This was obvious to everyone. Eric Dickerson.
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Re-Living ‘99: Marshall Faulk sets record more than 20 years ahead of schedule

How do you write about Marshall Faulk without feeling like you’ve left something out? Or that you haven’t given him enough respect, even after you do enough research to list out dozens of accolades? The bar for Faulk isn’t that you’ve simply noted that he’s a Hall of Fame back and argued for his case as a top five running of all-time. That’s less than the baseline for an article that aims to give Faulk all the credit he’s due because Faulk was more than a running back.

He’s also a time traveler.

Just within the last three seasons, we’ve seen seven running backs combine for nine seasons of totaling at least 700 receiving yards. Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara have each done it twice, with McCaffrey topping 1,005 yards last season, the most by any back since Faulk in ‘99.

During Faulk’s ‘99 campaign, he averaged 12 yards per catch and 10.17 yards per target.

Last season, McCaffrey averaged 8.6 yards per catch and 7.08 yards per target.

Austin Ekeler was close by, catching 92 passes for 993 yards in 2019 and averaging 10.8 yards per catch and 9.2 yards per target. McCaffrey and Ekeler comparisons may be more fair to the season that Faulk had in 1998 (86 catches, 908 yards) or 2000 (81 catches for 830 yards), but no matter how many Kamara, Le’Veon Bell, McCaffrey, Ekeler, or Todd Gurley’s come along, and no matter how much the league seems to adapt to dual threat options behind center, no back has matched or topped the receiving season that Faulk had 20 years ago.

From the 1970 merger to 1998, the best dual threat season by a back was either Faulk in ‘98 or Roger Craig (1,050 rushing, 1,016 receiving) in 1985. Craig and San Diego’s Lionel James (1,027 receiving yards in 1985) had been the only backs to top 1,000 yards, but Faulk also rushed for 1,319 yards when he catch 86 passes for 908 yards with the Colts in ‘98.

When Faulk was traded to the St. Louis Rams in 1999, he was setup for success like an elite back never had been before. Soon enough, he’d become only the third player to have four 2,000-yard seasons from scrimmage, joining Walter Payton of the Bears and Eric Dickerson, who strangely enough also did it with the Colts and Rams but in reverse order.

They’re still the only three players to do that.

Faulk, who chose to play for San Diego State when coming out of high school in 1991 because they were the first team to offer him as a running back whereas the major programs were interested in him as a corner, would end up catching 87 passes for 1,048 receiving yards — still the most by any back since 1970 — in 1999, and that’s not the only notable receiving record he still holds today.

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Additionally, Faulk ran for 1,381 yards with a league-leading 5.46 yards per carry. Of the 19 seasons since 1970 in which a back had at least 5.4 yards per carry on a minimum of 200 rushing attempts, Faulk’s 1,048 receiving yards is more than double that of second place, which belongs to Chris Johnson’s 2009 total of 503.

Johnson, Jamaal Charles, LeSean McCoy, Gurley ... no matter what dual threat back comes along, they eventually seem no match to duel with Faulk.

In only his second college game, months after being a high schooler and playing for a program with nary a place in NCAA football history, Faulk carried the ball 37 times for 386 yards and seven touchdowns. Regardless of who the opponent was, there are dozens of terrible college defenses that each play dozens of games each year and over many decades of that, few players have rushed for 386 yards and seven touchdowns.

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In a statement that makes little sense without the right context: a freshman running back at San Diego State finished ninth in Heisman voting in 1991.

The next year he finished second and in 1993 he finished fourth. Those Heismans went to Desmond Howard, Gino Toretta, and Charlie Ward instead. Faulk wrapped up his three-year career with 1,530 rushing yards, 644 receiving yards, and 24 total touchdowns in 1993. He entered the NFL draft and was the second overall pick behind Dan Wilkinson to the Bengals.

Whether it was Toretta, Wilkinson, or asking him to play corner instead of running back so he settled for San Diego State, Faulk always seemed comfortable with second. It never set him back. “Catch the ball” was always the second priority for running backs too, if not third after blocking, but Faulk was comfortable doing everything.

The Rams sent the Colts a second and fifth round pick for Faulk in ‘99, looking to replace the failed trial runs for Lawrence Phillips and Robert Holcombe, himself a second round pick in 1998. St. Louis even had Amp Lee on the roster from ‘97 to ‘99, a running back whose 825 receiving yards with the Rams in 1997 ranked ninth all-time leading up to the year Faulk was acquired.

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Head coach Dick Vermeil had something in mind with regards to utilizing the back as a receiver, but lacked the personnel to execute. He replaced offensive coordinator Jerry Rhome with Mike Martz, an assistant under Norv Turner in Washington prior to his employment with the Rams. When the ‘99 season happened, Washington actually featured the NFL’s leader in rushing yards per game in Stephen Davis (100.4 per game), who also had the most touchdowns (17), while ranking first in rushing DYAR and DVOA.

But in St. Louis, Martz had the NFL’s most valuable running back. En total.

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Up to this point of Re-Living ‘99, I’ve mentioned Faulk plenty of times in the recaps but not dedicated much time to what he’s actually accomplished thus far in the season. All told, Faulk has rushed for 1,248 yards and six touchdowns headed into Week 16, with seven 100-yard rushing efforts. With the Colts, Faulk had only produced six 100-yard rushing efforts in the last three seasons combined.

He had also been wildly productive as a receiver, catching 72 passes for 817 yards and scoring three times. He hadn’t topped 100 yards in any one game but why should he when the Rams were so thoroughly beating most of their opponents, paving the way for Lee and Holcombe and Justin Watson to play in the second half?

As great as Faulk’s ‘99 season was, he might have been able to do considerably more had the Rams not also had a great defense that season. Closer games might have meant more chances for Faulk. Instead, we got one of the all-time great seasons by a back and plenty more great games to come.

It’s now Week 16, the Rams are 12-2, and there’s not much left for them to do until they host a divisional round game as the NFC’s number one seed. Coming to town: the 6-8 Chicago Bears and running back Curtis Enis, who once finished fifth in Heisman voting behind Charles Woodson, Peyton Manning, Ryan Leaf, and Randy Moss. Only 23, it would be one of the final games of Enis’s career.

But at least he’d get to witness history happening at the running back position from someone else.

So far on Re-Living ‘99:

Week 1 - Rams 27, Ravens 10

Week 2 - BYE

Week 3 - Rams 35, Falcons 7

Week 4 - Rams 38, Bengals 10

Week 5 - Rams 42, 49ers 20

Week 6 - Rams 41, Falcons 17

Week 7 - Rams 34, Browns 3

Week 8 - Titans 24, Rams 21

Week 9 - Lions 31, Rams 27

Week 10 - Rams 35, Panthers 10

Week 11 - Rams 23, 49ers 7

Week 12 - Rams 43, Saints 12

Week 13 - Rams 34, Panthers 21

Week 14 - Rams 30, Saints 14

Week 15 - Rams 31, Giants 10

Week 16 - Chicago Bears at St. Louis Rams, December 26, 1999

Starting at quarterback for Chicago would be Cade McNown, the 12th overall pick in ‘99 and a player who finished two spots behind Enis in Heisman voting that aforementioned year. The Bears top receiver was Bobby Engram, a teammate of Enis’s at Penn State.

