Here is the full podcast from Jul-7.

Portions were posted in the Cabo Thread: Cabo Thread

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Sean and Peter are joined by San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan to talk about Sean and Kyle’s long-standing friendship and their time in Washington together.

Shanahan also discusses growing up with an NFL head coach as a father; why he chose to take the 49ers head coaching job; the Stafford trade and playing against the Rams each year; why the 49ers chose Trey Lance; his most regrettable play calls, including moments from the 2016 Super Bowl, and more (1:13). We finish the show with some listener emails and voicemails (71:14).

Email Sean McVay and Peter Schrager your questions at flyingcoachpodcast@gmail.com.

Or leave us a voicemail at (818)-253-1572‬ and it may be featured in our next episode!

Haha... He wanted Stafford bad, according to his interview with Sean and Peter. He didn't know Sean and Matthew Stafford were in Cabo as well.
"If I had known, I'd have shown up made things uncomfortable." Kyle said that he had spent two weeks really studying Stafford and he realized that the QB was better than he thought, and he thought a lot of him anyway when he analyzed the prospect before his draft.

I don't know if Shanny let loose some privileged info about a McVay-Stafford get-together by accident or he was just talking.... He then went on to say that the deal ruined his vacation. If this makes me happy, am I a bad person? lol

First off dumb post in a way. Sky is always the limit though & 2021 is a New beginning in THE NFL ERA!!

As a Rams Fan The RB position has been a GREAT part of RAMS HISTORY.

Google who is the greatest single season RUSHER ???

This is a pretty good YouTube channel. Might be worth checking out.

NFL Throwback: LINK

They posted this game recap yesterday.

Good watch. Well put together and thorough highlights.


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NFL's most underrated teams ahead of 2021 season​

Training camp is right around the corner, which means so is real football. You don't have to be an expert to know teams like the Buccaneers and Chiefs are expected to be among the best of the best in 2021, a year after going head to head in the Super Bowl. But what about the teams flying under the radar? The potential contenders who aren't getting nearly enough attention?

Below, we've identified four of the most underrated teams going into the 2021 season. Not all of them should be considered realistic candidates to win it all. But we'd be surprised if these four didn't surprise plenty of people this year:

Note: Projected win totals courtesy of William Hill Sportsbook.

Denver Broncos
2020 record: 5-11
Projected win total: O/U 8.5

Despite going 12-20 under Vic Fangio and 32-48 since winning the Super Bowl with Peyton Manning, the Broncos are considered top-11 favorites to win it all this year. That has almost everything to do with Aaron Rodgers, who's drawn their interest even though the Packers refuse to deal the star quarterback. If/when Rodgers rumors are put to rest (and assuming he doesn't leave Green Bay), Denver will be widely projected to either challenge the Chargers for a wild card or miss the playoffs altogether. But there's a reason Rodgers would seemingly put them over the top; unlike, say, the Jaguars or Jets or even Raiders, they're built well enough to compete with A-Rod. Neither Drew Lock nor Teddy Bridgewater is a surefire top-15 starter, but between Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Noah Fant, Bradley Chubb, Kyle Fuller and a healthier Von Miller, they've got play-makers on both sides of the ball.

Indianapolis Colts
2020 record: 11-5
Projected win total: O/U 10

How in the world can a team fresh off 11 wins -- a team that's won 28 games and made the playoffs in two of Frank Reich's three seasons as coach -- be underrated? For one, the national buzz is still lagging. The Buccaneers, Chiefs and Packers all have more firepower as Super Bowl favorites, but considering Reich's track record, Indy deserves more love. They've got the coach. They've got a ground game. They've got a stingy defense. And then there's new quarterback Carson Wentz, who steps in after a premature exit from Philadelphia to replace Philip Rivers. For many, the pendulum has swung so far to the "he's broken and/or bad" side of the argument, when in reality it'd be surprising if Wentz didn't rebound to be at least a top-15 QB with fresh scenery. At the very least, he gives the Colts offense more upside. Couple all that with a winnable division, and they're capable of really challenging in the AFC.

Minnesota Vikings
2020 record: 7-9
Projected win total: O/U 8.5

Both their coach and quarterback have built a reputation as predictable mid-tier performers: never bad enough to bottom out, but rarely elite enough to get over the hump. How else do you explain the Vikings literally going in, then out, then back into the playoffs every year since Mike Zimmer took over, or Kirk Cousins posting Pro Bowl numbers without also posting a signature postseason run? And yet, even if Aaron Rodgers stays in Green Bay, they're poised to bounce back. Not only because Zimmer's due for his biannual playoff ticket, but because Cousins has more motivation (hello Kellen Mond), the offense has bona fide play-makers (Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson) and, best of all, Zimmer's defense is both deeper and healthier (welcome back, Danielle Hunter!) after an uncharacteristically porous year. They may not win the division, but the Vikings have the makings of a sneaky contender.

Philadelphia Eagles
2020 record: 4-11-1
Projected win total: O/U 7

How can a team that just won the Super Bowl a few years ago already be one of the NFL's most underrated teams? Feast your eyes on the Eagles' 2020 season, when organizational dysfunction and a historic regression from a former MVP candidate resulted in a total overhaul of both the team's staff and QB spot. It's back to square one in Philadelphia, where first-time head coach Nick Sirianni has been tasked with injecting creative energy into a plan that quickly went stale under Doug Pederson. Almost no one, from a national perspective, seems to be buying the possibility of the ex-Colts coordinator surprising out of the gate, with young Jalen Hurts under center. But couple the fresh staff with Hurts' mobility, a healthier offensive line, a new No. 1 wideout in DeVonta Smith and some decent veterans on "D," and a late challenge for the always-open NFC East title isn't nearly as crazy as it sounds.

