FEATURE 20 Random Liked the Mix, A Lot to Fix Thoughts

[snackdaddy]

21. Wow!!!!! The Raiders just choked away their game (up 23-7, lost in OT on fumble return) against the Cardinals. The moral: it can always be worse!

And Baltimore blew a 35-14 lead in the 4th quarter to the Dolphins. I guess we're lucky we weren't one of those kind of victims.

 

[BonifayRam]

Allen is a gamer and tough, but Shelton is far more athletic & his snaps are more consistent. I would go with Shelton at Center, Jackson at RG and activate Aboushi. That way if Noteboom gets hurt, Jackson moves to LT, however, the fear of Jackson playing at RG is he's the backup LT. But you put the best 5 guys out there and it's obvious Jackson appears to be one of them.

From my perspective, Coleman Shelton is by far the better fit for McVay/Carberry OL blocking scheme. I'm not saying that Brian Allen is bad but Shelton just makes better-run blocks period.

I still think that David Edwards would be considered if an emergency was needed during the game @ LT. They would keep Alaric Jackson @ RG & go with Jeremiah Kolone @ LG until Brian Allen was healthy or might even consider elevating Swing OG Chandler Brewer for a few games. Brewer was on the MR53 in 2019 for 7 gms.

Shelton was the best blocking OL'er Sunday. If he continues to be the best OL'er on the field in run blocking it's going to be hard to remove your best OL'er from his best playing post.

I thought the OL unit rebounded & turned in a good day's work! That's a positive.

On the negative side ......the Front Five DL was highly disappointing as a pass-rushing unit overall......has to be the biggest concern going forward on the defense. I was happy with the run-stuffing though.

#99 had a poor game Rams did not get their $$$ worth from him yesterday.

 

[raised_fisT]

It really was just an odd game.
The early ATL missed FG, the injury timeout negating ARobs 2nd TD. The blocked punt returned for TD, the safety. And a few other odd plays.

Glad we got the W.... But we need to develop a killer instinct.

 

[majrleaged]

I dont understand letting the receivers run free for at least 5 yards. Fairley often it seems it leaves our DBs flat footed and to slow to react. I thought , after the many examples of long drives by the oposition, that Morris had finaly figuered it out. NOPE! The only reason our D came around last year was Miller.
Looking back, morris stil employed the same lame zone concepts, his pass rush bailed him out. You would think he could see that the DBs can also give the pass rush some help, by not giving up quick easy targets.

 

[Rams8821]

They showed some signs of what they're going to be on offense, which is exciting. Defensively they did a lot of good things too. But this felt like preseason game two.

Hopefully they're ready to hit on all cylinders in the next two games vs Arizona & SF. I'm thankful at this point we didn't open with SF that would have sucked ass.

Why? SF laid a giant egg in Chicago.....

 

[Jacobarch]

OT 2nd season Alaric Jackson has a very good game playing in place of the #1 RG Shelton who is doing an excellent job @ OC & replacing Tremayne Anchrum @ RG for two offensive plays in the game. Going up many times against the Pro Bowler DT Grady Jarret. Havenstein & Jackson sure put a ton of beef on the right side of the OL.

Is Coleman Shelton a better center than Brian Allen? Shelton sure looks good to me.

CB David Long sure did not look like he is playing in his 4th season. Maybe he is looking forward to FA'cy to making big millions next season elsewhere.

I was wondering the same. If they have another successful week I would stick with this lineup and have allen and Edwards as backups. I mean we know they can play in this league but if other guys are playing better, why rock the apple cart?

As far as Shelton being better than Allen... I dunno, Allen has quite a large scouting report and Shelton has a much smaller sample size. Once teams figure out his weaknesses they will exploit it. I'll wait to pass judgement.

 

[den-the-coach]

#99 had a poor game Rams did not get their $$$ worth from him yesterday.

Agreed, he needs to stop thinking about retirement in Pittsburgh.

 

[RamFan503]

IMO, Rams got too cute on taking the safety. I understand they ran time off the clock, but I would have punted and trusted the unit to block.

I have to disagree here. Our punt team is not stellar to say the least and you force the other team to score a TD with 6 seconds left. They would have gone all out to rush the punter with practically nothing to lose if they run into him. Having a very good hands player field the snap and run backwards is the smart play there.

 

[den-the-coach]

I have to disagree here. Our punt team is not stellar to say the least and you force the other team to score a TD with 6 seconds left. They would have gone all out to rush the punter with practically nothing to lose if they run into him. Having a very good hands player field the snap and run backwards is the smart play there.

Fair enough, however, then the free kick went out of bounds and I sure hope we can work on the punt protect team again, McVay stated that LS Matt Orzech missed the block, I thought it was Jake Hummel, however, no fault of Dixon because the rusher was uncontested and just a total snafu.

