Miami Dolphins at San Francisco 49ers, 4:05 p.m. on Fox

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 p.m. on CBS

Indianapolis Colts at Cleveland Browns, 4:25 p.m. on CBS

.

Los Angeles Rams at The Washington Football Team, 1:00 p.m. on Fox

Philadelphia Eagles at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1:00 p.m. on Fox

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

Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs, 1:00 p.m. on CBS

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

Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens, 1:00 p.m. on CBS

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 p.m. on Fox

.

Game Day Thread

The GDT is a live thread tradition here at ROD.

While we all get fired up watching the game, please remember our core principles;we always show respect for our team and each other.

Despite the emotional highs and lows watching a game, we will moderate this thread with that in mind, however please refrain from name calling. This applies to players, the Rams organization, and others.

This is the core rule of the GDT. Moderators are tasked to issue thread bans, at a minimum, to maintain this standard.

This is our team. Win or lose. Good days and bad. We are here for FUN, not to be dragged down.

A more loosely moderated atmosphere can be found in the chat room.

Go Rams!

———

ROD Chat Room;

Game Day Room


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Drop formerly known as MassDrop is a company that finds really cool stuff, usually audiophile gear that it gets from audiophile gear manufacturers, but they commission changes, many of them subtle, but that can really make a massive difference.

Well, for my birthday, my wife got me the Drop 177x Go headphones. They are the equivalent of the Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pros. Well, the changes apparently make all the difference because whereas the Beyers are VERY V shaped in their sound to the point of being uncomfortable, these Drop changes make all the difference.

Several super well respected headphone audiophile expert reviewers said that UNEQUIVOCALLY, these Drop 177x Go headphones are the best all around headphones under $500 and best many headphones several times the price.

Well, I got 'em.

Edit: forgot something

What do they feel like?

Well, They came with the big leather ear cups installed and came with a thinner version in the box. I kept the bigger one on as that's how I'll be listening to them.

Head clamp. Really nice. When you open them initially, it seems to have a stronger pull than a compound bow, making one wonder if one's about to put one's head in a vice. No worries because the head clamp is very modest. I have daily migraines, so I'm SUPER sensitive to too much pressure on the head or ears and have had no issues. The memory foam in the headband is a little stiff and will take a little time to adjust to (the replacement band for my DT 770s is super soft and I may replace this band... I dunno. It's fine)

I also purchased some Brainwavz replacement earpads. I have the perforated leather on and wow. They aren't as much of a sound seal as the supplied leather, but they're softer and they really, REALLY change the sound signature. They make these cans sound slightly more open and that subtle change is just amazing. WORTH the money. A slight pain to replace as I was being SUPER careful, but now that I know how to do it, it'll be easy to make changes in the future. I also purchased the microsuede gaming pads with cooling gel. I'll try them later and give an update if I get a chance to game for a longer time, but so far, these perforated pads are just... /sigh... so nice.

What do they sound like?

Well, they're closed cans, so they have excellent sound isolation. The sound field is REMARKABLY open for a closed can. An open backed headphone doesn't have a solid back and while that lets sound out, it also creates that "open" sound field that seems more natural. Closed backs tend to give a more focused sound field. To each their own. I prefer closed as it blocks outside sounds and lets me focus.

But here's the caveat: Much like any Legacy Audio speakers... if you have badly engineered or old, low bitrate songs, they'll sound even worse. It can be disheartening to find a favorite song that sounds like it's on AM or mediocre FM because of the limits of the engineering of the song or if the song was poorly encoded.

The upside is that if something is engineered well and encoded well... HOLY SHIT!!!

So, what did I listen to once I got them out of the box?

1) Moonlight in Vermont, Mel Tormé

A well engineered track, this standard is buttery smooth and the high tenderness of Mel's voice is soft, subtle and vulnerable. No harshness with all of the subtle cues that truly distinguish him as a Standards star... I can tell that the album I curated, Lush Life is gonna be amazing to listen to.

2) Cult of Personality, Living Colour

The 32 ohm resistance of these cans (as opposed to the 80 ohm resistance of my DT 770 Pros) mean they drive easier... and that means louder. I couldn't with my computer and no headphone amp drive my DT 770s to be too loud. Not so with this cans!!! I was able to blast my brains out and still have like 20% left on the volume bar. The guitar is tight, the drums as percussive as hell and everything seems right there. The voice overlays of Malcolm X, Ronald Reagan and all the others becomes almost like an ethereal overlay creating a wonderful juxtaposition with the driving guitar. There's a reason this is one of my favorite songs and only more so with these headphones.

3) Sweet Love, Anita Baker

I do love Anita, but I need a better source. Her voice is wonderful with these headphones, but the overall engineering is off enough to be distracting. The headphones showed the limits of engineering for digital when this album was released. Maybe there's a remaster I can grab...

4) If I Had You, Judy Garland, Lyn Murray & The Merry Macs

I dunno if there's a single voice that evokes more emotion for me than Judy Garland and this song is a wonderful illustration of that. Unfortunately, even from the Complete Decca Masters, this remaster plays like something recorded in the 40s. My stuff from the 40s is probably gonna be the hardest hit by the accuracy of these cans and that's definitely the case with this amazing song.

