It was a tough Sunday for the Rams as one of the better games in the 1 p.m. slate ended in an overtime loss in Minneapolis. It was tightly contested throughout, with neither team ever enjoying a significant advantage, and one got the feeling all game long that it could easily tip either way. For the Vikings, the win resulted in a somewhat-surprising 6-2 record and an increasingly realistic shot at the playoffs. For the Rams, the loss means 4-4 and a little bit more uncertainty moving forward.
Here are five general observations from the game.
1. Lamarcus Joyner Should Be Fined
Late hits are always difficult to assess, because as often as not you can see a defensive player’s momentum start toward a tackle before the play becomes “dirty.” But there isn’t a whole lot of debate about the play that caused Minnesota QB Teddy Bridgewater to briefly lose consciousness before leaving the game with a concussion. Yahoo Sports labeled it a “dirty play” as if there were no question in the issue, and looking at their video, it’s difficult to disagree. Joyner lowered his shoulder into a QB who had already begun his slide, and a league fine, while unfortunate, would be justified.
2. It Might Be Time For A New Kicker
You don’t always think of a kicker as a real building block for a team, but Sunday emphasized just how much a good kicker can benefit a team that still has to scrap and claw for wins. Greg Zuerlein hit four field goals, including a 53-yarder, which is impressive particularly outdoors and in the relative cold of Minnesota. He kept the Rams in the contest, but in the context of the season it was an aberration. Zuerlein is toward the bottom of the league in field goal accuracy. While he was great on Sunday, the performance may have illustrated the Rams’ need to upgrade the position as part of their encouraging rebuilding process.
3. Todd Gurley Isn’t Adrian Peterson
It’s been incredible to hear the comparisons between these two players, and it’s a testament to Gurley’s sensational start that people are talking about it. Several of ESPN’s talking heads compared the two heading into this contest, and Betfair Betting spent most of its mini-preview of the game discussing the runners. The preview even gave the nod to Gurley in his “quest to get from A to B quicker than A.P.” Peterson had the better day, however, and his explosiveness showed what we hope Gurley becomes—not what he already is. Gurley is on pace to have an incredible career and may well be the most exciting running prospect to arrive in years, but let’s cool it on the A.P. comparisons.
4. Tavon Austin Needs More Targets
Tavon Austin started the year as the ultimate boom-or-bust skill player (mostly a relevant distinction to fantasy players), but he’s since become a vital part of the St. Louis offense and a fairly regular contributor. He’s a more explosive athlete than disciplined route runner, but it’s still getting hard to watch the Rams and not conclude that he needs a few more targets. He did lead the team with seven targets on Sunday, and even rushed eight times, so it’s not as if he’s not a factor. But this team needs to take a few gambles to succeed on offense and open the field up for Gurley, and a couple more shots to Austin each week would seem to be in order.
5. 9-7 Should Be The Goal
The Rams’ schedule from this point forward is fairly balanced, but a better second half is certainly possible—and for the most part, St. Louis has looked like a playoff team. Given that, this team should shoot for 9-7. Home games against Chicago, Detroit, and Tampa Bay should all be winnable, and beating Baltimore or San Francisco on the road is a strong possibility. Beyond those contests, the Rams will play at Cincinnati and Seattle, and will host Arizona. Those three are more difficult, but in the whole second half schedule, 5-3 appears to be a goal equally reasonable and ambitious.
