Tuesday Night Football - Covid Edition

[MDY10]

Here we go, less than an hour away and I have absolutely no idea what to expect with all this COVID stuff happening PLUS it’s a division game. Let’s go!!

[stl4life07]

Defensive struggle based on the score but I thought the Rams moved the ball well pretty much every time they had it. They just need to finish with tds. I think in the 2nd half they will start to get things going in terms of finishing. 

Im not shocked the defense is once again doing a great job against Wilson and the Seahawks offense. They have held them to 20pts or less in 5 straight games. Id love the Rams to get a takeaway or two. In general though I cant complain about the defensive performance for the Rams. Lets keep this strong defensive game going and get this offense into the endzone. I feel like a 10pt lead in this game should be enough to win. 

[LeotheLion]

Unless Akers is ready to be a workhorse next year, we need to draft a RB. Hendo just can't do anything anymore. 

[LeotheLion]

Stafford needs to get it together. Another truly atrocious performance from him. 

[NVRamsFan]

I do love reading people complain the NFL broke it's own rules by moving the game to help the Rams. People who don't know the rules citing them is always comical especially for this so called favoritism for the Rams in LA.

[MDY10]

That throw by Stafford was amazing. There’s no way I’m blaming anyone for bad play today after everything they’ve been through this week. At the end of the day they’re making Plays still on both offense and defense. 
 

Cooper Kupp for MVP

[MDY10]

Wow. These refs are killing Seattle. They did it to us earlier in the year.. make up game? Lol 

[LeotheLion]

We were lucky but that and a lot of throws by Wilson have been complete trash tonight. 

[MDY10]

12 minutes ago, LeotheLion said:

We were lucky but that and a lot of throws by Wilson have been complete trash tonight. 

Rams were clearly better today. Those calls were terrible for Seattle but the rams dominated them. Rams didn’t play great either but Sony had some great moments and when the Stafford - Kupp connection got hot the offense looked awesome. Even with a couple backup Olineman. Russ and that magic he always creates against LA just didn’t happen in either game this year. 

[stl4life07]

Great win by the Rams. Wasnt pretty but winning games like these definitely can go a very long way for the Rams making a deep run in the playoffs. These past two games showed me what I already knew about the Rams. Thats them being able to handle any adversity that comes their way. Stafford to Kupp is special. That throw Stafford made on Kupp 2nd td is the exact reason why McVay wanted Stafford. He had a defender fixing to nail him and he threw it to a spot. Kupp got there, caught it and scored. Stafford was celebrating on his back after getting hit. It was the perfect everything by Stafford and Kupp on that play. Kupp really won this game for the Rams on offense. Yes Michel made a few big plays which was key but if it wasnt for Kupp big performance the Rams arent scoring imo.

The defense was huge too which Im not shocked. This is the third straight game the Rams havent allowed a passing td. Lawrence, Murray, and now Russ wasnt able to throw a passing td. Thats impressive. Von got his first sack as a Ram which is great and Donald still owns Russ. For the sixth straight game the Rams have held the Seahawks to 20pts or less. Ramsey once again did a nice job in shutting down Metcalf. 

So now the pressure continues to be on the Cards. They have the Colts on Christmas day. All I ask Santa is for the Colts to run all over the Cards and win then on Sunday the Rams beat the Vikings to officially take the lead in the NFCW with two games to go. Not just take the lead in the NFCW but the Rams also own the head to head tiebreaker over the Bucs so they would jump them to being the 3rd seed. Then the Cards have the Cowboys the week afterwards so if the Rams beat the Ravens that Cards v Cowboys game will be big either way. If the Cowboys win the Rams would then clinch the division but if the Cards win the Rams would jump Dallas in the overall standings in the NFC and move to the 2nd overall seed with one game to go. So these last three weeks are going to be interesting. 

[LeotheLion]

56 minutes ago, MDY10 said:

Rams were clearly better today. Those calls were terrible for Seattle but the rams dominated them. Rams didn’t play great either but Sony had some great moments and when the Stafford - Kupp connection got hot the offense looked awesome. Even with a couple backup Olineman. Russ and that magic he always creates against LA just didn’t happen in either game this year. 

I get the team didn't practice all week, but we've seen Stafford several times this year eat sacks on 3rd downs to push teams out of FG range. Then he's had several picks that have made no sense. 

Glad they pulled it out but not super inspiring. Though this time of the year, that's not what matters. 

[NVRamsFan]

 

[Dr LBC]

17 minutes ago, LeotheLion said:

I get the team didn't practice all week, but we've seen Stafford several times this year eat sacks on 3rd downs to push teams out of FG range. Then he's had several picks that have made no sense. 

