Rams Pull Together for Win over Tampa

Preseason Pick: WIN 26-23, 3rd in NFC West (5-10)
Actual Results: WIN 28-13, 3rd in NFC West (7-7-1)

The Rams are understandably downtrodden and disappointed, having lost their playoff hopes last week and officially losing all hope for the playoffs when the Vikings upset Houston. Despite all this, the Rams came out with one of their more dominating performances in the second half of the season, beating the Bucs in convincing fashion. Offense, defense, and special teams all contributed in an uplifting win that sets up nicely for next season, and more importantly, the season finale.

The offense came out firing on all cylinders, with Steven Jackson continuing to run like a madman and Sam Bradford performing well. An 83-yard touchdown pass from Bradford to Lance Kendricks early in the second half was the key moment of the offense this day. The O-line also continues to impress as it has all season long.

Defensively, the Rams were huge. A four interception effort (led by rookies Trumaine Johnson and Janoris Jenkins) contributed to a high quality day by the Rams defensive unit. The D-line was also impressive in two key fourth down stops. The Rams have been dominant all year on the defensive front, as evidenced by their second place in the league in sacks.

Overall, the Rams were very impressive, albeit slowing down in the second half. Continuity is key for the Rams, and they continue to push for a win. Playing too conservative has led to defeat in the past, and the Rams must not get back to that old habit. An interesting note I'd like to make, by the way, is that the Rams have been healthy throughout the year, for the most part. This has been a contrast to previous years where serious injuries have affected the Rams. Could a .500 season be an indication of the Rams only when mostly healthy? Only time will tell.

LOOKING AHEAD: Next week, the Rams visit Seattle at the friendly confines of CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks have been rolling opponents as they try to impersonate the great 1950 Los Angeles Rams. Despite the Seahawks' impressive performance against the Niners last week, the Rams should be able to give them at least some sort of a fight, due to their health. I still see a blowout in the midst, as the Rams have traditionally struggled against the Seahawks on the road. Despite that, a 7 win season is a vast improvement for a Rams team that looks to be a dangerous contender in the years to come.

Vikes end Rams playoff hopes

Preseason Pick: WIN 30-20, Tied 3rd in NFC West (4-10)
Actual Results: LOSS 36-22, 3rd in NFC West (6-7-1)

First off, let me say that the next few posts will be brief due to the busy holiday season. Now, to the game. Boy, what a disappointment. The Rams needed help getting into the playoffs going into this game, and with a loss the Rams have all but eliminated themselves from any playoff hopes. Furthermore, Vikings runningback Adrian Peterson continued to threaten one of the greatest Rams records in NFL history, Eric Dickerson's single season rushing yardage mark. This game was certainly disappointing on many fronts, but hope springs eternal for a feisty Rams team that never seems to give up. I like this team going forward, and I see them becoming just as good as the top teams in the NFC in a few years time.

Offensively, the Rams needed to play catchup most of the game. There were mistakes, but there were also many surprises. Sam Bradford and Steven Jackson are the building blocks of this team, and with Jackson potentially gone next year, there is the hope that Bradford can carry this team with his arm. He certainly proved he can be a passer, all things considered.

Defensively, the Rams are solid unit that will be very dangerous in the next year or two. They are strong up front, in the secondary, and in the middle. The only weaknesses include tackling and keeping opponents in front. It would also be nice to see more press coverage.

Special teams had a bad day, with Johnny Hekker and Greg Zuerlein both off in the comfy confines of the Dome. Despite the growing pains, this group had the potential to be very dangerous and a key part of the team. The only issue to work on will be consistency, both at home and on the road.

Overall, the Rams can hold their own with any team, so long as they keep the game close. Down 30-7 to the Vikings early, the Rams had little chance to make any sort of comeback (although they did make a concerted effort). The Rams could use more consistency, but they are playing like a team on the rise.

LOOKING AHEAD: The Rams go to Tampa next week. Although Tampa got shutout by the Saints, they are still looking to finish the year strong, just like the Rams. I always thought Tampa was a dangerous team, but they are playing a little erratically right now. The Rams could certainly steal this one, so long as they stick to the game plan of keeping things close (or blowing them out).

