As we prepare for another year of NFL football, let's take a look back at the highs and lows from 2014 for each team. Welcome to NFL Dos and Don'ts. If you missed one, you can read all our recaps right here.DoThe Rams only won six games last season, but one of them was a balls-out, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink win over the division rival Seattle Seahawks. Back in Week 7, the Rams used a fake punt return, and a fake punt to beat Seattle 28-26. A fake punt return sounds a little weird, and maybe you're asking yourself what the hell a fake punt return even looks like because you forgot what happened. Luckily, I am going to tell you exactly what happened.Just about halfway through the second quarter in St. Louis, the Seahawks punted from midfield. The punt went to the far sideline, but the St. Louis punt coverage played it like it went to the near sideline. Crucially, the Seahawks coverage followed the Rams coverage to the near sideline, while the Rams returner Stedman Bailey caught the ball and turned upfield with minimal traffic in front of him. He was able to coast 90 yards for the touchdown. If this happened in a baseball game, this would be the point when the announcer says "you just can't predict baseball." But it's not baseball, it's football and it's just plain awesome. "You always see something awesome in football," an announcer might say.So awesome. Do this all the time. But we're not done yet because this whole game was one big Do. The Seahawks came back to make it close, close enough that a field goal would win it, and the Rams reached into the bag of tricks again. This time it was the more traditional fare: a fake punt.
With just under three minutes left in the game, and looking at a fourth-and-three from their own 18-yard line, the Rams were in a tough spot: Punt the ball, and almost assuredly give up at least a game-winning field goal; Go for it on fourth down and fail to convert, and Seattle would definitely get the field goal, and maybe even a touchdown. rather than opt to punt and be willing contributors to their own loss—not to mention deflect criticism for the move because "hey, we were backed up in our own zone."—Rams punter Johnny Hekker took the snap and tossed a bullet to Benny Cunningham sprinting out in the flat and he easily picked up the first down. St. Louis then ran out the clock and hung on for the win. This is a Do every day of the week.Don't
We're not going to talk about Michael Crabtree smoking the rams defense in the GIF, here (although, it is pretty sweet). This GIF is only meant to illustrate a greater point. Look at those St. Louis uniforms. They are dope. Something about the blue and yellow, and the horns on the helmet just pops. The blue is slightly lighter so it has this freshness to it, and it's not as buttoned up as the Michigan maize and blue.Don't ever wear another uniform. Especially not those disgusting uniforms featured in the other GIFs in this post. Those uniforms looks like someone decided to eat these Rams throwback unis, vomit them into a blender, run the blender for an hour, and then use the resulting color palette to dye a bunch of mesh and spandex.
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