We match up REALLY well vs. the Bengals.

FUCK YEEEAAAH, RAMS WIIIIIN!!!

If there is a thread please merge.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...patriots-josh-mcdaniels-coach-dave-ziegler-gm

On a run this AM... "Had a Dad" from Jane's Addiction comes on (Entourage opening credits music, if you didn't know).. just a screaming effing rocker from a quintessential Hollywood band.

I see in my mind that Entourage Lincoln with the suicide doors... cruising.... Stafford at the wheel.. Kupp in the front seat with him and Donald and Miller rolling in the back. These guys are *the* stars, the difference makers in my mind. Yeah.. the rest of the cast will show up.. but these guys will carry the story today and bring the Rams home that Hollywood ending. It's an effing movie script.. beat down more than once by a rival.. going against big odds... and rising up in the biggest moment for their biggest victory.

Go, Fucking Rams!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Beat down those 9ers!!!

Back






Front

Died at age 81, from delayed complications from colon surgery.

Best known from Head of the Class, The Bob Newhart Show, and of course WKRP in Cincinnati, along with various movies.

His role in WKRP as the morning DJ Dr Johnny Fever was classic.

Booger!

The 1999 Rams super bowl win on my 18th bday. Let's hope they can today on my 40th.

Normally a leader by example, Aaron Donald now also using his voice, too​

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Actions speak louder than words, so the saying goes. And while Aaron Donald normally leads with the former, he's beginning to use the latter more.

As the Rams gear up for Sunday's NFC Championship game against the 49ers (3:30 p.m. PT, FOX) with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, the Rams defensive lineman is speaking up in an effort to further motivate his teammates.

"He talks when he wants to," Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris said. "And when he talks everybody listens, man. The E.F. Hutton deal."

The more vocal approach in part comes from the natural sense of urgency created by this weekend with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. It's also derived from Donald being challenged to do so by Rams outside linebacker Von Miller.

"I have always considered myself a leader, but more of a lead by example guy," Donald said Thursday. "One thing Von has been challenging me a lot more with is just him talking to me, being more vocal, talking to the guys, letting them hear my voice. Having Von and having him speak to me and talk to me, I feel like some of the best things I'm learning from Von is being more of a vocal leader."

Donald has preached a message one would expect with such high stakes ahead.

"We know what's on the line. We're one game away," Donald said. "I told them, pretty much, this is what you work for. All that offseason training, all that camp, all the long grinding days we put in is for playing games like this and we're here now. We're one game away. We just have to go out there and do our job and play a full game for four quarters and finish."

As Morris indicated, when teammates hear Donald's voice, it resonates.

Rams defensive back Jalen Ramsey said Donald has broken the defense down more than usual this week to give the unit extra motivation. While the message varies each time, it revolves around the consistent theme of what the defense is trying to accomplish and what the team is trying to accomplish, ensuring the vision is forward-looking, what their goal is and ensuring they're doing everything they can to achieve it.

"Especially the defense thinks so highly of him," Ramsey said. "So it does mean a little bit extra when AD does things like that."

The 30-year-old Donald has accomplished virtually everything at this stage of his career. One of only three players ever to be named NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times, he's also been named a First Team All-Pro in seven consecutive seasons and a Pro Bowler in each of his eight NFL seasons so far.

Virtually all that's left: Winning a Super Bowl.

Donald is doing everything he can to ensure he can check that off. Starting with speaking up more.

"This week, my mindset is there's no way we're going to lose this game," Donald said. "We have to play for quarters. We have to find a way to finish, and I know we're going to do that."

AFC Championship: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Kansas City Chiefs​

Just three years ago, the Kansas City Chiefs looked awfully similar to their upcoming AFC Championship Game opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals. Patrick Mahomes was just a second-year quarterback in January 2019 with a hotshot wide receiver, Tyreek Hill, as his primary target. He led the league's top-ranked offense into a showdown with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, falling just short in a bid for the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance since 1970.

