LA Rams players need seldom seen mean streak for Week 18 W

The LA Rams are one win away from a 13 win season. With it comes a lock on the NFC West Division title, and the second-seed berth in the NFL Playoffs. But to get that victory, they must vanquish their demon. The San Francisco 49ers stand in their way, and they have nothing but contempt for the Rams right now.

And to beat the 49ers, the Rams will need to be ready to fight like never before.

On one hand, there is a time and a place for an NFL player to be cordial, helpful, intellectual, and lucid. On the other hand, there is also a time for that same NFL player to snarl, raise the intensity, grow an instant attitude and become a wrecking ball to anyone who would oppose him. The LA Rams need a whole lot of the second type of players to show up in Week 18.

Passion is both a blessing and a curse. After all, it covers the spectrum of human emotions. That which we fear, that which we desire, that which brings us to compassion, and that which fuels our anger.

But in the theatre of professional sports, it can also denote intensity. Someone who plays with great passion is not an emotional player, but rather one who is difficult to face and almost impossible to control.

Gaines passion gets noticed

Someone line Greg Gaines, for example.

Since Gaines has been handed the role of starter on the LA Rams defensive front, he has meant business. 35 tackles, four quarterback sacks, and nine quarterback hits over the course of the last nine games is a pretty solid performance.

But let’s look at who he has brought down in that stretch: Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (and was able to run him down from behind as well), and Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Week 18 warriors

The LA Rams will need more tough guys in Week 18. Over the course of several seasons, and the five-game winning streak, the San Francisco 49ers have lost every ounce of respect for the LA Rams. It’s open contempt, and it is so blatant that even their talk shows lack even the remotest ounce of concern.

Parents know that there are occasions to bend down and talk with their children. But there are also times when the time for talking is over, and setting down petulant children is simply a matter of swift and decisive discipline.

That is what is called for now. This is no time to be cute. Not a time to outsmart. This is not even the time for a rope-a-dope. The LA Rams need to come to the football field ready to punch back. This is the time for passion, for any Rams player who steps onto the football field to play passionately.

And if they don’t know how, they simply need to follow the lead of Greg Gaines. Do that, and good things will happen.