I am asking an honest question. I am asking those of you who have been closer to coaching in the High School or College level than I have. What are the advantages to running empty sets…is is mainly to give your offense one more weapon than the defense can defend? Yea f that is the case, then you better know where your going with the ball, because you have no blocking next to you, and the defense doesn’t have to worry about the run. It feels high risk for a turnover and QB sacks…I have come to dislike the empty set because the defense only has to worry about one thing. I would like an educated conversation.

1. That one was brutal.

2. I'll start by saying this clearly and succinctly... no way in Hell we should have lost that game.

3. A lot of blame to go around, so I'll start with the receivers not named Puka Nacua. Cooper Kupp had the worst game I can recall him having. Two drops helped kill the opening drive, then, apart from one long reception and a 2 point conversion, he was invisible. Tutu Atwell made one great play (on a pass not even intended for him) but was similarly invisible otherwise. Finally, there is Tyler Higbee, who dropped a key pass (hearing footsteps) and otherwise had only one catch.

4. Matthew Stafford wasn't as bad as numbers suggest (see 3 drops above), but that interception was inexcusable for a QB of his experience. That's the kind of play you'd expect from a young QB (not taking away from a great play by T.J. Watt, but Stafford should know better than to be baited into that throw).

5. The defense's overall numbers (300 yards allowed) may seem okay, but situationally, they did a pretty poor job. Again, the pressure was just not consistent enough to get to the QB with any frequency or to force turnovers.

6. The parade of horrible performances next brings us to Brett Maher. He clearly has a problem with missing kicks in bunches. The missed XP didn't hurt us due to the two point conversion, but two missed FGs changed the game not only due to points not being scored, but also due to the field position it left the Steelers with (leading to 10 of their points). He may soon be out of a job.

7. Sean McVay also had a bad day. The Steelers seemed to have the right defense for his play calls far too often, and his cavalier wasting of time outs finally caught up with him as it prevented a challenge that would have given the Rams one last chance to tie the game. He'll take responsibility but, who cares? Don't apologize... just manage the clock better!

8. It's easy to blame the refs for a really bad call (or two, if you count the phantom PI called against Ankhello Witherspoon a couple of plays before the bad spot), but the Rams never should have been in that position.

9. The Rams inability to string two consecutive wins together is getting really frustrating.

10. The running game, as I predicted, was able to thrive without Kyren Williams. Nice effort by Darrell Henderson and Royce Freeman. Still, while the production was good, the impact wasn't there, as the Rams were unable to sustain drives due to penalties and sacks.

11. Despite the bad team effort, I'll give out player of the week recognitions. On offense, Puka Nacua is the obvious choice. He is truly a find.

12. On defense, the much maligned Michael Hoecht gets the nod after leading the Rams in tackles and registering two sacks.

13. The Football Gods continue to frown on the Rams. Fumble by Harris - recovered by Steelers. Ball tipped by at least two Ram defenders - falls harmlessly to the ground. Bobble by punt returner - secures the ball. We still have not started a single drive in an opponent's territory this year. The failure to force turnovers is part of that equation but, damn... could we get a bounce for once!

14. Derion Kendrick capped off a week of legal troubles with some really bad coverage. He may be sharing an Uber from Rams Park with Maher before long.

15. While I'm criticizing the team, I'll throw a bit my way as well. I tend to compartmentalize the stress of real life and funnel that energy into being a sports fan. For some reason, today, rather being a healthy outlet, I found myself expressing my frustration in such a severe manner that it disturbed my wife and even freaked out my dogs a bit. That's not right. I need to be better than that as a fan and as a human being. Mea culpa.

16. Earlier this year I declared myself "Mr. Brightside," so here's what I've got... There is a lot of good here overall. You can see the potential of many of our young players... Nacua, Byron Young, Kobie Turner, Steve Avila and others. I truly believe that these players, coupled with our key vets and some additions, will make real noise next year. If they want to do so this year, though, they simply can't let games like today's (and the Bengals game, for the matter) slip away.

