Some off-the-wall Monday morning random thoughts...

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Rams43

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And in no particular order...

Anybody else getting queasy Linehan, Spags, Fisher type flashbacks during the three crazy bad Ram halves this year?

Don’t know what to say about Goff’s play lately. This is his 4th year under McVay and yet we sometimes still see rookie-like fundamental mistakes. One would think those would be pretty much gone by now, huh?

Might be a good idea for McVay to preplan some ‘what if’ counter plays if Goff sees more exotic D sets moving forward. Pretty sure future DC’s intend to test Goff.

Can we please see more snaps for Akers? Mostly at the expense of Brown?

Apparently, Hendy still has some improving to do in pass pro, huh?

Hope Higbee’s hand is much better after the bye. We need him as another feared threat.

Everett is so inconsistent, isn’t he? Roller coaster highs and lows for that kid even in year 4. Maddening.

I miss the days when Rams would routinely jump out to big leads early.

ARob after the bye, finally? YES!

Gawd! My kingdom for a consistent edge player. We’re 8 weeks into the season and still looking for an answer.

Staley, apparently, is just gonna have to scheme around our ILB’s the rest of the way. Sigh...

Even shorthanded our secondary has held up VERY well.

Only 26 second half points allowed through 8 games? Not a misprint. And 20 of them came in the Bills game? Amazing, especially because the D was in the process of gelling under the new DC.

Our ST under Bonamego have disappointed Big Time. Finally really bit us in the butt yesterday. And Forbath didn’t ‘fix’ anything, either. I read elsewhere that our ST rank down around #30. Geez...

What to do moving forward?

McVay needs to never get away from the run play calls. And more quickly adjust to unusual D sets such as ‘zero pressure’ or ‘wide 6’ type stuff.

Build in and allow Goff the ability to more easily change plays at LOS where needed. Rams are gonna see more copycat D schemes in the future until they prove that they can handle it. Gotta be a way for McVay/Goff to turn the tables and punish such D’s in the future.

I assume that Webster has now completely replaced Kupp as returner.

Bonamego needs to get his coverage teams back to that stellar Bear game level.

Would like to see Goff using his cadence to draw opponents offsides more. That’s an easy 5 yards, man.

Seems to me that Goff would do well to look at other than just Kupp for an open receiver. I love Kupp, but c’mon.
 
Random thought is mcvay and goff need to spend the next two weeks in a room to iron out things and make sure they're both on the same page with each playcall. I dont know who's at fault and honestly dont care. But its ultimately up to mcvay to fix it and goff being the leader of the offense needs to have a big part in that as well.
 
Random thought is mcvay and goff need to spend the next two weeks in a room to iron out things and make sure they're both on the same page with each playcall. I dont know who's at fault and honestly dont care. But its ultimately up to mcvay to fix it and goff being the leader of the offense needs to have a big part in that as well.

They figured it out in the second half, but by then they were already 4 turnovers deep.
 
The 0 blitzes reminded me of the Steelers game last year. Anyone else have the same recollection?

Some RB flares would devastate a 0 blitz. Don't believe me? Watch the Rivers to Nyheim highlight from yesterday?
 
The 0 blitzes reminded me of the Steelers game last year. Anyone else have the same recollection?

Some RB flares would devastate a 0 blitz. Don't believe me? Watch the Rivers to Nyheim highlight from yesterday?

They had the RB flare setup on the sack fumble TD. The communication wasn’t there. Goff had no idea what was coming. Once we figured it out the ball came out quick and they batted it down. Was a Perfect storm of game planning followed by lucky tips and then dropped passed on our final chance.
 
They figured it out in the second half, but by then they were already 4 turnovers deep.
I wouldn't be able to say that with complete confidence. We only scored once in the second half and that was when Miami switched to a more conservative defensive scheme to close out the game.
 
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Totally losing faith in Goff.

McVay...the genius? Are you sure about that?
 
It's a real head-scratcher. We've improved at D, OL, and running game, but our usual offensive strengths no longer get it done (sometimes).

Btw, I'm a big believer in all those intangibles like our 6-day turnaround vs. their bye week, the travel again, the heat differential on the two sidelines, etc. Not an excuse, but they are literally human bodies and it all adds up.
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I had a random thought this morning as well. Why is it we never look we are going to block a punt anymore.........let alone actually block one?

Visions of Pharoh Cooper's consistent long returns and Corey L. busting through to block punts....
 
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Totally losing faith in Goff.

McVay...the genius? Are you sure about that?

I swear that when I was watching this game, the exact thoughts came into mind. The offense looked really bad. I mean they looked unprepared. I know it was a short week, and they were coming over here on the east coast.....again, but they looked like they were out of a game plan.

I haven't lost faith in those two, though. Goff looked terrible in the first half, but so did the offensive line, and special teams. Our running backs and tight end we not helping them out the offensive line either. McVay got out coached.

I'm still happy they are part of the Rams. I still think there are many good games ahead. We will show everyone in the divisional games where we do not travel as much.

I do wish McVay would make the second half adjustments Hailey does for the most part. The defense looks like they have figured something out.
 
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Middle screens to the RB , Quick screens and quick slants to WRs and TEs will punish the all out blitzes. Goff has to recognize it quick and throw it to the side where the blitz is coming from-not to the other side because he will get blind sided. He has to audible and slide protection or audible to a run play up the gut if need be. This is Basic QB 101 and I was taught this in my flag football league.
McVay is mad at himself but Im sure he’s pretty upset at Goff for not diagnosing and reading simple blitz reads and hitting the hot receiver-he has to make sure the receiver is on the same page to adjust their route accordingly. Its all on Goff. He needs to know this. He cant rely on McVay for everything. Turnovers are killer. Especially multiple turnovers-gotta take care of the ball like its your baby.
 
Kurt showed how to burn that 20 years ago! Flares and wheels to the RB.
Quick screens and quick slants to WRs and TEs will punish the all out blitzes.

Dropping a big body in coverage off a zero look (zone blitz) is a counter to the slant. Worked on Sunday and has worked against Warner too:

View: https://twitter.com/MiamiDolphins/status/1322971995278106633?s=20


Warner throwing slant, off a pick play, against zero look:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqnQwKAI4OE
 
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