SoFi looks insane... Every NFL city, stadium, and tailgating setup offers something different.

Any place other than SoFi...

What are your top 1-3 destinations? Place you’d like to see a game, Rams or otherwise, and why?

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates: Joe Burrow leads field

A year ago, we had Kyler Murray and Josh Jacobs as our exacta for the 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year award, and the ticket came through in that order when the hardware was handed out in February. Keep in mind that finding and slotting OROY candidates has as much to do with team/scheme fit as it does with individual talent in many cases.

Before I began this exercise, I went mining for historical trends that could help piece the puzzle together. Here are a few interesting tidbits I found helpful:

• Since 1990, just four players have won the Heisman Trophy and OROY in consecutive seasons (Kyler Murray, Robert Griffin III, Cam Newton and Eddie George).
• No tight end or offensive lineman has ever won the award.
• Just three wide receivers have won the award over the last 21 seasons.
• The OROY award has been won by NFC rookies for 13 straight seasons.

Now, looking ahead to this season, here are my top 10 candidates to take home the 2020 Offensive

Rookie of the Year award.

1) Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals

Provided his monstrous senior season at LSU was not just a product of then-passing game coordinator Joe Brady's system, Burrow should be the clear-cut favorite for this award. A.J. Green didn't play last season, but assuming he returns to the team on the franchise tag (which he has not signed as of the publishing of this post) or a long-term contract (the two sides have until July 15 to work out a multi-year deal), he'll be back as a top target for Burrow. One thing we saw with Burrow last season is that he loves to isolate slot targets and throw with placement to them. Tyler Boyd fits that bill as a strong, capable safety blanket. Top it all off with rookie Tee Higgins, who can stretch the field and win those tight-window jump balls outside the numbers, and Burrow seems set up to be relatively successful right away, despite some concerns about the Cincy offensive line.

2) Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

We know the Chiefs are going to score points with Patrick Mahomes running the attack. However, the selection of Edwards-Helaire with the final pick in Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft shows how serious the Chiefs are about improving their running game. Kansas City's run blocking might not be as good as it was in 2017, when then-rookie Kareem Hunt rushed for a league-high 1,327 yards, but Edwards-Helaire appears to be just as talented as Hunt both on the ground and as a pass catcher. While Damien Williams is still very much in the mix for his share of playing time at running back, CEH should step into a starter's role with loads of touches headed his way.

3) D'Andre Swift, RB, Detroit Lions

Swift deserved more run in conversations about the top offensive players in the 2020 draft. He ultimately slipped to Round 2, where the Lions nabbed him with the 35th overall pick. While Matthew Stafford has filled up stat sheets on a consistent basis during his 11 seasons, Detroit hasn't won a playoff game since the 1991 campaign, and the team's running-game woes have been a main culprit for that drought in the past two decades. Swift enters the NFL with plenty of tread still on the tires. He features outstanding vision and change-of-direction efficiency to make the most of what is blocked for him. His team might not win as many games as Edwards-Helaire's this season, but his numbers could look similar.

4) Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

If Taylor manages to wrangle the lion's share of carries away from Marlon Mack this year, he could challenge Burrow for the title of top offensive rookie. Taylor spent three seasons as the ramrod for Wisconsin's downhill rushing attack and should fit right in with the bully ball that the Colts like to play behind their talented offensive line. Mack, who's in a contract year, has been consistently productive when healthy, but he's missed time in each of his three seasons, which could portend more rookie carries for Taylor than some expect.

5) Jerry Jeudy, WR, Denver Broncos

Only one receiver has won the OROY award over the last 10 years (Odell Beckham Jr., 2014), but Jeudy is one to keep an eye on this season. He can break ankles with his crisp routes and instant directional change. He also has the speed to hit it big over the top or as a catch-and-run option on slants, shallow crossers and screens. While he could become the second-most targeted pass catcher on the squad behind Courtland Sutton, it's worth noting that Noah Fant is an emerging pass-catching tight end, and second-year quarterback Drew Lock is still very green.

6) Cam Akers, RB, Los Angeles Rams

One of the reasons I'm so high on Akers is that his Florida State tape is filled with plays in which he get yards for himself behind a poor offensive line. His ability to make his own lemonade could be very important, considering the Rams' issues on the interior O-line. A bounce-back season from Jared Goff and the passing game would ease some of the burden on Akers, who has the talent to become a three-down runner right out of the gate.

7) Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Jefferson was good in 2018, but he was great in 2019, showing off improved route running and impeccable ball skills. He steps into a pretty good situation, taking over for the departed Stefon Diggs in a role that should feature accurate, catchable throws coming his way from Kirk Cousins. Adam Thielen should return healthy after a hamstring injury slowed him last season, and Dalvin Cook -- assuming he does not end up holding out -- appears to be the focal point of the offense, but there should still be plenty of action coming Jefferson's way as the WR2 in Gary Kubiak's scheme.

8) Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins

If Tagovailoa, coming off November hip surgery, proves to the Dolphins' staff that he's game-ready and wins the starting job for Week 1, then he'll belong in the top three of this list. The reality, however, is that despite his potential, the Dolphins are unlikely to be in any type of hurry to rush him into action, with wily veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick still doing his thing in Miami. Tua could find his way into the starting lineup this season, but I think it's unlikely to be early enough for him to win this award.

9) Henry Ruggs III, WR, Las Vegas Raiders

The slotting of Ruggs at No. 9 on this list is certainly not indicative of what I think of his ability to be an impact talent in the league. He possesses instant, electric speed and can threaten defenses in a variety of ways. However, it's hard for me to ignore the fact that Derek Carr has had tight ends as his leading receivers for three straight seasons (Darren Waller last year and Jared Cook in the two prior) and has consistently been in the bottom half of the quarterback rankings in yards per completion since entering the league in 2014. I fear Ruggs is like a Bugatti with a driver who refuses to speed behind the wheel, which is why I don't have him ranked higher here.

10) Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts

Having Pittman ranked ahead of a player like CeeDee Lamb might surprise some people, but that decision is a reflection of my opinion that Pittman's in a better situation for rookie success. We know Philip Rivers is not afraid to find a favorite target and seek that player out over and over again. While T.Y. Hilton is still a very talented receiver, he's small (for his position) and fast, which might not make him the optimal fit for Rivers' arm strength. On the other hand, Pittman is a big target with good ball skills and toughness who might work his way into the good graces of the veteran quarterback early on.

TOP DARK-HORSE CANDIDATE

Zack Moss, RB, Buffalo Bills: Moss is unlikely to see the workload it would take for a running back to win this award, as he'll be competing for carries with Devin Singletary, who's coming off a nice rookie season. That said, Moss is built for the rugged rushing attack that the Bills want to employ. Keep in mind that Singletary had just two rushing touchdowns to Josh Allen's nine last season. It would behoove the Bills to keep their young quarterback out of harm's way and allow Moss to do more of the dirty work in the red zone. Given Moss' violent style and ability to move the chains, he could garner plenty of fourth-quarter carries as the Bills look to put games away.

3 best running backs in Los Angeles Rams history

The Los Angeles Rams have been fortunate enough to have an extensive amount of talented running backs play for their franchise. Even though the Rams released him earlier this offseason, Todd Gurley was one of the best rushers to play for the organization.