Now, Mahomes and his Chiefs team have become the wily veterans capitalizing on their opportunities. Making a fourth straight trip to the AFC title game, they've won the past two along with Super Bowl LIV back in 2020. A high-flying offense hopes to play the role of Brady to second-year quarterback Joe Burrow, rookie wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, and a Bengals offensive unit that has come to prominence in just a few short months.

On the other side of Sunday's title game, a Bengals upset, one week after knocking off the AFC's top seed (Tennessee), would make Burrow a Cincinnati legend at just 25 years old. At stake is the team's first Super Bowl appearance since January 1989, potentially accomplished following a disastrous 25-53-2 stretch from 2016-20. Just one year ago, the team went 4-11-1 after Burrow missed most of the season with a torn ACL.

For Mahomes, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, and their organization they're also on the verge of making history. Three straight Super Bowls would match what the Patriots did before them, from 2017-19, while giving their star quarterback a chance to earn a second ring at just 26 and solidify a dynasty all his own.

It'll need to be a quick recovery for the Chiefs after arguably the best Divisional Round game in NFL history. But after battling back from a three-point deficit against the Buffalo Bills with 13 seconds to play, can they really breathe easy? After all, the last matchup was competitive, a 34-31 offensive slugfest that went the Bengals' way just one month ago.

Cincinnati holds a narrow 16-14 edge in this budding rivalry, and this will be their first matchup in the playoffs. Will the Chiefs be ready for revenge with this matchup on their home turf in Arrowhead Stadium? Or are the Bengals in position to pull off a second straight surprise?

AFC Championship: Cincinnati (12-7) at Kansas City (14-5)

Kickoff: Sunday, Jan. 30 at 3 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Spread: Chiefs -7

Three Things to Watch

1. Can Joe Burrow match Patrick Mahomes?

Much has been written this month about Joe Burrow's rise to prominence in the NFL. Burrow talked tough after the team's 19-16 upset over the Titans, making clear "Cinderella" is no longer a slipper the Bengals should wear.

"I'm tired of the underdog narrative," Burrow said. "We're a really, really good team. We're here to make noise and teams are going to have to pay attention to us. We're, like I said, a really good team with really good players and coaches and we're coming for it all."

To do that, Burrow must beat a former NFL MVP who's been lights out during the postseason. Mahomes has been unstoppable, throwing for 782 yards in two games, eight touchdowns, just one interception, and a 131.7 quarterback rating. Add in another rushing TD (plus 98 yards on the ground) and it's clear his early-season struggles are a thing of the past.

You can't put a number on Burrow's leadership quality with the Bengals: it's an intangible that you can't measure through stats. But his postseason numbers have been middling by comparison: 592 passing yards, two touchdowns, one interception, and a QB rating of 101.4. His offensive line also caved in against the Titans, allowing an NFL playoff record-tying nine sacks. So much for those custom G-Shock watches Burrow got them for Christmas, covered in diamonds providing extra motivation…

Burrow was outstanding in the Chiefs' Week 17 matchup, going 30-for-39 for 446 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. That included rallying from three different 14-point deficits, then leading the winning drive to produce an Evan McPherson 20-yard field goal as time expired.

"See y'all in the playoffs," Mahomes reportedly said after that one — and he was right.

So rest assured, Burrow won't be intimidated. And the Chiefs just allowed Josh Allen to put together a near-perfect performance: 27-for-37, 329 yards, four touchdowns and no picks in the Bills' Divisional Round loss.

However, repeating that on the road, with the spotlight of the AFC championship front-and-center, is another level altogether. We know Mahomes will show up to play; can Burrow go punch-for-punch like Allen just did? How you feel about that question should swing your thoughts on the game. Burrow's performance to this team means that much, and it needs to be at an A+ level this Sunday.

