Ugh. What a painful, painful display. Not only did the Sam Bradford-less Rams put up an abysmal 7 points, but they let a rookie destroy the defense for over 250 yards, a Cowboy record. The loss of Jason Smith, while an underachiever, certainly brings the depth of the offensive line into question. How many injuries can this team take? Quick Five after the jump.
Brandon Lloyd, WR The Rams made the move that many thought they wouldn't, and it payed off. Brandon Lloyd isn't Calvin Johnson (who, by the way, isn't a top five NFL receiver, just ask Cris Carter), but he still looked good in his blue and gold debut. A healthy Sam Bradford could make an even bigger impact for this dying offense.
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Steven Jackson, RB Unfortunately, Steven Jackson has lost a step. I can't help feel sorry for the guy who pretty much is the Rams offense. What would his career have been like if he played for a good team? I hate to say this, but perhaps the Rams should think about moving him this off season, for his sake. It's not fair for a competitor to be stuck on such a lousy team.
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Run Defence This one was pretty easy. After the Rams get destroyed on the ground, this game leaves us with plenty of questions. Was it worth not going after Brandon Mebane for Justin Bannan? He's been decent this year, but even after two #1 picks and some free agent acquisitions, the defensive line is still a problem. |
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Robert Quinn, DE This guy is the real deal. After some experience, he is going to dominate. He is lightning off the line and is quick enough to take down QB's from behind. His numbers may not show up, but it's clear he is a future star in the making. |
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Coaching At this point, I'm most disappointed with the lack of development. Plenty of players have taken huge strides backward, and I'm certain that there are too many for it to just be bad luck. I can't fault Spagnuolo for deciding to take the team to the World Series. How much difference would one more practice with A.J. Feeley have made anyway?
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On another note: I'm tired of having it be all red. From now on, I'm going to try and find the positives in the games, because it is driving me too crazy being critical. At this point, the season is lost. I'm just not sure how many players and coaches will see another in blue and gold.