Despite injuries derailing his career with Los Angeles, Gurley finished with 5,404 rushing yards in five seasons with the franchise (sixth-most in team history). At the same time, Gurley would also score 58 rushing touchdowns with the Rams, which is tied for the most in franchise history.

Before Gurley’s knee injury in 2018, there was an argument to be had that he was the best running back in the NFL. Sadly, his concerning knee ailment could prevent him from playing at an All-Pro level in his career again. And if he does revert back to playing at an elite level, he’ll be doing it for the Atlanta Falcons.

Besides Gurley, Los Angeles has employed quite a few All-Pro talents at the running back position. With that in mind, here are the top three running backs in the Rams’ first 83 years of existence.

Eric Dickerson

In the 1983 NFL Draft, the Rams lucked out with taking Eric Dickerson with the No. 2 pick in the first round. Despite being a rookie, Dickerson would gallop for 1,808 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns in 1983.

While Dickerson would spend just four seasons and some change with the Rams, he would accumulate 7,245 rushing yards and 56 rushing touchdowns with the franchise. To this day, Dickerson remains as Los Angeles’ second all-time leading rusher. Plus, he still holds the single-season for rushing yards from when he rushed for 2,105 yards with the Rams in 1984.

After his time with the Rams, Dickerson went on to have a successful career with the Indianapolis Colts. Nonetheless, Dickerson will always be remembered as a legend in Los Angeles.

Steven Jackson

One of the most underrated running backs to ever play in the NFL was Steven Jackson. In the early-to-mid-2000s, there were a handful of running backs that were considered the best in the league. Compared to other running backs though, Jackson was one of the only bright spots on the Rams’ roster.

Following a ton of success in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Rams failed to make the postseason between 2005-2016. While the team never posted a winning record in his nine seasons, Jackson compiled 10,138 rushing yards and 56 rushing touchdowns. He remains the all-time leading rusher in franchise history.

Even at his size, Jackson also hauled in 407 receptions for 3,324 yards as a receiving threat in the offense. Despite the team’s lack of success while he was in the backfield, Jackson is severely underrated by most fans and the media alike. But Rams fans understand just how good Jackson was for nearly a decade.

Marshall Faulk

In today’s NFL, the elite options at running back are guys that can be a weapon in the rushing and passing attack. Before guys like Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, Ezekiel Elliott, and Alvin Kamara existed, Marshall Faulk was lighting up the NFL.

As a matter of fact, this past season, McCaffrey joined a reserved group of running backs that have notched 1,000+ rushing yards and 1,000+ receiving yards in the same season. The two running backs that achieved the feat before McCaffrey was Faulk and Roger Craig.

Amid his time with the ‘Greatest Show on Turf’ offense, Faulk rushed for 6,958 yards (third-most in team history) and 58 touchdowns (tied for the most in team history). What’s impressive about Faulk is that he’s fourth all-time in receptions for the Rams with 470 receptions.

He’s also the 10th all-time leader in receiving yards in franchise history. There’s a reason why Faulk is one of eight players in Rams’ history to have their jersey number retired.

The Conversation Thread - WTF Edition



Continuing the casual offseason vibe... The Conversation Thread.

Think a thread, that goes like a “Chat Room”.

Tell us what you are up to. Anything cool or interesting going on? Cooking anything special? Ask a question. Comment. Chat.

EASY

Randomness encouraged.

Pics. Gifs. Music. Make us laugh. Whatever hits you.

BYOB.

Tomorrow we’ll move this thread to off topic. But for now... It’s Saturday Night!



Tonight’s theme is WTF. If it’s random.... it goes here! Have some fun.

What are you up to today/tonight?

Hey guys check out the brand new interview with Kurt Warner. Quite possibly DTR's biggest to date.

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Nice short video showing some things that the Rams do on a daily and yearly basis that may go under the radar for many of us here.


Great organizations they're working with as well.

Rams 2020 breakout watchlist: WR Josh Reynolds

There will be a lot of new faces in the Rams’ starting lineup this season after the team made major roster changes in the offseason. Veterans such as Todd Gurley, Brandin Cooks, Dante Fowler Jr. and Cory Littleton are all gone, opening the door for younger, lesser-known players to step up.

Josh Reynolds is one of those players as he’ll have a chance to help replace Cooks as the No. 3 receiver next to Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods. He’ll first have to beat out rookie Van Jefferson for that spot, but given his experience and history as a starter, it’s likely he’ll open the year as WR3.

That may not seem like a big role, but in an offense that leans heavily on three-receiver sets, Reynolds could be poised for a breakout campaign. In this article series, we’ll be previewing players who could emerge as key contributors and/or starters for the Rams in 2020, beginning with Reynolds.

NFL career thus far

Reynolds is entering his fourth NFL season and has 61 career catches for 832 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s made 11 starts and appeared in all 48 games, but his playing time has been limited to less than 60% of the snaps each year – including only 43% last season.

His best opportunity came in 2018 when Kupp tore his ACL, thrusting Reynolds into a starting role. He played fairly well in that spot, catching 29 passes for 402 yards on 53 targets. But when Kupp returned last season, Reynolds was once again relegated to a backup role.

He struggled some with drops in 2019, posting a drop rate of 7.0% (three drops on 43 targets). It’s not a huge concern, but that figure must improve in 2020 if he’s to emerge as a playmaker.

Why he could break out

It’s all about opportunities, and Reynolds should have plenty of them this season. As much as we’ve heard about the Rams moving more toward a run-centric offense that also features a lot of tight end usage, they’ll still use three-receiver packages more often than not. Last season, Cooks played the fewest snaps of the Rams’ top three receivers, and he was still on the field 63.2% of the time.

Assuming Reynolds beats out Jefferson, he should be expected to play at least 55-60% of the offensive snaps. Cooks was targeted 72 times a year ago, which might be a low-end projection for Reynolds.

Even if he catches 50% of those targets as he has in his career and averages around 13.6 yards per reception (his career average), he could be in line for about 36 catches and close to 500 yards. Those may not be eye-popping numbers, but they’d both be career-highs for Reynolds.

As the primary deep threat in this offense, he should make some big plays – as long as Jared Goff’s accuracy gets better behind a hopefully improved offensive line – on downfield passes. That will drive up his efficiency, as well as his yardage total.

Here’s an example of Reynolds’ deep speed on a touchdown catch against the Bears that was nullified by a penalty; it’s a play McVay has pointed to in the past as a reason for his confidence in Reynolds.


If Reynolds can make plays like that one against man coverage, it’ll go a long way toward the Rams’ passing attack improving.

Why he may not

If the Rams really do stick to their plan of running the ball often and integrating more two-tight end packages, then Reynolds’ impact will remain subdued. He’s already fourth or fifth in the pecking order of offensive touches behind Woods, Kupp, Cam Akers (or Darrell Henderson) and Tyler Higbee, which will be made even worse if Gerald Everett’s playing time increases, too.

