Well, the NFL world was stunned today when the Rams took down the San Diego Chargers 20-17 in the “Terror Dome”. Ummm … I certainly didn’t see it coming, but I don’t think I was alone. As I was watching the game, I kept wondering when the Rams were going to blow it, and then I realized that this isn’t the same old “Lambs” we have gotten used to over the last few years. This team battles on every snap, and they really believe they are going to win games. It’s refreshing to see the effort this team gives every week, and it makes it hard to root against them.

Now, on to how exactly how this happened. First, let’s look at my keys to the game from yesterday to see how they factored into the win.

Don’t Let SD “Phil” It Up – It was of vital importance that the Rams keep Phillip Rivers in check, and they did just that. They sacked him 7 times. I don’t know if our defense had 7 sacks all last season. The defensive line, namely James Hall and Chris Long, made Rivers uncomfortable all day, and he was really only effective when they started running the two-minute drill. As critical as I’ve been of the D-Line this season, they really have been playing well and they were the main reason we won today.

Stiff On The Ground – Ryan Mathews did some decent work when given the chance today, but the Bolts never really had a chance to get the running game going after they fell behind early. Mathews averaged 5.3 yards per carry, but that was mainly due to one 19-yard run. If you take that play out, he only had 45 yards rushing. Mike Tolbert got in the end zone, but he finished with just 3 yards on 3 carries. Again, great work by the D.

Close The Gates – Admittedly, this point was helped by the fact that Gates left with an injury, but he still only had 2 catches for 12 yards when he was on the field. Gates had caught a TD in 7 straight games before today, so it was vital that the D shut him out.

The Teams Are Special – It’s been well-documented that the Chargers have struggled in this area, and I think the turning point of the game was Nate Kaeding’s missed field goal. The Rams also did a great job bottling up Darren Sproles, and Josh Brown nailed two big field goals. Overall, this one was a big check.

Who Catches The Ball? – I saved this one for last, and the fact that I haven’t mentioned Danario Alexander yet in this post has been absolutely killing me. It’s no secret that I’m a big fan, and if Rams’ fans weren’t excited about him before, they better be now. All he did in his NFL debut was catch 4 passes for 72 yards and a beautiful touchdown. Coach Spags really did a good job keeping DX’s status a secret this week, but the secret is out now. I’m not ready to put him in a Pro Bowl or anything, but a healthy and experienced Alexander brings a new dimension to this offense. As he gets used to the NFL game, he could really develop into a nice player.

Stars Of The Game – This could go to a bunch of guys, but my defensive star goes to Chris Long. The guy has been so close to breaking out for a long time, and two sacks today really has to give him confidence going forward. If Long can develop into a consistent pass-rusher, this defense can be even better. Offensively, as much as I would like to give it to Alexander, I have to give it to SJ39. The guy stepped up in big situations today, and he really is the force that makes this offense go.

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.

6:34 The draft has begun and the Rams are officially on the clock…

6:37 The pick is in… The Rams select Sam Bradford! Not a surprise, but I’m just happy that it is finally official.

6:45 The Lions select Ndamukong Suh #2. Another no-brainer here with this pick.

6:51 The Bucs select Gerald McCoy#3. There haven’t been any surprises so far, but I expect that to change soon.

6:58 The Skins select Trent Williams #4. Another Big 12 guy with plenty of upside, but I would have liked Okung here.

7:04 Eric Berry on the phone, says he’s going to the Chiefs. A bit of a surprise this high, but he looks like the real deal.

7:13 Russell Okung to the Seahawks. They have to be ecstatic that he was available at 6. Potential franchise tackle.

7:20 Michael Smith says he thinks Browns will go with Joe Haden. This would be the biggest surprise so far if it happens.

7:23 Haden to Cleveland. They could have gotten him a bit later I think, but maybe nobody wanted to trade up.

7:28 Raiders didn’t waste much time. Rolando McClain goes to Oakland. Thought they might go tackle here, and this may be a bit high here as well. McClain is legit, though.

7:30 Bills go quick as well. CJ Spiller is the pick. I’m surprised again, with Lynch and Jackson already in town.

7:37 Jags go for Tyson Alualu at 10. Another reach, but the guys they liked are gone (Spiller, McClain)

7:38 First trade of the night. Broncos trade #11 pick to 49ers. Teams swap firsts and Den gets a 4th (113 overall) in return

7:43 Niners take Anthony Davis. They have liked him all along and didn’t want anyone else to get him.

7:45 Dolphins trade 12 to Chargers. Expect plenty more moves throughout the first round.

7:49 Chargers trade up to get Ryan Mathews. They needed a compliment to Sproles, so nice pick here.

7:50 Broncos move again, this time trade pick to Eagles. Pick has to be Earl Thomas here. Philly loves him (more…)