What The "heck" Is Going On Out There?

[laram0]

The famous Vince Lomardi is remembered for many things concerning the NFL and his Green Bay Packers. What the ( H E double hockey sticks) is going on out there? Is a question he barked at his Packers during an NFL game that wasn't going the Packers way. Well I'm asking the very same question of our RAMS 2007 Offense.

We all know the multitude of injuries have taken there toll on our team, most notably our offense. There are many opinions and theories concerning the state of our offensive unit. Lots of finger pointing if you will?

1. Fire Linehan he's a bum. Other headcoaches past and present in the NFL would be able to work through the injury plague. (Not bug-PLAGUE) At least we wouldn't be 0-6.

2. Linehan deserves a chance. No team in the NFL would be able to over come all the injuries he's dealing with. No other headcoach would be successful with the present state the RAMS are in.

This season has been dreadful so far and I admit it's starting to wear on me. 0-6 is killing me.

This morning while driving to work I was listening to a show called the Opening Drive on Sirius. Dan Reeves former NFL player and headcoach was on. Dan covered the Rams at Ravens game last Sunday. He said somethings that were music to my ears.
First of all he was blown away with the amount of injuries our team had. He had never ever seen a team so banged up. First and foremost any team that has had 10 or 11 different combinations on the O-line in 6 games is in deep doo-doo. A real receipe for disaster. The RAMS back-up QB threw 5 interceptions and lost a fumble, 6 dang turnovers. Yet the Ravens could only muster 22 points, 1 touchdown and 5 field goals. Man that RAMS defense has improved those guys were playing their hearts out. He also added that the new receiver Hagans looked real good. (Reeves remembered him as a college QB) He's a player and will be a solid wide receiver if not a great one in the NFL.
Reeves finished by saying that with all the injuries and juggling that the RAMS are doing all a headcoach can ask is that the players are giving it their all. What I saw Sunday was a team playing their butts off, they want and need a win.

You know that interview of Dan Reeves really lifted my spirits. Just knowing the boys haven't given up or cashed it in. They are trying to win for themselves the Headcoach and us the fans. I was really beginning to question the morale of our team.

I for one accept the fact that the injury plague is killing us. How else do you explain the dramatic drop-off in offensive production from Scott Linehan's 2006 offense to Scott Linehan's 2007 version. Is there more to it than just the injuries?

RAMS 2006 OFFENSIVE RANKINGS16 GAMES)
#6- Overall (360.4 ypg)
#10- Points Scored (22.9 ppg)
#4- Passing (247.6 ypg)
#17- Rushing (112.8 ypg)

71 plays of 20+ yards and 11 plays of 40+ yards.
A total of 18 turnovers for the entire season.
Scored 37 touchdowns.
Jeff Wilkins- 32/37 (86% accuracy) His 5 misses were from the 40-49 yd range. He was 3/3 from 50+ yards away.
As a team we scored 39 total touchdowns if you add in the 2 defensive scores.

Now compare.......

RAMS 2007 OFFENSIVE RANKINGS6 GAMES)
#29- Overall (283.5 ypg)
#32- Points Scored (12.2 ppg) "DEAD LAST"!
#24- Passing (196 ypg)
#25- Rushing (87.5 ypg)

15 plays of 20+ yards and "ZERO" plays of 40+ yards.
We've allready matched last seasons turnover total with 18.
Scored 5 touchdowns as in F-I-V-E !!! 6 if you add Dante' Halls punt return in Dallas.
Jeff Wilkins- 10/15 (67% accuracy) 4/5 from (20-29), 3/4 (from 30-39), 2/4 (from 40-49) and 1/2 from 50+. What's up with Wilkins???

So "WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON OUT THERE"?!

In my opinion the "Musical Chairs" that's being played on the offensive line is the main culprit of our problems. Of course missing key skill players isn't helping either. It all starts with the foundation and that foundation is our very weakened O-line.

The fact that we have as many turnovers (18) in 6 games as we did all last season is another eyebrow raiser. 9 of those 18 from this season have been by back-up QB Gus Frerotte. The same Gus Frerotte that wouldn't even see the field if Marc Bulger wasn't injured. The same Marc Bulger that was getting creamed behind that weakened foundation. Funny how the injuries to the O-line affect other areas of the offense.

What's up with Jeff $$$$ Wilkins? This guy has been the model of consistency. He's allready missed as many field goals this season as he did all last season and there's still 10 games to play!! Dare I ask? Is he injured too?

Until our O-line starts to gel we are going to struggle. No matter who's on the field. Bulger or Frerotte, Jackson or Leonard, Bruce,Holt and Bennett or whatever combination of receivers gets thrown out there. Knowing that our team is playing hard and haven't given up is a credit to the players themselves and our coaching staff. Let's face it they do have some giant hurdles in front of them but they haven't used or made any excuses. They just keep fighting. All this hard work and determination will pay off someday. The sooner the better as far as I'm concerned.:r

[RealRam]

Let's face it, they do have some giant hurdles in front of them but they haven't used or made any excuses. They just keep fighting. All this hard work and determination will pay off someday. The sooner the better as far as I'm concerned. -- LARAM0

Good job, amigo. I enjoyed reading your article. :l

You also made me remember Coach Lombardi in the L.A. Coliseum, December of 1967, when the Rams defeated the Packers 27-24 thanks to last minute team heroics. Green Bay had nothing to lose as they were already in for the playoffs. For us, however, the last two games were simply a must -- and this one was next to last.

Point is, sure enough, Vince Lombardi was very upset during the final stages of that game; he didn't want to near the playoffs with a dramatic loss that seemed to be in the works that day. And sure enough, there was utter pandemonium in the L.A. Coliseum at the end of the 4th Qtr.: Rams players jumping like kids all over the field, Coach Allen was carried on the shoulders of Rams, the crowd was wild. What a finish!

Rams needed to win the last game too though, also at home the following week -- and against none other than the equally powerful Baltimore Colts along with, who else? Johnny Unitas at the helm. Final score: 34-10 Rams. What a performance!


Next weekend, playoffs! Showtime! Rams Vs... you got it, Green Bay Packers for what was then the Western Conference Championship. On their turf, the 'frozen tundra', a typical overcast, dreary and cold day I recall.

The Rams had finished the season 11-1-2, a better record than the Packers' 9-4-1. But Mr. Lombardi was ready. We scored first, a TD in the 1st Qtr. That was all. Packers scored 28 unanswered points. They also went on to win SB II.


I'm glad you recalled this great coach of the NFL, LARAM0, whose name inherently represents one of the greatest trophies in the world, sports or otherwise. One of a kind indeed. The players greatly respected him (BTW, Rams players greatly respected and loved their own Coach, George Allen too).

And I'm also glad you pointed out Dan Reeves' current observations on us. Nice to see how the Rams players are still together amidst misery, pain and sadness. The agony of defeat.

But, as you said, fighting still, no excuses.

Go Rams! :\

[ramsanddodgers]

Good job, LARAM.

Is Dan Reeves looking for a job?

[Markman35]

Nice Article. When you compare the stats between years it's shocking. Gus Ferotte=:x