What Do Rams Need to be Playoff Contenders?

[Beastified]

Game-by Game Predictions for 2013 St. Louis Rams | Bleacher Report


This is for the Rams 2013 season. I agree with Gerwel but I think it is conservative and on the low end of the spectrum.

[CRAZYHORNS]

Re: What Do Rams Need to be Playoff Contenders?

Nothing the Rams were already playoff contenders this year. What do they need to get inot the playoffs I must say I agree with Sosa

-4 or 5 more solid-amazing players-a DC
I think maybe this is the hope but if the Rams can stay healthy and add some depth at the OL position I believe the rest will take care of itself with time and development.
-Consistency
-Continued development

[bradwill]

How did the Rams perform against their divisional foes? I believe much better than expected. The Rams challenges in 2012 was not the division but the NFC North. The Rams lost all 5 games against the North.

Go Rams

Rams play in a division right now that is becoming the SEC of the NFL. Seattle and SF play Big Boy football and the Rams hung with them this year. Arizona is not that far off themselves, despite this year's debacle.

Got to get an OL or two to handle the kind of teams the Rams will face twice a year because they ain't getting worse next season and Arizona also will likely improve. The NFC North was surprisingly more challenging than the Rams could handle, but I think they are all right in that regard.

[Curly Horns]

We need:

More powerful & improved OL
Impact WR
A thumper at safety
And a safety that can help cover over the top
More impact at OLB
Player improvement throughout the roster
Good Luck on the Injury front
Learn how to win outside of the division

[Alpha_Male]

If the Rams dont secure Bradford a star, #1 receiver that can consistently win one on one matchups then they wont be a playoff team under Bradford. The defense is good enough, they just need to put up more points and it starts with giving Bradford a top receiver.

Its amazing Bradford still doesnt have a top receiver this deep into his career. His best receiver so far, Almendola, is only healthy for less then half the season on average.

So, get Bradford a star receiver, and get some depth on the O line. And the Rams will be a 10 win team.

[mcpeepants232003]

1. #1 WR or at least another very good receiver. Having 3 or 4 good to very good receivers can make up for the lack of a true #1.
1b. offensive line help
3. a true free safety
4. an athletic outside linebacker to help contain Wilson and Colin

[chiguy]

Until we get consistent and solid play from our offensive line, we're playing for third in the division IMHO. We don't really know what we have in our QB, running game, and even WR until this question is solved.

[NJ Ramsfan1]

A mobile QB and a running QB are two different animals. You'd like your QB to have mobility in and around the pocket and have an innate sense of where trouble is. But it is not necessary to have a scrambler at the QB position.

The Rams need to upgrade offensively, pure and simple. 28th in the league in points scored isn't good enough. Whether that improvement comes from young guys already on the roster, the draft or a combination of both I'm not sure, but it absolutely has to happen. The NFL is now an offensive-minded league, and nearly every team in the playoffs- SF, NE, DEN, HOU, BALT, GB, etc. can put up big offensive numbers. A big time receiver (ho-hum) and two more O-lineman are needed.

On the defensive side, it is painfully clear we need safety help.

[lordwhttgr]

How about something we can fix directly....like fans in the stands. You dont need Rams gear to cheer. Get of your tookus, buy a ticket and go.

[richtree]

I disagree with you... almost entirely.

You need a strong O line and playmakers.

Just like 5, 10 and 20 years ago.

The running QB thing is a fad.

It seems like the Rams needs haven't changed for 5 years.....At least now I feel that we corrected everything else, except the Oline and Playmakers......

Lets do this already....OL,OL, TE, WR, RB, OL,OL, WR <------ get some of these guys that get really play....

Isn't it funny how Laurent Robinson, Donnie Avery, and Danario Alexander are all successful on other teams once there is an offensive line and play-makers around them......

[AvengerRam]

Isn't it funny how Laurent Robinson, Donnie Avery, and Danario Alexander are all successful on other teams once there is an offensive line and play-makers around them......

Exactly right. Its kind of like ketchup.

Ketchup on fries? Delicious.

Ketchup on a burger? Perfect compliment.

Ketchup sandwich? Ugh.

[VegasRam]

Exactly right. Its kind of like ketchup.

Ketchup on fries? Delicious.

Ketchup on a burger? Perfect compliment.

Ketchup sandwich? Ugh.

Unlike mayonnaise...

Mayonnaise on fries - perfect. (Thats how one eats pomme frites in Holland)

Mayonnaise on a burger - great as well.

Mayonnaise on a spoon - as good as it gets.

[tomahawk247]

Isn't it funny how Laurent Robinson, Donnie Avery, and Danario Alexander are all successful on other teams once there is an offensive line and play-makers around them......

I wouldn't exactly call them successful.
Alexander hasn't been any better than he was playing at the Rams. Only difference is he is healthy and he wasn't for a lot of his time in St Louis. He did benefit from being the third target on the team, behind Floyd and Gates.

Avery is just average. And was one of the reasons the Colts lost in the playoff, because his play was terrible in the game against the Ravens.
Robinson spent most of the year injured and didn't do anything when healthy. He only had a good season in Dallas because defenses couldn't cover Bryant, Austin and Witten and then track Robinson down too.

It seems to me that most Rams fans see a guy score a TD for a different team, and think he is instantly better than he was on the Rams. Fact is that's not true.

Avery: 60 catches, 781 yards, 3 TDs
Robinson: 24 catches, 252 yards, 0 TDs
Alexander: 37 catches, 658 yards, 7 TDs

Gibson: 51 catches, 691 yards, 5 TDs
Givens: 42 catches, 698 yards, 3 TDs
Pettis: 30 catches, 261 yards, 4 TDs
Amendola: 63 catches, 666 yards, 3 TDs

None of Avery, Robinson or Alexander are any different from any of the guys we have on the roster.

[Ram Dragoon]

Honestly--the Rams need a solid O-LINE...till Bradford can stand tall in the pocket and not have to worry so much about getting planted, the Rams will not how just that other weaspons are needed. The season stats for the Rams WR core are Ok...but how might they be with a real solid O-line?

[Fortuninerhater]

Significant improvement and more consistency from everyone who wears a Ram uniform or stands on the Ram sidelines during games.