5) Everybody Loves Somebody, Dean Martin "Late at Night with Dean Martin"

He recorded like a zillion arrangements of his signature song, but THIS version is the late night, smoke filled basement club version that is just...smooth like sippin' whiskey. The arrangement is fantastic, the engineering even more so and these headphones make me think that Dean Martin's voice alone on this track could separate a good number of people from their undergarments...

6) Eleanor Rigby, Stanley Jordan

HOLY SHIT!!! i feel like he's playing right in front of me. I can hear every finger tap and the cues you normally need to be live or have $30k speakers to hear. If I want to show someone the difference in headphones, this will be one of the tracks I'll use.

7) Tennessee Whiskey, Chris Stapleton

Oooooooh....man. Sounds like I'm right in the studio. What more can be said? This will be another audition piece for sure.

8) More Bounce to the Ounce, Zapp

I dunno if there's a better funk song bass line and for such an electronic bass line, it doesn't sound too closed off (lots of electronic music can sound really contained). At lower volumes it sounds a little claustrophobic, but turn up the volume and that's all these cans need to let the bass breathe and just boom. Nothing muddy, which for electronic funk is a huge ask.

9) Burn MF, Five Finger Death Punch "The Wrong Side of Heaven and The Righteous Side of Hell"

Wow... Okay... I have no idea what the hell was going on with the engineering of this ablum, because Watch You Bleed sounds like absolute dogshit. But Burn MF sounds like 100% better. I did it to give some metal a listen and I'll have to find better stuff (I don't have any, this just showed up on my iTunes as my son bought it). Another metal review will be below, but yeah. Burn MF has the instruments well placed, the power cords aren't all muddy and the kick drum is ringing my bell... as it should.

10) Girls, Girls, Girls, Motley Crue

Okay... hair band metal and again, felt like I was in the studio. If metal was my jam, I'd be thrilled.

11) Higher Ground, Stevie Wonder

Wow... if you've never really listened to this on a nice setup, you don't realize how much sonically is happening with this song... the constant reverb left to right and the well separated instruments... the tambourine only in the left ear... just mind-blowing. The synth can sound a little dated, but I've heard that synth in person and it sounds just like this even in person so yeah... freaking amazing.

12) Lay Me Down, Sam Smith

WOW, WOW, WOW... felt like he was in the room with me and I could hear the inside of the piano (I recognize the cues from having been a classical vocal soloist in high school). An unusually well engineered and layered pop song.

13) Writing's On the Wall, Sam Smith

The big brass for this James Bond song just wails... the orchestration comes through as a well engineered classical piece... basically the engineers should be proud of this one and these cans capture it all... magnificently done.

Lastly,
14) Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 in F, Op. 68 "Pastorale" 1st movement. Herbert Von Karajan, Conducting the Berlin Philharmonic

This is my favorite piece of classical music and damn... Von Karajan (for all the negatives about him) was truly a master of Beethoven and his masterwork recording of all 9 Beethoven Symphonies are simply the best. And honestly... his Symphony No 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 I. Allegro con brio is just so amazing that it's another clear audition piece. Normally, in big symphonies, whenever the timpani drums come crashing in, everything becomes muddled. NOT SO. Big sounds from symphonies can be harder to juggle than full grown elephants, but these cans do it. The digital limitations don't quite get this to live, but this is also a pretty old recording... amazingly well engineered, but slightly limited. Still, to hear better, you'll need at LEAST 5 figures for a stereo speaker set up. AT LEAST...

These are exactly as the reviewers say they are... great for ANY kind of listening, from audiophile monitors to gaming, movies and YouTube. It may seem strange to pay nearly $500 for headphones, but once you hear them, you'll realize that they're worth every penny and then some. And the next time you hear some speakers worth several thousand dollars, you'll snicker because... you have WAY better for much less... and it can even be used by a PHONE... yep, the 32 ohm resistance means that even phones can drive them and pretty decently.

Anyway, one of the best birthday presents ever and if they last as long as my DT 770s, I'll have them for at least 15 years... which again... is pretty amazing!

If you have any questions about them or wonder how they handle any kind of music or artist or even a specific recording (if it's on spotify or iTunes, I can probably listen to it), lemme know. I love finding out about new music or even discovering older music I missed.

Sorry for the long post. Just had to share. With 2020 sucking as badly as it has, I figure anyone with any good news oughta share it...

Keep Calm and RAM ON!!!

Clemson is 1 Heck of a team.

730 est time.

I find this to be an interesting graphic, mentally trying to put Rams Players into a single one of these.

The leaders on this team span across several of these, no doubt... but to only assign one.



For example...

Ramsey = Warrior?
Whitworth = Papa Bear?
Hekker = Humorist?

Etc.

What do you see in the public perception of our players?

When we have the 11 am game it's a bit more complicated to plan a meal to match the game.

Plan to make a big pot of French Onion Soup to eat for dinner after the game.