2. Tyreek Hill vs. Ja'Marr Chase

Two of the NFL's most dynamic receivers will be on display in what's likely to be another fireworks-level performance between them. Hill was the lynchpin for the Chiefs during the Bills game, producing 150 yards, a highlight-reel 64-yard touchdown, and a 45-yard kickoff return. He's got 207 receiving yards overall and two touchdowns to lead his team in the playoffs after an AFC-best 111 catches during the regular season. The fastest man in the NFL can unleash that speed at any moment, always keeping his team in the game.

But Chase, at least against the Chiefs, outplayed Hill, who had just 40 yards in their most recent matchup. The fifth overall pick in last year's draft pick racked up a rookie-record 266 receiving yards on 11 catches in Week 16, a whopping 24.2-yard average punctuated by two touchdown catches of 65-plus yards. Every time the Bengals needed him, Chase was a Chiefs killer, picking up a 30-yard pass on third-and-27 at one point to keep a drive going.

"He knows how to set up routes, especially for a young guy," Kansas City head coach Andy Reid said earlier this week, "Then he's strong when he gets the ball in his hands."

Chase has 225 yards during the postseason, more than Hill, and two straight 100-yard receiving games. Can the Chiefs' secondary find an answer for him? They just allowed Bills receiver Gabriel Davis to run all over the field, surrendering 201 yards and an NFL playoff-record four receiving touchdowns last Sunday.

3. Forcing turnovers

Who has the most takeaways of any AFC team in the postseason? If you answered the Bengals, kudos. They have a turnover margin of plus-four, only coughing up the ball once in two games while the Chiefs actually are sitting at minus-one. The Chiefs' defense has forced just one turnover, a fumble against the Steelers in the Wild Card Round a couple of weeks ago.

But that's a far cry from how it went during the regular season. Kansas City thrived on takeaways, producing 29 (tied for fifth in the NFL) that often led to momentum-changing moments, especially during the season's second half. Cincinnati was much further down the list (tied for 17th), and its defense was middling this season, just 18th in total yards allowed.

We're about to find out if the Bengals are peaking at just the right time. For the Chiefs? At minimum, they can't let the offense dictate terms the way the Bills did over the course of the Divisional Round. At best, that leads to another back-and-forth affair settled by a coin flip in overtime.

Injury Updates

Burrow and wide receiver Tee Higgins made the Bengals' injury report this week, both of them practicing in full with knee and thumb injuries, respectively. Neither player is expected to be hampered on Sunday, and only two backups (edge rusher Cam Sample, DT Josh Tupou) look like they won't suit up for the game.

The Chiefs are the ones with more question marks, although only one player (RB Darrel Williams, toe) truly appears questionable to play on Sunday. The best news comes in the form of Honey Badger Tyrann Matthieu (concussion), who's now practicing in full and is in position to start after missing most of this past Sunday's game.

But a lot of defenders also joined him on the list. Among them? Cornerbacks Rashad Fenton (back) and Charvarius Ward (neck) along with linebacker Anthony Hitchens (back). It's just not something you want to see when facing the Bengals' lineup of speedy receivers and the Chiefs playing at their best when in a dime package.

Final Analysis

On paper, the Chiefs should run over a Bengals team that needs an upgrade on the offensive line. It's the first time Burrow has faced this level of competition in the postseason and the Chiefs have been there, done that.

At the same time … how is the Chiefs' defense going to stop the Bengals? Cincinnati has already proven it can win against this team. Its defense produced three Ryan Tannehill interceptions last week and McPherson looks like Justin Tucker-in-training, going four-for-four on field goals in their Divisional Round win. Don't expect these Bengals to be intimidated and the right pressure can force Mahomes into making a mistake.

It'll only take one if the Bengals play up to their potential and knock out the ultimate heavyweight at Arrowhead Stadium in a classic AFC Championship Game.

Prediction: Bengals 37, Chiefs 34

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

.

