The Philadelphia Eagles are off to a great start. Can they sustain it, or is this just a sprint out of the gate that will fade in the stretch run?

You don’t have to go very far back to find an example of the latter scenario. In 2021, the Cardinals also started 6-0 (in fact, they were undefeated until week 8). They had an average margin in those games of 32.3-18.2 (even better than the Eagles’ 26.8-17.5). And we all know how things ultimately turned out for Kyler & Co.

The Eagles have had a bit of a charmed path. They have had a relatively easy schedule. They’ve also avoided the injury bug, with only 2 players on IR (by way of comparison, the Rams have 11).

I suppose, right now, I wouldn’t want to have to play the Eagles. I’m not quite convinced yet, though, that I’ll feel the same in January.

It’s a long season, and we’re barely out of Act I.

Chicago vs. New England​

Week 7 of the 2022 NFL season will conclude with a rematch (in name only) of Super Bowl XX on "Monday Night Football" as the New England Patriots host the Chicago Bears.

The Bears (2-4) opened Week 6 with a frustrating loss to Washington on "Thursday Night Football." It was a game that again exposed the Bears' flaws on both sides of the ball. As for the Patriots (3-3), last week's win over the Cleveland Browns was their second in a row to get them back to .500.

Monday Night Football: Chicago (2-4) at New England (3-3)

Kickoff: Monday, Oct. 24 at 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Spread: Patriots -8
Tickets: As low as $90 on SITickets.com*
Three Things to Watch

1. Bears' offense still searching for answers

The statistics speak for themselves, but all you had to do was watch last Thursday's 12-7 home loss to Washington to see how poorly things are going for Chicago on offense. Yes, the Bears outgained the Commodes by a wide margin (391-214) and continue to run the ball effectively (237 yards on 37 carries), but so much of the production was "empty" yards as the team went 0-for-3 in the red zone, turned the ball over twice, and managed just one touchdown.

After the game, head coach Matt Eberflus promised that the team would make wholesale changes from top to bottom, and everything, from scheme to personnel on both sides of the ball, was on the table. While the defense certainly has its own issues, namely when it comes to stopping the run, it's no stretch to say that these comments were directed primarily toward the offense.

While Chicago owns the No. 2-ranked rushing offense in the NFL (170.7 ypg), the passing attack is at the opposite end of the spectrum, placing last at 122.8 yards per game. In today's NFL, throwing the ball is critical to success, which is why the Bears rank 28th in total offense (293.5 ypg) and 31st overall in scoring (15.5 ppg).

It's not fair to place all of the blame on quarterback Justin Fields, but he certainly hasn't made the big leap forward in his second year as the starter that many were expecting entering this season. With Fields, the story has been pretty much the same: shows flashes of talent and potential but can't seem to put it all together through the course of a game. He's still searching for week-to-week consistency.

Last week, he finished with a game-high 88 rushing yards but threw for only 190 while completing 14 of 27 passes (54.5 percent). He had a touchdown but also threw a costly pick in the red zone (off a pass that was thrown directly into a defensive lineman's helmet) and was sacked five times. The offensive line issues are well documented (23 sacks allowed, tied for the most in the league), but some of this also falls on Fields, who has a tendency to hold onto the ball too long. It also seems as if he's torn between staying in the pocket or trying to use his legs to make something happen.

For the season, Fields has a 55 percent completion rate and he's averaging 144.8 passing yards per game. He's been effective as a runner (5.2 ypc), but that's negated by the sacks (23, tied for the most in the league) and more turnovers (five INTs, one fumble) than touchdowns (four passing, one rushing). Those numbers simply won't cut it. Again, it's not all Fields' fault, which is where offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and the supporting cast come in. Getsy needs to build a game plan around what Fields does best and stop trying to make him something he's not. Fields appears most comfortable when he's either rolling to his left or his right and tries to find an open receiver or makes the decision to see what he can pick up with his legs. The longer he has to wait back in the pocket and go through his progressions is when things seem to break down, and pass protection is certainly not his offensive line's strength right now.

While it's not as exciting as throwing the ball all over and taking shots downfield, right now it seems like the best decision is for Chicago to lean on its running game. Again, the Bears are second in the league in rushing offense and New England is a middle-of-the-pack defense against it (119.0 ypg, 16th). That's not saying Fields won't have to make plays with his arm because Bill Belichick-coached teams are just too good to not make adjustments, but Fields can't be expected to beat the Patriots all by himself.

