Why Rich Eisen Isn’t Concerned about the Rams after Their Disheartening OT Loss to the 49ers

But we didn’t talk about the Rams going down last night and they fall down 14- nothing. They come back and again, if the Rams played clean sheet football two of the last three weeks, they’d be 5-0. I know if grandmothers had wheels, they’d be wagons. I understand that. That’s not the analogy that I normally think. No. Um but if they just, you know, protected on field goals and if they just held on to the footballs, yada yada yada, they’d be 5-0. Pukanuku is the best receiver in the National Football League. Did I stutter? You did not. Okay. He gets the football and it’s just like nine yards every time, right? And you’re like, “Oh, it’s going to be a first down.” And then Devonte Adams is wide open. And then that means the run game can work as well. The the play action game in the Rams is lethal. Lethal. I mean, Stafford sets back there and if he gets a second of time, he’s just ripping and there’s chunk plays everywhere defensively, Jared Verse is just a monster nightmare and then the mistakes come and they lose. I mean, last night that fumble by Karen Williams inside the one was a killer. They do get the ball back, get overtime. They do get the opportunity to get the ball second in overtime as Matthew Stafford deferred at the coin toss and was told you can’t do that during overtime. You should start taking the ball first. I don’t understand that. Let’s get to this in a second. All right, cuz the overtime rules almost cropped up again for a conversation today. Certainly if McVey had gone for the field goal at the end on fourth and short. Yeah. To tie the game and then play defense with timeouts and four minutes remaining on the clock. the likelihood of getting a tie in that instance for him playing for the tie there instead of going for it on fourth down. I don’t think that was ever a consideration. And as a matter of fact, he confirmed that after the game while taking the responsibility and the blame for the loss, the fourth down call. Uh it’s a bad call. It’s a bad call by me. Any thought of kicking the field goal there? No. No. In hindsight, I wish I would have, but uh no, we we we came in here to try to win the football game. It didn’t go down for us, Gary. That was that wasn’t even a thought, but uh the play selection was very poor. I’m sick right now because uh I put our players in a spot and uh I got to live with that. Okay. Honesty and taking responsibility. Um, tough to give Kron the ball there when Stafford was so incredible in the second half and that drive in overtime. I know, but that’s the sort of thing that they normally get that one yard done. They really do. I saw someone uh post about this as well. Really an argument as to why every team should have a tush push play because you got to that would obviously have given them the first down and probably going to win. You got to choose somebody else though, right? You got to find a tight end if you got somebody like Stafford for sure. I mean, you know, they have several of them. I mean, give the ball to Jared Verse. I I I doubt he’s getting tackled for a loss on that play. The Rams next games, they’re going to be at Baltimore, which will still be banged up and starting Cooper Rush. And then I see them in London at Wembley against the Jaguars. And then a buy. Then they’re home against New Orleans. And then they’re on the next two games that are going to be very crucial about winning their division. go into San Francisco and get this series tie instead of being swept. Get Seattle coming in, take care of them in a in a in a home date. Take care of Tampa on a Sunday night as Baker Mayfield’s, I guess, reunion tour continues. Then a ton of winnable games for them. Not concerned about the Rams. They’re still too damn good. I think they’re a playoff team with a a shot at still winning the division. They do have to win in San Francisco in that week 10 game. That’s a must if they want to win the division. And if not, they’re going to wind up being on the road. They could be on the road at a place like Detroit again. Could you imagine that? And yet another playoff spot for them in Detroit. Or would they rather stay at home? I mean, who would be the five seed right now? It could be somebody from their division. Sometimes home isn’t even a home game. I know. Which is nuts, man. It’s crazy, especially when they’re constantly asking whose house it is and it’s obvious it’s not theirs. Who knows? I was I mean Allan and uh and Herbstreet even cracked wise about that last night. Always a lot of Niner fans everywhere down here. Yeah. Now, let’s just quickly talk about um the overtime rules