We flew out to the Dallas playoff game at the Coliseum 3 years ago on a bit of a whim and the missus suggested we look at doing the same this time.

Flights would be more because we'd be coming from the UK now and not Orlando where we lived then, but I wasn't quite expecting tickets to be so high. Nothing much under about $650 a pop that I can see.

Sadly, we'll not be going as it would cost me $5k in total and would need to find dog sitters and cancel a bunch of work stuff on top of the cost.

But my concern with so many tickets available online is that 9ers fans will dominate again.

Do current season tickets holders not get the first crack at their own seat?

Somebody reassure me because we need HFA.

I usually don't like to make serious predictions because I am superstitious. Maybe I end up regretting this. But I have this calm and confidence right now that I haven't had the last few times we've played them. I think we're going to break the streak. I feel like surviving that meltdown against Brady is going to give this team the confidence and belief that this is their year. I also think they're still peeved about how Week 18 went and want to make a statement.

Matt Stafford is cooking right now. Von Miller has stepped his game up for the playoffs. I think our big-time players are going to win the day. Beating the 49ers with their style isn't easy, but I think we come out next weekend and play to our potential. We are going to sustain our effort for four quarters and send those guys packing. That's the feeling I have in my gut.

Rams Game Thread

Fuck Todd Bowles With a Rusty Rake

Never Would Have Happened Under Dungy

Overall a rather muted bunch. We do a lot better job throwing e-tantrums. And the 9er fan base should provide much better fallout as that shit is gonna be personal.

Might be the best weekend EVER to watch playoff games. Every single game was to the wire.

Hell yes, about time...

Dumb question I know, but I was reading an article about the “controversial” unsportsmanlike penalties.I mean, we know Suh has a screw loose so who knows what he threatened Stafford with, right in front of the ref, and Brady was just so arrogant he never thought he’d get flagged despite screaming in a refs face with spit and blood flying. The article poses the question, should these have been called? Then the Weddle hit, which was fluky cuz it happened on 4th down after an incompletion. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before but good fortune for us. The article asks if this can be changed, changed? I’ve literally never seen this happen but it didn’t benefit Brady so maybe we need to look at changing it, craziness.

I know that Post Season play isn’t considered as part of the process but Cooper Kupp’s historical season and his post season play has put us in the NFC Championship game. In my mind, he’s been the difference for the team. Stafford has been a big part of it - but when games were on the line, Kupp was there!

which makes him the winningest Rams head coach in post season games

which is kind of sad when you think about it

Went for a walk after the game and did a lot of thinking on what went wrong.

McVay play calling. He really needs to stop running the ball on 1st down vs good defenses against the run. They may be able to run against bad defenses but it doesn't work against good ones. He didn't learn this vs. the 49ers week 18 and @TB in the divisional round. If they do not gain yards on a passing play on 1st down at least the defense won't be expecting a run on 2nd down. Run it then. Whatever, this offensive line is not good enough to run the ball on 1st down.

Akers might have a fumbling problem. When we have a lead turn to Michel. As explosive as Akers is, when we have a lead we need to go Michel.

McVay game management : On the play with the bad shotgun snap we already had a big lead and were in field goal range. He needs to understand better when to play conservative. On that note no team should trust their defense with a one score lead late in the game. He tried to that vs. the 49ers and it didn't work. It looked like he was going to do it again on the drive late when Akers fumbled.

I'm not a student of the game like many of you, but to my couch-warrior eye, David Long and Nick Scott are due some love for their performances thus far in the playoffs. What an athletic play by Scott on the interception before half, and he also had a great breakup later in the game. Meanwhile Long led the team with seven tackles, including a TFL - I think it was on Fournette. And of course, they both made huge plays last week against the Cards.

I always thought Scott and Long were JAGs, and easily replaceable (I don't think I'm alone in this assessment), but they've both upped their games and made significant contributions in the playoffs. I think their play might get forgotten about after all the fourth quarter drama, and I just want to give them some props.

Hello All!! Looking for two tickets to the game next week. Will be flying down from Seattle.
Go Rams!!

