The Josh Innes Show - The Rams Give Away The Division To Seattle

Episode Date: December 19, 2025

I'm appalled by how the Rams choked last nights game. I have so many questions... Well, I have one major question..How the hell did they not go for 2 with a chance to go up 17 points? It's mind blowing. Does this game change my mind about the Rams winning the Super Bowl? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All right. So, oh, boy, my vice. Boy, I sound like shit. It's hard because I've got to try to protect my voice because coming up next week, I've got a lot of fill-ins on some of these other radio stations. I mean, it's just doing disc jockey stuff. So it's not like a ton of talking. When you hear it on the radio, it won't sound like a ton of talking. But it's a lot of it whenever you're sitting around doing a bunch of them. So like I'm going to be on in Portland doing stuff and Utah doing stuff and Seattle doing stuff and New Mexico. doing stuff. So I'm going to be doing a lot of stuff. And I've got to try to protect my voice because I keep getting hoarse because I talk a lot, I guess. So I'm trying to remain even keel so I don't, you know, sound horrible on this and also preserve my voice for down the line. And it's a whole deal. But here's what we're going to do. Let's talk about last night's game, what it means for the big picture in the NFL. We will do that after these words. First off, let's see the current Super Bowl odds. Now, going into last night's game, the Rams were a slight underdog, as it turns out, they lost the game in overtime by a point. So it's pretty amazing how that worked out. But I don't know if they've updated the Super Bowl odds or not. December 19th, does this reflect last night's game? Yes, it does.

So the current Super Bowl odds to win the Super Bowl. The Rams are currently the favorite at plus 425, but right behind them Seattle, right behind them Denver, and right behind them Buffalo. Then it starts to dive a little bit more Texans, Eagles, Patriots. Okay. Let's start with last night's game. The Rams dominated almost every aspect of that game for the majority of the game. Matt Stafford nearly threw for 500 yards. There were long stretches where it felt like their offense was unstoppable.

There were stretches, though, where they were moving the ball and had to see. settle. There was a point in the first half where you're looking at the stats of this game, and it's like a one-point game and you don't understand how it's a one-point game because the Rams dominated every aspect of it, minus coming through with touchdowns

instead of field goals early in the game. Basically, Seattle made one big play that got them down the field early in the game that had them set up for that early touchdown. And that's why they had the early lead in the game, and then the Rams settled for a couple field goals, and that's why it was 7 to 6 for the stretch that it was 7 to 6. But there

was no point that I was watching that game and I felt like Seattle was better than the Rams. It's the same way I felt watching Seattle play or rather the Rams play against the Eagles. Like, yes, it's very similar. They were up big in the game, give up a late rally in the game, lose and walk off fashion. That Rams Seahawks game was very similar to Rams Eagles. and the same way I felt about the Rams after the Eagles game is exactly how I feel about them now. The Rams are the best team in the NFL. And the Rams are the favorite to win the Super Bowl for a reason.

And still, as we sit here today, if you said, Josh, you can have the Rams or the field, I would take the Rams. Because I think the Rams offense is a machine. I think their defense is good enough. Remember, that game was 30 to 14 with about 13 minutes to go. And they had pretty much dominated Seattle. They had taken the lead. Here's a big moment in the game that I think they fucked up. And we never get to this point that we got to if this doesn't happen.

13 or so minutes to go. Rams score a touchdown. That makes the score 29 to 14. They are up 15 points. You can kick an extra point and go up 16. That is two touchdowns and two two point conversions. or you can go for two your offense is unstoppable you go for two when you get that two you go up by three scores keep in mind 16 points is no matter what still two possessions now you can argue it's

four possessions if you want to make that argument because it's two scores and two two point conversions fine I don't look at it that way and I'm shocked that the analytics doesn't tell you this because like these guys love to go by the analytics and all the broadcasts like to put up the analytics graphic that says, you know, next gen analytics says go for it or punt or whatever. I'd like to know what the data shows in that scenario with 13 minutes to go in the game. Because there isn't a huge difference in being up 16 and being up 15 because I judge it by possessions. So whether you're up 16 or 15, it is still two possessions. Being up 15, 16 versus 17 is a gigantic difference.

