My comments...

[AvengerRam_old]

It was very hot at the game, so I'm tired, and my comments will be somewhat brief.

Two teams...

One had nothing to lose, played for pride, and pulled out all the stops.

The other, flat, overlooking a "weaker" opponent, and perhaps looking forward to the bye week.

The result... well, let's just say there are no days off in the NFL.

Some specific comments:

1. The decision to decline the penalties, thereby giving the Dolphins another shot, was a big mistake. Olindo Mare was hurt. They should have make the Dolphins try a 49 yard FG.

2. On Steven Jackson's run to the goal-line, which was nullified by a holding penalty, the Dolphins were offsides. Should have been offsetting penalties.

3. The Dolphins D backs are very, very good. They covered better than I've seen most teams do with the Rams' receivers.

4. My son decided to pull for the Dolphins, so his happiness really tempered my disappointment. My daughter pulled for the Rams, but she was more interested in the flavor of popsicles than she was in the game, so she was pretty happy too. Kind of makes it hard for me to be too bummed.

[RealRam]

Re: My comments...

Bless you, Avenger -- and your children. Thanks for your comments. :helmet:

[AvengerRam_old]

Re: My comments...

Thanks RR.

[HUbison]

Re: My comments...

1. The decision to decline the penalties, thereby giving the Dolphins another shot, was a big mistake. Olindo Mare was hurt. They should have make the Dolphins try a 49 yard FG.

Bryant's career long is 47 and, as AV said, that would have been a 49 yard attempt. Big mental mistake on our part.

[Nick]

Re: My comments...

Bryant's career long is 47

That doesn't mean he wouldn't have made it from 49.

I agree with the call that was made to accept the penalty. You take that out of field goal range and trust your defense to hold them to less than 28 yards. Even if you give up 28 yards, you're only back where you started with them attempting a field goal. You can't assume your D is going to give up a 40+ yard TD pass like that. Why Martz called the defensive play is beyond me.

[HUbison]

Re: My comments...

That doesn't mean he wouldn't have made it from 49.

True, but it does mean he never has.

You take that out of field goal range

They already were.

trust your defense to hold them to less than 28 yards

Nick, I hear what you're saying, but anymore, I can't trust this secondary to do anything.

Why Martz called the defensive play is beyond me.

Martz has been known to cover for his players, maybe he's covering for his DC now as well.

[Nick]

Re: My comments...

True, but it does mean he never has.

Nor does it mean he never will. You don't make field goals unless you attempt them. Do you think any coach is going to pass on a 49-yard kick because his kicker has never made one?

They already were.

Because Bryant had never made a 49 yarder? That hardly means they're out of range.

Nick, I hear what you're saying, but anymore, I can't trust this secondary to do anything.

The reason McMichael was open, to my knowledge, was because the play called for a defensive lineman to cover either him or that spot. Let's also not forget that McMichael is one of the league's better receiving tight ends.

Martz has been known to cover for his players, maybe he's covering for his DC now as well.

Perhaps.

[HUbison]

Re: My comments...

Nor does it mean he never will. You don't make field goals unless you attempt them. Do you think any coach is going to pass on a 49-yard kick because his kicker has never made one?

Actually, yes, I think many coaches will pass on a 49-yard kick because their kicker has never made one. According to NFL.com, Bryant has never attempted a 50+ yard kick. I don't know if he has attempted a 48 or 49 yarder, but I do know that 47 yards is the farthest he has ever, in an NFL game, successfully kicked a field goal. That alone would make me decline the penalty and put the Miami offense in 4th down. If they go for the FG, then cheers to Bryant for setting his new career long at 49. If he misses we get the ball on the 32. If they punt, we get the ball somewhere between the 1 and 20. In any case, I don't think I would give the offense another crack at the end zone.

Because Bryant had never made a 49 yarder? That hardly means they're out of range.

Until he makes a 49 yarder, I would consider that the very definition of out of range.

The reason McMichael was open, to my knowledge, was because the play called for a defensive lineman to cover either him or that spot. Let's also not forget that McMichael is one of the league's better receiving tight ends.

This is true, the call was for a rush zone, which required Bryce Fisher to cover the TE. So on top of my concern for the secondary, we can now add suspect defensive play-calling. Fiedler must have been salivating once he recognized that mismatch.

[rampete]

Re: My comments...

4. My son decided to pull for the Dolphins, so his happiness really tempered my disappointment. My daughter pulled for the Rams, but she was more interested in the flavor of popsicles than she was in the game, so she was pretty happy too. Kind of makes it hard for me to be too bummed.

thanks for sharing av, this puts things in proper order/perspective... :smile:

[adarian_too]

Re: My comments...

That alone would make me decline the penalty and put the Miami offense in 4th down. If they go for the FG, then cheers to Bryant for setting his new career long at 49. If he misses we get the ball on the 32. If they punt, we get the ball somewhere between the 1 and 20. In any case, I don't think I would give the offense another crack at the end zone.

Plus the fact remains that you were giving them another chance to better the FG try. Getting 10 or more yards back was just as likely as by giving them another chance. Just another brain cramp followed by a brain fart to try and hide the cramp. sMartz' ears couldn't get any redder from embarressment if he left them on the fire.

[Nick]

Re: My comments...

Actually, yes, I think many coaches will pass on a 49-yard kick because their kicker has never made one.

Then we'd have to disagree. If you don't let your man try it, you'll never know if he can make it. I can only assume that he has shown he can make that kick in practice, because I find it hard to believe an NFL franchise would sign a kicker who has never shown the ability to make a 50-yard field goal. In today's game, that's basically a necessity.

Until he makes a 49 yarder, I would consider that the very definition of out of range.

Do we know that he's never attempted a 49-yarder? It's hard to base a guy's range on what he does during a 60-minute game. That depends on opportunity. As I said above, it's hard for me to believe that a pro franchise would sign a guy who can't kick a 49-yarder.

[RamTime]

Re: My comments...

You gyus are overlooking what's really important here. I'm concerned with what flavor popsicle was the best. Avenger?

[AvengerRam_old]

Re: My comments...

The multi-colored tropical popsicle was the big favorite.

[talkstoangels61]

Re: My comments...

You gyus are overlooking what's really important here. I'm concerned with what flavor popsicle was the best. Avenger?

Exactly, Thanks Av for letting everyone know that Family comes first ,Football second!................ It makes me glad to read posts like this!


Nic, Why do you always have to pick and pick and pick at other posters comments?................Why is it seem to me that you have to get in the last word on about every post i read of yours?.........It's just your fellow Rams fans opinions!

Sorry Av, just get tired of some of the bickering that goes on in these posts which should not be here! Especially this one! And that can go for me too! So i apologize to you Av for my comments too! Since you really touched home with saying that your Family comes first and foremost!

[AvengerRam_old]

Re: My comments...

Thanks, TTA. We all get carried away at times, as fans. But there are many many things that are far more important than football, as this Sunday reminded me.