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Greatest Rams Alphabetically...A
- By Farr Be It
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 10 Replies
Dave,
Sorry your car did not make it, but you are most important to your ramily. Glad you're ok!
ball:
Aaron Donald's agent Todd France has history that could mean trouble for the Rams
- By So Ram
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 105 Replies
Aaron Donald's agent Todd France has history that could mean trouble for the Rams
Remember last year when the Los Angeles Rams took Jared Goff number one overall, Carson Wentz went number two to the Philadelphia Eagles and then the Los Angeles Chargers (San Diego at the time) took Joey Bosa? Well, unlike the first two selections, Bosa gave his team a little bit of a rough time during the training camp/preseason period.
Joey Bosa was represented by none other than Todd France, a super agent with CAA Sports agency. France made negotiations of Bosa's rookie deal extremely hard to come by for the Chargers. Both sides went back and forth, bear in mind this was only over the language in the rookie contract. Bosa ended up holding out until August 29th, 2016. Bosa stayed patient, while I'm sure as well as the next one he wanted to be out there participating and playing in games. It's pretty obvious he just decided to listen to France and holdout to avoid injury and ultimately fix the offset language in the impending contract.
Now, Bosa has proven his worth after a dominant rookie year, but who is France in protection of now? Aaron Donald. That's right, the Rams prized possession and face of the defensive side of the ball. Donald has been terrorizing offensive lines, running backs and quarterbacks since he entered the league via the 2014 NFL Draft. Donald has watched as the Rams not only struggled on the field, but even off it failing to re-sign defensive backs Trumaine Johnson, Janoris Jenkins, Rodney McLeod and T.J. McDonald. Donald has also watched and has seen teammates Mark Barron, William Hayes, Tavon Austin and Michael Brockers receive extensions. Now, with the Rams planning to re-up Alec Ogletree and LaMarcus Joyner, it appears that Donald is tired of waiting his turn for a pay raise.
France has influenced Donald to go after that big time pay day and even result to holding out like his client Joey Bosa did last season. France is known for getting the most for his clients. Just look at a few of his clients and what deals he got them.
WR Demaryius Thomas - 5 years/$70,000,000
WR Emmanuel Sanders - 3 years/$33,000,000
DT Marcell Dareus - 6 years/ $96,574,118
DT Fletcher Cox - 6 years/$102,600,000
CB Aqib Talib - 6 years/57,000,000
Why is this trouble for the Rams? Again, Bosa was just holding out based on language in his contract that needed to be changed. Aaron Donald? This is a new unprecedented thing in itself. France is responsible for contracts of two of the top five highest paid defensive tackles in the league. Donald happens to be a lot better than every single one of them in the top five. He also happens to be only 26 years old and likely the youngest of the bunch. France could be looking at having Donald holdout well into the season for a contract. If Bosa held out until late August, expect Donald to seriously holdout into the regular season. The earlier reports from Adam Schefter may seem crazy that Donald would do that, but with France's track record, he would.
France has proven time and time again he is going to bat and he is going to be extremely aggressive for his clients. Donald is likely his top client now as he is arguably a top three player in all of football. So, the rules may bend a little and that is why we may have heard of a potential opt-out clause getting in the way. The bottom line is, France's job is to get his client (Aaron Donald) the most guaranteed money and the Rams job is to re-sign their star player for a good enough value so that they don't set themselves back years. The Rams are going to need money left over to sign the likes of first overall pick QB Jared Goff, tenth overall pick RB Todd Gurley and even newly-acquired former fourth overall pick WR Sammy Watkins.
With Donald having a world-class agent, the Rams are going to be backed into a tough corner and might not see Donald until during the regular season or even after. If that indeed comes to fruition the Rams may only have one choice and that may involve a trade. Keep in mind, the Chargers may have signed Bosa to his rookie deal, but there is no reason to think France is done tormenting the Chargers over contracts. What you saw with Bosa in his holdout you are seeing with Donald. What you are seeing with Donald about his extension in year three, you will likely see with Bosa. The Rams, their fans, and teammates can only hope this gets resolved soon, because that no.99 is a game-breaking type player that a young team with a completely new system and coaching staff in place will need to succeed in 2017.
Did you hear Demoff on the broadcast tonight? He talked about negotiations a little bit.
Todd France has a good relationship with Demoff. They talk a lot more than you suggest. Alex Ogletree is also represented by France, so if things got ugly it wouldn't be a good thing.
The Rams have to find out what direction they are going with there roster
, before they can get his deal done.
Peter King: MMQB - 8/14/17
- By Prime Time
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 35 Replies
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/08/19/christian-hackenberg-starts-jets-offense-flounders/
Christian Hackenberg starts; Jets offense flounders
Posted by Josh Alper on August 19, 2017
AP
The Jets gave quarterback Christian Hackenberg a start on Saturday night, but it didn’t result in an offensive explosion.
It didn’t result in much of anything offensively, actually. Hackenberg played the entire first half against the Lions and the Jets picked up 43 yards and two first downs before coach Todd Bowles announced at half time that his night was over.
Hackenberg accounted for one of the first downs on a 12-yard scramble, but went 2-of-6 for 14 yards as a passer. He was sacked twice, including a big shot from a completely unaccounted for Cornelius Washington that led to a fumble on the first possession of the game.
The Jets recovered, which counts as a bright spot on Saturday.
Those two sacks and a few penalties on the offensive line show that there’s a lot of issues on offense beyond the quarterback. Still, Hackenberg didn’t look like he was ready to push Josh McCown aside for the starting job.
McCown won’t play on Saturday and Bryce Petty will play the rest of the way for the Jets.
Christian Hackenberg starts; Jets offense flounders
Posted by Josh Alper on August 19, 2017
AP
The Jets gave quarterback Christian Hackenberg a start on Saturday night, but it didn’t result in an offensive explosion.
