Guys, I defer to you when it comes to knowing about the players on opposing teams and analyzing matchups, position by position. I simply don't follow other teams very closely. I couldn't tell you much of anything about the Rams. How does their defense stack up against our last two conquests, the Titans and Chiefs? Is their offense on par with ours and the Chiefs.

I felt like the team we beat today was the toughest opponent left in our quest for a Superbowl title. Then again, I don't know much about the Rams.

Also, LA fans don't seem to be as rabid as many of the fans elsewhere. Some were saying that it seemed like the Niners had more fans than the Rams today. I wonder, will it really be much of a home field advantage for LA? The Bengals are a fun, cool team that seems to have captured the imagination of the country. Is it possible that the Bengals may have as much fan support at the Superbowl as the Rams?

This has been a helluva day. Make it even better. Tell me why our Bengals are the better football team?

Let me put it this way, I was not confident that we could go into Arrowhead and win. Am I wrong in thinking that playing the Chiefs in Arrowhead was a taller order than it will be playing the Rams in SoFi. I mean, let's face it, the Rams barely got by the Niners.

Rams will be tougher in that they’re a the most complete team. I look at their roster and I don’t see any clear weaknesses.

Their defense ain’t no KC. But their offense ain’t either.

Very complete team and not a great matchup against their Dline. Inside LB and safety would be the only weakness defensively. Might need to win an ugly game like vs the Titans. Hopefully we can establish a running game and be able to attack the middle of the field. Of course I’d love to see a huge Chase game, despite the matchup on paper not favoring this type of game. The offensive line needs to step up here for this one.

Stafford is a weakness. It’s not that he is a bad QB, he has really bad games. If that Stafford shows up, the Rams probably can’t win even if Burrow throws 2 picks.

I hope they think Ramsey is good enough to cover Chase 1 on 1

Donald on the interior will be a problem, but hopefully with start Carman

Hilton v. Kupp will be huge

I agree.

Would be worried if Robert Woods was still around. Always showed up in big games.

And the Patriots showed how to disrupt the wide zone blocking for  their o line. Go diagonal at the snap and their blocking is mute

I stated in another thread:

They are like the Titans but with an upgraded offense.

I see Hendrickson blowing up that geriatric tackle of theirs.

(01-31-2022, 01:51 AM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I see Hendrickson blowing up that geriatric tackle of theirs.

It's got to be mind blowing for big Whit. Make the damned Super Bowl only run into us. Happy for him. Wish he'd been able to do it here. 

After looking the Lambs schedule, I feel better. They lost at HOME to Arizona by 17; they lost at HOME to Tennessee by 12; they lost at HOME to SF by 3. They lost to the Niners by THREE Touchdowns @ SF. So, if they had lost tonight, SF would have had the trifecta sweep of LA on the season.

The Rams gave up more points on the season than any other team in their division. In week 18, they got by the Ravens by a meager one point, in a game they probably should have lost. They also had an unimpressive 28-19 HOME win over Detroit, a team the Bengals devoured.

Tell me why I'm wrong in thinking the Bengals are the better team .

San Fran outscored the Rams 75-54 in their three games this season, with the Niners winning two of three. Are we sure the Rams are all that?

(01-31-2022, 02:17 AM)wcu Wrote: It's got to be mind blowing for big Whit. Make the damned Super Bowl only run into us. Happy for him. Wish he'd been able to do it here. 

Yeah crazy for Whit. I'm happy for that guy though, and if they do win I bet it'll actually for bittersweet for him to have stopped us winning it. He was a top guy here and I'm sure he has the Bengals close to his heart.

It's a tough matchup, their D-Line could destroy our O-Line in a similar fashion to how Tennessee did. If Stafford is on, he has some serious weapons. Everyone talks about Kupp (obviously), but OBJ has actually been pretty good for them too since he went in. Higbee went down and would be a blow to them if he can't go in two weeks.

For all their talent though the Rams defence isn't a shutdown defence. Stafford is one year off a long period of losing with the Lions. They almost blew a huge lead to Tom Brady and had to battle out of a hole yesterday. McVay made some baffling decisions yesterday too. They're at home, and they're the favourites for sure, but they certainly aren't a surefire thing. 

With the Niners, they almost seemed like a bit of a team of destiny, kind of how we have. Things went right for them, right as they needed it. They've been on fire since starting 3-5. Deebo is a beast. Obviously Kupp is insane, and they have great players, but the Rams don't feel like as much a team of destiny. It's a tough game, but on paper going to Kansas was the ultimate tough one so we'll see. 

I think 3.5 is a decent line for Vegas to have taken. We're in the Super Bowl and we've got a chance, gotta be happy with that.

(01-31-2022, 02:22 AM)Science Friction Wrote: After looking the Lambs schedule, I feel better. They lost at HOME to Arizona by 17; they lost at HOME to Tennessee by 12; they lost at HOME to SF by 3. They lost to the Niners by THREE Touchdowns @ SF. So, if they had lost tonight, SF would have had the trifecta sweep of LA on the season.

The Rams gave up more points on the season than any other team in their division. In week 18, they got by the Ravens by a meager one point, in a game they probably should have lost. They also had an unimpressive 28-19 HOME win over Detroit, a team the Bengals devoured.

Tell me why I'm wrong in thinking the Bengals are the better team .

