HC McVay will awaken Rams offense for this must win game

The LA Rams offense has been one of the best in the NFL at putting points on the board since the team hired head coach Sean McVay to lead the team. From that moment on, the NFL has been inundated with the Rams’ quick release, empty-backfield, jet-sweep-prone offense that has pressured defenses the entire length of the football field, and from sideline to sideline.

That offense has given the Seattle Seahawks, a team with pride over their defense, problems since McVay has taken over. In fact, the LA Rams have scored at least four touchdowns in all but one game the LA Rams faced the Seahawks, the first contest since McVay took over the team.

Scoreboard fireworks

In fact, the LA Rams have averaged 30 points a game since 2017, and the offense is virtually intact over the course of that period. So the fact that the Rams have been struggling to score points recently should not be viewed as a permanent trend. In fact, it should end this weekend.

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The Rams know this is a high scoring affair coming up this weekend. In fact, this one game should serve as the catalyst for the Rams’ entire offensive philosophy for the second half of the season. The team needs to get the offense back on track to win this game.

A strategic crossroad for Rams

What strategy should the Rams employ in this one? The team could ground and pound in hopes to keep Russell Wilson off the field. Conversely, the team could come out lighting it up in hopes to score quickly and keep the pressure on the Seahawks to keep pace. Or as a third alternative, the Rams could attempt to start off hot, but revert to a ground game after halftime and hope that their defense can contain the Seahawks in the second half.

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Based on the way the NFC West schedule plays out, this is certainly a must-win for the Rams.

The LA Rams will unleash the entire offensive playbook in this game. Will it be enough? It very well could be. The Rams offense seems to Hulk-Up when facing the Seahawks. And the Rams have not had a defense as effective as the one taking the field this Sunday. This should be a great game, and one very fitting to be played at SoFi Stadium.

Thursday Night Football: Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans

It's a short work week for the AFC South's two best teams, as the Indianapolis Colts (5-3) travel south on I-65 to Nashville to take on the division-leading Tennessee Titans (6-2) on "Thursday Night Football."

The Colts are one game back of Tennessee in the division after dropping Sunday's home game to Baltimore, 24-10. The loss proved just how slim the margin of error is for the Colts offense, a unit that's lacked any sort of excitement with Philip Rivers running the show. Indy is now in the midst of the toughest part of their schedule — a home game against Green Bay breaks up two games against these Titans. A win on Tuesday would pull the Colts even with Tennessee atop the AFC South.

The Titans snapped their two-game skid against the Bears on Sunday, and in doing so took sole possession of first place in the AFC South. The much-maligned Tennessee defense quieted the critics, at least for one week, as they finally showed up and made a positive impact. Granted, it was against Nick Foles and a feeble Chicago offense, but we're taking baby steps here. The Titans were able to sack Foles three times and forced two Chicago turnovers en route to the win. Another win on Thursday would give the Titans some much-appreciated cushion in the division.

Thursday Night Football: Indianapolis at Tennessee

Kickoff: Thursday, Nov. 12 at 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: FOX/NFL Network
Spread: Titans -1.5

Three Things to Watch

1. No margin for error for Philip Rivers

For the Colts to have any shot at the AFC South crown, their offense has to get in line with their defense — and fast. The problem is, outside of their O-line, the Indianapolis offense is just not that talented — not without Marlon Mack, T.Y. Hilton, and Jack Doyle. Mack is out for the year, Hilton is questionable for Thursday (and hasn't been effective when healthy), and Doyle is likely out after suffering a concussion on Sunday. That leaves the 38-year old Rivers surrounded by a bunch of young and unproven skill position players with no room for error.

That tightrope was on display against Baltimore as the Ravens scored 14 of their 24 points off two Colts turnovers, including a 65-yard scoop and score after rookie running back Jonathon Taylor's first-half fumble.

That's been the story of the Colts offense all season long — getting in their own way — which is especially true for Rivers. Four times this season, Indy has turned the ball over twice in a game. Six of those eight turnovers were interceptions thrown by Rivers. Four of those picks resulted in points for the opposing team. The Colts are 1-3 in those games, and Rivers' passer rating is a measly 79.3. Coincidence? Absolutely not. In the three games that the Colts didn't turn the ball over, they're 3-0 with a scoring margin of plus-57. Rivers in those games? Five touchdown passes and a 112.0 quarterback rating.

On Thursday, Rivers protecting the football will be of paramount importance. For all of the Titans' defensive flaws, they are one of the best in the league at forcing turnovers. They rank tied for third in the league in takeaways (14) and tied for second with nine interceptions. Tennessee forced two Bears turnovers on Sunday, including a 63-yard scoop and score of their own by newly acquired Desmond King.

2. Titans’ putting the "D" in third down

The biggest knock against the Titans is their third-down defense. Tennessee's defense is the worst unit in the NFL when it comes to stopping third-down conversions. Opposing teams are moving the chains at a 55.4 percent clip against them. The Titans have allowed 62 third downs this season; that's ten more conversions than any other team that has only played eight games.

During their two-game losing streak, the Titans were especially bad at forcing teams into fourth down situations. Against Cincinnati, the Bengals converted 10 of 15 third-down attempts, and the Steelers went 13-for-18 in their road win two weeks ago.

The Titans' struggles on third down start with their lack of pass rush. The Tennessee pass rush is a lot like Santa Claus — it doesn't exist. They blitz on a fair amount of dropbacks (26.9 percent), but the Titans hardly ever get to opposing quarterbacks. They rank 28th in sacks (10), 30th in sack rate (3.0 percent), and dead last in hurry rate (5.2 percent). Harold Landry (2.5) and Jeffery Simmons (2.0) are the only Titans that have multiple sacks this season.