McNown completed a four-yard pass to Engram, then ran for 11 yards on the second play. That may or may not end Chicago’s highlights today.

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The first two Rams drives didn’t end well, but Faulk still ran for 49 yards and 16 more as a receiver. That’s how quickly he could rack up yards; before the end of the first quarter he was already on pace for over 200 yards from scrimmage even though St. Louis had zero points up to then.

Kurt Warner was picked off in the end zone on the first play of the second quarter, but the Rams got the ball back a few minutes later. Warner went 3-of-3 for 36 yards to start the drive, then hit Faulk for a 48-yard touchdown.

7-0

On the next drive, McCown sought Engram on 1st-and-10 at the Rams 20, but was intercepted by Billy Jenkins, a former UDFA safety out of Howard making his first appearance on Re-Living ‘99. Warner’s next throw was a 15-yard completion to Faulk, followed by a four-yard run by Faulk, then a 43-yard pass to Faulk, then a seven-yard pass to Faulk. Warner ended the drive with a two-yard touchdown to Roland Williams.

14-0.

On their next possession, Warner went 4-of-4 for 39 yards. Every completed pass went to Marshall Faulk.

17-0. At halftime, Faulk has rushed for 49 yards and caught 10 passes for 168 yards, 152 of which came in the second quarter. Faulk had the modern NFL record for receiving yards by a running back and there was still two quarters left to play.

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This has been at least partly attributed to Chicago head coach Dick Jauron and defensive coordinator Greg Blache’s decision to cover Faulk with linebacker Barry Minter, a productive tackler but clearly a mismatch beyond reproach for the NFL’s best running back.

Said Warner after the game: “We got a lot of hot reads and I was just able to flip it to Marshall, and we all know how explosive he is once he gets the ball.”

On the first drive of the third quarter, Warner went 7-of-9 and ended it with a four-yard touchdown to Isaac Bruce, with two of those passes going to Faulk for a total of 36 yards. When Chicago got the ball back, Shane Matthews had replaced McNown at quarterback and he soon found Engram for 27 yards. But Matthews — who finished fifth in Heisman voting in 1991, four spots ahead of Faulk — soon also found Grant Wistrom on a pass intended for Enis.

Wistrom intercepted the pass and went back 40 yards for another Rams defensive touchdown.

31-0.

Vermeil pulled his starters and inserted quarterback Paul Justin behind center for Warner. Justin, a seventh round pick of the Bears in ‘91 whose pre-Rams career was somewhat similar to Warner’s, played the rest of the way and completed three passes for 27 yards. Faulk was replaced by Justin Watson, a former undrafted free agent who played running back at San Diego State beginning two years after Faulk declared for the draft.

Watson actually had more carries against the Bears that December day, but Faulk still set an NFL record that stands today even though he barely played in half of it. Try as I might, I just can’t do this player justice.

FINAL SCORE: Rams 34, Bears 12

Record: 13-2

Kurt Warner: 24-of-35, 334 yards, three touchdowns, one interception

Marshall Faulk: 10 carries, 54 yards, 12 catches, 204 yards, one touchdown

Isaac Bruce: four catches for 45 yards, one touchdown

Sacks: D’Marco Farr, Kevin Carter, Jay Williams, Todd Lyght/Charlie Clemons

Interceptions: Billy Jenkins, Grant Wistrom

Game Recap (CBS News):

“Rams Stay Perfect At Home”

There was no letup by the St. Louis Rams.

Marshall Faulk became only the second player in NFL history to amass 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in one season, and Kurt Warner tied a record with his ninth 300-yard passing game as the NFC West champions beat the Chicago Bears 34-12 Sunday.

“We weren’t going to hold anything back,” Warner said. ”We wanted to play the kind of football we’ve played all year, and I think we did that.”

The Rams (13-2) ran out of season-oriented incentives last week when they clinched home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. That didn’t stop them from eliminating the Bears (6-9) from playoff contention, with Faulk piling up 222 total yards on 20 touches in the first half alone.

“The game just came to me,” Faulk said. “They covered me tried.”

The Bears blitzed constantly, leaving Faulk in single coverage. He was much more than your typical safety valve, catching three passes for 65 yards on the Rams’ second scoring drive, then three more for 39 yards in a span of four plays to set up a field goal at the end of the half.

“We got a lot of hot reads and I was just able to flip it to Marshall,” Warner said. “And we all know how explosive he is once he gets the ball.”

The Bears couldn’t do much about it.

“We knew it was coming, we called it out, but he still kept getting the ball,” defensive tackle Mike Wells said. “He killed us.”

The Rams led 31-0 with 8:08 to go in the third quarter en route to setting franchise records for victories and scoring, and tied Jacksonville for the NFL’s best record. St. Louis has won nine in a row in the Trans World Dome, including eight this season by an average margin of 35-11.

That’s slightly beter than their overall winning margin of 33-14.

“Really, we’ve beaten everybody pretty soundly here at home, so it really makes a statement,” Warner said. “That’s what we wanted to do coming in so people know when they come to our house in the playoffs it’s a tough place to win.”

Faulk played only one series in the second half and finished with 204 yards on a personal-best 12 catches and 54 yards rushing on 10 carries, for a season-best 258-yard game that ties Quadry Ismail of Baltimore for the NFL’s best this year.

He has 2,323 total yards 1,302 rushing and 1,021 receiving and needs 36 yards in the season finale at Philadelphia to break Barry Sanders’ 1997 total yardage record of 2,358.

“That makes me have something to play for next week,” Faulk said.

—

Warner has 39 touchdown passes, tied with Brett Favre (1996) for third on the single-season list, and can become only the third quarterback to throw for 40. In his first season as a starter, his nine 300-yard passing games ties him for the NFL record with Dan Marino (1984) and Warren Moon (1990).

Warner raised his quarterback rating three tenths of a point to 111.4, just off the record of 112.8 by the 49ers’ Steve Young in 1994.

—

It also was the Rams’ 11th touchdown on a return this year, two shy of the NFL record set by Seattle in 1998. Wistrom also had a 41-yard fumble return in the first half, although Bobby Engram stole the ball from him on the way down.

Bears rookie quarterback Cade McNown sat out the second half with a strained right thigh. He was 9-for-16 for 125 yards and was sacked four times, including the final play of the first half.

McNown said he was hit from behind and strained his right thigh while uncoiling to throw pass.

“It hurt when I threw hard and it kept getting worse each time I threw,” McNown said. “I could have gutted it out, but I wouldn’t have helped the team.”

Wistrom intercepted a pass by McNown’s replacement, Shane Matthews, on the Bears’ first possession of the second half, making it 31-0.

The Bears also lost running back Curtis Enis, who strained his left shoulder in the third quarter. Enis had 21 yards on seven carries.

Notes

The Rams have 54 sacks, two shy of the team record set three times, and the last time in 1988. Kevin Carter got his league-leading 16th Sunday.