It didn’t result in much of anything offensively, actually. Hackenberg played the entire first half against the Lions and the Jets picked up 43 yards and two first downs before coach Todd Bowles announced at half time that his night was over.
Hackenberg accounted for one of the first downs on a 12-yard scramble, but went 2-of-6 for 14 yards as a passer. He was sacked twice, including a big shot from a completely unaccounted for Cornelius Washington that led to a fumble on the first possession of the game.
The Jets recovered, which counts as a bright spot on Saturday.
Those two sacks and a few penalties on the offensive line show that there’s a lot of issues on offense beyond the quarterback. Still, Hackenberg didn’t look like he was ready to push Josh McCown aside for the starting job.
McCown won’t play on Saturday and Bryce Petty will play the rest of the way for the Jets.
Seattle's left tackle out for season?
- By Farr Be It
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 33 Replies
[QUOTE="Ram65,
1 A series or two
2 A quarter or little more
3 Into second half 2.5 to 3 quarters of football
4 Not much if any for key players.
You make little adjustments depending on play. If the Rams come out sloppy and ineffective they should get offensive starters into the 2nd quarter.[/QUOTE]
Great rundown, 65. Maybe you could shoot this out in a media blast so Rucillo knows when Goff is going to get benched again.
1 A series or two
2 A quarter or little more
3 Into second half 2.5 to 3 quarters of football
4 Not much if any for key players.
You make little adjustments depending on play. If the Rams come out sloppy and ineffective they should get offensive starters into the 2nd quarter.[/QUOTE]
Great rundown, 65. Maybe you could shoot this out in a media blast so Rucillo knows when Goff is going to get benched again.
Jerseys tonight?
- By flv
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 12 Replies
In that case...don't lose your shirt!Wish I could post this picture of Palm Desert today....103....hot as hell....and no NFLN in this room....wait, am I in hell????
Rams at Raiders Preview: Preseason Game #2
- By Florida_Ram
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 0 Replies
Oakland Raiders: What we learned from the exhibition opener
By JIMMY DURKIN
PUBLISHED: August 12, 2017
Derek Carr suited up but never needed his helmet as only three offensive starters ever saw the field. Most of their starting defense was out there, as it should have been considering the work it needs, but Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin didn’t play.
Marshawn Lynch experienced an interesting night as he suited up for the Raiders for the first time. There was never a chance that he was going to play, but he did put on the pads for pre-game warmups.
Also a non-issue for Del Rio is the Gareon Conley injury situation. Conley tweeted on Thursday that he doesn’t have shin splints, which ran counter to what general manager Reggie McKenzie said 11 days earlier. It appears to be a minor mix-up with Conley dealing with an injury to his shin, but not specifically shin splints.
Here’s what we learned from the exhibition opener:
THREE IMPRESSIONS
1. Playing it safe: The Raiders could’ve given Carr a token possession with a few handoffs, but they didn’t bother. It was an automatic they’d sit guys who have been dealing with injuries like Amari Cooper, Mack, Irvin, Obi Melifonwu and Gareon Conley, who is still on the physically unable to perform list.
But they played it extra cautious by keeping out Michael Crabtree, Jared Cook, the starting interior offensive line of Rodney Hudson, Kelechi Osemele and Gabe Jackson and fullback Jamize Olawale.
Most of those guys will see action at some point in the exhibition season, but there’s no reason to expose them this early on.
2. Defense not fixed: The Raiders pegged so many of their defensive issues last season on poor communication they expected to have cleaned up this year. That wasn’t immediately evident.
On Arizona’s first drive, either TJ Carrie or Reggie Nelson blew the coverage and Jaron Brown was running free down the middle of the field. But Carson Palmer overthrew Brown as the Raiders escaped giving up a truly ugly play.
Two drives later, the Raiders only had 10 players on the field when fortunately an alert Karl Joseph called a time out. These are issues you expect to see in the exhibition season, but it’s easy to overreact so early when you consider the issues from last season.
3. Manuel maintains lead: E.J. Manuel has long held the apparent edge in the backup quarterback battle and that didn’t change Saturday. He played the first half and completed 10 of 12 passes for 107 yards despite not having Cooper, Crabtree or Cook to throw to. His best pass was a 30-yarder to tight end Clive Walford that he nicely dropped in.
Connor Cook was 10 of 21 for 82 yards, with his longest pass of 29 yards coming on a screen play that John Crockett turned into a big gain.
THREE WHO HELPED THEMSELVES
1. Safety Karl Joseph: The second-year safety is already a locked-in starter of course, but he showed the early signs of being more of an impact player. He raced in to deliver a big thumping hit on one of Arizona’s first running plays of the night and was highly active while he was out there — so much so that he looked like one of those key starters that should’ve been sitting on the bench.
2. Defensive tackle Treyvon Hester: It’s no secret the Raiders need some interior push on that defensive front. Hester showed he may be able to provide that. He received rotational snaps with the starting defense and helped anchor the second-team line and delivered a pair of sacks and a quarterback hurry.
3. Linebacker LaTroy Lewis: Where did he come from? An undrafted free agent out of Tennessee, he hasn’t really drawn any attention during training camp but proved to be worth watching a little more after coming off the edge to notch two sacks. Sure, he did it against backup linemen, but for a team in need of some secondary pass rushers behind Mack and Irvin, he could earn himself an extra look.
THREE WHO HURT THEMSELVES
1. Cornerback Sean Smith: The night couldn’t have gone worse for Smith, whom the Raiders gave a four-year, $38 million contract to last year. He looks more like a candidate to be cut — even with a guaranteed $9.5 million salary this season — than he does to start.
Smith was called for pass interference on his first snap of the night, then picked up an illegal contact penalty later in the game when the Cardinals’ Chris Hubert beat him deep and he just reached out and grabbed him.
He got beat another time on what should’ve been a touchdown but Arizona backup quarterback Drew Stanton overthrew the pass.
