I recently took a job at a restaurant that serves breakfast...I have to be up at 2:45am and at work by 4am. I’ve been doing it over a month now and I still am not used to it. It sucks ass.

I miss working 8am-6pm. Lol

Any members here play Golf Clash?

Come join the Let's go Rams clan if you do

Just saw his PC and he said of Mike Evans that only him and Randy Moss started their careers with 5 straight 1k seasons.

Um, iirc, Torry Holt had SIX seasons in excess of 1300 yards to begin his career which no one except him has accomplished.

lil oopsie there, Coach...

Rams snap count evaluation through 3 gms shows evolution of team in 2019

Los Angeles Rams snap count evaluation through three games shows evolution of team in 2019

Here’s how the playing time has been handed out through three weeks and what it might mean.

www.turfshowtimes.com

Here’s how the playing time has been handed out through three weeks and what it might mean.

By 3k@3k_ Sep 26, 2019,

So, we’re three games into the Los Angeles Rams’ 2019 regular season. Let’s take a look at the snap counts and what they might reveal.
Offense

2019 Los Angeles Rams regular season snap counts - offense


One thing to note overall is that the offense has gotten less work in each successive game. The Rams had just 64 offensive snaps in Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns, nearly a 17% reduction.

Not a ton to be gleamed from the offensive line or quarterback positions.

At wide receiver, not much to see here outside of a noticeable uptick in playing time for WR Josh Reynolds. He played a ton last year, but that was nearly all in the absence of WR Cooper Kupp. This year, the Rams are going with four receivers moreso than at any time under Head Coach Sean McVay.

The injury to TE Tyler Higbee in Week 2 skewed the tight end time over the last two weeks. Hopefully, he heals up over this week and can go on Sunday and we’ll get some more balanced opportunities to evaluate the relationship between he and TE Gerald Everett.

But obviously the most interesting thing to look into here is at running back.

Here’s a quick chart of the playing time balance between RB Todd Gurley, RB Malcolm Brown and RB Darrell Henderson, Jr.:

Now that chart looks very different than this one which looks at their carry totals and not snaps:

This of course leads to the question of how many snaps per carry each running back has gotten:

The real standout here is Brown’s Week 1 performance. While Henderson’s rate was similar, that’s because he had a single carry on two snaps. Brown had 11 carries on 21 snaps crossing that 50% rate falling under 20% in Week 3 with just three carries from 17 snaps.
Defense

2019 Los Angeles Rams regular season snap counts - defense


Let’s start up front:

The major tell here is the combination of DT Sebastian Joseph-Day, DE Morgan Fox and DT Tanzel Smart seeing their time decrease week after week. Combined, they played 97.01% of the snaps in Week 1, 75.60% in Week 2 and just 54.41% in Week 3.

So skipping the linebackers who have had, remarkably, consistent playing time save for a Week 3 decrease from ILB Bryce Hager, the intrigue in relation to the defensive line is at the safety spot because of a certain rookie:

While the two conventional safety slots have been at 100% with John Johnson III holding down one spot and Eric Weddle holding the other (backed up by Marqui Christian when Weddle went down in Week 1 with a concussion and a pretty nasty cut), the story here is rookie S Taylor Rapp earning more and more time in his overhang-type role and the fact those snaps are coming from the defensive line (the cornerbacks were largely similar save for a jump in Week 3 from slot CB Nickell Robey-Coleman though not as stark as the season-long jump for Rapp).

Of course the caveat here is that we’re looking at just three games. Is Rapp’s increase in playing time a function of gameplan? Was it just situational? The picture should get clearer in the weeks ahead.
Special Teams

2019 Los Angeles Rams regular season snap counts - special teams


Seven players top 50% of the teams snaps including three rookies. Always the best way for Day 3 picks to make the team.

I'm sure that CGI will add all of the articles when he wakes up. But I was listening to the Iggles radio guys and fans trying to pump
themselves up for the big game tonight. "It's a MUST WIN!" in game 4, they say.

They tell themselves, "We could be 3-0, except for a couple of dropped passes." Well, yeah...but



Context is good, but when it comes down to wins and losses, you either have ability to outlast
your opponent, or you don't. Ask Jeff Fisher about almost winning...

The Rams’ star lineman starts the week omitted from the injury report.

By 3k@3k_ Sep 25, 2019, 6:45pm CDT



Los Angeles Rams DL Aaron Donald smiles during a Week 9 game against the New York Giants, Nov. 5, 2017. Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images

The Los Angeles Rams are back in LA to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4, and things look pretty solid on the initial injury report:

2019 Los Angeles Rams Week 4 injury report
So both RG Austin Blythe and TE Tyler Higbee missed the Week 3 action on Sunday night against the Cleveland Browns, but both were at least participants in practice today albeit in limited fashion. Maybe most welcome is the absence of DL Aaron Donald from the report. He picked up an oblique issue in Week 2. For that to seemingly be behind him is quite nice indeed.


And Rams fans should feel quite good about things on the health front when looking at the Bucs’ side:
2019 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 4 injury report
Yeesh.
Here’s what they had to say about it over at Bucs Nation, the SB Nation community for Buccaneers fans:

These were certainly some notable names.
Linebacker Devin White was held out yet again with his MCL sprain, while receiver Chris Godwin sat out due to a hip issue.
Vita Vea is dealing with a groin injury and center Ryan Jensen has a back injury. The Bucs need to get healthy in a hurry before they travel to Los Angeles to take on the Rams.

Click to expand...

We’ll have to see how things shape over over the next two days.

GREG BEACHAM,Associated Press 2 hours 32 minutes ago



Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)


THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) — In production, in execution and in overall cleverness, Sean McVay's offense has been fairly ordinary during the first three games of his third season with the Los Angeles Rams.
Mere competence qualifies as a surprise for a team that tore up the NFL during the head coach's first two years with an offensive brilliance that stunned their opponents and inspired many imitators.
Because all three of their unspectacular offensive performances this season were still victories, the Rams (3-0) aren't certain any long-term problems are foreshadowed by their quiet start.

But with the embarrassment of their three-point Super Bowl performance still fresh in many players' minds , the Rams realize they'll probably have to get better soon to succeed in their NFC title defense, starting with two games in five days against Tampa Bay (1-2) and Seattle.
"For us internally, our standards are so high, especially offensively," quarterback Jared Goff said Wednesday. "We expect to be better, and we need to be if we want to win games late in the year. We've been fortunate enough to do enough to win these past three games, but we know that in certain games down the road, it won't be enough. We need to elevate that standard even further and continue to be detailed and be sharp on offense."
The Rams are 16th in the NFL with 357.7 yards per game after finishing second in the category last year, and their high-flying passing game is a pedestrian 22nd with 234 yards per game in the air. Los Angeles is still a respectable eighth in points after leading the NFL in 2017 and finishing second behind Kansas City last year with 527 points in the 12th highest-scoring season by any team in NFL history. But the Rams haven't yet topped 30 points this season after exceeding the mark 11 times in 16 regular season games last year.

Los Angeles isn't blowing anyone away this season partly because opponents have figured out a basic strategy to slow McVay's once-unstoppable offense. The first three defenses faced by the Rams this season have used variations of a scheme deploying six players at the line of scrimmage, thereby forcing the Rams out of the outside zone running plays that have been the foundation of their offense.
Matt Patricia's Detroit Lions first used that basic defensive alignment to solid success late last season, and teams noticed. New England fine-tuned a detail by switching its defensive setups constantly in the moments between McVay's play-call and the Rams' snaps, forcing Goff into adjustments that didn't always go well in the Super Bowl.
McVay's reflexive answer to any problem with the Rams is a swift and merciless denunciation of himself. When asked why the offense is starting so slowly in games, he immediately blamed his play-calling and his own work preparing his players, saying any detailed discussion of the reasons for the slow start would sound like a rationalization.
"Absolutely, I haven't done a good enough job for us," he said. "I think it starts with me. I like the way we've responded and been able to finish games out in the second half, but we expect to be sharper overall. If I do a better job, and then everybody else does a little bit better, we're hopeful that we'll see better results."
There are more tangible reasons, however: While nearly every skill player returned from last season, the line is very different. Los Angeles had three relatively untested starters at center and both guard spots last week, and opponents have noticed.

The Rams' reduced use of running back Todd Gurley has been the most glaring difference from their offense at its dominant peak. Gurley's snap count is down about 15% from last year, with Malcolm Brown getting more action in the backfield.
For roughly the thousandth time Wednesday, McVay denied the Rams are deliberately limiting Gurley's carries to keep him fresh or to manage the health of his knee. Still, Gurley's 44 carries are by far his fewest in the first three games of his five NFL seasons, and he ranks 18th in the league with 48 touches after finishing in the top five in each of the past three seasons.
After leading the league in yards from scrimmage in 2017 and finishing fourth last season, Gurley is 55th so far this year — and 20th among running backs — with 211 yards.
When asked what Gurley will need to get big numbers, McVay replied: "I think we have to have more plays. ... The more plays we get, the better it is for everybody."
The Rams are ninth in the league in snaps from scrimmage.

