0 comments by Paul Petruska on 10/28/2012
I am having Déjà vu. Upon completion of my research, I have written this preview before. See if any of this sounds familiar. The Rams need to be able to run the ball, or at least threaten the run to have offensive success. Turns out, the Patriots strength on defense is against the run. […]
0 comments by Will Horton
Brandon Gibson has been a lightning rod for Rams fans since his 16-target (5-catch) debut in 2009, in which he showed equal parts playmaking and back-breaking ability. Three years later, the offensive coordinator has flipped two times, the Rams have had two draft picks in the top three, but little has essentially changed in his […]
0 comments by Will Horton on 10/26/2012
Situation: 2nd and 4 from the Packers 6, with 8:57 to play in the game, trailing by 14. Personnel: 11 Play: Double Left 20 Bubble Defense: Nickel, Cover 2 Pre-Snap The Rams offense hasn't scored since the first half, and is in danger of falling out of this game completely. But a huge 56-yard […]
0 comments by Will Horton
This game is many things to many people. For Roger Goodell, it's a showcase for a largely untapped market of potential customers. For football-mad UK fans, it's a party. For Rams fans in the UK, it's a chance to finally see their favorite (sorry, "favourite") team in person. For Bill Belichick and the Patriots, it's […]
0 comments by Will Horton
As Americans, we're raised (or at least encouraged) to think a lot of funny things about Brits. They are stodgier than us and proper-er than us, and conversely, when they get silly (see Python, Monty), they are much sillier than us. But particularly when it comes to sport, they are quite different from us. Or […]
0 comments by Will Horton on 10/24/2012
The atmosphere at the Edward Jones Dome last Sunday resembled that of a college bowl game, with fans of each team in seemingly equal numbers upping the volume after a good play by either team. The Rams can expect another divided "home" crowd this week in front of football-mad, but largely affiliation-free, London NFL fans. […]
0 comments by Paul Petruska on 10/23/2012
Aaron Rodgers may end up being the best quarterback in the history of the NFL. I asked a question in the preview whether a defense can actually stop Rodgers or whether Rodgers beats himself. Watching this game answered that question for me. I am not suggesting that the Rams defense is the Steel Curtain […]
0 comments by Will Horton
At the end of Tim Shields' latest Anatomy of a Play feature, Tim Ryan remarks of Sam Bradford's pinpoint throw to Lance Kendricks: "A great throw will beat great coverage every time." Unfortunately, those words foretold the Rams' doom against Aaron Rodgers, who when on is as good as any passer to ever play the […]
0 comments by Paul Petruska on 10/21/2012
I am struggling with this preview. I do not see a strength or weakness in the Green Bay defense. They are 14th overall in total defense, 18th in passing defense, and 17th in run defense. If there is one area they stand out, it is sacks. They lead the league with 21 sacks. At […]
0 comments by Will Horton on 10/20/2012
Situation: 2nd and 20 from the Miami 37 yard line, with 0:37 left in the 2nd Quarter, trailing by 4 Personnel: 11 Play: Double Right Off, Gun Left 999 F Seam Liz (4 Vert) Defense: Cover-2 Man, Mike Fire Pre-Snap The Rams come out in 11 personnel (1 running back, 1 tight end). They are […]
0 comments by Will Horton on 10/19/2012
As the Chiefs begin to plummet into obscurity, Dwayne Bowe wants out. Again. The talented receiver is the only weapon in the Kansas City passing game, but with only a one-year deal in his pocket and a crashing tide of changes due to hit his team, he may no longer be a part of their […]
0 comments by Paul Petruska on 10/18/2012
Syllogisms are often used to form conclusions in sports. For those that do not study logic, a syllogism is a form of a logical argument where the conclusion is inferred from two prior statements. An easy example is: All humans will eventually die. All football players are humans. All football players will eventually die. […]
0 comments by Paul Petruska on 10/16/2012
The St. Louis Rams were the better team last week, looking at numbers only. The Rams had 462 total yards to the Dolphin’s 192 yards. The Rams had 22 first downs. The Dolphins only had 12. The vaunted number-one-ranked run defense allowed 6 yards a carry and 162 total rushing yards. Not surprisingly, the Rams also […]
0 comments by Will Horton on 10/15/2012
The St Louis Rams will play host to a sell-out crowd of football-crazed fans in a couple of weeks, but this "home" game will be six time zones away. While I have my reservations about the NFL's expansion across the pond, there is no doubt that there are folks over there who love our game. […]
0 comments by Will Horton on 10/14/2012
It's hard to blame the gameplan when you out-gain your opponent by nearly 200 yards. It's hard to blame the defense when they utterly shut down the biggest threats in the Dolphins offense. It's hard to blame the refs when they gift-wrap two huge calls for you, taking fumbles off the board. It's hard to […]
