Ok sue me, I love Big Macs, but meal deals at fast food places are getting to be no deal at all. I watched a YouTube video with a smart Alec that called his creaton a “Hood”. Mac, where you get almost twice as much Big Mac as the original for the same price of one.
*Order two McDoubles, each one comes with two burger Pattie’s, cheese, pickles, mustard and ketchup.
Now transform it into the the Hood Mac: “Please hold the mustard, ketchup and add Mac sauce and shredded lettuce.

Some heathens would add onions, but it tastes just like a skinnier Big Mac without the center bun and a regular bun instead of a sesame seed bun. The above with tax cost me $4.04 for two Hood Macs.

Ok, @Merlin and myself are cheap bastids in the Midwest and are looking for a deal. What fast food restaurants do you order something for the menu in new or cheaper ways? I think we know about the Monster Style In-n-Out cheeseburegrets, so say something new!

Give it up @CGI_Ram !

New Jersey Generals vs. Birmingham Stallions​

On Saturday night, the latest rendition of the USFL will return to action after a 37-year absence in front of a national television audience. The New Jersey Generals will battle it out against the hometown Birmingham Stallions at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. The USFL will play all its games in Birmingham as the league looks to establish itself financially with the backing of FOX, which has put up $200 million to jump-start the league.

New Jersey looks to be a bubble playoff team under the direction of head coach Mike Riley, who last served as offensive coordinator for the Seattle Dragons in the short-lived XFL. Luis Perez is the Generals' starting quarterback and will be looking to build upon his experience in the AAF and XFL and attempt to provide stability at quarterback. De'Andre Johnson is a potential starter this week at quarterback and, if he plays, will provide a quality dual-threat option for this offense. Mike Weber is the primary running back, and he will have something to prove in his quest to find a way back to the NFL after earning a Super Bowl ring with the Chiefs in 2020. So, look for an emphasis on offense right out of the gate with the Generals.

Skip Holtz is the head coach for Birmingham, and he is a veteran of the college football coaching scene, with his last stop coming as head coach at Louisiana Tech (2013-21). Holtz will lean on Alex McGough as his starting quarterback to jump-start the Stallions' offense and ignite the home crowd. McGough has spent time on some NFL rosters with teams like the Seattle Seahawks but is still looking to break through in a big way. Scooby Wright is the headline player on defense at linebacker who won several national awards during his 2014 junior year at Arizona. Wright spent some time in the NFL but was never able to replicate the success that he had in Tucson.

New Jersey at Birmingham

Kickoff: Sat, Apr. 16 at 7:30 pm ET
Where: Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Ala.)
TV: FOX/NBC/Peacock
Spread: Stallions -1.5

Three Things to Watch

1. New Jersey offense

Consistency will be a key to victory for the Generals' offense, as this unit needs to stay on schedule and avoid negative plays. When Riley's teams have had success at any level, it's been a combination of running the football and sound decision-making by the quarterback. The offensive line and its ability to control the line of scrimmage will be key as it will take pressure off Perez when he drops back. Also, look for Weber to get around 20 carries, and if he can grind out close to 100 yards, that would be a plus for the offense. Perez needs to take care of the football and find his open receivers to keep the chains moving on offense. Another thing to watch is how often they utilize the two forward passes behind the line of scrimmage on offense that are allowed under USFL's unique rule changes. That is one way that Riley can draw something creative up to get the ball to former TCU wide receiver Kavontae Turpin, who could be electric in open space.

2. Birmingham offense

It will be fun to watch Holtz make the transition to the new league/rules because he also will handle the duties of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for his Stallions. Holtz does have a potentially explosive weapon in wide receiver Victor Bolden Jr., so look for the head coach to let McGough air it out early to get Bolden involved immediately. Bolden spent two years in the NFL as a returner for three teams after starring at Oregon State. Third down is another key to success on offense for the Stallions this week, where the running game could be called on to help keep the offense on the field.

3. New Jersey defense

Chris Orr comes into the USFL as one of the better linebackers in the league after starting for three years at Wisconsin and earning second-team All-Big Ten recognition as a senior in 2019. However, the best player on this defense should be De'Vante Bausby, who played for Riley with the AAF's San Antonio Commodes. Bausby has a knack for causing problems for opposing quarterbacks as evidenced by his four interceptions during the AAF's one, brief season. Winning the turnover battle would really put the Generals in a good position to start their season off on the right foot.

