20 Random Ugly Tree Completes a Beautiful Forest Thoughts

[Noregar]

Glass is Half-Full: The Ram's had the talent and fortitude to win a game where they have a lot of things happen, which almost always equate to losses in the NFL no matter who you play.

1. 2 XP's, Missed
2. 3 turnovers (minus 2 ratio)
3. 1 Punt return for a TD.
4. A turn-over on downs due to a dropped pass
5. 4 sacks allowed
6. On the Road - Warm weather west coast team playing on the northern east coast in cooler a climate.

By far the specials teams is the biggest glaring weakness for this team. They will not win in the playoffs with poor special teams play. On the Rams first drive they went for it at on 4th down at the 21-yard line - With a competent kicker that is guaranteed 3 points. Special teams cost the Rams 5 extra points scored by my count plus the punt coverage gave up 7 more. That's a net of 12 points that could be added to overall point differential.

Notes: Crosby's field goal try was not a high percentage kick (for him especially). Even with the Giants missed kicks added back into the equation the Rams lost a net differential of 8 points because of their special teams.

 

[JimY53]

I was saying that all game.

Hoecht needs to keep contain.

And I still hate it when he covers receivers past 5 yards.

What are you going to do instead? Who do you play at his position? Keir? Hampton?

If the other team has a TE who plays the slot, someone has to match him.

 

[JimY53]

Demarcus Robinson is an upgrade over Van Jefferson who I had doubts about preseason ... but now there is a solid X going into PO. Jefferson had moments, and flashes but was basically Brian Quick part 3 in terms of production ... or Josh Reynolds who was Quick part 2, though taken a couple of rounds later.

Robinson the last few weeks --and I know it's waaaaaay too small a sample, over his career his averages per 17 games are similar to other 3 ... but Robinson looks to be more savvy than any of them


time with the Rams ... except Jefferson, no way to separate out ATL without doing a lot of work but it would not change numbersa very much ...

 

[Lunchbox]

10. Kyren is a tough little MF. Love his blocking almost as much as his vision running.

 

[OntarioRam]

Turner is a madman out there. His play is jumping off the screen, and the fact his rookie numbers are matching AD's is absolute insanity.

True, a rookie AD did not have someone like AD himself to play with. But he did have a very talented defensive line with Jeff Fisher's Rams running a 4-3 full of talent in the trenches. Robert Quinn was still one of the absolute best pass rushers in the NFL at the time. Hayes, Sims, and co. were also very capable. Very exciting to see the Conductor succeeding beyond what anyone could have imagined - and I actually had very high hopes for him. His build and playing style are so similar to a rookie Aaron Donald that I think many of us were thinking/hoping the mentorship relationship would prove fruitful.

 

[Tano]

What are you going to do instead? Who do you play at his position? Keir? Hampton?

If the other team has a TE who plays the slot, someone has to match him.

Maybe make him only rush the passer with maybe Lake covering. I just don't know really. I just hate seeing Hoecht time and again lose coverage on a TE or WR

 

[CGI_Ram]

7. The Giants, thankfully, were in a giving mood too, as Taylor missed a sure fire two point conversion, and "former Ram" Mason Crosby missed an extra point and a potential game winning FG.

8. Was it the Giants style? The Rams looking past them? The pitfalls of a young team that, for all its recent success, still has deficiencies?

After giving away a game or two early in the season, it was good to see some of that given back in this one.

 

[JimY53]

Maybe make him only rush the passer with maybe Lake covering. I just don't know really. I just hate seeing Hoecht time and again lose coverage on a TE or WR

Lake is already covering. And if Hoecht only rushers you can never blitz a DB. And if a tight end moves out in the slot to make a 2 slot formation then Lake would be in one slot and and one of the OLBers in the other.

It's just a reality that when you play base defense to match the other team's base offense (21 or 12) your outside linebackers have to cover sometimes and some of those times he has to move out to the slot. Floyd did it, Young does it, Hollins did it all of them.

So the issue is he can't just rush the passer. He and Young and the others have to do both. The only solution is to get a better OLBer--upgrade the position. Now? The choices opposite Young are Hoecht, Hampton and Thomas ...

I think the Rams are playing their two best OLBer and Hoecht is one of the two. And the job description means covering some time.

What I want is Rams to sign an elite edge or take on high in the draft. But that's next year.

If you want Young rushing the passer then Hoecht will be in coverage. If you want Hoecht rushing then Young. Fangio's defense requires one to cover on most base plays ... or in other words if they pass from base looks.

