How the Rams can turn around a very disappointing season and finish strong - by Derp Magoo

After choosing Tavon Atwell with a super high pick that should have been used to draft Apollo Creed, the Rams season was over before it began - just as many amateur experts predicted within seconds of the Rams selection.

With only three 6th round draft picks and already over the cap for the next 10 seasons after going "all in" this year, the Rams Super Bowl window has been slammed shut, locked and barred over like a ghetto liquor store window. Now that all is lost and there is no hope for the future, there is nothing to play for.

After consecutive losses the playoffs are clearly out of the question but if Sean McVeigh would just blow up his staff mid-season and listen to us fans, the Rams could maybe finish this season with a moral victory. As we all know, a win is a win and a moral victory is just as good the real thing...

Maybe it's about unrealistic expectations or maybe we've convinced ourselves that real championship contenders never have weaknesses or losing streaks, but I find it crazy that this fanbase could be so frustrated after a 7 and 3 start.

Not to be cliche but it's really not about how they start... and this season especially, with so many new key pieces being implemented - the goal is to hang around in the standings and then peak late. Well, we're at least as capable of doing that as any other team. There's a lot of good football left in this team and most of their biggest issues are correctable.

A lot of great Rams fans never got to experience the McSnead era - I think they would tell us to enjoy it, soak it up and in the spirit of Thanksgiving, to be grateful for the team we've got.

Go Rams!!!

My son wants an Aaron Donald jersey in the current colors. I was wondering how long its been taking people to get theirs. I recall early in the season that some here said they have been waiting months to receive them. Has it improved?

Any Rod members going ? My daughter bought 5 tickets. Me, her and 3 grandkids ... go Rams....

I cant help but find myself rooting for that team. Not only do I love Dan Campbell as the lead guy there but rooting for Goff and Reynolds is just natural. I hope they can get it turned around up there. As long as it's not against us.

Anyone make anything unique on Thanksgiving?



The turkey is the iconic food of Thanksgiving right? Heck, a lot of people call it "Turkey Day." But how many people will say turkey is their favorite part of the meal?

What Is YOUR Favorite Part Of Thanksgiving Dinner?

Turkey?
Potatoes?
Stuffing?
Green beans?
Pies?

STORY LINK

Trevor Lawrence Was Dubbed the NFL's Next Great QB, Why Doesn't He Look Like It?​

A toxic blend of outsized expectations and a poor situation without the proper help to see him succeed followed this year's No. 1 overall pick to Duval County as both the rookie and his Jacksonville Jaguars flounder in their first year together.

From the start, Lawrence couldn't live up to the designations placed upon him after a stellar collegiate career at Clemson, which began with an unbelievable run as a true freshman taking over the offense and leading the Tigers to a national championship.

Since then, the heralded quarterback prospect was destined to become the top pick in the NFL draft once he declared.

As good as Lawrence was during his time in Death Valley, he was never an infallible prospect, as he was often portrayed. The term "generational" almost became synonymous with Lawrence during the latest draft cycle, even though the descriptor is wildly overused and Lawrence had his faults and poor play for spells.

But it became impossible to overlook a 6'6", 213-pound quarterback prospect with the athleticism to gash defenses if needed, the arm strength to consistently drive the ball to all three levels and an unflappable demeanor in the pocket and any pressure situation.

The traits have always been obvious, even though he wasn't necessarily the college football's best quarterback in 2019 or 2020. Arguments could be made in Justin Fields' favor two seasons ago, while Mac Jones and Zach Wilson were certainly in the conversation this past season.

The point of mentioning the play of others shows Lawrence didn't lap the field when it came to available prospects. Five quarterbacks heard their names called among this year's initial 15 selections. A loaded class entered the league with Lawrence leading the way, yet the first to hear his name called holds the worst grade among the group.

Currently, Lawrence ranks 29th in QBR (35), 31st in completion percentage (58.4) and quarterback rating (72.8) and 33rd in yards per attempt (6.0). His nine interceptions are tied for sixth-worst as well.

Situation matters for every single young player. Jones thriving as the New England Patriots' starting quarterback and frontrunner for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year is a testament to both the individual and the organization. He's been placed in a situation to succeed. Lawrence hasn't.

Jacksonville's offense under the supervision of offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell is unimaginative and doesn't create many easy throws for its rookie quarterback.

"The Jaguars offense is about as standard as an NFL system can be as far as concepts and scheme. Nothing revolutionary for better or worse," Bleacher Report scout Nate Tice said. "It seems early in the season, especially preseason, the Jaguars coaches were honing in on exactly what Lawrence prefers and chose to run a wide range of concepts. The upside of having Lawrence under center is he's shown he's essentially scheme-proof and can handle everything thrown at him.

"If there was some criticism of what they're doing, it would be throwing in more wrinkles from a formation perspective to vary up looks, put more routes on the move and add more 'gimme' throws such as bootlegs, sprint outs and run-pass options.

"While Lawrence can handle everything, he shouldn't be placed in a position to be the hero every time he drops back, even though he has flashes signs of doing it anyway."

