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TNF - Ravens at Dolphins

Thursday Night Football: Baltimore Ravens vs. Miami Dolphins​

The Baltimore Ravens will face the Miami Dolphins on "Thursday Night Football" after squeaking out yet another nail-biter. Their 34-31 victory over the Vikings in overtime on Sunday was their fifth in eight games this season decided by a touchdown or less.

The Ravens are 4-1 in those games, catapulting them to a 6-2 record and the AFC North lead. They're just a half-game behind the Tennessee Titans for the top seed in the conference, exceeding expectations after landing an NFL-leading 16 players on injured reserve by mid-September.

The Dolphins, meanwhile have seen their playoff hopes crater, suffering through injuries and poor play from starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. His status remains uncertain for Thursday night's game after missing last Sunday with a fractured middle finger on his throwing hand.

Backup Jacoby Brissett rallied the troops enough, snapping the team's seven-game losing streak with a 17-9 victory over the Houston Texans. But the Dolphins, now 2-7, still slogged through a sloppy performance that included five turnovers and zero points scoring in the second half.

Can whoever starts at quarterback find a way to score points against the Ravens? On paper, you'd think the answer is no, but win-loss records haven't mattered much for Baltimore this season. Earlier this year, they needed an NFL-record 66-yard field goal to beat the winless Detroit Lions. Will they be up to the challenge of a 7.5-point spread, capable of winning big against an inferior opponent?

Thursday Night Football: Baltimore (6-2) at Miami (2-7)

Kickoff: Thursday, Nov. 11 at 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: FOX/NFL Network
Spread: Ravens -7.5

Three Things to Watch

1. Who will be the starting quarterback for the Dolphins? Will it matter?

A "Thursday Night Football" placement means an atypical schedule for both teams; as a result, the Dolphins didn't go through a full Tuesday practice. If they did? The team claims Tagovailoa's participation would have been limited.

"[Tua's] making some progress," is how Dolphins head coach Brian Flores described it. "We're just going to take it day-to-day and see how he is today, tomorrow, and probably take it right up to the day of the game."

Of course, when he is in the game, Tagovailoa hasn't done much better than Brissett. Neither one has lit a spark under center, combining for just 12 touchdown passes in nine games. They've thrown nine interceptions and have been sacked 23 times, a total that ranks sixth within the AFC.

It all adds up to just 17.2 points per game for the Dolphins' anemic offense, ranked 28th in the NFL. But whoever is under center has an opportunity that might surprise you. The Ravens, who built Super Bowl-winning teams around their defense, rank 23rd in the NFL in total yards allowed per game and just 31st against the pass. It's a soft spot not often seen by this group; the last time the Ravens ranked outside the top 10 in passing defense was 2014.

Tagovailoa, should he play, has had success with weaker passing defenses, throwing six of his seven touchdown passes against Jacksonville (26th) and Atlanta (13th). The question is whether he's healthy enough to even attempt to take full advantage.

2. Can Lamar Jackson be a better game manager?

Let's not go too far overboard here; Jackson's still playing at a high level, showcasing his comeback skills in the process. He was 0-6 before this season in games the Ravens trailed by 10 points or more. This year? He's 3-0 in wins against the Vikings, Colts, and Chiefs.

That said, Jackson needs to take better care of the ball. He's already thrown seven interceptions, on pace for a career high, and taken 24 sacks (one more already than his MVP season back in 2019).

Injuries have depleted the run game, putting the weight of the offense on his shoulders. Jackson's 600 rushing yards are nearly as much as every other running back on the team combined.

But for the Ravens to win the Super Bowl, especially with a below-average defense, Jackson can't do it alone. That's why continuing to develop receivers like Marquise Brown (nine catches, 116 yards last week against the Vikings) is incredibly important. Rookie Rashod Bateman continues to do well in place of the injured Sammy Watkins, racking up 161 receiving yards the last three games.

Diversifying the receiving corps may be exactly what the doctor ordered against a weak Dolphins defense, ranked 30th overall and 30th against the pass. Just don't sleep on their ability to cause turnovers; their 13 takeaways, including four against Houston, are tied for 11th in the NFL. There's enough talent on that side of the ball to give Baltimore problems, and Jackson needs to make sure he doesn't do too much.

3. Will anyone stop Justin Tucker's kicking foot?

One 49-yard field goal. That's the only miss Tucker's had in a season defined by kickers blowing easy field goals and missing extra points that have decided games.

Tucker's already well on his way to a Hall of Fame career. But 2021 has been extra special, his ability to close games clearly buoying the Ravens' confidence. His most recent game-winner (36 yards) was his 53rd straight make in the fourth quarter or overtime.

"I kind of just felt the energy," Tucker said of the end of the Vikings game. "Like, OK, well, I'm ready to knock down a 52-, 53-, 54-yarder."