And Fields shouldn't have to, not when he can hand the ball off to either Khalil Herbert or David Montgomery, who have combined for 648 rushing yards and four touchdowns. The duo was responsible for 162 of the team's 237 rushing yards last week, including a 63-yard gain by Herbert.

2. Patriots rounding into form

New England has won its last two games and done so in impressive fashion despite relying on a third-string rookie quarterback. In fact, the biggest storyline with the Patriots right now is whether or not Mac Jones should just be handed the starting job back after Bailey Zappe played so well. For now, indications are that Jones will get the nod after missing two games because of an ankle injury, but one thing about Belichick, he always keeps his cards close to his chest.

However, it's also a question worth raising considering New England is 2-0 with Zappe as the starter, beating Detroit and Cleveland by a combined score of 67-15. In those games, Zappe went 41-for-55 for 497 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Jones has completed 66 percent of his passes with two scores and five picks. No one with the team is going to call this a quarterback controversy, but if Jones does get the call and struggles, it will be interesting to see how much patience Belichick shows since Zappe has shown he's more than capable, albeit in a small sample size.

Of course, the team is more important than the quarterback when it comes to the Patriots, and whoever is under center will have plenty of support. Rhamondre Stevenson and Damien Harris are leading the way on the ground, totaling 705 rushing yards with six touchdowns. Harris missed last week's game with a hamstring injury but has been able to practice in full, so he should be available for this game. And as has already been mentioned, Chicago's defense has had trouble stopping the run, giving up 163 yards per game. New England also has yielded just 11 sacks, so it may be hard for the Bears' pass rush, which has lagged in production (11 sacks, tied for 23rd), to have much of an impact.

As for the Patriots' defense, it's been in vintage form lately, very opportunistic and limiting the damage done on the scoreboard. They have 12 takeaways on the season and have forced at least two in five straight games. Plus, although Chicago has a dangerous ground game, the Pats did just hold the No. 1 rushing attack (Cleveland) to 70 yards on 18 carries. After that performance, New England is 12th in total defense (337.8 ypg) and eighth in scoring defense (18.8 ppg). Keep in mind that the Bears have scored that many in only half of their games.

3. Lopsided coaching chess match

Eberflus is in his first year as a head coach, meaning he has a total of six games under his belt. On the other hand, Belichick is in his 28th season (23rd with New England) and has 293 career wins in the regular season alone. In fact, Belichick is currently tied with George Halas for second in career wins (including playoffs) with 324 total. It would be somewhat poetic for Belichick to break the tie with a win over the man known as "Papa Bear," the franchise's original owner and longtime head coach.

There are many reasons that Belichick is on the cusp of making more history and some of that simply comes down to his vast wealth of experience, whereas Eberflus is still figuring things out. Even though Getsy is the offensive coordinator, the buck stops with Eberflus and the play-calling has been called into question on more than one occasion throughout this season. There have been some curious calls around the goal line, including last week against Washington when Chicago went 5-for-13 on third down and just 1-for-4 on fourth down. Situation (such as distance to go) and execution certainly need to be taken into consideration, but Herbert also was stopped cold on 4th-and-goal from the 1 (and it was really closer than that) in the second quarter when the game was scoreless. Would it have made more sense to just kick the field goal? Hindsight is 20/20 but the Bears would end up losing by five points and there's something to be said about getting points, even if it's just three, whenever you can, especially with a struggling offense.

The point is that every little thing Eberflus does is going to be criticized even if it amounts to nothing more than the typical armchair quarterbacking talk radio fodder. But this also is a results-driven league and to this point, Eberflus' team is lacking in that department. If anything, Eberflus will get a front-row seat on Sunday, matching wits with the man many consider the G.O.A.T. in the profession. While a win by Chicago would certainly be something to celebrate, this also is a chance for Eberflus to prove that he's not in over his head and that the foundation he and rookie general manager Ryan Poles are laying down will pay off for this franchise, even if it's going to take some time.

Final Analysis

New England has all the momentum entering this one, with Chicago mired in a frustrating, three-game losing streak. Even though they are separated by just one game record-wise, the gap between these two teams seems much wider. That's not to say that the Bears can't win on Monday night, it just seems like it's a tall task given the offense's persistent struggles, how well the Patriots have been playing recently, and, of course, the guy who is in charge. There may be some form of a quarterback controversy brewing for New England, but it's not like Chicago doesn't have its own questions at the position to deal with.

Although he Bears are in dire need of a win, this is not a good matchup for an offense that's still finding its way. The defense should be able to keep it close but the same growing pains and frustrations will raise their ugly head at some point and result in another close-but-not-quite loss for Chicago.

