IF the Rams win this week, and get to 7 wins......

[RamsOfCastamere]

When you look at the 2013 schedule and the wins they have managed to get, and compare it to the 2012 results, I think by anyone's account, there have been more positive (unexpected) wins this year.

2013
Arizona
Houston
Jacksonville
Indianapolis
Chicago
New Orleans
Tampa Bay (for the purpose of this thread)

2012
Washington
Buffalo
Seattle
Arizona (twice)
Tampa Bay
San Francisco

bolded all wins that not many would have expected.

and looking at the losses, don't think many people expected Arizona and Carolina to be two of the most improved teams in the entire NFL.
The disappointing part, is the record within the division this year compared to last. But it needs to be pointed out, they were 1-1 with Bradford in divisional games, and played the others without him.

To me, the games that "got away" this year would be Atlanta and Tennessee. But when compared to the NY Jets, Minnesota and Miami losses of 2012, it does put things in perspective.

All in all, I think this year, while having its frustrating moments, has shown that they are indeed on the right track, and things should continue to progress as they get another year under their belt, and fill in the remaining holes with another strong off season.

You can consider bolding Houston. Houston was predicted to run deep into the playoffs this season. When we played them, they lost a few tough games, but no one expected them to collapse.

 

[Yamahopper]

It's not so much the record but how the team is playing at seasons end.

 

[Rams and Gators]

Backwards? maybe not.

Forwards? Definitely not.

Maybe stagnant is the best term.

 

[Thordaddy]

Stagnant? When the roster got younger played half the season with a backup who was there because he knew the offense and was of questionable skill,OK, but IMO the youngest team in the league and the oldest team should be in the bottom 4-6 of the league disregarding fanship just from objective expectation of team dynamics .
When these guys are good they are electric, when they are bad they are erratic, when they get consistent look out

 

[Mojo Ram]

I predicted 9-7 with a healthy Bradford. Tougher schedule,but more talented then the 2012 roster. A young team that would need some seasoning before taking that next step.

So to be 6-8 without Bradford i've got to be pleased i suppose. There have been some disappointing losses this season vs teams we should have beat...but that's a part of growing up as a roster IMO.

Having said that,my expectations in 2014 are a playoff appearance. One and done is fine,get blown out in the wildcard game...whatever,but its time to take that next step under the Snead/Fisher regime.

 

[RamzFanz]

Backwards? maybe not.

Forwards? Definitely not.

Maybe stagnant is the best term.

Definitely not stagnant.

Bradford was having his best season ever. Stacey emerged as a dependable and powerful threat. TA emerged as an explosive player. Quinn might be the best in the league. Ogletree is emerging. Bailey is emerging. McDonald is emerging. Saffold is playing awesome at guard. Jake Long worked out. Special teams went from horrible to outstanding. That's not all by any means.

We could have had Amendola and SJ39. THAT would have been stagnant.

I could definitely see the Rams having a top 3 D next season with a few position improvements. If I were Snisher, I would load up the D to take it from good to great and let the O do its thing. With Bradford back and a number of emerging possible stars, I would go with what I have except possible line improvements.

 

[Rams and Gators]

Definitely not stagnant.

Bradford was having his best season ever. Stacey emerged as a dependable and powerful threat. TA emerged as an explosive player. Quinn might be the best in the league. Ogletree is emerging. Bailey is emerging. McDonald is emerging. Saffold is playing awesome at guard. Jake Long worked out. Special teams went from horrible to outstanding. That's not all by any means.

We could have had Amendola and SJ39. THAT would have been stagnant.

I could definitely see the Rams having a top 3 D next season with a few position improvements. If I were Snisher, I would load up the D to take it from good to great and let the O do its thing. With Bradford back and a number of emerging possible stars, I would go with what I have except possible line improvements.

We still don't have great receivers (maybe we would with Sam in there but we lead the league in drops with Sam in there so no guarantee), our pass D is one of the worst of all time in terms of completion percentage and yards per attempt. We've won the same amount of games ±1.

Carolina have taken a step forward, Arizona have taken a step forward, Seattle have taken a step forward. Washington have taken a step backwards, Atlanta has taken a step backwards. We are pretty much where we were last season, a mediocre inconsistent team who can beat the best and lose to the worst.

Do that mean we can't improve? Hell no, we could have a top D next year, I do believe a massive part of it is coaching, add an elite safety or CB in the draft, keep Saffold and Dunbar, take a shot at a number 1 receiver and the playoffs are a real possibility. But you are what your record says you are.