Rams come through in the clutch in Buffalo

Preseason Pick: LOSS 14-0, 4th in NFC West (3-10)
Actual Results: WIN 15-12, 3rd in NFC West (6-6-1)

The Rams ground out another close win against the Bills to make it a 3-game winning streak. The deciding play was a last second touchdown pass from Sam Bradford to Brandon Gibson in the back of the end zone. Offensively, the Rams have struggled all season, and played another miserable game that they should've lost (George Wilson had two picks right in his hands). Defensively, the Rams were surprisingly stout once again, and were markedly improved from last week (although the Bills made some really good adjustments). The Rams are but a whisper in the NFC Wild Card race, and had it not been for a few games, they could easily be in the thick of things with a 9-4 record. Alas, this Rams team won't make the playoffs, but at least they're not giving up hope.

Offensively, the Rams struggled mightily. Sam Bradford looked inaccurate at times, and the receivers couldn't get separation against Buffalo's stingy man coverages. Steven Jackson looked like a wild man again, but change of pace back Daryl Richardson has been quiet the past few weeks. The O-line continues to surprise. When left tackle Rodger Saffold got injured twice in the game, backup tackle Wayne Hunter performed admirably in his place. Right tackle Barry Richardson was also surprisingly good enough to keep Mario Williams out of the action for most of the game. Later in the game (particularly on the last drive), Bradford performed better (but was still somewhat inaccurate), and receivers Austin Pettis, Chris Givens, and Brandon Gibson stepped up big time on some acrobatic catches. A far cry from years' past since the era of Bruce and Holt.

Defensively, this D-line keeps the Rams in these close games. The D-line applied pressure to Ryan Fitzpatrick all day, and despite Buffalo's adjustment to a quick paced passing attack in the second half, the defense managed to keep up. The secondary played much better this week than last week, providing some press coverage (at last) as the Bills came out flying. Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller were a threat all day, but the Rams managed to contain them well. Overall, it was still a sloppy game, but I was more impressed by the defense this week than last week.

Special teams was strong in limited action. Johnny Hekker proved he can be a reliable punter, getting an amazing punt off on a bad snap before being drilled to the ground. Greg Zuerlein didn't have many chances to show off his leg in the rainy Buffalo weather, but perhaps that was for the best. Austin Pettis continues to improve on kick returns and make smart decisions with the ball.

Overall, a very sloppy but good win for the Rams. The defense really saved the terrible showing by the offense in this one. It's now been three wins in a row for the Rams, but you couldn't define any as signature wins. The Rams have played teams close all season, and the next step would be to start putting on some blowouts. Unfortunately, the Rams play three very tough teams in the last three weeks, all of which I see as losses right now. Nevertheless, a good season thus far.

LOOKING AHEAD: Next week the Rams head back home to take on a Vikings team led by runningback Adrian Peterson. Peterson is within grasp of Eric Dickerson's record for rushing yards in a season, and it should only make sense that the Rams would be one of the teams to try and prevent that. I predicted the Rams to win this one in the preseason, but I'm not so sure any more considering this dangerous Vikings team. The Vikings are also in the playoff hunt, so they'll be playing with added passion to AP's quest of the record.

Rams down Niners in 10 quarters

Preseason Pick: LOSS 40-27, 4th in NFC West (3-9)
Actual Results: WIN 16-13, 3rd in NFC West (5-6-1)

Well, it took 10 quarters, but the Rams finally beat the San Francisco 49ers in a game that was essentially "part II" of the tied game three weeks earlier. St. Louis eked out a win in this one with 26 seconds left in overtime, on a Greg Zuerlein field goal no less. As great as the win is, the Rams certainly got lucky in this one. Their play was questionable and downright dreadful throughout the day, but in the end, they managed to get it done, and that's all that matters. Here's a look at how each phase of the game did.

