The duo of Taylor Rapp and Bryce Hager are going to split time at the “Mike” linebacker position. Let’s take a look how.

By Sosa Kremenjas@QBsMVP Sep 4, 2019, 7:11pm CDT



Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With the recent injury to starting inside linebacker Micah Kiser, the Los Angeles Rams are looking to second-string inside linebacker Bryce Hager to fill the void. Hager — who has started only one game in four years — is now set to handle the reigns next to current starting “Mo linebacker” Cory Littleton.
The breakdown in snap shares between Hager and subpackage linebackers like rookie Taylor Rapp are going to be interesting, because Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips is sure to utilize both in what they’re best at. Hager will likely receive the majority of the work in run/base downs with Rapp subbing in on subpackages (potentially nickel, dime, etc).

In 2018, Phillips deployed a similar strategy all season, though the first four weeks of the season were the most related to the Rams’ current situation. Starting linebacker Mark Barron missed the first four games of the season, leaving the Rams to rely on free agent pickup Ramik Wilson. Wilson played majority of the run downs, getting subbed out in subpackages in favor of safety Marqui Christian. Here were their snap counts from weeks one through four:
Ramik Wilson: 31, 20, 35, 37
Marqui Christian: 39, 30, 17, 35 (348 total snaps)

Hager and Wilson are quite similar players in the sense that they’re limited in pass coverage, though both offer bigger bodies who’re efficient at plugging gaps in the run game. That leaves Christian and Rapp, and ironically, both are similar as players, too. Both guys aren’t exactly dynamic on the backend in coverage, though both are great at operating as undersized linebackers with range in the underneath game, as well as possessing tough and physical presences.
With that being the case, look for Taylor Rapp to find his way onto the field early and often. Wade Phillips has shown the propensity to use similar groupings before, and with the Rams investing a high pick in a player which looks to be a stud (Rapp), they have no reason to shy away from what worked in the past.

What is the most wonderful time of the year? Is it Christmas? is it the start of a new school year? Is it the end of tourist season( my 2nd favorite BTW)...NOPE..IT FOOTBALL SEASON !!! And that means it is time for our weekly Predict The Score Thread !!!

The rules are simply complicated...predict the final score of this weeks game between the Rams and the Panthers, including the correct winning team. If you come the closest to the actual score, you win...easy as that. Predict the EXACT FINAL SCORE and you win...easy as that. Only 1 winning score each week..it that goes to the first poster that guesses correctly. Exact scores trump closest scores.

Prizes will be determined before kickoff.. but probably along the lines of 2500 credits for closest and 5000 for exact..just have to double check with @CGI_Ram before decision are made

so get your game on and start predicting

Okay, behind the scenes configuration work has been completed with these guys;



In short, they mean something. We are all familiar with “likes”. Normally these are displayed with your message count under your avatar.



These smiley buttons are called reactions. But, they are basically “likes”. So let’s define them:

Thumbs up = 1 like
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Cheers = 1 like
Horns Up = 1 like
Thread Winner = 2 likes
Unsure = neutral 0 like
Ouch = neutral 0 like
Chill = -1 like
Inappropriate = -2 likes

But, again, these are now called reactions, and the total is your “reaction score”.

So, that’s how we tally likes now that we use a reaction rating system.

The total under your avatar is the reaction score. I may swap out the thumbs up symbol there. But this is a total of all.

All likes from old ROD were migrated over. On your profile page (click your avatar upper right of screen) the old ROD likes are in the blue thumbs up along with any received since new ROD.



The others, however are new and therefore starting to add up now.

The goal of the likes system was to give post feedback. Reactions are no different and serve to encourage positive engagement.

And lastly, the inappropriate rating allows members to help moderation when required. Any post accumulating -4 reaction score will be hidden for moderators to review.

No abuse of ratings will be tolerated as we’ll all see it happening.

Cheers!

CGI and Admin Team

PS: we’ll clean up these stickies soon.

JIM SALTER (Associated Press),The Associated Press 3 hours ago



FILE - In this Jan. 14, 2016, file photo, championship banners are removed from the Edward Jones Dome, former home of the St. Louis Rams football team, in St. Louis.

