Isn't Mike Thomas more of a speed guy? If he is, wouldn't this be a prime time to see what he's got. With Cooks being out, the Rams don't really have that speed guy to take some of the pressure off. Seems like this would be the time. What are your thoughts?

What the Pro Bowl Rosters Should Be at NFL's Midseason Mark
By Kristopher Knox

View: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2861548-what-the-pro-bowl-rosters-should-be-at-nfls-midseason-mark#slide0

So we already have a mess to start it off. I’ve read the comments by AA and don’t see any collusion but the Union seems he’ll bent on creating it.


Aside from that shat do you think or want your team to do?

Coffee has become one of those things that has evolved into a lot of options... and most people are very particular how they serve theirs.

How about you?

I like LavAzza espresso.

Clay Matthews ready to rejoin Rams defense

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – LB Clay Matthews was eating breakfast the morning after the Rams' Oct. 3 Thursday night game against the Seahawks in Seattle, fully prepared to get ready for next week's home game against the 49ers, when he noticed a clicking sound while chewing his food.

Initially, doctors thought his jaw injury was a sprain. To his surprise, a precautionary visit revealed it was actually broken – stalling a promising start to his first season in Los Angeles which saw him produce 16 tackles and six sacks through the first five weeks.

"Obviously we had to wire it shut or do surgery. Figured it out," Matthews said. "But yeah, it's disappointing in that regard."

Fortunately for Matthews, the hardware that kept his mouth shut was removed "two or three weeks ago," and he's now back on the practice field this week as the Rams begin preparing for the Steelers, ready to put the injury behind him.

Getting to this point, though, required a long month of recovery and dietary restrictions.

Matthews said he could only eat soft food, so he began with oatmeal and eggs and gradually worked his way up. He estimates he lost "four or five" pounds from his diet of soft and blended food.

"Never realized how I much I enjoyed eating until you have your mouth wired shut," Matthews said. "But it was one of those ones that sucks, no doubt about it. Not only being hurt, but you don't realize how much you use your mouth every day, having your mouth wired shut. Especially when your kids don't listen to you, but that's another story."

Indeed, giving instructions to his children was going to be difficult. He could still talk while his mouth was wired shut, but it was all mumbled.

"I got pretty good at that," Matthews said.

From there, it was a matter of sticking to a straightforward rehab program.

"And then once it came off, obviously it just took a long time, as it does with any kind of broken extremity, to get those muscles firing and stuff. Eating, chilling, talking, doing exercises with jaw mobility is the best thing I could do."

Matthews has endured his fair share of injuries: A broken nose during a charity softball game in the summer of 2018, breaking his thumb twice in three months during the 2013 season, an ankle and a hamstring in 2016. This one, though, was different.

"Obviously I've never experienced this before and it was very much a freak injury," Matthews said. "Unfortunate, but hopefully we can put it all past us now and move forward without any more hiccups."

When anticipating whether to come back or not, Matthews said it's difficult to simulate some of the hits a player is going to take in a live game.

While this injury is unlike any one he's had before, it's still the same in that the biggest key coming back from it is playing with confidence – something he feels based on conversations with the doctors, the x-rays, the CT scans and timeline he's been looking at.

"It feels good just having my helmet on it, being out there, just getting it jostled and everything," Matthews said. "I anticipate it to go well. Like I said, that's the thing about an injury – you've got to be able to have a confidence to come back and not played scared or reluctant."

Matthews said that if the Rams had a game last week, it would've been one of those situations where he would've been hesitant to play. Still, he said having the bye week helped. He's now five weeks removed from the injury, and when hen he returns, he'll be wearing a regular helmet.

His status is still uncertain for Sunday's game, but Rams head coach Sean McVay said that if Matthews progresses the right way throughout the week, he should be ready to roll. Matthews himself is confident in his chances of seeing the field.

"I tried my best to get all the nutrients I could, stay on top of my workout regiment as well as my conditioning," Matthews said. "I feel good. I feel like there shouldn't be that much of a drop-off once I come back, and hopefully my play on Sunday says so."

Rams Pro Football Focus tidbits heading into Week 10

Pro Football Focus (PFF) has a team of more than 300 staffers evaluating every NFL play from the Hall of Fame game to the Super Bowl. After each game, players, as well as each team's offensive, defensive and special teams units, are graded on a scale of 0 to 100; the closer a player or unit is to 100, the better. A full explanation of their evaluation process can be found here for additional context.

Here's a look at some of the noteworthy Rams-centric assessments as we turn our attention toward the second half of the 2019 season.

MOST DEFENSIVE RANKINGS RISE AFTER BYE WEEK

In our midseason recap, we highlighted how well the defense graded out in four of the five categories evaluated by PFF. Even with the bye week, that's still the case – and in some instances, its rankings rose.

L.A.'s defense stands as the fourth-highest graded overall defense entering Week 10 after entering the bye week at fifth. Its run defense moved up one spot, from seventh to sixth, while its coverage moved down one spot from seventh to eighth. Its pass rush remained at third.

Regardless of the movement, the point remains that the Rams' defense is still a top 10 unit even with the performances across the league in Week 9.

OFFENSE MOSTLY UNAFFECTED BY BYE WEEK PERFORMANCES

While the Rams' defense saw a few increases with their rankings, the Rams' offense pretty much stayed the same.

The overall ranking for L.A.'s offense dropped one spot from 16th to 17th, but its run game remained in the top nine, sharing ninth with the Saints.

They'll get a good test in Pittsburgh this week against the league's second-highest graded defense in the Steelers.

DONALD STILL TOP INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

Rams DT Aaron Donald maintained his place as PFF's top-graded interior defensive lineman after the bye week.
A glance over top 10 interior defensive linemen active in Week 10 shows several solid performances, but not enough to dethrone Donald. The former Pitt standout has posted an overall grade of 81.5 or better in six of the Rams' eight games this season.

Originally posted on Sportsnaut | By Vincent Frank | Last updated 11/6/19

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Brandin Cooks sustained a concussion during the team’s Week 8 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Now coming off their bye, the Rams are gong to be without their No. 1 pass-catcher for Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
According to Omar Ruiz of NFL Media, Cooks is out for Week 10 and will consult with concussions specialists. There doesn’t seem to be a timeline for his return.

This is not only scary news for Cooks, it could loom large for the Rams moving forward. Cooks has 27 receptions for 402 yards this season after putting up four consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns.
At 5-3, Los Angeles is three games behind the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West and has lost in blowout fashion against their division rivals.
Following Sunday's game against Pittsburgh, the Rams take on difficult defenses in the Bears and Ravens.
This article first appeared on Sportsnaut and was syndicated with permission.

have to pat myself on the back for being the winner of last weeks special edition PTS contest

This weeks contest brings us the Rams coming off a bye week to travel to the steel city for a match up with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Can the well rested Rams continue their winning ways against Mason Rudolph, James Conner and Juju Smith Schuster?

