[Hacksaw]

Winning at all is tough so that's a lofty call but I could see it since we did it last year. Health and a few of the right new guys at the right positions.

I'd love to think that we could thrash everyone that way but Denver was just flat as heck. Wagner probably had a little extra intel on Wilson too. Still all phases were clicking.

The article above and rankings was for fun and to revisit how good a lot of our lines have been over the years. Some big pass rushers over the years too. Rams tradition positions.

[PARAM]

Here’s what I think I know after this far in the season. The Rams can identify talent at multiple levels. I.E. they find guys who have traits they can work with and mold. Today against the Broncos - the OL was fucking outstanding, run and pass. But, was that all them? Or, did the Broncos come out flat, uninterested and got their ass handed to them? Probably a combo of both. The Rams staff and culture works. And these guys came to play. That should tell us fans a lot. 3 of these cats weren’t on the roster 6-8 weeks again and here they are - working as a unit and slapping the shit outa the #3 D and dropped 40+ on the #1 redzone D. That’s about character, work ethic, and yea - skill. The Rams know what they are doing and I would bet had there not been catastrophic injuries, this team is in the playoff hunt for sure.

Whatever they do this off-season into next season, I trust them. They know what they have and what they need. And they will crush shit to make sure they are as loaded as possible at every position.

Some have waxed poetic about all pro OL of the past. Yea, those players were awesome. But these Rams, this front office/personnel dept., and this coaching staff have been to the SB twice, the playoffs 4 times in 6 seasons. And, have a SB championship. Sorry, but a lot of those historically stellar OL never sniffed the SB.

Point? There are a lot of ways to build a winner. Having players with warrior, we not me mentality often trumps individual skills set. I think that’s how the Rams look at the OL. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. It’s pretty hard to argue with the results, frankly.

I think, sans insane injuries, we are going deep into the playoffs in ‘23. I actually think we win it all in ‘23.

Just a semi informed gut feel.

Fire away.

Great post. I enjoyed all of it and underlined one part that IMO, should be applied to the Buffalo game.....

We've read a lot of variations of it.

'They lacked talent and clearly the Buffalo game proved it'

'Injuries? Injuries happen to every team and had we remained healthy, the O line still would have sucked. Just look at the Buffalo game'

'I was concerned about the O line and said so, many times. The Buffalo game validated my concerns'

As some argued at the time, wasn't it possible the Bills, after being eliminated last year in the divisional playoff game......losing their lead over KC with 13 seconds left......stewed over it all off season and let it out on the Rams in week 1? In other words, they came out fired up and the Superbowl Champions came out flat? The injuries began that day and multiplied every week compounding our OL problem.

"No. Our OL sucked because they refuse to prioritize and invest properly in that position group. Just look at the Buffalo game. It's that simple"

[Hacksaw]

... stewed over it all off season and let it out on the Rams in week 1? In other words, they came out fired up and the Superbowl Champions came out flat?

Pretty sure thats exactly what happened. Flat = SB hangover?

What the attrition has showed us is there is better depth than we thought. At least when they get a chance to play consecutive games together. It also shows our coaches might know more about what's going on then what we gave them credit for. Of course playing a decimated and more than flat Broncos team didn't hurt them to look good. And there's this Mayfield guy playing at a high level and spreading the ball around more than the other 3.

One take away I got from the game yesterday was that I have less worry about what's going to happen next year. I hope we can hang on to Baker and fill those few holes that we have been looking at all year. We do that and I think we roll in 23.

[max]

I love that we won our first ever Christmas Day game in a rout.

I’m not ready to draw any big new revelations from the game. Denver is a hot mess who doesn’t believe in their HC and with nothing to play for on the road on Christmas.

I do feel very optimistic about Mayfield. He definitely changed the vibe on the team. And I think he and McVay are a good combination.

Let’s see how the offense looks the last 2 weeks against teams that want to play b4 we start making love to each other.

[Hacksaw]

Let’s see how the offense looks the last 2 weeks against teams that want to play b4 we start making love to each other.

So true.

[PARAM]

I’m not ready to draw any big new revelations from the game.

That's a good idea. If it's something to which you always adhere.

[Elvis]

I love that we won our first ever Christmas Day game in a rout.

I’m not ready to draw any big new revelations from the game. Denver is a hot mess who doesn’t believe in their HC and with nothing to play for on the road on Christmas.

I do feel very optimistic about Mayfield. He definitely changed the vibe on the team. And I think he and McVay are a good combination.

Let’s see how the offense looks the last 2 weeks against teams that want to play b4 we start making love to each other.

Make love not war.

Agree not to draw big conclusions based on small amounts of information especially in a lost season where we're down to player evaluation, glorified preseason, etc.

I'd apply that to the next two games as well...

[69RamFan]

After how our OL played against the Broncos,

I'm still not gonna be satisfied about our OL.

From the first game of the season,

plus all of the game we played against a playoff team,

Our OL sucked, in no way with that OL if they did not get injured,

It would not make a difference against the playoff teams.

We would be at the bottom of the bowl compared to those playoff teams.

Noteboom gave up five sacks within his first five games and so many QB hits and pressures.

Here are playoff teams or teams that were in the hunt for the playoffs we've played against.

I know we were playing musical chairs with our OL, but still doesn’t look good.

Buf:7sacks 7hits 15pressures
SF: 7sacks 7hits 17presures
Dal: 5sacks 5hits 16pressures
SF: 2sacks 0hits 5pressures
TB: 4sacks 4hits 10pressures

Wolford at QB
Phx: 3sacks 9hits 19pressures (a non playoff team)

Perkins at QB
KC: 3sacks 3hits 12pressures

Wolford at QB
Sea: 4sacks 4hits 13pressures

Mayfield at QB
LVR: 4sacks 1hit 5pressures
GB: 5sacks 3hits 12pressures

First and for most,

We need to get a quality LT to start next season,

Who that may be for 2023,

I don't know, because we passed on FA vets in 2022,

and this coming FA LT vets are very slim pickens.

[PARAM]

After how our OL played against the Broncos,

I'm still not gonna be satisfied about our OL.

From the first game of the season,

plus all of the game we played against a playoff team,

Our OL sucked, in no way with that OL if they did not get injured,

It would not make a difference against the playoff teams.

We would be at the bottom of the bowl compared to those playoff teams.

Noteboom gave up five sacks within his first five games and so many QB hits and pressures.

Here are playoff teams or teams that were in the hunt for the playoffs we've played against.

I know we were playing musical chairs with our OL, but still doesn’t look good.

Buf:7sacks 7hits 15pressures
SF: 7sacks 7hits 17presures
Dal: 5sacks 5hits 16pressures
SF: 2sacks 0hits 5pressures
TB: 4sacks 4hits 10pressures

Wolford at QB
Phx: 3sacks 9hits 19pressures (a non playoff team)

Perkins at QB
KC: 3sacks 3hits 12pressures

Wolford at QB
Sea: 4sacks 4hits 13pressures

Mayfield at QB
LVR: 4sacks 1hit 5pressures
GB: 5sacks 3hits 12pressures

First and for most,

We need to get a quality LT to start next season,

Who that may be for 2023,

I don't know, because we passed on FA vets in 2022,

and this coming FA LT vets are very slim pickens.

That is certainly one opinion. And it's shared by a number of Ram fans. We will have to wait and see. Do the guys who work with those players everyday feel the same way? Or differently? I am hoping they sign or draft a C because I don't trust Allen's knee but who knows what they'll do? It's going to keep my attention through the draft, the spring and camp.

[Elvis]