Final Analysis

There will be a feeling-out process for both teams early on. The big key is to survive these issues and get the game into the second half with a chance to win. Look for this contest to hang in the balance heading into the fourth quarter, but in the end, the combination of timely passing from McGough and the home crowd ends up propelling Birmingham to victory as the USFL gets its season started.

Prediction: Stallions 26, Generals 17

I am really looking forward to the duo of Coen and McVay. Here are a couple of recent articles.

Maybe it was my perspective, but did McVay and O’Connell look as tight together as we hear Coen sound?

O’Connell definitely operated in the background while our OC.

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Liam Coen watched Rams' offense evolve while at Kentucky. Now he gets to help it move forward​

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – By Wednesday, the NFL film would drop into the system, and on those mornings, the first thing then-University of Kentucky offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Liam Coen did was come in and watch tape of the Rams' most recent game.

"It was more so because we, we would cut that film up and show it to our players in a Friday meeting every week," Coen said during a video conference Wednesday. "And it wasn't always about the plays, right? I mean, we ran a lot of the same concepts, even though the Rams started to evolve in a different way. It was the fundamentals, the techniques, the things that really ultimately help college football players get better off of NFL film."

Even if the primary purpose was to instruct his players, it still gave Coen the chance to keep tabs on the Rams' offense from afar as it evolved over the course of the season. Now, as it looks to take another step, Coen will be tasked with helping it move forward as the Rams' new offensive coordinator.

For Coen, who is back for his second stint on Los Angeles' coaching staff, accomplishing that objective will be helped by those Wednesday film sessions in Lexington. While some weeks weren't as much of deep-dives based on what the gameplan called for in a given week, he still had a pretty good idea of how the Rams' offense changed over the course of the regular season.

"You really started to see the evolution of the gun run really early on, especially in the beginning of the season, and then the drop back pass was kind of ever-evolving," Coen said. "Then you started to see, when they hit that a little bit of that lull there for a few games, them truly get back to running the football and getting a little bit more of that identity back until they were really comfy in terms of getting (to), 'Alright, this is who we are, this is what we need to do to be successful moving forward.'"

It also helped that one of his good friends on staff, current pass game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson, was still on staff and easily accessible, which proved beneficial in multiple ways.

"I would see something on film on those Wednesday film reviews, and I would text Zac Robinson and be like, 'Hey, what are you guys doing here?'" Coen said. "He's one of my best friends, so I was able to have dialogue there and be able to get some answers, which helped me as a coach be able to present that to the players at Kentucky in a better way."

The next iteration of that offense will be pieced together in the coming months, first during the offseason program scheduled to begin Tuesday, April 19 and continuing through training camp later this summer, with new personnel like wide receiver Allen Robinson to work with. And as the regular season showed, what gets put it during those times isn't the final product as defensive schemes and available personnel sometimes dictate.

Throughout that time, Coen will have a solid foundation to work with during that time thanks to those Wednesdays in Lexington.

"I think being able to keep up with it throughout the season really helped me be able to walk into this building and understand more," Coen said.

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Is Liam Coen next Rams offensive coordinator who will become an NFL head coach?​

Three of coach Sean McVay’s former assistants on offense parlayed their success with the Rams into NFL head coach jobs.

Will Liam Coen be next?

Coen, the Rams’ new offensive coordinator, has yet to run a meeting or help McVay design a play for the Super Bowl champions.

But Coen, a former Rams assistant who was Kentucky’s offensive coordinator last season, is aware that Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur, Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor and Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell all saw their career trajectories soar after working closely with McVay. Chargers coach Brandon Staley is a former Rams defensive coordinator.

“If those opportunities come at some point, then great,” Coen said Wednesday during a videoconference with reporters. “It’s obviously the pinnacle of your career in terms of this profession, is getting to be a head football coach in the National Football League. And to say that wasn’t a goal of mine or isn’t a goal of mine, I’d be lying.

“But that’s not why ultimately you come take this job. ... Sean and this staff and this organization is just always adapting, always evolving, and that’s something I want to continue to be a part of.”