But during the game. . . What do we eat? Trying to dig into DC food. When I was there it was big on food trucks so honestly just a mix of foods. Searching team specific meals and it looks like they have a smoked brawt that is popular.

But I saw this recipe and thought maybe we'd give it a try. Red Bean Mooncakes.

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SPOILERS

I Rocky loses to Creed but wins best picture.

II Rematch with Creed and cashes in. Also wins the fight.

III Rocky gets rich and soft, fights Mr T with help from the #1 song on billboard chart. He Survives.

IV Rocky gets revenge on the Russians after everyone dies. Training with tree logs in six feet of snow to a shitty soundtrack.

V Rocky is a good Dad but a bad trainer, Tommygun declares mutiny in the streets.

VI Midlife crisis sets in....
Wins the title anyway.

PRE-GAME THREAD

• Tweets about the game, leading up to the game, players, writers, etc.
• Stats, tidbits
• Weather conditions
• Pregame stuff, quips, articles, previews, prediction stuff (some times there seems more than normal of this type of stuff)
• “Things on the web” that don’t feel they stand alone, but maybe fit here
• Excited about something with the game, maybe you want to shout it here
• Trash talking, general smack
• Unsure where to put something game related, maybe try here
• Going to the game? Tell us! (at least in the future)

Tune into ESPN2 tonight at 8pm to see my local high school teams square off in quite the rivalry game. These people will throw social distancing to the wind tonight to scream for their team. That aside, it should be an entertaining game at the highest level of high school football in the country. I would expect Lowndes High to come out on top of Valdosta High since Lowndes plays in the higher classification but this hasn't mattered much in the past. Valdosta holds a 37-20 series edge but is only 6-14 over the past two decades. Valdosta has the most wins in the country and sports 11 NFL Alumni including a Ram, Willie Gary. Lowndes sports 7 and a name you may remember associated with the Rams, Greg Reid. I'm pulling for Lowndes since all my kids graduated from there but otherwise I have no dog in this fight. Tune in and enjoy!

Can the Rams defense endure with so few inside linebackers?

The LA Rams run a 3-4 base defensive package. Somehow in the planning of building a roster for a 53-man active roster, the powers that be decided that the team needed five running backs on the roster. The team decided to carry ten offensive linemen and six defensive linemen. But when ILB Travin Howard fell to injury, the team decided that Micah Kiser, Kenny Young, and Troy Reeder would be enough depth at inside linebacker to handle the workload of 16 games.

That sounds great on paper. After all, theoretically, the Rams run a sub nickel and dime package frequently. And with an abundance of defensive plays, the Rams will be looking at one inside linebacker on the field at a time, not two. That should allow the team to maintain a good rotation and keep players healthy. Only that’s not how it seems to be working right now, just after four games in a 16 game season.

Time to reinforce the heart of this defense

After all, here is the latest injury report.

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Now, these are minor injuries, and the LA Rams are taking every precaution to minimize the wear and tear on so few players. But the depth chart of the position now has the two starters injured, and only backup Troy Reeder as healthy. Of course, the Rams did pick up ILB/OLB Justin Hollins and can use him in a pinch. After four games are the Rams in a pinch already?

Kiser injury could have an impact

Micah Kiser has been the glue of the defense. While he has shown some struggles at times, he knows where he needs to be and he has been making plays for the Rams. Kenny Young, so far, has been rather inconsistent. And Troy Reeder has not shown enough to make anyone confident when he takes the field. This would have been the perfect opportunity to call up drafted linebacker Clay Johnston from the practice squad. Unfortunately, he opted to sign with the Carolina Panthers to join his father and former college head coach, Matt Rhule

The Rams have some tough choices to make. With the imminent return to playing status, the Rams will need to make a room on the Rams roster for the return of OLB Terrell Lewis. If the Rams call up an inside linebacker like Christian Rozeboom, Danie; Bituli, or Derrick Moncrief, the team will need to clear roster spots.

Rams too shallow at ILB

Of course, it would all be so much easier if both Kiser and Young could just shake it off. Or if the Rams could rely upon a rotation that included both Hollins and Reeder as defenders capable of holding down the fort while either Kiser or Young take a break. But the reality is that the Rams current roster has 3.5 players supporting two significant roles on defense (.5 because Hollins will also play outside linebacker at times).

Back to the drawing board? I’m not sure. Linebacker is a position that is difficult to fill in the NFL this time of year. And the Rams track record at the position has not been stellar, as the team has lost an inside linebacker to another team twice in the past two years. For now, the Rams are beginning to show wear and tear at a critical position on defense. For a defense that needs to improve at run defense, that needs to be taken seriously.

Rams feel better about this year's 3-1 start compared to a season ago

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- For a second consecutive season, the Los Angeles Rams are off to a 3-1 start. But they'll be the first to tell you that not all 3-1 starts are created equal.

For instance, 2019?

"You played good enough to win but you didn't feel real good about how well we were executing even though you were winning," left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. "I think in this situation, we feel pretty good about the way we're executing as a football team."

Said quarterback Jared Goff: "We're just playing a lot better at every spot, every phase."