Because if you convert and you go up by 17, they have to find. a way to get the ball three times in the last 13 minutes of the game. And they have not shown any signs of being able to move the ball. And in fact, when they were down 16, they got the ball and drove down the field. And Sam Darnold did Sam Darnold things, which is throwing interception at the goal line. At that point, the game's over. You're up 16, but you're not able to move the ball. So you're forced to punt.

And then you're forced to punt. And what happens? Rashid Shaheed makes a gigantic play, returns it for a touchdown. They get the two-point conversion. It is now an eight-point game, and now we're off to the races, and that completely changes everything. But let's say you would have gone for two and gone up by 17. And then they go down the field and do exactly what they did, which, again, maybe they do, maybe they don't. But let's just assume for the sake of this they do.

So you're up 17. They go down the field. They throw the same interception at the goal line. You get the ball. You've punt the same ball to Shaheed and Rashid return. it for a touchdown at that point they probably don't even go for two they probably just go for one so at that point you are up 10 points with eight nine minutes to go in the game however much time would have been left i think it might have been less than that i need to look but i think it was

you know eight nine something right to go so you're still up two possessions with eight minutes to go nine minutes to go let me make sure on that for the sake of the argument here so after you may get 13 to 14 you score that touchdown nine plays 85 yards puka's got a huge catch in there right before the end of the third quarter you're killing it you score a touchdown you're up 30 to 4 you're up 29 to 14 with 13 and a half minutes to go if you go for two there and get it you're up 31 14 you're up 17 if you go for it and miss it you're still up 15 who cares the rams then or the the seahawks march down the field they throw that interception with 948 to go in the game you are less than 10 minutes to go in the game when you get the ball back up 16.

Now, let's imagine you're up three possessions, up 17, with under 10 minutes to go. Rams don't do anything with the ball. They hold on to it for 96 seconds, and they punt it. That punt is returned for a touchdown with eight minutes to go. At this point, they get that in the two-point conversion. Now it's a one-possession game. They at least had the chance to make it a one-possession game, and they execute it. If you would have gone for two and hit that, all things.

stay equal. If you would have gone for two and gotten it, even, no matter what they do with that punt return, they're still down two scores. They're down two scores with eight minutes to go. And that would obviously change the way you'd go about doing your business too, because the Rams decided to try to air the ball out a little bit more. They go pass incompletion and completion. They throw the ball three times because they're up eight and they're like, well, shit, we don't want to give them the ball back. If you are up 10 with eight minutes to go, you can be a little bit more balanced and work in the play action, run the ball a little bit. So again, that's how this whole thing worked out.

But all that said, again, I don't understand why these guys don't do it. It makes no sense to me. I'd like to see the data. I'd like to know what the little next-gen stats say. Explain to me why you kick the extra point to go up 16 with 13 and a half minutes to go versus go for two and go up 17. There is nothing you can tell me. All the dumb shit these guys do that I don't understand like, Well, we're down, you know, there's a chance to go for two if we, like, you can kick the extra point to be down eight or you can go for two late in the game.

And they're like, well, we need to know exactly what we need. So we go for two instead of kicking the extra point. Well, when you don't get the two, then the game's over. Like, I'll never understand that. I hear that all the time. Well, at least you know exactly what you need now. Yeah, you need two fucking scores with a minute to go in the game or two minutes to go in the game instead of, like it doesn't make any sense. That will never make sense to me.

Just like it will never make sense to me that you don't go for two with 13 and a half minutes to go. It makes absolutely no sense. That said, the Rams had their chance. They took the lead in overtime. They had multiple chances with the ball with the game tied. They didn't get the job done. They missed a field goal. They got the ball back again and were forced to punt at the end of regulation.