Coen, 36, first joined McVay’s staff in 2018 as an assistant wide receivers coach. He served in the same capacity in 2019 before becoming assistant quarterbacks coach in 2020.

Coen took many of the Rams’ concepts to Kentucky, where he designed the offense and called plays for a Southeastern Conference team that finished 10-3.

When the Vikings hired O’Connell, the Rams’ offensive coordinator the last two seasons, McVay brought back Coen.

“Loved my time at Kentucky, in the SEC, in college football again,” Coen said, “but this opportunity was too good to pass up.”

McVay said last month that Coen was somebody that he “leaned on heavily” before Kentucky hired him. And the two coaches remained in contact.

“I really love the way that he sees the game,” McVay said. “We see it through a very similar lens, and he’s got a great understanding.”

Coen, a Rhode Island native, played quarterback at the University of Massachusetts and in the Arena Football League before starting a coaching career that included stints at Brown, Massachusetts and Maine before McVay hired him.

Coen said he monitored the Rams last season and used their game film to instruct Kentucky players. He said he remained in contact with several Rams assistants and players. He also attended the Rams’ NFC divisional-round playoff victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“Just to feel the love when I did go back down to Tampa for that game … really felt like home again,” he said. “Didn’t have any idea of any of this kind of coming to fruition at that time but it was nice to kind of go back to that experience after a year away from this place.”

As he prepares for his sixth season, McVay remains the play-caller and the main architect of an offense that is led by quarterback Matthew Stafford and features receivers Cooper Kupp and new addition Allen Robinson, among others.

Coen said his main role would be assisting McVay in devising game plans and leading meetings when McVay’s varied responsibilities pull him in different directions.

“Being a sounding board for Sean,” Coen said.

O’Connell was one of six assistants that left the staff after the Rams defeated the Bengals in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium.

Coen was among the new hires, and McVay also promoted and gave other assistants new responsibilities, ostensibly to strengthen their resumes.

Thomas Brown, assistant head coach last season and the running backs coach the last two seasons, will coach tight ends. Ra’Shaad Samples replaces Brown as a running backs coach.

Zac Robinson is the pass-game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Chris Shula, linebackers coach last season, will coach defensive backs and serve as the defensive pass game coordinator.

A year round virtual business venture with 6Connex Event Technology of San Antonio.

The Super Bowl LVI Champion Los Angeles Rams today launched a year-round virtual venue to provide innovative opportunities for fans, corporate partners and other stakeholders to engage with the team. The Virtual Rams House, the first virtual venue in the sports industry, was built by 6Connex, a leading provider of event technology platforms worldwide.

The virtual environment will be the setting for the Rams first End of the Season Summit, an event which will feature Rams executives recapping the previous season and discussing offseason plans and expectations for the upcoming 2022 season.


The Virtual Rams House allows fans to connect with each other via community chats on gamedays and beyond, and debate on discussion boards. Rams Season Ticket Members will be able to connect specifically with other Members in their seating section, creating communities within the community.

The 6Connex-powered environment allows fans to stay connected with the Rams year-round, providing unique content around various NFL tentpole moments and community-focused events. In addition, Rams partners can leverage the Virtual Rams House to engage Rams fans in unique ways.

The Virtual Rams House can be experienced at www.Therams.com/virtualramshouse

"We are pleased to team up with 6Connex to develop this first-of-a-kind platform for our fans," said Rams Chief Marketing Officer Kathryn Kai-ling Frederick. "With innovative features and functionality, 6Connex's platform provides unique opportunities for fans to connect with our team and to each other through a one-of-a kind digital environment."

Said Ruben Castano, 6Connex CEO, "6Connex is leading the way in the virtual and hybrid event technology space, so this was a natural next step for the organization. Creating a virtual venue for a major professional sports team is thrilling. This partnership with the Los Angeles Rams pushes boundaries of the fan experience and helps everyone engage with the team in new ways. The environment sets the standard for professional sports franchises looking for creative ways to engage with fans, sponsors and other key stakeholders."

In 2021, 6Connex and the Rams entered into a five-year partnership, making 6Connex a Proud Partner of the Los Angeles Rams. As part of the partnership, 6Connex has branding and signage at SoFi Stadium during Rams home games and sponsors a unique content series released throughout the year.

