Are the Rams a better team after Week 17 of 2014 than they were after Week 17 of 2013?

[dbrooks25]

I voted no. We don't have a better record so all other qualifiers are bs.

The issue is that simple to me.

Disagree completely. We had a brutal schedule this year and we went at it with Sam out the entire year, Chris Long out for most of the year, and Jake Long being out threw our Right Guard position out of wack. I don't know who it was, but someone predicted that this team would be better than last year's but the record wouldn't be better. They made the prediction assuming Sam would be the starter, but in the end they were pretty much spot on.

 

[Ky Ram]

Disagree completely. We had a brutal schedule this year and we went at it with Sam out the entire year, Chris Long out for most of the year, and Jake Long being out threw our Right Guard position out of wack. I don't know who it was, but someone predicted that this team would be better than last year's but the record wouldn't be better. They made the prediction assuming Sam would be the starter, but in the end they were pretty much spot on.

If the record isn't better how are you measuring success?
If they start letting teams into the playoffs for statistical prowess then I'm with you, if not...

 

[dbrooks25]

If the record isn't better how are you measuring success?
If they start letting teams into the playoffs for statistical prowess then I'm with you, if not...

I'm sorry, are we measuring success? I thought the question was if the Rams are a better team than they were this time last year.

 

[blackbart]

If you don't measure a teams success by their record why play the games?
I'm not trying to be difficult, but all teams face some sort of adversity and they either overcome it or they don't.
We didn't.
I like that we're at least almost always competitive, but that doesn't make us a better team. If we were better our record would show it. They don't give out trophies for rankings, it's wins and losses.

/how many teams in the last 5 years have played the entire season without their starting QB??

 

[Thordaddy]

better in a better division..............context

 

[blackbart]

Disagree completely. We had a brutal schedule this year and we went at it with Sam out the entire year, Chris Long out for most of the year, and Jake Long being out threw our Right Guard position out of wack. I don't know who it was, but someone predicted that this team would be better than last year's but the record wouldn't be better. They made the prediction assuming Sam would be the starter, but in the end they were pretty much spot on.

And let's throw Brian Quick to that list of injuries, he was showing up as our #1 WR before going out in the 7th game of this season.

 

[LesBaker]

Offensively yeah there's a bit more talent.
Special teams are improved.
Defensively for sure.

So yeah, this is a better team then the 2013 team.

Well, the O needs a little upkeep I'm with ya there. Line and QB should do eh. Our ST's are the fookin bomb and the D is just fine.

The Rams are the Butterface of the NFL right now. I hate to say that but it's true.

We are all in love with a butterface. Each and every one of us live and die with a butterface 16 times a year. We are deeply in love when the lights are low and maybe a little wine has been flowing or we got a little car blowie.........but when we are eye to eye over coffee at 7:30 am it's a bit different.

So a little work on the Face (offense for those who aren't following the allegory) and we will have our undying love rewarded.

seewhatididhere? i made the Rams like a lover or something sexual or like a new car or a favorite pair of socks.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Well, the O needs a little upkeep I'm with ya there. Line and QB should do eh. Our ST's are the fookin bomb and the D is just fine.

The Rams are the Butterface of the NFL right now. I hate to say that but it's true.

We are all in love with a butterface. Each and every one of us live and die with a butterface 16 times a year. We are deeply in love when the lights are low and maybe a little wine has been flowing or we got a little car blowie.........but when we are eye to eye over coffee at 7:30 am it's a bit different.

So a little work on the Face (offense for those who aren't following the allegory) and we will have our undying love rewarded.

seewhatididhere? i made the Rams like a lover or something sexual or like a new car or a favorite pair of socks.

That's a perfect analogy.

 

[BatteringRambo]

I will politely say no. I'll take the objective view of penalties/turnovers route. We all witnessed it.

This was not an improvement and does factor in to our record.

 

[Ky Ram]

I'm sorry, are we measuring success? I thought the question was if the Rams are a better team than they were this time last year.

You are correct.
7-9 last year, 6-10 this year. Better?

 

[Ky Ram]

/how many teams in the last 5 years have played the entire season without their starting QB??

I honestly have no idea. Going into the season the front office made a contingency plan for injury at that position just like every other position. It is what it is.

 

[Irish]

Yeah the division is tough, but we also lost to NYG, Philly, Dallas, San Diego, Kansas City, and Minnesota. Of our 6 wins, two of the, came against the knuckle dragging mouth breathers of Washington and Oakland, and it took insane special teams plays to sneak a win out against Seattle at home.

