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This article I think hits the nail on the head about this team. I must say Fantasy Football MasterMinds is starting to get some votes on some good articles from me.
ST. LOUIS RAMS
10/8/2004
The Rams will struggle trying to stop Seattle's passing game this Sunday, for my money it's the #1 matchup. Because despite their semi-impressive win over San Francisco last week, the Ram defense still allowed the ***** 26 first downs, 20 of which came via the pass. As I watched the STL/SF game-tape on Wednesday and Friday, what jumped out at me was the number of completed passes underneath the the Rams soft umbrella defense. QB Tim Rattay was 31 of 47, and you could count on one hand the number of deep balls he threw.
Yes, of course, the game was a blowout, which may account for much of the Rams soft zone. And yes, the ***** two touchdowns came during "garbage time" - after the Rams took a 24-0 lead. But if you know anything at all about the Seattle Seahawks passing game, you know they're licking their chops when they studied the same plays I saw - particularly the 20 first downs thrown underneath the coverage, and the Niners being successful 7-out-of-12 on 3rd down.
The week before the 49er game, the Rams hid the fact that Adam Archuleta was too banged up to start at SS. Career backup Rich Coady started in place of Archuleta, although Adam did see action as a nickel back on obvious passing downs. Coady played fairly well versus the *****, but the Ram coaching staff voted Coady "defensive player of the game" or some such nonsense, and immediately I smelled a rat.
My opinion: I think Rich Coady is a stiff. I don't think Coady can guard most WRs 1-on-1, and he can't be trusted to make an open field tackle against most RBs. I think the Rams "snuck" Coady into the starting lineup vs. SF because they didn't want the ***** to game-plan against Rich specifically. And I think the Ram coaches voted Coady "Mr. Universe" this week in a halfass attempt to smoke-screen the Seattle game-planners.
So ask yourself: Will Seattle HC Mike Holmgren be tricked by this? (I don't think so) Will the the Seahawks target Coady this Sunday? (what do you think?)
The Rams almost played mistake-free football against San Francisco Sunday night, so naturally they caused a bad 49er team lots of problems. There were no significant injuries in the game, although Torry Holt limped off the field once, and Marshall Faulk got dinged in the shoulder and the knee (again).
Afterward, Faulk's 23 carries for 121 yards was the "story". Hundreds of media types across the country couldn't wait for the game to end, so they could attack Mike Martz viciously. Most of the television dolts implied that Faulk should be doing this sort of thing every game, every season. The Rams record of 26-0 when Faulk gains 100 yards was repeated ad nauseum, and the obvious implication was that Martz's "ego" prevents him from running the football more, and that Martz's "stubbornness" causes him to throw the football so often.
Except Faulk is extremely vunderable to injury when he runs 20-30 times a game, and if the Rams overuse him for three or four weeks in a row, Marshall won't last until December, nevermind January and beyond. This is a fact - not guesswork - when Marshall is overused, his body breaks down every time. He knows it. Martz knows it. Everyone in the Ram organization knows it. Saving Faulk's body from the wear and tear of 20 carries every week is essential to keeping Marshall healthy should the Rams qualify for the playoffs.
And chew on this: In the first half, while the Rams built a 24-0 lead, Marc Bulger was 15 of 18 for 166 yards and a TD. His passer rating was 123.6. So ... you know ... throwing the football sets up the Ram running game, if you don't understand that yet, try looking a little harder.
Still, Seattle is a 7 point favorite versus St. Louis this weekend, a point spread that would've seemed impossible six weeks ago. Further, the NFL gave the Seahawks a bye last weekend, so before their home game against their strongest divisional rival, Seattle had an extra week to prepare. Coincidence? You tell me.
And the Rams don't play well on FieldTurf, the fake rubber playing surface inside Quest Field. On the other hand, last week, I cried, moaned, and *****ed about the sloppy playing surface in San Francisco - only to discover at game time the dry field was a non-factor.
But trust me: The Ram WRs and RBs can't make their best cuts on FieldTurf, when they try to plant-and-push-off they slip and fall to their knees. And the Ram defense loses all their aggressiveness on most FieldTurf surfaces - if you remember their timid performance against Atlanta and Mike Vick in Week II, then you know what I'm talking about.
Finally, the Rams can't make their usual allotment of dumb mistakes against Seattle this week. They can't fumble or allow sacks. Their O-line will kill the Rams if it's
problem with false starts resurfaces. And the young DBs must hold their water too.
Item: Seattle's defense is ranked #1 by the NFL and that's ridiculous. In the last five years, Seattle's defense has never finished a season ranked better than 19th defensively, so to assume their #1 based on three games is laughable.
Prediction: The team that makes the fewest mistakes wins, maybe easily. Sorry, but that's my qualified answer.
