With the change in HC for the Panthers could / should Snead try to obtain Austin Corbett to play RG? He's a known quantity, a solid player. His cap hit is $3.1M which fits in their budget. He would be an instant quick fix at RG allowing them to shift Jackson to LG.

Considering their options I'd say do it. If they extend him next year then Shelton becomes their new LG and OL problem solved. Jackson returns to swing OT next year for one year. Then as an experienced player takes over at RT.

The return of Corbett and the play of Jackson along with the return of Allen after the bye would stop the OL bleeding IMO. This would allow the offense to get back on track.

Go into the bye week on a high note, get a bit more healthy and beat SF at home....the narrative changes after that!!

Keep the faith and Go Dodgers!!!

Rams Week 5 snap counts: Sorting out RB rotation, D-line changes​

Cameron DaSilva /October 10, 2022


Throughout the first five weeks of the season, the Los Angeles Rams have been forced to use lesser-known players to fill holes on their roster due to various injuries. The offensive line and secondary have been particularly banged up, which has led to problems in both areas.

In Sunday’s 22-10 loss to the Cowboys, the Rams mixed things up once again – mostly out of need. The offensive line had Jeremiah Kolone starting at center, while the secondary was without both Taylor Rapp and Jordan Fuller at safety.

At running back, Malcolm Brown joined the rotation, though he didn’t contribute much behind Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson Jr. Let’s dig into the snap counts to see how the playing time percentages broke down.




Akers only played 20 snaps against Dallas, which was 17 fewer than Henderson played. Brown was on the field for eight snaps in his first game of the year, too. However, Akers was the only one to get a single carry. He had 13 rush attempts compared to zero for Henderson; his only rush was called back due to penalty. Akers was only targeted once as a receiver, while Henderson had five (four catches). So it’s clear the Rams like Akers as an early-down runner and Henderson as a third-down back.

David Edwards was unable to finish the game due to a head injury, getting evaluated for a concussion late. Bobby Evans stepped in and played the final 12 snaps at left guard.

Ben Skowronek actually played more snaps than Allen Robinson and was targeted three more times, which is an interesting and also somewhat concerning trend. Brandon Powell played 11 snaps and Tutu Atwell was on the field for nine plays, catching his first NFL pass.

Kendall Blanton was the No. 2 tight end behind Tyler Higbee but he played just two snaps. Higbee played the other 63, so the Rams didn’t mix up their personnel much.


Nick Scott and Terrell Burgess were the starting safeties with Fuller and Rapp out, and they each played every snap. Russ Yeast was the only other safety who played, getting just one rep on defense.

Derion Kendrick played three more snaps than Jalen Ramsey, but they were both on the field for just about every play. Grant Haley was the No. 3 cornerback, ahead of Robert Rochell, who has played sparingly in Year 2.

One thing that really stood out on defense was Aaron Donald’s snap share of just 71%, by far his lowest of the season. Greg Gaines played 11 more snaps than Donald, which typically isn’t the case.

Marquise Copeland ate into the defensive line rotation, playing 42% of the snaps – and only five fewer plays than A’Shawn Robinson. That’s something to monitor.

Terrell Lewis is starting to separate from Justin Hollins, playing eight more snaps than Hollins on Sunday. Leonard Floyd remains the top pass rusher, and Takk McKinley only played five snaps as the fourth option.

One opening so far and it’s not a surp.

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5 weeks in the bank for the NFC. What are your observations?

Here are the teams ranked by record:



EAGLES - Are they really this good? They’ve been solid in all their games and appear to be the best of the NFC teams. Anyone watch/see much of them?

COWBOYS / 49’ERS - Those defenses stand out as Rams fans can attest. Here’s hoping Jimmy G’s hourglass of health is running low on sand. When he returns, Dak makes the Cowboys better.

GIANTS - I watched their game yesterday vs the Packers and they played scrappy. Barkley is back. Daniel Jones has some Goff in him, which makes him easy to root for. But, are they for real? I still don’t know.

BUCS - That Brady roughing the passer penalty ended a Falcons comeback. Anyone on this board fear the Buccaneers? Me neither. But they are annoying enough to hang around. They should win their next 2… against Steelers, Panthers.

PACKERS - They lack offensive weapons and don’t have that same luster. Not yet anyway. Are the Vikes the front runners for the NFCN?

CARDINALS - Their wins; Raiders, Panthers. Their losses; KC, Rams, Eagles. Week 6 they go against the Seahawks… that feels like a pivotal game to their team morale going forward. A loss and it could go dark in AZ.