As an example, Lawrence had the fourth-lowest expected completion percentage during his first month as a professional quarterback, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Either pressure ruined his attempts or the Jaguars' staff asked him to push the ball downfield far too often.

Protection is an issue. Jacksonville's offensive line ranks among the bottom half of the league, per ESPN Analytics. Lawrence is nimble enough in the pocket to avoid sacks regularly, hence why the Jaguars are tied for 23th with 19 sacks allowed through 10 games. But pressure affects all quarterbacks. A lack of protection coupled with disappointing skill position performances makes life difficult even for the most talented throwers.

"Usually, a poor offensive line is what hinders a young quarterback. The Jaguars offensive line is right around league average overall," Tice noted. "The receiving options, on the other hand, have been a glaring issue.

"When a converted defensive back (Jamal Agnew) appears to be your No. 1 receiving threat, you might have a problem. Marvin Jones Jr. struggles to separate as well as he used to and the squad's main receiving tight end, Dan Arnold, has experienced drop issues since he joined the team mid-season. Also, injuries have forced Lavinska Shenault Jr. to bump outside, which is not his strength. Shenault is more of a super-role player than a true outside receiving threat. His lack of route running ability and overall wide receiver polish show up weekly.

"I do think Lawrence has made the most of it. He attempts to throw his guys open and has shown the ability to consistently put the ball only where the receiver can get it. They just drop a lot. If the Jaguars get an influx of talent in the receiver room next offseason, the quarterback's room for error will grow and Lawrence's life will be a lot easier."

To be fair, the Jaguars tried to add a significant weapon when the organization chose Travis Etienne with the 25th overall pick in this year's draft. The collegiate running back was supposed to serve as the scheme's H-back—Jacksonville's hybrid offseason weapon who is a wide receiver/running back. Unfortunately, Etienne suffered a significant Lisfranc injury and the team placed him on season-ending injured reserve.

Furthermore, both Agnew and D.J. Chark Jr. are also on injured reserve. The idea of Jacksonville maximizing its passing attack with a suspect collection of pass-catchers isn't favorable.

A good surrounding cast is vital. However, evaluations can still be made based on what's being asked of the individual. In Lawrence's case, some of the signs are still positive. He's not without his warts, though. A mixture of extremely promising and somewhat concerning play can be found as onlookers sift through Jaguars games.

"Even if another rookie is getting the hype for being cerebral, Lawrence's pre-and-post-snap processing is at an advanced level for not just a rookie quarterback but for any quarterback," Tice mentioned. "He already handles the Jaguars' protection calls, maneuvers in the pocket well and truly progresses through a variety of passing concepts.

"The biggest criticism you could have for Lawrence is being too aggressive with keeping his eyes down the field. But that wasn't because he was taking sacks but more trying to fit the ball into tight windows when a 'safer' check-down option was available. Lawrence has done better in recent weeks to utilize his underneath routes and actually being too aggressive is a good problem to have since it's far easier to tone down a quarterback's aggressiveness as opposed to trying to instill it in them."

Patience can be a difficult trait for star quarterbacks to accept.

The Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes is a shining example of an elite gunslinger who prefers risky throws instead of taking a simple check-downs because he's found a lot of success slinging the ball all over the yard. Defenses have played him differently this season to prevent chunk plays as much as possible. Mahomes adjusted in recent weeks and appears to be back on track with the Chiefs playing a much better brand of football.

The easy throw isn't the wrong one. Plays are designed to go to their first reads. If they're open, quarterbacks should throw to them. The position doesn't get enough credit when working efficiently within the framework of the accompanying system and moving the ball down the field because of precise play.


For rookies, life is a little tougher because the game hasn't slowed down and they haven't seen everything a defense will throw their way. It takes time for skill to match traits. Lawrence is actually further along than most, though his numbers don't necessarily reflect where his development currently stands.

But he can't do it alone, and he must continue to build upon what's been seen so far.

Does all of this mean Lawrence will never live up to expectations? Absolutely not. Peyton Manning entered the NFL as one of the most decorated quarterback prospects of all time. He threw 28 interceptions as a rookie on a bad Indianapolis Colts squad. He continued to get better with each passing season and developed into one of the greatest of all time.

Manning is an example of a heralded prospect who needed time to reach his potential based on multiple factors. His inclusion isn't another way to further pump up expectations for Lawrence. No one should view any rookie as a slam-dunk future Hall of Fame signal-caller, especially if the Jaguars organization doesn't do more in the coming years to help him.

Lawrence can be that caliber of player. He's not right now, because expectations, a poor situation and typical rookie growing pains sabotaged him before he ever took an official NFL snap.

Thanksgiving Day: Buffalo Bills vs. New Orleans Saints​

The Thanksgiving slate of NFL action will wrap up with a matchup of playoff contenders when the New Orleans Saints host the Buffalo Bills. Both will be looking to bounce back from disappointing losses.

