General Rams thoughts and season overall so far

[bileever]

I'm laughing, but I'm crying inside. The Falcons traded their 2026 first round pick to the Rams for James Pearce. The only thing I can imagine is that the Falcons thought they were going to the Super Bowl this year so their 2026 pick would be a low one.

 

[keasley45]

Seahawks' defense did a great job against the Rams. As others have pointed out, the Seahawks had a big advantage over the Rams in total yards, time of possession and first downs. That is very encouraging.

Against the Seahawks' defense, Stafford wasn't the MVP-caliber QB that everyone was talking about. He was 15-28 for 130 yards.

On a slightly related topic, how terrible is it that the Falcons traded next year's first round pick to the Rams, and it's looking like a top-10, and possibly top-5 pick, given how badly Atlanta has been playing?

Yup. MVP Stafford who was on a tear threw for 55 yards in the 1st and only managed 75 more over the course of the rest of the game. Also, i think they had 1 total yard of offense in the 2nd QTR. This could have been such a statement game. We pretty much broke them. What our offense did to their D (minus the INTs) was impressive as well.

 

[RedAlice]

Overall, the Seahawks dominated the Rams on offense with the exception of the Darnold turnovers. The TOP was lopsided to the Hawks. 3rd down conversions for the Hawks was a strong 7/16 to the Rams measly 2/11. Hell, Darnold even doubled Stafford's passing yardage total.

The only thing the Rams did on offense was mostly score on a short field that Sam gave them, and they ran the ball fairly well in the first half, but we pretty much put a stop to that in the 2nd half when they ran for only 37 yards. The Rams offense couldn't do much of anything against us in spite of Stafford's greatness and their brilliant offensively innovative HC.

MM outcoached McVay in this one.

If we remain mostly healthy, all signs point to us soundly beating the Rams next time we play. We're going to be up for some real revenge at home in front of a raucous crowd. I'm pretty confident about that.

I think McVay outcoached MM.

Games are played to what is going on, and McVay took advantage of that.

 

[RedAlice]

Yup. MVP Stafford who was on a tear threw for 55 yards in the 1st and only managed 75 more over the course of the rest of the game. Also, i think they had 1 total yard of offense in the 2nd QTR. This could have been such a statement game. We pretty much broke them. What our offense did to their D (minus the INTs) was impressive as well.

Hawks are a really good team. Especially on Defense.

To me, Stafford did what an MVP QB should do when faced with a top (probably best) defense: manage and lead. That is one of the reasons he is an MVP.

He now has 5 games in a row with ZERO interceptions. For a reason. He can read the room.

Darnold panicked and hence the 4 Interceptions.

 

[Ramfan128]

The first drive for LA was run heavy. This was the only drive LA drove down the field. It was aided by a penalty on 3rd down. 2 of LA's 3 scores were on short fields from a Darnold pick. All the Hawks points were from them driving down the field. Other than the first quarter this game was lost by the Hawks. To steer narrative that Mcvay only called plays a certain way because Stafford was off to me is not seeing other reasons why he did that. Like Stafford was off because the Hawks made him off the same way Darnold was off because LA made him off. The difference was Darnold tried forcing passes and Stafford threw them in the dirt or to an area that wouldn't hurt his team.

I agree both defenses played a major factor in the poor QB play. My point is just that even accounting for that, Darnold won't throw four picks again and Stafford wont go 15/28, missing some throws he doesn't usually miss.

In both cases the defenses deserve the credit for it. But McVay's playcalling was also definitely impacted by the flow of the game, if we prefer to use that term.

My whole entire point is - when we meet again later this year, this game will not mean a damn thing, nor will it dictate or tell us how it will play out. Both QBs were off and enough other weirdness happened that likely won't happen again.

 

[RedAlice]

I agree both defenses played a major factor in the poor QB play. My point is just that even accounting for that, Darnold won't throw four picks again and Stafford wont go 15/28, missing some throws he doesn't usually miss.

In both cases the defenses deserve the credit for it. But McVay's playcalling was also definitely impacted by the flow of the game, if we prefer to use that term.

My whole entire point is - when we meet again later this year, this game will not mean a damn thing, nor will it dictate or tell us how it will play out. Both QBs were off and enough other weirdness happened that likely won't happen again.

Game 2 will not matter. (Quite frankly, I think a loss next game is better for the Rams.)

Game 3 will matter.

 

[94Smith]

Game 2 will not matter. (Quite frankly, I think a loss next game is better for the Rams.)

Game 3 will matter.

Game 2 will really matter if the Rams are still competing with the Eagles for the number one seed

 

[hox]

Daniel Jeremiah: Hawks were "Clearly the Better Team" in the game

 

[FrodosFinger]

I think McVay outcoached MM.

