What a difference a couple of games can make...looking ahead

*general counsel* · #1 (**permalink**) -20-10-2005

Depsite the gloom and doom and the appearance that the defense cant stop anyone, lets assume for a second that we can find a way to beat both the saints and jacksonville and get healthy in the bye week.

Think about how excited and geared up we will all be to head to seattle for a little payback. A healthy bulger and bruce. A jelling offensive line. Little back at full strength, a little momentum. Who knows, maybe an injury or two for seattle to some key guys (and i am not talking about receivers that while talented cant hold onto the ball anyway, i am talking about guys like haselback, alexander, jones etc), maybe a game where the refs dont shaft us and best of all, maybe a game where for one time we play to our potential for a full 60 minutes rather than digging a hole early or playing great early and then collapsing either on defense or via turnovers.

Guys, if we win the next two, rest up, then beat seattle on the road, we will feel night and day different than we do right now. I dont think this falls into the category of believing that the earth is flat or the easter bunny is real, merely a matter of getting healthy and getting break here or there. I honestly feel we are not as bad as we look and a play here or there (especially at the end of both the seattle and san fran games) and our record would be a lot different. They say that the breaks even out over the course of a season. IF that is true, we have some breaks coming to us and it all starts this week by beating the saints at home. If we cant win this game, i think it could be an incredibly long year and time to get serious both about playing the kids and doing our draft prep work.

Ramming speed to all

general counsel

**RamWraith** · #2 (**permalink**) -20-10-2005

I would feel a lot better with everything if Bulger was playing.

P.S.--So would my fantasy team

*general counsel* · #3 (**permalink**) -20-10-2005

And that is what is getting lost on this board regarding the colts game. We lost on the road to a good team, a playoff and maybe a championship caliber team. So what? I knew we werent going to win that game and it didnt worry me in the big picture of the season.

However, an injury to bulger. That is the real problem. Does the defense have issues. Of course it does. But i can guarantee you this. Without a healthy marc bulger we are not a threat to win anything and we would be among the worst teams in the nfl if he was out for a long period of time in my view.

These two games are winnable without him, but with him i would have felt like we would absolutely win them both. Now, anything can happen with a shaky defense and a backup qb. At least they are both at home. Here is to hoping that we can run the ball, because if we cant, we are in deep deep trouble.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

*ramhard* · #4 (**permalink**) -20-10-2005

People where all jumping up and down about a win is a win, when the Rams were 2-2 but winning close to bad teams (even at home) and losing. Sometimes it is not whether you win or lose but how you are playing when thinking about hope for the rest of the season.

The trend has been downward fast for the D, slightly upward for the offense - but that was with Bulger.

So with Bulger out, as with any teams starting offense, you have to depend more on your defense to keep you in the game.. and the Rams D has given no indication it can do that.

So sure, if the Rams win the next two they'd be in good shape (but also if they win the next 8 they'd be in good shape also)... the better question is whether they are likely to do so... and with the current D the answer is no unfortunately.

*RamJackson39* · #5 (**permalink**) -20-10-2005

As easy as the schedule shapes up, if we win these next two we have a very good shot of losing only one more game the entire season. This would put us at 11-5. An 11-5 team in the NFC has a very good shot of going to the playoffs. Seattle still has to travel to Arizona and they have to play Dallas this Sunday. The season is far from over.

*sbramfan* · #6 (**permalink**) -20-10-2005

Quote:

Depsite the gloom and doom and the appearance that the defense cant stop anyone, lets assume for a second that we can find a way to beat both the saints and jacksonville and get healthy in the bye week.

Definitely, and I had already used the assumption that we would likely lose to the Colts, and hopefully win the next 2 to get to 4-4 at the bye before heading into Seattle.

A bit different now, though. 2 reasons.

1. Jacksonville is better than anticipated.
2. Jamie Martin.

*Rambos* · #7 (**permalink**) -21-10-2005

Quote:

if we win the next two, rest up, then beat seattle on the road

I like it,can we do it?

*UtterBlitz* · #8 (**permalink**) -21-10-2005

Personally I am preparing for a 2-14 season, because I can't take any more shattered expectations.

My fantasy team will be just fine, because they have a kick arse coach, yes that would be me, and we have Carson Palmer warming the bench. I've been playing favorites and sitting him, but his numbers are better than Bulgers. The Hammerheads should be fine.

*Kane* · #9 (**permalink**) -22-10-2005

Let's remove the rose tinted specs and realise that we got hammered by the Colts in the second half, just like we did against the Giants in the whole game.

We played well for the first two quarters against the Colts, and then it was back to normal. I know Bulger was out - I'm talking about the Defense.

We may or may not beat the Saints. We won't beat the Jaguars unless we play well for 60 minutes, not just 30.