Memento said:

My favorite coffee? Non-existent. I only drink water, and not that flavored/sparkling crap. I'd drink pale ale as well, but it fucks with my medication.

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I love the flavored seltzers. I pitched that 30 years ago and got laughed out of the building. There are still other waters out there. Spring, mineral, distilled, filtered, ozonated and of course tap.

Game Preview: Rams and Steelers set for first meeting in Pittsburgh since 2011

The Rams (5-3) travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers (4-4) in Los Angeles' first regular season game at Heinz Field since 2011.

Both teams are looking to extend win streaks heading into the matchup. L.A. has won two straight, while Pittsburgh earned their third consecutive win last week with a 26-24 victory over the Colts.

To get you ready for the contest, theRams.com compiled a quick preview featuring who to watch, what to watch for on offense and defense for both the Rams and the Steelers and three keys to victory for L.A.

Five players to watch

• Rams CB Jalen Ramsey: He will likely be matched up with JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh's new No. 1 receiver, though Smith-Schuster is also questionable for Sunday's game with a foot injury.
• Rams LB Clay Matthews: What kind of impact can he make in his first game since Oct. 3?
• Steelers RB Trey Edmunds: It remains to be seen until Sunday, but Edmunds figures to lead the backfield in carries if last week's game is any indication.
• Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick: The former Alabama star has played a big role in helping Pittsburgh's defense produce the second-most takeaways in the NFL through the first half of the season.
• Rams WR Josh Reynolds: Starting in place of the injured Brandin Cooks, it will be interesting to see how Reynolds is used against the Steelers since he can play all three receiver spots in the Rams' primary offensive package.

What to watch for…

On offense for the Rams

What the approach at running back looks like.

Rookie Darrell Henderson Jr. made the most of his opportunities in the three weeks before the bye and has given Rams coaches the confidence to use him more. However, those opportunities also came in games where either Todd Gurley (49ers) or Malcolm Brown (Falcons and Bengals) missed time.

Gurley has been healthy for the last two games, and Brown is set to return from an ankle injury. Combined with the trust established by Henderson, this means Sunday's game will be the first time Rams feel good about using the top three running backs on their unofficial depth chart this season.

The utilization of Reynolds will also be worth watching. In Los Angeles' primary offensive scheme – 11 personnel, or one running back, one tight end and three wide receivers – Reynolds is capable of playing in all three receiver spots.

On offense for the Steelers

Similar to the Rams, it will also be the backfield.

Edmunds paced Pittsburgh's available running backs with 12 carries for 73 yards, both team highs. However, Jaylen Samuels saw more action in the passing game with 12 receptions for 73 yards.
When healthy, Conner handled both duties, so it will be worth watching to see if the Steelers choose to split them again with Conner out this week as well.

On defense for the Rams

The Matthews effect, and in the bigger picture, how it initially impacts the linebacker rotation.

Prior to his freak accident of a broken jaw against the Seahawks, he had produced six sacks in five games for the Rams and was an important part of their pass rush. However, younger linebackers like Ogbonnia Okoronkwo earned the right to continue seeing playing time with how they capitalized on the extra snaps afforded by Matthews' absence.

Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said Thursday that Matthews won't play every snap, but they'll be glad to have him back. At the same time, he said the Rams will continue to rotate linebackers, wanting to make sure the others get some playing time as well.

On defense for the Steelers

Fitzpatrick.

NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger put together a breakdown earlier this week showing the safety's nose for the football since joining the Steelers. It also showed that Fitzpatrick is capable of making plays all over the field.

Three keys to victory

1. Take good care of the ball: As mentioned before, Pittsburgh has 22 takeaways, trailing only New England's 27 for most in the league.
2. Establish a run-pass balance: Even though the Rams offense averages the fifth-most passing yards per game at 287, the Steelers defense allows the 10th-fewest at 228. In other words, while Los Angeles will have its chances – it's a difference of 59 yards – it won't be able to rely exclusively on their aerial attack to move the ball against Pittsburgh. An effective run game would also help win the time of possession battle and tire out one of the league's top defenses.
3. Protect QB Jared Goff: Besides takeaways, the Steelers also have a knack for getting to the quarterback this season – their 29 sacks are fifth-most in the NFL.

Im pretty sure we're load managing gurley. He's played 3 games less in touches at this point from last year.

Which is fine because were 5 and 3 but after this steeler game we need to ride our big horse into the platoffs and out the other side with the Lombardi.

RamWoodie said:

I'm all for Henderson getting playing time...BUT...I still think the only problem with Gurley is he doesn't want McVay coddling his playing time.

You need to feed Gurley and he gets better...KNOCK OFF THE NONSENSE and play the guy!!!

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I know what I saw late last season on Gurley. I do not want a repeat of that. Gurley is just going to have to accept the facts. McVay has (for the moment) a healthy Brown, Youthful Rookie Henderson & John Kelly all need work. Gurley does not need that work @ the moment.

It would not bother me if they use Gurley sparingly for the month of November but come December & the last five games of the regular season (four games with divisional teams & one with NFC East divisional leader Cowboys) .........run the hell out of Gurley then.

