Rams, Cowboys are two teams not to be slept on

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. –Though the Cowboys enter this week's game with a 6-7 record, it does not reflect who they are, according to Rams head coach Sean McVay.

"I think in a lot of instances, I keep saying it, but the record is not indicative of what type of football team this is," McVay said. "They’ve played some really good teams, they’ve been in every game, they’re playing really explosive on offense."

A look back on Dallas' season reinforces McVay's claim, though he could also be talking about his own team, too.

Of those seven losses, five have been by seven or fewer points, including:

• A 13-9 Week 12 loss to the now 10-3 Patriots in Foxborough. The Patriots are currently the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoff picture.
• A 28-24 Week 10 home loss to the now 9-4 Vikings in Week 10. Minnesota is currently in possession of the second and final wild card spot in the NFC playoff picture.
• A 12-10 Week 4 loss to the now 10-3 Saints in New Orleans. The Saints currently hold the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoff picture.

The two exceptions: A 26-15 Week 13 home loss to the now 9-4 Bills on Thanksgiving and a 34-24 Week 5 home loss to the now 10-3 Packers. Buffalo holds the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoff picture, while Green Bay holds the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoff picture.

In their six wins, the Cowboys averaged 34.3 points and 464 total yards of offense per game. Despite their shortcomings, they are still in first place in the NFC East – or they'll at least share it if the Eagles defeat the Giants on Monday Night Football – and still have a shot at making the playoffs.

The Rams, meanwhile are coming off a Sunday Night Football win over the Seahawks which kept them within one game of the Vikings for the final NFC wild card spot. They also notched a win over the Saints earlier in the season and kept their first meeting with the 49ers competitive – a 7-7 tie at halftime – before a 13-point second half propelled the Niners to the win.

Most notably, after a 45-6 loss to the Ravens on Monday Night Football, the Rams have scored 34 and 28 points in each of their last two games and managed to get out to early leads.

"When you are able to operate with a lead, now you force them – based on the nature of the game – to be a little bit more one dimensional," McVay said. "I think we’ve seen that kind of show up in the last couple weeks against two teams that have been playing really well."

What does all this mean, exactly? Neither team should be taken lightly, especially on Sunday and with so much at stake.

"When kickoff comes in Dallas, it’s got to be that same urgency and edge that we’ve had the last couple of weeks," McVay said.

An interesting development on the injury front.


49ers C Weston Richburg out for year; Richard Sherman, Dee Ford also hurt

Nick Wagoner
ESPN Staff Writer
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers' wild win against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday came with a hefty price.

Starting center Weston Richburg suffered a torn right patellar tendon early in the third quarter of the Niners' 48-46 win in New Orleans, coach Kyle Shanahan announced Monday afternoon.

The injury ends a strong season for Richburg, who will miss the final three games and postseason and have to undergo surgery and the accompanying rehab. Richburg's injury was the most serious but the Niners also had a pair of shorter-term injuries to key players as cornerback Richard Sherman and defensive end Dee Ford are expected to miss some time with hamstring injuries.

Shanahan said Sherman would likely miss "a couple of weeks" with his right hamstring strain and Ford, who aggravated a previous right hamstring injury, would be expected to miss "at least" three weeks. Nickel cornerback K'Waun Williams is in concussion protocol and defensive tackle D.J. Jones is dealing with a sprained ankle.
"It's tough," Shanahan said. "It was a huge win and we enjoyed that a ton obviously but some mixed feelings today with some of these injuries, which is tough, especially losing Richburg for the year. The other guys got some serious ones, too, hopefully we can keep playing well so we can give them a chance to come back and help us if we can make our season longer than three games."

Emmanuel Moseley figures to step in for Sherman opposite Ahkello Witherspoon while the Niners have already been using Ford in limited snaps because of hamstring, knee and quadriceps injuries. Shanahan said he anticipates some roster movement coming, although any moves have yet to be decided.

Richburg's injury happened on third-and-1 when running back Tevin Coleman was stopped for a 3-yard loss. On the play, Richburg was driven back at the same time as guard Mike Person, with Person's left leg crashing into the back of Richburg's right leg.

Almost immediately, Richburg crumpled to the ground and grabbed for the injured leg. In the Superdome press box, the injury was announced as ankle and knee issues, and Richburg left the locker room on crutches as his teammates lamented losing one of their most important and underrated offensive players.