The Missouri Supreme Court has ruled that a lawsuit filed over the Rams' departure from St. Louis will be heard in a St. Louis courtroom, a defeat for the NFL team's owner who sought to send the case to arbitration. The court issued its ruling Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019, in a lawsuit filed by St. Louis city and county and the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority, which owns the domed stadium where the Rams formerly played. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The Missouri Supreme Court has ruled that a lawsuit filed over the Rams' departure from St. Louis will be heard in a St. Louis courtroom, a defeat for the NFL team's owner who sought to send the case to arbitration.
The court issued its ruling Tuesday in a lawsuit filed by St. Louis city and county and the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority, which owns the domed stadium where the Rams formerly played. It named Rams owner Stan Kroenke, who moved the team to Los Angeles for the 2016 season, the NFL and league owners.
It wasn't immediately clear if an appeal was planned. Messages left Wednesday with the Rams, Kroenke's attorney and the NFL were not immediately returned.
The lawsuit alleged that the Rams' departure violated a 1984 league guideline that was established after the Raiders moved from Oakland to Los Angeles. The league, the Rams and Kroenke have argued that the disagreements should be settled behind closed doors in arbitration.
The suit seeks financial damages, but a win for the city, county and dome authority would not return the team to St. Louis.
The Rams' departure left a bitter taste in St. Louis, which lost an NFL team for the second time in 30 years - the Cardinals moved to Arizona in 1987.
Last month, a judge gave preliminary approval to the settlement of a separate suit filed on behalf of fans who bought St. Louis Rams tickets and team merchandise. The settlement could be worth up to $25 million. The lawsuit claimed fans would not have purchased the tickets and goods if they knew about the impending move.
The Rams scored a victory in yet another suit. An April ruling determined that an option in the lease for the now-vacant training facility in St. Louis County gives the Rams the option to buy it for just $1. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the facility is worth at least $12.7 million.

The Athletic’s Mike Sando talked to NFC execs to look at every team’s biggest structural concern. For the Rams, it’s the big boys up front.

By 3k@3k_ Sep 4, 2019, 12:37pm CDT



(l to r) Los Angeles Rams C John Sullivan, RT Rob Havenstein and LT Andrew Whitworth take the field prior to a game against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5, Oct. 8, 2017. Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

The Athletic’s Mike Sando has a great piece up today on the concern for each NFL team as highlighted by NFC executives that he’s talked to.
Some of them are pretty obvious.
For the Cleveland Browns, it’s that the offseason hype and the rebarbative personalities (hello, Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham, Jr.) might be too much for Freddie Kitchens in his first year as head coach. For the San Francisco 49ers? Health especially with QB Healthy Reportedlycoming back. The New England Patriots? Well...it has to end eventually. Not sure when or how...but it has to.

For our Los Angeles Rams though, the concern is that the offensive line might regress with two new starters and LT Andrew Whitworth hitting 38-years old after Week 14 this season:

The worry: The offensive line and Todd Gurley aren’t quite as good, leading to regression on offense.
“Every offense gets exposed to some degree when playing from behind, but it’s exaggerated with that offense, because they are so reliant on play-action and their tackles don’t have quick feet. We saw it in the Super Bowl. Now, you lose Rodger Saffold, a top-10 guard. You wonder if Andrew Whitworth finally hits the wall at 37. Gurley has the knee. I do think (Darrell) Henderson could be one of the steals of the draft who could have an Alvin Kamara-type year, which would obviously be big.”

Click to expand...

It’s obviously a fair concern, and the Rams aren’t without a few. But there’s plenty of reason for optimism here too. Last year’s line was one of the best in the league and the best Rams line in memory winning the 2018 Built Ford Tough Offensive Line of the Year award. While there are two new starters, bringing three members back from the award-winning line is hardly a rebuild. And there’s reason to afford Offensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator/Co-Offensive Coordinator Aaron Kromer a benefit of the doubt given the job he’s done developing this line over the last two years.

Five reasons to be confident and five reasons to be concerned for the 2019 Rams

RG Austin Blythe went from being a the roster fringe on the Indianapolis Colts in 2016 to a reserve role on the Rams in 2017 to a starting gig in 2018. To get that kind of development from a seventh-round pick who didn’t even spend his rookie season with you is a pretty strong bullet for Kromer. Having had a whole year to train up new starting LG Joseph Noteboom and C Brian Allen is at least a leg up on the transition.
If anything, this just reaffirms the strength of the position the Rams are in going into the season. The concern might be an obvious one, but it might be much, much easier to rectify and/or work around than other teams’ pressing concerns.

A Young pass catcher leads the charge for LA as a breakout candidate.

By Hotdaddywags@hotdaddywags Sep 4, 2019, 2:25pm CDT



Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
In a list of breakout candidates for all 32 NFL teams in 2019, Pro Football Focus tabbed Los Angeles Rams TE Gerald Everett as one to watch in 2019:

Los Angeles Rams: Gerald Everett, tight end
Everett was targeted just 48 times a season ago, and he caught 33 of those passes for 320 yards, three touchdowns and 144 yards after the catch en route to the fifth-best receiving grade among qualifying tight ends (79.7). Everett proved to be an absolute force with the ball in his hands last year (his broken tackle rate trailed only George Kittle, Vance McDonaldand David Njoku among tight ends), and you can bet your bottom dollar that Sean McVay has already come up with a plan to get Everett more involved in 2019.

Click to expand...