Will Aaron Donald reach the 100 sack club this year?​

35 NFL Players have recorded 100 or more quarterback sacks over the course of their NFL careers. It’s a very prestigious group, one that boasts some of the most accomplished players of NFL history. Of that 35, three have played for the Rams organization. Who do you ask? Well, they are: OLB Kevin Green (13 years), DE Leslie O’Neil (14 years), and DE Kevin Carter (14 years).

Of course, there is a reason for mentioning this now. You see, LA Rams All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald is within reach of earning his spot in the 100 sack club in 2021. Last year, he recorded 13.5, which would bring him to the very doorstep of 100 quarterback sacks. But there is one advantage this year that he has never enjoyed before.

A 17th game.

While that may not seem like much, it could make a huge difference as to whether Donald gets his 100th quarterback sack this year.

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He will need to put up 14.5 sacks this season. Can he do that?

He has only done so once when he recorded a massive 20.5 quarterback sack total in 2018. In that year, he paired up with Ndamukong Suh and Michael Brockers to hit his career-best.

Since that outrageous season, Donald has been averaging about 10 sacks per season. But that appears to be trending upwards. He put up 12.5 sacks in 2019 and then added one more to post 13.5 quarterback sacks last year. Based on his latest workouts, he appears to be even more determined this year. Stronger, faster, and an extra game? Looks like he could pop the champagne after this season.

This will be Aaron Donald’s eighth season in the NFL. The current record holder is Bruce Smith, who played an incredibly long NFL career of 18 years. If Aaron Donald can lengthen his career to that extent, will he best Bruce Smith’s 200 sack total? Well, let’s ponder that one another day. One milestone at a time and Donald will be hard-pressed to get 14.5 sacks this year to earn the distinction.

But don’t make the mistake of underestimating him. He appears to be more determined than ever.

Earnest Brown IV can earn prominent role​

The Los Angeles Rams had the number one defense in the NFL in 2020. Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, in his first year on the job, called the shots for a unit that averaged only 18.5 points allowed per game, 282 yards per game, and just 17.5 first downs per game.

The Los Angeles Rams defense was dominant in all areas in 2020, but they are going to have to endure some significant losses and changes in 2021.

The first and foremost loss is Staley himself, who bolted (pun fully intended) for the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2021 offseason when offered the chance to become an NFL head coach.

Along with Staley, the Rams lost some key members of their vaunted secondary in safety John Johnson III and Troy Hill, who both left for the Cleveland Browns.

The Rams also said goodbye to veteran defensive lineman Michael Brockers, who was traded in a salary cap dump to the Detroit Lions for a 2023 seventh-round pick.

Needless to say, new Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris will have his work cut out for him to keep this defense close to where it was a season ago. Wade Phillips also did a great job with the Rams’ defense, but with all of these changes, which players are going to step up?

It appears as though the Rams are ready to put their faith in Morris’ scheme as well as the help of some really young players, including 2021 NFL Draft pick Earnest Brown IV.

Brown was a three-year starter at Northwestern who played 27 total games over the last three seasons and racked up 18.5 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks in that timeframe.

At 6-foot-4, 270 pounds, Brown has pretty average size for a defensive end and he didn’t blow anyone away with his pre-draft metrics.

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The Rams are losing over 600 snaps with the departure of Michael Brockers, and while Aaron Donald will continue to dominate snaps for the Los Angeles defense, he’s going to need players like Brown to do all they can to take advantage of the double-teams he commands.

Brown is a high-effort, heavy-handed defensive end prospect with some really intriguing outside-to-inside versatility potential.

Rams scouts and executives envision an early and versatile role for Brown, and their confidence in his ability to immediately contribute is something that has allowed the Rams to not have a first-round pick since the 2016 NFL Draft.

Los Angeles does such a good job with day two and day three draft picks that they have remained a championship contender despite not having a first-round pick since they took Jared Goff.

Those first-round picks haven’t been eliminated, of course, they have been used elsewhere. But with that being said, it’s players like Earnest Brown who come in and contribute right away that make this Rams team so unique.

I realize this is a topic we’ve covered, already… However, this morning I was reading articles and thinking how this must be torture for Packers fans.

[Rodgers thread on Packers Forum; LINK]

Your whole season pivots, based on how this plays out… and between now and then… you start the season without last year’s starter.

Yuck!

It certainly appears this won‘t be resolved before camp. (Article snip-it below)

Both sides are staring each other down. Where does this go?

Give us your take in the Poll.

The domino effect if he’s traded… the whole 2021 season looks a lot different. Not many people have the Broncos making the playoffs… that changes if they trade for him. Same for any other team.

Here is our original Aaron Rodgers saga ROD thread; LINK.

Everyone appears dug in.

The topic is; Where does this go from here?

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Broncos still monitoring Aaron Rodgers situation despite Packers' refusal to talk trade, per report​

"I don't expect to hear anything out of Rodgers' camp until the start of camp, and maybe not even then," La Canfora writes. "He isn't worried about fines -- he will be made more than whole whether that ends up in a redone deal in Green Bay or a new contract as part of a trade. I suspect he will let Cheesehead Nation get a nice look at what this offense looks like without him this summer -- it will only end up strengthening his position -- and then perhaps he will change his tune and come in on a horse made of Cheddar cheese to save their season. Or maybe he'll sit out til they trade him. Regardless, I don't see him flinching at all in the next few weeks."

