Kevin said:

Offensive line gave up zero sacks against Seattle, allowed Goff to pass for almost 400 yards and opened some nice holes for Gurley, scoring twice on the ground.

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Definite improvement in only a few days.

Just so hard as a passionate Rams fan to follow a completely degrading and humiliating loss............with a loss ! You just CANT let that happen ! From 3-0 to 3-3 after next week ? Just unbearable !!!

Well... my pizza was incredibly good. I woke up at 4am and ate 2 more pieces before I went back to bed.

I HATE kickers.

.... or is Seattle's pass rush below average?

I think Goff immediately feels better with Blythe in there and Blythe is back up to speed.
Allen and Noteboom continue to improve.

Add in;
Two games where this team proved they have no quit in them.
It all bodes well for our playoff run.

First time Mundt was dressed and I noticed a 13 set once. I for one want to see some more 12 & 13 sets. I get we want GE in 11 sets. But I prefer to mix in some other heavier sets just to give the DC's something else to prepare for. I know it won't happen but I would like to see a FB set too

Gurley just fumbled 7 points away . Damn Thursday games

LesBaker said:

He's not the same, and playcalling or the OL has nothing to do with him not looking the same. He looked bad late last year with a very good OL.

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Play calling and the OL have nothing to do with how he looks? Ok man, you lost me there.
Cheers.

CGI_Ram said:

It was brutal for most of us. But...

Somehow @LoyalRam only missed 3...

And there was a boatload only missing 4!

View attachment 31029

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off topic sorry. Is Brady injured? As of Thursday eve he's projected to get 0 fantasy points on yahoo FF.

I said scheme.

I wasn't able to see last week's debacle but from what I've read, seems like some of the same that I've been concerned about all season.

I just feel like McVay doesn't run enough. Pass option is most effective when they think you're gonna run.

If you really don't run much, it changes everything.

Not saying the Oline is playing well... but let them get in there, get dirty and push some people around. It's good for them, may be good for Gurley and great for play option.

Just my $.02

Riverumbbq said:

Even though the Rams are primarily a zone blocking team, this does not mean they can’t run some trap blocking plays or toss crack/sweep plays that involve pulling offensive linemen. If teams continue to stack the defensive line with six-man fronts, McVay will have to answer with some creativity in the blocking schemes.

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Nice read River thanks for posting it.

Oh and one thing that isn't talked about much btw is the way McVay uses minus splits to help open up that outside edge. He's not the only one, but the combination of squeezing opposing DBs to the middle of the field exacerbates the problem of containing a back like Gurley on a crack toss to the edge.

I just wish they would mix in a little more interior zone. They've been running it, but IMO when they see that formation they need to be ready and able to MASH. That allows for continued play action and sucking up the LBs, they just gotta do enough of it. Extend those splits outside the hashes, go four wide, and crush those dip$#!ts inside.

With Rapp being out maybe we will see a little more of Matthews in the middle and obo may finally get in on the action on the edge. That's what I would do at least.

RamFan503 said:

The most consistent thing about this season seems to be the inconsistency of this season. I think it may still be several weeks before we see what teams really have.

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My kinda fan. That was gold.

Gonna be a fun game tonight boys. Lotta the prime time games have been garbage contests amongst bottom feeders. This is a grudge match between two talented competitive teams in the second loudest stadium in the world. Get yo popcorn ready.

I expect some shorter/quicker passes to get the chains moving early. McVay has to mix in some runs. He needs to get the offense in a good rhythm early. Get the darn plays in early and give Goff time on the clock. I don't see the Rams pounding the ball down the Hags throat but, it would be nice. I see the Rams mixing it up a little more this game.

CGI_Ram said:

I was graduating high school when the Cardinals left St. Louis for Phoenix... I remember it well.

People were mad at Bill, big time! But, in retrospect, he tried really hard over many years. As the NFL started to really explode around then, he was right to be asking for a new stadium. Nobody could see it then.