CGI_Ram said:

After 9 weeks, we have 20 players still “alive” in Survivor. 9 of which... with zero strikes! Well done!

A little hard to list all 20, but here are the zero strikers;

@Flatlyner
@rafa
@Ram65
@RamBall
@RAMBUSH
@RamFanInPC
@RamFanWA
@shovelpass
@snackdaddy

In Pickem, lots of players within range of the top.... it’s a very tight field with more than 20 grouped really close.

Your leaders;

@Riverumbbq 87
@Frogbelly 86
@SanAnRam 86
@SierraRam 86
@CGI_Ram 84
@Corbin 84
@Flatlyner 84

Great season in Survivor and Pick’em!

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Now post the One Strikers! Those are the guys who can take a strike and keep coming!

From The Huddle:

Rivers had his moments Thursday, including engineering the go-ahead TD drive in the fourth, but he followed that by authoring one of the worst two-minute "drives" in NFL history, throwing seven consecutive incompletions, none of which were particularly close to the intended receiver, and putting the capper on it with his third pick of the evening.

Was a real -show

Hager is a good tackler and good against the run. He EARNED the right to start from special teams. Too bad for him. A typical good player!

.

Trubisky is right. Who wants to listen to those clowns talking shit.

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Merlin said:

Gonna miss Aqib and I think the Rams will too. Great dude to have in the locker room, tough-minded SOB.

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Perhaps....then again, he missed a lot of games while only playing in 15 of them.

snackdaddy said:

Who?

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He's talking about the San Diego Chargers.

LesBaker said:

Maybe he didn't want to interrupt the meeting with the Pitt players that AD was in the middle of..........IMO that's respectful.

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Yep quite possible. And who's to say that he didn't give a nod of the head as he went by. I was only commenting on what was said in the OP. None of us were there so don't really know what went on. Still think he's a surly prick though.

Mojo Ram said:

32 New England (8-0)

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Shocker

Kupp is....Not on the list

Selassie I said:

Love the passion I'm seeing from you guys.

This is never gonna be the place where politics or religion are going to be permitted though.

I don't want to sound too demanding... but if some of the things discussed here in this thread bleed out into other threads across our forums I'm going to be forced to take further actions than just locking this thread.

There are places all over the internet where people can go and freely discuss these kinds of topics. They are never going to be welcomed here though. We keep it out of here for very good reasons. Please help us keep our place free from this going forward.

Thank you

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What HE said.

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nothing has changed, the same amount of challenges are there to be used by the coaches. i'm not sure why they keep throwing the red flag for dpi. the refs have made it clear they're not changing the call. the flow of the game hasn't changed but fans know it's a wasted stoppage as the challenge has no chance of being successful. desperation flags.

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Clay Matthews limited in his return to practice
Posted by Charean Williams on November 6, 2019, 8:16 PM EST



Getty Images


Rams linebacker Clay Matthews returned to practice Wednesday, though he was limited.
Matthews has not played since Week Five when he fractured his jaw in a loss to the Seahawks. Week 10 was his target return date after having his jaw wired shut.

Running back Malcolm Brown also was limited in his return from an ankle injury. He has not played since Week Six.
“Clay, he’s looking good,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “He’s got a nice beard right now, too. I was just complimenting him on that. He’s feeling good.
“I think the anticipation for both those guys is if they continue to progress the right way throughout the week, you should expect to see them ready to roll.”
Receiver Brandin Cooks (concussion), linebacker Bryce Hager (shoulder) and defensive tackle Tanzel Smart (illness) did not practice.

Offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth took a veteran rest day, with the Rams listing him as limited.

@CGI_Ram Looks like the transfer of 3000 big ones goes to @RhodyRams

@RhodyRams Done! -CGI

Rynie said:

I literally take 5-6 shits a day. I may have IBS, but no way I'm getting someone else's shit transplanted into my body. Lol

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How do you get anything done? I'm entirely too busy to go that much. I literally don't think I could fit an additional 28 dumps a week into my schedule.

When I first tried to start gaining weight when I first got into bodybuilding, I ate like crazy. A normal day consisted of:
Meal 1: 7 eggs and a cup of oat meal
Meal 2: whole large can of tuna with half sleeve of Ritz crackers.
Meal 3: half pound of roast beef with 3 slices of cheese on whole wheat bread
Meal 4: whole large cheese pizza
Meal 5: half a rotisserie chicken with potatoes
Meal 6: whatever left overs my parents had

I went from 135lbs to 175lbs in a year. Granted it wasnt a lean 40 lbs lol, but luckily my metabolism kept it as lean as possible.

kurtfaulk said:

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can they cover the te?

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Not against good ones, IMO.
Week 5 Mark Andrews and Hayden Hurst combined for 9 catches and 79 yards.
Week 6 Hunter Henry had 8 catches, 100 yards and two TDs
Week 7 bye
Week 8 Dolphins got nothing
Week 9 Jack Doyle and Eric Ebron had only 5 catches for 38 yards but one TD

Some things I think can help make up for an inconsistent interior offensive line:
1. more designed rollout pass plays away from the interior pressure
2. more pitchout running plays also away from the interior pressure
3. more quick slant passes and bubble screens before interior pressure gets to Goff