Lets see those predictions

and GO

For anyone who needs it. Not much to this week's map.

Opponent Discussion Thread (Week 10 vs. Rams)

Please use this thread to post any info you wanted to share about this week's opponent including weaknesses, strengths, or info on lesser known players you think will have an impact. If you are a fan of the Rams, feel free to add in your two cents, and ask us about the Steelers.
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Aaron Donald might be the scariest person on the Steelers scouting report all season.
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How they handle him will go a long way to determining the outcome of this game.
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(Pressure Goff) + (Move down field quickly) +(Find open receivers) = less checkdowns and more touchdowns basically
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Goff will throw us the ball as long as we lock down their run and short pass game, which I think is very possible.
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Hardest match-up left on the schedule, Ravens included.

Steelers are going to struggle mightily against this defense. They're 4th best rush defense by DVOA, and they also limit running backs receiving efficiency almost as well. Rams defense is no slouch against the pass either (15th in DVOA and that's 3/4s of the year playing without Jalen Ramsey).

Only path to a win that I see is herculean defensive effort, and likely a ST or defensive score.
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Some random thoughts I’ve had about this game for a while now:

• ⁠Cooper Kupp is a nightmare for us. We are already giving up too many yards and first downs over the middle of the field. Kupp in the slot is going to create a problem.
• ⁠Small Hands Goff is going to be seeing ghosts by the 3rd quarter. I personally guarantee he gets strip sacked AT LEAST twice this game, and at least once by TJ. Save my comment and trash me if I’m wrong afterward. The Rams O-Line is basically shit and Goff turns into a skittish deer under pressure.
• ⁠Ramsey will have an uneventful game. Despite being Kryptonite for Ben, he mostly excelled against us when Ben was forcing it to AB. Juju mossed his ass twice last year so I am not even worried about him. I am, though, worried about him if he drops off Juju and covers Johnson. He outsizes Johnson majorly.
• ⁠Gurley will have an uneventful game. 60 yards tops.
• ⁠Mason MUST be ready to throw. Rams run defense is Top 5 in the NFL. I sure as shit hope they have a good scheme coming into the game Sunday. Oh, Rams also are great at neutralizing catches to running backs in the backfield. Not gonna fly this time.
• ⁠Brandon Cooks isn’t playing, which is great.
• ⁠This will be the first time our O-Line goes up against God Mode Aaron Donald. He obviously will create a problem, but I have faith our guys will know what to do. I expect double-teams and designed runs to go away from him.
• ⁠Despite the toughness of this matchup, I believe the Rams weaknesses play into our strengths. As long as Rudolph makes better decisions, and the O-Line does their job, I have faith we can take this one.
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Rams fan here, really respect the hell out of the Steelers, you guys are all class from Coach to GM to Owners especially.after this entire AB fiasco. Both our teams have been unfortunate with injuries, but you've guys been impressive with how you have managed anyways. This game could go either way, but it's extremely important to win this one for us, so expect the Rams to pull out all the stops. Good luck on sunday
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Good luck to you. I think it will be a great game. I see it being pretty low scoring because both defenses have been playing very well. Difference is going to be if Rudolph can get the ball down field and out of his hands before Donald destroys him.
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Also I, personally, am fucking terrified of Aaron Donald.

He's amazeballs. And I can only imagine if we had him and Minkah and TJ and Bush playing for us.
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Aaron Donald one day coming home and signing with the Steelers would be a dream come true. One can dream, right?
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Rams fan here. I'm excited to see how we play against you guys this week. This will probably be our only "cold" weather game this year. Goff doesn't play particularly well in low temps so I don't know if he'll have an amazing game, the running game might be key. What exites me most is our defense. Ramsey brought in alot of energy to that side of the ball and they're playing well. Clay Matthews should be back as well. Clay led the team in sacks (6) before getting hurt a month ago. Our pass rush should be 100% now with Donald, Matthews, and Fowler and they'll be taking on a true test against a stellar o-line in the Steelers.

As for our o-line.....let's just not talk about it, just don't hurt Jared I really like him.
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Really looking forward to the matchup. I expect the pressure on Goff to be a pretty big part of the game. Hopefully for you guys he’ll be able to hold onto the ball enough and avoid fumbling.

Mason isn’t always the best if he doesn’t have a good pocket for long enough, and he’s already had a concussion this season. If you don’t hurt Mason we won’t hurt Jared.
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Not gonna lie, I low-key live for Jared's audibles.
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I think this is gonna be our roughest game left on the schedule with the Rams coming off the bye and everything. Going to be interesting to see how our offense responds to the defense and if we can start getting more shots down the field.

I don't see this as a game we can win by playing dink and dunk tactics.

Defense is gonna need to be on it throughout the whole game. We start slow or have a flat half and we will get torched.
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I got a feeling Minkah gonna snatch a deep ball or two from Goff. Let's get this W boys!
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Rams fan here. I don't think I've watched a single Steelers game all year (I usually only watch the Rams game and then NFL Red Zone if I have time to watch anything else after/before). Would love to hear about any new impact players on your team that I should keep an eye out for, or if anyone here wants to discuss predictions/strategies/anything around the upcoming game. Based on the thread below it seems that everyone is (rightfully) talking about Donald's impact, but as amazing as he is we still have plenty of other fun guys to watch on our team. Looking forward to a great game this Sunday!
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Honestly the biggest threat to your offense is our strong line and Minkah Fitzpatrick, who is having a stellar season this year. If you can get passes down the middle quickly you could rack up some points, but it’s easier said than done. Our offense has been lackluster at times this season with Rudolph learning on the fly, but our losses are to top 5 teams and generally have been extremely close (bringing Ravens to overtime, barely losing to the 49ers), so we definitely shouldn’t be taken for granted as a free win for the Rams.
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Can't be too upset if the Steelers lose this one. Rams are favored by 3, and they're coming off a bye.

Mason needs the game of his life to win this. Our defense is improved, but I can see death by Cooper Kupp torching Hilton and Sutton all game off playaction.
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Really tough matchup this week. On the offensive side, I think we have some attackable matchups outside of Ramsey but we’ll see if mason is willing to take shots. We need Conner back, he would have put us in the end zone last game. Defensively we’re superior in the trenches and if we put pressure on Goff and stop the run game I like our chances. Kupp and Everett are not good matchups for us and if those guys get going it’s gonna be a long day.
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Don’t worry, Conner will play. Unless his injury is a lot worse than they think, there’s no way he’ll miss playing against Aaron Donald.
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Gonna have another game of very short throws. JuJu having Ramsey on him all game if they have him going deep often should make those short crossing routes open.

