Panic? NO. Concern - YES Amazing Stat

[Tony Soprano]

.
"At least the Rams managed to score this week with their first-stringers, getting a 26-yard field goal by Jeff Wilkins in the second quarter for their only points in 11 drives this preseason with the starting unit. "

ONLY POINTS (3) IN 11 DRIVES w/starters.

The first game is two weeks out - 14 days.

You know the coaches will be concerned this week too.

[Nick]

It's almost mind-boggling that a team with as much talent as we have offensively has yet to show us the output of that talent. That large disparity really makes me think we're playing it very close to the cuff right now at the expense of wowing some people in games that don't count. You'd like to see a little more competitiveness and efficiency, but ultimately the primary preseason goal has to be making it out healthy. Also, experimenting a bit and getting a sense of what does and doesn't work is going to help the coaches in the regular season. Hopefully they're learning a lot and adapting for the games that count.

[Tony Soprano]

Yeah, last week I said I wasn't worried about the Offense, but things are getting a little tighter now.

When you step back, there's no reason to believe we won't have one of the top offenses.
We certainly should - and Linehan didn't forget how to run an offense.

I don't want to think about the Defense though.

.

[rammiser]

Actually the run defense vs the starters was pretty good. It was the pass defense that was shaky, but they couldnt breathe on the Faiders wr's without getting a PI called on them. Our offense will be fne and you certainly cant judge tonights game or any of the pre-season games because Jackson hasnt even played 4 downs. Leonard is looking ok but he's a rookie drawing no respect from anyone. Throw Jackson in there it's different story like leading the league in yds from scrimmage. The offense is fine, the defense could be better but it's pre-season I doubt Haslett is pulling out all the stops. Like showing 3-4 once in a while. Let the Faider fans think this game means something because it doesnt mean crap. How good are the Bengals without Chad Johnson,Rudi Johnson and their best guard??? I'd say average at best. I still predict a victory vs the Panthers in week 1.

[TheBritishRam]

Who actually cares about preseason? Of course i wanted to see the rams put up 50 points with 5 turnover and 10 sacks but in the end it counts for nothing. You can only lose in preseason through injuries and so far the rams have little to worry about. It's the same story every year with teams struggling in preseason and all the doubters coming out. Last year the raiders actually twice as many games in preseason than in the regular season. It all counted for nothing. The rams went 3-1 in 2005 and finished the season 6-10, preseason is just a warm up, nothing more.

[laram0]

Actually the run defense vs the starters was pretty good. It was the pass defense that was shaky, but they couldnt breathe on the Faiders wr's without getting a PI called on them. Our offense will be fne and you certainly cant judge tonights game or any of the pre-season games because Jackson hasnt even played 4 downs. Leonard is looking ok but he's a rookie drawing no respect from anyone. Throw Jackson in there it's different story like leading the league in yds from scrimmage. The offense is fine, the defense could be better but it's pre-season I doubt Haslett is pulling out all the stops. Like showing 3-4 once in a while. Let the Faider fans think this game means something because it doesnt mean crap. How good are the Bengals without Chad Johnson,Rudi Johnson and their best guard??? I'd say average at best. I still predict a victory vs the Panthers in week 1.

The Panthers got torched by the Patriots last night. If that means anything?

[Rambos]

It's hard for me to call it our starting unit when SJ really has not played and Holt also sat out last night. Without SJ and Holt we are not that high powered.

[MoonJoe]

That was hard to watch for me last night. It seems just like pre-season last year though. Bulger is off time, the receivers don't know what the heck is going on and our defense and special teams were lost. But then I remember the Denver game and how much fire we had, so I did calm down a little.

Now, I am not that good at the details of who was playing where, but could someone please tell me that we were experimenting a lot with different players and schemes or something, because that was ugly.

[blood85]

What the heck was going on with like 6 pass int calls, on the rams?? Hopefully our DB's can do what they are paid to do: cover.

[general counsel]

my only substantive concern at this point is the play of the secondary.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[BrokenWing]

I was concerned at first, and still am, but here's the conclusion I came to:

The opposing teams are only forced to put out one kind of defense, the pass defense. In most games when you throw out a large number of good recievers and a double threat, deadly running back the opposing team has to concern itself with a larger number of plays, including run plays, which draws defenders off the pass and prevents blitzing.

So far Jackson hasn't played at all in the pre-season and Leonard, while useful, is not Jackson, nor does he scare defenses. So with no running threat the opposing teams are focusing on the pass. When you focus on the pass and Quarterback and recievers, no matter how good they are begin to have problems.

Just keep that in mind.

[rammiser]

What the heck was going on with like 6 pass int calls, on the rams?? Hopefully our DB's can do what they are paid to do: cover.

I think the refs just threw another flag for pass interferance. Out of all those PI calls only like 2 of them were legit. One call on Tye Hill he was the one with perfect position getting pushed in the back and the ref flagged him for PI.

[badmoforamfan]

Yeah, you gotta think that the Rams #1's are just going through the motions, like practice. I agree with what a lot of you guys have said about SJ and TH. I think that with those two guys in the equation you totally change the dynamic of this team.

You've got to wonder if these guys have got the voice in their head saying, "Don't get hurt, don't get hurt".

Raiders had something to prove and the Rams didn't. Only thing that has me concerned like many of my fellow Rams fans is the secondary, but a good offense is a good defense and I'm sure during the regular season Haslett will bring the heat.

[RamsFanSam]

Yeah, you gotta think that the Rams #1's are just going through the motions, like practice.

Since the so-call 'riblet' I ate caused me to spend more time watching the bathroom walls than watching the game, I didn't see too much of what did go on. What I did see was a Rams team that didn't really focus on big plays, but instead seemed to be trying to see how the various players worked together in certain situations. My concerns right now are few:

Pace seems to be holding back a bit. Whether this is 'preservation' or age, I don't know. My gut feeling (not the one caused by the riblet...) says this is more preservation, and he'll be back to form during the season.

Hill couldn't seem to get a break. What looked to me as incidental contact twice turned into penalties.

Incognito seemed to fall for some misleading moves a couple of times.

Not all air fresheners are created equal.

Bulger had a few times he looked rather frustrated.

The linebackers seemed to be misdirected at times, leading to a few big gains against us.

It's still the preseason; I agree with badmofo. The team is just going into the preseason games, treating them like a practice, not a real game.

[ramsbruce]

Incognito seemed to fall for some misleading moves a couple of times.

Those moves must have been real misleading because Incognito didn't even play last night.