NOTES: RG Austin Blythe and TE Tyler Higbee returned to practice in a limited capacity. Both missed last week's game with injuries, but McVay is optimistic he'll have both veterans back this weekend.

Then casually throwing Nelson Agholor under the bus during his five minutes of fame Philly is ruthless

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congrats to @Oldgeek for winning last weeks contest with a 24-9 prediction.

On a side note...weekly winners will no longer to be required to use the Sportsbook to claim their winnings. They will be awarded directly from the admins of the site. Easier for everyone involved that way.


On to this weeks contest. Tampa Bay is flying in to LAX still suffering from a last minute FG miss to fall to the NY football Giants by a point. The Rams escaped a loss in Cleveland thanks to a end zone int by John Johnson III with under 40 seconds to play.

So what's gong to happen this week? How will the Rams secondary deal with Mike Evans? Will the Rams offense get it's groove back? Will Sean McVay let Todd Gurley get into a rhythm?

Predict the final score of the game, before kickoff and you could be the winner of up to 6000 ROD credits. Be the closest to the actual score and win 3000, or double it by picking the exact score. First poster to come closest wins, so duplicate scores arent valid.


Good Luck and Good Guessing

Let’s take a deeper dive to answer the question

By Sosa Kremenjas@QBsMVP Sep 25, 2019, 3:34pm CDT



Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve probably heard the question: “Has Los Angeles Rams’ Head Coach Sean McVay’s offense been figured out?”. We’re going to take a deeper dive into the tape, the numbers, and form an answer to the best of our ability. Let’s begin (Stats come from Team Rankings):
Issue
I guess we may as well begin with the “issue”. It all began in week 13 of 2018. The Rams traveled to Detroit to play the Lions, and it was then when Head Coach Matt Patricia constructed a defensive gameplan that gave the Rams’ offense fits. The concerns did not quell next week, with the Chicago Bears and Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio absolutely stifling the Rams’ offense for the first time. Fast forward another few weeks, the New England Patriots and Head Coach Bill Belicheck devised a brilliant gameplan which once again, absolutely stifled the Rams’ offense. The defense was in an alignment known as the “6-1”, meaning six guys were lined up on the line of scrimmage with only one off-ball linebacker, generally lined up in the middle. This defensive structure proved to give the Rams all sorts of issues running the ball, because that’s exactly what it was designed to do. The Rams’ ground game (and offense in general) starts with the outside zone running play, which then evolves into a potent play action passing attack.
The use of this alignment made the Rams’ rushing attack all but invisible, trickling throughout the rest of their offense and handcuffing them in every way.
Now, fast forward to the beginning of the 2019 season, and you’ll notice that all three of the Rams’ opponents thus far (Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns) have deployed the same alignment at times, in hopes of once again stifling the Rams’ rushing attack, and in turn, offense. And to this point, it has worked. The Rams are currently ranked 7th in the league in rushing yards per game (123.7) and 16th in yards per rush attempt (4.3). In 2018, the Rams ranked 3rd in rushing yards per game (139.1) and 5th in rushing yards per game (4.8). The numbers are down, the amount of negative/non-gaining running plays are up, and the general effectiveness of the rushing attack has also taken a step back. Not to mention, the Rams have been forced away from their favorite play, the outside zone run.

So what’s causing these issues?
Well, the alignment first and foremost. Teams are copying the same gameplan which has proven its ability to stifle the Rams’ rushing attack, forcing them to operate in different ways. The effectiveness of the offense as a whole has taken a step back, as the offense depends on the rushing attack to keep them ahead of the chains, affording them easier opportunities and more ways to attack defenses on shorter down-and-distances.
The Rams have regressed in first downs per play (4th to 20th), yards per play (3rd to 22nd), and their rush offense percentage (Per Football Outsiders) has dropped from 1st to 4th. It sounds worse than it is, but its evident the ability to rush the ball allows the Rams to become much more efficient and effective in passing the ball.

Adapting
So far, McVay has shown the ability and willingness to adapt to the 6-1 alignment which has forced him away from outside zone runs. Mainly, McVay has deployed a lot of pitches and quick screens to receivers, putting the defense in a bind as they’ll only have one linebacker on the second level who’s tasked with a lot of ground to cover, needing to flow without any hesitation. It’s worked thus far, though the Rams had some struggles with the adjustment (pitches/screens) against the Browns in week three. The ability to adapt and the willingness to do so is exactly why McVay is as special as people make him out to be. He — and the Rams — want to run outside zone, it’s what their entire offense is based on, though as long as teams will allow him to do anything but, he’ll adjust accordingly.

Different Factors
Now, as I said above, McVay has adapted and allowed the offense to continue to be productive with different play calls, and though the offense hasn’t been as effective as it was in 2018, there’s hope they can return to that ability. Some of the different factors which have contributed to the lack of the offensive firepower we’ve become accustomed to are:

• The Rams are starting a new left guard in Joseph Noteboom, a new center in Brian Allen, and now a new right guard in Jamil Demby as Austin Blythe remains out with injury
• Quarterback Jared Goff is struggling. He has some sloppy turnovers, a few inaccurate passes, and has missed many open receivers (some of which would’ve went for massive gains)
• The receivers — which have been lauded for their hands — have dropped multiple uncovered passes, as have the running backs. These sloppy and fixable mistakes are often drive killers
• The youth and inexperience of the offensive line has seen them falter on multiple occasions as they’re currently their own worst enemy. Thus far, they’ve actually been good blockers, the issue is the miscommunications where two guys aren’t on the same page and allow a defensive player go completely untouched to bear down on Goff or the run game (much more often in pass pro)

These factors, as well as a rushing attack that has also seen an influx of negative/non-gaining runs that set the offense back in down-and-distances, have played a major role in handcuffing the effectiveness of the Rams’ offense.
The Rams absolutely do possess the talent to get back to the level they were at in 2018 offensively, though it’ll need to start inside the building first and foremost. Cleaning up sloppy mistakes like drops, turnovers, penalties, and miscommunications is at the forefront, as they’re all 100% controllable. The next step is to make sure Jared Goff is comfortable and can get in a rhythm, because the plays are absolutely there to be made, he’s just not making them for whatever reason. Once the passing game clicks, it’ll open up even more underneath for the rushing attack. And lastly, Sean McVay needs to continue to adapt, evolve, and scheme ways to get guys to be more productive, as he has his entire tenure. He’s shown a willingness and ability to do so already, all he needs to do is continue.
So to answer the question, “Has the Rams’ offense been figured out?”, sort of, a little bit. But the Rams’ offense has shown the ability to adapt, and as long as McVay is the head man who maintains control, they’re in a good position to continue to effectively produce offensively. Whether it’s how they like to do it or not.

Eddie has five Rams for y’all to watch run around against the Bucs on Sunday.

By EddieP@iAmEddieP_ Sep 25, 2019, 2:30pm CDT



Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Rams have shifted into a defensive power in this year’s incarnation. The famed offense has struggled to get going. Do not fret, however, the crème de la crème always find a way to emerge victorious.
Welcome to the 2019 Rams.

Next up in the team’s quest to prove its might — and keep its record clean — is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They will face off at the LA Memorial Coliseum.
Let’s get into my five Rams to watch:

LT Andrew Whitworth/RT Rob Havenstein
The Bucs have one of the early season’s premiere pass rushers in Shaquil Barrett. Barrett has fully emerged in his first season as a full time starter, tallying up eight sacks in three games thus far.
The Rams’ duo at tackle will have their hands absolutely full for the game’s entirety with Shaq. Then, lets not forget former Detroit Lions/Miami Dolphins/LA Rams DL Ndamukong Suh.

CB Marcus Peters/Aqib Talib
Tampa boasts one of the league’s top WRs in Mike Evans. Third-year pass catcher Chris Godwin ain’t too shabby either. Evans recently went off for three TDs and 190 yards last week. Godwin had 121 yards and a score in Week 2. It is a pick-your-poison type of situation.
Luckily for LA, we have two good corners in Marcus and Aqib, who cn both hold more than their own. Expect the two to put up a fight and limit the Bucs’ pass catchers.

RB Malcolm Brown
The Rams have to get the running game rolling. It is a requisite for this offense. The pass is not as efficient without it. The best bet to get the ground game going? Malcolm Brown. He has been really quiet since his two TDs and 53 yards in Week 1. It is not known why. But if Todd Gurleycannot get going once again, it will be best for business if McVay can get Brown on the move.

