Miami Dolphins at Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. on CBS

Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m. on Fox

Pittsburgh Steelers at Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 p.m. on CBS

.

Seattle Seahawks at Buffalo Bills, 1:00 p.m. on Fox

New York Giants at The Washington Football Team, 1:00 p.m. on Fox

Chicago Bears at Tennessee Titans, 1:00 p.m. on Fox

Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings, 1:00 p.m. on CBS

Carolina Panthers at Kansas City Chiefs, 1:00 p.m. on Fox

Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:00 p.m. on CBS

Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts, 1:00 p.m. on CBS

Denver Broncos at Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 p.m. on CBS

.

I watched the Dolphins game a few times and witnessed Goff's lethargic reaction speed on various crucial down and distance plays in the first half. In the third quarter, he missed on a couple more opportunities that might have changed the momentum of this game.

(his quick twitch awareness can quickly go from great to terrible depending on the flow of the game & it perplexes many of us)

At Miami, I seen a potential interception with little pressure get dropped by the defender.

(it's crazy how Goff seems to have luck on his side with dropped interceptions. I know all qb's get lucky dropped int's but his stand out to me)

I watched him repeat his fumble-mania blunders that have sometimes followed him from his college playing days with the California Golden Bears.

(he can go several games without fumbles or bad interceptions & then just implode in back to back games)

I seen Jared get rattled under pressure by the Dolphins and I get why the naysayers imply that he doesn't have the "special awareness instincts" that separate the decent to good quarterbacks from the great ones.

(pressure mistakes happen to all qb's but being in the NFL for 4 1/2 years, a seasoned qb should be making fewer detrimental decisions)

Even with all of his mistake prone flaws, I witnessed Goff get up off of the canvas at Miami and get the Rams back in position to have a chance to win the game late in the 4th quarter. He did the same thing in Buffalo even though the refs gave the bills some home cooking.

(down 28-17 at miami with 3:43 seconds left in the 4th qtr and 3 timeouts remaining, everett dropped a must have momentum changing opportunity that would've put the rams on the dolphins 15 yard-line.

I know goff was a huge part of the reason they never should've needed a heroic comeback but he was failed a chance to redeem himself after everett dropped the ball and the surge of momentum was lost.

Goff has come full circle since his first ever NFL start.
A loss to the Dolphins in his rookie "debut" on 11/20/2016 ( 14 - 10 ) and brutal loss 1,442 days later.
( 28 - 17 ) on 11/01/2020.

The NFL is always about one game at a time. For myself, Jared Goff's next 4 games (vs SEA, at TBAY, vs SF, at AZ) will be the dichotomy of his 2020 season and possibly the blueprint of his remaining career.

(Jared Goff to me is a real life version of Rocky Balboa. The only difference is, we don't know how his story ends because the NFL is not a Hollywood movie we can script and make the ending anyway that we prefer)






"In Goff We Trust"

@OldSchool has started a great thread that has led to a good debate about players deserving to be in the Rams hypothetical Ring if Honor.

We do not have one in the new stadium. Assuming they will add one next year. But for now, who would be in your Ring of Honor.

Let's say 15-20 players...Split anyway you want. One poster said he didnt believe they could be in the ring unless in the Hall of Fame. I'm disagreeing with that. Put your top Rams regardless.

In no particular order

1-Deacon Jones
2-Jack Youngblood
3-Eric Dickerson
4-Marshall Faulk
5-Steven Jackson
6-Orlando Pace
7-Jackie Slater
8-Merlin Olsen
9-Rosie Grier
10-Isaac Bruce
11-Torry Holt
12-Tom Mack
13-Norm Van Brocklin
14-Romam Gabriel
15-Anneas Williams

Obviously, AD will be on this list one day. I almost added Kurt after some of the debating semi-swayed me. But I felt Anneas deserved a spot. Eddie Meador almost made the cut as well. Van Brocklin could lose his spot to Warner as well.

You go thru a hard time, etc etc etc and more etc etc and you Listen just 1 song you became a different person, What the Hell.

Imho Music is sent from the Gods lol.

Checking in on the Rams' 2020 draft class at the bye week

Back in late April, the Rams used nine picks to assemble their draft class this year, but that number is now down to seven after linebacker Clay Johnston was signed by the Panthers before the regular season and kicker Samuel Sloman was released following Week 7.

Like last season, some of those rookies have been able to see action immediately, while others have have had to wait because of the depth and experience around them.

Here's how each of those remaining seven selections have fared at the midway point of the season:

RB CAM AKERS (ROUND 2, NO. 52)

Akers has played in six of the Rams' eight games, missing two due to a painful rib injury he sustained in Week 2 against the Eagles. Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay said Monday that injury set Akers back and contributed to him missing some opportunities he likely would've received in the following weeks.