 

[CGI_Ram]

13. I was really disappointed with the effort on the drive after the Rams went up 31-10. As later became evident, it was way too early to jog around at let the Falcons march down the field. That was the drive where I would have liked to have seen the Rams teeing off on a one-dimensional opposing offense and putting the game away.

The Rams need to find their kill shot.

17. The Rams have forced only one punt in two games. While some of that is due to forced turnovers, that's, in a word... bad.

I was SHOCKED when that stat was quoted during the game.

 

[RamFan503]

Fair enough, however, then the free kick went out of bounds and I sure hope we can work on the punt protect team again, McVay stated that LS Matt Orzech missed the block, I thought it was Jake Hummel, however, no fault of Dixon because the rusher was uncontested and just a total snafu.

I get it. I would still rather have a team try to go 50 yards in one play to get 6 than to trust a punt team that just had a punt blocked in this scenario - y'know... Up by 4 so a FG can't tie it. Can Mariota even throw it that far?

 

[BonifayRam]

The Rams need to find their kill shot.


I was SHOCKED when that stat was quoted during the game.

When your DC Morris's unit has permitted 58 pts in just 2 gms into the season with a mostly fully healthy starting defensive unit. You might be thinking something is not right. Of course, those INT's by the offense's QB Mathew Stafford would be brought into the discussion too. That argument would have merit!

The Ram Org. spent $96,467,633 in salary cap funds on the defense the 6th most in the NFL. They only spent $68,257,968 on the offense ranking 27 out of 32 teams.

Of the 31 other NFL defenses, only Detroit with 65 pts & AZ with 67 pts have allowed more points.

There might be a reason that DC Morris has not been given a shot again as a 2022 HC.

 

[BonifayRam]

16. Cobie Durant (he seems to have dropped the De from his first name?) is looking like a playmaker. I'd like to see more of him (and we probably will with Troy Hill hobbled).

Cobie Durant got zero practice reps on defense before helping Rams win in Week 2​

Cameron DaSilva /September 21, 2022

Cobie Durant got zero practice reps on defense before helping Rams win in Week 2

Cobie Durant reflected on his debut in Week 2, from zero practice reps to forgetting he was playing defense after kickoff coverage

theramswire.usatoday.com

Sooner or later, Cobie Durant was going to get his opportunity to help the Rams on defense this season. With all of the cornerbacks healthy to start the year, however, it didn’t seem like Durant was going to get a chance to contribute right away.

His number was called on Sunday during the Rams’ win over the Falcons, and he rose to the occasion. He filled in for the injured Troy Hill, finishing the game with an interception, a sack and two tackles.

Durant said he was staying prepared in the event that he did get snaps on defense, but he wasn’t getting much run in practice. In fact, he got zero practice reps on defense last week.

“Zero,” he told J.B. Long on the latest episode of “Rams Revealed.”

So how was he ready to play on Sunday?

“Just staying locked into the playbook because I attack every day like anything can happen at any moment,” he said. “I just had to prepare my mind to be ready, to be able to communicate on all levels out there. Whenever my name gets called and things happen and my name got called in the second quarter and from that point on, I played the whole game. So it was just having the urgency to be able to be out there with the veterans and have them to trust me out there with them.”

Durant returned his first career interception 52 yards, nearly scoring on the play. It helped set up the Rams’ third touchdown of the game, scoring just before halftime to go up 21-3. It’s not the first time Durant has come down with a pick in his football career, but after intercepting 13 passes in college and having zero return yards, it probably felt good to run one back 50-plus yards.

After that pick, he covered the kickoff following the Rams’ touchdown. Funny enough, Durant actually went to the sideline after the play, forgetting he was still playing defense.

“I was just exhausted because I just ran back like 52 yards on the interception, then we score, then I’m on kickoff so I’m running through the end zone,” he recalled. “I’m like, ‘Man, I’m going to the bench, I need some water.’ Coach Cooley’s like, ‘You need to get your blah blah blah out there.’ I’m like, ‘Man, I forgot about defense.’ First and last, it won’t happen again.”

Durant is an easy rookie to love, from his playing style to his personality. And Sunday’s pick won’t be his last. He has a nose for the football and will continue to make plays for the Rams, and he’ll be needed in the next four weeks with Hill on IR.


View: https://youtu.be/XeuM-HxA0VI

 

[OldSchool]

1. Seriously... can't we have one relaxing Sunday?

2. Okay... let's start with what I liked... the mix.

3. The OL, with new starters and players dropping like flies, is not ready to stand on an island. McVay realizes this, and knew he had to mix it up.

4. Mix it up by involving receivers other than Cooper Kupp, particularly early. Nice production by Higby (7 receptions, 71 yards) and a better showing for Allen Robinson (4 receptions, 53 yards, 1 TD, one waved off due to oddly timed injury whistle).

