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RockRam
Were the Rams D sandbagging all year?
I always found it odd how after some team reeled off 200 rushing yards against the Rams' D, Phillips would say "Well, we can stop the run when we want to". Then why don't you?
Playoffs start and suddenly the opposing team cannot run the ball against the Rams. Go figure. In fact, the D has tightened up across the board. Is it because Phillips and McVay didn't want to show too much on film, figuring they'd be in the playoffs?
What a difference Talib has made, and all of a sudden Suh has found the fountain of youth. Littleton has played really well....against the run and pass. Donald is Donald....he just screws up everything for the offense.
Going to be interesting how Wade decides to play the Pats. Rams D is no longer a push over.
I don’t think that Wade and/or the Ram players were intentionally sandbagging, Rock.
But I DO think a few things are true:
Suh was coasting, other than the Detroit game, and only got motivated when playoffs began. The elite Suh we are now seeing coulda been there all season long. Really pizzes me off, tbh. But the fact remains that Suh is currently a force added to AD on our DL.
Fowler has now been assimilated into this D and is a huge factor. He’s made a number of game changing plays in the last handful of games. I don’t think that the Fowler factor can be overstated.
You already mentioned Talib. Another huge boost even though he’s still probably not quite 100%.
Peters is vastly more effective upon the Talib return. Talib’s return was a twofer, IOW.
Barron has been a pleasant surprise of late. He was previously mediocre, but lately he’s really played much, much better.
Brockers has also stepped up lately. Not as much as Suh, but still...
Add all of the above up and we see why this current Ram D is performing so much better.
Honestly, what they’ve done against Dallas and Brees, Kamara, and Thomas of the Saints is pretty danged impressive.
