RAMSinLA
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Yes. In 2018, we allowed 23.5 PPG......and won 13. But some seem to think our defense is going to be so bad, our offense won't be able to overcome the deficits. Some guesses are 4 - 5 wins. Here's a list of the teams who allowed more offensive TDs than the 2018 Rams.Before Last season started we all said and thought the Rams were super bowl bound again. We were all wrong. So I hope we are wrong again. One thing is for sure the Rams team will be younger faster and hungrier than last years team. Keep the faith.
We had a hell of an OL in 2018 - Whitworth Saffold Sullivan Blythe HavensteinYes. In 2018, we allowed 23.5 PPG......and won 13. But some seem to think our defense is going to be so bad, our offense won't be able to overcome the deficits. Some guesses are 4 - 5 wins. Here's a list of the teams who allowed more offensive TDs than the 2018 Rams.
Rams 43
Carolina 45
NYJets 45
Arizona 46
San Fran 48
Miami 48
Kansas City 49
Cincinnati 49
Atlanta 49
Oakland 52
Tampa 53
Just 10 teams allowed more offensive TDs than the Rams. All of them had losing records except for the Rams (13-3) and Chiefs (12-4), who allowed 25.5 PPG. Now why did that happen? I'll give you a clue.....begins with an "O", ends with a "ence".
Yes, but we also had a helluva offense. Gurley, Watkins, Woods, Kupp, Higbee, Goff taking off and the OL. My point is, they are telling us they are emphasizing offense and some question that, believing the defense will kill us. I think the affect the defense has on our record depends on how formidable the offense becomes. And with McVay's short history, who can say the offense won't cover the warts on the other side? It has before. Many times. I think fans overestimate the 6 defenses the Rams have fielded. They were mostly middle of the pack, some worse and one was #1. Top 10 once and not even close the other 5 times. Offensively, there's been very little change. Top 10 four times and #11 a fifth. Last year #22 with all the OL injuries. The Rams are about offense, not defense.We had a hell of an OL in 2018 - Whitworth Saffold Sullivan Blythe Havenstein
Only weak link was Blythe and Sullivan helped out a lot on that end
The key though imho is the OL - a good OL will greatly benefit the other players on the offensive side whereas a bad OL will be a huge detriment to our offense no matter who the offensive players areYes, but we also had a helluva offense. Gurley, Watkins, Woods, Kupp, Higbee, Goff taking off and the OL. My point is, they are telling us they are emphasizing offense and some question that, believing the defense will kill us. I think the affect the defense has on our record depends on how formidable the offense becomes. And with McVay's short history, who can say the offense won't cover the warts on the other side? It has before. Many times. I think fans overestimate the 6 defenses the Rams have fielded. They were mostly middle of the pack, some worse and one was #1. Top 10 once and not even close the other 5 times. Offensively, there's been very little change. Top 10 four times and #11 a fifth. Last year #22 with all the OL injuries. The Rams are about offense, not defense.
Without a doubt. A bad OL.....or severely injured OL.....will kill an offense, no matter the weapons on that side of the ball. A healthy, cohesive OL can develop as the weeks pass into a formidable OL. Just need the right 5 guys. I hope they supplement the OL, particularly at the C position. Let him battle it out with Allen and Shelton. Let Noteboom and Jackson battle it out for LT, Anchrum and Bruss for one (or two) of the G spots. Havenstein at RT. I think they have legit players for the T positions and backups in Thomas and Arcuri. The guards? Haven't seen Anchrum or Bruss play in a regular season game, so I hope their evaluations are accurate. They could also grab a G in the draft. It's gonna be interesting and as always, what they do in the draft will somewhat indicate their level of trust in the players they have on the OL. But, for sure......fix that side of the ball and the defense doesn't need to be stellar. Adequate and developing into a stronger unit with the reps week to week. Right now, it would appear they have the DT/DE positions solidified. Need OLB/Edge. ILB could use a bit. Secondary is young and another vet back there would help. They aren't done adding to the squad via free agency IMHO.The key though imho is the OL - a good OL will greatly benefit the other players on the offensive side whereas a bad OL will be a huge detriment to our offense no matter who the offensive players are
I agree with you on the offensive lineWithout a doubt. A bad OL.....or severely injured OL.....will kill an offense, no matter the weapons on that side of the ball. A healthy, cohesive OL can develop as the weeks pass into a formidable OL. Just need the right 5 guys. I hope they supplement the OL, particularly at the C position. Let him battle it out with Allen and Shelton. Let Noteboom and Jackson battle it out for LT, Anchrum and Bruss for one (or two) of the G spots. Havenstein at RT. I think they have legit players for the T positions and backups in Thomas and Arcuri. The guards? Haven't seen Anchrum or Bruss play in a regular season game, so I hope their evaluations are accurate. They could also grab a G in the draft. It's gonna be interesting and as always, what they do in the draft will somewhat indicate their level of trust in the players they have on the OL. But, for sure......fix that side of the ball and the defense doesn't need to be stellar. Adequate and developing into a stronger unit with the reps week to week. Right now, it would appear they have the DT/DE positions solidified. Need OLB/Edge. ILB could use a bit. Secondary is young and another vet back there would help. They aren't done adding to the squad via free agency IMHO.
