I've often opined that every so often, you get a moment that clarifies a game, a season or a team as a whole.
I think we got one today.
With less than six and a half minutes remaining in the first half, Tom Brady connected with Rob Gronkowski, professor emeritus of Gronkosophy, for a 7-yard TD to put the Pats up by two touchdowns. It wasn't all that spectacular save for the man covering Gronkowski in the end zone: Rams DT Michael Brockers.
It's not so much the details but the representation that matters. The Rams approach to the last two weeks of football, defensively, doesn't make a ton of sense.
Covering one of the league's best tight ends if not the best is not an easy assignment. You have to wonder why, then, that assignment fell to, well, a player not best suited for pass coverage. I doubt we'd have many positive for Cortland Finnegan if pressed into the defensive tackle position...
Look, there's not a ton that really warrants discussion here.
The NFL season always offers anomalies. Last year, the Rams beat the Saints. This year, these same Patriots lost to the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks, two teams that have already lost to the Rams.
I talked about parity recently. Sometimes, that means underdogs overcoming the odds. Other times, it means unpredictable blowouts. Sometimes, it means the Browns beating the Chargers, 7-6. Other times, it means the Dolphins beating the Jets in New York by three touchdowns.
It's a ride, and we're all on it.
That being said, I think the best thing for Rams fans right now is perspective. Are the Rams a top 8 team in the 2012 season? I don't know that anyone would argue that. Are the Patriots and Packers? I would guess that most would say yes.
That being the case, it shouldn't be all that concerning that a team not in the top 8 lost to two teams that are. The problem is how we lost those games.
Closing the gap? Well, that's a process. Whether we want it to be or not. We can get off the ride any time. But if you do, you don't enjoy it at its peak.
Yay process.