The next three games...

[yrba1]

@Jax- We're gonna have to focus on stopping the run game, Bortles is gonna have to beat us with 1-on-1 matchups. Similar to Seattle's scheme: Have to ground and pound our offense and make opportunistic throws. Hope McVay learned from last weeks game that you're not gonna beat that scheme with a pass happy offense; 40+ attempts against a ballhawking secondary is asking for disaster. Jalen Ramsey ain't Earl Thomas but the similarities are there

vs AZ- Team looks like it's in shambles but knowing that it's an NFC West matchups, it's going to be a coinflip regardless of talent disparity. Gotta make Palmer uncomfortable in the pocket. Balanced attack should shred that defense with ease

@NYG- Has trap game written all over it. Better be prepared with or without Beckham on the field. I do like our chances, especially with our history of losing to them. Gotta break at one point, should be this season.

 

[dieterbrock]

Just my .02, but I'm finding that it is much more enjoyable to just focus on the game in front of us. The rest of the season will happen eventually....
Game at a time....

 

[fearsomefour]

2-1 is how I see it going down.
I believe they could go 3-0....but a three game winning streak is tough in the NFL for any team. Ending the first half at 5-3 and in playoff contention would be great. 6-2 would down right delicious.
The secind half presents games that are all winnable, depending on the defense. If they play like they did against Seattle then they are all potential. If they struggle some games become hard to project as wins.
Anything worse than 2-1 over the next three woukd be disappointing.

 

[ramsince62]

If we can go 3-0 or 2-1 in the next 3, I'll be cool with that. These are beatable teams.

Games 5-8 wise, 3-1 is possible, but 2-2 is more probable. IMO.

I suspect most would be thrilled to be 5-3 at the half way point.

 

[MTRamsFan]

It's Bortles w/ the Jag's! I think we are 6-2 after the Giants game!:yess:

Bortles may not be the problem. It's their defense and Leonard Fournette posing the biggest problem this week. I hope you're right about being 6-2 after the Giants game, but we can easily be 3-5 too. Just as the OP said, these next three games will determine if we are contenders.

 

[sjm1582002]

The Jags ran for 231 yards against the Pitt D.

Fournette and Ivory are tough customers.

Conversely, Bortles is erratic, at best.

So....maybe.....8 in the box with more muscle on the DLine (Barwin and/or Quinn can sit).

AZ and NY are creampuffs compared to Jax.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I am glad that the NFL didn't put the Rams against an East coast team in London again. The extra three hour time zone difference is an unfair advantage.

 

[DaveFan'51]

The Jags ran for 231 yards against the Pitt D.

Fournette and Ivory are tough customers.

Conversely, Bortles is erratic, at best.

So....maybe.....8 in the box with more muscle on the DLine (Barwin and/or Quinn can sit).

AZ and NY are creampuffs compared to Jax.

After last week-ends game, I think NYG has lost their cream!

 

[RamBall]

You're probably right. I'm sure they figured the logistics of everything before the season even started. However, are you sure you want to take a page out of Fishers study book when it comes to traveling to London? He was 0 - 2

Well they know what didnt work, but was it body clock related or was it coaching related? Reggie should be able to help in the body clock area, and the upgrade in coaching should help with the coaching issue. Its not like London was the only place fisher was 0-2.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Lets get these Jags on the road first....very tough and physical team.

 

[Flint]

So now that everyone has had a breather from yesterdays tough 16-10 loss, lets start looking at the next three games on our schedule.

Lets start with Jacksonville, they have been playing good ball as of late. Much like the Rams I can't really put my finger on whether their team is for real or not. One week they look like world beaters and the following week they look like a 2-14 team. In many ways Jax is built very much like Seattle on Defense. Simple game-planning lets their guys roam free and make plays. I personally do not believe they are a playoff team yet but they are well on their way. Currently the Jags are ranked No. 3 in points allowed at 16.6 which is two spots better than Seattle at 17.4 per game. The Jags running game isn't a joke either. They are also ranked 5th on points scored at 27.8. Their game plan will be much like Washington's game plan, pound the football at our undersized front 7 and pass when you need to. In short we have to play much better mistake free football if we're going to have a chance at winning on the road.

