Rams@Cardinals Post-Game Analysis: Rams Lose 14-31

[Retroram52]

We all get that this team is young and in process of taking the next step but many of us have found that the next step is being extensively prolonged by an incredibly arduous and deeply-entrenched corporate mentality of losing. It can be summarized in the phrase: Two steps forward, five steps back." Yesterday was yet another prime example of just how difficult learning to win is for a young team that has done alot of losing and a franchise that has adopted screw-up mode for nearly 15 years. Apparently it is just too much work to take that next step and way easier to lose, get paid, and go home to play again next week than to build something that everyone is waiting for and would be proud of given our wonderful recent history.

Just when we all thought that the win over the 49ers solidified many of our weak areas and taught the team a lesson on giving a full effort for the full game, the offense responded with a half of full effort and the defense decided it had enough in the third quarter. The defense was stout in the first half and provided the offense the opportunity to score two TDs leading the game 14-10 at the half only to face the dreaded third period. In the last five games, the offense has not scored a point in the third quarter and yesterday was no exception. The offense totally failed to score a TD on an opportunity the defense provided after Alex Ogletree intercepted Palmer on our 20 yard line and ran it back to the Cardinals 38 yard line. Then after Palmer went down with an injury, the defense folded up shop and the rout was on aided by an offense that just collossally screwed-the-pooch with the most mind boggling plays by an OC who is entirely overrated and young QB who has developed some very bad habits of his own. Apparently we returned to no mental discipline as we again had 8 penalities for 80 yards which didn't help matters at all.

On Offense. The Positives. All of the positives the offense accumulated were in the first half. We had some nice running plays by Tre Mason who went 14 carries for 48 yards before leaving the game in the third with an injury. Jared Cook got on board catching a beautifully thrown ball by Davis for a 55-yard TD catch and run right before the half. Davis finished the day going 17-30 for 216 yards to Carson Palmer's 28-41 for 241 yards. Jared Cook was high man among receivers with 2 catches for 84 yards and a TD. Also, the O-line blocking was somewhat better even though Davis usually had to run for his life on passing plays. However they were blocking great on running plays as Mason had several runs of over 10 yards that got us the first TD in the first quarter. And we didn't do something really stupid in that horror period 4 minutes before the half.

On Offense. The Negatives. Then the dreaded third quarter happened. Phoenix began the half on offense and after an initial exchange of defensive stands, the Cardinals were driving and Alec Ogletree intercepted a Carson Palmer pass on our 20-yard line and ran the ball back to the Cardinals 38 yard line. Enter our offense. We moved the ball on two quick run plays and then disaster struck on second down. Davis found Cook open on the right sideline which he caught and headed for the endzone but Kendricks executed a crackback block that nullified a sure TD. Then on third down, the Cardinals came with a blitz and sacked Davis for a nearly 15-yard loss. Not only did we lose the TD, but now we were out of FG range. The Oline gave up 6 sacks for 42 yards and then stopped blocking for both the run and the pass in the second half and they simply could not handle the blitz right down to the final whistle. The quarter ended with the offense failing to score with the gift opportunity provided by the defense. Austin Davis has developed some very bad habits of trying to force passes into double coverage and missing wide-open receivers. Part of this is he doesn't have a great deal of time to find those guys as he usually running for his life. The other bad habit he has developed is he is holding onto the ball way too long. Again, there is more to this than meets the eye.

Also, Shittenheimer continues to amaze the heck out of me because when something is working offensively, he goes away from it and adopts an almost paranoid, obsessive compulsion by focusing on a set of plays that have repeatedly failed. Yesterday, Shittenheimer and Davis payed twice with this insanity. After a quick hand-off to Trayon Austin netted some nice yardage and once almost a big break-away score run, Shittenheimer abandoned that play in the first quarter and used Austin as a decoy the rest of the game. It just boggles the imagination. Then, in the third, Shitteneheimer got a wild hair up his ass by running five consecutive plays to the right side to Givens (and others) who was being covered by Petersen. Of course Davis forced the ball into double coverage and Petersen pick-sixed it for a score. What is even more AMAZING is on the very next series in the fourth quarter, Shittenheimer tries that area again with a semi screen play which the ball was overthrown by Davis, tipped by our receiver, and it was taken to the house again!!! In both cases, Davis missed wide-open receivers who could have easily scored and there we looked like the dysfunctional dopes everyone in the league perceives the Rams to be.

