Raheem Morris discussion thread

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Tano

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If we had a middling offense (like the Giants, Falcons or the Seahawks) we`d be 5-3 with a top five defense. Our offense is so bad that it drags down our defense.
No one is disagreeing with that
 

AvengerRam

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This is one of those "multiple things can be true" scenarios.

We lost on Sunday (and can account for most of out losses) due to the offense and, more specifically, the offensive line.

The defense has done a good job overall this year.

The failure/refusal of Raheem Morris to alter the defensive strategy on the last drives to ensure that Brady could not just take two steps back and fire to wide open receivers due to off coverage was borderline inexcusable.

All three of those statements are true.
 

Tano

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This is one of those "multiple things can be true" scenarios.

We lost on Sunday (and can account for most of out losses) due to the offense and, more specifically, the offensive line.

The defense has done a good job overall this year.

The failure/refusal of Raheem Morris to alter the defensive strategy on the last drives to ensure that Brady could not just take two steps back and fire to wide open receivers due to off coverage was borderline inexcusable.

All three of those statements are true.
I completely agree and I would even go on to say further the defense has done a very good job this year.
 

snackdaddy

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This is one of those "multiple things can be true" scenarios.

We lost on Sunday (and can account for most of out losses) due to the offense and, more specifically, the offensive line.

The defense has done a good job overall this year.

The failure/refusal of Raheem Morris to alter the defensive strategy on the last drives to ensure that Brady could not just take two steps back and fire to wide open receivers due to off coverage was borderline inexcusable.

All three of those statements are true.
To me what was inexcusable was allowing those sideline catches. If they play to take that away and force them over the middle how many less plays would they have had? Even if it meant a few more yards? I doubt they woulda gotten inside the 20. Those sideline catches for first downs that only took 5 or 6 seconds lost the game. Was it the player's fault? Or were they just supposed to give them anything under 15 yards?
 

AZRams

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1 first down, thats all they needed
Defense stopped Tampa on downs
There never should have been a last series

Yes, true. No one denies it. But they didn't.

With one more stop, all the offensive futility not withstanding, the Rams would have won the game. And what we got was a master-class in how not to stop a team in the two-minute drill.
 

AZRams

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I completely agree and I would even go on to say further the defense has done a very good job this year.
Yep.

I've been trying to say this is a situation where the criticisms are not mutually exclusive. It's all gone in to the pot and come out as yet another inexplicable loss.
 

AZRams

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If we had a middling offense (like the Giants, Falcons or the Seahawks) we`d be 5-3 with a top five defense. Our offense is so bad that it drags down our defense.
No argument. It can also be true that Morris' play-calling has allowed teams success on offense that they otherwise might not have. Sunday's final Buc possession was the perfect example of that.

They can both be true.
 

Kupped

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No argument. It can also be true that Morris' play-calling has allowed teams success on offense that they otherwise might not have. Sunday's final Buc possession was the perfect example of that.

They can both be true.
And it can also be true that he called plays well enough for the Rams to win that game and that his unit GREATLY outperformed the offense.
It's not even close.

Timing and aesthetics.
 

Kupped

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Yes, true. No one denies it. But they didn't.

With one more stop, all the offensive futility not withstanding, the Rams would have won the game. And what we got was a master-class in how not to stop a team in the two-minute drill.
It was an awful possession.

And it wasn't the defense's fault they lost the game. It was because of a catastrophically bad offense.

The defense was awful for one possession.
The offense was awful the entire game.

I just don't know how much more clear I can make it.

No one is saying the defense is great. No one is saying the defense doesn't have flaws. No one is saying the defense did a good job on that last drive.

What I'm saying is the defense played a good enough GAME for the Rams to win. The offense did not play a good enough GAME for that team to win.

That's based on long-established win/loss percentages based on points for and points against.

Not only was it the points, though... the offense couldn't even help A LITTLE with field position.

So, go on as if we're saying the defense is great or perfect or something... because we're not.

We're saying that the defense isn't the problem with this team.. it's the offense.

That's supported by all the statistical data we've seen for this season as well.. the Rams are top ten in scoring and yardage on defense.

They, and their scheme, are not the problem.

I doubt if that sinks in, but that's the point.
 

kurtfaulk

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Turducken

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No argument. It can also be true that Morris' play-calling has allowed teams success on offense that they otherwise might not have. Sunday's final Buc possession was the perfect example of that.

They can both be true.
The defense hadn't given up a TD all day with that coverage. Morris was gambling they could hold them one last time with less than a minute and no time outs.

If Morris had called tight coverage on that last drive and then given up a big play TD, all the armchair DC's would be second guessing him for making the change.

At the end of the day, this is a team loss and I'm far more concerned about our offense than our defense.
 

AZRams

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The defense hadn't given up a TD all day with that coverage. Morris was gambling they could hold them one last time with less than a minute and no time outs.

If Morris had called tight coverage on that last drive and then given up a big play TD, all the armchair DC's would be second guessing him for making the change.

At the end of the day, this is a team loss and I'm far more concerned about our offense than our defense.
I get that.

But at the end of the day, everything you couldn't do in that situation, they did:

1)Big play down the middle to start.
2)Subsequent pass-plays to the sidelines that get out of bounds and save clock.
3)PI in the end zone

Defense didn't get a final stop so it's a loss. Yes, we all know how fucking absolutely gawd-awful shitty the offense was on Sunday and has been all year.

Yet there they were...leading with 48 seconds to go with Tampa in a situation--with field position, time left, score and TOs--where they quite literally had a 1% chance of winning the game.

And the defense let it happen.
 

AZRams

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The offense did not play a good enough GAME for that team to win.
And yet, there we were...we all saw the scoreboard: Rams 13 TB 9 with 48 seconds to go.

And yes, the defense failed on the one possession. That just happened to be the game-deciding possession.
 

Turducken

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I get that.

But at the end of the day, everything you couldn't do in that situation, they did:

1)Big play down the middle to start.
2)Subsequent pass-plays to the sidelines that get out of bounds and save clock.
3)PI in the end zone

Defense didn't get a final stop so it's a loss. Yes, we all know how fucking absolutely gawd-awful shitty the offense was on Sunday and has been all year.

Yet there they were...leading with 48 seconds to go with Tampa in a situation--with field position, time left, score and TOs--where they quite literally had a 1% chance of winning the game.

And the defense let it happen.

View: https://youtu.be/UTcOt8o9rD8
 

OntarioRam

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I've said this before and I bet Bill Belicheat will be the first to do it.

Bucs got the ball with 40 seconds left on their own 40.

What if the Rams just tackle all the receivers and the running back and pin them down? Brady will be forced to hold the ball, possibly get sacked or he will have to run out of the pocket and throw the ball away. We get a 5 yard penalty for holding. But in the meantime. at least 10 seconds comes off the clock. Do that twice and we basically win the game.

Instead we give up 28 yards on their first play down the middle. How the F does that happen?
Could Brady not just spike it or throw it out of bounds immediately, stopping the clock? I am not so sure it would burn as much time as you suggest, but the strategy definitely has some appeal! And my counter-point also relies on the QB diagnosing what is going on almost immediately and reacting accordingly. Brady might because he is Brady, but the point still stands.