Game Day Thread extension - AKA, the VENT thread

[RedRam]

The Rams appear to be running a simplified version of the Stone Age. I've only seen a handful of games this year but cannot even remember the last time the Rams sent anyone into motion prior to the snap.

Perhaps the woefully inadequate OL prevents anything more complex.

I've seen the OL in motion prior to the snap a number of times!

Oh...wait...

 

[Rams77]

Joey Freshwater for OC next season anyone?

 

[kurtfaulk]

At least the Rams art department knows how to adequately glorify a loss.


View: https://www.instagram.com/p/BOEKT80hWnU/

Did they get a flag for holding on that play?

.

 

[tempests]

If it weren't for Hekker's punting against the Jets we'd be on a 10 game losing streak right now.

 

[Loyal]

Now for some real talent....

 

[shaunpinney]

I'm sure its all part of the master plan to get a high second round pick.... :santa:

 

[kurtfaulk]

Now for some real talent....

Man those things could knock you the fuck out.

.

 

[Riverumbbq]

There was a time when Saffold played LT at a pretty high level, not really great but not bad either, although he always managed to injure himself. Jason Smith was moved to the right after his failure on the left side, switching with Saffold. Once Smith busted at both positions, then came the Jake Long experiment and more injuries, along with Saffold failing at RT. Saffold got bounced around quite a bit filling in at Tackle and both OG positions whenever there was another injury, ... and there was always another injury with this unit. I'm sure many will remember when Saff held down the RG position for several games in a row a couple years ago, it looked like a rebirth of sorts, he appeared to have found a place where he looked like a pro-bowler. Then injuries struck again and he was back to filling in wherever they needed him on a game to game basis, and without a real home. With GRob on board first at LG and then onto LT, we initially thought the problem was solved, but for one reason or other Saffold just couldn't succeed at RT, even Barksdale managed to beat him out.

GRob is one season away from getting the bust label himself if something doesn't change pretty rapidly. Early next season the Rams will have to decide whether to option Robinson for a 5'th year in 2018, and you can take it to the bank that won't happen because of the expense based against production. Donald will enjoy that distinction getting the 5'th year option and the well deserved pay-off for his efforts. I mention this again about Greg Robinson because if 2017 isn't a success, he'll then become a free agent in 2018. For this reason i'm hoping the Rams pursue his being moved from LT to the interior in order to find out whether he can play either position successfully before we have to part ways in free agency. I'd start next week, although I doubt Boras has the cajones to make a major shift this late in the season. Put Saffold back at LT and move GRob to OG and lets see if it helps Gurley & Goff improve their game. While I would prefer Robinson to try out at RG, since he hasn't worked that position, let him finish out the season at LG and go into camp next season competing for a starting Guard job. Whatever happens, the Rams must still pursue another LT option for next season, someone a bit more experienced thru free agency to compete with both Williams & Battle, as well as Saffold/Grob. Robinson could eventually grow into another Saffold, a better than average swing player at 4 positions along the line, yet still maintain a starting role inside, but this will take time, and GRob is running out of it. jmo.

 

[UKram]

Two big complaints for me is the NO-line god they couldn't block my nan who was 93 and 4ft 5

And fucking bubble gum Pete I mean I hated him before but by god i fucking loathe him ... normally I'm of the mind set (when it comes to running up the score ) is stop em but that fake punt was zero class .... he got his player hurt (and I know that can happen on any given play but dudes a punter ) .... karmas a bitch Pete

 

[shaunpinney]

There was a time when Saffold played LT at a pretty high level, not really great but not bad either, although he always managed to injure himself. Jason Smith was moved to the right after his failure on the left side, switching with Saffold. Once Smith busted at both positions, then came the Jake Long experiment and more injuries, along with Saffold failing at RT. Saffold got bounced around quite a bit filling in at Tackle and both OG positions whenever there was another injury, ... and there was always another injury with this unit. I'm sure many will remember when Saff held down the RG position for several games in a row a couple years ago, it looked like a rebirth of sorts, he appeared to have found a place where he looked like a pro-bowler. Then injuries struck again and he was back to filling in wherever they needed him on a game to game basis, and without a real home. With GRob on board first at LG and then onto LT, we initially thought the problem was solved, but for one reason or other Saffold just couldn't succeed at RT, even Barksdale managed to beat him out.

GRob is one season away from getting the bust label himself if something doesn't change pretty rapidly. Early next season the Rams will have to decide whether to option Robinson for a 5'th year in 2018, and you can take it to the bank that won't happen because of the expense based against production. Donald will enjoy that distinction getting the 5'th year option and the well deserved pay-off for his efforts. I mention this again about Greg Robinson because if 2017 isn't a success, he'll then become a free agent in 2018. For this reason i'm hoping the Rams pursue his being moved from LT to the interior in order to find out whether he can play either position successfully before we have to part ways in free agency. I'd start next week, although I doubt Boras has the cajones to make a major shift this late in the season. Put Saffold back at LT and move GRob to OG and lets see if it helps Gurley & Goff improve their game. While I would prefer Robinson to try out at RG, since he hasn't worked that position, let him finish out the season at LG and go into camp next season competing for a starting Guard job. Whatever happens, the Rams must still pursue another LT option for next season, someone a bit more experienced thru free agency to compete with both Williams & Battle, as well as Saffold/Grob. Robinson could eventually grow into another Saffold, a better than average swing player at 4 positions along the line, yet still maintain a starting role inside, but this will take time, and GRob is running out of it. jmo.

