This Week's Enemy Fan Forums: The St. Louis Rams

[Funkytown]

Where we could lose this game - if your oline handles our dline. That will be the most important matchup of the entire game.

This.

What are your main concerns?

What you just mentioned.

You seem like a really passionate, knowledgeable fan. It's nice to read your insight...even though it's a tad bit discouraging. lol.

I love, love, LOVE watching your d-line in action. Aside from this game, I wish the Rams the best.

[dead_poet]

It is stuff like this that makes a fan base look bad though. The Rams had a better record than the Vikings last year, so no clue what you are talking about.

You're using two games as a measuring stick to two teams that missed the playoffs? Both teams had their shortcomings. Who knows what would've happened last year had the two teams met, but I don't think the Rams were necessarily a better team. It matters not; this is 2014. It's a whole new season.

Also - to all the people talking about CP vs. TA - Tavon didn't play many snaps either; it appears that each of us didn't know that about our rookie WRs last year. He started a few games, but his snaps dropped when we transitioned to more power running.

Here is the big difference: Patterson was used more because he produced on the field and the Vikings could no longer justify his talent on the bench. Austin's snaps were not dropped due to more power running. They were dropped because he was largely ineffective and is/was a bit/sub-package player. If he had the kind of production expected of a first-round pick, his snaps would've increased and he'd be a starting receiver.

You do realize that the Rams are favored in this game right? And that the Vikes only won 5 games last year? Against the 13th most difficult schedule, while the Rams won 7 with the 4th most difficult.

You'd probably do best to stop talking about last season as a way to predict this season. There has been so much change since then from head coach to coordinators to players. 2013 in regards to 2014 is largely irrelevant.

[PacificNorseWest]

I love the concept of this thread. Should be a weekly thread. Well done OP.

[Rieux]

You are the 2011 Colts.

Now, that is smack talk. Yowch.

[Mothman]

I think all your efforts and reasons for why the Rams are going to breakout in 2014 are adorable, but the truth is they are going to do nothing but lose games this season and that decision was made final within hours of Sam Bradford going down with his second major knee injury. Shaun Hill is the poster child for a QB who will play respectable but still lose games. That's what Jeff Fisher wants, someone who will lose but not draw too much attention to it. The Rams have been assembling the pieces but they will not break out in 2014. Thankfully for the Rams this happened to Bradford, because he was not going to be the guy to take them to the next level. This injury gives them the justification to get rid of him. You are the 2011 Colts. The Rams goal will be to finish Top 5 in the draft so you can get your new QB, and when that guy comes you will be set for years. However this ain't going to happen just yet, 2014 is OUR year

As Cliff said above, smack talk goes in the smack shack. Please be respectful in your replies to other members even if you don't agree with them.

[headless_norseman]

I think Matt Kalil will continue to struggle. The left side of our line could pose a real problem going forward this season.

Kalil played through injury last year.

[Purple bruise]

Kalil played through injury last year.

Kalil will be fine this year, watch and see.

[J. Kapp 11]

Hello all.

I've been browsing your forum for some time now (can't wait for this season to start), and I decided to chime in.

I want to be respectful, but also blatantly honest. I hope that is received well here. BTW, I'm the one that said "33-14".

The one comment that caught my eye was that Rams fans that are predicting a blowout are delusional. Think about it: we've had the same coach for 3 years now, and along the way we have amassed some serious talent via the RG3 trade. We've been impatiently waiting for that talent to develop, and have seen flashes of brilliance. We destroyed the Colts and Bears last year, and also thoroughly defeated the Saints. Two of those teams made the playoffs and won a playoff game. Those are the flashes we saw. We won those three games without Bradford, and with a QB worse than Shaun Hill. Anyway, analyze the few things below:

The Rams went 7-9 while playing in the best division in football. The Vikings went 5-10-1 while playing in what was probably the worst division in the NFC (8 win division champ).

3rd year with same coach, 3 years of drafting players and several first round picks - talented team that has had time to develop.

Flashes of brilliance last year without Sam Bradford.

The Rams are at home, where only 1 non division rival beat us last year (the Titans, with us coming off a short week), whereas the Vikings didn't win a single road game last year.

The Viking defense was atrocious last year. While bringing in a new coach and a few new players is nice, you also lost quite a few. I realize Jared Allen's best football was behind him, but the fact remains that the Vikes lost their best pass rusher. Along with a few other players on D. I don't want to discount what a new coach/scheme can do for current players, and Linval was a good pick up, but first game in a new system? Odds stacked against you.

The Rams just have more talent. Vikings Oline is solid (although I was surprised to read some of your comments about how it's a question mark), Peterson is Peterson, Jennings is solid and all I've heard this offseason is how Patterson will break out this year. But top to bottom, we are just a better team right now. Even starting Shaun Hill....there are several people out there that, when polled, would say Hill and Cassel are on the same level.

Anyway - that is why the Rams should win this game handily. We might not. But should. This team is ready to explode.

Also, the Falcons are your easiest game in the first 5.

Explode? You need an offense to score 33 points.