Prediction: Patriots 21, Bears 14

1. The Rams may take a week off, but not me!

2. With the Rams off week coinciding with the approach of the trade deadline, its only natural that our thoughts turn to Les Snead and all the potential wheeling and dealing. This is well covered territory in other threads, but there are three points I want to make.

3. First, I really think a pass rusher should be the target. I don't see an OL out there who is likely to solve our problems up front. In my mind the solution is continuity, not help from outside. A pass rusher, on the other hand, can be a plug and play upgrade, as we saw last year with Von Miller. Brian Burns seems like an unattainable player, so Nick Chubb and Robert Quinn are the two players I'd hope to see in in horns.

4. Second, I'm glad we didn't sell the farm to get Christian McCaffrey. In the long run, I just don't think he'd be worth it.

5. Third, whomever we target, I don't want to go overboard in trading future draft picks. Eventually, we will need some premium selections.

6. I'll go ahead and predict that the Rams will get Chubb, and the compensation will be a third round picks in 2023 and 2024.

7. By the time I write my next 20RT, Cam Akers will be gone. Will we bring in another RB? I'm going to bet that we don't. I will reiterate something I predicted a few weeks ago - the Rams' top selection in the 2023 draft will be a RB.

8. Not a bad idea... look at the success of RBs taken on Day 2 this year, including Breece Hall (before his unfortunate injury), Kenneth Walker III, Brian Robinson and Dameon Pierce (perhaps this is another reason NOT to spend 3 or 4 draft picks on a RB).

9. The Bye has left me riding high, with losses by the Packers, Bucs and 49ers. All three are now under-.500.

10. The Packers are finding that, even with an elite QB, you can't be so cavalier about a supporting cast - in this case, WRs.

11. The Bucs are suddenly a mess. A Tom Brady offense scores 3 points against the Panthers? Seriously? OL troubles, banged up receivers, and time are finally catching up to Brady. He should have just let Stafford and Kupp retire him in style!

12. And then there's the hated 49ers. In their case, the injuries on the defensive side of the ball are clearly taking their toll.

13. So can we solve the 49ers puzzle and take advantage of an opportunity to get up 1 and 1/2 games on them? We all know the answer... only if our OL can get its act together.

14. McVay did a great job of helping the OL out with play-calling last week against Carolina. He'll need to do that again next week.

15. Looking forward to Van Jefferson's return. I think he'll make a difference.

16. Ditto for Brian Allen.

17. Darrell Henderson has a real career opportunity. He's now the undisputed lead back, and he's in a contract year. I'm hoping he plays so well that we won't be able to afford him!

18. Do we need to worry about Seattle (currently 1st in the West)? I don't know... they're not scaring me at this point. And losing D.K. Metcalf (possible ACL) would definitely be big for them.

19. So, back at it. 3-3 is a disappointment, but we're still right in the thick of things.

20. Gotta go check Twitter to see if we made any trades while I typed this!

My 17 year old has been in Jiu Jitsu for the past 18 month. He advanced to the master cycle for advanced grappling. I have 32 years of training but I may have to start watching my back. He’s 5’7” and 150lbs. I’ve only got 3” but 50lbs on him right now.

I felt dirty when I picked TB as my survivor game this week.

Softening the blow of their pathetic performance causing me to lose this week, was the fact that TB had a pathetic performance and lost.

Brady feels bad? I feel good.

Looking at the Rams roster after the bye week​

No splash moves yet, but L.A. injuries are beginning to heal

By Venie Randy Soares Oct 23, 2022

An uneventful bye week for the Los Angeles Rams has now passed and Les Snead wasn’t able to pull the trigger on any major additions. Still, Rams fans confidence has risen after dropping dangerously low, fueled by rumors of a possible trade for Carolina Panthers edge Brian Burns, a measure of offensive progress in their last game, and a handful of players returning from injury and suspension lists.

Tight end Brycen Hopkins was recently reinstated after his suspension. Defensive tackle Bobby Brown, cornerback Troy Hill, and wide receiver Van Jefferson are ready to be activated and expected to ready for next Sunday’s game with the San Francisco 49ers. Center Brian Allen and cornerback Decobie Durant have convalesced while remaining on the roster.

At any moment, edge Daniel Hardy and running back Kyren Williams will be designated for return after stints on the Injured Reserve List. Safety Jordan Fuller, guard David Edwards and center/guard Coleman Shelton are still a couple weeks out and finally, there no status reports on the time table for return from the Reserve/Non-Football List by linebacker Travin Howard and safety Quinten Lake.