This pass rush ineptitude was never more evident than it was two weeks ago against Joe Burrow and Cincinnati. The Titans brought the blitz 17 times against a Cincy offensive line that was, quite literally, all backups. Not a single regular starter was in the lineup on the Bengals' frontline, and the Titans were able to hit Burrow a grand total of two times. Zero sacks. Not good.

But there could be a small glimmer of hope here. The Titans' defensive performance on Sunday against the Bears was fantastic. They sacked Foles three times without blitzing on a single dropback and kept the Bears to an anemic 2-for-15 on third downs. True, the Bears have the second-worst third-down offense in the NFL, but I'm not here to rain on anyone's parade.

The good news is that Indy is another Titans opponent that is generally bad at moving the chains. The Colts rank 28th in conversion rate (38 percent) and are coming off a woeful 2-for-12 performance against Baltimore. Rivers has just a 58 percent completion rate, a 71.7 passer rating, and four interceptions on third downs this season. It will be interesting to see how Titans head coach Mike Vrabel utilizes his defense. Will he blitz Rivers and that super stout offensive line, or will he lay back and let Rivers make mistakes as he cycles through his limited receiving core?

3. King Henry vs. the Colts' run D

The Colts very well may have the best run defense in the game today. They were a force against the Ravens on Sunday, holding Baltimore's record-setting rushing attack to just 110 yards on 38 carries for 2.9 yards per clip. Indy held Baltimore to just 18 yards rushing in the first half.

The Colts rank first in rushing yards allowed per carry (3.3) and third in rushing yards per game (83.6). For Indy's D, it's their linebacking core that sets them apart, starting with Darius Leonard. Despite only playing six games this season, Leonard leads the Colts in tackles (51) and had a league-high 13 solo tackles against Baltimore. Leonard and the linebacking crew are vital to keeping runners in check at the line of scrimmage. Indy's defense is fourth in second-level yards (5-10 yards) and first in open field yards (10+) allowed this season. That could prove huge against the reigning rushing king, Derrick Henry.

Henry is second in the league in rushing (843 yards) behind Dalvin Cook but has struggled in recent weeks. In two of the last three games, Henry has been kept under 100 rushing yards, and his game average over those three games is 20 yards below his season average of 105.4 yards per game. What's been most alarming about Henry in the last few weeks is his inability to escape from defenders. He's broken just three tackles in the last three games and didn't break a single tackle in 21 carries against the Bears when he rushed for 68 yards, which is just 3.2 yards per carry.

It will be interesting to watch if Henry can bounce back against such a stout Colts run D.

Final Analysis

The Colts have to hope that the offensive output that showed up against Baltimore never rears its ugly head for the rest of the season. And there is a good chance they could get back on track against the Titans' bottom-tier pass defense. But I still don't have the confidence in Rivers' ability to lead a Colts offense starved for weapons that I do the Titans' balanced attack lead by Ryan Tannehill.

Prediction: Titans 24, Colts 21

Jalen Ramsey's CB Partner In Crime Darious Williams 'Always Knew' He Belonged

There’s a cornerback making a name for himself on the Los Angeles Rams and it’s not just Jalen Ramsey. Third-year pro Darious Williams has been slowly but surely working his way to be in the same realm as his CB partner in Ramsey as he continues to hold his own on the other side of the field.

Even with $105 million superstar in Ramsey manning the grid iron, it’s Williams who leads the team in both interceptions (2) and passes defended (7). If you ask the 26-year old Williams, none of this is unexpected.

“I always knew it,” Williams said Wednesday (via sanluisobispo.com). “I’ve never really paid attention to outside noise. I’ve always just kind of been into myself, and from the time that I had a chance to get in the league, I knew I was going to be special. It just took the right team to see it.”

With the way things are going right now, it’s hard to imagine that Williams has been one of the more underrated corners in the league for the past few seasons. After having rough college career, Williams was undrafted in 2018 and was picked up and then eventually waived by the Baltimore Ravens. Ever since he was picked up by the Rams in 2018, he had made sure to work his way up.

“When he got his opportunity, he showed that he had the right stuff,” said new Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who made sure to consistently put the fiery CB in his line-up this year. “He’s definitely got the cover skills and the makeup to be an outstanding corner in this league.”

With the rise of Williams complementing the impressive play of the three-time Pro Bowler in Ramsey, things are looking bleak for the opposing teams who will be going up against the Rams who have built one of the best defensive line-ups in the league so far this season.

“I want to be someone like Jalen on the field, so they have to pick and choose who they want to throw to.” Williams added.

So... how far apart are they?

Yes, you can Google it... but that’s no fun. Guess in the poll first! Humiliate yourself.

Answer below in “spoiler”..

Notable Rams-Seahawks games in McVay era

The Rams resume NFC West play this week hosting the Seahawks on Sunday. Ahead of the contest, theRams.com takes a look at a few of the notable Rams-Seahawks contests through the years in the Sean McVay era:

Week 14, 2019 season: Rams 28, Seahawks 12

The Rams jumped out to a 21-3 halftime lead and were in control for the entirety of the game, with multiple players logging milestone performances.

