2004 Rams vs. 2014 Rams

[Irish]

From an advanced metrics and statistical perspective, the 2004 team may have been the worst team to not only make the playoffs, but win a playoff game (beat the Seahawks in the wildcard round, lost to Vick's Falcons in the divisional round). This team was also the last Rams team to make the playoffs at all, so it got me thinking: Who would win a head to head match up between these two teams. We will go position by position and rank the players to see who comes out on top:

Defense:

04 DL- Leonard Little-Jamie Kennedy-Damione Lewis-Tyoka Jackson
14 DL- Robert Quinn-Michael Brockers-Aaron Donald-Chris Long

Advantage 14- 2014 D line would mop the floor with the 2004 D line. There are better backups on this team that would start for that team.

04 LB- Pisa Tinoisamoa-Robert Thomas-Brandon Chillar
14 DL- JoLonn Dunbar- James Laurinaitis- Alec Ogletree

Advantage 14- This was a little closer than the D line, but Ogletree gives this corps the slight edge. Pisa was a very nice player, and many undervalue what Robert Thomas did for the 04 team, but Ogletree is the best of all of them.

04 Secondary- Jerametrius Butler-Aeneas Williams-Adam Archuleta-Travis Fisher
14 Secondary- Janoris Jenkins- TJ McDonald-Rodney McLeod-Trumaine Johnson

Advantage 04- Ugh. Both these teams are pretty poor. Aeneas had moved to FS in the offseason as his age was beginning to show, and, when healthy, Archuleta was a nice little sheriff on the back end who could lay the wood. Sadly, both sets of corners leave something to be desired, but I give the edge to the 04 team simply because these players fit in nicely with the Tampa 2 defense. Williams over the top really protected these guys, and Jenkins and Johnson just don't have that safety blanket.

RESULT- Better D Line and more explosive line backers give 14 team the edge, but 04 Linebackers and secondary are almost a wash with this team.


Offense:

04 QB- Marc Bulger
14 QB- Sam Bradford

Advantage 04- This was pretty tough. On the one hand, you have the first overall pick with all of the physical tools that Bulger simply didn't have. But Bulger was a pro bowler, had won playoff games, and was playing for the mad scientist, who had a knack for making marginal QBs into stars. Bulger's battered QB syndrome hadn't yet taken effect. Edge 04.

04 RB- Marshall Faulk-Steven Jackson
14 RB- Zac Stacy-Benny Cunningham

Advantage 04- This isn't even a debate. Even a diminished 28 and a newbie Steven Jackson run circles around the 14 RBs. While Stacy, Cunningham, and Mason show promise, Faulk and Jackson are future hall of famers. Fisher would salivate at having 2004 Steven Jackson on his football team.

04 OL- Orlando Pace-Adam Timmerman-Andy McCollum-Tom Nutten-Kyle Turley
14 OL- Jake Long-Greg Robinson-Scott Wells-Rodger Saffold-Joe Barksdale

Advantage 04- While long in the tooth, 3/5 of the Superbowl line is still in tact, and Kyle Turley was an absolute mauler on the right side. Pace is a sure fire Hall of Famer, and I firmly believe Timmerman was what changed the direction of the 99 team when he joined. The 14 team is on its way, but they aren't even close to the 04 O line. Easy pick.

04 TEs- Brandon Manumaleuna-Cam Cleeland
14 TEs- Jared Cook-Lance Kendricks

Advantage 14- While not blowing the doors off of anyone, the 14 TE corps is MILES ahead of the 04 tight ends. That group was laughable.

04 WR- Isaac Bruce-Tory Holt-Kevin Curtis
14 WR- Kenny Britt- Tavon Austin- Brian Quick

Advantage 04- Forget for a second that Isaac Bruce's career had seen better days, Tory Holt was entering the prime of a Hall of Fame career. Kevin Curtis, while serviceable, really took off when he left for the Eagles. Not even close with this one.



RESULT- This one is more obvious than the defense. Ridiculous wide receivers, ridiculous running backs, hall of fame O line? 04 wins by a country mile.


Special Teams

04- Jeff Wilkins and Sean Landeta
14- Greg Zuerlein and Johnny Hekker

Kind of a wash here, but I give the slightest of edges to the 14 kickers. More of an edge if you factor in return men, as Tavon is much better than anything the 04 team had.


So what happens?

I simmed 15 games at whatifsports.com, and the 04 team (I had them set as the road team) won 7 games while the 14 team won 8 games. Very, very close. The teams are much closer than I originally thought, but it is interesting how similar the 2 teams are. 04 had suspect defense, but a very potent offense packed with hall of famers and elite talent. 14 has many question marks on offense, but a stout defense with the best 4-3 pass rusher in the NFL makes up for inadequacies in the defensive secondary and at linebacker.

