SIGNING: Rams Send a Message With Signing, Truth About Why Rams Didn’t Make Big Trade at Deadline

SIGNING: Rams Send a Message With Signing, Truth About Why Rams Didn’t Make Big Trade at Deadline

The Rams sign a player to the practice squad that could have an impact. And will the Rams regret not being more aggressive at the deadline? That’s coming up next on Locked on Rams. [Music] You are Locked on Rams, your daily Los Angeles Rams podcast, part of the Locked On Network. Your team every day. What is up Ramly and welcome to another episode of Locked On Rams your daily podcast covering your Los Angeles Rams free and available where your podcast locked on Rams part of locked on podcast network your team every day. We’re also available over on YouTube. So if you haven’t yet, do us a huge favor. Hit the subscribe button, hit the notification bell. If you want to support every single episode, hit the like button, drop a comment down below. Podcast listeners, write us review, read on the show. And uh my name is Doug McCain. You can follow me on X and Instagram at dmac_la. I’ve covered LA sports for over a decade 247 sports bleach report si Dodgers nation and as always I’m joined by the Rams pref and postgame show host for the Rams flagship radio station ESPN 710 LA. He’s in his 11th season covering your Los Angeles Rams, the people’s champ, Mr. Travis Rogers. You can follow him on X at Travis Rogers. And on today’s episode, the Rams were quiet at the trade deadline. Will they regret that? They did sign a kicker. We’ll talk about that. Also, why this next couple weeks is extremely pivotal for playoff seating. But first, today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. Bet. Hey, by the way, Travis, our segment kind of took off in the comments. A lot of people talking about like the cut off of using glazing and unstatus. People were really feeling it, man. It’s uh it really took over in the comment section. So, were they pro or con? Um a lot of people were like they just were kind of feeling us like, “Hey, man, we kind of we we’re kind. We don’t know if we should be in on the lingo, if we should.” You know, I think I think we everyone gets the green light, bro, in the big 2025 Q4. You know what I’m saying? Like, everyone gets the green light, you know? I think it’s the delivery. how confident you are with it. You know what I’m saying? Oh, I know how to do it. I just feel ridiculous doing it. I I I know the language. I I am I don’t know if I’d say I’m fluent, but I know enough to to to make my way through it. I just I I use it ironically. Bet. All right. No. Um but let’s let’s jump into it because we gota we got to talk about the trade deadline. So, okay. Shawn McVey said yesterday he was asked or was the day before he was asked, “Do you expect to be active at the trade deadline? Do you expect to make a move?” Said, “I don’t think so.” And yes, it’s Shawn McVey and he’s not going to show all of his cards, right? But I think it was pretty evident after the Roger McCreary trade that they weren’t going to do much. And I think the big story, of course, obviously yesterday was S Gardner getting traded to the Colts for a couple first round picks. And you also had our our guy AD Mitchell, Rams legend AD Mitchell that fumbled the the bag that uh he was included in that deal. And a lot of people were saying, “Oh, could the Rams have jumped on that?” Something like that. The truth is that’s a big price to pay for S. Gardner. The picks paying him. Uh I’m I’m okay with the fact the Rams passed on that even if they were even in consideration for doing something that big. Yeah, I I agree with you. I I think that had the price been one first round draft pick, considering that the Rams have two of them coming up in the 2026 draft, I think that’s something that maybe they would have been able to get done. But but two first round draft picks is incredibly expensive. And I know that the Rams had the whole, you know, f them picks era and it paid off, right? They they won the Super Bowl, uh, Super Bowl 56 and they’ve been really good at finding players down towards the middle to the back end of the draft. But those first round picks are incredibly valuable. Like to think about what they got the the two times they picked in the first round in the last decade. They got a franchise quarterback in Jared Goff. And you know, we can go around the block a hundred times on how good he is. Fact of the matter is he’s one of the better he’s in the bet the top half of quarterbacks in the league. That’s a good pick and they were able to flip it for one of the best quarterbacks in the league and Matthew Stafford and they got a guy that’s going to be an allp pro at edge and Jared Verse. So that’s what you get when you pick in the first round. You can get really transcendent talent. So is Gardner one of those guys? Yeah, probably. But does he put you over the top? I don’t