[Hacksaw]

21. Is Matt Stafford injured? Back? Finger? It had been reported he had issues before Tennessee.

[snackdaddy]

1. That was a disgraceful performance.
Yup

2. Let's start with the defense. You know exactly what the 49ers are going to do, and you let them. And, in case anyone forgot, this was a 3-5 49ers team - not some world beating juggernaut.
I've been saying for weeks the run and short passing game is the staple of the 49ers offense. Other teams figured it out. I know what they will do. Why can't Rams do something about it? Is it fair to ask if they've even capable?

3. Tackling - bad.
Again, yup. You tackle and you stop them. They won't throw down field unless you force them too. And Jimmy GQ will make mistakes.

4. Coverage on Kittle and Samuel - hideous.
Yup again. Those are the only two legit weapons.

5. Effort level - pathetic.
Agreed

6. How about the offense? Key drops resulting in a pick 6 and two second half 3 and outs. Plus, a couple by Jefferson. WTF?
Actually that pick six wasn't the worst thing. Higbee was not gonna get the first down. The Rams woulda punted. The 49ers woulda rammed it down the defense's throats again and had the ball a lot longer with a TD drive.

7. Stafford was unsteady in the pocket despite only moderate pressure, and off target on many throws.
I know he's an upgrade over Goff. But I'm starting to think he's not the savior we expected him to be. I think its fair to question if he's enough of an upgrade to make giving up those picks worth it.

8. Coaches get a failing grade. Poor game plan on defense and no adjustments. Stupid calls before the half (poorly designed screen pass on second down, idiotic fake FG) prevented Rams from ending first half with some momentum.
Defensively, if the Rams just take away the short game and dare them to throw down the field I don't think they can score many points.

9. The running game was fine... but irrelevant.
It wasn't great. But it wasn't part of the problem.

10. Same could be said about our defensive stars. Donald made plays. Miller did too. Ramsey had some nice break-ups... but irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.
As a whole, the defense played poorly. Whatever the stars did positive was nowhere near enough to make up for what the rest did poorly.

11. Do the last two weeks create a blueprint? Yes and no...
Its quite possible

12. Yes... for teams that can play tough and physical and have the discipline to march down the field methodically.
If we do make the playoffs that is usually what a playoff team at least tries to do.

13. No... not every opponent is built to play that way... thankfully.
And those teams are not likely opponents in the playoffs. If we make it.

14. Normally, I'd hate having a bye after a loss, but this team desperately needs a week off to regroup.
This time they do need that. More time to dig deep and soul search who they want to be. Or rather, who they don't want to be.

15. Hopefully, we can use the time to stop welcoming new players on Twitter and refocus on fundamentals.
It wouldn't be the first time a star studded team underachieved.

16. Hopefully, we can use the time to fully integrate two very talented players who can help down the stretch.
That is the hope. But if their identity is a finesse but soft team, it won't matter who they have when they play a tough, physical team.

17. Hopefully, we can use the time to practice countermeasures for the types of strategies that have killed us in the past two games.
I certainly hope so. They have to totally re-adjust their thought process from finesse but soft to being tougher. A 300 pound lineman has to have some pride in his manly abilities. At least I hope he does.

18. Hopefully, McVay will remember how successful his offense can be with a true commitment to the run.
I wish he would. But his history has shown he abandons the run at the first sign of adversity. I wouldn't hold my breath on that one.

19. The Rams are still in great shape for making the playoffs and only a game back in the division standings (though, with tiebreaker issues, they will probably need to gain two games on Arizona).
If they finish 3-4 that would make them 10-7. Should be good enough for a playoff spot. But I doubt they go far if they do finish 3-4. That would mean our concerns were realized.