Running back Todd Gurley's 113 scrimmage yards moved him past Dick Bass for eighth on the franchise's all-time list in that category. Tight end Tyler Higbee posted his second of what would be four consecutive games with at least 100 receiving yards; doing so in back to back games made him the first Rams tight end to accomplish the feat since Carroll Dale in 1962. Wide receiver Cooper Kupp caught his sixth touchdown of the season, setting a new career-high.

Additionally, quarterback Jared Goff's pair of first-half touchdown passes gave him 80 for his career, becoming the seventh signal-caller in franchise history to reach that mark. Defensive lineman Aaron Donald's 1.5 sacks gave him 11.0 on the season and his third-consecutive year in double digits.

Week 5, 2019 season: Seahawks 30, Rams 29

This back-and-forth contest came down to the wire.

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson threw a go-ahead, five-yard touchdown pass to running back Chris Carson, who initially juggled but still secured the catch, with 2:34 left in the game. The ensuing 2-point attempt failed.

An interception derailed the next drive by the Rams offense, but a 3-and-out by the Rams defense afterward gave them another chance to respond with 98 seconds left. Los Angeles reached the Seattle 26 with 15 seconds left to set up a 44-yard field goal attempt, but kicker Greg Zuerlein missed, narrowly hooking it to the right.

Overall, it was the third-consecutive Rams-Seahawks game decided by five or fewer points.

Week 10, 2018 season: Rams 36, Seahawks 31

The Rams bounced back from their Week 9 road loss to the Saints with this win over the Seahawks to move to 9-1 on the year.

This victory not only marked the Rams' first regular season sweep of the Seahawks since the 2015 season, but also their first sweep of the entire NFC West division since 2002.

Week 15, 2017 season: Rams 42, Seahawks 7

One of only two games (so far) since 2017 that wasn't decided by six or less points, this dominant victory by the Rams moved them to 10-4 in McVay's first season as head coach.

The Rams scored 40 unanswered points for a 40-0 lead midway through the third quarter behind a pair of Zuerlein field goals, four touchdowns by Gurley (three rushing, one receiving) and a 1-yard touchdown pass from Goff to wide receiver Robert Woods. Meanwhile, the Seahawks' only points came on a 26-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to tight end Luke Willson with 1:23 left in that same period.

So glad we aren't subjected to Jonathan Vilma's commentary this week.

Get the rest:

Stuff you do, because “it’s what you do!”... Traditions!

We all have them.

Many of them around the holidays, but perhaps all over.

Do you have any interesting ones?

NFL owners approve contingency plan to expand playoffs to 16 teams if COVID-19 causes cancellations

The NFL already expanded its postseason in 2020 -- and could be on the verge of another playoff makeover if the regular season sees an unequal number of games played due to COVID-19 issues. CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones confirmed that NFL owners unanimously approved amending the postseason from 14 to 16 teams should all meaningful games not get played in 17 or 18 weeks. The NFL approved an extra week of football -- meaning the postseason could be delayed by a week -- but won't play past a Week 18. The league created this extra week with the cancellation of the 2021 Pro Bowl, so the Super Bowl would still be played on Feb. 7.

There would be numerous changes if an expanded postseason contingency plan becomes necessary. Here are the key aspects of the 16-team expanded postseason:

The playoffs will expand to 16 teams only if meaningful games are canceled due to COVID-19: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a conference call with the owners, "The resolution passed today established criteria for postseason eligibility in the event that all clubs cannot play the same number of regular season games." Any game that has an impact on the postseason is declared as "meaningful," regardless of the other team's record.

No team would would get a bye: The NFL would seed the teams 1 through 8 in each conference, with the highest-seeded team playing the lowest-seeded team (1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6, 4 vs. 5). The second round would follow the current postseason format where the highest seed remaining would play the lowest seed remaining (as an example, the No. 1 seed plays the No. 7 seed if the No. 7 upsets the No. 2 seed in the wild-card round).

Division winners would still get home games: Division winners would automatically qualify for the postseason, and would be awarded with a home game in the first round. The teams -- the four division winners plus the four best records between teams that didn't win the division -- won't be re-seeded.
Teams could play an unequal number of regular season games if postponed games can't be rescheduled. If a game is cancelled, a team's standing in a division or its conference will be determined on the basis of its final record. If necessary, playoff tiebreakers will be calculated according to a per game average of all teams.

Goodell confirmed the news of the contingency plan for an expanded postseason, but said the league is determined to play all 256 games on its schedule.

Where does Derrick Thomas' seven sacks rank among NFL's most unbreakable single-game individual records?

On Nov. 11, 1990, the Kansas City Chiefs' Derrick Thomas sacked Seattle Seahawks quarterback Dave Krieg seven times, setting a record that has yet to be broken 30 years later.

With Thomas' long-standing mark in mind, we're going to count down the NFL's most unbreakable individual single-game records.

Please note that these are player records accumulated throughout the course of a game (so, no single-play accomplishments such as 99-yard touchdown runs or passes, 100-plus yard INT or kick returns, or largest loss of yardage).

Here's a top 10 list that includes a myriad of both amazing statistical accomplishments as well as those that live in NFL record book infamy:

10. Leo Araguz's 16 punts

Date: Oct. 11, 1998

Amazingly, Leo Araguz's Raiders won this game, 7-6, over the Chargers. In total, there were 27 punts in this game (exciting!). There were also five interceptions, including three thrown by the Chargers' Ryan Leaf (a rookie in 1998). Araguz's final stat line: 16 punts for 709 yards for a 44.3 yards-per-punt average. The closest any punter has come to Araguz's number since then is 12, done multiple times. Given teams' propensity to go for it on fourth-and-short even from midfield, this could be a punting standard for a very long time.

