Blinkscout Game 9, AZ.

Blech.

So, I've been a Rams fan for 35 years. I'll be a Rams fan long after AD and McVay are gone. In my time we've had 4 super bowl runs and 2 truly amazing victories.

When you're at the back half of careers for star players, you hit the window hard. We did, and we won. Worth it. Last year was one of the best years for a WR I've ever seen. We had memorable plays and drives and every playoff game.

I simply wouldn't trade that for anything.

We are not going to the super bowl this year. We likely will miss the playoffs. There were mistakes made and things we can't control. These are not excuses, they are reasons.


Things we can't control

1) O Line injuries have simply left us without much chance. With AJ and Brewer going down, I think we take our chances with Perkins for a bit rather than sending Matt out to get clobbered.
I have never seen this level of decimation at one position group, and it's the position groups that depends the most on chemistry and familiarity.
Lemme see if I have this ...
Season Ending ... Bruss, Boom, Jackson,
Multiple games ... Allen, Shelton, Edwards, Brewer
Feels like I'm missing a couple.

2) We have lost more assistant coaches to promotions than any team I've ever seen. We have 3 offensive assistants and 1 defensive as head coaches. We also lost our head scouting director.


Mistakes we made

3) I will not forgive McVay for hinting at retirement. I will always hold him in high regard, but that was a move that shook the teams sense of purpose. The hardest thing to do in this sport is repeat. That's the highest honor. He should have ben reaching for that rather than letting exhaustion and impulse drive his statements. It wasn't just lack of discretion. It was completely deflating.

4) Tutu over Humphrey. That was a layup pick. As Rams fans we've had to get over the failed OT picks at 2 overall ... but this will be more difficult to forget I believe.

5) Whatever happened with Akers. It's the coach's job to keep players in the fold. This means that sometimes you have to change your approach with players. Don't want to? Fine, you likely will end up with situations like this.

6) Trading Woody. This is a mistake because he was basically playing Madden. By that I mean trading a player on Madden didn't change anything ... they're a number. Woody was the heart of the offense. If you ignore the psychological effect of that, again, you're going to wind up with issues as a coach.
I said watching TWD, you can't kill ______ (no spoilers, character X) ... writers were like "We can do anything we want" and they crashed the brand.

7) Missing on Von Miller. That seemed like a real deflator.


The Great

7) As a draft guy, this changes the amount of sheer joy I get watching college football, knowing we'll likely have a top 45 pick. Not saying I don't want us to win at all, Im happy with later picks also.

8) The way the wheels just came all the way off. We weren't strung along thinking we had a shot. Complete collapse.

9) Knowing that we'll get to see two things. New players, and what everyone is made of.

10) Donald still going 100% all game.


The Good

11) I love watching Ramsey and Hopkins battle.

12) Van Jefferson finally getting some catches.

13) McCutcheon took the field, even if it was just for one snap.

14) Nick Scott arriving with extreme prejudice on his hits.

15) We had some hard running going on. All backs got some burst going.

16) Kyren Williams looks like he'll be a solid 2 after Henderson leaves. As advertised, smooth in pass pro and a hard runner who can be an asset out of the backfield.

17) Higbee being relevant. Most TEs are against AZ but I like that there were plays for him and I'd like to see more. When he gets in rhythm he starts playing angry.


The Bad

18) The Kupp injury just goes here ... thank goodness. No more ACLs for him please.

19) Looked like Wolford tightened up after he barely missed ARob down the sideline early, McVay probably told him there was a first down underneath (there was) and gave him an earful. He wasn't the same after.

20) Coverage was too much to ask against Green and Moore.

21) No batted balls. He was getting it out in less than two seconds most times ... hands need to be up.

22) Knowing our coaches are not keeping the guys motivated.

23) Buddha Baker being on their team instead of ours, see previous line.

24) Did I read FIVE pressures given up by Allen?

25) JJ Watt eating us alive at whatever age he is.


The Ugly

26) The loss of two more linemen.

27) Why, with all they went through at Washington, is McCoy not OUR backup?

28) Knowing we can't stop Connor.


College

29) Well isn't this more relevant now? We've done 3 major threads on players and it's just November. Right now we're picking at 38 I think. That's actually kinda nice. I want Charbonnet there. I think he may rise out of our range in the process but that'll push someone else down. Jahmyr Gibbs is 5-10 202 ... so I'd normally hesitate to even bring him up, but watching Bama this year, I don't think you can count him out. I don't know that I've ever seen his body type, but his workload makes him seem like a second coming of Chris Johnson, and yes he's a 4.30 guy. For knowledge, at the time of his ankle injury (not bad from what I've read) He was leading the team in rushing and receiving (yes he's really smooth) while also being the fastest player on the team. On Alabama.
That said, there are quality RBs all the way down if we plan to go as a 1-2 punch. Best year in a while for top end and depth.

30) Best year period for TEs that I've seen. Of course that's odd given the best TE in college is a true soph and not draftable. But I'm targeting guys like Kincaid and Laporta in the 3rd or Muskgrave, Mallory, and Durham in the 5th. The list is really long and like RBs, I want two ... don't care if they're both drafted, just want this crop in the storehouse.

31) One of my dreams is to find an OT that can kick inside but THEN kick back outside and be a solid OT. There are a lot of guys in this class I think could "possibly" be that guy.

32) Offense is way ahead of defense. I'd draft a safety late but otherwise Im not wasting picks on D.

33) Backup QB draftable ... I want Michael Penix Jr. but I think we may not be able to get him... I thought he'd be mid round but he's playing himself into first round consideration. So ... Bo Nix? DTR? Clayton Tune? Max Duggan?


That was long, thanks for bearing with.

Questions and comments welcome as always ...

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