I know it doesn’t compare to the Super Bowl but remember we couldn’t beat the titans in practice in the scrimmage in preseason or regular season but we beat them when it really mattered. That’s what next week against the 9ers represent to me. History all over again

1. Holy crap on a stick!!!!!!

2. Okay, I think my heart is beating again... let's see if I can encapsulate this one...

3. First, but for some absurd mistakes, we blow out the defending champs today. That's noteworthy.

4. The defense gets an A from me. I don't fault them for finally cracking late in the game. No defense holds up forever.

5. The pass rush was fierce. Sacks by Donald, Miller and Floyd, and hits and hurries a plenty.

6. Stafford was amazing. Sharp, in control, and fearless at the end!

7. Cooper Kupp somehow managed to play like an MVP despite his untimely fumble.

8. Cam Akers is going to have a rough night thinking back at two fumbles, but a guy who can overcome a torn Achilles in 6 months should be able to shake this off and come out strong next week.

9. Four lost fumbles and a missed 47 yard FG. That can't happen. You know it. I know it. But, most of all, the Rams know it. I'm sure we'll be talking about it this week but, do we really need to? It was a fluke. I don't see it happening again. Thank goodness we survived.

10. Is there a benefit in NOT coasting? Between the second half meltdown and an opponent with a 6 game win streak against us... I don't think overconfidence will be a problem next week.

11. If you still doubt that Matthew Stafford was worth the price, you're either an immediate family member of Jared Goff or a raving lunatic.

12. Contributions from Tyler Higbee, OBJ and Kendall Blanton??? (yeah, that last one was NOT a typo!)

13. If this were to be Tom Brady's last game, how fitting would it be? Beat up for three quarters, then beat at his own game by Stafford & Kupp.

14. Okay, now the elephant in the room... Round 3 against the 49ers. Ugh.

15. It had to be this way, didn't it? Luke Skywalker had to defeat Darth Vader to become a Jedi, Rocky had to win a rematch he didn't really want against Apollo Creed, and fate is now telling the Rams that, to reach the top of the mountain, first we must defeat a true nemesis.

16. Not going to go into full-on analysis of next week right now (plenty of time this week to do that), but I will say this... its going to take a 60 minute effort.

17. Reinforcements coming? Andrew Whitworth, Darrell Henderson, Ernest Jones, Robert Rochell and Taylor Rapp could all be available next week.

18. While we certainly want Big Whit back, you have to give credit to Joe Noteboom. He played a heck of a game, and looks like he's ready to succeed Whit whenever the timeless one decides to hang it up.

19. I'm physically tired... and I've been sitting in a comfortable chair for the last 3+ hours!

20. Final Four!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Got a little hairy there! But....hey that's playoffs #amirite



Just go away now Tommy.

He would've won more Super Bowls than Brady the last 10 years.

Simply put, he's a better QB than Brady but stuck w the Lions.

Nobody can talk me out of it. Would love to hear this debate in the media this week.

Haven't seen one of these yet and thinking we need not a jinx. For the game I'm pretty much doing the same as last week. Lil Smokies in a fiery hot sauce and another in BBQ sauce. Have pepperoni, cheese, and crackers, plus a fiery cheese ball. Chili and Nathans hot dogs for chili dog wraps. For after the game slow cooking some pork sirloin chops in crock pot and a veggie medley in another in white sauce.

Have plenty of edibile's, Mich Ultra, Reyka vodka for shots when we score TD's, and some Becks to celebrate the victory. Bobcats also have tuna with a tuna/crab puree for on top. They will feast today too. GOOOOOOO RAMS!

Earlier this year, the Rams STs were a significant weakness.
There has been significant improvement, and special teams are now quite good.
Football is the ultimate team game, you can't win a SB if one part of your team is just not good enough, as shown by GB STs yesterday.

now Brady. The first two took an L in the last game of their careers, both occurring in the postseason and both administered by the LA RAMS.
You get my drift?

AFC Divisional Playoff: Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs​

The Buffalo Bills laid down the gauntlet to the rest of the NFL with a 47-17 dismantling of the New England Patriots last weekend. In their AFC Wild Card win, the Bills were the first team in league history to score a touchdown on every offensive possession without a turnover, field goal, or punt. Josh Allen sent a message to the Kansas City Chiefs that he means business, posting up 308 passing yards and five touchdowns while earning the respect of a certain Hall of Famer commanding the other sideline.

"What you did out there was awesome," Patriots head coach Bill Belichick reportedly told Allen after the game. "We didn't have an answer."

But someone else sure did: Patrick Mahomes. Sunday night, the Chiefs tore apart the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense 42-21 on the heels of their former MVP quarterback's 404 passing yards and five touchdowns. The 138.2 QB rating was his second-highest mark of the season, peaking at the right time after an ugly 2021 start where he threw 10 interceptions in the first eight games of the year.