There’s also a chance rookie Van Jefferson earns the No. 3 receiver role, or at the very least eats into Reynolds’ playing time in third-down situations when route-running is prioritized. Reynolds has an edge thanks to his familiarity with the Rams’ offense, but Jefferson has been mentioned as a combination of Woods and Kupp.

Reynolds has to show he can come down with contested catches and win at the catch point. He’s not the most physically imposing receiver and has a slimmer frame, but he’s the tallest wideout on the team and must use that height to his advantage.

If he can’t, McVay might prefer Jefferson’s route running in the Rams offense.

Rams 2020 breakout watchlist: DL Sebastian Joseph-Day

If there’s one position group on the Rams’ roster that isn’t lacking depth, it’s certainly the defensive line. After signing A’Shawn Robinson and bringing back Michael Brockers in free agency to team up with Aaron Donald, the Rams have a stout defensive line that’s great against the run.

But Sebastian Joseph-Day, the starting nose tackle last season, should not be forgotten in Los Angeles. Even if he isn’t in line to start again in 2020, he could have an impact at both nose tackle and defensive end.

His versatility will be an asset up front and should be maximized by defensive coordinator Brandon Staley. It’s part of the reason he’s on our breakout watchlist for this coming season.

NFL career thus far

Joseph-Day didn’t play as a rookie in 2018, but he was a key part of the defense last season as the starting nose tackle. He played all 16 games, starting 15 of them, and finished with 44 tackles (five for a loss), five QB hits and two sacks.

Better known as a run defender than a pass rusher, Joseph-Day can still get after the quarterback. He’s a nice complementary piece on the interior next to Donald, who commands double teams on just about every snap.

His overall grade from Pro Football Focus last season was 63.0.

Why he could break out

Staley has stressed the importance of versatility on the defensive line, and Joseph-Day has plenty of it. at 6-foot-4, 310 pounds, Joseph-Day can play any of the three positions on the D-line. He’s most comfortable at nose tackle and was best at that spot last season, but he can give Brockers a breather at defensive end when needed, too.

His playing time will be limited due to the presence of Brockers and Robinson, but Joseph-Day is a good run defender who does a nice job keeping his head up and staying in his gap. Here’s an example of that from last season as he makes a tackle for loss against the Bucs.


As a pass rusher, Joseph-Day has a relentless motor and never gives up on a play. His pursuit is always strong, which is a testament to his work ethic.

Against the Buccaneers, he initially got stopped by the center, but he looped around after Donald flushed Jameis Winston from the pocket. Joseph-Day made the tackle before Winston could pick up any yardage, bringing him down for a sack.


His other sack came against the Cardinals and Kyler Murray. Joseph-Day shakes loose from the center by using his strength to push him to the side, opening up a path to the quarterback. He swallows Murray up before he can elude the sack, taking him down for a big loss.


Joseph-Day could get more opportunities in passing situations on third down than any other down, given his ability to rush the quarterback. And for the most part, sacks are the first stat fans look toward when judging a pass rusher or defensive lineman in general.

If Joseph-Day can add to his sack total and bring the quarterback down four or five times, he’ll certainly get more recognition.

Why he may not

Joseph-Day isn’t a perfect prospect, of course, or else the Rams wouldn’t have felt so desperate to bring Robinson in. He did get a chance to show his ability last season, but apparently that wasn’t enough to earn him the starting job again in 2020.

Could that have to do with Staley arriving as the defensive coordinator? Perhaps he had some say in signing Robinson, preferring his skill set to Joseph-Day’s. That will also be working against the third-year player out of Rutgers.

If Joseph-Day can’t capitalize on what could be limited chances in 2020, he won’t be able to break out and really emerge as a key contributor. He’s plenty athletic enough to succeed on the inside, but he needs to make the most of his chances.

Just in case any of our Ram Brothers,Sisters were affected directly. WARNING: Includes a News Update on Jonestown Guyana Tragedy.




I was 10 yrs old when this aired. Being from North Carolina, and without a instate team
to pull for , I had to pick my favorite from elsewhere. At the time Washington and Dallas
were the popular choices in North Carolina.
Me, I saw that blue and gold with the bad-ass horns on the helmet and it was over.

I would love to hear you guys' age at the time of this broadcast.
If you were born post-1978 , you can acknowledge that by stating-
"Hail to the old farts" or "I too want a ball sac that gaulds my inner knee!!"

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For those unfamiliar with these paticular resources.



If you have other classic rams links please share

CGI recommended that someone start a thread in regard to this. Let's vote on the best ones in your life a sports fan?
1. Miracle at Lake Placid: In the midst of the Cold War, the Soviet Union fielded a professional hockey team that crushed everyone in the Winter Olympics for decades. America had been doubting herself, wondering if its best days were behind her. Then this upstart USA hockey team starting beating teams that it had no business beating, faced the Soviets. The moment transcended sports and it's hard to explain to those of you that never experienced those times.

2. Kirk Gibson's HR in the 1988 World Series: Kirk was supposed to be too injured to play. In the 8th inning of Game One in the 1988 World Series, guys in the Dodger dugout could hear someone pounding a baseball. Tommy Lasorda came in and there was Gibby hitting baseballs on one leg. "I can hit for ya," Gibson said. Lasorda didn't give a chance to change his mind, and there went a hobbling, real life Roy Hobbs to the plate in the 9th inning with 2 outs. Eckersley threw the one pitch that Gibby could hit on one leg, which he acknowledged in later interviews, and Gibson hit it out of the park. My God....

3. Kurt Warner dropped back with Jevon Kearse, the Freak, coming at him. He launched the ball early and Ike Bruce adjusted for it, and caught the damn thing and "No one will catch him today!!!!"

4. The Tackle: Mike Jones saves Super Bowl 34 on the one yard line. Period.

5. Jonathon Quick's Shut Outs in the First King's Stanley Cup win: He had two as goalie for the Kings in 2012

Yes, I omitted the Lakers. Do your own poll for them (*flexes.)

Ranking top 10 coaches in NFL: Sean McVay suddenly underrated, Doug Pederson cracks list

NFL coaches might have more influence on the outcome of a game than any other coaches in any other sport. They get to actually dictate what their players are doing nearly every moment of the game. They have to make real-time decisions about the clock, timeouts, challenging plays, and so on. They have the power to wreck or steal a game.

Welcome to CBS Sports' official coaching rankings. Over the past couple weeks, we ranked the 10 best players at every single position group -- from quarterbacks to kickers and punters (yes, really). Now we turn our attention to coaches. Below, you'll find my rankings for the top 10 coaches in the NFL right now.

But first, a few notes about the list:

This is not based on who I think will win the most games in 2020. If it were, Andy Reid and John Harbaugh would be above Bill Belichick, because they have better football teams than Belichick right now.

This is not based entirely on past success. If it were, Pete Carroll and Mike Tomlin would be ranked higher.

For Eagles fans specifically: Sean McVay has won roughly 69 percent of his games. Doug Pederson has won roughly 59 percent of his games. McVay took a bunch of flak for a bad 2019 season ... when the Rams still won nine games. Pederson has won nine games in back-to-back seasons. He also went 7-9 in his first season, which McVay has never done. On that note, Super Bowls are not the only thing that matters. I'm not going to base my rankings off one game. You can. There's definitely an argument for Pederson over McVay. But if you don't think there's an argument for McVay over Pederson, you're probably an Eagles fan or you're weighing the result of one game too significantly.

The next three coaches would've been: Bruce Arians, Sean McDermott, and Mike Vrabel.

On to the list itself.

10. Vikings' Mike Zimmer

Regular season: 57–38–1 (.599)
Postseason: 2-3 (.400)

It still feels like Mike Zimmer is underappreciated. Here's what he's done as the Vikings' coach for the past six seasons:

He's won 59.9 percent of his games, good enough for a 57-38-1 record. He's been to the playoffs in half of his six seasons, even though he's been stuck in the same division as Aaron Rodgers. He'd be 3-2 instead of 2-3 in the playoffs if Blair Walsh hadn't gone all Blair Walsh on him. As a defensive-minded coach, he always gets the most out of the Vikings' defense. In his six seasons, the Vikings' defense has ranked in the top-10 in points allowed five times. The only time they didn't finish in the top-10 came in his first season in charge, when they ranked 11th.

Zimmer isn't a perfect coach. He probably needs to win more playoff games to get more respect. But he's a defensive-minded coach who always gets results out of his defense.

9. Eagles' Doug Pederson

Regular season: 38-26 (.594)
Postseason: 4-2 (.667)

In four seasons with the Eagles, even though he has dealt with a rash of injuries, Doug Pederson owns a 38-26 record, good enough for a winning percentage of 59.4. He's made the playoffs in three of four seasons. But of course, the real reason Pederson is ranked this high is because of the 2017 season, when he guided the Eagles to the top of the NFC playoff picture and then navigated a season-ending injury to Carson Wentz by getting the absolute most out of backup quarterback Nick Foles, who turned into a Super Bowl MVP. While the Eagles haven't cashed in on their potential over the past two seasons, they've still managed to make the playoffs in both seasons. Pederson has demonstrated a willingness to be aggressive -- most notably in the Super Bowl against the Patriots -- that should endear himself to NFL fans who want to see the game continue to evolve.

8. Seahawks' Pete Carroll

Regular season: 133-90-1 (.596)
Postseason: 11-9 (.550)

If this list was based on wins and losses alone, Pete Carroll would rank closer to the top. In his 10 seasons as the Seahawks' coach, he's posted a 100-59-1 record (62.8 percent). He's taken them to two Super Bowls, one of which they won. He's missed the playoffs only twice. Since he got Russell Wilson, he's missed the postseason once. With Wilson, Carroll's Seahawks have never finished worse than 9-7. Carroll was always a lock to make this list. If coaches are judged on wins and losses (spoiler alert: they are) then Carroll is one of the best coaches in football.

So then, why is Carroll ranked this low, behind coaches who have accomplished far less than him? There's no easy answer to this question, but it's important to remember that this list is looking forward. It's not just based on past success. And over the past few seasons, Carroll and the rest of his coaching staff have demonstrated a reluctance to evolve to the changing game. It's his stubbornness to establishing the run that sticks out, which often requires Wilson to bail the offense out of difficult third-down situations. As analytics have become a weapon that smart teams -- like the Ravens -- wield to exploit their opponents, the Seahawks have lagged behind.

Carroll is still a great coach. He's great at developing defenses. He deserves credit for Wilson's development from a third-round pick to one of the three best quarterbacks in football. But as the league continues to evolve, it's up to Carroll to evolve with it. To this point, he hasn't exactly done that. If he does, he'll jump right back into the top five.

7. Steelers' Mike Tomlin

Regular season: 133-74-1 (.642)
Postseason: 8-7 (.533)

Mike Tomlin has enjoyed a successful coaching career that includes two trips to the Super Bowl and one championship, but the 2019 season, which ended without a playoff appearance, might've been his best-ever coaching job. Despite losing Ben Roethlisberger in the early going and being forced to ride out the year with Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges at quarterback, who combined to throw 18 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, the Steelers managed to win eight games by riding their incredible defense that ranked third in DVOA and first in takeaways. All they were missing was a competent quarterback.

As already mentioned, Tomlin has won one Super Bowl in two total trips. He's also won 133 games in 13 seasons for a winning percentage of 64.2. He's never finished with a record below .500. He's remarkably consistent. Yet it feels like he doesn't always get the credit he deserves.

6. Rams' Sean McVay

Regular season: 33-15 (.688)
Postseason: 2-2 (.500)

For as much criticism as Sean McVay took after a disappointing 2019 season, it's important to put that disappointing season in context. McVay, hired at the age of 30, went 24-8 in his first two seasons with two playoff appearances and a trip to the Super Bowl. His disappointing 2019 season still included nine wins, which means his record after three seasons is 33-15, which means his winning percentage is 68.8. Obviously, given his relative inexperience, there's a sample size problem that'll get sorted out in due time, but it's worth noting that he has a higher winning percentage than every single coach on this list. That's why he's ranked this high.

So then, why is he ranked this low? It comes down to the 2019 season, when defenses finally seemed to figure out how to stop McVay's once vaunted offense. In 2017, the Rams' offense ranked sixth in DVOA -- the year before McVay arrived, they ranked dead last. In 2018, they finished second. But in 2019, the Rams' offense fell to 17th. Perhaps it was just a one-year fluke, but McVay needs to make adjustments in 2020 if they're going to survive the most difficult division in football -- the NFC West has three coaches on this list.

Still, it's been an unreal start to his coaching career. Despite the disappointing nature of the 2019 season, let's not lose sight of how well McVay has done given his age and just how awful the Rams were when he inherited the team.

5. 49ers' Kyle Shanahan

Regular season: 23-25 (.479)
Postseason: 2-1 (.667)

It wouldn't be surprising if Shanahan, only 40 years old, is eventually the best coach in the league. He's certainly on that trajectory. Like Andy Reid, he's an offensive mastermind.

It's difficult to really rely on stats or his career resume, because until the 2019 season arrived, he had been dealt a bad hand. In 2017, the 49ers started Brian Hoyer and C.J. Beathard at quarterback, going a combined 1-10 with those two quarterbacks before Jimmy Garoppolo arrived via trade and won the final five games of the season. Then, in 2018, Garoppolo tore his ACL in Week 3, forcing the 49ers to ride out the season with Beathard and Nick Mullens. As a result, Shanahan posted a 10-22 record in his first two seasons as an NFL head coach.

Finally, in 2019, we saw what Shanahan can do with a competent quarterback. With Garoppolo healthy, the 49ers posted a 13-3 record, waltzed their way through the NFC portion of the playoff bracket, and then came up a few minutes short of winning the Super Bowl. While some will undoubtedly be quick to note that this is the second Super Bowl lead Shanahan has blown (he was the offensive coordinator of the 28-3 Falcons), we probably shouldn't blame Shanahan considering he drew up a game-winning touchdown that Garoppolo flat out missed. If Garoppolo hits that throw, Shanahan wins his first Super Bowl. Instead, Garoppolo missed and now Shanahan is dealing with questions about his ability to win big games.

That seems unfair. But even if you subscribe to the belief that Shanahan chokes in big moments, you can still acknowledge his greatness as an offensive play-caller while realizing that he's a young coach. He's only been a head coach for three seasons. He's only had his quarterback of choice for one of those three seasons. Shanahan should continue to ascend up this list.