Connor and Edmund's could run a ton if Donald can be handled.
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Make it loud so mcvay has a harder time mind controlling goff from the sideline and we got this game in the bag.
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A lot of what I've seen work against their offense is disguising the coverage until the mic is cut off in the helmet for Goff, so that McVay can't adjust the play for him. I hope we see a lot of movement defensively before the snap.
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We need to shift our identity, this defense is good enough to lean on, even against great offenses. We don’t need Mason to play like Ben, simply because he can’t. He’s capable of being a quality game manager, but we need to shift to a run-focused O. We have a great line and a trio of backs who complement each other well. Unfortunately, I see none of this happening under Uncle Randy.
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Mason in the shotgun + designed quick throws are the only thing that is going to work for our offense. Take a page from the Patriots.

We're gonna need to score well over 30 points to win this one. Our inability to cover the soft spots in the field and their receivers is going to be hell on earth for our defense.
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Good thing we have a bad man named Decastro to help block Donald

JOE RUTTER | Tuesday, November 5, 2019 6:16 p.m.



Taking advantage of a bye week, Aaron Donald left the West Coast and returned to the South Side last week to spend time around the Pitt football program that helped mold him into arguably the NFL’s most dominant defensive player.
Donald was talking to players outside UPMC Rooney Sports Complex when practice ended for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday. Coach Mike Tomlin crossed the parking lot from the indoor facility and passed the Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle without any acknowledgement.

Tomlin won’t have the luxury of avoiding Donald the next time they cross paths, which will be this weekend at a much bigger venue.

The Rams are making their first visit to Pittsburgh in eight seasons, and after all of the accolades Donald has earned — five Pro Bowl selections in as many seasons and back-to-back NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards — he will make his debut Sunday at Heinz Field as a visiting player.
Tomlin spent a significant portion of his weekly news conference Tuesday talking about Donald and the impact he has made for the Rams, who have won two in a row and, at 5-3, occupy third place in the NFC West a year after they advanced to the Super Bowl.

“Any discussions start with minimizing Aaron Donald and the ways he can control and dominate a game,” Tomlin said.
And then Tomlin listed the attributes that helped Donald lead the NFL with 20 1/2 sacks in 2018, when he was named the NFL’s top defensive player for the second year in a row.
“They move him around a lot,” Tomlin said. “All you have to do is look at his sack reel, and it illustrates that. He’s got sacks against right guards, against left guards, against left tackles. This guy moves up and down the line of scrimmage.”
NFL teams have decided the best way to deal with Donald is to pit two — and sometimes three — players against him on the offensive line. Trouble is, that has paved the way for other Rams defensive players to get to the quarterback. Dante Fowler has a team-high 6 1/2 sacks this year, and Clay Matthews has six. Donald is third with five sacks, but he has recorded four in the past three games.

“People work hard to get bodies on him and minimize his impact on the game,” Tomlin said. “Often, when you do that, it creates opportunities for others. … That’s what the strength of the pack is.”
Before the 2018 season, the Rams made Donald the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player with a six-year, $135 million contract. In the spring, Donald made a seven-figure donation to the Pitt Football Championship Fund.
“What an impressive person,” Rams coach Sean McVay said Monday. “And then you see the production and see the way he works at it. You look at Pittsburgh and the loyal fanbase, I don’t think they have anything but respect for Aaron Donald.”
It was during Donald’s senior year with the Panthers when Tomlin began to project greatness for the former Penn Hills star. He had 28 1/2 tackles for loss, including 11 sacks, and four forced fumbles in 2013. The Rams selected Donald with the No. 13 overall pick, and it proved to be anything but an unlucky choice. Donald was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year after the 2014 season.

“I think it became evident (as a senior) that what you were looking at was not relative to who (Pitt) was playing against,” Tomlin said. “It was more about him. He’s got an unbelievable work ethic, unbelievable talent in terms of strength and quick twitch. He’s got built-in leverage for the game. His stature is an asset.
“He’s always underneath people, and he wins one-on-one confrontations because he has the combination of unbelievable athleticism and unbelievable strength. I’m not surprised by anything we’re seeing from him, and I imagine the Rams aren’t, either.”

In 2015, when the Rams still were based in St. Louis, Donald faced the Steelers for the only time in his career. He had one sack and four tackles in a game the Rams lost 12-6.
Tomlin probably would be happy if the Steelers held Donald to similar numbers this weekend. He said the Steelers will try to use two linemen to keep him away from quarterback Mason Rudolph regardless of which side of the formation Donald is deployed.

Even if doing so provides the Rams a personnel matchup elsewhere on defense.
“You have to pick your poison,” Tomlin said.

I ate like Aaron Donald and here’s what happened

To be clear, eating like Aaron Donald is no easy feat. It’s also no easy feast.

Aaron Donald is a 28-year-old defensive tackle, weighing in at 280 pounds. He has 11% body fat.
I am none of those things.

So, to be fair, eating “exactly” like Aaron Donald is not possible for me. It’s not really possible for any average human being to eat like him without getting sick.

How much does AD eat?

According to Rams Head Team Dietitian, Joey Blake, if Donald did nothing all day, in order to maintain his size, he would need to consume 2,817.28 calories. But because Donald is an extremely elite athlete, “On his high-volume days, he is basically consuming 5,000 calories.” And, despite what you think, the majority of those calories would be more fat than protein given the amount of recovery his body needs.

To give you an idea of what that breakdown looks like, nutrition wise, Blake estimated the following: 50% Carbs, 20% Protein, 30% Fat.

Or for Donald specifically: 245g of Protein, 616g of Carbs, 164g of Fat.

What's that look like? Here are some crazy examples:

• 245g of Protein: 6 cups of chicken, 12 Jamba Juice smoothies w/protein, or 30 glasses of milk
• 616g of carbs: 15 cups of pasta/rice or 20 cups of popcorn
• 164g of Fat: 7 cups of hummus/avocado or 55oz of fish

… and this is just one day’s worth.

So, when I say, I ate like Aaron Donald, I didn’t eat a day’s worth of 5,000 calories. However, I had his chef, Arron Sain, cook some of Donald’s favorite dishes, and I can confirm eating like Aaron Donald is incredible!

Who is Aaron’s Chef?

“Lil Arron” is a culinary fitness professional. He is both a chef and a personal trainer. Chef Arron has worked with some big named celebrities, including Nick Cannon and Fantasia. He fell into this opportunity while standing in line at Urban Plate in Thousand Oaks.

“I had no idea who Aaron Donald was.” Sain said, “I was just standing in line and he came up behind me.” To be fair, Sain’s uncle was once the running back’s coach at NC State, so when a guy like Aaron Donald comes up behind you, you immediately ask, “Who do you play for?”

“My name is Arron.”

“My name is Aaron too."

