The Rams were not perfect in 1999.

[Jacksnow]

Just to throw this out there the Rams were not perfect in 1999.

The St. Louis Rams' record for their first Super Bowl, which they won, was 13-3.

I remember the loses. The games were close, and the Rams offense in each loss scored points. The point is I have that vibe that the Rams have exceptional talent. An off lose is not the end of the world. I do think it is difficult to maintain for any team the focus and intensity the entire season. Rams will bounce back this weekend and win by 20+.

[Commish]

The St. Louis Rams' record for their first Super Bowl, which they won, was 13-3.

I remember the loses. The games were close, and the Rams offense in each loss scored points.

Well, I do recall our team's "D" performing pathetically on something like a critical fourth-&-26 conversion by the Lions, during the Rams' second loss of the season.

The Good Guys a week earlier had lost to who was arguably their toughest opponents, the Titans, whom they later ended up defeating in Super Bowl XXXIV; overall our team played a rather weak schedule that year.

That collapse at the Panthers last Sunday hasn't exactly overwhelmed me with confidence regarding the Rams' upcoming road matchup at the Cardinals...

RAM SEASON!!

--The Commish

[DVA_ram33]

Its the NFL.. the margins are small and a few people playing an off week can lose you a very winnable game.

Thats why I don't panic about Forbes etc... well unless the trend continues ofcourse.

[Cornell29]

Losing a game to the Panthers doesn't bother me, it's how they lost. It's the gameplan that the Niners, Bears, Seattle, Carolina, Green Bay will use if the Rams doesnt address it. Niners, Bears, Carolina, Seattle and Green Bay style of offense is kryptonite to the Rams D. It also eats up clock and keeps the Rams offense on the side line.

Shula has yet to find a consistent way to stop it. He is worried about moving up the safeties bc it exposes the poor CB play. So he just plays it safe in hope that the D makes a play or a penalty happens on the opposing team offense to pin them back. I get why, it's bc the cbs are mediocre. I dont know how this gets fixed. Shula light box, don't get beat deep scheme, requires that the DL win more in the run game, despite being outnumbered up front. Unfortunately Rams DL lacks run stopping depth. Pooh being on a snap count, due to injury, cost the Rams big time vs Carolina. Rams won't find a good corner but they should be able to find a good DL run stopper. They have a few on the Practice Squad. Ty Hamilton ain't it.

With that said Rams are still imo the best team in the NFC, probably the NFL. They just will need some luck on matchups in the playoffs and better play by Stafford.

[DelMar]

Losing a game to the Panthers doesn't bother me, it's how they lost. It's the gameplan that the Niners, Bears, Seattle, Carolina, Green Bay will use if the Rams doesnt address it. Niners, Bears, Carolina, Seattle and Green Bay style of offense is kryptonite to the Rams D. It also eats up clock and keeps the Rams offense on the side line.

Shula has yet to find a consistent way to stop it. He is worried about moving up the safeties bc it exposes the poor CB play. So he just plays it safe in hope that the D makes a play or a penalty happens on the opposing team offense to pin them back. I get why, it's bc the cbs are mediocre. I dont know how this gets fixed. Shula light box, don't get beat deep scheme requires that the DL win more in the run game, despite being outnumberedup front. Unfortunately Rams DL lacks run stopping depth. Pooh being on a snap count due to injury cost the Rams big time vs Carolina. Rams won't find a good corner but they should be able to find a good DL run stopper. They have a few on the Practice Squad. Ty Hamilton ain't it.

With that said Rams are still imo the best team in the NFC, probably the NFL. They just will need some luck on matchups in the playoffs and better play by Stafford.

^ This

Absolutely nailed here, 29. Seriously perfectly stated.

you are also alluding to what I have been thinking for weeks now.. in that why Shula does not move up the safeties? well its because of the poor CB talent... as this was on FULL display last week. And this is the million dollar question, how do we fix something when the talent just isn't there.. I think for a while, Shula had the answers, and that is why Forbes (and others) shined, but then reality hit and Caroline figured out the weakness.

Like '99, parts of our Defense is suspect.. we gave up some monster plays back then too. But, Kurt Warner and our offense was so off the charts, it almost didn't matter what our Defense did. So the issue is, can Stafford and our Offense do the same. If you would have asked me this two weeks, ago, I would have said, yes... now, after Stafford and our Offenses showing last wkend, my answer now is... I sure as hell just dont know. So I hoping last wkend was a fluke. Lots of posters keep saying we were 'due' a bad game like that, and for me, I just dont buy into that notion. We just flat out crapped the bed.

Again, YOU nailed it, and said exactly what I have been thinking... can Shula figure ways to cover for our lack of talent at the CB spots, and can Stafford pick things back up and be the star he was fo so much of the season, again?

Hmmm.

[FelixTheStonerCat]

I guess this is gonna be a broken record every time we play like shit and bring it up.

[DVA_ram33]

Every team has its kryptonite. I was surprised at how poor the Rams run defence was but hey i bet its a different story this week.

[Rammer]

They weren't perfect in 1999 but they were better than this. This year they will contend but not dominant.

[larams84]

I will agree the 99 team was blessed with a bit of luck... Playing a last place schedule, Playing 80% of their games home and away indoors. Getting the Top seed in the NFC so they stayed at home and again played in a Dome for the Super Bowl!!! For that team, it was a HUGE advantage!! One game outside might have slowed or brought the GSOT to a stop. Tid Bit!! Just looking at stats of the Playoffs the Rams only had around 119 Rushing yards total for the Playoffs!! Not a game but total of all 3 games!!! TG 4 TGSOT!!!!

[Truth]

I was so pissed about the Lions game that year. IIRC, we had that game won until Dexter McCleon gave up a 4th and 20 conversion

[Jacksnow]

They weren't perfect in 1999 but they were better than this. This year they will contend but not dominant.

Rammer you think the 99 offense was better than the 2025 offense? I know this is a dumb question when we start to break it down by position. But I do think our current offense when playing on all cylinders is very good.

[Jacksnow]

The loses in 99 were very close games. And it wasn't like the Rams were not putting up a lot of points even with the lose. Sort of like this season.

[Truth]

The loses in 99 were very close games. And it wasn't like the Rams were not putting up a lot of points even with the lose. Sort of like this season.

The worst game we played that year was Tampa. Very ugly. Warner threw 3 INTs. Wilkins missed a FG. Very fortunate to win that game. As dominant as a team can be we were def humbled that game

[brasilrams]

Losing a game to the Panthers doesn't bother me, it's how they lost. It's the gameplan that the Niners, Bears, Seattle, Carolina, Green Bay will use if the Rams doesnt address it. Niners, Bears, Carolina, Seattle and Green Bay style of offense is kryptonite to the Rams D. It also eats up clock and keeps the Rams offense on the side line.

Shula has yet to find a consistent way to stop it. He is worried about moving up the safeties bc it exposes the poor CB play. So he just plays it safe in hope that the D makes a play or a penalty happens on the opposing team offense to pin them back. I get why, it's bc the cbs are mediocre. I dont know how this gets fixed. Shula light box, don't get beat deep scheme, requires that the DL win more in the run game, despite being outnumbered up front. Unfortunately Rams DL lacks run stopping depth. Pooh being on a snap count, due to injury, cost the Rams big time vs Carolina. Rams won't find a good corner but they should be able to find a good DL run stopper. They have a few on the Practice Squad. Ty Hamilton ain't it.

With that said Rams are still imo the best team in the NFC, probably the NFL. They just will need some luck on matchups in the playoffs and better play by Stafford.

You mean better play from him when comparing to the Panthers game right ? because outside of that he has been insanely good.