PREGAME LA Rams at Chicago Bears Divisional Round

[PhillyRam]

This is the first time I can recall recently where the Rams had a sub par kicking game. We lost to Philly and the Whiners because of FGs that should have been made, plus a missed PAT against the whiners. (Not to mention the punch at Kyren's head that wasn't penalized.

Mevis has been steady, but wouldn't you know it, the one kick he missed all season was against the shithawks and may have cost us the game.

Yeah, its like its just not supposed to be their year.

In 21' things broke their way...

Stafford/McVay deciding to vacation in Cabo at the same time. That helped expedite the trade.

The Cards losing in week 18, which gave the Rams the division despite losing to the Niners in the last week when the Rams blew a lead.

The Stafford/Kupp bomb to set up the winning FG in the divisional round in the last few seconds.

The Niners then upsetting both Dallas & GB, giving the Rams the home game for the NFCCG.

Tart dropping that INT in the NFCCG.

Stafford with two 4th quarter comebacks vs the Niners & Bengals. Including a couple holding calls vs the Bengals on that last drive.

This just shows that you need some breaks to go all the way. Hopefully, tomorrow we get a few or at least Chicago doesn't get any, so we can get that Seattle rematch.

 

[Spider2YB]

The game that the Rams really screwed themselves with was that first Niners game. They win that, and even with the Seattle loss, they likley are motivated and beat Atlanta. Then they likley would have won the division based on a better division record and had the 1 seed. Yeah well.

If you would’ve said before the season, that the Rams would need to win one of the following to secure the 1 seed:

vs SF. Down 3, with the ball, first and goal from the SF 2 with 3 timeouts and 40 seconds left. At home.

vs Philly. 47 yard FG as time expires

vs Seattle. Up 30-14 in the 4Q.

I’d have bet an uncomfortable amount of money that we would’ve won in at least one of those scenarios.

 

[Steve808]

Yeah, its like its just not supposed to be their year.

In 21' things broke their way...

Stafford/McVay deciding to vacation in Cabo at the same time. That helped expedite the trade.

The Cards losing in week 18, which gave the Rams the division despite losing to the Niners in the last week when the Rams blew a lead.

The Stafford/Kupp bomb to set up the winning FG in the divisional round in the last few seconds.

The Niners then upsetting both Dallas & GB, giving the Rams the home game for the NFCCG.

Tart dropping that INT in the NFCCG.

Stafford with two 4th quarter comebacks vs the Niners & Bengals. Including a couple holding calls vs the Bengals on that last drive.

This just shows that you need some breaks to go all the way. Hopefully, tomorrow we get a few or at least Chicago doesn't get any, so we can get that Seattle rematch.

It could still be that way. The whiners shouldn't have made the playoffs. They went to philly and beat them then got slaughtered by the sea pigeons. Now the Rams must slay the bears (as favorites) then go to Seattle and take what belongs to the Rams (the ticket to SB 60)

 

[RamFan58years]

If you would’ve said before the season, that the Rams would need to win one of the following to secure the 1 seed:

vs SF. Down 3, with the ball, first and goal from the SF 2 with 3 timeouts and 40 seconds left. At home.

vs Philly. 47 yard FG as time expires

vs Seattle. Up 30-14 in the 4Q.

I’d have bet an uncomfortable amount of money that we would’ve won in at least one of those scenarios.

And in each game there were 4-5 plays that if just ONE play was different the game would have been won. (We benefitted from this vs Indy)

 

[RamWoodie]

1. I keep saying it...call it superstition...but...I GOTTA SEE McVAY'S FACE AS THE RAMS TAKE THE FIELD. That's just a thing with me.

2. Should the Rams win the toss, I want the defense to take the field first.

3. ZERO TURNOVERS please...NO SHORT FIELD FOR THE BEARS.

4. Rams STs... COVER WELL!!! (You see how a kick return on the first kickoff ENERGIZED the Seahags) It was practically over right then.

LET'S GO RAMS...BOOK THAT FLIGHT TO SEATTLE WITH A CONVINCING WIN!!!

 

[David Ray]

Really good read, excellent memories and terrific point regarding consistency ... with no free agency, OL like Scibelli, Mack and Cowan all played more than thirteen years with the Rams.

Of course, the system was not fair to the players.

Just one (minor) comment. Klosterman came to the Rams with Rosenbloom. He and Allen did not over-lap.

Only a brief overlap in 1978 before CR realized his mistake and canned Allen.

 

[kmramsfan]

Only a brief overlap in 1978 before CR realized his mistake and canned Allen.

If we're talking about the same thing, Dan Reeves was the owner who fired George Allen.
Twice.

 

[David Ray]

If we're talking about the same thing, Dan Reeves was the owner who fired George Allen.
Twice.

Reeves fired Allen at the conclusion of the 1968 season and reinstated him shortly afterward following public outcry AND protests from numerous veteran players.
At the conclusion of the 1970 season, Allen's five-year contract had expired and was not renewed setting the stage for him to move to Washington.
After Allen left the REDSKINS following the 1977 season, he was brought back to Los Angeles by Carroll Rosenbloom but his neurotic tendencies got him fired after two preseason games that resulted in losses.