While Young Gerald has always displayed great YAC skills and hands, his usage in Rams Head Coach Sean McVay’s system has seemingly prohibited his ascension more so than his talent. Will McVay employ more two-tight end sets in 2019, or has Everett’s blocking improved enough to supplant TE Tyler Higbee in the 11 personnel grouping? We’ll start to get some answers on Sunday in Week 1 when the Rams open their regular season against the Carolina Panthers.
Here are a few other Rams who might open some eyes this season:

EDGE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
Sure, it’s a limited sample size against a lot of players who are now on the street, but Ogbo flourished in his NFL audition, capping the preseason with a two-sack performance against the Houston Texans. Good players dominate backups. Don’t be surprised if Okoronkwo winds up with a significant role in this defense.

RB Darrell Henderson
Did he look good in the preseason? Not really, but there were some small signs that given a crease here and there, Henderson wild find ways to turn and burn. Many hearken back to McVay’s usage of RB Chris Thompson in Washington when looking for an appropriate barometer for Henderson. If the rookie can grab 5-6 passes a game and break a few big plays here and there, he may make a list like this in 2020. If any harm befalls Todd Gurley, Henderson likely breaks out this season.

OL Joseph Noteboom
Fair enough: guards don’t usually “break out,” but given that we’ve seen Noteboom play about 8 snaps during the regular season if the second year pro can draw comparisons to the departed Rodger Saffold, that’s breaking out enough for me. Opportunity is knocking here. Let’s see if Noteboom can answer the bell and make us forget about a former Ram great in his first turn as a starter.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports


Originally posted on Sportress of Blogitude

By Jason Rowan | Last updated 9/4/19

Eric Weddle’s fondness for ice cream is the stuff of legend, but it’s still rather surprising his contract with the Los Angeles Chargers contains a clause solely devoted to the sweet treat.

It turns out before Weddle put pen to paper on his two-year, $10.5 million contract with the Rams back in March, an incentive clause was inserted in reference to how his wife, Chanel, and their four children enjoy eating massive ice cream desserts he personally constructs.
Called the “Brooklyn, Gaige, Silver & Kamri’s Ice Cream Sundays Incentive,” it’s unclear exactly what’s specified or laid out by the terms, but Weddle’s family certainly is keen on it.

“I go all out,” Weddle said, per the Los Angeles Times. “When we win, let’s smash some ice cream.”
The story goes that Weddle would overindulge on a gallon of ice cream after every team victory going back to his star-making days with the then-San Diego Chargers. The habit continued in his two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and by all appearances will pick up in L.A.

By all accounts, Weddle is fitting in tremendously well with the 'Rams', with head coach Sean McVay, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, Jared Goff and many others singing his praises, with outside linebacker Dante Fowler calling the safety an “assistant, assistant defensive coordinator.”
The Rams are expected to be a championship-caliber team again this season after coming up short against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII. With that in mind, the Rams are expected to pile up wins in the regular season, which means Weddle and Family will be feasting on an absurd amount of ice cream the rest of the year.

“My kids know when we get home after games it’s like ‘Ice cream! Ice cream! Ice cream!’” Weddle said. “They know what’s up.”

By: Cameron DaSilva | 3 hours ago

(Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Rams will begin their season on the road, facing the Panthers in Charlotte on Sunday. It’s an early start for the Rams with kickoff slated for 1 p.m. ET, but they’ve performed well in season openers the last two years.

Injuries won’t be of any concern this week with Cam Newton healthy, Todd Gurley ready to go and Cooper Kupp fully recovered from his torn ACL. Thus, it’ll be a fun matchup, one that has the Rams favored by only 2.5 points.
Here are five facts and stats to know for the Week 1 showdown.


Rams have owned Week 1 under Sean McVay

Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

The Rams have gotten off to hot starts under McVay the last two seasons. They beat the Raiders 33-13 last year in Week 1, and in 2017, they blew out the Colts – led by Scott Tolzien – 46-9 at home. That’s a combined score of 79-22 with an average winning margin of 28.5. That’s the fifth-highest average of any NFL coach in his first two Week 1 games.
The Panthers pose a much greater threat than the Raiders did last year and the Colts did in 2017, especially with Cam Newton healthy. Traveling across the country for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff doesn’t help, either. McVay will be tested this week in Charlotte.


Panthers are 6-1 in their last seven games against the Rams

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Panthers have owned their matchups with the Rams recently, winning six of the last seven meetings. Their most recent win came in 2016 when they knocked off the Rams 13-10 at the Coliseum. Case Keenum started that game and failed to complete the fourth-quarter comeback after going scoreless in the first three quarters.

This is a very different Rams team now, of course. Jared Goff is the quarterback, Todd Gurley is in an offense that capitalizes on his skill set and Aaron Donald has only gotten better since their last meeting three years ago.


Sixth time Jared Goff will face a fellow No. 1 overall pick

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

This will be the sixth time in his career that Goff takes on a player who was also drafted first overall. In the previous five times, Goff has gone 4-1, including four straight wins. His only loss came to the Cardinals in his rookie season when Carson Palmer was under center.

Since then, he’s beaten Palmer, Eli Manning, Sam Bradford and Matthew Stafford. Not exactly the most impressive list of quarterbacks, but Goff has been impressive against every level of competition the last two seasons.