Still, when healthy, he's shown flashes of what L.A. liked so much about him coming out of the draft. In his first game back from injury (Week 5 at Washington), Akers posted nine carries for a season-high 61 yards, including a 46-yard attempt that remains his longest of the year. Two weeks later, he tallied nine carries for 35 yards and added a 19-yard reception against the Dolphins.

Overall, Akers has played 64 of the team's 563 offensive snaps (11.3 percent). The majority of those reps came against the Cowboys in the season-opener (24) and last week against the Dolphins (20). He has 35 carries for 148 yards, plus two catches for 23 yards, across those six games.

WR VAN JEFFERSON (ROUND 2, NO. 57)

With experienced receivers around him, Jefferson's opportunities have been somewhat limited. After seeing 33 of 73 offensive snaps in Week 1 and 26 of 69 in Week 2, he received single-digit snaps in four of the Rams' next five games, the exception being Week 5 at Washington (18).

That said, Jefferson, like Akers, has flashed at times this season. Jefferson hauled in a 31-yard reception on 3rd and 5 from the Rams 48 against the Cowboys which set up a field goal that extended the Rams' lead to 13-7. One week later, he had his best statistical game of the season with four catches for 45 yards against the Eagles, including a 21-yard grab that set up a 5-yard rushing touchdown by wide receiver Robert Woods.

Collectively, Jefferson has played 108 of the team's 563 offensive snaps, also playing 35 special teams snaps, posting nine receptions for 121 yards while playing in all eight games.

OLB TERRELL LEWIS (ROUND 3, NO. 84)

Lewis' debut was initially put on hold after infection concerns from a previous procedure caused the team to place him on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury List in Week 1 for precautionary reasons. Eventually, he was able to return against Washington in Week 5.

The former University of Alabama standout played 14 defensive snaps in his first game back, then saw a season-high 20 against the Bears two weeks later. He has played 55 of the team's 512 defensive snaps overall, as well as four special teams snaps, with one tackle in four games.

S TERRELL BURGESS (ROUND 3, NO. 104)

The Rams used their compensatory selection on Burgess, whose versatility made him an intriguing piece to the defense. However, it wasn't until Week 3 – he was used exclusively on special teams in Week 1 and Week 2 – when he saw action with that unit.

While his highest usage came in Week 4 against the Giants, when he played 19 snaps each on defense and special teams, his best performance of the season was three weeks later against the Bears on Monday Night Football, making crucial third down stops and covering well on special teams. Unfortunately, Burgess also suffered a season-ending broken ankle in that contest.

TE BRYCEN HOPKINS (ROUND 4, NO. 136)

Similar to Jefferson, sharing a position room with established veterans has also limited Hopkins' opportunities.

He was inactive for the first six games, and when starter Tyler Higbee's hand injury afforded the Rams the opportunity to elevate him to the active gameday roster, he only saw three offensive snaps as Gerald Everett and Johnny Mundt handled the bulk of the work. When Higbee returned in Week 8, Hopkins was once again inactive.

S JORDAN FULLER (ROUND 6, NO. 199)

Fuller immediately earned a starting role alongside John Johnson and made one of the plays of the season with his 4th down red zone stop against the Cowboys in Week 1.

A shoulder Week 3 shoulder injury and subsequent re-aggravation in Week 5 have limited him to four games played, but he has still produced 21 combined tackles and two pass breakups when healthy. Currently on injured reserve, he is expected to return in Week 10.

OL TREMAYNE ANCHRUM JR. (ROUND 7, NO. 250)

Anchrum was inactive for the first two games, and though he was active for the third game, he did not play. The former Clemson University standout eventually saw his first action of the season in Week 4 and has played in every week since, though it's been exclusively on special teams (19 snaps).

This also seems to be a "redshirt" year for Anchrum, considering the returning depth and experience of Los Angeles' offensive line heading into this season. Of note, while he projects as a guard, he has been getting reps at left tackle when Andrew Whitworth has had his veteran rest days.

The Guy with the Trojan Tattoo; Joe Barry

I asked Rams head coach Sean McVay at the end of a press conference recently, "Hey Sean, what do you think of Joe Barry's tattoo?"

He paused, smiled, and answered, "No comment."

Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers Coach Joe Barry and his tattoo joined the Rams after the 2016 season along with Sean McVay, when McVay was hired as the Rams Head Coach. While "Joe B" is hard to miss with what McVay describes as "consistent energy around the building," it's also hard to miss the USC mascot -- a Trojan -- smack in the middle of Barry's left leg.

