NFC West is W_I_D_E open...

[mojorizen7]

A win tomorrow @ Tampa will prove that losing @ Detroit was a fluke.
A loss tomorrow @ Tampa will prove that we're the Seahawks.

Best offensive matchup for St Lou thusfar this season.....important road game to keep up w/either Seattle or AZ.

Gotta get these type of games.

As for San Fran.....you cant wait until week 6 to get started, and then hope to compete for the division. "...."

 

[mojorizen7]

Week 8 approaching...

Niners are done(1-6)....4 gms outta 1st. Not even a Singletary sideline mooning will save this team at this point.

On to the better teams that matter...
Seattle(4-2)...I gotta give em some props for winning on the road @ Chicago,and taking care of divisional business at home. I figured they'd be a trainwreck on a collision course for the NFC West cellar at this point. I was wrong.
Seahawks are headed to Oakland this week,a win there would solidify that they're onto something IMO...

Arizona(3-3) continues a tough and humbling defense of being the division champs.
Tampa Bay coming to town....this may be the lock of the week-------> AZ sends the Bucs limping away as NOT the best team in the conference. Hopefully Whiz has done his homework on this team and put's his young QB in a position to run the ball down the Bucs throats. They cant stop it if thats what ya give em.

Rams(3-4) invite Carolina to the dome and should get another home win. Panthers will test our run defense to be sure,but Spags will dial up yet another gameplan to stuff the opposition in the 1st half. Question is...will Spags uncork an aggressive 2nd half gameplan offensively?.....or continue to rest on a lead and rely on his D to preserve it? Our defense has gotten very tired over the last 2 weeks due to "Marty Shottenhemer-esqe" 2nd half philosophy.

Still a 3-team race.

 

[mojorizen7]

Hot Topic: Who wins the NFC West?

By Mike Sando
http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/26627/hot-topic-who-wins-the-nfc-west

OAKLAND, Calif. -- It's the question NFC West teams refuse to answer.

Which team will win this division title and the playoff berth that goes along with it?

A quick look at each team after Week 8:

Seattle Seahawks (4-3): The Seahawks had injury issues coming into their defeat at Oakland. They've got major injury issues now. Three-fourths of their starting defensive line did not finish the game (counting Brandon Mebane, who did not play). Same goes for the left side of their offensive line (counting Russell Okung, who did not play). Can Matt Hasselbeck hold up? Seattle now faces physical opponents in the New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs.

St. Louis Rams (4-4): The Rams are in good position to gain ground during their bye week while Seattle and Arizona face tough matchups. The schedule will not do the Rams any favors, however. They could be underdogs in each of their next six games. It's an upset if the Rams are 6-8 heading into their final two games. Not that sitting at 5-9 would necessarily exclude them from consideration. Seven victories could be enough to win this division.

Arizona Cardinals (3-4): Give them mediocrity at quarterback and they might be leading the division outright. The schedule does work in the Cardinals' favor, however. They've got four of their next six games at home and only two of their remaining opponents have winning records. Coach Ken Whisenhunt wouldn't immediately say which quarterback will start against Minnesota in Week 9. Derek Anderson has to get the call, doesn't he?

San Francisco 49ers (2-6): They've won two of their last three games and their next two are at home following a bye. But the 49ers then play four of five games on the road and there's little reason to trust San Francisco. Troy Smith did make key plays at opportune times in his first start with the team. The 49ers can dare to dream. Beating St. Louis and Tampa Bay at home over their next two games could realistically leave the 49ers with as many victories as any team in the division.
​

 

[mojorizen7]

After week 9....

