I finally re watched that Chiefs game...

[Rams43]

And with an eye to our OL play in general, and Jones at C, in particular. More about that later.

This game was painful to watch. Very, very painful.

I can only recall 2 highlights. One highlight was the first drive by Davis. It was flawless and very impressive, resulting in a TD.

The other "highlight" was when Hekker went in on a 4th down apparent punt situation. But he came up to take a snap from under C which forced Reid to call a timeout. It made me chuckle to see that.

That was about it as far as highlights for us, though.

We never scored again, allowing 34 unanswered points. Points were scored by the Chiefs in every possible way with the exception of a safety, and they came within less than a yard of accomplishing that, too.

Where to start? BTW, these are just a few observations of lowlights, NOT an attempt to itemize every single Ram mistake or challenge.

We started the game with backups for already injured players and it snowballed from there. For example, 3 rookies had to start at CB. They were Gaines, Joyner, and Roberson. Later, McLeod was hurt and replaced by Cody Davis. Then Davis was hurt and replaced at S by Joyner. I missed exactly which player replaced Joyner at nickel. That's a lot of injuries forcing the play of 4 out of 5 of our normal secondary players. Not good.

Then there was the OL injury disaster. Saffold was replaced at RG by Joseph in the mid 2nd quarter. Then Long gets hurt, forcing GRob over from LG to LOT and Person to come in at LG. Later, Wells gets hurt and Jones comes in to finish at C for him. That left only Barksdale at his normal position. And, frankly, he hardly distinguished himself at ROT. Houston owned him in this game.

Then there was the season ending Quick injury. Sigh...

Did I mention that we started the game with a former 3rd string QB?

What a nightmare of matchup disadvantages!

Davis looked superb in that opening drive. But as the game progressed he appeared to become increasingly rattled. For example, his deep ball is not his strength but he still threw one deep to a double covered and perfectly bracketed Britt. Naturally, it was intercepted. He was even throwing behind some receivers. Even Bailey couldn't handle some of them thrown his way.

I stopped counting when the Chiefs got their 6th sack. Plenty of blame to go around to account for that. OL getting dominated, Davis getting rattled, Schotty play calling becoming one sided, you name it...

We couldn't run inside once Saffold left the game. For example, still early in a game tied 7-7 there was a 3rd and 1 and Stacy hit the middle as he does so well. But both Wells and Joseph missed their danged blocks. BOTH of them. So Stacy gets stuffed and we have to punt. How do two vet, and former Pro Bowlers, both miss their blocks there? Another play I saw Joseph completely whiff on players coming on either side of him. I mean, he never even touched them. It looked like he had closed his eyes at the snap of the ball. I'm serious. Naturally, those 2 Chiefs buried Davis.

Our ST got into this disaster movie by allowing a 99 yard kickoff return for a TD. This transformed a close 10-7 game into an eventual rout.

Back to Jones, the real reason I forced myself to watch this hot mess of a game. I wanted to observe him as objectively as I could after the heat of the season had passed. It was a mixed bag, IMO. First of all, there were few, if any, opportunities to see him run block. Schotty had abandoned the run by this time and was calling passes almost exclusively. Given the score, time left on the clock, and the abysmal condition of our patchwork OL, I can't say I really blame him. It was a kinda pick your poison situation by then.

But I will say that Jones played respectably in pass pro. He seemed very comfortable in making his line calls. I didn't see him getting "walked back" into Davis as I did see Wells earlier. So I have to say that Jones looked fairly effective in his limited role in this game. Bearing in mind that the run game had been abandoned and the Chiefs knew it. Also considering that he was playing in the middle of an overmatched OL behind 34-7 on the road. Probably not the best scenario for him to get his NFL debut.

Naturally, this game has now forever been deleted from my DVR. And good riddance! Lol.

 

[-X-]

That really was awful, and I don't even know why you put yourself through it again.

Freaking masochist.

After all those player losses, it's kind of difficult to stay competitive throughout the game. But at the same time, we put a beatdown on the Saints in 2011 with an equally dismal defensive (and QB) lineup. Could be luck, or could be a need to get amped and stay amped regardless of the situation.

 

[Leuzer]

And with an eye to our OL play in general, and Jones at C, in particular. More about that later.

This game was painful to watch. Very, very painful.

I can only recall 2 highlights. One highlight was the first drive by Davis. It was flawless and very impressive, resulting in a TD.

The other "highlight" was when Hekker went in on a 4th down apparent punt situation. But he came up to take a snap from under C which forced Reid to call a timeout. It made me chuckle to see that.

That was about it as far as highlights for us, though.

We never scored again, allowing 34 unanswered points. Points were scored by the Chiefs in every possible way with the exception of a safety, and they came within less than a yard of accomplishing that, too.