SAINTS - Winston should be back this week, or soon. The Saints feel like a team that will be up and down all season.

What do you see?

Las Vegas Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs​

An AFC West rivalry will wrap up Week 5 of the NFL season on "Monday Night Football" as the Kansas City Chiefs host the Las Vegas Raiders. This hasn't been too competitive of a rivalry in recent seasons though, as Kansas City has dominated this series lately with 15 wins in the last 18 matchups with Las Vegas. Last year, KC dispatched its rivals 48-9 at home in December and 41-14 on the road in November. The Chiefs have scored 30 or more in each of their last five against the Raiders and could do so once again on Monday.

Head coach Josh McDaniels' debut has been rough, but Las Vegas is no longer winless after beating the Broncos 32-23 last week. They did it with Josh Jacobs toting the football for 144 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Davante Adams was once again really busy with nine receptions for 101 yards total. The defense held the Broncos to under 300 yards of total offense while keeping the Denver ground game from beating them. That defensive effort may not be sustainable, but for one night, the Raiders' defense was fantastic when it had to be.

The Chiefs, meanwhile, put on a show last Sunday night as they went to Tampa and sliced up the Bucs' defense in a 41-31 victory. Patrick Mahomes went 23-of-37 for 249 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Kansas City is going to be hard to beat when they are able to run the ball, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire picked up 92 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Even more impressive was holding the Bucs to just three yards rushing on six carries.

Monday Night Football: Las Vegas (1-3) at Kansas City (3-1)

Kickoff: Monday, Oct. 9 at 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Spread: Chiefs -7

Three Things to Watch

1. Intangibles

The Raiders have their bye week next week, so they'll be able to give full effort on the road in Kansas City. It's their third road game of the season so far, as they've alternated road and home contests the first five weeks of the season. Coming off their first win of the season, they'll also be riding some momentum entering this matchup. Meanwhile, Kansas City is on a stretch of high-profile games. As mentioned above, the Chiefs just faced Tampa Bay on "Sunday Night Football," and will host the Bills next week in what figures to be a preview of the AFC Championship Game. This is only the Chiefs' second home game after three of their first four were on the road.

2. Mahomes the Magician

Patrick Mahomes has been fantastic this season with 11 touchdown passes to just two interceptions while racking up 1,106 passing yards. It's a far cry from last year when he started out slowly and people wondered if the league had caught up to him. The Chiefs' signal-caller has absolutely torched the Raiders the past few seasons. In two 2021 games, he threw for almost 700 yards with seven touchdowns and no interceptions. We've also seen him start to use his legs more, which is a key part of what makes him so tough to beat. Mahomes had four rushing yards in the first two games and then 60 over the next two against the Colts and Bucs.

3. Keep it going on the ground

Josh Jacobs had his first 100-yard rushing effort since Week 17 last season when he rumbled for 132 yards against the Chargers. The Raiders are 8-2 in Jacobs' career when he goes over 100 yards on the ground, with the last loss in this situation being in 2019 against these same Chiefs. It's quite simple that Vegas is a better offense when it is able to be balanced and not put a ton of pressure on Derek Carr to succeed. The problem is that Kansas City has clamped down on the run, holding Leonard Fournette and Jonathan Taylor to 68 combined yards rushing the last two weeks. The Raiders can't abandon the run if it's not working early and must show up defensively to keep the run in play and not have to throw it 50 times to keep up.

Final Analysis

I'm not stepping in front of the Chiefs right now. It's unreal to see what this offense is doing without Tyreek Hill there to take the top off defenses. This is Mahomes' worst receiving corps in his career, and it doesn't matter. It's nice the Raiders got the win last week because No. 2 isn't coming Monday night. Kansas City wins easily as it continues to dominate this series.

Prediction: Chiefs 31, Raiders 17

Please come Home! As a Player not a Coach! Well, A Player/Coach would be fine!!!

Robinson just isn't cutting it. I don't know if it's his inability to get open or what.

Good Evening you all, the Rams lost, but the world didn't end.

As I sip this Busch Light and jam Zach Bryan from the cab of my Case IH 340 Magnum, I have these throughts...

We're below .500 for the 2nd time in the McVay era. McVay has taken us to 2 Super Bowls and won 1. Had an extraordinary coaching resume. HE DIDN'T FORGET TO COACH OR CALL PLAYS.

Stafford was a baller last year and for his career. HE DIDN'T FORGET HOW TO PLAY. He's been sacked more through the first 5 games this season than ever in his career. What do you expect him to do?

