A Different View Of Things

[LesBaker]

It's easy to look at the record in a vacuum and say it wasn't good enough and that's not totally unfair. We can also look at the age or players and injuries and so on and that's not totally unfair. We can even say the coaching staff didn't start the season as well prepared as they maybe should have been, and an argument could be made for that as well. All of these things can be considered contributing factors but they are not the main reason for the record.

I think the single biggest reason for the record is the division. Three of the top 5 teams are in the NFCW. imagine if the Rams were in the East or North. In the North they would have won two or three more games, maybe even four and taken that division crown, and you could say the same about the East. They would have at least been a wild card I would speculate.

In the AFC East and North it's also possible the same happens.

When I look at the entire picture in a sort of post season review the first thing that's jumping out about why they didn't win 9-10 games is the division, then Bradford going down, then the rest of the stuff everyone likes to argue about all lumped in together (that to me has become largely irrelevant).

This means other than the Rams still having a whole lot of work to do they will also have to rely on some help from SF and SEA, as in those two playing at a lower level than they have the last two years.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

The good part of all of this is that, if the Rams get good enough to get to the head of their division then they are good enough to defeat any team in the NFL at any time.

 

[PowayRamFan]

Hey, it's like when the NFC East was king. Teams that won in that division also won Super Bowls. It's like being in the playoffs all year long.
You can take it as a negative, sure, but I think this will only help us in the long run. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger...

 

[LesBaker]

The timing could be fortuitous if Bradford and the draft picks pan out well. That means as they have closing windows and declining production our guys will be hitting their primes.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I agree with you, Les.

This division is putting hair on our chest. You win in the NFC West and you can compete for a title. Look no further than SF and SEA... Probably the two best teams in the final 4.

Do they win? I hope not! :heh:

 

[LesBaker]

I agree with you, Les.

This division is putting hair on our chest. You win in the NFC West and you can compete for a title. Look no further than SF and SEA... Probably the two best teams in the final 4.

Do they win? I hope not! :heh:

It's also putting obstacles with hair on them in the Rams path. They are going to need SEA and SF to have roster raids and a little bit of bad luck for the timing to really be right. This is a tough situation that can go either way I'm afraid.

It's going to be fun to watch play out though.

 

[Thordaddy]

And FWIW look WHO is left in the Conference Championship, nice perspective Les, keep drinking your V8

 

[CGI_Ram]

It's also putting obstacles with hair on them in the Rams path. They are going to need SEA and SF to have roster raids and a little bit of bad luck for the timing to really be right. This is a tough situation that can go either way I'm afraid.

It's going to be fun to watch play out though.

Yeah... It could go either way.

Part of me thinks it sucks.

But, what can we do... Except get better and beat those bastards!

Beat them; we are a better team than the pretenders (Indy, Cincinnati, etc).

 

[LesBaker]

We need the Niners and Hawks to fall down starting next year and lasting for the next 5-7 seasons.

Then all is well.

 

[max]

Just think.

If the Rams were in the NFC EAST and Sam didn't get hurt, they win at least 10 games, and there's no talk of replacing Sam.

 

[Alan]

I, as usual, have a different view about the division. I don't want ANY of the other three teams to decline. I just want us to be the best. I'd be very happy if three teams from our division made the playoffs every year. Let's see the major sports outlets ignore us then.

 

[LesBaker]

Just think.

If the Rams were in the NFC EAST and Sam didn't get hurt, they win at least 10 games, and there's no talk of replacing Sam.

Don't kid yourself. Loads of fans out there are either spoiled by the memory of Warner leading The Show or in love with the idea of the next running QB to be run out of the NFL so there would be bitchiness.

 

[blackbart]

I'm not sure I follow the 3 of the top 5 part. Are you putting the Cards in the top 5?

I agree the NFCW is the toughest division overall and also think there could be some decline but SF and Seattle are also hitting their prime and seem to not be all that old. I would put both of their O lines in front of ours and their defenses are ahead of us too.

Obviously the Rams can compete with Sam in there but there is still a lot of room for improvement before we are on par with those two teams.

 

[OnceARam]

It's easy to look at the record in a vacuum and say it wasn't good enough and that's not totally unfair. We can also look at the age or players and injuries and so on and that's not totally unfair. We can even say the coaching staff didn't start the season as well prepared as they maybe should have been, and an argument could be made for that as well. All of these things can be considered contributing factors but they are not the main reason for the record.

I think the single biggest reason for the record is the division. Three of the top 5 teams are in the NFCW. imagine if the Rams were in the East or North. In the North they would have won two or three more games, maybe even four and taken that division crown, and you could say the same about the East. They would have at least been a wild card I would speculate.

In the AFC East and North it's also possible the same happens.

When I look at the entire picture in a sort of post season review the first thing that's jumping out about why they didn't win 9-10 games is the division, then Bradford going down, then the rest of the stuff everyone likes to argue about all lumped in together (that to me has become largely irrelevant).