The game featured a rare brother vs. brother matchup. Rex Tucker started at right guard for the Bears and older brother Ryan is a backup offensive lineman for the Rams.

Bears cornerback Walt Harris left with a strained hamstring in the first quarter.

Rams backup tight end Jeff Robinson was ejected with 10:02 to go after a confrontation with Chicago’s Ty Hallock.

Final Takeaway:

The Rams had nothing to play for based on playoff positioning, so Marshall Faulk went ahead and set an NFL record that stands today: 204 receiving yards by a running back.

In 2013, Jamaal Charles had 195 yards and four touchdowns receiving in a game against the Raiders. No other running back since at least 1950 has topped 160 receiving yards in a game. Not even if you include playoffs.

Faulk nearly did that in the second quarter of this game against Chicago.

Faulk finished the season with 1,048 receiving yards, setting another modern NFL record for backs that still stands today. In 2019, McCaffrey became only the fourth back, and the first since Faulk, to top 1,000 receiving yards. He needed 29 more receptions — and 39 more targets — than Faulk to get there.

Three years later in a game against the Broncos, Faulk caught 14 passes, setting another NFL record for running backs, albeit this time being topped several times. However, Faulk’s 14 catches came in 2002, whereas six of the other nine backs to catch at least 14 passes have come since 2017.

Last season alone, three running backs (Alvin Kamara, James White, McCaffrey) caught 15 passes in a game. This is a product of playing in a post-2017 NFL offense. But Faulk wasn’t a product of his time, he was two decades ahead of it.

A time traveler.

Always a good thing to have strong competition, of course.

In no particular order:

On O.

Backup QB is a 3-way battle. I give Wolford the slight edge because of his minuscule one year experience, but this could go in 3 different directions. I know some would prefer an experienced vet retread but I don’t. I’m impressed by the potential of these youngsters in a McVay O.

RB is gonna be a two-way Donnybrook if the lightbulb has gone off for Hendy. The exact rotation and number of snaps might not be sorted out until well into the season. I see Akers as the eventual ‘starter’, but who really knows? I love Akers’ intangibles.

Corbett and Hav are on the inside track, but neither are an absolute lock to be the opening day starters. Evans appears to have NFL starter abilities.

Can Everett stay on the field in 12 personnel? IOW, if he can both catch and block well enough then the D will have no ‘tell’ when he comes on the field. You know that McVay would love that. Currently, Everett or Mundt is almost like putting up a sign for the D as to whether a run or a pass is coming. So, I see a battle between Everett and Mundt for playing time. Heck, maybe we should be keeping an eye out for Hopkins, as well. There might be an opening for second TE snaps if the kid has the talent and can catch up to the NFL quickly enough.

I predict a knock-down-drag-out between Reynolds and Jefferson for 3rd WR. I further predict Jefferson as the eventual winner although it might not occur until midseason.

On D.

We’re gonna see a 5-way competition for weak side OLB snaps. Think about that. I think Ebu has the inside track for opening day but I also think that there could be changes in the rotation as the season evolves. Maybe more than one change.

Kiser will likely be one ILB and 3 others will compete for the other ILB starter in the limited base sets. Still, that’s pretty good competition, don’t you think?

I see Hill facing stiff competition for starting outside CB opposite Ramsey. First of all, it sounds like Ramsey will have many different responsibilities under Staley in order to confuse the QB, so who knows what combos Staley has in mind not only for Ramsey, but for the rest of the secondary on any given snap. IMO, this might further open the door for another man CB to see the field more. I’m a big Williams and Long fan, so seeing them at either outside or nickel would please me.

Nickel CB is gonna be a 3 way battle between Burgess, Long, and Williams, I think. Pretty danged competitive, huh?

Safety seems pretty much locked up, although Burgess will surely be included in some of Staley’s hybrid sets.

On ST.

Really, we’re looking at a 3-way for placekicker. Moreover, they look like 3 very qualified candidates, at that. Can’t remember when I’ve seen such competition at placekicker.

So, we’ll all have a ton of interesting things to watch as camp unfolds. Sure wish we had those fantastic camp reports from our board camp reporters to help us through these many battles, but it’s not to be. Hopefully, the beat reporters step up their game when we need it most.

This is what most thought would be the starting offensive line to start in camp and most likely the season. What has been said about this group already? At least they are healthy to start the season.

This was confirmed by JB Long in the HK after-show link in HK thread.

Interesting comment that both Allen and Noteboom where hitting the sleds without knee braces. Noteboom is the biggest surprise as I and others thought it would take longer for him to rehab. Hope they all stay healthy,

What 'Hard Knocks' revealed about Rams' O-line competition

Cameron DaSilva

3 hours ago
The Los Angeles Rams haven’t put on the pads yet and won’t be allowed to until Aug. 17, so anything that happens in walk-throughs and practices has to be taken with a grain of salt right now. However, Tuesday night’s season premiere of “Hard Knocks” gave fans and media members their first glimpse at the Rams’ starting offense.
It’s a very fluid situation right now, but it was especially notable how the Rams deployed their offensive line. In every rep that was shown on TV, Sean McVay had the same five offensive linemen on the field.
It was as follows:

• LT Andrew Whitworth
• LG Austin Corbett
• C Austin Blythe
• RG David Edwards
• RT Rob Havenstein

Up to this point, we only knew two spots were locked up: Whitworth at left tackle and Blythe at center. We didn’t know Corbett would be running with the first-team offense, nor that Edwards and Havenstein would be, too.
Corbett, Edwards and Havenstein all figured to be facing competition for their starting jobs from the likes of Joseph Noteboom, Jamil Demby, Tremayne Anchrum and Bobby Evans, among others. Brian Allen was thought to be a competitor for the starting center spot, but Blythe appears to have that locked up.

The Rams shared a clip from workouts on Tuesday of both Allen and Noteboom pushing blocking sleds and neither had any sort of brace on their legs; they’re both recovering from leg injuries suffered last season.


Assuming Allen and Noteboom are both healthy right now, it would appear the Rams prefer Corbett and Blythe over them on the first-team offense. That’s understandable after seeing the way they played in 2019.
The “battle” at right tackle also might not be a battle at all. Evans played well in place of Havenstein at the end of last season, but with Havenstein making more than $8 million per year, it’s understandable that the Rams would put him with the starters in walk-throughs.
Edwards seems to have the least competition at right guard, as long as Blythe remains the starting center. Noteboom only played left guard last season and neither Demby nor Anchrum are as talented as Edwards.
Again, there’s still a long way to go before the offensive line is truly settled, but the season premiere of “Hard Knocks” gave an indication of which way the coaching staff will lean this year along the offensive line.

Let’s break a little Mailbag news with a big name ESPN spoke to for Monday nights that has not been reported. ESPN talked to Rams coach Sean McVay about being a “Monday Night Football” analyst, sources told The Post.

ESPN executives think McVay could be a standout in the booth, somewhat like Jon Gruden. McVay is just 34, has already been to a Super Bowl and is under contract, but a conversation was had.