It's quite evident that the lack of a OL has changed how the plays are called. We know McVay loves those medium - deep crossers and deep routes. But when it takes 3-4 seconds to develop a play and only 2 seconds worth of protection.. what do you do? You have to do the short, intermediate, conservative ugly shit to try and protect the QB.

Our running game desperately needs a bruising, mean MOTHERFCKR. We're too soft in every aspect of the offense right now.

This team is decimated on the OL. And that's what we're seeing result wise

The Rams will get healthy, the Rams be fine. Until we lose 7 games, we have hope. It's a long season.

Sean McVay didn't forget how to coach, and Stafford didn't learn how to ball out.

I will say this though, the Rams continually neglecting the OL is why we're in this situation. I hate to beat a dead horse, but what would be more valuable... Creed Humphries or Tutu? Draft decisions like that are why we're where we're at.

We'll be fine.

1. Its not going to take more than one random thought to identify the primary reason that the Rams are 2-3. The OL is not functional, not competitive. I'll talk about a few other issues, but make no mistake...the OL is 90% of the problem right now.

2. It is also fair to note that the OL's deficiencies are revealing the lack of elite talent at the skill positions, beyond Cooper Kupp.

3. Our RBs are mediocre at best. Both missed holes and opportunities to make some plays today. Our productivity in the running game is non-existent.

4. The current WR2 (Allen Robinson) and WR3 (Ben Skowronek) are clearly a downgrade from Odell Beckham, Jr./Robert Woods and Van Jefferson.

5. Finally a Tutu Atwell sighting!!!! (brief and pretty much wasted, though it was).

6. Matthew Stafford does not look comfortable in the pocket. Hardly surprising, given that he's now been sacked 21 times and pressured (at least - final numbers from today pending) 49 times in 5 games. He was sacked only 30 times and pressured 102 times in 17 games last season.

7. If you think the problem is Stafford's elbow, or just feel inclined to blame him due to a bad pass here and there, read No. 6 again.

8. Allen Robinson is not what we need now. If our OL was playing like has in the past, I think he could be a guy who would do some damage running routes from the outside. Right now, though, we need quicker guys who can hurt a defense with quick hits and YAC. He's not that guy.

9. I feel like our offense looks better when running tempo (not good, but better). Perhaps more of that?

10. David Edwards goes down again (another concussion), but he was a weak link from the first passing play.

11. Bobby Evans is not the answer. He looks so lost out there.

12. Time to give Oday Aboushi a try? Or, perhaps, if Brian Allen comes back, give Jeremiah Kolone a shot at OG? Not very enticing options.

13. So is there a path out of this mess? Let me see if I can muster up enough optimism to propose one...

14. First... gotta win next week against Carolina. We simply can't miss the opportunity to get a W against a team like the Panthers.

15. After that, we have a bye week. A much-needed bye week... and some potential reinforcements (Allen, Jefferson, Corbett, Fuller...).

16. Then, its the 49ers again. Can we get our act together to be ready for them in 3 weeks? That's our chance to get back into the divisional race.

17. I feel very good about the defense's performance overall today, but they just can't seem to take the ball away. Maybe they need a bit of luck, too? We forced two fumbles on Cooper Rush sacks... both bounced right into the arms of Cowboy players. When things are bad, a nice bounce or two can mean so much.

18. Is the erosion of our talent base beyond the top stars the price we're paying for last year's all-in approach? Maybe so. I'll never regret it, though.

19. Does the franchise try to wheel-and-deal again this year, or will there come a point at which we become resigned to ride it out until next offseason before reloading for another run? That's the question that I can't seem to avoid pondering.

20. I have to confess.... apart from a few moments, I have not enjoyed watching Rams football this year. I didn't expect to feel that way so soon after a championship, but here we are. But I'm not going anywhere. I've endured a lot worse, as has any Rams fan who's followed the team for more than 5 years. I'll still be here when things turn around.

We traded away all those 1sts for Goff, Ramsey and Stafford not to mention others. Now with a retirement and some guys getting hurt we have a garbage offensive line. The most important unit on any team.
We got our Super Bowl. We got some good vets who wanted to sign here with the young coach, new stadium and to play with AD.
That is OVER and we are paying the price.
McSnead, please to not trade away any more high picks for immediate veteran help. You two guide the LOS ANGELES RAMS !.
Who have a tradition of great offensive linemen and running backs. We can find good WRS and RBs in the mid rounds.
Those 6'7" 320lb men with long arms and ballerina feet get drafted in round one and we need several.
We shot our wad for the Super Bowl at home. But look at the Bills, built through the draft and will be good for awhile.
I for one, and believe I am not alone prefer home grown talent scouted and drafted by the Rams.

