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By Zach McCrite
http://www.101sports.com/category/zmccr ... tion-here/
Alright, lets go ahead and let it all out. The Rams were about as frustrating as they have been all year. For me, it was more frustrating than any other game this season, given the magnitude. I guess to see progress in anything, we must go through some speed bumps along the way. This week was, undoubtedly, one of those weeks.
Let’s get started with a Stream of (Un)Consciousness (or should we call it the Stream of Anger?).
We knew the “silly stat” wasn’t going to hold up forever. Going into Sunday’s game, the “silly stat” was that the Rams had won five of the six games in which they surrendered the first points of the game. They gave up the initial score again. This time, they weren’t so fortunate.
And now, that’s four consecutive games in which the Rams have been held scoreless in the opening quarter. How is this possible? Rebuilding or not rebuilding, being held scoreless in the first quarter means, likely, having to come from behind to win a game. Methinks the odds will be stacked against any team who constantly trails after a period.
It’s really even more profound recently. In the last three games, the Rams have scored a total of seven first half points—combined. Somehow, they’ve overcome in two of those games. But, against one of the most predictable teams in the NFL, it finally cost the Rams. Give the Vikings a lead, and watch them feast with Adrian Peterson on offense and an impressive pass rush that knows the opponents are passing on defense.
And, goodness, were the Rams passing. The Rams coaching staff found it necessary to all-but-abandon any real semblance of a running game in the first half. Granted, the Vikings scored 17 points in an ugly 3:56 spurt to make it 24-7. Apparently that’s all head coach and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
Consider this: of Jackson’s 13 runs (that’s it), five of them came while the game was scoreless or when the Rams trailed 7-0. In those five attempts, Jackson ran the ball five times for 38 yards—an average of 7.6 yards per carry. After that, Jackson only got a carry eight more times. Total. That’s it. A runner having a hot game doesn’t get to run it anymore.
It looked like the coaching staff panicked. And Sam Bradford paid for it. The Vikings defense could focus almost solely on rushing the quarterback. And they did—to the tune of eight hits on No. 8, and that doesn’t count the bonecrusher he received early in the game on his 8-yard scramble (I know you’re tough Sam, but go ahead and slide, will ya?).
Now, when the Rams get the ball with 5:56 remaining in the third quarter and they’re trailing 33-7, okay, I can understand if you got to abandon the run, and maybe speed things up in an effort to try to get back into the ballgame.
Instead, it was at this moment that the Rams decided to let Steven Jackson start running the ball again. Huh? They’re down 26 with less than 21 minutes of game time left and now they want to give the ball to Steven Jackson again? Well, that’s what they did. Jackson got five more carries and the clock ticked. And ticked. And ticked.
Now granted, the Rams scored a touchdown on the drive. In fact, it would’ve been an impressive drive if they were down seven. Even if they were down 14.
Instead, down 26 points, the Rams got methodical. The scoring drive ate up 7:17 seconds of clock. Not one of those precious seconds saw the Rams offense in the no-huddle. It was like they thought they had all of the time in the world.
Were the Vikings defenders content giving up the runs and underneath passes? Sure. But, for crying out loud, GO NO-HUDDLE!
A couple more quick-hitters:
- Where was the crowd on Sunday? It was maybe three-quarters full. In a de facto playoff game. How is that possible? I thought all of the fans were outraged by the fact that the Rams front office sent the team to London for a game this season? Didn’t look like it at the last game of the regular season. I’d get it if the Rams were out of contention, but come on.
- Did we really need Brian Quick to “take his time” and “learn a playbook for the first time in his football life” to see him run a simple jumpball in the end zone and out-elevate the opposing defender? Quick should have handfuls (plural) of chances just like that one in the endzone this season, regardless of how many plays he has learned or not learned. Better late than never.
- I feel sorry for this offensive line and for their coach, Paul Boudreau. When Bradford has a big day throwing the football, the O-line gets little credit. When Bradford has a poor day throwing the football, the O-line gets most of the blame. It’s a shame. They’ve had a pretty good year, all things considered. Part of the gig, I guess.