Prior to the Rams, McVay was the offensive coordinator and Barry the defensive coordinator for the Washington Football Team.

"You work very closely with your entire staff," Barry explained, "but when you are coordinators, especially like in the offseason and OTAs and Training Camp, you're working against each other, preparing against each other. You build up a pretty close relationship."

Barry said about a month into working with McVay in Washington, he knew McVay was going to be a head coach. He recalled the early morning phone call from McVay after he interviewed with the Rams. "My phone rang early in DC and Sean was out here [in Los Angeles] and he called me. He's like, 'Dude, I'm getting this LA job.' And he's like, 'I want you to come with me.'"

You could say these two go way back.

But even further back, in 1992, while playing football for the University of Southern California, Joe Barry and a couple of his teammates decided to get tattoos on the iconic Sunset Boulevard at a tattoo parlor named Sunset Tattoo.

"It was like six or seven o'clock in the evening. I was stone cold sober. A couple guys got like block S-C's." Barry described the Southern California letter design and added, "I wanted the Trojan."

Barry played inside linebacker for two years at USC from 1992 to 1993 after transferring from Michigan. He then joined USC Football's coaching staff as a video coordinator for one year and graduate assistant for another. He returned in 2010 as the linebackers coach under head coach Lane Kiffin.

USC has always been a special part of Barry's football career, and since 1992 it's been a special part of his left leg as well.

"I was actually pissed because I wanted it down, underneath my sock line so when I wore socks, I could actually hide it." Barry said when he was getting the tattoo, he was facing away. "I had to like, stick my leg out to get it done. The dude was like 15 minutes into it and I looked back and I was like, dude, that's not where I freaking said I wanted it. I wanted it lower."

But at that point it was too late.

"I wasn't paying attention, and, you know, it's basically in between my knee and my ankle bone." Barry said.

The tattoo is in the middle of Barry's left calf and it can't be hidden unless he wears pants. But Barry says he actually doesn't mind its position on his leg now. "It's kind of worked out that it's always visible, so it's kind of cool."

Much like his tattoo, Barry is always visible and in the middle of everything.

And it's not necessarily easy to stand out. McVay has said there is a "great energy" about this coaching staff. Before practice and during team warmups, you can catch running backs coach Thomas Brown "out there wheeling and dealing" on a knee walker, after rupturing his Achilles tendon. Offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell gives us a glimpse of his glory days as a quarterback, throwing the football around with other coaches. Cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant will dance to pretty much any song that comes on over the speakers to keep the energy high. And then there is Barry, right in thick of it, warming up with the team. The only way you'd miss him on the field is if you confuse him for a player.

"He's a huge part of the fabric of the team and the culture of the team," linebacker Micah Kiser said. "In the NFL, with the way rosters are always moving, he is a person that values knowing every guy on the team's name. Whether you're Jared Goff to the last guy on the practice squad, he's able to call you by your name."

Not every NFL team has an assistant head coach. McVay trusted Barry with this role and asked him to wear multiple hats.

"[I'm] able to lean on him," McVay said, "and [he helps make] a lot of the decisions that are important. You truly do lean on him as an assistant head coach and I feel very fortunate to work with Joe. He brings it every single day."

As the saying goes, "There are Trojans, and then there's everybody else."

"Joe is one of those guys you always feel better after you talk to," McVay emphasized. "Joe is very special to us."

"He always got some fresh kicks on his feet, too." Aaron Donald says, "But you know Joe B is a good guy and a great coach. Happy to be working with him."

So while some players, like former UCLA Bruin and current Rams linebacker Kenny Young, joke that he's "tired of hearing Joe B talk about those damn Trojans," there is an appreciation for the fifty-year-old coach who calls everyone "stud."

Four years after getting that call from McVay, Barry is "still rolling".

"We came here with the goal in mind to win a world title." So, while Barry has no plans to leave the Rams anytime soon, the guy with the Trojan tattoo may head back to the tattoo parlor soon. Not for a new tattoo, but because the 1992 ink "looks terrible right now. I actually probably need to get it touched up."

Do you alter your football routine during the bye week?

Me; not much.

In some ways, a bye week is a different kind of fun. Just sit back and watch other games. A different pace.

And... this week has good games, potentially, in good time slots for Rams fans.

Seattle at Buffalo, 1pm EST
Miami at Arizona, 5pm EST

Even Saints/Tampa Sunday night could be a good watch.

By the numbers: Notable individual and team performances through the Rams' first eight games

Continuing our bye week look-backs, theRams.com compiled a by-the-numbers breakdown of some of the notable individual and team performances through the first eight games of the 2020 season.