17. Of course, it would be just like this team to go out and beat Dallas next week.

18. Speaking of next week... PROGRAMMING NOTE: I will be off the grid next Sunday and Monday, so I'd like to find someone to fill in as a guest writer of my 20RT series. Any takers? (PM me!)

19. I don't know what to say about visiting teams taking over the stands. Frustrating, but I don't see any solution right now.

20. I'm not giving up on this season, by the way. Just frustrated by a really bad week.

Goff shits the bed on the first play of second half McVay roasts his balls. Stafford? It's me

Time to start practicing Ethan Evans as a PK. He kicked FGs in college. He just needs practice and coaching. He was 43 of 44 on extra points.

Ryan Succop is available and he's money out to 50 yds

Played his ass off.. stong yac and very good footwork. Ram great receiver in the making.

This was a loss to an AFC team... so no tie breakers effected.

We beat dallas next week.. id say it was a win over the last two weeks.

I thought we would win this game and lose at Dallas....

that being said I have not much confidence we can beat Dallas.

but ya

Have at it.

I remember NCAA football previous to all the conference realignment and playoffs. I like the playoff system but it will be better when it's expanded. But back when the Big 8 actually had only 8 teams, the Pac10 and Big10 10 teams each, I had a favorite team in each conference and among independents.

Being from NJ, Penn St. was (and still is) my #1 favorite? Why not Rutgers you might wonder?Because they weren't fun to watch. I worked with a Rutgers alumni and he used to give me his tickets. The first game I attended there was vs W. Virginia and it was stunning to see how much larger and faster they were. My favorite NJ team was the Princeton Tigers. Glorious old Palmer Stadium, with all it's history, covered with Ivy (literally), was awesome. My father worked in Princeton often and used to take me because he knew a guy who would give him tickets.

Then in 1971 my older brother took me. We had end zone seats and while walking around the stadium previous to kickoff, we came across Howard David, a local radio sportscaster who later was the radio voice for the Miami Dolphins. In August he had broadcasted my Babe Ruth league World Series games in Alburquerque for WHWH in Hamilton, NJ. He was doing Tiger football at the time and after discussing those WS games, he asked us where we were sitting. "The end zone" my brother said. "No you're on the 50 yard line" Howard said, and handed us some tickets. I felt like a 14 year old celebrity!

Anyway, Penn St. was my favorite followed closely by Michigan in the Big 10 (mainly because I hated Woody Hayes and Ohio St......before they were THE Ohio St) and USC in the Pac10. The rest in no particular order were, Texas in the Big 8, FSU in the ACC, Florida in the SEC and SMU in the old Southwest Conference. The latter 2 mainly because of Youngblood and Dickerson.

Realignment makes it tough as Penn St and Michigan are in the same conference. But after that ugly loss yesterday to Ohio St., I am rooting for Michigan to beat both of them and win the National Title.

Since then I've rooted for Clemson when Danny Ford guided them to a Championship, Georgia when Alabama was dominating, Alabama since Georgia has dominated. Arizona St. when Jake the Snake was there and because I almost attended. Stanford when Luck was there, etc.. The multiple conferences allowed for multiple allagiances. Now what are we going to have? The SEC and Big 10 (with 20 teams each)? Boy, I miss the old days. I don't miss the uncertain champions and questions like what if the Rose Bowl Champ played the Sugar Bowl Champ or when Nixon stepped in and declared another team national champion!

What is on YOUR Game Day Menu?

I found some in-husk tamales that look really good… with chili defrosting to put on top of these. Can’t wait!

Sunday October 22, 2023

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Los Angeles Rams: 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox​

Game Day Thread

The GDT is a live thread tradition here at ROD.

While we all get fired up watching the game, please remember our core principles;we always show respect for our team and each other.

Despite the emotional highs and lows watching a game, we will moderate this thread with that in mind, however please refrain from name calling. This applies to players, the Rams organization, and others.

This is the core rule of the GDT. Moderators are tasked to issue thread bans, at a minimum, to maintain this standard.

This is our team. Win or lose. Good days and bad. We are here for FUN, not to be dragged down.

A more loosely moderated atmosphere can be found in the chat room.

Go Rams!

———

ROD Chat Room;

Game Day Room

.