20. Me... I'm going to take a few days, maybe a week, to cool off. This has been a tough two weeks. But I'm just a fan... I can't do anything but wait two weeks and hope to see a better effort at Green Bay. Its up to the Rams to regroup and hit the stretch run with a vengeance. The talent is there, but talent is not enough. The Rams need to control the narrative and force teams to play their game. Otherwise... "all in" will go from triumphant rallying cry to punch line.
Yeah, we cannot do anything but come here to vent. Myself, I'm not going to be as optimistic as I was. I think we are a playoff team. But I fear the problems might be something they're not capable of correcting. They've played this way too long to all of a sudden be a team that fights force with their own force. Maybe they will change and be that kind of team. But its iffy right now. My money says they will remain a finesse team. And we know what the other label is that comes with that one.

[faulkrram]

I disagree that the Rams will get rolled by the Packers. The Packers play in a soft division, and if you've watched them this year that Defense isn't exactly breaking limbs. If Green Bay chooses to try and bull the Rams with their running game that keeps Adams and Cobb off the field, I don't see Rodgers just handing the ball off the entire game. And when he does drop, we need to break Him...Hard....The Offense can score against the Packers, if you want to say how similar the Rams and Packers are I'm with you. Both have had powder schedules and struggled against the better teams. Packers lost the 1st game to the Saints - after that ran off wins against Lions Whiners Steelers Bungles Bears Washington. Their best win was against the Cardinals 24-21, they then lose to the Chiefs 13-7 with the chiefs Defense worse than ours, then they followed that up with a win against the Hags. The OT game they almost blew against the Bungles shows that the Pack isn't even close to Power House label they are receiving. The Rams are fully capable of shutting down Rodgers just as the Saints Chiefs and Bungles did, so I have plenty of optimism the Rams will get it done. I'm not confident in our Defensive coordinator as he's been stymied 2 straight weeks. Hopefully Mckvay steps in to add his innablities .

[Hacksaw]

Did you word that last sentence correctly? just asking.
The rest of your post is very compelling@faulkrram. Thank you for the stats and their schedule.
I really think our team lost their focus hard with the acquisitions, injuries and glowing SB all in press. I'm pretty sure they learned their lesson now and with couple of weeks to reflect, practice and left heavier weights, I can see your prediction happen.

[faulkrram]

Did you word that last sentence correctly? just asking.
The rest of your post is very compelling@faulkrram. Thank you for the stats and their schedule.
I really think our team lost their focus hard with the acquisitions, injuries and glowing SB all in press. I'm pretty sure they learned their lesson now and with couple of weeks to reflect, practice and left heavier weights, I can see your prediction happen.

Yeah Hack, I was saying that Mckvay needs to address the defensive coaching problem. The Rams had no answer, not even a different package to stuff the Whiners run game. They just stuck with 4 down and the Line backers were tackling 5 yds in the back field. We saw what 2 Blitzes all night? Garappolo isn't exactly a good downfield thrower, Samuel and Kittles weren't spied , on and on. Our defense has been predictable and soft even against the powder puffs. The offense I give a mulligan to because Woods was the Most reliable route runner and hands on the team. Stafford lost that confidence especially on 3rd downs and you could tell he was just off. Green Bay is very good don't get me wrong, but they're not as physical as Tenn or the whiners. Mckvay should be studying what the Chiefs, Saints and Bungles all did to the Pack both Offensively and defensively.

[rams74]

Yeah Hack, I was saying that Mckvay needs to address the defensive coaching problem. The Rams had no answer, not even a different package to stuff the Whiners run game. They just stuck with 4 down and the Line backers were tackling 5 yds in the back field. We saw what 2 Blitzes all night? Garappolo isn't exactly a good downfield thrower, Samuel and Kittles weren't spied , on and on. Our defense has been predictable and soft even against the powder puffs. The offense I give a mulligan to because Woods was the Most reliable route runner and hands on the team. Stafford lost that confidence especially on 3rd downs and you could tell he was just off. Green Bay is very good don't get me wrong, but they're not as physical as Tenn or the whiners. Mckvay should be studying what the Chiefs, Saints and Bungles all did to the Pack both Offensively and defensively.