Aaron Donald had two sacks, three TFL in last meeting with Panthers

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Donald didn’t have any Defensive Player of the Year awards on his mantle when the Rams last faced Carolina, but he was still an impactful player. In that 2016 meeting, Donald had two sacks, four tackles, three tackles for loss and landed two hits on Cam Newton.

As a team, the Rams sacked Newton five times. Mark Barron had one, as did Eugene Sims and Cam Thomas. Still, it wasn’t enough to stop Newton, who had 225 yards passing and a touchdown against the Rams that day.


McCaffrey, Gurley were RB2 and RB3 in fantasy last season

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

This game will feature two of the premier backs in the NFL right now – guys who can rack up the fantasy points in a hurry. In PPR scoring last year, Christian McCaffrey finished second with Gurley right behind in third. Of course, that was with Gurley missing two games, but he still finished as the fourth overall player in fantasy last season.

McCaffrey was one of the top players in fantasy drafts this year, frequently going second and third. Gurley’s stock was lower due to concerns about his knee injury, typically being drafted in the second round.

Stumbled across this on Showtime last night and the talking heads made their Super Bowl predictions. Two out of three picked the Saints and one picked the Seahawks out of the NFC. No mention of the Rams at all. They we’re talking up defense for both Saints and Seahawks. I think Brees’ arm isn’t getting any stronger ( it showed signs of weakness last year) and the Seahawks are going to have to beat us first.

I've heard chatter that the NFL owners were thinking of putting a salary cap on the QB position. I've heard arguments on both sides that makes sense but will the players go for it in the new CBA?
As fan I'm all for it. I think one player taking up at least 25% of the teams cap is insane. We've all seen the elite QB on a bad team IE Arron Rodgers and it's almost impossible to win like that in today's NFL. I think if players were smart they would realize it would benefit them in the long run if they are in it to win it rather than the pay me now attitude that is sweeping the thru the NFL like wildfire.

Let the mayhem begin

By Gary KleinStaff Writer
Sep. 3, 2019

A contract extension for quarterback Jared Goff is not the only new deal for a member of the offense that the Rams are exploring.Tight end Tyler Higbee is in the final year of his rookie contract. He is scheduled to earn just over $2 million this season, according to overthecap.com. “I do my job on the field,” Higbee said this week, “that will all work itself out.”

The Rams drafted Higbee in the fourth round of the 2016 draft, the same year they traded up 14 spots to select Goff with the No. 1 pick. Unlike first-round picks, teams cannot exercise fifth-year options on players selected in Rounds 2-7. So Higbee is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season. “I’ll let the front office and my agent handle that,” Higbee said, “and just focus on playing ball and do my work.”

Tight end Gerald Everett is developing into the playmaker the Rams envisioned when they selected him in the second round of the 2017 draft.But Higbee has steadily improved every season, and is listed as the starter on the Rams’ unofficial depth chart heading into Sunday’s opener against the Carolina Panthers.

Analysis: Rams offense position-by-position breakdown for 2019




THOUSAND OAKS — It was the offense that got most of the credit and then all of the blame when the Rams soared and later crashed last season.
Now it might be the offense that determines whether the Rams climb higher to a championship or fall back to Earth in the new season opening Sunday at Carolina.

The group certainly has a chance to improve, since the team brought back its top seven yards-producers, all between the ages of 24 and 27.But it could run into trouble. If defenses have figured out how to frustrate quarterback Jared Goff as the New England Patriots did in their 13-3 Super Bowl win. If running back Todd Gurley’s left knee acts up. If the offensive line struggles with two new starters.A lot might depend on whether Rams head coach Sean McVay figures out how to stay one tactical jump ahead of the defensive coaches trying to get one step ahead of him.

This week, McVay was asked if fans are likely to notice a difference in the Rams’ approach with the ball.“I think so,” he said — declining to get specific, of course, but acknowledging the challenge to “adapt, adjust and evolve.”It’s basically the same first-string talent trying to match or even exceed the exploits of last year, when the Rams were second in the league in points and yards and third per attempt in net passing and rushing yards.

Here’s a look at the Rams’ offense heading into the 2019 regular season:
Quarterbacks: Jared Goff, Blake Bortles
Goff goes into his third full year as starter with questions to answer after earning an NFL quarterback rating of 113.5 (league-leader caliber) in last season’s first 11 games, 74.8 (backup level) in the next five and 71.7 in the postseason.The Rams’ confidence in him appears undiminished, as management is talking about a rich contract extension.Bortles signed with the Rams in February. He quarterbacked the Jacksonville Jaguars to the AFC championship game after the 2017 season.

