It was always about 2014

[max]

Finally, the deal is complete.

We cannot miss with this last piece of the deal. #2 overall is a golden opportunity to add a great player.

It's was always about 2014 for Snead and Fisher. The deal and the rebuild is complete. #2, #13, plus #44 in the second round. That's a ton of talent added in 2014.

It will be a huge disappointment and failure by Snead and Fisher if we don't make the playoffs in 2014.

We should expect the playoffs in 2014. And this regime needs to be held accountable for making the playoffs in 2014.

Look at the Panthers.

They were 2-14 in 2010. We actually beat them solidly that year.

Then the hired Rivera in 2011, drafted Newton, and finished below .500 his first two years. In Rivera's third year, this year, they won 12 games. And they did not have the added luxury of an RG3 trade.

Here are the Panthers first round picks those 3 years..
2011 - Newton
2012 - Kuekley
2013 - Star

That's the benchmark for Fisher and Snead. They should be winning at least 10 games in 2014.

 

[duckhunter]

Seems reasonable to me.

 

[iBruce]

You're absolutely correct. That's why I've been berating people for saying "in 2 years, this team will be good." Next year is our year. Playoffs or bust. We have the luxury of being able to draft some BPA, even if only to add depth. So in case of injuries, which are inevitable, we should still be fine.

 

[RFIP]

But WHERE do you factor in the DIVISION? Max the West was an all time best 30-10 OUTSIDE of their division.

I don't know where Carolina falls if they played in our division but I PROMISE you it would not have been near 12-4.

 

[Rambitious1]

Finally, the deal is complete.

We cannot miss with this last piece of the deal. #2 overall is a golden opportunity to add a great player.

It's was always about 2014 for Snead and Fisher. The deal and the rebuild is complete. #2, #13, plus #44 in the second round. That's a ton of talent added in 2014.

It will be a huge disappointment and failure by Snead and Fisher if we don't make the playoffs in 2014.

We should expect the playoffs in 2014. And this regime needs to be held accountable for making the playoffs in 2014.

Look at the Panthers.

They were 2-14 in 2010. We actually beat them solidly that year.

Then the hired Rivera in 2011, drafted Newton, and finished below .500 his first two years. In Rivera's third year, this year, they won 12 games. And they did not have the added luxury of an RG3 trade.

Here are the Panthers first round picks those 3 years..
2011 - Newton
2012 - Kuekley
2013 - Star

That's the benchmark for Fisher and Snead. They should be winning at least 10 games in 2014.

I'm not sure I agree.

I think, to some point, you are comparing apples to oranges.

While I think it's true that three years is a good yardstick for most teams in most circumstances, it is not for the Rams in this case.

I still feel that the vast majority of people just did/do not understand the scope and magnitude of the task of rebuilding this moribund franchise. It was essentially it was an expansion team with almost no NFL caliber talent. It needed a top to bottom rebuild of talent and culture.

That usually takes more than three years. I expect the Rams to have a winning record next year.
Playoffs, I'm not so sure. Maybe if we were not in the NFC West. But it is what it is.

 

[max]

But WHERE do you factor in the DIVISION? Max the West was an all time best 30-10 OUTSIDE of their division.

I don't know where Carolina falls if they played in our division but I PROMISE you it would not have been near 12-4.

The Panthers beat the Niners in SF. So how did we do in SF?

And remember who we played the year we won the SB? I guess there we people saying we would not have won 13 games if they played in another division.

Just win games and you can make the playoffs, just like the Chargers did this year. They were one of three teams to make the playoffs in the AFC West.

I'm willing to bet that next year that Seattle, SF, and Arizona won't all have double digit wins. The odds are way against it.

I'm not saying we have to win 12 games. But 3 wins in the division and 7 wins outside the division should be expected. Heck, we won 6 games outside the division without Bradford. You mean to tell me we can't win one more game outside the division with Sam?

 

[Zaphod]

But WHERE do you factor in the DIVISION? Max the West was an all time best 30-10 OUTSIDE of their division.

I don't know where Carolina falls if they played in our division but I PROMISE you it would not have been near 12-4.

At the beginning of the season, I was more cautious than most about the potential record for mainly that reason, but also due to the youth on this team and the lack of stability/depth on the offensive line.

In 2012 I think we surprised the other teams in our division and I really didn't expect a repeat. I suspected that the 49ers and Hawks would be well prepared for us and they were. The wins just to match the 2012 record would have to come from somewhere else, and they did.

It's going to be a hard, long crawl from the hole that previous management dug them into, but this regime has opted for youth on every front except the offensive line, which is a long term solution and probably the only one that would compete in this division.

What makes me more nervous than anything else is the offensive line. With the injury to Long, we knew there was going to be a need for an offensive tackle. What makes this so painful was the fact that they have so much money tied up at LT in him. Which means that whomever their replacement needs to be someone who can fill another role after he's ready to come back.

As a fan I put my hope in Saffold, thinking that he may be able to hold down that position long enough and then return to guard where he excelled. But, holy smokes that guy can't stay on the field. Now, as a fan I'm not sure they shouldn't look elsewhere at free agency and through the draft to rebuild this offensive line for 2014 after releasing Saffold, Wells and Dahl which would imply growing pains on the offensive line which is unfortunate news for the rest of the team on offense. But anything else just seems like a repeat to the merry-go-round patchwork line and performance associated with it.

 

[RFIP]

The Panthers beat the Niners in SF. So how did we do in SF?

And remember who we played the year we won the SB? I guess there we people saying we would not have won 13 games if they played in another division.

Just win games and you can make the playoffs, just like the Chargers did this year. They were one of three teams to make the playoffs in the AFC West.

I'm willing to bet that next year that Seattle, SF, and Arizona won't all have double digit wins. The odds are way against it.

I'm not saying we have to win 12 games. But 3 wins in the division and 7 wins outside the division should be expected. Heck, we won 6 games outside the division without Bradford. You mean to tell me we can't win one more game outside the division with Sam?

I'm not in to this crazy "we won this and that with, without so and so.." because we went 4-1-1 WITH Bradford IN DIVISION LAST YEAR and Seattle and SF may have been better then. What does that prove? Nothing.

All I'm telling you and anyone else is Carolina would have been damn lucky to win 8-9 games TOPS if they were in the west, and I'd bet on 7-9 tbh.

yes they beat SF in SF 10-9, so what? We had SF beat 3 times in SF last year with a BAD team but the refs made sure the best we got was a tie, then we turned around and beat them in St Louis. What did it get us?

I like the track the Rams are on, imo they have a solid coach, a very good QB, a rb, a couple pieces at receiver and te, love the dl and front 7, like McD at SS, ok with Tru, down on jenks and FS needs upgrading along with figuring out the OL. But we have FA and especially the draft to figure those out.

In short I love where this team is headed. Will it be enough to make the playoffs next year? Who knows? That is why they play the games.