Just curious for those anticipating a close game this Saturday night...

[jacktheripper85]

We have a fully rested team, in essence coming off a bye week and are extremely healthy going into this game. The Falcons are traveling cross country on a short week after a physical game where they sustained some injuries to their key players.

We have the best defensive player in the game going up against a back up on the interior line where Ryan is most susceptible.

We have the best offensive player in the game going up against a team that has had a lot of trouble dealing with physical backs and backs who catch the ball out of the backfield.

We have the best return man and best punter in the league going up against a crappy ST unit.

We are home, haven’t lost 2 games in a row all year, annihilated the team we played after a bye week and have a better overall coaching staff.

Outside of the cover your ass “fanspeak” of “anything can happen on any given Sunday” banter is there any reason we shouldn’t feel confident about winning this game pretty comfortably? I know it’s been a long draught and some of us are “just excited to be in the playoffs” but I will honestly be extremely disappointed if we don’t win this game and win easily pulling away.

 

[gabriel18]

Playoff pressure and inexperienced kids . Turnovers will be the key . We need to hold onto the ball and that goes for the D too . When you get a chance for a pick or fumble recovery they must take advantage.

 

[RaminExile]

I don't see a close game. We're going to blow them out of the water in prime time.

 

[Warner4Prez]

Well, just a dash of what I'm thinking.

Still the 2nd youngest roster in the league, with only a couple of guys that have any playoff experience. Going up against a team that was there last year with a large chip on their shoulder.

The Falcons did wreck us fairly thoroughly last year. I know we were largely a different team on offense, but Whit has been showing some wrinkles the last few weeks. Maybe some time off helps, but the Falcons D will be coming after the QB.

We've been beat in the run game a handful of times this year. Freeman and Coleman are a pretty solid 1-2 punch a'la Ingram and Kamara or Murray and McKinnon. I'm a bit concerned about how we match up there.

I like our ability to get after Matty 'Ice'. I know he's cool under pressure, he'll have to prove it against Donald and company.

I do think our secondary has performed admirably this year - Baldwin, Jeffery, Fitzgerald, Thomas in NOLA, all were mostly kept in check. They gave up some pretty good numbers against Hopkins, Dez and Thielen. Julio will (of course) be a problem. I'm hoping this is where that extra week of rest really pays off for Tru Jo and Joyner.

Special teams will be rough without GZ. Glad that Ficken got a few extra opportunities last week, but this will be a whole different ballgame.

Lastly, what will the atmosphere be? Let's be honest, home games have been a bit underwhelming. I'm not saying the Falcons will take over the Coliseum or anything like that, but you can't say that there's been any sort of distinct home advantage so far.

I think this is the best matchup for our first playoff game, but I don't see us blowing them out.

 

[fearsomefour]

I want my D on the field to start the game.
Cause I want the ball to start the third quarter.
Simplify the D and attack.

 

[kurtfaulk]

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i don't see how the falcons can hang with the rams. rams are the better team by far.

the only experience the falcons have is choking away an unlosable game. how do you lose when you have a 28-3 lead in the 3rd qtr? fuck me. they can shove that experience up their wide open arseholes.

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[Steve808]

I think the Rams will stomp the dirty birdies, but the only thing that can go wrong is nervousness that leads to mistakes and/or turnovers. That and having Gene Steratore (spelling?) as the referee.

The Rams have done ok under Hochuli. We even won SB 34 and Hochuli was the ref.

 

[Gr8 Rambino]

this whole inexperience narrative is such a bunch of BS.

the falcons have experience in blowing games when it matters! thats all they got.

 

[nighttrain]

haha, this Falcon team was in the super bowl last year.

train

 

[Gr8 Rambino]

and they blew it

 

[nighttrain]

and they blew it

but they got there, and they are a tough team to beat
train

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

We have a fully rested team, in essence coming off a bye week and are extremely healthy going into this game. The Falcons are traveling cross country on a short week after a physical game where they sustained some injuries to their key players.

We have the best defensive player in the game going up against a back up on the interior line where Ryan is most susceptible.

We have the best offensive player in the game going up against a team that has had a lot of trouble dealing with physical backs and backs who catch the ball out of the backfield.

We have the best return man and best punter in the league going up against a crappy ST unit.

We are home, haven’t lost 2 games in a row all year, annihilated the team we played after a bye week and have a better overall coaching staff.

