Ok. When is it time to start worrying about the rams.

[lobohawk]

Niners = trap game, as they are in freefall and have nothing to lose.
Chiefs = most important game to take the Division lead
Rams = hardest game, as they've begun to get it together

 

[Ramfan128]

To really answer the OP's question though...next year.

Take it from me, and I'm sure Red Alice would back me up on this......these last 4 weeks have a much different feel. It's true the media has picked us to turn the corner for 2 or 3 years straight now. And some Rams fans have been semi delusional in their expectations.

But trust me, this is a different feel. If I had to bet $1,000,000 on the first and second place teams in the NFC West at the end of next year, the Rams are one of them. We have been talked about a lot in the past....but almost everyone still picked us to come in last place in the division. Next year will be different.

Absolutely agree. It's actually because the games have felt so different and they are playing smart that I am worried every game right now becaues I don't want it to regress back to the sloppy penalties and stupid mistakes. If they can finish out the 3 games playing well, win or lose them, then I will be expectent for next year in a different way than in the past.

I still need to see some more serious play, and this game against AZ should tell a lot.

Who will be the rams QB? With what they have now, they won't be any better than Seattle with Tarvaris Jackson starting.

I would disagree with that last part, but you're a Seahawk fan and I'm a Rams fan, so that would be expected.

I think a good QB is less important for this Rams team than many think - if you rank the starting QBs right now 1-32, I'm guessing Shaun Hill would fall in the 20-28 range (closer to 20 with his current level of play). Yet despite that, we might win 8 games this year. Once you factor in that we played a stretch of 9 straight games against winning teams, that is very impressive. And who knows....if we had pulled Davis earlier we might have another win or two.

I guess my overall point is, when we can beat our division rivals with backup quality QB play, all we need is a game manager type that can be more consistent and limit their mistakes. In our 7 losses we have allowed 8 defensive TDs. NINE. That mostly came from the QB position. If you take away half of those, we're probably an 8-5 team right now. So an Alex Smith type might be able to take this team to the next level.

 

[Largent80]

Rams are playing themselves out of their customary #1 pick.

 

[RedAlice]

Re QB. I expect it will be Bradford w re-newed and cheaper contract, Hill as the back-up and a rookie drafted in rounds 2 - 3 to learn I guess.

I will be happily surprised if they do something more bold than that, like trade for someone or move up in the draft - but, I don't see that happening. They keep saying they are keeping B. Oh well, nothing I can do about it. So will just wait and see.

 

[Popeyejones]

It's been what, ten or eleven years since the Rams have had a winning record?

That said, I think the question is when is it time for the rest of the league to start worrying about the Rams.

Fans of the other NFCW fans who haven't caught on that despite the Rams mediocrity in these last few years they've played the other NFCW teams pretty toughly haven't really been paying attention, IMO.

As a 9ers fans I can't remember having just looked past the Rams -or any of the other NFCW teams -in the Harbaugh/Baalke era.

 

[RedAlice]

It's been what, ten or eleven years since the Rams have had a winning record?

That said, I think the question is when is it time for the rest of the league to start worrying about the Rams.

Fans of the other NFCW fans who haven't caught on that despite the Rams mediocrity in these last few years they've played the other NFCW teams pretty toughly haven't really been paying attention, IMO.

As a 9ers fans I can't remember having just looked past the Rams -or any of the other NFCW teams -in the Harbaugh/Baalke era.

Yes - Rams haven't had a winning record since 2004. And are second only to the Raiders for the most losses over the last 10 years.

The rest of the league does not need to worry abou tthe Rams unless they keep playing consistent these last 3 games and then start off the strong next season. None of those are known yet. If they finish strong and start strong - then it's time.

For right now, it's still surprising when someone learns I'm a Rams fan and goes, oh - they are looking good, you must be happy. I'm used to - oh, I'm sorry.

So, there is some notice outside the NFCW starting. But in general, I think Rams are overall viewed as a losing/bad team and our record doesn't show different right now.

