St Louis Rams v Seattle Seahawks: What I Liked, What I Didn’t Like

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The topsy-turvy, up-and-down Rams were back in force last Sunday. This time, however, they were able to shake off the oh-so-nears of the last few weeks to notch their second win of the season, an impressive victory over the defending Super Bowl champions. This much-needed sees the Rams move to one game from third in the NFC West, but, as is normal, in this game of highs-and-lows, there were plenty of both…

What I Liked…

When the Rams play well              When the St Louis Rams play well, they play VERY well. A 21-0 lead over the Cowboys, a 14-0 lead over the 49ers, a near-comeback against the Eagles, and a 21-6 halftime scoreline against the Seahawks – all impressive results against tough competition. In phases of the game, the Rams, led by Austin Davis, have gone through stretches where their performances have been stellar. This was in evidence against Seattle: the running game was strong, the receivers were catching passes, Davis was accurate, the pass protection was robust, the pass-rush was fierce…and so on. In past games, however, the Rams seemed unable to sustain this level of performance, and the second half opened with the threat of an all-too-familiar turnaround. The most impressive drive was the one capped by Lance Kendrick’s touchdown reception when the Rams, with the momentum shifting against them, needed a score – and they delivered. Basking in the afterglow of a victory, we can afford to gloss over the failure to contain Russell Wilson in the second half and, instead, commend the Rams for their low penalties, zero turnovers, and zero sacks allowed.

Special Teams          It has been hard in other games to ascertain which phase of the team has performed best. At times, the offense has been clicking; at others, the defense has kept the team in contention. As well as these units played at various points on Sunday, special teams were clearly at the heart of the Rams’ victory. John Fassel’s unit had three big plays, all of which contributed to the team’s successes. Benny Cunningham’s 75-yard kickoff return set up the Rams’ first touchdown of the day – Tre Mason’s 6-yard run – while a brilliantly executed fake punt return saw Stedman Bailey carry the ball for a 90 yard score. Finally, more trickery by the punt team through Johnny Hekker’s fourth-down pass allowed the Rams to gain a vital first down to wrap up the game. This level of execution, when combined with sneaky creativity and sheer courage showed the true value of special teams in a franchise that needs points wherever it can find them.

Aaron Donald           The boy is a beast. Donald’s inclusion in the starting unit has seen the defensive line elevate its play. Nowhere was this more evident than in the streak of sacks which the rookie started. Donald is playing beyond his tender experience and is the dominant force in a line that includes Robert Quinn. He caused havoc in the Seahawks backfield with three tackles for a loss and two quarterback hits. Donald is currently one of the highest rated defensive tackles in the League and a true find in the Draft.

What I Didn’t Like…

Alec Ogletree            You had one job. Alec Ogletree was drafted largely as a result of the running ability of division rival quarterbacks such as Russell Wilson and Joe Kaepernick. His specific assignment was to contain Wilson, a task he struggled with in the second half. Wilson ran for over 100 yards and almost single-handedly brought his team back, and this was mostly on the young linebacker. Ogletree was out of position on a number of Wilson’s biggest plays and seemed confused about how to execute his assignment. Yes, Ogletree had six tackles and played a part in containing the bruising Marshawn Lynch, but he played a big part in almost allowing the Seahawks back into the game, much to the despair of Rams fans everywhere.

The secondary         The Rams’ defensive backfield made a number of big plays in the first half – Rodney McLeod and E. J. Gaines, for example, came up with key deflections, while Janoris Jenkins led the team in tackles – but they too gave up key yardage, particularly on third down. Wilson was able to throw the ball effectively, with Doug Baldwin gaining 123 yards through the air. T. J. McDonald also struggled in coverage. This is a shame as this unit raised eyebrows earlier on in the season but have been significantly weaker over the last two weeks.

Some other thoughts and observations…

Time is up on Austin Pettis’ Rams career – the writing has been on the wall since the off-season, and yet another recently-drafted wide receiver bids farewell to the team…Johnny Hekker: is there anything you cannot do?…Should we be worried about Greg Zuerlein’s leg?…Sack City can be a beautiful place…are the Rams’ performances against tough opponents such as Dallas, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle a cause for optimism?…Seahawks fans can continue crying, but the common consensus among refereeing experts is that the officials got it right on the fumble…