Sain proceeded to tell Donald, “I have my own line of seasonings, can I give you one?” He rushed out to his car and handed Donald a packet of seasoning. They chatted for a few minutes more and Sain ended the conversation with, “I’m a chef too. If you want some meals, I’ll bring you some.” And just like that, Sain exchanged a packet of seasoning for Donald’s number.

He’s been cooking for Donald for about a year now and has been enjoying the challenge. “It’s really a blessing to get an opportunity to really cook for someone like this because it’s kind of like getting a gladiator ready for war. I take it really serious.”

What did he make me?

Sain cooked up two of Donald’s favorites: The Breakfast Tacos and Dancing Meatballs.

The Dancing Meatballs got their name because when Donald first tried them, he danced because they were so good. Sain told me this is usually more of a “cheat day” appetizer. “I would make this for him earlier in the week.”

And as for the Breakfast Tacos, it’s “the meal Aaron craves the most.” Although, Donald told Sain “Food wise, I will give anything a chance.”

We know Aaron Donald is special; numbers show that. His records show that. But, when I ate the food Chef Sain cooked up, I also felt special. Not all athletes have personal chefs, so taking the first bite straight from the cast iron skillet made me dance too. The meatballs were hearty and have a ton of flavor. The mix of veggies and warm tomato sauce surrounding the oven-baked meatballs topped with melted cheese would probably make most people dance. You get a little bit of everything all in one bite.

And there’s no question why the Breakfast Tacos are what he craves most. They are very filling. There is no way I could eat the amount Donald does. They’re substantial tacos. I hardly finished one. I would definitely need a nap after eating more than two or three tacos, unlike Donald, who eats six before practice. When you have to cram 5,000 calories in a day, every meal can feel like a competitive eating competition, especially to an average-sized person. But the tacos are magical. Crispy, buttery and fun to eat.

You can eat like AD too! (Here are the two recipes)

Dancing Meatballs

Meatball Ingredients:
6oz ground turkey
6oz ground beef 80/20
2 eggs
1 cup of ground croutons (whatever seasoned ones you want)
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Pepper
Parsley
Seasoning salt
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Parmesan cheese
Oven set to 375 degrees.
Bake until golden brown.
Sauce Ingredients:
Sauté diced onions and diced green peppers in a cast iron skillet.
Add tomato sauce of your choosing.

Cooking Directions:
Once the meatballs are cooked in the oven.
Add cooked meatballs to sauce in the cast iron skillet.
Top with mozzarella cheese
Put the whole skillet in oven until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Breakfast Tacos

Ingredients:
10oz Spicy turkey sausage
4 whole eggs
2 cups spinach
1 medium sliced onion
1 large red bell pepper
Whole wheat tortillas
Sea salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
Olive oil
Sharp cheddar cheese

Cooking directions:
Sauté all vegetables in hot skillet with olive oil
Add spicy turkey sausage (cooked well done)
Add eggs to sausage and vegetable mixture
Season with salt and pepper to taste

Assemble taco directions:
In a hot skillet add olive oil
When oil is hot place tortilla in skillet
Cook tortilla until lightly golden brown.
Add a generous amount of sausage, egg, and vegetable mixture. Go ahead and add a little more. You earned it.
Finish with cheddar cheese.
Fold taco and remove from skillet.
Finish with cheddar cheese
Fold taco and remove from skillet.

First Look: Rams, Steelers seeking to extend win streaks

The Rams and the Steelers will face off in Pittsburgh looking to continue momentum built from last month.
Los Angeles is riding a two-game win streak into this contest, while Pittsburgh's has reached three in a row.

In advance of the game, here’s an early look at the Steelers, including notable additions, their top statistical performers so far, where they rank in certain statistical categories and key storylines.

Notable additions

• Drafted LB Devin Bush in the first round of this year's draft. The No. 10 overall pick leads the Steelers with 66 total tackles and has appeared in all eight of their games, starting in seven of them.
• Signed LB Mark Barron to a two-year deal in March. A familiar name to Rams fans, the former L.A. linebacker joined Pittsburgh and effectively took over the left inside linebacker spot for Jon Bostic, who was released in April after starting there last year.

Top performers in Week 9

QB Mason Rudolph completed 26 of 35 pass attempts for 191 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a 26-24 win over the Colts.

Running backs did most of the damage on the ground and through the air. Trey Edmonds led the Steelers with 12 carries for 73 yards, while Jaylen Samuels had 13 receptions for 73 yards.

Defensively, LB Terrell Edmunds posted a team-high eight tackles, while safety Minkah Fitzpatrick had an interception which he returned 96 yards.

On special teams, kicker Chris Boswell converted all four of his field goal attempts as well as both extra point attempts.

Rankings

Offense

• Points Per Game: 18th (22.0)
• Yards Per Game: 28th (290.8)
• Passing Yards Per Game: 27th (202.4)
• Rushing Yards Per Game: 26th (88.4)

Defense

• Points Allowed Per Game: 13th (21.1)
• Yards Allowed Per Game: 11th (335.5)
• Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 10th (228.0)
• Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 16th (107.5)

Early storylines to watch, and what they mean for the Rams

The statistical rankings paint a pretty good picture of why the Steelers are 4-4.

They've had their challenges offensively, but their defense has kept them competitive and in position to move above .500 for the first time this season.

Of importance for the Rams is the 22 takeaways by the Steelers' defense, good for second-most in the league behind the Patriots' 27. With just 11 giveaways, Pittsburgh also has the second-best turnover margin (+11) of any NFL team, also behind New England's +17.

For Los Angeles, this places a premium of not only limiting their own turnovers on offense, but also capitalizing on Pittsburgh's.

Cameron DaSilva
10 hours ago




(Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)


Football is the ultimate team sport, but as is often the case, a few players have the ability to make or break a season. The Los Angeles Rams have their work cut out for them in the second half of the 2019 season, likely needing to win at least five or six of their final eight games to make the playoffs.

They have one of the most talented rosters in the league, even with a recent rash of injuries and trades, which makes them a legitimate contender in the NFC. These four players will play a major role in the final eight games, potentially determining how far Los Angeles goes.

Jared Goff

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports


Goff was just OK in the first half of the season despite leading the NFL in passing yards before the Rams’ bye week. He made some spectacular throws, but he also made some maddeningly careless ones that certainly bared questioning. His seven interceptions and six fumbles are most concerning as he’s once again straddling the line of being turnover-prone.

The Rams won’t make a deep run or even reach the postseason if Goff can’t take care of the football in the final eight games. Interceptions are to be expected, but throwing seven in a five-game stretch as he did to begin the year is not going to get the job done.
The offense is more on Goff’s shoulders this season than it was a year ago now that Todd Gurley isn’t a workhorse at running back. His play will determine whether the Rams end their season in December or 2020.

