A different take - The optimism thread

[bigskydoc]

Of course we have that gut reaction after watching our team lose. I get that. I also sometimes wonder if the outcome colors our perception of what was right in front of us.

We were two, admittedly boneheaded, mistakes away from blowing these guys away, and we were one missed XP from winning it in regulation, despite all the gaffes.

The Rams took advantage of every opportunity they were given. That was the max that they were capable of doing against us yesterday. We had multiple opportunities to win this one, and even blow these guys out. We failed to capitalize. Sometimes you do have days like that. We were the better team. As much as I hated the Carroll way of saying we were so close, we just need to work on a few things, that's exactly how I feel. We gave this game away.

If bad Geno doesn't show up in the red zone, then we can take seven off of their score, and add 10 to 14 to ours. That's a 30-10 or 34-10 type beat down. There were other missed opportunities for us, but there really weren't many that the Rams missed.

Certainly, there is an argument that good teams don't let opportunity slip from their fingers, and that would be the argument for the Rams being the better team.

The coaches put us into a place to win this handily. The player(s) just didn't execute. I think this is fixable, unless Geno is just washed. That's totally a possibility.

I just came away with the feeling that we are a lot closer than people seem to think. Definitely need to work on our offensive line, and we are in the mix. Hopefully they can shore that up over the bye.

 

[TheLegendOfBoom]

Top 5 Draft Pick!!!!!

If we are being optimistic, I am hoping for this!

Originally, I had this Seattle team at 12-5.

So, I had high hopes for this team…..

But, since winning is NOT happening this year…..

I’ll take a Top 5 Draft Pick!!!!!!!

 

[bigskydoc]

To me, it looked like a whole team, players and coaches, who are still haven't gelled. There is a ton of potential, if they can harness it, and there is a ton to learn from, and take away from, this game.

If they learn the lessons that are right in front of them, they could actually make a post-bye run.

 

[BChawkfan]

I cant say which team wanted to win more. At times it looked like neither did.
It just looks like this team is set up to fail out of the gate.
Poor coaching,lack of leadership,bad execution,lack of talent, etc. It's a lot of things going against us and these things are all showing up for this team.
We do have quality players but it seems they are playing sloppy and mistake laden football

 

[SoulfishHawk]

I'm optimistic about them turning things around, I just know it's gonna' take probably 2 full seasons. And I'm ok with it. Even if I get pissed off after every loss.

 

[BirdsCommaAngry]

The future is bright and I trust Tim Ruskell.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

I just hope Behring sells the damn team.

 

[mistaowen]

Good post. For what, 6 years? McVay dominated Pete's D and the only reason the games were competitive was Russ magic. Outside of Riq having an uncharacteristically bad game, the defense held a good Rams offense to 13 points until OT (where Riq also imploded). I agree this is a good game to build from. It takes time for guys to learn how to play off each other in a new scheme and to be honest I don't think a lot of these guys will be here next year. The run D gave Williams his worst game of the season and snapped his TD streak. If Geno just eats a sack for both of those red zone INTs, they probably win. And the fact the Rams held on and ended up taking a W in a game they really had no business in points to good coaching by McVay and poor execution by the Seahawks.

I hesitate to say the team is close though. This OL is without question the worst in the league and until it drastically improves, their ceiling is wild card loss. Nothing we've seen points to something suddenly clicking or improving. They cannot pass or run block and for the offense to work, Geno has to be masterful in the pocket every single snap. And I am very concerned that JS will continue to devalue this unit. You watch games this year where it is completely different levels of physicality in the trenches and you just know Seahawks aren't close.

 

[Hawknight]

I'm optimistic about them turning things around, I just know it's gonna' take probably 2 full seasons. And I'm ok with it. Even if I get pissed off after every loss.

I agree...thought i think it's going to take an additional two seasons BEYOND this season. I'm trying to be positive that MM will have the QB status handled before next season. I'm positively sure Geno positively can't positively take us past the post season. I positively tried to type positive while positively hitting my head on my work desk. It positively hurt.

 

[Rat]

It's not like we were the only team making "boneheaded mistakes". A big catalyst to our scoring flurry at the end of the first half was their secondary not playing through the whistle, twice assuming a play was being called dead. Also, their best offensive player got himself ejected in the first half for throwing a punch.

 

[NoGain]

To me, it looked like a whole team, players and coaches, who are still haven't gelled. There is a ton of potential, if they can harness it, and there is a ton to learn from, and take away from, this game.

If they learn the lessons that are right in front of them, they could actually make a post-bye run.

It didn't look at all like a whole team to me. It looked like half a team to me or less. Dumb ass penalties. Poor special team play. Inadequate coaching at key moments in the game. An offensive line that gave up sack after sack and can't run block to get one yard on two attempts at a decisive moment of the game. And, to top it off, you can't have a QB be that effing stupid just a few yards from the endzone on back to back drives.

Yes, I saw some resiliency by our D out there, saw some breakout play by a few players, and we moved the ball downfield against a weak Rams secondary. But for whatever good I saw it was more than negated by the bad. Hell, the Rams didn't even have their top receiver for much of the game when it was on the line.