The team knows he can do that, and it's more than enough, also changing the strategy of his opponents. It's like having a Tom Brady that scores an automatic three points; if you're the defense, can you ever give the ball back to someone that can hit a field goal at midfield? And they have Jackson as quarterback? It's a great asset few, if any, other NFL teams currently have.

Final Analysis

These games are the type the Ravens need to win considering the quality of the AFC North (all four teams are currently above .500). The Dolphins are one of only two teams with a losing record (Chicago) left on their season schedule.

Expect Jackson to rally the troops, come out swinging and take care of business against a Dolphins team struggling to live up to preseason expectations.

Prediction: Ravens 31, Dolphins 13

  • Locked
Matthew Stafford’s wife reveals how panic attack exposed relationship issue

....Okay that's just my wise-ass, snarky, click-bait trolling "summary" of this article.

Sounds like Kelly had a panic attack, and afterward the couple had a very nice heart-to-heart talk about the stressors in their marriage. Apparently Matt told Kelly he felt like he was "the last person on her list," and Kelly agreed he was right.

Marriage is tough-- especially with four young kids in a new city (and the husband is an NFL QB.)

Anyway, here's hoping the Staffords continue to have good communication and face their troubles in a collaborative way. Also hoping Kelly prioritizes keeping our QB as relaxed and stress-free as possible. :laugh1:


MOD EDIT: Changed title to reflect article.

  • Article Article
Darious Williams: "Felt good to be back out there"

Darious Williams: "Felt good to be back out there"​

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – After a 3-game stint on Injured Reserve recovering from ankle injury, Rams cornerback Darious Williams made his return last week against the Titans. He was glad to be back.

"I'm getting better daily, every day is just a work in progress," Williams said during a video conference Wednesday. "Obviously in a game, it felt good to be back out there. And then being on IR, I mean, I think it was good, because obviously, it helped get the ankle right. So everything overall, is feeling great."

Williams had three total tackles in his return, but his presence alone was crucial to the ways the Rams defense deployed cornerback Jalen Ramsey. When both Rams head coach Sean McVay and defensive coordinator Raheem Morris indicated Williams' positional flexibility went hand-in-hand with the ability to maximize Ramsey's versatility.

With both Ramsey and Williams in the secondary, the Rams held Titans wide receivers A.J. Brown and Julio Jones to a combined nine catches for 77 yards last week.

While Williams was sidelined, the Rams went with a committee approach to replace Williams, with previously seldom-used players like rookie Robert Rochell and veteran Dont'e Deayon among those seeing more snaps during that three-week stretch.

"I'm especially proud of DD because he's had a long time coming," Williams said. "So just to see him out there playing fast, it's great to see obviously, and then when it comes to Scooter, he's a rookie, so any reps he can get, any snaps he can get, I think that's where all that comes from. It's just game reps, maturity in the game, and that's also fun to see. Just seeing him, if he asked me questions, whatever it is just trying to get him ready, but it also provides a lot of depth. Like we don't just have to get out there, it doesn't have to just be me and Jalen, or whatever it is, we also have depth in our room. And I think that says a lot."

It's valuable to have with the bye week approaching and as the Rams gear up for what is effectively the second half of their season. Los Angele ranks 12th in total defense heading into Monday night's game against the 49ers, and Williams likes where the unit and the team as a whole currently stand.

"I think we're right where we want to be," Williams said. "We're still in control of our destiny. Obviously this later half of the season's all the tougher teams, a lot of good competition, but we're right where we want to be. We just take every game one week at a time, and defensively, we obviously know we've got (Matthew Stafford), we've got an offense that's on fire right now. All we got to do is continue to do our job, get teams off the field, get them the ball back."

There are 3 Rams players that are ‘underperforming’, all 3 on D…

Namely, these particular players:

Darious Williams
Terrell Burgess
Jordan Fuller

Question. Why are 3 such promising young players all experiencing distinctly less quality results on the field than expected based upon their 2020 production?

It’s not from known injury.

Is it scheming? Is Morris using them non-optimally?

It boggles the mind that 3 projected starters should all stumble just as the new DC comes on board. Occam’s Razor indicates that it’s a byproduct of the Morris hire.

To be fair to Morris other D players are exceeding preseason expectations.

Hollins
Lewis
Obo
Bash (until injured)
Ramsey

Anybody have thoughts or suggestions that could elevate Burgess, Fuller, DW’s play to at least approach their 2020 trajectory?

I’m all ears…

Cam Akers Update?

Can anyone give an update on RB Cam Akers?

I thought I read that he was definitely out for the season but then I read some posts that he might be back for the playoffs.