Running backs: Todd Gurley, Malcolm Brown, Darrell Henderson Jr.
The big question surrounding the Rams — how sound is Gurley’s knee? — can only be answered by seeing him in action. Or not in action, as the case may be.Gurley, the 2017 NFL offensive MVP, didn’t play in the preseason and is likely to receive fewer than the 17 to 20 carries per game he typically got before his workload was reduced from November onward last year.That means important roles for Brown, starting his fourth year with the Rams, and Henderson, a 5-foot-8 ballcarrier and pass-catcher they traded up to draft in the third round out of Memphis.

Offensive line: Andrew Whitworth, Rob Havenstein, Austin Blythe, Brian Allen, Joe Noteboom, David Edwards, Jamil Demby, Bobby Evans, Coleman Shelton, Aaron Neary (suspended)
A brief period of stability on the Rams line ends with the departures of left guard Rodger Saffold and center John Sullivan. They’re replaced, respectively, by Joe Noteboom and Brian Allen. Both make their first NFL starts in the opener at Carolina, the only changes from the 2018 lineup on offense.

The other starters are two-time first-team All-Pro Andre Whitworth at left tackle, Austin Bythe at right guard and Rob Havenstein at right tackle.McVay said this week that the first lineman off the bench probably would be David Edwards, a rookie who played tackle at Wisconsin but worked at guard as well this summer.The Rams have also been encouraging versatility in rookie Bobby Evans, a tackle at Oklahoma who has been learning to play guard too, and second-year Jamil Demby, a tackle and guard at Maine who also played center in the preseason.

Wide receivers: Robert Woods, Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp, Josh Reynolds, Michael Thomas, JoJo Natson, Nsimba Webster
The Rams had three wide receivers among the league’s top 23 in yards per game last season, and Woods, Cooks and Kupp should be Goff’s top targets again, along with Josh Reynolds.Thomas was limited by suspension and injury in his first three seasons. Natson takes over as the Rams’ top punt and kickoff return man. Webster made the 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie after leading the Rams in pass receptions and punt and kick return yardage in exhibition games.

Tight ends: Tyler Higbee, Gerald Everett, Johnny Mundt
The personnel stays the same, but the roles could expand a bit for Higbee and Everett.
Higbee was productive when Goff threw to him last season. Everett was one of the quarterback’s favorite targets when he was on the field, mostly on passing downs.There’s speculation that the Rams will use more two-tight-end sets, as they started to do with success at the end of last season. All part of McVay’s effort to adapt, adjust and evolve.

I have always prided myself on being an un-biased person when it came to evaluating talent.

But watching NFL Network and ESPN...they can’t stop talking about Elliot and Barkley. They rarely talk about Gurley and if they do it’s negative about how he wore down.

I look at Zeke and Barkley and acknowledge their skills. Barkley is better imo. But also, Gurley, if healthy is better than both.

Am I just being a homer right now?

49ers consider Nick Mullens a ‘very viable alternative’ to Jimmy Garappolo?

It would be unfair to expect Jimmy Garoppolo to come out of the gate looking sharp this season less than a year removed from surgery to repair a torn ACL, but to say the quarterback has looked rusty this offseason would be an understatement. If that turns into the new normal for Garoppolo, how long will the San Francisco 49ers stick with him?

Perhaps not very long at all.

Michael Silver of NFL Network was asked during an interview with 97.5 The Game on Monday which Bay Area quarterback is facing more pressure this season — Garoppolo or Derek Carr. Silver chose Garoppolo because he believes the Niners consider backup Nick Mullens to be a “very viable alternative.”

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/957thegame/status/1168966481809485826?s=21


Mullens, whom San Francisco signed as an undrafted free agent in 2017, burst onto the national scene last year when he had a huge game replacing an injured CJ Beathard. He ended up playing in eight games and had some ups and downs, finishing with 2,227 yards passing, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The 49ers went 2-5 in the seven games he started.

Garoppolo threw interceptions on five consecutive passes during training camp at one point this summer. While practice means very little, that is obviously a sign that he is rusty and not making proper reads. He also completed just 1-of-6 pass attempts and threw an interception in a preseason game against the Denver Broncos. Again, fairly meaningless, but probably not a great sign.

Even if the Niners weren’t enamored with Mullens, the five-year, $137.5 million contract Garoppolo signed last year is structured in such a way that he could be released next offseason with just $1.4 million in dead cap money each of the next three seasons if he’s designated a post-June 1 cut. He counted a whopping $37 million against the salary cap last season, and the 49ers gave him most of his money up front. If they don’t think he is capable of leading them to the playoffs, the team has a very feasible path to moving on from Garoppolo.

Ideally, Garoppolo will round into form. He has admitted to being frustrated with coming back from a torn ACL, but 49ers GM John Lynch does not seem concerned about that. While it’d be hard to imagine a team cutting bait with a player they invested that much money in without giving him more than a full season post-ACL surgery, it certainly doesn’t seem out of the question.

Signing these 3 KEY RAMS players to long term contracts is Absolutely GREAT News!!! These are Very Special Times for the Rams and their Fans!!! A HUGE THUMBS UP to Sean McVay and Les Snead!!!

