Rams need a lifeboat: 3 takeaways from another agonizing defeat

[www.turfshowtimes.com] Rams need a lifeboat: 3 takeaways from another agonizing defeat
You play to win the game

By Evan Craig Nov 6, 2022, 8:30pm CST

Los Angeles Rams v Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
The Rams have taken 20 years off of my life this season already. Sean McVay decided to take 20 more with that ending against Tom Brady’s Buccaneers.

I have watched a decent amount of football but that happened to be one of the worst endings I have ever seen. When a team plays not to lose like LA did at the end, they deserve to lose plain and simple. This tweet sums up my frustrations exactly:


Time to beat a dead horse (or ram) into the ground yet again with my observations. I swear, this team with be the death of me!

The offense was offensive and unwatchable...what else is new?
Watching the Rams attempt to play offense is similar to watching a horror movie. You just know the characters are going to make the wrong decisions at all turns. Luckily for them, they’re able to get bludgeoned by Michael Myers or Ghostface to end their misery. There’s no escaping this crapshow display for the Rams.

Both teams on Sunday acted like they were allergic to the end zone. Aside from the Cooper Kupp touchdown, it was a painful showing all around.


Kupp also seems to be the only one who cares to catch the ball. Allen Robinson made that one incredible catch but whatever, no one else bothered to show up. Matthew Stafford can’t pass without an O-line. (Yawn) Darrell Henderson had some nice carries here and there. (Meh) The offense tried running out the clock despite only being up four points. (Do they even care anymore?)


Every week I’m practically saying the same stuff and I’m getting tired of it. This year’s Rams team hasn’t failed to surprise or disappoint me. I get they won the Super Bowl and that was fun, but they hadn’t made as many improvements to this side of the ball as originally thought this offseason. Those lack of improvements are coming back to bite them in more ways than one.

The horror show strikes again!

The defense on the other hand did all they could until they blew it
Never play soft against Tom Brady. Never play soft against Tom Brady. Never play soft against Tom Brady. (Exhale)

How about never play soft against anyone?! This is the NFL for goodness sakes! Quit being cowards and show some guts. I’ve been more aggressive in the entirety of my Madden career than McVay was in those final two minutes. What a boneheaded strategy. (Repeat deep breathing and apologize for punching Aaron Donald pillow cover.)

Prevent defense clearly isn’t the way to go, especially against someone as experienced as TB12. Quite honestly, I don’t understand why defenses continue utilizing it with the game on the line. LA baited Tampa Bay to beat them and they did exactly that.

While the game ended on a sour note which I pin solely on coaching, the defense was bailing out the offense all afternoon. Until the final 20 seconds, the Rams held the Bucs to just three field goals and 263 yards before giving up 60 yards in 35 seconds.

I’m unsure how much of this game was due to the poor play of Tampa’s offense or whether LA’s D is that top-notch. Perhaps it’s a mix of both. I was still impressed with how the Rams played throughout up until...you know.

The offense has sharply declined from 2021 but their defense remains the backbone of this team. I don’t expect that to change anytime soon.

Second-half ineptitude cost Rams yet again
If you haven’t known this by now, here you go: THE DEFENDING CHAMPS AREN’T CLOSERS!

LA has been awful in the second-half of games, particularly in the fourth quarter. The Rams were outscored 10-0 by the Bucs this time around after the 49ers scored 14 points to close them out last week.

In total, Los Angeles has been outscored 24-0 since returning from their bye. This is their “production” for the entire season:


It almost doesn’t seem real that this team won a Super Bowl title just this February. Of course the team isn’t exactly the same but they were expected to equal or even surpass that squad. I don’t see a title coming out of this team. I would be lying and otherwise delusional if I saw even a playoff appearance from them.

Either way, it’ll be a LOOOOOONG rest of the season if the Rams can’t get their act together. Again, I would be cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs if I saw that happening.