What the hell happened and other life altering questions

 

It is not the end of the world. The Rams lost to a potential division winner on the road. Remember, the Bears lost 10 days earlier to their division rival. They simply could not lose to the Rams, in this game, at Soldier Field. Fans should not be devastated by this loss.

At the same time, we should not ignore the reasons why they lost. I have not reviewed all of the film available to me yet, but there are some glaring numbers that interest me.  The Rams had 15 runs from runningbacks in the game.  With 58 total plays from scrimmage, that is 26% of the total plays, an astonishingly low number. It is understandable in a blow out, but this game was within seven points for most of the game. The question is why. Did the coaches give up on the run, or where the circumstances not favorable to running plays? Only the tape will reveal the answer. 

Additionally, Sam Bradford was sacked six times and hurried on many more plays. Many fans love to blame the offensive line when they see pressure like we saw in this game. However, there is usually more to the story. Where was the pressure coming from and what was the defense doing to get pressure? How often did Bradford hold the ball too long? Where the receivers getting open?  If not, why? Did the play calling play a role?

The Rams defensive performance looks good by the numbers: 274 total yards, 103 rushing yards, 171 passing yard, 2 sacks, got off the field on 72% of 3rd downs and 1 turnover. I still have questions.  How much pressure was put on Cutler? What did the Rams have to do to get pressure? How often did the Bears mess up as opposed to the Rams causing an error?

To truly understand why a team lost, we need answers to these questions. Last year, the answers to these questions were often irrelvant. The Rams were simply outmatched. EX. Baltimore vs. Rams 9/25/2011. This year, I want the answers. I hope many fans want the answers because it suggests they believe in this team. I wish I had access to game films, but I play the hand that is dealt to me. I will review the highlights on NFL.com and the TV feed and report back to you, the readers of Rams Herd.

I will also review the preview that I wrote. The purpose of the review is to hold myself accountable. Writing a preview means nothing unless it is reviewed after to see if it highlighted important issues.  

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