Rams division rivals not without issues

by Ryan Van Bibber on Aug 30, 2009 8:57 AM CDT in 2009 St. Louis Rams preseason

As far as starting performances go this week, the Rams have had the most consistent efforts out of their first team units on offense and defense. Our NFC West division rivals struggled some in the third week of preseason football.

The Rams, 49ers and Seahawlks all won this week, but there were warning signs.

Against the Cowboys, San Francisco's passing game struggled mightily. Shaun Hill was just 9-for-17 with 79 yards, and even with 5 Frank Gore runs they only got 3 first half points. Here's ESPN's Mike Sando's reaction to the Niners passinggame:

More broadly, how much evidence have we seen suggesting the 49ers are developing momentum in their passing game this summer?

The Seahawks struggled on the other side side of the ball. Despite putting Matt Cassel on the shelf indefinitely, Chiefs running backs Larry Johnson and Jamaal Charles averaged 4.5 and 7.7 yards per carry, respectively, on a total of 15 carries for 90 yards. It's worth pointing out just how bad the Chiefs are. Part of the problem were missed tackles from Seattle starters. Seattle struggling against the run; that bodes well for the Rams. QB Matt Hasselbeck looked like his former Pro Bowl self against a weak Chiefs defense.

My point, besides a little finger in the eye of our division rivals? If the Rams play physical, disciplined football they can compete within the division, which is exactly what they have to in their climb back to respectability this season.

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As I've said all along,

the Seahawks are garbage. They just are. The Niners have some interesting components, but unless their QB can hold that team together, they will fall apart.

Your uncle molests collies.

by 3k on Aug 30, 2009 10:02 AM CDT reply actions

They just are

How are the seahawks garbage? I’m heading up to Seattle week 1 and would love some good smack-talking points.

by BruinHalo on Aug 30, 2009 11:56 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Well, let's go position by position

QB – Hasselbeck? Really? This is the quarterback you want to rest your fate on? He’s 33, and is coming off a 7-game season due to a double injury: a back injury that caused nerve damage and weakened his legs which led to him sustaining a knee injury. Of course, you’ve got a solid backup in Seneca Wallace, but he is a backup QB. To be fair, I am high on Mike Teel, the rookie QB they drafted in the 6th round. But regardless of how this position shakes out over this season, how is their QB going to generate offense with the following options?
HB – Julius Jones and a 31-year-old Edgerrin James. Not impressive. As much as I loved Edge when he was younger, he’s on the wrong side of 30 which is a deathstroke to any RB.
WR – I love how everybody clowns our WRs and gives Seattle’s a pass. Deion Branch? Solid contributor, but nothing spectacular. He’s missed 13 games the last two years, and has lost much of the speed that made him viable at just 5’9". Nate Burleson? Hehehe. Ever the perennial disappointment, Burleson played 1 more game than Marshall Faulk did last year. So their answer was to bring on…TJ Housh? He’s already 31 and averaged less than 10 yards per rec last year. Donnie Avery, compartively, averaged 12.7. And drafting Deon Butler adds another undersized WR to a group that really needs a #1 just like us.
TE – This is one position where I like what they have; John Carlson is young, gritty, and looks like he could be Jason Witten 2.0. Let’s move along…
O-line – After Sean Locklear, this is a very pedestrian O-line. They had arguably the best OT of the last decade in Walter Jones, but he had a second surgery recently and could miss the whole season. Max Unger was a nice draft pick in the middle, but as with almost every rookie, it takes time to get up to NFL speed. In all, this is an offense that could struggle to play even the weakest defense. A new head coach in Jim Mora and a new OC in Greg Knapp (who comes over from Oakland – not exactly a powerhouse offense) portends bad things for Seattle.
Entire defense – Patrick Kerney, Marcus Trufant and their LBs = good. Everyone else = not so much.

There’s absolutely no reason the Rams can’t get two from the Seahawks this year.

Your uncle molests collies.

by 3k on Aug 30, 2009 12:40 PM CDT up reply actions

I actually have seen

several sources giving the devision to Arizona… and all the things you mentioned above came to mind… I thing the biggest point is the O-Line, and RB-WR situation… lots of new faces including on the coaching front… and not the cream of the crop IMHO.

Why people are crowning Seattle is beyond me…

This is a team that could really struggle… I mean seriously… I am not fearng theseguys at all. Our D-Line has to be licking their chops right about now for week 1.