As much as I like Darrell Henderson (And, Even with a Healthy Cam Akers I think Henderson plays a very important role for the Rams!) I do think Akers is the better RB and is a difference maker for the Rams Offense and would be a HUGE boost to the Rams IF he really is a possibility for the playoffs!!!

Describe the One Movie Scene that Wrecked You

You can watch Saving Private Ryan for free on YouTube right now, so there are a lot of YouTube reactions to it popping up in my recommends. It's a powerful movie. It's full of scenes that qualify to be picked as the scene that wrecked you. I'm having trouble choosing between two scenes in particular.

The first being the the mother of four sons involved in D-Day, three of which died, sank to the deck of her porch as a priest and army officer emerged from an army car, which could mean only one thing. The whole scene is so panoramic as the car drove up the dirt road to the farm house and you feel the growing horror of a mother.

The second being the arm to arm struggle between Private Mellish and the big German. It's so horrific when the German overpowers the smaller Mellish, which shouldn't have happened because Corporal Upham, who froze in fear, didn't respond with extra ammo for Mellish. "Shhhhh..." said the German as Mellish begged, "No, no.." slipping the knife into his chest.

Both scenes wrecked me. So what scene in any movie, wrecked you?

Will McVay Make Changes to His Offense After the Bye?



An interesting article about McVay's introspection of his own performance against the Titans. He confirms he didn't change his concept soon enough and kept trying to push the deep game despite the inordinate pressure Stafford was under.

That said does he return to his old system of layering his receivers, i.e. short, medium, deep? He's gotten away from that to a certain degree. Also, I think Stafford will be told to make his first read deep but to come off of it quickly in games where he's under pressure. It was clear that Matt was waiting for the deep pattern to develop and it led to his sacks.

The next game is against a struggling SF defense. Their front 4 is strong but their secondary play is inconsistent. Kliff Kingsbury's offense highlights quick passes normally under 10 yards, looking for YAC to gain additional yardage. The Cards exploited that inconsistent secondary.

I expect the biggest change will be how McVay tells Stafford to just move the chains, take what is given if the deep pass doesn't look like it will be there quickly. The other is a bigger role in the run game. Make defenses defend the run. He's got the RBs to play that style. Michel is the grinder, Henderson is the slasher, HR hitter. I would be surprised if McVay doesn't sign a RB. I think we will see Howell get some snaps to see if he can be that 3rd man in the rotation but from what I've seen of Howell he seems to lack the explosion a RB should have. Henderson is dinged and McVay needs to play Michel more and Howell at times to give Henderson some rest. I wouldn't be surprised if the Ram's opened with Michel and Howell against the Niners. IMO McVay should back away from his all or nothing philosophy. He's been drinking his deep strike wine too long.

Yes, I expect changes in the Ram offense, but more philosophical with only a tweak schematically, with more of a focus on short and mid-range routes. As Stafford hits on those it will eventually open up those deeper routes. McVay is right in regards to not forcing the Titans to defend the run. Also, I see McVay taking the points when he can vs his ego-driven going for it on 4th downs. He has to understand that with Morris as his DC he won't hold the field advantage if the 4th down isn't converted. Morris' defense is pansy soft. His DBs wait for the reception before reacting instead of anticipating the throw and getting a jump on it. Bend not break is a loser and could cost the Rams a SB. Why Morris doesn't have his DBs defending the reception is beyond me.

I think after the season, Morris needs to be replaced. IMO Aubrey Pleasant should be hired away from Detroit to be the Ram's DC. He knows Staley's scheme and also Phillip's scheme, both of whom were more aggressive than Morris. It was a mistake to pass him over for Morris.

Morris halfway grade

The Rams D was not the problem on Sunday night, at all. Sure, they weren't perfect, but I'll take that kind of performance.

Williams was back and Rochell played significant snaps.. Deayon keeps playing (although, my man.. don't with the dumb penalty) and Long and Scott played less.
Secondary is really starting to take shape and looks better than the start of the season. If it stays healthy.. not only will it start looking even better, but I think we'll start seeing more interceptions once Von hits the field.

The D lost SJD, but Gaines has REALLY stepped up.. love it.

Are we ready to step back and say Morris is figuring it out? I feel like he is. Not perfect, but he certainly isn't any kind of a problem for this team.

Who gets added to the 53-man roster now?

The Rams currently have only 51 players on the 53-man roster (once Harris is officially placed on the IR).

Who do you think is up next and/or what positions may they be seeking?

My guess is they go to the practice squad for one of the players (maybe WR Landen Akers, DE Earnest Brown IV or DB Antoine Brooks Jr), and go outside the organization for the second player

What do you think?

Stat of the Week: Week 10 (Jalen of All Trades)

Jalen Ramsey has shut-down CB ability, as he has shown the ability to shadow and limit the production of top WRs.