For anyone interested. These have been good to watch in the past.

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The Match #4: Mickelson-Brady vs DeChambeau-Rodgers - A complete guide to the Tom Brady-Phil Mickelson vs. Aaron Rodgers- Bryson DeChambeau golf match​

Phil Mickelson will be participating in "The Match" for the fourth time since it became an event in 2018. Tiger Woods won't be playing as he recovers from a Feb. 23 car accident, but Mickelson's opponent for the event will be plenty exciting to watch.

Bryson DeChambeau, 27, will square off against the 51-year-old Mickelson, but the PGA Tour's longest driver (322.4 yards per drive) won't be the only participant. A pair of MVP NFL quarterbacks will be joining the two major-champion golfers.

Tom Brady will reprise his role from "The Match 2" as Mickelson's wingman. Aaron Rodgers will partner with DeChambeau to make things interesting.

"The Match 4" should be an exciting battle and the DeChambeau-Rodgers pairing might be the most intriguing one to date. Here's everything you need to know about the event, including how to watch it, previous results from "The Match" and how good Rodgers and Brady are at golf.

Bryson DeChambeau vs. Phil Mickelson match date 2021​

• Date: Tuesday, July 6
• Time: 5 p.m. ET

"The Match 4" will take place Tuesday, July 6, two days after the scheduled conclusion of the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit, where DeChambeau is looking to defend his 2020 title, and two days before the start of the John Deere Classic in Illinois. Coverage of the event, which will take place in Big Sky., Mont., begins at 5 p.m. ET (3 p.m. MT).

How to watch 'The Match 4'​

• TV channel: TNT, TBS, truTV
• Live stream: fuboTV (7-day free trial)

"The Match" will be simulcast on several networks in the Turner Sports family. TNT, TBS and truTV will all carry the event. Those who don't have cable can stream the event on fuboTV, which offers a free seven-day trial.

Players will once again wear microphones and the broadcast will have access to all their conversations. Additionally, players can communicate with other golfers and members of the broadcast team as they compete.

Where is 'The Match 4' in 2021?​

• Location: The Reserve at Moonlight Basin, Big Sky, Mont.

"The Match 4" will be held at The Reserve at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Mont. The course was designed by Jack Nicklaus in 2016 and sits 7,500 feet above sea level. There are a lot of elevation changes on the course. It also features a 777-yard par-5 that plays significantly shorter because the tee shot is a couple hundred yards downhill.

Because of the downhill tees on the course and the altitude, it will be fun to watch the big-hitting DeChambeau in action. He could put up ridiculous driving numbers.

'The Match 4' format​

The competition will feature match play between the Mickelson-Brady team and the DeChambeau-Rodgers team. The two sides will play 18 holes and will use a modified alternate-shot match-play scoring system.

In alternate-shot match play, partners will alternate hitting the same ball throughout the round. The player who didn't make the best shot off the tee will play the second shot. The team with the lowest number of combined strokes will win the hole.

'The Match 4' purse 2021: How much money will be raised for charity?​

At this point, it's unclear exactly how much money "The Match 4" will raise for charity. The first event had a $9 million prize pool that the winner took home. The second edition of the event raised $20 million for COVID-19 relief. The third iteration raised $4.4 million to benefit historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

Proceeds from "The Match 4" will be donated to Feeding America and other charities.

Odds for Bryson DeChambeau-Aaron Rodgers vs. Tom Brady-Phil Mickelson golf match​

Unsurprisingly, a Mickelson-led squad has been made the underdog in "The Match" once again. DraftKings Sportsbook has the DeChambeau-Rodgers pairing listed as -182 favorites. Mickelson and Brady opened as +132 underdogs.

Who has won 'The Match' in previous years?​

Mickelson came out on top in the first edition. Lefty earned the victory over Tiger in 22 holes and took home the entire $9 million purse.

Woods got his revenge in May 2020. He teamed with Peyton Manning to defeat Mickelson and Brady 1 up. Brady and Mickelson fought hard to get back in the match after Woods and Manning had built a lead, but they couldn't make up the deficit.

Woods was out of action for "The Match 3" in November 2020, so Mickelson partnered with Charles Barkley and took on Manning and Stephen Curry. Despite being paired with Barkley, a notoriously bad golfer, Mickelson beat the MVPs 4 and 3.


Is Tom Brady good at golf?

Brady isn't as good as some other athlete golfers, but he reportedly plays to an 8.1 handicap.

During his other appearance in "The Match" as Mickelson's partner, the pairing lost 1 up to Woods-Manning and Brady had some solid moments, including a hole-out on an approach shot.

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Additionally, Brady posted a handful of lessons he learned from the match. The most important one may have been about what type of pants to wear as he famously ripped his during the contest.

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Brady held a membership at The Country Club at Brookline, a prestigious New England course, during his time with the Patriots. Now that he's in Florida, he plays at Seminole in Juno Beach.

He has also played at Augusta National twice, once with Rory McIlory and once with Jordan Spieth. He gave Spieth the silent treatment after the 18th hole.

"He made bogey and I made birdie for a two-shot flip on the last," Spieth said on the Dan Patrick Show. "And you’re supposed to go in at Augusta and, you know, have lunch, and hang out, and he didn’t say a word to me for like an hour and a half. I mean, the most competitive, like, I feel like I’m very, very competitive, and he is the most competitive human being I’ve ever met."

