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His single biggest blind spot is the OL - 3 days ago
Just about every season that has not gone his way has been due to the OL. His biggest struggles and weakness vs top teams are usually that his OL gets beat. Basically the dude is such a great coach that the only time he falls short, or the typical reason, is the OL. He just doesn't have a good feel for the OL. It is his greatest weakness. In his tenure he has looked favorably at waaaay tooby merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
No I am afraid this is self induced - 9 days ago
We knew Alaric had these issues prior. And this type of thing is usually not going to improve with age. So basically the Rams conveniently jumped on the easy solution, that being to lock up the guy who did the job even though they knew he had this problem. And now we have to wait and see if they can dodge a bullet by making a deep playoff run with him at LT. Can he be there for us this year.by merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
I wish him the best - 10 days ago
Appreciate how he played for us, just didn't have enough speed for this level.by merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
An NFL season is not unlike a vintage of wine - 10 days ago
Some are better than others. But each has its strengths and moments where it can be appreciated. If, as a fan, I only partake in the very best of years, then a lot of meals would be missing that glass of wine. What's the fun in that.by merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
Cracking the Rams DL room won't be easy - 13 days ago
Assuming they keep 6: Fiske / Ford / Hamilton Turner / Davis So he'll need to beat out Murch, Johnson, Heflin, and a couple other UDFAs from this season.by merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
I think the issue was primarily protections and QB play - 13 days ago
So my plan would be to ensure our protections we draw up for the game are good, i.e. properly anticipating what they're going to see. And being ready to execute early on. Also it felt like Stafford has always had that second gear he slips into when he has to in order to get us back in it. So making sure he's in the right frame of mind early on is important. Maybe hypnotize him into thinkingby merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
Yes I think this is our year - 14 days ago
Highest expectations. We do need health to go our way at some key positions, but all teams need health in key areas to make a successful title run. Nobody has a perfect depth chart.by merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
One problem with Alexander - 14 days ago
Is that he's more of what we have already. Rams have two CBs who have some decent natural coverage ability but can't tackle for <bleep> already in Durant and Forbes. And with Alexander he's generally disinterested in it since he can't stay healthy to begin with. Have to admit it's not like I watch a ton of GB games or anything. Overall though I'd say Alexander is better than Durant orby merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
Didn't take long for that new owner to raise the bar did it - 15 days ago
First hire was Fisher, who was the best coach on the market that year. Didn't work out, but he did a good job leading the org through a city move. Then a grand slam hire of a young coach that took the league by storm. Owner matters.by merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
"blaze with a 4.59-second 40-yard dash" - 15 days ago
That made me chuckle a bit. A 4.6 dude out wide is a late rounder. This is why he's a late rounder. But all that aside it is a great sign for him to show well early. Because the only real positions that can be somewhat evaluated in OTAs is the QB/weapon connection, and the DBs. If he has a strong OTA window then it means he's smart (picked up the playbook quickly) and instinctive, which isby merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
Re: 5 things that will make the preseason (relatively) interesting - 20 days ago
If we're talking preseason games I'd say it would be a big deal if Bennett could show well. Not that I expect it mind you, I don't. I've pretty much written Bennett off. However there's no telling what's in his head, so maybe there's some compete left. Returns I have to agree. We've been operating without a real returner for some time now. Great as McVay is he has areas where he's blind,by merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
Fresh Prince of LA - 20 days ago
I jokingly refer to him that way because he's got it going man. Handsome kid. Intelligent and articulate speaker. Dad was a player who raised him well and set him up nicely. Undoubtedly slayed it in the LA high school curve. It's been nice watching him develop, and he really surprised me in what he's done in this defense. I figured he'd have to win a pairing role to serve as a core player bby merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
No doubt, but AZ always wilts down the stretch - 20 days ago
QuoteJamesJM It's not just SF and Seattle.... it includes Arizona.... as a potential threat that is. A bit of a long shot but a threat none the less... a team on the rise. I don't recall going in to a season when it 'appears' that all 4 NFC West teams have rebuilt themselves. Some more radically than others but all in the 'new and improved' category. As far as the West being 'strong' thatby merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
The team that is being overlooked right now in the NFC West - 21 days ago
Isn't SF. Everyone as per usual in the media gives SF their due. It's Seattle. MacDonald is a fine defensive mind. They made a good jump last season and should improve a bit more this year. Also they made some very shrewd adjustments in personnel on offense. Extremely shrewd to my eye at least. Don't be surprised if Seattle is a playoff team. Biggest question for them is Darnold, andby merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
It was there for the Rams to win it - 22 days ago
Fact is the Rams closed that game out with control and had them on the ropes. You could feel the fear from that Philly secondary. But of course this is football and nobody remembers the team that "could have" been the winner. We remember the winners and that's the way it needs to be. Philly was the better team. But the Rams blew a great opportunity to slay a dragon there. And viby merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
Stewart has an enormous opportunity here - 22 days ago
