Rams-Bolts Prepping For Throwdown

So I had a buddy ask me the other day how much the Rams are going to lose by this week when they welcome the Chargers to the Edward Jones Dome, and I really didn’t know what to tell him. I mean, on paper this looks like it could get ugly really quick, but, as the old saying goes, that’s why they play the games. The more I think about it, the more I convince myself that our beloved Rams can at least make a game out of this thing. We have played extremely well at home so far in 2010, and the Chargers have made a habit of finding ways to lose games they should win. I still think the Bolts will probably pull out the victory, but here are some things the Rams will need to do if they want to take the upset.

Don’t Let SD “Phil” It Up – I don’t think I’m alone in the belief that Phillip Rivers is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the league right now, and he is putting up outstanding numbers so far in 2010, especially considering he has been without his top target (Vincent Jackson) for the entire season. As good as he is, he does make mistakes, and the defense has to take advantage. We have been pretty terrible at catching the ball in the secondary, but there won’t be any room for error tomorrow.

Stiff On The Ground – I’m not completely sold on SD’s running game just yet, but I do know that we will have to keep Mike Tolbert and Ryan Mathews bottled up if we want to stay in the game. If we have to put 8 in the box to stop their run, the secondary will be in for a looooong day.

Close The Gates – We all know how the Rams have struggled against talented tight ends in the past, but the team has actually done a nice job in that area so far this season. It could be a different story tomorrow when Antonio Gates steps on the field. He is off to one of the best starts of his career, and we need to keep him in check.

Who Catches The Ball? – No Donnie Avery. No Mark Clayton. Very few teams can bounce back after their two top receiving targets are lost for the season, but the Rams will have to do just that. Guys like Laurent Robinson and Danny Amendola are going to have to be even better than they have been, which is a pretty tall task, especially for Amendola. We do get Illini Mike back, and it’s possible Danario Alexander could get some snaps on offense, but we have to find a way to move the ball through the air.

The Teams Are Special – The Chargers have been absolutely abysmal on special teams so far, and we have to take advantage of that. If we could find a way to get some points on teams, it could go a long way in deciding the fate of the game. We certainly have to keep their return game in check, because they will probably have plenty of points from the offensive side of the ball.

Overall, I think the Rams can be competitive, but I still like the Chargers to come out on top. My prediction is 31-17 Bolts, but I think we can stay in the game for the majority of play.