The Rams are in second place in the NFC West behind the 4-0 Seattle Seahawks as they prepare for a third trip to the East Coast to play the Washington Football Team (1-3) on Sunday.

Last season, their 3-1 start -- which included a drubbing by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- resulted in a 9-7 finish that kept them from a third consecutive playoff appearance.

With three new coordinators, a revamped backfield and a host of new defensive starters, their identity is still taking shape. But through a quarter of the season, Rams coach Sean McVay -- who is returning to Washington for the first time as a head coach after spending seven seasons there as an assistant -- likes what he sees.

"What I've been encouraged with is that this team has shown a resolve, a mental toughness," McVay said, "and an ability to win games in different ways."

In a season-opening win over the Dallas Cowboys, the offense resembled the 2018 version that propelled the Rams to a Super Bowl appearance. The defense produced a late-game stop to secure a 20-17 win.

The offense continued the pace, if not stepped it up a beat, in a dominant Week 2 performance against the Philadelphia Eagles, a game in which cornerback Darious Williams produced one of his team-high two interceptions to halt an Eagles momentum surge in the third quarter.

And although they dropped a game in Week 3 to the undefeated Bills, the Rams departed Buffalo with resolve after they staged a 29-0 run in the second half to overcome a disastrous start and nearly completed what would have been a historic come-from-behind win.

Last Sunday, they grinded out a win over the New York Giants, in a game that wide receiver Cooper Kupp admitted left "kind of a bad taste in our mouth" because of how the offense performed.

"It can be an ugly win; it can be a great win," said Whitworth, who is in his 15th NFL season. "Whatever it is, you find a way to win that game, and I think we've shown that in all four games regardless of our record."

The defense has allowed an average of 20 points per game, which ranks sixth in the NFL and is an improvement from the 22.8 points allowed per game last season.

"We are encouraged," first-year defensive coordinator Brandon Staley said. "But far from satisfied."

Staley, who kept a 3-4 base defense but often deploys five defensive backs, wants to see the unit improve its alignments and fundamentals.

"It's not anything big," he said. "It's just these little things that add up to a lot of big things."

Among the goals of Staley's scheme is to get two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald into more one-on-one situations. Donald has 3.5 sacks this season, though his pass rush win rate versus double teams has jumped from 61.1% in 2019 to 71.6% this season.

"It's a good start. I'm pretty sure that we made mistakes here and there," Donald said about the season. "We'll continue to get better."

The offense is scoring an average of 26.5 points per game, which ranks 14th in the league and is an improvement from last season's average of 24.6.

The run game has outperformed expectations since moving to a committee approach after the departure of Todd Gurley II. Behind Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson Jr., Malcolm Brown, along with several receivers who have carried the ball, the Rams are averaging 142.3 rushing yards per game compared to 93.7 yards last season.

But the most notable improvement belongs to Goff, who is now in his fifth season. His Total QBR has jumped from 40.6 through the first four games of 2019 to 72.5; his completion percentage is up from 64.2% to 72.1%; and his touchdown-to-interception ratio has improved from 6-to-6 through four games last season to 6-to-2 thus far in 2020.

Goff said the offensive line has provided the most promise, but he also pointed to his improved footwork for his personal success.

"My feet have been so much better through these four games than really anytime my career," Goff said. "Just the consistency with my feet and the consistency with my eyes. A lot of that is credit to the O-line."

The offensive line has a pass block win rate of 63.4%, up from 56.9% last season.

With the portion of their schedule featuring NFC East teams -- which have combined for three wins this season -- nearly complete, the difficulty of the Rams' schedule should pick up. They'll begin division play in Week 6 in San Francisco and must also play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots later this season.

But, compared to a season ago, there's plenty of confidence around the Rams that they have a solid foundation to build on.

"You can start fine-tuning how you play the game," Whitworth said. "And I think that's how you really truly start to get better and better as a team throughout the season."

Congrats to @GingerRam for winning last weeks contest.

The Rams are flying back east for the 3rd time in 4 weeks to take on the team with no name, The Washington Football Team. Los Angeles is coming off a lackluster performance against the Giants, escaping with a 17-9 victory. Can they return to LA with a 4 game sweep of the NFC Least, or will WFT take control of their division with a victory?


The rules are the same as always. Guess the final score of the game, with the correct winning team. The closest prediction will be the proud winner of $10000 ROD sportsbook credits. Predict the exact final score, along with the correct winning team, and win $20000. For those of you actually reading this, and realize the prizes have doubled, thank me with a high five or a cheers !!


And dont forget to check out the new weekly contest HERE

so I have been thinking about a way to get you folks some more ROD sportsbook credits and decided to make it easier for everyone (except me of course)

so this one is rather easy, just like Predict the score, EXCEPT WITH MULTIPLE WINNERS !!!!

Just guess what the score will be after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarters. Any correct answer wins !!! if 4 people pick 10-7 rams lead..then 4 people win. It's that easy !!!

Final score guesses in this thread do not qualify for the PTS Contest

Just specify what team will be leading at the end of qts. 1, 2 and 3 and what the score will be.

each correct guess, exact only, will win 2500 Rod Sportsbook credits


Have fun with it.