In short, Brady likes to golf, has experience and is pretty good at it. The big question is: How does he compare to Rodgers?

Is Aaron Rodgers good at golf?

Rodgers is a better golfer than Brady on paper. He said in a 2019 interview with Golf Magazine that he plays to a 3.5 handicap at his best. That would make him about 4 1/2 strokes better than Brady, on average.

However, Rodgers thinks that Brady is better than his handicap suggests.

"I don’t think Brady’s an 8. I’ve played with him, and he’s good," Rodgers said in the Golf Digest interview. "I’ve played with all of those guys. Tony [Romo]’s a great player. Matt [Ryan] and I — I’ve beat him a couple of times, he’s beat me a couple of times."

Rodgers participated in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February 2020 and showed well, hitting a tee shot to a few feet of the hole on a par 3.

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He also showed off solid putting skills and the confidence to go with them.

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Rodgers holds a membership at the Green Bay Country Club. While he doesn't have experience playing in "The Match" like Brady does, the reigning NFL regular-season MVP will be a formidable foe for the reigning Super Bowl MVP.

Sorry but I'm bored out of my mind waiting for season to start... had to do some trolling...

Hey Demoff, if you're reading this, bring back the classic B and Y's!!!

Dueling Franchise Start-Up Drafts and Interview with Rams OT, Andrew Whitworth | PFF NFL Podcast​

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Just saw this pop up over at Ramblin Fan, a good discussion why HC Sean McVay is so upbeat this year.
For the first time in five years, this team is all his, top to bottom, even down to the quarterback. It makes sense. McVay is a bit of a details guy, and now all of the chips on the table are his.

Thoughts?

[ramblinfan.com]

Damn… that 2020 Rams defense was good. I got to looking at stats this morning… across the board, tops. BOOM;

Points Allowed
1st Rams 296
2nd Ravens 303
Worst Lions 519

Yards per Game
1st Rams 4,511
2nd Washington 4,873
Worst Lions 6,716

Passing yds Allowed
1st Rams 3,051
2nd Washington 3,068
Worst Falcons 4,697

Rushing yds / yds Attempt
1st Bucs 1,289 / 3.6
3rd Rams 1,460 / 3.8
Worst Texans 2,564 / 5.2

Sacks
1st Steelers 56
2nd Rams 53
Worst Bengals 17

Penalties
1st Saints 64
4th Rams 78
Worst Eagles 112

Incredible!… We lost JJ, Brockers, and Hill… but we had rotation players at those positions already and a LOT of returning pieces for 2021.

Get ready! This defense gonna be BADASS.

Go Rams!

3 ways WR Ben Skowronek contributes to offense instantly​

Adding a wide receiver in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft initially appeared to be an extravagance that the LA Rams could do without. After parting ways with Josh Reynold via free agency, the already well-rostered receiver room of the LA Rams added veteran DeSean Jackson and rookie Tutu Atwell. At that point, and thanks to the presence of perceived other roster needs, the Rams felt rather saturated.

Adding one more player in the draft not only felt futile but even should that player succeed and end up on the roster, a returning veteran from the team’s 2020 NFL season would therefore not. So the net effect would be a wash.

And yet, the LA Rams selected wide receiver, Ben Skowronek, from the University of Notre Dame with their 249th pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. He is a receiver with intriguing size at 6-foot-3 and 220-pounds. While he was blessed with the size of outbound wide receiver Josh Reynolds, he doesn’t come close to Reynolds’ speed. Skowronek ran a 4.68 -second 40-yard dash. But don’t discount Skowronek’s abilities just yet.

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A good sign for a rookie in the LA Rams offense is emerging from OTAs with a smile.

A very good sign is a rookie wide receiver emerging from the Rams OTAs looking forward to the next chapter of training camp. Of course, the optimism meter is buried to maximum on every player right now. So what makes us think that Skowronek will contribute to the offense? Hmm… perhaps these three reasons?

Sure handed

Successful offenses mix a complementary blend of receiver talents, which gives the play-calling various options throughout the course of a football game. In 2020, the LA Rams receivers seemed to all play a very similar style. While it’s tough to find many faults with the play of veteran receivers Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, the Rams offense felt like it needed other types of targets at times. Of course, when your uncle is former Rams quarterback Trent Green, that can open a door or two

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Skowronek has strong muscular paws that squeeze on the football like a vise. He may not be fast, but he’s furious. Rather than an arsenal of speed or separation skills, this guy offers the finesse of a quarterhorse. When the Rams offense runs up against a rather physical secondary, he is the guy you will applaud quickly, because he can be one tough sonofagun when the ball is in the air.

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The guy is a ferocious receiver and loves to rip the ball out of defenders’ hands. He loves to pit his ability against that of a defender because he more often than not wins. Those are excellent qualities, and certainly seem to be areas not currently possessed by the team’s previous receiving corps.

Skowronek won’t endanger any of the Rams’ top three receivers. But he may be a guy that head coach Sean McVay slips onto the field for specific down and distances, or perhaps in the red zone. We know that veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford loves to thread the needle on his passes. It could be that due to Stafford, Skowronek will see passes thrown his way.

