Hopefully no playoff - focus on draft, retooling

[ramhard]

After today's game, for the first time in 3 years, I think it is better for the Rams not to make the playoffs. There is no hope of lasting past the first round, and if they somehow limp into the playoffs then there will be less of an impetus to change as the euphoria of backing into the playoffs will mask the deeper problems).

The Rams need to draft well, restructure the staff, and decide what the identity of the team will be. Missing the playoffs will lead them to make the hard decisions... sign Pace to a reasonable contact or let him walk, sign at least 3 new quality linemen with at least one in the 1st two pics of the draft. New DC, Jackson as starting TB, new FA linebacker, a new physical corner, a kickoff return specialist...

I completely agree.

they don't have much of a chance to win the next two games anyways ( even with Bulger). I'd rather see Smoker get some work in and start focusing on the draft and possible FA players.

[moklerman]

That's all fine and good, but remember who we're talking about here. The best the Rams are going to get is a middle round pick so I don't have much hope for a huge impact player in that spot. Instead of a nice, solid prospect the Rams will take some flyer on a high risk guy and we'll get to watch him underperform for the next three years.

Draft day has been very disheartening the last few years and I don't see it changing much if the current regime continues it's past tendencies. I say trade away our first round pick for some proven free agent a la Kyle Turley. Although Turley might ultimately become a bust due to his injury, I think it's a lot safer way for our current braintrust to acquire talent. They have shown a lack of ability in identifying college level talent so going with 3 or 4 year vets might be a better way to go. We do have 3 #1 picks tied up in defensive lineman that are average at best. Why keep wasting #1's? Trade them for someone that's established.

Nope Nope Nope Nope. and here is why. back in 1999 the browns had 27 post season appearances, the cowboys had 25 and the rams had 22. We made the playoffs in 1999,2000,2001,2003 which gives us 26 post season appearances. One more gives us 27. I think the browns made it in 2002 which gives them 28. I want to stay close to the top. With all them records the Rams set over the past 5 years and not diddly squat to show for it, it looks as if we are going to stay the same old rams till I die. That is; make the playoffs and get tossed out regardless of how great or how much talent or how much better the rams are then the eventual superbowl winners. Either some freak of nature like a flash flood at the LA coliseum. An owner mysteriously drowning just when the Rams are at their prime. A phantom penalty on Tom Mack. A 99 yard drive that produces no points. A dropped interception for a TD. An individual who’s contract is important enough to ruin an entire season. Another individual who’s ego is more important then the team winning a superbowl. A kook that feels he needs to blow up a couple of sky scrapers and murder a few thousand people. There is obviously always going to be someone or something to stand in the way. This is obviously the Rams script. Sure there are worse scripts however there are better ones to. Our script isn't cast like the Cardinals, Saints or bucs but it's not cast like the Packers, cowboys, whiners or Giants either. So we need something to boast about some middle ground. The most playoff appearances seems to be our shtick.

and alot of posters on this sight are happy with just making the playoffs.

they don't care if the team has the talent to win it all and don't. they just go back to the same arguement, " but we made the playoffs the last several years". that's their reasoning for keeping the bumbling idiot on the sidelines.

that playoff appearance record may be all we have to brag about soon. how pathetic.

[Tailgage-Mayor]

You can only really count on the top handful of #1 picks having a moderately high probability of becoming an impact player. After the first 5 or 6 overall picks you quickly drop to mediocre potential.

Currently there are about 11 teams with worse records. Even if we lose the last 2 games I’m not sure we could improve to #5 or #6 overall in the draft, hard to tell.

In our last two games our opponents have nothing to play for. The Eagles have already clinches home field throughout. With the loss of TO they should be even more worried about injuries, thus not playing their starters. The Jets are close to locking in a wild card berth, so hopefully they will be more concerned about injuries as well.

It’s a sad day when we have to worry about beating a team’s second string. But we play the cards as they’re dealt.

BTW – For what it’s worth I agree with your assessment of needs.

[HUbison]

alot of posters on this sight are happy with just making the playoffs.

I respectfully have to disagree, assuming I understand your definition of "happy". If by happy you mean pleased, then yes I think everyone here should be pleased with making the playoffs. Any Rams fan would be. However, if happy means satisfied, then there shouldn't be any one on this sight who is happy with the playoffs. And I don't think there is. The playoffs are merely an invitation to see who's the best. The playoffs are a means, not an end. And if nothing else, I know this. Over the history of football, exactly 0 teams have won a SB without making it to the playoffs. Why would we not want to make it to the playoffs? We're still just one game out of getting our ticket to the dance. Can't we just extend our hand a little further and take it?

[moklerman]

One more gives us 27.

I guess I'm not in agreement here. I was always kind of embarrassed by the fact that the Rams always made it to the playoffs but never made it or won the Super Bowl. Adding one more appearance in the playoffs doesn't sound that appealing, especially if the Rams get there at 8-8 or 7-9. I agree with...Marino(?), who was commenting on how bad the NFC is this year, in that a losing record should not get into the playoffs. Why should the wild card have to come from a particular conference? It's not like baseball where the rules are different. The four division winners in each conference should get in and then the next best teams, period, should be the wild cards.