Outside of the cover your ass “fanspeak” of “anything can happen on any given Sunday” banter is there any reason we shouldn’t feel confident about winning this game pretty comfortably? I know it’s been a long draught and some of us are “just excited to be in the playoffs” but I will honestly be extremely disappointed if we don’t win this game and win easily pulling away.

The Falcons had the Super bowl in their grasp one year ago. They have a smart QB with a good running game and one of the best receivers in the game, that has the ability to take over a game himself. They have a solid defense too.

If I only look at this year's performance, the Falcons aren't much to worry about. But last year's playoffs are only sixteen games ago. I don't think the Rams will be outcoached. But an experienced top ten QB with a good running game and a dominant receiver will always worry me. The Rams still have some weaknesses on defense. We all acknowledge that in draft threads. Corner is one of them, pass rushing OLB is another. If NRC could stay in the slot and Chris Johnson was across from Tru. I don't think I would be worried at all, but Troy Hill will have to cover Sanu and I don't think he has suddenly become good at football the way many here believe.

If the Rams can pressure Ryan the way they did Wilson, the game is in the bag. Mack will be assigned to double Donald and Ryan is very good at beating a blitz. So, the Mack/Donald matchup is key.

 

[Gr8 Rambino]

Yes i am not saying they are not tough, or not a good team. I feel that the whole Rams inexperience to theirs is being blown out of proportion.

So again, I'm not saying they're not a bad team.

 

[nighttrain]

to a Rams win!

train

 

[Gr8 Rambino]

To a Rams wins mate!

I want our boys to bring it!!

 

[TexasRam]

I think if they played the game 10 times the Rams would win 7 times.

So picking from a hat which outcome will we get Sat night?

30% Chance Rams blow them out
20% Chance Rams win by 2 scores
20% Chance Rams win in a close game
20% Chance Falcons win in a close game
10% Chance Falcons win by 2 scores

If we could create some deafening noise and disrupt their offensive communication we would have a 90% chance of winning.

Any given Sunday though.

 

[The Ramowl]

Here is why I am anxious about that game : the first Seahawks game and the Eagles game. Those are games we should have won imo, but we ended up losing and it honestly felt like a youth/inexperience problem. I don't think the Falcons experience is the question here, it's our own flaws that worry me.
Now, I think we have cleaned up our act since the Eagles games, with that crushing of the Seahawks (I never get tired of mentionning it) and that win in Tennesse that looked like a mature team's win (not the best game, but in the end : W)

I expect the Falcons game to be a close one because I think we will make mistakes and have turnovers.

 

[Corbin]

Yeah the Rams 99’ inexperience cost them in the playoffs.

That’s a bunch of horseshit especially considering the second youngest team doesn’t celebrate TD’s, has very minimal after the whistle/15 yd penalties compared to the previous 5 years of Fisherball, and don’t do anything stupid off the field. They even reportedly practice better when they get time off.

Our young team is mature asf and not only that but we have had a playoff game already in Seattle and multiple ‘ big’ games. We didn’t get blown out in any.

Plus a lot of them have played in big Bowl/ rivalry games ( which obviously aren’t the same level but were the top of the pressure packed games at the time) so they know what to expect, how to prepare, and how to handle it.

Now it might be a bit of an issue if our first game was on the road in the playoffs but its not. I really think our D is going to set the tempo of this game and our offense is going to smother the hope out of them. With a ST play randomly. Watch.


Stat of the day:

The Rams are 9-0 when Gurley has 20 or more touches.

We need to start early and often with Gurley and start with the PA early as well. After we establish those two we can mix everything in there to keep them completely off balanced as McVay does.


Food for thought:
The Falcons play the same defense the Seahawks do and their offense hasn’t scored more than 24 in almost 6 weeks.

 

[ScotsRam]

It’s the fucking playoffs. We ain’t playing against scrubs here. The Rams are not ‘clearly a better team’ when they have an 11-5 record vs a 10-6 record. The falcons went 10-6 in a division with two other great playoff teams. Why on earth are you all so confident?!

 

[kurtfaulk]

It’s the freaking playoffs. We ain’t playing against scrubs here. The Rams are not ‘clearly a better team’ when they have an 11-5 record vs a 10-6 record. The falcons went 10-6 in a division with two other great playoff teams. Why on earth are you all so confident?!

well, the rams are a great team. why shouldn't we be confident? i'm not gonna spend the week worrying about the opposing team, let the coaches do that. i wanna enjoy the week.

plus, the rams are so much better than the falcons. never was impressed once when i saw them play this season. they are the definition of a beatable team, even when they have a sizable lead. they are the most unconvincing 10 and 6 team i've seen.

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