It didn’t happen, but it was left at that if McVay wants to leave coaching ESPN would be interested in having him in the booth.

So in 2050 when McVay is 64, we look forward to reporting that McVay will join ESPN’s TikTok presentation of MNF.

As to your question, ESPN had a $140 million deal waiting for Tony Romo, made its annual run at Peyton Manning, spoke to Brees, thought about Philip Rivers, dreamed about a trade for Al Michaels and considered its top college team of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit before settling on Steve Levy, Louis Riddick and Brian Griese. I would have gone with a two-man team, personally, because it is simpler. I feel like Dan Orlovsky had a chance to really pop as a game analyst. ESPN was gun shy, because of the results from the raw crew of Joe Tessitore, Jason Witten and Booger McFarland, to go with a second-year analyst.

----------------------

Unless he's getting a bunch of pressure from his family, he should be a coach a long time. I do think there is always the burnout threat though.

Just read these teams plan to play without fans for home games. Re: Washington Post.

(Someone provide link?)



I expect other teams will do the same. I hope the Rams don't.

Could there be a “mini-Combine” in December?

College football season remains in a state of flux, with some conferences considering standing down and others determined to go forward and meanwhile the NFL is watching and waiting and presumably hoping for some clarity.

If college football for 2020 is canceled (as of yesterday it looked like it was, today who the hell knows?), the NFL could set up, as suggested by Packers G.M. Brian Gutekunst, “some sort of a mini-Combine in December.” Whether that could even happen, given the pandemic, remains to be seen.

Other steps would have to be taken to prepare for the 2021 draft without a 2020 season. Gutekunst said that his scouts will be focusing even more heavily on film from the 2019 season.

While that’s obvious, it’s also imperfect. Much can change in one year, as Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow proved to everyone last year, with a season for the ages that vaulted him from possibly off the board to the top of it. Burrow knows what would have happened if he hadn’t had a chance to play this year. That will happen to someone else in 2020.

That said, the draft will still happen, someone will be picked first, someone will be picked second, and so on. The potential for drafting a bust in round one will be high; the potential for finding a gem in the later rounds could be, too.

The NFL’s teams will do what they can to eliminate the uncertainty that would come from not having a 2020 college football season. But the draft already is a dartboard in the dark. In 2020, the lack of pre-draft workouts made it even worse. Come 2021, if there’s no fall season and if the pre-draft activities once against are limited or potentially wiped out, it will be even harder to separate the cream from the crapshoot.

Analysis: Previewing the position battle at inside linebacker

Over the last two years, the Rams defense counted on Cory Littleton to help guide the inside linebackers, dependable when asked to drop back into pass coverage and reliable as a tackler. He was also one of the most experienced, starting in every regular season game during that span.

Now, with Littleton joining the Las Vegas Raiders via free agency this offseason, it's an "open competition" for the starting roles within the position group, Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley said in May.

Here's a look at the candidates on Los Angeles' current roster, listed in alphabetical order.

Travin Howard

Experience: Two seasons.

Notes: After spending his 2018 rookie season on injured reserve due to an ankle injury sustained in training camp, the TCU product bounced back by playing all 16 games in 2019. He performed well late in the season especially, making 13 of his 19 total tackles and all three of his pass breakups over the final five weeks.

Clay Johnston

Experience: Rookie.

Notes: Had he not suffered a knee injury midway through his senior season at Baylor, Johnston likely would've been selected higher than 234th overall in the seventh round. Falling to Los Angeles at that point in the draft made him a steal of pick, according to Rams Senior Personnel Advisor Taylor Morton. Still, Johnson was productive when healthy – he made 58 tackles, eight for loss, 2.5 sacks, one interception and five pass breakups in six games to earn All-Big 12 Second Team honors, and received the same recognition after leading Baylor with 99 tackles in 2018.

Micah Kiser

Experience: Two seasons.

Notes: According to the Rams' first unofficial depth chart of the 2019 season, Kiser was projected to start alongside Littleton, but that opportunity never materialized because of Kiser's season-ending pectoral injury in Los Angeles' preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys. Now healthy, he'll get another chance to prove he can be a starter.

Bryan London II

Experience: Rookie.

Notes: A four-year starter at Texas State, London's 459 career tackles rank 20th-most in FBS history. He is listed as a candidate because his college film shows him playing inside linebacker at times, but he is as a generic linebacker on the Rams' roster.

Troy Reeder

Experience: One season.

Notes: Reeder played in all 16 games as a rookie, making eight starts and finishing with 52 total tackles. Making his first career start Week 5 at Seattle, he made a team-high 13 total tackles, a strong enough performance to earn him those other seven starting opportunities throughout the remainder of the 2019 season. His eight NFL starts are most of any inside linebacker currently on the roster.

Christian Rozeboom

Experience: Rookie.

Notes: Rozeboom led South Dakota in tackles and earned first-team Missouri Valley Football Conference honors in each of his four years with the program, finishing as the school's record-holder for career tackles with 475. He was a consensus FCS All-American selection in 2019.

Kenny Young

Experience: Two seasons.

Notes: Acquired in a trade with the Ravens last October, Young is the only other inside linebacker on the Rams roster with NFL starting experience, getting six across 21 games in Baltimore. He played a total of 14 games last season, five with the Ravens and nine with the Rams, making 17 total tackles.

I was really leaning on going with McCutcheon but decided to with Todd. Even though I’m upset with the way his departure was handled on both ends, this dude was an absolute workhouse for us.
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PS: Apologies for the bad quality in the last highlight vs the Seahawks. I was in Canada when recorded it lol

Rams safeties are finally the players envisioned by the coaching staff

LA Rams finally have the safeties envisioned by their coaching staff, but for how long?

The LA Rams position coaches have a bit of farming and parenting in them. You see, farming, parenting, and coaching football are three vocations that require an incredible amount of patience. And patience is needed to see the results of careful planning and long-enduring effort. So it is with the LA Rams coaching staff, particularly safeties coach Ejiro Evero, who is finally coaching the safeties group that he has envisioned all along.

In 2020, the safeties in the room are all players Evero helped to bring to the Rams. They are “his” players, the group he worked diligently with the personnel department to vet, with scouts to define and with upper management to approve.

Built to specs

While there is no shame or hesitation to coach any player at a position in the NFL, inherited players can create challenges. How so? Simply stated, because the inherited players are not as “custom-fitting” to the role a coach is trying to fill. So either the coach “makes do” by altering the scheme, or the player is forced to “make do” by playing a position in a way that simply does not align with his strengths and talents.

Well, there are no compromises required for the Rams now. The Rams starting corps of John Johnson III and Taylor Rapp are very similar players. They are both strong in pass defense, both solid run stoppers, and both excel at tackling. In essence, it’s practically a mirrored image in terms of defensive skillsets.

Money matters

Of course, this group is only going to be together for one season. Right now, cornerbacks Troy Hill, Jalen Ramsey, Darious Williams, Donte Deayon, and safety John Johnson are playing on contracts due to expire in 2021. Will this be the Rams swansong? Or will the team’s defensive backfield play a rotation that ensures quality defense for years to come?