While he’s a sunk cost for this year, the Raiders might have to consider eating that money if he continues on this path.
2. Linebacker Marquel Lee: The rookie middle linebacker has a lot riding on him to help stabilize this defense and he didn’t get off to a great start. Lee, a fifth-round pick, was constantly getting blown out of run plays and chasing from behind in coverage on pass plays. He did have a fumble recovery, finished with six tackles and had a couple flashes in coverage, but overall it wasn’t the best debut.
3. Right tackle Vadal Alexander: The Raiders’ biggest leverage in the Donald Penn holdout is to have their line play well in his absence. Alexander, who would’ve been battling Marshall Newhouse for the right tackle job if Penn was in camp, was beat badly on a play that led to Manuel getting crushed for a nine-yard sack. The Raiders don’t want to see their QBs taking big hits like that.
EXTRA POINT
— The Raiders are already thin at offensive tackle with Penn’s holdout and David Sharpe dealing with an injury that kept him out and then saw Denver Kirkland leave in the third quarter with some type of leg injury. The versatile Kirkland started the game at left guard and was playing left tackle with the second unit when he got hurt.
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/08/...s-what-we-learned-from-the-exhibition-opener/
Raiders Renew Longstanding Preseason Series With Rams
By Jerry Knaak Team Historian
The Raiders have a long and varied history with the Los Angeles Rams in the preseason. Let's take a look at it.
The Raiders have a long and varied history with the Los Angeles Rams in the preseason. Although the teams have met just 13 times in the regular season since 1972, the Raiders and Rams have battled 19 times in regular season tune-ups since 1970.
The Raiders lead the all-time preseason series 12-7 and have won the last four meetings, all in Oakland.
The series has been played out in four different cities (Berkeley, Oakland, St. Louis, and Los Angeles) and in five different stadiums (Cal’s Memorial Stadium, the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, the Edward Jones Dome, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and Anaheim Stadium).
The Raiders and Rams met annually in the preseason from 1970-73, traditionally in Week 3 of a six-game exhibition schedule. The Rams won the first meeting, 34-23, in Los Angeles, with the Raiders winning the next three.
The second meeting, a 20-7 Raiders win in 1971, was held at Cal’s Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, as was the fourth, a 16-3 Raiders victory in 1973.
Rams quarterback Roman Gabriel, who was originally drafted by the Raiders in the first round of the 1962 AFL Draft, as well as by the Rams in the 1962 NFL Draft, was a top NFL quarterback (1969 NFL MVP) for the Rams and played in this rivalry from 1970-72.
After a year off, the teams resumed their annual meetings with five in a row from 1975-79. The Rams won the 1975 and ’76 contests, with the ’76 match-up serving as the Raiders only loss of the 1976 preseason.
The six-game preseason schedule was shortened to four (with exceptions for American Bowls overseas and Hall of Fame games) after the 1977 campaign, and then Rams would go on to win the next three match-ups in the series, 1978, ’79 and 1992.
During the 1970s, numerous Hall of Fame players on both sides took the field in this preseason series.
For the Raiders: tackle Ron Mix, center Jim Otto, quarterback/kicker George Blanda, quarterback Ken Stabler, cornerback Willie Brown, guard Gene Upshaw, tackle Art Shell, linebacker Ted Hendricks, tight end Dave Casper, wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff, tackle Bob Brown, punter Ray Guy, and Head Coach John Madden.
For the Rams: Head Coach George Allen, defensive end Deacon Jones, guard Tom Mack, defensive tackle Merlin Olsen, tackle Jackie Slater, and defensive end Jack Youngblood.
From 1970-79, the Raiders and Rams each qualified for the playoffs seven times, and played in five conference championship games each during that span. The Silver and Black defeated the Minnesota Vikings 32-14 in Super Bowl XI after the 1976 season.
The Vikings defeated the Rams in the NFL title game that year. The Rams would go on to win the NFC Championship and lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl after the 1979 season.
The Raiders played in five straight AFC Championship games from 1973-77, while the Rams played in three straight NFL title game from 1974-76, and two straight from 1978-79.
The 1979 and 1992 contests featured rare preseason overtime finishes. The Rams won both, 20-14 in ’79, and 19-16 in '92; both games were held in Los Angeles with the Rams as the home team. Longtime Rams running back Eric Dickerson (1983-87) joined the Silver and Black in 1992 after playing for the Indianapolis Colts (1987-91).
The Raiders moved to Los Angeles after the 1981 campaign and set up shop at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The two teams only met three times in the 1980s, all in the regular season.
The Raiders won the next two match-ups against the Rams, both in Los Angeles with the Rams as the home team, 1993-94, which happened to be the last two times the teams would meet as the Los Angeles Raiders vs the Los Angeles Rams in the preseason.
They would face each other during the 1994 regular season.
Both teams would move after the 1994 season, with the Raiders returning to Oakland, and the Rams relocating to St. Louis. From 1995 – 2015, the Raiders won six of the seven preseason meetings between the two teams, with all but one of those match-ups taking place in Oakland.
The Rams only win during this time period came in 2000 in St. Louis, as Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner and the Rams celebrated their 1999 Super Bowl title, and the team unveiled new uniforms.
The Raiders won the last match-up, 18-3 in Oakland in 2015, in Jack Del Rio’s debut as Raiders head coach. The Rams returned to Los Angeles in 2016.
In the preseason, the two teams played twice in Berkeley, eight times in Los Angeles, twice in St. Louis and seven times in Oakland. Well over 30 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame have participated in this rivalry.
As for the regular season, the Raiders lead the series 8-5, with the Rams winning the last three in St. Louis and the Raiders winning the last two in Oakland. The two teams have eight Super Bowl appearances between them.
When the Raiders and Rams renew their preseason rivalry Saturday night in Oakland, the Rams will once again be wearing new uniforms, with the new look harkening back to the days when this series first began. And the next time the Raiders take to the road to face the Rams, it’ll be in Los Angeles where the whole thing began.