Brown is back. Protection for Stafford? Harris to the active roster. Something tells me the Rams are going to pound the rock, then air it out downfield. Might see some big plays today.

SUNDAY - OCTOBER 09, 2022

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

.

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens​

The AFC North was expected to be one of the most competitive NFL divisions this season, and that's been the case through four weeks with three teams knotted at 2-2 atop the standings.

Two of them will go head-to-head on "Sunday Night Football" when the Ravens host the Bengals in a highly anticipated matchup.

Despite the Browns currently holding the tiebreaker and the Bengals being the reigning AFC champs, the Ravens are the odds-on favorites to win the division at this point. But that could change quickly with the first tiebreaker for playoff seeding being head-to-head record.

The Ravens and Bengals have split their four meetings since Cincinnati drafted Joe Burrow, with Baltimore taking the first two and Cincy sweeping last season's series. And none of the games have been particularly close, with just one decided by 20 points.

That's not likely to be the case on Sunday night, considering how evenly these teams have played so far this season. Their point differentials (Bengals, plus-21; Ravens, plus-19) are nearly identical, and they have two of the most exciting young quarterbacks in the league.

Can the Bengals win a third straight game over the Ravens and re-establish their AFC North dominance? Or will Baltimore bounce back from a tough loss to Buffalo with a signature win?

Sunday Night Football: Cincinnati (2-2) at Baltimore (2-2)

Kickoff: Sunday, Oct. 2 at 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Spread: Ravens -3

Three Things to Watch

1. Is Joe Burrow back?

Burrow was the darling of the 2021 season after leading the NFL with a 70.4 percent completion rate and 8.9 yards per attempt while taking the Bengals to the Super Bowl. But his start to the 2022 season was fairly rough.

Burrow took 13 sacks, threw four interceptions, and lost three fumbles in two losses to open the season, looking indecisive and uncharacteristically inaccurate. Cincinnati bolstered its offensive line over the offseason, but Burrow wasn't taking advantage.

Burrow has taken a step forward in the last two games, albeit against weaker opponents in the Jets and beat-up Dolphins. He's tossed five touchdowns with no turnovers and just three sacks, and his yards per attempt has jumped from 6.0 to 8.4. It's hard to believe that he is as bad as he was through Week 2, but it could be as simple as him not having to face perhaps the two best edge rushers in the league in T.J. Watt and Micah Parsons anymore.

Baltimore does not have a fearsome pass rusher — apologies to Odafe Oweh, who may one day be a star — and ranks last in pass defense this season. Part of that has to do with opponents averaging a league-high 44.3 passes per game against the Ravens, but they've also allowed 7.1 yards per attempt (23rd in the NFL). This could be Burrow's time to shine.

2. Can either team get its rushing attack right?

Part of the reason for Burrow's slow start was the complete lack of a running game. By any measure, the Bengals have been terrible: 31st in yards per attempt (3.8), 31st in EPA per rush (-0.29), and dead last in success rate (32.7 percent). When teams didn't have to respect Joe Mixon and Co., they can defend the Bengals with two high safeties and take away big passes.

The Bengals have accrued fewer rushing yards in each game this season, falling from 133 to 67, although the aerial production has ticked up in recent weeks. If the Bengals are going to turn this phase around, it ought to start soon, since the Ravens have been mediocre against the run, ranking 23rd in yards allowed per attempt (5.0).

While better than Cincinnati, Baltimore also has struggled to run the ball when Lamar Jackson (8.5 ypc) isn't keeping it. Justice Hill has an impressive 125 yards on 19 carries, but he is out for Sunday's game with a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, J.K. Dobbins, Kenyan Drake, and Mike Davis have collectively averaged 2.7 yards per carry. That's quite the drop-off after a similarly banged-up running back room averaged 4.6 last season.

Having a functional running game will be all the more important with leading receiver Rashod Bateman sidelined by a foot injury. Devin Duvernay looks like a breakout star at receiver, but hauling in 92 percent of his targets is not sustainable. Jackson can only prop up the offense by himself for so long, and a more functional running game would go a long way.

3. Can Cincinnati get pressure without blitzing?

Jackson has once again been putting up MVP numbers this season as he leads the NFL in touchdown passes (11) and is third in QBR (79.2). He's always had the talent to put up eye-popping numbers, but he's also benefitted from other circumstances this season.