know. I mean it’s it’s impossible to tell. They’d be better with him for sure. But I I agree with you. I think the price was a little too high uh to to go and get Gardner at two at two first rounders. Yeah. And I think you look at it’s kind of a a rare W for the Jets. I mean, when you look at kind of where they’re sitting. I mean, I do think it’s interesting though, Lesne could look back and say, “Hey, I mean, we saw what we did when we acquired Jaylen Ramsay. He gave up two first round picks to get him and they definitely did not regret that move.” I don’t think that Sas Gardner really is Jaylen Ramsey, but I mean at this point I’m pretty sure that like agents are paying PFF if they have him as the number one quarterback in the sport at this point. I he’s very talented. There’s no doubt about that. But I think that the interesting thing about this to me was it it almost feels like it’s the evolution of less need and he’s showing some restraint in this situation because the confidence that he has in this current group and just the big picture thing. I don’t I don’t think this Rams organization wants to fall off. Like I don’t think they want to fall off a cliff and be a bottom feeder organization because that would be catastrophic to LA. I mean just think about what those what those road what those home games will look like against the 49ers and the Packers and like that. And I think that they’re looking for long-term stability and they are they are focused and zeroed in on finding some type of success for Matthew Stafford. When that will be, we don’t know. But we also know that the only way you can get the Stafford types is either through very very large a massive wardress of dra of draft capital and an existing player what they do with a jar deal or you find him in the draft but you’re not getting these dudes in free agency. No, and I think you’re right. I I I think that you know the way that Stafford has played this year I think changed the math on what they’re doing. I I really do and I don’t know if they’ve had any conversations with him, you know, hinted at it or maybe it’s it’s unspoken or maybe it’s just not true. I’m not sure. But I, you know, I was having the conversation um before the the New Orleans game last week and just kind of talking with some people around the team and the idea of Matthew Stafford still being way up here at his at his performance level, I think speaks to them being a little bit more patient. This isn’t a, hey, this is the last shot. Empty the clip, you know, spend all the money, spend all the draft picks, go do whatever you have to do because this is it. if we don’t get it done now, we’re gonna go down to the bottom anyway. We’re gonna have to build a quarterback, etc., etc. I don’t think that’s true. I I think they know that they might have a little more runway with Stafford than they probably thought. I think you can go into the draft with two first round draft picks and try to make your team better both for next season and for the future and and really kind of give yourself, like you were saying, Doug, more time beyond the Matthew Stafford timeline where the team’s really good because they’re just deep in a lot of other places. I think you can do both things at the same time. Whereas if you sent those first round draft picks out, you know, maybe you win it now, but you probably kind of shoot your foot off moving forward. Um I I like I had they done it, I wouldn’t be sitting here going, “What in the world did they do? This is a terrible terrible idea.” It would have been a big swing and let’s see what happens if you win the Super Bowl. I guess that makes it worth it. But I I don’t hate that they were a little more cautious and I think they were a little more cautious simply because Matthew Stafford’s still playing at a crazy high level. Exactly. I mean, it’s I don’t want to say this team is better than the 2021 team cuz the 2021 team won a Super Bowl, right? So, you’re not going to say that, right? But the truth is, as far as depth at a lot of different positions, like I would not bat an eye if you saw some of these guys behind these guys playing, right? Just because of the guys they have at certain positions. So, yeah, I I think that you mentioned winning a Super Bowl, too. Like had they not had one in 2021, maybe they are more aggressive because they just want to win a Super Bowl in LA so badly to establish that. But the fact is they have more equity with the fan base with their current building knowing that they their plans work and they have proven that at this point. I I will say I mean look at some of the other names that were trade away. Some of the other big names I mean Rasheed Shahed was a name we talked about on this show a couple different times as a possible receiver option. I actually texted Ross Jackson, the uh the NFL channel manager who covers locked on Saints, and he said, “Hey, you