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I remember that time well. There is no right way for a team to leave a city that they have identified with by name, but as you said he was correct. Of course he had prior experience with a team that couldn't make enough money to compete or to finance the family lifestyle hence the move from Chicago to St. Louis. People were extremely pissed at the move to Phoenix but in retrospect he was above board and honest in his dealings with the fans and regional government. He was also supportive of each St. Louis effort to return and then to keep the NFL in St. Louis. RIP

https://sportsnaut.com/2019/10/five-things-to-know-for-rams-seahawks-tnf-game/
Originally posted on Sportsnaut | By Vincent Frank | Last updated 10/2/19

The Los Angeles Rams head to the Pacific Northwest Thursday night in an attempt to bounce back after last week’s humiliating loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Jared Goff and Co. could also potentially be batting for first place against the Seattle Seahawks depending on what happens with the San Francisco 49ers later in the week.
No matter how some players might feel about them, these mid-week divisional matchups are always fun. It’s in this that we look at five things to know for the Rams-Seahawks “Thursday Night Football” tilt.

Jared Goff’s struggles
It’s been well documented since last week’s four-turnover performance just how much Goff has regressed recently. He’s accounted for 13 touchdowns and 20 turnovers over the past 12 games. Goff has also thrown five touchdowns with 10 turnovers in his past six road starts.
No one can say it’s going to be easy heading into Seattle and taking on both the Seahawks and the “12th Man.” Goff has to make a statement in this game, especially given how much improved the NFC West is this season.

Rams history in Seattle is pretty good
Los Angeles has won three of their past four meetings against the division rival Seahawks in Seattle. That comes after a 10-year stretch in which the Rams went winless in the Pacific Northwest.
Whether this will translate to a win for the Rams remains to be seen. They are 15-3 on the road under Sean McVay. That’s the best road record in the NFL since the start of the 2017 season. As it relates to the Seahawks, they have uncharacteristically lost five of their past 12 home games.

Regression from Rams defense
Los Angeles wasn’t tremendous on defense during its Super Bowl run last season. In fact, it ranked 20th in the league in scoring at 24 points per game and 14th in yards against. Coming off a Week 4 outing in which they gave up 55 points to the Buccaneers, the Rams now rank 24th in scoring defense. Interestingly enough, they rank 11th in total defense.
At issue here is a red-zone defense that is giving up touchdowns at a whopping 64% clip. That ranks in the bottom 10 in the NFL. This number also stood at 55% last season. Comparatively, Seattle’s offense ranks second in the NFL in the red zone. It is scoring six a whopping 79% of the time.

Strong run defenses
The likes of Chris Carson and Todd Gurley, among others, are going to have a hard time getting it going on the ground in this game. For you daily fantasy football players out there, we’d caution against going with any running back here.
Seattle has yielded the sixth-fewest rushing yards in the NFL at less than 80 per game. On the other hand, Los Angeles ranks ninth and is giving up just 3.6 yards per rush. For his part, Gurley is averaging 80 rushing yards per game in his career against the Seahawks.

Betting Lines (via DraftKings)
Line: Seahawks (-1.5)
Over/Under: 49.5
First touchdown: Tyler Lockett (+750)
First touchdown: Todd Gurley (+800)

OldSchool said:

I'm pretty sure they've beat them before yes. What's the point?

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You said it's not something good teams do which obviously isn't true. All teams are susceptible to it.

Grading worse than the '16 O Line. Ponder that a minute...

Not feeling great about this one.
The D is going to have to have a very good game.
Meaning playing gap responsibility and containing up front. Rams have to tackle.
They had been good until last week when all of the bad 2018 habits showed up again.

Nothing wrong with brown's play. Also, if I remember the rules correctly, Peter's was a runner and as such not protected as defenseless and head to head contact happens in tackling runners all the time. So subjective as to initiating contact with helmet.

mst1981 said:

Anyone here going to the game?

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This will be our base of operations for the weekend.

Eagles, Browns, Chargers most promising of NFL's 13 2-2 teams

It was Stealers Wheel who famously sang, "Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right. Here I am, stuck in the middle with you."

