Now that I'm done celebrating...

[leoram]

It's time for me to get realistic just as I do when we suffer a crushing loss (ie, Dallas, KC, AZ).

After watching the game three times, a few sobering thoughts temper my enthusiasm.

One thing that jumps out is that the officiating fell on our side for the first time in recent memory. Now, they missed several holding calls against Quinn (as usual) but also missed a few by Robinson, Joseph, and Barksdale. When each defense jumped causing the OLine to flinch, it went against Denver both times. Questionable horse collar tackles went against them. They missed DPIs/holding against us on three occasions I saw. It's not the reason we won, but like I said, I can't recall officiating helping us the last few years.

We are still vulnerable to screens and WR wheel routes. With all our blitzing, seam passes are still successful. As dominant as that performance was, I've never seen Manning miss so many passes or his receivers drop so many balls.

The Rams (save the McLeod/Jenkins breakdown and Robinson brain freeze) played disciplined, mistake free football. Let me say that again-- two bad plays and only one cost us a touchdown. Call me punch drunk, but 95 times out of 100, Hill's fumble would result in a defensive scoop and score. Does anyone else think that would've changed the outcome? I have to see it happen more than once to believe this team can win the penalty/turnover/coverage breakdown battle.

On the flip side, Aaron Donald is a MANSTER! Ogletree is looking great, TJ is laying lumber, Gaines is awfully solid as a rookie, Robinson destroys people when he locks on, Hill makes terrific decisions, Mason is better than I thought, Bennie is a great third down back, Joseph didn't suck for once, Britt and Bailey have chemistry with Hill, Schotty managed a couple usable plays for Tavon, Williams didn't get outcoached, and if the officials will start seeing how often Quinn gets held, he will get back to taking over entire gameplans.

In short, there's reason for optimism but one or two plays either way still separates this team from a win or loss. It feels to me like 2012 when we beat the Cards, Niners, and Bills so they got me pumped only to get trucked by AP and the Vikings. Hey Lucy, hold the ball still for me this time...here I come...

 

[theramsruleUK]

I see nothing wrong with being realistic to be honest. Sure we got a bit of luck in that game, but hey I'll take it. We've had our fair share of bad luck this year so we were due some.
Optimism is a good thing, but I think a few people need to pump the brakes on playoff talk and going 10-6 etc... We won one game guys I'd be happy with going 500 right now to be honest!

 

[RamzFanz]

One win @theramsruleUK ? Niners? Hawks? Aren't those winning teams that were in the conference championships and super bowl?

I'm not pumping the brakes (did you think I would?!? ). I think this is the turning point. Rams have been building this talent for years and it's finally coming together.

The last pieces were Hill and Mason and the D gelling under QW for this season. The D is going to win games and the O is going to do more than enough, IMHO.

Niners and Hawks were impressive wins but Denver was a statement. Rams will stop the best QB in the NFL. They will run on the best running D in the NFL. They will pass on a stoute passing D. They will throw big passes. They will intercept, disrupt, and sack.

I think if they don't go 10-6, it will be Seattle who stops them, but I'm still pretty hopeful.

 

[Alan]

I saw many of the same things and that's why you haven't seen me post in the "we're great" threads. Barely holding Peyton to under 400 yards passing when you consider all the drops doesn't say much about our pass D to me. Especially when you knew he was going to pass every down. On the other hand, we did so many things right that it's very encouraging going forward.

 

[RamsJunkie]

I'm on the bandwagon with a full keg of blue and gold koolaid who wants some?

 

[LazyWinker]

Now, they missed several holding calls against Quinn (as usual) but also missed a few by Robinson, Joseph, and Barksdale.

I might be wrong because I'm not about to do the research this but seems like every game I watch they call offensive holding once or twice in the 1st half then ignore it the rest of the game. That's league wide.

 

[Ramhusker]

Stay grounded my friends and enjoy when our team does indeed bring the wins home.

 

[theramsruleUK]

One win @theramsruleUK ? Niners? Hawks? Aren't those winning teams that were in the conference championships and super bowl?

I'm not pumping the brakes (did you think I would?!? ). I think this is the turning point. Rams have been building this talent for years and it's finally coming together.

The last pieces were Hill and Mason and the D gelling under QW for this season. The D is going to win games and the O is going to do more than enough, IMHO.

