Week 1: Rams 0, Seattle 28: Rams lose 11th consecutive division game
by VanRam on Sep 14, 2009 4:00 AM CDT
in 2009 St. Louis Rams regular season
29 comments
Stop me if you've heard this one before...
The St. Louis Rams coughed up another one-sided loss. This week, they opened the season with a X-X loss to the hated Seattle Seahawks.
The Rams started the game auspiciously enough with a Donnie Avery fumble on a kick-return. The Rams defense quickly washed those horrible memories of recent Rams team away with a three-and-out. You can probably count on one hand how many red zone three-and-outs the Rams defense produced last season.
And then the offense came on the field. From there it's a familiar refrain. On the first snap of the first possession, Rams starting RB Richie Incognito gets flagged for a false start. After the defense put up another three-and-out (or did Seattle's offense just not have it's rhythm?), the second offensive drive crashed on the rocks of an Incognito unnecessary roughness. The more things change...
Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, not even the Keystone Cops themselves could have performed a better first quarter...first half really, except it got tragic by the half's dwindling minutes. A penalty for too many men on the field on a blocked field goal that would have made it 7-7 tells the whole story. That penalty made it 14-0. Worst case scenario, it would have been 10-0.
Throw in a missed 37-yard field goal and it suddenly it looks like something out of Cpt. Yossarian's imagination. Seahawks win 28-0, their first ever shutout of the Rams. And it could have been worse.
The mind-blowing
- It could have been worse.
- You spent your Sunday afternoon watching this game to through more than three quarters. I kept thinking my son would take his first steps and I'd be watching the fourth quarter of this game.
- Bulger had more time in the pocket than maybe ever. And he still couldn't make throws. Only part of that goes on Bulger's shoulders though. Even when he went through his reads...oh...so...slowly, there would be plays where no receiver was to be found
- The offensive line was shaky, at best. They did nothing in run blocking, except for getting runs called back. Coaches hid Steven Jackson after the first couple drives produced nothing, thanks in large part to the run blocking. C Jason Brown, with his pound to dollar contract, not only whiffed a call that resulted in a sack, he missed a snap because of crowd noise.
- I've been a RIchie Incognito defender because they guy can block, but his penalties made him such a liability he was replaced by Adam Goldberg before game's end. Let the John Greco era being.
- Was it the time on the field or was it a complete breakdown of morale? The defense had a bad case of the Charlie Browns as the second half went on.
- Rams defensive ends were MIA.
- So were players guarding Seattle TE John Carlson.
- Um, the decision to carry just three receivers. Help wanted in this department.
- Wasn't there supposed to be some sort of tricked out pass rush in Steve Spagnuolo's pimp my defense defense? The Rams seemingly brought nothing. Hasselbeck was hurried a couple times, but other than that the Rams finished the game with no sacks. Part of that was bad play from our defensive ends; part of that was playcalling.
- Speaking of playcalling...those of you thinking the Rams were a run first team got a rude awakening. The run got dropped fast with the chips down. and the playcalling got predictable.
- And that doesn't just apply to the running game with Steven Jackson. Where was the RB in the passing game? A few times I saw a runner open for a junk pass to move the ball a few yards, and nothing. The ball sailed elsewhere.
- It's strange to come away from this game, as 3k said in the comments, with some confidence in the defense. Go back through the box score. Four Seattle possessions in the first quarter ended in turnovers. The other was a punt. The breakdowns that came in toward the end of the game were to be expected. That's something to build on.
- The defensive tackles were not as bad as we might have thought. The defensive ends though...
- Laurent Robinson can make plays. If Donnie Avery hadn't been so rusty, Robinson might have had more to work with, but since he was the only guy who could threaten a first down (barely) he got enough attention to keep him under wraps.
- James Laurinaitis is a great addition to this defense. Let's not overlook a couple of mistakes; the rookie from Ohio State got duped on the play that made it 14-0, but he made some plays and generally looked in confident...even if his teammates didn't. He had a better game than Aaron Curry.
- Some players showed a little fire...mostly too little, too late. I'm stretching here. Mull this over and we'll have more later.
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Agreed. Perfect
Looking at the next 6 games is giving me a headache. If we totally whiff against the Skins, i’ll have a migrane. I was so hoping we could at least be a little competitive this year.
What has 22 legs and can't move? The Rams offense.
I bet they will be.
I don’t think Spags will just let this team coast through and quit. Spags coached ‘til the last second yesterday. He’ll get the right guys on board with him.
"F@*& Lidge and the horse he rode in on!"
-Cards Fan in Chitown, via text message shortly after the VEB Get Together Day.
Shut Out
How do you get shut out in week 1? how? You could not even kick a field goal,man I was shocked,do these guys even practice. Incognito,could play nowhere else but St. Louis why they put up with this guy I don’t know ,just cut it out and play ball,Steven Jackson and Marc Bulger stole money,man no leadership did you see how the 49ers pulled together around their coach and responded to what their coach is selling we are not,I was positive all during the off season but this just looked bad,but it is a long season nowhere to go but up still a FAN,so let’s go out and beat the Skins,South Carolina guys let’s get it turned around, ……GO RAMS.
The 2003 New England Patriots got beat in Week 1 by a score of 31-0 to the Buffalo Bills
and then went on to a 14-2 record and won the SuperBowl.
Now, I’m not saying these Rams are going to win the SuperBowl. Quite the contrary. All I’m saying is that stranger things have happened (than the St. Louis Rams getting shut out in Week 1…..besides, what makes it tougher to get shut out in Week 1 as opposed to Week 4 or Week 10 or Week 16?) and you can’t really make a bold conclusion based on Week 1.