9. Flipper Anderson's 336 receiving yards

Date: Nov. 26, 1989

In a 20-17 overtime win over the Saints, Rams WR Willie "Flipper" Anderson had 15 catches for a record 336 yards and a touchdown. Calvin Johnson came tantalizingly close to Anderson's mark in 2013, accumulating 329 yards in a Lions win over the Cowboys. Julio Jones had an even 300 yards in a game in 2016. That's it for recent challengers.

8. Tyrone Hughes' 347 combined kickoff and punt return yards

Date: Oct. 23, 1994

The Saints' Tyrone Hughes helped contribute to the zaniness of a wild 37-34 win over the Rams with his record 347 return yards, including two kickoff return touchdowns. He also had an interception. The Bears' Devin Hester has come the closest to reaching Hughes' total with 314 yards against the Lions in 2007.

7. Fred Dryer's two safeties

Date: Oct. 21, 1973

Before he starred in the TV series "Hunter," Fred Dryer was a star defensive end for the Rams. Dryer recorded two safeties in his entire 13-year NFL career and both happened to be in the same game, when he tackled Packers quarterbacks Scott Hunter and Jim Del Gaizo in the end zone.

6. Glyn Milburn's 404 all-purpose yards

Date: Dec. 10, 1995

During a Pro Bowl season in 1995, Glyn Milburn put his dynamic talents on display in a 31-27 loss to the Seahawks. Milburn had 133 kickoff return yards, 131 yards rushing, 95 punt return yards and 45 yards receiving. Amazingly, Milburn didn't score a touchdown. No other NFL player has gone over 400 all-purpose yards. Billy Cannon had 373 total yards in a 1961 game; Adrian Peterson had 361 in a 2007 game.

5. Jamie Morris' 45 rushing attempts

Date: Dec. 17, 1988

Jamie Morris played just three seasons in the NFL, but made his mark in the 1988 season finale against the Bengals, when Washington called his number 45 times to set up the all-time "Feed Me" standard. Morris finished that game with a career-high 152 yards rushing. The highest amount of attempts in the last 15 years? 39, by the Cleveland Browns' Jerome Harrison in 2009.

4. Norm Van Brocklin's 554 passing yards

Date: Sept. 28, 1951

It is absolutely amazing that this record has stood the test of time, given how much rules have changed to favor of the passing game in the decades since. It seems there's a game or two a season when a quarterback threatens to hit Norm Van Brocklin's mark, only to ultimately fall short, with some relatively close calls in the last decade (Matt Schaub had 527 in 2012, Ben Roethlisberger 522 in 2014, Matthew Stafford 520 in 2012, Tom Brady and Jared Goff 517 in 2011 and 2019, respectively). Van Brocklin's stat line in a 54-14 season-opening win for his Rams against the New York Yanks: 27-for-41 for 554 yards and five touchdowns. Van Brocklin finished the 1951 season with 1,725 yards passing as he shared quarterback duties with fellow Hall of Famer Bob Waterfield for the NFL champion Rams.

3. Derrick Thomas' seven-sack game

Date: Nov. 11, 1990

Dave Krieg ranks fifth all-time in sacks taken, so it makes sense that Derrick Thomas – one of the NFL's best-ever edge rushers – would get his hands on the quarterback often when the Chiefs and Seahawks were AFC West rivals. Despite Thomas' destruction in the Seahawks' backfield, the Chiefs lost this game. Thomas just missed an eighth sack and Krieg delivered the winning touchdown in the final minute for the Seahawks. Thomas finished the 1990 season with a league-leading 20 sacks.

Eight years later, Thomas would have a six-sack game against the Raiders. Six sacks also represents the closest any player has come to Thomas' record. In a 2017 game against the Cowboys, the Falcons' Adrian Clayborn sacked Dak Prescott six times for the most recent attempt to match Thomas. But this record will be very hard to break, especially given that quarterbacks are becoming increasingly more mobile.

According to NFL lore, in a game on Oct. 26, 1952, the Eagles' Norm "Wild Man" Willey registered 17 tackles for loss of Giants quarterbacks that could have been counted as sacks had sacks been an official statistic at the time (that wouldn't happen until 1982).

2. Jim Hardy's eight-interception game

Date: Sept. 24, 1950

In 2017, Bills quarterback Nathan Peterman threw five interceptions in the first half of a game against the Chargers. He was pulled before he could even threaten Jim Hardy's stunning 70-year-old standard for picks, which took place in the 1950 season opener.

However, let's cut Hardy some slack here. Hardy was driving to Comiskey Park for the game and was involved in a car accident. He arrived in time for kickoff, but played without warming up. In the second half, Cardinals coach Curly Lambeau tried to rescue Hardy from the nightmare by inserting Frank Tripucka at quarterback. But Tripucka got hurt and Hardy was back in to add to his infamous place in NFL history.

In the next game, Hardy threw for six touchdowns (and just two interceptions) for quite a down-and-up start to a season. At the time, those six touchdowns tied an NFL record for most in a game with Sammy Baugh and Johnny Lujack.

1. Ernie Nevers' 40 points in a game

Date: Nov. 28, 1929

In a Thanksgiving Day game against the rival Bears, the Chicago Cardinals' Ernie Nevers set the longest-standing record in NFL history. Nevers scored every point in a 40-6 rout of the rival Bears. Nevers' heaping helping of points included six touchdown runs and four successful extra-point attempts (which, we can only assume, were executed via the drop kick).

It's hard to imagine this mark ever falling ... unless, of course, a running back/kicker or receiver/kicker comes along in the future. A traditional player would have to score seven touchdowns. The most any player has ever scored is six. The most a player has scored in the past decade is five, by the Chiefs' Jamaal Charles in 2013 against the Raiders. The most field goals a kicker has ever made is eight and the most extra points is nine, so combine the two and you're still well short of 40.

Andy is always a good watch in these.

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First Look: Rams return from bye week to host Seahawks

The Los Angeles Rams (5-3) resume divisional play this week hosting the Seattle Seahawks (6-2) on Sunday, looking to get back on track after a disappointing loss to the Miami Dolphins. Kickoff from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, is scheduled for 1:25 p.m. pacific time on FOX.

In advance of the contest, here is your first look at Rams-Seahawks on Nov. 15, including notable Seahawks additions, some of Seattle's top statistical performers in Week 9 and key storylines:

Notable Seahawks additions

Acquired All-Pro and Pro Bowl safety Jamal Adams (and a 2022 fourth-round pick) in a trade with the New York Jets in July in exchange for their 2021 first and third-round picks, a 2022 first-rounder, and safety Bradley McDougald. Adams was sidelined for four games due to a groin injury sustained in Week 3 against the Cowboys but returned last week. In the four games Adams has been healthy, he's registered 28 total tackles, 3.5 sacks and one pass breakup.
Acquired Pro Bowl defensive end Carlos Dunlap in a trade with the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 28 in exchange for center B.J. Finney and a 2021 seventh-round pick. Brought in to improve Seattle's pass rush, 31-year-old Dunlap posted five total tackles (three for loss), one sack and two quarterback hits in his Seahawks debut last week.
Top performers in Week 9

QB Russell Wilson completed 28 of 41 pass attempts for 390 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the Seahawks' 44-34 loss to the Bills, also adding a four-yard rushing touchdown to his stat line. Wilson also lost both of his fumbles.

With starter Chris Carson (foot) and backup Carlos Hyde (hamstring) each missing their second consecutive game due to injury, rookie RB DeeJay Dallas got the start against Buffalo, tallying seven carries for 31 yards and one touchdown plus two catches for eight yards. Travis Homer added six carries for 16 yards and three receptions for 64 yards.

WR D.K. Metcalf led Seattle receivers with seven receptions for 108 yards and one touchdown. Fellow receiver David Moore (four receptions for 71 yards) was on the receiving end of Wilson's other passing touchdown.

S Quinton Dunbar, CB Tre Flowers and LB Bobby Wagner led the Seahawks' defense with six total tackles each. Besides Dunlap's performance, Adams posted 1.5 sacks and DT Jarran Reed 2.5.

On special teams, K Jason Myers made both of his field goal attempts (long of 45) and all four of his extra point attempts.

Early storylines to watch, and what they mean for the Rams

With the Seahawks, Cardinals and 49ers all losing in Week 9, Week 10 presents a massive opportunity for the Rams when it comes to the NFC West. In fact, a win would move Los Angeles into a tie with Seattle for first place in the division, though an Arizona win could also make it a three-way tie.

Standing in the Rams' way of what would be an optimal start to the second half of the season, though, is an early NFL MVP candidate who has given opposing defenses fits.

Seahawks fans, for more than a year, have been begging for their team to "Let Russ Cook," or allow the signal-caller to play with his fourth-quarter aggressiveness from the onset of a game rather than toward the end of it. The result through the first eight weeks: The NFL's top passing offense in 2020, with Wilson averaging 317.6 yards per game. His 28 passing touchdowns lead the league and are three shy of his total in 16 games last season.

Consequently, Sunday's game will require an extra-disciplined effort by the Rams' pass rush and secondary and place an increased emphasis on creating takeaways.

The Cardinals picked off Wilson three times in Week 7, and though they were unable to capitalize on the first two, the third led to their game-winning field goal in overtime, a 34-31 victory. The Bills scored 16 points – three field goals, one touchdown – off Wilson's turnovers in their 44-34 Week 9 victory, the points and the timeliness of those takeaways helping prevent a Seahawks comeback.

If the Rams can do the same – they have shown they are capable against other opponents this season – it will help their chances of winning on Sunday.

While, I don’t think Jared Goff has been terrible this Season I certainly don’t think he has played up to his Standards, Abilities or Potential! And, Goff might not be getting as much support from his OL, WR’s or even the RB’s as he would like but I still think the he is a better QB than what he showed/played the 1st Half of the Season! And, I STILL have total confidence that Goff will have a better 2nd half of the Season and WILL lead the Rams to the Playoffs (A WIN against the DREADED Seahawks this Sunday would be a GREAT Time to start!)!

Looking forward to seeing the Jared Goff I expected this season!!!

———

MOD EDIT: To help with topic management, this thread will be used as a General Thread-Topic for Goff in 2020.

We will merge topics that go in similar directions, here.

Topics that stand alone, based on conversation they generate, will be left as stand alone topics.

How do we decide what merges? It won’t be a perfect science. We want conversation here, so a general goal is to not merge topics.

But to prevent too many similar Goff threads, this thread will be used in that manner.

Thank you.

McKinley was a beast in college and he has 17.5 sacks in the NFL Does anyone think the Rams should pursue him? Only 8 games left and if he clears waivers Rams could sign him for a vet minimum deal....thoughts??
Also he has a Los Angeles connection in that he played at UCLA. Could be a match?