This year, however, he is playing in a role that puts him all over the field and opens up playmaking potential. That has shown on the stat sheet. Here are some of his numbers"

68.4 passer rating allowed when targeted
3 interceptions
8 passes defended
6 tackles for loss (1st in NFL among DBs)
4.2% missed tackles (extremely low for a player who is on the field for most every snap and makes tackles in space)

This week, he'll need to keep an eye on two guys. The first is Deebo Samuel, who has been the 49ers' most targeted receiver by far (81 of 251 team targets) and has hurt the Rams in the past. The other is George Kittle, who is back from injury.

I'm betting he's going to have another big game this week.

Video Proof... NFL Refs Are Influencing Game Outcomes

The weak ass refs that jobbed us repeatedly Sunday night definitely influenced the outcome of the game with blatantly wrong calls.

Did you see the highway robbery shit last night? Click over if necessary because this needs to be seen by everyone.

FUCKING BULLSHIT beyond belief. The league has a massive problem.


Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/lNkhUqemoB4

Raise your hand..

If you think coach McVay will ever lead the Rams to a Super Bowl victory. I think he has a difficult time adjusting to a slug fest type game where he has to let his defense and run game win games. He seems to stubborn to pound the ball and reverts to passing early and often to try and prove some kind of point. The record with a lead at half time speaks for itself, but when behind at half or anytime in the second half it feels were done. I appreciate and respect what coach and GM/ownership has accomplished but a Super Bowl victory im not so confident in. Start torching me, im ready.

PREGAME Rams at 49’ers - MNF

Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers picks, predictions: Who wins NFL Week 10 game?​

The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers play Monday in a Week 10 NFL game.

Which team will get the victory?

Check out these NFL Week 10 picks and predictions for the game, which can be seen at 6:15 p.m. MST time on ESPN.

The Rams are a 4.5-point favorite in the game.

Pro Football Network: Rams 28, 49ers 24

Ben Rolfe writes: "In the last two years, the 49ers have had the Rams’ number, defeating them in all four matchups. However, despite their loss against the Titans last week, it’s the Rams that come into this game as the clear favorites. The 49ers were frankly embarrassing against a Cardinals team without two of their star players. If they put up another performance like that, could we see Kyle Shanahan’s seat warming up heading towards Week 11?"

Sportsnaut: Rams 28, 49ers 17

Matt Johnson writes: "One of the best teams in the NFL against one of the most disappointing teams. The 49ers’ secondary is weak, which means serious trouble against Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods. If the Rams take an early lead, they will turn Von Miller and Aaron Donald loose against Jimmy Garoppolo."

Play Picks: Take the 49ers with the points in Week 10 vs. Rams

Brian Sausa writes: "Anytime the NFC West is featured in a primetime setting, we are all being treated to a gift. This division is deep and it always seems to produce competitive games when rivals like the Rams and Niners meet up. San Francisco opened as the customary three-point home favorite, which tells us oddsmakers see this one pretty even. The Rams acquired Matthew Stafford to put them over the edge in games such as these and we think they do just that." Sports Interaction: Rams will cover vs. 49ers in Week 10 NFL game

Sports Interaction: Rams will cover vs. 49ers in Week 10 NFL game

Payton Matthews writes: "The Niners were 2-0 vs. the Rams last season. Both NFC West clubs were upset on Sunday. The Rams were clocked 28-16 on Sunday night by Tennessee despite only allowing 194 yards. Matthew Stafford had two terrible interceptions on back-to-back plays, one returned for a score. Trade addition and pass rusher Von Miller didn’t play but should here. The Niners couldn’t take advantage of a short-handed Cardinals team and lost 31-17 at home. George Kittle returned from a long injury absence with 101 yards and a TD on six catches."

Draft Kings: Take Rams to cover in Week 10 game vs. 49ers

David Fucillo writes: It’s tempting to get the 49ers in a bounce-back effort after an awful performance against the Cardinals, but San Francisco hasn’t really shown any life against good teams. Maybe the 49ers stun LA, but it’s also possible they continue circling the drain and get thumped. I’m inclined toward the latter for now.

Sportsnaut: Rams 35, 49ers 17

Vincent Frank writes: "Yuck. Is there any reason to believe that San Francisco’s embattled secondary will be able to keep Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Co. in check? Yeah, I don’t think so. Blowout Rams win here."

Hypothetical Question?

I hate the whiners with a passion. I lived through the 17 game losing streak. My wife is a whiners fan. We argue but last year I had nothing to say.

My question is are we toast if we lose to the whiners?

After the Titans debacle, I can't rule it out because that f*ck Shanahan seems to game plan well against the Rams exclusively.

We need to obliterate the whiners and send Shanny to the unemployment line.

Obviously we're not out of playoff contention but any serious hope of the bye or division title is toast without a win this coming week.

What are your thoughts?

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