What are the Rams to do with all the bodies?​

Currently, L.A. has 50 players on the active roster 15 on the practice squad. If Brown, Hill, and Jefferson are indeed activated this week, no roster moves will be necessary. As Hardy, Williams, Fuller, and Edwards return, corresponding moves will be made. But who?

Here’s the Rams current roster and their snap count percentages:

Quarterback​

Matt Stafford (99.74) John Wolford, Bryce Perkins

Nothing to see here, Sean McVay has kept three QB’s for the second consecutive season.

Running back​

Darell Henderson (63.09), Malcom Brown (6.81), Cam Akers (29.06)

Brown was a stop-gap addition and wouldn’t be missed. Akers is the picture of a dead man walking and will probably have to be released, hard to expect an opposing team offer much, if anything, after his injury and the Rams public handling of his situation.

Wide receiver​

Cooper Kupp (98.95), Allen Robinson (91.36), Bennett Skowronek (83.77), Brandon Powell (14.92), Tutu Atwell (6.02), Lance McCutcheon (.26)

No need for fans to worry about McCutcheon being released. Even though the receiver room is a little roster heavy, there are plenty of cut candidates without the future potential of the small-school fan favorite.

Tight end​

Tyler Higbee (92.15), Kendall Blanton (6.54), Brycen Hopkins (4.45)

Blanton has been under-whelming since his return, he is just not a good enough blocker. Hopkins was almost invisible before his suspension and did anyone really notice he played nine offensive snaps versus Carolina?

Offensive line​

Alaric Jackson (81.68), Bobby Evans, Jeremiah Kolone (49.21), Oday Aboushi (14.66), Rob Havenstein( 98.95), Brian Allen (17.54), Matt Skura, Ty Nseke

Egad! The question with the the Rams OLine is not who should go, but rather, who should be kept? Seriously, odds are high on Kolone and Skura as Allen returns to play in the interior and multiply as Shelton and Edwards heal up. Nseke has past ties (2015-16) to McVay from the Washington Redskins/Football Team/Commodes and is the only backup with pro tackle experience.

Defensive line​

Aaron Donald (87.22), Greg Gaines (83.52), A’Shawn Robinson (57.10), Marquise Copeland (23.30), Jonah Williams (7.67), Michael Hoecht (2.56)

After his kickoff return, was I the only one who said. “Look at that big SOB run... wonder if he could play tight end?”. Last year, the Rams tried to sneak Williams through waivers, and he was claimed, but seven down linemen might be a little much and he is only getting about five defensive snaps per game.

Edge​

Leonard Floyd (80.68), Justin Hollins (51.42), Terrell Lewis (48.58)

Numbers alone preclude any moves here, unless it’s an addition.

Off ball linebacker​

Bobby Wagner (99.72), Ernest Jones (69.60), Christian Rozeboom (0), Jake Hummel (0), Jake Gervase(0)

It would seem that one of the three backups could go. Not one snap at LB for Rozeboom, Hummel, and Gervase, all their reps have been on special teams. Wagner has missed one of 352 defensive snaps and when Jones comes off the field, it’s for a secondary player.

Safety​

Taylor Rapp (74.15), Nick Scott (95.45), Terrell Burgess (23.30), Russ Yeast (.28)

Yeast has only been active in four games and received about 12 special teams snaps in each of those, but positional numbers should make the Rams look elsewhere.

Cornerback​

Jalen Ramsey (97.44), David Long (33.81), Derion Kendrick (62.50), Robert Rochell (4.83), Decobie Durant (6.53), Shaun Jolly (0)

Jolly is as good as gone and I’m sure he knew that when signed. He has played four total snaps and if L.A. wants to keep him, he would likely clear waivers and be signed to the practice squad.
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Special teams​

Place kicker Matt Gay, punter Riley Dixon, and longsnapper Matt Orzech

Gay is solid, Dixon is serviceable, and while Orzech has had some blocking/communication problems, but there is no one else on the roster and initiating tryouts this late doesn’t seem in the cards.

Practice squad​

RB- Ronnie Rivers (.79)

WR- Austin Trammel

TE- Jacob Harris (.26), Roger Carter, Jared Pinkney

OL- Chandler Brewer, A.J. Arcuri, Max Pircher

DL- Earnest Brown, T.J. Carter, Elijah Garcia,

E- Keir Thomas (.85), Brayden Thomas, Zach Van Valkenberg

S- T.J. Carter

Tight end Jacob Harris has been activated to the active roster three times, the league limit for elevations. If the Rams move him up again, he must be terminated from the practice squad and be officially signed to the 53. Offensive lineman Chandler Brewer has garnered two elevations and running back Ronnie Rivers, one.