I was born in Whittier, CA, but we started moving around with my Dad's work. First to Texas and then to Sacramento area. I liked playing sports, but genetics dictated to me that I would always be short. I started playing tennis at a local court in the late 70's. I wanted to be like Bjorn Borg so badly, it hurt. Silent, methodical and dominant in his time. He was a rangy guy and had a deadly serve and I would never be that. But still, I hit a tennis ball against a wall if no one with which to play and practiced for hours. I grew to be good enough to try out for the tennis team at school, I thought.

We moved to Sacramento metro, where I attended all four years of high school. There was a neighborhood kid named Jon Seco. He wasn't that much bigger than me as a freshman, but he grew larger, stronger and more athletically inclined. He became popular in school while I was on the outside, looking in... We were always extremely competitive with neighborhood football, frisbee throwing, and of course, tennis.

I could never beat him and it drove me nuts. Where I had some confidence before moving there (Sacramento) about trying out for the HS tennis team, I became discouraged because Jon was on the team and I didn't think I was good enough. Anyway, Senior year, Jon was this guy just a little less than 6 ft tall, great looking kid with a tan, and we hadn't played tennis in a while. I could tell he wanted to play a match and beat me again, but I had some other interests at the time and so I was the most relaxed I'd ever been playing him.....and I beat him in a couple of sets. Why did I beat him? I wondered tonight while driving home from work? The previous three years I used strength against strength. I could serve pretty hard, but he could serve harder and with more leverage. I could volley well, but he was normally better and stronger with returns than I. But on this day, I concentrated on just trying to place my shots to make him run. My volleys were almost lobbed at him, and he tried to crush the ball at me...in the net or outside the lines. He grew angrier and angrier, because my tactics had disturbed his game and he increasingly was pissed as I continued to break his serve.

I used his aggression against him. I haven't thought about this in thirty years, but the idea of several losses in a row by the Rams to the 49ers was driving me nuts. The Rams just need to get the Niners off their game. Get them frustrated by making Jimmy G try to beat us with passes outside the numbers. SELL OUT to stop the run and make them play a style of game they don't want to play, and their subpar QB WILL give the ball up. We probably have all thought this, but thought I'd share a personal insight....

Do you all remember being so pumped (or concerned) when Goff/Stafford trade went down?

Do you remember the buzz at 7-1, wondering if we could catch the Cards and grab the #1 seed?

Do you recall how you felt when we dropped 3 straight and went from the hunt for #1 seed, to perhaps not even making the playoffs?

The entire goal of getting the #1 seed was to put us in the best position to get to the Super Bowl. Now we are hosting the NFC Championship for that very thing.

28 other NFL teams and tens of millions of fans would love to be in this position, and here we are.

Think about that. Take a second or two to enjoy the moment, then let’s have some perspective when cheering on our Rams tomorrow.

No matter what happens, we’re having one hell of a ride.

GO RAMS!

(Still predicting 34-13 blowout win for us)…

For the game, I'm sticking to what's worked the last 2 games.

Chili dogs in low carb wraps
Lil smokies in a hot sauce laced with reaper powder.
A fiery cheese ball. Using Reaper powder this week.
Pepperoni/hard salami, cheese, and crackers.
Many Mich Ultra's, BLP's, and Becks for beer. Reyka vodka for shots when we score and a double for the victory..
A good strain of edibles.. Helps keep me mellow in a tense game. lol

After the game:
Slow roasting a Turkey in the oven. 185 degrees for 16 hours. Then I'll crank it up for awhile to ensure done and to brown it. Stuffed with garlic.
Oyster Dressing leftover from Christmas I froze.
A veggie medley in crockpot of Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, sweet potatoes, and much garlic.

Bobcats: Have tuna and the crab and tuna puree.. They will feast after our victory.

Have a Thanksgiving theme going on for after the game because I'm thankful for a win, or that we got this far. Also the whiners are nothing but turkeys.. lol It's all good my fellow Rams fans. Enjoy!

WHOOOO ARRRREEE WEEEEEE?

