20 random bye week thoughts by AvengerRam…

Here’s AvengerRam…

1. I'm glad I took a few days off from talking Rams football. Those mental bumps and bruises, acquired during the last two games, are feeling better and I'm ready to hit the field for the stretch run.

2. Pretty good bye week. Cowboys lost. Packers lost. Saints and Panthers lost, preserving our 2 game lead over the 6th seed in the NFC.

3. But... frickin' Seahawks... YOU HAD ONE JOB!!!! Beat the Cardinals at home with Kyler Murray on the sideline! But, no! Pathetic.

4. The Seahawks are done. The Pete Carroll/Russell Wilson era is over.

5. The mighty just keep falling this year. The Titans lost to the Texans?!?!?!?! The Bills were blown off the field by the Colts?!?!?! The Saints defense gives up 40 to the Eagles?!?!?!

6. What these upsets show, besides affirming the "any given Sunday" mantra, is that match-ups, game plans, and execution dictate outcomes every bit as much as talent.

7. Applying that concept to the Rams, rather than worrying about weaknesses and "blueprints," we need to focus on controlling the narrative and playing to our strengths.

8. On offense, I think we need to "re-discover" the running game and its offshoot, play action passing. Our run blocking has been reasonably effective. We just seem to be, at times... well... impatient.

9. On defense, we need to be stout on early downs and let the pass rush do its thing.

10. Sure, easy to say... harder to accomplish. But, hey... I'm just a fan. Its on Sean McVay and company to make it happen.

11. The Packers are very good, but they are beatable. Our offense should be able to move the ball on them, and their DBs should have trouble with Kupp, OBJ and the rest.

12. We need to get off to a strong start and take their running game out of the equation. That's what we failed to do last year in the playoffs.

13. Aaron Rodgers just keeps giving me new reasons to dislike him. His post-game humble brag, complaining about how bad his toe hurt after throwing for 385 yards and 4 TDs... just STFU.

14. Jalen Ramsey has been very effective lining up in the slot and roaming, but I wonder if we should have him play more of a lock-down role on Davante Adams next Sunday, given that he receives about a 1/3 of the Packers' targets and produces more than 1/2 of their passing yards.

15. I think we'll see a real contribution from OBJ next week. He should be far more familiar with the Rams' offense, and he'll be determined to show his worth.

16. Von Miller should also be more acclimated, and back to full health.

17. I don't think we should look at a game at Green Bay as a "must win." Rather, its an opportunity. A win next Sunday would be huge. A loss would be bad, but would not end our season.

18. I was supposed to be going to the game, but my son, who I was going to go with, tore his ACL, so I ended up unloading the tickets. We'll be watching, though, from his home in Madison, and I'll be wearing the Rams colors in hostile territory!

19. McVay is 3-1 post-bye week in his 4 years. Let's make it 4-1!!!!

20. Its late-November. Its getting colder. Now... it gets real.