Click to expand...

Liz Sheridan, who played Jerry’s mom on Seinfeld, passed away at 93. First George’s mom, now Jerry’s mom. I’m getting old.

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/seinfeld-liz-sheridan-tv-mother-jerry-dead-93

Just rewatched Rams-Ravens where Ramsey throws a punch at Rapps face in the huddle early in the game.

WTF was that all about?

Why is NFL free agency before the draft? How the offseason schedule impacts roster-building decisions, big-money deals, more​

The San Francisco 49ers entered this offseason with a clear roster deficiency: the cornerback position. So after years of nibbling at it in free agency, the 49ers did what many NFL teams feel compelled to do. They took a big swing at a veteran player with a limited résumé, signing free-agent Charvarius Ward to a three-year, $42 million deal that fully guaranteed him $18.1 million at signing.

Ward has four career interceptions and no Pro Bowl invites over four seasons, but in signing him, the 49ers had likely reordered their priorities for the 2022 draft. They do not have a first-round selection, but what if they get to their spot in the second round (No. 61) or third (No. 93) and their top-rated player is a cornerback -- one who would be younger, cheaper and potentially more effective over time?

For all their public discussion about drafting the best player available, many NFL teams would pass on the cornerback and look to balance their team building with another position, all the while ruing the unfortunate coincidence. It's a guessing game that has frustrated Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan for years, and one that has left him wishing that the NFL -- like the NBA and the NHL -- would hold its draft before free agency.

"It would make too much sense," Shanahan said recently. "In the draft, you'd love to take the best player. You'd always love to do that. It would be the neatest thing if you could just study the heck out of everybody in the draft, which we all do, and then whoever comes to your spot, just take that [player]. And then you could just look at your board when it's all said and done, and be like, 'Wow, we don't have that position, let's go pay for it [in free agency].'"

How would the NFL change if teams could stock their rosters with young, cheap, promising players before deciding how to spend their remaining cap space on available veterans? Who would benefit and who would get dinged?

Shanahan has spoken privately about the offseason structure for years, said Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who spent three years working with Shanahan in the 49ers' front office. "I get it," Adofo-Mensah said. "You're trying to plan both things in advance, but ... you don't know ultimately what you're going to be able to address in the draft."

The NFL, however, has no real incentive to move up the draft and cut short some of the massive buildup and attention it generates. Nor does it want free agency to drop down to May (or later) and cut into OTAs and minicamps. I asked nearly a dozen coaches and general managers about it this spring and most admitted they were so locked into the existing structure that they hadn't considered an alternative possibility.

"I've never thought about that," said Washington Commodes coach Ron Rivera, who has final say over the team's personnel moves. "But I think it would be interesting."

"Haven't thought about that question too much," said Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst, "but it would definitely change how you thought about [the offseason]."

"If they ever did that," Las Vegas Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said, "that would flip some things around for you. But I've never really considered it much because I don't know that they'll ever do it."

"I don't want to really think about what it could be like," Adofo-Mensah said, "because this is what it is."

How did this structure get implemented in the first place -- and why? As it turns out, the "how" is much clearer than the "why."

It started with Plan B

The start of the NFL's modern financial structure is usually traced to 1993, when owners and the NFL Players Association agreed on a system that would allow unrestricted free agency in exchange for a hard salary cap for each team. But from 1989 to 1992, they had tested an idea known as "Plan B," where teams were allowed to protect 37 players who had been on their rosters the previous season. The remainder were "exposed" and available to sign elsewhere as free agents.

Teams naturally protected their best players, leaving mostly backups and aging veterans to enter the market. The arrangement came during a chaotic time in the NFL. There had been two work stoppages in the previous decade (1982 and 1987) and a series of players had filed antitrust lawsuits against the league to secure a free-agent market.

At the start of Plan B, longtime agent Donald Yee said there was an "urgency to get started." The signing period started in February and lasted two months, and no one thought the pool of available players would be impactful enough to change the balance of power among teams.

