Monday Night Football: New York Giants vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers​

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take the field inside Raymond James Stadium for the first time in nearly a month — also the site of their last win — when they host the New York Giants under the lights on "Monday Night Football." The matchup is the last of three prime-time games for the Giants in 2021, but the fourth of five for the reigning Super Bowl champion Buccaneers.

The Bucs (6-3) won six of their first seven to start the season but followed that strong start with losses in their last two. Tampa Bay fell 36-27 at New Orleans going into their Week 9 bye and came out on the short end of a 29-19 finish at Washington last Sunday. The Giants (3-6) are on the opposite end of the momentum train, meanwhile, having lost their first three and three of their next five before squeaking past Las Vegas 23-16 to bring some positive energy into their Week 10 bye — energy they’ll hope to maintain throughout the second half of their season.

The Buccaneers and Giants have squared off in each of the last four seasons and in five of the last six. They’ve split their last four meetings, with the road team winning three of the four and the Giants winning at home (38-35 in 2018) during that stretch. Close games have been the norm in recent years, as each of those last four matchups has been decided by either two or three points: the Bucs pulled out a 25-23 win at MetLife Stadium last November after the Giants edged out a 32-31 win at Raymond James Stadium in 2019.

Monday Night Football: New York (3-6) at Tampa Bay (6-3)

Kickoff: Monday, Nov. 22, at 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Spread: Buccaneers -11

Three Things to Watch

1. Can Tampa Bay's offense get back into a rhythm?

The Buccaneers have won just two of their five games away from Tampa Bay but are 4-0 at home in 2021, scoring at least 31 points in each of the four home wins and an average of more than 40 points per game in that stretch. They’ll need more of the same on Monday as they’ve been held under 30 points in all five of their road trips in 2021. Even with Tom Brady throwing six touchdowns in the last two weeks, the Bucs are coming off their second-lowest two-game scoring output of the season with just 46 points combined against New Orleans and Washington.

Though the record may not reflect it, New York has done well to keep opponents off the board in recent weeks. Only three teams have eclipsed the 30-point mark against the Giants, but all in a five-game stretch between Weeks 2-6 as the Giants’ last three opponents have combined for just 36 points. New York hasn’t been as strong defensively on the road, however, so perhaps this is the spark that Tampa Bay needs to return to its ways on offense.

2. Will Saquon's ankle heal in time?

Saquon Barkley has missed each of the Giants’ last four games after suffering an ankle injury in a Week 5 loss at Dallas. It was a disappointing setback for Barkley who had just compiled 126 all-purpose yards in Week 4 at New Orleans, with both a rushing and receiving touchdown. That was easily his best game of the season, his only game before the injury with more than 100 total yards.

Thankfully for Joe Judge, Jason Garrett and the Giants' offense, Devontae Booker has helped to pick up the slack in Barkley’s stead. Booker has eclipsed the century mark in yards from scrimmage in each of the last two games, on the strength of a 99-yard rushing effort in the win over Las Vegas last week and a 60-yard/65-yard rushing/receiving total in the loss to Kansas City the week prior. Barkley is listed as questionable for Monday night but reports are he was able to increase his workload in practice, so he may be ready to return. A healthy Barkley alongside Booker would provide quite the boost for the Giants as they look to climb out of the bottom of the NFC East.

3. Can Giants start like they've finished?

Barkley’s injury surely hasn’t helped, but New York’s struggles on offense haven’t been limited to his absence. The Giants have been held to 20 or fewer points in five of their six losses, while they’ve tallied 27, 25 and 23 points in their three wins.

The key for New York is being able to start games with as productive an offense as has been present to close them. In all three of their wins, the Giants were limited to an average of just over seven points in the first half while the second half was their much more dominant presence. The Giants scored 17 points in the fourth quarter and overtime of their 27-21 win at New Orleans in Week 4, not to be outdone by 20 second-half points in a 25-3 win over Carolina in Week 7 and 13 of the final 16 in the 23-16 comeback win over Las Vegas two weeks ago.

Tampa Bay’s defense allowed 16 first-half points in each of the last two weeks in its losses to New Orleans and Washington. If the Giants can even approach that number in the first 30 minutes and continue playing as they have in the final 30 of their wins, they’ll have a great chance to grab the win in prime time.