Raiders vs Rams Preseason Series:
Aug. 22, 1970: Raiders at LA Rams, L 34-23
Aug. 21, 1971: Raiders vs LA Rams, W 20-7, Berkeley
Aug. 19, 1972: Raiders at LA Rams, W 34-9
Aug. 18, 1973: Raiders vs LA Rams, W 16-3, Berkeley
Sept. 11, 1975: Raiders at LA Rams, L 6-0
Aug. 21, 1976: Raiders vs LA Rams, L 23-14
Sept. 9, 1977: Raiders at LA Rams, W 21-0
Aug. 6, 1978: Raiders vs LA Rams, L 28-3
Aug. 4, 1979: Raiders at LA Rams, L 20-14 OT
Aug. 15, 1992: LA Raiders at LA Rams, L 19-16 OT
Aug. 28, 1993: LA Raiders at LA Rams, W 20-19
Aug. 20, 1994: LA Raiders at LA Rams, W 29-20
Aug. 12, 1995: Raiders vs STL Rams, W 27-22
Aug. 7, 1999: Raiders at STL Rams, W 18-17
Aug. 5, 2000: Raiders at STL Rams, L 31-17
Aug. 8, 2003: Raiders vs STL Rams, W 7-6
Sept. 2, 2004: Raiders vs STL Rams, W 28-24
Aug. 24, 2007: Raiders vs STL Rams, W 20-10
Aug. 14, 2015: Raiders vs STL Rams, W 18-3
(Series Trend) The Raiders have won 8 of the last 9 preseason games vs the Rams
http://www.raiders.com/news/article...ith-Rams/1a85ea44-5736-4d42-b3a4-4e6892d47bbf
Jack Del Rio didn't leave the fans waiting on the status of the Raiders starters for their second preseason game.
By Jeff Smith
Published: August 18, 2017
So, it looks like Raider Nation will get their first look at the full 2017 Raiders starters, and it'll be for more than a quarter of action.
In the Oakland Raiders preseason opener, many big names like Derek Carr, Amari Cooper. Khalil Mack, Marshawn Lynch and Michael Crabtree were all spectators.
Apparently, that will all change in the team's second preseason game Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams.
In head coach Jack Del Rio's press conference after practice Thursday, he was asked about the starters playing in the game and said they would all play into the second quarter.
http://oak.247sports.com/Gallery/Oa...eed-to-bounce-back-in-second-presea-106297131
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Even though this is considered a meaningless 2nd preseason game by the general fan base and media, the Raiders should be a step up in class compared to the backup units the Cowboys put on the field last weekend at Los Angeles.
Other than the Cowboys O-Line last Saturday, Jason Garrett held out several of his regular season starters and the game overall had the look of a sloppy exhibition match.
McVay also held out some of his key players last weekend and according to NFL media pundits, he bubble wrapped Goff (only giving him limited snaps) as if he was a proven 5 year starter that didn't require any extra reps.
Regardless of last week, the match-up tonight at Oakland should display most of the projected starters for both teams in the first quarter and give us a few clues and answers heading into the more important 3rd preseason game.
August 19, 2017 at Oakland, California 7pm Pacific time..
AT
*Previewing* the obvious list of Rams things to watch for in the (first quarter) and maybe a series or two in the second quarter of tonight's 2nd preseason game at Oakland.
1) Will the starting offensive line (Center, Left & Right side) create running lanes that Gurley can see?
2) How will the O-Line look in pass protection? (especially in obvious passing downs)
3) Will Jared Goff
Throw a TD pass?
Have any fumbles?
Look like polished second year QB with his arrow pointing up?
Fling the ball too high over the heads of open receivers?
Fail to go through his progressions and just stare down his primary targets?
Show some leadership signs and make accurate throws?
Take unnecessary sacks when his WR's/TE's are covered because he holds onto the ball too long?
Over or Under throw his targets down the field of more than 20 yards?
4) Will Wade's defense in the first quarter hold up against the talented skill players of the Raiders?
5) Will Sammy Watkins, Woods and Kupp ever be on the field together in a 3 WR set?
6) Will Josh Reynolds get any receptions and have at least one target over 25 yards ?
7) Will rookie RB Justin Davis have the most yards per attempt again minus the fumbles?
8) How many flags will be thrown in the first half?
9) Will the surprise players on defense vs Cowboys last Saturday show up again at the Raiders?
10) Can the Rams offense score more than one touchdown in the first half?
11) Will Quinn, Barwin, Ogletree Barron, Brockers or Westbrooks make any impact plays in their limited snaps?
12) Will Higbee, Everett or Hemingway score a TD or at least make a splash more than than 15 yards?
13) Will Mo Alexander and L.Joyner both be on the field together and protect there areas of the field?
14) Will the peoples choice FB named Sam Rogers do anything in this game that we can talk about tomorrow?
15) Who will be the surprise players that weren't mentioned in last Saturday's preseason game?
No matter how good or bad this game goes, we all pretty much agree that the most important thing tonight is none of the projected starters get injured for either team.
Hopefully the first half of this game doesn't look like a sloppy preseason (comedy of errors) exhibition match.
By JIMMY DURKIN
PUBLISHED: August 12, 2017
Derek Carr suited up but never needed his helmet as only three offensive starters ever saw the field. Most of their starting defense was out there, as it should have been considering the work it needs, but Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin didn’t play.
Marshawn Lynch experienced an interesting night as he suited up for the Raiders for the first time. There was never a chance that he was going to play, but he did put on the pads for pre-game warmups.
Also a non-issue for Del Rio is the Gareon Conley injury situation. Conley tweeted on Thursday that he doesn’t have shin splints, which ran counter to what general manager Reggie McKenzie said 11 days earlier. It appears to be a minor mix-up with Conley dealing with an injury to his shin, but not specifically shin splints.