Glad they pulled it out but not super inspiring. Though this time of the year, that's not what matters. 

We've also seen Seattle, probably more than any other team in the division (though the Niners are making a strong case as well) get up for games against us even after having performed like utter crap for weeks approaching or even the entire season.  Declining play or not, "worth his contract number" or not, tonight has proven that Havenstein isn't a wise cap casualty until we actually have a suitable replacement on the roster - and Evans ain't it.

Stafford's, at least from what I can see, still adapting to the play-calling having changed since the Bobby Trees injury - and I'm not referring to the increased Heavy Set use, I'm referring to the fact that even when we call passing downs, McVay isn't calling the stuff wherein 1 or more of the wideouts are largely on immediate blocking detail.  The stuff over the middle and in the intermediate flats that Woods, Coop, and to a degree Higbee were getting chunk plays from quick-catch-and-YAC are going almost exclusively to Skowrenek who isn't nearly as dynamic.  I don't know if that's because OBJ won't go over the middle or what, it's also an approach within the scheme that Seattle typically stifles when we're at full strength (damn Bobby Wagner), and McVay still stubbornly sticks with rather than trying to find a creative way to address it.

[Dr LBC]

42 minutes ago, stl4life07 said:

Great win by the Rams. Wasnt pretty but winning games like these definitely can go a very long way for the Rams making a deep run in the playoffs. These past two games showed me what I already knew about the Rams. Thats them being able to handle any adversity that comes their way. Stafford to Kupp is special. That throw Stafford made on Kupp 2nd td is the exact reason why McVay wanted Stafford. He had a defender fixing to nail him and he threw it to a spot. Kupp got there, caught it and scored. Stafford was celebrating on his back after getting hit. It was the perfect everything by Stafford and Kupp on that play. Kupp really won this game for the Rams on offense. Yes Michel made a few big plays which was key but if it wasnt for Kupp big performance the Rams arent scoring imo.

The defense was huge too which Im not shocked. This is the third straight game the Rams havent allowed a passing td. Lawrence, Murray, and now Russ wasnt able to throw a passing td. Thats impressive. Von got his first sack as a Ram which is great and Donald still owns Russ. For the sixth straight game the Rams have held the Seahawks to 20pts or less. Ramsey once again did a nice job in shutting down Metcalf. 

So now the pressure continues to be on the Cards. They have the Colts on Christmas day. All I ask Santa is for the Colts to run all over the Cards and win then on Sunday the Rams beat the Vikings to officially take the lead in the NFCW with two games to go. Not just take the lead in the NFCW but the Rams also own the head to head tiebreaker over the Bucs so they would jump them to being the 3rd seed. Then the Cards have the Cowboys the week afterwards so if the Rams beat the Ravens that Cards v Cowboys game will be big either way. If the Cowboys win the Rams would then clinch the division but if the Cards win the Rams would jump Dallas in the overall standings in the NFC and move to the 2nd overall seed with one game to go. So these last three weeks are going to be interesting. 

It'll either be the Colts or these Seahawks (if Waldron pulls his head out of his butt and figures out how to call that offensive - if anything, he's helping do as much damage to stifle to desire of teams to hire away McVay offensive assistants as LaFleur and Taylor are doing to encourage it), because the Cards have been road warriors but inconsistent at home.  That said, I can also see a very conveniently home team friendly officiating crew get the assignment for their game in Dallas.

I genuinely hope Rapp and the other safeties were taking notes on the Minnesota/Chicago game last night because while we do have some of the LB's to take on Dalvin Cook if he's running right at them like Ogletree did last night, the way you can really stifle the Vikings is if you can successfully ankle-tackle (or slow him down with them while others rally to the ball).  Also, if Morris doesn't give Justin Jefferson the same treatment he gave Metcalf tonight (and JJ is a better route-runner than DK, so it's still no guarantee), I'm going to be pissed.  Kirk with JJ taken away from him makes mistakes, because he presses way too much and forces throws for all the yardage he needs for a 1st down on 2nd down throws, rather than taking the easy/open underneath throw to set up manageable 3rd downs.  Also, Minnesota's interior OL just got worked this past week, so Donald and Gaines should eat, I'm just really hopeful we get SJD back for that game too.

[jrry32]

7 hours ago, LeotheLion said:

Unless Akers is ready to be a workhorse next year, we need to draft a RB. Hendo just can't do anything anymore. 

I'd love to have Michel back, but with Akers returning, I don't see it making sense. Hendo is still on his rookie deal. He won't be cheap, but he's not that expensive either. And yes, I'd draft a HB on early Day 3 or late Day 2. Dameon Pierce would be high on my list. Versatile HB who runs like an absolute tank. It is criminal how Florida underutilized him.