He sounds like he has really grown into the leadership roll.

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I never thought I'd have my own home again after I sold my house in San Diego. But here I am on the verge of being a homeowner. It's about 1,200 sq ft with 2 bedroom master suites and a den (my man cave). Brand new tile floor throughout for ease of cleaning, separate laundry room, central air, and heating, totally refurbished inside and out. It's a very nice upscale neighborhood not far from U of Az in the foothills of the Catalina Mtns. $143K with payments with the taxes and impound home insurance comes to about $630 per month.

Gotta love that VA Loan! No downpayment, and here in AZ as a senior I got 3% to go against the purchase price with no payments. If I stay in the home for 3 years the money is forgiven. I'm not the only Californian moving to AZ. The market is super hot with CA buyers and even with the price gouging, it's still so much cheaper than you can believe. My nephew whom I'm staying with has a gorgeous 2,400 sq ft view lot brand new site built 4 bdrm home for $280K (with upgrades) he bought via VA. He lives in upscale Vail, AZ.

Right now the sky is clear with a light breeze and it's 78 degrees outside which I'm told is their normal fall and winter weather. The heat and monsoon rain season is summer. My son is an EMT in San Diego and he's considering moving out here before the end of the year. California is a wonderful place, but the cost of living simply isn't realistic. He will make maybe 10% less but his cost of living will be 50% less. Oh, BTW gas today was $1.85 / gal which is why everyone out here is running around in full-size V8 powered SUVs and PUs.

My son went with his GF to Puerto Penasco on the gulf of Calif. which is about 3 hrs from Tucson and they loved it. So yeah it's not so bad I guess. LOL

My whole point of this thread is to tell my Ram fan bros there is an alternative to working your ass off to pay the rent or bank. I can still follow the Rams, Lakers and Dodgers from AZ. Or if you are retired this isn't such a bad place to be. Just picked up my Modelo Negro and my GF has made us a wonderful dinner of tacos birria de res (beef tacos the way the Mexican really eat them) and Mexican rice and elotes. Cheers, my Ram bros!!

The L.A. Rams Are Running Their Way Back Into Contention

By Neil Paine
Filed under NFL

• https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-l-a-rams-are-running-their-way-back-into-contention/

The Los Angeles Rams were the toast of football under second-year coach Sean McVay in 2018, finishing 13-3 and going all the way to the Super Bowl before losing a defensive struggle to Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots. Despite the defeat, L.A. remained the team to emulate; an arms race to hire McVay clones became the dominant theme of the following offseason. But the Rams struggled to keep building on their success, missing the playoffs last year with a 9-7 record. By the end of the season, there were concerns that opposing coaches had figured out Los Angeles’s tricks — and that the McVay magic was suddenly gone.

And yet, here the 2020 Rams are, off to a 3-1 start and looking like legitimate Super Bowl contenders again. Our forecast model gives Los Angeles a 71 percent chance of returning to the playoffs, with a 4 percent chance of winning it all — tied for eighth-best in the league. And although some of the principals involved have changed, McVay has managed to reclaim key elements of the formula that made the Rams so tough to stop during that charmed 2018 season.

Last year’s Rams were undone in large part by a noticeable decline on offense, dipping from third overall in schedule-adjusted expected points added (EPA) per game to 14th. The biggest culprit? Surprisingly — given how important the passing game is in determining a team’s offensive fate — it was actually the Rams’ rushing that fell off a cliff, falling from No. 1 in EPA per game to No. 28. Running back Todd Gurley, who had been so dangerous (4.9 yards per carry) for most of 2018, struggled with only 3.8 yards per carry, and his backups were just as ineffective. (It wasn’t all their fault: L.A. also dropped from sixth in yards before first contact per rush, a measure of run-blocking, to 30th last year.)

Either way, for a hyper-modern offense that everyone was scrambling to copy, it’s amazing how quickly Los Angeles was made mortal by simply neutralizing its efficiency running the ball.

L.A. is back to its successful formula
Leaguewide ranks in schedule-adjusted expected points added (EPA) for the Los Angeles Rams by season and category, 2018-20
�
*2020 schedule adjustment uses a combination of 2019 and 2020 stats to measure opponent strength.

SOURCES: ESPN STATS & INFORMATION GROUP
That lack of rushing success had ripple effects. The Rams feature a heavy play-action-based passing scheme, and while there’s no evidence the effectiveness of a team’s rushing boosts the effectiveness of its play-fakes, it is true that play-action does at least work much better in down-and-distance situations in which the threat of running is more credible.1 So when L.A.’s early down rushing fell from sixth in yards per carry in 2018 to 27th in 2019 — and when it couldn’t force opponents to stack more defenders in the box to help contain the run — the Rams often found themselves in situations in which play-action was less effective. As a result, Jared Goff’s QBR on play-passes dropped from 77.2 (11th-best) in 2018 to 59.2 (25th) in 2019.