RAAAAAAMMSSSS

Welp. Here we are. 24 hours before the NFC Championship Game.

What a year. 365 days ago this board was in meltdown mode after the trade. After EIGHT months of waiting, we finally got to see this new team take the field.

Sunday Night Football at home with fans back. The comeback against the Colts and then coming home to beat Tommy and his Bucs.

A boo boo against Arizona and the team is 7-1. Hell yeah.

Then all hell breaks loose against the Titans, shitters, and Packers. Rage everywhere. Debates with members ready to break each others' keyboards. Me included for sure.

Then. O'Dell Beckham Jr. and Von Miller.

After taking care of business against the Jaguars, thriller games against Arizona, Seattle Minnesota, Baltimore. Comebacks and dubs. Seattle being the "easiest".

Cam Akers is back.

Week 18 against these shitters 24 hours from now. Blowing a lead and into the playoffs after an emotional game like that.

Arizona. Dub. Easy.

Tampa. When does Cooper Kupp fumble? How does Cam fumble twice. Matt Gay tweaks something and is short by a couple yards. Jalen gets burned? Matthew goddamn Stafford to Cooper muthafucking Kupp ftw!

24 hrs from now we'll all be emotional wrecks. I'm gonna sign off from this board and the whole of the internet. No snark. No distractions. Just my ass and the tv.

Whatever happens, this board this week is as united as it ever has been. That 3 game stretch with the Titans, shitters and Packers seems like a lifetime ago. This has been a fun week unlike any other with the potential of our team representing in the Super Bowl. I didn't feel the vibe back in 2018 as I do, right here, right now.

24 hours. Get this shit done.

LFG. LFG. LFG.

Begins at 1:09 of the video.

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Just don’t want to be home with my wife and children for this one. Anyone know of a get together in St. Louis? Thanks.

For some crazy unexplained reason, I believe Ben Skowronek is going to have a couple of big time catches on Sunday.

Maybe I'm just being wishful because Jefferson is banged up and Kupp is likely going to get bracketed and double teamed the entire game.

OBJ, RB's out in the flats and Higbee are the more probable options to have a few big time receptions on Sunday.

Skowronek might simply be what he's been the last two playoff games on offense and my gut feeling could be way off.


Regardless, Skowronek is a special teams beast and I appreciate this dude!

​

Bitcoin crashed overnight and is only worth about half of what it was the day before.

Hopefully this won't be on Beckham's mind tomorrow as he received his entire salary in Bitcoin.

Aaron Rodgers also lost quite a bit of money yesterday but that doesn't bother me too much.

Am I the only one who sees the irony in the fact that if we had beaten the Niners in Week 18, we most likely would have been playing in Green Bay tomorrow? If we had won that game, I believe the seedings would have been as follows: 1) GB, 2) Rams, 3) TB, 4) Dallas, 5) Arizona, 6) Philly, 7) NO. That means round 1 would have put the Saints at the Rams, Cards at Cowboys, and Philly at TB. Let's say the higher ranking seeds win that round. Round 2 would be Dallas at GB and TB at the Rams. I have about 0% faith that Dallas would have beaten the Packers in Green Bay. I remember telling my son (also a Rams fan) that maybe it was McVay's genius to lose that game to SF in Week 18 knowing that the Niners plan of attack against GB was probably better than that of the Rams vs GB. The Packers seem to have our number, much like we have Tampa Tom's, and SF has had ours of late (until tomorrow). I think everything worked out according to plan and our guys are going to be more determined than ever.

Last night I caught the replay of the Week 18 game vs SF. The Rams totally dominated the Niners in all three phases of the game in the first half. I almost got sick to my stomach watching McVay throw deep on the third and one right before the half knowing what was to follow. But look at how this team has responded since then - total domination of Arizona and the same could be said for TB if not for those four uncharacteristic fumbles. Stafford has learned that if he takes care of the ball, the Rams win. The defense needs to finish off each play though. I've seen games earlier this season where you'll have defenders standing around while a ball carrier is fighting for extra yards. The Rams need to finish each play, everyone to the ball like Lovie Smith used to preach. Be physical, knock SF on their asses every change they get. I really do think the defense was embarrassed the last time and will play with more determination than ever tomorrow.