However 2021 turns out, the Rams are in a wonderful position to reset the bar for secondary play to new heights. In theory, each of the four starters in 2020 can compete for a Pro Bowl nomination, plus the play of Darious Williams (should he claim the slot CB role) could make it a clean sweep. Will the Rams figure out a way to flourish in 2020, but come back just as strong in 2021? Stay tuned…

Looks like Goff is on your page @CoachAllred

Goff wants three 1,000-yard pass-catchers in 2020

During Sunday's Virtual Tailgate kicking off Rams Training Camp presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union, one topic of conversation with Rams legend Torry Holt and team reporter Sarina Morales was all the weapons quarterback Jared Goff will have around him on offense this fall.

Goff, who was joined on the program by tight end Tyler Higbee and wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods, is so confident in his supporting cast, he's setting his sights high in 2020 – having three 1,000-yard pass-catchers.

"That's my goal this year," he told Holt and Morales Sunday evening.

There's reason to believe it can be accomplished, and it's not just because ESPN ranked L.A.'s offensive arsenal No. 11 in the NFL.

Woods is aiming for his third-consecutive 1,000-yard season. Kupp, meanwhile hit that milestone for the first time in his career last season behind a team-high 1,161. Higbee's monster December paved the way for a franchise tight end single season record of 734 receiving yards. Don't forget about fourth-year pro Josh Reynolds or rookie wide receiver Van Jefferson, either.

Besides having talented receivers at his disposal, what's also working in Goff's favor is passing volume. The five starting quarterbacks who helped produce three 1,000 yard receivers averaged 543.4 attempts each season; Goff has averaged 554.7 across his three seasons as a full-time starter.

At the same time, Goff and the Rams will join rare company if they can somehow achieve the feat.

According to research compiled by the Dallas Morning News' Michael Gehlken, only five teams in NFL history have produced a trio of 1,000-yard receivers in a single season. The last time it was accomplished was 2008, when former Rams quarterback Kurt Warner did so with the Cardinals and wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston.

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Coincidentally, as Gehlken's tweet shows, the Cowboys also have the same expectations of their high-powered offense, which should make for an exciting Sunday Night Football season-opener against Dallas at SoFi Stadium.

Will Goff and the Rams offense make history? That remains to be seen, but their first step toward doing so comes Sept. 13 at 5:20 p.m. pacific time on NBC.

It’s not Rams news... but this will be interesting. It’s hard not to root for Alex Smith. Would be a good to see him come back.

Why Ron Rivera could be serious about starting Alex Smith over Dwayne Haskins in 2020

Ever since Alex Smith received surprise clearance to return to football and report to Washington Football Team training camp, new coach Ron Rivera has refused to stop talking up the veteran's chances at winning back his starting quarterback job. That trend continued Monday, with Rivera telling reporters that Smith will "be in the throes of this competition" assuming he's eventually healthy enough for Washington to activate him. But what if -- get this -- Rivera is actually telling the truth? And what if there's more than one reason Rivera might prefer Smith reclaiming his job?

First, it's important to establish why that would be notable. Why wouldn't Rivera want Alex Smith to be his starting QB, you ask? The guy is a three-time Pro Bowler, whereas incumbent starter Dwayne Haskins is still very much unproven under center.

Well, that answer lies in some of Rivera's other remarks this offseason -- assurances that he needs a chance to evaluate the "young guy" (i.e. Haskins, Washington's first-round draft pick in 2019) while kicking off his rebuild of the organization. Then, of course, there's also the fact Smith hasn't played since 2018 when he suffered a life-threatening leg injury from which he's only now returning.

As CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones reported Friday, even Rivera's hopeful declarations of Smith's 2020 prospects can't fully mask the reality of the QB's recovery process:

First of all, Rivera loves competition, so if he can fabricate some, he will. Secondly, this Washington organization cannot withstand the optics disaster of kicking to the curb the guy who gave his leg to the team. At every public turn Smith has to remain in the fold. And finally, Rivera is always glass-half-full when it comes to his players' injuries. Sometimes his public optimism doesn't match the private reality of the situation.

In other words, Haskins is still the odds-on favorite to open the season under center. Smith's obstacles to the No. 1 job are much more significant than those of his younger counterpart.

But now let's get to the hypothetical -- the possibility that Rivera truly wants Smith to ascend to the top spot. The closer you look at the situation, the less crazy it seems, even if Smith was in danger of losing not only his leg but his life after his last time on the field.

Firstly, Rivera has taken on a much larger role than head coach in his first offseason acting as owner Daniel Snyder's unofficial general manager. Already tasked with steering the franchise through a handful of headlining controversies, including a bombshell report of organizational harassment, felony allegations against a star player and a literal makeover of the team's identity, Rivera's chief duty isn't just preparing an on-field product for 2020, but rather rewriting the entire culture of a long-dysfunctional operation.

Along those lines, there's no more important position at the foundation of a football team than quarterback. The top job isn't just about leading the team on turf; it's about being an ambassador for the franchise. If Smith is healthy, we already know he's a trusted veteran and leader in this league, not to mention now one of the NFL's top underdog stories in light of his comeback. Is he a better, safer option for rebuilding Washington's foundation than Haskins, who had mixed results as a rookie? For 2020, the answer seems obvious.

Pulling Haskins for Smith wouldn't necessarily equate to Washington totally pulling the plug on Haskins, either. Let's say Rivera deems the veteran a better placeholder for implementing his culture both on and off the field. Haskins is still under team control through at least 2023, not including a potential 2024 franchise tag. He just turned 23. Would he not benefit from learning under Smith and an entirely new coaching staff, even if just for a year?

It's highly unlikely Smith, 36, is actually in Washington's long-term plans, so that gives Rivera even more incentive to capitalize on his return, not to mention potentially reinstall a studied-up Haskins down the road. If Smith looks good after his miraculous recovery, the odds are someone's going to come calling about his trade availability entering 2021. He's a playoff-tested, Pro Bowl starter, after all. Washington could save roughly $13.6 million in 2021 by simply cutting Smith after this season, but they'd still be on the hook for a cap charge of nearly $16M over 2021-2022. Why not re-establish his market before it's too late, then use whatever compensation he draws to either give Haskins a stronger supporting cast or intensify the hunt for another future franchise QB?

And then there's the fact Washington still plays in the NFC East, one of the most annually unpredictable divisions in the NFL. We tend to think Rivera's rebuild will be slow and steady (and that's probably true), but consider some of their other additions this offseason: Kendall Fuller, Ronald Darby, Thomas Davis -- not huge names, but proven veterans. Couple them with other big role players in the lineup -- a 35-year-old Adrian Peterson among them -- and is it crazy to think Rivera could also see a legitimate shot at Wild Card contention with a more proven option under center? New coordinator Scott Turner has thrived with efficient QBs before (Teddy Bridgewater comes to mind), and Smith would make for an easy transition there.

All of this, of course, is predicated upon Smith passing a physical to come off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and join the other QBs on the active roster. But it doesn't seem likely -- or resourceful -- for Turner to be spending hours of practice time coaching up Smith on the side if it's just to give the old QB some peace of mind about his rehab.