14,494: Career passing yards for quarterback Jared Goff after throwing for 267 against the Eagles in Week 2, passing Rams legend Kurt Warner for fifth place on the franchise's career passing list.

2,145: Total passing yards by Goff. At the same juncture last season, he had 2,367.

1,102: Total rushing yards by the Rams as a team. That's 324 more than they had halfway through the 2019 season.

527: Receiving yards by wide receiver Cooper Kupp, most on the team. Wide receiver Robert Woods is second with 436, but has a team-high four receiving touchdowns to Kupp's two.

478: Total yards of offense against the Bills, most a in single game for the Rams so far this season.

284 to 251: Number of pass attempts to number of rushing attempts. Midway through the 2019 season, the Rams had 315 pass attempts to 199 rush attempts.

188: First downs gained by the Rams offense, sixth-most in the NFL. The Cowboys lead the league with 207.

114: Rushing yards by running back Darrell Henderson Jr. against the Bills, the first 100-yard game of his career. Including his six receiving yards, it also marked his second-straight game with 120 yards from scrimmage.

108: Total yards allowed by the Rams defense against Washington, fewest in a single game so far.

79: Rushing yards by running back Malcolm Brown against the Cowboys. That total, along with his 18 carries, marked new career-highs.

59: Total tackles by linebacker Micah Kiser, in his first season as a full-time starter. That's most among Rams defensive players.

44.0: Percent of third down attempts converted by the Rams offense, tied with the Panthers and the Ravens for the 10th-highest third down success rate in the NFL.

40: Defensive penalties committed, tied with Washington for 12th-fewest in the NFL. However, the 334 yards accumulated from those penalties is ninth-fewest in the league.

33.3: Percent of third down attempts converted by Rams opponents, tied with the Dolphins for second-lowest allowed in the NFL.

33: Offensive penalties committed, fourth-fewest in the league behind the Dolphins (31), Texans (30) and Patriots (20).

9: Sacks by defensive lineman Aaron Donald, most on the Rams and tied with Browns defensive end Myles Garrett for most in the league.

6: Pressures allowed by offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).

4: Sacks by Donald against Washington, tying his career-high for a single game. Offensively, it's also the number of players with at least 100 yards rushing on the season. Henderson has 458, Brown 314, running back Cam Akers 148 and Woods 108.

3: Touchdown catches against the Eagles for tight end Tyler Higbee, who became the first Rams player since Torry Holt in 2006 to achieve the feat.

2: Interceptions by cornerback Darious Williams, most on the team.

1: The Rams have the No. 1 total defense in the NFL, holding opponents to a league-low 291.9 yards of offense per game.

0: Sacks allowed by Whitworth, per PFF.

These pics are just incredible... and yes, the ISS is in both of them... it's just not the most interesting part of the pics.

It’s a travesty that this franchises only Super Bowl quarterback isn’t in the ring of honor. We’ve had legends community gatherings and he wasn’t there either. I realize he identifies with the Cards more after Mary’s did him wrong. But it’s time for McVay to right this wrong and have the team acknowledge his greatness and what he brought to the team. If he refuses it’s on him and we fans can move on, and let him know how that makes us feel. But #13 needs to be recognized.

Thursday Night Football: Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers

The last time the Green Bay Packers played the San Francisco 49ers, it was an NFC Championship Game blowout of epic proportions on Jan. 19. The Packers stumbled out of the gate, fell behind a whopping 27-0 by the end of the first half, and never recovered. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw two interceptions and lost a fumble; the defense allowed 220 rushing yards to Raheem Mostert and was genuinely outclassed by the NFC's No. 1 seed. The 49ers fought hard, punched early, and never hesitated in throwing a series of knockout blows.

Nine months later, the Packers have a chance to return the favor.

San Francisco enters this short week a wounded animal hanging on by a thread. They lost both starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle to long-term injuries in a blowout loss against Seattle. Now sitting at 4-4, the defending NFC champions are last in their division and one game behind a wild-card playoff spot. Their second-half schedule starts with Green Bay on Thursday night before going on the road to face the Rams (5-3), then the Saints (5-2) before coming home to face the AFC East-leading Bills (6-2). Lose all four games and a chance to defend their NFC title is out the window. Lose three of them and the playoffs remain near impossible in a quality conference.

That's where Green Bay, after losing their last two games here 74-28, should be licking their lips for revenge. What better way to end the first half 6-2, atop the NFC North all alone, than by avenging their January demons in the Golden State? Rodgers is back on pace for another MVP-caliber season, throwing 20 touchdowns in the first seven weeks of the year. Thursday night could be a major step toward fighting for the No. 1 seed and ensuring this season's NFC Championship Game gets played on more friendly turf... the freezing tundra of Lambeau Field in January.

