Kentucky hires Rams coach Liam Coen as offensive coordinator | Lexington Herald Leader
L.A. Rams assistant Liam Coen tabbed to revamp Kentucky football offense

BY JOSH MOORE
DECEMBER 15, 2020 12:34 PM,

Liam Coen (therams.com)
Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops announced the hire of new offensive coordinator Liam Cohen on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. Stoops talked about what he liked about the Los Angeles Rams assistant coach. BY JOHN CLAY | UK ATHLETICS


Liam Coen, an assistant coach with the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, is the University of Kentucky’s top choice to call plays next season.

Coen is expected to be hired as Kentucky’s next offensive coordinator, according to multiple reports. The school could not announce the hire as of 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Kevin Demoff, chief operating officer for the Rams, on Twitter acknowledged a FootballScoop report that Coen was “zeroed in” as Stoops’ selection for the job.


“Awesome to see Liam get this opportunity, very deserving!” Demoff wrote.

Coen, who turned 35 last month, was a wide receivers coach with Rams the last two years before becoming their assistant quarterbacks coach this season. He arrived in L.A. via the northeast, where he spent the first eight years of his post-playing career coaching quarterbacks and offenses at multiple Division I schools.


He’ll succeed both Eddie Gran, UK’s primary offensive coordinator, and Darin Hinshaw, a co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. They both were fired earlier this month after five seasons in their respective roles.

Los Angeles Rams assistant quarterbacks coach Liam Coen is Kentucky’s new offensive coordinator. Doug Murray AP
Coen was set to become the offensive coordinator at Holy Cross in 2018 before the Rams hired him. His most recent collegiate stop was at Maine, a member of the Colonial Athletic Association, a Football Championship Subdivision league. Coen was the Black Bears’ offensive coordinator from 2016-2017, and in his second year running back Josh Mack (now a standout at Liberty University) led FCS in yards per game (133.5) and was a finalist for that level’s Walter Payton Award.

Prior to Maine, Coen was the passing game coordinator under head coach Mark Whipple at UMass, the school for whom he was a star quarterback, from 2014-2015. UMass led the Mid-American Conference in passing yards per game in 2014. A year as the passing game coordinator at Rhode Island in 2011 was sandwiched by two stints as the quarterbacks coach at Brown University (2010, his first job, and a two-year return from 2012-2013).

As a player Coen remains, by far, the the career passing leader at UMass with 11,031 yards (about 4,000 ahead of the next guy) and passing touchdowns (90, 33 ahead of second place). He played professionally for the Alabama Vipers in the Arena Football League before landing at Brown.

Coen is expected to work with head coach Mark Stoops on filling two other open spots on the offensive staff. Those additions will handle running backs and the offensive line, respectively.

Stoops has had three unique offensive coordinators in his eight-year tenure at UK. Neal Brown, now the head coach at West Virginia, was on his original staff before leaving to become the head coach at Troy following the 2014 season. Shannon Dawson succeeded Brown but only lasted one season before Stoops let him go. Gran was in place for five seasons, the first four resulting in the only bowl trips under Stoops and the fifth likely earning an invitation this weekend.

Rams head coach Sean McVay, under whom Coen has worked for three years, is widely regarded as an offensive genius. The Rams through 13 games this season rank fifth in total offense, 12th in passing offense and eighth in rushing offense. That kind of balance between the run and pass is something Stoops was adamant about securing in this coaching search.

Link - View: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2922091-nfl-power-rankings-brs-expert-consensus-rank-for-every-team-entering-week-15


Honestly speaking, the logic behind the ranking for this is a joke. Rams beat Seattle, both win this week and Rams beat a stronger opponent. But for some reason Rams still lose ranking to Hawks.


9. Los Angeles Rams (9-4)
24 OF 32

1. 
   
   
   
   Kyusung Gong/Associated Press
   High: 6
   Low: 11
   Last Week: 8
   Week 14 Result: Won vs. New England 24-3
   The Los Angeles Rams have used something of a committee attack in the backfield this season. Malcolm Brown opened the season as lead back. Darrell Henderson Jr. had his moments as well.
   But 14 weeks into the 2020 campaign, this is now Cam Akers' backfield.
   The rookie from Florida State gashed the New England Patriots on Thursday night, piling up a career-high 171 yards on 29 carries. However, Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters afterward that Akers' big day didn't mean that Brown and Henderson had been cast aside.
   "I think what's important for us is capitalizing on all the different playmakers that we do have. Certainly Cam did a great job (Thursday) night, but that doesn't mean that you won't see opportunities for Darrell and Malcolm (Brown) moving forward, because both of those players have done a lot of really good things. ... We're really pleased with Cam, and not surprised."
   Given that Henderson carried the ball only twice and Brown had zero touches against the Patriots, the stat sheet would appear to tell a different story.

