Sunday Evening--Wagoner

[RamWraith]

Monday, January 2, 2006

IRVING, Tex. –

- Sunday night was a nice way to end a difficult season. It was a game unlike many for the Rams this season, but it proved what the virtues of an opportunistic, playmaking defense and a commitment to the running game can do.

- The defense was outstanding. Sure, an exciting, high-scoring offense is fun to watch, but an aggressive, attacking defense like the one that wore all blue Sunday night was a pleasure to watch. That only leaves the question, where was this defense all season?

- Defensive end Leonard Little is still one of the best ends in the league. When he was finally able to get his mental focus back to where he could concentrate on football again, he turned it on. He proved in the last month of the season why he is still among the best.

- Speaking of defensive ends breaking loose, Anthony Hargrove has also had an excellent finish to the season. He had five and a half sacks in the past three weeks and has taken great strides in the right direction. Does that mean he is ready to go to the Pro Bowl, but as Little says, this is a good sign that Hargrove will come back as a better player. If that happens, it makes Little better and thus, the defense will be better.

- I hope Sunday night wasn’t the last time I see Ryan Pickett in a Rams uniform.

- I have been waiting to see one of the rookie safeties get a chance and take advantage. Oshiomogho Atogwe did just that against the Cowboys. He got plenty of reps and made the most of them.

- Nobody saw Aveion Cason coming. Everyone knows he is fast, but he showed some toughness Sunday night that I didn’t know was there. His 8-yard touchdown was impressive.

- Maybe I talk too much in this space about receiver Torry Holt. But Holt reaching 1,300 yards and 100 catches in a year in which he missed two games is just another feather in the cap of what I believe will be a Hall of Fame career. I have maintained all year that Holt is one of the two or three best receivers in the league. I was wrong. He is the best. There. I said it.

- Intentional grounding on a pass that lands in the end zone? Seriously? That was the worst call I have seen all season. What were the referees thinking?

- I feel so bad for Pflugerville’s finest, defensive tackle Jeremy Calahan. He finally gets a chance to play and he gets a hyperextended knee that forces him to miss the rest of the game soon after he entered.

- A final tip of the cap to interim coach Joe Vitt for his work this season. It was an unrewarding, nearly impossible task that he took on and he handled it with character and class every step of the way.

- What a great move to wear the blue pants to honor Jack Snow and then to go finally win a game with those pants shows how bad they wanted to win for Snow. In a related note, Mr. Snow has apparently been making progress and even listened to the game Sunday evening. Continued thoughts and prayers for him, they seem to be working.

- Stay tuned for what is sure to be a busy and interesting offseason…

[UtterBlitz]

- What a great move to wear the blue pants to honor Jack Snow and then to go finally win a game with those pants shows how bad they wanted to win for Snow. In a related note, Mr. Snow has apparently been making progress and even listened to the game Sunday evening. Continued thoughts and prayers for him, they seem to be working.

Well that explains the blue pants. I am glad we got a win with those blue pants and happy to hear that Jack Snow is making progress.

[AvengerRam]

Speaking of defensive ends breaking loose, Anthony Hargrove has also had an excellent finish to the season. He had five and a half sacks in the past three weeks

I think this is a big deal. Hargrove's late season play makes me feel like the Rams don't need to draft a DE in the first round (unless an absolute stud falls to them) and can instead focus on upgrading the LB corps or perhaps the DBs.

[RamsFanSam]

After seeing how well our banged-up, misdirected defense played last night, I see one need we still have besides another good LB: A really good shutdown CB.

Maybe we will still have a great CB left when we pick...

[HUbison]

I feel so bad for Pflugerville’s finest, defensive tackle Jeremy Calahan. He finally gets a chance to play and he gets a hyperextended knee that forces him to miss the rest of the game soon after he entered.

We haven't seen the last of him. He looked good last night. In fact, every run play that ended in a gaping hole in the middle of our line.....D-Lew was present. Everytime that hole was locked tight, Callahan was there.

He may not necessarily be the next coming of Warren Sapp, but this guy made the most out of every snap last night. Hopefully, we see more of him in 2006.

I think this is a big deal. Hargrove's late season play makes me feel like the Rams don't need to draft a DE in the first round (unless an absolute stud falls to them) and can instead focus on upgrading the LB corps or perhaps the DBs.

Amen. In the past 3 weeks, Hargrove and Little have combined for 9 sacks (4.5 each). You can't ask for more than that from a DE pair.