By Joe Torosian —
“It’s a big fat, big…hit!”—Frank Hackett
Kick it!
Right off the top: How come Cooper Kupp’s never mentioned as an MVP candidate?
(I could care less, but just a thought.)
I guess Kyler Murray’s Hall of Fame induction will be postponed until next week—at least.
The Rams’ win over Tampa Bay earlier in the season was good…but last night’s win in Arizona was the game Rams fans had been waiting all season to see.
They’ve wanted to see the team with the attitude and mindset that beat the Cardinals with John Wolford in the 2020 regular-season finale. They’ve wanted to see the team that went to Seattle and won with Jared Goff in the first round. The team (pardon the frag) that could win ugly.
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“A man who strays from the path of understanding comes to rest in the company of the dead.” –Proverbs 21:16
I know the football world has crossed over into the Age of Aquarius. It’s all peace, love, dope, and everybody getting along in a grotesque form of Harmonic Convergence…but I’ve wanted to see the Rams play with some anger. With a chip and some thump when your opponent, doubters, imply you’re not good enough.
I didn’t say play with hate because that word is taboo now. But I’ll admit in the confines of any game I played, in the flow of any game (in medias res) I played—excluding pauses for injuries—I hated my opponent. I wanted to win. That includes church league basketball–so don’t get me started on Living Waters Church.
For a month, the music I heard when the Rams played was Santo & Johnny’s, Sleepwalk.
But last night as the Rams looked caffeinated, not perfect–all I heard was NFL Films’ “March To The Trenches.”
(Here’s a reminder from back in the day)
Give credit to Raheem Morris. Last night Morris and his fellas brought the boom-boom-bash.
I’m not a fan. Morris is the first assistant coach in the Sean McVay era that I desperately want to get another gig. But he cobbled together a great one last night.
This season Sebastian Joseph-Day (6th Rd. 2018) played competent ball before he went out with an injury. Greg Gaines (4th Rd. 2019) replaced him and is playing high-caliber football.
Joseph-Day made 2-Rocks this season, and he’s a free agent at the end of the year. I think his Rams career might be over, and Gaines’s career is just beginning. (Note: Gaines cost $850,00 this season and scheduled to make $965,000 in 2022.)
Ernest Jones is playing well, A’Shawn Robinson is playing well, and there’s a ton of depth on the edge with Leonard Floyd, Von Miller, Ogbo Okoronkwo, Terrell Lewis, and Justin Hollins.
Darious Williams was outstanding at corner last night. And David Long Jr. showed enough to make you think—maybe—he got a premature hook from the starting lineup.
I wasn’t thrilled with Nick Scott, the Special teams, and Johnny Hekker…but you can’t have everything.
I hope Les Snead finds a way to retain Joseph Noteboom (3rd Rd, 2018) in 2022. Love the jumbo packages and apparent depth along the offensive line.
Tangent Dreams: A High School Football Novel (Available thru Amazon–click on pic)
Going forward, I like the Rams at home against the Seahawks. At Minnesota, that game environment will feel playoff-like, but they should win. We don’t know where Baltimore’s going to be in three weeks. They’re so banged up now they might have to import the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from the CFL to fill in for them.
Now the Rams could win all three of those games…but if they lose at home to Frisco again—forget about it. Even if the 49ers go into the tank the next three weeks, LA must beat a physical and familiar team.
Arizona finishes with the Lions, Colts, Cowboys, and Seahawks. They can have a loss and still win the NFC West. And that loss could happen in Dallas. But…The Cards have been terrible at home, and Indianapolis pounds the ball.
Collapse (cough)?…Collapse (cough)?
I’m sure by round one of the playoffs, Murray will be back from Canton with his gold jacket.
The Dude abides…
1,203
2 Corinthians 10:5
Joe T. is the author of “Tangent Dreams: A High School Football Novel” … “Temple City & The Company of The Ages” … “The Dead Bug Tales” … “The Dark Norm” & “FaithViews for Storm Riders”…and, the recently released, “Sin Virus.” All six available through Amazon.com.
www.JoeTorosian.com
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