8. Seattle Seahawks (9-4)
25 OF 32

1. 
   
   
   
   Stephen Brashear/Associated Press
   High: 7
   Low: 12
   Last Week: 7
   Week 14 Result: Won vs. New York Jets 40-3
   After a disappointing effort in a Week 13 loss to the New York Giants, the Seattle Seahawks needed a dominant effort against an overmatched opponent to get back on track.
   Fortunately, the winless Jets were more than happy to oblige.
   Seattle's blowout win also featured some NFL history. With a sack of Sam Darnold, Seahawks safety Jamal Adams became the single-season sack king among defensive backs with 8.5.
   Prior to the game, Adams said he was hoping to get the record after coming up just short in 2019.
   "Yeah, obviously, that has been on my mind," Adams told reporters Friday. "Breaking the record, I said I was going to do it last year when I failed. I always told myself, whenever I put my mind to something I'm going to get it done. That's just how I'm wired."
   More important than Adams' record was the team's overall defensive effort. After spending most of the first half of the season at the bottom of the NFL, Seattle's defense has markedly improved in recent weeks.
   That can only help the Seahawks' chances of making a deep postseason run.

Did Lamar Jackson have some runs? Or was he full of crap?

Rams Nation, get off your stool and get your shit together and tell us the straight poop

It's a feeling I've had at the thought of facing certain doom...or when a crack in reality steals your sense of stablity.. reality. One example would be the jet crash scene from Cast Away. When the FEDEX jet is about to crash into the ocean, Tom Hanks' character is in the restroom when you see the seams of the room flex open and closed, revealing the outside. IE, the box you are trusting to shield you from the reality of being thousands of feet up in such an unnatural place is coming apart.
Similarly, sheltering in a two story Victorian home with polsihed wood floors during the worst hurricane in Galveston history...in US history. The mother grabbed an axe as her children watched her do the most insane act they ever seen her do. The floors that she so carefully polished, she now chopped like firewood, opening a hole where the sea could be seen rushing under the house. Later when upstairs, they used an oil lamp to look down the stairway and just see the black surrface of water....
Or looking at video of old Harry Truman, owner of the Mt St Helens Lodge by Spirit Lake in the shadow of the Mountain the day before it was wiped away by a volcanic eruption. It was so quiet and peaceful, as Harry told the camera that he wasn't leaving. It was such a peaceful scene, that you almost believed that nothing bad could happen on May 18th, 1980.
When I was on my destroyer headed for Pearl Harbor from San Diego, I had the feeling that my island in the unforging ocean was 500 feet long and and 4o feet wide, thousands of miles from any land. I can tell you that I didn't trust the railings too much when I thought about that... Especially at night.

What pegs your fear meter?

NFL power rankings: Rams approach top 5 after crushing Patriots
NFL power rankings: Rams approach top 5 after crushing Patriots (yahoo.com)
Cameron DaSilvaTue, December 15, 2020


Don’t look now, but the Los Angeles Rams have emerged as one of the best teams in the NFL after ripping off two dominant wins against the Cardinals and Patriots. In the second half of the season alone, they’ve beaten the Seahawks, Buccaneers, Cardinals and Patriots, with their only loss coming to the 49ers, a three-point defeat.

With the defense rolling and the offense taking better care of the football, the Rams have risen the ranks of NFL power rankings everywhere. At Touchdown Wire, they’re not quite in the top five, but they’re approaching that elite group.

After beating New England, the Rams rose from No. 8 to No. 6, only one spot behind the Saints.

Thursday night Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams reminded me of that fact, as McVay found countless ways in the run game to create extra gaps, outflank the New England Patriots defense, and pour on the rushing yards en route to a 24-3 win over New England. It was a masterful performance.

Click to expand...

That bodes well for the Rams down the stretch. If they can remain as capable on the ground as they were on Thursday night, it sets up all the play-action designs that McVay loves to run with Jared Goff. When you combine an effective offense with what Brandon Staley has built on defense, you just might have the most dangerous team in the NFC.

Click to expand...

The Rams trail only the Saints and Packers in the NFC, sitting one game behind both teams. Overtaking them for the No. 1 seed will be extremely difficult, requiring both teams to lose to an NFC opponent down the stretch, with L.A. simultaneously needing to win out.

It’s not impossible, but securing that coveted top seed and lone first-round bye will be a tall order. At the very least, the Rams could tie the Saints this weekend with a win over the Jets and a New Orleans loss to the Chiefs.

A loss to the Panthers by Green Bay would also be extremely helpful for L.A., pulling it into a tie with the Packers and Saints entering the final two weeks.

