Tweet
I am going into semi- retirement from watching Rams football. This is a difficult decision given my 35 year allegiance to this team since I was 4 years old, but one I feel I must make for my own sanity and health. There is simply no way I can stand to continue watching this kind of incompetance each Sunday. Before I do so, some thoughts about today. I will attempt to be as respectful and as measured in my comments as possible.
Today's effort resembled our opener vs. Seattle. We hung in for awhile, made some good defensive stops, then ended up shooting ourselves in the foot with penalties that negated 1st downs, turnovers and cluelessness. We've been shut out in 2 of our first 4 games. I've been to funerals that were more enjoyable than watching us try to move the football offensively. Just dreadful.
Boller showed today why he lost his starting job with Baltimore and why he'll never be anything more than a stop gap 2nd string guy at best.
The offensive line was atrocious again- 5 sacks allowed and numerous pressures. There's no excuse. It's not like we haven't invested money into this unit. This is either a complete lack of collective talent or a bunch of overpaid underachieving wastes- I really don't know which, at this point.
I'm very disappointed in the coaches right now. I believed and still have faith that Steve Spagnuolo is the guy for this job. But penalties, blown assignments and lack of execution is a reflection on the coaches- no iffs, ands or buts. And right now, it is reflecting very poorly on these guys, because we have a team that is spinning its wheels, shooting itself in the foot and executing poorly. The play calling is terrible (let's run draw plays to Jackson on 3rd and 8) but part of the reason is because we have absolutely no one other than Steven Jackson who is worth their weight offensively or a threat to do anything.
Josh Brown- a guy lauded a couple of years ago as one of the top two or three kickers in all of football and paid handsomely for the privilege- stinks. With the kind of salary he's drawing, he should be automatic on field goal attempts. He's been far from it recently. And for all of Donnie Jones impressive punts, can you angle kick or put the ball inside the 10 a couple of times when punting from mid-field instead of blasting it into the end zone for a touchback? How many times, Donnie?
One of the things that makes you feel a little better while rebuilding is to see steady improvement each week. It hasn't happened. Our one close game came vs. a Washington team that we're coming to find out isn't very good. Although there are flashes by a couple of guys (Otogwe and Laurinitis come to mind), we are no better now than we were in our opener vs. Seattle and aren't even close to being a competitive football team, much less winning games. The results are no better than last year. And there will come a time very quickly when hanging your hat on effort alone just won't cut it.
The Saints, The Bears, The Colts and The Vikings are among the ass-kickings that await- to say nothing of the Cardinals twice and a Houston team that's winning.
I just can't sit by anymore and ruin my Sundays. So in the short term, I'll focus on the Dodgers' playoff run, the NASCAR chase and the start of basketball in a month. Long term will be Christmas shopping, house projects and anything else I can think of. After a decade of bad football (1991-1998), a 5-31 record in our last 36 games, a 14 game losing streak and the last five years of this garbage, I'm done. I simply cannot invest anymore time, passion and energy into this football team.
When I read or hear of this team starting to act and play as if they are a true NFL football franchise instead of a weekly embarrassment, I'll reevaluate my decision.
Today's effort resembled our opener vs. Seattle. We hung in for awhile, made some good defensive stops, then ended up shooting ourselves in the foot with penalties that negated 1st downs, turnovers and cluelessness. We've been shut out in 2 of our first 4 games. I've been to funerals that were more enjoyable than watching us try to move the football offensively. Just dreadful.
Boller showed today why he lost his starting job with Baltimore and why he'll never be anything more than a stop gap 2nd string guy at best.
The offensive line was atrocious again- 5 sacks allowed and numerous pressures. There's no excuse. It's not like we haven't invested money into this unit. This is either a complete lack of collective talent or a bunch of overpaid underachieving wastes- I really don't know which, at this point.
I'm very disappointed in the coaches right now. I believed and still have faith that Steve Spagnuolo is the guy for this job. But penalties, blown assignments and lack of execution is a reflection on the coaches- no iffs, ands or buts. And right now, it is reflecting very poorly on these guys, because we have a team that is spinning its wheels, shooting itself in the foot and executing poorly. The play calling is terrible (let's run draw plays to Jackson on 3rd and 8) but part of the reason is because we have absolutely no one other than Steven Jackson who is worth their weight offensively or a threat to do anything.
Josh Brown- a guy lauded a couple of years ago as one of the top two or three kickers in all of football and paid handsomely for the privilege- stinks. With the kind of salary he's drawing, he should be automatic on field goal attempts. He's been far from it recently. And for all of Donnie Jones impressive punts, can you angle kick or put the ball inside the 10 a couple of times when punting from mid-field instead of blasting it into the end zone for a touchback? How many times, Donnie?
One of the things that makes you feel a little better while rebuilding is to see steady improvement each week. It hasn't happened. Our one close game came vs. a Washington team that we're coming to find out isn't very good. Although there are flashes by a couple of guys (Otogwe and Laurinitis come to mind), we are no better now than we were in our opener vs. Seattle and aren't even close to being a competitive football team, much less winning games. The results are no better than last year. And there will come a time very quickly when hanging your hat on effort alone just won't cut it.
The Saints, The Bears, The Colts and The Vikings are among the ass-kickings that await- to say nothing of the Cardinals twice and a Houston team that's winning.
I just can't sit by anymore and ruin my Sundays. So in the short term, I'll focus on the Dodgers' playoff run, the NASCAR chase and the start of basketball in a month. Long term will be Christmas shopping, house projects and anything else I can think of. After a decade of bad football (1991-1998), a 5-31 record in our last 36 games, a 14 game losing streak and the last five years of this garbage, I'm done. I simply cannot invest anymore time, passion and energy into this football team.
When I read or hear of this team starting to act and play as if they are a true NFL football franchise instead of a weekly embarrassment, I'll reevaluate my decision.
) the penalties, injuries, lack of OTA and bad coaching at times has led all of us to wonder just exactly where this team is really headed. And this is where I seriously doubt our ability to win a game this season. I'm not trying to be negative, but I just dont see how we will be able to fix all of our team's woes and just right the ship like a light switch. It doesn't work out that way and I would LOVE to be wrong on that one, but I think I'm right, as much as it hurts.
Comment