. Too much randomness to be a real winner and if you can't win the Superbowl then why push so hard for it if you have the opportunity to learn and get good draft picks or veteran plyers with said draft picks for the next season.

Having said all that..................it's better to screw up in the first half of a season then in the second.