"Losing Weston is big," left tackle Joe Staley said. "He's the center position on our offensive line. He's one of the captains for our group and you don't want to see him go down at all."

After the game, Shanahan indicated the injuries were serious, although further testing was needed to determine the extent. That testing confirmed the Niners' fears on Monday and they will now be without Richburg for the rest of the season.

The patellar injury comes a year after Richburg played 12 games of the 2018 season with what turned out to be torn left quadriceps. Richburg believed that injury to be a knee sprain, so he played through it before doctors told him it was much worse at the end of the season.

Richburg had surgery in the offseason and didn't return to practice until just before the start of the season. In his absence, Ben Garland will step into the starting role. Garland, who filled in for Richburg in training camp and the preseason, earned positive reviews for how he played in Richburg's place against New Orleans.

"Ben came in and I think we have a deep group," Staley said. "I think we've seen that all year. Guys just step in and I think that just talks to the urgency that everybody has and the way that they understand the next man up and how special this team is."

We lost our best friend, Oscar, a couple of weeks ago to heart disease. Oscar was our rescue Dachshund that we found in the middle of the road 15 years ago.

Oscar used to watch Ram's games with me all the time - although he'd give me some dirty looks and often wonder off as I yelled at the screen LOL

Goff audibled into "OSCAR" 6 times last night and each time, at least 5 yards was gained on those plays.

Thanks for looking out for us from the Rainbow Bridge, Oscar, my old friend!

Speculation at this point but the reports are pretty interesting to say the least.

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By Rich Hammond | The Athletic

LOS ANGELES — Pick-six. Interception. Missed field goal. Punt. The Rams’ offense, which made Seattle look silly in the first half, made everyone in the Coliseum nervous with four dismal third-quarter drives and zero points.

The Rams nursed a 12-point lead as the fourth quarter started, and the Seahawks clearly remained capable of a comeback, one that would have decimated the Rams’ already slim playoff hopes.

It’s not easy to turn around a sputtering offense in the middle of a half, but the Rams did it Sunday night when they completed a 95-yard touchdown drive to take a commanding 19-point lead on the way to a 28-12 victory over the Seahawks.

The drive, which included two runs, two play-action passes and three jet-sweep runs, was both timely and revelatory. Coach Sean McVay, who did an admirable job early in the game of establishing the run, enjoyed the fruit of that as he kept Seattle’s defense off-balance and showed a lot of trust in his players, particularly his blocking tight ends, his receivers and quarterback Jared Goff.

The Rams, left for dead just two weeks ago, are back. Their offense is humming again, the defense is dominant and, after they improved to 8-5 Sunday, suddenly a 10-6 finish doesn’t seem unrealistic at all. Will that be enough for a playoff spot? That’s largely in the hands of Minnesota, which at 9-4 holds the second and final wild-card spot in the NFC, but there’s nothing the Rams can do about that.

They followed up a “yeah but it was Arizona” victory over the Cardinals last week with arguably their most complete game of the season, and it led to locker-room optimism.

“This is a different team, a different mentality,” left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. “You know what? I think we’re shooting our shot for the next three weeks.”

There’s reason to believe. The Rams had great balance and execution throughout the first half, when they easily built a 21-3 lead, and when things started to go sideways in the third quarter, they stabilized themselves with a 95-yard drive. Here’s how it went, with insight from the key players involved.

First-and-10, Rams’ 5-yard line

The Rams came out in 12 personnel, with tight ends flanking the tackles, and made the reasonable decision to hand the ball to running back Malcolm Brown, who at a stout 222 pounds, is more of a bruiser than Todd Gurley. It didn’t work, as Brown was stuffed for no gain.

Second-and-10, Rams’ 5-yard line

This is the one. This is the play that illustrates why Rams fans should retain hope.

Early in the game, when the Rams were in 12 personnel, they ran. When they were in 11 personnel, they passed. That type of predictability is easy to sniff out, and there’s no way McVay would have attempted to sustain it. Eventually, not only did he vary the play-calling in 12 personnel but he utilized the play-action game often and slowly phased out 11 personnel altogether. McVay still made stuff look different.

On this play, Tyler Higbee lined up just outside right tackle Bobby Evans, while Johnny Mundt was set just to Higbee’s right. The Rams did this often, with both tight ends on the same side of the formation. This time, Mundt took off down the field as Goff faked a handoff to Brown.