NFL: Why the Rams might be the only team that can stop the Chiefs (usatoday.com)
NFL Take Dump: The Rams might be the only team that can stop the Chiefs
Steven Ruiz December 14, 2020 10:22 am
A solid season for the Take Dump only got even stronger on Sunday as the Steelers were fully exposed as the frauds we’ve been saying they were all season and Jalen Hurts redeemed our pleas for the Eagles to make a change at quarterback weeks ago. The Chiefs also ascended to the top of the league standings with an effortless win over a good Dolphins team, which is good for the Take Dump brand. But I can’t, in good conscience, brag about a “the Super Champs are really good” take.

Besides, now is no time to celebrate. With the playoffs right around the corner, it’s time to turn up the heat. So without further ado, let’s dump some takes. Here are my four biggest takeaways after a long day of watching football…

The Rams would be the Chiefs’ most dangerous matchup in the playoffs


As my colleague Charles McDonald wrote Sunday, the Chiefs’ win over the Dolphins showed us why they’re far and away the NFL’s best team, and, at this point, it feels like every other team is just playing for second. While I’ve been on record as saying this is a one-team league, football is a game of matchups and the Rams are the one team that I think matches up well with Kansas City. On both sides of the ball.

We’ve seen two versions of these 2020 Rams: The one that can run the ball and keep Jared Goff out of third-and-long situations and the other one, which can’t run, and struggles to get anything going offensively. Well, running the ball shouldn’t be a problem against this Chiefs defense, which ranks 30th in run defense DVOA. If the Rams are moving the ball on early downs and get that play-action pass going, they’ll score enough to keep up with Mahomes and company.

Now, the bigger concern when playing the Chiefs is slowing down the offense, which must feel like an impossible game of whack-a-mole. Solve one problem this offense presents and five more pop up elsewhere. But this Rams defense, led by first-year coordinator Brandon Staley, has all the ingredients needed to give the Chiefs problems. They have shown they can defend the run without committing numbers to the run box. By being able to keep the run box light, they’re able to defend RPOs while also cutting off deep crossing routes. Those are two of the biggest weapons in Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy’s arsenal.

.@RamsNFL DC Brandon Staley using a similar scheme to Vic Fangio (spent 3 yrs together in DEN & CHI)
Rams & @Broncos – only teams to align pre-snap w/ 2-High safeties (Middle of Field Open) on 60+% of def snaps per @PFF & employ light boxes on 75+% of def snaps per @NextGenStats pic.twitter.com/ddYQQ1LZsv
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) December 3, 2020

Click to expand...

If you want to stop Kansas City, limiting explosive plays is a good place to start. The Rams have been the NFL’s best team against deep passes and it hasn’t been close. They’ve allowed exactly one touchdown pass that traveled more than 15 yards past the line of scrimmage. They’re allowing the league’s lowest Success Rate on those attempts and lead the league in EPA allowed at -17.7. There’s an 8.5-point gap between them and the second-place team.

Having Jalen Ramsey, who has proven he can hang with Tyreek Hill one-on-one, will be a big help. Hill’s gravity opens up so much space for the Chiefs passing game and his presence forces teams to offer deep help. Ramsey doesn’t need it, which would allow the Rams to allocate extra resources to stopping Travis Kelce and Sammy Watkins.

Staley came up under Vic Fangio and is using a lot of his scheme. We saw that same scheme give this Chiefs offense a lot of problems two weeks ago — even though Denver cannot match the talent the Rams have on their roster — on both sides of the ball.
Of course, in order for the Rams to meet up with the Chiefs, they’ll have to make it through the NFC playoffs. Unfortunately, they do not match up with teams like the Saints and Packers nearly as well, so we may never find out if this take was any good.

Cooper Kupp says Rams WRs get most excited about blocking, not catching passes (yahoo.com)

Cooper Kupp says Rams WRs get most excited about blocking, not catching passes
Cameron DaSilva
Mon, December 14, 2020, 3:05 PM EST·2 min read



The primary job of a wide receiver is to catch passes when targeted by the quarterback. However, that’s not the only thing wideouts are responsible for. They’re also important parts of the run game, especially for the Los Angeles Rams.

With their heavy usage of 11 personnel, which puts three receivers on the field at a time, the wideouts are required to seal off defenders both outside and in the slot on every single play. They don’t mind that aspect of playing the position, either.

Cooper Kupp said Monday that when the receivers go back and watch the tape, blocking is what gets them most excited in the film room.

Rams WR Cooper Kupp on the receivers throwing really good blocks and the reaction it gets when they're watching it in the film room:
"It might be the thing we get most excited about in our (position) room, actually."
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) December 14, 2020

After his 171-yard performance against the Patriots, Cam Akers credited not only his offensive line for creating holes, but also his wide receivers and tight ends for doing the same. Kupp and Woods have become two of the best blocking receivers in the NFL during their time with the Rams, which is what makes McVay’s high usage rate of 11 personnel possible.