Final Analysis

These two teams find themselves entering Week 11 heading in opposite directions: the Buccaneers seeking to right the ship and keep their lead in the NFC South, the Giants seeking to climb back into contention in a tightly packed NFC. Tampa Bay has the benefit of returning home with the hopes that Raymond James Stadium will continue to be as beneficial in the second half of the season as it has been thus far.

Prediction: Buccaneers 31, Giants 20

1. I'm glad I took a few days off from talking Rams football. Those mental bumps and bruises, acquired during the last two games, are feeling better and I'm ready to hit the field for the stretch run.

2. Pretty good bye week. Cowboys lost. Packers lost. Saints and Panthers lost, preserving our 2 game lead over the 6th seed in the NFC.

3. But... frickin' Seahawks... YOU HAD ONE JOB!!!! Beat the Cardinals at home with Kyler Murray on the sideline! But, no! Pathetic.

4. The Seahawks are done. The Pete Carroll/Russell Wilson era is over.

5. The mighty just keep falling this year. The Titans lost to the Texans?!?!?!?! The Bills were blown off the field by the Colts?!?!?! The Saints defense gives up 40 to the Eagles?!?!?!

6. What these upsets show, besides affirming the "any given Sunday" mantra, is that match-ups, game plans, and execution dictate outcomes every bit as much as talent.

7. Applying that concept to the Rams, rather than worrying about weaknesses and "blueprints," we need to focus on controlling the narrative and playing to our strengths.

8. On offense, I think we need to "re-discover" the running game and its offshoot, play action passing. Our run blocking has been reasonably effective. We just seem to be, at times... well... impatient.

9. On defense, we need to be stout on early downs and let the pass rush do its thing.

10. Sure, easy to say... harder to accomplish. But, hey... I'm just a fan. Its on Sean McVay and company to make it happen.

11. The Packers are very good, but they are beatable. Our offense should be able to move the ball on them, and their DBs should have trouble with Kupp, OBJ and the rest.

12. We need to get off to a strong start and take their running game out of the equation. That's what we failed to do last year in the playoffs.

13. Aaron Rodgers just keeps giving me new reasons to dislike him. His post-game humble brag, complaining about how bad his toe hurt after throwing for 385 yards and 4 TDs... just STFU.

14. Jalen Ramsey has been very effective lining up in the slot and roaming, but I wonder if we should have him play more of a lock-down role on Davante Adams next Sunday, given that he receives about a 1/3 of the Packers' targets and produces more than 1/2 of their passing yards.

15. I think we'll see a real contribution from OBJ next week. He should be far more familiar with the Rams' offense, and he'll be determined to show his worth.

16. Von Miller should also be more acclimated, and back to full health.

17. I don't think we should look at a game at Green Bay as a "must win." Rather, its an opportunity. A win next Sunday would be huge. A loss would be bad, but would not end our season.

18. I was supposed to be going to the game, but my son, who I was going to go with, tore his ACL, so I ended up unloading the tickets. We'll be watching, though, from his home in Madison, and I'll be wearing the Rams colors in hostile territory!

19. McVay is 3-1 post-bye week in his 4 years. Let's make it 4-1!!!!

20. Its late-November. Its getting colder. Now... it gets real.

they've made a remake of the original Walton Homecoming from 1971

or

as it was actually titled

The Homecoming: A Christmas Story

which went on to spawn The Waltons TV show that ran for 9 seasons

and for people my age , it was a big part of their childhood , wither they want to admit it or not , we only had three channels on the TV at the time , so it was pretty hard to miss , even if you wanted to

I was pretty young at the time , and the show didn't hold any interest for me at all at the time , so I never really watched it when it was on , but again , with only three channels on the TV , you knew who the Waltons were

then...........

as I got older , and in the last 10 years or so , I've found a new found appreciation for the show , and now really enjoy it

as I grew older , my love for American history grew as well , especially the depression era 1910 -1940 era , I find especially intriguing , and The Waltons covered alot of that era

The TV show had such a look and feel of that era

so now , I'm curious if this new movie can capture that look , I don't think just the one new movie will come close to capturing the heart and warmth of the TV show , but I'm also curious if it will be able to at least capture the look of the depression era 1930's

or will they simply rely on camera color filtering and crappy CGI

but either way , I'm actually looking forward to this movie , which comes on next Sunday night on the CW

but just in the little promo I've watched , it just doesn't look right , a little to clean maybe ?

a little to new maybe

for better or worse , I'll give it a shot

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.... then Rams would again be in position to regain control of their own destiny for division title and as high as the #2 seed.

