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- Jun 1, 2015
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I’ve watched every 2017 Rams game at LEAST twice except for the ATL playoff game. Six months later, with the new season about to begin, I’m (finally) over it and able to re-watch….
My comments are based on my reviewing the end of 2nd quarter and all of second half.
The Grass Field: Wow. Terrible. Shockingly bad.
Time of Possession: Story of the game. Second half it was ATL 20 mins to LAR 10. First half was only a bit better at 18 mins to 12. If run D is our main weakness, hard to see how two undersized LBS in the middle will make things better? Maybe our improved corners allow for an extra safety to creep in the box? (and Suh, I know). After Brockers went down, the Rams just couldn’t stop the run in this game.
Woods: MVP. Awesome. Loved the crazy dramatic bobbling sideline catch on 4th and 2 near the end.
Pharoh: After a Pro Bowl year, what an awful game. Two fumbles in first half, but ALMOST had two MORE in the second half.
Watkins: If not for Pharoh, Watkins would be my goat of the game. INVISIBLE for second half, save for one play. But crucially, he had TWO TD PASSES GO THROUGH HIS HANDS. Fourth and two: yes, he was fouled and held on the play, but Goff’s pass hit him between the chest and shoulder, and Sammy was in a great position to catch it. Honestly, it looked like he was so focused on calling “foul” that he neglected to give his all. Afterwards, he sits on the bench with a towel over his head. And THEN, on the next drive, Goff throws a long-bomb STRIKE which LITERALLY goes through Watkins hands. AGAIN, Watkins looking like he’s giving 85% effort. Grrr. Wanted to wring Watkins neck after re-watching that mess. Probably why I avoided it for so long….
Higbee: Great TE except for hands. Crucial dropped TD in the final three minutes. Grrr.
Goff: I don’t know what I just saw. Really hard to categorize his performance. The dude threw three touchdowns in the final three minutes, but his receivers DROPPED ALL THREE ( two by Watkins, one by Higbee). Goff was up and down all day. 24 of 45 for 259 yds and 1 TD and 0 INT for a lowly passer rating of 79. A number of strikes (two beauties to Woods) but also many clunkers--- poor reads and incompletions.
Play of the Game: Matt Ryan falling while sliding on the crappy field and yet somehow lofting a perfect pass for their final TD.
Ogletree: Two huge whiffs. First, a crucial third and long, had the RB dead to rights but came up empty. Second whiff, the receiver FALLS DOWN yet Ogletree somehow lets him get up and gain five more yards. Sheeesh.
Hekker. Five punts, all five inside the 20, including a 66-yarder. Yawn.
Tavon: Literally did not see him once during the section I watched.
OVERALL: Rams battled hard, but couldn’t overcome the Falcons’ long, time-killing drives. Third quarter, time of possession was approx. ATL 13:20, Rams 1:40. Ridiculous.
2018 outlook (based only on this game): In a grind-it-out playoff game, Rams inability to stop the run was exposed as a major weakness. Goff showed mostly reasons for optimism, but his lack of experience in pulling out crunch-time wins is still a significant concern. Will not miss Watkins’ lack of effort, nor Ogletree’s occasional clunker games.
My comments are based on my reviewing the end of 2nd quarter and all of second half.
The Grass Field: Wow. Terrible. Shockingly bad.
Time of Possession: Story of the game. Second half it was ATL 20 mins to LAR 10. First half was only a bit better at 18 mins to 12. If run D is our main weakness, hard to see how two undersized LBS in the middle will make things better? Maybe our improved corners allow for an extra safety to creep in the box? (and Suh, I know). After Brockers went down, the Rams just couldn’t stop the run in this game.
Woods: MVP. Awesome. Loved the crazy dramatic bobbling sideline catch on 4th and 2 near the end.
Pharoh: After a Pro Bowl year, what an awful game. Two fumbles in first half, but ALMOST had two MORE in the second half.
Watkins: If not for Pharoh, Watkins would be my goat of the game. INVISIBLE for second half, save for one play. But crucially, he had TWO TD PASSES GO THROUGH HIS HANDS. Fourth and two: yes, he was fouled and held on the play, but Goff’s pass hit him between the chest and shoulder, and Sammy was in a great position to catch it. Honestly, it looked like he was so focused on calling “foul” that he neglected to give his all. Afterwards, he sits on the bench with a towel over his head. And THEN, on the next drive, Goff throws a long-bomb STRIKE which LITERALLY goes through Watkins hands. AGAIN, Watkins looking like he’s giving 85% effort. Grrr. Wanted to wring Watkins neck after re-watching that mess. Probably why I avoided it for so long….
Higbee: Great TE except for hands. Crucial dropped TD in the final three minutes. Grrr.
Goff: I don’t know what I just saw. Really hard to categorize his performance. The dude threw three touchdowns in the final three minutes, but his receivers DROPPED ALL THREE ( two by Watkins, one by Higbee). Goff was up and down all day. 24 of 45 for 259 yds and 1 TD and 0 INT for a lowly passer rating of 79. A number of strikes (two beauties to Woods) but also many clunkers--- poor reads and incompletions.
Play of the Game: Matt Ryan falling while sliding on the crappy field and yet somehow lofting a perfect pass for their final TD.
Ogletree: Two huge whiffs. First, a crucial third and long, had the RB dead to rights but came up empty. Second whiff, the receiver FALLS DOWN yet Ogletree somehow lets him get up and gain five more yards. Sheeesh.
Hekker. Five punts, all five inside the 20, including a 66-yarder. Yawn.
Tavon: Literally did not see him once during the section I watched.
OVERALL: Rams battled hard, but couldn’t overcome the Falcons’ long, time-killing drives. Third quarter, time of possession was approx. ATL 13:20, Rams 1:40. Ridiculous.
2018 outlook (based only on this game): In a grind-it-out playoff game, Rams inability to stop the run was exposed as a major weakness. Goff showed mostly reasons for optimism, but his lack of experience in pulling out crunch-time wins is still a significant concern. Will not miss Watkins’ lack of effort, nor Ogletree’s occasional clunker games.