Goff rolled right but Seattle defensive end Jadeveon Clowney recovered quickly and pressured Goff as he rolled toward the sideline. Meanwhile, Higbee, who had positioned himself as a check-down option at the 7-yard line, noticed that the Seahawks seemed to have forgotten about him. Higbee kept his eyes on Goff, who eventually returned the glance. Higbee turned upfield just as Goff threw across his body. Higbee turned the short catch into a 32-yard gain, and the Rams were on the move.

“He’s got good vision,” Higbee said of Goff. “I was just trying to find some open space so he could put it on me, and then I just tried to make a play.”

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From Goff’s perspective, “It just happened. That has happened two weeks in a row now. I was able to get to the last guy there in the middle. It’s not usually an advised throw, back across your body, but the way we run that, it’s OK at times. Last week we hit one pretty good and this week was no different, and Tyler just continues to step up. I’m so proud of him and the way he’s been playing.”

First-and-10, Rams’ 37-yard line

It’s usually tough to get yards against the Seahawks. But when they went to a 6-1 front and the Rams used two tight ends, they loved the matchup when it came to one of McVay’s pet plays.

The jet-sweep runs that McVay utilized in 2017 started to get slowed down last season when teams put six players across the line of scrimmage. Then, McVay ran plays almost exclusively out of 11 personnel, and while the Rams’ receivers generally block well, that’s still a tough circumstance for them to thrive.

With two tight ends, though, the Rams felt better about handing the ball to their receivers in motion. It’s not something they’ve done a lot in the past with Josh Reynolds, but Reynolds had a 12-yard gain in the first quarter and a 10-yard gain in the third quarter. It worked again fairly well here, as Reynolds picked up 7 yards. For the past two weeks, the Rams stressed first-down effectiveness, and Reynolds’ run put them in an advantageous spot near midfield.

“We liked it against that 6-1 defense that the Seahawks kept jumping in,” Reynolds said. “As you see, it kept working. As long as they kept hopping into that 6-1, we were going to attack that outside.

“We’ve got capable receivers who are able to block, and running backs, but when you can put a bigger body on them, it works. Those two-tight-end sets have made a difference.”

Second-and-3, Rams’ 44-yard line

This might have been the best of McVay’s play calls. With endless options in that situation, at that location on the field, the coach turned to a bread-and-butter play. Goff executed another play-action fake, even better than the earlier pass to Higbee, and found receiver Robert Woods for a 20-yard gain.

First-and-10, Seahawks’ 36-yard line

Woods barely had time to catch his breath before he got the ball again. He went in motion toward the left side of the line, took a handoff from Goff and ran around the corner for 16 yards.

“It was something they were giving us,” Whitworth said, “giving us an opportunity to get out on the edge and use our athletes. That’s the beauty of football. Once you see something, you’ve got to keep attacking it.”

First-and-10, Seahawks’ 20-yard line

So, the Rams kept attacking it. They lined up in the same formation, with the same personnel and ran the same play to the same side. The Seahawks still had no answer and Woods ran for 13 yards.

“We really were just seeing what they gave us,” Woods said. “They gave us the edge and we were able to read it the first time. Then they gave us the same look and we ran it again. I was asking for a third one.”

First-and-goal, Seahawks’ 7-yard line

Todd Gurley. Remember him? Throughout the game, the Rams did a good job of sprinkling in Gurley, even though he was not ripping off long runs. McVay stayed disciplined with his run-pass balance, which is something he rarely achieves in big games.

Gurley had gained a total of only 4 yards in his previous three carries (in the third quarter), but the Seahawks really, really had trouble setting the outside edge. On this play, Gurley took a handoff, bounced to his left and ran hard as he took a good angle to the goal line and the pylon.

The only player left to stop Gurley was Seattle cornerback Tre Flowers, who regretted it. Without slowing down, Gurley stiff-armed Flowers to the ground just before the goal line, then skipped into the end zone.

“It was just me one-on-one with the corner,” Gurley said. “I had to go Derrick Henry style with the stiff-arm. I thought he would try to punch out the ball.”

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“He’s a bad man,” Goff said. “That’s what I told him. He’s a bad dude. It was vintage Todd, and that’s who he is.”

So in that way, it was perfect, because the same could be said of the Rams’ offense. It was a vintage performance.

Goff (22 of 31, 293 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions) and the offensive line overcame some mid-game wobbles and got back on track with the help of a dominant defense that limited the playmaking of Russell Wilson and sacked him five times. Gurley finished with 113 yards from scrimmage and McVay showed great balance, as he called 33 run plays and 31 pass plays. It all came together in a 95-yard drive that eased some anxiety in the fourth quarter.