And at the quarter mark of the NFL season, we have several teams, well, in the middle. But not necessarily in a bad way. For many, 2-2 equals hope. 2-2 says you are in the mix. 2-2 means all expectations from the offseason and training camp are within striking distance.

Not every 2-2 is the same, of course. And some are downright confounding. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have alternated between dispiriting losses and massive wins, with Sunday's 55-40 victory over the Rams being the latest result. Meanwhile, the New York Giants are suddenly 2-2, with Danny Dimes reinvigorating what had been a moribund club. And then there's the AFC South, where EVERY team is in the thick of the division race at 2-2.

All in all, there are 13 2-2 teams in the NFL today. How do they stack up against each other? That's a good question!

Below, I rank the 2-2 teams I believe in most, Schein Nine style. Apologies to the Buccaneers, Giants, Raiders and Vikings, who didn't make the cut. (My last name rhymes with 9, not 13.)

1) Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles' heart and toughness and brilliant coaching and championship fabric were all on display last Thursday night in Lambeau Field. To me, Philadelphia's 34-27 road victory over the Packers was the biggest win of the first quarter of this season. 1-3 is a dark place in the NFL, especially for a team with high hopes and a brutal upcoming road stretch (back-to-back-to-back visits to Minnesota, Dallas and Buffalo in October). But Doug Pederson's team was clutch in prime time -- Carson Wentz threw three touchdown passes, and the Eagles found the run game, racking up 176 yards and two scores on 33 carries.

With a well-rounded and deep roster, Philly came into this season with high hopes. It's been a wild ride in the first quarter: The Eagles could easily be 4-0 or 0-4, based on the ebb and flow of the games, so 2-2 feels fair. In recent years, this has been a well-run organization you could bank on. And I will do just that, with Wentz due to get deep threat DeSean Jackson back soon. With the Cowboys' loss at New Orleans, Philadelphia's only one game out of first place in the NFC East.

2) Cleveland Browns

Let me first say that I'm not a believer in Freddie Kitchens as a head coach. There's been way too much stuff going on with his Browns, and Kitchens' appointment always felt like an overreaction and a shotgun marriage.

That said, back in August, I picked the Browns to win the AFC North because they are the most talented team in the division. It showed in Sunday's encouraging 40-25 win at Baltimore. Nick Chubb gashed and pounded the Ravens' defense to the tune of 165 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries. And I remain a huge believer in Baker Mayfield's talent, accuracy, leadership and fire. Anyone who says the 2018 No. 1 overall pick is overrated is simply searching for attention. That passing attack is loaded. And I haven't even mentioned the Cleveland defense, which has played extremely well over the past three weeks, despite dealing with injuries. Myles Garrett's a bona fide Defensive Player of the Year candidate with six sacks, and his supporting cast looks much improved under first-year coordinator Steve Wilks.

Kitchens cost Cleveland the Rams game in Week 3. The 30-point loss to Tennessee in Week 1 was an absolute mess. But here they are in Week 5, right in the thick of things. I called 10-6 in the preseason. With the Browns 2-2, that final tally's certainly still in play.

3) Los Angeles Chargers

The annually snake-bitten Chargers have had nothing but bad luck in the first quarter of the season ... and they're 2-2. (Yes, wins over the Dolphins do indeed count.) This team is still loaded with talent, and now that Melvin Gordon has completed the most pointless holdout in memory, the Bolts have some sizzle back in the fold to offset the injuries to Hunter Henry, Derwin James, Justin Jackson and more.

L.A. has the players and the coach to be a threat in the AFC. This is a well-rounded roster, with an offense that ranks fifth in yards and a defense that ranks ninth in points. I expect January football for Philip Rivers and Co.

4) Houston Texans

It's tough to rank the Texans this high immediately following a frustrating home loss to the Panthers. The O-line woes popped up yet again, as Deshaun Watsonwas sacked six times and pressured a whole lot more. Since the beginning of last season, Watson has been sacked an NFL-high 80 times -- 21 more than the next-most-sacked quarterback in that time span. This, of course, severely compromises the electric Watson-DeAndre Hopkins connection, as the All-Pro receiver managed just five catches for 41 yards against Carolina. Houston's defense came to play on Sunday, but this is not the game-wrecking unit that we've seen at times in the past.

