Is this the "no excuses acceptable" year for you?

[-X-]

Good to see you in here again X. I would've dusted had i known you were coming...sorry.

Dusted? lol. I haven't heard that term since my last bad trip on weed back in 1988.

 

[max]

That's like saying, "If my car blows all four tires, Mazda sucks."

I'm on the fence about Bradford now too, but I'm not willing to throw the team's failures on him (before the season even begins) either. How would you feel if the defense gave up 30+ points a game, and special teams ranked 30th in the league? Would that be Bradford's fault too? I think you need to reevaluate how you're willing to gauge the season's successes/failures, and how it relates to his individual performances. You're kinda painting yourself into a corner here.

This subject isn't a new one. I've given this a lot of thought since January. I'll be shocked if they blow the draft, I'll be shocked if the defenses isn't a force with Williams running it, I'll be shocked if they don't field top tier STs, and I'll be shocked if they don't field a solid OL and running game. The only thing I'm not confident in is Bradford's ability to avoid avoidable hits, and make enough plays to win a lot of games.

So if that's painting myself in the corner, then so be it.

 

[Ram Quixote]

Look. I have never believed in predicting wins, since that also means predicting losses. But I also believe in this team--and Bradford. I just don't get too much into the blame game (the exception being the Georgia/Shaw/Zygmunt FO, and the Linehan coaching staff) because there are too many reasons why any FO and coaching staff fails.

Besides, there was quite a bit of improvement last year, despite the 1-3 start. Despite the Walton influence on our Defense. Despite Kellen Clemens running our offense. And I firmly believe that with Bradford still playing we would have beaten not only Seattle and Tennessee at home, but one of those road games against our division rivals.

As for this season, I don't think it even matters what our division rivals do.

 

[DR RAM]

This subject isn't a new one. I've given this a lot of thought since January. I'll be shocked if they blow the draft, I'll be shocked if the defenses isn't a force with Williams running it, I'll be shocked if they don't field top tier STs, and I'll be shocked if they don't field a solid OL and running game. The only thing I'm not confident in is Bradford's ability to avoid avoidable hits, and make enough plays to win a lot of games.

So if that's painting myself in the corner, then so be it.

Then, you chose an awful color, and so be it.

 

[-X-]

This subject isn't a new one. I've given this a lot of thought since January. I'll be shocked if they blow the draft, I'll be shocked if the defenses isn't a force with Williams running it, I'll be shocked if they don't field top tier STs, and I'll be shocked if they don't field a solid OL and running game. The only thing I'm not confident in is Bradford's ability to avoid avoidable hits, and make enough plays to win a lot of games.

So if that's painting myself in the corner, then so be it.

That's a false dichotomy, Maximus.

But at least you've enumerated the things that separate Bradford from the team as a whole. If all of those things come to pass, and Bradford throws wounded ducks out there while taking avoidable sacks, then I'll share your concerns. I don't see it though. He's far too smart and accurate for those things to materialize. IMO, of course.

 

[Rams and Gators]

I'm in the give a staff 3 years to turn it around school, so yes.

But I think it will also depend on why we fail, if Bradford gets killed behind a poor O line, because Long isn't healthy game 1 and we decided to pass on a LT and take Clowney, then I want them gone.

If Kenny Britt is a starting WR on this team and isn't massively improved from the last 3 years then I want them gone.

If the Williams D takes some time to adjust to, after playing so well for the last 12 games last season then I want them gone.

If however they make the "right" decision and it just doesn't work, I might be able to be talked into putting my pitch fork down for a year.

 

[max]

That's a false dichotomy, Maximus.

But at least you've enumerated the things that separate Bradford from the team as a whole. If all of those things come to pass, and Bradford throws wounded ducks out there while taking avoidable sacks, then I'll share your concerns. I don't see it though. He's far too smart and accurate for those things to materialize. IMO, of course.