 

[iBruce]

We're the youngest team in the NFL. Just getting that experience means we haven't remained stagnant.

 

[RamzFanz]

Our passing game still sucks (maybe it wouldn't with Sam in there but we lead the league in drops with Sam in there so no guarantee that it wouldn't), our pass D is one of the worst of all time in terms of completion percentage and yards per attempt. We've won the same amount of games ±1.

Carolina have taken a step forward, Arizona have taken a step forward, Seattle have taken a step forward. Washington have taken a step backwards, Atlanta has taken a step backwards. We are pretty much where we were last season, a mediocre inconsistent team who can beat the best and lose to the worst.

Do that mean we can't improve? Hell no, we could have a top D next year, I do believe a massive part of it is coaching, add an elite safety or CB in the draft, keep Saffold and Dunbar, take a shot at a number 1 receiver and the playoffs are a real possibility. But you are what your record says you are.

If your gauge is solely the win loss at the end of the season, I agree. This season will look very much like last season.

For me, I'm looking over the season to see if the Rams remained where they were when they started. From that point of view, they were anything but stagnant. Special teams, the run game, pass drops and explosiveness, the O line, run D, have all improved significantly over the season.

The Rams now have a long list of young players with talent, and now a season's experience, to build on next season.

Just a differing point of view of what stagnant is. I think 100 coaches out of 100 would take this Rams team over last season's.

 

[CoachO]

Our passing game still sucks (maybe it wouldn't with Sam in there but we lead the league in drops with Sam in there so no guarantee that it wouldn't), our pass D is one of the worst of all time in terms of completion percentage and yards per attempt. We've won the same amount of games ±1.

Carolina have taken a step forward, Arizona have taken a step forward, Seattle have taken a step forward. Washington have taken a step backwards, Atlanta has taken a step backwards. We are pretty much where we were last season, a mediocre inconsistent team who can beat the best and lose to the worst.

Do that mean we can't improve? Hell no, we could have a top D next year, I do believe a massive part of it is coaching, add an elite safety or CB in the draft, keep Saffold and Dunbar, take a shot at a number 1 receiver and the playoffs are a real possibility. But you are what your record says you are.

It's difficult to judge the passing game, either pre or post Bradford's injury, and where it would be had Sam stayed healthy. The philosophy they employed the first month of the season was proven to be premature, given the youth and inexperience of the skilled positions they counted on to run it.

Once they settled on going back to basics, Bradford had 2 games to show what this offense could become. And the gets hurt in the middle of what for me, was the blueprint of how this offense could look, both running the ball, and using the play-action passing game to capitalize on big play opportunities. They took a couple deep shots with Quick and Austin, along with a shot to the endzone, (that Quick dropped). I realize the results were mixed, but it did show me enough to be encouraged by what the offense could develop into with a healthy Bradford, and further commitment to the running game, and a defense who is finding itself as the season has progressed.

As to looking at games such as Atlanta, saying they took a step backwards, in terms of where they were BEFORE suffering all the crippling injuries, and where they were when WE played them week TWO, I think its a stretch to say they were not a pretty good team at that point. Not sure what Washington, and where they are this year has to do with the Rams, and Carolina, yes is one of the most improved teams in the league. So, IMO, losing to them on the road, is not as much of a surprise as many imagined.

 

[LesBaker]

I've been curious and hae asked around but haven't really gotten an answer.

What made people think this team with the schedule it was facing and the kids all over the roster would win 11 or 12 games.....hell even 10 games?

I figured 9 would be the ceiling and if I was forced to wager I would have picked 8.

What made some of you have such high expectations coming into this season.

 

[LesBaker]

It's not so much the record but how the team is playing at seasons end.

Lots of good posts in this thread and this is one of the best.

When you lose your starter and have to play your backup the drop off is huge. And of course the kids have so little experience and that matters too. Even if they go 7-9 that's ok if they are executing better as individuals and playing better. The backup is going to lose games for you, that's just he way it s. But if plenty of other guys are looking good it bodes well for next season.

After coming off two straight weeks of double digit penalties for over 200 yards the fact that they only committed a few last week against the Saints is a plus and I'm going to be watching that closely once again to see if the sloppy play is getting itself worked out. To me that's going to be a good indicator.

 

[Zaphod]

Pass defense is really the only area that they regressed. Other than that, all steps forward IMO.

Honestly, their version of spread offense did see some success as well. No doubt about it, to me if SB was healthy all season we would have won more games.

 

[RamzFanz]

I've been curious and hae asked around but haven't really gotten an answer.