 

[kmramsfan]

Reeves fired Allen at the conclusion of the 1968 season and reinstated him shortly afterward following public outcry AND protests from numerous veteran players.
At the conclusion of the 1970 season, Allen's five-year contract had expired and was not renewed setting the stage for him to move to Washington.
After Allen left the REDSKINS following the 1977 season, he was brought back to Los Angeles by Carroll Rosenbloom but his neurotic tendencies got him fired after two preseason games that resulted in losses.

That's right. George had fallen off his rocker by then.
I don't think he was the same rah-rah guy that DR fired allegedly for buying ice cream for the players.
That was one of the many stories in that era.

 

[PARAM]

I like George Allen, just never understood the level of worship he got. He wasn't any better than Chuck Knox. In fact, he didn't win as many postseason games with the Rams as Chuck Knox. Of course he was colorful and coaching out in Hollywood accentuated that flavor. I wonder if he gets the same level of idolism had he never coached the Rams but had the same career record? Tomlin before Tomlin? Never had a losing record. Made the postseason 7 of 12 years. Postseason record: 2-7. I know he was a great defensive coordinator but......

 

[David Ray]

I like George Allen, just never understood the level of worship he got. He wasn't any better than Chuck Knox. In fact, he didn't win as many postseason games with the Rams as Chuck Knox. Of course he was colorful and coaching out in Hollywood accentuated that flavor. I wonder if he gets the same level of idolism had he never coached the Rams but had the same career record? Tomlin before Tomlin? Never had a losing record. Made the postseason 7 of 12 years. Postseason record: 2-7. I know he was a great defensive coordinator but......

Both of Allen's post season wins came in 1972 when the Cowpokes were without Staubach for the vast majority of the season thanks to RAMS MLB Marlin McKeever separating his shoulder in a preseason game at the Coliseum. So, the Cowpokes were relegated to the Wild Card behind East champ Washington who beat Dallas in the NFCCG at RFK after beating the Pack in the divisonal round in DC.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Allen was also innovative ... No head coach employed an assistant specifically for special teams before him. And that 1st ST-coach was a young Dick Vermeil.

Before being a head coach, Allen was an excellent defensive coach. His 1963 Bears' defense was the best in the NFL and Chicago won the NFL Championship.

It was Allen who thought it would be a good idea to replace a LB with a 5th DB in passing situations ...
Allen coined it the Nickel-defense; and when it was third-and-very-long yardage, Allen would add a 6th DB. Since there was no six-cent-coin, Allen called that his Dime-defense.

The guy changed the game.

For someone who didn't like to play rookies, George Allen was terrific at scouting and drafting; and ran Chicago's drafts ... his final two first round selections before becoming the Rams head coach in 1966 were future Hall of Famers Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus.

The guy could scout and draft.

After joining the Rams, Allen had a winning record for a team that had not achieved that in eight years.
Allen averaged 10 wins a year for five seasons. The prior seven years, the Rams averaged 3-4 wins per-year.

Washington's record before-and-after-Allen, was very similar ... about six wins per-year for seven years before; and just under ten wins per-year for Allen's seven seasons in Washington.

The guy could coach.
And, he was the primary personnel decision-maker (drafts and trades) for all those winning teams.

Now playoff success ... Not Much at all ... and no Championships.

Personally, I thing championships are a legit factor for both head coaches and quarterbacks.
However, I don't consider them to be pre-requisites.

Dan Marino, Fran Tarkenton and Dan Fouts were all ABSOLUTELY Hall of Famers in my opinion.
Trent Dilfer, Brad Johnson, Nick Foles ... YUCK! ... that's ridiculous.

Sid Gillman, Don Coryell and Bud Grant ... I think they are all well-deserving Hall of Fame head coaches.
Nick Sirianni, Barry Switzer and Brian Billick ... UGH! ... give me a fucking break.

 

[Ground Chuck]

Whenever I think of Mel Owens I also think of Carl Ekern (who died in 1990 in a jeep accident on his way to a camp for juvenile delinquents).

I remember Ekern’s (Fremont) high School coach sat just behind us at a game at Candlestick (Probably ‘91) and my dad briefly struck up a conversation with him. (We were probably one of the few wearing Rams gear in our section)

All I remember was he raved about what a great human he was and how devastated he was to lose him.

 

[RamFanWA]

...from a couple of years ago w/my daughter & wife.

GO RAMS

 

[rdlkgliders]

I love all the memories being shared from you old timers like me.

We all know how hard it is to get here and how slippery the grip on winning can be at any given time.

All Drives End in Kicks!

 

[Ramhusker]

LET’S GO!!!!!!!!

 

[RamWoodie]

The butterflies have started...BUT...mainly because all of my family here in Chicago are Bear fans and I get the heat if the Rams fail.

After that, it's just because I've seen the Rams implode at Philly, Seattle (even though ref aided), and Atlanta. When you've seen that stuff you know it can happen again.

I gotta see how the defense/offense starts before I settle down. Also, all the turnovers I saw yesterday and now in the Texans/Pats games. It gives you that "something's in the water" feeling.

 

[dang]

Bears fans putting all their hopes on the weather. If that is their best shot then maybe they aren't as good as they think.

Rams should be able to run very effectively against the Bears. Rams gotta score TDs vs FGs though. IMO 31 wins it. 20 points won’t cut it.

 

[RamWoodie]

Wow...Tutu is inactive today! Wonder if he's hurt?

 

[den-the-coach]

Wow...Tutu is inactive today! Wonder if he's hurt?

Nope, Xavier Smith is now the deep threat and he’s more than a one trick pony.