Thursday Night Football: Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers

Kickoff: Thursday, Nov. 5 at 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: FOX/NFL Network
Spread: Packers -3.5

Three Things to Watch

1. Can Aaron Rodgers fix his sloppy play out in San Francisco?

Rodgers was made to look like an amateur during the two matchups against the 49ers last year. Nick Bosa terrorized him in the NFC Championship Game; Rodgers was sacked three times and never felt comfortable in the pocket. In the regular-season matchup last November, Rodgers threw for a season-low 104 yards as the Packers were embarrassed 37-8.

But Bosa isn't around for this one, suffering a torn ACL last month that leaves him out the rest of the year. Neither is Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman, who picked off Rodgers back in January. Defensive end Dee Ford is out, too, one of a long line of 49ers injuries that have turned their team into a shell of its former self.

It leaves the 49ers' defense ripe for the picking. The team led the NFL in pass defense last season but has slipped to sixth in 2020. Rodgers' rival for the MVP this season, Russell Wilson, torched them for 261 yards and four touchdowns Sunday in a 37-27 win. Thursday provides a great head-to-head comparison for whether Rodgers can follow suit.

2. What will the 49ers' offense look like?

The devastating injuries for San Francisco just keep piling up. Their team could fill an entire hospital ward at this point with their list of starters unavailable for Thursday night's game. No Garoppolo (six weeks, high ankle sprain). No Kittle (eight weeks, broken bone in foot). No Mostert, still out with a high ankle sprain of his own, along with replacement running backs Jeff Wilson Jr. and potentially Tevin Coleman. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel has a pulled hamstring and is sidelined, too.

So what will the 49ers' offense look like? Jerick McKinnon was supposed to replace Mostert, but The Athletic claims the running back has been suffering from a case of "tired legs." He rushed for a grand total of -1 yards against the Seahawks and barely played at all against the Patriots the week before. That leaves JaMycal Hasty, an undrafted rookie, to handle the majority of the backfield carries. But 29 yards and a 2.5 yards per carry average from Sunday hardly inspires confidence.

Quarterback Nick Mullens played well in garbage time against Seattle, throwing for two touchdowns and 238 yards after Garoppolo hobbled to the sideline. But the last time we saw Mullens in a game that mattered, he was pulled for C.J. Beathard after an uninspiring performance against the 3-4-1 Eagles.

The 49ers' offense wasn't built for a high-octane passing attack yet that appears to be their only option to score Thursday night. Mullens will need to find a way to build on chemistry with one of the few bright spots for this team the past two weeks, rookie wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (14 receptions, 206 yards, and a touchdown).

One small stat in Mullens' favor is that the Packers' defense has struggled to cause turnovers: their four takeaways are tied for last in the NFL. However, it won't take many mistakes for Mullens to get in trouble against a Green Bay offense that's built to score.

3. Can Davante Adams be stopped?

Rodgers' top target has been a one-man wrecking crew in recent weeks, carrying the Packers (and fantasy teams) with five touchdown catches in the last two games alone. Adams draws double-coverage and all the attention of any secondary he faces, especially considering the drop-off in talent behind him. It doesn’t matter. And with no Sherman in the lineup for the 49ers... watch out.

Adams also was one of the few players able to penetrate the 49ers' defense in the playoff meeting in January. Nine receptions for 138 yards proved too little, too late but could serve as a preview for what a hungry Packers team could do Thursday night. And don't forget about tight end Robert Tonyan. He led the team with 79 receiving yards in Sunday's disappointing home loss to Minnesota and has developed into a good complementary target for a team that needs a few more options.

The passing attack may need to do most of the heavy lifting on Thursday as Green Bay's backfield won't be at full strength. Aaron Jones has missed the past two games with a calf injury and his status has yet to be determined. Jamaal Williams, who has gotten the bulk of the work with Jones out, and rookie AJ Dillon are both out due to COVID-19 concerns. Dillon was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday while Williams has been deemed a "high-risk close contact" and won't be able to play due to protocols requiring him to isolate and stay away from the team for five days (retroactive to Sunday). The only other running back currently on the active roster is Tyler Ervin, who has 43 rushing yards on four carries (and 33 yards on six catches) in five games this season. Dexter Williams could be elevated from the practice squad, something that happened in Week 7 when Jones missed his first game.

Final Analysis

The Packers are hungry for revenge. The 49ers are nowhere close to healthy. This one's not hard to figure out from a bettor's, analyst's, or fan's perspective.