Last Sunday, Buffalo (6-4) repeatedly gave away the ball and, as a result, the game to the Colts. Josh Allen threw an interception in each half. After the Colts scored a field goal, Isaiah McKenzie fumbled away the kickoff which Indianapolis converted into a touchdown one play later. Buffalo failed miserably in the turnover comparison, 4-0.

The Saints (5-5) also fell behind early and could not overcome the deficit. They trailed 27-7 at halftime and 33-7 at the end of the third quarter. Two interceptions in the first half, including one returned for a touchdown, sabotaged any chances of winning. Scores at the end of their final three possessions only succeeded in making the margin of defeat less odious.

The Saints lead the all-time series, 7-4, although the teams have split the six games in New Orleans. The Saints have won all five matchups in this century.

Both franchises have some experience playing on Thanksgiving Day. The Saints have won three games played on Thanksgiving Day, all under Asshole Face. The Bills first played on the holiday in 1961 and as recently as 2019, compiling a 4-4-1 record.

Thanksgiving Day: Buffalo (6-4) at New Orleans (5-5)

Kickoff: Thursday, Nov. 25 at 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Spread: Bills -4

Three Things to Watch

1. Can the banged-up Saints piece together a running game?

Asshole Face faces a dilemma over who to insert in the offensive line. Starting right tackle Ryan Ramczyk (knee) will not play and left tackle Terron Armstead (knee/shoulder) is questionable. This is in addition to fellow linemen Andrus Peat and Ethan Greenidge currently being on injured reserve.

New Orleans also will take the field with a depleted running back corps. Leading rusher Alvin Kamara will miss his third straight game with a knee injury. What's worse is that Mark Ingram II, who has been effective as Kamara's replacement, is officially questionable with his own knee injury. Ingram has effectively filled Kamara's dual-threat role with 45 carries for 205 yards and a touchdown plus 17 receptions for 132 yards. However, no other running back has accumulated more than 80 yards or scored a touchdown. Tony Jones Jr. just recently came off of IR so he could see more touches than usual. He's averaging just 3.6 yards per carry in limited action (22 att.) this season. Injuries also have limited Taysom Hill's various contributions to 20 rushing attempts for 104 yards and three touchdowns.

Buffalo has been very solid in run defense this season, although nose tackle Star Lotulelei has missed two games since being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Buffalo has given up the ninth-fewest yards per game (101.9) and 11th-fewest yards per attempt (4.1). If Ingram cannot complete this game as the Saints' sole credible running threat, New Orleans' prospects of victory will significantly diminish.

2. Will the Bills be able to get anything going on the ground?

For Buffalo, its targeted amount of rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in a game are 120 and one, respectively. The Bills have not reached either number in any of their four losses. They have exceeded 120 yards on the ground in five of their six victories. They scored at least one rushing touchdown in every win.

A few Bills have contributed toward their rushing attack. Running back Devin Singletary leads Buffalo in rushing attempts (83) and yards (415). Allen has the second-highest totals of yards (340), yards per carry (5.6), and touchdowns (three). Zack Moss leads the team with four rushing touchdowns. However, no one among the Bills has gained more than 85 yards on the ground in any game so far.

The Saints' league-leading rushing defense looked porous at Philadelphia. The unit allowed 242 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. However, the Eagles are the only opponent to exceed 200 rushing yards this season — as was the case in 2020.

Despite the outlier in Philadelphia, the Saints have bottled up opposing rushing attacks. In its four contests prior to facing the Eagles, the New Orleans defense only allowed a combined total of 261 yards and two touchdowns. Only Washington has accumulated more than 100 rushing yards or more than one touchdown against the Saints in 2021.

3. Who will protect the ball more effectively?

Turnovers devastated both teams' chances of winning last Sunday and have cost them in other games. The Saints lost the turnover margin in four of their five losses, and they tied that battle in their loss to the Giants. Likewise, the Bills committed more turnovers than the opposition in three of their four defeats with the margin being equal in the loss at Tennessee.

Only eight teams have thrown more interceptions than the Bills this season, eight of which are from Josh Allen. And his accuracy has become even more problematic in recent weeks. Three weeks ago, the first two possessions of the second half of the defeat at Jacksonville ended due to Allen's interceptions. Their first possession versus the Colts ended with a pick, as did the second drive in the third quarter in the rout by Indianapolis.

The Bills have fumbled the ball 17 times in 10 games, the second-highest rate in the NFL. Josh Allen is responsible for six of those, tied for seventh most in the league. They have lost five of those which is tied for 11th in the NFL.

The Saints have much less margin for error if they keep turning the ball over, considering their significant injuries. When they did not commit a turnover, they won all three games against teams who currently lead their respective divisions. When their defense took away the ball at least twice, they are 4-0.

Final Analysis

Although this is a non-conference matchup, the result matters to both teams' standings in their divisions. The loss to the Colts dropped the Bills out of first place in the AFC East, and the Saints fell two games behind Tampa Bay with their Week 11 loss.

Drew Brees will return to the Superdome as part of the NBC broadcasting crew. The Saints will honor him during halftime. Maybe Payton will take advantage of that occasion to try to lure Brees out of retirement? The Saints are desperate enough to try that at this point of a frustrating season.