Interior O-line trio


(Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

This is technically three players, but we’re grouping them into one. Brian Allen and Austin Blythe have been the weakest links on the offensive line this year, leading many fans to call for a switch at either guard or center. David Edwards has been an unexpected upgrade over Joseph Noteboom at left guard, but he’s only played two games and has plenty of developing still to do.

If Edwards, Allen and Blythe can’t put together a good second half of the season, this offense is going to struggle. Goff isn’t going to get enough time in the pocket, big plays down the field won’t be able to develop, and the running backs will continue to have trouble finding running room up the middle.

The offensive line as a whole has really held the Rams back this year but that can’t be the case in the final eight games. This offense is built upon play-action passes and long-developing plays, which can’t happen if Goff has 2 seconds to read the field.


Troy Hill


Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Here we are in Week 10, calling Hill a player who could make or break the Rams’ season. Raise your hand if you saw this coming.

Jalen Ramsey and Hill have taken over as the starters at cornerback, replacing Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters – both of whom were traded by the Rams. There’s no doubt Ramsey will have a major impact on the defense, as he already has, but Hill is the greater boom-or-bust player for Los Angeles. The Rams know what they’re going to get from Ramsey on a week-to-week basis. The same can’t be said about Hill.

If Hill plays the way he has since replacing Talib, the Rams secondary is going to be a strength of the defense. He was excellent against the Bengals, allowing just three catches on 11 targets in London. However, as we’ve seen countless times before, he can regress quickly and display troubling inconsistency.

The Rams need him to play at a high level in the final eight games, preventing teams from having a cornerback to pick with Ramsey locking down the other side of the field. It’s been a small sample size this season, but Hill has starting-quality traits that can make a major impact in 2019.


Dante Fowler Jr.


Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Fowler has 4.5 sacks in his last two games, really taking his game to another level for the Rams. He’s finally taking advantage of playing on the same defensive front as Aaron Donald, winning one-on-one matchups outside. That makes a huge difference for the Rams defense, and makes Donald’s presence that much more valuable.

Fowler is a streaky player and can go weeks without any sacks, but he seems to have turned a corner this year. His impact against the run has been felt, too, stepping up and setting the edge from his outside linebacker position.

Fowler is the Rams’ most reliable pass rusher not named Aaron Donald. That has to remain the case in the second half of the season, even with Clay Matthews back in the fold this week. Matthews’ six sacks are far more the result of Donald eating up blocks than Fowler’s 6.5 are.

Pressuring quarterbacks is arguably the most important aspect of a defense, and the Rams have done a good job of that this season. Fowler needs to make sure that remains the case in the last eight games.

Cameron DaSilva
7 hours ago


After two straight wins and a week off to follow, the Los Angeles Rams are ready to return to the field in Week 10. They’ll take on a Steelers team that’s lacking its starting quarterback, but one that also boasts one of the better defenses in the league through nine weeks.
The Rams offense will have to be sharp in Pittsburgh on Sunday if they are to come away with a win, given the way the Steelers defense has played in recent weeks. Sean McVay knows the Steelers are good on that side of the ball, calling this matchup “a great challenge” for the Rams.

Here’s what he said about Pittsburgh’s defense Monday during his press conference.
“They do a great job. I want to say other than New England, they’ve taken it away as much as anybody in the league,” McVay said. “They’re very opportunistic. You look at the acquisition of Minkah Fitzpatrick – has been a big add for them. They’re physical, they’ve always had that identity, they’re a tough, hard-nosed football team. They play physical on all three levels of defense. They do a great job of aggressively mixing it up. They’ll come after you, they can play sound coverage on the backend. It’s going to be a great challenge, especially playing in that atmosphere where you know it’s going to be a great crowd in Pittsburgh. They’re coming in rolling, so they’re feeling good about themselves. We’ve got a little bit of a streak. Hopefully we’ll be feeling healthy and play good football on Sunday.”

The Steelers rank fifth in the NFL with 29 sacks and have allowed a passer rating of just 89.3 – only 0.1 worse than the Rams. Teams are only averaging 3.9 yards per carry against the Steelers this season, too, which also ranks eighth in the NFL. Their four rushing touchdowns allowed are the fourth-fewest, playing great defense in the red zone and near the goal line.
Rob Havenstein and Andrew Whitworth will need to be on top of their game Sunday with T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree lining up on the edges, having combined for 13.5 sacks this season. Minkah Fitzpatrick has made a big impact in the secondary, picking off three passes in his last two games alone.
So while the Steelers may not be the same team they have been on offense, the defense poses a major threat to the Rams.

All this speculation that the Chargers would be a candidate to move to London is purely media BS fantasy.

3. The Chargers haven't even paid their relocation fee of $365M for their move to LA. The league would have to waive that and any relocation fee for moving to London as the Chargers won't have the $$$ to pay to move their team. The other owners are not likely to give away their share, $11.77M each to get Dean Spanos off the hook.

2. The Chargers would lose what little fan base in the US they have remaining.

1. But the number one reason is Stan Kroenke himself. There is no way he's going to let Dean Spanos out of his contract. Not only will it force renegotiation of part of his financing but this is also personal. Stan doesn't like Dean, and never has. By forcing Spanos to live up to his commitment he can see by the minuscule fan base the Chargers have they will be insolvent in a year or two at the most. Dean will be forced to sell the team. So how does this help Stan? New ownership will bring in new money, which is something Spanos can't do. New ownership will likely stabilize the financing picture.

This partnership has always mystified me since the poor relationship between Kroenke and Spanos is well documented. This wouldn't be the first time Stan took advantage of Dean who is a poor businessman. Kroenke wouldn't do this without an end game. I think that end game is to ultimately not share his palace with anyone.

New ownership will see that staying in LA is a loser for the Chargers. Someone like Eli Broad who has openly wanted to purchase the Chargers for decades is a very viable owner candidate. Using him as an example Broad has the deep pockets to buy the Chargers. He also has the pockets to buy out his contract with Kroenke (I would be shocked if there wasn't a buyout clause). Eli would then be free to build his own stadium in the City of Industry where he owns 600 acres. He could sell half that and recoup his purchase and buyout. He knows that the only Charger fan base outside of San Diego is in OC and the Inland Empire. His stadium is close enough to North County San Diego (one of the most affluent parts of San Diego) to draw residual fans from that county as well. San Diego fans hated Spanos not the team.

Kroenke's history shows he rarely makes a move without having an endgame in mind. He's also the kind of man who doesn't like sharing (note Arsenal FC, Denver Nuggets and even Screaming Eagle Winery). This is why partnering with Dean Spanos a man he has already fooled, makes little sense on the surface. Especially when you consider how marginal that partner is financially. But destroying someone he doesn't like while getting a substantial part of his stadium paid for by another owner who will be moving the Chargers makes perfect sense and fits Kroenke's style of doing business. Why share the market when he can own it?

