Seahawks vs Rams : "THE CONTESTS FOR 2004"!

[MississippiHawk]

MississippiHawk:

Our games this season should be classics. I can see Rich Eisen already discussing the game on Total Access as the game of the night. We will be Game of the Week material next year on NFL Network as they replay this upcoming seasons games. Although I know we now have a rivalry if only because of the same division or because we have 2 QB's that love to compete against each other on a fair basis; we do owe each other some RESPECT! I may not LIKE the RAMS, but I sure respect what they do between the sidelines. Bulter is a great QB, but I wonder if the recievers will be as productive after Holt on the depth chart? What do you RAMS EXPERTS think about your reciever depth? I love the consistency that Jackson, Robinson and Engram and Bannister give us after a few years together. Please give me your opinion.
Thanks for letting me talk in "your room",

MississippiHawk

[Nick]

Originally Posted by MississippiHawk

What do you RAMS EXPERTS think about your reciever depth?

The Rams are deeper at receiver this year than they were last if only because McDonald and Curtis are healthy, or should be going into the season. Curtis should challenge Looker for the third receiver position, hopefully giving the offense that speedy target they've been missing since Az left.

What worries me about the Rams/Seahawks boughts this season is that the Seahawks come into the two contests with an advantage. The first game against the Rams, the Seahawks have a bye week before hand to prepare and get healthy if need be. Meanwhile, the Rams are playing in San Fran the week before, and while that probably doesn't sound like a threat, clearly the Seahawks have an advantage coming off the bye week.

In terms of the second meeting, again, the Seahawks have an advantage in schedule, I believe. They're coming off an away game at San Fran, and meanwhile, the Rams are coming off of a home game against the defending Super Bowl champs, who will no doubt hit them hard and make them earn a win.

So that has me a little concerned. It seems to me the schedule favors Seattle somewhat in that they have a bye and a weaker game prior to their two games against the Rams, whereas the Rams have a weak game and a tough opponent. We won't know for sure how much of an effect this might have, but it's not comforting to me at the moment.

[acer1240]

Originally Posted by NickSeiler

The first game against the Rams, the Seahawks have a bye week before hand to prepare and get healthy if need be.

The Hawks are pathetic after the bye week, I pencil this in as a loss for my Hawks. I dont know what it is, but the game after the bye week has always been brutal to us. Maybe all that will change this year

[coy bacon]

Originally Posted by MississippiHawk

MississippiHawk:
... but I wonder if the recievers will be as productive after Holt on the depth chart? What do you RAMS EXPERTS think about your reciever depth?
MississippiHawk

It's arguable that the Rams have the deepest receiving corps in the league in Bruce, Holt, Looker, Curtis, and McDonald, (who did I miss?). I'd say that the receiving corps is the strongest component of the Ram's team. The challenge is not on the receivers, its on the QB and OL.

[RamWraith]

Furry, Coleman. Keep an eye on Coleman this season. I have a strange feeling he will be bumping McDonald and maybe Furry.

Originally Posted by coy bacon

It's arguable that the Rams have the deepest receiving corps in the league in Bruce, Holt, Looker, Curtis, and McDonald, (who did I miss?). I'd say that the receiving corps is the strongest component of the Ram's team. The challenge is not on the receivers, its on the QB and OL.

[txramsfan]

I don't think the challenge is offensively at all. Both teams are explosive. It's defensively where the challenge will be won or lost. Acquiring Wistrom for that amount of money is a huge gamble. No one will ever question Wistrom's desire or heart, it's as big as they come. It's just his production. He rarely saw double teams due to Leonard Little at the opposite end. We will see this year.

It will come down to who can stop who the most. Trufant, Taylor, Robinson and Hamlin in the secondary makes for a young but solid future for the Seahawks. Your problems are in the front seven, especially the D line. Okeafor is getting up there. I watched Marcus Tubbs play quite a bit at Texas, he shows up sometimes and sometimes he dosen't. Arkansas ran all over his side, even the QB's. Simmons, Huff, and Brown at LB won't scare too many OC's. We have our issues too on the front seven. Little is an awesome force, but will the offseason issues affect him? The DT's drafted in the first round three years ago must produce this year. The LB's need a more consistent game about them. Whichever team improves against the run will win this thing.

[RamWraith]

You know...

Maybe its just me and maybe I am denial. I just don't see the Seahawks as a powerhouse. I do believe they will be an above average team, but I am not fearing them and hoping we don't see them in the playoffs. I don't see the team as hungry. I don't see the players with the swagger that is needed to be great.

I think the division is ours to loose. If we implode this year than MAYBE the Seahawks have a chance to take the division. But, I still wouldn't count out Arizona. Now that is a team that has some hunger in it and did improve last year. Green might be the attitude they needed to bring them over the top.

YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST...

If the Rams implode, the Cards win the division. I predict the Cards will be the Rams biggest competition this next season and will be the team to beat next year.

[adarian_too]

Originally Posted by coy bacon

It's arguable that the Rams have the deepest receiving corps in the league in Bruce, Holt, Looker, Curtis, and McDonald, (who did I miss?). I'd say that the receiving corps is the strongest component of the Ram's team. The challenge is not on the receivers, its on the QB and OL.

The challenge is the Line and QB, but I submit that its the receiving corps too. There may be quantity at WR but not proven depth. Looker looks at best as a possession receiver in the mold of Proehl. And well, at 3rd WR, we still haven't replaced the explosive threat of Hakim that kept D's on their toes. I'm not sure why anyone thinks that the draft fixed what picking up FAs/trades like Edwards and Wilkens couldn't. Add the fact that a receiving TE still hasn't materialized and I still think the O is poised to sputter and not fire on all cylinders again for the same reasons as the past two years.

[HUbison]

Originally Posted by RamWraith

Furry, Coleman. Keep an eye on Coleman this season. I have a strange feeling he will be bumping McDonald and maybe Furry.

That means 7 WRs. I can see us with 6, but 7 probably won't happen. Who do you see getting the ax?

Originally Posted by RamWraith

If the Rams implode, the Cards win the division. I predict the Cards will be the Rams biggest competition this next season and will be the team to beat next year.

They definitely appear to be hungrier this year, but I just can't see them any better than 9-7. Who knows maybe they can get a wild-card. This is certainly the best offseason they've had in quite some time. Maybe Bidwell is tired of losing.

[coy bacon]

I think most of us are on the same page. Adarian is right about the lower tier receivers being untested - but from what I saw of Curtis and Furrey, they looked very good, hence I am assuming they will live up to their potential. Yes, the TE is a weakness.

Tx is right about our defense. I'm still not completely sold on Bulger, but he deserves, he's earned, the benefit of the doubt in my book.

I agree with JRams, I don't see Seattle as a powerhouse. But if our defense plays poorly, or Bulger doesn't improve, we won't be powerhouse either.

[thoey]

Coy, you are just an agreeable sort today, aren't you? :redface: