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Pace Murphy

You guys know I have some thoughts here on this subject....

Pace Murphy played a lot in the first two games when Darrell Williams was used sparingly
then they reversed the two in the final two games. When Pace was in he played well & without mistakes that could not be said of Darrell. Darrell's last pre season game was not as bad as his third but just putting in a few good blocks in the last game would make Darrell look better. His 4th pre season game was NOT a good one IMO.

Pace Murphy has not had a bad game or even a mediocre game in pre season Darrell would get both those awards. We had heard reports in TC that Darrell looked rusty & seemed to have regressed. Appears those short reports were correct

I feel strongly that the Rams will not add another veteran OT as long as Rodger Saffold is healthy. Rams have on their active roster 3 OT's who played OLT....Robinson, Saffold & Murphy in pre season. Very small mention here on OLG David Arkin started his senor season in college @ OLT. Arkin is a jackknife of a OL'er he can play all five OL posts in an emergency. I would consider him our 10th OL'er at the moment. At ORT Boudreau has played Havenstein, Donnal & Saffold this pre season. This could also be an element of the OT discussion where they may bring ORT Garrett Reynolds back from the IR early if they can.

Once Havenstein gets back in full operation & proves he has moved past the injury then Arkin is sure to be released & DB or an interior run stopper added to this roster way before considering another OT. Arkin took the injured Reynolds roster spot. I not sure what happened to Darrell Williams & if he did have an injury of some kind it was the perfect time to shelve him & give Boudreau time to see if he can refurbish him. After all Boudreau has not had the opportunity to practice his hobby lately.....Bou refurbishes broke down OL'ers & Darrell Williams fits that description, Pace Murphy is a sound rookie find.


I am guessing that Williams injury could have affected his play.

We are Going to Run the Ball, so Whatcha Gonna Do?

How different does last year look if Jared Cook didn't drop chain moving pass, after chain moving pass? It was like he was paid to drop those d@mn passes. That was part of last years plan, catch the d@mn ball, Cook. Those failures obscured the effects of the running game, which was nothing like it will be this year. You have never seen this Rams team run the ball and destroy the opposing defense, like I remember....10 play drives for TD's were common from my memory. With this Oline that we have this year, Gurley may be transported to the 1700 yards range and 500 passing.

Really, this idea is a little bit of a generational difference. I haven't seen a ground game like it used to be in the 70's, in the NFL for a very long time. Not even Beast Mode in Seattle was as good as what I remember the running game for the Rams was in the 70's. Yeah, I know the line is it's a passing league now, old timer...until it isn't. There are ebbs and flows in thinking about offensive philosophy, and the defenses adapt to those changes...Right now, they are built to stop the pass and the run is a secondary thing, until some bonecrushing team with an Oline opens holes for a guy with Hall of Fame talent and he exposes the soft underbelly of that philosophy.

Until I see a dominant run game take over, this will remain a passing league. DEN and MINN were top 5 in pts/allowed and came into the playoffs at 22pts/game. The rest of the playoff teams averaged 23 or better.

Keenum, in his career, averages 1 TD a game and 200/game.

So.

7pts a game right there.

This D unit isn't top 5. Not with the secondary it has. Not with Joyner. Not without a true FS.

So. For 23/game.

You need 16 more/game.

You're either expecting a lot of rushing TDs or a lot of FGs. That recipe hasn't exactly worked for the Rams.

And again, from a hands perspective, this team isn't all that improved from last year from what I've seen. Spruce sure. But he still hasn't played against 1s yet. Thomas hasn't been effective catching yet. Higbee either. Cooper either.

Yea, Gurley can get 1700 yards. They're going to need a helluva lot more than that from the QB position to compete.

I don't see CK being good enough. And maybe the sad fact will be that none of the QBs will be good enough this year to take pressure off Gurley. Who knows.

Drop Quick, Pick up Shorts

Prob is they're at 7. Bring in Shorts, two get cut.

IMO the cut is Quick vs Thomas. Thomas takes the torch as the guy with upside who can't execute, or maybe he doesn't. Quick's just about out of time IMO.

If they bring in another WR it will be Quick and Thomas most likely. Either way I don't want to see Coop or Spruce cut.

Yea, they're at 7 currently. Cut Quick. Bring in Shorts. Make the decision on who stays when Coop and Spruce get healthy. It'll likely be Coop vs. Thomas vs. Marquez unless Shorts is unimpressive.
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Fantasy Football - I reluctantly resign.

Thanks guys.

If I could, I would. Time is short. I still want to play.

I want the commish possibles to know, it's not much work, just make sure the leagues have the same scoring rules. The leagues are set up (as far as I can ascertain) and there are no decisions once the season has begun.

The job is more about organizing the league commissioners and getting them on the same page than anything else.

GDT: Rams at Vikings

Reading posts regarding Goff's play - and other reports on the internet I was expecting to see Goff basically implode/house of horrors.

I just watched the game Rams/Vikings and while this was not Goff's best outing it was by no means the horrible implosion I read about.
Clearly Goff is not ready to play. And that's okay, Jim Everett (among others) did not start the first game of his rookie year either.

IMHO no time to worry about Jarred.
It's a process and he'll be fine.

For those worried that Goff will bust...

You play to win this year.
Just making the decision to play Goff this year, because he's a high draft pick would be a poor decision. playing a rookie pocket passer is almost certainly a loosing season.
Keenum is the better QB at the moment. That's who should start.
The Rams will play to win, that's why they will hand the ball off to Todd Gurley and let the defense destroy the opposing offense. Bubbaramsfan suggest this video
It explains a lot about what they are going to do this year and as the commentator in the video states "there is nothing opposing defenses can do to stop this Rams running game."
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The Film Room Ep 11: Todd Gurley and Tavon Austin vs the Steelers, Cardinals, & Packers
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2w-SULm2B8
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Dak Prescott, Paxton Lynch grade highest among rookie QBs

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...t-paxton-lynch-grade-highest-among-rookie-qbs

With three weeks of preseason play in the books, Daniel Jeremiah took a look back at how the top-drafted quarterbacks have performed in the extreme early going of their careers, handing out grades, identifying areas for improvement and setting expectations for the rest of the season. NOTE: Only quarterbacks drafted in the fourth round or higher were assessed -- thus, you won't find undrafted rookies like the Seahawks' Trevone Boykin or the Packers' Joe Callahan below.

Without further ado, the QB rookie progress reports:

Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams
Drafted: Round 1, No. 1 overall.




Preseason analysis: Goff has been very average in the preseason. He's been at his best on quick-rhythm throws that allow him to predetermine where to go with the ball and get it out of his hand rapidly. He hasn't looked comfortable working deep into progressions, and he's had issues protecting the ball (in three games, he's thrown one pick and fumbled twice). In Goff's defense, the pass catchers he's throwing to have let him down in each game he's played. It's tough to get into a groove when you have so many dropped balls. GRADE: C+

Areas for improvement: He needs a lot of reps to gain more confidence and poise inside the pocket. He also will benefit from simply getting physically stronger. At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Goff has some room on his frame to add more weight and strength.

Expectations for rookie season: Goff didn't look like he was ready to start Week 1, but I imagine we will see him take over the position around midseason. I just can't see Case Keenum playing at a consistently high enough level to maintain his grip on the position.

Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles
Drafted: Round 1, No. 2 overall.




Preseason analysis: We didn't get to see a lot of Wentz, who has been out since suffering a hairline rib fracture in the Eagles' preseason opener. But there were a lot of positives aspects of his play. Wentz showed excellent arm strength to drive the ball, and he uses his athleticism to extend plays. He was also very effective in the zone-read opportunities he was given. He did have several balls sail on him, although most were still catchable. GRADE: B

Areas for improvement: Accuracy -- especially when he's under duress -- is still an area in which he can improve. Wentz also needs to do a better job of protecting himself both in the pocket and on the move. He took some huge shots from Tampa defenders, one of which resulted in his injury.

Expectations for rookie season: I think the Eagles would love to have Wentz sit behind Sam Bradford for the entire season. If Bradford stays healthy, I believe this will be a redshirt year for Wentz. However, if he's forced to play, I believe he could handle it. He's mentally tough enough to survive the up-and-down moments that will come early in his development.

Paxton Lynch, Denver Broncos
Drafted: Round 1, No. 26 overall.




Preseason analysis: Lynch was much further ahead than I anticipated during the preseason. His footwork was very crisp, considering the adjustment he's making from the offense he was in at Memphis. He displayed a huge arm and showed the ability to create with his legs. He is much more comfortable working on the edges as opposed to attacking the middle of the field. Lynch's touch and ball placement were a little spotty in the third week of the preseason. GRADE: B+

Areas for improvement: Lynch (six sacks in three games) still needs to improve his pocket awareness. He bailed early a couple of times, and he held the ball too long on occasion. He will get more comfortable in this area with more reps and game experience.

Expectations for rookie season: I know he's still pretty raw, but again, Lynch is much further along than I anticipated. His skillset is on another level than current Broncos starter Trevor Siemian. I believe he will take over the positon around the middle of the season.

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Drafted: Round 4, No. 135 overall.