WR Brandin Cooks
Cooper Kupp has been the Rams’ leading receiver through three contests with 23 catches and 268 yards. Brandin, however, is the team’s firepower catalyst. he leads the team with a 17.3 per catch average, 5.6 more yards than the next closest.
Cooks did great hauling in the long passes, but was has effective, if not better, moving the chains. For a Rams offense — and Jared Goff — that is still trying to get its footing, this “Brandin Cooks” is perfect
.
ILB Cory Littleton
The Bucs boast two very good running backs in Peyton Barber and Ronald Jones II. Both backs have over 160 rushing yards. Both complement each other well. Jones is the home-run hitter, averaging 5.3 per clip.
The Rams have upgraded in this arena, and Cory is one of those responsible for the improvement. Toss in Littleton’s play in coverage (TB also has a dangerous TE in O.J. Howard), and it makes him an invaluable piece this weekend.

Jared Goff Has A Play-Action Problem
BY DAN PIZZUTA|SEP 25, 2019

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The Los Angeles Rams are 3-0, but not a particularly dominant 3-0. A Week 2 win against the New Orleans Saints aside — one that saw Drew Brees leave early with an injury — the Rams have played some close and sloppy games. Much of this comes from an offense that has yet to really take off through three weeks.
Los Angeles currently ranks 16th in offensive DVOA and that is brought down by a passing game that ranks 20th, a year after they were fifth on the way to a Super Bowl appearance.
A big key to that success was the play-action game. Since Sean McVay took over as the head coach, there has not been a team that has used play-action to a bigger advantage.
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Last year, the Rams used play-action on a league-leading 36% of pass plays and their 9.4 yards per play with play-action was second to the New England Patriots. This year, the Rams are still using play-action at a high rate — 34%, which ranks fifth — but the production hasn’t been there. They’re averaging just 7.8 yards per play with play-action, which ranks 19th. It doesn’t help that the offense has been even worse on straight drop backs, where their 5.9 yards per play ranks 23rd.
Among 32 quarterbacks with at least 10 play-action attempts this season, Jared Goff ranks 24th in Expected Points Added and 28th in Adjusted Yards (weighted for touchdowns and interceptions) per attempt. If the offense is going to hit its stride, this play-action game is going to have to improve.
All Figured Out
Midway through the 2018 season, the Detroit Lions laid the foundation of a blueprint to slow the Rams offense. The strategy was then adopted and adapted by the likes of the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears in the regular season and famously the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. The most basic takeaways of this defensive plan is a heavy 6-man front to stop the run and late-shifting coverage on the back end of the secondary to confuse what Goff believes he sees pre-snap.
The run fits haven’t been much of an issue. It’s been something McVay has already started to figure out. It hasn’t completely slowed down the run game, either; despite a lack of big gains from Todd Gurley, the Rams still rank fifth in rushing DVOA so far this season.
However, the coverage and how Goff has responded to it remains an issue. All three of Goff’s interceptions this season have come on play-action passes. Last year, Goff only had two total interceptions off play-action for the entire season.
One piece of the coverage blueprint against the Rams’ play-action was to sit back in coverage and allow the routes to develop in front of the secondary before breaking on the ball. This has happened on two of Goff’s 2019 interceptions.
Against the Panthers in Week 1, Goff thought he would have Robert Woods open on a deep dig in front of cornerback James Bradburry. But when Woods made his cut, Bradberry broke in front of the receiver and was able to intercept the pass.


Also, notice how the linebackers on the Panthers didn’t break on the play-fake. All of them stood their ground to watch for the run then backpedaled into coverage on the ground. This took away the shallow routes for Goff to target.
Another strike on Goff for this play is the window for Cooper Kupp on the deep cross in front of the safety, one much bigger than what he tried to hit with Woods.
Against Cleveland in Week 3, a zone drop by the Browns’ drop took away Goff’s first read to his right and as he turned to the left, he drifted in the pocket and waited too long for Brandin Cooks to break to the sideline. Goff’s arm strength doesn’t hold him back on things like deep passes, but he doesn’t have the arm to fit a ball that late into a closing window. Cornerback T.J Carrie was able to jump in front of Cooks for the interception.


A potential silver lining is despite the interceptions, Goff is slightly above average in positive play rate (the percentage of plays that produce positive EPA) on play-action. He’s at 51.2% through three weeks, just slightly behind his 55.2% figure last season, per Sports Info Solutions.

It’s not like Goff has suddenly lost all ability to take advantage of play-action, but the big plays have been replaced to this point with bad ones.
Under More Pressure
While Goff has certainly struggled on these play-action passes, he hasn’t gotten a lot of help from the players in front of him on the offensive line. Pass protection, especially on play-action, was a strength for the Rams last season when they ranked first as a team in ESPN’s Pass Block Win Rate. This season, the Rams aren’t even a top-10 team by PBWR through three weeks.
Last year, Goff was under pressure on 53 of his 212 play-action drop backs, per SIS, a 25% rate. So far this season that has increased to 17-of-37 drop backs, a 46% rate. But impressively, Goff has held up fairly well under pressure — much better than he did last season.
Of course, the problem here is performance under pressure isn’t stable and if a big part of Goff’s play-action success so far has been under pressure, that doesn’t bode well for predicting future play-action success.
Goff’s play under pressure is far more likely to get worse than stay at this rate and that’s concerning when his play from a clean pocket has been dreadful on play-action passes.
At this point, it looks like Goff is stuck between taking too long to process what’s happening in front of him and then rushing everything once he’s figured it out.
Take this play against Cleveland on a 1st and 10. Goff wants Woods on a deep crosser. He has to sidestep pressure and by the time he shuffles multiple times to set for the throw, the window closes and the pass is broken up. Meanwhile in front of Goff, Kupp has a ton of open space to run on a check down.


Goff’s second interception of the game was also forced into a closed window while he had a check down opening up on a 3rd and 3.
This shouldn’t doom the Rams for the remainder of the season. Overall Goff isn’t forcing balls into tight windows at an abnormally high rate — he’s at just 12.4% per Next Gen Stats — but it’s certainly something that needs to be fixed. McVay can add in some more short and intermediate options on these passes that allow Goff to process more quickly and create more separation when these defensive backs are staying back on the routes.
However McVay chooses to fix it, the sooner a solution is found, the better. Play-action success is the key to how this offense functions and as long as that isn’t at full capacity, the Rams will struggle to reach their full potential as a contender.

YELLOW is the Bucs @ Rams

FOX SINGLE


█ Anchorage
█ Fairbanks
█ Honolulu

█
Kansas City @ Detroit
Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis

█
Washington @ NY Giants
Thom Brennaman, Chris Spielman

█
Carolina @ Houston
Kenny Albert, Ronde Barber

█
Seattle @ Arizona (LATE)
Dick Stockton, Mark Schlereth

11:56 1st Quarter, Rams ball on their 18, 1st and 10. Rams defense just held the Browns to kick things off. McVay opens things up with a run.

Pre-snap:


At the fake to Woods the action is ignored by the Browns' defense:


At the handoff the blocking isn't too bad, although Allen isn't faring well with the NT (he's in the middle of giving up a little ground and hasn't managed to turn/seal). Boom & Whit prepare to kick out their blocking assignments:


There is still hope in the B & C gaps though and at this moment Boom & Whit make their blocks:


As Gurley hits the hole we see the NT still squared up. Boom meanwhile gets zero movement on his assignment (straight stands him up). Whit loses his assignment:


Minimal gain as Allen & Whits guys converge on TG (if either one of them make their block we have a very good gainer). Boom btw has recovered and gets a good seal removing his dude from the play:

49ers-Rams could be a candidate to get flexed into Sunday Night Football

49ers-Rams could be a candidate to get flexed into Sunday Night Football

Wouldn’t mind it after all the flexing out they’ve done.

www.ninersnation.com

.................This concerns the San Francisco 49ers because A: they are 3-0 and B: in Week 6 they have a divisional matchup against the Los Angeles Rams; who they are right now tied with for first place in the NFC West. A lot can change in the next two weeks. .............

John Johnson and Eric Weddle complement one another well in Rams’ secondary

John Johnson and Eric Weddle complement one another well in Rams' secondary

John Johnson and Eric Weddle are in unison when patrolling the Rams' secondary even if their personalities aren't the same.

www.latimes.com

By Jack HarrisStaff Writer


John Johnson didn’t want to wait.The Rams safety didn’t care that it was only March 8, that the season was still six months away, that there’d be plenty of time to bond with his new teammate later. As soon as he discovered the Rams had signed veteran safety Eric Weddle, Johnson raced to the team’s practice facility in Thousand Oaks. He wanted to meet his new partner in the secondary. “It was kind of like we knew each other already,” Johnson said. “It was all love.”

Johnson, 23, and Weddle, 34, aren’t carbon copies. The 6-foot, 209-pound Johnson has the size advantage on Weddle, who is 5-11 and 195. Weddle has the edge in experience, with 173 starts to Johnson’s 30. Their personalities differ too.

“He was married at a young age,” Johnson chuckled. “I’m completely opposite. I’m outgoing, young, out here in L.A., vibing.”

