Alaskan Ram said:

If our Rams get into the dance after that 3-6 start, I honestly think we're Superbowl bound. Bring on any one. Doesn't matter who it is to our offense. Stafford and company will ball out. This is possibly my favorite Rams team ever assembled. One game at a time.

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We have the momentum right now all we have to do is not have a setback

This team can be just as good as 2021, the defense obviously doesn't have as many stars but the run game can be the difference as it was pretty much nonexistent a few years ago

kurtfaulk said:

I was alluding more to making unscripted plays because he couldn't make the play called.

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Ah, gotcha. Yeah, Wentz has a lot of that but it seems more like he doesn't like to check it down whereas the criticism of Williams is that it wasn't even check downs, he wasn't making the throws on big time plays on script either.

A bizarro year, to be sure. Come out and upset Seattle (which proved to not really be an upset at all). Fell to 3-6 over the next 5 games. Then climbed to 8-7. Now we're talking about the playoffs and the possibility we can actually win there (best matchup). Prior to the season, some of us compared the off season to the 2016 off season, as far as losing starters and bringing in new players. Even if we win out, we won't have the same record as 2017 but we will be in the postseason.

As far as the upcoming game in NJ, McVay's record on the East Coast is pretty good. His record against the Giants is really good (3-0 outscoring the G-men 106 to 37). Remember the middle of the 2017 season? The Rams played at Jacksonville (won 27-17), in London the next week (beat Arizona 33-0), came home for a bye week then flew to NJ to play the Giants which became the second highest score for McVay's Rams, a 51-17 win (only outdone by the 2018 Mexico City KC game played in SoCal right after the terrible Cali fires). In 2021 we beat the NYG 38-11 at their place which tied for #10 of McVay's Rams top scores. They played one other time but in L.A. (2020) and that one was a 17-9 win. Anyway, not predicting a blowout, just hoping for a win.

Here's the tale of the tape for McVay's Rams who have played 123 games (75-48) including the postseason.

Most Points:

54 vs KC (2018)
51 @ NYG (2017)
51 vs Denver (2022)
48 vs San Fran (2018)
46 vs Indy (2017....his very first game)
42 @ Seattle (2017)
41 @ SF (2017)
40 vs Tampa (2019...a loss)
39 @ SF (2018)
38 (4 times)

Worst Losses:

38 pts to Baltimore (2019)
23 pts @ Dallas (2019)
23 pts @ Dallas (2023)
21 pts vs San Fran (2017)
21 pts vs San Fran (2021)
21 pts vs Buffalo (2022)
21 pts @ LAC (2022)
17 pts (4 times)

Most points allowed in a win:

51 vs KC (2018)
39 @ SF (2017)
32 vs SF (2018)
31 vs Min (2018)
31 @ Sea (2018)
31 vs Sea (2018)
30 @ Dal (2017)

Most points scored in a loss:

40 vs Tampa (2019)
35 vs Philly (2017)
35 @ N.Orleans (2018)
32 @ Buffalo (2020)
31 @ San Fran (2019)
31 @ Baltmore (2023)

Fewest points scored in a win:

17 vs Chicago (2019)
17 vs NYG (2020)
17 vs Las Vegas (2022)
17 vs Seattle (2023)
18 vs Arizona (2020)

Fewest points allowed in a loss:

13 vs N.England (2018)*
15 @ Chicago (2018)
16 vs Seattle (2017)
16 @ Tampa (2022)
17 @ Pittsburgh (2019)
19 @ Seattle (2022) OT
19 @ Cincinnati (2023)

This year we put up 30 points in back to back to back weeks (@Arizona; v Cleveland; @ Baltimore) for the first time since the last 2 weeks of 2018 and the divisional game. We've scored 30 points or more 49 times in 123 games (39.8%; 43-6), 5 times this season (4-1) and 4 of them have come in the last 5 games. Keep it going!!!!!

30 points scored by season:

2017 - 9 (8-1)
2018 -13 (12-1)
2019 - 6 (4-2)
2020 - 5 (4-1)
2021 - 9 (9-0)
2022 - 2 (2-0)
2023 - 5 (4-1)

Total - 49 (43-6)

A comparison to Martz.
Mad Mike coached 92 games for the Rams and his teams scored 30 or more 37 times, 40.2%, 0.4 more than McVay's. But he only took them to 1 Super Bowl and lost. On the other hand, Martz coached for 5 1/3 seasons (5.3125) which equates to 6.96 thirty point games a year. McVay has coached 7 seasons with 49, 7.0. Not many teams can say they've had 2 offensive genius head coaches. The Rams fans can say they had 4....McVay, Martz, Gillman and Pool.

FWIW, the last time the Rams had a stretch of 5 games with 162 points (32.4 PPG) was weeks 7 to 12 (bye in week 11) of 2018......(Stafford was involved in both of them.)