“It’s amazing, when you think of the group we’re playing with and how young they are,” Whitworth said. “Really, even Jared and the receivers. These are young guys, and a young group at tight end. This is a young offense against a great team that has had a good year. To go 95 yards when you had to, what a cool moment for those guys. It’s something they can build off of and remember and say, ‘Hey, this is who we can be going forward.’”

(Top photo of Todd Gurley: Meg Oliphant / Getty Images)

These boys are having a hell of a time digesting this one...

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NOTE TO EVERYONE IN PICKEM ahead of Week 15: PICK THE BEARS!

It is possible the Rams win out and miss the playoffs at 11-5. All the teams in the hunt are hungry...and the playoff seeded teams in front of us control their own destiny.
The Rams will need a little help.

However, the Rams have a ton of outs (poker term) for that help!

In Fact: The Rams can substantially take back control of their own playoff wild card destiny before their kick-off with Dallas at 4 pm eastern time this coming Sunday.
If the Packers fall to the Bears at home in the morning game this coming Sunday, we are looking good to control our own destiny. (unless the Vikings/Packers tie in Week 16-- this scenario would ensure that one of them is going to drop to 5 losses, and we'd own the conference tie-breaker against both!)




Best case scenario for us in Week 15 is to take care of business in Dallas and for the Seahawks/ Packers/ Vikings to all lose. Seahawks/Vikings are playing away games, and Packers have to face the pesky Bears who are playing good football as of late.


If Seahawks lose to the Panthers, we need the Saints to keep winning to make the 9ers week 17 game against them meaningful (after the 9ers lose to us in week 16, they'd need that week 17 win to over Seahawks to maintain number 1 seed over Saints)



Yes, lots of outs!
We need help...but we have a good chance to overtake the Seahawks, Packers, or Vikings if we take care of business.
If those three teams all avoid 5 losses then they deserve to get into Post Season.
Nobody wants to face a hot Rams team in Post Season.
Buckle up for an exciting finish to regular Season.

Go Rams!

Huh? Wha... how?

Should I be concerned about this?

Does Vegas see something I don't? Yes, of course the Cowboys can win. They are at home, desperate, have talent. But they have also been failing miserably and are losing to teams with winning records.

I felt the Rams could win this by double figures.

I was not worried so much about this game.

Should I be?

Monday Night Football: New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles

The New York Giants play the Philadelphia Eagles with no mathematical chance to win the NFC East this season; they're down a starting quarterback, too, as Daniel Jones will sit this one out with a high ankle sprain. But the fact this team with a 2-10 record still remained in playoff contention until last week should give you a clue of how awful this division has been in 2019.

The Eagles (5-7) enter "Monday Night Football" with a tremendous opportunity, a chance to pull even with the Dallas Cowboys a second straight week and control their own playoff destiny. Last week, they had a similar setup and blew it, losing to the hapless Miami Dolphins 37-31 in their worst defensive effort of the season. Losers of three straight games, Philadelphia has been unable to capitalize as the Cowboys have suffered through an 0-3 stretch themselves.

In fact, the hapless Washington Redskins, upset winners against the Carolina Panthers last weekend, are the only team to win a game in this division since Nov. 17. Shockingly enough, that's kept them alive in the NFC East despite a 3-9 record. No team will be better than 6-7 after this weekend even if the Eagles win.

Such is life in a division whose 16 wins are the fewest in the NFL; the AFC West, next up on the list, has 22. But according to NFL rules, someone still has to come out on top and earn a playoff spot.

We'll see Monday night if the Eagles can do just that, living up to their preseason billing as NFC contenders while facing two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning for potentially the final time in his career.

New York at Philadelphia

Kickoff: Monday, Dec. 9 at 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Spread: Eagles -9.5

Three Things to Watch

1. How will Eli Manning play?

Manning returns to the field Monday night for what may be his final game as a starter in the NFL. All indications are Daniel Jones could be back as soon as next week; the goal is for the 22-year-old to get as much on-field experience as possible.

To be fair, Manning hasn't made his future clear beyond this season. October's Sports Illustrated profile, the most detailed profile of the former starting QB, reveals he's always planned to retire a New York Giant.

"You never want to try to make decisions about your future while you're still living in the present and don't know the circumstances of what could happen," Manning said this week. "I'll analyze everything else after the season."