But on the field, their skill sets have proved complementary. Together, they’ve become key cogs in a Rams defense that ranks third in the NFL in yards against, fourth in pass defense, and has surrendered only one touchdown through the air. Three weeks into the season, their relationship has flourished.

“You want to get to the point where you think alike, you don’t have to say much, you move in unison,” Weddle said. “The communication takes time, but he’s extremely smart. He’s well beyond his years in the game.”

Even in his first year with the Rams, Weddle has become a leader on defense. The two-time All-Pro and 13-year veteran is the unit’s signal-caller, scanning the field and relaying adjustments before every play.“He’s the quarterback of the whole defense,” Johnson said. “Working with him is going to take my game to a whole ‘nother level.”

Johnson, drafted out of Boston College by the Rams in the third round in 2017, had long followed Weddle’s career. He knew the safety’s reputation as a heads-up, hard-hitting force across the middle. He had watched highlights from Weddle’s days with the Chargers and Baltimore Ravens. Johnson was eager to introduce himself.“I knew who he was,” Johnson said. “But I didn’t know him personally.”Weddle was in the Rams’ press room, having just signed his two-year, $10.5-million contract, when Johnson arrived on that March afternoon.“He was excited,” Weddle recalled. “He popped up, we hugged it out.”

There was an adjustment period thereafter. During his first two years in the league, Johnson played alongside Lamarcus Joyner, who signed with the Oakland Raiders as a free agent this offseason after failing to agree to terms on a contract extension with the Rams. Weddle, meanwhile, had to be integrated into a Rams defense that had eight starters returning from a 2018 squad that went to the Super Bowl.

Johnson and Weddle worked side-by-side in the summer and training camp, learning each other’s tendencies until they practiced in lockstep. So far, Johnson has two interceptions, Weddle has 19 tackles, and the Rams are giving up fewer than 200 passing yards per game.“It’s been moving like this,” Johnson said, his arm pointed up, “at a quick rate.”



Echoed coach Sean McVay: “You look at Eric’s experience and the amount of different things that he’s seen, and then watching the way that he and John have ended up kind of connected. I think they have both raised each other’s level of play.”Weddle agrees. He pointed to Johnson’s game-clinching interception at Cleveland on Sunday as an example.

On the decisive fourth-and-goal from the Rams’ four-yard line, Weddle settled into double coverage. Then the play broke down. Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was chased from the pocket, and away from Weddle’s half of the field. Mayfield threw toward receiver Damion Ratley near the far sideline. Johnson, who had picked up Ratley in coverage mid-route, jumped the pass and picked it off.“Amazing,” Weddle said of the play. “It was awesome … I see JJ doing a Usain Bolt sprint afterward. I’m like, ‘Slow down, I just want to come dap you up.’ ”



As they danced back to the sideline together, their gulf in experience, age, and makeup disappeared. On the field, they’ve become almost one and the same. “Same intention, same mind-set,” Johnson said. “We want to get to the same point. We want to reach the same success. Obtain the same goals.”Together, they’ve set their sights high.“We want to be the best safety tandem in the league,” Johnson said. “We said that from Day 1.”

• 
• Wednesday, Sep 25, 2019

Aaron Donald Demands Double Teams…And Beats Them

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will try to knock the Los Angeles Rams from the ranks of the unbeaten on Sunday when they visit the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the first time in 26 years. The cross-country trip begins an unusual stretch in the Buccaneers schedule that won't see them return to Raymond James Stadium until November 10.

To get back to .500 and get the long road swing started on the right foot, the Buccaneers will have to beat the defending NFC Champions, who have already beaten fellow NFC South teams Carolina and New Orleans this year. The Rams, who moved back to Los Angeles in 2016 after two decades in St. Louis, have only lost one of their last nine games at the Coliseum, which the Bucs last visited in 1993 to play the then-Los Angeles Raiders.

The Rams rode a prolific offense to the Super Bowl last year and have almost all of their key pieces from that attack back in 2019. However, the Los Angeles defense has led the way in the early going, ranking third in yards allowed per game (285.7) and seventh in points allowed per game (16.3). Defensive tackle Aaron Donald has won the last two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards and is often impossible to keep out of the offensive backfield. The Rams added outside linebacker Clay Matthews in the offseason to team with Dante Fowler and bring pressure off the edge.

The Rams' offense has by no means been bad, of course. Los Angeles has scored 25.3 points per game to rank eighth in that category and the Rams have run the ball well with Todd Gurley and Malcolm Brown. A 4-3 TD/INT ratio has kept quarterback Jared Goff's passer rating down at 84.5 but he's a talented young passer who is surrounded by a trio of equally-dangerous receivers in Cooper Kupp, Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods.

Here's a closer look at some of the challenges and opportunities the Buccaneers will encounter when they take on the Rams Sunday:

RAMS DIFFERENCE-MAKERS
The Rams have two new starters on the offensive line in left guard Joseph Noteboom and center Brian Allen, but everyone else is back on an offense that scored 32.9 points per game last year and rang up 421.1 yards in the average outing. The Rams' defense produced the fourth-most takeaways a year ago and has five through three games so far this year. Here are four Rams in particular who could cause the Buccaneers trouble on Sunday:

1. DT Aaron Donald. The awards on Donald's mantle are probably more than enough of an explanation as to why he heads this list, but it's hard to overstate how much impact he can have on a game. He had 20.5 sacks last year, the most ever by a defensive tackle, not to mention an incredible 41 quarterback hits, or about 2.5 per game. Offensive coordinators fear pressure up the middle more than anything else, and nobody provides that as consistently as Donald. And he put up those mind-boggling numbers in 2018 while being double-teamed on 60.5% of his snaps, the third-highest rate in the league according to NFL Next Gen Stats. In other words, the Buccaneers are almost surely going to double-team Donald a lot, creating opportunities for other pass-rushers, and it still might not work.

2. RB Todd Gurley. Gurley's workload has been an openly-discussed issue since he saw his snaps dwindle late last year and in the playoffs, apparently due to an arthritic condition in his left knee. But both the Rams and Gurley himself declared the fifth-year back good to go to start the 2019 season, and when he's on the field he's L.A.'s best offensive player. Gurley scored 40 touchdowns over the past two seasons; he has just one so far this year but is averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He has also played 146 offensive snaps through three weeks, which is tied for the fifth-most among running backs in the NFL. Like Saquon Barkley, last week's foe, Gurley has all the running back tools – power, vision, balance, quickness and pass-catching ability

3. OLB Dante Fowler. The Rams got Fowler in a trade at midseason last year and he ended up contributing 2.0 sacks in eight games. That swap, and the one-year deal the Rams gave him to stay put in 2019, is really starting to pay off, as Fowler has already matched last year's sack total in three games and appears to be playing the best football of his four-year career. Fowler and any Ram who lines up on the edge is going to get some one-on-one pass-rush opportunities thanks to the attention that must be paid to Donald, as noted above, and he is taking advantage of them. It was the speed and quick get-off that got Fowler drafted third overall by Jacksonville in 2015, but he can also utilize his good power to push linemen back and then disengage at the right moment to hit the quarterback.

4. WR Brandin Cooks. Pick your poison in the Rams' receiving corps, as different evaluators will rank the trio of Cooks, Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods in different orders. Kupp is big and smart and has been the highest-volume Goff target, though he's averaging just 11.3 yards per catch. Woods is a complete wideout who is used on jet sweeps and blocks well, and also has the numbers that suggest a possession receiver. But Cooks is the burner and therefore the one most likely to change the game with one or two big plays. He's averaging 17.3 yards per grab, the best of his six-year career so far. Cooks also has 33 career touchdowns, including at least five each of the last four years while playing for the Rams, Patriots and Saints.

STRENGTHS
The Rams have run the ball better than they've thrown it so far this season, with Todd Gurley getting help from Malcolm Brown to put up 123.7 yards per game. On defense, Los Angeles is holding opposing teams to 192.7 passing yards per game and 5.30 yards per pass play, both fourth-best in the NFL.

Here are some more specific areas in which the Giants are off to a good start in 2019:

· When the Rams' offense gets a first down inside the opposing 10-yard line, it's very difficult to keep it from continuing on to the end zone. Los Angeles is one of 10 teams that has scored a touchdown on every one of its goal-to-go possessions so far, but the Rams are at the top of that list because they've had more of those opportunities and converted them all. Specifically, the Rams are eight-for-eight in goal-to-go situations, and they haven't been predictable, scoring four teams each on the ground and through the air.

· Jameis Winston threw the ball down the field on Sunday against the Giants about as well as he ever has, completing seven passes of 20 or more yards, including strikes of 55, 44, 41 and 30 yards. That was an encouraging sign but it will be difficult to duplicate in Los Angeles. No team has allowed fewer completions of 20 or more passes than the Rams. They've only been solved on the deep ball four times; the next lowest team total is six and the NFL average is 11.