Two of those picks came against Buffalo in October, part of a 38-20 Week 5 Bills victory in Arrowhead Stadium that appeared to cement them as the new AFC powerhouse. Instead, it was the second-seeded Chiefs who hit their stride in the season's second half, winning nine of their final 10 games to seize control of the AFC West and leave Buffalo sitting at No. 3.

Can the Bills, led by Allen and their surging offense, rediscover that October magic on the road? Or will the Chiefs build off their 38-24 victory in last season's AFC Championship Game, reminding Buffalo and everyone else the road to the Super Bowl still runs through them?

AFC Divisional Playoff: Buffalo (12-6) at Kansas City (13-5)

Kickoff: Sunday, Jan. 23 at 6:30 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Spread: Chiefs -1.5

Three Things to Watch

1. Josh Allen vs. Patrick Mahomes

It's the matchup everyone is talking about in a game that's expected to be an offensive shootout. Allen had the edge in their last meeting, averaging a whopping 12.1 yards per attempt, for a total of 315 passing yards and three touchdowns in that October victory. More importantly, he took care of the football, never getting sacked or committing a turnover while racking up a team-high 59 rushing yards, along with another score.

It's that all-purpose element of Allen's game that will keep the Chiefs' defense on its heels. He nearly doubled Mahomes' rushing yards this season (763 to 381) while averaging a whopping 6.3 yards per carry.

"[Allen]'s big, he's strong, he's got a stiff arm," Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said this week. "If you don't get him down with a couple of guys, he's already shown he can break tackles, he extends downs."

"They put a lot on his shoulders," Mahomes said of Allen. "And he rises to the occasion. He's able to run the ball, he can throw the ball, he has the arm strength to throw it anywhere on the football field and he makes great decisions."

Of course, that's the same praise people heap upon Mahomes, who has cut down the turnovers and turned his season around during what for him was a difficult year.

"What I learned is I have to be patient," he said about those struggles earlier this fall. "I wanted to be this high-flying quarterback, throwing all these long touchdowns like I've done in the early part of my career. Defenses weren't letting me do that, and I learned to be patient. Just take what's there and try to find success in other ways."

With 325 passing yards, three TD passes, and another one on the ground against Buffalo last January, Mahomes has already proven he can beat this team when it matters most. He also enters the weekend red hot after becoming the third player in NFL history to throw a touchdown pass to a running back, tight end, wide receiver, and offensive lineman in the same game.

Guess who was the second? Allen, who did it literally 24 hours before him against New England. So, strap in, get your popcorn ready, and enjoy this heavyweight fight between the AFC's best QB rivalry since Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

"These are two of the best guys in the league," said Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark this week. "You say the two best young quarterbacks in the league today, I'd say 99 percent of the people in the world are going to say Pat Mahomes and Josh Allen."

2. Dawson Knox vs. Travis Kelce

There's a whole lot of other interesting matchups here that have developed since October. The Bills' run game has come to life with Devin Singletary, who busted through for 81 yards and two touchdowns against the Patriots last Saturday. The Chiefs' lead rusher in the Wild Card Round romp against the Steelers, Jerick McKinnon, ran for one fewer yard (61) than he did with the team during the entire regular season.

But the punch-for-punch positional battle worth watching comes at tight end. Kelce is the unquestioned All-Pro in the AFC, knifing the Steelers with 108 yards, including a 48-yard score. Kelce also threw a two-yard TD pass (to wide receiver Byron Pringle) while becoming the first NFL player in playoff history to rack up a touchdown pass, catch, and more than 100 receiving yards.

This Sunday, he goes up against Knox, who threw a knockout punch in the October game with a 53-yard touchdown catch. Knox also had five catches of his own in his Wild Card game, piling up 89 yards and two scores.

So, who's better? Knox and Kelce caught the same number of touchdowns during the regular season (nine) with a similar yards per catch average (12.0 to 12.2). It's Kelce, though that remains a bigger focal point in the offense, nearly doubling Dawson in receptions (92 vs. 49) in the regular season and likewise, yards (1,125 to 587).

Both of them enter this game red hot. Expect multiple TDs and a game-changing play from each.

3. Which defense can force a mistake?

Defenses, of course, will take a back seat in a game featuring these powerhouse offensive players. But both the Bills and Chiefs feast off forcing turnovers that lead to momentum swings. Each were in the top five in the NFL in that category during the regular season, the Bills ranking third with 30 takeaways while the Chiefs were right behind them with 29 (tied for fifth).

