Since I'm old with health complications, this is not really an issue for me one way or the other (SONOFA!).
Used to be a joke with blow up dolls and the pathetic nature of it....But science and technology and silicone have changed the game.
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Half of singles interviewed said that sex with a robot like the one above, is cheating....What say you?

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not sure where to put this so just started a new thread. not sure what day it was.

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The NFL Network started doing their NFL 100 many years ago, so I decided to do my own top 100 rankings which started last year. Here is the second season of the DTR 100. The only thing is this; the NFL does their rankings based on the past 2018 season. As for my rankings, this is where I rank the top 100 players in the NFL factoring in more than just last year’s production. 2018 does play a big part in these rankings but so do injuries that leave out some marquee names. Enjoy and let me know your thoughts! For last year’s rankings click here.

Notable DTR 100 Omissions:
Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, San Francisco 49ers – Suffered season-ending injury

Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers – Arthroscopic shoulder surgery

Le’Veon Bell, RB, New York Jets – Sat out the entire season

Kareem Hunt, RB, Cleveland Browns – Suspended 8 games

Hunter Henry, TE, Los Angeles Chargers – Suffered season-ending injury

Delanie Walker, TE, Tennessee Titans – Suffered season-ending injury

Travis Frederick, C, Dallas Cowboys – Missed entire season due to Guillain–Barré syndrome

Carl Lawson, EDGE, Cincinnati Bengals – Missed half the season due to a season-ending ACL tear

Kwon Alexander, ILB, San Francisco 49ers – Missed half the season due to a season-ending ACL tear

Jake Ryan, ILB, Green Bay Packers – Suffered season-ending injury

Ryan Shazier, ILB, Pittsburgh Steelers – Missed entire season due to spinal injury stemming from 2017

100. Phillip Lindsay, RB, Denver Broncos (Last year: NR)

The undrafted rookie running back out of Colorado made headlines after he received NFL Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis‘ blessing to wear the No.30 in his rookie year. Philip Lindsay would go on to make many more headlines than that in 2019. Lindsay first beat out 2019 draft pick Royce Freeman and once he won the job all he did was produce. Lindsay’s season ended with over 1,000 yards rushing, 10 total touchdowns and all of that came in only eight starts. He may not have been drafted but it’s safe to say he got the last laugh.

99. Baker Mayfield, QB, Cleveland Browns (Last year: NR)

The number one overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft makes the list here at 99 overall. Baker Mayfield finished his rookie year with a 6-7 win-loss record as a starter for the Browns and a rookie-record breaking 27 passing touchdowns. Mayfield finished the year with only 14 interceptions, a 63.8 completion percentage and 3,725 passing yards. It was a big year for the rookie out of Oklahoma and one that shot him up into NFL stardom. Now, as he heads into year two, Baker will have newly-acquired superstar wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

The Browns are considered a Super Bowl contender in the preseason for the first time in my lifetime. Baker Mayfield isn’t the only reason for that, but he certainly has played a big part in it.

98. Eric Ebron, TE, Indianapolis Colts (Last year: NR)

Eric Ebron has actually been a tad underrated in his career thus far. Despite one bad season as far as drops are concerned. Ebron had accumulated 711 yards in 2016 with a catch percentage of 71.8 and in 2015 he had a catch percentage of 67.1 percent. Now, 2018 was considered the coming-out party for Ebron but he’s actually already had a solid career so far to this point. However, 13 touchdown receptions will get you noticed and sure enough, it did. Heading into 2019, Ebron is only 26 years old and has one of the best quarterbacks in football throwing him the football.

97. Matt Paradis, C, Carolina Panthers (Last year: NR)

Matt Paradis has turned into one of the NFL’s best centers and for whatever reason, the Broncos decided to move on from him and let him sign with the Carolina Panthers in free agency. The NFL’s arguable best center takes over just a year after Ryan Kalil retired from the NFL. Paradis will be huge for Cam Newton and company in keeping the middle of this offensive line stabilized. The Panthers did have to pay him around $9 million per year just to bring him in. However, for a center that made our top 100 NFL players list, I would say that could end up being a bargain. It’s worth mentioning that Paradis has only given up six sacks in his four seasons in the NFL which is not many for playing four years in the middle of an offensive line.

96. O.J. Howard, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last year: NR)

At first glance, you might be wondering why or how O.J. Howard is ranked ahead of Eric Ebron with lesser statistics, production and really the whole nine. However, Howard got onto this list because he has become a complete package as a tight end. Howard not only has elite athleticism like Ebron but he’s a magnificent blocking tight end and really is already in the top ten of tight ends in the NFL. He suffered an injury last year but if Howard stays healthy for a full season, he could approach 850-1,000 yards this season. One thing is for sure, Howard is a special talent and he should only continue to rise up the DTR 100 and NFL for years to come.

