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Game Balls, Game Goats & FU's...........Week 6 @ RAMS.....

I’d be interested to know if there has ever been another 4-2 NFL team that was outscored by 24 points on the season.
 
I’d be interested to know if there has ever been another 4-2 NFL team that was outscored by 24 points on the season.
Ya know, 23 points of that 24 point differential came in the first game against the 49ers.
 
NOT upset at all, just showing what percentages and using that data to show that O’Canada could do way better.

Sorry if you misinterpreted what I was trying to show. Not meant as an attach by any means.

PeAce


Salute the nation
No worries - it was the capitals that made me think that.
Cheers
 
I start to get this awful feeling that Canada has tailored the offense to what Pickett does well. And that doing other stuff would expose Pickett to be a bad QB...?

It is utterly improbable that the man literally can't see what other teams are doing and just steal it. He'd need an ego the size of a planet to think that his offense is a modern NFL offense. The execution still leaves a lot to be desired - the OL in the first half today was really rough.

At least last week and this week there was more flex in the formation. They didn't ALWAYS run from under centre and ALWAYS pass from shotgun but it's still appallingly predictable. Why? Surely it can't be for that one time that they pass from under centre and catch them unawares...? "HahHah! Got you!"

If not then what limitations are they building around? That's what I don't get.

This week's game was a far better balance than normal - honest to god play action on the opening play.

I can't believe that I'm semi-defending Matt Canada.

The counterpoints to this are:

A. The Offense has looked the same when both Trabisky and Roethlisberger were in there. If there was a serious drop off when Pickett stepped in, that would be one thing… but its just a continuation from the previous two QBs
(and really to some extent it predated Canada)

B. Canada was not now nor was he ever brought in because of his passing game prowess.
It was all about fixing the run game… and Im 99.9% certain that the QB isn’t holding the Run game back…
 
QB-
Kenny again was up and down. The down was a few poorly thrown balls and did get happy feet a couple times. But the positive is late in the game he started climbing the pocket and throwing some very accurate balls. We need more 4th quarter Kenny in the first three.

RB-
Najee runs really hard and angry. I like that. But I saw a few times where he had a hole in the middle and he missed it to get hit behind the line. If he could clean up his vision he could get his average in that 4-5 ypc range. It doesn't take a lot. If he would have turned up in the hole a few times he was tackled for a loss he would have turned those -2+ yard runs into 2+ yard positive runs. That is all he needs to do. This isn't Alabama and he needs to understand he will never see those types of holes in the NFL.

Warren needs more touches. He had 6 carries for 32 while Harris had 14 for 53. That it 5.3ypc vs 3.8. Theoretically if you swap those carries we have a 100 yards on the ground.

WR-
I 100% agree. George NEEDS 10+ targets a game. He also needs to get a butt chewing for some of his antics.
DJ needs to move to the slot imo. I feel he would eat up zone defenses and turn a few 5 yard slants into big gains.
CA3 should be sent deep a few times a game. If the safety sits flat air it out and see if he can run underneath it.
A-Rob should be a 3rd down specialist. Big body and still good hands. He can definitely help fill the shows of Pat while he is out.

TE-
I still can't believe we aren't high balling a few to Washington when we get inside the 10. Fade to the corner or Slant to the middle depending on the defense. Throw it high and let him play basketball in the end zone.
Heyward imo should move to H-Back and either stay in to max protect if there's a blitz, chip if we need help with a pass rusher, or do a wheel route and get out in space.

OL-
Moore did a decent job at LT. He is lightyears better than he was as a rookie. But Jones is our future LT so imo we should move Moore to RT because Chuks is nothing special. He is a body. You can pick up one of him in free agency every year for a couple million bucks. Not hard to replace if Moore can't handle it. But if Moore can then we can save 10+ million next year to maybe resign a few guys.

All in all the offensive line did well. There were missed protections and we need to get better of calling out the free man and blitzers. But when the protection calls were correct Kenny had lots of time back there.

DL-
Larry really showed up yesterday. We are going to need him to keep doing that and if he can keep it up when Cam gets back we might have a very good front. Leal was in on a few tackles. He really needs to step it up because he is in year two and we need to know about life after Cam and Loudermilk doesn't look like he will be much more than a depth piece at this point. Adams was in on a few tackles but he needs to get more push. I did not see much from Benton.

Edge-
The interception from Watt was awesome and since the Rams double teamed him every snap I don't get why austin didn't blitz from the opposite side and then have Watt fake then run into zone more. Or blitz from his side forcing the OL to single him up. Very bland defensive scheme. Austin is the Canada of DC's. I could have schemed up a dozen plays to get an advantage on the Highsmith side or get Watt singled up. Austin has the imagination of an autistic child.

ILB-
Holcomb had another nice game and is starting to take over from Kwon as our best ILB. Kwon and Roberts are awesome situational pieces and I hope we keep them both next year.