As for Monday night, it's difficult to know what to expect. The Giants have lost eight straight since Jones' 2-0 start replacing Manning, their offensive line as porous as ever. Jones got sacked as many as eight times in a game against the Cardinals last month; he's never had top offensive weapons Golden Tate, Saquon Barkley, Evan Engram and Sterling Shepard on the field for the same game once this season.

Manning will suffer through the same problem as Engram is out Monday night with a foot injury. So the load will fall to Barkley and Tate, the latter of which had three touchdowns in two games before a concussion sidelined him against Green Bay. Barkley himself remains the team's best offensive player yet has a tough assignment ahead of him; the Eagles rank fourth against the run and will likely take that weapon away, forcing Manning to beat them.

Can he do it? The quarterback's last victory against the Eagles came in 2016; the last time he beat them at Lincoln Financial Field was '13. His starts against them last year were unimpressive; one touchdown, two interceptions, no 300-yard games and six sacks.

It's a tall order. Yet the nostalgia surrounding his final start, stuck with a 116-116 career record, is the type of mental boost for the Giants that's impossible to ignore.

2. Can the Eagles' defense recover?

A look at what happened against the Dolphins is inexplicable for a defense that's kept this team in games all season. A group that limited the Patriots and Seahawks, Super Bowl contenders, to just 34 points total gave up 37 the following week to a 3-9 team trying to tank for draft picks.

"You don't want to be Captain Obvious," said team leader and safety Malcolm Jenkins. "We didn't f***ing play well. There is no need to beat a dead horse."

Journeyman quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick racked up 365 passing yards, the third-most for an Eagles opponent this season behind Aaron Rodgers and Case Keenum in the season opener. The team was 4-for-4 on red zone opportunities, the worst performance by the Eagles' defense this season. Keep in mind the Dolphins had never gone better than 2-for-2 percentagewise in any game before last Sunday.

The Giants' offense, on paper, appears the perfect remedy for the Eagles' woes. They're 25th in total yards, 25th in points per game, and their 28 giveaways are tied for the most in the NFL. It's a mismatch on paper, one where defensive linemen Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox should wreak havoc. (Derek Barnett may sit out with an ankle injury).

3. Was last week a sign the Eagles have found their rhythm offensively?

If there's any silver lining from the Dolphins game last week, it's that Philadelphia's offense finally appeared to take a step forward. Carson Wentz, facing heavy criticism entering the game, put together his best performance since September's win against Green Bay. His 310 passing yards went to seven different receivers despite most of his weapons sidelined by injuries. He was sacked only twice and didn't have a single turnover until a Hail Mary throw at the end of the game.

The running attack, despite the loss of still-hurting Jordan Howard (shoulder), seems to have stabilized behind second-round draft pick Miles Sanders. Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery appears fully healthy, surging to 137 yards, nine catches and a touchdown. Tight end Zach Ertz took a step back last week but had three straight games of nine-plus catches before that.

The question is whether Wentz can sustain the momentum. He still hasn't put together back-to-back games of three-plus touchdown passes since his pre-ACL, MVP-caliber season in 2017. On paper, the Giants are the perfect team to achieve that next-level stat.

Final Analysis

If you've noticed a theme of "on paper, it's a blowout" you've recognized the difficulty of handicapping the Eagles in 2019. The lack of team chemistry is palpable; in just two years, a franchise that thrived in the underdog role defined by head coach Doug Pedersen no longer seems to fight together.

They're slow starters, scoring a touchdown in the first quarter just twice in the past seven weeks. They can't close, scoring an average of 3.2 points in the fourth quarter during the same stretch. Against the Dolphins, they blew a 14-point lead with 11:44 left in the third quarter against a team that's literally trying to lose.

If there's any silver lining, all the stats line up in the Eagles' favor against a team they've beat up on in recent years. Eli Manning, every time he's shown up on the field, appears to have nothing left. The last time Malcolm Jenkins spoke out so passionately, responding to criticism from a former defensive player, they demolished the Buffalo Bills 31-13 the following week.

And still. If I were a betting man, I'd stay away, even with a moneyline wager. That's how untrustworthy the 2019 Eagles have been.

Prediction: Eagles 31, Giants 13

Cameron DaSilva
1 hour ago


The Rams only had one win over a team above .500 entering Week 14, but they doubled that number on Sunday night. With the 10-2, NFC West-leading Seahawks coming to town, the Rams needed a win to stay a game behind the Vikings in the wild-card race.
They handled their division rivals in prime-time, beating Seattle 28-12. It was by far their best win of the season, and one that put the rest of the conference on notice. The Rams are getting hot at the right time, both offensively and defensively.

