10 Reasons for Optimism

[VegasRam]

Wow. 3 years - 6 wins. 3 wins, then 2, and then 1. 1 win every 8 games. 1 win every 26 weeks. Once upon a time, we had 6 wins in 6 weeks. Pretty hard to believe.

It can't continue, and it won't, and here's why.

1. Spags stayed the course - that's significant, and will bear fruit.

2. The team may lack talent, (room for discussion with everyone healthy), but we don't lack an identity, or attitude, or whatever you want to call it.

3. Current team members will pass this along to new players and agents. I don't think the importance of this can be stressed enough.

4. We're drafting number 1, and can't lose, (with Spags and Billy), even if we don't get Suh.

5. Did I mention John, Jay and Georgia are gone. (Had to make the top 5).

6. Bell is for real, (as was obvious in his absence), and we have a true MLB for the first time in 8 years.

7. With 9 draft choices, we can cover our positional needs. (Naturally, how well we dothis ....we'll just have to wait and see).

8. We only need 1 new QB next year. (Null's a maybe at 2, but OK at 3).

9. We simply cannot get injured as badly next year as has happened the last 3. (We can't can we...? please tell me we can't...please!)

10. Check it out. We had a pretty tough schedule this year - only 5 losing records and two were 7-9. (For some reason, Seattle OWNS us - we have to rectify that).

8 months, huh? That's one advantage of being old - time flies.

[The Rammer]

Re: 10 Reasons for Optimism

I'm excited for our defense next year:

Laurinaitis, Long, Suh, Atogwe, J. Butler, Bartell (when he's healthy), Bradley Fletcher, Little (if he comes back), Ryan, Hall, and Dahl to fill in.

I feel like our only big weakness on defense is the lack of outside linebackers that can start (I feel like Lenon and Vabora are good backups) and more backup cornerbacks.

[Richbert88]

Re: 10 Reasons for Optimism

I'm excited for our defense next year:

Laurinaitis, Long, Suh, Atogwe, J. Butler, Bartell (when he's healthy), Bradley Fletcher, Little (if he comes back), Ryan, Hall, and Dahl to fill in.

I feel like our only big weakness on defense is the lack of outside linebackers that can start (I feel like Lenon and Vabora are good backups) and more backup cornerbacks.

Carriker, the return!

[macrammer]

Re: 10 Reasons for Optimism

Sorry to say but for me, for the first time in my 40 years as a Ram fan, i am really happy to see a season end. I will hold any optimism until I see the rhetoric start to show up on the field in terms of more then 1 win in 27 games.

[Mooselini]

Re: 10 Reasons for Optimism

We have to remain optimistic. Spags inherited a terrible team. We had to clear up some bad cap space and what not.

As for Jacob Bell, he is solid. He started to gel next to Jason Brown, if we can add one more solid starter to the line, it'll be exciting.

The defense will improve. Especially if we get Suh. He alone will make many things happen around him.

[Flippin' Ram]

Re: 10 Reasons for Optimism

My reasons for optimism:

We have a Super Bowl win.
Our defense is young but soon to be comparable to the 2000 Baltimore defense.
We have an easier schedule compared to '09.
Steven Jackson leads the NFC in rushing (for a 1-15 team).
Our O-line has finally shown to be capable of protecting our QB(s).
That dumb walrus Incognito is out of the picture and we don't have to break the record of penalties the Raiders have.

[LongBlood]

Re: 10 Reasons for Optimism

My reasons for optimism:

We have a Super Bowl win.
Our defense is young but soon to be comparable to the 2000 Baltimore defense.
We have an easier schedule compared to '09.
Steven Jackson leads the NFC in rushing (for a 1-15 team).
Our O-line has finally shown to be capable of protecting our QB(s).
That dumb walrus Incognito is out of the picture and we don't have to break the record of penalties the Raiders have.

<scratches head> Oddly enough I don't even think the three letter term W T F describes it. I'm sorry, but if these are your reasons for optimism I think you are shooting for a 2 win season next year. I'm just saying....

