The Rams knew they had one clear shot at avoiding an 0-16 finish and, even more importantly, a record-tying 26-game losing streak.
And that shot came yesterday, at Ford Field against a Lions team that was missing its best player, receiver Calvin Johnson.
So the Rams seized the moment, and they emerged with the win. Sure, they needed a fake on a 54-yard field goal try to set the stage for Steven Jackson’s fourth-quarter game-winner, but when a team is desperate, a fake field goal shouldn’t be a surprise.
And when that desperate team has a running back who might not have any tread left on the tires by the time the franchise finds ever its way back toward consistently solid performances, it should be assumed that the running back in question will be used until his wheels come off.
On Sunday, Jackson was good for 22 carries and 149 yards.
“Man, that run felt really good,” said Jackson of his 25-yard touchdown that delivered the first victory for the Rams since October 2008. “We knew that . . . whoever had the
ball last was going to have a pretty good chance of driving the ball
and putting the game away. We really felt like it was our time to take
over.”
In hindsight, it was a good thing that the Rams didn’t trade Jackson. Otherwise, they likely would have fallen to 0-8, and they would have been on their way to 0-16 — and 0-26.
For the Lions, 1-15 isn’t out of the question. Just because the team has hired a new coach doesn’t mean the franchise automatically will become better.
The Lions didn’t clean house after last year’s disastrous season, promoting Martin Mayhew and Tom Lewand on the same day that former coach Rod Marinelli was fired. Mayhew and Lewand claimed that they were the right persons to fix the franchise because they had front-row seats for the Matt Millen regime. In reality, Mayhew and Lewand were complicit in the years of crappy football, and all they’ve proven this year is that their knowledge of how to do it wrong hasn’t translated into a road map for doing it right.
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Yeah Mayhew can undo 8.5 years of poor drafting, free agent signing and terrible coaching hires in one offseason.
He got a 1st, 3rd and 6th for basically nothing last year (Roy Williams), he drafted the defensive rookie of the month in Louis Delmas, possible franchise QB in Stafford, and brought in the best rookie class the Lions have had in over a decade (not a huge feat, but still.)
Give him time before ripping him.
did the rams win this game, or did the lions lose it?
that’s the real issue facing both teams right now. i hope they both get stuff sorted out, i don’t wish this kind of performance on anyone (other than the jets, of course)
Is there really an “aftermath” to a game featuring the Rams and Lions?
Yes good point Mike. Good thing you write stuff like this in a hack News and Rumors section. I’m sure Millen gave all decision making power to these two guys. As the first commenter pointed out, this is shaping up as a great draft class regardless of team. When a team has zero talent what the heck is a new coach supposed to do? I guess he could read educated opinions by brilliant bloggers.
Oh and this is a great time to re-hash your genius Redskins pick. You really have no clue.