Rams Rely on Wilkins Lose 17-16

[THEFIELDGOAL]

One of the greatest weeks as a Rams fan was experienced this past week at the
Mini Bash at the Feisty Bulldog with the Clanram diehards. I had a wonderful time
interacting with Rampower, Utterblitz and GrandmaRam. I could not find the time to
show up after the game because of other things that came up. So for that i apologize.
I had a wonderful time saturday night. Thanks for the hospitality.

As for the 2007 Rams. Sunday Sept 16th was just a horrible display of how to kill your fan base. In a game where both teams are matched up equally on the field and not on
roster accountability. The Rams offensive playcalling was just horrid. The game was very competitive and overall played well on both ends. But the lack of fire power on our behalf was a lot to be desired. Hats off to Jim Haslett and the defensive unit.
They played their butts off for three and half quarters. With the exception of the Gore run for a touchdown, this defensive unit held the ***** to 17 points.

The playcalling was just sickening. The fact that Coach Linehan and Greg Olson can't come up with a solid gameplan with the veteran leadership on this squad is just plain dumb. I cannot explain it. Mike Martz please forgive us, we need you back.
It's pretty sad when we have to resort to calling back a former coach to lead an
offensive unit that consistently has been great in the red zone.
Jeff Wilkins is the only firepower this coach can rely on to score points. This is the
coaches gameplan period. So coach Linehan ,we Rams fans are calling you out this early.
The fact that the Rams are 0-2 is the playcalling and or lack of. Steven Jackson was
so frustrated on the sidelines. I cannot blame him. We knew that the offensive unit
was going to be a makshift unit. But they held their own for three quarters. As for
Randy McMichael and Torry Holt? What was the plan to implement them into the mix?
Besides a couple plays they were non existent. This is the frustration. This was a
divisional rival and this game meant a divisional win. A must win. As for the turnovers you ask. They really did not affect the game overall. They still a chance to win.

Every Rams fan will tell you losing to the ***** is not good for any coach, especially Coach Linehan. When asked about Steven Jackson's frustration he played it off by commenting on his kids and how they will have to deal with it. Well, Coach we the fans are not accepting this offensive gameplan. I for one will not accept that we have one of the best QB's in the league and one of the best running backs and receivers.But we must rely on the franchise scoring leader to bail us out. This is embarrassing and hots off to Jeff Wilkins. That kick should have never been asked of him.

The bottomline is that this Coaching staff has got to get this offense on track in scoring in the red zone and not settle for field goals by Jeff Wilkins. Late in the 4th quarter was a prime example of how this coach makes last minute calls. Marc Bulger spikes the ball and lose a down. Then on a crucial 4th and 4, he decides Jeff Wilkins for a 56 yard field goal. What? Is this not the perfect example of how this coach did not even give this offensive unit a chance to make 4 yards and maybe a
first down and then kick the game winning field goal with Jeff Wilkins the hero.

To be honest with fans that left early, this was just a horrible display of how to not
utilize veteran receivers. Hats off to Coach Nolan and Frank Gore for their efforts. They
deserve to win. They could have lost, but instead they won. ***** 2-0. That just
boils my blood. Upon the game ending, i witness first hand the frustration of some of the veteran players on the offensive side. I was informed from a reliable source that the veteran players (e.g Holt, Bruce and Jackson) are frustrated with the plays.
You can see it in their faces, the disgust. Especially a huge game like this versus the *****. I traveled this weekend expecting a win. I expected some firepower. I expected
a Rams team offensively ready to score. What i got was egg on my face and a kicker that was forced to miss on a miracle call by Coach Linehan.
__________________
THE FIELD GOAL

[laram0]

Sorry, I have to respectfully disagree with your play calling and game plan bashing.

Week 1-(2 fumbles by Steven Jackson cost us the game). Play calling? Don't give Jackson the ball?

Week 2- (Torry Holt fumbles the ball through the end zone for a touchback) Play calling? Don't pass to Holt? Dante' Hall fumbles a punt? Game Plan?

Week 2- Marc Bulger was overly harrassed and sacked all day. The "makeshift" o-line let us down. Steven Jackson ran the ball 21 times, 10 of those runs went for 2 yards or less.. Marc Bulger spread the ball around to all his receivers, Holt, Bruce, Bennett, McMichael, Jackson, Leonard and Walker. Bulger threw the ball 41 times and 10 of those were deep balls. Gameplan?

The bottom line for me is that our o-line is less than average right now. Also, the guys we feel we can rely on and trust have let us and the team down. (Jackson, Holt, Dante' Hall)

Sorry, but I'm not ready to question the Game Plans for our first 2 games.

Fans were leaving early??? This game went right down to the last minute.:x

[mikhal5569]

I can't begin to explain how sick and tired I am of people calling for Mike Martz to come back. Martz was a pretty good play caller, but his overall decision making WAY worse than anything we have seen from our current coaches so far. The truth is theres only two things really killing us right now.
1.) The lack of execution in the red zone.
2.) Turnovers.
Take away just ONE of those two factors and the Rams are 2-0 right now. I personally don't expect to see either of those two problems plaguing us for too much longer, especially the turnovers which I see as more of a fluke than anything else right now. I know these past two losses have been extremely frustrating, but this team is far from being dead. The only thing i'm starting to give up on now is the so called fans.