"Players who were eligible for free agency wanted to start talking to teams right away," Yee said. "That was kind of the thinking among players. And the general managers wanted a proper amount of time to prepare for the draft. A lot of the recruiting of players by agents back then didn't even start until December and January at the college all-star games. You had agents recruiting and front offices concerned about having limited manpower to do all of their draft preparations. Really, that's partly how it came about. They were saying, 'we've got to have some order here as to how these things happen instead of everything happening at one time.'"

Yee was deeply involved in the development of the structure, having pursued the antitrust lawsuits for several players, and later working to test the boundaries of the new collective bargaining agreement by negotiating a fully-guaranteed contract for quarterback Rick Mirer. He currently represents Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, among others. These days, he recalls no deep discussions about the order of Plan B free agency and the draft, in part because of the presumed mild nature of Plan B and in part because of the power of routine.

General managers and personnel executives were accustomed to spending the early months of spring preparing for a mid-April draft. Yee recalled that "they felt as if the NFL would have had the draft first, the clubs would have complained that they didn't have the time to evaluate the large number of prospects that were coming out."

In 1992, a federal court ruled that Plan B was a violation of antitrust laws. When the sides converted the system in 1993 to what we now know as free agency, the early spring format remained in place. At the time, owners were more focused on securing the salary cap than thinking through the potential advantages or disadvantages of slotting free agency after the draft.

Indeed, there were few if any contemporary executives and agents anticipating the frenzy that free agency would become.

"That's the part that played out organically," Yee said. "We didn't know how anyone would react. All 32 teams were left to their own devices, and it just so happened that everyone was champing at the bit to get going."

What if the draft and free agency were swapped?

A veteran contract negotiator I spoke with this spring had no doubt how a swap in order would play out. If teams were allowed to draft before the free-agent market opened, this negotiator said, there would be fewer bidders on available free agents because there would be less need. Basic economics suggests that a lower volume of interest would lead to less money per deal, giving teams more leverage and salary-cap space to re-sign their pending free agents before the market opened.

The reverse structure would be more easily absorbed now by NFL teams, whose expanded scouting staffs and systems leave them ready to draft much sooner.

"In some ways, a week after the college season, I wouldn't mind getting the medicals done and just drafting," Gutekunst said. "That might help us a lot. That's an interesting question. Certainly, there are times you'd like to fill some holes before you hit the draft. ... [But] I don't know if the union would be all fired up about doing that after the draft."

It's also possible, Rivera said, that teams would shed more veterans if they were able to draft a long-term replacement for an aging veteran before the market opened. A flooded market, generally speaking, would depress individual contract values.

"If you ever did anything like that," Rivera said, "I think it would make more high-priced guys available. Because what's going to happen is that those teams with guys sitting there with big contracts, all of a sudden there is a guy they think might be able to replace that player. That's what might happen."

Others are not so sure. While it makes more sense from a team-building perspective, Shanahan said, it could also benefit players who would be a final option for filling a roster hole. Teams would no longer have the leverage of using the draft if a negotiation does not work out.

"You are going to overpay," Shanahan said. "That's what free agency is. You have to overpay to get those, but it kind of defeats the purpose of the draft right after it. If it goes the other way around, you do the draft, you get all those guys and then you overpay because you have to overpay, because you know where you're at."

Yee, for one, has seen decades of NFL and NFLPA negotiations that lead to unexpected outcomes and unintended consequences. He cautioned against projecting a massive change if the structure ever changed.

"It wouldn't affect what we see that much," Yee said. "I just really don't think it would. The draft is limited to seven rounds. The amount of impact guys you're going to get is fairly minimal. You're still going to need veteran free agents."

Will the Rams extend Aaron Donald's contract?

Will the Rams re-sign Odell Beckham, Jr.?

Will the Rams sign Stephon Gilmore?

Will the Rams sign Tyrann Matthieu?

Will the Rams sign one of the following players: Jadeveon Clowney, Akiem Hicks, Jerry Hughes or Melvin Ingram?

Will the Rams re-sign Sony Michel?

Will the Rams draft a RB in before the end of the 4th round of the draft?

Will the Rams extend Cooper Kupp's contract?

Will the Rams make any trades involving veteran players between now and the end of the draft?