First off edges can and do translate quickly when the game is there. And this kid has the kind of tenaciousness that should play very well opposite Verse, who will be the primary concern for most OL we face. He should get some cleanup type sacks, some blown block free runs in the backfield, etc., because he works so hard snap to snap and is effective in his rush. Nothing against Young, but hby merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
Competition at CB - 24 days ago
Hopefully he will be duelling with Durant for that field side role. If one of them can nail that role, this defense should be in really good shape. Of course neither of them can tackle. So we'll probably need both of them as they get dinged up making or attempting tackles over the season. But most defenses have points of weakness in them. Main thing is making sure we have the coverages dowby merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
Most deep playoff contenders... - 26 days ago
Have a high end defensive front in common. Now of course you can win with your strength on the back end. And ideally we would have another corner added in that recent draft. But I get what the Rams are doing here, and if you look at defenses generally speaking of those contenders the best coverage is the opposing QB having no time to process. Where the Rams were somewhat weak was vs the runby merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
Re: Stay the same, Merlin - 27 days ago
Quotemtramfan I don't remember anyone - ever - who is immortalize for their soundbytes. Nuance, depth of meaning and understanding require enough words to make it happen. You bring much to the board as-is. Don't change a thing. Appreciate the kind words. :beercanby merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
Re: Agree - 28 days ago
QuoteAtlantic Ram and as excited as I am for the offense, I might be even more excited about the defense. Could both be elite? Seems like there is at least a reasonable chance. Yes I am insanely confident this year. Worried about the LT depth, and our corners could use a CB1. But it feels like nitpicking to say it. This team is a bona fide contender.by merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
Re: Here Merlin is something many of us will never forget for this Weekend - 28 days ago
Quotemtramfan I'm flatterd at being mistaken for Merlin - he's a great poster, knows his football better than I do. Maybe it's the length of our posts that caused the confusion. :thumbsup Enjoy this Great American Weekend, and give a silent nod to those who sacrificed themselves for us. God bless us all. - Chuck, AKA mtramfam And to think I am a believer that brevity is the soul ofby merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
The way I always "read" the Rams intent - 29 days ago
QuoteAtlantic Ram It doesn’t change their philosophy (at least as I see it) I think the Rams wanted to get stronger against the run up front and they did that to the degree of keeping the pass rush in mind. I’m not saying they are ears pinned all three downs. They are smart about it and I think they will be better against the run this season because the DL is gaining experience as well as bringinby merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
If you want a lot of third and longs... - 29 days ago
Strong play vs the run is key. Particularly vs the power offenses you will see in the playoffs. The last time we were top 5 in ypc against we won it all. That was not a coincidence. And it is not a coincidence that this year Shula brought in a run stuffing stud and a high motor edge to make that front harder to wear down. Or the ILBs in the draft and UDFA to supplement the off ball role.by merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
He was taken for teams like Philly - 30 days ago
When you face that big OL who will just bully your DL and lean on them with their size. Hambone is going to be high in that rotation and vs run teams like Philly probably bigger roles on early downs to stuff it up.by merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
Those two the Rams added to that front... - 4 weeks ago
Stewart is the kind of high effort disruptor that will complement protections being shifted away from him. That dude is relentless on film. My kind of player. And Hamilton is a significant presence in terms of being able to anchor in. Which is something we needed in that rotation and on early downs if he works hard we might see him earn a role as a run stuffer vs certain offense types who hby merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
I imagine he'll take over the slot role if we do this - 4 weeks ago
In that role his loss of speed won't be as crucial, also adding him to the middle of the field is like adding an ILB. There's no doubt we're a better defense if we do this, but I also think he's overpaid so the Dolphins would need to pony up part of that salary.by merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
Exactly what I wanted in this draft - 5 weeks ago
Deep DL class with run stuffers that should be available late, Rams went and got a good one. He might end up with a key role in this defense right away.by merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
It wasn't just the injuries on the OL last year - 5 weeks ago
QuoteNewMexicoRam Fast starts those years. Why haven't they repeated that again? O line injuries were huge in other years. Stay healthy! Their problems began with a failed attempt to shoehorn Avila into the Center role. And realizing the error ate up critical camp prep time. Dysfunction at the pivot was our primary issue in the early going last season. Protections were terrible, anticiby merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
We start slow every year it seems - 5 weeks ago
So that's the reason I'd go with. Hoping for a fast start out the gate and a #1 seed finish to the season. But I am used to a certain rhythm with the Rams, that being they use the first four games as their "preseason tuneup" then get it together by midseason and make a run.by merlin - RamsFootballFans.com
I think these things are good for the league - 5 weeks ago
I don't like seeing teams play with a big percentage of opposing fans in the stands in a home game. It kills home field advantage and makes it all about the teams with the bigger fan bases. You're always going to have scalpers. But I think pushing them to the shadows is the way to go. This allowance of large scale reselling is some BS. You have people buying season tickets for the expressby merlin - RamsFootballFans.com