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Key plays during the game:

* Diggs interception of Goff's horrible pass when the Rams were in scoring position. It was the only turnover of the game.

* Jason Meyers kicking. He connected on both XP's and both FG attempts, including a 49 yarder on a cold day.

* Our TD drive at the start of the 2nd half. It gave us a lead we never relinquished.

* Goal line stand in the early 2nd half. The Rams eventually got a field goal out of the effort as we went 3 and out and gave the ball back to the
Rams on our 44, but that clearly was a turning point in the game. Adams hustle play chasing down Malcom Brown from behind prevented a sure TD.
This drive also featured a roughing the punter penalty on us.

* Our TD drive middle to late 4th quarter, capped by Russell's 3rd down TD pass to Hollister, giving us a 2 score lead with 2:51 in the game.

* Our final defensive stand, featuring a weird play with Rams receiver Josh Reynolds giving himself up w/o being touched by a Seahawk and the
unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on McVay that wiped out the gain.

* Dickson's punting. 3 punts inside the Ram's 15 yard line. Only once did the Rams start a drive from beyond their own 30 yard line.

Offensively we struggled mightily, but we have to keep it in context that we were going up against the league's #1 defense in yards allowed and #3 in points allowed. Russell didn't play well, making some really poor decisions (the decision to scramble at the end of the 1st half was just plain ignorant), was off target on a number of throws, and ran into several sacks while trying to extend plays. But he didn't lose the game, either, as the offense didn't turn the ball over and came through big at the end.

The real star of the game was our defense. Jamal Adams was outstanding, and is paying back dividends on our trade. I was also impressed with our LB corps, particularly KJ and Brooks. Jarran Reed also had a good game, recording a couple of sacks. And the secondary didn't give up any big chunk plays, with the Rams longest completion being 26 yards.

Comments?

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2 ... he-league/
And now, a huge target on their backs as they enter the playoffs, LOL! Rodgers will eviscerate the defense if Seattle gets that far.....

curmudgeon wrote:https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/12/28/jamal-adams-were-the-best-defense-in-the-league/
And now, a huge target on their backs as they enter the playoffs, LOL! Rodgers will eviscerate the defense if Seattle gets that far.....

Back in Joe Namath's day, that kind of bragging was what they called bulletin board material. A head coach would clip out the article or quote in question and pin it on the a cork board in his team's locker room as a motivational reminder to his players. But especially with the advent of social media, this off field trash talking is so common anymore that I don't think it makes any difference to opposing teams.

River, what the hell turned this defense around, from warmed over garbage to LOB part 2? Was it so many of our guys were injured, or the two new guys, or both?

RiverDog wrote:
Back in Joe Namath's day, that kind of bragging was what they called bulletin board material. A head coach would clip out the article or quote in question and pin it on the a cork board in his team's locker room as a motivational reminder to his players. But especially with the advent of social media, this off field trash talking is so common anymore that I don't think it makes any difference to opposing teams.

That was a page right out of Joe's how to book of speaking to the press. Joe didn't care about bulletin board material. And coaches still do clip quotes out of the newspapers (even if it is digitally).

RiverDog wrote: Adams hustle play chasing down Malcom Brown from behind prevented a sure TD.

Comments?

Kinda brought back memories of Babineaux's chasing down of Romo after the botched FG attempt in that wildcard game. Obviously not the same type of situation, but when I saw the replay, that was the first thing that came to mind for me. It was cool to see that play by Adams ended up being huge.

And it was actually Henderson he chased down, and on that play, Henderson suffered an injury and never returned. Pretty sure Henderson thought in his mind he was going to score, and he was surprised by being tackled and looked liked he might have suffered an ankle injury? Maybe a hammy?

RiverDog wrote:Back in Joe Namath's day, that kind of bragging was what they called bulletin board material. A head coach would clip out the article or quote in question and pin it on the a cork board in his team's locker room as a motivational reminder to his players. But especially with the advent of social media, this off field trash talking is so common anymore that I don't think it makes any difference to opposing teams.

c_hawkbob wrote:That was a page right out of Joe's how to book of speaking to the press. Joe didn't care about bulletin board material. And coaches still do clip quotes out of the newspapers (even if it is digitally).

Actually Namath's famous "I guarantee it" prior to SB III wasn't really trash talking on the same level as that which today's athletes engage in. As Namath tells it, he was at an event in the lead up to the game where just about everybody in the crowd was predicting how the Colts would wipe up the field with the Jets and it pissed Namath off, so he reacted by telling the audience that he "guaranteed" a Jets win. It was a spur of the moment reaction to multiple insults. IMO that differs significantly to Adams's statement about the Hawks defense being the best in the league.

