Week 4: MNF Rams @ 49ers

[LeotheLion]

Big chance to take a nice lead on the division. Looks like the big losses will be Durant, Long, and David Edwards. Haven't heard who the fill-in will be but I'm hoping it is ODay. Don't want to see Bobby Evans at all. 

[JonStark]

Ugly first half by the offense. Defense has played fine aside of two big plays.

I'll never understand why we can't stop the Jimmy G niners offense. They know AD is going to get in there so 95% of their game is running and short passes. Mcvay should learn from that because with our line, Stafford is going to be getting pressured just as quickly. I'll also never understand why he refuses to use RB screens but will run 3-4 Higbee screens a game. 

[stl4life07]

Cant win this game kicking field goals. Rams gave up two big td plays and really thats been the difference. In this type of game that could be THE game. Rams need to create some big plays that result in tds themselves or else its over already. We know the Rams cant afford to fall behind anymore or else the Niners are just going to run the air out of the ball and the clock out. The Rams have to force Jimmy G to beat them bc we know if he throw enough he will make that one maybe two big mistakes that will hurt his team.

I want to see in the 2nd half a strong start, hopefully keep it close or even take the lead and try to win. I picked the Niners to win this game so Im not shocked they are winning and I wont be shocked if they win this game but I just want the Rams to give themselves a chance in the 4th quarter to possibly win. Thats all I can ask for each and every game and with Stafford and Kupp on offense and Donald on defense if the game is there to be had in the 4th quarter they are more than capable of pulling it out no matter how badly they played as a team throughout.

[JonStark]

Signing Robinson wasn't a bad move, but I really don't think Mcvay knows how to scheme up a WR like him. Should've just kept Woods.

[LeotheLion]

12 minutes ago, JonStark said:

Signing Robinson wasn't a bad move, but I really don't think Mcvay knows how to scheme up a WR like him. Should've just kept Woods.

It's not McVay. When we had Cooks, Woods, and Kupp, all 3 ate. The issue is Stafford. The same thing happened last year with OBJ and Woods. 

[stl4life07]

Tough loss bc the Rams had their chances but kept having to kick field goals instead of getting tds. That was the game right there. Niners got three big plays that went for tds and the Rams had three field goals despite moving the ball up and down the field and getting into the goal line twice. I expect them to be better next week and beat the Cowboys especially since many are going to be on the Cowboys side picking them to win and downing the Rams all week long. I feel for Rush or Dak whomever is the starter. Then I expect the Rams to beat the Panthers after that. So they will go into the BYE (4-2) before their rematch against the Niners in Sofi which will be huge.

[MDY10]

23 minutes ago, LeotheLion said:

It's not McVay. When we had Cooks, Woods, and Kupp, all 3 ate. The issue is Stafford. The same thing happened last year with OBJ and Woods. 

I’m close to giving up on Robinson. Agreed Stafford hasn’t been lights out throwing to him, but it goes both ways here, imo.  
 

Rams had there chances tonight. The Niners even had some miscues that could have helped and we just didn’t take advantage of it. Niner weeks are literally the worst weeks of the football season. Same damn thing every time. I really hope they find their groove down the stretch and into the playoffs like last year 

[NVRamsFan]

100% on Stafford and McVay they have to figure it out.

[LeotheLion]

Going forward, we have to find ways for the offense to have more juice. Every play that gained 8+ yards tonight seemed like we were pulling out teeth. Spamming Kupp the entire game can't be the plan. I don't think it we can bank on OBJ either. Even if he comes back, there's no guarantee he's going to be a difference maker coming off that injury. I'd like to see Robinson, Harris, McCutcheon, Tutu, or Powell get a lot more looks. 

Defensively I was happy with how we adjusted after the first drive. Think we can lean on the defense this year once the secondary gets healthy. Kendrick again got better as the game went on. From a FO perspective, the big swing would be going after Brian Burns. I'd be for it, if we know we can get him long-term. 

[NYRamsFan88]

The offense left the building early once again. This has been going on all 4 weeks, the difference is that good teams will make us pay for it, and last night we got eviscerated. 
 

The first half defense was infuriating as always, but they’ve managed to hold the Niners to 14 points before things spiraled down to hell. Once the secondary heals up, and someone other than Donald gets to the QB, the defense should ball, but this offense man….