could probably have him for a fourth rounder.” And he was right. I mean, that’s what he essentially went for, a fourth rounder and a fifth rounder. So, that’s a guy you could have picked up, but I think that this really is a vote of confidence for the 2025 Rams. And they just like you, like you said, I mean, if Sauce Garner comes in, like, let’s be honest, like if they had trade for Sauce Garner, we’ be like emergency show, Rams are all in. f them pics. Now it’s uh got any of them picks, you know, like you know, let’s tuck them picks, right? So, I don’t think we would have been mad about it, but I also think too it’s like kind of one of those things where where where where it’s like you you you you have patience and you it’ll it reward you in the future for the Rams. Yeah, I I I think so. And and look, I I think it pro Let me back up a little bit. The Rams when they feel like they have a chance to win the Super Bowl, they go for it. When they feel like they have a chance to to kind of put themselves over the top, they go for it. Maybe they think they’re already there because this isn’t a it’s the same old Rams, they never pull the trigger. They do pull the trigger. So, the fact that they chose not to, I think kind of makes me feel better about at least how they see their team. That they didn’t feel like, “Hey, look, listen, man. We got a fatal flaw here.” that that secondary is not going to be good enough to get us over the top. I don’t think they see it like that or I think they would have made a trade. So, you know, I I this is why, you know, I I’ll do it because we do it in every show. I’m going to talk about the Dodgers for 5 seconds. The Dodgers get the benefit of the doubt when they do or don’t do something at the trade deadline because they get it right way more than they get it wrong. Same thing with the Rams. If the Rams go for it, I think it’s a good idea. If they don’t go for it, I think it’s a good idea because when they do, it’s worked out really well for them. And if they chose not to, it’s not because they’re afraid of making a deal. It’s because they didn’t see a deal that they liked. Yeah. By the way, I did, like I said, I’ve been kind of reading the comments more. And one of the first comments was, “Somehow they did not talk about the Dodgers yesterday.” Well, we we got it done today. So, there you go. There you go. Go Dodgers and back champs. Absolutely. Yeah. We’ll pick up the conversation on the We’ll pick up the conversation on the trade deadline and also the Rams address a very important issue with the kicking situation. That’s coming up next on Locked on Rams. The NBA is back and there is no better place to get in on the action than FanDuel, the official sports betting partner of the NBA and the Lakers are off to a great start as well. Well, check out Locked on Lakers with the Cambros. Really good show there. And if you miss the start of the game, you maybe you’re late. Maybe you like to wait. Maybe you like to see who’s got the hot hand once the game starts. 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Big shout out to those everyday listeners out there watching listening to every single episode of Locked On Rams. Cannot thank you enough. If you’re not a part of that everyday listeners club, now is the time to join. We’ve got before we before we know it, the playoffs will be here and uh now is the time to just absolutely lock in. Yeah, that’s depressing. Like honestly, that’s crazy. I I hate it. I hate it. These guys, come on. Like we There’s no reason why they can’t have 162 game season like baseball. Like I’m just saying like we need it, you know? But anyways, imagine how many kicks they could get blocked in 162 games. That would be an NFL record. There it is. There’s the shot. I love that’s a perfect segway. Let’s just dive right into it. Well, actually, before we get into that, I do want to mention one more thing about the trade deadline and where the Rams are at. They’re one of four teams, the Rams are now one of four teams to have multiple first round picks. So, when you look at the ammunition and what it’s going to really take to to get one of those top quarterbacks, if that’s what they want to do, they’re in the one of the best positions to do that. Cuz if you look at right now, the Falcons pick is projected to be 11 and the Rams pick is projected to be 27. So that definitely is enough ammunition to go up and get a quarterback if that’s your plan. But you’ve got the Jets, the Browns, the Rams, and the Cowboys now as teams with multiple first round picks in the 2026 NFL draft. The Jets trade of sauce Garner actually impacts the Rams because they’re a team that could be interested. I mean 100% you have to think they’d be interested in adding a quarterback themselves. So there’s be more competition for that. And then they made the other blockbuster trade to send Quinn and Williams to the Cowboys for a