Games are played to what is going on, and McVay took advantage of that.

wtf? McVay made Darnold jump in the air? Mcvay didn’t out coach shit his offense stank ass. We had a string of misfortune in the interceptions but the Hawks put up over 400 yards on the Rams stinky D. The pics were on Darnold not McVay and his coaching ability but the Hawks WILL win out and snag that 2 seed. I guarantee it

 

[Hawkstud]

You have your opinion, I have mine.

My whisky glass is half full.

 

[TeamoftheCentury]

Been watching professional football ball for 50 years. Its my opinion based on what I see, not venting.

Darnold is Geno 2.0, offense overall is improved but still lacking. Unable to finish in the red zone proves my point.

Only thing keeping Hawks in the game is a great D, like the LOB days except Darnold isn't RW. Even RW wasn't all that, the D just gave him opportunity after opportunity.

Fair enough. You can state your opinion. That's what we all do here. I doubt Coach Mike Macdonald and the entire Seahawks team agrees with you though. (My opinion there)

I really like the mentality that they continue to preach and instill of "Process over Results"

It's going to take more than this season for Darnold to get the monkey of his back. All season there will be those lining up to throw arrows when Sam (along with the team) make some mistakes in a big game. Mind you, there's another team trying to prevent them from doing well. I'm sure you've seen that watching football for 50 years.

I say give it a bit more time and see how the season plays out before casting judgment.

 

[RedAlice]

wtf? McVay made Darnold jump in the air? Mcvay didn’t out coach shit his offense stank ass. We had a string of misfortune in the interceptions but the Hawks put up over 400 yards on the Rams stinky D. The pics were on Darnold not McVay and his coaching ability but the Hawks WILL win out and snag that 2 seed. I guarantee it View attachment 75833

We both have our own opinions.

I stand by mine. The pics were BECAUSE of the Rams.

As to who gets the top seeding between our teams - that is why we play more games!

Side topic: why does webzone hate you? I was purusing there and saw you come up as hated. made me smile - cheers on that!

 

[Hawkstud]

Zabel will be out for a long time. How’s the line now? Back to “meh”

YOU DON'T KNOW THAT FOR CERTAIN, Meh?

 

[RedAlice]

Game 2 will really matter if the Rams are still competing with the Eagles for the number one seed

Yeah, I guess this is true for both Rams & Hawks. Seeding will matter.

I reserve the right to change my thoughts on this.

 

[TeamoftheCentury]

We both have our own opinions.

I stand by mine. The pics were BECAUSE of the Rams.

Well, the Rams are very good, no doubt. But, at least one of the INT's wasn't on the QB. The rookie TE rounded his route instead of cutting in where he was supposed to be and where Darnold put the ball. The Safety had an easy path to the ball. I could've picked off that pass and I'm 173 years old.

At the moment, I can't remember the other INT's. I guess due to Milk of Amnesia.

 

[RedAlice]

Well, the Rams are very good, no doubt. But, at least one of the INT's wasn't on the QB. The rookie TE rounded his route instead of cutting in where he was supposed to be and where Darnold put the ball. The Safety had an easy path to the ball. I could've picked off that pass and I'm 173 years old.

At the moment, I can't remember the other INT's. I guess due to Milk of Amnesia.

Both Darnold and Stafford had their play impacted by the excellent Defense of the opposing team.

 

[TeamoftheCentury]

Both Darnold and Stafford had their play impacted by the excellent Defense of the opposing team.

No general disagreement there. But, there are other factors at play.

Maybe you missed it but my point was about how one pass that resulted in an INT was less about the very good Rams D in that instance. It happens in the NFL all the time. Receivers run wrong routes and the QB gets blamed.

 

[FrodosFinger]

We both have our own opinions.

I stand by mine. The pics were BECAUSE of the Rams.

As to who gets the top seeding between our teams - that is why we play more games!

Side topic: why does webzone hate you? I was purusing there and saw you come up as hated. made me smile - cheers on that!

Let’s just say webzone dudes get sensitive when you tell it like it is. So please Alice you need to apologize and stroke my wand if you think the Rams are actually better than the Hawks. Darnold actually jumped, cocked and fired mid air into the gut of the lucky ram defender when Kupp got tripped up. Watch the games closely next time. We are the better team make no mistake about that

 

[94Smith]

Let’s just say webzone dudes get sensitive when you tell it like it is. So please Alice you need to apologize and stroke my wand if you think the Rams are actually better than the Hawks. Darnold actually jumped, cocked and fired mid air into the gut of the lucky ram defender when Kupp got tripped up. Watch the games closely next time. We are the better team make no mistake about that

If the most important position on a football team is QB and your qb played terrible while the Rams QB played mistake fee , I don’t see how you can say how you were the better team . The rest of the team played better , but the most important position did not. Superbowls have been won and lost on QB play alone.

 

[Thread Killer]

Both Darnold and Stafford had their play impacted by the excellent Defense of the opposing team.

And the oblique injury Adams suffered the prior week and played poorly though. I've never seen him drop that many key passes.