That Was Pathetic

I just couldn’t bring myself to get on here and recap the game yesterday, and I didn’t want to say anything I would regret later. Now that I’ve had a day to cool down, let’s take a look at what happened in Sunday’s 44-3 debacle in Detroit.

First, the onside kick. Coach Spags has been getting hammered on St. Louis sports radio all day for that decision, but I really have no problem with it. I like the aggressiveness, and the team obviously saw something on the tape that made them think it would work. It also showed confidence in the defense, and they only gave up a field goal on the drive. That decision certainly didn’t lose the game for the team.

Next on the list is Mark Clayton. In case you haven’t heard, the Rams’ leading receiver will miss the remainder of the season with a patella tendon tear. I really feel for the guy and for the team on this one. Clayton looked ready to take his career to the next level this season, and this will certainly be a tough one to come back from. All the best to mark in his recovery. As far as how this will affect the offense, I think it is a very big deal. Clayton gave the Rams that option to stretch the field, and I’m not sure they have that guy on this team now that he and Donnie Avery are done. This offense could very well revert back to the dink-and-dunk mode unless someone else steps up.

In related news, the team activated wide receiver Danario Alexander earlier today. I don’t know if he’s completely ready just yet, but it looks like he will get his opportunity earlier than anticipated.

Sam Bradford finally looked human on Sunday, but I’m not worried about him in the slightest. We forget that he is still a rookie, and these things happen when you start a rookie quarterback sometimes. I’m not giving anyone on this roster a pass, but I’m just saying that I’m not shocked.

Most importantly, I think this team was humbled by the loss and they learned not to believe the hype. There were a ton of people on the Rams bandwagon after last week’s win, and I have to think that the players bought into it a little bit. This team needs to play with a chip on their shoulder, and I didn’t see that on Sunday.

I can’t get everything from this game in one posting, so check back tomorrow for Part II of the breakdown.