Where to start? BTW, these are just a few observations of lowlights, NOT an attempt to itemize every single Ram mistake or challenge.

We started the game with backups for already injured players and it snowballed from there. For example, 3 rookies had to start at CB. They were Gaines, Joyner, and Roberson. Later, McLeod was hurt and replaced by Cody Davis. Then Davis was hurt and replaced at S by Joyner. I missed exactly which player replaced Joyner at nickel. That's a lot of injuries forcing the play of 4 out of 5 of our normal secondary players. Not good.

Then there was the OL injury disaster. Saffold was replaced at RG by Joseph in the mid 2nd quarter. Then Long gets hurt, forcing GRob over from LG to LOT and Person to come in at LG. Later, Wells gets hurt and Jones comes in to finish at C for him. That left only Barksdale at his normal position. And, frankly, he hardly distinguished himself at ROT. Houston owned him in this game.

Then there was the season ending Quick injury. Sigh...

Did I mention that we started the game with a former 3rd string QB?

What a nightmare of matchup disadvantages!

Davis looked superb in that opening drive. But as the game progressed he appeared to become increasingly rattled. For example, his deep ball is not his strength but he still threw one deep to a double covered and perfectly bracketed Britt. Naturally, it was intercepted. He was even throwing behind some receivers. Even Bailey couldn't handle some of them thrown his way.

I stopped counting when the Chiefs got their 6th sack. Plenty of blame to go around to account for that. OL getting dominated, Davis getting rattled, Schotty play calling becoming one sided, you name it...

We couldn't run inside once Saffold left the game. For example, still early in a game tied 7-7 there was a 3rd and 1 and Stacy hit the middle as he does so well. But both Wells and Joseph missed their danged blocks. BOTH of them. So Stacy gets stuffed and we have to punt. How do two vet, and former Pro Bowlers, both miss their blocks there? Another play I saw Joseph completely whiff on players coming on either side of him. I mean, he never even touched them. It looked like he had closed his eyes at the snap of the ball. I'm serious. Naturally, those 2 Chiefs buried Davis.

Our ST got into this disaster movie by allowing a 99 yard kickoff return for a TD. This transformed a close 10-7 game into an eventual rout.

Back to Jones, the real reason I forced myself to watch this hot mess of a game. I wanted to observe him as objectively as I could after the heat of the season had passed. It was a mixed bag, IMO. First of all, there were few, if any, opportunities to see him run block. Schotty had abandoned the run by this time and was calling passes almost exclusively. Given the score, time left on the clock, and the abysmal condition of our patchwork OL, I can't say I really blame him. It was a kinda pick your poison situation by then.

But I will say that Jones played respectably in pass pro. He seemed very comfortable in making his line calls. I didn't see him getting "walked back" into Davis as I did see Wells earlier. So I have to say that Jones looked fairly effective in his limited role in this game. Bearing in mind that the run game had been abandoned and the Chiefs knew it. Also considering that he was playing in the middle of an overmatched OL behind 34-7 on the road. Probably not the best scenario for him to get his NFL debut.

Naturally, this game has now forever been deleted from my DVR. And good riddance! Lol.

You're a true warrior, Rams43. It takes balls to re-watch that shit fest. Completely forgot how badly we were hurting that game. Any time an OL and secondary is switched around that much the result won't be pretty.

 

[Rams43]

That really was awful, and I don't even know why you put yourself through it again.

Freaking masochist.

After all those player losses, it's kind of difficult to stay competitive throughout the game. But at the same time, we put a beatdown on the Saints in 2011 with an equally dismal defensive (and QB) lineup. Could be luck, or could be a need to get amped and stay amped regardless of the situation.

Believe me, I hear ya, X.

I deserve a Purple Heart for that effort, don't you think?

I just had to see Jones, Wells, and Joseph once again to make sure that I had seen what I had thought I had seen. Does that kinda make sense? Being as Jones is considered a potential starter at C?

I know that some have expressed concern about starting 2 rookies on the right side plus Jones or Barnes at C.

And I get that. I really do.

But trust me on this... After watching that Chief game, all doubts about keeping the old vets will be removed. Bring on the youngsters!

 

[FRO]

Austin Davis was money in opening drives. He always would show flashes or brilliance, then he would show flashes of total suckage. He was never just solid. It was all or nothing and it was usually nothing.

 

[BonifayRam]

.......
That left only Barksdale at his normal position. And, frankly, he hardly distinguished himself at ROT. Houston owned him in this game.

....But I will say that Jones played respectably in pass pro. He seemed very comfortable in making his line calls. I didn't see him getting "walked back" into Davis as I did see Wells earlier. So I have to say that Jones looked fairly effective in his limited role in this game.