As a Ram fan I would be more than happy to see the Chargers go away. They are like an annoying mosquito buzzing around your ears.

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Good interview. He loves Goff and thinks he's the real deal and a future elite QB.

Whitworth has been doing the Fox car wash today he was on Cowherd now on speak for yourself. He looks pretty good might have a media career in his future? Good to get some tape out there and see what develops.

Move to London? Selassie calls Spanos no better than a crack whore, and Les (& den) say it's an impossibility. Since I've lost a few bets to flv (you bastid!), hence this fantastic, well thought out poll...

Posted by Curtis Crabtree on November 5, 2019, 1:35 AM EST



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After having his jaw broken in a Week 5 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the Los Angeles Rams targeted their Week 10 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers as the possible point of return for linebacker Clay Matthews.
Rams head coach Sean McVay said Monday that Matthews is expected to return to the practice field this week and they’ll see how he’s feeling before making a call on his availability for this week.

“I think, really, it’s just kind of getting him back into normal routine, seeing how he’s feeling,” McVay said, via the team’s website. “Everything’s checked out in a positive manner up to this point, so I think it’s just kind of progressing back to, ‘How comfortable do you feel putting a helmet on?’ Some of the collisions that naturally would occur and just kind of trusting that you’re nice and secure in that absence of some of that stuff that kind of kept it in place and helped it heal over the last couple weeks.”
Matthews caught Chris Carson‘s heel in the face on a late carry in the Rams’ 30-29 loss to the Seahawks.
Matthews has recorded a sack in every game he’s played this season and has six in total in just five games played.

Analyzing Rams snap counts in first half of 2019 season
A combination of injuries and trades have forced the Los Angeles Rams to make several changes on both sides of the ball this season, either elevating backups to starting roles or acquiring other players to fill in. As a result, playing time has been spread amongst more players than they were last year, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. With eight games in the books, the Rams have officially completed half their season.

We’ll take a look at the snap counts from the first half of the season, starting with the offense.



Rob Havenstein is the only iron man thus far for the Rams, playing every single snap. Andrew Whitworth and Brian Allen both got three plays off in the team’s blowout win over the Falcons, as they were replaced by Bobby Evans and Coleman Shelton.

Gerald Everett has played 102 more snaps than Tyler Higbee, which is a promising trend. Everett has been the more impactful tight end, and should be on the field more than Higbee. Hopefully that will continue in the second half of the season, too.

Robert Woods surprisingly played nearly 50 more snaps than Cooper Kupp despite being less productive. Kupp is typically the receiver who comes off the field when the Rams utilize two-tight end sets, keeping Woods and Cooks outside. Cooks’ snaps have been limited due to injury; he’s suffered two concussions this season.

Josh Reynolds has been on the field for nearly a third of the Rams’ snaps, both as an injury replacement and in four-WR formations. His production has been limited, however, to just five catches for 107 yards and a touchdown. Mike Thomas is the only other receiver to get playing time.

Darrell Henderson has only played 13.2% of the snaps, backing up both Todd Gurley and Malcolm Brown. Most of his playing time has come in the past few weeks with Brown injured, but Les Snead expects to see more of the rookie in the near future. Gurley has only played 63.8%, which is also the result of him missing one full game, as well as taking most of the fourth quarter off against Cincinnati.

Defense


As you can tell, a good portion of the players with the most playing time on defense are no longer playing. Marcus Peters was traded, John Johnson is hurt, Aqib Talib was on IR before being sent to Miami and Clay Matthews is out with a broken jaw. That’s led to additional playing time for Taylor Rapp, Troy Hill, Samson Ebukam and now Jalen Ramsey.

Cory Littleton and Eric Weddle hardly ever come off the field, both because of their talent and leadership in the middle of the defense. Aaron Donald is also playing a lot, as is Dante Fowler Jr. Those are four of the most important defenders on the team right now, as well as Ramsey.

Michael Brockers is getting a lot of snaps at defensive end, too. Last season, he played 67.2% of the snaps, so he’s seen an uptick in playing time this year. It’s easy to see why, given the high level he’s been playing at.

Sebastian Joseph-Day clearly has a strong hold on the nose tackle job, playing 181 more snaps than backup Greg Gaines. Gaines has been inactive on Sundays a bunch, which shows the gap between him and Joseph-Day is wider than expected.

Nickell Robey-Coleman has been playing more this season than he did last year, too. He’s played 62.5% of the snaps this year compared to 55% last season. That’s partly because of how well he’s playing and the fact that the Rams are using more dime packages with six defensive backs and one inside linebacker.

Ogbonnia Okoronkwo has been playing more as time has gone on, and he’s up to 54 snaps played on the year – still a relatively insignificant amount. When Matthews returns – he’s expected to this week – Okoronkwo and Ebukam probably won’t play as much as they have been

The Indy game was sloppy there were ints, fumbles, safety, PI and late hits all with consequences a definitely sloppy game capped off by a badly missed Vinateri kick.

My thoughts on how we win this game.

Our LBs really need to be all over the short routes. Mason Rudolf is a check down or short route QB.

Must pressure with 5 or more freeing up Donald.

Blanket Juju with Ramsey take him out of the game.

Not sure on their run game if Conner and Snell will play or not. There third stringer Samuel didn't look bad.

Offense stretch the field stress their defense. They like to rush/blitz 5 so be aware of this on the longer developing routes watch out for their OLBs - Bud Dupre/TJ Watt they can wreck havok. Got to run to set up the play action.

Most of all no stupid late hits, unnecessary roughness, PIs etc. Pittsburgh got a FG out of UR play just before the half when there was no shot. That FG was the difference in the game.

Steelers' trade for Minkah Fitzpatrick is already paying off in a big way

"That was a play Troy Polamalu would have made."

That was the thought of Steelers fans who watched new Pittsburgh starting free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick turn Sunday's home game against the Colts on its head. With the visiting Colts threatening to run away with the game early, Fitzpatrick jumped in front of Brian Hoyer's pass and returned it 96 yards for a momentum-changing touchdown.

The pick, Fitzpatrick's third in six days and fourth since joining the Steelers two weeks into the regular season, helped Pittsburgh rally to win their third straight game and fourth game since trading next year's first round pick to the Dolphins. Speaking of the Dolphins, it was Fitzpatrick's two interceptions that made the difference in Pittsburgh's come-from-behind victory over Miami in Week 8.

In fact, Fitzpatrick's presence has helped make the Steelers relevant at the midway point in the regular season when their season appeared all but over after Ben Roethlisberger sustained a season-ending injury two weeks into the year. But just hours after it was determined that Big Ben's elbow injury would be a season-ender, the Steelers sent shockwaves across the NFL after trading for Fitzpatrick, who, for various reasons, wanted a fresh start with a new team a year after being the 11th overall pick in the draft.