So what do you think? Does the 2014 version of the Saint Louis Rams use superior athleticism, youth and depth on both sides of the ball to stifle the 04 team, or does a collection of wily veterans and hall of fame talent outwit the 14 team?

 

[-X-]

Pretty cool post idea, dude.
How about coaching? Martz vs Fisher Part II.

 

[Philly5]

Potential vs Getting Old

I go with 2004 based on the playmakers

Hopefully it becomes obviously 2014 following this year

 

[yrba1]

2014 Rams simply because we have a better coaching staff and front office. The talent's already proven on offense but age is a factor, that's a recipe for competitive mediocrity.

 

[-X-]

Well here's the rub. If THIS team can't beat a team like the 8-8 2004 Rams, then how are they going to fare with this year's schedule.
Might as well pack it in, because there are a ton of teams (that we play this year) that could beat that 2004 team.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

I'd take this years team all day long and twice on Sunday.

Oh, and something else I thought of. Remember how bad those last few years under Martz that our kick and punt coverage teams were? We gave up a ton of TDs in the return game. Every time we went to kick, I held my breath. Imagine what Tavon would have done to them.

 

[Ken]

2014 is better. It will be obvious to everyone in another 3 months.

 

[CodeMonkey]

THIS team bests 8-8

 

[Ram Quixote]

IIRC, Lovie had already left for Chicago. 2004 we were into Marmieland.

 

[Yamahopper]

I give a edge to the 14 team for its athleticism is much greater.
But if the 14 team can't get consistent pressure on Bulger it could get out of hand early. 04 Rams could move down the field in a very few plays. If the 14 team got behind and wasn't able to use the running game it would be a uphill battle. Martz would go after the safeties and use Falk underneath the lb's.
The 04's couldn't stop the 14's running game. Fisher would pound the ball up the middle and that's all it would take.

 

[Loyal]

Youth and Talent. That 2004 team was destined to slowly suck worse, and worse...This is year three in Fisher's system, and who knows what effect just having maturing talent across the board? Adam Archuleta..amh* That dude's ability was a mirage

 

[SteveBrown]

Being objective yields better results.
2004 team was dominated many times that year. Always physical teams with a balanced O made the our
2014 D look bad. The balanced 2014 rams would destroy them. I don't think Martz would have an answer for the blitz....Turley was on the 2003 only. IF Turley played, maybe the 2004 Rams O has a chance to pass the ball well.

2014 wins: 27-16--no Madden necessary.

 

[SteveBrown]

Youth and Talent. That 2004 team was destined to slowly suck worse, and worse...This is year three in Fisher's system, and who knows what effect just having maturing talent across the board? Adam Archuleta..amh* That dude's ability was a mirage

I liked Archuleta less and less every year. Then Washington paid him,and well, he retired at what 28-29?

 

[fearsomefour]

IIRC, Lovie had already left for Chicago. 2004 we were into Marmieland.

Defense is closed....Moose should have told ya.

 

[fearsomefour]

Would have been interesting to see the 14 D line vs the 04 O line.
Pace vs Quinn is worth an iso camera. How many times would Martz have gone empty backfield and how long before Bulger started getting rattled?

 

[CGI_Ram]

It was the end of an era with that 2004 team.

No question I take the 2014 team in that matchup.

 

[Thordaddy]

2014 is better. It will be obvious to everyone in another 3 months.

That's the thing about a young team ,it will get better in season if the injuries don't come,older teams will wear down

 

[CGI_Ram]

That's the thing about a young team ,it will get better in season if the injuries don't come,older teams will wear down

Yeah, teams must keep a steady stream of young blood to fuel the roster.

This is why I have lots of faith in our front office; the late round picks and UDFA have been good players. Good teams find these players.

You can add vets (see New England), but you need youth constantly flowing into the roster.

It's a physical young man's game. It is what it is. Don't trade away draft picks!

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

IIRC, Lovie had already left for Chicago. 2004 we were into Marmieland.

Oh yeah, that guy was something else. He was like the Pat Shurmur of defense! Can you imagine those two coaching against each other in a game? It would be like the special olympics!

 

[12intheBox]

I know its only 10 years, but the game is bigger, stronger, faster than ever. Defensive coverages and packages are more exotic and difficult to read. Offenses present matchup problems that weren't nearly as prevalent a decade ago.

The 2014 Rams would crush the 2004 Rams.