Big bodied blocker

It’s not uncommon for a wide receiver to shy away from physical contact. But you really won’t find those types of receivers on the LA Rams roster. It’s simple. On this LA Rams offense, if you don’t block, you won’t see the football. Of course, standing 6-foot-3 and tipping the scales at 220-pounds does tend to give a different type of perspective. For starters, Ben Skowronek doesn’t shy away from contact. In fact, he seeks it out. You see, he loves to hit people.

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Hitting people is not the first thing that comes to mind for a receiver, is it? Somehow though, I like it.

The LA Rams love to see a receiver put the pads on a defensive back or linebacker, and Skowronek has the mindset wired to do exactly that. So will that create more opportunities for Skowronek in this offense? You bet. Until now, tight end Johnny Mundt has enjoyed a bit of a monopoly on the blocking tight end role in the Rams offense. Now, he faces competition.

Imagine the upside if Skowronek is as sure-handed of a receiver as advertised? I mean, that size player certainly has enough pop in his blocks to move some people off the ball. If he can both catch and block, he becomes a very valuable weapon in the Rams offense. And valuable weapons find a way onto the football field.

His blocking adds a new dimension to a wide receiver screen. He can become an effective lead blocker for a jet sweep to his side. He can even mix things up a bit by playing either fullback, power-back, or H-back roles in the Rams offense. On an offense that is seeking ways to score more points, there most certainly will be a place for a blocker who can come down with the ball.

Heavy traffic operator

One of the early roles in DeSean Jackson’s career was the crossing route. His speed was such that no linebacker could cover him, and he was virtually always open when the secondary transitioned from covering him on one side to the other side. Of course, the heart of the defense may be open, but crossing routes take a heavy toll on one of the lighter NFL receivers.

That won’t be the case with Skowronek. While he cannot hope to accelerate to a DeSean Jackso-like speed, he is far more durable and has a much better pass catch radius for ending up with the ball. Because he can be goaded into mixing it up on the line of scrimmage, Skowronek must focus intensively upon getting a free release off the line of scrimmage.

Of course, once that is accomplished, he is good with close defenders while running his route. In fact, he can operate very well in heavy traffic. And the Rams have a quarterback who won’t hesitate to throw into traffic. Is this a win-win?

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On paper so far, it appears to be.

Can Skowronek be as successful in the pros when the bodies pack tighter? There are reasons to believe that he can. His size will continue to be a bit of an advantage against defensive backs, although the Rams will need to create mismatches. But this young man is not timid, does not back down, and is emerging with confidence intact after OTAs. He was compared to Green Bay Packers’ tight end Robert Tonyan in his draft profile, and that is a valid NFL comparison.

Skowronek will certainly compete for roles on returns and coverage, but don’t limit the rookie to special teams just yet. He loves to bang bodies, and the LA Rams could use a boost to that mindset on offense.

Architect explains how SoFi Stadium's lake recycles 26 million gallons of water​

SoFi Stadium in Inglewood is one of the most visually stunning buildings in the country. It’s a massive stadium with unique features, including an artificial lake next to it. The lake serves a dual purpose, however, and is very environmentally friendly.

It helps capture rain water and recycle it so that it can be used in the irrigation system, thus reducing the amount of water used around the complex. In fact, it creates a net reduction of about 26 million gallons of water per year.

So while it look spectacular next to the stadium, it’s also beneficial for the environment to reduce water usage.

In a video shared by the Rams, architect Kush Parekh of Studio-MLA describes how the system works and where the inspiration came from.

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Would you buy Rams season tickets at SoFi, even though you might live far away? I gotta plan for these things, cuz ya never know!

After watching this video, I am going to go hide under my bed.


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Celebrating it tonight with BBQ, some mild alcohol intake, and some fireworks.

Hope everyone has a great day.

Enjoy the day and don't forget the sun lotion.....

Evolution of NT role and 2021 impact to Rams defense​

Oh the days of yesteryear, those shadows of memories where the NFL invented more than just new formations, but actually created new football positions. The LA Rams have a long and storied history, but there are other ways to roll back the calendar and revisit the lessons of long ago and translate yesterday into today’s wisdom. One example is the history of the nose tackle and how that position’s introduction and eventual transformation affect the team in 2021.

You know the nose tackle position, right? Well, there is a lot to learn about how the nose tackle came to be, and how that has evolved over time. To understand the entire story, we have to step back in time to Wade Phillips, his father Bum Phillips, and then his mentor, Hank Stram. So who was the guy who put nose tackle on the NFL map? None other than Curley Culp.

In the late 1960s, just after the NFL and AFL combined and created the Super Bowl to determine the NFL Champion, the Denver Broncos draft Curley Culp to become an NFL guard with their second-round pick of the draft. The only problem? He wanted to play defense. So Hank Stram, then head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, traded a third-round pick to the Broncos for Culp and pledged to play him on the defensive side of the ball. The Chiefs finished the season at 12-2 but lost to the then Oakland Raiders in the Divisional round. That season, Culp played defensive tackle.

Culp did not become the nose tackle for the entire 1969 season until the 11-3 Chiefs advanced to Super Bowl IV to face the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings had a dominating running attack, but like many NFL teams at that time, played an undersized center named Mick Tingelhoff, who was swift enough to block downfield very effectively against linebackers because he stood 6-foot-2 and weighed a svelte 237 pounds. Against the Chiefs, he would face 6-foot-2 265-pound nose tackle, Curley Culp, the entire game. Culp won the battle, the Vikings were held to 67 yards rushing, and the Chiefs won the game.

The nose tackle position was born. And the NFL would never be the same.