second round pick and a firstrounder in 2027. So they got a lot of draft capital to work with. But I think that I mean when it’s all said and done, it feels like the gut tells you right now the Rams are going to be getting a quarterback. I I think that there’s very very good chance either that or other impact player, but quarterback is the the position that it almost feels telegraphed at this point based on standing path the way they did and having those picks the way they are. Yeah, I think it’s possible. But let let me just throw this in there. Do you see anybody in college football this year that you’re dying to get your hands on? I haven’t. Right. Like this this was supposed to be a quarterback heavy draft and everybody that I’ve watched feels really really average. Now, I’m not a draft expert and I’m not here to break down the tape on all these guys. All I’m telling you is that sometimes you see a guy and go, “Oh, yeah, that guy’s a pro. I I want that guy. I I’m not seeing that right now.” So, you’re right. They do have, you know, a lot of draft capital. They got two first round picks like you mentioned. Maybe they kick the can down the road and say, “Look, we’ll take two picks next year. They can trade one of those picks to someone else and kind of double up all over again.” Because, you know, coming into this year, this was supposed to be a quarterback heavy draft. I’m not seeing it. And and you know, we got there’s a long way to go and everybody’s going to go around the block a h 100 times on this guy’s great and this guy stinks and everywhere in between. But I don’t know if they don’t see somebody if they if there’s somebody they love, great, go get him. But if if they’re kind of looking around like, “Yeah, we need a quarterback, but none of these guys are the guy.” Then run Stafford back again. Do it again. Maybe there’s some sort of interim situation where it’s a Jimmy G or something like that if Matthew Stafford does decide to walk away. And you wait. you wait for the right guy just because you know it’s not just picking a guy, you got to pick the right guy. Like how how many of these teams that we’ve seen that do pick a quarterback in the first round that these guys can’t play dead in a Cowboy movie and they got to pick another quarterback in a couple of years after that. So, you know, I I trust them to pick the right guy. And if they’re not seeing the right guy, then wait. Yeah, there’s no doubt about that. And I think still my ultimate plan, I don’t care if you have the number one pick and you’re drafting a quarterback. I still want them to have Matthew Stafford back for another year if he’s playing the way he is. I don’t care if it’s if it’s a a I don’t care they drafted Matthew Stafford, right? Like I want Matthew Stafford back, right? But I mean, there are guys that have emerged. I mean, Ty Simpson out of Alabama. I mean, they have had success with SEC quarterbacks. Uh your guy, your guy, my former guy, uh Dante Moore, uh which No, no, no, no, no. I’m praying on his downfall. Anyway, so it’s all good. Uh Fernando Mendoza out of Indiana. He’s kind of fun. Yeah, he’s not bad. I I of all the guys I’ve seen, he’s the one that looks the the most capable, but but does he look like an NFL? Again, this is not my area of expertise, but like sometimes you watch a guy go, “Yeah, oh, I’ll take him.” Now, no one was saying that about Tom Brady. Sometimes you see Pton Manning and it’s an easy call. So, you know, Andrew Luck is an easy call. Sometimes these guys take a minute to develop. I I don’t know. I’m just saying that if they don’t see it, then wait for the next guy. I agree. I I think that that they would prefer that that guy does exist, right? It’s not like, oh, I’m going to buy a car today and then like I’m, you know, you go to the dealership and like I’m just going to buy a car. I’m that Chevy Cruise, whatever the heck car people cars buy, people people buy today. But you’d get a PT Cruiser, right? Yeah, dude. Bro, the PT I got so I absolutely me, putting my address out there. saying this is where the guy lives that likes the PT Cruiser. I that’s what that’s like probably my biggest regret on the show was saying like the PT Cruiser, man. Look, nobody bats a thousand. You you miss like DMAC likes a car that literally looks like a toaster on wheels. Like like come on, man. Like it’s the worst vehicle I’ve ever seen in my life, but that’s just my opinion. Have you seen the wooded? Do you know they got the woody edition? Oh, the wood panel. Yeah. And you got you got to like buy like a special thing to like do whatever with it. Like Hey, man. I’m telling you, dude. that you guys are I still want to know why every PT Cruiser that rolled off the assembly line was maroon. I still don’t understand. No, that’s a good question. Yeah. Well, it’s kind of like it’s like that uh it’s like the you see that meme where the 90s where it’s like