Surprise rival for seahawks...

RamzFanz":31j19van said:

This is an excellent forum. A lot of reasonable and knowledgeable posts. Nothing like Niners' forums.

It's nice to see knowledge and respect for what the Rams are doing places other than in the Rams' forums.

NFC-W is going to be the highlight of the NFL this season and NOT because of the Niners!

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With a little help from the Packers (who have a score to settle) the Hawks and Rams could bury San Fran in the first month!

After reading a lot of these posts I would add:

The Rams aren't relying on rookie WRs. Givens is a proven commodity. The next tier, not counting rookies, is Pettis who is hot right now, and Quick. They are both talented veterans now and have serious upside potential this season. Now consider the TE tandem of Cook and Kendricks, who will probably be one of the best TE tandems in the league, and it starts to shape up as a team with passing threats. THEN add in TA and Bailey. Other than Givens and Kendricks, they are all pretty much unproven in this Rams offense, but with that number of highly skilled players and a much improved O line, I am convinced the passing game is going to emerge in a big way this season.

The running backs are also deep on skill if mostly unproven. Richardson had better YPC last season than SJ39 and longer runs. Pead is lightning fast and eager to earn his spot. Zac Stacy would start on many NFL teams and would be a lock for 2nd or relief on those he couldn't be the starter. He's a bruiser with a knack for seeing developing holes and being there when they open.

The addition of Ogletree and McDonald are only going to improve an already proven D. It seems Ogletree is there specifically to deal with Wilson and Kappy and he's impressing everyone in camp. The Rams may field a top 6 D this season. If there is a weakness, it's at safety, but don't count on it. They are looking better than expected so far. McDonald is a scary hitter. Stewart, after a strong 2011 season, was injured last season but is expected to play very well.

I think the Rams can sweep the division other than the Hawks. If they split with the Hawks, that would be as good as we could expect. I think the same is true for the Hawks.

I would love to see the Rams and Hawks hand the Niners 4 losses!

bestfightstory":34aim8yk said:

With a little help from the Packers (who have a score to settle) the Hawks and Rams could bury San Fran in the first month!

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Music to my ears!

Remember kids, you're never too young to hate the Niners.

Glad to see some other division rival fans here. I don't really have anything against the current Rams team. Fisher is kinda sneaky and I'd like to see some payback for those special team plays. He's a good coach though, and Brockers is a beast.

This thread is scary delusional. Look, I'm a Niners fan, but I'm not stupid enough to say the Hawks can't win the division or the SB. S***, they damn well might do it. But I just don't understand how 90% of the people posting on here not only see the Rams as bigger threats than the 49ers, but also claim that they will take such a nosedive in production. Why is it ok to claim Kaep will degress, but not Wilson? The 49ers have a top notch coach and a QB on the rise, and we've all seen what that type of combination can do for a franchise. Some even claim that the 49ers will drop the 1st two games. The Hawks? Big chance for a loss there. The opener against GB? Ha! We smashed on them so bad in the playoffs and we beat them in their house to open the season last year. If you say that that wooping on the Pack doesn't count then you can never mention 42-13 ever again.

jake206":7izx5qgx said:

I don't get why ppl are giving the 9ers so much credit this year. Last year was their year and they blew it. This year, their WR corp is decimated. Its just vernon davis and Kaepernick. 9ers are starting to becoming very one-dimensional. Colin will regress, as teams will start scheming against the pistol better.

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I dont think the niners will fall away that much but...they had a charmed year with Gore not getting hurt like he has almost every other season. I've had that guy on various fantasy teams and inevitably, sometime after the halfway mark, dude goes down for 3-5 games...we'll see if he can rush with the same level of consistency as last year.

est.1985":15rxd9qd said:

....Why is it ok to claim Kaep will degress, but not Wilson?

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Opposite is true on your board.

