Overall thoughts on the game

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Watched the game at tilted kilt

 

[AZRams]

I am thinking the opposite, Sir if you can find the time later can you provide me a very detailed reason why you feel so strongly on going all offense?

Well, the caveat is a choice: do you want the current offense which is a fancier version of ball-control or do you want the high-octane '17-'18 offense?

If you want high-octane you've got to get a true speed receiver to be a deep threat. You need road-graders on the OL or find a way to get more of yesterday's physical play from the current one.

Unless we're gonna see a lot of guys lost to FA I don't think you need to tweak a darn thing on the defensive side of the ball. There are guys that are a bit weaker than others at LB but as a unit this is a championship-level defense IMHO.

 

[oldnotdead]

I only needed 4 Modelos to get through the game. By half time I knew the Rams would pull it out. McVay & Co. don't lose with a lead going into the half. So by the time I finished my second I was ok. I was just frustrated at how self-destructive this team can be. In every one of their losses, it was their own mistakes that cost them the win. If this team can play clean games they would dominate and this roster is good enough for them to have gone undefeated IMO.

One thing is for sure, Bonamego has to go. His unit is the weakest link in otherwise a strong team. IMO Gay will forever be an occasional misser. He's never cleaned up his act so it's obvious he simply doesn't know-how. They had better be looking at next year. MacGinnis should use the offseason to train at a kicking academy as he needs help as well.

McVay should talk to John Carney about signing a kicker. He was a standout kicker and trains them to this day. Sean has obviously been getting some bad advice when it comes to kickers.

 

[FaulkSF]

Have always preferred a good Mexican beer, Dos Equis, Modelo, Pacifico and Tecate. Yesterday it was pints of Pacifico at our local watering hole.

Tecate is gemaakt in Holland:

Holland-made Tecate beer masquerading as Mexican, lawsuit claims

A New York man says he and other consumers have been duped into believing that Tecate beer is Mexican when it’s actually made by Dutch company Heineken in Holland, new court papers show. Migu…

nypost.com

 

[Reddog99]

I only needed 4 Modelos to get through the game. By half time I knew the Rams would pull it out. McVay & Co. don't lose with a lead going into the half. So by the time I finished my second I was ok. I was just frustrated at how self-destructive this team can be. In every one of their losses, it was their own mistakes that cost them the win. If this team can play clean games they would dominate and this roster is good enough for them to have gone undefeated IMO.

One thing is for sure, Bonamego has to go. His unit is the weakest link in otherwise a strong team. IMO Gay will forever be an occasional misser. He's never cleaned up his act so it's obvious he simply doesn't know-how. They had better be looking at next year. MacGinnis should use the offseason to train at a kicking academy as he needs help as well.

McVay should talk to John Carney about signing a kicker. He was a standout kicker and trains them to this day. Sean has obviously been getting some bad advice when it comes to kickers.

Gay has done just fine. No disrespect intended but I think you're being a little too critical of him man.

 

[FarNorth]

Aloha! Long time Rams fan, since 1970. Thanks for allowing me to join.

808 is sweet!! I'm currently hiding out on the Big Island for a month. Too cold and dark in Alaska right now.

 

[BonifayRam]

Well, the caveat is a choice: do you want the current offense which is a fancier version of ball-control or do you want the high-octane '17-'18 offense?

If you want high-octane you've got to get a true speed receiver to be a deep threat. You need road-graders on the OL or find a way to get more of yesterday's physical play from the current one.

Unless we're gonna see a lot of guys lost to FA I don't think you need to tweak a darn thing on the defensive side of the ball. There are guys that are a bit weaker than others at LB but as a unit this is a championship-level defense IMHO.

Thank you for your time. First, let me address your last paragraph first.....Yes I expect this Ram Org. to lose 6 UFA defenders from the roster in 2021.

#1-OLB/ER Leonard Floyd -was obtained @ a lower $$ than his market value was. It was a 1 yr deal. The fact is the Rams will utilizing $3.3 million of their cap in 2021 on Floyd while he will be playing elsewhere. LF has had an all-pro type season & his market value has escalated dramatically since last year. Can you tell me which of our OLB/ER's will replace him as the starter? Snead will most definitely be forced to draft an ER/OLB'er in the 2021 draft.

