So these two teams are very similar.
Game managing QB. OL better at the run than pass. Solid D, good special teams. Gamebreaking RB. Should be a really good test of where the Rams are.
Couple of thoughts:
The Vikings strength of schedule is pretty week - their opponents are a combined 18-37.
The Rams opponents are 27-28.
The Vikings are givin up sacks at almost twice the rate the Rams are - 20-11. Amazingly, the Rams have given up relatively few sacks. Emphasis on the run is putting them in positive situations a lot. They just don't convert because of the drops.
Their WR Stafon Diggs is for real, and their WR corps as a whole is having more success than ours.
At the moment Gurley is averaging 1.6 yards a carry more than Adrian Peterson.
Currently the Rams and Vikings D are 5th and 6th respectively in total yardage. The Rams are only giving up 3.7 yards per carry, the Vikings 4.4. That puts Minnesota 25th in yard per carry - the Rams are 6th.
The Rams pass defense is 8th, the Vikings 7th. The big difference there is the Rams are allowing 70.6% completion rate. The good news for us is that it leads to only 6.9 yards per attempt, and in terms of yardage they are only 10 yards apart.
The Rams have 26 sacks, the Vikings 18. They are middle of the pack there.
Turnover ratio is about even, Rams at +3, Vikings at +1.
Offensively both teams are challenged, and both have a weak passing game. They are 29th in total yards, the Rams are 31st.
The Vikings are 30th in passing yards, the Rams dead last at 32nd.
And both teams again are strong running the ball - the Rams 3rd in the league, the Vikings 5th.
These two teams are really mirror images of each other.
But considering they've played a pretty weak group of opponents, I've got to say on paper the Rams look a little better.
I was thinking the Rams were going to have a tough game, which is true, and the Vikings were probably going to have the edge playing at home. Now I see we match up well with them, with the biggest advantage in any category going to the Rams being able to run better against the Vikings D than the other way around, and the Rams pass rush more able to get to the passer.
I'm cautiously optimistic going in.
-11-03-2015, 01:19 PM
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