(Oh and the minor detail that they have to stop playing like sh*t).

It's Sunday and I've found my homer glasses... I'm sayin there's a chance... (Jim Carrey voice)

Tiebreak vs. AZ: could be tied on H2H, div record, common opponents (LAR loss to TN and SF, AZ loss to GB and SEA). Rams could win tiebreak on conf record.

Tiebreak vs. GB: H 2 H

Tiebreak vs. TB: H 2 H

Tiebreak vs Dal: Rams need Dal to lose at least one more game. But Dal lost to TB, a common opponent, which would help with tiebreakers.

I was posting this in another thread - but then thought people might want to look at it...

definitely a mixed bag




we rank 7th in yards per play.. but then also are 7th worse on 3rd down.. as one example.

Sunday, Nov. 21

LATE GAMES
Cincinnati Bengals at Las Vegas Raiders, 4:05 pm(CBS)
Dallas Cowboys at Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 pm (FOX)
Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks, 4:25 pm (FOX)

EARLY GAMES
Indianapolis Colts at Buffalo Bills, 1 pm (CBS)
Washington Football Team at Carolina Panthers, 1 pm (FOX)
Baltimore Ravens at Chicago Bears, 1 pm (CBS)
Detroit Lions at Cleveland Browns, 1 pm (FOX)
San Francisco 49ers at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 pm (FOX)
Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings, 1 pm (FOX)
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets, 1 pm (CBS)
New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles, 1 pm(FOX)
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans, 1 pm (CBS)

SNF
Pittsburgh Steelers at Los Angeles Chargers, 8:20 pm (NBC)

Monday, Nov. 22

MNF
New York Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8:15 pm (ESPN)

---

ALREADY PLAYED

Thursday, Nov. 18
New England Patriots at Atlanta Falcons, 8:20 pm (FOX, NFL Network, Amazon)

Sunday, Nov. 21

EARLY GAMES
Indianapolis Colts at Buffalo Bills, 1 pm (CBS)
Washington Football Team at Carolina Panthers, 1 pm (FOX)
Baltimore Ravens at Chicago Bears, 1 pm (CBS)
Detroit Lions at Cleveland Browns, 1 pm (FOX)
San Francisco 49ers at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 pm (FOX)
Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings, 1 pm (FOX)
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets, 1 pm (CBS)
New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles, 1 pm(FOX)
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans, 1 pm (CBS)

LATE GAMES
Cincinnati Bengals at Las Vegas Raiders, 4:05 pm(CBS)
Dallas Cowboys at Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 pm (FOX)
Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks, 4:25 pm (FOX)

SNF
Pittsburgh Steelers at Los Angeles Chargers, 8:20 pm (NBC)

Monday, Nov. 22

MNF
New York Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8:15 pm (ESPN)

---

ALREADY PLAYED

Thursday, Nov. 18
New England Patriots at Atlanta Falcons, 8:20 pm (FOX, NFL Network, Amazon)

Sunday Night Football: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Los Angeles Chargers​

Unlike what Jim Mora Sr. once famously said in a postgame press conference, it’s never too early to start talking playoffs. And with these two teams, the ramifications are huge going into this one as both are sitting squarely on the wild-card bubble with the Steelers at 5-3-1 and the Chargers at 5-4. So yes, even though we are only at the Week 11 point of the season, the loser of this game could find themselves behind the eight-ball. In the AFC, the Titans lead the pack with an 8-2 mark, but there are 11 teams behind them with five or six wins.

Last week the Steelers nearly had a catastrophic Sunday, and in the end still took a shot to the ego. That’s because they came THISCLOSE to losing to the Detroit Lions, settling for a 16-16 tie at home. Pittsburgh better start figuring things out too because Mike Tomlin's team also happens to own the toughest remaining strength of schedule in the NFL.

