The Rams hit us with a lot of 12 personnel, which has been a complete departure from their norm this season. Probably for two reasons - 1) to catch us by surprise (and it did because we were in Nickel and Dime most of the game on D), and 2) because their film review showed ends who had trouble setting the edge. The seemed to target Simon a lot when he was on the field, easily sealing him off with either Higbee or their RT. Wino, when he played, and Uche were nothing to write home about either, though. Both are still a work in progress against the run. The results were obvious. They ran the ball right down our throat. This set up the play action nicely and, aside from one pick, Goff was efficient because that’s the way their offensive attack was designed. Limit his exposure to the blitz and make the D have to respect the run game. This brings a safety closer to the LOS and the play action becomes more lethal.
If they’re going to play Stidham, now is the time to do it. The season likely got the final nail in the coffin last night and they’re likely heading for their annual L in Miami to deal the deal on mediocrity and a 7-9/8-8 season. And yet, BB announced that Cam is their guy. Now, you’re probably saying, “well Kontra, how can that be? You’re a maven of all things football and have never once been wrong about anything before. Hung like a horse with the perfect vein-to-pube ratio, and a jizz that sprays like the rains in Africa. Why do you think this is?” I’ll tell you... at least IMO. It’s because the coaching staff watches the same film made for consumption for anyone who cares to buy Game Pass. The way the offense is constructed currently at WR and TE, Cam gives them the better chance to win.
I won’t bring up Harry because that horse has been beaten into the glue factory many times over. He is what he is. Byrd is a WR3 at best, Meyers is a WR2 at best who was completely locked down by Ramsey, and Edelman is on his last legs and hasn’t played in weeks. We don’t have a starting-caliber TE on the roster either. Izzo is a rich man’s Hooman and the rookies have been some combination of injured and worthless, to date. What DO we have? A great run blocking offensive line and, assuming he doesn’t have a disk injury and is done for the season, an emerging star in Harris to go along with Michel and White. Our strength is not in the passing game. It hasn’t been for 3 years now (four games at the beginning of last season aside). It’s how we run the ball. You put Stidham in there, and we will see what happened last night - he will get his ass kicked and average around 3.8 YPA. He’s not mobile. Cam is. And don’t get me wrong, Cam has sucked a fat one, but he can at least get yards with his legs if things break down. Stidham won’t give you that and he’ll look just as inept, if not more, through the air because that’s just not a strength of the 2020 offense. I suspect you’ll see some wholesale changes on that side of the ball in the offseason.