5. Mix it up in the running game with Darrell Henderson and Cam Akers taking turns running the rock, with an interesting twist of Ben Skowronek lining up as a FB in the I formation.

6. Speaking of the running game, while the numbers won't jump off the page, I thought we used the run much more effectively this week, in part because, unlike last week, when we ran on 8 of the first 10 first down plays (effectively telegraphing) there was greater a greater mix in first down play calling.

7. Stafford was really good, except when he wasn't. On both interceptions, he took needless risks and tried to hit receivers who simply were not open. While I'd never want to stifle the aggressive gunslinger approach that makes him great, sometimes discretion is the better part of valor.

8. The new mix on the offensive line, which had to absorb a new change when Tremayne Anchrum went down on the first series, did a fairly good job. Stafford had time to throw, and there was reasonable room to run between the tackles. Of course, Atlanta is not a top defense, but I'll take the improvement.

9. Ultimately, Cooper Kupp dominated the target count once again. Kupp has been targeted 29 times in two games, which is kind of crazy. He's also caught 24 of those passes, which is kind of amazing.

10. I can't be too mad at Kupp for the late fumble. Sometimes, the defense just makes a play.

11. Particularly hard to be mad at Kupp when I remember the incredible block he made to spring Henderson on his TD.

12. I'm finding it hard to evaluate the defense on this one. There was definitely some good. They allowed only 261 yards and 4.7 yards per play. Those are very good numbers. They also made a great 4th down stop and forced 3 turnovers. But...

13. I was really disappointed with the effort on the drive after the Rams went up 31-10. As later became evident, it was way too early to jog around at let the Falcons march down the field. That was the drive where I would have liked to have seen the Rams teeing off on a one-dimensional opposing offense and putting the game away.

14. The pass rush is not there yet. I think it can get there with the players we have (and I certainly would not be shocked if we add a pass rusher later), but I'm not seeing enough pressure at this point.

15. Of course, in the end, it was Aaron Donald collapsing the pocket and Jalen Ramsey making the pick to seal the victory.

16. Cobie Durant (he seems to have dropped the De from his first name?) is looking like a playmaker. I'd like to see more of him (and we probably will with Troy Hill hobbled).

17. The Rams have forced only one punt in two games. While some of that is due to forced turnovers, that's, in a word... bad.

18. Trey Lance is out for the season. In the long run, this could be a disastrous development for the 49ers, who paid a King's ransom for Lance and won't be seeing any returns for another year at least. In the short run, however, did they just become a more dangerous team?

19. I don't want to overreact to the 4th Quarter near-collapse. It was bad, but we got the win. It's a long season, and style points don't get you to the playoffs. Wins do.

20. Cardinals and 49ers in next two weeks. The battle for the NFC West begins in earnest next week. Buckle up.

#16! My guy Durant gets some Baldy love


View: https://twitter.com/BaldyNFL/status/1572589524106059778

 

[Merlin]

Re: Cobie the only real hole in his game is his tackling. But the good thing is he's willing, which is crucial. So yeah I think the Rams hit on him. He was prepared and his ball awareness was on full display.

They need to get Kendrick up and in the game too. And in his case there is no problem with tackling. His problem is simply that he needs help if they put him outside the hash. Other than that he's going to help us once they start giving him his looks. It's coming.

And if it doesn't happen it will be because Rochell showed up. Which I would love to see.

Raheem loves to take his time making adjustments in his secondary early in the year. This is probably due to the preseason approach by the Rams. But the difference for Rah this year is that he's not going to have all-world rush to disguise his weaknesses on the back end. They're going to need to cover. So with the quality of depth at corner it's only a matter of time before he finds the right mix IMO. Which will probably include both rookies but we'll see if maybe Rochell can live up to his insane measurables.

 

[CGI_Ram]

#16! My guy Durant gets some Baldy love


View: https://twitter.com/BaldyNFL/status/1572589524106059778

THAT was a good watch!

Damn impressive 5 min stretch for Cobie.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I don't know if this was said but I was happy to see Khadarrel Hodge having success as an NFL receiver....even if it was versus the Rams.

 

[OldSchool]

I said in the Jay Gruden hire thread I think he's here to help Coen with the run game and I also think the Skow usage was Gruden inspired.


View: https://twitter.com/bgrisakDTR/status/1572743658981539840

 

[CGI_Ram]

I said in the Jay Gruden hire thread I think he's here to help Coen with the run game and I also think the Skow usage was Gruden inspired.


View: https://twitter.com/bgrisakDTR/status/1572743658981539840

That play created a lot of options to put the ball.

 

[OnceARam]

That "Irish I" formation with Sko at FB was pure genius.