95. Rob Havenstein, RT, Los Angeles Rams (Last year: NR)

The starting right tackle for the Built Ford Tough Offensive Line of the Year award winners deserves a spot in the top 100. The Los Angeles Rams wouldn’t have gone anywhere without the likes of Rob Havenstein. The Rams right tackle only gave up two sacks last year. Havenstein is one of the more underrated players on not only the roster but even the entire league. He’s not built like a premier athlete, however, Havenstein just gets the job done. The Rams don’t lose him often but when they do, bad things tend to happen. If you forgot what happens to the Rams when Havenstein isn’t at right tackle, just go back to the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles vs. Rams – Carson Wentz vs Jared Goffbowl. Once Havenstein had to come out of the game, Chris Long absolutely embarrassed Darrell Williams and strip-sacked Goff to seal the game. Big Rob is well-deserving of this placement on the DTR 100.

94. Ryan Ramczyk, RT, New Orleans Saints (Last year: NR)

Another well-deserving and talented offensive lineman is yet another right tackle. Ryan Ramczyk, like Havenstein, is also from Wisconsin and has made a name for himself early on in his impressive career. Ramczyk to this point has already started in 31 NFL regular-season games over two years while only missing one. The powerful but athletic Ramczyk is only 25-years-old and still has plenty of upside left in the tank. Ramczyk only gave up a total of four sacks during his 2019 campaign last year.

93. Duane Brown, LT, Seattle Seahawks (Last year: NR)

It’s weird that Duane Brown went from being a tad overrated following his trade from the Houston Texans to the Seattle Seahawks to being underrated. Brown initially was traded from Houston and it seemed as though the NFL world was buzzing that Russell Wilson had finally received his blindside protector. The only problem was that Brown had simply not gotten back to his original self after coming back from injury. Now, Brown is fully healthy and is playing lights out as Wilson’s bodyguard and it seems as if no one cares any longer. The 33-year-old played all 16 games last year in what was arguably his best season as a pro. Brown had only given up four sacks all season and the fewest hits on the quarterback in his career.

92. John Johnson III, SS, Los Angeles Rams (Last year: NR)

The 23-year-old out of Boston College is turning into a NFL star right before our eyes. The Rams former third-round pick started 11 games in his rookie year but last year when he came in as the starter he was on a mission to make his presence known. John Johnson III already has amassed 190 tackles, a forced fumble, 22 pass breakups, four tackles for a loss, two hits on the quarterback and five interceptions in his young career. Johnson showed off his abilities this past season but furthermore, he showed that no moment was too big for him. As you can see in the image above, Johnson made the game-sealing interception on Drew Brees in the NFC Championship game. Johnson in year three could shoot up this DTR 100 list for next year.

91. Jason Kelce, C, Philadelphia Eagles (Last year: 38th)

Here we have the best center in the NFL, Jason Kelce. Kelce displayed a side of him he had never shown to the public following the underdog speech after the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl. Kelce is just a rare talent and a consistent one at that. Over eight seasons in the NFL, Kelce has only allowed 11 sacks and 100 pressures on the quarterback. This past year, Kelce finished the season with just nine hurries allowed and zero sacks. At the ripe age of 31, there’s a chance that Kelce is somehow getting better over time.

90. Eric Weddle, FS, Los Angeles Rams (Last year: NR)


The 34-year-old Eric Weddle signed a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams this offseason. Over 1,000 tackles and 29 interceptions to his credit, Weddle has been one of the league’s best defensive backs for a long time. He started off with the Chargers for years until he moved on and went to the Baltimore Ravens. Until the Ravens released him a year removed from his six interception season and now here he is with the Rams. He was definitely brought in to help acclimate Taylor Rapp to the NFL game, mentor aforementioned star John Johnson III but also come in and be an effective starting replacement to LaMarcus Joyner with the Rams. Weddle had a bit of a down year per his standards but one could expect him to have a great year in Los Angeles.

CONTINUE:

https://www.downtownrams.com/single...king-the-top-100-nfl-players-going-into-2019/

The Many lives of Nick Buoniconti On HBO was really something, showcasing how much football gave him and took from him too, including his son Marc who was paralyzed while playing for The Citadel....My Grandfather loved Buoniconti being Italian, playing for Notre Dame and an attorney, he had it all....RIP Nicholas Anthony Buoniconti, you made the world a better place in more ways than one!

Not sure where else to put this because it’s not strictly Rams. But my friend and I decided to give this podcasting thing another try. I’ve been thinking about doing a separate one for just the Rams. Give it a listen.
https://www.spreaker.com/episode/18680665

https://www.therams.com/news/quotes...displaying-his-competitive-nature-at-training

Quotes & Notes 7/30: Aqib Talib likes displaying his competitive nature at training camp

After each media session, Quotes and Notes will bring you what was said, who said it, and what it means for your Los Angeles Rams.

