NFC Playoff Picture - After week 11

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CGI_Ram

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Lots to play…Giants/Bucs still to go… but let’s look ahead and speculate;

It sure looks like Minnesota, New Orleans, SF, and maybe the Eagles duke it out down the stretch?

SF appears to be the better team in that grouping, to me.

E2E847CD-2079-4E73-B399-6D3EC5580954.jpeg
 

Ramfansince79

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Well, McVay and co will be able to prove they’re legit: packers, cardinals, Vikings, ravens and niners still to come.
 

dang

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One game at a time but the Rams better turn it around quick. Whichever team is hot wins the NFC so watch out for someone like SF.
 

TexasRam

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We are probably headed for 9-7 if we are completely honest.

But scheme tweaks and injuries will come in to play. We just need to bring it together at the end.
 

bluecoconuts

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We are probably headed for 9-7 if we are completely honest.

But scheme tweaks and injuries will come in to play. We just need to bring it together at the end.

Putting aside the fact that's only 16 games, you really think we only have two wins left on the schedule?

Kenan Thompson Reaction GIF
 

snackdaddy

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10-7 likely gets in the playoffs. But if the Rams go 3-4 do we really think they will go far? We have weaknesses teams are starting to discover. Like rush only 4 and drop 7 against our offense. Making Stafford wait slightly longer to find open receivers. Our line doesn't hold up that long.

On defense take the 7 yard pass our defense gives and be patient. Teams who do that will move the chains and control time of possession. Our defense probably isn't capable of adjusting to that. They would have by now if they were.
 

Faceplant

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They will need to come together fast. This looks like a max 10 win team to me....and I am not even sure I can find those 3 wins atm.....
 

André

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This is definitely the tougher part of our schedule, starting with the Tennessee game.

Looking forward, the seven remaining games include:
Sun, Nov 28 - @ Green Bay
Sun, Dec 5 - vs. Jacksonville
Mon, Dec 13 - @ Arizona
Sun, Dec 19 - vs. Seattle
Sun, Dec 26 - @ Minnesota
Sun, Jan 2 - @ Baltimore
Sun, Jan 9 - vs. San Francisco

I don't think it is reasonable to project that we will suck the rest of the way.

First up, parity is just part of the league now. No game should be assumed, and I would argue that a lot of what has happened is that we "self-coronated' prior to both of these last two games. How can we lose, when we are the best?

I think that is the pressure that has gotten into Stafford's head especially, and it is absolutely something he has never experienced before. The Lions never exactly got around to believing they were going to take the title, and that Stafford was expected to take them to the promised land now that they have added such great pieces of the puzzle.

They should be a lot better going forward. Defensively, Miller will be in better shape and have a better idea of the playbook. Hollins should be coming back soon-ish, and HOPEFULLY, the week off will have led to some discussions with Morris on how the DBs should be playing moving forward.

Offensively, the pain of the loss of Woods will be that much further into the rear-view mirror. I think that really affected them last week especially, and I absolutely believe that, combined with Shanahan being in McVay's head, is what led to the disaster against the Niners. Hopefully OBJ fills some of that Woods gap for the Rams. Allen has also been playing hurt - hopefully he is 100% going into the Packers game, because the league will continue to pick on him if he isn't completely healthy.

I'm won't be super optimistic until they show it, but I can still see a path to four or five wins here. If they can make it five, then a 12-win season definitely gets them into the playoffs, where anything can happen. It likely means the long way to the Super Bowl, because they would be looking at the five seed, but who knows?
 

Kupped

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With Arizona winning 2 of 3 without Murray.. & 2 division wins, it’s hard to see them losing the division. The Rams would almost have to win out.
 

Stump23

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We have the talent to win a lot of these games. Question is do we have the ability to mix things up because the film is out on our schemes both offensively and defensively. We need our coaches to get more creative with our offensive formations/play calling and defensive set up as well. Again, the talent is there to beat anyone, we just can't beat ourselves with stubbornness and unwillingness to adjust when the shit hits the fan. Just one guys opinion. Happy Monday.
 

WarnerToBruce

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They will need to come together fast. This looks like a max 10 win team to me....and I am not even sure I can find those 3 wins atm.....
Well, this is the NFL and anything can happen, including a meltdown leading to a 7-10 season (although that might be far fetched).

Speaking about the brighter side of these possibilities, think how much better we'll be in the back half once Miller and OBJ are fully integrated and we get a few pieces back from injury. Remember, we've blown out teams and rested guys in the 4th qtr, this team can beat anyone on a good day.

The things that really concerns me are the passive D (beaten the death here), the WR situation without Woods (partially offset by OBJ), and the underdiscussed RB situation (it's one thing to say we should run more, but Hendo is brittle, Akers and others are out, and Michel was the worst RB in NE).

The one antidote for our offensive issues lately is good ground game, and we haven't shown we can or want to stick to it.
 

Mikey Ram

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Seems like there was a big run on rose colored glasses during the bye week...I hope they work..
 

Rams43

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My biggest concerns as obstacles for playoff seeding and success are the following:

McVay himself
Morris
DeCamillis

If these 3 coaches can get their acts together I think Rams have the horses to go all the way.

But I also think that all 3 coaches have put their respective units in a bit of a straitjacket.
 

Faceplant

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The things that really concerns me are the passive D (beaten the death here), the WR situation without Woods (partially offset by OBJ), and the underdiscussed RB situation (it's one thing to say we should run more, but Hendo is brittle, Akers and others are out, and Michel was the worst RB in NE).

The one antidote for our offensive issues lately is good ground game, and we haven't shown we can or want to stick to it.
I think you nailed it. At least that is how I feel about things. Cam going down was a HUGE blow IMO....Woody's injury hurts a ton as well. I feel like this team will be markedly better NEXT year, assuming we get back important pieces and stay relatively healthy.
 

Kupped

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To me, the Rams are going to make the playoffs, that’s not the issue, for me.
I think they need to worry less about the individual games and much more on their identity in all 3 phases.

Because their current identity is a bad match for several teams they’re likely to face in playoffs.
 

FrantikRam

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I feel like we're going to kill the Packers on Sunday. Their LT went down with an injury, Jones likely out, Rodgers has a hurt toe. Cold but sunny, wind not too bad. Coming off a bye.

So that'll be good to watch. JAX after that. Then Arizona and possibly both teams 10-3, as I can't see them sweeping us.

Seattle after that, who are just bad. 11-3.

You heard it here first - both the Rams and Cardinals will be 11-3.

Last three for each team:

Cardinals - Colts, @Cowboys, Seahawks

Rams - @vikings, @Ravens, Niners

We will need the Cardinals to lose to both the Colts and Cowboys, or drop one to Chicago, Detroit or Seattle unexpectedly.

For us - that Ravens game is the killer. Cross country after a trip to Minnesota the previous week. Even though I don't see Baltimore as THAT good this year, back to back road game, cold weather and hostile environment seems like a bad recipe. So I think we split those games.

We go into the Niners game at 12-4
Cards likely also go into the last week at 12-4, which means we would be relying on Seattle to somehow beat them for us to win the division. More unlikely, it assumes we can beat the 49ers.

It'll be exciting, but ultimately - one way or another - we're either a 12 or 13 win wildcard team this year.