Projecting Smith's durability for a season's worth of hits is another thing entirely. In the event he's ready, however, we've got ample evidence that Rivera would give him more than lip service.

Being bored I was simply browsing the roster when I spotted a player that I think typifies how the Rams find talent in all the rounds of the draft and even among the UDFA. Earnest Edwards has a shot at making this roster, perhaps not this year but certainly next year. IMO he exemplifies how the Rams scout. They perhaps more than most organizations spend a lot of time on smaller programs. They are looking for positional traits and intangibles.

Edwards is a bit undersized as a typical WR in the NFL. But his film shows why the Rams signed him. He's got very good speed at a solid 4.4 in the 40 and he has shown he can be very elusive. Edwards is a more polished route runner than you would expect coming out at that level. He often gained separation with his route running, something that is a point of emphasis and a trademark of Ram starting WRs. Also, he's versatile in that he can play Y and Z WR positions, and he can return kicks where his speed and elusiveness come into play. He is also said to be very coachable with a good work ethic.

Josh Reynolds is much like Troy Hill in that his cap hit doesn't justify a reserve player. IMO both could end up on the trading block or simply released. A lot will depend upon how the roster is structured during this abnormal season. If Reynolds doesn't make this roster it will have a significant ripple effect on the depth chart and who makes this team. The reason I mention this is because there are a couple of WRs on the cusp of making this roster.

I could easily see either this year or next year's roster depth chart of:

XWR Woods, Webster (5)
YWR Jefferson, Polk (6)
ZWR Kupp, Edwards (4)

I could see Edwards as becoming the #4 WR with speed and being a solid route runner. If Woods is out I see Jefferson moving to X and Edwards into the slot. What that depth does is gives the WR corps of the Rams good speed across the board and good route running (with the exception of Polk). They will have returners in both Edwards and Polk.

What that would also show is how the Rams were able to find talent by focusing upon traits and polishing those traits into a complete player. I believe that players must show good athleticism, positional versatility, and being coachable. Woods was acquired as a FA but was a second-round pick by Buffalo. Kupp was a third round pick, and Jefferson was taken in the second round. The backups are all UDFA.

Sean McVay once again teases 'wildcat package' for Cam Akers

Sean McVay is one of the most creative and innovative offensive coaches in the league, and he’s pulled some tricks out of the bag in his first three seasons with the Rams. Cooper Kupp has attempted two passes on trick plays since 2017, though he didn’t complete either one.

The Rams should have a few more passes thrown by non-quarterbacks in 2020, though, after adding a running back with a great arm in the draft. Cam Akers is a former high school quarterback who completed five of eight passes for 97 yards at Florida State, showing off his arm when the Seminoles got creative.

McVay previously teased some trick plays for Akers after the Rams drafted him, and on Sunday, he once again hinted at the rookie throwing some passes when asked how extensively the Rams scouted him.

“He was the top high school recruit as a quarterback coming out. So, his stats are, when you look at them, it’s almost like a ‘Madden’ stat line when you see the stuff he was doing in high school. We knew about it. I know our personnel staff did a great job of vetting him and going real deep in terms of the background with (scout) Michael Pierce and all of those guys,” McVay said. “Then when you really start to study him, it shows up, and then they use him. I mean, there are some trick plays where he’s catching a swing pass to his left and flipping his hips and making 50-yard throws down the field. He did some impressive stuff. You never know, we might have a wildcat package coming to a theater near you.”

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Wildcat packages were all the rage years ago when the Dolphins broke it out with Ronnie Brown taking direct snaps. He would either run it, hand it off or throw a pass, much like a mobile quarterback would.

It helped the Dolphins upset the Patriots back in 2008, and while they’re no long as popular, teams still use them occasionally – like the Titans did with Derrick Henry in the playoffs last year when he threw a touchdown pass against the Ravens.

Akers is one of the best passers you’ll see at the running back position, and it’s easy to put him in positions to throw it off of tosses and direct snaps. We’ll just have to wait and see how McVay deploys him and incorporates his arm into the offense.

Seems like I’m doing these twice a day. Time is flying by. Anyway, today is the hard hitting safety who had so much potential, Adam Archuleta. I still have this dude’s jersey.
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This could be interesting...

The Rams plan to LIVE STREAM camp sessions of some type, fairly regular per schedule below. Various platforms too.

therams.com/trainingcamp
www.facebook.com/rams
www.youtube.com/larams
www.therams.com/app
therams.com






Rams Training Camp schedule announced

Rams Training Camp presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union will be conducted a little bit differently this year.

Veterans officially reported for training camp Tuesday, while rookies, quarterbacks and injured players did so on Monday, kicking things off with their first round of COVID-19 testing. Each group must test negative three times before entering the facility to begin taking physicals, picking up equipment and conducting workouts.

Players will then be tested daily for two weeks beginning today – the earliest they can get physicals and equipment – and if the rate of positive results is less than five percent by the two-week mark, testing will be conducted every other day.

The rest of the time leading into the regular season will look like this. Note: All training camp activities and practices are closed to fans.

Aug. 1-2 – Players who recorded three negative tests may begin getting physicals and picking up equipment.

Aug. 3-7, 9-11 – Acclimation period with 60 minutes of weight room work and 60 minutes of on-field conditioning work in small groups of no more than 15. Only strength and conditioning coaches are allowed on the field during this period, which is subject to traditional Phase 1 organized team activities (OTA) rules.

Per those rules, only quarterbacks, receivers, kickers, punters and long snappers are allowed to use footballs – "quarterbacks can throw to receivers with no coverage, kickers and punters can kick, but players cannot field the ball and no snappers or holders can be involved, long snappers can snap into a net, defensive players may not catch balls at all regardless of who is throwing them."

Walk-thrus no longer than 60 minutes can be conducted the first four days, up to 75 minutes on the final four days.

Aug. 13-15, 17 – Gradual ramp-up period with a 90-minute practice on Day 1, with no more than 15 minute daily increase (up to a daily maximum of 120 minutes). On-field instruction – practices, walk-thrus, etc. – may not exceed 3.5 hours each day. Aug. 13 and Aug. 14 kick off Phase 2 activities, with players allowed to wear helmets and protective shirts. Non-padded practices will take place Aug. 14 and 16, with helmets, spiders and shells allowed.

Aug. 16 – Per a league memo sent to teams last week, all rosters must be reduced from 90 to 80 players by this date.

Aug. 18-Sept. 6 – Contact integration period beginning with 90-minute durations, followed by 15-minute daily increases. Increase or decrease following an off day is prohibited. Time limits are dictated by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and no more than 14 padded practices can be conducted during this period.

Sept. 5 – Teams' 80-man offseason rosters must be trimmed to their 53-man regular season versions by 1 p.m. pacific time Sept. 5.

Sept. 6 – Claiming period for players placed on waivers at this point will end at 9 a.m. pacific time Sept. 6. Teams can begin assembling their practice squads an hour later.

