On to Miami - Up next, Dolphins

[Angry Ram]

I hope Staley has some exotic blitzes dialed up for the rookie. I really don’t want to watch us sit back in zone and wait for Tua to make mistakes. FORCE him to make mistakes.

Rams are 5-0 vs rookie QBs since 2014. Couple that with the fact that QBs in their first start have only won 34% of the time and there should be no reason we don’t win this game.

It's harder for a rookie to analyze a zone than man. I can see advantages to both.

 

[oldnotdead]

Look at Tua's running this way i.e. his production. At Alabama he played 33 games, kept the ball and ran 107 times gaining 340 yds. That's about 10 yds per game. He isn't a run threat. In fact last year he only averaged about 1 yd per carry. He moves to buy time and looks for drop coverages. He's short so contain him in the pocket and take away his first to reads and he will have problems passing. If the Rams can do that I see a lot of tipped balls, forced passes and sacks.

Tua's normal progression will be WR Parker, TE Gesicki and Gaskin. A big part of Miami's passing game is having Gesicki chip then release into the flats or a mid-range pattern. Gaskin is normally used in the passing game as a dumpoff option or on designed swing passes. Staley needs to not let Parker run free, and tighten up the short to midrange coverages.

The Fins made a huge effort to upgrade their o-line this year. They definitely have better athleticism across the board. They struggled a bit over the first 2-3 games as expected with a new unit. But have looked better over the last 3 games. But are they better overall than last year? Overall I'd say yes, but how much better remains to be seen. There are times they struggle in pass protection and are clearly better in their run blocking.

Overall, I like the matchup between the Ram's defense vs the Dolphins offense. If the Rams focus upon taking away their run game and forcing the rookie QB to win the game I don't think he can do it. Not if the Ram offense can get off to a quick start.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Kinda concerned about this game from a travel/short week/new QB/big MNF win/looking ahead to bye perspective.

Find that rhythm, score early, go in at halftime with a lead, release the dogs in the 2nd half.

 

[Classic Rams]

I hope Staley has some exotic blitzes dialed up for the rookie. I really don’t want to watch us sit back in zone and wait for Tua to make mistakes. FORCE him to make mistakes.

Rams are 5-0 vs rookie QBs since 2014. Couple that with the fact that QBs in their first start have only won 34% of the time and there should be no reason we don’t win this game.

Oh yeah you know he'll blitz the kid. Other defensive calls that messes rookies up are disguised coverages, which would be smart to do.

5-0 vs rookie QBs, I like those numbers in the Rams' favor.

I'm not predicting sack #s but I do see a strip sack happening.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I think the Rams defense pitches a shutout this weekend and goes into the bye on a high note. The Dolphins have not faced a good defense firing on all cylinders yet this year. The closest thing to it was the Patriots in week one and they were held to 11 points.

 

[1maGoh]

Sure, it worked but a first down here or there would have made it work a bit better.

Like, 2 times the win count? Would we be at 6 wins instead of 5 or would it have erased a partial (or even full!) loss?

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Like, 2 times the win count? Would we be at 6 wins instead of 5 or would it have erased a partial (or even full!) loss?

Nope. Like in not giving the Bears the ball back right away so they have a few less chances to get a drive going. Three and outs can tire your defense. One slip up and its 24-17. Then its back to trying to get points. Running out the clock with 8 minutes is great if they can extend a drive or two with a first down.

 

[Juice]

There is a reason Flores chose this week after the bye and against the Rams to start the rookie, and I can't figure it out. Flores might think he can stifle the Rams offense much like they did in the Super Bowl, so it will give the rookie a lot of reps against a challenging defense. Does Flores see something in our defensive game plan that will give Tua an advantage? The timing just seems off to me.

 

[Selassie I]

There is a reason Flores chose this week after the bye and against the Rams to start the rookie, and I can't figure it out. Flores might think he can stifle the Rams offense much like they did in the Super Bowl, so it will give the rookie a lot of reps against a challenging defense. Does Flores see something in our defensive game plan that will give Tua an advantage? The timing just seems off to me.

I am forced to listen to some phish talk here on local sports radio. Apparently, the phish had always planned to bring him in after their bye week... and that wasn't originally going to be this week... it changed because of a virus delay.