[LDJOHN55]

I flew from Oakland, CA to the STL for that game. I bought a ticket from a street vendor at the 20 yard line. I was set for an afternoon of delight, being able to come home and see family and friends and watch the hometown team against the ****@#s. It was an impressive game for the Defensive unit.

The irony was that Friday night I was in TN watching my young cousins play a high school game and the situation was 4th and 2. The whole Defensive unit seemed to be on the RB and the crowd was yelling; then, they relaxed and he broke through for a TD. The home team rallied with a Defensive and Offensive TD and won by 14 points. I thought that I was having dejavu when I saw it happen at the EJ Stadium.... but no.

What bothered me the most was the Rams fans around me uttering such disgusting comments towards the coach and team. There were genuine Bulger haters behind me that wanted to see him injured so G. Frerote could play. The presence of *****@s fans is growing in the STL. I saw a crew in McD's who drove up from Memphis, TN.

We've got to stop being so fickle about our team. It would be devastating to see them sold off again. I want to see them win also, but to cheer for our QB to be hurt is something quite different from the norm. Free speech.

Well, I'm back in the SF Bay area at work and still paying my debts and buying lunches for those lucky fellas. My comments have been, "It was a good football game."

I'm not flying to Tampa Bay. We'll get better soon.
Go Rams!!!

[THEFIELDGOAL]

Hey, LD
It was not the fact that we could have won. But the simple fact that Coach Linehan's playcalling for the established stars was unacceptable. You have Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce and Steven Jackson at your disposal and they are not given the opportunity to convert on a 4th and 4 in a game winning situation.
That is a slap on the face to their caliber of play. And to ask Marc Bulger to lose a down and then ask Jeff Wilkins to kick a 56 yard field goal. It was hard to view and accept.
I do not give up on the team. But i am questioning the Coach's motives and reasons for not utilizing his NFL Stars.
These guys have played in bigger games with bigger stakes. And to not give them the chance to make a play is just underminding their skills and tenure.
Being fickle is not the issue. It's just not proper and fair.
And for the coach to come out and say that they have to get over it just like his kids do when they cuss him out is wrong.
I had lots of hopes for this Coaching staff.
But it seems to me Jim Haslett just might take over real soon. At least he would know how to utilize the veteran weapons.
That's the issue.

[THEFIELDGOAL]

Hey Mikhal,
I know that the overall playcalling was not the issue. But the playcalling in key situations just like the 4th and 4 was not good. And to ask your kicker to kick a 56 yarder. Well that was just not a good decision. And these guys have to redeem themselves for the mistakes. The Holt/Hall turnovers were not huge momentum changers.They were still in the game up until the 3 minutes.
I know the line was a makeshift line. But that's when the key players need to make blocks and allow some screen and drop off plays for short yardage.
Not until the last 5 minutes of the 4th did they started passing to Bruce.
Isaac can get 5 yards. That would have been a huge difference for a game winning field goal for Wilkins.
As for Martz. He was never a great Coach but we have to respect the offensive coordinator status. You wait. Detroit will be a good team by years end.

[STLLAMBS]

I can appreciate the fact that Bulger was knocked around quite a bit by the 49'ers D. But, that 4'th down play where he just threw the ball away rather than attempt to scramble or look for an open receiver downfield, tells me Bulger doesn't possess that heart I look for in a team leader. He is obviously working behind a makeshift line, but I lost a great deal of confidence in him on that play!!!

[THEFIELDGOAL]

Kill the QB is the Linehan recipe. Olson should have accounted for the protection with either TE's blocking to give Marc time to find receivers.
He is not going to last. I would not be surprised if Gus is called against Tampa this week during the game. Marc looked broken down and what i gather has rib issues and hip concerns.
This is not good for any team especially the Rams of 2007.

[mobius]

actually isaac was THE main target earlier on in the game (nobody else saw him and his 100+ yards receiving?), thanks in large part to the single coverage and SPACE afforded him because of the extra attention torry garnered.

STILL, i say you go to your GO-TO guys (torry on a five yard slant or out, or s. jax on a swing pass) on fourth and 4. 56 yards is a LONG way for a guy as long in the tooth as jeff wilkins. i don't fault him for missing...he should have been trying from about 45 yards out.

jackson needs more touches, and holt needs more shots downfield. bennett, too...we finally HAVE a big wideout, so USE HIM.

other than that...both of these losses have come on the heels of COMPETING all game long, only to make crucial mistakes...both on and off the field. that's the sort of thing that normally irons itself out. the TEAM is good enough to compete with anybody IMO...

[blood85]

I'm glad you enjoyed your time in the STL. I remember when I went the first time...quite memorable. Too bad, they lost when you went.

[THEFIELDGOAL]

Hey blood 85,
I had a wonderful in St Louis. It was great getting together with all Clanram.
And as for the loss, i was not faulting the whole team for the effort. But just the playcalling at the end when there was opportunities to win the game.
When you have a defensive game from both teams the score is reflective. Both defenses played their hearts out.
So the frustration seems to be offensively,
and with the coaches call in crucial situations.
It's hard to stick around to continue to watch us give games away. So i do not blame the exidus. They are frustrated.
The true diehards stay and voice their dissatisfaction on the clanram.