Prediction: Bills 24, Saints 20

Thanksgiving Day: Las Vegas Raiders vs. Dallas Cowboys​

Two teams coming off lackluster efforts play in Dallas on Thanksgiving as the Cowboys host the Raiders. Dallas has lost six of its last nine games on this special day, while the Raiders are playing for the first time since 2013 when they lost 31-24 to the Cowboys. These two last shared the field back in 2017 when Dallas picked up a 20-17 road win as Dan Bailey kicked a late field goal to get the victory.

Las Vegas (5-5) has lost three straight since its Week 8 bye with the latest being 32-13 to Cincinnati at home. The Bengals only outgained Vegas by 10 yards but forced two turnovers and held the home team to just 13 first downs and 22:40 in time of possession. It was a 13-6 game at the end of the third quarter before Cincy scored on four different possessions in the fourth quarter. Derek Carr was very mediocre, going 19-of-27 for 215 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the loss.

Dallas (7-3), meanwhile, was without Amari Cooper in its 19-9 loss to the Chiefs in Kansas City last week. The Cowboys eventually lost CeeDee Lamb to a concussion right before halftime and the absences were felt as Dak Prescott had just 216 passing yards. On the positive side, the team's defense was fantastic when it had to be, as KC scored just two touchdowns and two field goals in the victory. Still, it was an ugly effort from the Cowboys, who have lost two of their last three

Thanksgiving Day: Las Vegas (5-5) at Dallas (7-3)

Kickoff: Thursday, Nov. 25 at 4:30 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Spread: Cowboys -7.5

Three Things to Watch

1. Intangibles

It's a short week for both teams as they prepare to play on the holiday. Vegas was home for its previous two contests and is 2-2 this season on the road. Being on a losing streak, I think they'll be really focused for this one. Next up is a home game against the Washington Football Team on Dec. 5. The Cowboys played in Kansas City last week, but this is their third home contest over the last four weeks. This team is very familiar with playing on Thanksgiving, so that will be a benefit. Next up for them is another Thursday game, but on the road in New Orleans who is also in action on Thursday.

2. Cowboys offense?

Dak Prescott will be without Amari Cooper (COVID-19) for another week, and CeeDee Lamb's status is up in the air. He's officially questionable on the injury report but the team is optimistic he will be cleared in time to play on Thursday. Even if Lamb is able to play, more targets (and pressure) will fall to Michael Gallup, Cedrick Wilson, and Noah Brown at wide receiver as well as Dalton Schultz at tight end. The run game has been a massive disappointment the last few weeks, but they've been without left tackle Tyron Smith, who is a vital piece of the offensive line. The good news is he will be back on Thursday as he practiced in full this week and carries on injury designation. Ezekiel Elliott has not run for more than 60 yards since Week 6 in New England. One potential piece of good news is that Las Vegas is 29th in the NFL against the run, giving up 132.1 rushing yards per game. Joe Mixon gashed them for 123 yards and two touchdowns last Sunday, so this bodes well for Elliott and Tony Pollard.

3. Raiders offense?

Usually, a bye week is a good time to get things right, but since the week off, Vegas has scored fewer than 17 points in each contest. The run game has been almost non-existent as Josh Jacobs has gone over 50 rushing yards just twice on the season. Without the ground threat, this puts more pressure on Carr, who has thrown just as many interceptions as touchdowns (four each) over the last three games. It also didn't help that the Raiders were just 1-of-7 on third down last week. For the season, they are converting 35.6 percent of their opportunities on the critical down, which ranks them 25th in the league. Meanwhile, Dallas' defense definitely kept the team in the game last week against Kansas City. Limiting the Chiefs to 4-of-12 third-down conversions, sacking Patrick Mahomes three times, and forcing him into a couple of turnovers. If the Cowboys are able to carry over some of this momentum, Carr and company could be in for a tough time trying to move the ball.

Final Analysis

With Tyron Smith back along the offensive line, Dallas may try and commit to the run with its passing game not at full strength. Between the 1-2 backfield punch of Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard and an improving defense, I think the Cowboys are the pick here. Knowing how to handle playing on Thanksgiving will give them a little advantage on their way to a double-digit win.

Prediction: Cowboys 27, Raiders 14

Thanksgiving Day: Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions​

The NFL's traditional Thanksgiving tripleheader gets started with a classic matchup from the "Black and Blue" division, as the Detroit Lions welcome the Chicago Bears to Ford Field.

The Lions (0-9-1) are still searching for their first win of 2021, but they've given their last two opponents fits, including a tie of the Steelers in Week 10 to end their 12-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Bears (3-7) endured yet another fourth-quarter letdown last week, this time against a Ravens team without Lamar Jackson.

Chicago looks to snap a five-game losing streak against an opponent they've already defeated this season (24-14 in Week 4), while Detroit looks for the upset in order to add to the Bears' woes.