Preseason analysis: Prescott put on a show in the preseason, completing 39 of 50 passes (78 percent) for 454 yards, five touchdowns, zero picks and a passer rating of 137.8. I can't recall ever seeing a rookie signal caller perform better than he did this August. Prescott showed tremendous poise, accuracy, velocity and playmaking skills. He completed several beautiful touch throws down the field, as well as small-window drive throws at the intermediate level. He wasn't especially anxious to uses his legs to create plays, but when the opportunity presented itself, he took full advantage. GRADE: A+

Areas for improvement: Prescott has improved his throwing mechanics dramatically since last fall, but there are still some issues that pop up at times. He has a tendency to lock out his front leg, and that can affect his ball placement. However, that is something that can be easily fixed.

Expectations for rookie season: Due to the back injury that will keep Tony Romo out for a significant length of time, Prescott is set to begin the season as the Cowboys' starter. I believe he will perform well during Romo's absence. He's playing behind the best offensive line in the league, and he has tons of talent at the skill positions (receiver Dez Bryant, running back Ezekiel Elliott, tight end Jason Witten). He won't have the same success he enjoyed in the preseason, but I believe Prescott can be efficient and productive. Look for the Cowboys to use him more in the run game than they did in the preseason.

Cardale Jones, Buffalo Bills
Drafted: Round 4, No. 139 overall.




Preseason analysis: Jones flashed some big-time tools in the preseason (he posted 7.4 yards per throw and 5.3 yards per rush in two games, plus 8.5 yards per run and a 93.8 passer rating in the preseason opener), but he was also very inconsistent. He has outstanding arm strength to drive the ball down the field and he throws well on the move. His decision-making and accuracy are still a concern. GRADE: C+

Areas for improvement: Jones should see better results once he cleans up some of his footwork issues. He needs to be more crisp and deliberate in his setup. And, again, his decision-making needs to be improved.

Expectations for rookie season: Jones won't see the field this fall, but he does have the tools to eventually develop into an NFL starter down the line.

Christian Hackenberg, New York Jets
Drafted: Round 2, No. 51 overall.




Preseason analysis: Hackenberg didn't play in the first two preseason games, but he did show some positive traits in Week 3 action. He has prototypical size and arm strength and he led a nearly flawless touchdown drive. However, after that drive, his lack of poise and inconsistent ball placement were concerning. He can really lock on his first read and get mentally stuck when that throw isn't available. GRADE: C

Areas for improvement: Overall, touch and accuracy are the biggest areas that needs to be improved on.

Expectations for rookie season: Hackenberg won't see the field this season, and he remains a long-term project at the position.

Cody Kessler, Cleveland Browns
Drafted: Round 3, No. 93 overall.




Preseason analysis: Kessler didn't see a lot of action in the preseason, attempting just 11 passes in three games. He had one nice back-shoulder throw and a couple of accurate quick passes, but he didn't look very comfortable in the pocket. He took two safeties in the first game (including one especially embarrassing gaffe) and he held the ball too long in each game viewed (four sacks in three games). GRADE: C

Areas for improvement: Kessler's feet are too busy in the pocket, and he needs to be more decisive. His deep-ball accuracy is another area that needs to be improved.

Expectations for rookie season: Kessler shouldn't see any action this season. In my opinion, he looks like a long-term backup quarterback.

Jacoby Brissett, New England Patriots
Drafted: Round 3, No. 91 overall.




Preseason analysis: Brissett struggled in the first contest, completing 53.8 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 67.1. He made poor decisions and his ball placement was inconsistent at best. But he got better each week, flashing the ability to read the entire field in the Carolina game in Week 3 (completing all nine throws for 85 yards, a score and a passer rating of 143.1). He has enough arm to make all of the throws. GRADE: C+

Areas for improvement: His touch underneath and down the field needs improvement. Brissett is actually most comfortable on the intermediate throws. Decision-making is another area where he needs to continue to improve.

Expectations for rookie season: It looks like he will be the primary backup while Tom Brady serves his four-game suspension. It would be best for him and the Patriots if he doesn't see the field this season.

Connor Cook, Oakland Raiders
Drafted: Round 4, No. 100 overall.




Preseason analysis: Cook has ideal size (6-4, 217 pounds), a quick release and plenty of arm talent. He showed the ability to throw with touch at times, but his deep-ball accuracy was spotty. He flashed the athleticism to extend plays. The biggest issue was his tendency to force the ball into high-traffic areas, which resulted in two interceptions. GRADE: C

Areas for improvement: Field vision and decision-making are the two areas in which Cook needs to improve. He has all of the physical tools and the upside to be an NFL starting quarterback.

Expectations for rookie season: He won't see the field this fall.

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