Without receivers who are willing to block, that offense simply doesn’t work. McVay shared what makes Woods and Kupp such excellent blockers, primarily praising their willingness to do the dirty work that some wideouts don’t like to do.

“I just think it’s the way that they’re wired,” he said last week. “I think No. 1, there’s a willingness, there’s a selflessness, and then there’s got to be a toughness that’s involved. The technique also shows up. (WRs coach) Eric Yarber and (assistant WRs coach) Zac Robinson have done such a great job with that group. But when you’ve got two guys like Robert and Cooper that are the tone-setters for that room and they end up doing that snap-in and snap-out. I mean, it’s such a breath of fresh air to look over, they know what kind of game it is and they’re just so happy to be part of winning football. I’ve been I’ve seen a lot of different things and this is something that you don’t take for granted having a group that has such high level of production, the stats that kind of follow, but most importantly, the selflessness and I think that’s why you see a ‘C’ on both of those guys chest, because they represent all the right things.”

It’s one thing to just be a playmaker at wide receiver, but it’s another to help everyone else on offense with great blocking on the edge. Woods and Kupp certainly check both boxes.

Everybody remember the old Wide World Of Sports opening theme... the one that said "the agony of defeat" ?

Well... good ole UF discovered The Agony Of De-CLEAT on Saturday night vs LSU. This idiotic play cost them the game. They had stopped LSU on this play and were about to be given the ball so they could go on a game winning drive. Instead... this penalty gave the sorry ass Tigers an automatic 1st down and they were able to kick a bomb 57 FG for the win. This definitely cost the gators a chance at the playoffs.

Listen to how the ref explains this... plus the guys in the booth. So much going on here. It is comedy gold for my FSU household. LOL

It's The Agony Of De-CLEAT.


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Could post individually as good of a Coaching Staff The Rams have though.
The OC special teams & DC get there own.

I’ll start with JOE BARRY. Watching the start of NE game.This guy gets so fired up.He goes against the offense all the time.

I’m loving me some Reeder right now. Kenny Young has just turned things up a notice as well.

To me just watching the first run NE had. Troy Hill does so good coming up & tackling from the CB spot,but the Heart Beat of the Defensive Front is Joe Barry.
He was on the sideline right there on the tackle. Big A” Robinson goes right across to the play. A the players are giving the Jacked Up sign to Joe Barry.

Just started watching 1 of their many sites.

They have something called Sky Action, my Ram Bros in Eutope call it something different. Just know they say It's in the Pups lol.

They show the NFL games 24/7 ,replays etc etc, better than our own NFL Network for games.

Jmho

Packers:

Panthers - W
Titans - L
At Bears - W*

Saints:
Chiefs - L
Vikings - W
At Panthers - W*

Rams:
Jets - W
At Seahawks - W
Cardinals - W

Washington:
4 seed so doesn't matter

Seattle:
At Washington - W
Rams - L
At Niners - W

Tampa Bay:

At Falcons - W
At Lions - W
Falcons - W

Cardinals:
Eagles - W
Niners - W
At Rams - L



In this scenario, which is the most probably outcome, we would host Tampa Bay. A win would send us directly to New Orleans who would likely beat the Cardinals, although that wouldn't be the craziest upset.

On the other side of the bracket, let's say Seattle beats Washington.

Seattle @ GB
LA @ NO

I think Seattle could beat GB, I'm which case we could host the NFCCG

Or you could flip this and we lose to Seattle and go play Washington. Seattle would host Tampa.

Still assuming the Saints best the Cardinals for now, if we beat Washington, the outcome of Seattle/TB would determine where we go. If Tampa won, we would go to New Orleans. If Seattle won, we would go to GB.



In the first scenario, we get a home game against Tampa, a tough road game in round 2, and a shot to host the NFCCG if Seattle beats GB.

In the second scenario, we travel to Washington, have a tough road game in round 2, then would have either a tough road game OR we could travel to Seattle.



I'm not sure I see much of a difference personally, Washington is a much better team than when we played them, and Tampa is still a scary team.

The asterisks above would be the games in week 17 they'd need to lose for us to get the one seed, so I REALLY hope McVay doesn't rest in week 17.

Which scenario would you prefer?

Just wanted to start a thread first & foremost to appreciate Stan Kronke as an owner..

I guess as a Rams Fan I’m very happy he is the owner of The Rams.

Monday Night Football: Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns

It wouldn't have been a major surprise at the start of the season for Week 14's "Monday Night Football" matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns to have heavy playoff implications.

