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It has been 17
years since the Rams last played for the NFC Championship. This long-awaited
game is also a rematch between the 2018 NFC’s powerhouse teams.
A rivalry has been forming in recent years, as evidenced by the two teams’ meeting during the 2018 Preseason. The Saints attempted to run up the score against the Rams’ backups. New Orleans head coach Sean Payton even threw challenge flags in the blowout to make his point. The postgame handshake said it all with an unimpressed McVay walking away from a grinning Payton.
They faced each other again in the Superdome in Week 9; the contest became one of the best games of the year.
Week 9: Rams @ Saints
New Orleans
dominated the Rams in the first half, but Los Angeles came out in the second
half with renewed energy. The Rams defense held the Saints scoreless in their
first two possessions of the second half and tied the game at 35-35.
The Saints finally moved the ball into Los Angeles territory, but the Rams defense stiffened one more time and held them to a field goal. There was plenty of time for the Rams to return the favor, but the Saints defense answered the bell. New Orleans forced a punt and put the game away with a 73-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees to Michael Thomas late in the fourth quarter to win 45-35.
The Rams left the
Superdome with a bad taste in their mouths. They were beaten for first time and
left to correct the flaws that New Orleans exposed.
Breaking down the offense
Sweeping all three
of their division opponents and defeating seven other opponents along the way
ended the Rams 2018 campaign with an outstanding 13-3 record. Much of this has
to do with the way the Rams approach each game, each play, schematically.
Under Sean McVay, the Rams offense is primarily based on varying their formations with the same 11-personnel group. They employ a variety of pre-snap motions to determine opposing defensive schemes. Using different play calls within the same formation is intended, often successfully, to confuse the opposing defense.
The ever-changing
movement on the snap, from jet sweeps to reverses, enables Goff to examine the
defense. Rather than huddle at times, rushing to the line allows him and Coach
McVay to evaluate the defense and call audibles (renowned for quirky names from
‘Obama’ to ‘Tupac’ and, most famously ‘Halle’ Berry) to execute what will potentially
be the most productive play.
They focus on the zone run scheme for much of the running game. The season-long consistency at offensive line for the Rams, the only team league-wide to have the same five starters up front, has been the key in the execution of both pass protection and their running game.
Rather than abandon the run as he has done in prior games, McVay has stuck with the rush more recently leading to tremendous success on the ground, most notably for 273 yards against Dallas with both Gurley and Anderson surpassing 100 yards.
Success in the rushing game helps Goff use play-action to hit Rams’ receivers on everything from crossing routes to sluggos for whatever they need. The Rams’ efficiency in this system landed them first in big plays, first in rushing yards, second in total yards per game and second in points per game among the remaining playoff teams.
Understanding the defense
Defensively, the
Rams transformed their scheme in 2017 with the arrival of McVay and defensive
coordinator Wade Phillips. Formerly a strict 4-3 defense, Wade modified the
Rams’ defensive formation to a 4-3 that often works as a 3-4. This change took
some time getting used to among the Rams defensive players in 2017, but
off-season acquisitions like Ndamukong Suh, Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib appeared
to set up the Rams defense for success in 2018.
However, defensive issues still plagued the Rams throughout most of the season. Only in the last few games have the Rams defense has performed up to par, especially with several turnovers forced in the final two regular season games. Defensive lineman Aaron Donald and his 20.5 sacks is the primary focus for any opposing offense. Often double-teamed, he still disrupts nearly every play.
Against the Saints, Phillips must remain aggressive with his play calls, especially with Donald likely being double-teamed. Phillips did just that against the Cowboys last week, and the Rams responded with a dominant performance. The Rams defensive line seems much more prepared to handle the Saints’ somewhat battered offensive line and win in the trenches.
The Rams secondary was a big problem for most of the season, including the big loss the Saints in Week 9, with the blown coverage by Peters that led to the game-clinching Brees touchdown pass. Much of that was due to the long absence of Talib due to injury.