They scored 21 unanswered after falling behind 3-0 early, and the only touchdown Seattle scored came on a pick-six thrown by Jared Goff. The offense will be in the spotlight more for finding a rhythm finally, but the defense has been excellent outside of the games against Baltimore and Tampa Bay.
Here’s our analysis of the game, which was the Rams’ second straight win by double-digits.

Player of the game: Tyler Higbee
Higbee has been more heavily involved on offense lately, posting his second straight 100-yard game. He caught seven passes for 116 yards and did a good job blocking, too.

Stat of the game: 0
The Rams allowed zero sacks in this game and Goff was rarely even under pressure. He had plenty of time on play-action passes and although rollouts helped him and the offensive line, the unit did a great job as a whole.

Game notes

• Sean McVay got more creative with his play calling, and for the most part, it worked. There were a lot of rollouts for Jared Goff, a few end-arounds for Josh Reynolds – which picked up first downs twice – and even a trick play. The trick play with Cooper Kupp throwing a pass to Tyler Higbee came at the wrong time, though, with it being third-and-7. The pass fell incomplete and on the next play, Greg Zuerlein’s field goal was blocked.
• 
  
• The Rams clearly want to get Todd Gurley more involved as the season winds down. He had 23 carries against Seattle, picking up 79 yards and a touchdown with another 34 yards receiving. He’s done a nice job with a bigger workload in the last month, helping to balance the offense.
• 
  
• Jared Goff’s numbers don’t tell the whole story. He had two interceptions, but the first was on a miscommunication with Robert Woods and the second was on a deep shot on third down, which worked similarly to a punt. Yes, it was a turnover with the Rams at Seattle’s 37-yard line, but it was inconsequential, really. He played well in this game, making very few mistakes against a secondary that has created plenty of turnovers this season.
• 
  
• The defense was outstanding in this game. It only allowed six points to the Seahawks with the other six points coming on an interception return. Russell Wilson was contained, and while Seattle rushed for 106 yards on only 21 carries, that’s a very low total for the league’s third-best team on the ground.
• 
  
• Jalen Ramsey allowed a catch on third-and-22, but the secondary more or less limited Seattle’s passing attack. Tyler Lockett only had 43 yards on four catches, while DK Metcalf had 78 yards – 35 of which came on one play.
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• The pass rush was relentless, sacking Wilson five times. Those were divided up with Aaron Donald and Dante Fowler Jr. recording 1.5 each, and Samson Ebukam sacking Wilson twice. They were all over the quarterback throughout the game.
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• The Rams took advantage of Seattle’s reluctance to use its nickel packages. The Seahawks came into this game leaning heavily on their base 4-3 scheme, and even with the Rams countering by using 11 personnel with three receivers, Seattle kept three linebackers on the field most of the night.

I did everyone a favor and didn't record the game, (they lose if I record).

Does anyone have a link to the game?

A while I ago I replied to another member saying there's no way in hell this team goes 6-10. Welp.

I was so busy this week with family and work crap I failed to start the Predict the Score.

So I guess that means double the prizes next week

Over the years I have lost count of how many times Aaron has come through in crucial moments of a game even when he was on a 7-9 team. Perhaps some may wish to post their favorites here. But I’m not looking at the past now....

No Ram in my 55 years has more consistently been the difference between winning and losing than AD. This transitional season hangs in the balance tonight. Double and triple teams be damned. I’d be shocked if we didn’t see a Superhero performance from him tonight.

I normally avoid making and reading Rah Rah posts. I prefer insightful analysis and detailed reasoning. But tonight cannot become a matter of dubious officiating, bad breaks, missed kicks, or questionable playcalling. Tonight requires the best player in the NFL to leave no doubt. As much as everyone correctly calls this the ultimate team game, it’s transcendence time for the one Ram who can carry the night.

F rational thought. Tonight I’m just a fan.

As we enter week 14, we are down to 4 in the ROD Survivor Pool.

@RamFanInPC
@Ramhusker
@RamFanWA
@Young Ram

Our tournament is double-elimination. Each player has 1-strike.

Good luck!

What’s on yours?

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Game Day Thread

The GDT is a live thread tradition here at ROD.