On Defense. The Positives. The defense came to play yesterday for at least three quarters. We added three more sacks with Barron, MacDonald, and Quinn having one each. Olgetree had a nice INT and I wish he would have run through the arm tackle of Palmer. The outcome of that game might have been different. MAcDonald was high man on tackles with 9 as he was all over the field nailing people. Mark Barron was also bringing the hammer and he definitely proved to be worth the 4th and 6th draft picks we gave up to get him. He is a thumper. (Right again SJ76). Another excellent step for the D is we held Ellington to just 23 yards on 18 carries to again improve our next-to-last run defense. Kudos to Brocker, Donald, and Langford.

On Defense. The Negatives. This again falls on Williams and not so much the players but Williams was allowing Laurinaitus to call random blitzes using hand signals in the first half and Laurinaitus was doing a masterful job at getting players to Palmer. We bloodied his nose for crying out loud and sacked him three times! And guys like MacDonald and Barron were laying down the hammer. Then after the offense failed in the third quarter, the defense stopped blitzing and we just got hammered by Stanton who with just three passes, passed for nearly 100 yards and a TD. After the next two INTs by Davis, the defensive game was over.

On Special Teams. The Positives. The played well and did not do anything to hurt the cause. Normal run backs and penalties were next to nothing.

On Special Teams. The Negatives. Not much to report here.

I suppose next week, when Denver comes to town, we shall see how the team responds to any of their lessons they apparently have yet to consistently implement. The progression we are watching for may come to a complete halt. The offense isn't getting any better and Austin Davis has some work to do. He can't keep throwing INTs and expect to be regarded as the QB of the future but then again, his O-line isn't exactly the best around as these things are measured. On we go 3-6 and pretty much done this season. Come to the game next week at your own risk and see what/how the Rams will do to fold at even the hint of getting beat by Manning and the Broncos!

 

[chy1127]

As always, well done. I was watching Red Zone so I did see a lot of the game as there were only 3 on for the afternoon. That was a great catch for the Cards to go up. On the next series, it looked to me that Givens had a step on Peterson and if Davis airs it out it is either an over throw or completion. Plays like that make me question his ability to win a game. We don't have a team where we can have a QB that doesn't lose games vs. one that can win. I thought Davis may be a possible long term solution, but am now on the we need to draft a QB in the 1st round side.

 

[Retroram52]

Yea, Chy, I think we will be drafting a QB but the questions that emerge are: If we do, are we going to get one we can develop or are we going to Bulgerize him with yet another patchwork crappy O-Line? WE also have to do something with this OC who just is insane. His reasoning for the progression of calls in a game make little sense on any level.

Also, Davis has become Bulgerized because he is doing some of the same behaviors that didn't affect him earlier that Bulger did after he got hammered mercilessly. He holds onto the ball way too long, he does not look off the defense, and he misses available options due in part to running for his life most of the time. I think I have seen him throw one pass away since he became the starter. He has some things to clean up for sure because if we keep Bradford around, Bradford is going to revert to what he knows and we will be right back to where we are right now. We have to fix that O-0line with some very talented picks and this will be suspect given our FO's propensity to screw things up and choose some project.

 

[jacobarch]

It's funny i didn't watch the game and already knew what happened before hearing what transpired.
Great write up Retro

 

[Rambunctious]

Two steps forward five steps backwards....you can say that again. This team will not move forward until some serious changes occur. Rams need new management, new coaches, and it appears they could use some veteran players to help keep the rookies in line.