Going forward​

The roster seems safe from subtraction for the time being, Bobby Brown, Troy Hill, and Van Jefferson can be integrated without cuts. Down the road, obviously the Cam Akers situation needs to be addressed, but after that, Shaun Jolly, Jeremiah Kolone, and one of the linebackers, likely Jake Gervase, should be next on the chopping block. Kendall Blanton, Matt Skura, and Russ Yeast are not far behind.

Jonah Williams may have to go, simply because of the DLine numbers. To save him, I would cross train Michael Hoecht at tight end, and move up Jacob Harris up from the practice squad. Both are huge, athletic guys and should progress with meaningful practice snaps. Blanton and Hopkins, to a lesser extent, have just not progressed.

The trade deadline is November 1, only one week left for L.A. to add outside upgrades. If they don’t, the roster moves will internal, mostly bookkeeping transactions. Can the Rams win with what they have, or what they will get back from injury?

ROD Sportsbook

SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2022

NY Jets at Denver
Houston at Las Vegas
Seattle at LA Chargers
Kansas City at San Francisco

SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2022

Atlanta at Cincinnati
Detroit at Dallas
Indianapolis at Tennessee
Green Bay at Washington
Tampa Bay at Carolina
NY Giants at Jacksonville
Cleveland at Baltimore

Is this accurate?

Why I’m asking is that I saw this site list numbers that didn’t match what I saw on other posts. I don’t have a subscription to PFF to check overall grades.

Bradley Chubb 6'4" 275 has the highest win rate this year as a DE in the NFL he has 5.5 sacks this year will cost a lot less than Burns who has the 6th highest win rate and 4 sacks.

The knock on Chubb is he has been injured a bunch (missed 24 games since 2019) but at a way more reasonable price than Burns. Supposedly the Eagles and Chiefs are interested in Burns. Eagles have 2 first rounders alone next year we can't compete. Maybe it's time to look at this differently. Chubb in some eyes would say he is not as good as Burns but the cost analysis benefit may outweigh the player in Burns.

The Rams objective is to get better on the Edge and Chubb will do that. We can maybe still get OBJ and a RB. We are not 1 player away like last year.

This is his last year on a 12m+ season.

This is the play we are not tied into his huge salary and maybe he is a less expensive rental than Von or maybe we resign him for 3 years. He is only 2 years older than Burns at 26.

By every metric this year he is having his best year from sacks, pressures, win rate and hits.

Michael Rothstein
ESPN Staff Writer

[www.espn.com]

Nita Strauss’ phone buzzed overnight somewhere in Europe while she was asleep on the Alice Cooper tour bus, traveling from city to city during the band’s early 2022 tour. Strauss, Guitar World's No. 4 guitarist of the decade and considered one of the greatest female guitarists of all time, woke up in the morning, saw the note and bubbled with excitement.

The message she hoped for in the weeks after the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl LVI victory had arrived. It was a text from Sarah Schuler, the Rams' senior director of game presentation and brand experience. Schuler asked a simple question: What’s your ring size?

Strauss immediately texted her boyfriend/manager, Josh Villalta. The ring in question was something few, if any, rockers other than Strauss have: a Super Bowl ring.

“Ran around showing everybody that would look at my phone,” Strauss said. “Look at this text I just got, told you guys.”

So how does a rocker end up with a Super Bowl ring? Strauss earned it -- she’s part of the Rams.

Strauss, a die-hard fan, has been the in-house guitarist for Rams games since the team moved to SoFi Stadium in 2020. Her affiliation with the Rams began at L.A. Memorial Coliseum, where Strauss played “America the Beautiful” during a Salute to Service game. The next year, she performed the "Sunday Night Football" theme on her guitar.

Since then, she has been part of the Rams’ ecosystem, playing to a SoFi empty of all but players and coaches during the pandemic, then to packed houses last season, all while wearing a No. 86 Rams jersey -- her birth year and the number her father, James, wore when he played football.

“There’s nothing like playing to a stadium full of fans, no matter if you’re playing a rock concert, if you’re playing a sports event or whatever it is,” Strauss said. “Just having the energy of having tens of thousands of people is so different to just doing it alone in there or playing to the coaching staff and the team and the players.”