That sounds like a plan. What I'm interested to find out is exactly how they approach this draft. A great many Ram fans believe Edge should be the first selection. Many thought OL should be the first selection in 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019. But they only went that direction 1 time. In the back of my mind, I'm thinking watch these guys pick a RB or a TE with the first pick.I agree with you on the offensive line
I hope they grab both a center and a guard in the draft
Center/Guard in the first 3 picks
and a Center/Guard in round 5/early 6th
As to the defensive side - we might be able to get decent starters but the depth is going to kill us with inexperience all over the place
Well why did ya have to bring up Creed? That convo never dies hahaha......oh well, I'll indulge on this beaten subject that is a constant occupant in the battered shelter. Not drafting Creed and saying us Rams fans won't give a pass for winning a Superbowl makes no damn sense to me. Them botching that pick had no effect on the Superbowl outcome since Tutu had no impact whatsoever. However, not drafting a younger, healthier center to replace our our constantly injured center would have allowed us to allocate money elsewhere so we wouldn't have as many holes since the center position would have, theoretically, been locked down. I see people mad about the Humphrey situation simply because we missed out on a golden opportunity to have more flexibility by making the better choice there draft wise. Don't shoot me for just sharing my thoughts on it because I'm just laying out what the thought process is, but in the end, I've moved on a long time ago because that's all we can do since nothing changes that we didn't draft him. I call a mistake we are paying for salary cap wise now, but once again, all the Rams can do is move forward.Well we could have gone OL with our first two picks the last few drafts and we might have had a terrific unit. Or maybe not. Over the past 5 drafts they've taken an OL with their first pick twice. In 3 of those drafts, they've taken 2 OL, once with the first two picks. The one year they didn't take an OL Creed Humphrey was the consensus pick and they passed. So they will forever suffer the ire of Ram fans for doing that. And consequently, nothing they can do, short of drafting OL first every year will satisfy those fans. Hell not even winning a Superbowl gained them any slack!!! And I often wonder if some Ram fans didn't enjoy that season as much as they should have because of passing on Creed Humphrey. "Yeah, we won the SB but Creed Humphrey would have helped us for years".
How can anybody say, "they can be pretty good"? For one, if they can simply remain healthy they should improve. Continuity is constantly cited. By fans, by O lineman, by coaches. You can have a lesser talented OL and still have a good one if they have continuity. (Not 5 Bobby Evans' of course). I don't believe the guys you call "minimally talented", are minimally talented. Allen was the starting CENTER on a Superbowl Championship team. You can't get away with mediocre at that position. Folks like to talk up Whit as covering for inadequacies and that may or may not be correct, to some degree. Probably his leadership more than anything else. But a stud LT is not going to cover for "minimally talented" at the other 4 positions. Just like having Creed Humphrey last year, would have made all of the difference. NOT.
But some guys just can't forget the old, antiquated cliches. "Defense wins Championships" and "It all starts up front". That last one has some merit but it's not like you need the 1975 Rams OL to win. You need some talent, a lot of health and continuity. And a good QB doesn't hurt.
So let's see if they go out and draft a ton of OL talent in April.
And Kupp was out. Just as in the 2018 Super Bowl, which imo we likely would have won if Kupp had played.A
It doesn't help either that he had an AD99 with broken ribs who couldn't play... Also didn't have Von Miller across from Floyd. with broken ribs who couldn't play much, and the Offense was relying on a broken Goff and Wolf/Perkins.
I do understand what you're saying though.
We had the #1 defense in the NFL with Micah Kiser and Kenny Young as our ILBs, and a rookie 6th round draft pick at Free Safety.
How does the defense look?Cameron DaSilva molests collies.
Ask me how the defense looks in July.
I find rankings of any kind silly. Many Ram fans can't stand Morris and practically give Staley the credit for the 2021 SB defense. On that ranking list, Wink Martindale is 1 slot above Raheem. Yet his D's finished below the Rams the last 2 years. Sganuolo is #5 and he fielded the #27 D in 2021!!! If he's all that, how did that happen? Anarumo's D was 18th in 2021, 1 slot below Raheem. It's simply silly. But it does create discussion on the subject however unfounded and silly.People tend to equate inexperience with bad when they are simply untested. The fact PFF sees nothing wrong with Morris' scheme shows exactly how little they know about NFL football. Morris drops a #1 ranked defense to a 19th ranking in two years but is the 7th best DC? Give me a fucking break.
To rank teams right now is foolish. Rank them in January for the past season. A DC that gets the most out of the roster he has is a good DC. Morris had Donald, Wagner and Ramsey and his unit was ranked anywhere from 17th-19th last year. But according to PFF he's the 7th best DC? They should call themselves PFC "Perfectly Fucking Clueless".