Thanksgiving Day: Chicago (3-7) at Detroit (0-9-1)

Kickoff: Thursday, Nov. 25 at 12:30 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
Spread: Bears-3.5

Three Things to Watch

1. Can Dalton jump-start this offense?

On Tuesday, head coach Matt Nagy confirmed what pretty much everyone was expecting. Andy Dalton will get the start on Thursday with Justin Fields injured.

Fields had completed just four of 11 passes for 79 yards (with 23 rushing yards) last week against Baltimore, before being pulled a little over midway through the third quarter due to a rib injury. Further testing revealed bruised, not broken ribs, but the injury combined with the short turnaround resulted in the Bears giving Dalton the start. Nagy said that Fields won't be active on Thursday, meaning Nick Foles will serve as Dalton's backup.

Dalton certainly hit the ground running when he took over for Fields this past Sunday. In his first action since Week 5, the 11-year veteran went 11-of-23 for 201 yards and two touchdowns. He was a big reason why Chicago had a chance to defeat Baltimore, as he staked the team to a 13-9 lead with 1:41 left in the game.

After doing very little on offense with Fields at the control, Dalton connected with tight end Jimmy Graham for a 23-yard completion on his first snap and followed that up with a screen pass to Darnell Mooney that resulted in a 60-yard touchdown and gave the Bears a 7-6 lead. His second touchdown was a 49-yard strike to Marquise Goodwin late in the fourth quarter. Nagy opted to go for two (after a roughing the pass penalty was called on the Ravens), but Dalton's pass went incomplete.

Unfortunately, Chicago's defense could not protect the late lead, as Baltimore backup quarterback Tyler Huntley, starting for Jackson (illness), marched the Ravens 72 yards in five plays (with a penalty by each team mixed in) for the game-winning touchdown with just 22 seconds remaining.

The Bears' lackluster, late-game defense otherwise ruined what would have been an impressive relief performance by Dalton. Not surprisingly, some fans after the game were pushing for him to be made the starter over Fields, regardless of the rookie's injury status. Nagy did say that he's hopeful Fields will be healthy enough to start against Arizona in Week 13.

With Dalton at the helm, he will be tasked with finding a way to get more production out of an offense that ranks second to last in the NFL in yards per game (287.9) and last in passing offense (155.8 ypg). The Bears are averaging just 16.3 points per game (29th), although they have had some success running the ball (132.1 ypg, sixth). That was the key to success in the first meeting with the Lions, as David Montgomery ran for 106 yards and two touchdowns. That's also the game he injured his knee, which landed him on short-term IR and caused him to miss four weeks.

2. The Lions won't go away quietly

Over the last two games, the NFL's worst team has surprised everyone. Two weeks ago, they forced the Steelers into overtime and wound up with a tie after losing their first eight games of the season. Last week, the Lions outscored the Browns 10-0 in the second half and almost pulled off the road upset. Now they look to put those performances together to finally eat that elusive first "W" of the season.

Detroit also has some injury issues at quarterback. Jared Goff missed last week's game because of an oblique injury with Tim Boyle starting in his place. On Tuesday, head coach Dan Campbell said that Goff was making progress and that the team is "leaning toward" starting him.

Regardless of who starts under center on Thanksgiving, it's not like the passing game has been lighting it up lately. Goff and Boyle have combined for 191 passing yards (154 net) with no touchdowns and two picks (both by Boyle) over the last two games. If not for the ground game, the Lions wouldn't have been competitive against the Steelers or the Browns. D'Andre Swift has racked up 266 yards on 47 carries these last two games. He averaged nearly 10 yards per rushing attempt last Sunday in Cleveland. But despite that production (and contributions from a couple of others), Detroit has managed a total of 26 points over its last two games, one of which included an extra period.

The lack of offense spoiled back-to-back somewhat solid performances by the Lions' defense. While the Steelers and Browns both went over 130 rushing yards on Detroit, the defense limited the damage on the scoreboard (3 total TDs, 3 FGs) and also generated a total of five takeaways in those two games. They were especially stingy in the second half of both games, surrendering a total of six points.

So now, the Lions will look for a more balanced performance from both sides of the ball at home against a familiar foe. This is certainly not a vintage Bears defense, as the team ranks 23rd against the run (122.8 ypg) and is giving up 343.9 yards (11th) and 24.0 points (19th) per game. Chicago is tied for the league lead with 31 sacks, including six last week, but is without Khalil Mack for the rest of the season and has dealt with numerous other injuries on defense.

But even with Swift's recent explosion, Detroit ranks 16th in rushing offense (114.2 ypg) and is just as bad as the Bears when it comes to throwing the ball (197.8 ypg, 30th) and scoring (16.0 ppg, 30th). And while Detroit's defense has fared better in recent weeks the overall body of work shows a team that can be run on (140.5 ypg allowed, 31st) and will give up points (27.3 ppg, 30th). This game could come down to which offense gets its act together or which defense dominates the proceedings.