Rock guitarist and Rams fan Nita Strauss shows off her Super Bowl ring. Courtesy of Josh Villalta
She performs over team introductions, on select second and third downs and the fan-selected song of the game. She plays the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ hit “Can’t Stop” during the team’s “Rampede,” which provided a surreal moment when the band’s lead singer, Anthony Kiedis, was shown on screen at SoFi rocking out to Strauss.

Last season, in particular, was tricky. Cooper was touring, but his tours often took Sundays off. Saturday nights, Strauss played the Cooper show and, instead of going on the tour bus, stayed in an airport hotel and took an early Sunday flight to Los Angeles. She landed at Los Angeles International Airport, took an Uber to the stadium, played at the game, took an Uber back to the airport and flew to Monday’s tour stop.

It was an exhausting schedule, one Strauss called “a labor of love,” but she didn’t want to miss any games. The one Rams game she didn’t play? The Super Bowl. She asked, but the NFL declined.

Instead, Strauss found herself in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on the Monsters of Rock cruise. She wore her blue Rams jersey -- she’s given one of every iteration for Rams games with “Hurricane,” her nickname, on the back -- and fielded questions about whether she’d get a ring if they won.

She watched the Super Bowl with Cooper, a Detroit native and Lions fan who Strauss said pulled for the Rams because of Matthew Stafford, and the band. If someone in Cooper’s suite cheered for the Cincinnati Bengals, she joked, “You don’t want me to get my ring,” even though she had no idea whether she would get one.

When the Rams won, Strauss described it as “pandemonium.”

Getting the ring was trickier. In Strauss’ offseason, she made her own change, taking a gig on Demi Lovato’s current world tour, which meant a couple of things. First, she’d miss the ring ceremony because of rehearsals. Second, she wouldn’t be able to play Rams games until Nov. 13.

“It’s really a unique part of our show,” Schuler said. “And frankly, we miss her so much right now cause she’s on tour.”

Just before the tour started, Strauss drove to Schuler’s house to pick up what she considers, along with her first signature guitar, one of her most prized possessions: the Super Bowl ring.


She drove home, where Villalta paced in anticipation. Together, they opened it and flipped a light switch in the back of the box that created a glow from the ring’s shininess.

Then they went to dinner at Katana, a Japanese restaurant, massive rock on Strauss’ finger.

“It was really funny,” Strauss said. “Because the waitress thought Josh proposed with this gigantic sparkling diamond ring.”

But this ring was bigger than most engagement rings.

“You have these goals and dreams and aspirations in your life,” Strauss said. “And then sometimes, as your career goes on, you’re fortunate enough to achieve things that weren’t even a part of those aspirations because those things didn’t even exist before.

“I would have never dreamed of getting a Super Bowl ring because it never would have occurred to me that a guitar player would get one. So now here it is.”

I have a 21 F-150 Platinum with 125,000 miles, looks like new! I realize your buddy Sean bought new toys last year and got a chip in the process, you don't want him getting another, do you? In this market, the prices are high and you may need to pay close to the original MSRP to get it. If you see some accidents on the CARFAX, don't worry, we had the best body shop in town fix it like new...a few times.

By the way, we replaced the tranny a couple times and bent an axel but, don't worry, it's fixed. So what if it has seven years of miles, it's a two year old truck, let's call them highway miles. Doesn't it look great? Runs like a scalded dog. By the way, there's no warranty so there won't be a refund of your investment if the truck breaks again. I'm sure everything will be fine.

I can’t help wondering if playing so many home games early has been a major factor in our injury crisis? If so, the team would remain silent on it and of course it’s the owner who would decide. The field turf at SoFi is not only there to play football on

Thoughts?

Could help

What do you predict the Rams will do between now and the trade deadline?

Schefter & ESPN reporting

Let's Ride....to Subway.

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Which person in the NFL do you most love to hate?

New Orleans Saints vs. Arizona Cardinals​

It's a tough start for Amazon's "Thursday Night Football" with a third straight game featuring teams with a .500 record or worse. Both the New Orleans Saints (2-4) and Arizona Cardinals (2-4) are coming off tough losses where they combined for a total of three fourth-quarter points.

That falls far short of expectations for two of the league's better offenses on paper. The Saints have wasted a top-10 rushing attack as they struggle through a quarterback juggling act in the post-Drew Brees era. Year 2 has seen Andy Dalton start in place of the injured Jameis Winston the last three weeks, while third option Taysom Hill has been limited in his utility man role (even listed as a tight end in some fantasy formats). No one has truly taken charge here, creating a sloppy start where the Saints have turned the ball over a league-high 13 times.

