Overdue Divisional Playoff thread
January 12th, 2019 at 10:12 PM ^
I'm not sure he can develop into something more. I'm by no means an expert on watching the LA Rams, but he looks bad under pressure and doesn't have the footwork or sense to avoid it.
He really is great for this offense. Play action pass where he can sit back and survey the field.
January 12th, 2019 at 10:54 PM ^
He makes the occasional bad pass and he's got some weaknesses. But, as I said, there's a scale here. He's not useless. He's not a top 5 guy. But in today's NFL perhaps he's enough.
Since the current playoff format was enacted in the early 90s, Super Bowls have basically been won by three kinds of QBs: 1. HOF greats (Aikman, Young, Favre, Elway, Warner, Brady, Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning, Brees, Rodgers); 2. Cheap guys that play well surrounded by talent (Dilfer, Flacco, Wilson, Foles); 3. Guys named Eli Manning or Brad Johnson.
Obviously things are different in the last few years, when Flacco, Wilson, and Foles have won Super Bowls (Foles as a backup for Wentz, who is also very cheap) surrounded by talent. Guys like Colin Kaepernick have made it to within a hair's breadth of winning.
Passing in the NFL is so emphasized right now that while the elite is still elite, the very good is capable of coming much closer in approaching the elite. Thus, increasing the value of the rest of the roster is a bigger deal. Amari Cooper was a season-changing acquisition for the Cowboys. The Rams have talent everywhere. The Bears had a great season with Mitch Trubisky.
And, in contrast, the Vikings spent big money on a QB and ignored holes in their roster and never made the playoffs.
The Rams have a narrow window, but the window is there.
The thing about a QB needing to hit a couple of key throws to win is that he does--but in a small sample size of a couple of key throws, a cheaper guy might have the chance to pull it off even if he's only good and not HOF elite.
January 13th, 2019 at 11:09 AM ^
Wilson is far better than Foles, Flacco etc. He is extremely underrated.
January 12th, 2019 at 10:08 PM ^
Good is fine when you have all the talent around him. The best RB in the league, maybe the best troika of WRs in the league (I know Kupp is hurt), and an OL that is embarrassing Dallas right now. Is that enough to win a Super Bowl? I think at some point he'll have to make plays on 3rd and long on the road or in the Super Bowl and that's going to be an issue. But hey Foles won it last year so who knows.
I agree with you 100% about letting him go in 2 years. He's probably not going to be good enough to be a difference maker with less talent around him and at some point he would have to deal with that if he stayed (with his higher contract thereby releasing the talent around him).
January 12th, 2019 at 9:38 PM ^
Love the running game so far. Anderson has been a beast. Wear down that Dallas defense.
January 12th, 2019 at 9:53 PM ^
Cowboys looking to be one and done, again.
January 12th, 2019 at 9:58 PM ^
They've already won a playoff game.
January 12th, 2019 at 9:57 PM ^
Jourdan Lewis, told by Dallas they didn't need corners under 6 foot tall this year, set out to make his presence known regardless. He's now their featured return man, runs the occasional offensive play... and, oh yes, he finds himself playing CB every now and again.
January 12th, 2019 at 10:02 PM ^
he's in on d now. they need his speed to keep up with woods.
January 12th, 2019 at 10:06 PM ^
January 12th, 2019 at 10:09 PM ^
For as good as their offense has been this year, they have struggled at times in the red zone scoring TD's. That must improve.
January 12th, 2019 at 10:58 PM ^
Does suggest a weakness with Goff. The running game is capable, obviously, but if Goff has trouble picking apart defenses without receivers downfield to stretch the D, that could explain the difficulty.
January 12th, 2019 at 10:09 PM ^
Dak Prescott sucks
January 12th, 2019 at 10:38 PM ^
HUGE stop by the defense on 4th and 1
January 12th, 2019 at 10:45 PM ^
This is a hell of a drive right here
January 12th, 2019 at 11:02 PM ^
Cowboys helping the Rams by eating clock.
January 12th, 2019 at 11:05 PM ^
Okay, I've had a couple Jack Honey and Cokes but was that an offensive shove out of bounds on that Cowboy receiver on the Ram's DB? Talk about shaving fucking points!! LMAO
January 12th, 2019 at 11:09 PM ^
Well, the Cowboys technically have a chance to tie here. Just need a stop. 3 TOs and the 2-minute warning.
Should still go onside here; if the Rams get one first down it's almost certainly over anyway, so you may as well get the extra few percent of the onside kick.
Unfortunately onside kicks are so hard to convert. I wish they were a slightly higher low-probability chance. It's really just a freak accident when it happens. 15-20% is about right.
I guess a mid-distance chip shot is possible. Some kicker should really figure out a way to make a sky-drive kick that his guys can run under.
January 12th, 2019 at 11:21 PM ^
some sort of pooch kick this is high enough that your speed guys can make the 15-20-25 yards to get under it. especially when the receiving team is lined up for a typical onside kick then just pooch it over their heads
January 12th, 2019 at 11:23 PM ^
Yeah. You never see anyone pull it off, but unless they radically change how kickoffs work, a kicker could make himself some money if he could perfect that. If you can get consistent popping one up so that, say, Rob Gronkowski can get under it, that becomes a weapon.
January 12th, 2019 at 11:10 PM ^
Rams should throw. 7 seconds to the warning anyway. They need a first down. Throw. It's unexpected.
January 12th, 2019 at 11:14 PM ^
If we think Herby is bad with OSU, listening to Aikmen and Buck slobber over Dallas is just gross. I want Rams, but even more now with these two.
January 12th, 2019 at 11:16 PM ^
How about a shot of Jerry?
January 12th, 2019 at 11:16 PM ^
Sorry to see Cownuts lose
January 12th, 2019 at 11:17 PM ^
Big win for the Rams. Several gutsy calls down the stretch.
January 12th, 2019 at 11:38 PM ^
I love the Rams coach. The dude is legit and fortunately doesn’t have the decades of bitter legacy to cloud his judgement.