~ArkyRamsFan~

First-half reflections and midseason awards

Most Valuable Player – Aaron Donald, DT

He put together another four-sack performance in a win at Washington. He's the top-rated defender in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. And he's coming off a career-high grade against Miami.

But just as he wrecks game plans, Aaron Donald also spoils the fun of awards season. So let's give him the top honor then exclude him from the rest of this column, so that others may participate.

Here are the rest of the Rams 2020 POTFHs (Players of the First Half).

Defensive – Jalen Ramsey, CB

His coverage skills speak for themselves. How about his hits?

Amari Cooper felt his presence in the opener. Kyle Allen was knocked out of the contest in Washington. Golden Tate got his serving at SoFi Stadium. And against the Bears, Javon Wims' progress was suspended short of the line to gain.

Honorable Mention: Darious Williams has more than held his own across the field as opponents shy away from Ramsey. Where would L.A. be without his diving interception at Philadelphia or equally sensational game-clinching pick versus New York?

Offensive – Andrew Whitworth, LT

If the offensive line took the fall for the Rams 2019 regression, then their marked improvement has to be the offensive story of the first eight games. Whitworth is the driving force behind it all, as the whole room (and team) takes its cue from him.

Most Improved – Austin Corbett, G and Darrell Henderson, RB

Hate to split the vote, but these two go hand-in-hand, anyway.

As the highest-drafted lineman on the roster, Corbett is proving to be a "steal" relative to the fifth-round selection the Rams sent to Cleveland for his services. Aaron Kromer and Sean McVay have turned his career around, and likewise, he's stabilized a tumultuous right guard position for L.A.

Meantime, Henderson saw the Rams use their top pick in this Draft on Cam Akers and effectively said, "Not on my watch." Refusing to cede reps as the number one running back in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus, Henderson has helped this offense thrive despite moving on from Todd Gurley, to the point they've become the most efficient running game in the NFL.

Rookie – Jordan Fuller, S

It speaks volumes about the impact that Fuller's had that he takes this honor handily, despite missing essentially five full games (he only played the first eight snaps at Buffalo).

The breakout star of training camp has become a starter the Rams can't wait to get back from the injured list after the break.

Comeback – John Johnson, S

Our friend and colleague Kirk Morrison was sharp to pick to Johnson as his defensive POTFH on this week's Between the Horns. It's bittersweet to see this fan favorite return from a 2019-ending shoulder injury with a great first half, only because of the fear he'll price himself out of next year's roster given the skyrocketing values of high-end safeties.

@CGI_Ram was nice enough to point out that the Rams webpage has some cool wallpapers available.


Just letting you know this shot tied to my iPhone lock screen makes me smile EVERY TIME. Maybe it (or other options) will brighten your day as well.

[www.nfl.com]

Looking at the standings we see a rather short list of teams that look like serious candidates to be NFC Champions.

In no particular order I see only the following as probable possibilities, tbh.

Packers
Seahawks
Rams
Saints
Bucs

I see no NFC East team getting there.

I see the Cards and Bears as pretenders despite their midseason records, although the Cards point differential is best in NFC.

And this may strike some as heresy, but the Seahawk D flaws are gonna be their downfall in the playoffs. They’ve been playing with fire on D all season.

So, who’s gonna make it to the SB?

One of the following, I bet.

Packers
Rams
Saints
Bucs

It’s pick ‘em for me as best guess after 8 games. One could make a case both pro or con on any of these, really. The team with best balance and best health will be the one, don’t you think?

Rams have 9th-best Super Bowl odds after first half of season

Cameron DaSilva
Rams WireNov 9, 2020, 8:15 AM
There wasn’t a lot of hope for the Los Angeles Rams winning a Super Bowl this season – at least not externally. Internally, the team always believed in itself that a bounce-back was on the horizon, but the outside media and even some fans were down on the Rams entering 2020.

The oddsmakers were especially low on them. At BetMGM, the Rams opened as +5000 to win the Super Bowl, or 50/1. That was 20th-best in the NFL, tied with the Bears and Falcons, and lower than both the Broncos and Chargers.

After playing half their regular-season schedule, the Rams’ odds have improved significantly. They’re now tied for ninth-best in the league at +2500 (25/1), right there with the Titans and just behind the Bills (+1800).

The Cardinals are currently +3000 to win it all, while the Seahawks are +1000, which is the best of any NFC West team. The 49ers’ odds have dropped precipitously due to injury, now sitting at +6000.

If the Rams are to make a run at the Super Bowl – or even the playoffs, for that matter – they’re going to have to beat some really good teams. In the coming weeks, they’ll face the Seahawks twice, Cardinals twice and the Buccaneers once, all of which will be tough games to win.

Sean McVay is excited about the Rams’ upcoming schedule, getting the chance to prove themselves as one of the best teams in the NFL.

Monday Night Football: New England Patriots vs. New York Jets

"Monday Night Football" features the winless New York Jets hosting a struggling New England Patriots team. The Pats are 2-5, having lost four straight games, while the Jets have lost six games already by double-digits. Last year, New England dispatched their division rivals 30-14 at home and 33-0 on the road. The Jets have not won a game in this series since 2015 when they needed overtime to win 26-20.

The Patriots sorely miss Tom Brady, as Cam Newton's fumble cost them a chance to at least tie the Bills in Buffalo last week. The former Panther has just two touchdown passes (with six more on the ground) to seven interceptions and three fumbles (one lost). An injury to Julian Edelman exposed the true lack of depth at wide receiver, and the loss of Rob Gronkowski this offseason was not properly offset. The Pats have just 10 receptions from tight ends this season. Meanwhile, the defense was ravaged by opt outs before the year began and now are adding injuries on top of it.