The NFL is a "what have you done for me lately league" so....
if we were to erase the first two games of the season(where i feel that most teams are still finding their niche,and to better self-serve my argument)...and look at the trend starting with week three,it's quite favorable in terms of the Rams.
-----------------------------------------
NFC West teams the last six games:

Rams
4-2

Seahawks
3-3

49ers
2-4

Cardinals
2-4
-----------------------------------
My take on the division at the moment is that the Rams are getting better every week and that they are the best team in the division right now. There is no drama in St Louis,and i feel that we're clearly the only team who knows where they're going. A win @ San Francisco would silence many critics IMO in terms of not being able to win on the road....although i'm not necessarily buying that popular belief. 2 of the Rams 3 losses on the road are by a combined 3 points.
News flash! Its hard for all NFL teams to win on the road,just look at the rest of the division's teams road record....
AZ is 1-4
SF is 0-4
Seattle is 1-3
So the Rams being 0-3 on the road is much ado about a whole lotta nothing IMO. Find another angle.

I would put Seattle just behind us,and they are currently struggling,having been routed by NY in the safety of their own backyard. Injuries have hit them hard,in addition to issues at QB. Seattle needs a win @ Arizona to avoid a 3 game skid.

IMO San Fran has shown a glimpse of returning to respectability within the division,and they may have found a QB. Still,does anybody trust Mike Singletary to get it right? Not I.
A win vs St Louis would be a sure sign that the 49ers are coming alive,having already won 2 of their last 3 games.

Arizona is on a nosedive IMO,their defense is gassed as a result of an inept offense,and i see very little signs of them pulling themselves out of the mess they've made for themselves at QB. Where's the run game? Many Cards fans disagree w/me but IMO being dead last in T.O.P. is absolutely killing this team. AZ needs a win @ home vs Seattle in the worst way to avoid dropping their 4th in a row since the bye.

Best of luck to all this week! A divisional weekend!!

 

[mojorizen7]

Im gonna refrain from expletives after dropping yet another nailbiter on the road and simply say....next year we will arrive.

A playmaker at WR and another pass rusher and we'll own this division.

%#@!

 

[Ronin]

Im gonna refrain from expletives after dropping yet another nailbiter on the road and simply say....next year we will arrive.

A playmaker at WR and another pass rusher and we'll own this division.

%#@!

Troy Smith disagrees.

 

[mojorizen7]

Troy Smith disagrees.

He can disagree all he wants. Reality is that we're the only NFC West team with a future....and we'll be there next season.

 

[Ronin]

He can disagree all he wants. Reality is that we're the only NFC West team with a future....and we'll be there next season.

You sound like me.

 

[mojorizen7]

You sound like me.

Now that i've some time to calm down a bit i will say that your defense played very well. I wont make too many excuses for Spagnuolo's signature frozen scrotum prevent offensive philosophy in the 2nd half playing w/a lead......but your defense is obviously the strength of your team,which is a very good start in terms of the backbone of a quality football team.

I knew P.Willis was gonna have a monster game and he did. T.Smith made alot of plays with his mobility and it was effective against our stout but slowish pass rush and blitzes.

Gore is a guy defenses can fall asleep against over the course of a game and he was the difference in OT.....that and the frozenhidden-balls-up-in-the-scrotum Rams offensive philosophy playing with the lead.

We're not there yet.

 

[Ronin]

Now that i've some time to calm down a bit i will say that your defense played very well. I wont make too many excuses for Spagnuolo's signature frozen scrotum prevent offensive philosophy in the 2nd half playing w/a lead......but your defense is obviously the strength of your team,which is a very good start in terms of the backbone of a quality football team.

I knew P.Willis was gonna have a monster game and he did. T.Smith made alot of plays with his mobility and it was effective against our stout but slowish pass rush and blitzes.

Gore is a guy defenses can fall asleep against over the course of a game and he was the difference in OT.....that and the frozenhidden-balls-up-in-the-scrotum Rams offensive philosophy playing with the lead.

We're not there yet.

Our defense is getting old quick....you guys played good enough to win. Troy would've had three touchdown passes today...we are a poorly coached team.

 

[Ronin]

He can disagree all he wants. Reality is that we're the only NFC West team with a future....and we'll be there next season.