why was everything in the 90s hunter green and they showed like the drapes your grandma’s house the Eddie Bower edition explore like that hunter green. You know what I mean? For sure. For sure. You know, you know they have they have they have trends. different trends. But uh now we got to talk about the signing that they made yesterday bringing in Harrison Meas to the practice squad. And I think what this says is look, this is a Rams team. They’ve missed an NFL high eight kicks in eight games. And not all of them have been miscues that are Joshua Card’s fault. The blocking has been bad, the snaps. There’s been a multitude of different issues that have led to this inep kicking game, but this is, hey, we’re bringing in a guy to put some pressure on you and what the ones that you do get where the snap is fine, the blocking’s fine, you better make those. So, now we know that the the writing’s on the wall for Joshua Cardi because Harrison Meas is uh is now in the fold. Look, this to me is not complicated. the the the I’m not saying that finding the next guy is easy, but I think that you have to move on to the next guy, whoever the next guy is. And by the way, that includes the special teams coordinator. That includes the person that’s in charge of this because that they haven’t been able to get it fixed. I think speaks to their ability to to to select the next guy or or anything else. Like this is not just a hey, we the kicker everything’s working smoothly. Nothing’s getting blocked. He’s just missing kicks. This is I mean that’s part of it. He’s missing kicks, too. But is he missing kicks because they can’t block it up right? It looks like it. Are they missing kicks because the snap isn’t right? That might be part of it. Are they missing kicks because the timing operation isn’t right? That could be part of it. Are they missing kicks because Josh Card’s slow to the ball and they’re not coaching it up correctly? That could be part of it. I’ve heard all of these theories. I don’t give a damn. Just f it or get new guys. Like that’s that seems to me it happens all the time. Kickers, for better or for worse, kickers get fired. That’s that’s the one spot in the NFL where if you miss enough, they’re just going to they’re going to literally pull a guy off the street if they need to. And I think that’s where the Rams are. And they may have to pull a special teams coordinator off the street, too, because Chase Blackburn’s just not getting it done. And and and this isn’t a bad week or even a bad couple of weeks. Like you just said, Doug, they’ve missed eight kicks in eight weeks. That that is just absurd. and that it keeps happening is incredibly disheartening. And I’m glad there’s a new body in there. I I hope that they move on and and and try somebody new because this does not seem to me like an unf what if somebody got hurt, right? Like if somebody just got hurt, you go out and find a new guy. So go out and find a new guy. It doesn’t seem that complicated to me. Exactly. I mean, bottom line is the the operation just has not worked. It just has not had success. They are by far. I mean, there’s basically strengths across the board. I mean, we’re talking about the secondary. I don’t know if you saw this, but I mean, the the secondary for the Rams, they rank second expected points added per drop back. Like, that’s the reason why you wouldn’t trade a sauce garden, right? All these areas that were supposed to be weaknesses really aren’t that bad. It’s the kicking game. It’s the special teams game that really is your biggest concern, which is a is a I think an indication of why they’re a really good team, right? when that’s when that’s your worst worst facet of your team, you’re you’re probably a six-2 team, right? Right. You probably have won a lot of games. But I I think I mean what if what happens if they don’t fix it, right? I mean, what does this mean for their offense on fourth down? What does this mean for going for two? I mean, uh here’s the thing, too. Here’s the thing, too. You’re going to love this guy. I I we’ll see what Harrison what happens with with Josh Cardi, but I can tell you right now, you will love if he ever gets a chance, you will love Harrison Meas. And the reason why is he’s got a great nickname. He’s 5’11, 245 lbs, and his nickname is the thicker kicker. I’m in. That’s I knew it. That’s I feel like I know you on these types of things. Like it’s to the point where I just want to like like I want him on the field to this week. You know what I mean? It’s like Right. Oh yeah. Look, if we got a a thicker kicker that I’m 100% in on that. That sounds fun. and if he’s not good enough, then we’ll go to a skinnier kicker or what? I I just they got to move on because kind of going back to what you were saying, Doug, the the Rams have an offense that is unquestionably good enough to win the Super Bowl. The Rams have a defense that I think is