Both teams had postseason aspirations, after all. But no one would've expected the season to play out this way.

The Ravens, the No. 1 seed in the AFC just last season, are out of the current playoff picture at 7-5, even with an additional wild-card team. Football Outsiders still gives them a 54.6 percent chance of making the playoffs because they have the second-easiest remaining strength of schedule (at Browns, Jaguars, Giants, at Bengals), but every win is crucial with them also needing to leapfrog the Raiders.

Cleveland, meanwhile, has a chance for its first double-digit-win season with three games left behind the league's second-best rushing attack. But barring an epic collapse by the 11-1 Steelers, the AFC North title is out of the picture, so the Browns will have to fend off a bevy of other wild-card contenders as it holds a one-game lead over the Dolphins and Colts.

Clearly, a lot has changed since these teams met up in Week 1. Baltimore delivered a 38-6 beatdown, and these teams looked very much like their 2019 incarnations. Round 2 carries more playoff implications than perhaps almost any game on the Week 14 schedule, and it will tell us a lot about their potential the rest of the way.

Monday Night Football: Baltimore at Cleveland

Kickoff: Monday, Nov. 14 at 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Spread: Ravens -2.5

Three Things to Watch

1. Can the Browns keep their play-action attack rolling?

The Browns hired Kevin Stefanski as their new head coach because they wanted to revamp their offense, and his strength in the play-action game was a big selling point. Baker Mayfield was third in the NFL in touchdowns in play-action, and Kirk Cousins, who played under Stefanski, led the category.

Some of Cleveland's best moments this season have come via play-action. One notable example was last week when the Browns scored two touchdowns on the Titans, including a 75-yard pass to Donovan Peoples-Jones. The Ravens have a much better defense, especially against play-action, than the Titans do, but this is still the Browns' bread and butter.

The key to effectively running it will be 1) running the ball well and 2) staying out of third-and-long situations. Baltimore's run defense has been rather average this season at 4.4 yards per carry allowed (18th in the NFL), and the Browns ran for 135 yards in their first meeting, so the first should be possible. And by avoiding sacks — Mayfield has taken just six in his last six games — the Browns can be in a position where running the ball is a credible threat.

2. Can Lamar Jackson get back on track?

Jackson has not been the same passing threat this season as teams have worked to take the middle of the field away from him. That's where he's most comfortable throwing the ball and where his skill position players are best suited. Jackson hasn't posted 250 passing yards since the season opener against the Browns and hasn't averaged eight yards per pass attempt since Week 4.

The Ravens didn't need to use Jackson much last week against Dallas since the running game was so potent — 294 yards on 37 attempts, including 94 on 13 attempts from Jackson — but he was efficient when needed. Going 12-for-17 for 107 yards with two touchdowns and a pick gave him a 78.7 QB rating, his best in the last five weeks.

This could be another great opportunity for Jackson to show off his arm. The Browns, who are ranked 23rd against the pass, have been particularly susceptible against tight ends. Watch out for Mark Andrews, if he returns from the reserve/COVID-19 list, as hauled in five passes for 58 yards and two touchdowns in their first meeting.

3. Which team will generate more pressure?

This could apply to just about any matchup, but both the Browns and Ravens have the potential to make a big impact here. Even though they only rank 13th and 16th in the league in sacks, respectively, they each have stars who can give opposing offensive coordinators nightmares.

The Ravens have an intimidating front headlined by Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue, although the latter is still seeing his playing time ramp up after arriving midseason from Minnesota. Baltimore blitzes a league-high 42.2 percent of the time, which will be a big change of pace for Mayfield, who was only pressured once against a Titans team that blitzes 28.5 percent of the time. And Mayfield has especially struggled while under pressure: Even before last week's performance, Pro Football Focus gave him a 29.8 grade under pressure and an 86.8 mark in a clean pocket.

Amazingly, Jackson has managed to avoid sacks well after the team lost star left tackle Ronnie Stanley in Week 9; he has just taken five in the last four games after 19 in his first seven. The obvious player to watch for Cleveland will be Myles Garrett, who led the league with 9.5 sacks before testing positive for COVID-19, and notched another in his return to the field last week.

Final Analysis

The teams have converged since they first met to open the season, but keep in mind that their records don't say everything. The Browns may have a two-game lead in the standings, but the Ravens' point differential (+85) is 100 points better than the Browns' mark (-15). That's ominous for this game, even at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Despite their bounce-back passing performances last week, you can expect to see a lot of Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, and J.K. Dobbins this week. Given the Ravens are stronger on that side of the ball, they'll have the clear edge on Monday night, but this should be a fascinating game.

Prediction: Ravens 27, Browns 23

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The 10th President of the United States, John Tyler, born 1790, just had a grandson to die and still has one more still alive. WOW!