3. Thanksgiving spotlight

As the original Thanksgiving host, Detroit has certainly played its share of games on the holiday. The Lions are 37-42-2 on Turkey Day and have lost their last four matchups. Still, that's a better record than their 539-674-27 mark since they first began playing on Thanksgiving in 1934.

Chicago is no stranger to playing on Thanksgiving either. This will be the Bears' 37th such appearance, which will break a tie with Green Bay for the most by a non-traditional host team (Dallas is the other). Chicago is 19-15-2, with the most recent appearance coming in 2019, a 24-20 victory over, you guessed it, Detroit. The Bears also hold a 10-8 edge over their longtime divisional rivals in their Thanksgiving Day matchups.

Final Analysis

Putting the holiday factors aside, Chicago has won six of the past seven meetings with Detroit, including their Week 4 encounter at Soldier Field. Neither offense has been lighting it up this season, so points could be hard to come by, or they could be bountiful as both defenses have had their share of lapses. This game may come down to which team controls the line of scrimmage and is most effective running the ball. The Bears have better statistics in that respect and are arguably just a couple of plays away from being a .500 team. The Lions have played better lately but still have yet to win a game. Chicago's losing streak is longer but its ground game and pass rush will be enough to eke out a much-needed win on Turkey Day.

Prediction: Bears 17, Lions 14

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, even those of you in Kansas!

I hope everyone has a happy, healthy, safe day.

A lot of bye week subjects and talk about the regression of the 2021 Rams defense under tutelage of Raheem Morris.

The results are a fact even with the loss of Sebastian Joseph Day and Justin Hollins. And the other regressions of players from the 2020 season.

A lot of talk about the usage of Ramsey and the decline of Darious Williams and Jordan Fuller.

A lot of talk about Stafford regressing over the last 2 games.

A lot of talk about Von Miller (is he too old and injury prone) to make an impact over the last 7 games?

A lot of talk about OBJ (is he going stay healthy himself and make up for the huge loss of Robert Woods?

A lot of talk about McVay (Is he too much like Martz giving up on the running game even when it's working?

A lot of talk about the Special teams units looking more of the same as they did in 2020?

A lot of talk about injuries to key players. (RB Akers - OLB Hollins - DT Sebastian Joseph Day - WR Robert Woods - TE Johnny Mundt.

A lot of talk about the coaching flaws of HC/OC McVay - DC/Morris and Special Teams coordinator/DeCamillis.

A loss against the Packers will likely make the Rams a long shot wildcard contender to make a run in the playoffs.

A win against the Packers will be huge but it won't define who the Rams will be over their last 6 games.

Even If the Rams are able to pull off an upset at Green Bay, they still have very tough games left at the Vikings - at the Cardinals, versus the 49ers and at the Ravens.

Nobody knows for sure how the 2021 Rams will finish over their last 7 games.

They might have hunches but the Rams could finish the regular season 13-4, 12-5 or 11-6. They might even eek into the playoffs with a 10-7 record.

Fans have no clue what their regular season schedule record will be.

If they did, they would bet their mortgage and take a calculated risk based on their superior arm-chair quarterback observations.

I think I read they’d never settle and this is way below what I read it was going to cost. Glad to have this behind us though so we can move forward.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/Ben_Fred/status/1463528370109616132

Here is to a great game. I know you guys probably aren’t fond of us but we have nothing but love for the Rams. I hope we can win but I’m nervous for this game as well. I feel like you guys may beat us this time around. Good luck this Sunday. Here is to a great game with no injuries and good officiating. Happy Thanksgiving to you guys.

STORY LINK

Russell Wilson, Pete Carroll Are Hurtling Toward Divorce After Lost 2021 Season​

Few splits are abrupt. Most of the time, you begin to see cracks, there are sometimes moments of redemption and then the bottom falls out.

With the Seattle Seahawks, it feels as though the Russell Wilson era is about to collapse, which could result in Wilson and head coach Pete Carroll going their separate ways beyond what increasingly appears to be a lost 2021 season.

The first major crack, of course, came in February when the seven-time Pro Bowl quarterback said he was "frustrated at getting hit too much." On The Dan Patrick Show, he also expressed a desire to be more involved in personnel decisions. The trade chatter grew from there, and it was only really forgotten when Wilson started the 2021 season splendidly.

But now? The Seahawks are 3-7, Wilson is coming off the most serious injury of his career, only a handful of quarterbacks with as many starts as him have been under more pressure than he has, and he's posted a horrendous 55.6 passer rating across consecutive back-breaking double-digit-point losses since his return.

ProFootballTalk @ProFootballTalk
Russell Wilson wanted out of Seattle after a 12-4 season. What’s he going to want after this 3-7 abomination comes to an end?

As for Carroll? He became so frustrated with the state of affairs that he uncharacteristically cut off his postgame press conference Sunday and abruptly left the podium. Carroll being Carroll, he did return and answer more questions from the media, but it was a clear sign there's acrimony in Seattle.

You have to wonder if Wilson's non-trade request from last offseason will turn into a real trade request next offseason. This will likely be the first losing season of his career, and it will almost surely mark the seventh consecutive season in which the Seahawks have fallen short of the NFC Championship Game. Wilson turns 33 next week and is now a 10-year veteran.