good enough to win the Super Bowl. May maybe the secondary is, maybe it isn’t, but that front certainly is. And it feels like it would be good enough to survive, right? Like it’s certainly not a no hell, no chance, no way, never going to happen. They will lose a game because they can’t kick. They will lose an important game because they can’t kick right now. And I know it’s the middle of the season. There’s a long way to go. But if the playoffs started this week, the Rams would have to go to Green Bay, okay? You want the Rams to go to play in 400°ree below zero weather. Of course not. You want them to be home. You want them to be near the top. You want them to win the division, etc., etc. And the reason that won’t happen is because they’re going to miss kicks if they keep doing this. If they don’t change something, they’re going to lose games during the regular season which will cost them playoff seating and they will definitely lose playoff games because how many times do we see it where a make or a miss in the most important part of the game determines whether you advance or not and the Rams simply won’t make it. They’ll miss that kick or it’ll it’ll get blocked and they’ve got to change it. They’ve got to get it fixed. Absolutely. This is no joke. This is this is not a matter of life and death. It’s more important than that, right? This is no joke. you need to have this fixed for the stretch run. And if Harrison Amas gets a an opportunity, then that should tell you that, hey, they’re they’re being aggressive. They’re they’re not just letting this unfold and okay, we’re going to keep giving guys other opportunities. He has never kicked in the regular season. He has played with the Panthers and Jets after he went undrafted out of Missouri in 2024. He did play for the Birmingham Stallions last season. Went 20 for 21 even when UFFL special teams player of the week, which is impressive, let’s be honest. Well, that’s where what the the dude from um the Cowboys came from there, right? Aubrey, he he was a af guy. I mean, they you can find these guys pretty much anywhere. You either make the kicks or you don’t. And I keep coming back. What’s the downside to trying something like is is Josh Cardi going to come back and haunt you because you you let Josh Cardi walk out the building? Would anybody be saying, “Hey guy, you didn’t give this guy enough time. You didn’t figure this out. You didn’t give him enough chance to try to work through some stuff.” No, it’s time to make a change and sooner the better. No, I’m with you. Like I I’m with you that I most positions like cornerback and and and all these like important positions. I I’m very against like just change for the sake of change. I don’t do that at those positions. Kicker though, I’m totally down for I’ll tell you this. I I looked up Joshua Cardi and I he’s the only NFL player I can think of that has a LinkedIn profile. He has a LinkedIn profile for in for being a computer science major at Stanford. So, I don’t know if that is like um him maybe being a little afraid about his job security and changing careers, but that’s I don’t I found that pretty interesting. It’s time to get a new guy. Let him go work for Google and Palo Alto and become a zillionaire. Good for him. I hope it all works out. But I don’t it it’s week 10. They’ve missed eight kicks. What What are we talking about here? Like just it’s time to get a new guy. Week 10. kind of miss football already. All right, coming up next, this is going to be, I’d argue, the most important stretch of the season for the regular season for Los Angeles Rams. That’s going up next on Locked on Rams. Look, nobody likes paying rent, right? But if you might, if you have to do it, you might as well get something for it. That’s where Built comes in. Built is changing the game by turning your rent payment into real rewards that you can actually use. And when you pay your rent through Built, you earn flexible points that can be redeemed toward hundreds of hotels and airlines, a future rent payment, your next lift ride, and a whole lot more. But Built isn’t just about rent. It’s about rewarding you around your entire neighborhood. So, you can be out grabbing food at your local restaurant, heading to the gym, and you can still earn rewards. built has made everyday life feel more rewarding from your neighborhood to your travel plan. So turn your rent into rewards and start earning points around your neighborhood by going to join.com/lockedonfl. That’s j o i n b i lt joinbuilt.com/lockedonfl. And make sure to use that link so they know that we sent you over. and welcome back to Locked On Rams. Thank you for making Locked On Rams your first listen every single weekday. Breen available wherever your podcast. Locked on Rams part of Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. Okay, Travis. So, you and I both agree we’re not big mustin guys unless it is