I think this one was on McVay

[Merlin]

They were sitting on that screen to Gurley all game, and they were taking away the underneath stuff with surprising precision.

Yeah those outlet passes had become a real staple in the Rams passing offense, to the point where removing them seemed to gimp the passing game.

And Sean kept going to them in big downs too. And getting snuffed.

Learning experience all around. This particular team is going to roast in their juices over this loss all offseason and come out next year on fire. Snead just has to kill the offseason.

 

[Jacobarch]

I was laughed at for saying Atlanta was the one team I had hoped the Rams didn't have to face. They were a tough match up for an young team with no playoff experience, missing a starting DB, lacking a true shutdown corner on the roster, and a QB that looked inaccurate at seasons end.




I think it was nerves or being tight on Cooper's part. Once he screwed up he never relaxed. Maybe if the first have had gone well and the Rams got a lead the result would have been better, but the second half was as bad as it gets so it's tough to say.




I disagree. I have seen it in many sports. The late season bye is not always good for a team. I think it is especially bad in baseball. My biggest concern was Goff's accuracy in the last few games. He seemed to regress a little. I am sure more work with the QB guru in the off-season each year will help him be more consistent technically but I thought he needed a game to work out the kinks.

So every team that's on a bye week is going to lose next week then?
I'm pretty sure we blew the Giants out of the water after our bye week.

Dammed if you do dammed if you don't. See the issue with that ?

 

[Merlin]

I did. In another thread.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LH9WcT-YKU

That is one tractor of a MFing throw there by the kid QB late in the game. Just a beautifully placed ball. He really got let down there by Sammy, then by Higbee on the drop in the endzone not to mention the drop by Watkins on the play he was held.

Goff played crappy for much of the game but it sure would have been nice to see the "stud WR" help him out there. Rams would have been able to onside kick and who knows from there.

 

[Jacobarch]

That is one tractor of a MFing throw there by the kid QB late in the game. Just a beautifully placed ball. He really got let down there by Sammy, then by Higbee on the drop in the endzone not to mention the drop by Watkins on the play he was held.

Goff played crappy for much of the game but it sure would have been nice to see the "stud WR" help him out there. Rams would have been able to onside kick and who knows from there.

He played crappy? Were we watching the same game? I didn't know Goff dropped passes

 

[Merlin]

He played crappy? Were we watching the same game? I didn't know Goff dropped passes

Yes. Goff played crappy.

 

[Jacobarch]

Yes. Goff played crappy.

I think he was jittery in the first quarter. After that he pretty much put the ball on the money for the most part. He definitely wasn't the reason we lost the game

 

[Merlin]

I think he was jittery in the first quarter. After that he pretty much put the ball on the money for the most part. He definitely wasn't the reason we lost the game

Jittery early, yes. Also uncharacteristically inaccurate for much of the game and it contributed to the feel of an offense that was so out of synch in the passing game.

QB sets the pace and dudes feed off him. He was part of the reason we lost that game too, no way around it. I have no issues saying that, and nothin but love for him, but he's gotta do better and I'm sure he will.

 

[jacktheripper85]

Yes. Goff played crappy.

Did he play crappy bringing us to within 3 at the half after being down 13-0? Maybe if Ogletree doesn’t play crappy Goff would have marched us down the field to tie or take the lead in that game. Even when we were down by 2 scores Higbee and Watkins let him down on 3 separate TD strikes (and people wonder why Goff never targets them).

There are many other players I would put on the crap list before Goff.

 

[Merlin]

Did he play crappy bringing us to within 3 at the half after being down 13-0? Maybe if Ogletree doesn’t play crappy Goff would have marched us down the field to tie or take the lead in that game. Even when we were down by 2 scores Higbee and Watkins let him down on 3 separate TD strikes (and people wonder why Goff never targets them).

There are many other players I would put on the crap list before Goff.

Go back and read the posts leading up to that one.

 

[LesBaker]

I did. In another thread.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LH9WcT-YKU

That went through his hands. His hands were late getting up towards the ball when you see it in slo-mo.

 

[blackbart]

I don't think resting his starters had anything to do with the loss. Inexperience was our problem last night.
We can second guess his decision all we want but if Goff or Gurley got hurt in that last game the pitchforks would have come out and people would be yelling for McVays head.

Same mentality as playing not to lose.

Going out and playing hard to win very game is the only choice.

Anyone who thinks their execution was not hurt is kidding themselves.

How many games in a row had the Rams scored on their first possession going in to that game?

No one is going to convince me that the Falcons defense was SO good they are the reason for (3) 3 and outs to start the game.

 

[Jacobarch]

Same mentality as playing not to lose.

Going out and playing hard to win very game is the only choice.

Anyone who thinks their execution was not hurt is kidding themselves.

How many games in a row had the Rams scored on their first possession going in to that game?

No one is going to convince me that the Falcons defense was SO good they are the reason for 3 3nd outs to start the game.

I guess every one has their opinion

 

[jacktheripper85]

Go back and read the posts leading up to that one.

Got it. I’m just really stewing over that whiff by Ogletree. Kid looked like he was establishing good rhythm and confidence right before the half and would have loved to see him get the ball back in good position after a 3 and out. I think he could of made some better throws during the course of the game but what impressed me and what cemented my thoughts on him is that he is damn competitive and kept making some stellar throws till the final whistle. We are in good shape with him.