@ San Fran 39-10
@ N. Orleans 35-45
vs Seattle 36-31
vs Kansas City 54-51
@ Detroit 30-16

194 pts (38.8 PPG)

Allen2McVay said:

I remember when the Rams switched to the 3-4 in 1983. I thought Youngblood (Jack, not you) could not possibly hold-up as a 3-4 DE. Convinced it was a terrible idea.

It's on the long list of times that I was very mistaken about my favorite team. However, it's on the Happy List of times I thought something would be a failure but turned-out to be successful.

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You were not alone. A lot of experts agree with you. Lots of media on that subject in the preseason/offseason of 1983.

Where you were right, is he was miscast. I saw someone wrote it was like playing Dr. J at power forward. He could *do it* but it was not his natural position so why waste his talents.

He also, as you know, hated it. But he went in there and in base defense did what he had to do. Then he'd play DE in the 4-2-5 nickel ... in 1983 they'd bring Gary Jeter in and he'd play DT. Then in 1984 it was mosty DeJurnett who was the 4th DL in nickel.

NFC OPOTW Congrats! Puka is a god send for us!

Paying players is risky as hell. Gotta make sure it's a personality who isn't focused on other than football once he gets that paycheck. Which is why I detest signing FAs in their early to mid 30s. For every Whit there's a ton of guys who say thank you for the retirement check and punch out mentally.

I think we’re really talking about 2 different teams here.

There’s the early pre-bye version where everybody was learning to play with each other on the fly:

Stafford hurt.
KW hurt.
Dotson not yet starting.
Whole OL slowly gelling.
Demarcus Robinson still riding the pine.
Higbee sputtering.
Davis Allen still an unknown.
Kupp hurt
And, frankly, McVay making some puzzling decisions along the way.

At least 3 winnable games were lost during that ‘learning/growing’ curve. Namely, Bengals, Packers (but for a Wentz caliber backup Q, and that excruciating Steeler game.

But now this current version has really come together.

Better all around health.
Offense firing on all cylinders.
Some youngsters playing like 1st rounders.
Defense is doing a good job of holding the opponents scoring down, despite weaknesses at several positions.
McVay calling much better games lately.
Took the Ravens into overtime on their field after their bye week.

ST continues to be a minefield but can’t be fixed until next year.


Bottom line?

This current Ram team is a genuine threat if it makes the playoffs. It’s truly a team that nobody wants to play right now.

It’s also a team that all Ram fans can be very proud of and extremely entertaining and easy to root for.

With a scheme that heavily relies on the run, and the passing works off of the run and his use of average QBs, I can understand how it can be difficult for them to make a big fourth quarter comeback. Especially when considering how effective heavy pass rushes can be against the offense.

But the way this Rams defense has been letting teams back into games in the fourth quarter, I won’t be at ease even if the Rams lead late.

Taj Washington would be fun in the 6th.
Small.. but fast and competitive.

Looks solid and improves the team pretty realistically. Just glad we don't massively over pay for Young or Hunter at Edge. Dejean is one of my favorite CB in the draft too.

Q729 said:

Current forecast for East Rutherford on Sunday.

View attachment 63291

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Decent weather…I’d play.

They want the young kid with potential for the long run, but now they're in the playoffs and that decision gets a whole tougher.

Looks like it's working again.

I don't think Robinson is playing himself out of a contract with the Rams. He's a good number 3. You don't need to break the bank for those. And free agency is full of them this year.

Loyal said:

pay wall, dang it!

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Spanos wouldn't pay that either.

Merry Christmas to this awesome Family!!!

TexasRam said:

Avila, Turner, Puka, Dotson,?Witherspoon and Evans to boot.

Unreal Haul on a restricted budget.

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Don't forget JJ3 and Demarcus Robinson. The former's been the key to our latest good secondary play, and the latter has become a solid number three receiver.

Then you've got to get into Byron Young and Alex Ward (rookie longsnapper who was playing exceptionally well before he got hurt), and guys like Nick Hampton, Davis Allen, and Desjuan Johnson have made the occasional play. And McClendon's only sitting because he's a rookie; he could end up being a steal as well. And then you have THT, Jason Taylor II, and Zach Evans who have all gotten in games on special teams mostly. (And I still think we should re-sign Tyler Johnson.)

Add in last year's draft class, and Snead deserves GM of the year this year without a doubt.

fanotodd said:

River;

I’m just not getting the “dump Havenstein” mocks. Are you considering the current Rams team still in a state of re-build? If not, I don’t see the unnecessary gamble of moving Jackson to RT and starting 2 rookies without an elder statesman to keep things in control. Plus, the combination of Havs and Dotson is proving more and more lethal in the run game—the essential component in a successful McVay offense.

