Rams finally win, beat Lions 17-10

One win.  It seems so little in the grand scheme of things in the NFL but it is something that the St. Louis Rams had not seen since October of 2008.  In a game, that for the rest of the league, only decides draft position in 2010, it meant so much more for the entire Rams organization and the city of St. Louis.  The St. Louis Rams beat the Detroit Lions 17-10 today and although one win doesn't change all of the problems that exist at Rams Park it at least provides hope for not only people within the building in Earth City but to the Rams fans that there is a glimmer of hope and the Rams are not the worst team in the entire NFL.  Small consolation, but progress nonetheless. 

A lot of things had to fall right for the Rams today to win and even though in many ways the Rams tried to lose that game, the Rams did enough things right to prevail.  Here are the reasons the Rams won today in Detroit....

WHY THE RAMS WON

Steven Jackson: It begins and ends with #39.  If the Rams are going to win any more games this season it is going to be because Jackson has a huge afternoon.  He did just that today.  149 yards rushing, 166 total and as gaudy as those numbers are he was better than that.  Jackson did everything he possibly could to get the Rams a win today and it was only appropriate that he scored the game winning touchdown, his first of the season.  Jackson is without question the team MVP and is having a Pro Bowl year.  He deserves all of the accolades today for how great he was.

Offensive Line: I know that it is only the Lions, but the offensive line has been showing signs of vast improvement.  Even without Richie Incognito, and later Adam Goldberg, the offensive line had their running back go for almost 150 yards and they never surrendered a sack of Marc Bulger.  It doesn't get better for an offensive line.  It was not a clean game but it was another sign of improvement from the Rams O-Line.  Also I thought Jason Smith was significantly better this week.  Granted it wasn't Dwight Freeney lined up over him but you can see the confidence of Smith getting higher and higher.  He is beginning to fulfill the hope that everyone had for Smith at the beginning of the season.

Special Teams: Credit Special Teams coordinator Tom McMahon for coming up with the fake field goal and for Steve Spagnuolo to actually have the guts to call it.  NFL teams have a lot of these "gadget plays" and they work on them all the time but few teams ever actually call something like that.  The play worked perfectly and that is a sign of good scouting and good coaching.

Defensive Play Calling: When you have a rookie quarterback, like Matthew Stafford, you have to change things up and try to confuse the young quarterback.  The Rams did that as Stafford was an abysmal 14/33 168 yards.  As well the Rams actually had a pass rush and Chris Long had a sack.  Not a tremendous day for the defense but they did enough to get the win.

WHY THE RAMS WERE LUCKY TO WIN

Pat Shurmer: I hate to continue to beat this drum but at what point do we start questioning whether or not the Rams have the right offensive coordinator?  There are two specific sequences where I found myself screaming at the television about what the Rams were doing with their playcalling.  Both were in the 4th quarter.  The first sequence was with 5 minutes to go and the Rams at midfield.  The Rams had driven the ball out from their own 2 with Steven Jackson running very effectively.  On first down they give Jackson the ball for 5.  On 2nd down the Rams try a passing play that was completely blown up by the Lions (no sin there).  But then on third down on the Lions 45 with 4:14 to go, in possible 4 down territory, instead of trying to get the ball in Jackson's hands, by run or pass, the Rams throw a 4 yard curl route to Keenan Burton who can't make the play.  So instead of having the ball in your best player's hands and getting the first, or forcing a 4th down decision, you are now at 4th and 5 and punting the ball away.  It made no sense.

The second instance was the bigger sin in my mind.  The Rams got the ball back with 2:26 to go in the game on their own 38.  Again Steven Jackson is running the ball very effectively.  So what are the play calls?

1st and 10 Bulger pass batted down at the line

2nd and 10 Bulger 7 yard pass to Keenan Burton on an out pattern

3rd and 3 Bulger incomplete pass to Randy McMichael, which thankfully had a pass interference on the play.

On all three plays not only was Steven Jackson not touching the football but he wasn't even going out into the pattern.  He was staying behind to pass block.  When you have one offensive weapon your play calling can't look like that.  When you only have to pick up about 35 yards and you have all of your timeouts that is horrible play calling and utilization of your resources.  Thankfully the Rams got the flag and then Shurmer woke up and gave Jackson the ball because it took Jackson two carries to take the ball 42 yards for the game winning touchdown.

I don't know if the game is moving too fast for Shurmer and the offensive coaching staff or they can't see the forest from the trees but they continue to get caught in these types of playcalling scenarios week after week.  My hope is that during this bye week they do some self scouting and realize the errors they are making.

Marc Bulger:  Another horrible performance by Bulger today.  I know he doesn't have any receivers, and the ones he does have don't give him any margin of error, but once again Bulger has to do better.  Not diving for the first down in the third quarter was a poor decision and will be jumped on by the Bulger bashers.  As well the poor mechanics on his interception in the redzone could have cost the Rams the game today.  Bulger is solidifying that the Rams will be drafting a quarterback very high next season.

James Butler:  James Butler is 28 years old, which means he has probably been playing football in some form for at least the past 15+ years.  Since he is fast and good at what he does I am also guessing that Butler has played defensive back for almost all of that time.  Why or how he could make that huge of a blunder on his interception today and give the Lions a safety is inexcusable.  It was a HUGE mistake and it is hard to believe an NFL player is capable of making that choice.  Butler should feel very lucky tonight that the safety did not cost the Rams this win.

The Rams are off this week and will take on the New Orleans Saints at home the following Sunday.  Reality will come back to the Rams as soon as Drew Brees hits the field but for one shining moment in Detroit all of the bad stuff disappeared.  The Rams won a game and are for the moment, not the worst team in the league.  There are a few games down the road that the Rams will have a chance to win, like they did today, and that is what gives those that follow the Rams hope.  Relish the win.  The rebuilding is still very much a work in progress.

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