The good, the bad, and the ugly

[leoram]

The Niner loss was devastating, we all wondered if this would be a lost season but I expected a coaching/team bounce back. So we outmuscled the Hawks while we lamented the continued offensive ineptness. This game was key but as the offense showed sparks of competence, the defense revealed it's flaws. With the Cards gathering themselves off their wake up pounding by the Bills, I will address the "State of the Union" of our beloved Rams.

THE GOOD:

1. The game began with better offensive execution. There were clutch third down conversions. The Quick TD demonstrated a willingness and ability to stretch the field in a manner not seen in the previous two games. Hope was rekindled.

2. The defense provided turnovers and points. While this team still relies way too much on explosive plays from this unit, at least this game produced enough of them to produce a win.

3. Robert Quinn re-established himself as a difference maker and the two years of injury limitations may be behind him for awhile.

4. The Rams won on the road, outside the West, and after an emotional win against the Hawks.

5. Tavon is expanding his game beyond the bubble screens and end arounds.

6. Gurley saw a couple holes to exploit. It sure beats having NONE.

7. Bennie Cunnungham continued to prove he is the most under appreciated man on this team as most of his touches produce effective results.

8. A win is a win and 2-1 must not be overlooked.

THE BAD:

1. The Rams gave up over 400 yards to Jamies. Credit must be given to Winston for extending plays and beating the blitz, to Evans for showing what a #1 receiver should do, and to Koetter for knowing how to exploit Williams' tendencies.But the holes in the Ram secondary were clearly exposed and the defense was worn out by the fourth quarter.

2. Cunningham has proven to be an outstanding kick returner. Austin's boom or bust mentality put the offense in terrible field position to end the game.

3. The propensity to predictably run Gurley into the teeth of 8 and 9 man fronts continued.

THE UGLY

1. The early pick six by Keenum sapped all the early momentum the first series and the defense produced.

2. Gregg Williams will always coordinate a defense that lives by the sword and dies by it. When the blitzes don't get home, bad things happen.

3. Someday the Rams need to find receivers who regularly catch the ball. This teams still suffers way too many drops to be feared as an offense.

While I'm grateful for the win and recognize several areas of improvement, this team is still a long way from playoff caliber. Perhaps the development will continue through the season as players like Cooper, Spruce, and Gaines get healthy and add to the production. Maybe Goff's skills can expand the offense. There's a chance that OLine continuity may actually happen on this team for the first time in 15 years. This team is not yet great, but at least it's become interesting.

 

[gabriel18]

The good . No major injuries through three games and hopefully getting a couple guys back for a big game this week.

 

[Boston Ram]

The Good: A win despite everything above. It was one of those weird games, were we should of been up big early, lost control of the game there in the 2nd quarter. Then found a way to battle back and hold on to a win.

Dare I say, this is a game we normally would of lost in the past but we showed some character and won a game that could of gone either way.

Also good: We threw the ball downfield and good things happened!! I hope this is a trend that continues.

 

[DaveFan'51]

One more thing to add to the "Good" Section, Boras and Company show a drastic improvement in their Play-Calling, really mixed it up! And the over-all "Game-Plan" seemed more un-predictable in a Good way!!

 

[FrantikRam]

Obviously our offense was great.

But this defense....truly terrible.

Why on earth can we not pressure the QB?

2 sacks per game would be under achieving for this team (throwing out the Niner game to even get to 2 per game...) - but as we all know, sacks aren't necessarily the most important thing. Winston dropped back to pass around 61 times - his pocket was WAY too clean on most of those drop backs. It is mind numbing how you can invest so much resources into a unit with these kind of returns...

It's awesome that we won, but through three games this defense is not even performing at a league average level.

 

[fearsomefour]

Disagree about Austin being at fault on the kick off.
They were playing for a pooch kick off. He had to retreat to catch the ball and his momentum carried him over the goal line. By not fielding the the ball he would running the risk of a loose ball going to Tampa. It was the only play he had.

 

[lockdnram21]

We don't have any cb. We are going nowhere with this secondary. Next year we need draft wr and Cb. I like Tru but he's not a #1 cb

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Obviously our offense was great.

But this defense....truly terrible.

Why on earth can we not pressure the QB?

2 sacks per game would be under achieving for this team (throwing out the Niner game to even get to 2 per game...) - but as we all know, sacks aren't necessarily the most important thing. Winston dropped back to pass around 61 times - his pocket was WAY too clean on most of those drop backs. It is mind numbing how you can invest so much resources into a unit with these kind of returns...

It's awesome that we won, but through three games this defense is not even performing at a league average level.

I keep wondering where the pass rush went too. Are other teams Olines really this good? I am hoping that Fisher's light training camp practices just means that it will improve each week. It seems to be like this every year; slow to start then better as things go. The strategy may work one day but in recent years it put them in a 1-3 hole early.

To be fair though this one was hot and humid and some people were not in the game late.

 

[jetplt67]

When (or IF) Spruce gets into the game, we will have one reliable receiver. I have high hopes for the Pharoah also.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

We don't have any cb. We are going nowhere with this secondary. Next year we need draft wr and Cb. I like Tru but he's not a #1 cb

That is the big difference between the Rams D and teams like the Vikings and Broncos D. They both have very good corners. The Vikings have three. I hope EJ can come back and play like he did before.

 

[leoram]

That is the big difference between the Rams D and teams like the Vikings and Broncos D. They both have very good corners. The Vikings have three. I hope EJ can come back and play like he did before.