Well, the trip back to the Super Bowl definitely will have to be won. They will face the best division in the NFL the AFCW plus, the Bills, Packers and Bucs. I better buy the chips by the case and the beer by the kegs. I think the Bucs have taken a slight step back in terms of talent and coaching. The Packers and Chiefs don't look as intimidating this year because both took FA hits. The Bills look like the Rams of the AFC IMO. Those guys look loaded. In the AFCW if Staley drafts well they could be tough if their defense improves. KC without Hill isn't as intimidating this year and the Rams know how to beat Wilson. Right now the biggest test is probably looking like the Bills, but thank god it will be played in SoFi.

I think the Rams will play in Mexico City and probably vs the Raiders, Cowboys or Chiefs. All three of those teams have big followings in Mexico. The season opener will probably be against the Bills or Packers. I think the NFL would want the biggest national draw (east vs west). My guess would be the Bills if the NFL wants to open with a bang to be as a possible Super Bowl preview. Both teams are evenly matched and I think it will come down to who makes the most mistakes.

In the AFC Miami looks sneaky good. But I don't think Tua really scares anyone. If they get behind they probably would struggle to play from behind. I think it will come down to the Bills, Browns, and Denver in the AFC. In the NFC at this point, I don't see a single team that matches up well with the Rams.

Yeah, this is going to be a very good season. 14-2 or 14-3 is what I see, barring injuries of course. The way the NFC is now the Rams could end up the #1 seed. There is no team in the NFC that matches up to the Rams. Normally that extra week off can be the kiss of death. But this team handled the Super Bowl week extremely well. They stayed focused and it showed.

XFL announces eight head coaches for 2023 return: Wade Phillips, Jim Haslett, Rod Woodson among new hires​

The new United States Football League (USFL) launches this week, with eight different franchises kicking off spring football. But it's not the only professional league making noise during the NFLoffseason. On Tuesday, the XFL, which is set to return in 2023 after a short-lived 2020 revival, announced on ESPN its eight teams' new head coaches. Among them are former NFL head coaches Wade Phillips and Jim Haslett, as well as Hall of Famer Rod Woodson and longtime Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops.

Here's the full rundown of the eight head coaches announced for the XFL's 2023 return:

• Wade Phillips: Most recently the Rams' defensive coordinator (2017-2019), Phillips is a legend of the game, running defenses since the 1980s. He last served as a head coach with the Cowboys(2007-2010) and won a Super Bowl as the Broncos' defensive coordinator in 2015.
• Jim Haslett: Last seen as the Titans' inside linebackers coach (2020-2021), Haslett is a veteran defensive mind best known for a six-year run as Saints head coach (2000-2005). He's also held three different coordinator jobs.
• Bob Stoops: Head coach of the XFL's Dallas Renegades during the league's 2020 revival, Stoops spent 18 years as the Sooners' coach (1999-2016), winning one national title, and returned as Oklahoma's interim coach in 2021.
• Rod Woodson: The former 11-time Pro Bowler and Hall of Fame defensive back was last seen on the sidelines in 2017, when he served as the Raiders' CBs coach. He previously spent five years as a coaching intern/assistant.
• Hines Ward: An all-time Steelers wide receiver who won two Super Bowls during a 14-year career, Ward has transitioned to coaching in recent years, serving as a Jets assistant (2019-2020) and Florida Atlantic's WRs coach (2021).
• Reggie Barlow: A former NFL wide receiver, Barlow spent the last six years as Virginia State's head coach. Before that, he served as Alabama State's head coach from 2007-2014.
• Terrell Buckley: A former Super Bowl champion cornerback, Buckley has spent more than a decade as a college football assistant, most recently as the CBs coach for Mississippi State (2016-2019) and Ole Miss (2020-2021).
• Anthony Becht: An 11-year NFL tight end, the former Jets and Buccaneers veteran was last seen as the TEs coach for the San Diego Fleet of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) in 2019.

The XFL is slated to return to action in February 2023.

New guys or guys in new positions.

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I'm curious how my brothers and sisters on this board process these two narratives. Obviously, as Rams fans...we all believe Stafford is the far superior QB. Nevertheless, we have all seemingly taken offense to the notion that his Lions days shouldn't be the dominant evaluation because he played for a terrible team.