The offense once again struggled, scoring only 2 points the entire day (a 2-point conversion). Sam Bradford was ever the game manager, but he never did get this offense rolling. Most of his passes were short and over the middle, and there were many times where he looked gun-shy and got rid of the ball too quickly. However, he did prove that he still has some legs, running for a critical first down late in the game. Steven Jackson is a madman, and he consistently runs with aggression and passion. He is the epitome of an every-down back. The O-line is slowly starting to gel (and stay healthy), but discipline continues to be somewhat of a concern. Silly penalties have cost the Rams before. Receiver Danny Amendola was out, so Bradford had to rely on rookie Chris Givens to go over the middle every so often. Givens proved just how versatile he is and could slowly develop into a solid no. 2 receiver.

The defensive line continues to be very strong, with William Hayes and Eugene Sims coming on strong in this one. Robert Quinn was called for a questionable helmet-to-helmet hit on Niners QB Colin Kaepernick, which led to a scoring drive for the Niners. However, they were impressive in their containment of Kaepernick, save for a 50 yard run late in the game. That's the type of dangerous element that Kaepernick brings that Alex Smith doesn't. I thought the Rams would defend poorly against a dual-threat like Kaepernick, but they performed admirably. However, the secondary stunk, particularly rookie corner Janoris Jenkins. His touchdown (the only Rams touchdown of the day) was a superb read and explosion on a failed option fumble to Ted Ginn, but he was exposed in coverage on nearly every down. Mario Manningham, Michael Crabtree, and others simply ran slant routes on the sitting back Jenkins, allowing easy first downs deep in 49er territory. Jenkins also has a problem with tackling, since he seems to lead with his shoulder so much rather than wrap up. Jenkins must learn to be more physical and force bump-and-run coverage and make cleaner tackles if he wants offenses to stop picking on him. His playmaking is there, but his basic skills are still to be developed. Kinda like a young Deion Sanders, if you will.

Special teams also saved the day for the Rams. First let's start with the bad. Austin Pettis filled in for Danny Amendola on returns, and his play was somewhat questionable. He was so focused on fielding punts and kicks that he forgot where he was on the field, at one point fielding a punt inside the 5. He also relies too much on his lateral quickness to escape heavy traffic, instead of going upfield. He never managed to escape on Sunday and frequently lost yards he could have had. Johnny Hekker continues to impress, despite a 14-yard shank in overtime that almost gave the 49ers the win. Despite his shanks, he's still tremendous on punts downfield most of the time, and always brings the surprise trick play capability with his arm. That rookie Greg Zuerlein is a keeper, nailing a 53-yarder at the buzzer and a 54-yarder to win it. Zuerlein has been in somewhat of a slump, but when he's playing indoors, his accuracy is unbelievable (his power is always Janikowski-esque, inside or outside). The Rams shouldn't be too keen to lean on Zuerlein every time (especially next week in Buffalo), but he is quite the insurance for a developing offense.

Overall, the Rams played with the same intensity as the 49ers, despite the fact that the production was down from last time these two teams met. Nevertheless, the Rams remain undefeated in division play, and have proven that they can matchup with the 49ers every game. Luck had a lot to do with it this time, but thank god they managed to win and not end up tying again. They must, however, continue to improve if they want to get another road win.

LOOKING AHEAD: The Rams play a revived Bills team next week in what could be a sloppy game at Ralph Wilson Stadium (and I'm not talking about the weather). The Bills match up well with St. Louis, and could provide a challenge with their home-field advantage. The Rams may be flying high after the win against the 49ers and with whispers of the playoffs in the back of their minds. I still believe the Rams will fall into this trap game and once they're out of playoff contention for good, play with the pride that has allowed them to win.


Sidenote: As with the sidenote last week, this pertains to the Rams uniforms. The Rams wore their 1999 throwbacks in honor of their 75th anniversary and alumni day. These uniforms are generally the same ones as last year, save for the different shade of yellow and Nike making them. I love these unis a lot and hope that the team will consider going back to it in the rumored redesign taking place in several years. This is the first time all year that the Rams have worn a good uniform, save for the set last week and the blue top white pants look in the preseason (are they ever going to wear those?). Hopefully with several wins under their belt in these throwback unis, the Rams will be inclined to bust them out more often.