How the NFL can fix its overtime rules

The ending of that bonkers Bills-Chiefs game last week put a spotlight back on the NFL's overtime rules, particularly on whether it's fair to have a sudden-death outcome hinge on the randomness of a coin toss.Both quarterbacks - Josh Allen of the Bills and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs - went...

www.thescore.com

​

How the NFL can fix its overtime rules​

The ending of that bonkers Bills-Chiefs game last week put a spotlight back on the NFL's overtime rules, particularly on whether it's fair to have a sudden-death outcome hinge on the randomness of a coin toss.

Both quarterbacks - Josh Allen of the Bills and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs - went full tilt in the final two minutes of regulation. The thrilling result still seems impossible: four possessions, 25 points scored, three lead changes, and a tie. The last QB to have the ball was likely going to win. Kansas City won the coin toss that determined the first possession of overtime, and Buffalo never got to possess the ball in OT at all.

The NFL has adjusted its overtime rules a few times in recent years, and The Washington Post's Mark Maske reported this week that the competition committee is expected to consider possible changes this offseason. But what would constitute an ideal solution? There's lots to consider. Let's dive in.

Why does the NFL do overtime this way?

The current format - as imperfect as it is - maintains the same structure of regulation play. The same down-and-distance rules apply, which avoids any kind of artificial field-position scenarios while also keeping special teams involved. Both teams start clean, like they do at the beginning of a game. It's just that the first team to score wins.

Unless they kick a field goal.

Well, right. It used to be that the receiving team could drive part way up the field, kick a field goal, and win the game. That rule was changed for the postseason in 2010, and for the regular season in 2012. Today, the team that gets the ball first must score a touchdown on that first possession to win. A first-possession field goal allows the other team a chance to get the ball at least once. That team can then tie, win, or lose, depending on the outcome of its possession.

Why the coin flip?

The coin flip is supposed to introduce neutrality to the process. But as offenses in recent years have improved, owing to rules changes and an emphasis on the efficiencies of passing the ball, the coin flip has seemed to create an advantage for the teams that win the toss - at least in the playoffs. Even then, though, it's a bit more complicated than that.

Wait. What do you mean "at least in the playoffs"?

NFL Media's Ian Rapoport shared a stat from NFL Research the other day and it showed that the team that wins the toss is 86-67-10 in all overtime games (regular season and playoffs) under the current OT rules. That looks like an obvious disparity, but it's really just a 53% win rate for the correct coin-flip guessers. However, this stat doesn't take into account how often the team that wins the toss scores on its first possession.

What would that rate be?

theScore used Pro Football Reference to sift through all 163 games played under the current overtime rules. Contrary to popular belief, most OT games do not end on the first possession. The winning team has scored just 35 first-possession touchdowns, though there have also been three games that ended because of a first-possession pick-6 by the defense. That's still a rate of just 21.4% of games ending because the receiving team scored a TD the first time it had the ball, with an average number of possessions of 2.6. That means nearly four out of five overtime games are decided with multiple possessions. Who knew!



Huh. Why does it seem so skewed the other way?

Because the playoffs have been much, much different.

Oh? How so?

There have been 11 overtime playoff games under the current OT rules. The team that's won the toss has won 10 of those games, and seven of those 10 victories involved first-possession touchdowns. Overtime games in the playoffs have averaged only 1.8 possessions. Chiefs-Bills was just the latest to fit that trend.

Wow. So that's why winning the toss seems to be so favorable.

Exactly. It's a small sample size, but it still makes for a striking (and obvious) disparity.