for an elimination, right? Uh I remember, by the way, uh I hate to read the Dodgers again, but I remember all the Dodgers fans saying game five is a mustwin. Game five is a must-win. The Dodgers can’t go on the road and win games six and seven. It’s a mustwin. They can’t go on the road and win games six and seven. They did that. So, we’re not must-win guys. Okay, I’m show myself out. I will show myself out and I’ll ed that out of the out of the show and I’ll leave it in there. I think Roi Sasaki liked the 67 as much as you do. I can’t stop doing it, man. I just I can’t like I just don’t know why. It’s like taking over my life. But where are you at on just the importance of this match up against the 49ers? I mean, Sean McVeyy’s lost 10 of his last 13 against Kyle Shanahan. Uh if the Rams lose, they’d be 0 and2 in the division, one and three in the conference. And uh yeah, I mean it would really change the outlook of the season. So for a for a team that’s had the start the Rams have had, I mean, you talk about putting the money in the bank, and they’ve certainly done that with wins, but it’s division wins and the Seahawks creeping up. I mean, this is such an important game for the Rams this week. It sure is. Just just real quick on the 6-7 game thing that you mentioned. Um, anybody that thought that the Dodgers couldn’t go anywhere on earth and win two baseball games in a row, you just just delete them from your life, right? That that’s just one of those. Have you ever watched this team play like two two in a row against anybody? Stop. Anyway, that’s a topic for locked on Dodgers, which you can also catch out with me and Harry Ruiz. Yeah. Um, yes, I agree with you. I, you know, last year it felt like the Rams had kind of turned the corner when it came to the 49ers. like, okay, they fight. Remember that game uh last year in the rain and I think the final score was like 12 to6. It was just a garbage football game, but the Rams won and they won kind of ugly and they won, you know, against San Francisco, which felt like, all right, they’re finally starting to figure out this puzzle. Well, go back to earlier this season when the 49ers were missing half of their team and the 49ers just kind of walked them up and down the field for the first half. The Rams got it figured out a little bit in the second half, but felt like we went right back to square one with the Shanahan problem. And you’re right, Doug, this isn’t just 0 and2 against San Francisco if they lose the game. It’s 0 and2 in the division. Seattle’s really good. They’re waiting for you after that. You still got to play them two more times. You got Tampa the week after that on Sunday Night Football, which is another conference game. And look, you look at the NFC standings right now, the Rams have as many wins as anybody. the the most wins in the NFC is six. The Rams have six, but they’re in fifth place. And it’s because of those things. It’s been Now, they haven’t played a ton of conference games, but the two, you know, they have two losses in conference. They only have one win. They’re in the division. They’re 0 and1. So, yeah, you’re right. These are incredibly important both for the division, for the conference, and ultimately for whether or not they go on the road, whether or not they go on the road once, whether or not they go on the road twice, whether or not they go on the road at all. And it it this is by far the toughest stretch. You got San Francisco on the road. You get two home games against uh Seattle and Tampa. And then you go on the road, which by the way felt like a layup after that. It’s Carolina. Carolina’s five and four. It’s on the road. It’s another NFC game. So they got four games coming up that are are are NFC games. And all four of those teams have winning records. Exactly. And that’s the big thing, too, is is is the competition ahead. And I mean, think about this. If the Rams lose, the 490s will be 4-0 against the NFC West and they play the Cardinals in week 11 go 5-0. It’s kind of maddening to think that the the two seasons that these two teams have had so far and the injuries that they’ve suffered and the fact that they’re really in a pretty prime position really. So, it’s definitely concerning, but we’re going to preview that tomorrow. Definitely check out uh Travis’s pre with Brian Peacock 49ers. We’ll do another preview too on Friday. Give you keys, key matches, all that great stuff. But uh that is going to do it for this episode locked on Ram. My name is Doug McCain. You can follow me at exit Instagram dmac_la. Until next time, who’s house? It’s locked on Ram’s house.

D-Mac and Travis react to the Los Angeles Rams standing pat at the deadline. Plus, will the Rams trade up for a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft, and why we are entering the most pivotal stretch of the season, and more!

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