Jared Cook was underutilized in Tennessee and put up good per snap numbers as a receiver despite never really having great quarterback play. He has 1718 career receiving yards on 1057 career routes run, a rate of 1.63 yards per route run. For comparison, Owen Daniels had 1.63 yards per route run this season, good [...]
The Rams won 7 games in 2010 in Sam Bradford’s rookie year, but regressed and won just 2 in 2011 thanks to injuries. This year, they won 7 again (plus a tie), but there’s a lot more hope for the future. Their defense went from 26th in 2011 to 14th and they are still one [...]
St. Louis Rams (7-7-1) at Seattle Seahawks (10-5) Everyone knows about the Seahawks’ home prowess, but it’s really, really significant, possibly even more than people realize. At home, they are 47-20 ATS since 2005, including 6-0 ATS as double digit favorites and 16-3 ATS as touchdown plus home favorites. For contrast, they are 24-43 ATS [...]
Last week: 18 (+0) Record: 7-7-1 Net points per drive: -0.34 (24th) DVOA: -4.2% (19th) Weighted DVOA: -6.6% (20th) Studs TE Lance Kendricks: Caught 4 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown on 5 attempts, 18.8 YAC per catch CB Trumaine Johnson: Allowed 3 catches for 37 yards on 9 attempts, 1 pass deflection, 1 [...]
St. Louis Rams (6-7-1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-8) The Buccaneers got destroyed in New Orleans last week, losing 41-0. I generally like taking teams off a blowout loss. Teams in this situation tend to be overlooked, undervalued, and embarrassed. The most recent case of this was the Cardinals’ blowing out the Lions as huge home [...]
Last week: 18 (+0) Record: 6-7-1 Net points per drive: -0.43 (26th) DVOA: -5.1% (19th) Weighted DVOA: -5.2% (18th) It’s week 16 and the Rams are still mathematically alive for a playoff spot, even in the tougher NFC. It’s not an accomplishment for most teams, but given this team’s recent history, it is for them. [...]
Minnesota Vikings (7-6) at St. Louis Rams (6-6-1) The Vikings won last week as home dogs against the Bears, but I’m still not sure about them. Christian Ponder once again had a terrible game, completing 11 of 17 for 91 yards and an interception. In his last 7 games, he’s 107 of 191 (56.0%) for [...]
Last week: 21 (+3) Record: 6-6-1 Net points per drive: -0.40 (25th) DVOA: -5.3% (19th) Weighted DVOA: -6.3% (19th) Since the bye, the Rams have tied and beaten the 49ers, gotten road wins in Buffalo and Arizona, and only lost to the Jets, who were in a great spot. Improved health is to thank. They [...]
St. Louis Rams (5-6-1) at Buffalo Bills (5-7) This is a matchup of two teams that are below .500, but actually playing good football over the last few weeks. Since the bye, the Bills have played the Texans and Patriots close on the road, beaten Miami, lost in Indianapolis by only a special teams touchdown, [...]
Last week: 22 (+1) Record: 5-6-1 Net points per drive: -0.45 (25th) DVOA: -4.3% (20th) Weighted DVOA: -4.5% (20th) Studs RG Harvey Dahl: Did not allow a pressure on 47 pass block snaps, run blocked for 7 yards on 4 attempts WR Chris Givens: Caught 11 passes for 92 yards on 13 attempts on 43 [...]
San Francisco 49ers (8-3) at St. Louis Rams (4-7) Colin Kaepernick is now officially quarterback of the 49ers and it’s definitely the right move. I don’t think the 49ers ever really scared anyone with Alex Smith under center. He wasn’t why they were winning. Kaepernick gives this team such a higher upside. He allows them [...]
Last week: 22 (+2) Record: 4-6-1 Net points per drive: -0.44 (24th) DVOA: -6.1% (21st) Weighted DVOA: -6.6% (20th) Tier 6: Not going to make the playoffs, but they can pull some upsets down the stretch St. Louis Rams Studs LT Rodger Saffold: Did not allow a pressure on 21 pass block snaps, run blocked [...]
St. Louis Rams (4-6) at Arizona Cardinals (4-6) The rule of thumb in NFC West divisional matchups is to take the home team. Since 2007, no division covers more often at home than the NFC West, going 106-79 ATS at home, and conversely no team fails to cover more often on the road, going 74-102 [...]
Last week: 20 (-4) Record: 3-6-1 First they got blown out 45-7 by the Patriots and then everyone soured on this team. Then they tied the 49ers and everyone backed them as home favorites against the Jets. Now they’ve lost to the Jets and the public has soured on them so much they are now [...]
New York Jets (3-6) at St. Louis Rams (3-5) Someone check me for a concussion because I really like the Jets this week. The Jets are one of two teams I have not picked to cover once this year, along with the Bengals. Yes, their fans hate me. It may seem weird that this is [...]
Last week: 20 (+1) Record: 3-5-1 On a bye…oh wait…the Rams played last week? But their record didn’t change, so they couldn’t have played right? It wouldn’t be worth busting your ass for 75 minutes if your record didn’t change afterwards right? Fuck ties. Studs QB Sam Bradford: 26 of 39 for 275 yards and [...]
St. Louis Rams (3-5) at San Francisco 49ers (6-2) The rule of thumb in NFC West divisional matchups is to always take the home team. Since 2007, the NFC West is 104-77 in general at home and they have not only the best ATS winning percentage of any division in football in that time period, [...]
Last week: 21 (+0) Record: 3-5 On bye.
Last week: 21 (-1) Record: 3-5 I have a lot to write about the Patriots in their section, so I’m going to use this section to talk about the NFL in London. I just don’t think it’s a very good idea. It’s fine having one or two games per year there, but every time we [...]
New England Patriots (4-3) “at” St. Louis Rams (3-4) What’s wrong with the Patriots? That’s what people have been asking for 2 weeks. Last week, the answer to that question was nothing. Losing in Seattle to a tough Seahawks team is not an embarrassing loss or a huge upset as some were calling it. Green [...]
Last week: 18 (-2) With the trade deadline upcoming this week, the Rams have reportedly made several veterans available for trade. It makes sense that one of these would be Steven Jackson because he’s really their only veteran. He’s got the option to opt out of his contract after this season and he’s already splitting [...]
Green Bay Packers (3-3) at St. Louis Rams (3-3) It’s funny how much the general public likes to overreact to one game. Last week, everyone was talking about “what’s wrong with the Packers?” and now some people are calling them the best team in the NFL once again. On top of that, they are being [...]
Last week: 18 (+1) Record: 3-3 I’m moving the Rams up despite their loss because I think I underrated them last week. I thought Sam Bradford would struggle without several starting offensive linemen and without Danny Amendola like he did last year. It sure looked like he would after he finished 2 of 9 against [...]
St. Louis Rams (3-2) at Miami Dolphins (2-3) The Rams appear to be the public’s new hot young team. After an impressive defensive effort and a 14 point home win over the previously undefeated Cardinals, the Rams now stand at 3-2 and are over .500 for the first time since 2006. They are the publicly [...]
Last week: 22 (+3) Record: 3-2 The Rams may have won the battle, but lost the war against Arizona last Thursday, losing Danny Amendola for an extended period of time. It’s no surprise that their offense went in the tank without him last week. It’s exactly what they did last season. Sam Bradford has no [...]