Your a much bigger man than me to go back endure that pain.Kudos

The above Barksdale comments were on target you were much more kind than I could have been. This game was the undoing for me last season on him. I never recovered anything hope for him afterwards. It was his time to step up & rise to take up the fire for the team....as you pointed out he failed & he crumbled into the heap of bad OL play. He did not merit any real considerations from me as our 2015 starting Right Tackle. Sure looks like Snead/Fisher felt the same way.

On the Barrett Jones analysis I say again Kudos very well done. Your so correct that it was a lopsided watch of his skills since there were no real run blocking ongoing by then. Under the conditions I felt that Jones in that cameo appearance looked the best of the five Ol'ers on the field @ that time...I know its not saying much but it is what it was.

Concerns over Brown/Havenstein starting over a Joseph/Barksdale 2015 duo again.....I like the first two myself much better. The only real close certain rookie who could start in this 2015 is Havenstein. Reynolds very easily could start for Brown if need be.

That OL with Reynolds who is in his 7th season, Saffold in his 5th season, Barnes in his 4th season, Robinson in his 2nd season & the rookie Havenstein.....that's not of line with many other NFL teams OL's

Good Post Rams43 thanks for the read.

 

[RAGRam]

The game that killed Davis.

 

[Alan]

Rams43 taking one for the team:
This game was painful to watch. Very, very painful.

But I will say that Jones played respectably in pass pro. He seemed very comfortable in making his line calls. I didn't see him getting "walked back" into Davis as I did see Wells earlier.

Very good news about Jones play. Especially the bolded part which says something about his strength gains. I'm not that worried about his ability to run block when he's going to have a refrigerator with legs on either side of him. Even marginal play by him will be an improvement.

BonifayRam looking at the problem from a different perspective:
Concerns over Brown/Havenstein starting over a Joseph/Barksdale 2015 duo again.....I like the first two myself much better. The only real close certain rookie who could start in this 2015 is Havenstein. Reynolds very easily could start for Brown if need be.

That OL with Reynolds who is in his 7th season, Saffold in his 5th season, Barnes in his 4th season, Robinson in his 2nd season & the rookie Havenstein.....that's not of line with many other NFL teams OL's

As I've said before, I really don't see much of a possibility that Havensten/Brown combo won't be at least as good as what we had on the field last year. What did that achieve though? My fears are that they will only be AS GOOD OR ONLY SLIGHTLY BETTER than what we had last year. We used almost all our draft resources on the O-line and if they aren't significantly better (not necessarily this year) then this whole draft was/is...

What really strikes me (or should I say reminds me) about 43's commentary, is that we had nothing in reserve to back them up. I know there's been a lot of conjecture about whether Battle can make the final 53 but I think who should really be worried is Bond, Washington, Hunter, Baker and either Rhaney or Barnes. Bond and Washington in particular are treading on very thin ice IMO.

 

[Alan]

flv looking for hidden treasure:
Link? Link!

I think he DVR'd it last year because I couldn't find it on youtube.

 

[Rams43]

Yeah, flv, Alan nailed it.

I DVR'ed the game live from Sunday ticket last season.

I then simply played the recorded game the other day.

 

[JUMAVA68]

That game was probably one of the reasons Fisher finally decided enough is enough and fixed the o-line.It was about as ugly as it can get and I hope we never have another game like that.

 

[Alan]

That dark blue looked like black to me @flv . I always bold something when I colorize it so that I can tell the difference. My bad.

 

[Warner4Prez]

That game was probably one of the reasons Fisher finally decided enough is enough and fixed the o-line.It was about as ugly as it can get and I hope we never have another game like that.

Well it's very rate for me to cosnider an embarrassment like that a blessing under any circumstance, but if it had a hand in someone pumping resources into the line...:bow:

 

[LACHAMP46]

and replaced by Cody Davis. Then Davis was hurt

I liked 2 running backs in that draft, one was the guy from Arkansas that ran Davis over that day...Something Davis...almost killed Cody....They said the RB had small hands, fumbled and was hurt alot....but he did run a 4.4...

The above Barksdale comments were on target you were much more kind than I could have been. This game was the undoing for me last season on him. I never recovered anything hope for him afterwards. It was his time to step up & rise to take up the fire for the team....as you pointed out he failed & he crumbled into the heap of bad OL play. He did not merit any real considerations from me as our 2015 starting Right Tackle. Sure looks like Snead/Fisher felt the same way.

It was this game when I too felt Joe B. must go....The later game vs Washington confirmed it....But I was sick of most of the players during this game....

I hardly remember Jones playing....damn shame, cause I remember the game but not details like that....

Like most, thanks for the post 43....I'd rather have rookies than Joseph, Long, Barksdale, and esp. Wells.