What a Difference Talib Makes
Talib’s return made a noticeable difference for the Rams secondary. With their top corner and veteran leader back in the lineup, the Rams defense picked up where it left off before Talib got hurt.
Without Talib, the
Rams gave up over 30 points. With Talib, they held their opponents under 18
points per game this season.
Entering this
rematch, Talib will be an integral part of the Rams’ defensive scheme as they attempt
to stop Saints’ Mike Thomas, who posted a league-best 211 yards on 12 catches.
Yet Aqib will be on the field this time. He will need to be physical, staying with Thomas and jamming him off the line to mess with his timing. Los Angeles doesn’t want Thomas to be the primary target.
The NFC Championship Bout
The Rams are ready
for payback as they return to the Superdome for the third time this season.
With the Rams’
late-season offensive resurgence, marked predominantly by the addition of
running back C.J. Anderson, Los Angeles finally have the tools to wear down the
Saints throughout a 60-minute game.
The defense’s
showing against the Cowboys proved that the Rams are now more than able to stop
the run. Phillips’s defense appears primed to slow down the Saints’ running
game as well.
This game is not
simply players versus players, team versus team. This is going to be the
penultimate chess match between two of the leagues’ most outside-the-box
offensive-minded head coaches. The grizzled veteran coach (Payton) renowned for
trickery will match wits with the young brilliant mind (McVay) rife with
offensive acumen and razor-sharp recall. This will be an extraordinary game of
strategy akin to the historic match between Bobby Fischer versus Boris Spassky.
Smart scheming and
stout defense will be on display as both teams are well-prepared for this historic
game at the Superdome. This will be a battle, both physically and mentally. The
chess board is set for the long-awaited rematch in the Superdome. Except this
time it will be for the NFC Championship title.
The Saints enter
this game with the very definition of homefield advantage in the Superdome
filled with the “Who Dat?” Nation fanbase filling the stadium. The Rams return
this time, ready to play winning football from beginning to end in this rematch
game, driven to capture the NFC Championship Title and a berth in the Super
Bowl.
If the
Championship Wednesday press conferences are any indication, anyone there or
listening could feel it: The Rams are Ready.
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It has been 17 years since the Rams last played for the NFC Championship. This long-awaited game is also a rematch between the 2018 NFC’s powerhouse teams.
A rivalry has been forming in recent years, as evidenced by the two teams’ meeting during the 2018 Preseason. The Saints attempted to run up the score against the Rams’ backups. New Orleans head coach Sean Payton even threw challenge flags in the blowout to make his point. The postgame handshake said it all with an unimpressed McVay walking away from a grinning Payton.
They faced each other again in the Superdome in Week 9; the contest became one of the best games of the year.
Week 9: Rams @ Saints
New Orleans dominated the Rams in the first half, but Los Angeles came out in the second half with renewed energy. The Rams defense held the Saints scoreless in their first two possessions of the second half and tied the game at 35-35.
The Saints finally moved the ball into Los Angeles territory, but the Rams defense stiffened one more time and held them to a field goal. There was plenty of time for the Rams to return the favor, but the Saints defense answered the bell. New Orleans forced a punt and put the game away with a 73-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees to Michael Thomas late in the fourth quarter to win 45-35.
The Rams left the Superdome with a bad taste in their mouths. They were beaten for first time and left to correct the flaws that New Orleans exposed.
Breaking down the offense
Sweeping all three of their division opponents and defeating seven other opponents along the way ended the Rams 2018 campaign with an outstanding 13-3 record. Much of this has to do with the way the Rams approach each game, each play, schematically.
Under Sean McVay, the Rams offense is primarily based on varying their formations with the same 11-personnel group. They employ a variety of pre-snap motions to determine opposing defensive schemes. Using different play calls within the same formation is intended, often successfully, to confuse the opposing defense.
The ever-changing movement on the snap, from jet sweeps to reverses, enables Goff to examine the defense. Rather than huddle at times, rushing to the line allows him and Coach McVay to evaluate the defense and call audibles (renowned for quirky names from ‘Obama’ to ‘Tupac’ and, most famously ‘Halle’ Berry) to execute what will potentially be the most productive play.
