It actually was very short. Playing into February will do that.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
I wouldn't call any of them great years. All those playoff collapses? '79 was great, but pretty much a fluke. And then came the long slide. I don't go back to the 'late 50s teams. Dunno how that worked. I think a great year is one when you break through to a very high level. And even McVay has yet to show he can follow up a SB.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
I totally agree. The history thing is, I think, interesting. People often cite history in silly ways. Remember the "Rams have big years every 20 years which end in 9" schtick? But consistent historical patterns can be pretty damn strong. They tend to demonstrate underlying realities that are hard to beat. One consistent NFL pattern is the incredible difficulty of getting to theby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
I was just wondering about the WRs he was playing with. I mean NO ONE was open. Like, ever. It was embarrassing. I wonder what he would look like throwing to Kupp and A R and Higbee? But then, I really don't want to find out, either.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
You got that right. This is why I am daring to hope for a step forward rather than back. McVay just may be the real deal. Just maybe. BTW: I always liked Martz. He was just a lousy HC. The situation, including an aging Vermeil who wasn't sure he wanted to keep going, thrust him into a role he couldn't handle. The Peter Principle!by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
I just can't see it. And as you say, he is very expensive. The draft pick. The cap hit. And now a roster spot that should go to someone else. OBJ aynone?by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
I've had my heart broken routinely since '68. Every time we've had a great year, we have tanked in the next one. And recent league history says that very, very few teams can sustain excellence. It's just very, very hard to do. We have a daunting gauntlet of scary-good teams. And we play them all in our regular season schedule. SF may finally be really, really good. Winning our division isby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Watching that first preseason, game I was pleased with what I saw from the offensive line. Clearly, my view has not been in the majority. Posters and pundits, including the great Jourdan, have panned the line as a whole and Logan Bruss in particular. So I watched the game again, twice, focusing on the OL. The more I watch the more I am convinced that these 3rd and 4th stringers played a hell oby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
I have pretty low expectations for this season. I have never seen the Rams follow up a great season with another one. Indeed, they have generally regressed significantly. And, actually, this is the league pattern. The margin of error for a great season is impossibly thin. I just don't expect that the breaks will fall for us again this year. Then you look at our killer schedule, and the odds drby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Rewarching the game I did notice a reason to be wary. The guy was great except for 1 thing. He couldn't seem to get open. Those Bolt DBs cleaned the refs out of yellow landry, but they covered our lads with ease. Including our Lance. Love the guy, but would've liked to have seen him create some space.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
That you are in the minority. I also have written that his throws are poor and he was bailed out by McC winning balls and fortunate flags. I'v seen many posters dismiss his arm. Don't think I have seen anyone defend it. BTW. What the hell are the SD (I figure they're still SD) teaching their CBs? They repeatedly committed egregious PI fouls. Aggressively. Without hesitation. Again and agaiby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Take away flags and McC spinning straw into gold and he'd have had a disastrous night. Reliance on him would be frightening. And I don't think he's very young.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Then I really don't see that we have room for OBJ. Or perhaps a need. What I like is the idea of a bunch of big, physical WRs. For blocking as well as for tough downs. Kupp. Robinson. Skow. MacC. All big. Although, of course, there is the little guy.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Of half the teams in the league. He is a good NFL WR. But our WR room is so deep. I don't see how we would find room for him. And I agree that he'd never clear waivers for the P S. We'd have to cut Harris, I think. He might clear waivers.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Our running game. I thought we ran productively all night. Even when the passing game did nothing for most of the game. Running games are hard to turn on early in the season. They generally trail defenses badly. I've seen many a Ram preseason offense fail to move the ball on the ground. Brick Wall City. Now, it wasn't overpowering. But we did pretty steadily gain productively. We gainedby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
He simply does not have the arm to be a good QB in this league.This forces him to heave the ball high to get it anywhere. Poor throwing motion. He was repeatedly bailed out by WRs winng contested balls and by flags. And he isn't even a really threatening runner. Just an annoying one. Nothing there.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Stop it on defense. Be productive on offense. If we want to beat the teams we will face this year, these 2 keys are crucial. Make it so, Capt. Picard-McVay.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
If Stafford's arm remains comprised, our season goes down the drain. If it persists into later years, that contract will crush us. So, I get the concern and share the worries. Still, I feel fairly confident. I think our FO is pretty capable, with a world class PT group. And I note 2 things: They granted that contract extension. They haven't made a move for a medium level backup. I dby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
A diminuitive gadget guy better be lightning QUICK to be consistently effective. Slow-building straight line speed ain't good enough to maneuver in congested areas.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
If he just teaches the others to, like, tackle? Be a culture change there.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
My hypothetical hope was that our guys were fine. A hypothetical. No promise that they will be. The HOPE is that we won't need OBJ. maybe we will. Although I think Allen gives us as much as OBJ did, maybe more.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
At a number of positions. Including QB, at which our star has a dodgy elbow. This is my point. We don't know what position will need an SOS. Have the assets on hand for the needs that cannot be foreseen.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Cheaply give OBJ'S ego a few strokes now and then in case ww need him later. And hope we don't 'cause our current guys are getting it done. As I say repeatedly, I don't want to give up assets for OBJ until and unless we need him and don't have dire needs somewhere else.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Than Miller did. Miller raised a team strength a notch or two. Wagner can turn a team weakness into a strength. And privide a solid central core to the whole defense. Simultaneously mentoring a successor in the role. It's possible that the Ram defensive center could be solidified for years to come. I never liked the capitulation of the middle by spending peanuts on substandard ILBs. Stopby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
I really rate the package he brings. Much more than I do Tutu.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
A time warp indeed. Damn, I loved that team. I didn't remember that game. Probably wasn't available to the Minny market. A 40 year old game ... but I felt all the nerves of an undetermined outcome. And what a different game they played back then. Authentic FOOTBALL with committed running games. Tactics that I actually understand. Traps and tosses and draws and counters and slants. The gameby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Defenses are ALWAYS ahead of offenses in camp. I remember that in HS. we had some pretty good offenses but couldn't do much in the 1st couple of weeks. Every year from HS to the League, defenses dominate early. If your defense does NOT dominate early, that's time to be cocerned. Just a comment for perspective.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
That he sees the goods in the player. Pretty evasive comments.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
J. Harris. If either becomes a force, we won't need OBJ. I think J H is more likely to click. But you never know. What if they both click? I would really like to avoid spending the assets needed for OBJ, who may well get injured yet again.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com