Don't want to be disrespectful, either. But you guys weren't exactly The Greatest Show on Turf BEFORE Bradford went down. Now you're starting a journeyman QB with a 15-15 career record, and you think your guy is even equal to Cassel? Please. And who else do you have on offense? Tavon Austin? Not a guy who can dominate. Peterson can dominate. Patterson can dominate (don't believe it? Check out any of the last 6 games of last year -- he's already broken out). When this game is over, you may well be asking why your team took Austin ahead of Patterson. He's that good.

I won't be so foolish as to say we'll go in there and kick your a$$es. We're the underdogs, and having not won a road game all last season, we should be. But blow us out? Not gonna happen, mate. And don't be surprised if we upset the Rams.

[PurpleKoolaid]

Kalil played through injury last year.

Who didn't?
I remember his first year, he had some nagging injury and played just fine.

[Crax]

I've never disliked the rams in the past and enjoyed watching their super bowl teams, but I really hope the Vikings win this game. I can't stand Greg Williams. He's got to be the coach/coordinator I like the least in the entire league.

[Pseudo Everything]

I think the Rams overall talent level is better than the Vikings. The problem if you're a Rams fan is that the talent at QB is a little sketchy. Hill is a competent backup but going into the season with him as the starter ... good luck with that.

Interesting that neither Greg Robinson (#2 overall) or Aaron Donald (#13 overall) are starters on their depth chart (although I'm sure Donald will be in the rotation). Thought for sure Robinson would start the season at OG but apparently he couldn't beat out Davin Joseph. Probably due to the run heavy offense at Auburn and his lack of pass blocking in college. I like the talent level on the Rams OL (Long, Saffold, Wells, Joseph and Barksdale). They have a much better chance against our front 7 than we do against the Rams front 7.

One thing I'm hoping for is that Norv works a miracle and turns the Vikings into a team that can be effective running screen plays. That can be a great way to slow down a team with a great pass rush like the Rams and a nice counter-punch for some of the wild blitzes that Gregg Williams is known for. I've never felt the Vikings have been particularly good at setting up screen plays over the years especially when compared to the Packers (ugh, that was hard to say).

[VikingsBoss]

I actually think we lose this game. The Rams defense is highly underrated. Their Dline will have no problem containing AD, especially since our Oline is highly questionable right now. They've got some monster guys anchoring that middle and also athletic guys to get pressure. Michael Brockers is an absolute beast and should be a great DT for years. Quinn and Long will get pressure on the outside, so it'll be tough to not go 2 TE set, especially if we want to establish Rudolph in the passing game. Kalil better bring his A game or else he's getting eaten for lunch. Their secondary is also pretty solid and I like Jenkins a lot and he'll probably be covering Jennings. I don't see us scoring many points against this defense. In fact, I think the only way we score is a big run from Peterson or Patterson taking screens and burning their defense.

Offensively, I don't fear them and I don't think they'll do much against our untested defense. But! As a Vikings, even with a different HC, I still believe our secondary will get torched. I think Hill goes over 300 yards and Kenny Britt will look like his old self vs. us (Rhodes will be on Austin I assume). Zack Stacy will be shut down, so it'll come down to their passing game vs our pass defense.

Final score: 20-13 Rams win.

I'm sure Munnerlyn will be the guy tasked with shutting down Austin...Austin would eat Rhodes for lunch out of the slot. Rhodes is almost certainly going to be locked up on Britt and/or Quick. Britt will look like his old self? So, he'll look like an average wide receiver? I fear that. No, the key to the game will be stuffing the Rams running attack and forcing Hill to beat us. The guy hasn't thrown a pass in two years, he hasn't started a game in four. And, I don't know where people are getting this idea that Hill has torched us in the past. In four prior games against the Vikings, Hill has thrown for 771 yards, 5 tds and 4 picks, and is 1-3. Not that any of that matters, since the last time he played us was the final game of the 2010 season. I believe exactly zero players from that secondary will be on the field Sunday. For all the success Zac Stacy did have last year, he did average less than 4 yards a carry and had three games in his last five last year in which he averaged 1, 1.8, and 3.15. He's a decent running back for a team with an average OL...we should not have too much trouble containing him. Jospeh is healthy, Floyd is a year older and hopefully better, Robison has always been stout against the run (a big reason I like him more than Allen) and Brinkley is good for exactly one thing...stuffing the run. I see no reason we can't contain this offense. Yes, Austin gives them the ever present threat of the big play, and you have to account for him, but he can't beat you himself, he isn't the type of receiver who can completely take over a game.
As for offensively, aside from Donald, this is the same defense (and our same OL) that AP put 212 yards on in 2012. Will he do that again? Probably not, but he'll hit enough big runs to put up a century. Cassel is poised enough to handle a fierce pass rush, and Jennings, Patterson and Rudolph should be able to exploit a secondary that is missing one of it's starters. In the end, if the OL line keeps Cassel upright for the bulk of the game (2 sacks or less) we'll win.
Vikings 20
Rams 17

[720pete]

Concerns are Massel getting happy feet in the pocket, poor pass protection, containing Zac Stacy


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[maembe]

Vikings lost their best pass rusher, when he was in his prime.

We lost our third best DE after he was washed up.

[Mothman]

We lost our third best DE after he was washed up.

Tied for 7th in the league in sacks (with 11.50 is "washed up"?

Allen was the best pass rusher on the team. He's certainly not in his prime anymore but 'washed up" is a big, big stretch.