Certainly, there are a multitude of permutations possible on the performance of every aspect of the team. However, the combination of uncertainty and impact has no greater singular variable than Bradford. The question remains, how good is he? Is he simply a smart kid with great arm talent who is oblivious to pressure in the pocket and has great difficulty avoiding the avoidable hit? Or has he been a monumental victim of circumstance who will shine once he is given a fighting chance?

Simply put, I maintain that this year Bradford WILL get his fighting chance.

 

[Selassie I]

One thing that I really appreciate about Fisher and Company is that they do NOT make or give excuses for losses. To say that I appreciate that is not really strong enough of a description... I admire/love that about our leadership group.

I've been a die-hard Ram for over 40 years now. I go into every season hoping for a playoff birth. Some years , especially in recent history, I realize that my expectations my be far fetched... but 1999 did teach me that anything CAN actually happen.

I am going into this season with what I feel is a very realistic expectation of a playoff birth. Will I be disappointed if we don't make it... Fuck yeah... but I won't miss a game or a minute of the action for that matter.

I have more confidence in our current decision makers than I have ever had in my 40 years of fandom. I will take great comfort in that regardless of the win loss record at the end of the season.

 

[fearsomefour]

To me the offense still isent there. I don't buy into the no excuses thing but that's just me.
Just because we fans have been suffering for year after year that doesn't affect the coaches or players at all. In other words 2007 or whatever has nothing to do with today.
The team can compete in the division certainly but some of those close games have to turn into wins.

 

[OnceARam]

It's very easy to be optimistic in April. I see a well coached, young team with a big question mark at the QB position.

 

[tbux]

When I read the title, I thought it would be about Sam- which I think is his year one way or another. I agree we need to be at least at 9 wins this year- no reason not to be. When Vegas odds are out (they are on some sites) I am going to HAMMER the over if it is 7 wins.(which it will be at- some have started at 61/2, ad now gone to 7) injuries or not, we have to now have enough quality depth to overcome it. 9 wins is my low- anything lower will be a MAJOR dissappointment.

 

[rhinobean]

I'd like to clarify my earlier post! I believe the coaching early last year let the team down. Getting scored on so often put the offense in a barrel. Having no solid offensive game did the defense dirty. I expect the staff to have them ready on game day! That's my expectation for this year!

 

[F. Mulder]

I'd like to clarify my earlier post! I believe the coaching early last year let the team down. Getting scored on so often put the offense in a barrel. Having no solid offensive game did the defense dirty. I expect the staff to have them ready on game day! That's my expectation for this year!

It is always tricky in predicting what young player, and in many instances rookie player, will be ready to compete at the NFL level from game 1 but I do agree that the initial schemes and player use was often befuddling to me. I would have rather they wanted the Offense to Morph into what they tried to do in Games 1-4/5? vs coming right out of the gate trying to do that. I understood the soft Defense initially because they got away with it during 2012 but it seemed obvious early on that whatever game plan they were trying to do wasn't working at all.

Rightfully so there is a lot of heat on all the players including guys like Bradford, but there needs to be some heat on the coaches as well. You no longer have a relative novice at DC and instead have an experienced DC who knows what he likes to run and can adapt his personnel to run his system in some form. You have an OC that is overly conservative for me, but who has had another year to evaluate the "weapons" offensively and how to best use them. BS shouldn't worry about the OL, that is the Rams job to get players and Boo's job to coach them, but he SHOULD know what Austin, Cook, Stacy, Bailey, and other newer players can and cannot do at this stage and plan accordingly.

 

[Boffo97]

I'm in the give a staff 3 years to turn it around school, so yes.

Given Fisher's longer contract, I'd be shocked if his seat was even hot THIS year no matter how badly the team does.

He's Kroenke's handpicked guy, so he's going to have some latitude. Particularly if there's a reason for really bad performance (which there'd have to be. I don't see Fisher doing really poorly this year unless something has gone really wrong.)