What made people think this team with the schedule it was facing and the kids all over the roster would win 11 or 12 games.....hell even 10 games?

I figured 9 would be the ceiling and if I was forced to wager I would have picked 8.

What made some of you have such high expectations coming into this season.

I'll speak for myself and my thoughts.

I thought the passing D was stronger than it was. That was huge. A strong secondary with that pass rush would have changed the entire season. People warned me about Finny but I didn't listen.

I knew what TA could do in space. I watched a ton of video on him. When the season started I was sorely disappointed that they thought all you had to do was get him the ball. Instead of fixing how they used TA, they reduced his playing time. Now they seem to be on the right track except in number of touches. This lack of insight into what he does so very very well and how much he could add to the offense every game was (and still is) a huge waste of talent.

I was counting on Givens to grow as a player and continue to be a deep threat. That was important for the run game and the coming out of TA.

I really thought Cookie had the skill sets to be an essential part of the passing game.

I didn't expect the Rams to run DR up the middle over and over for losses. I'm still confused as to why they didn't see the madness and try Stacy / Cunningham earlier in those situations.

I thought they would play a faster offense. I'm still hoping to see that next season. Sam is good at it.

 

[moklerman]

I'm just glad they have something to play for at this point of the season. Okay, no the playoffs like that phrase is supposed to mean but I think...okay, hope that they are motivated to get to .500 by the end of the year and winning against an improved Tampa Bay team(that they should still beat) and then against Seattle would mean a lot toward next season IMO. If they take either of these games for granted or get blown out by Seattle who shouldn't have much to play for in week 17 I'm going to be disappointed.

 

[LesBaker]

I'll speak for myself and my thoughts.

I thought the passing D was stronger than it was. That was huge. A strong secondary with that pass rush would have changed the entire season. People warned me about Finny but I didn't listen.

I knew what TA could do in space. I watched a ton of video on him. When the season started I was sorely disappointed that they thought all you had to do was get him the ball. Instead of fixing how they used TA, they reduced his playing time. Now they seem to be on the right track except in number of touches. This lack of insight into what he does so very very well and how much he could add to the offense every game was (and still is) a huge waste of talent.

I was counting on Givens to grow as a player and continue to be a deep threat. That was important for the run game and the coming out of TA.

I really thought Cookie had the skill sets to be an essential part of the passing game.

I didn't expect the Rams to run DR up the middle over and over for losses. I'm still confused as to why they didn't see the madness and try Stacy / Cunningham earlier in those situations.

I thought they would play a faster offense. I'm still hoping to see that next season. Sam is good at it.

Thanks for replying.

I also hope they play a more uptempo offense next year, especially early in games where I think it is more effective. Seems to me last year and this year they waiting until later in the games.

 

[Thordaddy]

I've been curious and hae asked around but haven't really gotten an answer.

What made people think this team with the schedule it was facing and the kids all over the roster would win 11 or 12 games.....hell even 10 games?

I figured 9 would be the ceiling and if I was forced to wager I would have picked 8.

What made some of you have such high expectations coming into this season.

Eternal optimism on my part

 

[moklerman]

Thanks for replying.

I also hope they play a more uptempo offense next year, especially early in games where I think it is more effective. Seems to me last year and this year they waiting until later in the games.

Considering how they've been winning recently, it seems pretty paramount to jump out to early leads in any way that they can. A nice, long, sustained drive fueled by the running game would be nice but the quick special teams and defensive turnover scores have helped too.

They've obviously been protecting Clemens with the offensive playcalling since Bradford went out but they were still a bit conservative with him in the lineup those 3 games that Stacy started. I'd say as they got more confident in Stacy the more aggressive they got with Bradford in that short time though so I'm comfortable anticipating something more along those lines once Bradford gets back next year.

 

[RamzFanz]

Thanks for replying.

I also hope they play a more uptempo offense next year, especially early in games where I think it is more effective. Seems to me last year and this year they waiting until later in the games.

It just seems to me that one of the Rams' biggest strengths would be to run many widely varying offensive plays with the same personnel sets. Preventing defenses from making personnel changes, stressing them, and producing mismatch opportunities. With TA on the field you can put him in motion and send him out wide, slot, backfield. Kendricks and/or Harkey can stay in and block or go out or both using 2 TE sets. Stacy.

I don't know, just seems to me you could put together some very imaginative plays and explosive drives using a hurry up. The Rams are already blowing up subpar defenses. Now they need to throw some cold water on the better ones.

 

[LesBaker]

Eternal optimism on my part

It'll serve you well old timer. :bigup: