So let’s
all just admit it. When the Rams started
the game behind 7 to nothing before the game was 15 seconds old and was
supposed to begin with the Rams receiving, we all groaned. We have seen this before, I thought. Same Rams sucking in the same ways which will
end up in an embarrassingly futile attempt to come back after starting in a 7
point hole. At least that is what we are
used to from what has been the league’s most pathetic franchise over the past
many years, but last Sunday, the Rams, and Sam Bradford specifically, showed us
that it is ok to hope for him and this Ram team to be competitive at least this
season. It was like having a child who
brings home nothing but failing grades on his report card and comes through
with half A’s one day. Who cares if it
was in his easiest class, it’s a start.
The Rams
did not have an easy road to their victory over the Redskins, and I think I
spiked the television remote in unison with Steven Jackson after watching the
NFL replacement officials mess up call after call in the first half. That subpar team in the black and white
jerseys missed two Ram touchdowns when you include the pass that was called incomplete
in the corner of the end zone although replays showed that the both feet were
down in bounds. This play in particular
had me screaming at my television for two different reasons. For one, why would Fisher not challenge that
call? That is a play that could be a
huge momentum booster if they can drive right down the field and tie the game
after their embarrassing start of the game.
Fisher needs to throw the challenge there, especially for a team where
things can roll downhill so quickly.
Once I was able to stop my convulsive screaming for Fisher to throw the
challenge flag, my fury quickly went back to the referee who made the
call. Isn’t every scoring play in the
NFL being reviewed? And if that is the
case, why not air on the side of calling plays that may get into the end zone a
touchdown? What do you have to lose as a
referee in that situation? Why not call
every play that is close a touchdown unless you are 100% sure that the call is
in fact not a touchdown?
And then
there was the Steven Jackson touchdown run which occurred right after the
referees blew the call on a fumble only the play before, forcing the Rams to
blow a challenge flag. I could not blame
Jackson at all when he came off the field screaming at the officials. That was a pathetic and absolutely horrible
call for which that crew should probably lose their jobs for if it was not for
the fact that the NFL would be patrolling high school fields for officials at
that point. Another big call that did
not get as much play after the fact, but was equally ridiculous in the moment
was the unnecessary roughness called on the Rams when they tackled Robert
Griffin III as he was running down the sidelines. That was a 15 yard penalty which brought the
Redskins into Rams territory on a drive where the Redskins ended with a touchdown. To make a very long story short, the
officials were horrible, and can we please get Ed Hochuli’s guns to come back
to the sidelines?
I do not
mean this to come off as nothing but a indictment of the NFL and its officials,
an equally important story line unfolded as the game progressed, Sam Bradford
showed us what the Rams were hoping to get when they drafted him. He led the team up and down the field with
apparent ease that we have never really seen from him. Bradford ended the game with 310 yards, 3 TD
and only 1 interception. He routinely
came through on 3rd down and just gave us the sense that he was in
control and that the game was not too big or too fast for him.
And
Bradford was able to do most of this without the veteran presence and contributions
of Steven Jackson. Daryl Richardson
filled in well, but he still was responsible for a fumble that could have been
devastating had the Redskins made it down the field to score in their final
drive. I do not know anything about the
injury vs. benching controversy that has been spoken about at length around St.
Louis this week. I was not on the
sidelines, nor do I know anyone who was, but the reactions of the two do not
seem to match with a benching. For one,
Jeff Fisher coached guys like Pacman Jones and Albert Haynesworth. If he was willing to put up with the
character issues of these guys and look at their physical talents, then do we
really think that he would bench Steven Jackson for one passionate and angry
moment? Maybe for a series, not for the
rest of a game. And then there is the
tough guy aspect of Jeff Fisher. He
seems to have the reputation as someone who is going to do things his way and
be tough about it. What good does it do
to bench Steven Jackson only to be quiet about it later when asked? What message does that send to his team? That their coach is afraid of the media or
fan reaction? It does not seem to fit
with the rest of his image.
The Rams
won the bowl for 2013, and we can only hope that a combination of the Rams
using the game as a springboard for continued success. We can also hope that the Redskins can lose
many more games in the near future, although after watching the poise and
abilities of RGIII it is difficult to imagine that this could be true. The Rams now need to get working on a game
play that they can use against the Bears in Chicago, but there is nothing wrong
with taking a short look back and enjoy the coming of age of Sam Bradford and
the rest of the Rams who won a game despite things not going their way.
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