And the niners have almost no Shot. Damn good weekend

https://www.military.com/daily-news...moves-toward-kinder-basic-training-start.html



I may be in the minority when I say I disagree with this move. I wasn't in the Army, I was, however, in the Navy and while we didn't have the "Shark Attack" I would say every branch has something Similar. Its about breaking habits and misconceptions immediately.

Its about weeding out the weakest right off the bat. I recall pulling up to Great Lakes and having RDCs come on the bus screaming to get off, getting us all huddled into a hall where the commanding officer greeted us....it was calm while he talked. When he was done the shit hit the fan.

Weighing in, stripping all civilian clothes and sending them home, replacing with navy duds, hair cuts and drug test....I remember an RDC screaming at my dick cause I was struggling to piss. Lol...I recall the "moment of truth" where they threaten criminal action if u lied about ur medical or anything else...my recruiter warned me of this before hand. It was another step to weed out the weak. Was surprising how many stepped up and were never seen again.

83 men in division 219 with me. And we started with over a hundred on those two busses. Over the course of RTC you bond and grow with fellow recruits. You need the right people there. I cant see how not having that rough start and trimming the fat is a good thing.

Now, I should preface this with saying I fucking hate this dude...but, I've tried to not let that be the reason for what I'm about to say.

Is this guy not the worst fucking coach in the league?

Look at his weapons. He has three number one WR....Howard and Gronk at TE, Fournette and Jones in the backfield, all being led by who so many consider to be the best ever(not me-Manning is my choice)

He uses Gronk...one of the best Receiving TEs of all time as a fucking blocker. He uses Brady as a deep ball guy when his entire career was built on checks and RAC routes.

He has Suh, Barrett, White, David, Winfield Jr and JPP on defense.

And....they fuckin suck. Okay, so, they dont suck, but they aren't nearly as good as their talent says they should be.

He is a mouthy fuck head and has failed to do shit as a Head Coach. He had decent years in Arizona, nothing special. The more I think of it, the more I gotta say....fuck that dude. He sucks. Could you imagine how good Bill could Cheat with that roster? Holy shit.

Awesome game by the Rams this past Thursday night.
They get a rest day on Sunday and time to heal before playing the Jets. This should not be a trap game with time to prepare and heal up.

Going to enjoy watching meaningless games today. Well besides the Hawks losing to the J/E/T/S, Cards getting thumped by the Giants and the 49ers losing at the team formally know as the Skins.

Any gameout there people really want to watch?

Rams proven right for admitting mistake with Todd Gurley contract - Turf Show Times
Rams proven right for admitting mistake with Todd Gurley contract
Both he and Cam Akers are doling out the evidence
By Kenneth Arthur@KennethArthuRS Dec 13, 2020, 11:03am CST


Instead of reporting the news and moving on, it has become the norm for many in “the media” — a blanket term that has lost most of its meaning when there are thousands who believe a blue checkmark or a certain number of followers makes them “media” — to consistently add a layer of superiority. In thoughts, ideas, execution and management, among other things.

That’s an easy way for a person to expose their ego, believing that how they would have handled an issue with the benefit of hindsight (plus the fact that they will never get an opportunity to prove how they would perform in the real world since they didn’t reach that level) is a matter of interest to others. If you want to find an example of me being a hypocrite in that regard, I’m sure you wouldn’t have to look far.

So this is not about whether or not I would have either extended or released Todd Gurley, the two key moves in that team-player relationship over a two-year period, but rather focusing on the people who did: Les Snead and Sean McVay, above all others.

The Rams gave Gurley a four-year, $57 million extension in 2018 at a time when:

a) They didn’t necessarily have to because Gurley had two years left on his deal, including a fifth-year option.
b) Many in “the media” were hoping for and anticipating a record-setting running back contract that they could rip apart for the mere fact that a team was paying its running back. Le’Veon Bell was threatening to sit out an entire season for the Steelers in 2018, much to the laughter of some people who thought it absurd for a running back to want to be paid after five seasons, two first team all-pro nods and leading the NFL in touches the year prior.

All for $4 million on his rookie deal and one season on the franchise tag.
Then Gurley got his deal and all eyes were on how his situation would pan out, with probably far too many people rooting against him merely for the fact that it would make their old tweets “look better.” Then, I guess, they got “their wish.”

Gurley never played a down on his extension, but he did rush for 1,251 yards and lead the NFL in touchdowns for the second year in a row, helping the Rams make the Super Bowl that season. Had Los Angeles not extended him and Gurley had not held out, then they likely play out the fifth-year option in 2019 and see what we all saw.