This means other than the Rams still having a whole lot of work to do they will also have to rely on some help from SF and SEA, as in those two playing at a lower level than they have the last two years.

Yeah, if we just played against lesser competition we would totally rock! Maybe we should play in the SEC. Bowl game baby.

This reminds me of the argument the bench warmers (who didn't contribute much to the scout team) made on my high school football team; I would rather be on the bench for this (championship) team than start for those guys...

Needless to say those guys didn't win much in life.

The FACT of the matter is that we are in 4th - last - place in our division and no wishful thinking is going to change that. Seattle isn't going anywhere. Neither is San Fran. And the Cardinals are only going to get better.

This off season is critical. We don't have the luxury of drafting guys early that aren't going to produce.

Yes I know that I am hitting the Johnny Football thing a little hard, but we need guys that can play the game at every position. Not track guys. Not guys that look good in shorts. We need football players. I hope we keep some of our vets to teach these guys what it takes.

 

[jap]

I, as usual, have a different view about the division. I don't want ANY of the other three teams to decline. I just want us to be the best. I'd be very happy if three teams from our division made the playoffs every year. Let's see the major sports outlets ignore us then.

I agree! The more adversity we overcome, the better we will be. I rather see our Horns whip the '9ers, 'Hawks, and Cards at their very best; that way there will be no excuses permitted by the losers.

 

[Faceplant]

Just think.

If the Rams were in the NFC EAST and Sam didn't get hurt, they win at least 10 games, and there's no talk of replacing Sam.

Yet the only team we played in the HORRIBLE NFCE was Dallas......and they kicked our teeth in...and Sam played like poop.....so there's that.

Just go out and beat the team in front of you. ANY team. That is all I ask of the Rams. 19-0 or bust next season!!!!

 

[Thordaddy]

Yeah, if we just played against lesser competition we would totally rock! Maybe we should play in the SEC. Bowl game baby.

This reminds me of the argument the bench warmers (who didn't contribute much to the scout team) made on my high school football team; I would rather be on the bench for this (championship) team than start for those guys...

Needless to say those guys didn't win much in life.

The FACT of the matter is that we are in 4th - last - place in our division and no wishful thinking is going to change that. Seattle isn't going anywhere. Neither is San Fran. And the Cardinals are only going to get better.

This off season is critical. We don't have the luxury of drafting guys early that aren't going to produce.

Yes I know that I am hitting the Johnny Football thing a little hard, but we need guys that can play the game at every position. Not track guys. Not guys that look good in shorts. We need football players. I hope we keep some of our vets to teach these guys what it takes.

Well that was uplifting !
I think Les makes a valid point, being.... we play for a league championship,that we have to play within a disproportionately difficult division is an indicator our record is skewed by that factor .IMO there is nothing defeatist about recognizing that it indicates a reason to be positive about what factors produced those numbers instead of just looking at the numbers.
In a league where you played everyone in your conference once it stands to reason this team WOULD have finished with a much better record .
God only knows how many Super Bowls have been between the champion of an inferior conference and the champ of a superior one and the game resulted in a blowout.
To recognize that the top four teams of one conference could easily be the champion of another conference is not defeatist it's just objective evaluation,hope that perspective strikes a chord with you and inspires a little more hope.

 

[Alan]

jap wanting excellence:
I agree! The more adversity we overcome, the better we will be. I rather see our Horns whip the '9ers, 'Hawks, and Cards at their very best; that way there will be no excuses permitted by the losers.

I read posts where guys are saying stuff like: "If we were in a different division we'd have won the division and have been in the playoffs." That might be true but would we be a better team? Would we have any chance of winning or even getting into the SB? I don't want to achieve things that mean nothing. I aspire to greatness for our team. The 1999 Rams were champions because we were the best.

I want that again.

 

[Thordaddy]

I read posts where guys are saying stuff like: "If we were in a different division we'd have won the division and have been in the playoffs." That might be true but would we be a better team? Would we have any chance of winning or even getting into the SB? I don't want to achieve things that mean nothing. I aspire to greatness for our team. The 1999 Rams were champions because we were the best.

I want that again.

So IOW don't tell ya the glass is half full huh,cuz I see progress and I want to talk about it and recognize it ,celebrate it ,and that's all I think Les is doing here.
I doubt many people here DON'T want what you do, please enlighten me how taking a positive tac on this deters or inhibits that happening,cuz if you can show me how ,I'll surely adopt your POV.

 

[LesBaker]

I'm not sure I follow the 3 of the top 5 part. Are you putting the Cards in the top 5?

I agree the NFCW is the toughest division overall and also think there could be some decline but SF and Seattle are also hitting their prime and seem to not be all that old. I would put both of their O lines in front of ours and their defenses are ahead of us too.

Obviously the Rams can compete with Sam in there but there is still a lot of room for improvement before we are on par with those two teams.

The Cardinals had the fifth best record in the NFC playing in the toughest division in recent memory. They would have beaten any of the teams that lost in the NFC playoffs so far IMO. If they were in the NFCLeast they would have won 13 games this year.