Over the last two weeks, the Jets have flashed potential in the first halves of their losses to the Chiefs and Bills. Granted, they weren't going to beat Kansas City, but the offense moved the ball and nearly had four field goals if not for the last one being blocked entering halftime. The problems came in the second half, where they've been shut out for three straight weeks.

Somehow, the Jets were on MNF twice last year but lost both games to the Patriots and Browns. Their last victory on this prestigious night was in Week 1 of 2018 when they went into Detroit and crushed the Lions. Meanwhile, New England has won two straight and four of their last five MNF contests.

Monday Night Football: New England at New York

Kickoff: Monday, Nov. 9 at 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Spread: Patriots -7

Three Things to Watch

1. Intangibles

This is probably going to be relatively short and sweet. The Patriots have lost four in a row and can't afford to overlook any game. It's their second straight road game and fourth overall, with a home tilt against the Ravens up next. In a normal year when New England is steamrolling the rest of this division, I'd be worried about them looking ahead, but that's not the case here. As for the Jets, they have a bye week next, which is modestly concerning because some teams give major flat efforts before the week off. Will we actually know if that's the case, though, with this bad team?

2. Trevor Lawrence

Will the Clemson quarterback be watching this game on Monday and rooting for the team he most likely will be drafted by in the Jets? There are some in social media who have floated the possibility that Bill Belichick is somewhat "tanking" the season in order to get Lawrence in Foxboro. This theory was originally brought about when so many New England players opted out before the year began. Both of these teams could use an upgrade at quarterback, and Lawrence would quickly take care of that. I mentioned Newton's stats above, but Darnold has just three touchdowns to six interceptions. Good luck, Trevor.

3. Who will step up in the muddled New England backfield?

In the past, the Patriots were able to get away with not having a true No. 1 running back because Brady, Edelman, and Gronk were a tremendous trio. Now all three are gone, with Edelman out due to injury, and although no one player has stepped up, the unit as a whole has been productive. They're third in the NFL in attempts (31.6 per game) and yardage (159.7 per game). Sony Michel was able to return to practice after missing the last few weeks. He averaged just under seven yards per carry while he was in the lineup. Damien Harris was the "lead" back the last few weeks, his workload varied greatly as he averaged 5.7 ypc. You also have to add in Rex Burkhead and James White who are the pass catchers of the group. Oh yeah, Newton also has a team-high 59 rushes for 298 yards. Good luck trying to figure out the breakdown on Monday.

Final Analysis

The Patriots are not playing good football right now, while the Jets haven't played good football for like 90 percent of the season. Someone has to win this game, and it'll probably be New England. I just don't have any faith in Adam Gase, who continues to run Frank Gore out there when there are younger options behind him who need a look. The Pats win and all is right in Foxboro for one week.

Prediction: Patriots 20, Jets 13

MOD TITLE EDIT; GOOD THREAD FOR GENERAL DISCUSSION ABOUT NEXT GAME

Look away next week because I predict footballs flying through the air at obnoxious levels.

Seahawks give up 358 yards passing a game... and that's before today when they gave up 400 yards passing

Man how can Goff be so bad and how can McVay be so stupid!

Why won't we just sign Lirim everybody knows he's the only kicker we tried that was proven!

I want Bones and GZ back how can McVay be so stupid to let nepotism cause him to make such bad choices!

Am I forgetting any? Who am I kidding yeah I'm forgetting dozens of complaints

Enjoy the Sunday off, I still have a team letting me down today in the Premiere League though

Been a Jeopardy fan for years and have gotten to the second level of qualifying several times.


Sad to see the legend pass away

Growing up watching Notre Dame Highlights with Lindsey Nelson on Sunday after Church for this Italian Catholic was a ritual and before I was assigned (Air Force) and graduated from college in the great State of Ohio and became a Buckeye Backer, Notre Dame was everything to me in college football and I almost felt they were the Harlem Globetrotters they were always supposed to win.

Kudos to Brian Kelly, who has not only reinvented himself, but also has made many staff changes over the years all for the betterment of his team. Look I understand some people don't like Notre Dame because of the name, but fact is, they don't redshirt, it's tough academically and the weather is not very good, so recruiting isn't as easy as it used to be. Plus I was getting tired of William Christopher "Dabo" Swinney squawking to the Officials last night to get his way.

Yes they were not able to tug on the long hair of Trevor Lawrence (another flopper) and Clemson was missing many player and they will most likely defeat Notre Dame on a Neutral Field in the ACC Championship Game, but for this moment I'm very happy for Brian Kelly, plus I have several friend's that are Irish Alum, so I raise my Columbian Beverage to celebrate their victory last night.

Fernando 'Ramses' Vasco: How a Rams superfan honors his late brother

For Fernando "Ramses" Vasco, it's about honoring fans past and present, especially his late brother.

"My brother did not get the opportunity to see our beloved Rams come back home, as he passed away."

With the Rams return to Los Angeles and the loss of the person who introduced Vasco to the magic of being a Rams fan, Ramses was born.

"I decided to get season tickets and create the character/Superfan 'Ramses' in his honor and in honor of every man, woman and child who is no longer with us but that was a Rams fan."

But there's a chance you might hear Vasco before you see him.

"...in honor of every man, woman and child who is no longer with us but that was a Rams fan."