To all -

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When does the nfl put out the coverage maps for tv? My son has a football game 2hrs away and I be damned if I miss the rams game lol. I hope I can record it at home.

By: Cameron DaSilva | 4 hours ago

Sean McVay knows fantasy owners everywhere are looking for any and all information when it comes to Todd Gurley’s workload this season. He made that very clear during his press conference Monday – in his usual fun-loving manner, of course.
“You got a fantasy squad or something?” McVay quipped, joking with a reporter who asked about the Rams’ running backs.

McVay and the Rams have played it very close to the vest this offseason when it comes to Gurley and how he’ll be used. General manager Les Snead made it seem like the team would reduce his carries in 2019, while McVay has said he’ll use Gurley like normal until he’s told otherwise.
There have been very few hints about how the Rams will utilize their three-player backfield or how much Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson Jr. will be utilized. McVay is confidence in both backups but didn’t give much clarity on who will be the first guy off the bench.
“Todd Gurley is feeling good, he’s our starting back. He’s been one of the best all-purpose backs, based on his production and what he’s done for us over the last couple of years,” McVay said. “We’ve got two guys in Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson Jr. that we feel really confident about, being able to spell him. But what we do as far as activating different personnel groups and things like that – those are things that we will see on Sunday.”
He did, however, say that all three of them will play, and hinted at deploying some three-back sets.
“Oh yeah. Absolutely,” he said of whether they’ll all play. “Maybe three at a time.”

It’s hard to imagine McVay putting all three running backs on the field at the same time, just based on his history. Last season, the Rams ran a total of five plays with more than one running back on the field. That was by far the lowest total in the league.

However, Henderson’s skill set adds a different element. He lined up at wide receiver several times in the preseason, which is something Gurley has done a lot of in the last two years, too. You could possibly see Gurley and Henderson split out wide with Brown as the tailback, putting defenses in a bind and leaving them to wonder what type of play is coming.

Of course, McVay could’ve just been playing it coy and misleading everyone by throwing that idea out there, but the Rams have the running backs available to use some interesting personnel groupings.

By: Cameron DaSilva | 3 hours ago

The Los Angeles Rams have a lot of experience at most positions, but the offensive line is seriously lacking in that department. Aside from Andrew Whitworth, no one on the O-line – starters and backups included – has been a starter for more than four years.
Rob Havenstein has 59 starts in his career, Austin Blythe has started 18 and neither Brian Allen nor Joseph Noteboom has started a single game in the NFL. Their backups have even less experience: Bobby Evans and David Edwards are rookies, Jamil Demby wasn’t active for a single game as a rookie and Aaron Neary is suspended. Newcomer Coleman Shelton has never played a game, either.

It’s a group of players with a lot of potential, but the Rams shouldn’t feel very comfortable putting any of their backups in a game if a starter were to get injured.
As for which of the second-stringers will be the first guy off the bench, Sean McVay seems to have settled on one of the rookies. Edwards improved steadily in the preseason, showing he can play left tackle and guard.
“There’s a good chance that it would be,” McVay said of Edwards being the first player off the bench. “It really depends on, hopefully the situation doesn’t come up, where somebody goes down. David is a guy that’s demonstrated some position – flex, both from a guard standpoint and the tackle on both sides of the ball. Jamil Demby, it’s like finding ‘Where’s Waldo?’ in some of these preseason games. He’s all over the front. Then Bobby Evans has shown some good things. With our eight offensive linemen and then you add in the one we just signed yesterday, those are the things that we’ll continue to evaluate. David has a good chance of being in that situation.”
Evans really struggled in the preseason, particularly at right tackle. Like Edwards, he can play guard, too, but he has a lot of developing to do before he should be considered a potential starter. Demby was best at guard this summer, but he had a lot of trouble at center in game action.

Edwards looked like the best backup available for the Rams, so it should come as no surprise that he’d be the first number called if an injury at guard or tackle were to occur. He doesn’t necessarily instill a lot of confidence, though.

Sean McVay explains Rams' decision to cut John Franklin-Myers

By: Cameron DaSilva

One of the more shocking moves by the Los Angeles Rams this weekend was their decision to waive defensive end John Franklin-Myers. He was their fourth-round pick last year and was active for all 16 regular-season games, as well as three postseason games.

Franklin-Myers even had a strip-sack in the Super Bowl and looked like he was going to be an impactful player in 2019. The Rams didn’t see it that way and after he played 30 snaps in the final preseason game, the writing was just about on the wall. The Rams probably would’ve loved to add him to their practice squad, but after he was claimed by the Jets, that’s no longer an option. After final cuts were made on Saturday, Sean McVay explained the decision to waive Franklin-Myers after just one season.

“It was very difficult, and I think it’s more of a credit of not what John didn’t do, but what some other players did do,” McVay said. “Again, a lot of those decisions do go back to, ‘What is the projected 46(-man roster) for guys that are actually going to be active? John is a guy that’s done a lot of good things and then that was a very difficult decision for Les (Snead), for myself, and really, for our organization. We’re very thankful for John and what he’s done and (he) couldn’t have handled it with more class and we’re appreciative of that.”