[Flippin' Ram]

Re: 10 Reasons for Optimism

<scratches head> Oddly enough I don't even think the three letter term W T F describes it. I'm sorry, but if these are your reasons for optimism I think you are shooting for a 2 win season next year. I'm just saying....

Well I already had my own fair share of frustration in '07-present, and it numbed out after losing to the whiners in week 4 :|
The fact is I move forward, move away from the past and look to the brighter future (and the good times in a decade past)

[Truth]

Re: 10 Reasons for Optimism

...That's one advantage of being old - time flies.

You're not old, just well seasoned.

[richtree]

Re: 10 Reasons for Optimism

# 3 should be edited to read *can't be stressed enough, NO ?

[VegasRam]

Re: 10 Reasons for Optimism

Please see the word "don't"':|

[swatter555]

Re: 10 Reasons for Optimism

My reasons for optimism:
Our defense is young but soon to be comparable to the 2000 Baltimore defense.

Lets not go crazy here, ok? Su might turn out well for us, but our defense otherwise is nothing special. In a positive scenario (if our offense can actually stay on the field more than a few plays) our defense keeps us competitive in games.

C'mon guys, we finished 1-15, we are far, far from having a dominant defense.

Most likely we get Su, a stop-gap FA QB, a young QB, and we end up 4-12. Our offense is too horrible (short of a stroke of lightning igniting what little talent we have) to compete in the NFL.

We could be daring in FA, but that is a pipe dream on my part probably.

[TheEmperor2001]

Re: 10 Reasons for Optimism

Wow. 3 years - 6 wins. 3 wins, then 2, and then 1. 1 win every 8 games. 1 win every 26 weeks. Once upon a time, we had 6 wins in 6 weeks. Pretty hard to believe.

It can't continue, and it won't, and here's why.

1. Spags stayed the course - that's significant, and will bear fruit.

2. The team may lack talent, (room for discussion with everyone healthy), but we don't lack an identity, or attitude, or whatever you want to call it.

3. Current team members will pass this along to new players and agents. I don't think the importance of this can be stressed enough.

4. We're drafting number 1, and can't lose, (with Spags and Billy), even if we don't get Suh.

5. Did I mention John, Jay and Georgia are gone. (Had to make the top 5).

6. Bell is for real, (as was obvious in his absence), and we have a true MLB for the first time in 8 years.

7. With 9 draft choices, we can cover our positional needs. (Naturally, how well we dothis ....we'll just have to wait and see).

8. We only need 1 new QB next year. (Null's a maybe at 2, but OK at 3).

9. We simply cannot get injured as badly next year as has happened the last 3. (We can't can we...? please tell me we can't...please!)

10. Check it out. We had a pretty tough schedule this year - only 5 losing records and two were 7-9. (For some reason, Seattle OWNS us - we have to rectify that).

8 months, huh? That's one advantage of being old - time flies.

The only thing i disagree with is the new QB next year.... Null is the man!!!;)

[SFCRamFan]

Re: 10 Reasons for Optimism

Good list and reason for optimism...

[tomahawk247]

Re: 10 Reasons for Optimism

I am excited about this team, especially the D

I know we lost a lot of games last year, but for the most part that was hardly the Ds fault. We lost a lot of points from turnovers putting the opposition in good field position, or from turnovers being taken back for scores. We lost some points on bone-headed special teams play, although for the most part the special teams were good.

A lot of the games we played this year the D kept us competitive for long periods. But the O couldnt stay on the field, the D wore down, and teams scored on us a lot in the fourth quarter.

Look at the Niners game in week 17. In the first half the O had 4 three and outs, and only three drives where they actually managed to get a first down. This resulted in just one long FG from Josh Brown, and another FG that he missed. The Rams D forced the Niners to punt on every first hald possession except one where they stopped them on fourth down.

In the second half the Rams O had 5 three and outs to open the half, the last one giving us a FG only because Amendola had set the drive up with a great return. After this the Niners scored a long TD pass to Vernon Davis

But it was only after the NINTH three and out from the Rams O that the Rams D gave up the long pass TD to Vernon Davis.

Im excited to see what the D can do when we have an O that can actually stay on the field