Very curious though this Rams' love...will it continue if we beat you? Also curious to me that Rams' fans announce their Niner hate here so quick. Adorable.

est.1985":3fwywxn0 said:

This thread is scary delusional. Look, I'm a Niners fan, but I'm not stupid enough to say the Hawks can't win the division or the SB. S***, they damn well might do it. But I just don't understand how 90% of the people posting on here not only see the Rams as bigger threats than the 49ers, but also claim that they will take such a nosedive in production. Why is it ok to claim Kaep will degress, but not Wilson? The 49ers have a top notch coach and a QB on the rise, and we've all seen what that type of combination can do for a franchise. Some even claim that the 49ers will drop the 1st two games. The Hawks? Big chance for a loss there. The opener against GB? Ha! We smashed on them so bad in the playoffs and we beat them in their house to open the season last year. If you say that that wooping on the Pack doesn't count then you can never mention 42-13 ever again.

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As has been stated multiple times. It's not hyperbole, the reasons to question whether the Niners can maintain success are very legitimate. The number of question marks on your team right now is huge. I know Niner fans want to just assume that Keap will turn all the receivers who have proven absolutely nothing into superstars but the reality is that the odds of that receiver core developing into a formidable group is highly unlikely. Even the odds of Boldin performing at the levels Niners fans think he will is highly unlikely and it's not wishful thinking. other than a stellar playoff performance he has been an average #2 for the last several years so unless he got younger, faster and somehow has suddenly learned how to get open, it is far more likely that his numbers are very pedestrian and he is being asked to play a role he has never had success at in stepping into the #1 spot.

Keap has wheels and a strong arm but he will be tested significantly this year. One of the reasons Boldin hasn't been a top producer is because of his style of play. He is that guy you can throw the ball to when he is covered and if you place it correctly he will come down with it the majority of the time but he is not that guy that gets separation or quickly gets open. Kaep will have to learn how to get the ball to him and prove he is willing to throw to a covered receiver and do it with touch and accuracy, both of which he still has to prove he can do consistently. I think we will see Kaep trying to force balls way to much this year and something Niner fans have to worry about is his confidence. If he starts to struggle how will that effect his game and don't kid yourself, all the ingredients are there for him to struggle.

Behind Gore you have often injured or unproven back ups and Gore is now on the wrong side of 30. It won't surprise anyone if Gore gets injured or just doesn't produce like he has in recent years and until Lattimore is ready you don't have a stud replacement for him.

Defensively I know you think you got stronger from the draft but lets get real here. None of your draft picks have proven they will be any better than the depth you had last year and it is more likely they won't be in their rookie season and that's not even mentioning your rookie FS replacing an allpro.

Even your special teams is in question. Who is returning KO's? Ginn killed us a couple years ago.

I've said multiple times if the Niners can overcome all those question marks and Kaep can continue to progress, I will give him and Harbaugh full credit but the reality is the odds are against it and Jimmy would at least have to learn to get his starters off the field and give that depth a chance to grow.

Playing your starters 90+% of the time is not sustainable, especially when your key players are approaching the end of their careers.

Good luck but as I said before I believe the Rams will sweep you this year. They are built to do exactly that. If Amendola wasn't injured last year in your second game, I believe they would have swept you last year.

Rams will be much improved, but thinking the Niners will all the sudden not be our biggest competition would just be silly. I hate them with a passion, but they are damn good, it is what it is.

However, no way in hell we get swept by the Rams. We've owned them for years.

est.1985":1ac3ac3i said:

This thread is scary delusional. Look, I'm a Niners fan, but I'm not stupid enough to say the Hawks can't win the division or the SB. S***, they damn well might do it. But I just don't understand how 90% of the people posting on here not only see the Rams as bigger threats than the 49ers, but also claim that they will take such a nosedive in production. Why is it ok to claim Kaep will degress, but not Wilson? The 49ers have a top notch coach and a QB on the rise, and we've all seen what that type of combination can do for a franchise. Some even claim that the 49ers will drop the 1st two games. The Hawks? Big chance for a loss there. The opener against GB? Ha! We smashed on them so bad in the playoffs and we beat them in their house to open the season last year. If you say that that wooping on the Pack doesn't count then you can never mention 42-13 ever again.

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Rams vs Niners.
Got better vs got worse.
Old vs young.
Injured vs healthy.
Lose one tie one vs win one tie one.