Sunday Night Football - Week 7 - Sunday, October 22, 2023

Miami Dolphins vs. Philadelphia Eagles: 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock

ROD Sportsbook:

Week 7 - Sunday, October 22, 2023

THE LATE GAMES
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Los Angeles Rams: 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox
Arizona Cardinals vs. Seattle Seahawks: 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox
Green Bay Packers vs. Denver Broncos: 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
Los Angeles Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs: 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS

THE EARLY GAMES
Detroit Lions vs. Baltimore Ravens: 1:00 p.m. ET, Fox
Cleveland Browns vs. Indianapolis Colts: 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Chicago Bears: 1:00 p.m. ET, Fox
Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots: 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS
Washington Commodes vs. New York Giants: 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS
Atlanta Falcons vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1:00 p.m. ET, Fox

SNF
Miami Dolphins vs. Philadelphia Eagles: 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock

Monday, October 23, 2023

San Francisco 49ers vs. Minnesota Vikings: 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC

————

ALREADY PLAYED

Thursday, October 19, 2023
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New Orleans Saints: 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video

Week 7 - Sunday, October 22, 2023

THE EARLY GAMES
Detroit Lions vs. Baltimore Ravens: 1:00 p.m. ET, Fox
Cleveland Browns vs. Indianapolis Colts: 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Chicago Bears: 1:00 p.m. ET, Fox
Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots: 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS
Washington Commodes vs. New York Giants: 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS
Atlanta Falcons vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1:00 p.m. ET, Fox

THE LATE GAMES
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Los Angeles Rams: 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox
Arizona Cardinals vs. Seattle Seahawks: 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox
Green Bay Packers vs. Denver Broncos: 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
Los Angeles Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs: 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS

SNF
Miami Dolphins vs. Philadelphia Eagles: 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock

Monday, October 23, 2023

San Francisco 49ers vs. Minnesota Vikings: 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC

————

ALREADY PLAYED

Thursday, October 19, 2023
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New Orleans Saints: 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video

Would've been his second game winning Punt Return of the year. They claim he "incorrectly" called for a "fair catch" when it's quite clear he was pointing at the ball and telling his guys to clear out.

You see punt returns waving guys off all the time and then returning a punt off the bounce.

They were reviewing whether he stepped out and then a call from New York came in claiming this bullshit.

I bet the Hawkeye offense is the worst of all time, but you can't take this away from Coop.

He's one of the best DBs in the Nation and electrifying players in the Nation. I want the Rams to do EVERYTHING they can to get him.

He'd be such a game changer on Defense and in our return game.

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Pig farmer wins QB duel against "generational talent."



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Didn't see anything about this on here.

@LARAMSinFeb.

Great idea man, here it is.

Stats below are for Rams through 6 games, and Steelers through 5

Steelers defense:
Ranked 22nd in Run defense ; allowing 144 YPG
Ranked 12th in Pass defense ; allowing 246 YPG
Ranked 10th in scoring defense ; allowing 22 PPG
They have allowed 8 Passing TD's
" " " 4 Run TD's
Blitz: the Steelers blitz 36% of the time.... there are only 5 other teams that blitz more

NOTE: their defense is allowing more yards per run between the 20's, but is more stout in the Red Zone and allowing more TD's versus the pass

Steelers Offense is ranked 30th ..... not much to report here

Rams defense:
Ranked 24th in Run defense ; allowing 122 YPG
Ranked 14th in Pass defense ; allowing 208 YPG
Ranked 9th in Scoring Defense ; allowing 19.5 PPG
4 passing TD's
6 Run TD's
Rams blitz 20% of the time ( same percentage as the 49ers )

Rams offense is ranked 10th overall

NOTE: some of the stats are skewed due to the Steelers playing 1 less game ;
example: Rams have only allowed 10 TD's through 6 games, yet the Steelers have allowed 12 in just 5 games.

IMO, if the Rams Offense can stay out of long down & distance, they should keep the Steelers pass rush at bay. Also, their "D" has allowed 30 points to the 49er's and the Texans. They have not faced a passing attack like the Rams yet. So, I see their Pass D taking a hit this week.