Add to that the fact that the Packers lost Aaron Jones for a while, and they're down to AJ Dillon at RB. Dillon's good, but I'm not sure he can pound the rock for 4 quarters. And as well as they've been playing, I'm not sold on the Packers defense any more than I am the Rams defense. I think the Packers game may come down to what the weather's like.

[PARAM]

Yeah Hack, I was saying that Mckvay needs to address the defensive coaching problem. Mckvay should be studying what the Chiefs, Saints and Bungles all did to the Pack both Offensively and defensively.

Well in all fairness, the Chiefs played against a backup QB. Rodgers was out with covid.

It's all about complimentary football. Go down 14 early, something they did in both the last 2 weeks; 14-3 to Tenn; 14-0 to SF, as well as 11 to Arizona 21 minutes into the game (all 3 thanks to 2 turnovers early) and it allows an opponent to be unpredictable. Sure we could have loaded up to stop the run vs SF but they would have beat us with Deebo and Kittle. Against Tennessee, we allowed 194 yards!! I think Morris knows what we are and plays it that way. We've NEVER been able to stop the run consistently under McVay. We're a defense that plays off our offense. We make teams go the long way, encouraging impatience when they're trailing and getting turnovers. But he gets the brunt of fire when we lose.

It could be said, our defense hasn't lost us a game yet this year. Our offense? Now that's where we hang our hat and in 3 losses we scored 20 (thanks to a garbage time TD), 16 and 10. That's 15 PPG, not what the Rams have as an identity. When we score 24 or more we are 7-0. Sure 24 would have won any of our losses but had we scored TDs early it changes how the opponent plays on offense and those game all would have been different.....maybe not all wins but certainly not all losses.

JMHO.

[47 Gap]

This team has two core fundamental problems. 1. Physical toughness. 2 Mental toughness. So far this year, I have noticed only 3 players that have displayed these traits, Jalen Ramsey, Aaron Donald and Leonard Floyd.

Until the coaches address and fix these issues we're looking at a long second half to the season. Dick Vermeil used to say before every game, "There's no easying your way into a street fight." This team has way too much talent to be this soft. It's on the coaches.

[max]

McVay has lost 3 straight games ONLY once in his career as a HC.

That was in 2019, when we finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs.

[faulkrram]

Well in all fairness, the Chiefs played against a backup QB. Rodgers was out with covid.

It's all about complimentary football. Go down 14 early, something they did in both the last 2 weeks; 14-3 to Tenn; 14-0 to SF, as well as 11 to Arizona 21 minutes into the game (all 3 thanks to 2 turnovers early) and it allows an opponent to be unpredictable. Sure we could have loaded up to stop the run vs SF but they would have beat us with Deebo and Kittle. Against Tennessee, we allowed 194 yards!! I think Morris knows what we are and plays it that way. We've NEVER been able to stop the run consistently under McVay. We're a defense that plays off our offense. We make teams go the long way, encouraging impatience when they're trailing and getting turnovers. But he gets the brunt of fire when we lose.

It could be said, our defense hasn't lost us a game yet this year. Our offense? Now that's where we hang our hat and in 3 losses we scored 20 (thanks to a garbage time TD), 16 and 10. That's 15 PPG, not what the Rams have as an identity. When we score 24 or more we are 7-0. Sure 24 would have won any of our losses but had we scored TDs early it changes how the opponent plays on offense and those game all would have been different.....maybe not all wins but certainly not all losses.

JMHO.

Very accurate PA, the team definitely doesn't have any come backs in their DNA so far. The defense hasn't caused any turnovers and especially scored on the defensive side like they have in the past. The Special Teams are basically non existent so far. It's a lot of things or lack of things that the team hasn't done that's alarming. Have we even blocked a punt this year? A kick return for more than 25 yds? Morris just doesn't have a answer so far defensively to confuse offenses into mistakes like this team has done in the not so distant past. The defense and special teams not producing any points puts a incredible strain on the offense.