CB-
JPJ had his ups and down. Nacua is a big man and just a smart football player. He eats up zones and has the size to make you pay leaving him one-on-one. JPJ won some and lost some but he never quit and that is the sign of a greatness. Have to forget the lost reps and move on.

S-
Minkah was everywhere. If our DL could hold the point better I feel Minkah would be able to stay in centerfield and get us some more big plays. But right now he needs to play closer to the line to stop the bleeding our DL gives in the running game. I know I will hear it but we definitely miss Edmunds in the run game. Austin/Butler rarely used him correctly but when he was in the box he was a stud in run D. Now we have our all pro safety filling a roll Edmunds could be. The only miss on Khan's part and I feel he thought between Kazee, Norwood and Neal we could fill that void. Norwood regressed off the team and Neal is just a guy out there imo. Kazee is active but he doesn't have the size or speed of Edmunds.

ST-
Bos is a stud. Pressley had a good game and is giving me some hope.
 
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I give a game ball to the Rams kicker. Dude singlehandedly left 7 points on the field.
They did make up for the missed xtra point when they completed a two point conversion. In the end he still cost his team a net of 6 points.
 
They did make up for the missed xtra point when they completed a two point conversion. In the end he still cost his team a net of 6 points.

This ^^ Two points on the "Steelers won only because Rams kicker sucks" argument:

1. Would people feel better if the Steelers won 24-23?
2. Aren't kickers part of the roster? It's like saying, "Rams won only because of that WR." Okay.
 
Ya know, 23 points of that 24 point differential came in the first game against the 49ers.

Not disagreeing with yaz, but you could also look at it as 4points a game / 12 points X 2 games. Houston hammered us as well, worse than 49ers.



Salute the nation
 
I’ll tell you what. I have more positives than negatives after this one.
First off they scored within the first 15 scripted plays… thats a huge achievement

Secondly they took more deep shots.

Thirdly on a few plays I didn’t know what they were doing before the snap. That excites me because really while still mostly predictable, its improving…

Fourthly, they actually used a 2-2 personnel set on the one TD… everyone looked discombobulated and they almost didn’t get it off, but with Washington, Heyward, Warren, and Harris out there, the rams had no idea what was coming

Lastly, they are working in the rookies more herbig had a huge sack and JPjr is getting more snaps
 
I’ll tell you what. I have more positives than negatives after this one.
First off they scored within the first 15 scripted plays… thats a huge achievement

Secondly they took more deep shots.

Thirdly on a few plays I didn’t know what they were doing before the snap. That excites me because really while still mostly predictable, its improving…

Fourthly, they actually used a 2-2 personnel set on the one TD… everyone looked discombobulated and they almost didn’t get it off, but with Washington, Heyward, Warren, and Harris out there, the rams had no idea what was coming

Lastly, they are working in the rookies more herbig had a huge sack and JPjr is getting more snaps


I look at these games and ask myself “are they improving”, this game is a certain yes. I think they have been improving all season, as minuscule as some is.

O’Canada isn’t an NFL OC, but he will possible get us into the playoffs and there, anything can happen,


Salute the nation
 
I look at these games and ask myself “are they improving”, this game is a certain yes. I think they have been improving all season, as minuscule as some is.

O’Canada isn’t an NFL OC, but he will possible get us into the playoffs and there, anything can happen,


Salute the nation

Step 1. We make the playoffs
Step 2. The coaching staff gets diverted to a desert island for a couple months
Step 3. The Ballboys take over gameplanning and playcalling
Step 4 Super Bowl!
 
I’d be interested to know if there has ever been another 4-2 NFL team that was outscored by 24 points on the season.
Not sure about that specific situation, but the 1989 Steelers came to mind. They finished at 9-7 with a -61 point differential.
 
Not sure about that specific situation, but the 1989 Steelers came to mind. They finished at 9-7 with a -61 point differential.
Yeah, I remember them getting blown out back to back against Cleveland and Cincinnati to start the season.
 
I give a game ball to the Rams kicker. Dude singlehandedly left 7 points on the field.
They did get the one point back with the 2 point conversion, but he definitely still gets a game ball
 
The counterpoints to this are:

A. The Offense has looked the same when both Trabisky and Roethlisberger were in there. If there was a serious drop off when Pickett stepped in, that would be one thing… but its just a continuation from the previous two QBs
(and really to some extent it predated Canada)

B. Canada was not now nor was he ever brought in because of his passing game prowess.
It was all about fixing the run game… and Im 99.9% certain that the QB isn’t holding the Run game back…
A, particularly is a really good point. Sadly doesn't help me understand why everything is so pedestrian. But that's everyone's question.

The passing chart was actually quite impressive this week - Nice spread all over the field so there's hope.
 
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