RiverDog wrote: Adams hustle play chasing down Malcom Brown from behind prevented a sure TD.

Agent 86 wrote: brought back memories of Babineaux's chasing down of Romo after the botched FG attempt in that wildcard game. Obviously not the same type of situation, but when I saw the replay, that was the first thing that came to mind for me. It was cool to see that play by Adams ended up being huge.

Great thought! Yes, now that you mention it, that was very reminiscent of "Big Play Babs" chasing down Romo.

Agent 86 wrote:And it was actually Henderson he chased down, and on that play, Henderson suffered an injury and never returned. Pretty sure Henderson thought in his mind he was going to score, and he was surprised by being tackled and looked liked he might have suffered an ankle injury? Maybe a hammy?

Thanks for the correction. I was looking at the play-by-play description and obviously got it screwed up.

I think Adams tackling Henderson was the key play. We also got great defensive play from KJ, Brooks and Alton Robinson. Along with Poona, etc., etc.!
A really nice effort.

RiverDog wrote:
Actually Namath's famous "I guarantee it" prior to SB III wasn't really trash talking on the same level as that which today's athletes engage in. As Namath tells it, he was at an event in the lead up to the game where just about everybody in the crowd was predicting how the Colts would wipe up the field with the Jets and it pissed Namath off, so he reacted by telling the audience that he "guaranteed" a Jets win. It was a spur of the moment reaction to multiple insults. IMO that differs significantly to Adams's statement about the Hawks defense being the best in the league.

Sorry but I completely disagree. For the time it was pretty brash, famously so even. I watched it in a house full of Colts fans, trust me they took it as total smack.

c_hawkbob wrote:
Actually Namath's famous "I guarantee it" prior to SB III wasn't really trash talking on the same level as that which today's athletes engage in. As Namath tells it, he was at an event in the lead up to the game where just about everybody in the crowd was predicting how the Colts would wipe up the field with the Jets and it pissed Namath off, so he reacted by telling the audience that he "guaranteed" a Jets win. It was a spur of the moment reaction to multiple insults. IMO that differs significantly to Adams's statement about the Hawks defense being the best in the league.

RiverDog wrote:Sorry but I completely disagree. For the time it was pretty brash, famously so even. I watched it in a house full of Colts fans, trust me they took it as total smack.

Oh, I agree that Namath's prediction was taken by the Colts and their fans as total smack and it was extremely brash for 1969. But my point was that Namath was not intending to offer it as smack, that he was put into a defensive posture by a large amount of unprovoked insults and was sticking up for his team. That's quite a bit different than the type of trash talking Adams was doing.

I felt good about the game going in. It was actually a bit harder than I expected but Aaron Donald is the most dominant DT in history, one of the most dominant D linemen of all time at any position. Their back end is very decent with one all pro. The offense is a ferrari with a bad engine but when its clicking it's pretty much unstoppable. The key with J Goff is moving him off his spot, harassing him and then tackling one on one when its completed.Our defense which has been improving steadily is indeed the HOTTEST defense in the league at the perfect time.Every unit is playing great. Reed is our best corner IMO. Safety and linebacker play awesome. D line rotation is coming along. Saying we have played only bad teams is just not a good measurement. Its the NFL. KC was a missed FG from overtime with atlanta. The Jets win looks a little better now, especially the road rash the Hawks hung on them . All I have to say about the Rams is thank god for Jared Goff. If they had even a Garoppolo or something with that scheme they would dominate everyone. The guy is the biggest waste of 137 million ever.

Our game plan offensively seemed to be survive. Run heavy into a wall of Donald on early downs, Russ eating it rather than throw it up. It wasn't Russ's best game at all but it's kind of how high he has set the bar. His first pass was a stare down that should have been a pick 6. He missed Hollister along the sidelines but the guy got a pretty good chuck on him and it still might have been a bit hot. He missed DK 1 on 1 deep throwing the ball to the wrong side but got hit in the mouth the second he released it so I dunno. He missed a couple times high.

Were just too used to him being damn near perfect. All that aside his big balls throw to Moore on the run broke the game open. He could have run for 15 but 35 is way better with that defense.That was the best deep throw he's made in weeks, especially running. He also made a great play running it in, freezing the linebacker rather than risking a turnover trying to throw. In the end he was efficient and deadly finishing with 225 or so yards and a TD and a rushing TD no turnovers.Far from terrible . That's better than some of his games in 2013.
Our line is decent, nobody looks good against Aaron Donald. Our backs are a freaking 3 headed monster. Both DK and Lock have been slowed a bit but still a great 1-2 punch and I always say Moore is a big smooth guy with good hands. Tight ends are solid , huge with Olson coming back. This team has a shot against anyone in this conference . Including Rodgers, Brees. Anyone.