Michael Lopez, the NFL's director of data and analytics, told theScore that he's not surprised that playoff games have been turning out differently. For one thing, the possibility of a tie - which counts as half of a win in the standings - incentivizes the receiving team to be less aggressive on that first drive. In the postseason, that dynamic changes because ties aren't possible.

"We did some research on this," Lopez said. "I don't think it's an accident that teams in the postseason are 10-1 that have received the ball. You can look at how often they pass, you can look at how far downfield they pass. It's a different strategy. You could make the argument that, in the postseason, because teams aren't worried about ties, they can be a little more aggressive, which does increase their chance of winning."

We as viewers feel cheated when, say, Mahomes doesn't get a chance to get even with Tom Brady at the end of the 2018 AFC title game. Or when Allen loses and never sees the field again after giving the Bills the dang lead with 13 seconds remaining in regulation. Well, except for when the Steelers got Tebowed by the Broncos on the first possession of OT in a playoff game 10 years ago. I'm a Steelers fan. That will always be objectively hilarious.

The Bills also could have played better defense. Or at least a defense that wasn't so soft.

Yes, there's that, too. But in today's game, with today's rules, offenses have an advantage over defenses. Having the ball increases a team's chances of winning, which is why teams are taking more risks on fourth down and being more aggressive about maximizing their possessions. The Bills had the league's No. 1-ranked defense, for crying out loud. It didn't matter.

Why not go with the college-style OT?

OK, so in college, each team gets the ball at the opponent's 25-yard line, and they're ensured an equal number of possessions. Seems fair, right? Under that format, the team that gets the ball second has an advantage because it always knows exactly how many points it needs to win the game. This system also creates a completely different game.

The college approach removes the game clock and field position from the equation. There are no kickoffs, and punts are a rarity. A system like this also creates a dynamic that can artificially inflate stats and scoring. Remember when Texas A&M beat LSU 74-72 in seven overtimes a few years back? That games was tied at 31 at the end of regulation.

The college game altered its OT rules in 2021 to force teams to take two-point conversion attempts beginning with the third overtime. Back in October, Illinois and Penn State wound up poking each other in the eyes for nine OTs. No one wants to see that.

What about just playing a full 10- or 15-minute overtime period?

This one also has merit, but it also still benefits the team that receives the ball, since they stand to have more possessions than the kicking team. A system like this would also lead to substantially more scrimmage plays, which increases the risk for injury, which (cynically) is something teams that have to play another postseason game the following week are going to be concerned about.

Lopez shared some broad comparisons of the risks and rewards of several methods on Twitter this week.

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Is there anything else that can be done?

A recent caller to the "Rich Eisen Show" suggested coming up with a way for both teams to know who gets the ball at the start of overtime before overtime even happens. The caller said the home team should get the ball, but after some discussion, Eisen said that if the team that wins the toss at the start of the game opts to defer - as is now the norm - it also forces that team to defer to start OT.

This would force teams to make a decision at the start of the game on whether to risk losing the ball at the start of OT, and to know this throughout the game. All sorts of in-game strategy would be affected, since teams would know what they're up against if they risk going to OT.

So if the Chiefs had more than 13 seconds the other night they might have tried to score a TD instead of a field goal if they knew all along the Bills would get the ball at the start of OT.

Correct.

That ain't a bad idea.

There's also the "spot and choose" option.

What's that?

Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith first proposed "spot and choose" in an article for Football Outsiders way back in 2003. The Ravens formally proposed a variation of this idea last offseason, but it didn't pass.

OK, but what is it?

Smith's proposal would have the team that wins the coin toss decide which yard line the ball would be kicked off from, with the other team determining whether they want to kick off or receive.

"Losing the toss really wouldn't be any disadvantage, because both teams can determine what they think is a fair spot for the opening kickoff," Smith wrote.

"Essentially, this is like an auction. Both teams want to get the ball first, so it will be awarded to the team that is willing to give up more in field position to get it. In this scenario, neither team can have any complaint. The team winning the toss can't claim the field position was unfair because it chose the field position. The team losing the toss can't claim the field position was unfair because it chose whether to take the ball deep in its own territory or try to pin the opponents deep."