I've been following the Colts some since Manusky went there and was surprised to see this thread over there yesterday called Rams are Scary. So, some of their fans are noticing.

http://forums.colts.com/topic/33551-the-rams-are-scary/

Hawk ref in that thread -

"NFC west is gonna be a tough division for a while. Now Sea is heating up again and srarting to play their best ball. They got their MLB back in Wagner and that D us ee gaining its form. I wouldn't wanna know what the Colts record would be if we were in that division."

 

[rideaducati]

To really answer the OP's question though...next year.

Take it from me, and I'm sure Red Alice would back me up on this......these last 4 weeks have a much different feel. It's true the media has picked us to turn the corner for 2 or 3 years straight now. And some Rams fans have been semi delusional in their expectations.

But trust me, this is a different feel. If I had to bet $1,000,000 on the first and second place teams in the NFC West at the end of next year, the Rams are one of them. We have been talked about a lot in the past....but almost everyone still picked us to come in last place in the division. Next year will be different.

Absolutely agree. It's actually because the games have felt so different and they are playing smart that I am worried every game right now becaues I don't want it to regress back to the sloppy penalties and stupid mistakes. If they can finish out the 3 games playing well, win or lose them, then I will be expectent for next year in a different way than in the past.

I still need to see some more serious play, and this game against AZ should tell a lot.

Who will be the rams QB? With what they have now, they won't be any better than Seattle with Tarvaris Jackson starting.

I would disagree with that last part, but you're a Seahawk fan and I'm a Rams fan, so that would be expected.

I think a good QB is less important for this Rams team than many think - if you rank the starting QBs right now 1-32, I'm guessing Shaun Hill would fall in the 20-28 range (closer to 20 with his current level of play). Yet despite that, we might win 8 games this year. Once you factor in that we played a stretch of 9 straight games against winning teams, that is very impressive. And who knows....if we had pulled Davis earlier we might have another win or two.

I guess my overall point is, when we can beat our division rivals with backup quality QB play, all we need is a game manager type that can be more consistent and limit their mistakes. In our 7 losses we have allowed 8 defensive TDs. NINE. That mostly came from the QB position. If you take away half of those, we're probably an 8-5 team right now. So an Alex Smith type might be able to take this team to the next level.

Tarvaris Jackson was the 37th ranked QB and Seattle won 7 games...a QB makes a WORLD of difference. Like I said, without a QB, the rams won't be very good.

 

[Barakas]

After the game tonight against the Cardinals....*yawn*....the Rams are who we thought they were!!

Seattle is going to run the table...12-4!

 

[RolandDeschain]

When they stop following every "two-game-streak-of-looking-good" with a crap-the-bed performance.

 

[RedAlice]

When they stop following every "two-game-streak-of-looking-good" with a crap-the-bed performance.

This year, they only had ONE two game look good. Else, they lost after every win.

 

[RolandDeschain]

When they stop following every "two-game-streak-of-looking-good" with a crap-the-bed performance.

This year, they only had ONE two game look good. Else, they lost after every win.

Aye; but what I mean is, for the past like three or four years, whenever they have put together a nice couple in a row, it has been followed by a rather poor performance overall. At least, if my memory serves me correctly; I could be a little off. You tell me.

 

[RedAlice]

When they stop following every "two-game-streak-of-looking-good" with a crap-the-bed performance.

This year, they only had ONE two game look good. Else, they lost after every win.

Aye; but what I mean is, for the past like three or four years, whenever they have put together a nice couple in a row, it has been followed by a rather poor performance overall. At least, if my memory serves me correctly; I could be a little off. You tell me.

I was actually agreeing with you MORE in my first response. But, I will agree with you again.

This year, they only had ONE two game streak. Else, it was win, lose...win, lose...win.lose w more losses in between.

Yes, over the last three or four years, they follow a two win streak w a loss. This year, they only even got to the two win streak time once.

Not happy about this myself. But, YES. You are correct and it's an even worse streak this year.

 

[Maulbert]

You realize the Rams could be looking at their third straight year and their fourth out of five in which they would be coming to Seattle on the final day of the season trying to get to .500? That's got to be more annoying to Ram fans than all those de facto NFC East championship games the Cowboys keep losing are to Cowboy fans.