They march right down the field score a touchdown. They cannot stop Seattle. And then, of course, they were always going to go for two in that spot. They got it. That said. what does this mean big picture big picture does not change my opinion of who is the better team the rams are a better team than the seattle that game with 13 and a half minutes to go was a a 13 point lead with 13 and a half minutes to go and they're killing it with eight minutes to go

nine minutes to go it's still a 16 point game and they're punting the ball on a 16 point game big return it changes everything but if you ask me today if you had to put money on it, which team is going to win the Super Bowl? Seattle or the Rams. I would take the Rams, and I would do that all day. I wouldn't even hesitate if those were my two options, and they are currently the two favorites to win the Super Bowl. So if those are my two options, and it's the Rams and the Seahawks,

every time, every dollar I have on that bet would go towards the Rams. Because the quarterback is better. Let us not forget. Let's not act like that was some amazing game from Sam Darnold. Sam Darnold is back to doing Sam Darnold things. Made a couple of throws late. My man still threw two picks, two big interceptions, in key spots. That dude is still Sam Darnold.

Like, you're not going to convince me that in a clutch situation in a playoff game with the season on the line that Sam Darnold is going to win the game for you. That game was won because Rashid Shaheed got a return and then the wheel started falling off. That game was won because the Rams decided to kick an extra point to go up. 16 instead of going for two to go up 17 and be up three scores with 13 and a half minutes to go and eventually would have been up three scores with eight and a half minutes to go and the fucking ball. But they didn't do that. And that's why they lost. For all these smart coaches, the Sean McVeves, all these guys who are brilliant coaches, oh, Sean McVease, and obviously he is.

Matt Stafford threw for 460 yards last night. They ran for 124 through for almost 500. They had like 600 yards of offense last night. He obviously knows what the fuck he is doing. I mean, let us, I mean, look, look at the statistical breakdown of the game. Total yards. Look at this. This is absurd. 581 to 415. They had 170 more yards than they did.

And they forced the two turnovers. The Rams didn't turn it over. But the Rams couldn't close early in the game when they had chances to put touchdowns on the board. And they didn't go for two and they could have gone up 17. I mean, look, I'm going to Google this and see if anybody. else is that. Why did the Rams kick an extra point instead of going for two? Okay, here we go. So this is not about that. They'd like to know the overturned call. We haven't even brought

that up, which was the wackiest play I've ever seen in my life. Which is, you know, they go back, they review it. It's obviously a backwards pass, hits the guy in the helmet, shows you should always pick up the ball no matter what. So, again, I'm not as appalled by that. Like, I don't know why they initiated a review on that, but they did because it wasn't a scoring play. So I don't know why they were able to initiate that review, but they did. And, you know, it worked out in the favor of Seattle, fine. 10 hours ago, the Rams become the first team in NFL history to lose after scoring a touchdown in overtime.

Well, that's a fun little moment for them. Good for them. Like, I'd like to know, okay, seven hours ago. Let's see this one. And McVeigh turned down multiple chances to go for two. So this is a story from last night. If the Rams kick the extra point, it's a two possession game. If the Rams miss the extra point, it's a two possession game.

If the Rams go for two and fail, it's a two possession game. Everything other than a converted two-pointer has the same outcome. They were all two-possession game outcomes. It would either be 30 to 14 or 29 to 14 in the modern NFL with teams working on their two-point play so much more often than they did. It makes a little difference being up 15 and 16. Thank you, Kenneth Arthur, whoever you are. Did somebody ask Sean McVeigh about this? McVeigh said that they never even considered letting the Rams 49ers game in.

Okay, okay, then tell me, give me the details on this. Did someone ask Sean McVe why he decided to kick the extra point? You would have won the game no matter what. So, I don't know. I don't know if they ever asked him. I'm looking at the story here. You know, it makes no sense. All that said, I think the Rams are a better coach team.

I think the Rams are a better team. I think they're a better defensive team. I think they're a better offensive team. And I would still take the Rams to win the Super Bowl. I don't know why I'm so defensive of the Rams, but I am. I'm pissed off because late in the game when it was tied, I bet on them to win. And I should have won that. So I'm pissed off about that.

But they are the better team. What's going to be amazing, though, is they don't control their own destiny now. And the better team may not end up being the team that's even playing at home. The Rams are now going to have to go on the road. potentially and play a playoff game. Let's get into some of that stuff too and see how that impacts the rest of the league. Let's take a look at it.

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