Random Ramsdom, 12/14: Ratings boom

by Ryan Van Bibber on Dec 14, 2010 6:51 AM CST in 2010 St. Louis Rams season

Tuesday morning, time for some tape review, a lot of coffee and to merge our thoughts of the week that was with the week that will be. The St. Louis Rams begin practicing for their week 15 game against the Kansas City Chiefs tomorrow. In the meantime, here's a boatload of Rams news and commentary delivered for your reading pleasure.

Dolphins sign Kevin Curtis
The Dolphins signed former Rams WR Kevin Curtis.

Alexander didn't fit the "the flow"

The Rams didn't use Danario Alexander much in their game plan this week, because he just didn't fit into the flow of the game. I know. The Rams took some shots deep, but with pass protection being iffy at best it was harder to make the deep ball work. Still, you can't help but wonder if DX would have known which shoulder to look over with a long ball coming his way.

Playoffs, what playoffs?

Steve Spagnuolo isn't saying much about the playoffs. That's probably a good thing. The Rams have some work to do before they can starting prepping for the postseason.

Ratings on the rise for the Rams

Sunday game against the Saints drew a 29.8 rating for the first two hours, but that dropped in the last 60 minutes as the Saints pulled away from the Rams. It was on pace to be the first Rams' game with a rating over 30 since 2004. However, ratings this season are still high for the Rams, compared to recent years. Their average rating is 25.9, the highest it's been since 2004. That's good news as the fans at home step out on a limb and start buying tickets next season.

Cassel may return against Rams

Kansas City QB Matt Cassel wants to return for this week's game against the Rams, after having an appendectomy last week. It's still not clear whether he will or not, and Chiefs' head coach Todd Haley says they won't make a decision until later this week.

Got questions about the Chiefs?

Get all the Chiefs info you need to know before the Rams take on their cross state rivals in the battle of the Governor's Cup. (Side note: Has governing become so dangerous that the old white men in the halls of power need to wear a cup?)

Alright, I'm going to pimp the social media stuff again, and I can guarantee that you won't be disappointed if you add a little extra TST to your diet that way.

And I thought Facebook was just a way to see how gross the people you went to high school had become, but it's more than that. Hit us up over there too.

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Classic

“dropped in the last 60 minutes as the Saints pulled away from the Rams”

by LARams1968 on Dec 14, 2010 7:16 AM CST reply actions

The Rams didn't use Danario Alexander much in their game plan this week, because he just didn't fit into the flow of the game.

That has to be the most ridiculous statement you have ever made here,he would fit in any game plan if Shurmur can grow some balls and throw the ball 30 yards down field

by Rams67 on Dec 14, 2010 7:25 AM CST reply actions

I agree, even if the Rams pass blocking didnt allow for a long down the field pass,

They could have worked him in on many 3rd and long pass options as the Rams were in 3rd and long all friggen day!

This is also where DX would be huge with that tall body to and get the Rams a first down! Hopefully this isnt a trend. I know it is coming to the end of the season and it is just easier to keep working with the Recievers that have been there but dude…he is a difference maker, you gotta get him the ball!

All I want for Christmas is a Pete Carroll scowl on week 17!

by leadhead on Dec 14, 2010 8:00 AM CST up reply actions

agreed

if you get on you tube and watch his 10 minute highlight film… it isn’t as if the long ball is his only strength… it is the strength we were lacking that he provides but he also was really “jukey” and had the ability to make a couple of moves and get quite a bit of yac…. I call bs. Now if the real story is they are babying him to try and give his knee a real shot…. than I can deal with that. It sucks, but it is the one thing that really hasn’ t been tried with him. In college, they would pretty much throw him back in as soon as he was cleared and so far that strategy = 5 knee surgeries. Maybe this is just them being cautious. If not, there is no other excuse I find tolerable…lol.

by stlfan2004 on Dec 14, 2010 8:59 AM CST up reply actions

Yep, and to pass the ball further down field IS

to also make the defense play a bit more in the secondary and less intensive on a 5+ down pass rush.

by jlcdb70 on Dec 14, 2010 11:11 AM CST up reply actions

Something The Announcers Pointed Out

The Saints played a deep safety (25 yards). This probably took out many of the plays they drew up for DX. This also accounted for the running game looking better. With a safety playing that deep, S Jax was gashing yards between the 20’s.

by JTPirate on Dec 14, 2010 3:08 PM CST up reply actions

Oh it just dawned on me what he was talking about...or what his thinking on flow is..

… Danario has only really played 2 full games, by flow he means the flow of the game needs to be going in the Rams favor which it never really did.

It is the conservative thinking again. Spags knows what he can get out of gibson, amendola and robinson. Alexander hasnt been on the field enough…for him it is still preseason in a sense. DX will go in when the Rams have some sort of a lead and they can feature DX without risking the game.

All I want for Christmas is a Pete Carroll scowl on week 17!

by leadhead on Dec 14, 2010 8:48 PM CST up reply actions

They mentioned one particular play they had set up

for Alexander downfield. By the time Bradford was to throw the ball the Saints had gotten to him and knocked the ball out of his hand. DX can’t get 20 or 30 yards downfield in less than 3 seconds, particularly when the CB is bumping him at the line, and that’s all the time Bradford had all day. The Saints were doing too good a job of blitzing and getting to Sam for us to expect to be able to throw any long passes. I don’t think they want DX running too many plays over the middle yet, because it exposes his knee too much. They would rather let the knee completely heal before exposing him too much to those hits.

by andyhawk on Dec 14, 2010 10:21 PM CST up reply actions