3-4 began as a rushing defense

From its inception, the odd man front became the hottest new innovation to the NFL, and soon multiple defenses began to deploy their own version of the 3-4 defense with mixed results. The first iterations of that defense truly hinged upon finding a strong-bodied defensive tackle who enjoyed getting double-teamed and triple-teamed routinely, They weren’t exactly in ample supply.

The other feature of the 3-4 defense that teams soon discovered is that the defense was ideally suited to defend against the run, but was less effective against the pass. The reason? The first versions rushed just three defenders and used linebackers in their traditional role of plugging gaps, defending short passing routes, and working primarily against tight ends and running backs.

Of course, that wouldn’t do. 4-3 defenses had a distinct advantage simply because they were able to get after the quarterback with more bodies, and that pulled NFL teams back away from the 3-4 and towards the more dependable 4-3 pass defense. Of course, that wouldn’t last long either.

The 3-4 needed one more innovation to successfully compete with the 4-3, and that was the invention of the outside linebacker edge rusher. Once that role was introduced, the NFL defenses were comparable. But that sort of innovation was not easy to do. College football really wasn’t producing the new role, and the NFL teams, no matter how innovative, were entirely dependant upon what talent arrived each year via the draft.

Innovation, renovation, and implementation

The NFL needed to transform the traditional role of the outside linebacker from pass coverage/ run support to pass rusher/ run support. In fact, former LA Rams outside linebacker Kevin Greene was one of the reasons for that transformation. You see, he was a fifth-round pick for the LA Rams at the outside linebacker role. The problem was that he couldn’t cover the pass to save his career. But he could rush the passer. Now, the 3-4 could hold its own. Still, the lack of quality nose tackles and edge rushers caused shortages for NFL defenses. That forced

Greene would take his pass-rushing persona on to the Pittsburgh Steelers where he would join forces with defensive coordinator Dom Capers. They would continue to dominate the NFL defensive landscape for the rest of Greene’s career. Eventually, Greene retired, Capers was fired, and the 3-4 defense appeared to be sunsetting in the NFL once more.

In fact, the only team that ran a 3-4 defense in 2001 was the Pittsburgh Steelers, who happened to boast the best defense in the NFL that year. Since that time, the 3-4 defense has become more popular once more. You see, in the meantime, college defenses began to adopt the 3-4 defense as well. That meant a greater supply of players who could play nose tackle and edge rusher.

Of course, the Rams reverted to a 4-3 defense and were running that under defensive coordinator Gregg Williams when the team shook up the coaching staff. After hiring head coach Sean McVay, the team hired venerable defensive coordinator Wade Phillips who installed the 3-4 defense for the LA Rams once more. The reason? Simply stated, he believes that the 3-4 configuration is better suited to defend the pass.

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Okay, so the LA Rams are back to the 3-4. So how does that impact the nose tackle role for the LA Rams, and ultimately their defense?

Installation

The LA Rams set 6-foot-4, 287-pound Ethan Westbrooks up as their starting nose tackle in 2017. While Westbrooks played between Michael Brockers and Aaron Donald, he was an inflexible player, relegated to stuffing running plays up the middle and slipping inside for the occasional quarterback sack. The LA Rams needed more from the role and signed free agent defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in 2018. Suh opened a lot of options to the Rams defensive front.

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And so, that allowed Phillips to set up his 3-4 defense with the gap responsibilities of a 4-3. Phillips truly has not gotten just how good of a defensive schemer he truly was. His 3-4 actually pushed a five-man defensive front appearance to the offense, and that forced offensive lines to slide to the strong side of the defense, and set up Aaron Donald for one on ones. It was no wonder that 2018 was Donald’s career-high sack total of 20.5 in one year. Donald wins one-on-ones.

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But Suh was not a resident of Los Angeles, rather more like a rental. In 2019 the Rams needed to reconfigure once more. On this season, the Rams converted the even five-man fronts into a four-man front with three linebackers. You can see how that appeared in this video link right here. Here is another video from 2019 with similar schemes. Ever willing to change his defensive scheme to match his personnel, LA Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips got a lot of mileage out of his defense. Perhaps one of his last acts was to promote 6-foot-4 310-pound Sebastian Joseph Day to the nose tackle/defensive tackle position.

Staley’s modifications

Whether or not he deserved to be released, the LA Rams defense had reached its plateau under Phillips. The Rams changed the basic defensive philosophy at the beginning of the new season and then worked within that philosophy to change up coverages and blitzes. That is the way a majority of the NFL defenses go about their business.

When Staley arrived, he brought a new dimension to the LA Rams 3-4 defense. Learning his craft from another great defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, Staley lined his trio of defensive linemen in the Eagle formation. That dictates that the nose tackle plays over the center but can shade to either side. The defensive ends play off the offensive tackle, but shades to the inside. One of the Rams inside linebackers shades to the other side of the offensive center and the two outside linebackers line up outside of the offensive tackles.

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By aligning in this manner, the defensive players have a tremendous advantage against the run, as they begin the play by being in the running lanes. Unlike the five-man front of Phillips, this Eagle formation forces offensive linemen to rely upon double teams to open running lanes, which in turn frees up a defender to make the play. The Rams disguised their looks on each play and then disguised their defense further for each team that they faced.