The Chargers come in with smoke billowing out from under the hood, having lost three of their last four games, including last weekend’s home setback to the Minnesota Vikings, 27-20. After a 4-1 start, the Chargers have blown a gasket, cracked their radiator, and most of all, lost a spark plug. Yet, keep in mind they still find themselves in second place in the AFC West.

Sunday Night Football: Pittsburgh (5-3-1) at Los Angeles (5-4)

Kickoff: Sunday, Nov. 21 at 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Spread: Chargers -6

Three Things to Watch

1. Bolts are losing some electricity
It might be time to throw out the stat sheet. For all the praise and bluster about Chargers wunderkind quarterback Justin Herbert, things have hit a rut for this offense of late. They are still 10th in the NFL in total yards per game (370.2) and seventh in passing offense (270 ypg). But last Sunday, all Los Angeles could muster against Minneota's 27th-ranked defense (384 ypg allowed) was 253. Egad. In three of the last four games, Herbert has had a QB rating of sub-75.

2. Not going to let Rudolph play in any reindeer games
The Big ‘Berger is back. In a late development, Ben Roethlisberger has cleared COVID protocols and looks like he’ll be back under center for the Steelers.

Not to state the obvious here, but how much does Roethlisberger mean to the Steelers? There were tied by the lowly, winless Detroit Lions 16-16 last week without him. And it’s not that Mason Rudolph did a bad job, going 30-of-50 for 242 yards, but obviously Roethlisberger is still a difference-maker for this offense. On the positive side, Rudolph did not get sacked or even take any hits in those 50 dropbacks, so the O-line is trending up, which is good news for the not-so-mobile Roethlisberger. And get this; the O-line may not have to face defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, who is currently on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Edge rusher Joey Bosa was as well but he was activated on Saturday and barring a setback, he should be ready to play on Sunday night. The defense also will get linebacker Drue Tranquill back as well. So while neither defense will be at full strength due to injuries or the virus, it appears that the home team may have a slight leg up when it comes to depth.

3. Can Roethlisberger play defense?
One thing that had no bearing on whether Roethlisberger played or not was the fact that the Lions had a ton of success running the ball, pounding the Steelers for 229 yards. D'Andre Swift ran the ball 33 times for 130 yards himself. Godwin Igwebuike added a 42-yard touchdown jaunt and Jermar Jefferson hit paydirt on a 28-yard run of his own. Prior to that, the Steelers had been pretty good vs. the run, giving up just 109 yards per game. Granted, the Chargers are still going to lean on Herbert’s big arm, but Austin Ekeler should be licking his chops at the chance to get some chunks of yardage on the ground in this one. Oh, and on the flip side of that, remember that the Chargers are the worst team in the league in stopping the run (155 ypg). So Najee Harris, have yourself a day my man.

Final Analysis

Depending on who suits up for this one will determine who wins. The Steelers are a bit of a mess. While it does look like Roethlisberger will return, defensive end T.J. Watt (hip), safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (COVID-19), cornerback Joe Haden (foot), and guard Kevin Dotson (ankle) have all been ruled out. So that's a handful of starters the visiting team will be down, so the Chargers look like the pick here by default, especially with Bosa in line to play. Yes, even with how crappy they’ve been playing lately, including relenting 31 points per game since Week 5.

Oh, and if it matters, the Chargers are a paltry 8-23 vs. the Steelers in all-time matchups. But then again, this isn't exactly the heavily-bearded Dan Fouts going up against Mean Joe Greene and that Steel Curtain defense, so that is one of those useless stats I like to throw out at the end for no real reason.

Prediction: Chargers 20, Steelers 17

This is one of my favorite weekly threads, and even if it’s bye week… We still gotta eat!

Do you have football Sunday food plans? Lets hear them!

1. We're 7-3 I'm not too worried yet. But there are serious concerns and issues with this team.

2. Raheem Morris HAS to do better. If he doesn't then it around after this second half of the season, he HAS to be gone. There's way too much talent on this Defense for it to be this piss poor. It's not just the playcalling, it's also the lack of adjustments in game. The 3rd down D is absolute putrid. I have ZERO confidence that if we need a stop whether it be 3rd and short, or 4th and long that we'll it. It's a huge step back from last year and he seems to be a direct culprit. I'm glad Ramsey is getting fed up.