While the trade was debated by fans and media members alike, Bill Cowher, who won a Super Bowl near the tail end of his 15-year run as the Steelers' head coach, immediately saw what Pittsburgh was trying to do.

"Football is the total team game," Cowher said on CBS Sports HQ shortly after the Steelers acquired Fizpatrick. "When you look at it from that standpoint, I actually do like what they did in going out and getting Minkah Fitzpatrick, because what they've done now is they've kind of shored up their defense and filled a little bit of the void they had at safety.

"Sean Davis hasn't been able to stay healthy there, and Minkah Fitzpatrick is a very good football player, a proven player who has been in this league for a year now," Cowher continued. "He's young, he has multiple years on his contract. He gives you a lot of versatility from the standout of that he can play a lot of different positions and lot of different roles.

"So, I think at this point, you kinda go back to a little bit of the onus that when Ben goes down, everyone talks about the offensive side. Now, the onus goes back on the defense and shoring that up and taking the responsibility of keeping the games close, creating opportunities for their offense. Kind of like last week. They gave up some big plays, but they also created some big plays in terms of getting two fumbles that led to scores for their offense."

With Big Ben out, and with Fitzpatrick in the fold, the defense has undoubtedly become the Steelers' strength. Through eight games, Pittsburgh's defense is a respectable 11th in the NFL in yards allowed and 13th in points per game allowed. They are third in the league in interceptions and have already recorded more picks (11) this season than they did in the entire 2018 season (eight).

The Steelers are also second in the league with 22 forced turnovers, ninth in pass defense, and fifth in the league with 29 sacks through eight games, Pittsburgh's highest total at the midway point since 2008, the last time the Steelers won the Super Bowl. This is a defense, mind you, that allowed 61 points and 890 total yards in their two games before trading for Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick leads the Steelers with four interceptions and six pass breakups. When asked about his new safety's impact, Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin has a simple answer.

"The tape is his story teller," Tomlin said following Pittsburgh's win over the Colts. "He's been really rock solid."

The tape shows a young safety who has made significant strides after joining the Steelers. While he made an immediate impact after coming to Pittsburgh (he recorded an interception and a forced fumble in his first game as a Steeler), Fitzpatrick has been even better following the Steelers' Week 7 bye. Fitzpatrick, who used the bye week to learn more of the intricacies of Pittsburgh's defense, has recorded three interceptions in the Steelers' two games following their bye while only reinforcing the team's decision to trade for him.

Yes, Fitzpatrick hasn't been the only Pittsburgh defender is who playing well. Outside linebacker T.J. Watt, who has 7.5 sacks thus far and is on pace to eclipse his 2018 sack total of 13 sacks. Fellow OLB and 2015 first round pick Bud Dupree is having a career year, as he is second on the team with six sacks and two forced fumbles. Defensive captain Cam Heyward, a Pro Bowler each of the last two years, is third on the team in sacks. Defensive backs Joe Haden, Mike Hilton, Cam Sutton and Terrell Edmunds are also having solid seasons, while inside linebacker Devin Bush, the team's 2019 first round pick, is enjoying an exceptional start to his NFL career, as he leads the team with 66 sacks and four fumble recoveries while also recording two interceptions through eight games.

While other members of the Steelers' defense are enjoying strong seasons, Fitzpatrick is clearly the straw the stirs the drink. Since week 3, the Steelers have allowed just three deep pass completions on 15 attempts after allowing four deep completions in the season's first two weeks, according to Next Gen Stats. Pittsburgh's defense has also recorded three interceptions and have not allowed a touchdown pass on such pass attempts during that span after allowing three deep touchdown passes without an interception without Fitzpatrick. The opposing quarterback's passer rating on deep passes with Fitzpatrick on the field is a putrid 10.8 compared to the 141.4 rating the Steelers allowed in the season's first two weeks.

"No matter how many times we're on the field, no matter how many points are on the board, we just gotta go out and execute," Fitzpatrick told reporters following Sunday's win. "That's what defenses are meant for. If they don't score, they don't win. If we kick one field goal, and they don't score any points, we win."

Fitzpatrick is also excited to have played a significant role in Pittsburgh's climb back to relevancy when it comes to the AFC playoff conversation.

"I think 4-4 is a good spot to be at," he said. "Could be better, it's not where we want to be at, but it's all we could be right now. Just gotta keep fighting. The Colts are a great team. We proved we can compete against good teams."

Lamar Jackson's rise, eight other things to love in the NFL in '19
I love nothing more as a football fan than seeing something that's never been seen before. The NFL has never seen anyone like Lamar Jackson or anything like this Ravens rushing offense.

It's hard to overstate how aggressively the Ravens are zigging while the rest of the NFL is zagging. In a league that has never been more pass-heavy, Baltimore is on pace to break an all-time team rushing record that has stood since 1978 and hasn't been sniffed since the mid-1980s. They are the NFL's No. 1 scoring offense. Jackson has rushed for 1,247 yards in his 16 career starts and, with 637 rushing yards in eight games this year, is on pace to shatter Michael Vick's single-season record for a quarterback (1,039).

Sunday night's performance highlighted just how difficult it is for even the greatest defensive mind to solve a problem like Lamar. The Patriots held Jackson to 61 yards rushing, a number that the second-year pro topped in all but four of his 15 previous career starts, including the playoffs. But the quarterback still gashed them early and provided one-on-one blocking opportunities for his excellent offensive line, helping Mark Ingram and friends rush for 149 yards on only 25 attempts. The Ravens ran north-south with furor in the first half and used their speed laterally in the second half, finding lanes the whole time. Jackson's decision-making and ability to read the Patriotsdefense on his run-option plays kept the Ravens on schedule. The 2019 Patriotsdefense is unlikely to prove historic, but this Ravens rushing attack should be.

Baltimore's passing game is the complement that makes staying on the field possible. On his first third-down play against the Patriots, Jackson narrowly eluded a perfectly executed Dont'a Hightower stunt to find Marquise Brownopen, delivering the throw while being hit to pick up the first. On the team's decisive third-quarter drive, he dropped a third-and-5 toss in the bucket to tight end Mark Andrews for 18 yards. In both cases, Jackson identified the kinds of one-on-one matchups the Ravens' running game provides.

It's safe to say the Chargers' defense didn't provide a "blueprint" in the playoffs last season to stop Jackson, a notion that was always ridiculous. In Jackson's 16 career starts, the team has rushed for 3,336 yards; the NFL record for rushing yards in a season in the Super Bowl era is 3,165 by the 1978 Patriots. Jackson has thrown for 19 touchdowns with nine interceptions in those starts, averaging 7.34 yards per attempt. A favorite of the analytics crowd and an analytically-minded organization, Lamar Jackson's success is a reminder that fighting against accepted maxims can work. (And it gives lie to the perception that analytics is anti-run.)