Here’s what we learned from the exhibition opener:
THREE IMPRESSIONS
1. Playing it safe: The Raiders could’ve given Carr a token possession with a few handoffs, but they didn’t bother. It was an automatic they’d sit guys who have been dealing with injuries like Amari Cooper, Mack, Irvin, Obi Melifonwu and Gareon Conley, who is still on the physically unable to perform list.
But they played it extra cautious by keeping out Michael Crabtree, Jared Cook, the starting interior offensive line of Rodney Hudson, Kelechi Osemele and Gabe Jackson and fullback Jamize Olawale.
Most of those guys will see action at some point in the exhibition season, but there’s no reason to expose them this early on.
2. Defense not fixed: The Raiders pegged so many of their defensive issues last season on poor communication they expected to have cleaned up this year. That wasn’t immediately evident.
On Arizona’s first drive, either TJ Carrie or Reggie Nelson blew the coverage and Jaron Brown was running free down the middle of the field. But Carson Palmer overthrew Brown as the Raiders escaped giving up a truly ugly play.
Two drives later, the Raiders only had 10 players on the field when fortunately an alert Karl Joseph called a time out. These are issues you expect to see in the exhibition season, but it’s easy to overreact so early when you consider the issues from last season.
3. Manuel maintains lead: E.J. Manuel has long held the apparent edge in the backup quarterback battle and that didn’t change Saturday. He played the first half and completed 10 of 12 passes for 107 yards despite not having Cooper, Crabtree or Cook to throw to. His best pass was a 30-yarder to tight end Clive Walford that he nicely dropped in.
Connor Cook was 10 of 21 for 82 yards, with his longest pass of 29 yards coming on a screen play that John Crockett turned into a big gain.
THREE WHO HELPED THEMSELVES
1. Safety Karl Joseph: The second-year safety is already a locked-in starter of course, but he showed the early signs of being more of an impact player. He raced in to deliver a big thumping hit on one of Arizona’s first running plays of the night and was highly active while he was out there — so much so that he looked like one of those key starters that should’ve been sitting on the bench.
2. Defensive tackle Treyvon Hester: It’s no secret the Raiders need some interior push on that defensive front. Hester showed he may be able to provide that. He received rotational snaps with the starting defense and helped anchor the second-team line and delivered a pair of sacks and a quarterback hurry.
3. Linebacker LaTroy Lewis: Where did he come from? An undrafted free agent out of Tennessee, he hasn’t really drawn any attention during training camp but proved to be worth watching a little more after coming off the edge to notch two sacks. Sure, he did it against backup linemen, but for a team in need of some secondary pass rushers behind Mack and Irvin, he could earn himself an extra look.
THREE WHO HURT THEMSELVES
1. Cornerback Sean Smith: The night couldn’t have gone worse for Smith, whom the Raiders gave a four-year, $38 million contract to last year. He looks more like a candidate to be cut — even with a guaranteed $9.5 million salary this season — than he does to start.
Smith was called for pass interference on his first snap of the night, then picked up an illegal contact penalty later in the game when the Cardinals’ Chris Hubert beat him deep and he just reached out and grabbed him.
He got beat another time on what should’ve been a touchdown but Arizona backup quarterback Drew Stanton overthrew the pass.
While he’s a sunk cost for this year, the Raiders might have to consider eating that money if he continues on this path.
2. Linebacker Marquel Lee: The rookie middle linebacker has a lot riding on him to help stabilize this defense and he didn’t get off to a great start. Lee, a fifth-round pick, was constantly getting blown out of run plays and chasing from behind in coverage on pass plays. He did have a fumble recovery, finished with six tackles and had a couple flashes in coverage, but overall it wasn’t the best debut.
3. Right tackle Vadal Alexander: The Raiders’ biggest leverage in the Donald Penn holdout is to have their line play well in his absence. Alexander, who would’ve been battling Marshall Newhouse for the right tackle job if Penn was in camp, was beat badly on a play that led to Manuel getting crushed for a nine-yard sack. The Raiders don’t want to see their QBs taking big hits like that.
EXTRA POINT
— The Raiders are already thin at offensive tackle with Penn’s holdout and David Sharpe dealing with an injury that kept him out and then saw Denver Kirkland leave in the third quarter with some type of leg injury. The versatile Kirkland started the game at left guard and was playing left tackle with the second unit when he got hurt.
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/08/...s-what-we-learned-from-the-exhibition-opener/
Raiders Renew Longstanding Preseason Series With Rams
By Jerry Knaak Team Historian
The Raiders have a long and varied history with the Los Angeles Rams in the preseason. Let's take a look at it.
The Raiders have a long and varied history with the Los Angeles Rams in the preseason. Although the teams have met just 13 times in the regular season since 1972, the Raiders and Rams have battled 19 times in regular season tune-ups since 1970.
The Raiders lead the all-time preseason series 12-7 and have won the last four meetings, all in Oakland.
The series has been played out in four different cities (Berkeley, Oakland, St. Louis, and Los Angeles) and in five different stadiums (Cal’s Memorial Stadium, the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, the Edward Jones Dome, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and Anaheim Stadium).
The Raiders and Rams met annually in the preseason from 1970-73, traditionally in Week 3 of a six-game exhibition schedule. The Rams won the first meeting, 34-23, in Los Angeles, with the Raiders winning the next three.
The second meeting, a 20-7 Raiders win in 1971, was held at Cal’s Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, as was the fourth, a 16-3 Raiders victory in 1973.
Rams quarterback Roman Gabriel, who was originally drafted by the Raiders in the first round of the 1962 AFL Draft, as well as by the Rams in the 1962 NFL Draft, was a top NFL quarterback (1969 NFL MVP) for the Rams and played in this rivalry from 1970-72.