The nose tackle, surprisingly, takes on a huge number of double teams because he is the fulcrum of the defense. While 2019 was a learning period for nose tackle Sebastian Joseph Day, he matured and was ideal to play that role in 2020. The Rams rushing defense was so good because the real work was handled upfront. All that was truly needed by the linebackers were to stay home, read the offense, and play basic defense. Casey Sulley from WeeklySpiral.com does an outstanding breakdown of the Rams 3-4 defense under Brandon Staley, and I recommend you check it out. It shows how the Rams pushed tremendous pressure on the quarterback, despite only rushing four.

Morris’ makeover

So now one year later, the LA Rams’ defense is undergoing another makeover. While there is a myriad of questions to ask and answer, the key to the defense is how the nose tackle role will transform this year. Of course, we could speculate, by why not go straight to the source. Here is Sebastian Joseph Day talking about upping his pass-rushing techniques, and how to improve his game at his role at nose tackle for the 2021 season. Bash (as he is known by his high school coaches) doesn’t describe any changes to his body size and frame, so it’s clear that his basic role won’t change

Where the nose tackle role may change a bit is the pass rush, because the Rams will need to replace the production of Michael Brockers and Morgan Fox. Sebastian Joseph Day will certainly factor into that.

We’ve done a quick and dirty analysis of the LA Rams defensive line, and concluded that this may actually be the most talented group of players that head coach Sean McVay has ever had to work with. So that begs the question, will that surplus of talent modify the Rams defensive philosophy?

Morris talks about how he will field a base 3-4 defense but will implement sub-packages. That suggests a bit different method, as that suggests that the Rams will roll in more comprehensive personnel packages based on down and distance. In Staley’s packages, the Rams relied on adapting with reconfiguring the defensive plays.

For the Rams’ new defense, look for the Rams to rely a bit more heavily upon a linebacker or a super safety for pass defense over the middle of the defense. That specialization will mean that the defensive front may convert partially back to a two-gap alignment.

We know that the new defensive scheme will not be as insulating to the inside linebacker positions. As we showed previously, Staley’s scheme practically ran interference for the linebackers on each play, containing running plays and occupying offensive linemen before they could get to the second level. Now? Those linebackers will be more involved, may face an occasional blocker, and that is why the Rams invested a valuable draft pick to get their guy.

We’ll know soon what the Rams defense is predicated upon. But one key to everything is the nose tackle role. Hopefully, this discussion will highlight some points to watch for through the 2021 training camp.

He simply echoes what McVay and Snead have both already said. Nothing short of winning the Super Bowl is good enough.

Veteran offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth says that not only do the Rams need to reach Super Bowl LVI, which carries the added weight of being played at SoFi Stadium, but also win it.

"For us, that's just the truth," Whitworth said during a Friday appearance on Good Morning Football. "We've figured out how to win playoff games, we've made some runs in the postseason. And this time for us and this opportunity we feel like this team, nothing short of going to that Super Bowl and winning it is good enough. And that's really the expectation level for us, even though we know that's a slippery slope. But that's where we want to be. And if that's what you want, then you got to be able to speak about it and let people know that that's the only thing you see is the goal, and the only thing you see as accomplishing this season is just going and winning a Super Bowl."

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It's one day before Independence Day as I sit here looking out at the lake it has A Hound of Baskerville look to it with all the rain, but I am enjoying my fine Columbian Beverage (Starbucks French Roast) and feel it's time to pontificate putting together my final 53, opening myself up for fun & games fired up after watching the video that @Florida_Ram shared with us, so in the words of Jackie Gleason....Away we go.

QB (2)
Matthew Stafford....He's ours for better or worse and hopefully he's much better, catapulting the Los Angeles Rams into the Kurt Warner stratosphere.

John Wolford....Everything you want in a backup, feisty, cerebral and the ability to take off and run, hopefully, he works on protecting himself better.

RB(4)
Cam Akers...Number One and will be on the field more, just needs to work on staying healthy in order to be the bell cow.

Darrell Henderson...Needs to stay healthy, if he can, IMO, he can lesson the load on Akers and give the Rams that jolt with his speed combined with his ability to catch the football.

Xavier Jones...Bigger back, that could be counted on for some of the tough yards, also I believe will be good in pass protection and I'm anxious to see him in preseason.

Jake Funk...The Maryland flash, that should be an asset on special teams too, plus being the kick returner adding some sizzle to the backfield.

WR(6)
Robert Woods....The consummate professional that was almost traded, but is worth the price because he does it all including blocking.

Cooper Kupp....Everybody's wonder boy, let's keep him healthy so Kupp can be as good in post season as he is during the regular season.

DeSean Jackson....Glad he's a Ram, he's fast and IMO, has one more great year left in him.

Van Jefferson....Time to pick it up on gameday, he can be special and this could be the year Jefferson breaks through.

Tutu Atwell....I believe will be the punt returner too, plus gives the Rams the added speed to ensure they don't suffer from vertical congestion.

Ben Skowronek....Big Ben, Parliament gives the Rams a big target in the Red Zone plus offers new special team coach Joe DeCamillis a stalwart on special teams, which propels him over Trishton Jackson.

TE(4)
Tyler Higbee....Number one in the clubhouse, has improved each year and with Stafford could be his best year yet.

Johnny Mundt....Blocks well, plays well on special teams and has provided some quality minutes.

Brycen Hopkins.....Has not shown much, but it only takes one big play in preseason to turn heads.

Jacob Harris....He's been a darling, let's see what he has when the bullets start flying, however, special teams could be where we see him most.

OL (9)
Andrew Whitworth....Like a Fine Wine, only getting better with age.