Jackson has only been pressured on 17.5 percent of dropbacks, which is the sixth-lowest mark among starting QBs and much lower than the 21.4 percent rate he faced heading into this season. Most of the other passers with lower pressure rates (Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo, Josh Allen, etc.) get the ball out quickly, but Jackson has the fourth-longest average time to throw (3.01 sec.) this season.

Teams have tried bringing extra pass rushers, but when the Dolphins and Patriots blitzed Jackson a combined 32 times in Weeks 2 and 3, he piled up 537 yards with seven touchdowns and just one interception. He's just been too creative so beat that way.

Cincinnati will need to find a way to get after Jackson with just the front four, something the Bengals have had mixed success with this season. Despite a 17.2 percent blitz rate that ranks fifth-lowest, they rank 16th in pressure rate (24.3 percent). Ravens star left tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle) remains out, which gives Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard a better chance to cause some much-needed havoc.

Final Analysis

These teams look evenly matched, down to some of their similar flaws. Playing at home in prime time will give a small edge to the Ravens, although they appear to be a better team in Week 5 regardless of where the game is played. Baltimore has the edge at quarterback and, barring a surprisingly strong pass-rushing performance, that should be enough.

Prediction: Ravens 28, Bengals 24

Sunday, October 9th, 2022

THE LATE GAMES
San Francisco 49ers at Carolina Panthers
Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams
Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals

THE EARLY GAMES
9:30am ET - New York Giants at Green Bay Packers - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London England

Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills
Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Seattle Seahawks at New Orleans Saints
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets
Detroit Lions at New England Patriots
Tennessee Titans at Washington Commodes
Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars
Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings
Los Angeles Chargers at Cleveland Browns

SNF - Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens

Monday, October 10th, 2022
MNF - Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs

---

ALREADY PLAYED

Thursday, October 6th, 2022
TNF - Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos

Sunday, October 9th, 2022
9:30am ET - New York Giants at Green Bay Packers - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London England

THE EARLY GAMES
Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills
Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Seattle Seahawks at New Orleans Saints
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets
Detroit Lions at New England Patriots
Tennessee Titans at Washington Commodes
Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars
Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings
Los Angeles Chargers at Cleveland Browns

THE LATE GAMES
San Francisco 49ers at Carolina Panthers
Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams
Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals

SNF - Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens

Monday, October 10th, 2022
MNF - Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs

---

ALREADY PLAYED

Thursday, October 6th, 2022
TNF - Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos

I stated I was going to review each play that Robinson would do against the 49ers. I also decided to look at the running plays too just to see if I could see what the problem is. It appears the 49ers stacked the line of scrimmage frequently with 10 guys within 5 yards. Hard to block that many guys.

They played extremely aggressive Monday night.

I am just doing the first series for now.

Warning - this is a big post

Ist Series

Play 1
Akers runs right and appears to have a little hole if he cuts left. But for some reason he ran right into everyone to the right. Note – it becomes an even bigger opening as Jackson pushes his guy to the right.
He did this later as well where I thought he could cut left.



Play 2
Stafford quick hitter to Kupp to the right. Designed play. Robinson was open too.

My father in law invited my wife and I to the local college football game. Weber State.

Have not been to a game forever but said ya let's go.

Jonah Williams is a Rams player that played for Weber.

But the more random connection was when I looked at the schedule and who Weber plays.

EASTERN WASHINGTON.

My wife and I plan to wear a little Kupp gear to the game!

Cooper Kupp!

Pats sign pizza cook to roster....

A North Dakota pizza restaurant worker is going insanely viral this week as he is now going from behind the counter to the front lines of the NFL. The New England Patriots signed Sebastian Gutierrez to their practice squad, the team announced.

I need some food ideas.

What are you all thinking?

Sportsbooks are open for the 2022 Series...get yer bets in ya Dodger homers

Go ahead and play Mcutcheon... hes young hungry and fast.. put Robinson in the slot, let Mcutcheon spark em! Cant hurt.

1. There’s a heck of a lot of football to be played before we’ll know if the Rams will weather the storm and make a run, or collapse due to a foundation eroded by time, age, finances and injuries.

2. Whatever the outcome, last year’s run will sustain me until we reload and challenge again.

On their face, both of those statements may seem banal. Nonetheless, I recommend reminding oneself of these points over the next several weeks. For me, it helps.

You know the rules, or at least I hope you do.
Guess the correct score & win $10,000 ROD dollars or be the closest to the exact score & win $5,000 Rod Dollars. All entries must be posted before the game begins.

Rams - 17

Greenapple Quicksteps - 14