His comment about the 46-man game day roster is surprising, considering Franklin-Myers was active for all 16 games last season. He wasn’t a standout in camp or the preseason, so it’s likely that the Rams didn’t see a role for him on Sundays this year.

Les Snead also chimed in and shared some insight on the decision to cut Franklin-Myers, lauding the players the Rams do have up front.“It was interesting, too, that front-seven and I think we’ve talked to a couple of players about that today that, the last couple of years especially, we’ve loaded up that front-seven, trying to find the right fits,” Snead said. “That’s been a competitive, competitive area for us with a lot of young players that are earning their keep every single day. It’s been tough on them in terms of the multiples, in terms of the amount of players that we put in those position rooms.”

McVay mentioned the emergence of Tanzel Smart and Morgan Fox as factors in Franklin-Myers’ release, too. He said last week that the fourth preseason game was Fox’s best of the year, so it’s possible he just barely pushed ahead of Franklin-Myers in that preseason finale.

Survey says Cowboys, Patriots are among most annoying teams to NFL fans entering 2019

Every new NFL season brings with it new hopes for every team and fan base across the league (except maybe in Washington).

Just because most fans feel re-energized and ready for the games to begin, however, doesn't mean they're particularly excited about teams other than their own.

Insight Pest Solutions recently collected more than 13,500 responses from fans of all 32 NFL teams to identify the top "pests" of the league -- the most annoying teams according to fans. And it's clear that everyone finds someone else annoying.

Among the most notable -- and, perhaps, most unsurprising -- results: The Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles are the most annoying teams according to NFL fans entering 2019.

The Pats lead the way, with 34.7% of surveyed fans deeming them the most annoying in the NFL. Their nine Super Bowl appearances over the last 18 years probably have something to do with it -- along with Boston fans and the Patriots' well-documented off-field controversies. Regardless of sport, the survey also found that the Patriots are the most annoying team among all four major professional leagues.

The Cowboys have not won a title since 1995, but "America's Team" garnered 13.3% of the vote, while the Eagles were deemed "most annoying" by 9%, just ahead of their fellow Pennsylvania team, the Pittsburgh Steelers (8.6%). The Green Bay Packers (6.8%) and Seattle Seahawks (3.6 percent) round out the top five.

As for the least annoying teams entering 2019? The Arizona Cardinals rank first in that category, with just 0.03% of fans saying they're fed up with the franchise now headlined by Kyler Murray. Rounding out the five least despised teams in the NFL are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0.06%), Carolina Panthers (0.2%), Miami Dolphins (0.21%) and Los Angeles Chargers (0.26%). The trend here is pretty obvious: Outside of the Chargers and Panthers, most of the least annoying teams just happen to be some of the NFL's worst teams on the field.

Each team's fan base seems to have its own personal distaste for specific franchises, too. For example, Patriots and Steelers fans who were polled identified -- wait for it -- the Patriots and Steelers as the most annoying teams in the NFL. Cowboys fans chose the Eagles as the most annoying and vice-versa. Texans fans, meanwhile, exhibited some state rivalry by declaring the Cowboys as the most annoying team in the NFL, while Rams fans picked the Patriots as the most despicable -- perhaps with Super Bowl LIII still fresh in their mind.

No complacency for one of the NFL's most explosive offenses heading into regular season: “You’ve always got to adapt”

Since Sean McVay took over as head coach in 2017, the Rams have annually produced one of the NFL’s top performing offenses. His own players, in fact, have regarded the league’s youngest head coach as a “modern day genius” and someone with a “creative mindset” when it comes to his schemes.

However, as defensive coordinators gain more exposure to L.A.’s offense, they start to recognize concepts and develop a better understanding of what to look for. Consequently, it forces McVay to make modifications, and the 2019 season is no different.

“I think it’s a game that you’ve got to always adapt, adjust, and evolve,” McVay said. “I think coaches do a great job of doing that.”

While perceived to be a revolutionary scheme, in reality, it’s just McVay molding L.A.’s offense around each member of the unit and what they excel at, according to QB Jared Goff’s comments at Super Bowl media day earlier this year.

Still, as McVay indicated, that doesn’t mean the Rams can get complacent with what they choose to run offensively.

Part of those adjustments, and staying ahead of ones opposing defenses are likely to make, comes from self-assessment by the coaching staff.

“The challenge for us as coaches, whether it be offense, defense, special teams, is always to stay up to date, not lose sight of what some of the foundational things are that have helped you sustain a certain level of success,” McVay said. “Or what you haven’t done great, you’ve got to be able to fix that. We talk about being able to face it, fix it and then do it better the next time.”

It has been an effective approach so far.

The Rams finished 10th in the NFL in total offense during McVay’s first season in 2017, producing 361.5 yards per contest. They also averaged the 10th-most passing yards and 8th-most rushing yards in the league that year.

