Rams Win Nail-biter in Home Opener

Preseason Pick: WIN 27-24, Tied 2nd NFC West (1-1)
Actual Results: WIN 31-28, Tied 2nd NFC West (1-1)

With Robert Griffin III throwing a 68-yard touchdown to Leonard Hankerson putting the Redskins up 21-6 in the second quarter, all hope seemed lost for a Rams team that had almost beaten the Lions a week earlier. And yet, thanks to a multitude of questionable calls and smart plays, the Rams managed to escape their home opener with a thrilling 31-28 win over the upstart Washington Redskins. This was a very physical and chippy game, but I must make it clear that the officials absolutely sucked in this game. I feel for both Rams and Redskins fans as many controversial calls swung the pendulum of momentum in this game unnecessarily back and forth. Players also started to get a bit chippy after and during plays, and the officials totally lost the game. By the time Josh Morgan threw a football angrily at Cortland Finnegan in retaliation (which forced the Redskins to kick a difficult 62-yard field goal to tie the game late) the game was already out of hand. One could easily blame Morgan's penalty on the officials' general ineffectiveness throughout the game, but we won't get into that. What's important is that the Rams have their first win of the season and are 1-1. An early win certainly guarantees that this won't be a winless year, but also shows the Rams have what it takes to possibly win a few more games this year. Let's take a look at the main phases of the Rams' game.

First up, the offense. Quarterback Sam Bradford picked quite a day to have a coming out party, throwing over 300 yards and 3 touchdowns in the game, a rarity for the young Bradford. Bradford's performance was similar to his game against the Broncos a few years back, but Bradford was simply masterful in this game. Bradford really read the defense and called the audibles at the line, and generally went through his progressions well (although he still doesn't make as many reads as Brady or Brees, and typically only goes to his dumpoffs when the primary is covered). Bradford is still not comfortable throwing the ball into tight windows, but hopefully his accuracy and confidence will improve with time. He was certainly comfortable in the pocket yesterday, absorbing hits as he let the ball fly. The credit for Bradford's protection goes to the offensive line, who played outstanding. Aside from a few penalties, the O-line really played as a cohesive unit, giving Bradford just enough time to make throws without being pressured too much up the middle. And this O-line was without Scott Wells and Rodger Saffold for most of the game. Much props to those guys and the backups for stepping up. The receivers did a fairly good job of getting open, although the offense frequently exploited the Redskins' zone playing corners. Fairly odd, but the Rams did a good job finding open men in the seams, particularly Danny Amendola. Amendola was one of the stars of the game, catching 15 balls for 160 yards and a touchdown. Amendola is Bradford's safety blanket, so it's good to have him back. Runningback Steven Jackson performed well early, but a questionable touchdown call led to an unsportsmanlike penalty on Jackson, which followed with Jackson leaving for the rest of the game. Fisher revealed after the game that Jackson had a groin issue, which is concerning. However, Jackson's backup Daryl Richardson was marvelous (apart from a late fumble), and provided a real change of pace to Jackson's brute running style.

Defensively, the Rams were a little more up-and-down compared to last week. The defense is still way better than last year, but they showed glimpses of their past selves, making a big stop on one down and then giving up a big play on the very next down. The D-line provided pressure all day, and managed to penetrate several times to get a few key stops. James Laurinaitis had a solid game, and Jo-Lonn Dunbar also had several key plays. In the secondary, the corners were very hot and cold. I think this unit will be like that for the better part of the season. Finnegan and Jenkins can play tough, physical coverage, but when they are beat, they can get beat bad. Mikell and Dahl are serviceable safeties, but generally only provide insurance on the long plays. As such, it's up to the D-line and 'backers to make the most plays up front that they can. Playcalling was questionable (on both sides), and it pays to wonder whether one defensive coordinator could help the defense create an identity more quickly. But in this game, the defense managed to make one more play than RGIII, despite the fact that Griffin played exceptionally well.

Special teams was great, as usual. Punter Johnny Hekker got the Rams out of a potential jam by punting from the Rams' 10 yard line all the way to the Washington 21. Greg Zuerlein was perfect on field goals once again, despite almost missing one prior to a "Shanahan Freeze". The special teams play of the game goes to Matthew Mulligan, who blocked a punt deep in Redskins territory, then scored a nice touchdown on a play action fake at the goal line.

Overall, the Rams were very solid, particularly on offense. Defensively, there's area for improvement, particularly in consistency. If both units can steadily improve, the Rams have a chance to win several more games this year. But before everyone gets excited about the new Rams, let me just say that they are not a playoff team just yet. They played two close ones the past few weeks, and could easily be 0-2 or even 2-0. The Rams must learn to separate themselves from the competition, and not stay too close in games.

LOOKING AHEAD: The Rams are surely looking to build off their steadily rising success against the Bears next week. Chicago got embarrassed against the Packers last week, and will be looking to move back into the conversation for the NFC Title. The Bears have a multitude of weapons and, unlike the Redskins, will have their top wideout available in Brandon Marshall. The Rams defense will really have to step up in this one, since the loss of Matt Forte will undoubtedly give the Bears more incentive to throw. Of course, the Bears defense is no slouch either, and could give the new look Rams offense fits if things start to fall apart. This game could be closer than I predicted in the preseason, but I still see the Bears taking this one handily. The Rams just aren't ready for a solid group like Chicago's.