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https://mail.profootballresearchers.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7869
Yes, the easy schedule. But its not just a case of "you can only play who's on your schedule". Rams destroyed all those bad teams in the very way that a Champ ought to destroy a bad team. Yes, losing to both playoff teams that they played against - Ten & Det - and it'd be nice if they would have at least won one of them, but both were on the road and each one easily could have gone the other way thus they very well could have been 15-0 going into that meaningless finale (Vermeil vs Reid) at the Vet.
That is part of the equation. But when you watched them, they did play well. They stopped the run .. and at the time people said it was because teams stopped running in 2nd half when they got behind. That wasn't true. Rams YPC vs run got better in 2nd half.
For the record, if we go by opposing win percentage, the 99 Rams schedule is easier than every team in the NFL since at least 1936 except for the 1975 Vikings.74_75_78_79_ wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2024 7:35 pmYes, the easy schedule. But its not just a case of "you can only play who's on your schedule". Rams destroyed all those bad teams in the very way that a Champ ought to destroy a bad team. Yes, losing to both playoff teams that they played against - Ten & Det - and it'd be nice if they would have at least won one of them, but both were on the road and each one easily could have gone the other way thus they very well could have been 15-0 going into that meaningless finale (Vermeil vs Reid) at the Vet.
Doing it the pro-equiv of those '80s Nittany Lions NCs is still very legit with me! I've really warmed-up to those '72 Dolphins (placing them over '73) as of very late. Many ways to skin a cat. But, again, these Rams did blow-out those bad opponents as a Champ ought to.
The 'jewel' of that Historically underrated defense has to be that 11-6 NFCCG win over Tampa Bay when that other unit, for whatever weird reason, took the day off of all possible days (THAT'S a true Champ for you - others stepping in when needed)!
I guess the '84 Forty Niners should be discussed a bit more in such a case. Should at least be brought up which I haven't done. Many close wins like the '03/'04 Pats. But their wins over Wash on MNF, Wk#2, 31-10 at NYG to make it 6-0, and finally their walloping of the Rams in LA, 33-0, along with other lopsided wins down the stretch albeit soft competition ought to make them a bit stronger than both '72 Mia & '99 StL.SeahawkFever wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2024 5:46 pmFor the record, if we go by opposing win percentage, the 99 Rams schedule is easier than every team in the NFL since at least 1936 except for the 1975 Vikings.74_75_78_79_ wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2024 7:35 pmYes, the easy schedule. But its not just a case of "you can only play who's on your schedule". Rams destroyed all those bad teams in the very way that a Champ ought to destroy a bad team. Yes, losing to both playoff teams that they played against - Ten & Det - and it'd be nice if they would have at least won one of them, but both were on the road and each one easily could have gone the other way thus they very well could have been 15-0 going into that meaningless finale (Vermeil vs Reid) at the Vet.
Doing it the pro-equiv of those '80s Nittany Lions NCs is still very legit with me! I've really warmed-up to those '72 Dolphins (placing them over '73) as of very late. Many ways to skin a cat. But, again, these Rams did blow-out those bad opponents as a Champ ought to.
The 'jewel' of that Historically underrated defense has to be that 11-6 NFCCG win over Tampa Bay when that other unit, for whatever weird reason, took the day off of all possible days (THAT'S a true Champ for you - others stepping in when needed)!
But as you said, it's not just who you are facing, it's also how well you played against them and those Rams dominated.
Not that schedule isn't worth noting, but I think some teams are noted for having easy schedules like the 1972 Dolphins and 1999 Rams but others whose opponents were also easy (such as the 1984 49ers) don't get knocked by the same people for that.
I have the 1986 Giants in that 80s Holy Trinity as the NFC IMO was more rugged in 8674_75_78_79_ wrote: ↑Mon Oct 28, 2024 11:19 amI guess the '84 Forty Niners should be discussed a bit more in such a case. Should at least be brought up which I haven't done. Many close wins like the '03/'04 Pats. But their wins over Wash on MNF, Wk#2, 31-10 at NYG to make it 6-0, and finally their walloping of the Rams in LA, 33-0, along with other lopsided wins down the stretch albeit soft competition ought to make them a bit stronger than both '72 Mia & '99 StL.SeahawkFever wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2024 5:46 pmFor the record, if we go by opposing win percentage, the 99 Rams schedule is easier than every team in the NFL since at least 1936 except for the 1975 Vikings.74_75_78_79_ wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2024 7:35 pm
Yes, the easy schedule. But its not just a case of "you can only play who's on your schedule". Rams destroyed all those bad teams in the very way that a Champ ought to destroy a bad team. Yes, losing to both playoff teams that they played against - Ten & Det - and it'd be nice if they would have at least won one of them, but both were on the road and each one easily could have gone the other way thus they very well could have been 15-0 going into that meaningless finale (Vermeil vs Reid) at the Vet.
Doing it the pro-equiv of those '80s Nittany Lions NCs is still very legit with me! I've really warmed-up to those '72 Dolphins (placing them over '73) as of very late. Many ways to skin a cat. But, again, these Rams did blow-out those bad opponents as a Champ ought to.
The 'jewel' of that Historically underrated defense has to be that 11-6 NFCCG win over Tampa Bay when that other unit, for whatever weird reason, took the day off of all possible days (THAT'S a true Champ for you - others stepping in when needed)!
But as you said, it's not just who you are facing, it's also how well you played against them and those Rams dominated.
Not that schedule isn't worth noting, but I think some teams are noted for having easy schedules like the 1972 Dolphins and 1999 Rams but others whose opponents were also easy (such as the 1984 49ers) don't get knocked by the same people for that.
Destroying a Browns team in Cleveland that now had Schottenheimer (4-4 finish with him) and then schlacking Bum's still respectable-enough 6-6 Saints in NO both blowout victories to not sneeze too hard about. I still place them in the 'Holy Trinity' of '80s Champs alongside their '89 Installment and '85 Bears which sure says a lot.
And then you got they outscoring their playoffs foes by a combined 82-26. Yes, win over Giants not lopsided, and yes over Fuller instead of McMahon the following week, but still. And yes with the Dolphins not being multi-dimensional but they really weren't a pushover. Their lesser version the following year did beat the Bears. Beating a 14-2 team coached by Don Shula with a tour de force Marino at QB, 38-16, is beating a 14-2 team coached by Don Shula with a tour de force Marino at QB, 38-16.
Two things fell out of the sky: Warner and FaulkBrian wolf wrote: ↑Mon Oct 28, 2024 12:43 pm The Rams were terrible in 1998, with Vermeil's job on the line. Didnt matter their schedule for 1999. They did a miraculous job.