Unlike Mayfield, Stafford never had the running game the Browns employ. However, doesn't that style of offense change the dynamic of a gunslinger QB? I suppose we could go back in history to find better comps...Archie Manning, Steve Bartkowski, Ken Anderson?

The point I'd like to discuss is how we differentiate apologizing for Stafford's lack of success in Detroit from Mayfield's experience in Cleveland. Could he better QB than we know?

And they fucking pulled him...



I get that it's Dave Roberts but what...in...the...literal...fuck...

Really would cap this off season if we can add him back into the mix. It’s pretty obvious with him recruiting players here when he’s not even signed that he wants to stay. Get the feeling his and Gilmores deals are waiting on the AD and possibly Kupp extensions.


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I follow a bunch of teams for fantasy football reasons and the Bills had shared this. Lol, great shit.

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Is Brycen Hopkins ready to step up as Rams' No. 2 tight end in 2022?​

Brycen Hopkins was supposed to be the player to replace Gerald Everett at tight end when he inevitably left in free agency. The Rams drafted him to be that type of player in 2020, knowing Everett might be on his way out before the 2021 season.

It didn’t work exactly to plan, with Hopkins playing a total of 61 snaps in his first two years in the NFL and catching only one pass for 9 yards in 10 games played. The Rams have been patient with him, however, and Hopkins started to show some promise in the Super Bowl when he caught four passes for 47 yards as the top tight end with Higbee sidelined due to injury.

Can Hopkins carry over that momentum into 2022? He’ll once again get the opportunity to be the Rams’ No. 2 tight end, just as he had last year. Johnny Mundt, who was the TE2 last season, signed with the Vikings in free agency, opening the door for Hopkins for the second year in a row.

Hopkins won’t necessarily face a ton of competition for that job. Kendall Blanton is the other tight end who will be battling for the backup role at tight end, and he was the Rams’ preferred choice at that spot after Mundt got hurt.

Blanton played 11 games, made two starts and played 21% of the offensive snaps. He came alive in the playoffs, catching all seven of his targets for 75 yards and a touchdown, picking up five first downs – outperforming Hopkins. But it was Hopkins who contributed the most in the Super Bowl, which was a surprising development.

Heading into 2022, it’s anyone’s guess who will win the job as Higbee’s backup. But what we do know is how important that role is. Higbee is pretty durable but he hasn’t played a full season since 2018. Not to mention, the Rams like to have a capable blocker as their No. 2 tight end when they deploy 12 personnel with two receivers and two tight ends on the field together.

Neither Hopkins nor Blanton is a particularly good blocker, but Hopkins made a couple of key blocks in the running game during Super Bowl LVI. It’s not a lack of effort, but rather a need to improve his technique when it comes to sealing off defenders when the Rams run the ball outside.

Los Angeles would probably prefer if Hopkins beat out Blanton as the No. 2 tight end, hopefully validating the team’s decision to draft him in the fourth round two years ago. Sean McVay won’t complain so long as one of the two step up, but Hopkins might have the slightly better opportunity to after his performance in the Super Bowl.

Which one would you take?

Keep it coming!

Well, they come in 3s don't they? Louie Anderson, Bob Saget, Gilbert. Another piece of my childhood gone.

With their first pick at the back of the third round, and precious little information regarding pre-draft visits, this is more of a shot in the dark than most years' mocks. That said, with some consideration of player slotting, team needs, and a bit of my own personal wish list, here's what I've come up with as my final* Rams mock.

(*I reserve the right to modify this if the Rams make a major FA signing in the next two weeks!)

Round 3 (104): DeAngelo Malone, EDGE, Western Kentucky (RSr.), 6’3, 243 lbs.
Once a draft sleeper, Malone is moving up the charts and could be gone by the time the Rams pick. If he’s there, though, I love the fit. While he isn’t a complete player yet, and might split time with better run defenders, he’s ready to make his mark as a pass rusher, as he demonstrated at this year’s Senior Bowl. The Rams’ last pick from Western Kentucky, Tyler Higbee, worked out well, so hopefully Malone would do the same.

Round 4 (142): Cam Taylor-Britt, CB/FS, Nebraska (Sr.), 6’0, 197 lbs.
Taylor-Britt brings great versatility, having experience playing both the CB and FS spots. He has good size and, while he adjusts to the NFL, his speed (4.38 forty at the Combine) will help make up for any mistakes.