· Todd Gurley is a good pass-catcher, but as noted above, the Rams have a trio of trustworthy receivers who are on the field a lot. The Rams' official depth chart lists all three as starters, and all three – Woods, Kupp and Cooks – have been on the field for at least 92.9% of the team's offensive snaps so far. It's not terribly surprising, then, that Los Angeles runs more of its passing game through its wideouts than any other team in the NFL. Wideouts have accounted for 86.2% of the team's receiving yards this year; the league average per team is 65.1%.

· The Buccaneers want to see improvement in their red zone offense as soon as possible, and Bruce Arians specifically noted that his team had started off doing well in the passing game in that area but has since taken a dive. Pulling out of that dive in Week Four will be complicated by an L.A. defense that has allowed a collective passer rating of 33.2 in the red zone, third-best in the NFL. The league average is 91.7.
WEAKNESSES

It's a small sample size at this point but the Rams' interception rate on offense is a bit high, a mark of 2.86% that is ninth worst in the NFL. There's not much to criticize on defense, but L.A.'s punt coverage units have given up an average of 12.8 yards per runback. That's second to last in the NFL. In addition:

· As good as the Rams' defense has been, it's been susceptible to the run on second down. The Los Angeles defense is allowing 4.16 yards per carry overall to rank right in the middle of the NFL pack, but on second down specifically it is giving up 5.57 yards per tote. That includes four runs of over 10 yards allowed.

· The Rams can strike quickly with Gurley or Cooks, but they haven't exactly been grinding out long drives so far this year. Los Angeles has just two possessions through three games that has lasted at least five minutes, and only one of those actually resulted in a score. That's tied for the third-lowest total in the NFL.

· As good as the Rams have been at punching it in from first-and-goal opportunities, they have not run the ball particularly well in the red zone. The bar is lower down there – the NFL average is just 3.0 yards per carry – but the Rams have fallen short of it, picking up just 2.1 yards per try inside the 20. That's 24th best in the NFL.

· Rams QB Jared Goff has yet to recapture the downfield passing form he showed in 2018 on the way to the Super Bowl, though it's likely just a matter of time until that happens. Last year, the Rams ranked fourth in passer rating on balls thrown more than 20 yards in the air, at 110.1, and they had the best completion rate on such passes, at 46.4%. So far this year, those numbers are 81.9, which ranks 23rd, and 33.3%, which ranks 22nd.

NEW FACES IN 2019
The Rams had a very talented roster heading into 2019, including a nearly intact returning group of starters, and they traded down three times before finally picking in the draft last spring. As such, there weren't a large number of additions expected to make big impacts this season. However, they did find a new starter for the secondary and their sack leader is in his first year with the team.

1. S Eric Weddle. The Ravens released Weddle on March 7 and the Rams signed him just four days later. Weddle stepped directly into the Rams' starting lineup, replacing Lamarcus Joyner, who was allowed to walk in free agency after a down 2018 campaign. Weddle, who had three Pro Bowl seasons in Baltimore after a long run in San Diego, brings a wealth of experience and a well-deserved reputation as a hitter to the Rams' secondary.

2. OLB Clay Matthews. The Packers didn't try to bring back their one-time sack king in free agency, instead signing Preston Smith and Za'Darius Smith. The Rams were happy to give Matthews a two-year deal to see what was left in the tank, and are surely pleased with the team-high 4.0 sacks he has collected already.

3. QB Blake Bortles. Obviously, the Rams would be pleased if, unlike the two additions above, Bortles does not see the field much and Jared Goff remains healthy. Still, the team clearly wanted an upgrade at their backup QB spot in case Goff is ever unavailable, and Bortles likely inspires more confidence than Sean Mannion.

ABSENCES/POTENTIAL ABSENCES

1. G Austin Blythe. Blythe missed Sunday night's game against the Browns due to an ankle injury and was replaced at right guard by Jamil Denby. However, he did participate in limited fashion in the Rams' final practice last week and Head Coach Sean McVay said the "anticipation and hope" is that he would be able to return against the Buccaneers.

2. TE Tyler Higbee. Likewise, McVay is hoping for a return in Week Four from his number-one tight end, Higbee, who missed the Browns game with a chest injury. Higbee did not practice last week and Gerald Everett stepped in as the primary tight end in his absence.

https://www.buccaneers.com/news/aaron-donald-demands-double-teams-and-beats-them-rams-wk-4-2019

By far the funniest fan base I’ve come across. Not much in the way of forums. A lot of them are still taking about the Giants game. But I’ll post more when I see it.

What to expect: Buccaneers vs Rams preview

Discussion about expectations for this game Sunday. I personally think that our corners will probably be torched but I’m confident our pass rush can get some pressure on Goff. I think Godwin and OJ are going to be important and crucial if we are going to have a chance since I see most of the focus going on Mike. We need this win if we have any chance of success moving forward.
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I predict Winston to have another solid game 3 tds 275+yards 1 int. We lose by a td and people blame the int for all the problems in the game
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SHAQ BARRETT WILL HAVE A THIRD SON NEXT WEEK, AND HIS NAME IS JARED GOFF
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I expect to feel like complete shit when the game is over.
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You don’t have to wait until the end of the game to feel that way
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I expect a few years to be shaved off my life and my liver to write a blog post about how I am a hussy and a harlot.
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I had this game chalked up to a loss preseason. So I won't really be mad if we lose outright.

However if we look competitive and have a lead at one point and blow it from shitty coaching decisions or blow it in the 4th I may blow a gasket.
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I expect us to continue to dominate on run defense and force Goff to beat us. And then I think Goff is going to beat us.
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I predict a complete meltdown in this sub, calling for Arian's job, Winston's head, and a new kicker....I know, bold prediction
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If we're losing the game the way I expect us to, the meltdown will be happening by halftime
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I say we get the party started early and jump on board before the start of the 2nd
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I'll be drunk by kickoff so let's just start there. That way we can spend the whole game justifying the meltdown or be somehow surprised.
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Goff is not having a good year
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We lose lol
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Expecting our run defense to get crushed so we can analyze what happened all week
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I predict a complete meltdown by our secondary against a competetent offense that is coached really well. I think we were lucky the first games that we played against injured QB or generally not so good wide outs. Now with the Rams i see a good QB, good recivers and a coach that knows how to attack our secondary.

It will be a long game if our CBs can´t step their game up.
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Well..I said the game against the Giants will be the point that proves who we are. And again I think we're stuck in a losing culture. We will most likely lose this game. Overall, we'll probably go 6-11 this year. Next year hopefully 8-8. Sorry boys but when you've been a bucs fan since 02...you can smell if it's going to be a shit bucs team by week 3
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Aaron Donald is a scary guy. I think we can be competitive if the Bucs can limit offensive turnovers, especially turnovers that end up in 6pts
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If week 3’s offense complimented week 2’s defense, we could possibly beat the Rams next Sunday. I’m hopeful. Not expectful, just hopeful.
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Here's my question: if we somehow win decisively and execute on all 3 phases, does that drastically change your opinion on how our season is going to go?

I view the Rams game as an opportunity because a W here would be a huge momentum swing.

However I'm not going to be let down when we lose.
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I saw a video a little bit ago saying that the first team to play for the "west coast" was called the Los Angeles Buccaneers. They only lasted a year, and never actually played in California.
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Bucs win , Matt Gay misses every kick. Takes a greyhound back to Utah.

Are the Super Bowl hopeful Eagles in big trouble?

PHILADELPHIA -- Back in June, Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz said he had never been part of a team this talented, and that included the 2017 Super Bowl squad.

Coach Doug Pederson added in early September that this is the deepest roster he has had to work with since becoming the Eagles' coach. The optimism heading into the 2019 season, both internally and around the Philadelphia region, was as high as it had been since 2004 when Terrell Owens was added to Andy Reid's perennial contender.

Three weeks in, that optimism has been replaced with a pit in the stomach. The Eagles are 1-2, and now must turn around and play the undefeated Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Thursday (8:20 p.m. ET, Fox). In a blink, they have moved too close to the cliff's edge for comfort.

What happened? And are the Eagles in jeopardy of losing control of the season?

What are the main problems so far?

1. Injury and age. Receivers DeSean Jackson (abdominal strain) and Alshon Jeffery (quad) left early last week against the Atlanta Falcons and did not play versus the Detroit Lions on Sunday. The Eagles have lost two of their main defensive linemen, tackles Malik Jackson and Tim Jernigan, to foot injuries. Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (foot), defensive end Derek Barnett (shoulder), safety Rodney McLeod (knee), linebacker Nigel Bradham (toe), cornerback Ronald Darby (ACL) and guard Brandon Brooks (Achilles) are among the players coming off surgery, and now Darby is dealing with a separate hamstring issue.

