A few general thoughts on this Falcon game...

[Rams43]

I haven’t re-watched it. Probably won’t, either.

In the regular season, we were a top 6 team, no question.

But last night? I hardly recognized our O and ST units.

Couldn’t run early on.

Goff was a bit off on his passing.

Gurley with at least 2 drops. Really?

That freakish punt that touched Countess.

Pharoh’s fumble.

The lopsided TOP.

An exhausted and shorthanded D in that second half.

McVay getting away from the run too much and too soon.

Our players? Were they rusty? Too tight? Playoff stage fright? I dunno. I do know that it wasn’t pretty.

Like I said, I hardly recognized many of these guys.

Bottom line? I think it’s fair to say that both our players and our coaches got playoff schooled. Both will learn from this experience and be better for it next year.

We’ll be back next year, I think. Some players will be upgraded. Some units will be strengthened this offseason.

This was just year one of what I think will be a long run of playoff appearances. We’re just getting warmed up.

 

[Warner4Prez]

Some wanted to down play playoff experience. I think that's what this game boiled down to through and through. We're still a great team and this time next year, we'll be ready for all.

 

[-X-]

Our players? Were they rusty? Too tight? Playoff stage fright? I dunno. I do know that it wasn’t pretty.

Someone (I don't remember who) said too much adrenaline. I think there's some validity to that. I can relate on some level, but not remotely on this level. I've had 'regular season' games where I played extremely well. Come playoff time, I (and quite a few of my teammates) were way too eager to change the game on every play. It led to one of my worse games ever - as well as some of my teammates - and we lost a regional semi. I remember that feeling going in. I felt like I couldn't be stopped. Until I was.

 

[den-the-coach]

Not big on playoff experience other teams in the past have run the table without any playoff experience whatsoever, but it does help when a team gets down...Overall our special teams were outplayed and Cooper's indecisiveness on the punt return and not call "Poison" so Countess would back off, was the first mistake and then Cooper pressed and cost us another turnover which resulted in more points for the Falcons.

Falcons defense finally healthy with Trufant and they will be a tough out and I expect them to bury the Eagles in Philadelphia setting up a great NFC Championship game against either the Saints or the Vikings....IMO, Rams need a big NT upfront and have to find a WR they can throw a fade to as well.

 

[EastRam]

Someone (I don't remember who) said too much adrenaline. I think there's some validity to that. I can relate on some level, but not remotely on this level. I've had 'regular season' games where I played extremely well. Come playoff time, I (and quite a few of my teammates) were way too eager to change the game on every play. It led to one of my worse games ever - as well as some of my teammates - and we lost a regional semi. I remember that feeling going in. I felt like I couldn't be stopped. Until I was.

To add to what your saying.

I'm of the opinion that the Rams play tight/nervous at home.

Battle for LA kinda thing. Trying/wanting to win over their new fan base.

They are much more crisp and on point away from home.

Looks like the fans and the team may have grown up a little last night.

 

[-X-]

Battle for LA kinda thing. Trying/wanting to win over their new fan base.

They are much more crisp and on point away from home.

Maybe. I think they like to be the underdog too.

We're not supposed to win?
Can't win in this environment?
Yeah? Well...

 

[Jacobarch]

We were definitely pressing. You could tell that they were tight and not playing loose. That just comes with experience, and one thing that is good about this team is we usually don't make the same mistake twice.

We'll be back next year and hopefully many more to come. I think we found something special with these guys. Hopefully we can keep the FAs that really helped up get to the playoffs and I hope we upgrade some other positions as well. This off-season will be tough but at least LA is now a place players are going to want to come to.

 

[EastRam]

Maybe. I think they like to be the underdog too.

We're not supposed to win?
Can't win in this environment?
Yeah? Well...

Yup. They bring their "A" game when they are doubted.

Maybe after last night they learn to bring their "A" game every week like the great teams.

 

[snackdaddy]

Multiple factors played into this loss. I never bought in to the whole inexperience thing in the past. But some guys sure had that deer in the headlights look. Goff looked uncomfortable out there. Cooper was definitely affected. Uncharacteristic drops. And the coaching. Seemed like they were overwhelmed at times. They were definitely out coached.