Niners and Hawks were impressive wins but Denver was a statement. Rams will stop the best QB in the NFL. They will run on the best running D in the NFL. They will pass on a stoute passing D. They will throw big passes. They will intercept, disrupt, and sack.

I think if they don't go 10-6, it will be Seattle who stops them, but I'm still pretty hopeful.

Fair play, let's see how we do over the next 3 games though. I'm just reluctant to say we've turned a corner and making the playoffs when were 4-6 regardless of who we've beaten to get there

 

[Jumava1968]

It was a dominant performance from the defense the near 400 yards passing by Manning is a little misleading. Considering he threw over 50 passes trying to play catch up the D stopped him when they had to and the only TD was on busted coverage. If not we would have shutout Den and he would of had closer to 300 yards passing.

 

[V3]

My brother's a Chiefs fan(lives in KC) so he HATES the Broncos. He was so pleased that the Rams destroyed the Broncos that he said he now wants some Rams gear for Christmas. That win got them a new fan.

 

[Dodgersrf]

The only bad thing that I really have a problem with, was the lack of red zone td's last week.

GZ was awesome though.

 

[RamzFanz]

Fair play, let's see how we do over the next 3 games though. I'm just reluctant to say we've turned a corner and making the playoffs when were 4-6 regardless of who we've beaten to get there

I hear ya. I'm definitely going out on a limb, but that's what I see.

If by some great luck the Rams go to Seattle to decide which one of us gets in the playoffs... that would change this whole season to one of the best ever!

 

[Selassie I]

I NEVER STOP CELEBRATING A WIN

 

[theramsruleUK]

I hear ya. I'm definitely going out on a limb, but that's what I see.

If by some great luck the Rams go to Seattle to decide which one of us gets in the playoffs... that would change this whole season to one of the best ever!

Unless we lose!

 

[RamzFanz]

Unless we lose!

Dude! Unthinkable!

 

[RamzFanz]

It was a dominant performance from the defense the near 400 yards passing by Manning is a little misleading. Considering he threw over 50 passes trying to play catch up the D stopped him when they had to and the only TD was on busted coverage. If not we would have shutout Den and he would of had closer to 300 yards passing.

It's sick! They really were a broken coverage from shutting out Denver. It was THAT one sided.

 

[RamFan503]

I dunno @leoram . I don't think you are being overly negative here or anything. I can see what you are saying.

But here's my take:

I only saw one DPI that I felt was actually missed but there of course could have been more as I AM a Homer. I thought the horse collar was legit and has been called on us at least once before when it wasn't. I also think that if you compared holds along the offensive line, the most egregious fouls were on Denver so they almost HAD to call a couple.

Our defense was disruptive and the coverage aside from the obvious one was stingy and made receivers pay. Of course Peyton had almost 400 yards but there are productive yards and then there are just yards. If you make a team one dimensional like we did, that one dimension is usually going to be big - especially when you are talking Peyton freaking Manning. And even with one of the greatest QBs to ever play the game, playing better than at any time in his career, we didn't fall into malaise after giving up the big gut wrenching play.

We may get a lot of penalties called against us but it seems that they are trending down a bit as the year goes on. Denver on the other hand has been flagged in double digits 4 times this year and is the most penalized team in the league. So to say we benefitted from missed calls doesn't really hold water IMO. Denver was below their penalty average in that game as well and we all know they should have had several holding calls and a OPI called against them that never saw the yellow hanky. Add to that the 15 yarder on McLeod that everyone knows was bogus and WE are actually the ones on the short end of the reffing AGAIN.

So my take is that we didn't play up to our potential on offense as we kicked 5 field goals but we put together a pretty complete game on defense and didn't kill ourselves on ST. Hill's fumble could have been huge but finally we got a lucky bounce so I'll give you that one. Hill will likely be more in tune with the offense as the season goes on so we should exchange 7 points for a couple of those threes.

All in all, this was a very promising win. And it came on the heels of a tremendously tough section of our schedule - the toughest schedule in the NFL. We still have some very good teams ahead of us but we have showed that we can play with anyone and I think we are just going to keep getting better.

 

[RamFan503]

Stay grounded my friends and enjoy when our team does indeed bring the wins home.

Fuck grounded. And I say that in the nicest way possible.

 

[CodeMonkey]

Who is done celebrating?!?!

 

[rickrawk]

A WIN IS A WIN. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM??

GO RAMS!!!!