again. You’re like, why wouldn’t you take the ball to start? take the ball to start because you don’t want to give your opponent the opportunity to get a fourth down, go for it situation every single time. You just don’t want to give it to him. Even if you score a touchdown, then you know, okay, you know, when you get the ball second, you have to score a touchdown in order to continue the game or go for two and win it. you’re giving the other team the opportunity to just keep going for it on fourth down like they’re playing a video game. But if say you score a touchdown, right, you have the opportunity to use as much clock as humanly possible, thus giving the other team uh who gets the ball second. They have to play hurry up. They can’t just take their sweet ass time going down the field. There’s maybe three minutes left or three and a half minutes left. They have to play a quick a quicker game. You get the ball and you’re going to say, “Here’s what we’re going to do. We are going to run clock and get No, they’re going to methodically go down the field and score. Even that’s a bestlaid plan, but what if you don’t do it? And you give your defense a chance to rest. Listen, you’re the Rams. You just tied it up and then you’re like, let’s give the ball to the 49ers. Let’s play defense and let’s uh know what we have to do. You want to know what you have to do. If you g if you did what I I’m advocating, which is five more minutes on the back end, a full quarter of action, full 15 minutes of action, then you take the football to start just like anything else. You’re not deferring anything to any second half. You take the football to start because the other team might not go for it on fourth down if you’re if if you’re going to just if there was another f if if that was with eight minutes to go in overtime, McVey would have kicked the field goal right there. Yeah, sure. And he would have played defense. I have more time. But instead, there’s four minutes to go. So, I’m going to go for it right now. And I think maybe the NFL and the competition committee likes that cuz you just don’t want these guys out there for another five minutes. They want it quick and done. Unfortunately, it’s going to it’s going to lead to a tie more often than not. I think even though last night did not. I mean, the the Niners play defense. I just think you tack on another five minutes. I also think tack on another five because had had there still been another instance, right? Let’s just say they did pick up that first down and now they’re chewing more clock and now it’s inside the 5 yd line and the coach has now got a decision to make. Am I going for the tie right here or am I going for the win from the four yard line on fourth and goal? Am I going for the tie or am I going for the win? And I know they that’s why they get paid the big bucks. And I know that’s what trying to see these guys being put in that position. I’d rather see five more minutes of overtime. I wonder if too if a fix could potentially be take out the idea of the second, not sudden death, second death. Right. Right. And just play it like a fourth quarter where you’re playing it to zero. TJ, do you have a anything to say on this subject matter? I know I we’ve been going back and forth about the college thing and I know you say you don’t takes the kicking game straight out. I mean again just real quick saying start at the 50. It does not take the kicking game out. What we saw last night, the ners got the ball in the 40 cuz Cardi blew the hitting the the the kicking zone. Do you know who hits the kicking zone every time? The landing zone. Pardon me? Your guy. Yeah. Aubrey. Well, Cardi’s been a great kicker. You just blow it on that. It happens and you That’s why you don’t take the kicking game out like, “Hey, let’s just start the other day, too.” And I don’t I don’t think so. Somebody missed it. No, Aubreyy’s the king of just putting it in the landing zone and making sure you get the ball on the 20. I was saying in terms of last night, though, and the the idea of the Rams taking the ball first, Stafford was on an ultimate heater last night. Why do you want to let him sit now and watch for 20 minutes of real time, six minutes of game time of him just sitting on the sideline? let him go out there, stay hot, march down the field, score a touchdown, put the pressure back on M. Jones. I I just didn’t like it. I didn’t think McVey had had his best night and uh you know, you kind of saw how the game played out. Well, you heard him say that the call sucked. Hey, you made it all the way to the end. Thanks for that. Check us out every single day streaming live on Disney Plus and the ESPN app 12 to 3 Eastern.