So listening to their supposed insiders talk... it has nothing to do with the opponent Tua was going to face... it was just that they wanted to give him a full 2 weeks to prepare for his 1st start. That's what I keep hearing.

It's funny too... because most of them are saying that they should have changed their plan when it turned out AD99 was coming in after the bye. LOL

 

[1maGoh]

Nope. Like in not giving the Bears the ball back right away so they have a few less chances to get a drive going. Three and outs can tire your defense. One slip up and its 24-17. Then its back to trying to get points. Running out the clock with 8 minutes is great if they can extend a drive or two with a first down.

But it didn't get to 24-17. Their offense never even scored after the fieldgoal in the first quarter. So I don't know how much "better" the defense would have been if we'd kept piling in points.

And sure, the offense doesn't want to go 3 and out. I don't think that's ever the goal. I don't think McVay is calling plays that he believes won't get a first down.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

But it didn't get to 24-17. Their offense never even scored after the fieldgoal in the first quarter. So I don't know how much "better" the defense would have been if we'd kept piling in points.

And sure, the offense doesn't want to go 3 and out. I don't think that's ever the goal. I don't think McVay is calling plays that he believes won't get a first down.

It looked like he was content to go three and out. His play calling was very basic with simple runs inside. The Bears knew he was running and they easily stopped it. Its the number 1 defense in the league that he was going against. I think he knew that they would go three and out just running the ball three times in a row.

McVay was comfortable with his strategy but it doesn't mean fans have to agree. I'm not the first one here to think he started with chewing the clock a bit early, with three and out run plays with 7-8 minutes remaining. It worked but we saw one long pass to Robinson shorten the field in a hurry. The Bears are a team that has been scoring late in the game all season.

 

[1maGoh]

It looked like he was content to go three and out. His play calling was very basic with simple runs inside. The Bears knew he was running and they easily stopped it. Its the number 1 defense in the league that he was going against. I think he knew that they would go three and out just running the ball three times in a row.

McVay was comfortable with his strategy but it doesn't mean fans have to agree. I'm not the first one here to think he started with chewing the clock a bit early, with three and out run plays with 7-8 minutes remaining. It worked but we saw one long pass to Robinson shorten the field in a hurry. The Bears are a team that has been scoring late in the game all season.

You absolutely don't have to agree with him. We're just having a discussion.

I really just wanted to counter the idea that being more attractive would have worked "better". There's not much room for better that it could have worked.

Thank you for the discussion.

 

[OregonRamsFan]

This feels to me like a game that could surprise us. We are 2-11 all time vs the “Phins. We only beat them once at their place. No real video on Tua to study. He’s pretty mobile. The ‘phins almost beat the Bills. I’d say we’d better be ready and not underestimate the Dolphins. Just a thought.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

This feels to me like a game that could surprise us. We are 2-11 all time vs the “Phins. We only beat them once at their place. No real video on Tua to study. He’s pretty mobile. The ‘phins almost beat the Bills. I’d say we’d better be ready and not underestimate the Dolphins. Just a thought.

The Rams and Staley both seemed to be easing into the defense when they played the Bills. They seem to be playing better defense now. So I think they could beat the Bills if they got another chance.

Plus the Dolphins and Bills are division foes. They should have a close game.

 

[LARAMSinFeb.]

Kinda concerned about this game from a travel/short week/new QB/big MNF win/looking ahead to bye perspective.

Find that rhythm, score early, go in at halftime with a lead, release the dogs in the 2nd half.

Plus Dolphins wear white to make the other team's uniforms hotter. 86 degrees tomorrow

 

[badnews]

If you follow Fitz career, he was due for one of his patented disaster games. The cat could throw for 400 1 week with 3,4 TD and then blow up the next with multiple INT.
That said, he's had a wild career and puts a big twist on the "journeyman" concept. Normally the journeyman is a Steve Deberg type, wont kill you, wont amaze you. Will just get enough done to keep the team's head above water.
Fitz though....
Has to be an NFL record, has had a 300 yard game with 7 different teams, Only Cincinnati stop (261 yards hi-game) prevented him from being a perfect 8 for 8. He also has hit 400 with 3 different teams, (Just missing with Jets 390, and Buffalo 382)
Talk about feast or famine

I will never, ever forget his debut vs Houston.

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