"F@*& Lidge and the horse he rode in on!"
-Cards Fan in Chitown, via text message shortly after the VEB Get Together Day.
Be patient
I saw a team that with more practice……………..Have more patience,i saw some pearls.This will work. Remember the NY Giants of 2007.I think this team can still win 8 games.
Monday Blues
Sitting at my desk,rams cap on my dome,co-worker just walked by shaking his head and said im embarrassed for you(at least his Lions scored)
Speaking of which
when do we play the Lions?
by WestCoastBuc on Sep 14, 2009 10:05 AM CDT up reply actions
And his team has now lost 18 straight games.
and 24 of their last 25.
"F@*& Lidge and the horse he rode in on!"
-Cards Fan in Chitown, via text message shortly after the VEB Get Together Day.
Right, I'm pretty sure that the pecking order goes
The Bengal fana can mock the Chiefs; the Chief fans can Mock the Rams; The Rams fans can mock the Lions.
Heads over to Pride of Detroit
by WestCoastBuc on Sep 14, 2009 1:54 PM CDT up reply actions
The only solace I have this Monday morning
is the hope that somewhere, somehow Spags is chewing out the team, and Incognito is being forced to run a marathon barefoot.
Couple of things
first our QB is done ,I dont think Bulger has any thing left to give the Rams,time to move on and give Boler a chance to play,second we need a ofensive cordinator the play calling realy sucked ,none of the plays worked because he was so predictable the hole world knew what he was calling, he plain out sucks,if we dont fix these two things we might not see a win this year at all ,Spags has to show as a head coach that he has an eye from the bench to make changes during the game ,like replace Bulger after the first quarter and give the team a chace to win,it dont cut it to just replace Incognito if your QB sucks let him sit as well,and his team was not prepared for sunday thats all on Spags
Jackson and Play Calling
I know it has been mentioned already – but how in the hell does Jackson only get 16 carries and no receptions?!? He is the best player on the team, and you purposely manage to NOT get him the ball, instead you continue to air it out with a QB who missed 3/4 of preseason in a new O (not to metion that he sucks IMO) – it makes zero play calling sense.
All we heard was how this team will be built around the run…and then we don’t run. Now the O line didn’t help matters with penalties and breakdowns, but the speed at which the ground game was abandoned was shocking.
On a positive note Animal Jr looks like a good football player out there…
Free Brandon Wood!
Stop hating on Bulger
I’ve read several comments about how Marc Bulger sucks and he’s washed up but if you really think about it, who’s he throwing the ball to? When his recievers can’t get open, it’s better for him to throw it away or take the sack then throw a pic 6. I remember when Warner was still here and he had his fingers all jacked up and we wanted him to go and we eventually let him go and he ended ip going to the superbowlast year. So if Bulger was let go and happened to shine with another team we’d be kicking ourselves wishing he was back! We just need time and as much as I hate the seafags, they are a really tough team to beat at home! All in all let’s go rams!!!
by revrue914 on Sep 14, 2009 2:34 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
I tend to agree with you mostly
but just to point out, it took Kurt Warner 5 seasons before he became an elite quarterback after leaving the Rams.
"F@*& Lidge and the horse he rode in on!"
-Cards Fan in Chitown, via text message shortly after the VEB Get Together Day.
Robinson should be the #1 WR
he is much better than Avery.
by nathan rothschild on Sep 14, 2009 3:04 PM CDT reply actions
No he isn't
He’s just more experienced.
"F@*& Lidge and the horse he rode in on!"
-Cards Fan in Chitown, via text message shortly after the VEB Get Together Day.
Offense
The offense that Shurmur is trying to implement here is very similar to that of the offense in Philadelphia. Its complex, and the time Bulger missed in the preseason almost certainly hurt his ability to run the offense. The play calling is clearly from Philadelphia. If you fall behind, you pass like crazy, if you have a lead you run like crazy. This team is built a lot like the Eagles are coaching wise.
What are you talking about?
If this was Philly's offense
then Jackson would have had about 20 receptions.
"F@*& Lidge and the horse he rode in on!"
-Cards Fan in Chitown, via text message shortly after the VEB Get Together Day.
Bulger
The one bright spot in the enitre game aside from our rookies was Bulger on a 3 yard run. We were getting beat bad and he was there like he was driving on a 4th quarter two minute drill to win the game. He popped up and started talking shit to a giant 300+ pound Defensive Lineman. If spags dosent get this team pumped up then Bulger will, he had a fighting spirit when no one else did. Steven Jackson needs to step up as a leader and rally the team more like this.
Maybe on Jackson...
but he needs to get the ball more 1st
Free Brandon Wood!
I turned it off early
after watching Bulger just hack up a play in a way that made no sense. He drops back to pass and the only pressure he is getting is a modest amount from his right. He has two receivers on the right side of the field and they are all he looks at. Meanwhile, he has Fells down the middle with no defender within ten yards. He never looks at him. He feels the pressure from the guy trying to get to him on his right, so what does he do? He takes several steps to his right until he is right next to the rusher, then throws the ball out of bounds on the right side.
Two things stood out. First, he wasn’t looking through all his options. He locked in on the right side and wouldn’t look elsewhere. Second, why does he move right into the one guy who is getting anywhere near him? He did that several times last year too. It seems like when he panics, he moves right – and that is often where the rusher is located. If he had taken a couple of steps left he could have looked around for a few more seconds.
I’ve been a big defender of Bulger for the last couple of years, but I’m afraid he has lost it and we need to move on. Looking feisty on one play doesn’t make up for screwing up on decision making over and over.
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