 

[SonicHawk]

There were two big redzone mistakes that were the difference in this game. You improve the redzone play (better playcalling imo), you win more games. They're 22nd in RZ efficiency with TDs with the leagues passing leader. You keep up the ball movement and finish the job, you win more games.

I rewatched both INTs (and the plays prior) and was frustrated by the plays themselves. The throw itself on the pick six was horrid, but that play was destined for failure. The other interception is just a bad play. You leave a free rusher and you also don't add any additional blocking protection to that side. I think the receiver was held back, but even if he had caught it he wasn't going anywhere. Lockett is out running a route like he's an actual option -- where's the blocking on this timing play?!

 

[MORGULON]

Top 5 Draft Pick!!!!!

If we are being optimistic, I am hoping for this!

Originally, I had this Seattle team at 12-5.

So, I had high hopes for this team…..

But, since winning is NOT happening this year…..

I’ll take a Top 5 Draft Pick!!!!!!!

I think you might've missed the premise of Bigsky's post.
A post I concur with 100%.
I was bummed (pissed at times) yesterday but feel so much better with the way the defense looked . The special teams played their asses off and had Geno not thrown those 2 interceptions....

LA gets their asses kicked.

I'm not putting it all on #7 . There's a saying " if my aunt had a dick, she'd be my uncle" or something like that.

If you can hold on , it will get better. I've been through a few of these changing of the guard situations. Enjoy this time .

One last observation, you know how the players from both sides hang out and chop it up after the game? I noticed a few of our guys walk off the field pissed ( Dodson). I like this for some reason. Very legion-y

It's coming

 

[GeekHawk]

I discovered yesterday that I could watch the game on TV and listen to our local announcers on SiriusXM (on my phone app) and the lag from the audio to the TV was like 1 or 2 seconds, so entirely acceptable. Wyman was pointing out over and over that the lambs were doing the exact same D-line stunt on Jerrill's (sp?) side and it wasn't getting properly picked up. He was also pointing out that we have a second-year guy and a D-2 rookie there so that was no surprise. The stunt was just a crossover, so the 2 O-linemen needed to properly pass off their assigned block to the other guy. This was one of the big reasons that they were able to disrupt our backfield all game, and is one thing I expect to get fixed over the bye. By a combination of film/coaching and getting more experienced O-linemen back from injury, so our project can go back to being a project.

 

[TheLegendOfBoom]

I think you might've missed the premise of Bigsky's post.
A post I concur with 100%.
I was bummed (pissed at times) yesterday but feel so much better with the way the defense looked . The special teams played their asses off and had Geno not thrown those 2 interceptions....

LA gets their asses kicked.

I'm not putting it all on #7 . There's a saying " if my aunt had a dick, she'd be my uncle" or something like that.

If you can hold on , it will get better. I've been through a few of these changing of the guard situations. Enjoy this time .

One last observation, you know how the players from both sides hang out and chop it up after the game? I noticed a few of our guys walk off the field pissed ( Dodson). I like this for some reason. Very legion-y

It's coming

I get what the OP is saying….

But, with losing, something good also happens, you’re on pace to get a high draft pick!

Yes, I understand, you look at the good about this game, the defense, looked better and yeah, that’s progress.

But there is also optimism that Seattle can secure a higher draft pick if Seattle cannot turn things around and ends up having a 6-11 record or so…

You can be optimistic that the defense is getting better and you can also be optimistic that Seattle will get a good draft pick!

 

[MontanaHawk05]

This defense largely throttled an offense containing Matt Stafford, Kyren Williams, Puka Nacua, and Cooper Kupp. That shouldn't be ignored. They were all over Stafford; he's just got really good habits under pressure, like safe underthrows downfield.

Williams finished with 3.1 YPC.

 

[MORGULON]

It's not like we were the only team making "boneheaded mistakes". A big catalyst to our scoring flurry at the end of the first half was their secondary not playing through the whistle, twice assuming a play was being called dead. Also, their best offensive player got himself ejected in the first half for throwing a punch.

Did Seattle get Puka to go full DK?

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Puka will probably be praised for his fire. DK would get headlines like "DK Metcalf tries to stab Rams defender after play"

 

[geezus]

This team is getting better and will eventually get there. I am actually encouraged because alot of the stuff are self inflicted penalties and miscommunication which happens when everything is still relatively new. The teams that beat us are actual contenders with atleast 2 years of continuity. They just need to keep playing and get better. The Giants game is the one where there was no way in hell we should have lost but whatever. As far as Geno goes, I think there is still alot of players not being on the same page with each other. Maybe I am the only one but I think we can still win a Chip with Geno but he needs help from the O-line, Receivers and RBs. Kenneth and Charb just cannot get any short yardage when we really need it and DK is great but his drops and fumbles are not helping and well our O-line is not very good right now. I think the losses early in the season will help the team later if they get into the playoffs by some miracle. Here is hoping they play cleaner against he Niners and make it fun to watch.

 

[geezus]

Hell, the Rams didn't even have their top receiver for much of the game when it was on the line.

We didnt have DK and Fant. Atleast they had him for some of the game and he got picked off by Woolen when he was in the game.