 

[LesBaker]

The ball should never go right between your hands.

I know we are picking nits about the loss..........and it was a great year compared to what we have endured for so long.

But I don't understand how he missed that, he didn't even touch the ball.

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

If higbee (haha) or Sammy catch routine passes in the endzone then Sammy catches that perfectly thrown bomb for another td we'd all be talking about what a great comeback win and how clutch Goff is.

Instead we're still wondering what the fuck happened.

Higbee is Jared cook and won't be anything other than that. Sammy won't fight for any pass. The rams have to work out why he doesn't even try to win any balls before they even think of making him an offer.

.

 

[Mackeyser]

I really think a large part of it was adrenaline.

Anyone who's had a massive surge of adrenaline, be it due to something terrifying or exciting knows that it's like Nitrous Oxide. Burns hot af, but you're completely depleted afterwards.

Gurley suckin' wind on that last series showed me that he had serious adrenaline going.

Goff? Not so much. He seemed to get more dialed in as the game went on.

Yep, Goff with McVay has the potential to be the kind of pairing as good as or better than Brees with Payton.

Exciting time to be a Rams fan. Next year, I think they'll enter the playoffs ANGRY and focused rather than excited and full of adrenaline.

I mean, we've watched Cooper all year. He looked WORSE than Tavon when he was struggling. That only happens with adrenaline... or a head injury where he forgets he was a football player.

Sorry, wife's watching all her Hallmark Christmas movies and every third movie it seems someone has amnesia.

 

[TexasRam]

.

If higbee (haha) or Sammy catch routine passes in the endzone then Sammy catches that perfectly thrown bomb for another td we'd all be talking about what a great comeback win and how clutch Goff is.

Instead we're still wondering what the freak happened.

Higbee is Jared cook and won't be anything other than that. Sammy won't fight for any pass. The rams have to work out why he doesn't even try to win any balls before they even think of making him an offer.

.

I agree. To call out Mcvay or Goff is ignorant. The play calls by Mcvay and the execution by Goff to fight back in a game where you start with a drop by Kupp along with two fumbles by special teams that keep your offense from getting the ball at all, then two drops by Gurley, some excellent passes by Goff to bring the team close at the half, then a long Atlanta drive keeping the offense off the field for a huge part of the 3rd quarter, followed by Goff leading the team back against odds for 3 perfect TD passes that were all fricken dropped. One thrown 60 yards down the fricken field exactly where it needs to be, the only place it could be and no adjustment by the WR and right through his hands.

Then the nerve of some posters to say Goff was throwing behind WR's. Yea, when the game was over.

Higbee has to go and so does Watkins. Sorry. If I am Goff I get behind closed doors with Mcvay and tell him I cant throw the ball to these guys, I need a new WR and a new TE. Then I walk out of the fricken room. The play calls were excellent and the throws were clutch including a few that were pin point accurate in crunch time. But there is no Hero, because the execution by the WR and TE failed.

People need to stop using #1 WR label for Sammy. Sorry. #1 WR's don't look like that at all. I don't blame Snead for the trade and moving a 2nd rounder. It was a great calculated risk. Gaines and Watkins both going to free agency was even. We lose a 2nd rounder and lose the trade. Cut your losses and move on. Higbee really improved as a blocker this year and that is great, but some players cannot catch in traffic and other can. Higbee and Watkins cannot. And Watkins cannot adjust to balls in the air.

 

[Sappy113]

I'm sure McVay will be the first person to accept responsibility. I always think he'll obsess about it during the off-season, but he'll utilize this game to motivate himself, to get smarter, and find a way to use the experience moving forward. At some point during the NFL season, 31 teams will walk away empty-handed. For those teams, it's the experiences you make and how you use them going forward that counts.

That being said, and even though the entire team seemed off all game long, I still think this game was ultimately decided by three situations: 1 and 2/ Cooper's two TO's, that spotted the Falcons 10 points; and 3/ Brockers injury, which the Falcons utilized very well to just run it time and time again in the gaps he vacated. I'm not looking to assign blame, Cooper will bounce back, and he did so well last year, it's just a fact, though, that losing the TO battle like that WILL lose you a close playoff game. I think the team could've recovered from their below-par performance if not for those turnovers.

Still, this season was way more than I had ever hoped. Use the experience, come back next year and retake the division, and then go on to win a play-off game. That has to be the goal.

 

[Riverumbbq]

My view of our final game, ... think of the ring as our ultimate prize (or at least another game), think of the bride and groom as we Rams fans, then think of the thief as the Falcons :

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

So every team that's on a bye week is going to lose next week then?
I'm pretty sure we blew the Giants out of the water after our bye week.

Dammed if you do dammed if you don't. See the issue with that ?

It’s a case by case scenario. Rest is better for a more experienced veteran team. For a young team maybe not so much.

People keep bringing up the Giants game. That is a different situation altogether. First it was earlier in the year and the Rams were getting better each week. The Giants were getting worse and seemed to be at their lowest.

Comparing the Giants in the middle of a free fall to a veteran, team with a good QB and playoff experience like Atlanta is apples to oranges. Especially in the playoffs,