4. Saints' Asshole Face

Regular season: 131-77 (.630)
Postseason: 8-7 (.533)

After a three-year stretch of mediocrity that saw them win seven games per season from 2014-16, Asshole Face's Saints have reclaimed their status as an elite NFL team with 37 wins over their past three seasons. If not for some awful luck in the postseason, they might've claimed another Super Bowl. Yet even without a second championship, Payton's Saints remain one of the league's top teams year in and year out, making Payton one of the league's best coaches.

In his 13 seasons, he owns a 131-77 record, good enough for a 63.0 winning percentage. He's made the playoffs eight times. He's won a Super Bowl. His offenses are almost always good. In 11 of 13 seasons, the Saints have finished with a top-10 offense by points scored.

Payton is one more Super Bowl away from being talked about as one of the league's best-ever coaches. Considering the Saints are almost always in the playoffs, where their luck has completely evaporated in recent seasons, they're going to have a decent chance of doing so. But with Drew Brees nearing retirement, Payton is running out of time to get his second. Even if he doesn't win another Super Bowl, Payton's legacy as a great coach is already secure.

3. Ravens' John Harbaugh

Regular season: 118-74 (.615)
Postseason: 10-7 (.588)

First, let's review John Harbaugh's resume, because it deserves praise. In his 12 seasons as the coach of the Ravens, he's averaging 9.8 wins per season, has made the playoffs eight times, has won a Super Bowl, and just seized his first Coach of the Year award. But what solidified Harbaugh's status as a top-three coach is his work over the past two seasons, specifically with Lamar Jackson.

First, Harbaugh made the switch from Joe Flacco to Lamar Jackson midway through last season. Despite their drastic difference in playing styles, the Ravens went 6-1 with Jackson at quarterback. Last offseason, the Ravens proceeded to make changes to their offense to cater it toward Jackson's strengths. That might seem like an obvious thing to do, but in the NFL, it doesn't always happen. Coaches are sometimes resistant to change. They'd prefer for their players fit their system rather than the tailoring the system around their players. Harbaugh, along with the rest of his coaching staff, built the perfect offense for Jackson's undeniable talent, and was rewarded with an awesome 14-2 season that ended too soon in the playoffs. But with Jackson installed as the team's long-term starter, the Ravens are set to build off that season and eventually take it a step further.

Harbaugh has also demonstrated a willingness to use analytics to make better in-game decisions. While many coaches in the NFL are resistant to change, Harbaugh has embraced change. The Ravens converted an NFL-high 17 fourth downs at an NFL-high success rate of 70.8 percent.

It's Harbaugh's willingness to evolve that makes me feel confident his placement on this list will age well. Not to mention, he's going to be paired with Jackson for the next decade. The pair has already won 19 of its 22 regular-season games together. All that's missing is success in January.

2. Chiefs' Andy Reid

Regular season: 207-128-1 (.618)
Postseason: 15-14 (.517)

Finally, Andy Reid got the reward his stellar career so thoroughly deserved. After going 130-93-1 with the Eagles for 14 years, but failing to capture a Lombardi Trophy, and after averaging nearly 11 wins per season in his first six years in charge of the Chiefs, Reid finally put it all together in his 21st season as an NFL head coach. In 2019, Reid's Chiefs went 12-4 to push his record with the team to 77-35 (68.8 percent) before going on to win the Super Bowl. Reid's resume is now complete. He's won 61.8 percent of his games across his two coaching jobs. He's seventh all-time in wins. He's got his Super Bowl. And with Patrick Mahomes locked in as the team's long-term starting quarterback, Reid is going to jump up the all-time wins leaderboard in the years to come and likely add more Lombardi Trophies to his cabinet.

It's more than just the wins and now, playoff success. It's also about how Reid's teams win.

He's the best offensive coach in the league. Sure, there's an argument to be made that any team would be successful with Mahomes at quarterback, but it's difficult to imagine another team having as much success with Mahomes that the Chiefs are enjoying through two full seasons. Together, Mahomes and Reid boast a near identical, but slightly better winning percentage (including the playoffs) than Bill Belichick and Tom Brady's winning percentage together. Without Reid, it's impossible to imagine Mahomes becoming the second quarterback in NFL history to throw for 5,000-plus yards and 50-plus touchdowns in a single season in his first-ever season as an NFL starting quarterback. And let's not forget that Reid enjoyed plenty of success with a game-manager type of quarterback in Alex Smith. He's managed to win games with someone like Matt Moore as recently as this past season. There's a reason Reid's teams are almost always stellar on offense. It's not always the quarterbacks. But it is always the coach. In Reid's 21 seasons as a coach, his offenses have finished in the top 10 in points 13 times.

if Belichick retires before Reid, he'll be replaced atop this list by Reid.

1. Patriots' Bill Belichick

Regular season: 273-127 (.683)
Postseason: 31-12 (.721)

The undisputed best coach in the NFL, Bill Belichick, is also arguably the greatest coach in the history of the sport. Heading into his 21st season in charge of the Patriots, Belichick has won an astonishing 74.1 percent of his regular-season games with the team. He's averaging 11.9 wins per season. He's been to the playoffs in 17 of those 20 seasons, posting a 30-11 record in the postseason, good enough for a 73.2 winning percentage. He's been to nine Super Bowls -- again in 20 seasons. He's won six Super Bowls -- the most in NFL history. Heck, even before he arrived in New England, he managed to take the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs. He even won a playoff game in Cleveland. The Browns haven't won a playoff game since.

Nobody should be questioning Belichick's position atop this list. His greatness is undeniable.

That said, he is facing arguably the biggest challenge of his coaching career. With Tom Brady having departed New England for Tampa Bay in free agency, Belichick is going to be forced to win games without arguably the greatest quarterback of all time. But the evidence suggests Belichick will be able to overcome Brady's departure. He's won plenty without Brady before. In 2008, the Patriots went 11-5 with Matt Cassel after Brady tore his ACL in Week 1. In 2016, when Brady was suspended for the first four games, the Patriots went 3-1 with their second and third-string quarterbacks. If anyone can survive Brady's departure, it's Belichick, who is constantly at the forefront of innovation and has always demonstrated a willingness to adapt and an eagerness to mold a team around its strengths, no matter what they may be.

Regardless of how the 2020 season unfolds for the Patriots, Belichick will remain atop this list until he retires.

This year's playoffs should be special. We are going to see a playoff collection of teams that are almost 100% healthy and ready to compete without the typical excuses that follow a long and grueling season. There won't be a bunch of dinged up players who don't show on the injury report. It's gonna be balls to the walls for the Cup.

Should be a special tournament. And the NHL leadership, btw, has done a great job of setting this thing up, from the Commish through the Players Association leadership. We are about to be treated to an outstanding playoff drama and it couldn't come at a better time with so many people having burned through every Netflix show they can think of.

Who's gonna be watching? I'm gonna be in full fledged playoff mode MFers, geared out and the whole nine. Go Knights!

John Wolford aiming to become QB2 now with eyes on starting later

Barring a late signing this summer, the Los Angeles Rams will be betting on a young and inexperienced player to back up Jared Goff at quarterback in 2020. John Wolford, Bryce Perkins and Josh Love will be competing for the QB2 spot, though they’ll do so with very limited on-field work in front of Rams coaches.

Wolford has a leg-up on the other two undrafted rookies based on the fact that he was with the Rams last season, giving him a year of experience in Sean McVay’s system. He’s not taking the competition lightly, though.

While he always prepares as if he’ll be the starter, he’s currently focused on being the No. 2 quarterback now and potentially a QB1 somewhere later. He discussed his goal of being the backup quarterback this year on the Rams Revealed Podcast with J.B. Long, but he’s confident he can work toward becoming a starter at some point.

“In my mind, I have the confidence that I can play at this level, I can be a 2 and work towards being a 1. And that’s just the way I operate and I say that with humility,” he said.

This year is different for Wolford, too. Not only has the offseason been unique in the fact that everything has been remote work, but also because of the threat that the coronavirus pandemic poses on the NFL season.

Injuries will always happen in football and players will miss time as a result, but now they could be sidelined if they test positive for COVID-19. Wolford knows there’s a chance Goff could miss time if he contracts the coronavirus, so he has to be prepared to start at the drop of a hat if something does happen.

“I think any player has to realize the reality of the situation is that at any given week, if any player tests positive – and it could be Thursday or Friday – that you still need to be preparing as if you’re a starter,” he said. “Because the likelihood of that happening, of him not being able to play, is higher with COVID going around. So I like to think that I always take that approach that I’m going to prepare like I’m the starter so whenever that opportunity comes, I’m ready and it’s not going to come as a shock and I’m not going to need an extra week to prepare. That’s been my mindset since I got to the Rams. When I was on the practice squad, I tried to prep like I was the starter and hopefully that has carryover into this season. And god forbid Jared does contract it or something happens in that regard, but I’ll be ready if it does.”

Blake Bortles remains available, among others. The Rams have been unwilling to sign any of them up to this point in the offseason, and unless something goes awry with their current competition among undrafted free agents, it’s unlikely they’ll sign a veteran.

A lot is riding on Wolford to back up Goff, and he’s confident he’ll be able to rise to the occasion – whether there are preseason games or not.

“Obviously you want those reps and I wanted to prove beyond a shred of doubt that I should be the 2, so hopefully we have the two (preseason games) and I’m not going to comment anymore on that because I know that’s in negotiations and it could go down to zero. So I understand the (Players’ Association) saying from a health-risk standpoint, but you want those opporuntities to prove you can get the job done.”

Let's have some fun here branding that team in Washington. This is your chance to slap a new name on them.

I've really hated them since the playoff beatdown they gave us in the 80's... so I have a name that fits my hate for them perfectly. Maybe your suggestion is one for the team to really consider... or maybe your suggestion is more appropriate like mine.

Let's tell Snyder what he should name that team of his!!!









I'm calling them the Foreskins.

Rams 2020 breakout watchlist: OL David Edwards

It’s no coincidence that the Rams offense took a step back in the same year that the offensive line all but fell apart. It started to improve toward the end of last season after David Edwards, Austin Corbett and Bobby Evans were thrust into the starting lineup out of necessity, but it still wasn’t even close to average by the NFL’s standards.

Edwards was one of the bright spots, though, playing both left guard and right guard. He played best at right guard after Austin Blythe moved over to center, and he could remain there to start the 2020 season.

He won’t be handed the job, of course, but Edwards is one of the lead candidates to grab hold of a starting spot on the offensive line. And if he does, he could be in for a breakout season for Los Angeles.

NFL career thus far

Edwards was drafted in the fifth round last year and wasn’t expected to contribute as a rookie. However, with injuries suffered by Joseph Noteboom and Brian Allen, Edwards was thrust into the starting lineup for 10 games.

He mostly played right guard, but his first taste of NFL action came at left guard in Week 7 after Noteboom went down. A few weeks later, Allen suffered an injury of his own and Austin Blythe shifted inside to center, thus moving Edwards to right guard and promoting Austin Corbett to the starting left guard.

Edwards committed far too many penalties – nine in total – last season, but he did only allow one sack on 689 snaps played and earned a PFF grade of 61.0.

Why he could break out

Edwards wasn’t a highly touted prospect out of Wisconsin, slipping all the way to the fifth round. But he has the size teams desire at guard and tackle, standing 6-foot-6 and 308 pounds. Of course, offensive line play comes down to much more than just physical stature, which is where Edwards must improve.

One reason he could break out, though, is his versatility and experience at right tackle. That helps him in pass protection when he’s left on an island, which was often the case when he was at Wisconsin. This isn’t a perfect example of that, but against the Bears last season, he had a one-on-one rep versus Khalil Mack, who rushed inside.

Edwards made Mack take a wide enough path to the quarterback that it was too late by the time Jared Goff got rid of the ball, which was a win for Edwards.


In the running game, he showed decent awareness when it came to getting to the second level and working with Bobby Evans on combo blocks. On this play, Edwards does a good job pushing the defender aside to open up a big hole for Todd Gurley on the right side of the line.

He got some help from Edwards, who gave the defender a shove, but this was a nice block by Edwards to give Gurley some room to run.


In the same game, Edwards cleared another path for Gurley up the middle by sustaining his block long enough for a hole to develop. It wasn’t a perfect block and the defender eventually slipped free from Edwards’ grasp, but Gurley picked up a solid chunk of yardage as a result of Edwards’ block.

If Edwards gets beat on the play, Gurley probably gets stopped right at the line.



Why he may not

For as many encouraging plays as Edwards had, he also had some that raise questions about his ability to play inside. Most of those questions come in pass protection where he can get overpowered by bigger interior defenders.

Al Woods of the Seahawks gave Edwards some trouble in their late-season matchup last year, winning a few battles on the interior. Edwards allowed Woods to pressure Goff on this play after getting beat to his outside shoulder, barely slowing Woods down.


Later in the game, he got bull-rushed by Woods straight back into Goff’s lap, though Goff was able to get rid of it before being sacked. Edwards loses leverage after he gets too upright and allows Woods to walk him back fairly quickly.

Woods isn’t known for being a dominant defensive tackle, either, so against the better linemen in the league, Edwards could struggle.


And finally, here’s an example of Edwards being thrown aside by a Bears defender on a running play up the middle. His assignment makes the tackle on Malcolm Brown, clearly losing this rep up front.

Edwards has good size, but his functional strength must improve. He has to be able to anchor down better and sustain blocks.


The biggest hurdle in Edwards’ path to potentially breaking out is the competition he’ll face at guard. Noteboom, Corbett, Blythe and even Bobby Evans could all compete for starting spots at guard, which might push Edwards to the bench.

The Rams just want to get their five best linemen on the field, and if Edwards can’t prove to be one of them, he’ll be relegated to a backup roles like the one he had early last season.

This might not mean much here. Since I joined a few months ago it has completely lifted my Rams experience. I miss a ton of posters on another website I spent 4 years at. I popped in tonight and it’s disheartening that it feels so foreign to me there.