Sept. 7 – Rams officially begin preparing for their Week 1 and SoFi Stadium opener against the Dallas Cowboys under in-season rules.

NFL’s Brooks nails it naming LA Rams Rapp as breakout DB

The LA Rams are at the mercy of the national sports media right now. There are some national sports media who are fairly good with their assessments, and some who seem to pick up a national narrative and just restate the same baseless opinions as facts. I’m really not sure which category NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks falls into. At times, he seems to be swept up in a herd-mentality, saying what everyone else is saying because it helps with views and popularity. At other times, he goes against the grain, but with an opinion that is even less logical than the mainstream hot take.

Finally, he occasionally gets it right. With his latest predictions about five breakout defensive backs for 2020 LINK, Brooks gets it correct by naming LA Rams safety Taylor Rapp. After all, here is something we both agree on, so of course he gets it right. This is not the first time Rapp has been named as a top breakout player, as he was named to CBS Sports breakout team in June 2020.

Second-year starter

Rapp was a surprise starter for the Rams last year. After teammate John Johnson III fell to injury, he lined up next to veteran Eric Weddle and put up some pretty good numbers. He saw action in 15 games, 10 of which as a starter. During his rookie season, he recorded 100 tackles, two interceptions with one resulting in a pick-six. He broke up eight passes and allowed just 38 completions of the 62 passes targeting him. Of course, there was that blown hand-off coverage against the San Francisco 49ers that he wishes he could get back. But all-in-all, not a bad rookie campaign.

He earned a 63.3 grade from Pro Football Focus, which was good enough to earn him as eighth in their Top 2019 rookies list. (subscription required) His write up was pretty encouraging:

“His 82.5 overall grade since week seven is the 5th-best among all qualifying safeties. In that timespan, Rapp has produced the third-most defensive stops (20), fifth-most combined pass breakups and interceptions (five) and has allowed just a 65.2 passer rating (seventh). Rapp …is best when playing free safety …and had an 84.3 grade in that role, ranking behind only Tyrann Mathieu and Minkah Fitzpatrick.

And that was just his first season. He had the potential for an even better impact but misplayed some opportunities. Still, he put in a solid body of work.

What’s his outlook?

Brooks places Rapp on his list which has just two safeties. Caught up in the “where were they drafted?” bias, he has Green Bay Packers safety Darnell Savage at number two, despite Rapp putting up far more tackles.

“The league’s next great safety could play in horns if Rapp builds upon his impressive rookie season. He burst on the scene as quite the playmaker in 2019, with 90 tackles, eight passes defensed and a pair of picks (with one returned for a touchdown)”- Per Bucky Brooks

The downside for Rapp this year is a year that looks a lot like his 2019 debut. His upside could very well be a Pro Bowl invitation. Rapp is in a perfect situation to peak among the best of the NFL. He is a very talented second-year player, among a great secondary. So of the group, he will be tested most. And thanks to a creative defensive coordinator, he will be placed into a role to succeed.

Rapp has a chance to be a true NFL star this year. He could top 150 tackles and six interceptions this year if he stays healthy. That’s a tremendous second season output.

With A’Shawn Robinson out indefinitely, Rams will lean on Michael Brockers again

With veteran defensive lineman Michael Brockers seemingly on his way to the Baltimore Ravens as a free agent, the Rams signed A’Shawn Robinson in March to fill the void.

When Brockers’ deal with the Ravens fell through, the Rams re-signed Brockers, giving new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley increased depth for the front seven.

It turned out to be a wise move.

A day after the Rams put Robinson on the non-football injury list, McVay said Sunday that Robinson would be out indefinitely because of an unspecified medical condition. He gave no timeline for his return.

“We’ll look forward to being able to get him back at some point this season,” McVay told reporters during a videoconference. “When that is, I don’t know.”

Robinson, 25, played four seasons for the Detroit Lions before he signed a two-year, $17-million contract with the Rams that included $9.5 million in guarantees. The Rams have completed six days of training camp, which has included team and position-group meetings, walk-throughs and weight-room sessions and physical conditioning.

Robinson’s situation “recently came about,” and the team was being “precautionary” with “some things that we kind of discovered and he was able to really communicate clearly to us,” McVay said.

“It was something that kind of surprised us,” he said.

McVay said team vice president Tony Pastoors and Robinson’s agent had communicated to “work something out that was, I think, favorable to both parties.”

The Rams had expected Robinson to be an integral part of an interior line group that features star tackle Aaron Donald and also includes Brockers, third-year pro Sebastian Joseph-Day and second-year pro Greg Gaines.

“We can all just bring our own flavors to the game,” Robinson told reporters in April.

Brockers, 29, is entering his ninth season with the Rams, who selected him with the 14th pick in the 2012 NFL draft.

In the aftermath of last season’s 9-7 season, McVay hired Staley to replace Wade Phillips, and Brockers was one of several key defensive players who found their market in free agency.

Brockers had agreed to a three-year, $30-million contract with the Ravens before questions about an ankle injury he suffered late last season reportedly nixed the deal. The Rams welcomed back Brockers with a front-loaded, three-year contract that included $14 million in guarantees.

In the wake of Robinson’s situation, McVay was asked about the Rams’ decision to re-sign Brockers.

“Thank the Lord,” McVay said, adding, “To be able to still have him is huge, and it’s not just his production on the field.”

While Robinson’s situation depleted the roster, McVay was encouraged by news regarding rookie outside linebacker Terrell Lewis.

Lewis, a third-round draft pick who starred at Alabama, began training camp on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. McVay said Lewis has been allowed into the Rams’ facility and, if he remains asymptomatic for three days, will be allowed to participate in “everything football related.”

Lewis is expected to compete for playing time opposite edge rusher Leonard Floyd. Fourth-year pro Samson Ebukam, who has started 21 games, is the most experienced player in a group that also includes Obo Okoronkwo and Natrez Patrick.

Lewis is one of nine rookies who have yet to be evaluated in a full-speed setting. Running back Cam Akers, wide receiver Van Jefferson, tight end Brycen Hopkins, offensive lineman Tremayne Anchrum, linebacker Clay Johnston, defensive backs Terrell Burgess and Jordan Fuller, and kicker Sam Sloman are others.

The Rams have another week of acclimation phase activity before they begin ramping up for practices, which begin Aug. 18.

With the preseason canceled, they are preparing for the Sept. 13 opener against the visiting Dallas Cowboys on “Sunday Night Football.”

“We’re certainly excited about when that time will come to be able to practice and do some of these things in a full-speed setting,” McVay said.

Power five conferences met to decide on fall sports. The Big Ten commissioners are all leaning towards shooting for a spring football season. They wanted I talk to other conferences to feel them out.

Another player I wish we had kept but our FO was too stubborn to keep players. Dre Bly was a productive CB for a few years until he landed with the Lions.
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Looks like AD, Ramsey, and Goff will be on there.

Sorry, it won't let me copy paste on my phone for some reason...

Pretty good show of a few plays, breaks them down, showing Donald just dominate his man.

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If college football season doesn’t happen, NFL likely will play on Saturdays

Bad news: There may be no college football on Saturdays this year.