They also needed a final drive to beat the same “practice squad” Raven we destroyed the week previously. There is no reason we can’t win; but they are thinking the same thing.

As good as Stanford is, I still take Joey B. Stanford makes key mistake (interception in the red zone tonight). And our defense have been ball hawks this post seasons. Mahomes had never thrown an interception in his 3 previous AFC championship games and we picked him off twice.

I expect a tough game, but am not as concerned as I was this week at the Chiefs.

(01-31-2022, 07:03 AM)Rubekahn29 Wrote: They also needed a final drive to beat the same “practice squad” Raven we destroyed the week previously. There is no reason we can’t win; but they are thinking the same thing.

As good as Stanford is, I still take Joey B. Stanford makes key mistake (interception in the red zone tonight). And our defense have been ball hawks this post seasons. Mahomes had never thrown an interception in his 3 previous AFC championship games and we picked him off twice.

I expect a tough game, but am not as concerned as I was this week at the Chiefs.

Is the whole team playing? Stanford?   WTF?   

(01-31-2022, 02:22 AM)Science Friction Wrote: After looking the Lambs schedule, I feel better.   They lost at HOME to Arizona by  17;  they lost at HOME to Tennessee by 12;  they lost at HOME to SF by 3. They lost to the Niners by THREE Touchdowns @ SF.   So, if they had lost tonight,  SF would have had the trifecta sweep of LA on the season.

The Rams gave up more points on the season than any other team in their division.  In week 18,  they got by the Ravens by a meager one point, in a game they probably should have lost. They also had an unimpressive 28-19 HOME win over Detroit, a team the Bengals devoured.

Tell me why I'm wrong in thinking the Bengals are the better team .

The Rams are the best team in the NFC.  I said it all year, above the Packers for certain.  SF kind of came out of nowhere with a heck of a run, but the Rams are a very complete team.  

The thing I don't like about them is some of what you mentioned earlier.  They really only seem to get up for big games.  I thought this game might be closer than most did (against SF) because I viewed that win over Brady and the Bucs as their Super Bowl.  They were VERY up for that game and were destroying them, but in typical Rams fashion, they relaxed and thought it was over only to have the Bucs come storming back.

The bad thing about that is for the Super Bowl, the Bengals will get their best shot.  They won't be half-assing anything about the big game.  Especially Donald.  That guy wants a ring big time.  

Do I think Cincy can win?  Absolutely.  Joe Burrow is amazing at figuring out what teams are trying to do to him, and with two weeks to prepare, the Rams will be bringing the house against him.  But he has two weeks to prepare as well.  I look at how the LOS was not dominated by SF against Cincy and think their lines can hold up against the Rams.  It will come down to the secondaries.  Which ever one holds up best and maybe generates a turnover or two will likely get the win.  

The Rams will attack you at all 3 levels. Vertically they will attack down the seam which bodes well for us with Bates there. Second level they will be working the backside dig, which Stafford has struggled to complete at times, and the comeback route. Short they like the quick screens from trips both inside out bubble and smoke screens. Kupp will line up all over the field and if you blow a coverage he is going to find it. All that said, I feel good we can get pressure on Stafford and I don't hate our secondary match ups.

Defensively the weakness is down the middle at the second and 3rd level. Their safeties aren't very good and the linebackers are a problem. They can be gashed by the run at times if you have an answer for Donald, but that is tough inside. I think we match up well with 3 good receivers as Ramsey will probably travel with Chase and if they want to test him one on one I think they can when some of those but have to be careful about tendencies as no other CB in the league is as good at jumping those tendencies. I think my answer to Donald would be motioning a TE wide to inside on the wide zone and let the tackle wash down and help the RG on Donald. Off that you can work the play action, but if you are in shotgun I am putting my back up behind my RG and literally telling him to pop him every time.

I'll probably do a more in depth breakdown after I watch the all 22 from this week.

(01-31-2022, 08:22 AM)spazz70 Wrote: Is the whole team playing? Stanford?   WTF?   

Autocorrect on my phone, lol. Stafford. It was early after little sleep, give me a break haha

(01-31-2022, 02:17 AM)wcu Wrote: It's got to be mind blowing for big Whit. Make the damned Super Bowl only run into us. Happy for him. Wish he'd been able to do it here. 

He was already in a Super Bowl, right? The 2018 Super Bowl with the Rams.

(01-31-2022, 09:45 AM)Nepa Wrote: He was already in a Super Bowl, right? The 2018 Super Bowl with the Rams.

Correct.

(01-31-2022, 01:17 AM)NotBigzo Wrote: Rams will be tougher in that they’re a the most complete team. I look at their roster and I don’t see any clear weaknesses.

Their defense ain’t no KC. But their offense ain’t either.

In the regular season, the KC scoring defense was 8th in points/game and the Rams were 15th. Their pass defense stats were nearly identical in that the Rams were 26th in yards allowed/game and KC was 27th.  In terms of offense, KC was 3rd in the league in yards/game and the Rams were 9th.   So, in terms of regular season stats, I don't see that the Rams are tougher than KC, nor a more complete team.

The real complete team that we could have faced was the 49ers, whose defense was ranked 3rd in yards/game and 10th in scoring, and 6th in pass defense in yards per game, and at the same time had an offense ranked 7th in yards/game. Kupp and Donald are amazing, but it was pick your poison, as the 49ers had Bosa and Deebo Samuel and Kittle.