Combat
Brigadier General
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2005
- Messages
- 10,433
Here are my keys to the game for the Rams:
1) If they win the toss, take the ball! Don't defer and allow Brady to start the game with a ten minute drive that demoralizes the D and puts you behind 7-0. The Rams strength is their offense. Get them on the field, rest your D for as long as possible, and get into the second half with a chance to win. The Rams have nothing to lose. They need to play like it from the start.
2) Donald and Suh need to get pressure on Brady up the middle while rushing only four. No one else has done it. Zero sacks on Brady in the playoffs. They don't even need to sack him but they do need to put pressure on him. The Rams can't just let him play pitch and catch in the middle of the field with his receivers and move the chains until they are worn out. They have to disrupt the Pats offensive machine. That means jamming the receivers and daring Brady to make throws to the sidelines and downfield while Suh is getting ready to put him on his backside. If Brady can still burn you downfield, then you tip your cap to him.
3) The running game. Gurley needs to show up. The Rams don't need to run over the Pats like they did with the Cowboys but they need a much better running game than they showed against the Saints. Is Gurley healthy? Who knows? He looked awful in New Orleans but great against Dallas. Two weeks of rest and almost no playing time in the NFC game should help. They need 100+ plus yards catching and rushing from him with a couple of TDs. Anything they can get from Anderson is gravy. He is capable of making plays but isn't going to beat the Pats.
4) Goff needs to handle the rush and be patient. The Pats are going to get after him and he has a tendency to start making poor throws when he starts taking hits. The Rams really miss Kupp. That is the biggest injury in the Super Bowl. They have some great receivers but Kupp made big plays. Goff had Woods open twice for game winning TDs against the Saints but threw behind him both times. The Rams have had trouble in the red zone. They will need TDs instead of FGs.
5) The secondary seems to get big turnovers in clutch situations this year. It might come down to that.
6) Special teams. The Rams have to feel good after the huge fake punt and game tying and winning FG from 57 yards. The punter Hekker is a gamer. He may have the strongest arm on the field. I would never return a kickoff or punt in the NFL. More often than not it results in a penalty or turnover. Too many great athletes to get a big return.
1) If they win the toss, take the ball! Don't defer and allow Brady to start the game with a ten minute drive that demoralizes the D and puts you behind 7-0. The Rams strength is their offense. Get them on the field, rest your D for as long as possible, and get into the second half with a chance to win. The Rams have nothing to lose. They need to play like it from the start.
2) Donald and Suh need to get pressure on Brady up the middle while rushing only four. No one else has done it. Zero sacks on Brady in the playoffs. They don't even need to sack him but they do need to put pressure on him. The Rams can't just let him play pitch and catch in the middle of the field with his receivers and move the chains until they are worn out. They have to disrupt the Pats offensive machine. That means jamming the receivers and daring Brady to make throws to the sidelines and downfield while Suh is getting ready to put him on his backside. If Brady can still burn you downfield, then you tip your cap to him.
3) The running game. Gurley needs to show up. The Rams don't need to run over the Pats like they did with the Cowboys but they need a much better running game than they showed against the Saints. Is Gurley healthy? Who knows? He looked awful in New Orleans but great against Dallas. Two weeks of rest and almost no playing time in the NFC game should help. They need 100+ plus yards catching and rushing from him with a couple of TDs. Anything they can get from Anderson is gravy. He is capable of making plays but isn't going to beat the Pats.
4) Goff needs to handle the rush and be patient. The Pats are going to get after him and he has a tendency to start making poor throws when he starts taking hits. The Rams really miss Kupp. That is the biggest injury in the Super Bowl. They have some great receivers but Kupp made big plays. Goff had Woods open twice for game winning TDs against the Saints but threw behind him both times. The Rams have had trouble in the red zone. They will need TDs instead of FGs.
5) The secondary seems to get big turnovers in clutch situations this year. It might come down to that.
6) Special teams. The Rams have to feel good after the huge fake punt and game tying and winning FG from 57 yards. The punter Hekker is a gamer. He may have the strongest arm on the field. I would never return a kickoff or punt in the NFL. More often than not it results in a penalty or turnover. Too many great athletes to get a big return.
