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After a horrible game against the Vikings we can handle the outcome one of two ways, according to Jeff Fisher. What he told his team was basically that they can see the loss for what it is - a horrible unspeakable 1st half of garbage followed by a ordinary 2nd half - or they can see this as a football team that has just won 3 of it's last 4. The Rams seem to be finally turning the corner, and putting their dismal past behind them. A strong end to the season may help carry over into 2013 (look at Arizona this year), so let's hope this habit of winning can stick.
Now on to the links!
Mike Sando Outlines the Rams Slim Playoff Hopes
It seems like a one-in-a-million scenario, and would likely be a belated Christmas miracle if it were to happen. Like I mentioned above, the best thing to hope for is that the Rams can continue there practices of winning games these last two weeks with the hopes that it will carry over into the 2013 season.
Are the Rams Serious Contenders In 2013?
This Rant Sports article makes the case that the Rams will be a breakout team in 2013. I try to hold back from this type of fanaticism this time of year. Next season is a long ways away, and it is difficult to predict these things even just days before the season begins. Also, let's not forget that Rams have been poised for a breakout since 2004.
The Vikings Grade Out Very Well Against the Rams
It should come to no surprise that the Vikings had one of their best games of the season last Sunday. Most of us could probably sense it was going to be a long day after the miraculous Christian Ponder break-away touchdown, and 82 yd Peterson run. There really wasn't an area the Vikings played poorly in, but the Rams certainly offered their help in this as well. Either way, the Vikings should be given credit for a great game all the way around.
Trouble For The Rams Next Opponent?
It appears that several Tampa Bay players are not very excited about playing for a former college coach. From the outside looking in, I see Schiano as a coach who thinks outside the box, and has done a pretty good job with the Buccaneers in his first year. But this is not a good sign. You usually don't see this kind of stuff in a coaches first year unless that coach is not long for the league, and I get the feeling that may be the case here. It could always be one bad apple on his way out the door that gave the quote, but isn't it more likely he is speaking for more than just himself.
The Rams select a tackle and a wide receiver because they need both of those things. I really dislike all the serious mock-drafts this time of year. Let's be honest, the folks that really have a handle on who NFL teams will select still don't know because the NFL teams are still in the infancy of this process. When it's all said and done, there will be 4 or 5 quarterbacks gone in the first 15 picks, and half of the offensive lineman predicted to go in the top 10 will have dropped down into the late first round - that's my only prediction right now.
NFL News
It's Tebow Time!!!! ...... no wait.... no...... no it's not, never mind.
What were the Jets thinking? Seriously, I doubt anyone knows. I think Rex Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum may have had grand delusions of recreating the Denver miracle last year with an improved 2012 version of Tebow, but quickly found out that it would be more difficult than they thought.
I love Tim Tebow, and I love watching him play football, but Here's why Tim Tebow isn't starting in New York and won't ever start anywhere again. He will win a lot, but will lose a lot too, and when they lose it will probably be all his fault. Finally, there will be nothing anyone else on the team can do about it. He is the NFL equivalent of an MLB knuckle-ball pitcher. He only has one style of play, and it can't be coached or improved. Think about it, what will coaches tell him after a hard loss in which his rushing is held in check and he only completes 7 passes - "tough game Tim, maybe try throwing better, and running a little harder"? Tim Tebow won't start in New York, because he might win some games, and if he wins they will be stuck bringing him back. That sounds good at first until they are deadlocked in a losing streak next year, and it is all Tebows fault. I wish him all the best, and would personally love to see him play, but I understand why he's not.
There is something magic that happens to quarterbacks that are on good football teams - they win games and look really good. Look at Mark Sanchez, Joe Flacco, and Phillip Rivers. All of these guys have been mentioned in the elite quarterback conversation at some point over the last 3 seasons. We can laugh and say, "well I didn't think that", but the truth is there was an argument that supported those statements. Those quarterbacks led their teams to playoff victories, so it was assumed they were very good. Now that the teams have collapsed around them, they are suddenly poor quarterbacks. It's been said before - but I'll say it again - quarterbacks get too much blame and too much credit. Consider our friend Sam Bradford in this scenario as well, I have a feeling he may change some minds as the Rams improve around him.
Just Random
If the world ends it's probably one of these 10 things that brings about our demise:
http://www.voxxi.com/top-
To be honest, I'm surprised we haven't been overthrown by terminators yet:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/
Again, honestly I don't see a human future in which we are not overthrown by terminators (in this case, Chinese terminators)
http://www.examiner.com/