But I still think Houston is the team to beat in the AFC South. And I still think Bill O'Brien's Texans will get better as the season goes along.

5) Baltimore Ravens

I really like the Ravens. I just think they are the second-best team in the AFC North. I really like Lamar Jackson. I just think he's the second-best healthy quarterback in the division.

In the preseason, I had Baltimore ticketed for 9-7. One big concern I had was the defense, which lost a whole bunch of talent during the offseason to free agency. And the Ravens certainly haven't fielded a vintage unit on D over the past two weeks.

The organization is great and the team is tough. Baltimore should end up being around the playoff bubble, at least.

6) Indianapolis Colts

I'm not going to downgrade Jacoby Brissett after his underwhelming showing in the 31-24 home loss to the Raiders. First of all, Brissett had been terrific in the first three weeks of the season. Secondly, he was playing without injured receiver T.Y Hilton. And he's not the only star who's currently on the shelf -- reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Darius Leonard has missed the past two games while in the concussion protocol.

Frank Reich is such a good coach that I find it quite difficult to bet against his Colts. He puts his players in positions to succeed, plain and simple. But the feel remains eight or nine wins.

7) Jacksonville Jaguars

Minshewmania!!! Can it last? Who knows? But we are at a stage where we have to talk about Minshew keeping the job -- even if/when Nick Foles returns to action -- until he turns into a pumpkin. Through four games (with three starts), Gardner Minshew has completed 69.4 percent of his passes for 905 yards, seven touchdowns and just one pick, giving the sixth-round rookie a 106.9 passer rating. There's something fun about this guy, and it's more than the mustache and the overall 1970s style. Minshew can make every throw and comes up in the clutch -- whatever "it" is, Minshew has it.

Meanwhile, Leonard Fournette was remarkable in Sunday's 26-24 comeback win in Denver, with a career-high 225 yards rushing on 29 carries (a healthy 7.8 yards a pop). The defense is still capable of great things, and Doug Marrone is a heckuva coach. Marrone deserves so much credit for keeping this team together during the Jalen Ramsey trade-request saga -- and the flu/back/baby week that left him sidelined for the pulsating road win.

What's working against Jacksonville? Well, the AFC South is an absolute dogfight, with all four teams vying for the crown. And again, there's the question about Minshewmania's staying power.

8) Carolina Panthers

Oh, hey: The Panthers have a quarterback who can complete the forward pass again! Second-year passer Kyle Allen has energized the entire team, filling in for the obviously compromised (and consistently inconsistent) Cam Newton and guiding Carolina to two straight wins. Christian McCaffrey is an absolute superstar -- and prototypical modern running back. In the 16-10 win at Houston, McCaffrey piled up 93 rushing yards and 86 receiving yards, breaking a whopping 11 tackles (per Pro Football Focus) on his 37 total touches. The defense is flying around and making plays, as well, having just held a third straight offense to fewer than 300 total yards.

The season looked totally over after two weeks. But Allen gives the Panthersnew life, especially in the NFC South, where the Dan Quinn-led Falcons have rolled over.

9) Tennessee Titans

Will anyone ever be able to figure out this Titans team? Imagine saying before the season that the Titans would blow out Cleveland and Atlanta on the road during the first four games of the season, yet still sit at 2-2.

I really like the Titans. I like their toughness. I like Mike Vrabel. I like their defense and Derrick Henry. And they get stud left tackle Taylor Lewan back from suspension this week. Of course, the biggest question mark just happens to be at the game's most important position.

Marcus Mariota's good has been great. His bad has been unwatchable. The brutal "Thursday Night Football" effort against Jacksonville wasn't all his fault -- the offensive line didn't help matters, and give credit to the Jaguars' swarming defense. I'm rooting for Mariota to maintain consistency, but I have to see it to believe it.