His left tackle, Duane Brown, is 36 and slated to hit free agency in March. Ditto for right tackle Brandon Shell. Oh, and they're without a first-round pick in next year's draft thanks to their 2020 trade for safety Jamal Adams, who has one interception and zero sacks in 10 games this year.

Wilson has been sacked 414 times since coming into the league in 2012—a span during which no other quarterback has taken more than 345 sacks.

And every season feels the same: amazing start leading to steady decline.

In 2019, he posted a 118.2 rating as the Seahawks started 7-2 and then posted a 90.7 rating as they finished 4-3.

Last year, he was an MVP front-runner as the team started 6-1. He was sacked 2.7 times per game and posted a 120.8 passer rating during that run. After that, he was sacked 3.1 times per game as his rating dropped to 91.8 during Seattle's final nine regular-season games. He then took five sacks and was hit 10 times in the Seahawks' first-round playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

This year, he posted a 129.9 rating in his first four games but has a 63.1 rating ever since.

Nothing's changing, and it's hard to see the team getting away from its frugal habit of bargain-hunting for mediocre veteran offensive linemen who unsurprisingly deliver mediocre results in support of Wilson.

Could you fault him for deciding he wants to attempt to get back to the Super Bowl in a new setting? The Seahawks don't look remotely like a contender, and there's a strong chance that doesn't change significantly in the months to come.

And if that happens, would anyone expect the league's oldest head coach to stick around for an inevitable rebuild? It's unlikely Carroll would want anything to do with the post-Wilson era at the age of 70, and Brown probably wouldn't sign on for that either.

It's easy to see those dominoes falling, quickly.

Brock Huard @BrockHuard
It’s time for the football people in SEA to be honest about the shortcomings in scheme & personnel. The Seahawks inability to pattern read, cover & finish on D is so, so hard to watch. The Seahawks passivity upfront & hesitancy of Russell is equally challenging to digest.

It's jarring because it wasn't long ago the Seahawks were supposed to be a dynasty. But the offense is broken, and it doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt considering its failures under Carroll and former coordinator Brian Schottenheimer the last few seasons. They were plagued by a predictable, stale, run-heavy approach then, and little has changed despite some early signs that they'd take off and "let Russ cook" with new coordinator Shane Waldron in 2021.

They still can't convert third downs, and they still can't consistently produce big plays despite Wilson's undeniable talent.

Of course, some of the blame belongs with Wilson, but it's also true that he'd have more support elsewhere. And we know that in the right environment, he has Super Bowl-level ability.

Barring an epic turnaround in the weeks to come, don't be surprised if he attempts to make an exit in the new year, or if Carroll does the same.

We may be looking at the fall of an almost-dynasty in the Pacific Northwest.

NFL Thanksgiving Day games history: Why the Lions and Cowboys play every year, best moments, traditions, records​

Thanksgiving Day to sports fans is as much about football as it is about the traditional turkey dinner. From high school football in the morning to watching the afternoon game on TV as dinner starts, this tradition is as old as time. Well, almost as old as time.

The Detroit Lions have played at home on Thanksgiving every year since 1934 -- except when games were paused from 1939 to 1944 during World War II. The annual holiday tradition expanded to add a home game for the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960s. These franchises -- and their fans -- only know football on Thanksgiving. In 2006, the NFL added a third game with no specific host team to the prime-time window.

This year's Thanksgiving Day schedule:

Chicago Bears at Lions: 12:30 p.m. ET, Fox

Las Vegas Raiders at Cowboys: 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS

Buffalo Bills at New Orleans Saints: 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC

So why do the Lions and Cowboys always play at home on Thanksgiving? What does the day look like for the coaches, players, families and fans who put their holiday celebrations on pause to take part? And how many thousands of pounds of food is served at the stadium? We asked NFL Nation reporters Todd Archer and Eric Woodyard to explain the history.

We also laid out the Thanksgiving stats and numbers you should know and even took a journey back in time to explore the biggest and best moments on the turkey day stage.

READ REST HERE:

Not sure how this happened, but my birthday was this week... and my wife and daughter came storming into my office and wished me HB... and then asked, if they were the first to mention this to me. I said no.

The RAMS were first, with an e-mail that morning.... and also reminding me that Isaac Bruce shared a birthday in November!

No idea how the Rams know this piece of information - I did buy tickets a couple of years ago - not sure if that info was supplied then... ANYWAY - the RAMS are a class act!
And my wife/daughter know where they stand!

What are yall splurging on this year?

My local dispensary is selling 1/8ths for $15 off. I'm gonna spend some.

Pineapple Chunk it is for me!

Here is how the AFC stacks up… Lots of competition for those final playoff spots.

Look how far Buffalo has slipped.

Indy seems to be trending up.