Personally, I don't think you can extrapolate any meaningful data from this season as we played the entire year with no QB, but that doesn't excuse the front office of any blame for that.

Parts of this team are bettter: the d line is solid, our strong safety situation seems to be righted with Barron and McDonald, and we seem to have a legit tailback in Mason. Add to that the apparent ascension of Brian Quick pre injury and you have some improvement.

However, this team still has woeful talent on the offensive line that apparently can't stay healthy, no QB despite overwhelming compelling evidence that this team not only should have drafted or secured a legitimate player to back up, but to actually procure a player who can be the GUY with the expectation that he is the starter, and just as concerning is the inability to identify that this team is desperately ill equipped at the cornerback position.

This team regressed. You compare yourself against your competition, and we lost to 5 teams who also did not make the playoffs, and had almost no depth at any positions when injuries reared their ugly heads. There is no next man up on this team.

The season is an abject failure, and the brunt of the blame lies with the front office and personnel decisions. 6-10 is not good enough.

 

[blackbart]

I honestly have no idea. Going into the season the front office made a contingency plan for injury at that position just like every other position. It is what it is.

Except that that particular injury affects the offense and the team in general more than any other. Saying the W L record is the only thing that matters when evaluating the team is ....... well it is lacking. I'll leave it at that

 

[Ky Ram]

Except that that particular injury affects the offense and the team in general more than any other. Saying the W L record is the only thing that matters when evaluating the team is ....... well it is lacking. I'll leave it at that

I think we're just going to agree to disagree on this much like many other things.
Our record shows us as a team still incapable of getting out of our own way. For all the so called progress our record shows that we are actually worse then we were last year.
We have talent, potential. We have to put it all together to be better and when we do our record will show it.

 

[fancents86]

I voted no. We got great players like Gaines, Donald, Barron an Mason, but our D played just as great without Donald and Barron and Stacey killed it in the run game last season. Gaines has helped our secondary though.

Offense is pretty much the same as last year, actually probably improved the first half of the season.

At the end of the day these improvements did not improve our record. I would blame tough schedule, but we had just as tough of a schedule last season. Injuries? cardinals are in the playoffs and have a winning record with more injuries than us. Youth? Seahawks are only an average of 2 years older than our team.

 

[A55VA6]

The Rams are the Butterface of the NFL right now. I hate to say that but it's true.
seewhatididhere? i made the Rams like a lover or something sexual or like a new car or a favorite pair of socks.

So true.

 

[blue4]

I voted no. The defense is better. The special teams are better. But the offense is an embarrassment. Last year we had a good defense despite the youth and an offense that really only needed a QB to be effective. This year we have a great defense but an offense that now requires not only a QB, but a new interior of the OL plus some better depth in those backup OL spots.

 

[Memphis Ram]

That is lame lawyer logic. The glove didn't fit OJs hand therefore it wasn't his glove. Nobody cares that it was leather and sat out in the whether and got wet and then shrank. Ignore the details and you get a veiled truth. Just looking at wins and losses doesn't tell the whole story.

I've noticed that this team was said to be better than the previous season's team in each of the last few years. Yet, those improvements meant little to nothing the following season.

Sorry, but I agree with Parcells. The name of the game is wins and losses. That's the only story that matters.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I've noticed that this team was said to be better than the previous season's team in each of the last few years. Yet, those improvements meant little to nothing the following season.

Sorry, but I agree with Parcells. The name of the game is wins and losses. That's the only story that matters.

In the end but would you demand wins from Fisher in year 1? year 2? I think you just wanted improvement. Why? Because of the depth of disaster that was the Rams roster. Consider the amount of turnover that instantly took place. Then consider who was on the team when he took over and who is on the team now. The Rams have the youngest roster in the NFL for a reason. Because they were the absolute worst team in the NFL for years. Not just a bad team but the worst team. This isn't Bill OBrien taking over the Texans who recently had playoff appearances. This is a team that won 5 games in 3 years. So, if Bill OBrien gets 3 years to turn it around shouldn't Fisher get 5?

I think Kroenke lets Fisher play out his contract and then make a decision. Why? Because the team was beyond a mess and just hiring a new coach is like getting a new QB. It is very difficult. I prefer to stick to the plan that the Steelers and Patriots stick to and see how it plays out for once. Cowher had three losing seasons in a row between successes. But then he got back to the Superbowl. And everyone wants him to come out of retirement. Stick to the plan.

Besides I always despised the much overrated Parcells.