I'm actually pleased by Hill's tenacity. He has been tested repeatedly and though he has given up some plays, he's generally in decent position and may have what it takes to improve. I see potential there. The Cards will go after him. He's a d@mned sight better than Sensebaugh. I fear EJ may have become too injury prone to rely on...hope I'm wrong

 

[RamzFanz]

I'm just excited that we are 2-1 in the early part of the season where we usually struggle. On top of that, with Spruce, Cooper, Gaines, and Goff all on the sideline, This is not the mid season Rams we're watching, there's still more ammo.

The D is average so far but they do seem to start slow every season which means we have quite a bit of upside there too.

Next week we need to open the faucet. Palmer is already distrusting his line and is primed for a sack/INT/FMBL fest. 3-1 would be so freaking awesome through some of our hardest games.

 

[thirteen28]

I can understand the concern about the D up to a point, but I will say the following:

1) We had to shuffle the DL around a lot yesterday. That probably had some effect on the pass rush. And still, they did make some plays (Quinn/Westbrooks/fumble return, anyone?).

2) I think the secondary problems are more short term and long term. If there is one area where I'll give this staff a lot of benefit of the doubt, it's with developing DB's. They've been pretty good at identifying and developing talent in the DB group, and so far Sensebaugh seems like the only real whiff. Then again, it's early with him. Not betting on it, but wouldn't be shocked if he came around.

3) Can we give a little credit to Tampa Bay's offense? Winston is an excellent QB. Mike Evans is an absolute stud WR. Humphries was a revelation, looking much like what we hope that Spruce will be someday. And Dirk Koetter is a good offensive mind. So it's not like the Rams gave up a lot of yards to a dog-shinola offense ... they were facing a pretty good offense.

Dare I say, this is a game we normally would of lost in the past but we showed some character and won a game that could of gone either way.

This is the biggest good of all to come out of this game. I had kind of baked an 'L' into my cake based on our history of the past 4-5 years or so. Instead they got it done, on the road, facing some adversity, and overcoming a 10-point deficit at one point in the game. That's pretty satisfying.

 

[dieterbrock]

Disagree about Austin being at fault on the kick off.
They were playing for a pooch kick off. He had to retreat to catch the ball and his momentum carried him over the goal line. By not fielding the the ball he would running the risk of a loose ball going to Tampa. It was the only play he had.

If the momentum carried him in to the EZ, he could have downed it there for a touchback, no?

 

[Loyal]

THE BAD:

1. The Rams gave up over 400 yards to Jamies. Credit must be given to Winston for extending plays and beating the blitz, to Evans for showing what a #1 receiver should do, and to Koetter for knowing how to exploit Williams' tendencies.But the holes in the Ram secondary were clearly exposed and the defense was worn out by the fourth quarter.

My main point about the yards gained in the end, were mostly junk yards and a score, when we were up 11 points. I hate prevent defenses, because it inflates numbers a bit for guys like Winston, and makes it too d@mn close, when it shouldn't have been. (and makes our defense look worse than it was)

 

[LACHAMP46]

I keep wondering where the pass rush went too.

Ask @BonifayRam & @Florida_Ram about that Florida sun....and humidity....the defense looked worn out...The rushers were gassed....I had to watch Aaron Donald on 3 plays to see what the hell he was doing...and he was gassed. As I looked around at the entire defense, guys were huffing and puffing...no excuses, but that's what it looked like to me, the sunshine state took it's toll on the defense...and sorry, when the O puts that many 3 & outs, short drives, back to back out there, that's gonna happen...

 

[thirteen28]

One other thing in the good column: Quinn is so definitely back.

Did anyone notice on the Westbrooks TD, after the strip Quinn delivered not one but two blocks to help Ethan get all the way home. F'in great play on multiple levels. The awareness to reach out and cause the fumble and the headiness to get in the way of multiple guys so that his teammate could score the TD. Way to go, RQ!!

 

[RamzFanz]

Ask @BonifayRam & @Florida_Ram about that Florida sun....and humidity....the defense looked worn out...The rushers were gassed....I had to watch Aaron Donald on 3 plays to see what the hell he was doing...and he was gassed. As I looked around at the entire defense, guys were huffing and puffing...no excuses, but that's what it looked like to me, the sunshine state took it's toll on the defense...and sorry, when the O puts that many 3 & outs, short drives, back to back out there, that's gonna happen...

I can attest to 110 heat index. It was boiling until the storm came. @Selassie I was literally using ice packs to the neck to keep rolling. We put wet wipes in the cooler and used them often.

 

[Legatron4]

One other thing in the good column: Quinn is so definitely back.

Did anyone notice on the Westbrooks TD, after the strip Quinn delivered not one but two blocks to help Ethan get all the way home. F'in great play on multiple levels. The awareness to reach out and cause the fumble and the headiness to get in the way of multiple guys so that his teammate could score the TD. Way to go, RQ!!

He's still the best pure rusher in this league to me. I've never seen a guy bend around the edge like him in my 13 years of football watching.

 

[Austin]

I think the defense played well yesterday against an explosive offense.

No one on the field was able to cover Evans, but there are few who effectively can. You did see Troy Hill play well, running the routes for Tampa's receivers on a couple plays, including a pass break up in the endzone on the last drive. Aside from him, the secondary was average.

Mark Barron had ups and downs, but his interception of the deflection was crucial. Poor plays in coverage hurt us.

Tree played well. Would've been nice to stuff the run more effectively, but those are some elusive backs, running for their lives on a team that just lost its starter.

I was very pleased with the pass rush. Not a lot of sacks, obviously, but Jameis isn't easy to sack, and he was getting it out quick, and a couple times with defenders draped on him. There were three tipped balls at the line of scrimmage on crucial downs, and Winston was pulverized. Hit and hit and hit again. While he did manage to get the ball off a lot, and credit to him, our line put an enormous amount of punishment on him as the ball was released. We hit him hard and we hit him legally. D-Line did its job, and that's without mentioning the personnel change-ups necessitated by game events.