But this season, the Rams’ rushing attack has returned in a big way. Second-year running back Darrell Henderson is averaging 5.2 yards per carry, 11th-best among qualified rushers, and as a team, Los Angeles ranks third in schedule-adjusted rushing EPA per game. Rushing makes up 36 percent of the Rams’ total yardage this season, which ranks seventh in the league; compare that with last year’s 25 percent mark (28th), and you get a sense of how much McVay has gone back to the basics to rediscover what worked so well during L.A.’s Super Bowl run.

And because the Rams have been so much more successful running early in offensive series — they’re averaging 5.3 yards per carry on first down, for instance — they’ve put themselves in more favorable play-action situations again. Goff’s QBR after play-fakes is back up to 85.7, which ranks 15th among qualified passers this season, and Los Angeles ranks second in the league (behind the Tennessee Titans) with 51.8 percent of its passing yards coming off of play-action attempts.

It’s all coming together to propel the Rams back near the top of the league in offensive EPA, with the team ranking sixth this season after last year’s drop-off. Together with the ninth-best EPA defense in the NFL so far, Los Angeles is one of only two teams — along with the Kansas City Chiefs — sitting among the top 10 on both offense and defense at the moment. Although the Rams play in a very tough division, featuring both the surging Seattle Seahawks and the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers2 — and their schedule gets tougher from here on — Los Angeles does seem to have fixed some of the major problems behind its Super Bowl hangover last season.

FiveThirtyEight’s NFL Elo ratings
How each team ranks through Week 4 of the 2020 season, according to our quarterback-adjusted predictions
�
*Ranking among Week 5 starters, according to our QB Elo ratings.
✚ Starter is currently injured and may not play.
Simulations as of Oct. 7, 2020.

For the first 2-3 weeks of the season, the NFL seemed to have kept COVID-19 at bay.

Now, its starting to impact things. Players shelved, games postponed, and outcomes (arguably impacted).

The question is, will the last team standing be the one that keeps its personnel in compliance with safety guidelines (there are reports, for example, that Titans players broke protocol, leading to an outbreak), or is it all just one big crap-shoot?

If there is a degree of control that teams have over this problem, I feel pretty good about our Rams' chances (knock on wood). I think that, under Sean McVay, we have a pretty cohesive unit, and a lot of high character guys and veteran leaders.

It may even be a blessing in disguise that one of the team's most prominent leaders - Andrew Whitworth - has experienced COVID (he and his family contracted it this Summer). He can, from first hand experience, use his influence to get the message across that this think is real and there can be no exceptions to the rules of prevention.

Hang on folks... its going to be a bumpy ride.

I knew it was good, but this is elite.

[www.teamrankings.com]

And if not for that bad call against Williams late in the Bills game that resulted in a ‘gift’ 7 points? Rams would be easily #1.

Color me impressed with Staley’s scoring D in general, and 2nd half of games in particular.

Thursday Night Football: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Chicago Bears

Week 5 of the 2020 NFL season begins with a nationally televised "Thursday Night Football" matchup between two former division foes. The Chicago Bears (3-1) will renew their rivalry with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) at Soldier Field.

The Bears are coming off a tough loss to the Colts that knocked them from the ranks of the unbeaten last Sunday. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat the upstart Chargers at home. Can Chicago bounce back on a short week? Or will the Bucs continue to assert themselves as postseason contenders?

Thursday Night Football: Tampa Bay at Chicago

Kickoff: Thursday, Oct. 8 at 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: FOX/NFL Network
Spread: Buccaneers -3.5

Three Things to Watch

1. Undefeated no more

The Bears picked up their first loss of the '20 campaign against the Colts last week. They were outplayed and outcoached on both sides of the ball and looked nothing like the team that started 3-0. The Bears were held to just 11 points (eight of which came in the fourth quarter), only gained 277 yards (just 28 rushing yards, 1.8 ypc), and remained scoreless in the third quarter. New starter Nick Foles (26-of-42, 249 yards, TD, INT, sacked once, 76.4 passer rating) was unable to recapture the magic that he had coming off the bench in Atlanta.

The Colts' top-ranked defense ultimately held the Bears' offense at bay with speed and fierce tackling. Head coach Matt Nagy struggled to make adjustments when needed. The one bright spot was Allen Robinson II (7 catches, 101 yards, TD) reaching 5,000 career receiving yards. The Bears' defense didn't fare much better, as this unit, so far, is a far cry from the top-10 defense we saw in 2018 and '19. They gave up 19 points and 293 yards to the Colts and failed to make life hard on Philip Rivers (16-of-29, 190 yards, TD, 86.9 rating) by collecting only one sack (Brent Urban) and no turnovers.

Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn are still waiting for their breakout moments after combining for just three tackles against Indianapolis. While this was just the Bears' first loss of the season, the Colts exposed flaws on both sides of the ball. And now they need to get it together on just three days' notice as they must now face a red-hot Tampa Bay team that means business.

2. Rebounding Buccaneers

Tampa Bay started the season with a loss in New Orleans, a game with mistakes on both sides of the ball. Tom Brady and the offense didn't find their stride until the second half that day, and the defense allowed both Drew Brees (two touchdown passes) and Alvin Kamara (two total touchdowns) to make big plays against it. The Buccaneers have certainly learned from Week 1, as they've won their last three games and outscored opponents 97-58 in the process.