Moving on to London (Cardinals), after the game in Jacksonville we are staying on the east coast which I think gives us a huge advantage with traveling across the pond. Not to mention we've played there the last two seasons, so by now we should know how to prepare for these games. I worry a little about McVay being inexperienced when it comes to these type of situations.
As far as the Cards are concerned, they are a hot mess at the moment. Their offense is ranked 29th in points scored and not much better at 26th on Defense. Bruce Arians will come prepared tho. so don't let their stats fool you.and don't let the Rams Defense fool you either. I still don't think we're much better than we were a couple of weeks ago. 49ers still struggled to score a TD until the last game in garbage time. That scares me.

After our much needed BYE week we will be facing the Giants, much like the Cards they are in shambles at the moment. Yes they still have their two time SB winning QB and Defensive coord but this game should be easily winnable. And that's what scares me, this game has trap game written all over it. Hope McVay has these guys coming play because NY has had our number the last couple of times we've faced them.

The next three games are going to define this team, contender or pretender.

These kinds of comparisons can make you crazy, the cards shut down the 9ers who scored a bunch on us. The cards also went to ot against the Colts who we took to the woodshed, to me the D looked good against the hags, they've been getting better and better. Hopefully Joyner is back and Alexander is gone. So that should help.
The Cards are in disarray, the o-line, the rb and the qb. If it wasn't for Wilson the rams would've had 6 or 7 sacks and Palmer's not getting away from anybody. The Rams should jump on the cards on both sides of the ball.
The jags scored or were set up to score off their defense, so cutting down on turnovers is a must. TA isn't returning punts so that problem is solved hopefully, the Gurley play was flukey so hopefully we won't see that again. Everything else was Goff, the strip sack, the overthrow with pressure in his face and the bad throw to Gurley. The solution to most of these problems is to run the ball more and better. They should win both of these games.

 

[Jacobarch]

These kinds of comparisons can make you crazy, the cards shut down the 9ers who scored a bunch on us. The cards also went to ot against the Colts who we took to the woodshed, to me the D looked good against the hags, they've been getting better and better. Hopefully Joyner is back and Alexander is gone. So that should help.
The Cards are in disarray, the o-line, the rb and the qb. If it wasn't for Wilson the rams would've had 6 or 7 sacks and Palmer's not getting away from anybody. The Rams should jump on the cards on both sides of the ball.
The jags scored or were set up to score off their defense, so cutting down on turnovers is a must. TA isn't returning punts so that problem is solved hopefully, the Gurley play was flukey so hopefully we won't see that again. Everything else was Goff, the strip sack, the overthrow with pressure in his face and the bad throw to Gurley. The solution to most of these problems is to run the ball more and better. They should win both of these games.

Not to make excuses for Goff but i really only put that one INT on him with the screen to Gurley. If you look at the others Big Whit totally whiffed on that block and his man came unblocked and knocked out the ball before he could even complete his throwing motion. The INT over the middle was due to the fact that Goffs arm was hit right up the gut. Not much he can do on that one. Other than that Goff had a so so afternoon, which is to be expected against one of the best D's in the league.
You're right tho, we should win both of these games. With the amount of 1st rounders and talent on this team it shouldn't even be an issue. It's just getting these bone heads to play better, more sound, mistake free football.

 

[Rmfnlt]

Big Whit totally whiffed on that block

Totally agree. Goff never saw it coming and has come to rely (rightfully) on Whitworth to protect his back. Those plays are going to happen.

The INT over the middle was due to the fact that Goffs arm was hit right up the gut.

Picking nits here a bit, but he had the option of either just holding onto that ball or throwing it away. He saw this one coming and kind of forced that throw.
He'll learn from the tape on that play.

 

[Ram65]

The Rams will have their hands full with Jacksonville. Traveling after a hard home loss against against a physical team isn't a easy task. Another big test for the Rams.