The number one reason I see the Rams having a great season at this point:

The new offense is able to make plays consistently in camp against that devastating defense. They aren't taking it easy either. There's been several D vs O heated exchanges and big hits.

RamzFanz":1dxpud3o said:

The number one reason I see the Rams having a great season at this point:

The new offense is able to make plays consistently in camp against that devastating defense. They aren't taking it easy either. There's been several D vs O heated exchanges and big hits.

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You guys win July! Woot! Congratulations.

RamzFanz":3f4vxce5 said:

The number one reason I see the Rams having a great season at this point:

The new offense is able to make plays consistently in camp against that devastating defense. They aren't taking it easy either. There's been several D vs O heated exchanges and big hits.

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While I agree with this premise it is also what will cause your offense to get off to a slow start. Not that that is unusual. most offenses do. In the long run I agree with you. The Offense will ultimately benefit from it once they realize that the opponents aren't as good as your own defense.

Where I see the difference is teams will have to game plan for Austin and in doing so will leave more room for your receivers and TE's to get open. If your running game is substantial it will be another element that gives DC's sleep deprivation.

I think you will be good enough to beat the Niners this year and will likely get a wild card spot but next year will be when you target your RB and that will make you guys a formidable team.

JSeahawks":1s5zndo4 said:

RamzFanz":1s5zndo4 said:

The number one reason I see the Rams having a great season at this point:

The new offense is able to make plays consistently in camp against that devastating defense. They aren't taking it easy either. There's been several D vs O heated exchanges and big hits.

Click to expand...

You guys win July! Woot! Congratulations.

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Lol seriously.

I bookmarked this thread... Definitely going to revisit this one after a few games. We'll see how many Nostradamuses we really have amongst us.

Oh yea...... I said us alright.

I think I like SF fans more than STL fans again... Just like back in the day.

60niners":25292ztz said:

JSeahawks":25292ztz said:

RamzFanz":25292ztz said:

The number one reason I see the Rams having a great season at this point:

The new offense is able to make plays consistently in camp against that devastating defense. They aren't taking it easy either. There's been several D vs O heated exchanges and big hits.

Click to expand...

You guys win July! Woot! Congratulations.

Click to expand...

Lol seriously.

I bookmarked this thread... Definitely going to revisit this one after a few games. We'll see how many Nostradamuses we really have amongst us.

Oh yea...... I said us alright.

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I predict zero catches by Crabtree against the Rams all season.

Come check that one.

60niners":226dyt35 said:

JSeahawks":226dyt35 said:

RamzFanz":226dyt35 said:

The number one reason I see the Rams having a great season at this point:

The new offense is able to make plays consistently in camp against that devastating defense. They aren't taking it easy either. There's been several D vs O heated exchanges and big hits.

Click to expand...

You guys win July! Woot! Congratulations.

Click to expand...

Lol seriously.

I bookmarked this thread... Definitely going to revisit this one after a few games. We'll see how many Nostradamuses we really have amongst us.

Oh yea...... I said us alright.

Click to expand...

It will be beyond fun and I mean "fun" to visit the many and multiple threads re Rams this season. Have at your "us."

Don't be all scared and hide out on a Hawk board later.

Throwdown":2rc8er3t said:

I think I like SF fans more than STL fans again... Just like back in the day.

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there is a "back in the day?"

You mean back in the day when it was only the Rams and Niners? That is back in the day for this division.

Else is current.

RedAlice":1h6gdwaa said:

It will be beyond fun and I mean "fun" to visit the many and multiple threads re Rams this season. Have at your "us."

Don't be all scared and hide out on a Hawk board later.

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Oh I'll be here either way. I registered a while ago when my team was below .500 and I had all the optimism in the world so I came here to flex my knowledge.

Probably the same phenomenon you guys are experiencing right now

RedAlice":rwrn4ios said:

Throwdown":rwrn4ios said:

I think I like SF fans more than STL fans again... Just like back in the day.

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there is a "back in the day?"

You mean back in the day when it was only the Rams and Niners? That is back in the day for this division.

Else is current.

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Back in the day for me was when the 49ers sucked and the Rams had Marc Bulger getting broke at every turn.