I dont know what's going on....thought someone was taking this thread over for me


Lets get back on track and up the stakes a bit... 10k for closest and 20k for exact score prediction

We have Re-signed CB Shawn Jolly to the practice Squad, with the Kendrick news. Anyone have anything on this guy? I know he was on the practice squad/ training camp this year.

5'9" 175 from Appalachian State

Just heard this on ESPN, Will someone post who this is and some background? Cory Durden.

Dieter said this was a worthy thread topic in another thread so I decided to go ahead and start one

I could spend hours naming them

I have already named Highlander 2 Cannonball Run 2 Caddyshack 2 Beastmaster2

Memento has stated Ice Age 2

Dieter has stated Crow 2 Speed 2 Exorcist 2 with a nod to Godfather 3 if beyond 2 movies

So have at it

Anybody have any reports or see anything in regards to our 6th round pick Mathis just off of IR?

EDIT: Found my answer

Did Ochaun Mathis earn more playing time after his debut?​

Should the Rams play more Ochaun Mathis moving forward?
By Blaine Grisak@bgrisakTST Oct 14, 2023, 8:45pm CDT
27 Comments / 27 New

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Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Rams have an obvious need an edge rusher. It’s time to put an end to the Michael Hoecht experiment and play someone else in that spot whether it’s a rookie or trading for a veteran edge rusher.

Last week, rookie Ochaun Mathis made his debut and played a total of 10 snaps. This came as a mild surprise as Mathis was coming off of injured reserve. The team also made fellow rookie, Nick Hampton a healthy scratch in favor of Mathis.

While Mathis only played 10 snaps, he did have two pressures. At the end of the day, with a limited sample, he finished as PFF’s 57th graded edge rusher for the week. With that said, I thought it might be a good exercise to go back and watch all 10 of Mathis’ snaps in Week 5 as we head into Week 6 against the Arizona Cardinals. Getting to Josh Dobbs will be key to getting a divisional win on Sunday.
Mathis played five consecutive snaps on the opening drive and then just five snaps the rest of the game on a sporadic basis. Three of his snaps came on third downs and most of the time he subbed in for Byron Young. With a game under his belt it will be interesting to see of Mathis does get more playing time.

Play 1: 1st Quarter, 2nd-and-7 from the LA 36​

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There was nothing really special about Mathis’ first play on the field. The Eagles put a tight end on him and the rookie was unable to get around the edge. Mathis clearly overpowers the tight end, but doesn’t make an impact on the play. It’s possible that Mathis’ responsibility is simply to keep Hurts in the pocket, but nothing really of note here. It’s a pretty standard five-man rush from the defense.

Play 2: 1st Quarter, 1st-and-10 from the LA 29​

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Again, nothing truly of note on Mathis’ part. It’s a three-man rush for the Rams with Mathis’ responsibility being in the flat in coverage. Mathis respects the running back enough, but as soon as Jalen Hurts breaks the pocket, he releases.

Play 3: 1st Quarter, 2nd-and-2 from the LA 21​

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A third play for Mathis, and again, nothing truly of note to discuss. The play goes away from him in the run game. Out of Mathis’ 10 plays, six of them were runs.

Play 4: 1st Quarter, 1st-and-10 from the LA 17​

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Here we get Mathis’ first pressure and it’s a great play design from defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. This is is an alignment that Morris has rolled out frequently this season in order to get pass rushers either a favorable matchup or free run at the quarterback.
Morris calls a “BOSS” alignment which stands for “Big on Same Side”. As you can see, the Rams have started with three of their bigs on the right side and show blitz with Ernest Jones. This forces the offensive line to slide that direction, leaving Mathis a free-run at the quarterback.

Any other quarterback and this might end up being a sack. However, Mathis does force Hurts to escape to his right. Unfortunately, Hoecht breaks contain on the other side and Hurts is able to escape the pocket and pick up positive yards.

Play 5: 1st Quarter, 2nd-and-8 from the LA 15​

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The Eagles are able to pick up positive yards on this QB power run with Hurts. However, it’s of no fault of Mathis. If anything, this is Ernest Jones misreading the play. Mathis does a nice job holding contain on the edge in case Hurts were to give the ball to the running back.