Bruce Campbell
ST. LOUIS RAMS
10/8/2004
The Rams will struggle trying to stop Seattle's passing game this Sunday, for my money it's the #1 matchup. Because despite their semi-impressive win over San Francisco last week, the Ram defense still allowed the ***** 26 first downs, 20 of which came via the pass. As I watched the STL/SF game-tape on Wednesday and Friday, what jumped out at me was the number of completed passes underneath the the Rams soft umbrella defense. QB Tim Rattay was 31 of 47, and you could count on one hand the number of deep balls he threw.
Yes, of course, the game was a blowout, which may account for much of the Rams soft zone. And yes, the ***** two touchdowns came during "garbage time" - after the Rams took a 24-0 lead. But if you know anything at all about the Seattle Seahawks passing game, you know they're licking their chops when they studied the same plays I saw - particularly the 20 first downs thrown underneath the coverage, and the Niners being successful 7-out-of-12 on 3rd down.
The week before the 49er game, the Rams hid the fact that Adam Archuleta was too banged up to start at SS. Career backup Rich Coady started in place of Archuleta, although Adam did see action as a nickel back on obvious passing downs. Coady played fairly well versus the *****, but the Ram coaching staff voted Coady "defensive player of the game" or some such nonsense, and immediately I smelled a rat.
My opinion: I think Rich Coady is a stiff. I don't think Coady can guard most WRs 1-on-1, and he can't be trusted to make an open field tackle against most RBs. I think the Rams "snuck" Coady into the starting lineup vs. SF because they didn't want the ***** to game-plan against Rich specifically. And I think the Ram coaches voted Coady "Mr. Universe" this week in a halfass attempt to smoke-screen the Seattle game-planners.
So ask yourself: Will Seattle HC Mike Holmgren be tricked by this? (I don't think so) Will the the Seahawks target Coady this Sunday? (what do you think?)
The Rams almost played mistake-free football against San Francisco Sunday night, so naturally they caused a bad 49er team lots of problems. There were no significant injuries in the game, although Torry Holt limped off the field once, and Marshall Faulk got dinged in the shoulder and the knee (again).
Afterward, Faulk's 23 carries for 121 yards was the "story". Hundreds of media types across the country couldn't wait for the game to end, so they could attack Mike Martz viciously. Most of the television dolts implied that Faulk should be doing this sort of thing every game, every season. The Rams record of 26-0 when Faulk gains 100 yards was repeated ad nauseum, and the obvious implication was that Martz's "ego" prevents him from running the football more, and that Martz's "stubbornness" causes him to throw the football so often.
Except Faulk is extremely vunderable to injury when he runs 20-30 times a game, and if the Rams overuse him for three or four weeks in a row, Marshall won't last until December, nevermind January and beyond. This is a fact - not guesswork - when Marshall is overused, his body breaks down every time. He knows it. Martz knows it. Everyone in the Ram organization knows it. Saving Faulk's body from the wear and tear of 20 carries every week is essential to keeping Marshall healthy should the Rams qualify for the playoffs.
And chew on this: In the first half, while the Rams built a 24-0 lead, Marc Bulger was 15 of 18 for 166 yards and a TD. His passer rating was 123.6. So ... you know ... throwing the football sets up the Ram running game, if you don't understand that yet, try looking a little harder.
Still, Seattle is a 7 point favorite versus St. Louis this weekend, a point spread that would've seemed impossible six weeks ago. Further, the NFL gave the Seahawks a bye last weekend, so before their home game against their strongest divisional rival, Seattle had an extra week to prepare. Coincidence? You tell me.
And the Rams don't play well on FieldTurf, the fake rubber playing surface inside Quest Field. On the other hand, last week, I cried, moaned, and *****ed about the sloppy playing surface in San Francisco - only to discover at game time the dry field was a non-factor.
But trust me: The Ram WRs and RBs can't make their best cuts on FieldTurf, when they try to plant-and-push-off they slip and fall to their knees. And the Ram defense loses all their aggressiveness on most FieldTurf surfaces - if you remember their timid performance against Atlanta and Mike Vick in Week II, then you know what I'm talking about.
Finally, the Rams can't make their usual allotment of dumb mistakes against Seattle this week. They can't fumble or allow sacks. Their O-line will kill the Rams if it's
problem with false starts resurfaces. And the young DBs must hold their water too.
Item: Seattle's defense is ranked #1 by the NFL and that's ridiculous. In the last five years, Seattle's defense has never finished a season ranked better than 19th defensively, so to assume their #1 based on three games is laughable.
Prediction: The team that makes the fewest mistakes wins, maybe easily. Sorry, but that's my qualified answer.
Bruce Campbell
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