It's hard to get a read on your team.........I'm trying to compare your team to some teams in the past...but I can't.

 

[mojorizen7]

It's hard to get a read on your team.........I'm trying to compare your team to some teams in the past...but I can't.

I dont know....maybe Atlanta?

Were a young team that is getting better each week(including the inexperienced coaching staff)...and a team that i think will be ready to take the division next season,and possibly contend in 2 years.

The Rams have decided to rebuild this thing with the mindset of building a team slowly thru the draft and the low-end waiver wire(without any quick fixes),to eventually and theoretically enjoy sustained success....rather than try to just plug in holes by chasing overpriced veteran talent(Vincent Jackson,Randy Moss) in order to WIN NOW and then fall off the face of the Earth in 2 years.

Its a concept that sounds good on paper,but it's maddeningly conservative at times....and could backfire if the results(wins,division titles,playoffs) dont come to fruition within 3 or 4 years.

I like where we're at right now,but there's still many holes to fill.
I think if we win @ AZ next week we'll win the division.

 

[Ronin]

I dont know....maybe Atlanta?

Were a young team that is getting better each week(including the inexperienced coaching staff)...and a team that i think will be ready to take the division next season,and possibly contend in 2 years.

The Rams have decided to rebuild this thing with the mindset of building a team slowly thru the draft and the low-end waiver wire(without any quick fixes),to eventually and theoretically enjoy sustained success....rather than try to just plug in holes by chasing overpriced veteran talent(Vincent Jackson,Randy Moss) in order to WIN NOW and then fall off the face of the Earth in 2 years.

Its a concept that sounds good on paper,but it's maddeningly conservative at times....and could backfire if the results(wins,division titles,playoffs) dont come to fruition within 3 or 4 years.

I like where we're at right now,but there's still many holes to fill.
I think if we win @ AZ next week we'll win the division.

 

[mojorizen7]

This how i see it....saw it....whatever.

If i said that after barely losing to AZ in week 1 that i didn't have today's rematch circled on my calendar the last 12 weeks i'd be a liar.

I will give credit to AZ where it's due....their defense showed up ready to play,other than that, i have no credit to give them,they're not very good and completely leaderless at this point. Whiz deserves another season IMO,but the GM and whomever is the man responsible for ignoring the losses of Warner,Dansby,Rolle,Boldin(and felt that this was somehow NOT going to have a trickle-down effect on the entire team) should be shown the door.

St Louis didn't play well today. The OLine was soft,and the Rams dfensive front four(alone) wasn't generating enough pressure on Anderson without having to bring multiple guys on the blitz to get to him. AZ actually controlled the line of scrimmage early i felt,the T.O.P. was in AZ's favor....Rams offense refused to make a play it seemed.

Bradford was just "ok" today. His INT was the worst pass i've seen him throw since probably October.
SJ39 was a beast,despite the piss-poor run blocking....he showed some good patience today i thought(as did the entire team) and eventually the better team won today...

Having said all that....2 straight road wins will put to rest all that BS talk from the talking heads that i never bought into anyway about this team only playing well at home. Don't count on the Rams offense playing this incredibly conservative next season....this is how a young team with no playmakers gives itself a chance to win games. Its maddening to watch at times....but smart coaching with the big picture in mind.

The changing of the guard in the West is nearly complete and AZ's streak vs the Rams is history. I absolutely love this football team, built around defense,and a team consisting of high character guys who play smart football as a unit, and who play hard.

We just need a few more pieces & playmakers (NFL caliber WR's/more speed at OLB/a number 2 RB and major upgrade's at the OG positions).

On to the Superdome next week....toughest test yet this season.
Good times for Rams fans regardless.

 

[Beaver]

I don't believe the success this current STL team is having will stick around. Kind of like Cincy last year. The one BIG difference is Bradford though. Hopefully one of these teams steps up, its a little embarrassing being the doormat division.