It's a shame as it would have been nice to see how these teams would have competed against each other at full strength. But the 49ers appear to be suffering a Super Bowl hangover in the form of broken bones and torn muscles that leave their team the wrong type of medical marvel. Sitting on the sidelines, whatever the reason, doesn't win you football games. And even though the Packers have some injury/medical issues of their own, there's nothing here to suggest the 49ers can get it together in time for Thursday night.

Prediction: Packers 34, 49ers 13

Andrew Whitworth still playing at a high level in Year 15

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. –– He signed a three-year deal in early April to return for his fourth season with the Rams and 15th in the NFL, but offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth maintained he would be taking the same year-by-year approach as before.

The way this season has gone so far, he might be back for a 16th.

The 38-year-old Whitworth is still performing at a high level in 2020, able to withstand the physical toll that more than 215 career starts at both left tackle and left guard can take on a player's body.

"I feel good," Whitworth said during a video conference in early October. "I feel as good as I really ever have. I feel great out there and I feel good week-to-week."

To hear his teammates tell it, it doesn't come as a surprise. They and head coach Sean McVay would also tell you his leadership has been just as valuable as his performance.

Preparing for Year 15

Reaching 15 NFL seasons is no easy task. Though Whitworth feels great on gameday, that doesn't mean he's immune from the mileage he's accumulated from all those games played.

"I may not be the happiest Monday through Thursday, but you know what, I find a way to get up again by the weekend and get rolling," Whitworth said during an early October video conference. "There's the usual aches and pains of being 38 and trying to play football, but the body has felt good every single Sunday and has responded really well every Monday. I feel good about that."

With his 218th start against the Bears, Whitworth moved past Mike Webster for 11th-most career starts by an offensive lineman in NFL history, per pro-football-reference.com. Now at 219 after last Sunday's game against the Dolphins, if he starts each of the Rams' remaining eight regular season games, he will pass former Falcons center Jeff Van Note (226) for seventh and move within one game of tying former Colts, Seahawks and Cowboys center Ray Donaldson (228) for sixth.

The time-honored tradition of veteran rest days has helped Whitworth get within reach of those milestones. However, what's been arguably most important is how he's taken care of himself during the offseason.

Playing well into his 30s at one of the game's most physically demanding positions puts him in rare company, perhaps in a position to give the advice rather than ask for it.

"I say this as humbly and respectfully as I can, I think I've outlasted most of them," Whitworth said with a laugh, when a reporter in August asked if he had solicited advice from other left tackles who managed to achieve the feat.

By Whitworth's observation, most of those left tackles' playing careers had ended in their early- to mid-thirties, but that doesn't mean he hasn't learned from them.

Watching players like Jonathan Ogden, Willie Anderson and Orlando Pace at the beginning of his NFL career, Whitworth's biggest takeaway was managing his health better as he got older. Whitworth estimated weighing around "345 or 350" pounds in the early stages of his career. Weighing 342 pounds at age 30, he made a commitment at that time to report to each successive training camp at a lighter weight – an approach that undoubtedly has aided the longevity of his NFL career. He said he entered this year's training camp around 314, 315.

"I mean, still today, he's developing as a player and just continuing to get himself leaner and quicker and faster," said Rams run game coordinator and offensive line coach Aaron Kromer, who has worked with three-time Pro Bowl guard Kyle Long and other greats at previous coaching stops, on the Rams Revealed podcast. "I would tell you that, there's a lot of times I bet you he feels quicker now than he did six years ago, because he really knows how to train, you become smarter, you know how your body works better as time goes on, you know what works for you better, those kinds of things. He's not slowing down."

The approach, according to Whitworth, is simply a combination of a disciplined diet and exercise.

"I'm a huge golfer, you guys know that," Whitworth said. "I try to train in the mornings and then I golf all afternoon. At night, it's usually a pick-up game with my kids, with my boys."

Making the grade

Analytics and third-party scouting services will tell you Whitworth has graded as the best, or among the best, at his position.

Entering Week 9, ESPN analytics says Whitworth has the fourth-highest pass-block win rate (94 percent) among offensive tackles in the league this season. Entering Week 8, Pro Football Focus (PFF) said Whitworth had the most pass-blocking snaps (239) without allowing a sack among all offensive tackles. PFF also evaluated Whitworth as the highest-graded offensive tackle (90.1) entering Week 6.

Unsurprisingly, his elite play also passes the eye test of his teammates.

"I think he's playing at the highest level I've seen in my four years with him," offensive lineman Rob Havenstein said during a video conference on Oct. 22.

"I think he's playing at the highest level I've seen in my four years with him."

Havenstein was among a handful of offensive linemen who worked out with Whitworth in his garage-turned-home gym this offseason when the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily closed facilities. For him, what's stood out the most about Whitworth is his day-to-day approach.

