How to prevent a repeat of Atlanta come January 12

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Ram77

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Nov 14, 2017
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465
Last year was so exciting to be a Rams fan but the joy became bittersweet when the Rams lost their first home playoff game to the Falcons.
What do the Rams have to do to avoid the same fate this year?
It felt that aside from the costly special teams gaffes that the O-line and D-line got man handled by the Falcons. The receivers also got physically over powered by the Falcons DBs. We are basically the same team minus Kupp on offense and with Suh on the D-line now. We have to play much more physical on both lines and our receivers have to create more separation. It felt like we were a finesse team after that game ended-I hope the Rams are tougher this year and impose their will on their opponents instead of vice versa. What do you all think?
 
Score more points....

Just kidding.
I like how the teams we will most likely face in the NFC are teams we have already lost to - Bears, Eagles, Saints.
I believe asking any of those teams to beat us twice this year is a tall order.
Last year we had to rest our players and that was a discussion point all year. This year it’s just not the case. We are relatively healthy. Defense looked good last Sunday. Gurley will be back. CJ is a nice additon. Reynolds is stepping up. And McVay and Goff have two weeks to prepare for utter domination.
The team looks hungry.
I really think with the folly of last year under our belt, our Rams are gonna be a force to deal with.
GO RAMS
HAPPY NEW YEAR
 
I’m sure the Rams learned that as December football becomes more physical, the physicality of playoff football can make December football look like the preseason. I hope they remember the pain of losing to Atl last year, and Chi and Phi this year to feed their hunger for revenge.
 
The Atlanta game was lost on two things IMO...

1. When AD couldn't get that sack for a safety due to a timely crackdown block by the TE. That would have put us in control I think and been a different game thereafter.

2. When Brock went out and Atlanta started running the ball and we couldn't stop it.

Want to prevent the Atlanta game? Stuff the run.
 
Establish a physical run game early which will set up play action. Use jet sweeps to keep Defenses honest. That should open our WR Corps up down field. D line needs to stop the run. That will guarantee us wins
 
The Atlanta game was lost on two things IMO...

1. When AD couldn't get that sack for a safety due to a timely crackdown block by the TE. That would have put us in control I think and been a different game thereafter.

2. When Brock went out and Atlanta started running the ball and we couldn't stop it.

Want to prevent the Atlanta game? Stuff the run.

3. ogletree whiffing on tevin coleman on 3rd and 10 on the first drive of the 3rd quarter. the rams had reclaimed momentum going into the break and were on top of the falcons. getting a 3 and out there would have kept the momentum of the game going the rams way. instead the falcons went on a td drive that lasted almost the whole quarter. rams were always playing catch up and that doesn't work when the opposition can work their way down the field running the ball 5 yards at a time.

.
 
The Rams weren't ready for the physical play of the playoffs. They lacked big game experience which they have had this year. They need to ease into the mid range passing game by running the ball and taking the shorter open passes.


The Atlanta game was lost on two things IMO...

1. When AD couldn't get that sack for a safety due to a timely crackdown block by the TE. That would have put us in control I think and been a different game thereafter.

2. When Brock went out and Atlanta started running the ball and we couldn't stop it.

Want to prevent the Atlanta game? Stuff the run.

Well this year for starters, at least Pharaoh Cooper can't spot them 10-14 points off the bat.

3. ogletree whiffing on tevin coleman on 3rd and 10 on the first drive of the 3rd quarter. the rams had reclaimed momentum going into the break and were on top of the falcons. getting a 3 and out there would have kept the momentum of the game going the rams way. instead the falcons went on a td drive that lasted almost the whole quarter. rams were always playing catch up and that doesn't work when the opposition can work their way down the field running the ball 5 yards at a time.

All the above hurt the Rams last year.
 
1 Ball Security - Anyone with the ball. returners, RB, TE, Wr, QB.

2 Play physical - Catch the ball in traffic, RB’s fight for every yard, Oline get nasty and dirty, RB’s destroy the blitzers, defense get to the QB and destroy the ball carrier.

3 Defense be aggressive - Blitz the QB early and often so he doesn’t get
comfortable and starts seeing Ghosts.

4 Destroy the run.

5 Don’t let any WR get deeper than your safety.
 
I wish the coach would have a Thursday night closed practice at the Coliseum. Lights on and let the guys have an extra night to survey the actual battlefield. Get used to the slippery ball and field? The cold? The lights? Maybe also have time for the guys who are sliding around or losing leverage due to the damp field adjust their cleats? Anything to try and get an advantage. That way it feels very familiar (hey, we were just here 2 nights ago). If the team is going nearly 2 weeks away from the Coliseum, then showing up the afternoon of the game, I don't think that's taking full advantage of the situation. I know, I know, a football field is a football field. With so much at stake, maybe think outside the box a bit and make sure everyone is absolutely as comfortable with their game time surroundings as possible.
 
Rams need to do the following:

Play mistake free football.

Stop the run.

McVay must quickly diagnose the opponent’s strategy on D and make the appropriate counter moves. This didn’t really happen vs the Bears and the Eagles. But now he knows he can utilize the 12 personnel sets to counter. So do it.

Hopefully, no injuries to key players.

If the Rams can do the above, I see no team that can beat them.
 
In order to not repeat last year's playoff run we need to do one simple thing... Win!
 
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It felt like we were a finesse team after that game ended

That's probably what many people think after the Bears game. This is where CJ adds a dimension i think--if our O starts looking completely stymied, CJ seems like somebody who can come in and get his yards, which would reopen our O. His style seems like a good fit for our blocking techniques and schemes.
 
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That's probably what many people think after the Bears game. This is where CJ adds a dimension i think--if our O starts looking completely stymied, CJ seems like somebody who can come in and get his yards, which would reopen our O. His style seems like a good fit for our blocking techniques and schemes.
I do wonder if he is a better between the tackles runner than Gurley --soetimes at least. I don't think he gets more than 5 carries....but I hope he gets 12, and Gurley gets 18.....ohhhh, our wishes.
 
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Here is the one problem the Rams have to deal with. During the season the Rams defense gave up 32 points per game against teams currently in the playoffs. That will not win them many games in the playoffs.
 
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