I selfishly asked a few posters to come here. One declined and the other responded he’s to invested in the site to leave. I suggested trying both and opening their Rams Football experience. Doubt either will visit.

Am I the only one who has issues with this?

My youngest son and I drove out to the middle school which he attends, to work on his route running.
I was talking to him about all the various reasons why running routes correctly, and consistently are vital to success.
After the workout and on the way home I am thinking of ways to kind of reinforce my teaching points.
So I figure I will show him a NFL receiver echoing some of these thoughts.
You guys know it took several hours for me to come up with a player who represents route running at its' best.

So I'm Utubing Kupp, looking for a video of him speaking on the importance of running routes correctly.
That's when I came accross this video of these guys giving their thoughts of a 2017 pre-draft Kupp.
Got a pretty good laugh watching it and thought I would share it with you guys in hope that you will enjoy it as much as I did.



No Joke: Steve Smith seriously believes Cooper Kupp is the No. 1 WR in the 2017 NFL Draft


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Don’t sleep on LA Rams QB Jared Goff

The LA Rams did not hesitate to pay their young quarterback Jared Goff. Was that wise? The debate of top NFL quarterbacks happens anytime a quarterback makes headlines. We have the current debate of Patrick Mahomes’ value, now that he is worth over half-a-billion to the NFL. That means that the storylines of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will be next, as will Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.

But LA Rams quarterback Jared Goff is seldom mentioned in any conversation about the NFL’s rising stars at quarterback. That concerns me. It suggests that sports reporting does not hold the objectivity I hoped for. Rather, the narrative is already decided upon, and writers cherry-pick facts to support what they had already decided to say.

Facts tell a different story

What is the problem? A reserved quarterback Goff plays for a charismatic and energetic head coach Sean McVay. When the spotlight shines on the LA Rams offense, all eyes train upon McVay. Still, the quarterback must execute the plays McVay designs, and so far Goff has done exactly that.

A recent article ranking NFC West quarterbacks placed Jared Goff last among the four quarterbacks. Last. This is after a 2019 season where he was the third-ranked quarterback on passing yards playing behind the 31st-ranked offensive line. He was the fourth-ranked quarterback in 2018. He was even the tenth-ranked quarterback in 2017. Compare those rankings to often discussed Dak Prescott, who was ranked second in 2019, 15th in 2018, and 16th in 2017. And yet, Prescott is considered a far better quarterback.

Top performer, worst perception

Since taking over for the Rams, Goff was the top-performing quarterback of the NFC West in 2019, 2018, and was ranked just one spot behind Russell Wilson in 2017. And yet, the same storyline runs over and over. If a poll were taken to rank NFL quarterbacks, Goff would not be rated even among the top 15.

And yet, Goff continues to do things like no other NFL quarterback. The latest statistic provided by Pro Football Focus is another example. Goff made the most number of “big throws” on third and fourth down of any NFL quarterback.

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Eventually, either Goff will fall to those low expectations at some late point of his career, and naysayers will be right there to say “I told you so!”. More likely, he will continue to perform as one of the best, and unheralded, NFL quarterbacks.

In the meantime, we hope he continues to do what he does. It may not be enough to change perceptions but should be enough to get the Rams back into the playoffs.

Sean McVay Names His 1 Big Concern As An NFL Head Coach

Sean McVay is one of the most-successful young coaches in NFL history.

The Los Angeles Rams head coach is only 34 years old. He was hired in 2017 at the age of 30, becoming the youngest head coach in league history.

Since getting hired, McVay has led the Rams to multiple playoff appearances and a Super Bowl berth. Los Angeles lost in the Wild Card Round in the 2017 season and fell to the Patriots in the Super Bowl in the 2018 season.

The Rams would love to have McVay on the sideline for several decades and McVay would probably like that, too. But “burning out” is a concern for someone at his age.

“Yeah, absolutely it is,” McVay told Albert Breer on his podcast, via USA Today. “That’s something that I do need to be aware of because if you’re not careful — I just know the way that I’m going at it, you’re like, realistically, this isn’t the right way to do it, but you’re such a grinder and it’s kind of being able to step back, being still is going to be a key thing. And I am confident that we’ll be able to achieve a better balance and will lead to more sustainability moving forward.”

McVay added that things will change once he’s married and has kids. He’s engaged to be married next year.

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“The other thing, too, is what I’ve really seen from a lot of my close friends, once you get into that point where, hey, I’m gonna get married next year, obviously want to be able to have kids. That perspective of, all right, now you’ve got a real reason to live when you’ve got a family, you’ve got something else,” he added. “I think that balance and that appreciation for those things where it’s not just all football will help toward a goal of just being able to sustain and be healthier overall.”

McVay is currently under contract through the 2023 season, but the Rams will probably try to extend him before that.

Los Angeles is set to open the 2020 season on Sept. 13 against the Dallas Cowboys.

Rams OC Kevin O'Connell breaks down additions of Cam Akers, Van Jefferson and Brycen Hopkins to offense

Midway through the Rams' virtual offseason program, offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell took the time to break down each of the unit's rookie skill-position additions. Here's what he had to say about running back Cam Akers, wide receiver Van Jefferson and tight end Brycen Hopkins as we get closer to training camp.

Cam Akers, RB, Florida State

2019 college stats: 231 carries, 1,144 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns; 30 catches, 225 receiving yards, four touchdowns; second-team All-ACC selection.

O'Connell's take: "Cam was a guy that, really studying him, you saw the amount of personal grit and determination where you saw some of his runs. He was running against a lot of loaded looks there at Florida State and he was able to create a lot on his own, and as well you see the upside. I think it was a great running back draft, there was a lot of depth across the board, but for us and for me personally, with Cam, just watching and thinking about where he can possibly get to and get maximized in our offense."

Van Jefferson, WR, Florida

2019 college stats: 49 receptions, 657 yards, six touchdowns.

O'Connell's take: "There's no secret to our love as a coaching staff for him. His ability to run routes and understand the next-level element of running routes and separating at the top, I think he'll fit right in from a personality and a skillset standpoint with the guys we have in that room. The great thing about rooms like that, where there's depth but there's also accountability and guys pushing each other, (is) they're all going to raise their games continually to another level."

Brycen Hopkins, TE, Purdue

2019 college stats: 61 receptions, 830 yards, seven touchdowns; first-team All-Big Ten selection (coaches and media).

O'Connell's take: "Brycen down there in the tight end room, it's kind of the same thing (as the wide receivers). Higs and Gerald have really established a foundation, a standard in that room that coach (Wes) Phillips has, and I think him getting in there with Johnny Mundt and the other guys as well, the depth out of that really gives you the versatility that I think people have seen around the NFL.

"When you've got the multiple skillsets, you've got guys that can both run routes and block in the run game, the options are limitless. You can have 1, 2, 3, 4 tight ends on the field if you want to and really force the defense to try to adjust to those personnel groupings and figure out, do they want to match personnel, do they not. When they don't, what advantages do you have, when they do, what advantages do you have, but it requires those guys to have a really great skillset in there, versatile skillset. The fact that we have that room set up the way we do right now is really exciting."