It wasn't easy last week against the Chargers, however. Tampa Bay needed a 24-7 second-half rally to overcome a 10-point halftime deficit to outlast Los Angeles, 38-31. Brady put together this best game in Bucs uniform, completing 30-of-46 passes for 369 yards and five touchdowns. Yes, he's thrown four interceptions already (two of which have been returned for touchdowns by the defense), but his 11 touchdown passes have him tied for fourth in the league, and most importantly, Tampa Bay is 3-1.

Brady has been supported on the ground by the tandem of Ronald Jones II and Leonard Fournette, who have combined for 376 rushing yards and three touchdowns through four games. However, injuries continue to be a major issue. Fournette missed last week because of an ankle injury, while Pro Bowl wide receiver Chris Godwin has missed two games because of a concussion and now a hamstring injury. Additionally, tight end O.J. Howard, who is third on the team in receiving (146 yards) and second with two touchdown catches, is out for the rest of the season after tearing his Achilles in the win over the Chargers.

The Bucs' defense hasn't been too shabby either, as they rank fourth in total defense (312.0 ypg), tied for eighth in scoring defense (23.0 ppg), and are second against the run (64.3 ypg). They're also third in the league in sacks (14) and second in takeaways (8). The Bears will have their hands full on Thursday night.

3. Tom Brady vs. Chicago

The man labeled as the G.O.A.T. is 5-0 against the Bears from his 20-year run in New England. In these games, Brady has completed 70.3 percent of his pass attempts for 1,595 yards, 14 touchdowns, just four interceptions, and he's only been sacked six times. That's good for a 109.2 passer rating. Of those five wins, two of them have taken place at Soldier Field, including his most recent matchup in 2018, a 38-31 victory in Week 7.

Final Analysis

The Bears and Buccaneers played each other twice a year in the old NFC Central division from 1978-2001. The Bears lead the all-time series 39-20, but the Bucs have a 2-1 advantage in the last three meetings. The Bears are 3-3 in their last six games against the NFC South, while Tampa Bay is 2-3 in their last five against the NFC North. The Bears have never defeated Tom Brady, the Bucs have the recent advantage in this series, they're heating up at the right time, and the Bears haven't been able to play a full four quarters of football just yet. Brady continues his perfection in the Windy City.

Prediction: Buccaneers 24, Bears 20

I'm disabled ,sleep whenever.

Sometimes I get these burst of energy, stay up 24 36 hours, then I sleep for 12 plus hours lol.

My question is ,is there anyone else who has basically 24 7 ?

By Lindsey ThiryESPN

How Jalen Ramsey makes the Rams better: 'His swag is contagious'

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - He explained. He demonstrated. He even provided his own sound effects. If only the microphones weren't hot and the cameras weren't rolling.

"Yeah, 'Hard Knocks' gave away a little too much, huh?" Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey deadpanned before cracking a smile.

Ramsey and rookie wide receiver Van Jefferson battled throughout training camp, providing a show for the few allowed to watch. However, less obvious -- and perhaps never to be known if it weren't for the "Hard Knocks: Los Angeles" mics broadcasting for all to witness -- was what Ramsey said after the whistles.

And no, the all-world trash talker wasn't talking trash.

Instead, Ramsey provided Jefferson detailed feedback. He pumped his arms, showing the rookie how to sell a fade, then explained on a slant, "Just hit it and go -- you're fast, bro!"

Long before he signed his five-year, $105 million deal last month, the richest contract for a defensive back in NFL history, Ramsey oozed with confidence. He continues to talk an insane amount of trash to opponents. But above all else, Ramsey wants to be great and that means making sure his teammates are great, too.

"That's actually something that I've always done," Ramsey said, when asked if he typically provided feedback or had grown into a leadership role with experience. "I'm all about winning. So if I can help the team win, then I'm going to do that, for sure."

Then, Ramsey provided an unsolicited dose of self-awareness.

"I have not always been painted in the best picture of being the best teammate," he said flatly. "But if you ask my actual teammates, not maybe the media and the other people that don't like me, if you ask my actual teammates, they will always say that I've been that guy."

A second-round pick from Florida, Jefferson might be new to the Rams, but he offered a lasting impression of Ramsey.

"He's one of the best teammates I've had," Jefferson said. "And even though he's a big-money guy, he's still talking to me, making sure I can be better at things."

Ramsey arrived in L.A. from Jacksonville last Oct. 15, a day he says is among the best of his life. The Rams spent a king's ransom to acquire the three-time Pro Bowl selection and All-Pro, sending two first-round picks and a fourth-round pick to the Jaguars, whose relationship with Ramsey came to an impasse.

Ramsey's antics in Jacksonville became headlines when he critiqued every quarterback in the league, reported to training camp in an armored truck -- a clear indication he wanted a raise -- and engaged in a sideline shouting match with his head coach, earning a reprimand by Jaguars vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin. And that's just a partial list.