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

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

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

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

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

Go Rams!

———

ROD Chat Room;

GAME DAY ROOM

I know all Rams Fans already know this but tomorrow night’s game against the Seahawks is simply just a huge Game for the Rams! Definitely feel like if the Rams win this game they will make the Playoffs (I do understand that there will be more games to be played and the Rams will need to win at least 2 of their 3 remaining games!) but I think if the Rams can beat the Seahawks and go at least 10-6 they will make the playoffs (I just think the Vikings will lose at least 2 more games)! Of course I am hoping that from what I have read is true that the Rams will get the Tiebreaker nod over the Vikings if they end up tied in the Standings?!!!

Artist sells banana duct-taped to wall for $120k at Art Basel in Miami Beach
TRENDING
by: NBC News
Posted: Dec 6, 2019 / 11:04 AM PST / Updated: Dec 6, 2019 / 11:12 AM PST



A fool and their money blah blah blah.

I was talking with a friend of mine today. We are both big fans on the NFL...different teams but still....Knowledgeable.

I started talking about Brady. When he retires, how are you going to remember him?
Without hesitation, he responded, he’s a cheater. Can’t tell him any different.

For me, looking at it as a fan of the NFL and not just the Rams, I’m going to remember him as nothing but a passionate player, someone who always showed tremendous respect to those deserving and who said and did the right things off the field. Do I think he’s the best ever? No. But do I think he’s one of the best ever? Damn right and I’m glad I got to see it.

curious, how many of you will view him as something other than a cheater? Lol

I can see @LesBaker stringing together a 7 curse word sentence to describe his hatred. Lol

Just...figured I'd post it here. There's not much I can say, except...it's important to remember this event, to memorialize those who paid the ultimate price in a cowardly sneak attack.

NFC playoff picture: 49ers, Vikings lead fierce wild-card race

The NFC is as top-heavy as it has been in quite a few years, thanks to the strong play of the Seattle Seahawks, the NFC South champion New Orleans Saints and the resurgent San Francisco 49ers. Thanksgiving brought a showdown between Buffalo and Dallas on CBS, a game the Bills won and an outcome that produced one of the shortest "In the hunt" lists on a TV graphic in recent memory. There were just two teams listed in the group, even though, mathematically, more remain alive.

Realistically, five teams are near locks to make the playoffs, barring total collapse: the Saints, Seahawks, 49ers, Packers and Vikings. One team, New Orleans, has already locked up a home playoff game. That's it for certainty, though, thanks to close races in the NFC North (Green Bay and Minnesota) and NFC West (San Francisco and Seattle). The Packers currently own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Vikings with one more meeting to play, as do the Seahawks over the 49ers, with their huge rematch set for Week 17.

That's the prevailing theme among those near the top of the standings: The final two weeks could mean everything in seeding. Week 16 could mean even more for Dallas and Philadelphia, as the loser of their rematch very well could be going home before the new year.

Let's take a closer look at where things stand with four weeks to go:

DIVISION LEADERS

No. 1: New Orleans Saints (10-2, NFC South)
No. 2: Seattle Seahawks (10-2, NFC West)
No. 3: Green Bay Packers (9-3, NFC North)
No. 4: Dallas Cowboys (6-6, NFC East)

WILD-CARD CHASE

No. 5: San Francisco 49ers (10-2, NFC West)
No. 6: Minnesota Vikings (8-4, NFC North)
No. 7: Los Angeles Rams (7-5, NFC West)
No. 8: Chicago Bears (6-6, NFC North)
No. 9: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7, NFC South)
No. 10: Philadelphia Eagles (5-7, NFC East)
No. 11: Carolina Panthers (5-7, NFC South)

STILL ALIVE

Washington Redskins (3-9, NFC East)

OFFICIALLY ELIMINATED

Detroit Lions (3-8-1)
Arizona Cardinals (3-8-1)
Atlanta Falcons (3-9)
New York Giants (2-10)

Thanks to the NFC East's generally average-at-best play, the Redskins still have a very slim chance of winning the division, though they'd need to win out, Dallas to lose out and Philadelphia to win only one more of its final four games (not against Washington in Week 15, obviously). It's basically a miracle scenario, but it's still in play for a team that has won two straight with rookie Dwayne Haskinsat quarterback.

The rest of the wild-card hopefuls are wishing for a Vikings collapse this month. One more win for Minnesota and a good chunk of the group can start making vacation plans for January.