After a year off, the teams resumed their annual meetings with five in a row from 1975-79. The Rams won the 1975 and ’76 contests, with the ’76 match-up serving as the Raiders only loss of the 1976 preseason.
The six-game preseason schedule was shortened to four (with exceptions for American Bowls overseas and Hall of Fame games) after the 1977 campaign, and then Rams would go on to win the next three match-ups in the series, 1978, ’79 and 1992.
During the 1970s, numerous Hall of Fame players on both sides took the field in this preseason series.
For the Raiders: tackle Ron Mix, center Jim Otto, quarterback/kicker George Blanda, quarterback Ken Stabler, cornerback Willie Brown, guard Gene Upshaw, tackle Art Shell, linebacker Ted Hendricks, tight end Dave Casper, wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff, tackle Bob Brown, punter Ray Guy, and Head Coach John Madden.
For the Rams: Head Coach George Allen, defensive end Deacon Jones, guard Tom Mack, defensive tackle Merlin Olsen, tackle Jackie Slater, and defensive end Jack Youngblood.
From 1970-79, the Raiders and Rams each qualified for the playoffs seven times, and played in five conference championship games each during that span. The Silver and Black defeated the Minnesota Vikings 32-14 in Super Bowl XI after the 1976 season.
The Vikings defeated the Rams in the NFL title game that year. The Rams would go on to win the NFC Championship and lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl after the 1979 season.
The Raiders played in five straight AFC Championship games from 1973-77, while the Rams played in three straight NFL title game from 1974-76, and two straight from 1978-79.
The 1979 and 1992 contests featured rare preseason overtime finishes. The Rams won both, 20-14 in ’79, and 19-16 in '92; both games were held in Los Angeles with the Rams as the home team. Longtime Rams running back Eric Dickerson (1983-87) joined the Silver and Black in 1992 after playing for the Indianapolis Colts (1987-91).
The Raiders moved to Los Angeles after the 1981 campaign and set up shop at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The two teams only met three times in the 1980s, all in the regular season.
The Raiders won the next two match-ups against the Rams, both in Los Angeles with the Rams as the home team, 1993-94, which happened to be the last two times the teams would meet as the Los Angeles Raiders vs the Los Angeles Rams in the preseason.
They would face each other during the 1994 regular season.
Both teams would move after the 1994 season, with the Raiders returning to Oakland, and the Rams relocating to St. Louis. From 1995 – 2015, the Raiders won six of the seven preseason meetings between the two teams, with all but one of those match-ups taking place in Oakland.
The Rams only win during this time period came in 2000 in St. Louis, as Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner and the Rams celebrated their 1999 Super Bowl title, and the team unveiled new uniforms.
The Raiders won the last match-up, 18-3 in Oakland in 2015, in Jack Del Rio’s debut as Raiders head coach. The Rams returned to Los Angeles in 2016.
In the preseason, the two teams played twice in Berkeley, eight times in Los Angeles, twice in St. Louis and seven times in Oakland. Well over 30 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame have participated in this rivalry.
As for the regular season, the Raiders lead the series 8-5, with the Rams winning the last three in St. Louis and the Raiders winning the last two in Oakland. The two teams have eight Super Bowl appearances between them.
When the Raiders and Rams renew their preseason rivalry Saturday night in Oakland, the Rams will once again be wearing new uniforms, with the new look harkening back to the days when this series first began. And the next time the Raiders take to the road to face the Rams, it’ll be in Los Angeles where the whole thing began.
Raiders vs Rams Preseason Series:
Aug. 22, 1970: Raiders at LA Rams, L 34-23
Aug. 21, 1971: Raiders vs LA Rams, W 20-7, Berkeley
Aug. 19, 1972: Raiders at LA Rams, W 34-9
Aug. 18, 1973: Raiders vs LA Rams, W 16-3, Berkeley
Sept. 11, 1975: Raiders at LA Rams, L 6-0
Aug. 21, 1976: Raiders vs LA Rams, L 23-14
Sept. 9, 1977: Raiders at LA Rams, W 21-0
Aug. 6, 1978: Raiders vs LA Rams, L 28-3
Aug. 4, 1979: Raiders at LA Rams, L 20-14 OT
Aug. 15, 1992: LA Raiders at LA Rams, L 19-16 OT
Aug. 28, 1993: LA Raiders at LA Rams, W 20-19
Aug. 20, 1994: LA Raiders at LA Rams, W 29-20
Aug. 12, 1995: Raiders vs STL Rams, W 27-22
Aug. 7, 1999: Raiders at STL Rams, W 18-17
Aug. 5, 2000: Raiders at STL Rams, L 31-17
Aug. 8, 2003: Raiders vs STL Rams, W 7-6
Sept. 2, 2004: Raiders vs STL Rams, W 28-24
Aug. 24, 2007: Raiders vs STL Rams, W 20-10
Aug. 14, 2015: Raiders vs STL Rams, W 18-3
(Series Trend) The Raiders have won 8 of the last 9 preseason games vs the Rams
http://www.raiders.com/news/article...ith-Rams/1a85ea44-5736-4d42-b3a4-4e6892d47bbf
Jack Del Rio didn't leave the fans waiting on the status of the Raiders starters for their second preseason game.
By Jeff Smith
Published: August 18, 2017
So, it looks like Raider Nation will get their first look at the full 2017 Raiders starters, and it'll be for more than a quarter of action.
In the Oakland Raiders preseason opener, many big names like Derek Carr, Amari Cooper. Khalil Mack, Marshawn Lynch and Michael Crabtree were all spectators.
Apparently, that will all change in the team's second preseason game Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams.
In head coach Jack Del Rio's press conference after practice Thursday, he was asked about the starters playing in the game and said they would all play into the second quarter.
http://oak.247sports.com/Gallery/Oa...eed-to-bounce-back-in-second-presea-106297131
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Even though this is considered a meaningless 2nd preseason game by the general fan base and media, the Raiders should be a step up in class compared to the backup units the Cowboys put on the field last weekend at Los Angeles.