- Overall, this has been a fun year. I thought D’Marco Farr said it best during the radio broadcast right before kickoff of the game Sunday. Farr talked about having a big home game in Week 15 of the regular season. “This is normal,” he said. “We need to start getting used to normal again.”
http://www.101sports.com/category/zmccr ... tion-here/
Alright, lets go ahead and let it all out. The Rams were about as frustrating as they have been all year. For me, it was more frustrating than any other game this season, given the magnitude. I guess to see progress in anything, we must go through some speed bumps along the way. This week was, undoubtedly, one of those weeks.
Let’s get started with a Stream of (Un)Consciousness (or should we call it the Stream of Anger?).
We knew the “silly stat” wasn’t going to hold up forever. Going into Sunday’s game, the “silly stat” was that the Rams had won five of the six games in which they surrendered the first points of the game. They gave up the initial score again. This time, they weren’t so fortunate.
And now, that’s four consecutive games in which the Rams have been held scoreless in the opening quarter. How is this possible? Rebuilding or not rebuilding, being held scoreless in the first quarter means, likely, having to come from behind to win a game. Methinks the odds will be stacked against any team who constantly trails after a period.
It’s really even more profound recently. In the last three games, the Rams have scored a total of seven first half points—combined. Somehow, they’ve overcome in two of those games. But, against one of the most predictable teams in the NFL, it finally cost the Rams. Give the Vikings a lead, and watch them feast with Adrian Peterson on offense and an impressive pass rush that knows the opponents are passing on defense.
And, goodness, were the Rams passing. The Rams coaching staff found it necessary to all-but-abandon any real semblance of a running game in the first half. Granted, the Vikings scored 17 points in an ugly 3:56 spurt to make it 24-7. Apparently that’s all head coach and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
Consider this: of Jackson’s 13 runs (that’s it), five of them came while the game was scoreless or when the Rams trailed 7-0. In those five attempts, Jackson ran the ball five times for 38 yards—an average of 7.6 yards per carry. After that, Jackson only got a carry eight more times. Total. That’s it. A runner having a hot game doesn’t get to run it anymore.
It looked like the coaching staff panicked. And Sam Bradford paid for it. The Vikings defense could focus almost solely on rushing the quarterback. And they did—to the tune of eight hits on No. 8, and that doesn’t count the bonecrusher he received early in the game on his 8-yard scramble (I know you’re tough Sam, but go ahead and slide, will ya?).
Now, when the Rams get the ball with 5:56 remaining in the third quarter and they’re trailing 33-7, okay, I can understand if you got to abandon the run, and maybe speed things up in an effort to try to get back into the ballgame.
Instead, it was at this moment that the Rams decided to let Steven Jackson start running the ball again. Huh? They’re down 26 with less than 21 minutes of game time left and now they want to give the ball to Steven Jackson again? Well, that’s what they did. Jackson got five more carries and the clock ticked. And ticked. And ticked.
Now granted, the Rams scored a touchdown on the drive. In fact, it would’ve been an impressive drive if they were down seven. Even if they were down 14.
Instead, down 26 points, the Rams got methodical. The scoring drive ate up 7:17 seconds of clock. Not one of those precious seconds saw the Rams offense in the no-huddle. It was like they thought they had all of the time in the world.
Were the Vikings defenders content giving up the runs and underneath passes? Sure. But, for crying out loud, GO NO-HUDDLE!
A couple more quick-hitters:
- Where was the crowd on Sunday? It was maybe three-quarters full. In a de facto playoff game. How is that possible? I thought all of the fans were outraged by the fact that the Rams front office sent the team to London for a game this season? Didn’t look like it at the last game of the regular season. I’d get it if the Rams were out of contention, but come on.
- Did we really need Brian Quick to “take his time” and “learn a playbook for the first time in his football life” to see him run a simple jumpball in the end zone and out-elevate the opposing defender? Quick should have handfuls (plural) of chances just like that one in the endzone this season, regardless of how many plays he has learned or not learned. Better late than never.
- I feel sorry for this offensive line and for their coach, Paul Boudreau. When Bradford has a big day throwing the football, the O-line gets little credit. When Bradford has a poor day throwing the football, the O-line gets most of the blame. It’s a shame. They’ve had a pretty good year, all things considered. Part of the gig, I guess.
- Overall, this has been a fun year. I thought D’Marco Farr said it best during the radio broadcast right before kickoff of the game Sunday. Farr talked about having a big home game in Week 15 of the regular season. “This is normal,” he said. “We need to start getting used to normal again.”