Can the Bills in particular pressure Mahomes to make a mistake? Their 19 interceptions tied them for third before tacking on two more in the Wild Card Round against rookie quarterback Mac Jones. Micah Hyde, who had a pick-six against Mahomes in October, got Jones last Saturday and enters this game confident he and fellow safety Jordan Poyer can repeat this fall's impressive performance.

"They're two Pro Bowl-caliber players," Mahomes said on Wednesday. "It's hard to get two safeties like that on the same team — and they play well off of each other. They know how to kind of rock the two-high shells to go to one-high. They both can play up top or down low, so it's a tremendous challenge to try to get a read for what they're doing."

The Chiefs feel they can get around that through check-downs to running backs like McKinnon and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, forcing the Bills to spread the field. On Kansas City's end, the hope is the defensive front puts the pressure on Allen. The Chiefs sacked him four times in their AFC Championship Game victory last season, adding an interception of their own.

Injury Updates

Speaking of Edwards-Helaire, he has practiced in full this week, so it looks like he'll be good to suit up for the Chiefs after missing the past three games with a shoulder injury. Williams, his backfield mate, appears a bigger question mark after suffering a toe injury in Week 18. He played last week against the Steelers but has been held out of practice this week. Cornerback Rashad Fenton may also sit with a back injury.

The Bills, meanwhile, have just one person on the injury report: defensive end Mario Addison, and he's expected to play. The better news is that neither team currently has any issues with COVID-19.

Final Analysis

The Chiefs have their loyal fan base powering Arrowhead Stadium, one of the best home-field advantages in all of sports. Expect the noise to drown out offensive play calls for the Buffalo offense and make life difficult for Allen.

But at the end of the day, Allen carved up one of the league's toughest defenses (New England) without making a mistake. Mahomes had one slip-up in last Sunday's rout of Pittsburgh, throwing an interception early before briefly falling behind 7-0 after a botched handoff to Williams led to a fumble recovery by T.J. Watt.

It'll only take one mistake like that to swing a game in which both teams might score every time down the field (did someone say bet the over?) Arguably the best game of this Divisional Round should end with the Bills vanquishing their Goliath in their quest for their first Super Bowl appearance since 1994.

Prediction: Bills 41, Chiefs 38

Game Day Thread

The GDT is a live thread tradition here at ROD.

While we all get fired up watching the game, please remember our core principles; we always show respect for our team and each other.

Despite the emotional highs and lows watching a game, we will moderate this thread with that in mind, however please refrain from name calling. This applies to players, the Rams organization, and others.

This is the core rule of the GDT. Moderators are tasked to issue thread bans, at a minimum, to maintain this standard.

This is our team. Win or lose. Good days and bad. We are here for FUN, not to be dragged down.

A more loosely moderated atmosphere can be found in the chat room.

Go Rams!

———

ROD Chat Room;

Game Day Room

.

I'm lighting an event and then loading out tomorrow during the game.
Obviously a HUUUUGE bummer.
I will peak at my phone here and there when possible but what I really need is to find a radio broadcast...

My fellow Rams fans, that's where you come in: How do I listen to a game while I'm in Dallas TX? Is there a station that covers them, can I tune in online?

I really don't want to try streaming the video broadcast from my phone and listening to the audio. It's not the same as radio and it requires lots of refreshing usually, which won't be an option.
If you have ideas or solutions, don't be shy, let's have em!!
Thanks in advance!!!!!

Besides the usual suspects, the “A listers”, there are a handful of players who could be the ones who make some big plays tomorrow.

Reeder: often maligned on this forum, I notice when we win he usually has a pretty good day. Last Monday was no exception.

Jefferson: as a gambling man, I have made $$ on the prop bet taking the over on his rec yds; especially when it’s under 40. It’s usually only one big catch and he’s over. That’s what the Rams need: a big catch from VJ.

Higbee: When Higs gets targets he usually won’t disappoint. Run blocking with Havs has always been a Ram staple. We’ll need it tomorrow.

Howard: it’s been mentioned in another thread, but his coverage skills have been exceptional in a small sample, but another big challenge awaits.

ARob: this is why he’s here. He had a great game Monday. Stuffing the run game will be imperative.

Gaines: last but certainly MOST, a big game from him means victory. Run stuffing and collapsing and fogetaboutit.

I thought we had a thread for this, but, I searched and couldn't find it. Sorry if it's a duplicate.