 

[mojorizen7]

"Who Dat?"
Ouch.
Doesn't really matter though....
Home vs KC next week doesn't matter either.
Gotta beat San Fran in the dome(week 16) and then beat Seattle @ Qwest Field and we're in.

Tall order but very possible.

 

[LVG]

JMO, but:

SEA: Can't really make heads or tails out of them right now.

STL: On an upswing. Should get better and run the division as the years progress, but I thought the same of the 9ers last year, so what the hell do I know.

9ers: Dysfunctional. Will continue to muddle around the middle of the NFCW as far as I can see.

Cards: Appears to have 2-3 years of good luck, now all the faults that were not corrected during these years are showing their ugly heads again. Will they get better? Worse? Or just go back to being the SoC? Time (and this offseason) will tell.

 

[Ronin]

Yuck! Every team sucks in this division. Dang it!

 

[mojorizen7]

Worst Rams performance since the Detroit loss.
Unprepared and flat today. The OLine was simply awful,too many penalties,and the usual rightwing offensive philosophy that says we have to wait till the 4th qtr to run the no-huddle.

Biggest game in 6 yrs and we came out with one quality drive.
Defense gets gashed by the run late,and folds after playing well early.
Bradford took all the punishment today,instead of the QB on the other side who just had surgery 10 days ago....that is unacceptable.

Luckily we still control our own playoff destiny. Win out vs SF and @ Seattle and we're still in.

Is it time to realign this short bus division again?
Good lord.

 

[Ronin]

Playoffs start today.

 

[PDXChris]

Playoffs start today.

If they start today, will the 49ers not be at next weeks game then?

 

[Ronin]

If they start today, will the 49ers not be at next weeks game then?

Singletary wont...thats the best of today. Woohoo!

 

[mojorizen7]

A good,hard fought game today. Both dfenses layed it all on the line but thankfully OC Pat Shurmur finally found his balls and opened up the playbook,unshackled Bradford and whaddaya know?....we scored some points....TD's no less.

Sorry Ronin(i feel your pain bro).....your 49ers fought hard but Singletary was just in way over his head in terms of managing his sideline and his QB's in a game of this magnitude. You should be doing cartwheels that his ass is gone next season. Ya'll have a solid defense and some playmakers offensively....Ginn's punt return was something else.I nearly kicked the tv after that one(remember the old days b4 HD and flat screens when u could actually throw stuff at the tv and it wouldn't do any real damage?)

Week 17 Rams @ Seahawks has been bumped up to prime time. NBC's Sunday night will be the stage for this division title deciding game.

I honestly knew this Rams team would be improved(i picked them to finish 6-10) but i didnt think we'd be in this position, to win a game and make the playoffs.(playoffs?...nobody's talking about playoffs?...Playoffs!?...i just hope we can win a game!)

Even if we choke in Seattle this season will be a successful one...and i can live with that. I'd rather live with hosting a playoff game...even if it means getting beatdown by the likes of the SAINTS or anyone else. Dont care. Also dont care about draft position. If we lose next week vs winning the division we get bumped up in the 1st rd draft order from somewhere like 21st to 13th?(something like that).....anyway,dont care.

Just win.
WHOOT!!

 

[Ronin]

Sorry Ronin(i feel your pain bro)

.....your 49ers fought hard but Singletary was just in way over his head in terms of managing his sideline and his QB's in a game of this magnitude. You should be doing cartwheels that his ass is gone next season. Ya'll have a solid defense and some playmakers offensively....Ginn's punt return was something else.I nearly kicked the tv after that one(remember the old days b4 HD and flat screens when u could actually throw stuff at the tv and it wouldn't do any real damage?)

I'm still doing cartwheels.
I agree 49ers had some playmakers offensively but singletary didn't properly use them (for instance running on every freaking first down...c'mon)

 

[Ronin]

Good luck to you and your rams mojo!