Like the way you're thinking, I don't think our whole line has played to its potential at all this year. I do think it's time for fresh eyes and new ideas - I'd love to get Frank Pollack or Mike Tice as the o-line coach - I think both of these guys would have an impact on our line and get more out of the players we already have. I would go after JC Tretter (GB) to improve our C position - he hits FA at the end of the season and shouldn't be too pricey and I'd also go after Riley Reiff to battle for that LT starting position - I think the other positions are good to go - with consistency on the line and a couple of vets on there with the new coach we should be good to go.

 

[lockdnram21]

So we need a whole o line, 3-4 receivers, a #1 cb, and some d lone help. Smh so what did they really draft all these years

 

[RaminExile]

So we need a whole o line, 3-4 receivers, a #1 cb, and some d lone help. Smh so what did they really draft all these years

That's whats got me so disheartened this morning. Waking up after watching that....disaster....really the disaster all year and realizing we're no better off than we were a few years ago. Who did we draft? A couple of guys on defense. Some of them have now gone in free agency because the rebuild took too long to be able to utilize them all at the same point in time (McLeod, Jenkins). This team looked like it had something going in 2013 until Bradford went down. We've just lost pieces in those intervening years where the window for winning closed before it ever really opened because we were rolling with Kellen Clemens, Shaun Hill, Austin Davis, Nick Foles, Case Keenum et al at quarterback. Now we're back to 2010. Got a young QB to build around (read Goff for Bradford) and a running back that is wasted (read Gurley for Steven Jackson). No offensive line except from a first round bust (read Greg Robinson for Jason Smith) and a defense led by a middle linebacker (read Ogletree for a young Laurinaitis) and a good young defensive lineman (read Donald for Chris Long). Nothing else really. Lets hope we stock picks and draft better over the next five year rebuild.

 

[LumberTubs]

Just need to get through these last two weeks without anyone getting hurt.

Get the new coaching staff in and let the players have a nice clean offseason without having to rehab anything. And then get back at it with a hopefully competent coaching staff because I refuse to believe that this offensive talent is even close to reaching its potential yet. There are some talented players out there and, also, there are some less talented players on other teams who are having success.

The O line last year looked like it might get better. There were some good signs. That's all gone this year but with the right coaching/scheming, it can get better.

This would benefit Goff and Gurley who are both extremely talented players.

Other teams use small shifty receivers without resorting to gadget type play calling so Tavon needs to be utilised in the same way by whoever takes over. We've always heard that the Rams need to find a way to get Tavon the ball yet they haven't consistently achieved that. The new staff need to finally figure that one out.

 

[UKram]

Our biggest problem I think is consistency ... we will make two or three brilliant plays then we will make 7-8 boneheaded plays .... there will be one series we actually look like an NFL offense then we go back to the high school bs

We as fans know when things start going wrong for this team it all goes downhill (and if we as fans know it the payers do too ) even tavon said it

 

[Fatbot]

realizing we're no better off than we were a few years ago.

Yep great points and just goes to the constant frustration of watching the absolute lack of urgency to solve almost any problem area over the last few years. Bad enough free agent busts were chosen, but then they were just allowed to sit and fester in starting spots for years. Draft picks were knowingly chosen "not ready" and allowed to "develop" for years with zero results or progress. The whole regime seemed to be completely clueless why NFL stands for not for long -- from the second you acquire a player that holds a precious limited roster spot, the clock is ticking on his contract life that's under team control, so every drop of value has to be wrung dry from every single player towards contributing to wins on the field now or the near future. Hopefully the next coach will be someone impatient -- impatient in that good, smart way that turns rosters around and builds winners. The culture of clinging on to unproductive players because "they might get good enough to be an average NFL player some day" or "we're deathly afraid to get rid of this average low-ceiling guy because we don't know a better alternative" must go.

 

[T-REX]

Offensive Line =

GROB should be ashamed of himself , I think this guy would have a good game against him

 

[snackdaddy]

The new guy has a quarterback he needs to develop and a running back. Thats pretty much it on offense. The rest need to be purged but I know that can't realistically happen. We're stuck with a lot of them. The defense needs attention too. Quinn isn't the player he once was and he can't play a whole season anymore. They need help LB and secondary too.

Whoever the new guy is he'll have some rebuilding to do. I thought maybe just a few pieces to the puzzle. I was wrong. This is a bad team overall. There needs to be some serious purging and start over. Sacrifice the next couple years and get some draft picks back. And draft right this time. No projects.

 

[Faceplant]

I think it is safe to say you can swap out "Denver Broncos" for "Los Angeles Rams"....

 

[GoodBadUgly]

I hope he rebounds next season, but I have to say:

If you're going to complain about a middle school offense, stop running like a middle school RB.

If he moves Wagner 1 foot on that 4th down play (while hitting him with all his momentum) instead of getting PUSHED BACK like he weighed 70 lbs, we get early momentum and that entire game is different.

On the bright side, I finally saw a jump cut and some speed to the sideline and it made me think of last season and his potential...

 

[Snaz]

I think the weight loss plus a possible unreported shoulder injury has plagued him all season.