 

[jacobarch]

Ya they should def have some vet help. And good get help not guys who are over the hill. Aka Wells and Joseph

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Great writeup Retro. I really wish both BS and Williams would both realize that if something isn't broken, there's no need to fix it and keep going with what was working.

 

[Vitamike]

Too bad Palmer went out when he did. We certainly were in his head on defense however had to re-establish that mindset with Stanton once Palmer went down.

With no fear and within minutes, Stanton drives down the field and puts up over 40% of the offensive scoring, to that point, in one short drive in the middle of the fourth quarter! Game changing drive, if you ask me.

I do see a lack of playing to the game circumstances with Greg Williams in this scenario IMO.

GW just has this, leave my secondary out on an island at all cost to deliver pressure however the game long established pressure we had with Palmer went into the Cardinal locker room along with the Palmer injury.

I don't know why we just didn't bring 4 to see how Stanton do would throwing into coverages? It's an "All Guts No Glory" attitude and after we worked so hard to get to the point we were defensively in the forth quarter is mind boggling!

It's eerie similar to last weeks win over the 49ers where we saw GW put our secondary out on an island at all costs. The gamble paid off in the end last week however this week we crapped out..

 

[zeke2829]

"incredibly arduous and deeply-entrenched corporate mentality of losing"

^^^^^ That's a great way of stating that WE SUCK!! ^^^^^

only Retro could come up with this!!

 

[Vitamike]

"incredibly arduous and deeply-entrenched corporate mentality of losing"

^^^^^ That's a great way of stating that WE SUCK!! ^^^^^

only Retro could come up with this!!

Although I agree, I'm gonna say its deeper than that zekey!

Hows about...

^^^^^ That's a great way of stating that WE SUCK and have SUCKED for a long time!!^^^^^














Seriously though, it's much deeper than that too.

 

[bluepigpen]

Thanks retro, was at PIR and NASCAR, kinda watched the scroll as the race went on.

 

[Retroram52]

Thanks Blue and everyone else for the kind words.

 

[SJ76]

I hope we can pick out a good QB from the draft. This will be huge for the organization. But I think having Davis thrown into the fire on year 1 against the quality of teams and defenses will only help him down the road. He's got the mobility, arm - but he just needs to learn and keep improving which he will. I think it would be a great scenario to bring in a rookie QB and let them compete for the job.

I agree this team is young and will have growing pains. I know many are becoming very impatient and I understand. But I can see things coming together better now more than ever.

The defense is looking scary and I hope we can put the fear in Manning this week.

Well done Retro. The Tavon Austin end-around play needs to happen 3-4 times a game. When you mix it with a running play up the middle and play action, it has the BEST defenses off balance. Why he can't realize it, is beyond belief. I think he just gets caught up in the game and just forgets the gameplan.

 

[Vitamike]

I hope we can pick out a good QB from the draft. This will be huge for the organization. But I think having Davis thrown into the fire on year 1 against the quality of teams and defenses will only help him down the road.

I agree this team is young and will have growing pains. I know many are becoming very impatient and I understand. But I can see things coming together better now more than ever.

The defense is looking scary and I hope we can put the fear in Manning this week.

 

[jacobarch]

I hope we can pick out a good QB from the draft. This will be huge for the organization. But I think having Davis thrown into the fire on year 1 against the quality of teams and defenses will only help him down the road. He's got the mobility, arm - but he just needs to learn and keep improving which he will. I think it would be a great scenario to bring in a rookie QB and let them compete for the job.

I agree this team is young and will have growing pains. I know many are becoming very impatient and I understand. But I can see things coming together better now more than ever.

The defense is looking scary and I hope we can put the fear in Manning this week.

Well done Retro. The Tavon Austin end-around play needs to happen 3-4 times a game. When you mix it with a running play up the middle and play action, it has the BEST defenses off balance. Why he can't realize it, is beyond belief. I think he just gets caught up in the game and just forgets the gameplan.

Perfectly said!