Other than the Cowboys O-Line last Saturday, Jason Garrett held out several of his regular season starters and the game overall had the look of a sloppy exhibition match.
McVay also held out some of his key players last weekend and according to NFL media pundits, he bubble wrapped Goff (only giving him limited snaps) as if he was a proven 5 year starter that didn't require any extra reps.
Regardless of last week, the match-up tonight at Oakland should display most of the projected starters for both teams in the first quarter and give us a few clues and answers heading into the more important 3rd preseason game.
August 19, 2017 at Oakland, California 7pm Pacific time..
AT
*Previewing* the obvious list of Rams things to watch for in the (first quarter) and maybe a series or two in the second quarter of tonight's 2nd preseason game at Oakland.
1) Will the starting offensive line (Center, Left & Right side) create running lanes that Gurley can see?
2) How will the O-Line look in pass protection? (especially in obvious passing downs)
3) Will Jared Goff
Throw a TD pass?
Have any fumbles?
Look like polished second year QB with his arrow pointing up?
Fling the ball too high over the heads of open receivers?
Fail to go through his progressions and just stare down his primary targets?
Show some leadership signs and make accurate throws?
Take unnecessary sacks when his WR's/TE's are covered because he holds onto the ball too long?
Over or Under throw his targets down the field of more than 20 yards?
4) Will Wade's defense in the first quarter hold up against the talented skill players of the Raiders?
5) Will Sammy Watkins, Woods and Kupp ever be on the field together in a 3 WR set?
6) Will Josh Reynolds get any receptions and have at least one target over 25 yards ?
7) Will rookie RB Justin Davis have the most yards per attempt again minus the fumbles?
8) How many flags will be thrown in the first half?
9) Will the surprise players on defense vs Cowboys last Saturday show up again at the Raiders?
10) Can the Rams offense score more than one touchdown in the first half?
11) Will Quinn, Barwin, Ogletree Barron, Brockers or Westbrooks make any impact plays in their limited snaps?
12) Will Higbee, Everett or Hemingway score a TD or at least make a splash more than than 15 yards?
13) Will Mo Alexander and L.Joyner both be on the field together and protect there areas of the field?
14) Will the peoples choice FB named Sam Rogers do anything in this game that we can talk about tomorrow?
15) Who will be the surprise players that weren't mentioned in last Saturday's preseason game?
No matter how good or bad this game goes, we all pretty much agree that the most important thing tonight is none of the projected starters get injured for either team.
Hopefully the first half of this game doesn't look like a sloppy preseason (comedy of errors) exhibition match.
McVay’s history shows Rams can’t afford to be pass-happy on offense
- RAMS / NFL TALK
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McVay’s history shows Rams can’t afford to be pass-happy on offense
Rams head coach Sean McVay gives instructions to his players during a training camp practice at Crawford Field in UC Irvine in Irvine on Monday, August 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)
By Rich Hammond
OAKLAND >> Coach Sean McVay is a quarterbacks guru who loves tight-end mismatches and now gets to plan with receiver Sammy Watkins. But don’t forget the Rams’ running backs. McVay should not.
The Rams have Todd Gurley, who underachieved badly in 2016 but seems poised for a bounce-back season after a strong training camp. McVay, the Rams’ rookie coach and their play-caller, might be tempted to throw the ball a lot, but his recent history suggests that the ground game works.
McVay’s second preseason game as a head coach takes place today, when the Rams play at Oakland. Last week against Dallas, the Rams totaled 33 pass plays and 28 run plays.
“When you put together any offensive system,” Rams running backs coach Skip Peete said this week, “you try to have some form of balance, with the run and the pass. When you go back and look at Coach’s history, as far as his time in Washington when he was calling plays, that’s what he did. There was a balance between the run and pass.”
Sometimes, yes.
McVay called plays last season as Washington’s offensive coordinator. In the team’s eight victories, it ran the ball on 47.2 percent of its plays. In seven losses, Washington ran on only 29.1 percent of its plays.
Washington ran the ball more as the 2016 season progressed, but in total, the team passed on 61.6 percent of its plays, the seventh-highest average in the NFL last season. Washington averaged 24.8 points per game, only the 12th-highest average in the league.
Will that change with the Rams? They have a second-year quarterback in Jared Goff, and they don’t know exactly what to expect from Gurley or from an offensive line that seems upgraded but struggled badly last season in pass and run blocking, as the Rams compiled some of the NFL’s worst offensive stats.
The tendency, with a coach, quarterback and organization all attempting to make a good impression in Los Angeles, might be to sling the ball around the field, but that’s not always the most prudent plan. For instance, New England in 2016 averaged 34.4 pass attempts and 30.1 run attempts per game.
“It’s hard to be a dominant offense if you’re not balanced,” Rams center John Sullivan said. “You have to make teams worry about both facets. Obviously, everybody loves seeing big-chunk plays and throwing the ball down the field, but the way you open that up sometimes is by running the ball effectively. One feeds off the other.”
Sullivan should know. He spent most of last season in Washington as the backup center.
Washington started last season 0-2, and in those games attempted 89 passes and only 29 runs. So astounding was the disparity that McVay actually went before local reporters and said he would call more run plays.
He did. Washington won its next four games, in which it attempted 138 passes and 109 runs. Washington kept running the ball, even after a midseason injury to lead back Matt Jones. McVay turned to Rob Kelley, an undrafted free agent, who became a trusted option.
Now, McVay has Gurley, who averaged only 3.2 yards per carry last season behind a struggling offensive line and alongside a sputtering pass game.
McVay recently praised Gurley as a “violent runner” and certainly is talking a good game, in terms of making Gurley a focal point of his offense.
