St. Louis Rams
2011 PFF All-NFC West Team
The most maligned division in the NFL once again produced a mixed bag from its teams this season and for the eighth straight year an NFC West squad collected a postseason victory. The division produced one of the best sides in the NFL, one of the worst, and two teams who had up-and-down season that offered hope to the optimistic that they might make strides next season and equal evidence to doubters that they could fall back in 2012.
But 2012 is for the future and right now we are honoring the best players from the NFC West for the 2011 regular season as we make the final stop on our All-Division tour. The team unsurprisingly features a high number of San Francisco 49ers, but each team had players to be proud of this season and one St. Louis Ram has a rare honor that was afforded to no other player in this series. What was that honor? Read on and find out as we unveil our last All-Division Team for 2011.
Re-Focused: 49ers @ Rams, Week 17
Job done for the San Francisco 49ers.
The end result was slightly less comfortable than it both should and might have been for the position they got themselves into, but they got that crucial bye week and at least one home playoff game on their first visit in a decade. The 49ers pushed the envelope giving extensive play to some backups and the Rams pushed them all the way with a late comeback, but at the end of the day, the 49ers have earned two weeks off.
For the St Louis Rams, this was a fine effort in what was–if you believe the reports–the final game for head coach Steve Spagnuolo. While some fine performances almost gave them another upset win over a playoff team, the Rams’ shortcomings on offense and defense bit them again. Once the uncertainty over the future of their head coach and general manager are decided, attention will turn to free agency and the draft. How to turn around the fortunes of a team that hasn’t had a winning season 2003? Read the rest of this entry »
Three to Focus on: 49ers @ Rams, Week 17
Last year, the NFC West was embarrassed by having a team steal a playoff spot and a home playoff game by registering a 7-9 record with a Week 17 win. In 2011, their divisional champion will secure a bye week with a victory over the same opponent that lost the final game of the 2010 regular season. The division champ has once again changed, as the San Francisco 49ers finally take the mantle they were expected to walk away with last season. The team on the receiving is once again the St Louis Rams who with a loss will walk away with their third season of two wins or less in the last four. The Rams could even be picking first for the second time in three years as an injury ravaged season (all of the cornerbacks they took to training camp are on injured reserve for example) has seen them plumb the depths of the NFL. Read the rest of this entry »
Re-Focused: Rams @ Steelers, Week 16
Without Ben Roethlisberger I thought maybe the St Louis Rams could spread a little Christmas cheer to their fans by causing an upset against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
I was wrong to even contemplate it.
Instead, the Steelers dominated in every phase, with the Rams’ hopeless offense reduced to running out the clock while laying an egg on the scoreboard to hasten the end of their disappointing season. And some people are inclined to think Josh McDaniels deserves another head coaching job after this year?
The Steelers had no trouble against an overmatched Rams offense while getting good enough play from Charlie Batch to complement a rushing attack that picked up 6 yards per attempt. So easy were things they even found a way to manufacture catches via screens and shovel passes in an attempt to get Hines Ward to that magical 1,000 receptions figure. Read the rest of this entry »
Three to Focus on: Rams @ Steelers, Week 16
After starting off the year as the favorites for the NFC West, things haven’t got quite to plan for the St Louis Rams. The introduction of Josh McDaniels has been labeled as the problem by some, but injuries to key players and problems on the offensive line (health and performance related) haven’t helped matters at all. You’d almost be forgiven for thinking the Rams would be better off if the season ended today, because really what good can come of the a trip to Pennsylvania to visit the Pittsburgh Steelers?
While the Steelers may be without Ben Roethlisberger they still have plenty of defensive firepower that will be looking to wrack up some stats against a line that features none of it’s opening day starters in the position they begun the year in. Indeed with guards playing tackle, you have to think Kellen Clemens could be in for a very tough day as the Steelers try to keep up their hopes of winning the AFC North.
Re-Focused: Bengals @ Rams, Week 15
A matchup between a playoff contender and an injury-plagued afterthought played out an intriguing matchup in Week 15 as the Cincinnati Bengals in the end proved to have too much for the St Louis Rams. For most of the game, the two teams played back-and-forth, only exchanging field goals before two Bengals touchdown drives (either side of the intermission between the third and fourth quarters) put this game away. The Rams got a consolation touchdown late, but as soon as the Bengals established that two-score lead, you felt this game was over.
Neither team really broke from their stereotype in this game. The Rams played solid defense but couldn’t muster any offense to truly test the Bengals. As ever, everything went through Steven Jackson and though he did his best to carry Bengal defenders for yards, they had sights set on him all day and he could never break free to rip-off a big play and break the game open. Read the rest of this entry »
Three to Focus on: Bengals @ Rams, Week 15
When you look at the Bengals and Rams as of late, you won’t see a whole lot of winning. Cincinnati has lost four of their last five with their only win coming against the Browns, while St. Louis has lost five of their last six with their only win also coming against Cleveland.
The only difference is Cincinnati’s losses came against teams that are tied for the best record in the AFC, while the Rams have lost to their division opponents which aren’t exactly the class of the league. Also the Bengals are fighting for their playoff lives while the Rams need to find some other motivation to play.
It might not be the sexiest matchup you’ll find this week, but there are a number of mismatches that should make this game interesting. Oddly enough, we find that the mismatches mirror each other for both teams. Read the rest of this entry »
Re-Focused: Rams @ Seahawks, Week 14
When the schedule makers put this game on Monday Night football, they thought it had a chance to be meaningful. It was between the two best teams in the NFC West last year, but even then that wasn’t saying much. Now the Seahawks are a long shot for the playoffs, while the Rams have been out of contention for practically the entire season.
It wasn’t the most interesting first half of football you’ll watch. Neither offense could do much with the ball and the only thing that separated these teams was a punt blocked by Seattle returned for a touchdown. In the second half Seattle got its act together. Good play by the defense as well as special teams led to good field position for the Seahawks. The offense in turn made some big plays of its own, as well as not making any big mistakes.
It wasn’t a pretty victory, but that is how most of Seattle’s wins have gone. In the end we didn’t learn much more about these teams. The Seahawks win with running and defense, while the Rams just don’t win.
Three to Focus on: Rams @ Seahawks, Week 14
It’s safe to say that this is not the matchup that ESPN envisioned when carving out their schedule prior to the season. They likely assumed the Rams and Seahawks would be battling it out for the division title at this point. It was a gamble to bank on two teams with such an underwhelming recent history, but it was a calculated one. Heck, somebody had to win this division and who could have imagined it would be the 49ers.
Several months, injuries, and defeats later, we’re stuck considering whether 2 Broke Girls or the Charlie Brown Christmas special might be a more entertaining Monday night viewing choice. Not to fear, there are enough intriguing storylines and matchups in this affair to warrant a look.
Re-Focused: Rams @ 49ers, Week 13
The 49ers took it upon themselves to clinch the NFC West for the first time since 2002 and made another positive step in hopes of gaining home field advantage. Alex Smith statistically had the best game of his career and the 49ers smothered the Rams’ offense to no one’s surprise.
For St. Louis, it was yet another loss in what has been a terribly disappointing season. They showed little sign of life on either side of the ball as, while they smartly opted to rest Sam Bradford, A.J. Feeley hurt the thumb on his throwing hand in the game. San Francisco held the Rams to a measly 157 yards of total offense a week after themselves being held to 170 yards against the Ravens. No one expected the Rams to win this game, but to get shutout is flat-out embarrassing. They never came close to sniffing the end zone and as an offense they only managed 3.2 yards per play.
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