I see this team/roster close to making a legit run at another title with our veteran cornerstone players:
Donald
Stafford
Kupp
…and yes, Havenstein

After seeing Robinson flourish the last few games, I can’t help but think what he’s doing is not accidental. Our WR group still doesn’t have a fully functioning Cooper Kupp. Think about that. What is Stafford gonna do if Kupp returns to form for the playoffs? With Robinson and Nacua playing at their current levels, the Rams would have the best 1-2-3 punch in the league except maybe the bengals if healthy.


Just bringing in a legit #1 CB and a proven Edge (per your plan) would help the defense IMMENSELY. I like that you drafted more depth on the DL because that’s critical to a consistent defense. Unlike some, you haven’t completely blown up the secondary. We do need an upgrade at #1 CB to lift that unit but there are some good players currently on the roster. Sadly, I don’t see JJ3 getting re-signed.

All in all, I’m in favor of most of your plan. It has the look of a team that believes it’s close. That’s the team I’ve been watching the last few weeks—I just don’t like the idea of tinkering too much with the starting OL.

Thanks for the hard work.

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Thank you for your reply. This Mock Draft is a few weeks old and a few of my chosen players have moved up the charts since.

No, the 2024 Rams will not be in a re-building 'state-of-mind', but a limited amount of tweeks should get us to the next level of play as a deep play-off team and Super Bowl contender, imo. I don't really see Havenstein as being 'dumped' so much as I see him as our only decent trade outlet. Havenstein & Morris are likely our only legitimate means for acquiring an additional 3'rd round draft pick, and I'd move either one of them for the opportunity. Havenstein's CAP hit jumps by $5.Mil. next season, and I'm just no longer seeing the value in maintaining an aging player who may not be as effective as in past years. We will also have potential replacements in McClendon, Bruss, Arcuri, or even better, the versatile Alaric Jackson.
Seems the Rams are always playing catch-up with our OL, fortunately we drafted Avila and traded for Dotson this year. Dotson will cost us our 2024 4'th round draft pick, so lets get him re-signed quickly please. Trading Havenstein & Morris should garner both a 3'rd & 4'th round draft pick. The Rams could lose Shelton to free agency, finding our next long-term Center is imperative, I'm hopeful Mccallister can bridge that gap for awhile. Jackson has been adequate at LT, but surely we can upgrade this position. It may not be ideal, but sometimes you have to bite the bullet, two new OL starters by mid-season shouldn't be too much to overcome.

We seem to agree about our CB's & Edge Rusher, ... invest long term here and the entire defense takes on a scary new look for the opposition. I would even try to move up in the draft by using 2025 picks to go after DT J.Newton, LT Paul and Center Powers-Johnson if necessary.
jmo.

Yeah I had to pass on that game. Two teams I fucking detest. No reason I could come up with to watch it.

Though it is funny to see Belicheat get a meaningless win and complicate the draft spot. That's a nice way to give the owner the finger if you're on the way out and he's chomping at the bit to take a QB.

Angry Ram said:

50+ yarders are worth 5 points, 40s are 4, others are 3. Xps are 1 each.

He had 3 50+ yarders today!!!

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Ahhhh, gotcha. Thanks for the clarification.

Can we trade with the Chargers for Cameron Dicker, which he was in Rams camp in 2022?

Yup great clip it was posted in the media fallout thread!

Ellard80 said:

non of that matters... its just not worth risking your Superbowl shot getting players hurt in a game that means nothing.

We were in a similar situation in 2017 or 2018 against them and sat everyone.

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I could see Shanahan starting some defensive players, like Dre Greenlaw and Fred Warner and playing them just long enough for them to intentionally injure Stafford, Kupp or Nacua, then taking them out after the first quarter.

I absolutely believe that is a possibility.

RamsSince1969 said:

Chris Collinsworth totally jinxed the Chargers by saying something about a Christmas miracle for them. Then the wheels flew off.

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You knew it would happen. Time and time again they just score too fast, only for the other team to march for the go-ahead score on the final possession of the game.

oldnotdead said:

IMO the only OL that is in question is Jackson. He's going to want a big payday extension. The Rams will probably put a first round tender on him as a RFA. But that will only buy them a year. If his contract expectations are out of line with what they want to pay him then they will tender him and draft a LT.

I think they will make Dotson an offer but IMO he might not accept it. He carries a dead cap of $2.5M and he will be 28 next year. I can see them offering him a 4 year deal grossing about $25M. Whether he accepts it or not IMO will depend upon the guaranteed money. I think Snead and McVay will have to decide how they feel about McClendon because IMO he would be looked at as the RG starter other than Dotson. What is curious is that they renegotiated Kevin's contract when they signed him essentially making him a FA next year. That would seem to suggest that Dotson was viewed as a bridge for Warren. But I think Dotson has exceeded their expectations so now do they pay him or let him walk to be a comp pick?

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