The Eagles shook up their medical staff for a second straight offseason after being slammed by injuries last season. This season is again off to a rocky start. One factor to consider is Philadelphia has the NFL's third-oldest 53-man roster with an average age of 27.1 years. Eight of the Eagles' original starters are 30-plus, and four more are 29 years old.

"If you're going to draw a parallel, I guess maybe that's what people would think: older roster, injuries," coach Doug Pederson said. "But even some of the injuries are probably an effect of, it's football. It's a rough sport and it's hard to put a finger on some of them. ... I will say this: Guys have battled through injury to play, they continue to do that, and that's a positive thing."

With so many guys banged up, expected production hasn't been realized in key areas, including ...

2. Pass rush. Getting after the quarterback with an organic four-man pass rush is defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's bread and butter, but the defensive front has been largely ineffective in this respect through three games. The Eagles are second to last in the NFL with two sacks. The lone lineman to register a takedown is Jernigan, and he now has a broken foot. The lack of an organic rush has forced Schwartz to dial up more blitzes -- and in particular, more all-out blitzes -- than he prefers. That's left the back end vulnerable. Four of the opponent's seven passing TDs have come when the Eagles sent five or more after the quarterback. The mix of shaky cornerback play and an anemic pass rush has led to some big plays for the opposition.

Also, Cox has not looked like himself yet this season. The main cog to what the Eagles do defensively, they need him to round into form, and soon.

How much of this falls on Carson Wentz?

Not a ton. He has been working without his top two receivers for most of the past two games, and has not gotten much help from their replacements. Eagles' skill position players had seven drops on Sunday alone. Last week, Nelson Agholor couldn't hold onto a pass late, and it cost the Eagles a chance to win the Falcons game. Same for JJ Arcega-Whiteside against Detroit. Take away a couple of the offensive miscues, and the Eagles are 3-0 and this story isn't being written.

Wentz can improve, especially early in games, but he's not the problem. He's one of the really good players on this team who is helping to keep things afloat.

Are the Eagles in serious trouble?

Serious trouble might be a touch strong given how early in the season it is, but there is reason for concern. DeSean Jackson's injury is key. One doctor recommended surgery to fix his abdominal injury, a source said, but he's opting to play through it and is expected to return after Thursday's game in Green Bay. The idea that he will be at 100 percent at that time seems like a stretch. If he is limited, or ends up sidelined long-term, the offense will be without the explosive element central to the operation.

That would only heighten the importance of younger players such as rookies Miles Sanders and Arcega-Whiteside and second-year tight end Dallas Goedert(calf) to mature quickly, and for some of the veterans such as Cox and members of the offensive line to look like more youthful versions of themselves.

The schedule has little give to it from this point forward. Thursday's game is the start of three of four on the road, followed by home games against the Chicago Bears, New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.

If there is in fact championship mettle inside this team, it's time to show it.

First Look: Rams return to Coliseum to host Buccaneers

A 20-13 win over the Cleveland Browns last week moved the Rams to 3-0. Now, Los Angeles returns to the Coliseum to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The two teams squared off during the Rams' first season back in Los Angeles in 2016 but haven't played one another since until this week. L.A. leads the all-time series 16-8.

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

Notable additions

• Signed LB Shaquil Barrett as an unrestricted free agent in March. Now in his sixth NFL season, Barrett tied an NFL record set in 1984 with eight sacks through the first three games. Those eight sacks also lead the league. The former undrafted free agent spent his first five years with the Denver Broncos before signing a one-year deal with the Buccaneers this offseason.
• Signed punter Bradley Pinion as an unrestricted free agent in March. A 2015 fifth-round pick by the 49ers, Pinion spent his first four years in San Francisco before joining the Tampa Bay. He replaced Bryan Anger, the Bucs' starter each of the previous three seasons who signed with the Houston Texans this offseason.

Top performers in Week 3

QB Jameis Winston completed 23 of 37 pass attempts for 380 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in the Bucs' 32-31 loss to the Giants. His total passing yards and touchdowns were both season-highs. The 380 yards also marked the fourth-highest single game total of Winston's five-year career.

RB Ronald Jones II led the Browns' backfield with 14 carries for 80 yards, but effectively split carries with RB Peyton Barber, who tallied 13 carries for 48 yards.

WR Mike Evans Jr. was on the receiving end of all three of Winston's touchdowns, adding eight catches for a game-high 190 yards. It the first three-touchdown game of Evans' career. Evans was also the first Bucs receiver to snag at least three touchdowns in a single game since October 20, 1985, when Jimmie Giles had four against the Miami Dolphins according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Defensively, Barrett carried the unit with a team-high six tackles plus four sacks.

On special teams, rookie kicker Matt Gay – a fifth-round pick in this year's NFL draft – was 4 for 5 on field goal attempts, the lone miss coming on a 34-yard try that would've been the game-winner for Tampa Bay. He was also just 1 for 3 on extra point attempts.

Rankings

Offense

• Points Per Game: Tied for 13th (22.7)
• Yards Per Game: 14th (361.0)
• Passing Yards Per Game: 20th (239.3)
• Rushing Yards Per Game: 8th (121.7)

Defense

• Points Allowed Per Game: 22nd (25.7)
• Yards Allowed Per Game: 14th (330.7)
• Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 21st (261.0)
• Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 6th (69.7)

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

The kicking phase of Tampa Bay's special teams – specifically field goals and punts – has endured both recent and season-long struggles.

Gay missed a chip-shot game-winning field goal and a pair of extra point attempts which would later come back to haunt the Bucs in their 1-point loss to the Giants. Pinion, meanwhile, has the second-lowest net average in the NFL at 37.0 yards per punt.

Defensively, Barrett is going to be keeping the left side of the Rams' offensive line busy given his early-season success.

Thus, at first glance, special teams is an area the Rams will look to take advantage of, while containing Barrett will be key for a young offensive line.

NFL Rules Are Just Suggestions

Tom Brady was watching Titans-Jaguars Thursday night and, like every other person with functional eyes, did not enjoy the experience. Only he overcame his revulsion and fear of being found out, tweeting about it and saying all the holding penalties were ruining his fun.

Two days later, Al Riveron, the National Football League’s designated human shield interpreting both the officials and the drunk Jackson Pollock painting the league calls its rulebook, called his small platoon of refereesand said, “Okay, we have to knock off calling the thing we told you to call three weeks ago.” And good soldiers that they are, the officials did that, lowering the number of Sunday holding calls by nearly half.

This suggests one of two things:

(1) Tom Brady is the actual commissioner of football and may as well get Roger Goodell’s paycheck while the Ginger Avenger gets sent to a $55 million-and-over retirement community in upstate New York to kick up his feet and laugh at the next miserable bastard who has to take Jerry Jones’s 3 a.m. calls.

(2) The NFL is just making this up as it goes along and actually has no rules at all, but suggestions that come and go at a whim because the people in charge of presenting football don’t understand football at all.

I desperately want it to be (1) because of the face Bill Belichick will make the first time he is asked about Brady as his boss. Galaxies will implode with the force of his expression of disgust.

Sadly, though, the true answer is (2). The NFL changes rules every year; that we know, because we laugh at their inability to keep up with their most diabolical coaches. They’ve tried and failed with lowering the head, roughing the passer, and illegal contact before that. But de-emphasizing “points of emphasis” after two weeks, and doing it with a simple conference call a day before a full round of games is the real inside look at how the league works. The NFL, as it turns out, is the shrugging stick figure emoji with expensive suits, with a nuclear fueled ATM attached.

And no, it really doesn’t matter at this point whether de-emphasizing the lobster block prohibition made for better or worse games. It’s that the league has no earthly idea what is or isn’t watchable athletic entertainment is any more, and changes ideas on the fly because it only took two weeks for their alleged good intentions to be mocked and spat upon by smarter and more cunning entrepreneurs with whistles.

Here’s the process: League changes rule, or offers a new POE (point of emphasis) applied to an old or slightly modified rule. Coaches read rule/POE, immediately start imagining ways to circumvent or neuter rule/POE. Strategies are applied. Games become shambolic. High-powered quarterback tweets out his revulsion. League abandons plan in frustration.

It is to the business’s credit that it can convince football fans that this is actually a good thing. Being flexible in the face of failure, fixing problems on the fly and trying to serve the audience above all other conditions—it’s a brilliant bit of spin, no question, and the number of people upon whom that spin works is truly staggering.

But it also proves yet again that football is really just the art of throwing stuff against the wall, studying the spatter pattern, and then getting rid of the stuff it brought for throwing. When John Elway shamed Denver tackle Garett Bolles for his high number of holding penalties with the inspirational pep talk, “Does he know what holding is? Does he know what he can and can’t do?” it turned out that the answer was, “No more or less than the people who wrote the rule in the first place.” Put another way, does Bolles get dispensation for violating a rule the league’s rulemakers clearly didn’t understand and essentially abandoned two weeks later?