"His routine, the way he thinks about things, the way he thinks about his game, his recovery and his week, to do that for 15 years is impressive," Havenstein said. "Obviously, there's some gold in there."

With Whitworth protecting his blind side, Rams quarterback Jared Goff has been sacked on just 4.4 percent of his pass attempts, according to pro-football-reference.com (minimum 1,500 career attempts).

Like Havenstein, Goff is also appreciative of the example Whitworth sets for the rest of the team.

"We've said it for a long time, the way he goes about his business every day is special and really sets the tone for us as an offense and as a team," Goff said during a video conference earlier this month. "I mean, just seeing him here every day, seeing him do the right thing every day, the way he practices, the way he goes through walk-through, the way he thinks about things and talks about things is at the highest level in the league."

Leadership

One could make the argument Whitworth's leadership is also a reflection of his elite performance. Whether it's been mentoring a second-year offensive lineman or taking a young linebacker under his wing, he has always made time to help put the Rams' young players in position to succeed.

For example, when Rams linebacker Terrell Lewis was asked which players he leaned on a lot as he prepared to make his season debut in Week 5, he pointed to Whitworth.

"Big Whit's been helping me a lot, always coming and coaching me up, whether it be in practice or even during the game. Shoot, I just talked to him in the training room," Lewis said during a video conference earlier this month. "He always stays on my hip, telling me, 'Okay, what am I looking at?' He also gives me an offensive lineman's perspective, and I think that really helped me a lot too, just being able to lean on him, ask him questions, get a feel for the game (by) talking to a guy who's been in the game for a long time."

Whitworth's leadership in his own position room has been just as valuable, of course.

When David Edwards was preparing to make his first career start last year, Whitworth pulled him aside during individual drills to help him work on a particular type of block. Now in a starting role again this season, Edwards holds Whitworth's wisdom in high regard.

"Playing next to Andrew, there's not a situation that he hasn't been in," Edwards said during a video conference earlier this month. "The advice of watching film as a group, and then going out on the field and saying, 'What do you think about this? How should we hit this block?' Just the level of mastery that he has in every situation or scenario is huge for me, because he allows me to play with a quieted mind, knowing that I have a great guy next to me on the left side that's been through it all."

"Just the level of mastery that he has in every situation or scenario is huge for me, because he allows me to play with a quieted mind, knowing that have a great guy next to me on the left side that's been through it all."

Even the Rams' 34-year-old head coach, Sean McVay, has learned from the veteran offensive lineman.

"I think (Whitworth mentoring Lewis) is everything," McVay said during a video conference earlier this month. "I mean, when you got the right kind of leaders, that just emanates throughout your whole locker room. You look at Whitworth, the experience that he has, I mean, shoot, I know me as a coach, I've learned so much from these veteran players that I have taken all these snaps, especially when you're as conscientious as Andrew Whitworth is."

Players like Lewis and Edwards have made this the youngest Rams roster of Whitworth's tenure. While they've gladly welcomed his advice and wisdom, he's gotten just as much out of talking to them.

"Even though there's this huge gap, I think there's an opportunity there for me that I don't want to miss to help them grow as men and help them grow as players," Whitworth said. "I think it's one of those things that takes a little bit off of what you talked about, whether it's my last year or not, or how my body feels – those guys are invigorating to me. I get to come and listen to their wonders and the things that they're worried about and the things that they're thinking about, and tell them a little bit about the other side of it."

Year 16?

Any decision on returning for a 16th NFL season is likely still a ways away for Whitworth, especially since it's only the midpoint of his 15th and the Rams are still in the playoff picture.

Whitworth said during a video conference last week that when he talks about a year-by-year approach, he means treating each year as if it's his last one, both with his in-season and off-season training. He believes that's what's allowed him to reach Year 15, though the longevity isn't the focus so much as evaluating whether he feels he can continue to play the left tackle position at the standard he expects.

"I'm never thinking about the longevity of a contract or what can happen," Whitworth said. "I'm really more treating it like man, any day, somebody could take another step and be better than me and they want to put that person in. And so when I say year-to-year, it's more the mentality to me of who's over my shoulder, and what can I do to prove that this position is still mine, and there's still a value for me to be on this football team? The rest of the season, the last half of the season, I want to go and prove that, and then after the season's over, if they want me back and I feel like the body can do it and all those things, then of course I'll sit down and make that decision."

That decision will likely be made in consultation with his family, as has been the case in recent years – though that won't necessarily make it easy.

"If my kids had their pick, I don't know if I'd ever get to retire. They get mad any time I even bring up the subject," Whitworth said. "They don't want me home, they want me playing. So we'll see what happens."