In 2018, those rankings jumped to second, fifth and third respectively in those categories behind 421.1 total yards per game, 281.7 passing yards per game and 139.4 rushing yards per game.


Understandably, McVay wouldn’t reveal exactly what those changes will look like in order to avoid giving the Carolina Panthers some early help with their game prep.

McVay said it’s “hard to say” what kind of offensive changes people may see. Adjustments are like a chess match, he explained – the offense responds based on what the defense shows or throws at them, and vice-versa.

If there’s one thing that can be counted, on, though, it’s the Rams adapting against Carolina in Week 1 and throughout the regular season.

“On both sides of the ball, we’ve expected to adapt and evolve,” McVay said. “We are looking forward to see if that shows true against a great opponent on Week 1.”

GREG BEACHAM (AP Sports Writer),The Associated Press 5 hours ago




FILE - In this July 30, 2019, file photo, Los Angeles Rams safety Eric Weddle attends an NFL football training camp in Irvine, Calif.

Weddle and nearly every Rams starter did not participate at all in the just-completed preseason, and they will not get their first real game action together until Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, in their regular season opener at Carolina. The veteran safety appears to be fitting in splendidly with his new defense, but he will not know exactly how he fits until they finally get on the field together. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo, File)

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) -- Eric Weddle is one of the most durable safeties of his generation, and he never sat out an entire preseason in the first 12 years of his NFL career.
When he joined the Los Angeles Rams, Weddle realized coach Sean McVay does things a little bit differently.
Weddle and nearly every Rams starter didn't participate at all in the just-completed preseason, and they won't get their first real game action together until Sunday in their regular-season opener at Carolina.
The veteran safety appears to be meshing splendidly with his new teammates, but Weddle truly won't know how they all fit together until they finally get on the field for the first time.
''I know for me personally, there are some benefits of playing (in the preseason), but the benefits don't outweigh the negative enough to chance it,'' Weddle said. ''With the way we practice, the way we compete, it's as game-like as it can be with the low risk of injury. You'd hate to lose a guy playing in one preseason game. You'll get your timing down in a quarter or two, and you'll be right back in the rhythm. We've had great work, though. We've pushed each other to the limit.''

McVay kept his entire offense out of the 2018 preseason, preferring to preserve his players' health at the expense of potentially beneficial experience. His extreme measures were met with a few raised eyebrows, but then the ostensibly rusty Rams starters went 8-0 and steamrolled the NFC West before reaching the franchise's first Super Bowl in 17 years with one of the healthiest teams in the league.
Much of the NFL edged toward adopting McVay's philosophy last month, with many teams playing their key starters far less than in previous preseasons.
The Rams started game preparations Monday with almost every significant expected contributor in good health. That was the goal when McVay decided to avoid the preseason again, preferring to keep his players fresh for the grind of defending an NFC championship.
''There's a difference in the preparation and the way that we're approaching things right now,'' McVay said Monday. ''We're focused on this year. I think our guys have done a great job of having that singular focus on just producing in the present.''

The Rams' only big injury in the preseason happened to linebacker Micah Kiser, a backup last season projected to be a starter this fall before he injured his pectoral muscle and required season-ending surgery. Because he was trying to cement his new role on the defense, Kiser was one of the few key players who suited up in the preseason.

Los Angeles' starters didn't go without competition in August. They held joint practices with the Oakland Raiders and the crosstown Chargers, and McVay staged a handful of practice scrimmages for his team with officials and game-like conditions.
But the revamped defensive lineup has yet to be in a real game, and the offensive line still hasn't tested its two new starters. Center Brian Allen and left guard Joe Noteboom will make their first NFL starts Sunday.
''I think people are going to say we haven't played, or stuff like that,'' Allen said. ''It's not going to be an excuse. We're going to be ready for Sunday, and we've been going live against our defense all camp. The Chargers, the Raiders, we've got action against other teams at a live pace. It's not like we haven't been playing football.''
Noteboom said the offensive linemen have an advantage in practice preparation: They have to face Aaron Donald, the back-to-back AP Defensive Player of the Year.
''When you go into a game, you know it's going to be easy because you're not going to see anyone better than him,'' Noteboom said.

NOTES: The Rams put backup LB Justin Lawler on injured reserve Monday after initially keeping him on the 53-man roster. The procedural move means Lawler can return from foot surgery after the first eight weeks of the season. ... Los Angeles signed C Coleman Shelton to the active roster in Lawler's place. Shelton, the ninth offensive lineman on the 53-man roster, was cut by the Arizona Cardinals last weekend. He is a Pasadena native who played at Loyola High School near downtown Los Angeles. Shelton said he was pleasantly surprised to hear from the Rams: ''You never know who has been watching you on (video).'' Shelton is the fifth University of Washington product on the roster, joining his former teammates Marcus Peters, Cory Littleton and rookies Taylor Rapp and Greg Gaines.