Good news: There may be NFL football on Saturdays this year.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the NFL likely will move games from Sundays to Saturday, if college football doesn’t proceed this season. It’s unclear whether the games would be broadcast, streamed, or distributed on a pay-per-view basis, but the league likely would backfill the vacant Saturday windows with NFL content.

The easiest approach would be to treat each Saturday like the late-season tripleheader the league staged in 2019, with a game at 1:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m., and 8:15 p.m. ET. That would trim the Sunday slate by three games each week.

There’s another wrinkle that would have to be addressed, quickly. The league would need a one-year dispensation from the broadcast antitrust exemption, which allows the NFL to sell TV rights in a league-wide bundle but prevents the NFL from televising games on Friday or Saturday from Labor Day through early December.

Regardless, with college football teetering on the brink and the NFL confident that its games will be played, 2020 could result in four days of pro football every week: Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

3 ways to pave the Rams road back to Super Bowl
Bret Stuter

The LA Rams may not be wowing some of the top names in the national media circuit right now. Still, the team has been slowly winning over some advocates. In fact, as I was researching a story, I stumbled across another projection of the LA Rams. This one was different though, as it was a comprehensive video analyzing the LA Rams in depth.

Have you ever stumbled onto something in a flurry, paused anyways to check it out, then be so incredibly thankful that you did? Well, I had that experience recently when I stumbled onto Football Gameplan’s 2020 NFL Team Preview: Los Angeles Rams. It was a 20-minute video projecting the LA Rams 2020 outcome, and it was hosted by Emory Hunt.

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Unlike so many who simply invest minimal work to analyze the Rams, Hunt proved almost immediately that he had done his homework. The result was a comprehensive video analysis that touched base on so many aspects of the team, such as:

– Four-Minute Offense
– Offense – Positional Breakdown
– Defense – Positional Breakdown
– Training Camp Quick Hits
– Reasons for Optimism
– Reasons for Concern
– What must the team do to get back onto the road to the Super Bowl
– Prediction

The video’s most interesting quality was a breakdown of things the Rams must accomplish to get back to the Super Bowl this year. In the video, Hunt listed the Rams running game, the linebacker play, and HC Sean McVay restoring his magic as the three main items needed. While I truly enjoyed the video analysis, the discussion triggered my own thought about the Rams list of “must do’s” to get back to the Super Bowl, and I found myself arriving at a very similar three-item list:

Step I – Become one of NFL’s Top-10 rushing attacks

The LA Rams may have an excellent passing attack, but it all starts with the run. We saw it with the struggles of the offensive line, and with the struggles of veteran running back Todd Gurley. The Rams offense lives and dies by the running game. Return explosiveness and production to the run, and suddenly the Rams offense is cooking with gas once more.

The trick is not to get all hung up on using the minimum number of blockers to make it happen. Hopefully, the lessons from 2019 by using two tight ends in the offensive formation will not be easily forgotten in 2020. The Rams became incredibly creative with two tight ends, using Tyler Higbee as a primary receiving threat and Johnny Mundt as a primary blocker. In fact, the Rams used Mundt both on the offensive line and in the backfield with devastating effect.

Domino effect

The Rams offense had a lot of reasonable causes for their 2019 underperformance. Right now, those conditions are no longer in effect, which gives the Rams reason to presume they’ll better performance in 2020 as the base projection. So that gives reason for a better showing from the offensive line. That in turn gives the Rams hope for better performance running between the tackles. That, in turn, slows down the pass and give Goff more opportunities to make his progression reads. The running game adds yards, moves the chains, and eats up the game clock.

But it also opens up an entirely new section of the Rams playbook. The Rams passing attack is so effective because the Rams’ use of three wide receivers forces defenses to go with nickel and dime packages. That should allow the Rams to run into that. If defenses stick with stronger run defense, the Rams can beat them through the air. Defenses were able to shut down both run and pass in 2019 because they controlled the line of scrimmage. The Rams will look to retake the line of scrimmage in 2020, and with it, get the running game into the NFL’s Top-10.

Step II- Linebackers must play very well, one pro bowler from the group

The LA Rams have an incredible defensive line and an incredible defensive secondary. As far as the team’s linebackers? It’s anyone’s guess, which makes virtually everyone skeptical of their production this year. But the Rams are just as likely to be successful with their 2020 linebacker roster as to fail. Let’s explore some reasons why?

The parallel career tracks of Dante Fowler Jr. and Leonard Floyd are very similar with one exception. Fowler has left the Rams, while Floyd is just arriving. In both cases, they were very good defenders who are respected by their coaches and teammates prior to arriving at the Rams. In both cases, their production was good, but not at the level many expected by their talents. In both cases, they are players who joined the Rams as underachievers.

LB may prove to be better than expected

On a similar matter, ILB Troy Reeder’s career path is remarkably similar to that of Cory Littleton. But are undrafted additions to the linebacking corps, both are a nice size at 6-foot-3, and both found a way to get starts for the Rams defense. You see, both players have the benefit of playing behind Aaron Donald.

Of course, there are other stars-in-waiting. Rookie OLB Terrell Lewis could be a good one, as can veteran OLB Samson Ebukam and OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo. At ILB, the Rams have last year’s projected starter Micah Kiser, mid-season addition Kenny Young, and rookie LB Clay Johnston who could surprise many. The team doesn’t need four superstars. Just a solid group of linebackers who can make plays. And if the team has that one player who excels this year? So much the better.

Step III- Rams special teams return to NFL’s Top-10, particularly FG kicker

The LA Rams special teams play hurt the team in 2019. Most of all, the field goal kicker, Greg Zuerlein, simply lost the ability to kick beyond the 40-yard line in 2019. That is not to say that he could not turn it around in 2020. But if he does so, he’ll do so for the Dallas Cowboys. In summary, the Rams finished the season with a 10-18 accuracy for field goals over 40-yards.

The NFC West does not boast the best kicking in the NFL. The San Francisco 49ers were 10-17 at field goals over 40 yards. The Arizona Cardinals were 7-10 at field goals over 40 yards. Finally, the Seattle Seahawks were 6-11 from long distance. If the Rams can turn the corner with a field goal kicker in 2020, they will win the close games in the NFC West.

Three kickers for one job

To do so, the Rams are choosing from Sam Sloman, Austin MacGinnis, and Lirim Hajrullahu. Sloman was drafted in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft. MacGinnis was an XFL star signed as a free agent. Finally, Hajrullahu was a CFL star signed up as a free agent. The Rams have a choice to make from these three players, and the decision could have a significant impact on the team’s success.

The team will likely look to pare it down to a two-player contest soon. Perhaps the return of Terrell Lewis to the active roster will force the team to commit to a two-player competition at the kicker position. Even so, the Rams will be hard-pressed to simulate the type of game-like circumstances that are so crucial in choosing the “right guy” for the team. The Rams have a chance to claim a significant advantage over the other NFC West teams with a strong field goal kicker. As simple as that sounds, it’s the final piece to a Super Bowl team for the Rams in 2020.