3. WE HAVE TO RUN THE BALL. This air it out Offense won't last. Running the ball wears defenses down, and opens up the play action. We have to absolutely get running the ball. If not, we're toast. It also protects Stafford.

4. Could be looking at our 3rd Special Teams Coordinator in as many years after this session. Special Teams except for Matt Gays kicking (except that SEA game) have been unacceptable. And for the record, I wanted to get rid of Hekker and keep Corey Bojo.

5. We have to absolutely CHILL on trading picks away. It's fun, and been fun. But it's going to start catching up to us. And seemingly already has. Also, quit with the gadget/project picks like Atwell. Get positions of NEED.

6. They need to quit reading the hype posts and quit with the superstar marketing, yada yada. No opponent gives a shit on Sunday on the field and is intimated. They come to play and want to knock our diva, seemingly full of ourselves shit out of us. And the last 2 weeks they have.

7. We need more Dawgs, more mean MFers on the team. I'm getting tired of going into a physical games knowing we're going to bet bullied around. And it seems to happen every time. No matter the talent level of our opponent. And especially the last 2 weeks.

8. Reiterating what I said earlier, not a single opponent cares about the name on the back of your jersey, or what you've done, they want to obliterate you. And we need to get the same damn mentality and get physical and mean.

9. Enough with the finesse, let's play physical.

I know I reiterated a few things.

This is one of my favorite classic year/models. But of course being a Chevy you know it's gonna need a lot of wrench turning to keep it running...

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Fking shoot me...Cowherd carrying on with the '01 Pats-'21 Pats comparisons in his opening segment.

Love the effort JR.

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I love Matt Stafford, even with his occasional inconsistency…but I am concerned that the Rams lately rank 28th in the league in Play Action. Yes, Matt Stafford can simply drop back and hammer a defense with ferocity when given time….but…defenses have become less worried about our run game..and are pinning back the ears of their front 4 and exposing our lightweight guards(NFL Standards) in trying to protect Matt for long developing plays. The Rams are using PA roughly 23% of the time…in my opinion, this needs to change, or we are going to damage our QB’s health. Go Rams!

Not good.

And I know this thread will probably get locked sooner or later.

There's always two sides to every story, but this video shows behavior that's indefensible IMHO.

Who are yours?
I guess I’d have tiers..

BB
—
Payton, Reid. Arians
, Harbaugh & Tomlin
-
McVay & Shanahan
-
McDermott & Vrabel


Yes, I’m giving real weight to the Super Bowl wins.

I didn’t put Carroll because I think the Seahawks win was much more about personnel than coaching.

....and they are a contender with cap space for the next 4-5 yrs since they are not paying $25M plus for a QB.

So a defensive minded coach can develop a mid first rounder but our genius can't?

Just shows McVay can only win one way and we have seen that these last few weeks. That is his weakness. It has to change or he will be at best another Don Coryell, Mike Martz, Sam Wyche, even Andy Reid who if not for hitting a gold mine in Mahomes still wouldn't have won a SB.

All good coaches with solid careers, but limited.

It's been since Sun 9/26 , when he was injured.
At the time McVay didn't see it as season ending.
as it was a only a partial tear of the pectoral muscle

McVay also spoke of his versatility and hinting that he may be
moving inside with Jones.

Anybody read anything about his progress?

Thursday Night Football: New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons​

As the Atlanta Falcons face an old heartbreak, the New England Patriots, they can relate to the Taylor Swift "Saturday Night Live" performance sweeping the country. This team knows all too well how the Patriots broke them into pieces almost four years ago, a 28-3 Super Bowl almost-triumph turned 34-28 devastating overtime loss from which they've never recovered.

The damage from the Patriots cuts deep, part of a 23-year losing streak that's an embodiment of a team that never quite gets over the hump. The Falcons remain in limbo, a 4-5 team saddled with inconsistency coming off a 43-3 blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Their scoring margin of minus-85 is second worst in the NFC, ahead of only the winless Detroit Lions, as they've beaten only one team with a winning record this season.

Not a good time, it seems, for the Patriots to come charging into town. After dismantling the Cleveland Browns 45-7, New England has won four straight games, the second-best active streak in the NFL behind Tennessee. Rookie quarterback Mac Jones is growing by leaps and bounds, a clear favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year and paired with a dynamic group of young players. Add in a defense adept at forcing turnovers and head coach Bill Belichick's team is molding itself into a dark horse Super Bowl contender.