They focus on the zone run scheme for much of the running game. The season-long consistency at offensive line for the Rams, the only team league-wide to have the same five starters up front, has been the key in the execution of both pass protection and their running game.
Rather than abandon the run as he has done in prior games, McVay has stuck with the rush more recently leading to tremendous success on the ground, most notably for 273 yards against Dallas with both Gurley and Anderson surpassing 100 yards.
Success in the rushing game helps Goff use play-action to hit Rams’ receivers on everything from crossing routes to sluggos for whatever they need. The Rams’ efficiency in this system landed them first in big plays, first in rushing yards, second in total yards per game and second in points per game among the remaining playoff teams.
Understanding the defense
Defensively, the Rams transformed their scheme in 2017 with the arrival of McVay and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. Formerly a strict 4-3 defense, Wade modified the Rams’ defensive formation to a 4-3 that often works as a 3-4. This change took some time getting used to among the Rams defensive players in 2017, but off-season acquisitions like Ndamukong Suh, Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib appeared to set up the Rams defense for success in 2018.
However, defensive issues still plagued the Rams throughout most of the season. Only in the last few games have the Rams defense has performed up to par, especially with several turnovers forced in the final two regular season games. Defensive lineman Aaron Donald and his 20.5 sacks is the primary focus for any opposing offense. Often double-teamed, he still disrupts nearly every play.
Against the Saints, Phillips must remain aggressive with his play calls, especially with Donald likely being double-teamed. Phillips did just that against the Cowboys last week, and the Rams responded with a dominant performance. The Rams defensive line seems much more prepared to handle the Saints’ somewhat battered offensive line and win in the trenches.
The Rams secondary was a big problem for most of the season, including the big loss the Saints in Week 9, with the blown coverage by Peters that led to the game-clinching Brees touchdown pass. Much of that was due to the long absence of Talib due to injury.
What a Difference Talib Makes
Talib’s return made a noticeable difference for the Rams secondary. With their top corner and veteran leader back in the lineup, the Rams defense picked up where it left off before Talib got hurt.
Without Talib, the Rams gave up over 30 points. With Talib, they held their opponents under 18 points per game this season.
Entering this rematch, Talib will be an integral part of the Rams’ defensive scheme as they attempt to stop Saints’ Mike Thomas, who posted a league-best 211 yards on 12 catches.
Yet Aqib will be on the field this time. He will need to be physical, staying with Thomas and jamming him off the line to mess with his timing. Los Angeles doesn’t want Thomas to be the primary target.
The NFC Championship Bout
The Rams are ready for payback as they return to the Superdome for the third time this season.
With the Rams’ late-season offensive resurgence, marked predominantly by the addition of running back C.J. Anderson, Los Angeles finally have the tools to wear down the Saints throughout a 60-minute game.
The defense’s showing against the Cowboys proved that the Rams are now more than able to stop the run. Phillips’s defense appears primed to slow down the Saints’ running game as well.
This game is not simply players versus players, team versus team. This is going to be the penultimate chess match between two of the leagues’ most outside-the-box offensive-minded head coaches. The grizzled veteran coach (Payton) renowned for trickery will match wits with the young brilliant mind (McVay) rife with offensive acumen and razor-sharp recall. This will be an extraordinary game of strategy akin to the historic match between Bobby Fischer versus Boris Spassky.
Smart scheming and stout defense will be on display as both teams are well-prepared for this historic game at the Superdome. This will be a battle, both physically and mentally. The chess board is set for the long-awaited rematch in the Superdome. Except this time it will be for the NFC Championship title.
The Saints enter this game with the very definition of homefield advantage in the Superdome filled with the “Who Dat?” Nation fanbase filling the stadium. The Rams return this time, ready to play winning football from beginning to end in this rematch game, driven to capture the NFC Championship Title and a berth in the Super Bowl.
If the Championship Wednesday press conferences are any indication, anyone there or listening could feel it: The Rams are Ready.
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