Minnesota still has a decent chance to win the NFC North, meaning Green Bay's performance down the stretch still matters, too; though, we should get more clarity after the two teams face off in Week 16. If the two squads remain tight for the final month, the hopes of most of those behind them won't matter much.

Finality isn't yet a reality, though, so let's examine the chances of a handful of those still alive (listed from least likely to earn a postseason bid to most):

7) Carolina Panthers

Remaining schedule: at ATL, vs. SEA, at IND, vs. NO.

Nothing in the Panthers' recent play makes me think they'll suddenly turn things around and sprint into the postseason, boosted by the help of others' failures. Their final four games make it even less likely. Only one of their remaining opponents has a record below .500, and as demonstrated by Week 13, that contest isn't a guaranteed win, either. With Kyle Allen careening back to earth, we should be watching this team more for the status of coach Ron Rivera than for the NFC standings.

UPDATE: The Panthers fired Rivera on Tuesday and made secondary coach Perry Fewell the team's interim head coach.

6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Remaining schedule: vs. IND, at DET, vs. HOU, vs. ATL.

The Buccaneers have gotten hot lately, dominating Jacksonville for the majority of their Week 13 winseven days after their decisive victory over Atlanta. The problem is, the division is out of reach, and they'll need the aforementioned collapse above to have a legitimate chance to reach the playoffs. Of their final four opponents, only one (Texans) has a winning record, but it'll likely take just one loss to spoil their postseason chances.

5) Philadelphia Eagles

Remaining schedule: vs. NYG, at WAS, vs. DAL, at NYG.

The Eagles had a great chance on Sunday to move into a tie for first atop the NFC East, setting up a potential division-deciding showdown with the Cowboys in Week 16. A similar opportunity still exists, but Sunday's self-destruction in Miami made Philly's road that much tougher. At 5-7, the Eaglesneed a win and another Cowboys loss to bring the division to a tie before they meet again. That -- not the wild card -- is their likeliest route to the postseason.

4) Chicago Bears

Remaining schedule: vs. DAL, at GB, vs. KC, at MIN.

The Bears beat teams they should beat (mostly), and lose to teams that are even with or better than them. That makes Chicago's chances easier to project, even if its future is not yet set in stone. What isguaranteed, though, is the difficulty of the Bears' remaining schedule. All four of the listed teams have something significant to play for in the final month, and with Mitch Trubisky's struggles receiving a weekly spotlight, it'll be rough sailing for Matt Nagy's bunch. This week's pivotal contest with Dallason Thursday Night Football could either help jump-start the Bears on an unlikely run or essentially end their season. From there, the path to the playoffs only gets tougher.

3) Los Angeles Rams

Remaining schedule: vs. SEA, at DAL, at SF, vs. ARI.

The Rams have three difficult games ahead, but they just destroyed the same team they'll face again in Week 17. If they can somehow win two of their next three games, improving the record to at least 9-6, they could find itself playing for a wild-card spot to close out the regular season. L.A. will still need Minnesota and/or Green Bay to hit some hurdles down the stretch, though.

2) Minnesota Vikings

Remaining schedule: vs. DET, at LAC, vs. GB, vs. CHI.

The Vikings are well-positioned to make the playoffs as long as they avoid a collapse. Their loss to the Seahawks on Monday night certainly didn't do them any favors, but at 8-4, they're by no means on the mat looking up at the searing, fluorescent lights. Minnesota should beat the David Blough-led Lions this weekend, and ideally should take care of business against a hapless Chargers team, before things get serious in a Week 16 rematch with the Packers. Should the Vikings manage to win all three of those games, they could be looking at a chance to clinch the division in Week 17 at home against the Bears. There's a lot of ball to be played before then, though, which is keeping the other NFC hopefuls still in the mix.

1) San Francisco 49ers

Remaining schedule: at NO, vs. ATL, vs. LAR, at SEA.

Are you also stunned to be reading this? The 49ers have been one of the league's best teams and best stories all season, riding a ferocious defensive front and an excellently paced offense to a 10-2 mark and the NFC West lead -- well, until early Tuesday. Seattle's win over Minnesota propelled the Seahawks into first place in the division by virtue of their thrilling win over the Niners earlier this season. The 49ers' future is still in their hands, though: If they can keep pace with Seattle down the stretch -- Seattle's schedule is admittedly easier than San Francisco's -- the 49ers can still win the NFC West in a winner-take-all Week 17 showdown.

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