It would have saved the team $11.75 million in dead money in 2020 and $8.4 million in 2021. However, that’s not what happened and because the Rams were eager to reward a player who clearly played a key role in McVay’s offense ranking first in points in 2017 — a theory further proven accurate by ranking second in points in 2018 and then tumbling down the rankings in each of the last two seasons without him at full strength, or at all — they were left on the hook to pay Gurley whether he was on the team or not.

LA did save about $5 million by releasing Gurley this year but could have easily justified keeping him on the team given:
a) The dead money.
b) The embarrassment of making those doubters in the media believe they were “right.”
In the NFL, you’d much rather win than be right. And now it would seem that Snead and McVay at least did the right thing in parting with Gurley before it became apparent to everyone — including the Falcons — that he wasn’t likely to produce an elite season in 2020.

And that a second round running back could adequately fill his role by the second half of the year.
After rushing for 857 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2019, but with 3.8 yards per carry, three fumbles and only 207 receiving yards, Todd Gurley’s managed to do even worse in Atlanta. Gurley was somewhat productive in the first five games of the season (375 rushing yards, 4.75 YPC, five touchdowns) but maybe he had a couple favorable matchups. Or anything more than a month takes its toll on his knees.

In the last six games, Gurley’s had 96 carries for 251 yards (2.61 YPC) and only caught nine passes for 48 yards. He missed a game against the Raiders because of his knee and has been active, but limited, over the two weeks since then.

Cam Akers is having more of an opposite season. In the last three games, Akers has seen his playing time increase and he has 59 attempts for 327 yards (5.54 YPC) with three catches for 45 yards. It remains to be seen if Akers can be the dual threat that Gurley was in 2017 and 2018 but as a runner, he’s given the Rams a piece to the offense that they’ve sorely lacked since having to turn to C.J. Anderson two years ago.

I thought I would add this to this article:
We all make mistakes. At least Snead and McVay didn’t compound one by doubling down on it.

2020 Dead Cap/Cap breakdowns for players who have been traded or released. All count against the team's salary cap.

So what do we know so far?

O'Brien is out as coach and GM in Texas.
Quinn is out in Atlanta.
Patricia is out in Detroit.

Hot seat?
Pederson is reported to be at major odds with Eagles leadership and they're having a terrible season.

As nice of a guy as Anthony Lynn is you don't lose to NE like that after continually blowing games in the 4th Q. Spanos is a cheap POS so may not want to pay 2 coaches which would keep Lynn at the helm.

How long is the life line that's attached to Marrone in Jax?

The most obvious that needs to go IMO is Adam Gase.

McCarthy in Dallas I'd imagine gets another shot.

Our guy Zac Taylor could also be on the hot seat though I think a lot of that is Mike Brown is terrible and they just can't draft at all.

HC Candidates?

NFL Guys

Our guy Staley has to get some consideration even though he's in his first year as a coordinator.

Robert Salah should absolutely get a shot and I hope he gets it in the AFC

Bieniemy is the very hot name among OC's. He has some skeletons in his closet and has been rumored to not be a good interview but his name is too hot somebody will hire him.

Dennis Allen? That Saints defense is outstanding and even though he already had one shot and was terrible he could get another shot.

Joe Brady has done a decent job as OC for the Panthers and was a very hot name last year.

Todd Bowles is one of the better DC in the league and should get another shot.

Saints OC Pete Carmichael has been mentioned in the past but how much input does he really have and what does he really know? We all know asshole face runs things there.

Brian Daboll has done a stellar job in Buffalo with that offense again same for Leslie Frazier on defense.

Byron Leftwich will get interviews though he may need more time like some others on this list.

College guys (some of these guys I don't know much about just have seen their names so will list)

Matt Campbell Iowa St, Lincoln Riley OK St, Pat Fitzgerald Northwestern, Urban Meyer, James Franklin Penn St, Dan Mullen Fla and Brian Kelly.

Again don't know much about some of the college guys but Fitzgerald and Riley I think could make the jump and would be excellent coaches. I don't think Dabo leaves Clemson same as Sabban with Bama.

Thoughts?

Oh this popped up today which got me thinking about this thread.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1338162781158301697


Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1338160605686083585

One thing that I keep wondering is how much more involved in the D McVay is with Staley rather than Philipps.

I thought that it was a mistake to go through 2019 without an OC, and was happy that O'Connell was hired this year.

Even though the Rams O is no longer dominant, I am happy with O'Connell's work. I do wonder how much this has allowed McVay to work more with Staley.

I believe that McVay is more involved with the D, at least in terms of strategy, having a good fit between what the O is doing and what the D is doing. It does seem this way to me
This is important, as with Staley at some point expanding the McVay coaching tree, continuity on D will be important.