Baltimore's offense is one of the best in football because it is so run-dominant on neutral downs. The Ravens have taken an approach that appears to have come out of the 1970s and made it new, because Jackson is unlike any quarterback in football, and he deserves an offense to match. This is the history of the NFL writ small, mixing the old and out-of-fashion with the cutting-edge, then racing to the end zone before the rest of the league can catch up.

Watching Lamar run wild every week is just one of football's joys this year. Now that we're officially past the midway point and headed toward Week 10, here's what else I'm loving about the 2019 season:

The Bosa Bros: Nick Bosa's Week 8 effort against the Panthers (three sacks and one pick) put the Niners rookie in the spotlight, but his brother Joey Bosacould be having the better year overall. With 8.5 sacks and, per Pro Football Focus, 45 total pressures, he's the No. 2 ranked edge defender according to PFF, behind only the Texans' J.J. Watt, who is out for the year after suffering a torn pec in Week 8. The last three weeks have been particularly ridiculous. Bosa put the team on his back against the Titans, Bears and Packers, compiling 21 pressures in that span, ranking first in PFF grade and total pressures. He's playing a higher percentage of the Chargers' snaps (86.2) than ever before and defeating quality competition, like Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari on Sunday. Speaking of which ...

The wide open Defensive Player of the Year race: While there are too many weekly pronouncements on who is in the elusive "MVP conversation," it is almost impossible to forecast the DPOY race after nine weeks. Both Bosa brothers, J.J. and T.J. Watt, Cameron Jordan, Za'Darius Smith, Everson Griffen, Stephon Gilmore and Aaron Donald would make my long list for first-half DPOY candidates, but there might be 10 more players with a legitimate chance to make a run in the second half. These awards usually sort themselves out in December, although there are seasons (like 2010 and 2011, when Troy Polamalu and Terrell Suggs won, respectively) during which no consensus emerges. Here's to chaos.

Josh Jacobs' quickness: The Raiders rookie running back plays with more decisiveness every week. His ability to make opponents miss with a lateral step in a small space is positively Frank Gore-like. So is Jacobs' ability to turn a 2-yard loss into a 4-yard gain. With the Raiders' offensive line banged up against the Lions on Sunday, Jacobs' ability to create with yards after contact keyed Oakland's victorious return home after its seven-week odyssey. ...

Meaningful games being played in the Black Hole: The energy around this Raiders team during home games this season is just different. One of football history's most unique relationships between a city and a franchise is ending in eight weeks ahead of the Raiders' scheduled move to Las Vegas, and there's a chance for something special ahead. This week's Thursday Night Footballshowdown with the 4-5 Chargers precedes a Week 11 home game against the 0-8 Bengals and a trip to face the 1-7 Jets in Week 12. The Raiders close out life in Oakland with home games against the 4-5 Titans in Week 14 and the 4-5 Jaguars in Week 15. These games are all eminently winnable for one of the most efficient offenses in football. While the 4-4 Raiders' talent-poor defense prevents any championship hopes, it's not crazy for Raiders fans to dream about running the table on their remaining home games, sneaking into the playoffs and sending the Black Hole out in style.

Watching Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay go get it: The Lions' loss in Oakland on Sunday was a reminder that this Detroit team (3-4-1) is stuck in the NFL middle again, but at least the Lions are getting there in a more entertaining fashion than usual. Only Tampa's Mike Evans and Chris Godwin have combined for more catches over 20 yards among receiving duos, but it's the way Jones and Golladay reliably steal one-on-one jump balls week after week that is so transfixing. The Lions' offense often amounts to Matthew Stafford believing that his guy is better than your guy, and Stafford is usually right.

The sublime connection between Russell Wilson and Tyler Lockett:Through eight games, Wilson-to-Lockett almost felt too efficient. When Lockett caught all six of his targets -- most of them impossibly hard -- for 100 yards in the Seahawks' Week 8 win over the Falcons, the natural reaction was: Why not throw to this guy even more?

Wilson and Seattle offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer apparently listened, with Lockett nabbing 13 grabs on 18 targets for 152 yards against the Bucs. Lockett already has been targeted more in 2019 (72) than he was all of last season (70), yet he's caught a preposterous 81.9 percent of passes thrown his way. Only New Orleans' Michael Thomas (82%) has a higher number among wide receivers with 50-plus targets, and there's really no other wideout close to those two in terms of mixing volume and efficiency. Like Thomas, Lockett should be discussed among the very best receivers in the game.

The increased usage of Lockett highlights how strange and surprising this Seahawks team continues to be. They have a 7-2 record, an elite Schottenheimer-led offense, a legitimately poor Pete Carroll defense and as many victories by more than 7 points as the Miami Dolphins.

The 49ers running on passing downs: Anything beyond third-and-2 in today's NFL is a passing down. The 49ers routinely call runs on third-and-4 or greater, and they convert, because they are so creative before the snap. The 49ersconverted a 5-yard run on third-and-4 in the first quarter against the Cardinalson Thursday Night Football, then hit Arizona with a 30-yard touchdown on the subsequent third-and-3. A successful run on third-and-3 against the Cardinalslate in the fourth quarter kept their game-clinching drive alive. The Ravens and 49ers are both showing that teams can win by going against the grain, especially when they are playing to the strengths of their personnel and play-callers.

The sane, level-headed appreciation of Kyler Murray's season: Considering the wild ups and downs and overwrought pronunciations about the 2018 quarterback class, it's nice to see the 2019 No. 1 overall pick being allowed to develop without causing too much commotion. Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury dramatically overhauled his offensive approach after September, using far fewer four-receiver sets and relying on a creative running game, which Murray directs. This is not an overly talented offense beyond Murray and the running backs, but Kingsbury has played to Murray's strengths while protecting him. The Cardinalshave turned the ball over less than any team in the NFL, and Murray has only taken nine sacks in the last five games after taking 20 sacks in the first four. More than anything, Murray appears to be in control and slowly improving each week.

UNSTOPPABLE PERFORMANCE: T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree, OLBs, Pittsburgh Steelers
Watt and Dupree are bringing back memories of a time when the Steelersoutside linebackers were among the most reliable position groups in the sport. They combined for 3.5 sacks, six QB hits and, per PFF, four more hurries against the Colts on Sunday. I thought losing DE Stephon Tuitt to injured reserve on Oct. 15 would impact the production of Watt and Dupree, but they've only cranked up their play since their Week 7 bye. Watt has improved every season since being picked 30th overall in 2017 and is peaking, making huge plays every week. Dupree, picked 22nd overall in 2015, is having a contract year that could approach Dee Ford in 2018 territory if he continues on this path.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is now starting to add some wow throws to his steady play each week. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers also gets a bouquet for having perhaps his best game of the season after last week's firing of offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt.