Game Thread: Week 9, Tennessee Titans @ Los Angeles Rams, Sunday Night Football, SoFi Stadium Stadium, Sunday, 11/07/21, 5:25 PM PDT

[Battlelyon]

Yea, I agree but it does expose the weaknesses and that is what this loss was about: Exposing weaknesses and mistakes and I know you know that Battlelyon.

We need another center no doubt, he'll be a free agent anyway. McVay will need to continue to get better too, mostly in run design and trusting his runningback. I think he lost some of that insecurity when Akers got hurt, Akers was going to get the most touches and targets. I like Henderson but Akers is much better

 

[Retroram52]

I would like for McVay to start working Buddy Howell into the running game rotation as well, BattleLyon. Have Kioski run KO's back. Buddy is the biggest back we have and he could be that Redzone Bruiser RB we have been needing since the days of Steven Jackson.

 

[Battlelyon]

 

[Jermaine133]

Stats show Rams OTs performed well in running game vs. Titans

Andrew Whitworth and Rob Havenstein performed extremely well for the Rams when run blocking in Week 9 against the Titans.

theramswire.usatoday.com

That's the latest article on rams wire... and i'll even quote this from the author since we aren't the only ones seeing this. Common sense should be common but it is not obviously.

Altogether, the Rams ran the ball 19 times, compared to Matthew Stafford’s 48 passing attempts. With Stafford dropping back more, the Titans continued to create pressure on the veteran quarterback throughout the game, sacking him a season-high five times.


I’m the last person to say that the Rams need to run the ball just for the sake of running the ball. But there are instances where Sean McVay inexplicably elects to air it out when Los Angeles needs just 1 yard.


I’d understand if the Rams strayed away from the run if they weren’t able to have success on the ground. However, they averaged 5 yards per carry with Henderson and the offensive line was creating plenty of holes to run through. "

 

[Jermaine133]

Stats show Rams OTs performed well in running game vs. Titans

Andrew Whitworth and Rob Havenstein performed extremely well for the Rams when run blocking in Week 9 against the Titans.

theramswire.usatoday.com

That's the latest article on rams wire... and i'll even quote this from the author since we aren't the only ones seeing this. Common sense should be common but it is not obviously.

okay now i'm done

 

[Battlelyon]

Certainly a factor

 

[ANGELAKERAMS]

We need another center no doubt, he'll be a free agent anyway. McVay will need to continue to get better too, mostly in run design and trusting his runningback. I think he lost some of that insecurity when Akers got hurt, Akers was going to get the most touches and targets. I like Henderson but Akers is much better

Correction: Akers WAS much better.

No telling what kind of back he will be now.

 

[Jermaine133]

Correction: Akers WAS much better.

No telling what kind of back he will be now.

wasn't there an article circulating that if the rams made a deep playoff run he would somehow return? Outside chance but you never know, RB is a totally different position than SF or PF and Durrant came back good as new but here's to hoping for the best.

 

[Vitamike]

Losses are terrible teachers

Most profound statement I've read here in a long time.

Thank goodness I'm a c@nt, and can read fast enough, even through novels be it or not....

Losses are the terrible teachers, but the greatest lessons in life!

Only when we understand those lessons, can we begin to credit the teachers!

Comprehension my man, are the fundamentals in the growth process!

 

[Vitamike]

Good stats Battlelyon. I agree with you that McVay is very accomplished on a franchise that has a long history of crap and what-ifs, but this activity after a loss is always comparative in nature. Losses are terrible teachers and if you are smart, you take advantage of their lessons, you learn and make the necessary adjustments, and you hopefully get better.

What I think everyone realizes and is frustrated with is McVay, in all his accomplishments and winning culture of success continues to do really stupid shit that is beneath him. He still continues to not get prepared for games like last evening, he still calls ridiculously myopic games, he fails to recognize patterns during the game that he can affect with adjustments at the half, he fails to take advantage of the weapons he has at his disposal to have a lasting advantage against opponents like the Titans, he tries to be a buddy to way too many players, he remains loyal to players probably way too long, he keeps those players way too long, he gets rid of players he shouldn't get rid of for the dumbest reasons, and he fails to learn new offenses that may get him out of his rut of passing before running even when the defense is giving him the run.

Coaches know these and some other weaknesses and whenever they get a chance, especially the Belicheat lineage of coaches, they expose him in front of a national audience that has everyone scratching their heads and wondering if this guy is ever going to adapt and win it all. McVay has yet to embrace the time-tested adages of winning championships in the NFL: That being, a great running game and a great defense, WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS. Excessive passing to the point of being obsessive does not!!

If McVay doesn't see the bigger picture and adapt, he will die and so will his team. I think we will never win another snooperbowl because of his failure to make the necessary adjustments that are result of losing of which he creates indirectly by the very things discussed above. Classic example: Last Night.

I don't know if this all lays on the doorstep of Sean McVay the play-caller, however there is definitely some culpability.

Even then, culpability withstanding, the play-caller can only do so much. Execution is fundamental, and play-calling has aspets of the QB's of the World, like Stafford, calling an audible out of the play called. Which was pointed out by @SJ76 on one of Matt's two INT's.

The problem with McVay, (And if I can see it, so can 31 NFL Teams) he has a history of passing heavy to start games to gain the lead, then leans heavy on the run to secure those wins. This imbalance history, quarter to quarter, is evident to anyone who is paying attention.

The problem arises, and we've seen it twice this year, and in past years.... When the Rams fail to get that early lead, they go all in pass. Don't believe me? Check out our games this year and look at all our games and specifically at those two losses. That pattern is there for all to see and defend against.

The Titans didn't give a lick that we were running the ball at a game winning pace early on. They knew McVay would continue to do McVay things and not take advantage of what the defense was giving him.

So they continue to bring pressure and provide over the top coverage, and the Rams never adjusted.

As I pointed out early on the game thread the Rams were running the ball early; Matt was hanging onto the ball too long on passing downs and the defense was finding the ball in the secondary with near INT's.

Damn, if this novice fan can see what the defense is doing what the hell is going on with the Rams' brain trust?

 

[Vitamike]

McVay will need to continue to get better too, mostly in run design and trusting his runningback.

I like the last part of that sentence, but the part about getting better on run design, is totally befuddling Battlelyon!

Run design was doing a spectacular job in the first half!

It was the abandonment of taking what the defense was giving. We decided instead to impose our passing will, regardless to what the defense was taking away.

Well, that Titans defense was on a mission to do all things at all cost to take away the Rams passing game. Specifically let the Rams run it at will, and they won the game based on our propensities to do what we like to do, pass early and run late.

In other-words, we were out coached!

Our Brilliant Genius HC, as they say, couldn't see the writing on the wall!

In the immortal words of Forest Gump.... 'Stupid Is As Stupid Does!'

 

[Retroram52]

Now we have lost Jacob Harris to season-ending knee injury tearing both is ACL and MCL. Now the DeSean Jackson divorce is looming larger by the minute.

LA Rams rookie Jacob Harris ACL injury ends his season before it begins

The LA Rams may have gone the way of athletically gifted but raw players in the 2021 NFL Draft, but the number of healthy rookies is rapidly dwindling. Bef...

ramblinfan.com

 

[Retroram52]

Yea Vita, I agree with your posts. I knew we were in trouble when we needed 1 yard for either a first or TD (I can't remember which) early in the game and we had just had several good runs by Henderson. The next play was a third and one and McVay tries to throw it and it is incomplete. I believe it was our second FG of the day that should have been a running TD.

 

[Red_Chaos]

Now we have lost Jacob Harris to season-ending knee injury tearing both is ACL and MCL. Now the DeSean Jackson divorce is looming larger by the minute.

LA Rams rookie Jacob Harris ACL injury ends his season before it begins

The LA Rams may have gone the way of athletically gifted but raw players in the 2021 NFL Draft, but the number of healthy rookies is rapidly dwindling. Bef...

ramblinfan.com

Totally fine with these. Scouting department needs some work anyway. So why not roll out tape on team’s practice squad players.
Jackson wouldn’t help special team anyway

 

[Retroram52]

I am quite sure we will see more of Warren Jackson, the big bodied WR recently signed to the PS in a game maybe as soon as the GB game after the Bye week. I am quite sure Kioski is the next man up to the plate since Harris is done.

 

[Retroram52]

Now that OBJ's buddy (Von Miller) is a Ram and even though we should stay clear of this guy, I would not be surprised if his name starts appearing in the pipeline of pundits as the next signee for McVay and the Rams. In the mean time here is a list of available WRs from Spotrac. This doesn't include poaching somebody else's PS.

2024 NFL Free Agents Tracker

Tracking the status and signings of all 2024 NFL free agents.

www.spotrac.com

 

[Battlelyon]

I like the last part of that sentence, but the part about getting better on run design, is totally befuddling Battlelyon!

Run design was doing a spectacular job in the first half!

It was the abandonment of taking what the defense was giving. We decided instead to impose our passing will, regardless to what the defense was taking away.

Well, that Titans defense was on a mission to do all things at all cost to take away the Rams passing game. Specifically let the Rams run it at will, and they won the game based on our propensities to do what we like to do, pass early and run late.

In other-words, we were out coached!

Our Brilliant Genius HC, as they say, couldn't see the writing on the wall!

In the immortal words of Forest Gump.... 'Stupid Is As Stupid Does!'

When i talk about run design, I'm talking new run designs disguised as passing playing or something like a statue of liberty play where it starts as a run and turns into a pass. Not the less, I'm disappointed in our running backs ability to break tackles. Like you said they let us run, those runs are not as effective as they should be. We need another big bruiser in my opinion like CJ Anderson to tire the defense down. Henderson and Michel aren't cutting it.

 

[ANGELAKERAMS]

When i talk about run design, I'm talking new run designs disguised as passing playing or something like a statue of liberty play where it starts as a run and turns into a pass. Not the less, I'm disappointed in our running backs ability to break tackles. Like you said they let us run, those runs are not as effective as they should be. We need another big bruiser in my opinion like CJ Anderson to tire the defense down. Henderson and Michel aren't cutting it.

McVay doesn’t run the ball enough to wear the defense down.

It’s not the RB’s fault, it’s the play calling.

 

[Vitamike]

When i talk about run design, I'm talking new run designs disguised as passing playing or something like a statue of liberty play where it starts as a run and turns into a pass. Not the less, I'm disappointed in our running backs ability to break tackles. Like you said they let us run, those runs are not as effective as they should be. We need another big bruiser in my opinion like CJ Anderson to tire the defense down. Henderson and Michel aren't cutting it.

Wasn't DH like 5 ypc early on?? That's where he ended up!

When you say not good enough, what are you expecting?

Hell the entire team ended up rushing for 4.5 ypc last night!

 

[ANGELAKERAMS]

Titans answer questions while Rams create them in Tennessee's easy win at Los Angeles

Without Derrick Henry, Tennessee's defense stepped up, creating two early turnovers that led to 14 points in the Titans' 28-16 victory over the Rams. Reporting from Los Angeles, Jim Trotter explores a tale of two contenders.

www.nfl.com