Over in Cardinals land, there's quarterback Kyler Murray, who's struggling to ace his "homework" while leaving his team's season hanging in the balance. Arizona has been getting pummeled in the first half, outscored 89-29 while trailing in all six of their games this year. Although Murray's late-game magic has saved them twice, you can't do that every week, leaving head coach Kliff Kingsbury sitting on the hot seat.

Can both teams find the right formula to save their season? A year of parity in the NFL has cut them both a break, neither team more than a game behind in two divisions where no one has a winning record. The talent is there, in each case, to push these playoff-caliber teams back into contention.

Who gets themselves back on track Thursday night?

Thursday Night Football: New Orleans (2-4) at Arizona (2-4)

Kickoff: Thursday, Oct. 20 at 8:15 p.m. ET
Outlet: Prime Video
Live Stream: fuboTV (only available in New Orleans and Phoenix markets)
Spread: Cardinals -1.5

Three Things to Watch

1. Can Kyler Murray put together a complete game?

Through six games, Murray's yearly stat comparison should raise eyebrows after being signed to a five-year, $230.5 million extension from his rookie contract.

2021: 6-0, 1,741 yards, 14 TDs, 4 INTs, 5 games with a passer rating above 100

2022: 2-4, 1,463 yards, 6 TDs, 4 INTs, 0 games with a passer rating above 100

Murray did lose top target Christian Kirk (77 rec., 982 yds.) to free agency this past offseason. But replacement Marquise Brown has been no slouch, on pace for similar numbers through six games (43 catches, 485 yards), although he'll be out up to six weeks after suffering a foot fracture last Sunday.

That'll make it tougher for Murray to throw the deep ball, a skill that's taken a back seat in 2022. In fact, he's averaging just 5.8 yards per attempt this season; through six games in 2021, he never had a game where he dipped lower than 7.6. The Cardinals did trade for deep threat Robbie Anderson, although the 29-year-old has been held under 40 yards per game in each of the last two seasons.

Murray and Kingsbury let loose this week, frustrated after failing to score an offensive touchdown for the second time this year in a 19-9 loss to Seattle. Murray said it was the most frustrated he'd been since earning the starting job as an NFL rookie.

"That's the last time s***'s felt this hard," he explained. "We just feel it's tough out there right now. Tough. That's what it feels like. A lot of it, it's self-inflicted, put it on ourselves. Gotta get better."

Murray's right in that the offense starts off slow, not just in the first half but also on first and second down. Third-and-long situations have left them converting on just 34 percent of third downs, ranked 28th in the NFL, while their 4.81 yards per play ranks 31st. Arizona has kept its offense afloat by being aggressive on fourth down; they've gone for it a league-high 22 attempts and converted 12 times. But New Orleans could present a tough challenge in that department.

The Saints' defense has struggled in terms of allowing points but does excel on both third- and fourth-down conversions: they're tied for fifth (33.8 percent) and second (25 percent) in those categories, respectively. It's a good matchup for them against an offense that doesn't feel like it's been in rhythm all year.

That's where Murray is always the wild card. When released into desperation mode, in two games against the Raiders and Panthers, he's been sensational: 46 points in the second half of those games, six total touchdowns and no turnovers. But for some reason, the offensive plan doesn't get playground-style loose until the Cardinals fall into a deep hole. Will they find a way to adjust?

2. Which injured quarterback will start for the Saints?

All indications are it's Dalton, not Winston or Hill, who will start Thursday night for the Saints. "Andy's done a good job when he's been in there," head coach Dennis Allen said this week. "We've produced and scored some points."

Both men were limited in practice this week, Dalton suffering through a back injury while Winston could miss a fourth straight game with a combination of back and ankle problems. Through it all, Allen has been hesitant to install Hill under center; he's thrown a total of just five passes for 38 yards after starting four of the final five games in 2021.

Where Dalton has excelled for the Saints is cutting down on those turnovers; he's just got one interception through three games compared to Winston's five. The team has also been more prolific on offense, scoring an average of 30 points per game in Dalton's time as the starter versus 17 with Winston at the helm.

Neither one has had all the pieces in place as the Saints resemble the walking wounded. A whopping 14 players made the injury report for Tuesday, 10 of them from the offensive side of the ball. Among those who didn't practice are former Pro Bowl wide receivers Michael Thomas (foot injury, out the last three weeks) and wide receiver Jarvis Landry (ankle, out the last two weeks), along with tight end Adam Trautman (ankle, status uncertain for Thursday).

