The Rams are going to the Tremendous Bowl.
There, I’ve written it, I can’t imagine I’ve written it, however I’ve written it, proper right here, first paragraph, in fanboy-living coloration.
The Rams are going to the Tremendous Bowl.
Las Vegas has them at 9½ wins. Guess the over. Guess it massive. They may win 11 video games and a weakened NFC West and a delicate NFC after which…
The Rams are going to the Tremendous Bowl.
Don’t succumb to the fears about Matthew Stafford’s again. Don’t take heed to the troubles in regards to the fragile offensive line. Embrace the ascending younger protection. Love the bolstered receiving corps. Belief the good coach.
Significantly, the Rams are going to the Tremendous Bowl.
No one else is saying it, however you understand many people are considering it, and if I’m going to pen my annual Rams preview column, it must be stated.
“I feel really good about this team,” stated Rams president Kevin Demoff, who within the final decade has engineered them into certainly one of this city’s mannequin sports activities franchises. “This is by far the most talented we have up and down the roster.”
The sunny hope for this season truly begins on the snowy finish of final season. Bear in mind? Who can overlook?
The Rams’ younger protection gave up 24 whole factors within the final three regular-season video games that mattered, then held the highly effective Minnesota Vikings to 9 factors within the wild-card playoff recreation, sacking Sam Darnold with 9 crunches for minus-82 yards.
Then got here the divisional spherical in Philadelphia, a recreation practically stolen from the eventual Tremendous Bowl champs however for 2 performs and 13 yards.
It was snowing, closing seconds, the Rams have been down by six however driving, 13 yards from the tip zone, a winter wonderland … then a frozen nightmare.
Backup middle Beaux Limmer permits Jalen Carter a free cross into the backfield and down goes Matthew Stafford for a nine-yard sack.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is sacked by Philadelphia Eagles defensive sort out Jalen Carter late within the recreation through the Rams’ divisional playoff loss on Jan. 19.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Occasions)
Limmer is crushed once more by Carter and Stafford is compelled to throw a hurried and errant cross to a lined Puka Nacua that’s batted away.
Sport over. Season over. Similar to that. Simply that shut.
However know this: That’s not taking place once more. Not this season. The Rams have since addressed three of their largest failings in that closing recreation.
Stafford’s closing cross isn’t assured to be going to a lined Nacua. The Rams sadly despatched injury-plagued Cooper Kupp packing, however fortunately changed him with certainly one of soccer’s nice one-on-one cross catchers in Davante Adams.
After Adams bored with the hijinks in Las Vegas early final season, he was traded to the New York Jets, the place outdated buddy Aaron Rodgers tossed him seven landing passes for 854 yards in 11 video games. Adams is 32, however he can nonetheless play, and his athleticism enhances Nacua in ways in which Kupp couldn’t.
Many in coaching camp gushed about Adams’ circus-like skill to seize a flying soccer, and a few famous that in a joint observe in opposition to the Dallas Cowboys, he seemed downright unguardable.
“He’s the most naturally gifted receiver,” marveled Demoff.
Rams huge receiver Davante Adams is predicted to play a outstanding function within the offense this season.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Occasions)
And, like seemingly everyone who joins the Rams, he’s thrilled to play for Sean McVay and with Stafford, their mixture of brains and ability giving him a authentic shot at a hoop.
Assume Odell Beckham Jr. with extra wows.
“It was clear this was where I needed to be,” Adams advised reporters. “Being part of a great franchise, and a great team that made a good push last year.”
Then there was the matter of retaining Stafford upright for these closing two Philly performs. Enter middle Coleman Shelton, a former Tremendous Bowl champion with the Rams who as soon as spent 5 years right here. After spending one 12 months with the Chicago Bears, the Loyola Excessive grad returned to anchor the middle of the offensive line, which is sturdier and extra seasoned. Right here’s guessing Carter doesn’t cost via so simply this time.
“Very happy to be back,” Shelton stated to reporters. “Obviously you want to be around as many great coaches, great players … it’s exciting.”
Lastly, there was the required fixing of a run protection that was dominated by the Eagles’ Saquon Barkley. Sure, the Jared Verse-led cross rush turned the primary protection to report seven-plus sacks in consecutive playoff video games. However, goodness, they couldn’t discover anybody to tug down Barkley, who blew via them on 78- and 62-yard landing runs within the snow after speeding for 255 yards in opposition to them within the common season.
Whats up, Poona Ford! The Rams signed the lineman, who simply had his career-best season with the Chargers for one purpose and one purpose solely. Cease Saquon Barkley and anybody like him.
“They’re young, they’re hungry,” Ford stated of the Rams’ protection, including that coordinator Chris Shula stated, “he wants me in the middle to help stop the run and stuff like that.”
“Stuff like that” wins championships, and the Ram have that stuff.
Anxious about Stafford’s again as a result of he missed coaching camp? Comprehensible, but additionally know that Stafford has performed a minimum of 15 video games in three of his 4 seasons right here. He’s robust. He exhibits up. And since returning to the sphere not too long ago, he’s seemed nice. And when he seems to be nice, the Rams are nice.
In every of his 15-games-plus seasons right here, the Rams made the playoffs and had a prime 10-ranked offense. Stafford additionally leads all energetic quarterbacks with 51 game-winning drives within the fourth quarter or extra time. Sure, he’s 37, however John Elway received a Tremendous Bowl at 38, Peyton Manning received at 39, and Tom Brady received at 43.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford seems to be on throughout coaching camp in July. Stafford sat out most of coaching camp due to a again difficulty.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Related Press)
“If this team stays healthy, we have every ingredient to make a deep run,” stated Demoff.
Anxious in regards to the offensive line? Count on McVay to assist them out with one of many league’s deepest tight finish teams led by relentless Tyler Higbee.
Anxious in regards to the typically shaky secondary? Verse and younger stars Kobie Turner, Byron Younger and Braden Fiske will take lots of strain off the cross defenders.
Anxious about how they’ll deal with the hype? They may. They all the time do. All as a result of they’ve the league’s finest coach in McVay. The previous boy marvel has grown into probably the most impactful leaders in all of sports activities, directing the Rams to a Tremendous Bowl championship and two Tremendous Bowl appearances whereas making the playoffs in six of his eight seasons.
His solely droughts? Throughout Tremendous Bowl hangover years. And the final time they misplaced in a divisional playoff? They received the entire thing the next 12 months. Hmmm.
They’ve what seems to be like a comparatively straightforward schedule whereas enjoying in a weakened NFC West the place Seattle doesn’t have an offense, Arizona doesn’t have the fireplace, and San Francisco is as soon as once more a Christian McCaffrey twinge from whole destruction.
Their important non-divisional matchups are with groups from the terrible AFC South and NFC South, that means they face solely three legitimately robust opponents.
At Philadelphia, at Baltimore, and residential in opposition to Detroit.
Throw within the common stumble or two and also you’re taking a look at 12-5 and a prime seed within the playoffs.
As soon as there, as everybody is aware of, enable Stafford and McVay into the postseason and something can occur.
“We’re amongst a group in the NFC that’s got a real shot,” stated Demoff. “Now we just have to go earn it.”
When the season ends Feb. 8 in Santa Clara at Levi’s Stadium, will probably be virtually precisely 10 years for the reason that NFL accredited the Rams exit from St. Louis and return to Los Angeles.
Pleased Anniversary. See you on the Tremendous Bowl.
