So Why Did The Rams Lose? Again?

Well for a lot of reasons of course, but here is a count down of the top five reasons why this team lost yet another extremely winnable game against another lousy team.

5. Offensive Line - Yes, there are a lot of injuries, but this is the NFL and every team is going to run into this. For a few weeks there, it seemed they were starting to get it together and it was giving way for SJ39 to really be on a roll, but again injuries and a shift in the line and they no longer could open up holes for Jackson and against a poor team. Sure they seemed to protect Sam better overall but that was only because the game plan had Sam getting rid of the ball sooner.

4. Sam Bradford - Sorry Sam, we all know you've lost some key players that you were comfortable with but there comes a time in every QB's game that they have to take over the show, especially when that player is a number one draft pick! If a player is going to be the star they were drafted to be, there comes a time, that even when everything is falling apart around you that you have to pick the pieces up and start carrying the team on your back. Just ask SJ39. To become a good leader this is what is expected of you Sam, and you have yet to show any of us that you can do this. Sure Sam had an OK passer rating of 85.8, but OK is not what you are looking for from a #1 draft pick.

3. Defensive Line and Linebackers - The play of these guys was close to embarrassing once you realized that the Cards were playing a backup QB, and they made him look like a stud. Plus, playing a backup QB, didn't the Rams defense realize that they just might be running the ball just a tad more? Hello? Enter Beanie Wells and 238 yards later! Good grief, the second time they allowed a player to run wild for over 200 yards rushing! Now that's just simply embarrassing beyond words.

2. Special Teams - Oh my, did we forget about what happened just three weeks ago?

Dear Donnie Jones,

I just want to thank you for making me look like a Hall of Famer.  I mean, seriously, I'm a talented dude, and I am a playmaker and all that, but come on, four punt return touchdowns of more than 80 yards for a touchdown?  In one season?!?  That's crazy!!!

And to think, I returned two of them against the Rams because you kept kicking the ball to me.  I don't know if your coaches are just that stupid, or if you didn't do your job and kick away from me.  Either way, it's doesn't matter.  I'm a superstar now, and I have you to thank for it.

Sincerely,

Patrick Peterson

Someone help me here on this one! What were they thinking kicking it directly to this guy? After all the Cards learned really fast to keep it away from our new guy Nick or nail him after he ran it back for an 84 yard TD!

And drum roll please, the number one reason for losing this game and most of the other ones is......

1. Coaching - We are 2-9 for the year and just 10-33 under Spags for the past three years. They amazingly beat the Saints, one they probably should have lost, and beat an even worse than them Browns team. Oh whoop. Could have easily beaten the Skins and should have beat a horrible Cardinals team both times and they should and could easily be 5-6 right now and not 2-9.

There are just some guys that can find a way to will their teams to win under any circumstance, especially those in which are the close ones. If you are close in a game those coaches that know how to win and know how to get their team to believe in it, they more than likely are going to get that win. However, when your coach has only a 23% winning record, makes bad decisions, manages the clock poorly at key times in the game and has a so called stud for a QB that is regressing instead of getting better, it doesn't bode well for a coach or his team.

Simply put, the Rams do not know how to play winning football with Spags at the helm.

The question is, is there anyone out there that can come in and teach them how to win or is there too much damage already done?

Battered QB Syndrome

Sam Bradford, with 5 sacks in the Seahawks game on November 21st, has just become the "Poster Child" for Battered QB Syndrome and if it were in the Webster standard dictionary this picture would be listed right next to the description of what Battered QB Syndrome is.

The inability of team officials to bring in the right core of players to protect their $65 million dollar love child is doing nothing but destroy what could be a bright future for a very bright player. But, how long will the light remain on for Bradford if he continues to get his lights knocked out with the abuse that he continues to get from that horrendous offensive line?

Even his statements are beginning to show signs of a player that is doubting if he made the right decision to even accept the drafting from this organization and worse yet, he appears to be doubting himself and whether or not he's cut out to be in this league and that my friends is a crime!

As much as he admits that he does not know how this team has gotten to this point in time he still proclaims he will do all that he can to give it his complete all. However, he has multitude of signs that he's becoming extremely shell shocked so sadly early in his short career.

If something doesn't change soon for Bradford, this organization will have completely destroyed him and even if they find someone to come in to turn things around for the team, it will be too late to save Bradford.

Win Number 2

Yep we got another win. Not very impressive but we got it anyway. One thing we can say is that it sure didn't have much to do with our ability to score. This time we were the team that had luck on our side with Dawson missing the FG that could have made it the Browns victory and not ours. After all we all know how good or should I say bad we are at finishing games if it comes down to the wire.

No, I suppose I shouldn't be complaining, after all it was a win and we all know a win is a win is a win. However, that kind of changes when it's against another fairly bad team. Now if we'd been pounding it out against a powerhouse of a team then I might say job well done, but in all honesty can't do it.

The consistent player that we have on offense remains our beast in SJ39 otherwise, we're failing there. Bradford has yet to really open up and show us the talent he's being paid for. So, the jury is still out on this. Lloyd looks like he could be the guy for Bradford but they've yet had enough time to get something truly going between the two of them. Unfortunately once they've had enough time, the season will be over for this year.

Bradford has already had to go through two major offensive changes and this could be retarding his growth. But, the way the things are going, he could end up facing one more huge change next season if Spags is handed his walking papers. That in turn is going to be yet another year that's going to be wasted for poor Bradford. So, in his defense I must conclude that a lot of this is probably not his fault because he's not getting the environment that most rookies QB's get when they first start their careers.

It Just Doesn't Quit

This horrible Rams saga just doesn't quit does it? I mean if it's not one thing it's another. One week we see a team that makes up believe that all the other weeks were behind us and that the "real" team has finally stepped up and then you get this week. What can you say?

I can say this is that I don't think Bradford was ready to come back and I don't think that this team is going to be able to salavage this season period, end of discussion. No matter how good the defense seems to improve, there seems to always be some unit on this team that screws up one week and then it's another unit that screws up the next week.

Until the coaching can get each and every unit of this team to play together on the same sheet of music all together, all at once as a whole team, it's never going to happen, we're never going to have a winning team. This is not to say that each unit needs to be perfect, that would be asking for a miracle, because that usually doesn't happen with any team, but even if some of their units may have weak spots they are still able to play together as a team and stronger units will help make up for them. Not happening with the Rams and doubt it's going to happen.

Then there's the injuries, come on! Is that ever going to quit? Now, we've lost Greg Salas for the year with a broken leg! Good grief! This kid was on his way to having a pretty good rookie season as well. It's like there is some kind of voodoo curse on the WR's of this team. Maybe we all should start burning some sage to try and get rid of the bad mojo this team's receivers seem to have.

At this point in time seems like we should try anything and everything!