Now, on nickel defenses, when Brown III is off the field and it's a 4-man line, he's almost always going to be rushing ... with some exceptions.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

Demarcus Robinson is an upgrade over Van Jefferson who I had doubts about preseason ... but now there is a solid X going into PO. Jefferson had moments, and flashes but was basically Brian Quick part 3 in terms of production ... or Josh Reynolds who was Quick part 2, though taken a couple of rounds later.

Robinson the last few weeks --and I know it's waaaaaay too small a sample, over his career his averages per 17 games are similar to other 3 ... but Robinson looks to be more savvy than any of them


time with the Rams ... except Jefferson, no way to separate out ATL without doing a lot of work but it would not change numbersa very much ...
View attachment 63480

Receptions don’t tell the full story. I think you need add targets, and maybe even INTs when targeted.

 

[Tano]

Lake is already covering. And if Hoecht only rushers you can never blitz a DB. And if a tight end moves out in the slot to make a 2 slot formation then Lake would be in one slot and and one of the OLBers in the other.

It's just a reality that when you play base defense to match the other team's base offense (21 or 12) your outside linebackers have to cover sometimes and some of those times he has to move out to the slot. Floyd did it, Young does it, Hollins did it all of them.

So the issue is he can't just rush the passer. He and Young and the others have to do both. The only solution is to get a better OLBer--upgrade the position. Now? The choices opposite Young are Hoecht, Hampton and Thomas ...

I think the Rams are playing their two best OLBer and Hoecht is one of the two. And the job description means covering some time.

What I want is Rams to sign an elite edge or take on high in the draft. But that's next year.

If you want Young rushing the passer then Hoecht will be in coverage. If you want Hoecht rushing then Young. Fangio's defense requires one to cover on most base plays ... or in other words if they pass from base looks.

Now, on nickel defenses, when Brown III is off the field and it's a 4-man line, he's almost always going to be rushing ... with some exception.

What you say is true but I still hate Hoecht in coverage. If I was the other team, I would try with all my might to get Hoecht to cover my TE and take advantage of that weakness. I am not a defensive genius by any means but I would think that Raheem could think of a way to cover for Hoecht when he is out in coverage. If not, I think San Francisco is going to kill us when we meet in the playoffs by taking advantage of Kittle vs Hoecht.

 

[JimY53]

Receptions don’t tell the full story. I think you need add targets, and maybe even INTs when targeted.

You are welcome to do that ...

Nothing like that will change the -- in a small sample of time with the Rams --- that Robinson has been far more effective than those others guys who were 2nd, 2nd, and 4th round picks.

Robinson is more dominant in yards per target and catch % ... all the others are basically in same category ... Robinson is a cut above in analytics ... with the Rams .... if you count his KC seasons it would be better, too.

So, it's fine if you disagree --- if that is what you are doing but I wasn't going to spend a lot of time on this ...

But in this case, the basic stuff tells you Robinson > Jefferson ≈ Reynolds ≈ Quick. And the deeper analytics will show basically the same thing ... Robinson > Jefferson ≈ Reynolds ≈ Quick

 

[JimY53]

What you say is true but I still hate Hoecht in coverage. If I was the other team, I would try with all my might to get Hoecht to cover my TE and take advantage of that weakness. I am not a defensive genius by any means but I would think that Raheem could think of a way to cover for Hoecht when he is out in coverage. If not, I think San Francisco is going to kill us when we meet in the playoffs by taking advantage of Kittle vs Hoecht.

I guess I don't follow ... I don't know how you can cover for Hoecht.

Either you use him in your base defense or bench him in the base and have him come on only as a DL in longer yardage situations. In a 3-4 defense --- OLBers have to cover some of the time. Actually in a 4-3 defense OLBer has to cover, too ... LBers cover, play the run, rush.

The only solution is to move him back to the DL. Then you have to play someone else ... and that someone else has to play the run and rush, too, and only options are Hamtpon and Thomas or Mathis could be activated.

 

[Tano]

I guess I don't follow ... I don't know how you can cover for Hoecht.

Either you use him in your base defense or bench him in the base and have him come on only as a DL in longer yardage situations. In a 3-4 defense --- OLBers have to cover some of the time. Actually in a 4-3 defense OLBer has to cover, too ... LBers cover, play the run, rush.

The only solution is to move him back to the DL. Then you have to play someone else ... and that someone else has to play the run and rush, too, and only options are Hamtpon and Thomas or Mathis could be activated.

I don't either. Maybe double cover Kittle whenever Hoecht is forced to cover Kittle?

I don't have a clue. I am hoping Raheem does. Otherwise Hoecht is going to get torn apart by Kittle.

 

[snackdaddy]

8. The pitfalls of a young team that, for all its recent success, still has deficiencies?

This.