Was it inexperience? Or were they beat by a better team? If you didn't follow either team you would come away thinking Atlanta was clearly the better team. This was the most lopsided loss of the season to me. More so than the Vikings game. I never felt like they were in it in the second half. And it came in their first playoff game.

 

[-X-]

If you didn't follow either team you would come away thinking Atlanta was clearly the better team.

They were (and there's no shame in admitting it). Defending NFC Champions, and a very well balanced team. I was so fearful of Julio Jones beating us that I didn't even consider how their defense had come along down the stretch. Deion Jones had a helluva game, and their secondary was in the zone for having played so much man coverage. If you can load the box and trust your corners/safeties, you're in a good place.

 

[bubbaramfan]

Falcons took advantage of Brockers going down. Rams lost to a very good team.

Kudos to all the fans who showed up (74,300) and made lots of noise, I bet they show up again next season.

 

[wmc540]

I feel like Goff settled in and really made some good to amazing throws down the stretch, but my main criticism for him in this game was that the defense was giving him scrambling lanes and he wasn't taking them.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

I knew we were in trouble watching the pregame show, and McVay looked nervous and tight. I am sure that rubbed off on the players, who weren't used to playing in the spotlight like that.

 

[Boston Ram]

For the negatives there are some great things to draw from. 2 ST turnovers and we were still able to make it 13-10 at half. Then even with the dramatic TOP in the 2nd half we were a Higbee drop away from making it a 6 point game.

Hard to do much on offense when you don’t get the ball till 6 minutes left on the 3rd. Outside of a few mistakes we showed balls. Fought back and made it a game.

Let’s be honest, Atlanta played one of there best games of the year. Alford was a stud and so was 47. That team made BIG plays.

Where we came up short was the TO’s on ST, Higbee drop and Watkins not being able to haul in a thst deep ball late.

I thought our guys played hard, fought through some adversity and will be better players for it. I am over the disappointment and so damn proud of these guys and proud to be a Rams fan.

One and dones are tough and hard to take. Next year we don’t make those mistakes

 

[CGI_Ram]

I haven’t re-watched it. Probably won’t, either.

In the regular season, we were a top 6 team, no question.

But last night? I hardly recognized our O and ST units.

Couldn’t run early on.

Goff was a bit off on his passing.

Gurley with at least 2 drops. Really?

That freakish punt that touched Countess.

Pharoh’s fumble.

The lopsided TOP.

An exhausted and shorthanded D in that second half.

McVay getting away from the run too much and too soon.

Our players? Were they rusty? Too tight? Playoff stage fright? I dunno. I do know that it wasn’t pretty.

Like I said, I hardly recognized many of these guys.

Bottom line? I think it’s fair to say that both our players and our coaches got playoff schooled. Both will learn from this experience and be better for it next year.

We’ll be back next year, I think. Some players will be upgraded. Some units will be strengthened this offseason.

This was just year one of what I think will be a long run of playoff appearances. We’re just getting warmed up.

I’m not making any excuses, but somehow despite all the things that went against us (including the coin toss) we were right there.

If we were a lesser team, we could have been buried.

The loss stings. I’d love a rematch. Today.

 

[Dodgersrf]

I definitely believe the experience is somewhat of a factor. As @-X- said, trying to do too much is not uncommon when win or go home is on the line.

Goff and Gurley both looked a little over amped in the beginning of the game. Goff finely settled down. I have never seen Gurley so tired. I wonder if he was sick and kept it under the rug.

This game really was the perfect storm for a loss.
Spotting ATL 10 pts hurt. It took the ball out of our hands and gave ATL some easy points.
Once ATL has the lead, it gave them the opportunity to take full advantage of our weak run defense. Amplified by the loss of Brockers. This also negated AD.


Losing those early drives, even if we don't score, they don't either. It would have also giving us the opportunity to settle down Goff earlier in the game and let him get into rythym. At the very least, let us throw some balls down field to pull the falcon off the line of scrimmage.

The Falcons took full advantage of every opportunity they had or was handed to them.

 

[Flint]

I don’t think Quinn gave us much, Ryan was able to avoid Donald and find open guys. AD was able to get him off his spot but nobody could finish it off. Goff may not have been himself but 2 guys got their hands on the ball with a chance to make it 1 score game and couldn’t get done.