“I think you get a chance to evaluate some of the things up front a little bit better.”
— HC Sean McVay

• The Rams were in full pads for the first time in this 2019 training camp on Tuesday.
• While players were not tackling to the ground, putting on pads does present the best opportunity to evaluate players on the offensive and defensive lines.
• Putting on pads for the first time also makes things more realistic for quarterbacks, as most of the time they haven’t thrown with pads on since the end of the previous season.

“It sounds crazy, but he looks more explosive than he was before, actually. And some of the numbers indicate that with just the way we’ve monitored him. And he’s feeling good.”
— HC Sean McVay

• Head coach Sean McVay made a bit of a surprising comment, telling reporters that wide receiver Cooper Kupp looks more explosive than he did before the injury.
• McVay noted the club has data to support that notion, given the way it tracks players during practice.
• Kupp has looked healthy throughout training camp, making a number of impressive catches through the first four days.
• McVay added that Kupp still feels like he’s getting his feet wet when it comes to performance, so there still is more progress to be made.
• Nevertheless, Kupp clearly looks like he’s ready to resume being one of the top receivers on the team.

“I think that’s what makes me good — I’m just competitive. If I’m out here, I want to be the best.”
— CB Aqib Talib

• Veteran cornerback Aqib Talib has made plenty of plays throughout camp, including an interception over the first couple days.
• Talib is entering his 12th season in the NFL, and what keeps him at the top of his game is likely just how competitive he is.
• Talib is currently No. 2 on the active list with 35 career interceptions.
• When the Rams played with Talib last season, the Rams allowed 17.8 points per game and 321.1 yards per game.
• In the eight games without the veteran corner, Los Angeles allowed 401.3 yards per game and 30.8 points per game.

“It’s a few plays where I can’t even get to my run fit — Aaron just tears the play up.”
— CB Aqib Talib

• Talib has played with defending back-to-back AP Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald for a full season, but this is his first training camp with the All-Pro.
• Donald is so good defensively, he has a tendency to be a “practice wrecker” for the offense.
• And as Talib noted, Donald is so fast that sometimes the corner can’t even get to his assignment before the defensive tackle has already destroyed the play in the backfield.
• Donald and outside linebacker Dante Fowler teamed up to do that during practice on Tuesday, as both players used their speed to nearly take a handoff from backup QB Blake Bortles.

“He’s so smart, it seems like he’s been in it a long time.”
— CB Aqib Talib

• While safety Eric Weddle has only been with the Rams and playing under coordinator Wade Phillips for a matter of months, Talib said it doesn’t feel that way.
• Weddle did play in a similar defensive system with the Chargers, but it wasn’t quite like what L.A. is doing.
• Talib is far from the only one to notice how Weddle’s smarts can help the Rams, as any player or coach who’s been asked about the veteran safety has extolled him.
• But as Talib said, Weddle is helping everyone on the defense — and in some ways even the offense — approach the next level.

“Still early, but he’s definitely showing the encouraging things that we liked so much at Memphis.”
— HC Sean McVay

• Rookie running back Darrell Henderson seems to make an impressive play every day at training camp, and McVay has taken notice.
• The head coach noted that the team can see Henderson’s explosive nature.
• With running backs Todd Gurley and Malcolm Brown at the top of the depth chart, Henderson should get a chance to impress in preseason games.
• Henderson averaged 8.9 yards per carry in his sophomore and junior seasons at Memphis.

“That really, in a lot of ways, will represent what we would like to see as the preseason work for our players that we know can play.”
— HC Sean McVay

• The next time the Rams practice, it’ll be on Friday at the Chargers facility for one of two joint sessions with the two teams this week.
• The Rams will have four joint practices over the next two weeks.
• McVay has all but announced that starters won’t play in the preseason for the second consecutive year — which makes sense given Los Angeles’ success with the method in 2018.
• But the joint practices are important for the starters in order to get ready for the season in controlled environments that lessen the risk of injury.
• That’s how the Rams will use Thursday and Saturday’s practices with the Chargers, and then the two practice next week in Napa, Calif. with the Raiders.

Well, finally. I had taken almost 400 pictures today and just finished deleting the bad, editing the good and uploading them to the google photo album. Here's the link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/8dRQAjQKMKpRrhJ58

@theduke, @bubbaramfan and @So Ram have posted numerous observations from todays camp and I don''t feel I could add much to what they have already expressed but let me add a couple of thoughts as opposed to detailing particular players and plays.

Jared Goff is a franchise QB. This is year 3 under McVay. This is Goffs team and he has full command of it. He looks so familiar with the offense. It has been mentioned that he has bulked up a little. It shows in his throws. He is quick to read his receiver and quick to release the ball with little effort. You guys are witnessing the birth of a dynasty.