Round 5(32): Dameon Pierce, RB Florida (Sr.), 5’10, 215 lbs.
Pierce would round out the Rams’ RB corps nicely as a power/short yardage presence to compliment workhorse Cam Akers and change-of-pace back Darrell Henderson. He has the ability to find and hit the seams hard, getting positive yards in small spaces. He’s also a guy who loves the game, which is an underrated quality.

Round 6(211): Vederian Lowe, OL, Illinois (Sr.), 6’6, 320 lbs.
Good size and work ethic. He’s not regarded as a camera-ready, finished product, but he has the traits to develop. Position flexibility between OT and OG is helpful too. I’m a fan of Big 10 OL, so he fits that criteria as well.

Round 6(212): Christian Benford, CB, Villanova (Sr.), 6’1, 205 lbs.
A small school prospect who dominated in college and has the tools to be a productive pro. Depth at CB is always a good thing.

Round 6(218): Chase Allen, TE, Iowa State (Sr.), 6’7, 250 lbs.
A tough player who can block. Can be a candidate to replace the role filled by Johnny Mundt.

Round 7(238): Ben Brown, OG, Ole Miss (Sr.), 6’6, 315 lbs.
Good experience (primarily at OG, but also at C) and high level of competition.

Round 7(253): Jordan Stout, P, Penn State (Sr.), 6’6, 225 lbs.
Competition for Riley Dixon.

Bill Polian and Solomon Wilcotts were discussing running backs in the draft, drafting running backs etc.. Polian said, "I've heard people say, you shouldn't take running backs in the first round because they don't last that long. That's ridiculous. Look at Edgerrin James, Jim Brown, Marshall Faulk" Wilcotts added "yeah and Emmitt...he-he-he-he". Polian continued about why they don't last long....."they take a viscous beating, particularly in pass pro" and added, "it's smart not to give them a second contract".

So which is it? They last long or shouldn't get a second contract.

Pro-Football-Reference has 250 running back listed from Emmitt to Ron Dayne (#250). If you look at the top of that list you'll find (with the exception of Jim Brown and Eddie George) 30 some running backs who played 10 years or more. With rare exception, by year 11 (age 31 or 32) their production dipped markedly. That list shows 250 running backs who managed to gain 3722 yards or more in their career. There are probably another 500 to 1,000 who gained less. So we should go by those rare specimens who last 10 years plus?

I do agree with Polian on a couple of things. "Pass pro is a severe collision" and "they shouldn't get 2nd contracts". You only need to look no further than Todd Gurley or Christian McCaffrey. The #1 active RB in longevity is Adrian Peterson (17 years) and he's only had one 1,000 yard season in the last 5 (1042 in 2018). The next active RB on the list is Mark Ingram, 7878 yards in 12 years or 657 yds/season. Not exactly the poster boy for drafting a guy high. Longevity is good, so long as production is good.

Another thing Polian touched on was the guys he likes in this years draft and he constantly cited "production", as in multi year production on the college level. I can agree you want that but that's also a double edged sword. Those guys have more wear and tear on them. That's why I like D'Vonte Price (FIU) and Brian Robinson (Alabama) or Rachaad White in the draft. The first two are 5 year college players but with limited wear and tear and White has limited carries but was productive last year. Robinson had 271 carries in 2021 but never registered 100 in the previous 4 years (545 total). Price had 129 carries this season and has just 369 over 5 years. White has 224 carries the last 2 years. And they're all over 6'0" and 200 lbs.

Polian cited guys like Breece Hall (Iowa St). I agree he's a capable RB with great production in his 3 year college career.....3941 yards but he's amassed 718 carries those 3 years. I guess it depends on what you're looking for in a RB. If you subscribe to that "no 2nd contract" approach, then Hall or others like him would be fine. For the Rams I hope they subscribe to that theory and take a big guy in this year's draft. We need somebody who can gain those 2 or 3 yards when we need them to. I'm hoping for D'Vonte Price or Rachaad White, Brian Robinson if those guys are off the board at #142 or #175. I feel pretty confident we're going to take a RB with one of the first 3 selections.