 

[Thordaddy]

I'm not talking about anything other than season-ending record here. Everyone here has suffered through a decade of unacceptable results (2003 was the last winning season of course), so has anyone else reached the conclusion that this season represents the formula for achieving critical mass? We're about a year behind Seattle in terms of rebuilding, so this has to be the year to take it all as far as I'm concerned. If they can do it, I mean ... c'mon.

I'm a patient man, but I'm not without my limitations. Not that I can do anything about the end result, but seriously ... it's time for a little reward for the loyalty. The defense is stout. The QB is talented. The WRs are more than adequate, and the O-line just needs to be tweaked. The only thing needed to propel ourselves into the upper ranks is coaching and a little bit of luck.

If this year isn't the year that we take more than 10 games, I'll be sorely (SORELY) disappointed.

Am I alone?

Can't make up my mind about that until the time comes,I think Fisher is on more of a 4 year window with management regardless what they put out there for the public.
I WANT to win NOW of course, but when "building through the draft" which is what is and has become the "plan" since Kroenke TRULY took control ,IOW hired a new GM and coach ,implementing what changes he deemed necessary ,for me the past is just that, I don't visit the sins of the past on the present.
Fact is one of the MAJOR quarrels I have with the local media is THAT they want to go back to all the years of futility under management that we ALL agree was turbul
JUST CAN'T bring myself to in any way blame Fish and company for the Rams,firing Martz, hiring Linny,hiring Spags nor the carnage all that brought.

Yeah less than a winning season will be disappointing,dunno if I agree with the "we're a year behind Seattle " eval.
I'd put myself more moderate ,I'd be disappointed ,but only up in arms if it looks like the team or the coach has lost heart.

 

[shaunpinney]

let me get this straight - I want a winning season, correction i NEED a winning season.

Personally from last year I was sorely disappointed in our inter-divisional results, I mean, what went wrong? Our Team is good enough to win games BUT there seems to be something missing - we have a running back that can grind the yards, our receivers are as good as Seattle, our QB has the pedigree, we picked up our X-factor in last year's draft (Austin) but I just feel that something isn't clicking.

So I agree with X... 2014-2015, needs to be our season, 2015 is the year of the Ram my friends....

 

[Thordaddy]

Part of why I discount our time table comparing to Seattles is we aren't trading away first round picks for players like Percy Harvin, nor plunging ourselves as deeply into free agency and seem to be more about building a sustainable org. more than becoming pre-occupied with winning NOW at the expense of the future.
But y'aint gonna have to worry bout it anyway, we're gonna win if Sam stays healthy and with Hill maybe if Sam isn't healthy.

 

[SteveBrown]

Exactl

My expectation is 10+ wins, based on past results, what draft picks we've received, and development expected. I don't think it's an unrealistic target.

But... I'm also one of these guys that believes most things are "situational". So I can't say how I'll feel until the season plays out.

Injuries. The tuck rule. Spy gate. I mean, we aren't the Patriots where everything goes in our favor all the time...

Exactly. IF they win 2-3 games in their division they will win 10-11 games....ya, they can go 8-2 versus the rest of the league with Bradford and Jake Long
healthy and a little help from 1-2 rookies. They have 4 rookies who should take big steps: Ogletree, McDonald, Austin and bailey; stacey can stay the same and what if Barret Jones steps up?

Fisher's playoff teams had talent, but they were missing 'weapons' on offense.

 

[Rams and Gators]

Given Fisher's longer contract, I'd be shocked if his seat was even hot THIS year no matter how badly the team does.

He's Kroenke's handpicked guy, so he's going to have some latitude. Particularly if there's a reason for really bad performance (which there'd have to be. I don't see Fisher doing really poorly this year unless something has gone really wrong.)

As long as that isn't a reason that they could have foreseen, Bradford getting injured is something we could have foreseen, poor O line play due to Long missing more games than expected could have been foreseen, poor WR play could have been foreseen, the division...

I think the only acceptable excuse at this point is a 2011 style injury bug, and even that couldn't save Spagvenney.