Sunday Night Football: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Buffalo Bills

The no-longer undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers are set to hit the road to take on the Buffalo Bills on "Sunday Night Football" at Bills Stadium. Last year these two teams played in Pittsburgh with the Bills getting the victory 17-10. Of course, the Steelers started Devlin Hodges, and, predictably, he was poor and threw four interceptions in the loss. Josh Allen accounted for only 167 yards of total offense, but it was enough to get the win.

Perhaps it was the scheduling spot or just a rough patch, but Pittsburgh lost to Washington 23-17 on Monday night. The Steelers threw it over 50 times for the second straight week in the loss. The defense allowed the most points it has surrendered since Week 8's 24 against the Ravens. They were without running back James Conner once again, but it's not like he's been spectacular for this one-dimensional offense.

The Bills, meanwhile, made their second trip to Arizona in just over a month last Monday as they beat up on San Francisco 34-24. Allen threw for a dazzling 375 yards and four touchdowns in the victory. For the fourth time this season, Cole Beasley was the leading receiver with 130 yards. The defense forced a pair of Nick Mullens interceptions in the victory as well. The unit has improved a bit since their Week 11 bye.

Sunday Night Football: Pittsburgh at Buffalo

Kickoff: Sunday, Dec. 13 at 8:25 p.m. ET

TV: NBC
Spread: Bills -2.5
Three Things to Watch

1. Intangibles

The Steelers are playing their third game in 11 days and their first road game since Nov. 22 when they played in Jacksonville. One has to wonder how much the schedule will catch up to them on Sunday. It'll be interesting to see how much energy the team has in the third and fourth quarters. They close with three of their final four contests on the road. Buffalo is also playing on the short week as they played on Monday as well. The Bills have a pair on the road after this, with the next contest in Denver against the Broncos on Saturday. Focus shouldn't be an issue for the home team.

2. Can you run it?

The Steelers opened up the year with three straight 100-yard rushing performances from Benny Snell Jr. and Conner. Since then, they've added just one in Week 6 when they hosted the Browns. Over the last six weeks, Conner put up 89 yards, and that was the team's high with four performances of 50 yards or fewer from a running back. You can run on the Bills, as they allow 126.0 rushing yards per contest, ninth most in the NFL. They are 20th against the pass, but the Steelers have to have some sort of balance to keep them honest. We'll see if the return of Conner to the lineup will do anything.

On the other side, the Bills have been using Devin Singletary and Zack Moss as their main backs. This team has not had a single 100-yard rushing game, with Allen leading the team on four separate occasions. Pittsburgh has the sixth-best rush defense at 100.7 yards per game. We'll see how Allen handles the blitz that the Steelers do so well.

3. Who gets the spotlight on Sunday night?

Both of these teams have a multitude of weapons in the passing game. The Steelers have had five different players lead the team in receiving, with James Washington adding his name to the list last week at 80 receiving yards. Diontae Johnson has gotten the most love from Ben Roethlisberger, but Chase Claypool and Eric Ebron have also been key pieces. It'll be interesting to see where Bills All-Pro cornerback Tre'Davious White goes and if he shadows Johnson or Claypool on the outside.

For Buffalo, they've been pretty good without their No. 2 wide receiver John Brown. Rookie Gabriel Davis has stepped up in his absence, and Beasley has been magnificent out of the slot. Of course, Stefon Diggs has been one of the best acquisitions of any team in the league. The Steelers' secondary is really strong, although Joe Haden is struggling with a concussion he suffered on Monday.

Final Analysis

The Steelers are probably the better team here, but I really wonder how they will be in their third game in this condensed timeframe. The Titans played three games in 12 days earlier in the season and lost the third game of the group to Pittsburgh. Buffalo has plenty of momentum, and I think it carries over here as they hand Pittsburgh their second straight loss.

Prediction: Bills 24, Steelers 20

Sunday, December 13

LATE
Indianapolis Colts at Las Vegas Raiders, 4:05 p.m. on CBS

New York Jets at Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. on CBS

Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions, 4:25 p.m. on Fox

New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 p.m. on Fox

Atlanta Falcons at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:25 p.m. on Fox

The Washington Football Team at San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 p.m. on Fox


SNF
Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills, 8:20 p.m. on NBC


TV MAPS



PLAYED EARLIER
Houston Texans at Chicago Bears, 1:00 p.m. on CBS

Dallas Cowboys at Cincinnati Bengals, 1:00 p.m. on Fox

Kansas City Chiefs at Miami Dolphins, 1:00 p.m. on CBS

Arizona Cardinals at New York Giants, 1:00 p.m. on Fox

Minnesota Vikings at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1:00 p.m. on Fox

Denver Broncos at Carolina Panthers, 1:00 p.m. on CBS

Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:00 p.m. on CBS