What a history we have man. This countdown has been a lot of fun for me and being able to learn more about the Rams is always enjoyable. Today we look at Jack “Hacksaw” Reynolds who played from 1970-1980 for the good guys and switched to the ugly colors in 1981. So this might be a ‘bitter sweet’ era for some Rams fans.
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Hacksaw was a two time pro bowler. He played his college days at University of Tennessee and actually started out as a fullback.

The Rams will search high and low for talent, as these players can attest to

The LA Rams will go to great lengths to find talented players. In each draft, or even after the draft, it always seems that a player or two hails from parts-unknown, a school or university that nobody had mentioned, that nobody had bothered to write a draft profile about. I like that aspect of the Rams organization, a team willing to go the extra distance to find talented players.

The strategy seems to work, as the team ultimately promotes several undrafted players to the active roster. The team not only finds players from Division 3 schools but even from our northern neighbor of Canada. Hopefully, the strategy will not change.

As teams integrate technology, a competitive edge will be tougher to come by. Meanwhile, the advance of technology places solid-state technology into the palms of anyone with a smartphone. Films and information about college football players are just that easy to get now. Instead of too little to work with, NFL scouting departments face too much to work with.

I was reminded of this characteristic about the team when I ran across a recent article by NFLDraftDiamonds.com Damond Talbot indicated that the Rams had added two players to their roster from unlikely locations. Who are they? Let’s talk about them, shall we?

Center of parts-unknown

The LA Rams have offensive lineman center Nate Trewyn out of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He is a good size for an NFL center, standing 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 315 pounds. Originally signed after the 2019 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he was waived from their team in November 2019. Of course, that was about the time that the LA Rams needed offensive linemen, and the team immediately signed him.

Trewyn had plenty of pre-draft interest. The Green Bay Packers, the closest NFL team to his school, scouted him heavily. He was a decent center filling a need for the NFL in a draft class with few options. He was also scouted by the Chicago Bears, the Minnesota Vikings, the Dallas Cowboys, and of course, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was the only Division III player invited to compete in the NFLPA Bowl game in Pasadena, California.

Nate on the radar

We haven’t discussed Trewyn much because, frankly, he is under our radar as well. He remained on the team’s practice squad last season and signed to a reserve/futures contract in January 2020. The Rams were definitely interested in drafting center Cesar Ruiz, but the New Orleans Saints selected him in round one.

So, the Rams settled for their existing options of current centers of Coleman Shelton, Brian Allen, Austin Blythe, and Nate Trewyn. Of course, the team signed sleeper Cohl Cabral to the roster after the draft. The center position is critical for the Rams offensive line.

Kanada Kicks

When the LA Rams failed to re-sign kicker Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein in free agency, the expectation was that special teams coordinator John Bonamego believed that he could do better. Of course, there were NFL options, but Bonamego had his eyes set for a bigger prize. It was a tremendous sigh of relief when the Rams announced that they had signed a kicker before the NFL Draft.

In fact, the team signed two kickers. The team signed former XFL kicker Austin MacGinnis. Then the team announced signing CFL star and veteran kicker Lirim Hajrullahu, who hails from Western Ontario, Canada. Hajrullahu is the pre-competition favorite, as his kicking has made headlines for several years from the CFL. He is 5-foot-11 and weighs just 205 pounds. Not only that, but he was also both kicker and punter, which gives the Rams a huge advantage if All-Pro punter Johnny Hekker cannot play for some reason.

Hallelujah Hajrullahu!

Long-range accuracy is his strength. In his career, he booted 41 out of 49 kicks from the 40-49 yard range (83.7 percent accuracy) and 14 out of 16 from the 50+ yard range (87.5 percent accuracy). In his last two seasons in the CFL, he kicked 31 out of 31 for field goals beyond 40 yards. You cannot kick better than that. Perfection. BOOM!

The guy even has his won video Hallelujah Hajrullahu, and I definitely recommend you check it out. I like Sam Sloman and Austin MacGinnis. But to be honest, I can see the roof coming off of the new SoFi Stadium as soon as Hajrullahu booms a 50-yarder through the uprights. He even was interviewed by Junior Admiral. The LA Rams are in need of football stars, and if this were tryouts Hajrullahu would have nailed the audition. Of course, it’s more complex than that, but it proves once more that finding talent for the LA Rams requires a big net.

Don’t write off Rams OL Joseph Noteboom just yet

LA Rams offensive lineman Joseph Noteboom‘s 2019 season ran about as well as our 2020 year has been going so far. An offensive tackle by trade, he moved to the interior of the offensive line and started at left guard for the LA Rams last year. From his training at offensive tackle, his instinctively turned to his left to protect the quarterback, riding pressure counterclockwise to ensure that his quarterback, Jared Goff, would have enough time to pass the ball.

Of course, that tendency was diagnosed by defensive coordinators, who learned that sending a second defender straight up the middle would get to Goff pretty quickly. They did, and it did.

Greatness is getting up after getting knocked down

Life comes at you fast, particularly when you are promoted to a starting role on an NFL offensive line. Noteboom was playing for the first time as an NFL starter, at a position that did not come naturally to him. And he was playing the year after Pro-Bowler Rodger Saffold signed with Tennessee Titans in free agency. The deck was stacked against him.

Then it happened. He fell to injury. A devastating knee injury ended his season. And from that point, the hopes of a young man to enjoy a prosperous NFL career appeared to be dashed. In its place was the real experience of getting knocked down and now facing the doubly difficult path of getting back up, rehabbing a damaged knee, and working twice as hard to earn his role in the NFL once more.

Find your way back

Noteboom is on his way back. Not many are applauding the news, as so many have already made their minds up. But that’s not the way it works. Players evolve, develop, mature, and improve. Each year, an offensive lineman gets stronger and smarter. That all translates into a better player. And each week of practice, strength training, or game preparation adds to the process of making Noteboom a better player.

So how is he doing now? Good spirits and on the mend. And he’s looking forward to training camp, as there is no better solution to getting thrown from a horse than getting right back on it.

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Big plans for the big guy

As easy as it is to discount and troll the guy, or simply make an off-handed remark that he is not worth the time to training and evaluate once-more, that’s not how this story will likely end. It’s easy to pass instant judgment, and foolish to do so. The fact of the matter is that the LA Rams need him. He stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 309 pounds. He was the 89th player selected in the 2018 NFL Draft, a spot which compares to where the Rams picked outside linebacker Terrell Lewis in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The LA Rams re-signed veterans Andrew Whitworth and Austin Blythe to play for the team in 2020. Whitworth is one of the oldest players in the NFL, so how long can the team expect him to start? Blythe was signed for a one-year deal. Who will start for the Rams on the offensive line a year from now? If Joseph Noteboom is not one of your options, you’ve made a huge error.

NFL players are not disposable. They are worth patience, investing time, and second chances. Many of the NFL’s top players struggled at one time or another. It was that second chance that proved to be the key to unlocking their greatness. Will Joseph Noteboom be the next starting left tackle for the LA Rams? Perhaps. But if the team, or the fans, fail to give him the opportunity, then who? Right now the Rams are letting their 2019 roster ride into 2020. Why should Joseph Noteboom be an option for the Rams offensive line in 2020? Because failure should not be an option, that’s why.