Rich Eisen recaps the Los Angeles Rams falling to 3-2 after their overtime loss on Thursday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers.

Tune in to the Emmy-nominated Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from Noon to 3PM ET on Disney+, ESPN+, ESPN Radio, and streaming on SiriusXM channel 80.

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43 comments

  3. Rich, I commented this before – 5 min overtime extension is something with which I agree should be done. However, while some teams may do what you said and start taking the ball to start the frame, I maintain that's a losing strategy. The real winning strategy is, like you (all) have said at one time or another – it's having that agency over your 4th down plays during the entire drive. However, I will take that one step further, and say the real benefit of choosing to kick off in the extra frame is that your team can win the game right then and there without surrendering the ball to the opposing offense again. The only way that can't happen is if the team who receives the kick scores a TD AND a 2-pointer on you. Literally every other circumstance, you can run your offense out there and shut the lights out on the other team by marching down the field, scoring, and, if needed, converting a 2-pointer to win the game. Yes, it's harder, obviously, but just look at what McVay said: he def was not at all regretful about going for it. He regretted that terrible play call. He didn't regret the strategy because he knows that he would much rather lose knowing he took every possible chance, rather than playing conservative, and then staring in agony, with no control, while the other team marches and shuts the lights out on you. That's heartbreaking, and I would always want that 2nd possession, and I would use every fourth down to convert, and if a TD only tied the game, then I'm going for 2 points to get the win right then and there. That's the closest you might ever come to winning in this game again, don't give it up. Teams who embrace that mentality in overtime – win the game on the 2nd possession, no matter what – will win most of their OT games.

  4. I don't hate that the Rams went for it on 4th down. You think Dan Campbell or Sirianni is gonna kick a field goal? I just h8 he gave it to Kyren the Clown and speaking of Campbell and Sirianni, the Rams are just a tier lower and unless the Lions and Eagles take each other down in the playoffs, Rams will be an early exit

  5. The advantage of “knowing what you have to do” when taking the ball second in OT I believe is overstated. Thing is, the team that got the ball first also knows what the other team has to do, and can adjust their defense accordingly.

    I think taking the ball first during the regular season OT rules is the dominant strategy.

  11. If the league wants overtime to be quick and definitive they should put the ball at the 50 and play 8 untimed downs where each team alternates playing offense and defense. Whatever team has the ball in their opponents territory after those 8 downs is given one point and declared the winner. It is brief, so it limits injury. It is fair because each team possesses the ball the same amount. It is dramatic because every play will have a huge effect on the outcome. It is simple. There are no ties.

  13. No we can’t bet the good teams. We are not physical enough and the lines get pushed around and wtf is kyren doing. Division is lose so if they make the playoffs it’s a wild card.

  14. they need to change the concept of a fumble vs stripped or punched out. It makes it look like the back ro QB just drops the ball. you dont have to be careless running with the football for someone to punch it out

  22. I love the 2025 rams. Terrible losses, but geesh, name a city that is not in angst about their team. There isn't one. I'll put my money on them.

  23. As we see darn near every week. Some of the easiest drives for teams to get down the field are on those two minute warning type drives when they're forced to go fast and air it out. Assuming you're gonna run all the plays necessary to get a long and time draining drive while scoring a TD is asking a lot.

  26. Just to play devil's advocate here: If they added the 5 minutes back, then you might be clamoring for each team to get 2 guaranteed possessions because sudden-death isn't fair.
    Ties are great, actually. They add a quirk to the final standings. We're 12 short weeks away, Rich. Find the edge of your seat!

  28. There's no debate about taking the ball 2nd in OT under the current rules. Always take the ball 2nd. Chris' reasoning is flawed as he is choosing micro-advantages instead of the overwhelmingly compelling macro-advantage of a team knowing what mark they have to hit do or die.
    Going for the win was the best play particularly since Ram kicking game is in trouble.

  34. How does Rich spend more time talking about the team that lost Thursday Noght rather than the brilliant win that the 49ers were able to accomplish? The 49ers had three rookies on defense that most people have never heard of come up with huge plays. How about recognizing how Lynch and Shanahan drafted so many good rookies that are plugging huge holes for them this season?!? He doesn’t even talk about how much more competitive things will be as the Niners get their injured players back very soon. Purdy, Jennings, Pearsall, Kittle, Aiyuk are going to strengthening the Niners into an elite team very soon. We are going to shock the world again when we make a deep playoff run…..

  35. IMA RAMS FAN FOREALS AND THURSDAY NIGHT SHOWED ME:
    – WE NEED BETTER CORNERS
    – WE NEED A VETERAN ON DEFENSE ( DARIOUS WILLIAMS IS NOT HIM)
    – KYREN WILLIAMS DROPS THE BALL TO MUCH

    WE FIX THOSE THINGS WE CAN GET TO THE SUPERBOWL

  36. The rams are not in trouble whatsoever. Mistakes are only highlighted when you lose, if they were undefeated all this little nitpicking at their flaws would be non existent. When you win no one notices your mistakes.

  41. As a Rams fan, not worried. The last two seasons we’ve gotten off to much worse starts and finished strong. Mcvay is fantastic at mid season adjustments. I think we clear a full health Niner team by the end of the season easy.

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