#2-SS-John Johnson-Defensive Captain & signal-caller. Has been a defensive starter since he was a rookie. JJ III documented Spotac Market Value is 5yrs, $42,561,637 with an average salary: $8,512,327 a year. In this case, the Rams have a replacement in Taylor Rapp. I have no idea who will be the signal-caller in place of JJ III.
John Johnson Contract Breakdowns, Salary Cap Figures, Salaries, Bonuses | Spotrac

#3-CB/Troy Hill- Starting corner who will get paid over $6.2 million due to many incentives included & met from the Rams salary cap this season. Hill has been rated real high in PFF this season & is sure to expect a much increase in his yearly salary than what he received here. Rams will expect 3rd corner David Long to start in Hill's place next season. Rams will need to draft a 3rd corner in 2021.

#4-OLB/ER- Samson Ebukam- Starting OLB'er has been sharing his starting snaps mostly with Hollins & Okoronkwo. Good chance that both of those above mentioned OLB'er will be our leading prospects starting 2021. Terrell Lewis has a damaged knee that has not healed in over 2 years. He is a big gamble to count on in 2021. There is no other worthy mentionable on this Ram roster @ OLB'er. Snead must draft a replacement for OLB Ebukam.

#5-DL-Morgan Fox- Fox has been our main game day reserve for all 3 DL positions. Fox is looking for a starting gig & a raise. He will not find either of those wants here in 2021.

#6- OLB/ER-Derek Rivers- New defender who is our 5th OLB'er on the roster. Snead will need to draft a replacement for Rivers.

The offense will lose one starter & 3 reserves I do not expect any of them to resign. OC Austin Blythe, WR Josh Reyolds, RB Malcolm Brown & Gerald Everett. Snead has drafted big in the OL for the last 3 drafts. He drafted RB, WR & TE this past 2020 draft to replace these departing offensive players. I see no priority to fill any of these positions other than possibly drafting a center.

Summary: Rams have 4 2021 draft selections @ this time. They will lose 4 starters plus 3 reserves thus leaving this defensive unit depleted of needed talent to remain competitive. Snead will have an ultra-high need to replace 2 starting OLB'ers & a starting CB from the draft. Hopefully OLB Okoronkwo/Hollins & CB Long can be temporary fill-ins until the rookies get broke in. That's why I have a different opinion. Offensive wins games & Defenses wins Championships.

 

[FarNorth]

Thank you for your time. First, let me address your last paragraph first.....Yes I expect this Ram Org. to lose 6 UFA defenders from the roster in 2021.

#1-OLB/ER Leonard Floyd -was obtained @ a lower $$ than his market value was. It was a 1 yr deal. The fact is the Rams will utilizing $3.3 million of their cap in 2021 on Floyd while he will be playing elsewhere. LF has had an all-pro type season & his market value has escalated dramatically since last year. Can you tell me which of our OLB/ER's will replace him as the starter? Snead will most definitely be forced to draft an ER/OLB'er in the 2021 draft.

#2-SS-John Johnson-Defensive Captain & signal-caller. Has been a defensive starter since he was a rookie. JJ III documented Spotac Market Value is 5yrs, $42,561,637 with an average salary: $8,512,327 a year. In this case, the Rams have a replacement in Taylor Rapp. I have no idea who will be the signal-caller in place of JJ III.
John Johnson Contract Breakdowns, Salary Cap Figures, Salaries, Bonuses | Spotrac

#3-CB/Troy Hill- Starting corner who will get paid over $6.2 million due to many incentives included & met from the Rams salary cap this season. Hill has been rated real high in PFF this season & is sure to expect a much increase in his yearly salary than what he received here. Rams will expect 3rd corner David Long to start in Hill's place next season. Rams will need to draft a 3rd corner in 2021.

#4-OLB/ER- Samson Ebukam- Starting OLB'er has been sharing his starting snaps mostly with Hollins & Okoronkwo. Good chance that both of those above mentioned OLB'er will be our leading prospects starting 2021. Terrell Lewis has a damaged knee that has not healed in over 2 years. He is a big gamble to count on in 2021. There is no other worthy mentionable on this Ram roster @ OLB'er. Snead must draft a replacement for OLB Ebukam.

#5-DL-Morgan Fox- Fox has been our main game day reserve for all 3 DL positions. Fox is looking for a starting gig & a raise. He will not find either of those wants here in 2021.