Maybe acknowledging a screw-up is noble, but the people who couldn’t navigate the arcaneries of a “catch” and are spectacularly cavalier about the concussion protocol shouldn’t get a lot of lead here. It’s far more likely that they simply don’t know what the hell they’re doing and have a work philosophy of “We’ll just wait until someone yells at us.”

But at least with this latest example, they know who’s doing the yelling, and who got the job of fixing the problem done. And Sunday in Buffalo, I fully expect the referee to ask at one point, “So you good with that call?” And Tom Brady will nod silently. I mean, why wait for Al Riveron’s two cents when the boss is right there?

View: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2854989-upstart-buffalo-bills-have-a-legit-chance-to-take-the-afc-east


Upstart Buffalo Bills Have a Legit Chance to Take the AFC East

The New England Patriots' 10-year stranglehold on the AFC East could come to an end this season courtesy of the Buffalo Bills.

That isn't an indictment of this year's Patriots, because they are still counted among the NFL's best. Rather, the Bills have built a highly competitive roster capable of challenging the Patriots' supremacy. The two teams meet Sunday at New Era Field in a battle of unbeatens to determine the early front-runner for the division crown.

The Patriots aren't infallible. They seem like it at times because the roster is well-coached, experienced and highly adaptable, and of course they've won three championships in the last five seasons.

"They're the defending champs and no one's come close to even touching them at this point. The games have been pretty much been over by halftime," head coach Sean McDermott said, per Syracuse.com's Matt Parrino. "We've got to focus on what we do in our routine, in our process."

Though they have been dominant in their three games, the Patriots have weaknesses to exploit.

They feature the league's best defense, but the offense has significant question marks along the offensive line and at wide receiver because of injuries.

The Bills, meanwhile, opened their season with a 3-0 record for just the third time in 26 years. It's an unusual, albeit well-earned, start. Buffalo's 19-point differential against weak opposition creates some warning signs, but the team also won when and where it counts.

Bills Mafia is about to experience arguably the most important home game in Buffalo's recent history with a team capable of pulling the upset and taking an early division lead. To do so and eventually dethrone the Patriots, three areas are key to the entire season, starting with the Bills' fantastic defense.

Under Pressure

Defense wins championships, or so they say. The Bills' expectations aren't that lofty; a division crown would be a nice start. Either way, Buffalo's defense serves as the team's backbone.

McDermott's unit ranks fifth overall in total defense and is tied for fifth in scoring defense. Those numbers are misleading. Usually, that type of statement means the previous numbers aren't indicative of quality play. It's the opposite in this case. According to the Democrat & Chronicle's Sal Maiorana, the Bills rank first overall in fewest yards allowed per drive (24.8), third in touchdown percentage per drive (16.8) and No. 1 in percentage of three-and-outs forced (36.2).

The Bills D makes life miserable on opposing quarterbacks because it doesn't allow chunk plays—which are vital in today's air-it-out league. According to ESPN's Bill Barnwell, Buffalo has allowed a league-low nine passing plays of 30 or more yards since the start of the 2018 campaign. The secondary ranks among the league's best with Tre'Davious White serving as a shutdown corner and a versatile pair of safeties in Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer, who contribute in a variety of ways.

As good as the Bills defense is, a significant piece of the puzzle is missing. The defensive line isn't winning one-on-one matchups to create pressure. Buffalo has managed only seven sacks through three games. Jerry Hughes leads the group with 1.5 sacks. A year ago, Hughes accumulated a whopping 74 quarterback pressures, per Pro Football Focus. Obviously, he's not on the same pace this season.

"That's big. Being able to affect the quarterback is big," McDermott said, per Parrino. "Stopping the run and being able to affect the quarterback, and there were times [against Cincinnati] I thought it was good enough and there are other times it wasn't good enough. So that's another area we have to continue to grow and work on."

Ironically, the Patriots may be the ideal opponent to inject life into the Bills' listless pass rush.

New England's veteran center, David Andrews, is out of the lineup because of blood clots. Andrews' replacement, Ted Karras, has allowed a sack, two quarterbacks hits and another pressure through three games, per The Athletic's Jeff Howe. Plus, officials have called him for two holding penalties. The Bills have an advantage with either Star Lotulelei or Ed Oliver lining up over the center.

Left tackle is an even bigger concern. The Patriots placed Isaiah Wynn on injured reserve with a toe injury after the team's Week 2 victory over the Miami Dolphins. Wynn was New England's highest-graded offensive lineman through the first two games, per PFF. Hughes should be able to take advantage of Marshall Newhouse, whom the Patriots signed off the street two weeks ago. Newhouse has surrendered a sack and three quarterback hits with two holding penalties for good measure in two games.

By pressuring Brady, the Bills can be aggressive with their secondary and take advantage of the fact that the Patriots no longer have Antonio Brown, Julian Edelman has a rib injury and Josh Gordon injured his finger Sunday against the New York Jets.

Pressure is coming, one way or the other. If the Bills generate enough against the Patriots, expectations will continue to grow, especially if the team's new-look offense holds up its end of the bargain.

Fortifications Up Front

The Bills' offensive line isn't great, but it is leaps and bounds better than the woeful group the offense featured last season.

General manager Brandon Beane made a concerted effort to fortify Buffalo's offensive line in the offseason with multiple free-agent signings and a second-round draft pick. The line's improvement has made life easier on all parties.

Quarterback Josh Allen already has worked from more clean pockets.

"As long as we continue to handle the fundamentals, we can be an explosive group," right tackle Ty Nsekhe said last week, per The Athletic's Tim Graham.

"We're setting the tone as a line. We're setting a tone about dominating the line of scrimmage. As long as we keep building off each game, each circumstance, we'll only get better every week."

Quality offensive line depth isn't common around the league. The Bills have seven starting-caliber blockers, though right guard Jon Feliciano suffered a neck injury Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. If Feliciano misses extended time, rookie Cody Ford would move to right guard and Nsekhe would start at right tackle, and there would likely be little drop-off overall.

More importantly, the group has brought a different demeanor this season, starting with Ford.

"These dudes are grown-ass men," tight end Lee Smith said. "... As a young player, [Ford] just needs to understand that there's a line, but by all means, you defend your quarterback. Nobody messes with our quarterback."

The increased level of physicality does allow the Bills to set the tone, which is partially why they rank fifth overall in rushing offense. Buffalo's front is now capable of dominating in spurts. The rest of the offense has opened up as a result.

As Josh Allen Goes...

So goes Buffalo. The second-year quarterback doesn't need to play hero ball, but he still does.

"He's such a competitor that sometimes he doesn't want the play to end," offensive coordinator Brian Daboll said, per the Associated Press' John Wawrow.

"We're still working on that because he is strong, he is competitive and you'd have to ask him this, but there's probably a play that he doesn't feel he can't make with his athletic ability. I think that's an encouraging sign of him just playing the game the right way for us to help our team."

The hardest part for any young quarterback is knowing when to eat a play and throw the ball away instead of trying to make something happen.

One series in Sunday's contest defined exactly who Allen is at this point in his career.

On first down, Allen fumbled the snap and fell down. He stayed with the play, grabbed the ball, got up, rolled to his right and threw a short completion. On second down, Allen felt pressure, navigated the pocket, relied on his athleticism and turned a potential negative play into another short gain. On third down, Allen dropped back from center, hit his back foot, attempted a timing passing and completely missed his streaking target.

This is Allen in a nutshell. His natural tools are outstanding. No one will say otherwise. But he must become more consistent and efficient from the pocket, which he's done to a degree with a 64.1 completion percentage through three games. Otherwise, the fantastic defense, improved offensive front and added skill weapons won't matter.

His biggest test will come Sunday. The Patriots own the league's No. 1 defense. In fact, New England's defense is the first this century to surrender zero touchdowns in four consecutive games, according to Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon.

Of course, Bill Belichick will have a game plan to rattle and confuse Allen. How the second-year signal-caller performs will show where he is in his maturation. A strong performance would give the Bills an added advantage through the rest of the regular season.

Looking Forward

Sunday's matchup takes on added importance because both franchises will continue to benefit from weak schedules.

As such, the Bills know they can't fall behind the Patriots early in the season, as New England has proved over the years that it can take care of business against overmatched teams.

After Buffalo, the Patriots don't face another team with a winning record (through three weeks) until Week 9. Amazingly, the Bills have an easier path. Buffalo won't play an opponent with a winning record until Week 13. On top of that, McDermott's squad still has six contests with foes that have yet to win a game.

Neither team has faced anyone of consequence, but each has done what it is supposed to do: beat those placed in front of them.

Now comes the hard part for the Bills after years of feeling inferior. Buffalo has the defense and enough offense to finally topple the Patriots.

Eventually, David will slay Goliath, and there's no better time than this weekend for that to occur, which would make Buffalo the team to beat in the AFC East.