The proposal the Ravens submitted to the league last year removed the kickoff from the beginning of the equation. Their idea simply would have allowed the team that won the toss to pick the spot for the first possession and the team that lost to decide whether they want possession based on that spot.

That sounds interesting, too!

Richard Thaler, a Nobel Prize-winning economist, told The Wall Street Journal last year that Baltimore's suggestion was "very thoughtful and a clear improvement over the current rules" and said it was "good that the league is thinking about it.”

It would certainly be fascinating to see what factors teams might consider when deciding where to put the ball.

Is it going to come up again?

Possibly. Maske's story in the Post indicated that it's "far from certain that any modifications will be enacted," with one person familiar with the matter telling him that a change in the postseason OT rules could be considered.

The NFL's competition committee usually meets to hash out possible rules changes early in the offseason so the owners can vote on them at the league's annual meeting. This year, those meetings are from March 27-30 in Palm Beach, Florida. Mark your calendar.

Not sure if posted in another thread somewhere but haven't seen it, but this deserves its own thread regardless!!!

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Cooper Kupp becomes first receiver in NFL history to reach 2,000 receiving yards in a season ​

By Jeff Kerr



© Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Cooper Kupp is having one of the greatest seasons for a receiver in NFL history. The deeper the Los Angeles Rams go into the playoffs, Kupp has more of a case for the greatest season ever for a pass catcher.

Kupp is the first player ever in NFL history to have over 2,000 receiving yards in a season, having 2,191 yards through 19 games this year (regular season and postseason combined). Larry Fitzgerald had 1,977 yards in 2008 in 20 games for the Arizona Cardinals while Jerry Rice finished with 1,965 yards in 17 games for the San Francisco 49ers in 1995.

Kupp also has 159 catches on the season, the most for any player in a season in NFL history (including postseason). He passed Michael Thomas for the most receptions in a season (156) during the Rams' divisional round win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Kupp joined Jerry Rice (1990), Sterling Sharpe (1992), and Steve Smith (2005) as the only players in the Super Bowl era to capture the triple crown for receiving. To hold the receiving triple crown, a player needs to be first in the NFL in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns in the regular season. Kupp led the league with 145 catches, 1,947 receiving yards, and 16 touchdowns during the regular season. Kupp's 23 catches of 25-plus yards are the most for any player in NFL history.

In the postseason, Kupp has 14 catches for 244 yards and two touchdowns. He finished with nine catches for 183 yards and a touchdown in the divisional round win over the Buccaneers, as the 183 receiving yards were the second most in Rams' postseason history (Tom Fears had 198 yards in 1950).
For Kupp to get 2,500 receiving yards this year, he needs 309 yards to reach the mark. If the Rams reach the Super Bowl, he only needs to average 154.5 receiving yards per game over the final two games.

Based on the way Kupp has played this year, it's hard to rule the All-Pro wide receiver out of that possibility.


We are witnessing history, cheers to Kupp and lets go RAMS!!!

I apologize if this was already posted.

Rams and 49ers players projected health status (2) days prior to Sunday's NFC Championship Game.




RAMS
OT Joe Noteboom DNP listed as doubtful. (Slightly torn pec)

WR Van Jefferson limited, listed as questionable. (Knee)

S Taylor Rapp listed as questionable. (Concussion)

RB Cam Akers DNP. Not on the listed report for an injury (Rest)

49ers
OT Trent Williams DNP listed as questionable. (Ankle)

RB Jeffery Wilson DNP listed as questionable. (Ankle)



It appears that both teams will be close to full strength at kickoff.

I am not going to select a player. I am going to choose a coach.

The key is Morris. I am sure he is going to view tape from the past six games vs. SF which the Rams lost all. He needs to figure out how to slow their offense.