Luckily for the Saints, first-round draft pick Chris Olave has stepped into the void, posting 389 yards in five games before he missed last week against Cincinnati with a concussion. That meant Dalton went to battle without his top three receivers, putting up respectable numbers nonetheless (162 passing yards, one touchdown, and zero turnovers).

Dalton deserves a chance with more weapons in play, including star running back Alvin Kamara (302 yards in four games despite nagging injuries). The Saints' depth showed itself Sunday, scoring 26 points against the Bengals, and a healthier team Thursday night, with Olave on the field, should produce a better outcome.

3. Special teams

Both teams have struggled through their share of problems in the kicking game. The Saints have one of the strongest legs in the league, Wil Lutz, but he's just hit 69 percent of his attempts this year (9 of 13), well below his career average of 85 percent. It's fair to point out that one miss was a 61-yarder, a tough double-doink that came off the crossbar and would have sent their London game to overtime against the Vikings.

The Cardinals could only wish for that type of success rate the past two weeks. With Matt Prater out with a hip injury, they've turned to Matt Ammendola with limited success. He missed a 43-yard field goal against the Eagles to send that game to overtime, missed an extra point against the Seahawks, and hasn't hit a field goal longer than 23 yards. The team passed up on several other attempts, acknowledging the weakness of the kicker position.

In what's expected to be a close game, another missed field goal could make the difference and it's no certainty Ammendola will even start after the team signed Rodrigo Blankenship to the practice squad. It's another crack in the armor of an Arizona offense that's lost its way.

Final Analysis

The Saints, overall, have looked more put together than the Cardinals this season, their four losses coming by a total of 25 points. Dalton has shown he can put points on the board while the rushing trio of Kamara, Mark Ingram II, and Hill can uplift the offense when used correctly.

It's not the type of team you can fall behind on big in the first half. That continues to be the Cardinals' problem and sleepwalking through another slow start is what I expect will do them on Thursday night. Could that cost Kingsbury, an offensive mastermind, his job with a 10-day layoff looming?

Prediction: New Orleans 31, Arizona 20

Some tips from a whiner fan after watching his team get beaten by the Falcons. On defense:

1. Take away the short - Every time we get beaten, RBs get five yards per average, we miss tackles on short passes - these will lead to big gains. This is what the niners offense specializes in. Keep Jalen off Aiyuk, he is the deep threat: we need Jalen's tackling skills in the short.

Once the run is neutralized, the whiners will be one dimensional.

2. Dare Jimmy to beat us deep - He said the niners rarely went deep and rarely utilized their WRs for that task. How many times has Garbage Poll beaten us deep? Keep Durant or Hill on Aiyuk and cover the short with 1 deep.

On offense: 1. Mix it up on the run. Bring in an extra o lineman as Ryans likes rushing only 4. When they pack the box, run a jet sweep.

2. Confusion on the run and spreading the field lengthwise will lead to play action opportunities. Make things easy for Stafford.

Special teams - Kick it high and short. The niners are middle of the pack on ST. Let them try and return it. Take that risk.

Overall - Be hungry. Every time we play the damn whiners we come out flat. For once, be aggressive and know our playoff lives depend on it!

PFF grades: Rams have 3rd-best defense, 8th-worst offense through 6 games​

Cameron DaSilva/October 19, 2022

For the last five years, the Los Angeles Rams have primarily been built around an explosive offense that carries the team into the playoffs. That wasn’t the case in 2020 and it hasn’t been this year, but Sean McVay is an offensive genius who ranks among the best coaches in the NFL.

This season, the defense has been absolutely dominant, better than the team’s 3-3 record reflects. Statistically, the Rams rank sixth in yards allowed, first in first downs allowed and second in red zone defense. In the last four games, the defense has allowed 12 points, 17 points, 15 points and 3 points, excluding any points scored by the opponent’s defense.

Pro Football Focus has graded the Rams highly on defense, too. Based on their total defense grade of 77.9, the Rams rank third in the NFL, behind only the Broncos and 49ers. Their 83.6 run defense grade is the best of any team, as well.

It’s been a completely different story on offense. Their total offense grade is just 66.2, which is the eighth-worst in the league. As you would expect, that grade is weighed down heavily by their pass-blocking grade of 50.3, better than only two other teams. Their run grade (62.1) ranks third-to-last, showing how poorly they’ve run the ball through six weeks.

In no way can the Rams’ defense be blamed for the team’s struggles so far. It’s the offense that’s been abysmal, scoring more than 20 points just twice and putting up 29 points in three games against the Bills, 49ers and Cowboys.

For this team to have any chance in 2022, the offense must improve.