Play 6: 1st Quarter, 1st-and-goal from the LA 5​

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It’s another play that goes away from Mathis. Nothing of note here from the rookie. It is worth pointing out that on each of these first six plays that Mathis was on the field, Hoecht was the edge on the other side. It would be nice to see more Mathis and Young on the field together. As Mathis gets more experience it will be interesting to see if we do get more of that pairing.

Play 7: 2nd Quarter, 3rd-and-9 from the PHI 41​

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There’s a lot to like about this play. Again, Morris calls a BOSS alignment with Mathis, Donald, and Turner as the “bigs”, giving a one-on-one matchup to Young. There’s also a stunt. Morris is trying to take advantage of Jason Kelce’s head being on a swivel, but the Eagles center is just very good.
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In terms of Mathis on this play, there are a few things to like and things that he could do better. First off, the spin move that he pulled off on Lane Johnson was a lot of fun to watch. It shows off his athleticism and explosiveness as a player. However, by doing so, he breaks contain and Hurts is able to flush the pocket. Against a pocket passer, this may end up being a sack.

Mathis recovers, but slips and is unable to tackle Hurts in the open field. That’s another moment where he could be better, but also unfortunate that he slipped. On grass, that maybe doesn’t happen.

Play 8: 2nd Quarter, 3rd-and-9 from the LA 41​

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You would like to see Mathis be able to make this play on Hurts. He does a nice job recognizing the play, but is just unable to get off of his block quick enough. It’s a tough play to make as Kobie Turner is in a better position. Still, it’s a good effort, but just slightly behind Hurts to make the play.

Play 9: 3rd Quarter, 3rd-and-7 from the PHI 38​

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A few things are true here. First, there is a case to be made that Mathis was held by the Eagles tight end on this play. Secondly, you could also say that Mathis gets too far upfield which allows Hurts to step up and gives him the opportunity to scramble for positive yards. Lastly, it’s fair to say that with most other quarterbacks, this might end up being a sack.

The second point is more applicable to this situation. Mathis creates the pressure, but gets too far upfield in his rush and there isn’t anybody behind him to make a play on Hurts. Again, you can see the speed that he brings to the edge rusher position which is something that the Rams don’t have in their rotation right now. He’ll learn with more experience.

Play 10: 4th Quarter, 2nd-and-11 from the LA 41​

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This was Mathis’ final play of the game and it comes in an obvious passing situation. He’s able to get a free run to the quarterback as the tackle chips Aaron Donald. Out of Mathis’ 10 plays, this was the only snap in which he was paired with Zach Van Valkenburg. The Rams bring six and the interior pressure doesn’t get to Hurts, leaving Dallas Goedart open underneath. Mathis does a nice job dipping underneath the tackle, but the ball just comes out too quickly.

Conclusion​

It would be nice to see more of Mathis on Sunday against the Cardinals. The rookie played 10 snaps in his debut and getting him on the field for 15-20 snaps would be ideal. The immediate takeaway from Mathis is his overall athleticism that he brings. You can immediately feel that athleticism and explosiveness when he was on the field.

Overall, it’s clear that the Rams like Mathis as a player. It was a mild surprise that not only did the Rams make Mathis active for the Eagles game, but added him in the lineup over Nick Hampton who ended up as a healthy scratch.

It’s hard to gauge Mathis’ game in 10 snaps, but with two pressures in 10 snaps, his 14.3 percent pressure percentage ranked ninth in the NFL in Week 5. Obviously, it’s a small sample, but Mathis 14.3 win percentage also leads the Rams edge rushers.

At this point, it’s pretty clear that Michael Hoecht is going to be part of the Rams rotation at edge rusher. However, Mathis showed that he does deserve a deeper look and more snaps going forward.

This should be interesting. Some terms used in the athletic article are “Credible evidence” and Michigan has been using a ‘Vast Network’ to steal opponents signs.

Just when pundits are stating to ask if Harbaugh is the best coach in college football.