By: Steve Rebeiro | 3 hours ago


Clay Matthews showed his age last season. In his final season with the Packers, the 32-year-old recorded just 3.5 sacks in 16 games, the lowest of his career. It seemed like father time was sending a message to the six-time Pro Bowler.
Matthews decided to return to the state he grew up in and the city he played college ball in after 12 seasons away in Green Bay. “Coming back home was obviously very nostalgic for me,” Matthews said after his homecoming victory against the Saints in Week 2. “I had a blast playing here last year when I was with Green Bay, but now obviously being a part of the Rams organization, with all the improvements and just feeling like I was back home – continuing the clichés, it’s nice to come full circle. So, it’s fun. I’m having a blast.”

It feels like Matthews made the right decision coming home. He has more sacks in three games with the Rams than he did all of last season.

The Rams desperately needed help in the pass-rush next to Aaron Donald. Last season, the Rams rolled out Samson Ebukam and Matt Longacre on the edge to open the season. They’ve been replaced by Matthews and Dante Fowler, with Ebukam rotating in off the bench. The trio have been fantastic for the Rams so far this year.
Mathews is leading the way for the Rams with four sacks this season. He currently has half of the team’s sacks this year. Last year, the only Ram to have five sacks or more was Donald. Matthews is well on his way to passing that total.

The Rams aren’t asking Matthews to do a ton in his thirteenth season. It’s exactly what the veteran pass-rusher needed. Fowler has been the much more efficient edge-rusher, grading out as the number 12 overall edge rusher on Pro Football Focus. Matthews ranks far lower at 66. But the Rams didn’t sign Matthews to be an All-Pro level outside linebacker who can do it all. They hired him to hit opposing quarterbacks and take some pressure off of Donald. That’s what he’s done so far.

Matthews and the pass rush were on full display against Cleveland in primetime on Sunday. Even when they were running dime coverage with a four-man rush, the Rams were making Baker Mayfield’s life a living hell. Matthews touched on it after the victory. “That is what we pride ourselves on,” the former All-Pro noted. “Obviously, we have the best player in the league on the inside. Dante, myself, Samson , and Michael (Brockers) – we all try to follow that up and do our part. I think the pass rush, especially in the fourth quarter, was truly what made the difference”
The USC alumni is having a blast playing football in Los Angeles once again. The Rams have certainly enjoyed having him. Expect Matthews to pick up a few more sacks before the season ends.

As the injuries start to mount, the rooks’ playing time is opening up.

By EddieP@iAmEddieP_ Sep 24, 2019, 12:52pm CDT



Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Rams went in to First Energy stadium and slugged through a 20-13 win over the Cleveland Browns.
Defensively, it was a masterclass. OBJ was limited to six catches and only 56 yards. Odell’s running mate, Jarvis Landry, was a bit more productive but still held in check — he hauled in three catches for 62 yards. The only Browns player to have a day was RB Nick Chubb with 96 yards on 23 carries.
The offense was a tale of two sides. On one side, the receivers Cooper Kupp (11 catches, 102 yards, two TDs) and Brandin Cooks (eight receptions, 112 yards) went off. They were easily the star performers on that side of the ball. Then there were QB Jared Goff’s three turnovers (fumble, two INTs).
SMH.
Nevertheless, a W is a W. The team is now 3-0, still flawless in the record book.
Here are my rookie reports for Week 3:
(Author’s note: Let me preface this by stating this: Week 3’s grades are full of INC incompletes and N/A not applicable. Its only fair. Some of the rookies were inactive. Others, the sample size too small)

Rookie Report
S Taylor Rapp
Three weeks down, three weeks with Taylor Rapp doing his damn thang! His numbers were not as eye-popping as the other two contests, but at three total tackles, Rapp was more than solid. his play in coverage caused a few incomplete passes.
Again, I reeeaaalllyyy likes this kid.
Grade: B+

RB Darrell Henderson Jr.
Hendo was not used much (at all) in this week’s victory.
Grade: INC

CB David Long Jr.
David Long was another game day inactive casualty. Barring injury or abysmal play from those higher up on the depth chart, this will not change. Ditto for some of the other rooks on this report.
Grade: N/A

OT Bobby Evans
OG Bobby was also a casualty to the game day inactives list. However, with injuries to the offensive line, Evans’ activation on game days is something to keep an eye on moving forward.
Grade: N/A

DT Greg Gaines
Greg was a victim to the numbers game. He was inactive in Sunday night’s fest. Depth was needed elsewhere.
Grade: N/A

OT David Edwards
David logged in his usual handful of Special Teams snaps (five). With RG Austin Blythe out with a bum ankle and backup Jamil Demby struggling mightily, it will be fun to see if his number gets called upon in a pinch.
Grade: C

S Nick Scott
Nick Scott continues his ST dominance. He handled 71-percent (17 total) of the snaps on Coach Bones’ unit.
Grade: C+
LB Natrez Patrick
Natrez Patrick is on of the rookies making their majority of money on special teams. He took part in 50-percent (12) ST snaps.
Grade: C

WR Nsimba Webster
The numbers game is simply too much for Nsimba’s hopes of cracking the game day roster. Slots one through four all literally contribute on offense. .
Grade: N/A

LB Troy Reeder
Troy once again made his money on ST. he went in on 12 snaps (50%).
Grade: C

Los Angeles Rams Week 3 rookie report leans on S Taylor Rapp’s performance again

As the injuries start to mount, the rooks’ playing time is opening up.

www.turfshowtimes.com

Can a fanbase and a front office panic when the team is undefeated? Introducing your 2019 LA Rams!

By Joey The Jerk@LaRamsRamsRams Sep 24, 2019, 2:21pm CDT



Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

So far this season, the Los Angeles Rams rank 16th in offensive DVOA through three weeks per Football Outsiders after finishing 2nd in 2018. They also plummeted from 2nd to 16th in total yards this season. So, what gives?
The supposed “fix” that teams came up for Rams Head Coach Sean McVay’s offensive scheme has mostly been dealt with in the first three games. While teams have been using six-man fronts across the line, McVay has been exploiting this trend by creating mismatches with WR Cooper Kupp which is partly the reason why he’s looked so dominant this season to go along with a positive running game.
The overriding issue though is that QB Jared Goff is not benefiting from McVay’s adjustments. Or at least, so far he has not. And there’s been some heated moments between McVay and Goff on the sidelines probably due to frustrations with the execution. But all that flows underneath the bridge when you win the game, right?

In his first three games, Goff has a Pro Football Focus grade of 66.2. That’s Joe Flacco-esque. The concern regarding our $134m man is understandable.
But Goff will turn the corner. Here’s why:

The interior linemen will settle in
Think of the first four games as a preseason in which the stats actually count. The intensity of live games cannot be replicated in practice. Since the starters didn’t touch the field in the preseason, you’re going to see some rough waters with the new guys. Second-year C Brian Allen has a lot on his shoulders, and the drop from veteran C John Sullivan to Allen has been seismic. Add in the injury to RG Austin Blythe and the growing pains that will naturally happen with LG Joseph Noteboom, well... it’s a lot.
Goff has been pressured more than the last two seasons, but it’s a lot more about execution than talent. Once Blythe returns and the game slows down a bit more for Noteboom and Allen, Goff will be happy and productive.

The run game will find its identity
Why? Because it has to.

When will RB Darrell Henderson Jr. find some playing time? There have been no signs of that happening so far, but something has to happen because Gurley isn’t the same as he was last year. McVay has called a very aggressive passing attack to start the games this season as a reaction to the six guys lining up against the Rams. The positive takeaway from this is that McVay has found success by directing the run plays to the undersized defensive backs. Of course, this hasn’t been a strong trend for the offense, but it’s one that will be become a bigger focus in the weeks to come. Whether it’s RB Todd Gurley or RB Malcolm Brown or Henderson at some point, the Rams are going to figure out how to extend run plays. And once that happens, Goff’s playaction options will return.
Also, I am a believer that Goff will reestablish his passing connection with Gurley. Once he spends hours watching plays like this, over and over, Goff is going to see that he needs to throw the ball to his running back.

What’s been working for Goff this season has been great
For the casual fan that has only seen the highlights for Goff, he has looked pretty great! When he rolls out to find a wide-open Kupp for a touchdown? Awesome. An absolute dime to WR Brandin Cooks going deep? Amazing! A 3rd down conversion to a diving WR Robert Woods? Amen. But we’ve seen the spaces in between where Goff’s performance has been less stellar.
Goff’s inconsistency can largely be blamed on timing issues with a re-constructed offensive line and a new scheme that’s attempting to address the opposing team’s reaction to the recent success of Goff and the Rams.
It’s a lot to deal with, but Goff is up to the task.
The Week 4 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be a good indicator of where we’re heading with Goff moving forward.
The rust has been shaken off. The scheme has been revised, and expectations have been adjusted. What does that mean for Rams fans?
It means you can trust your quarterback. He’s got this.