We are a spoiled to live in such a great sports city where we constantly have a sports team making a run at a title in the playoffs. Before we start this week’s analysis of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, lets applaud Michael Wacha and what he was able to accomplish yesterday. He kept our red October alive and forced a game 5 scheduled for tomorrow night at Busch Stadium.
That being said, we are a long time away from seeing the Rams in the playoffs without any major change or acquisition. Following a dreadful performance on national television against the San Francisco 49ers, I was hoping the result would spark a fire in the team against the Jaguars. While the squad managed to come away with the victory, it was not a win that will have fans excited about the rest of the season. As a matter of fact, I am extremely concerned about the rest of our season when we face teams like the Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts, and New Orleans Saints.
The trouble began on the first punt of the day when it was taken back 80 yards to the house. One missed block after the next, and they managed to walk into the end-zone. Fortunately for the Rams, there was a block in the back that prevented the play and the easy score.
However, this minor bump in the road didn’t stop Mizzou alumni Blaine Gabbert. He connected with wide receiver and former first round pick Justin Blackmon for a 67-yard strike that put Jacksonville on top early. Walking back to the sideline to an overwhelming negative greeting from the fans, the players continued to look like last week: flat and tired.
As the game progressed, the momentum seemed to switch to the Rams. After four weeks, they were finally able to establish a running game.
Rookie Zac Stacy received a majority of snaps and finished the game with 78 yards on 14 carries. While the offense did not look terribly sharp, the defense was able to force a few key turnovers that swung the game for the Rams.
Matt Giordano caught an extremely errant pass from Gabbert and took it 82 yards for a Rams pick six. Ultimately, this allowed the Rams to continue to drive on different possessions and come away with a 34-20 victory.
While a W counts just like any other, this one sure did not feel like a win. The offense continues to struggle to put consecutive plays together on offensive drives. This is a major problem considering the Jaguars are one of the worst teams in the NFL. Entering this season, I had very high expectations because of Coach Fisher and his goals for the team, but I am starting to think that they were way to high. I can only imagine what we are in for next week at Houston when they come out looking for vengeance after their embarrassing loss on Monday Night Football. For now, enjoy Red October St. Louis and lets hope the Cards continue to win because Sunday afternoons are becoming dismal watching our Rams.