#6- OLB/ER-Derek Rivers- New defender who is our 5th OLB'er on the roster. Snead will need to draft a replacement for Rivers.

The offense will lose one starter & 3 reserves I do not expect any of them to resign. OC Austin Blythe, WR Josh Reyolds, RB Malcolm Brown & Gerald Everett. Snead has drafted big in the OL for the last 3 drafts. He drafted RB, WR & TE this past 2020 draft to replace these departing offensive players. I see no priority to fill any of these positions other than possibly drafting a center.

Summary: Rams have 4 2021 draft selections @ this time. They will lose 4 starters plus 3 reserves thus leaving this defensive unit depleted of needed talent to remain competitive. Snead will have an ultra-high need to replace 2 starting OLB'ers & a starting CB from the draft. Hopefully OLB Okoronkwo/Hollins & CB Long can be temporary fill-ins until the rookies get broke in. That's why I have a different opinion. Offensive wins games & Defenses wins Championships.

This is not an especially cheerful forecast.

 

[Mackeyser]

Let me help.

None of our FA guys are all pro guys, all due respect to Floyd.

With the entire cap shrinking and most teams looking at having to tighten their belts, there simply won't be any place for most of these vets to go.

So, unless the league addresses the situation with 3 year fixed cap which freezes it where it's at now, the league is going to be faced with lots of high quality vets sitting out the year (why risk a career ending injury for the vet minimum or for a few million when you could double or triple that in a year and you'd have a year to let your body get right?).

Bottom line is that while we'll have guys who in any other year are guaranteed gone (see: Fowler), I think the economics of the 2021 season are going to make things very different.

That means we'll either see guys signing 1 year deals or longer term deals with the bigger cap hit 2-3 seasons out. I could see the Rams signing Floyd to a longer term deal with a minimal cap hit in 2021. Maybe even JJ3 also.

I think every team with quality players due to be FAs are trying to work this out and we won't know for a bit.

That said, if they do nothing, teams like Philly and New Orleans are gonna have to be completely gutted to get under the lower cap and honestly, I can't see that happening.

 

[nighttrain]

gonna be interesting for sure
train

 

[BonifayRam]

This is not an especially cheerful forecast.

Good Morning FarNorth, even here in the Deep South we had frost this morning. Yes, I am very much aware that it was a large ice-cold heavy blanket thrown on you.

I'll start with my favorite subject the OL. Even though I predict the Rams will be without center Austin Blythe, there is a great chance that this Ram OL will have 9 OL'ers returning. Most all have started @ one time or another with the exception of Tremayne Anchrum. 8 have started, played & worked together for at least 2 Ram seasons. In today's NFL that's almost unheard of. PLus the ending 2019 6th OL'er OT/OG Chandler Brewer will rejoin the team after the opt-out. This 2021 Ram OL could easily be atop NFL OL once the starting OC is figured out.

Rams 2021 skilled offensive players even with the loss of UFA's @ TE/WR/RB Rams Org. have been prepared for this & have a young quad TE cadre of Higbee/Mundt/Hopkins/Blanton on tap to replace Everett.

Returning WR's bench is also strong & fast with Van Jefferson certainly flashing for more snaps, an unknown developmental, finesse receiver with highly threatening speed as a field-stretching Z post'er Trishton Jackson, young quick slot/KR/PR JJ Koski, plus there is Nsimba Webster when used as a receiver can use his 4.4 40 & 6.7 3 cone. Rams will surely return the 3 roster QB's Goff/ Wolford & Perkins.

The defense will return all four of their ILB'ers Reeder/Kiser/Young/Howard in 2021. The loss of DE Fox should prove easy for the Rams to have four DL'ers being groomed all season with DE's Eric Banks, Jonah Williams & Marquise Copeland, plus NT Mike Hoecht. Recently the Rams have been utilizing starting NT Sebastian Joseph Day in the Brockers position on run downs in order to give snaps to Gaines & Robinson. That recent change earned SJ-D his best grade game by PFF against the Cards.

Rams safety unit should be OUTSTANDING in 2021, Rapp, Fuller, Burgess, Scott, Hughes, Reed & Gervase make up a large young talented safety unit. DB Burgess is talented enough that he could end up being the reserve Nickle behind CB Ramsey. The only units that will need skill & quantity boosts are the ER/OLB'er & outside CB units.