Since arriving in L.A., Ramsey had kept a relatively low profile until Sunday, when he exchanged punches with New York Giants wide receiver Golden Tate moments after a 17-9 victory that improved the Rams to 3-1. Outside of that incident, which stems from a family situation between Ramsey and Tate, Ramsey's been rather tame, relatively speaking.

His unfiltered opinion has been, well, a bit more filtered. However, he still doesn't care what people think, he doesn't pull punches when breaking down a play -- even when it's a teammate who blows a third-down assignment in Week 16 to keep the Rams out of the playoffs, and when he doesn't want to talk with reporters or grows tired of the line of questioning, he has no problem letting the media know.

But where it counts most, inside the Rams' locker room and on the field, he's ingratiated himself with teammates. "He's leading the charge," slot cornerback Troy Hill said. "He's bringing that energy and that spark."

When the Rams traded for Ramsey, they trusted he wouldn't hold out entering the 2020 season in pursuit of an extension and would become a pivotal part of their team.

Since arriving in Week 7 last season, Ramsey's delivered on both fronts -- and then some.

The secondary is a key component in first-year coordinator Brandon Staley's scheme, which has deployed five defensive backs -- including first-year starters Darious Williams and Jordan Fuller, throughout most of the Rams' successful start to the season.

Safety John Johnson III, a fourth-year pro who was voted a team captain, makes no qualms about who the leader of the secondary is -- even if that title is not official.

Ramsey.

"His swag is contagious," said Johnson, whose own personality is among the most magnetic on the team. "I mean, he's a true baller."

Ramsey doesn't dawdle around the facility. He arrives at work to get after it, and teammates say it rubs off. He's a spokesperson among the defensive backs, and Johnson says he's fun to be around. "I'd rather not play with anybody else," Johnson said.


And this good-teammate version of Ramsey didn't begin with his fresh start in L.A., though it wasn't often highlighted during his three-plus seasons in Jacksonville.

"He's a good dude," said former Jaguars teammate Marqise Lee, who offered a rolodex of other Jaguars teammates he said would proudly vouch.

Lee and Ramsey were on the roster together for more than three seasons, though Lee spent 2018 on injured reserve because of a knee injury. Lee said that was the time Ramsey's leadership meant the most.

'I can honestly say, Jalen was one of the factors as far as in my life that helped me think about the positive," said Lee, now a member of the New England Patriots, although he opted out this season. "Me getting injured and experiencing injury in the NFL for the first time, I had a hard time adjusting to it."

"The main thing he kept telling me is at the end of the day, you can play here, you can play, it's just the injury you got to get over. I kept that in the back of my head 24-7."

Ramsey, who turns 26 this month, has also made a habit of expressing excitement, especially on social media, for former teammates who have also departed Jacksonville.

Congrats @YannickNgakoue .. BEYOND Happy for you! You free now!! Just go be you & all the blessings will come to you. Minnesota just got a DAWG!!

A few days later, Ramsey sent a shout out to former Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette, who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

I love it!! @_fournette I’m happy for you family!.. Now I gotta play you tho lol

And he's equally as excitable around the Rams' practice facility over far more mundane situations.

"That's classified!" Ramsey shouted, as he exited the facility, about 40 feet from where reporters conducted a Zoom video conference with receiver Robert Woods. After overhearing the question, "What has Ramsey helped you with?: Ramsey wanted Woods to reveal nothing.

"Don't tell, Robert!!" Ramsey yelled, as he climbed into his Mercedes G-Wagon to leave. "Rob!"

Woods smiled, and stayed away from specific technique tips. But what he revealed, perhaps, was even more interesting.

"One of the biggest things I would take away from Jalen is he also studies the defensive backs," Woods said. "So he's coming even giving us information on different cornerbacks that we face."

Ramsey said about his receivers: "I'm always trying to get the most out of all those guys, as far as the competitiveness. But even when I have opportunities to teach them, like, OK what I've done and what I've been successful on, and what they may see, what corners look at, yeah I'm always trying to give them tips."

Rams coach Sean McVay said Ramsey's been even better than expected, pointing to his competitiveness, versatility and intelligence throughout his first training camp with the team, carrying over to the season.

"The more you get to know him," McVay said, "The more impressed you are."

Three days before the season opener, the Rams signed Ramsey to the extension that included an eye-popping $71.2 million guaranteed. He will remain under contract through the 2025 season, making him a cornerstone of a defense that includes Aaron Donald, a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year who is under contract through the 2024 season.

"Seeing his body of work, day in and day out is how you end up seeing this is what's real," McVay said about Ramsey. "Whatever the narratives were before, I haven't seen any of that. I've seen nothing but good stuff from him. That's why we're fortunate that he's going to be a Ram for a while."

Since his arrival, Jefferson, the rookie receiver, has quickly made an impression on coaches and teammates, including Ramsey, who says he's going to be "A great player in the NFL," and had no problem admitting the rookie beat him on several occasions during training camp.

"Any time I can help him out, then yeah, I'm definitely going to do that. It's not just him, it's any of our receivers," Ramsey said, before almost daring, "They'll tell you."

And indeed, they did.