“He’s definitely a complete back,” McVay said. “I think he’s motivated in the right way. I can’t say enough about what he’s done right now and the challenge, just like anything else is, ‘Can we continue to sustain that over time?’ That consistency that we’re striving for and Todd’s been a great example of that for our team so far.”
McVay clearly attempted to line up his running backs upon his arrival. He inherited Gurley, then the Rams signed free agent Lance Dunbar to emulate Washington’s Chris Thompson. McVay regularly used Thompson as a pass threat out of the backfield, and Dunbar mirrors Thompson’s size and skill set.
The only problem is, Dunbar hasn’t made it onto the field in preseason practices because of a bad knee. Gurley has been getting more work as a pass-catcher, and the Rams like the effort of undrafted free agent Justin Davis, who is shifty in the open field.
So, the evolution of the Rams’ offense continues, and it will get a longer look Saturday, as the starters are expected to play into the second quarter against the Raiders.
“I think it’s about attacking and winning football games,” Sullivan said. “We scored a ton of points last year, and now that’s the expectation in Los Angeles, that we’re going to do the exact same thing. We’re going to use all facets of the game to attack teams, and we’re going to try to put defenses on their heels.”
ROSTER MOVES
The Rams on Friday signed outside linebacker Davis Tull and cornerback Carlos Davis, and waived receivers C.J. Germany and Justin Thomas.
Tull spent last season on Atlanta’s practice squad and most recently had been in the Canadian Football League. Davis went undrafted this year out of Mississippi.
[www.dailynews.com]
Rams head coach Sean McVay gives instructions to his players during a training camp practice at Crawford Field in UC Irvine in Irvine on Monday, August 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)
By Rich Hammond
OAKLAND >> Coach Sean McVay is a quarterbacks guru who loves tight-end mismatches and now gets to plan with receiver Sammy Watkins. But don’t forget the Rams’ running backs. McVay should not.
The Rams have Todd Gurley, who underachieved badly in 2016 but seems poised for a bounce-back season after a strong training camp. McVay, the Rams’ rookie coach and their play-caller, might be tempted to throw the ball a lot, but his recent history suggests that the ground game works.
McVay’s second preseason game as a head coach takes place today, when the Rams play at Oakland. Last week against Dallas, the Rams totaled 33 pass plays and 28 run plays.
“When you put together any offensive system,” Rams running backs coach Skip Peete said this week, “you try to have some form of balance, with the run and the pass. When you go back and look at Coach’s history, as far as his time in Washington when he was calling plays, that’s what he did. There was a balance between the run and pass.”
Sometimes, yes.
McVay called plays last season as Washington’s offensive coordinator. In the team’s eight victories, it ran the ball on 47.2 percent of its plays. In seven losses, Washington ran on only 29.1 percent of its plays.
Washington ran the ball more as the 2016 season progressed, but in total, the team passed on 61.6 percent of its plays, the seventh-highest average in the NFL last season. Washington averaged 24.8 points per game, only the 12th-highest average in the league.
Will that change with the Rams? They have a second-year quarterback in Jared Goff, and they don’t know exactly what to expect from Gurley or from an offensive line that seems upgraded but struggled badly last season in pass and run blocking, as the Rams compiled some of the NFL’s worst offensive stats.
The tendency, with a coach, quarterback and organization all attempting to make a good impression in Los Angeles, might be to sling the ball around the field, but that’s not always the most prudent plan. For instance, New England in 2016 averaged 34.4 pass attempts and 30.1 run attempts per game.
“It’s hard to be a dominant offense if you’re not balanced,” Rams center John Sullivan said. “You have to make teams worry about both facets. Obviously, everybody loves seeing big-chunk plays and throwing the ball down the field, but the way you open that up sometimes is by running the ball effectively. One feeds off the other.”
Sullivan should know. He spent most of last season in Washington as the backup center.
Washington started last season 0-2, and in those games attempted 89 passes and only 29 runs. So astounding was the disparity that McVay actually went before local reporters and said he would call more run plays.
He did. Washington won its next four games, in which it attempted 138 passes and 109 runs. Washington kept running the ball, even after a midseason injury to lead back Matt Jones. McVay turned to Rob Kelley, an undrafted free agent, who became a trusted option.
Now, McVay has Gurley, who averaged only 3.2 yards per carry last season behind a struggling offensive line and alongside a sputtering pass game.
McVay recently praised Gurley as a “violent runner” and certainly is talking a good game, in terms of making Gurley a focal point of his offense.
“He’s definitely a complete back,” McVay said. “I think he’s motivated in the right way. I can’t say enough about what he’s done right now and the challenge, just like anything else is, ‘Can we continue to sustain that over time?’ That consistency that we’re striving for and Todd’s been a great example of that for our team so far.”
McVay clearly attempted to line up his running backs upon his arrival. He inherited Gurley, then the Rams signed free agent Lance Dunbar to emulate Washington’s Chris Thompson. McVay regularly used Thompson as a pass threat out of the backfield, and Dunbar mirrors Thompson’s size and skill set.
The only problem is, Dunbar hasn’t made it onto the field in preseason practices because of a bad knee. Gurley has been getting more work as a pass-catcher, and the Rams like the effort of undrafted free agent Justin Davis, who is shifty in the open field.
So, the evolution of the Rams’ offense continues, and it will get a longer look Saturday, as the starters are expected to play into the second quarter against the Raiders.
“I think it’s about attacking and winning football games,” Sullivan said. “We scored a ton of points last year, and now that’s the expectation in Los Angeles, that we’re going to do the exact same thing. We’re going to use all facets of the game to attack teams, and we’re going to try to put defenses on their heels.”
ROSTER MOVES
The Rams on Friday signed outside linebacker Davis Tull and cornerback Carlos Davis, and waived receivers C.J. Germany and Justin Thomas.
Tull spent last season on Atlanta’s practice squad and most recently had been in the Canadian Football League. Davis went undrafted this year out of Mississippi.
[www.dailynews.com]