Perhaps the best hope for the Falcons is that if we've learned anything about the NFL this season, good teams are afflicted with Jekyll-and-Hyde syndrome. Those same Cowboys that whipped the Falcons last week were nearly shut out by the Denver Broncos the week before; the Pats have a loss to the 3-7 Miami Dolphins on their 2021 résumé. Anything can and will happen, especially during the three days of short rest surrounding "Thursday Night Football" that level the playing field.

Can the Patriots avoid the same lifeless performance that caused those Dolphins to upset the Baltimore Ravens last Thursday night? Or will the Falcons fall flat against a foe that always seems to run right through them? A win at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for Atlanta would be its first in seven games against New England dating back to November 1998.

Thursday Night Football: New England (6-4) at Atlanta (4-5)

Kickoff: Thursday, Nov. 18 at 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: FOX/NFL Network
Spread: Patriots -7

Three Things to Watch

1. Mac Jones vs. Matt Ryan

These two quarterbacks enter this week headed in two very different directions. Jones just had the best game of his NFL career, going 19-for-23 with a career-high three touchdown passes as he fully dismantled the Browns defense from the start. Their head coach, Kevin Stefanski, singled out Jones in his post-race presser as the reason his team was beaten so badly.

On the flip side is Ryan, whose dreadful no touchdown, two-interception, 9-for-21 flop against the Cowboys produced a 21.4 passer rating. That's the lowest of his 14-year NFL career as a starter, ending the game on the bench as backup Josh Rosen finished it out with the Falcons down by 40.

The 36-year-old veteran is trying hard to put that performance in the rear-view mirror.

"It got ugly quick," Ryan said after Sunday's game. "Days like today happen. … That's part of being mentally tough is you know when you get knocked down, you've got to get back up quick."

The Falcons are at a pivotal moment with their franchise quarterback; another late-season losing streak gives them a top-10 draft pick and an opportunity to move on in 2022. To be fair, Ryan has suffered through a lack of supporting cast on offense. Top wide receiver Calvin Ridley is on injured reserve battling mental health concerns. No one else at that position has more than 194 yards total through nine games. While rookie tight end Kyle Pitts has been sensational, piling up 40 catches and 606 yards, he can't do it alone.

Compare that to Jones, whose supporting cast has slowly developed around him in unexpected places. It's not veteran free agent signing Nelson Agholor leading the offense but 26-year-old Kendrick Bourne, a wide receiver who piled up a season-high 98 yards and a touchdown against the Browns. Young Jakobi Meyers got into the end zone after setting the NFL record for most career receiving yards (around 1,522) without a touchdown. Then there's tight end Hunter Henry, adding two TDs of his own for his first multi-score game since signing with New England this offseason.

You get the picture. For Atlanta to compete, their young offensive core needs to step up in much the same way, players like Olamide Zaccheaus removing their cloak of invisibility and providing options for Ryan downfield.

2. Which run game gets going?

One of the best Falcons offensive options, for weeks, has been running back Cordarrelle Patterson. But in yet another case of bad timing, Patterson could be out a couple of weeks with a sprained ankle, leaving him questionable for Thursday night's contest.

Patterson's 776 yards of total offense was a bright spot, especially facing a Patriots defense weaker against the rush (14th) than the pass (eighth). Potential replacement Mike Davis is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry; Wayne Gallman was ineffective in garbage time against the Cowboys. It'll be a challenge to run the ball without Patterson on the field.

Compare that to Rhamondre Stevenson, the rookie running back exploding onto the scene for the Patriots this month. The fourth-round NFL draft pick has settled into the offense (sensing a theme here?), peaking with his first 100-yard rushing game against the Browns last week. Brandon Bolden is playing the old Kevin Faulk role well for the Patriots, complementing the attack with a 5.6-yards-per-carry average on just 25 rushes.

The Falcons defense is weak up the middle, ranking just 21st against the run and allowing an average of 139.5 yards in their last four games. Expect Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to use a lot of Stevenson early, opening it up for Jones in the same way the Cowboys put the ball on the ground 37 times, scoring three rushing touchdowns last Sunday.

3. Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers

The Patriots' defense has been surging up the charts in recent weeks, producing 17 turnovers to rank tied for fourth in the NFL. They're especially dangerous in pass defense, where their 14 turnovers are second only to the Bills. The Falcons defense has just eight in nine games, an anemic performance in which they've also produced an NFL-worst 11 sacks.

The Pats, meanwhile, have turned up the wick, scoring two defensive touchdowns and holding opponents to just 12.5 points per game during their four-game win streak. A switch to zone coverage has been instrumental in reducing big plays allowed in the secondary while linebacker Matthew Judon is terrorizing opposing quarterbacks (three sacks during this stretch).

The Falcons and Ryan need to flip their -5 turnover margin this season in order to have a chance. That seems unlikely with a starting quarterback who's thrown five of his eight interceptions this season in just the last four games.

Final Analysis

Belichick is a mastermind when it comes to keeping his team focused. The Pats are the lone undefeated road team in the AFC (4-0) and understand the potential for Thursday night to be a trap game with Tennessee looming large next Sunday.

They'll show up ready to play against a wounded Falcons team that just got punched in the mouth. It won't be pretty. Expect Jones to keep developing and Falcons fans to keep devolving to the point they might be calling for Rosen by the fourth quarter, an almost-unthinkable prospect considering how Ryan has been the face of their franchise for over a decade.

It's not Ryan's fault, honestly. But he'll take the fall for a Falcons team teetering on falling apart, a feeling their fans know a little all too well.

Prediction: Patriots 38, Falcons 17

I get the angst from the last couple weeks.

There is reason to vent. No doubt about it.

But let's all keep in mind why we're here....to support our team and bullshit with each other like friends at a bar.

This board was started by @-X- to be the antithesis to the Post Dispatch forum and frankly all other Rams boards.

So please do "Think before you post."

I think we all want what's best for the Rams. Some express it differently. But we are all - with the exception of a few - Rams fans. Treat each other and the team members and family with the respect you would want for yourself and your families. You don't need me telling you what that means. You already know.

Cheers and GO RAMS!!!

What do you guys see, looking ahead to week 11?

Odell Beckham Jr. and Von Miller aim to make the most of bye week​

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The bye week won't consist entirely of rest and relaxation for Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and outside linebacker Von Miller.

Los Angeles' midseason acquisitions made their debuts in Week 10, and still have plenty to learn. Accordingly, this week will be about getting up to speed, especially with a road game against the currently 8-2 Green Bay Packers coming out of the bye.

Starting opposite Leonard Floyd Monday night, Miller played 45 of 68 defensive snaps, collecting three total tackles in his first game as a Ram. It helped that Miller had a preliminary idea of the defense due to the similarities between the systems run by the Rams and Broncos. That said, he knows he still has more to learn.

"Bye week is always good," Miller said postgame after Monday Night Football. "I can get a little bit more healthy. I feel like I was healthy enough to play tonight, but let's take a little bit to go. This bye week can help me get healthy. This bye week will help me learn the playbook a little bit more. This defense had some carryover, but I still need to learn it. This bye week and next week, it'll be good for me."

Meanwhile, Beckham played 15 of 55 offensive snaps and caught 2 of 3 targets for 18 yards. Considering he didn't participate in his first practice with the team until Saturday, or two days before gameday, it was impressive he saw the field.

Getting Beckham adjusted will be a bye week priority for both himself and Rams head coach Sean McVay.

"I think for Odell to even be able to get out there and line up is a real credit to him," McVay said during a video conference with reporters Tuesday morning. "We didn't even have one full speed practice with him. So, these next 12 days will be really important to get him implemented, get him up to speed, and figure out a plan of attack to maximize our offensive players, and to play better than the way that we have these last couple of weeks. That's where my focus and concentration will be over the next few days."

For Beckham, this week will be a mix of diving into the playbook and "little two-a-days" after a mini-hiatus as he transitioned between teams. This is the first time in his career he's changed teams midway through a season, so it's a different adjustment than before – one that necessitates putting in work during his new team's week off.

"Just over the bye week, being able to get in the playbook and really try and learn every single thing possible," Beckham said postgame. "Two days (to prepare), you know, it's quick, but I'm ready, I'm excited, I'm happy to be here."