 

[MDY10]

2 hours ago, NYRamsFan88 said:

The offense left the building early once again. This has been going on all 4 weeks, the difference is that good teams will make us pay for it, and last night we got eviscerated. 
 

The first half defense was infuriating as always, but they’ve managed to hold the Niners to 14 points before things spiraled down to hell. Once the secondary heals up, and someone other than Donald gets to the QB, the defense should ball, but this offense man….

 

It’s mind blowing how they just fold when they get Rattled. Right now, it’s tough to say anything though considering the Oline is one of the worst in the league. 24 pressures last night is embarrassing. That’s almost 50 percent of the game. 

[JonStark]

10 hours ago, LeotheLion said:

It's not McVay. When we had Cooks, Woods, and Kupp, all 3 ate. The issue is Stafford. The same thing happened last year with OBJ and Woods. 

Those are all different type of receivers that Robinson is. Mcvay strictly uses him to take coverage away from the more intermediate routes. He doesn't go from lighting it up in camp to suddenly being washed when the regular season starts. 

[LeotheLion]

11 minutes ago, JonStark said:

Those are all different type of receivers that Robinson is. Mcvay strictly uses him to take coverage away from the more intermediate routes. He doesn't go from lighting it up in camp to suddenly being washed when the regular season starts. 

Conversely do we believe that Robinson could be lighting up defenses if McVay schemed that up? He wants the offense to be versatile. 

It seems to me the issue is clearly Stafford/Robinson. The chemistry just isn't there. And Robinson in his limited opportunities has not looked the part either. 

[BStanRamFan]

Some thoughts on my end:

• We had two 3rd stringers and a 2nd stringer at iOL against arguably the next DPOY. That was never going to end well. Stafford under pressure will always just look to Kupp first and Higbee second. A-Rob never stood a chance last night. 
• Stafford was under siege, but the red zone trips with no TD's are on him. He needed to hit Higbee on 1st down in the redzone in the 3rd. That makes it a 1 score game (if we get 2) and puts the pressure on Jimmy G.
• Darrell Henderson needs to be the starter full time. He runs harder and is far more decisive. 
• Our secondary is a liability. Young guys like Derion Kendrick/Grant Haley/Taylor Rapp cannot tackle consistently.
  • Why isn't Jordan Fuller starting over Rapp?
• We lack an outside pass rush, but it would have been tough for any OLB to get pressure against Jimmy G last night. He got the ball out quickly and they established the run very well.
• Stafford should have had 2 INT's last night. His INT's are like clockwork. You know they're coming and against lesser opponents, we over come them. Against 49ers/Bills, we cannot. 

I still believe this is a Wild Card team that no one will want to play round 1, but the ceiling of this team is not where it was last year. We have legit deficiencies compared to last year's team. Could they be overcome? Possibly. But as currently constructed, we are limited.

[NYRamsFan88]

22 minutes ago, BStanRamFan said:

Some thoughts on my end:

• We had two 3rd stringers and a 2nd stringer at iOL against arguably the next DPOY. That was never going to end well. Stafford under pressure will always just look to Kupp first and Higbee second. A-Rob never stood a chance last night. 
• Stafford was under siege, but the red zone trips with no TD's are on him. He needed to hit Higbee on 1st down in the redzone in the 3rd. That makes it a 1 score game (if we get 2) and puts the pressure on Jimmy G.
• Darrell Henderson needs to be the starter full time. He runs harder and is far more decisive. 
• Our secondary is a liability. Young guys like Derion Kendrick/Grant Haley/Taylor Rapp cannot tackle consistently.
  • Why isn't Jordan Fuller starting over Rapp?
• We lack an outside pass rush, but it would have been tough for any OLB to get pressure against Jimmy G last night. He got the ball out quickly and they established the run very well.
• Stafford should have had 2 INT's last night. His INT's are like clockwork. You know they're coming and against lesser opponents, we over come them. Against 49ers/Bills, we cannot. 

I still believe this is a Wild Card team that no one will want to play round 1, but the ceiling of this team is not where it was last year. We have legit deficiencies compared to last year's team. Could they be overcome? Possibly. But as currently constructed, we are limited.

I agree with everything, especially about Hendo. I am so sick of watching Akers get 4 yards on one carry, only to get blown up behind the LoS on the next. Akers may have a higher ceiling, but what good is all of that talent of you don’t utilize it?