David Edwards....Better in pass pro, then run blocking, however, he should be ready to put it all together.

Austin Corbett....Moves to center, giving the Rams more size and hopefully stability at the point of attack.

Bobby Evans....Proved he can run block, improving in pass protection is a must, but together with Havenstein, running right will be a staple.

Rob Havenstein....He's the first one off of everybody's list, but when healthy is able to hold up in pass protection,, plus a total asset in the run game.

Chandler Brewer....Swing tackle & guard, Rams glad to have him back.

Joseph Noteboom....Joe just needs to stay healthy and be ready at a moments notice.

Tremayne Anchrum....Another that can play multiple positions.

Coleman Shelton....Bigger and more versatile then Brian Allen, but will have to prove he can play Center in preseason to beat out the former Spartan.

25 (Offense)

DL(7)
Aaron Donald....He's simply the very best.

Sebastian Joseph-Day....He gets better & better every year.

A'Shawn Robinson....As we all sing in unison, Here's to you Mrs. Robinson.

Bobby Brown....Love everything about Big, Bad, Bobby Brown, he will be better being coached up by DL Coach Eric Henderson.

Ernest Brown,...The other Brown, but be ready to love this kid because they do it right at Northwestern.

Greg Gaines....Started coming on last year and I expect even better in 2021.

Eric Banks....Coached by Henderson in college, made the squad last year, this year, he stays on the whole year.

LB (8)
Leonard Floyd....A great year in 2020, looking forward to him being the leader of this group.

Travin Howard....The time is now, former Safety, like Littleton, needs to stay healthy and prove his worth.

Ernest Jones....Rookie breaks through as a starter because all he does is make tackles.

Justin Hollins...Better outside then inside and Rams are fortunate Broncos cut him loose.

Troy Reeder....Has improved each year and very good on special teams.

Obo Okoronkwo....Should be a good rotation with Hollins.

Micah Kiser....Had some moments last year, now still makes the squad, but Jones starts over the former Cavalier.

Justin Lawler....My surprise as Terrell Lewis begins the season on the PUP list & Chris Garrett needs one year on the practice squad.

CB (5)
Jalen Ramsey....Can't spell Ramsey, without Rams.

Darious Williams....Might be the best pure cover corner on the roster.

David Long....Some good news about him in OTA's, need the former Wolverine to make an impact in 2021.

Robert Rochell....He was steal and should improve week over week.

Brian Poole....I'm predicting with the release of Hekker the Rams add the former Falcon/Jet at CB.

Safety(5)
Jordan Fuller...Academic All American will call the signals on Defense

Terrell Burgess....Free Safety good in coverage.

Taylor Rapp....Will come in on 3rd downs, playing the linebacker role, plus blitzing quite often.

Nick Scott....Great on special teams and has shown growth at the position.

Juju Hughes...Hughes can cover, the others can't.

Defense (25)

Special Teams(3)
Matt Gay....Glad he was available, gives the Rams a young kicker with a big leg on FG's & Kickoffs.

Corey Bojorquez....Maybe, maybe not, but he's younger with a big leg & saves money, which enables the Rams to add Poole.

Steve Wirtel...They added Matt Orzech, who did snap for DeCamillis in Jacksonville, but DeCamillis did cut him. IMO, reading up on Wirtel, he's too good at his craft and I believe will follow in the footsteps of the likes of Chris Massey & Jake McQuaide.

As to Punt Returner, they go with Atwell, with Funk as a backup plan with Jake handling the KR duties too, plus either Wolford or Bojorquez will take over as the holder.

What happens when the LA Bomb Squad gets its hands on 5,000 pounds of illegal fireworks?

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Retired Super Bowl winner looking to make improbable NFL comeback and he says three teams are interested​

Tim Tebow isn't the only one trying to make an improbable NFL comeback this year. Eight years after retiring, Brandon Jacobs has decided that he wants to make a return to football and like Tebow, Jacobs is planning to make a position switch to make it happen.

When Jacobs originally announced his plans to return back on May 27, most people thought it was joke. However, not only is he serious -- he's spent the past month getting his body into football shape -- but multiple teams have already contacted him about a possible tryout.

The former Giants running back is planning to make a move to defensive end this year and although that might sound slightly crazy, the two-time Super Bowl winner says that three teams have already contacted his agent with interest.

"I don't want to throw names out there just yet because I was told not to, but it'll be a shock," Jacobs told Houma Today. "If I don't get an opportunity, it's fine. I'm currently coaching high school football and running a youth program, which I'm perfectly content with doing the rest of my life."

The 38-year-old, who turns 39 on July 6, is so confident in his abilities that he thinks he could be one of the top defensive ends in the league.

"I think my ability as a defensive end, as an old man as they regard me, I think I can be one of the best in the league right now," Jacobs said.

To make the comeback work, Jacobs has spent the past month getting in better cardio shape and he plans to spend the month of July bulking up.

"To get out of the bed and get yourself going at this age is the only hard part. But once I get through that adversity, it's easy." Jacobs said.

Unlike Tebow, Jacobs actually had a pretty successful NFL career. During his nine seasons in the league (2005-13), Jacobs won two Super Bowls, which both came with the Giants in wins over the Patriots. Over the course of his career, Jacobs rushed for 5,094 yards and a franchise record 60 touchdowns. More importantly, he also registered 11 solo tackles during his playing days, according to Pro Football Reference -- so if any team does sign him, at least they know he can tackle.