Just curious if anyone can give a current Salary Cap Update as it stands now for next season. I thought (I hope!) that I read somewhere that the Rams should be losing a lot of “DEAD MONEY” after this season. It would be NICE if the Rams would have some available Cap Space to Re-Sign some of their own Key/
Important FA’s as well as possibly sign a couple of other quality FA’s!!! Any and All Information will be Greatly Appreciated!!!

The guy who was replacing the Packers LT Bhatiari is done for the year per the espn crawl. Hopefully Rodgers toe isn’t feeling too great either, although it didn’t seem to slow him down against the Vikes. This would be a great time for Von to get into the groove.

Five things to watch after the Rams bye week​

The Rams have seven games left following a Week 11 bye that came just past the midway point of the 18-week season.

As they begin preparation for Week 12 against the Packers and the remainder of the regular season, theRams.com identifies five storylines for fans to watch.

1. When will key defensive starters return?

Defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day (pec) and outside linebacker Justin Hollins (pec) are both on Injured Reserve. Having them both back would be a big boost for Los Angeles' defensive front, given Joseph-Day's ability to stop the run and the way Hollins had been rushing the passer prior to their respective setbacks.

Hollins' return will also be intriguing because of the way the outside linebacker group has changed and Hollins' versatility. Prior to joining the Rams, Hollins was training at both inside linebacker and outside linebacker in a similar defensive system with the Broncos. Rams head coach Sean McVay on Nov. 1 said Hollins has established himself "as a legitimate outside linebacker," but whenever he returns this season, "we'll definitely be able to find some creative ways to utilize his skillset in addition to those other guys that'll be out there with him."

Week 11 moves the Rams one week closer to the eight weeks of the 8-10 week timetable for return head coach Sean McVay brought up on the Sept. 27 edition of The Coach McVay Show.

However, Joseph-Day's status isn't as clear yet. When McVay announced that Joseph-Day had re-aggravated the pec injury that forced him to miss Week 8 and subsequently landed him on IR, he said he would know whether or not it was season-ending after Joseph-Day's surgery. On Nov. 10, McVay said Joseph-Day's surgery was successful but that he still didn't have a timetable for his return yet.

2. How will the Rams offense get back on track?

McVay said during the bye week that "we've got to be better offensively (than) these last couple weeks" in order for the Rams to be the team he knows they're capable of being.

Moving past uncharacteristic drops by their receivers in Week 10 will be crucial, as well as avoiding early turnovers that have contributed to opponents building early leads and winning the time of possession.

3. How does the Rams offense adjust to wide receiver Robert Woods' absence?

Woods' absence will never be used an excuse for that unit. That said, there's no denying his abilities as a blocker, runner and receiver make him an integral part of this offense, and can't be replaced by one player alone.

It will take a group effort of Cooper Kupp, Odell Beckham Jr., Van Jefferson and Ben Skowronek to adjust and avoid drop-off – but especially Kupp, Jefferson and Skowronek (given their familiarity with the system) while Beckham gets up to speed with the concepts.

4. What impact will Odell Beckham Jr. and Von Miller have?

It's mentioned because, so far, they've only played one game with their new team, and there's seven regular season games left.

Wide receiver Robert Woods' season-ending knee injury only heightens the urgency to get Beckham acclimated, and McVay on Nov. 16 said the next 12 days would be important for doing so, as well as "figuring out a plan of attack to maximize all of our offensive players" and play better than they did in Weeks 9 and 10.

Miller likely doesn't have as big of a learning curve, given he has had the benefit of being with the team nine days longer than Beckham and also came over from a similar defensive system. However, he also said he still has some things to learn even with that carryover.

With Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, Kyler Murray and the Cardinals, and Russell Wilson and the Seahawks on the horizon, it will be critical to have both Beckham and Miller as comfortable as possible, not only to affect those quarterbacks and offenses (Miller) but also match them if they turn into high-scoring affairs (Beckham).

5. How does the race for the NFC West shake out?

At the moment, it's a two-team race between the Rams and the Cardinals for the division title, with the Cardinals currently in first place. Can the Rams overtake the Cardinals over the final seven weeks?

This week's stat of the week is a weird one.

The Rams are currently 31st in the league with only 2 fumble recoveries on defense. Oddly, though, there are 15 teams in the NFL with the same number (7) or fewer forced fumbles on defense.

It would seem that the ball has not bounced our way too often.

The point of this, of course, is that, for all the things that can be controlled, that oblong ball sometimes helps and sometimes hurts your chances. Let's hope for better bounces down the stretch!

Which of the following players (FAs to be, aging vets) do you believe will be back in 2022?

I’m asking now so I can ask again at the end of the season and we can compare results.

Vote for as many as you’d like.

I will watch the replay of the game if they win and just read about it if they lose. I just can't put myself through the torment of watching them not play up to expectations. When you do the best you can do and get beat because somebody is just better, well that is one thing. However, when you lose because you do not perform to the best of your ability, well that is just inexcusable.

Lots to play…Giants/Bucs still to go… but let’s look ahead and speculate;

It sure looks like Minnesota, New Orleans, SF, and maybe the Eagles duke it out down the stretch?

SF appears to be the better team in that grouping, to me.