Like his children, his teammates are also rooting for a return and want him around as long as possible.

"I'm just looking forward to the four more (years) he's got," Havenstein said.

"I'm extremely thankful for him, and I'm hoping he can play another 15 years," Goff said with a smile. "I know that's not possible, but I'm going to keep being thankful for him as long as he's here."

Loving the gift, check out 3D model of stadium!

Bruce Arians thinks Alvin is better than Marshall

one more reason to despise that guy.


Btw does anyone have the Ariens pig picture?

PFF's 90 Club: Highest-graded players | Week 8
https://www.nfl.com/videos/pff-90-club-week-8

One thing that keeps occurring to me is that there's going to be a ton of deviation on NFL team boards going into this draft. So it seems like the teams that do the best job in diving deeper and are willing to spend on ensuring they have covered as much of the class as possible are going to see more of a boost than they might in a normal year.

Even as early as round 2 there is probably a good chance some players on your board that in a normal year wouldn't get to you will either get to your pick or get close enough to where you can go get them.

I really think this is going to be one of the craziest drafts we've seen in a long time. Have to think that Snead is thinking of stealing a legit impact player there in round 2.

Rams 30-10 WFT
Rams 24-10 Chicago

You can choose if your glass is half full or half empty.

Rams hold Dolphins to under 100 yards passing and under 60 yards rushing


I had to double check the Pro-Football-Reference tool several times to make sure that I hadn’t made a mistake. Then I had found out that I did make a mistake, but then even undoing that mistake, the result was the same: the LA Rams have done something twice that no other team has done once yet in 2020.Despite their 28-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 8, the Rams held Miami to only 90 yards passing and 55 yards rushing. The Dolphins didn’t have a drive longer than 33 yards and they punted on all six drives in the second half. Miami’s longest drive after the first quarter was 27 yards and nine of their drives went for single digits.

The Rams may have benefited from the inexperience by debut starter Tua Tagovailoa, who went 12 of 22 for 93 yards with one touchdown and one fumble lost. Running back Myles Gaskin carried it 18 times for 47 yards and he tied as the Dolphins leading receiver with 16 yards. There is no other team in the NFL that has held an opponent to under 100 passing yards and under 80 rushing yards in the same game this season. Except for the LA Rams.

In Alex Smith’s return to the field for Washington Football Team, the Rams held them to 70 yards passing and 38 yards rushing. Smith gained only 37 yards on 17 pass attempts in relief of Kyle Allen and rookie Antonio Gibson had 27 rushing yards on 11 carries. J.D. McKissic was the leading receiver with 46 yards.Jalen Ramsey played a full slate in that game and was not targeted once, but missed most of Week 8’s loss in Miami with an illness.

The Rams are now third in points allowed per game, second in yards allowed, second in passing yards allowed and first in net yards per pass attempt allowed. They are also sixth in yards per carry allowed and also held the Chicago Bears to only 49 rushing yards in Week 7. It wasn’t that long ago that LA had a decisive win against a winning team.

It also wasn’t that long ago since their last dominant performance on defense, a bright side to a poor outcome.

Anyone watch this?

I used to watch it religiously, but Kyle Brandt has made it unbearable for me. Ive never hated someone on a sports show so much and that beats out my Max Kellerman hatred from Best Damn Sports Show Period...and thats saying something.

He's like an ADD kid on a sugar high. Simply cannot stand it.

That it made me long for Fisher ball and I'm serious that is how bad it's getting. I could not even bring myself to look at this board yesterday. McVay does not have his team ready to play at the start of these games that were losses and channeling his inner Martz is hard to stomach. Also Goff looks like he has been Bulgerized , the last days of Mark Bulger.

First of all it's just a great listen but the part that seemed interesting to me is that Mcvay seemed to indirectly lay a lot of the issues on offense this Sunday on Goff.

He often iterated and reiterated :
-You have to know that if they're bringing more than we can cover, where is the hot routes, who is the free man, where should the protection slide?
-he went out of his way to acknowledge that it wasn't the offensive line , ("the offensive line played winning football today. People saw Goff getting pressured and thought it was the line but it was the other instances that caused is to not execute. )
-says that they KNEW the cover 0 was coming and they prepared for it but "just didn't execute".
- "there are certain guys that I expect to play at a higher level (and I expect that from myself as well)

I know the Goff discussion is getting old (hence the warning) but it's definitely becoming more apparent that something just might not be clicking

The Rams will gain ground during the bye week. I’m calling losses for our entire division this week and we’ll return to claim a tie for the division by spanking the Seahawks in a convincing manner next week. We got this. We’ve gotten our turd performances in the rear view mirror.