A pair of horn rattles is shaken right before kickoff and throughout the game during crucial plays.

"When we are behind on the score board to give our team a boost of positivity and I also rattle them to jinx our opponents. I have a pretty good track record let me tell you."

Vasco's dedication led to one of his most cherished Rams memento – an autographed Jared Goff football won at the Rams Super Bowl Send Off.

"It's special because I won it for having the best Rams fan costume/outfit. Being up on stage and hearing the crowd clap for me the loudest was the most humbling experience I've ever had. I felt the presence of my brother at that moment and took me back to when we would cheer for our Rams together."

And that's what it all comes back to for Vasco, feeling the presence of his brother and Rams fans before him.

"Ramses is the gateway/portal for them to watch the games. When I'm watching the game in my costume, I feel like I'm watching with all those loving Rams souls."

"When I'm watching the game in my costume, I feel like I'm watching with all those loving Rams souls."

Sunday Night Football: New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

First place in the NFC South is on the line when the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers meet for the second time this regular season, now in primetime on "Sunday Night Football." With both teams coming off narrow victories, it's setting up to be another classic in this rivalry.

The Saints' offense struggled early at Chicago last week. They scored their sole touchdown of the first half with three seconds left before the intermission. Their defense allowed the Bears to score 10 points in the final four minutes of regulation to force overtime. And they only squeaked out a win with two minutes remaining when Wil Lutz hit the game-winning field goal after both teams punted.

The Buccaneers, meanwhile, survived a determined effort by the Giants in the Meadowlands on Monday. Tampa Bay trailed from late in the first quarter until late in the third — by as much as 11 points in the first half. The Bucs' largest lead stood at just eight points and only lasted for three minutes and 11 seconds. It was a disappointing show, to say the least, against a Giants team that fell to 1-7.

The Saints have dominated this rivalry historically, with an 36-21 advantage overall and 16-9 lead in games played in Tampa. New Orleans also has won the four most recent meetings, including a 34-23 win back in Week 1.

Sunday Night Football: New Orleans at Tampa Bay

Kickoff: Sunday, Nov. 8 at 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: Nbc
Spread: Saints +4.5

Three Things to Watch

1. Can Tampa Bay protect the ball?

Turnovers made the difference in the first meeting in New Orleans in the season-opener. Tom Brady threw two interceptions. Marcus Williams picked off the first one to set up the Saints' offense for a 35-yard drive to the end zone. Janoris Jenkins returned the second one 36 yards for a touchdown. Later, Mike Edwards muffed a kickoff, which Bennie Fowler recovered at the Bucs' 18-yard line that led to a field goal. Those 17 points contributed greatly to the 11-point defeat.

Winning the turnover margin has been crucial for Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers turned over the ball less than their opponents in six out of seven games since the loss in New Orleans. The lone exception occurred in the Bucs' only other defeat, against the Chargers, when both teams gave away the ball once. After the trio of giveaways at New Orleans, the Bucs have turned over the ball only five times.

2. Can New Orleans run the ball sufficiently to maintain a balanced offense?

Saints head coach Asshole Face has shown a tendency in previous years to abandon the rushing attack as soon as the Saints fall behind an opponent or end up in a close contest. However, in this season, he has avoided that habit for the most part. New Orleans has averaged 119.3 rushing yards per game and exceeded 90 yards in six out of seven contests. Alvin Kamara leads the team with 87 carries for 431 yards and four touchdowns. Latavius Murray is a capable second fiddle with 71 carries for 282 yards and two touchdowns. Among Taysom Hill's various contributions are 19 rushes for 87 yards and a touchdown.

However, the Buccaneers limited the Saints to 82 yards on the ground in their previous meeting. That is the Saints' lowest total so far in 2020. Murray led the Saints with 15 attempts for 48 yards. Kamara carried the ball 12 times for only 16 yards, although he did run for a touchdown. Hill had the highest average per carry at 4.3, but he only toted the ball three times.

The Buccaneers have suppressed opponents' running attacks. They have allowed the fewest yards per game (70.4) in the NFL. They have held three opponents to fewer than 50 rushing yards. Last week, the Giants gained 101 yards on the ground, the first opponent to surpass the 100-yard mark this season.

3. Will Tom Brady carve up the vulnerable Saints' secondary?

Brady did not turn in his most successful effort this season at New Orleans in September. He connected on 23-of-36 passes for 239 yards, his third-lowest completion percentage and yardage total of the season. His two interceptions in that contest equal the number of picks he's thrown the rest of the season. He was sacked three times but sacked only seven times in the next seven contests.

Since the mediocre performance in New Orleans, Brady has jelled with his new teammates. In the past two weeks, he has completed more than 70 percent of his passes. He did not throw an interception in the four previous games and averaged three touchdown passes in the three most recent contests.

The Saints' defensive backs have given up big plays and scores during the season. They have surrendered 237.9 yards through the air, 16th-highest in the league. They have allowed 28.1 points per game on average, tenth most in the NFL. The secondary has also been burned for two passing touchdowns of over 60 yards.

Final Analysis

This is the type of game that rightfully belongs in the primetime slot where it is scheduled. The importance of the outcome cannot be underestimated. With a victory, the Bucs would remain in first place and ahead of the Saints. If the Saints win, they would secure the tie-breaker for the divisional championship should they finish with the same overall record as Tampa Bay. This matchup projects as an entertaining battle with two future Hall of Fame inductees directing the offenses.

Prediction: Buccaneers 38, Saints 31