AD 99 has only one speed, the speed of light. He goes so fast if you blink you will miss what he does. He also doesn't stop until he thinks it time to stop. We all know what we have in him.

Tyler Higbee does it again. Looking great in TC, catching all kinds of tough balls and making you feel really good about him. Please, Tyler, if you are reading this, carry it over to the regular season!

SJD. He is going to be good, seems like Donald is rubbing off on him. High motor kind of guy.

Who else? Too many to mention. It's like we have so many good to great players it's hard to single out all of them. I feel for some of these rooks as this is such an uphill battle for them. Those UDFA should feel honored that the Rams wanted to sign them. They all won't make the team and I really do believe many of them could make the practice squad or even the roster of many of the other NFL teams. The Rams are just sooo loaded with talent!

It's late, I was on my feet for all of camp today and I'm tired. Five AM comes early. So I'll say goodnight and I'll be back at camp on Friday.

Till then, take care and smile at someone you don't know. You'll be surprised!

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:yess:

To all the ROD camp reporters.... Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I'm guessing I'm not the only one that tunes in and goes straight to your threads.

We've had some good ones in the past but I've never seen better in all the time I've been here and I've been here since day uno.

My hat's off to you.

I'm going to say this right now. When the Rams beat the Saints again this time in week 2, it will really affect the Saints season. It wouldn't surprise me if they tanked a few games at least.

McVay owned the SB loss so that his team wouldn't. You see that's the problem with the Saints. The Saint's clearly loss that game but their HC simply refuses to accept that and therefore the team can't. That's the difference between the men. The Rams are energized and ready to go again. The Saints have an air of desperation. More than one player has said publicly that the loss still haunts them and affects them with one saying ( I believe it was Okafor) they may never get over it.

That is a huge burden to place on your team on a single game. So a loss to the Rams in week 2 would be a devastating blow and who knows how the team will react. I've never liked Asshole Face so if the Aints tank after they get beaten by the Rams it couldn't happen to a more deserving guy.

They will be facing an improved team over last year and one that is energized and focused.

https://www.raiders.com/news/raiders-sign-defensive-tackle-ethan-westbrooks

Good luck Ethan except when you play the Rams.

Charles Robinson,Yahoo Sports 5 hours ago

IRVINE, Calif. — The realization didn’t come in a film session. There wasn’t some epiphany days or weeks later. Instead, unforgiving reality struck on the biggest stage of Sean McVay’s football life. And it was both brutal and instantaneous.

This is how the Los Angeles Rams coach recounts the lessons of his Super Bowl LIII loss. Like someone describing their slow motion agony of dropping a glass of red wine on white carpet – but still processing two thoughts before impact:

1. “Oh crap.”

2. “I have some immediate regrets.”

You could put that on a shirt and McVay might actually wear it. Because five months ago, he suffered one of the roughest offensive coaching performances of his career. And yet, ever since then he’s been framing it into remarkably naked perspective. About how Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots taught him something. And how people seem to be forgetting that this whole deal – learning to be a leader and a winner – is just starting for him.

“The thing that’s been consistent in all the leaders that I’ve met – business leaders, coaches – they’re constant learners,” McVay said. “There’s a security in their vulnerability that they still need to learn things. And let’s be honest, I certainly don’t have it all figured out, either.”

You have to hear McVay actually speak those words to realize he’s not feigning modesty. Because, really, how clueless can you be when you’re two years into an NFL head coaching gig and already have a 24-8 record and a Super Bowl appearance? All by the age of 33, no less. When someone with that kind of success says they don’t have it figured out, you either believe them or punch them in the ear.


Rams coach Sean McVay isn't hiding from his failures vs. Bill Belichick and the Patriots in the Super Bowl. (Getty)
With McVay, people buy that he’s continuously trying to cultivate experience. Likely because he legitimately seems to have a fetish for learning when it comes to his profession. Which might explain why he has so openly and easily embraced the discussion of his failures in the Super Bowl.

For McVay, the “oh crap” moment last February was watching the New England Patriots morph parts of their defensive scheme into something that hadn’t consistently been on tape. Mixed defensive fronts. Scrambled pass coverages. Odd personnel groups. Basically, dipping into all manner of things that didn’t readily fit their identity in 2018.

All of which delivered McVay to his immediate regrets. Well, only one regret, really: the realization that when you face New England and Belichick in the Super Bowl, you don’t ask what will be on that test. Instead, you just read every last vowel in the available material. You create answers for the unlikeliest of questions. You plan for all contingencies. Because that’s exactly what Belichick counts on you not doing. That’s why he is who he is. And that’s why the Patriots have become the gold standard in Super Bowl history.

When you don’t put in that kind of work (and the Rams didn’t), you lose a Super Bowl 13-3 with one of the worst offensive performances of your career. Then you face visitors coming to your training camp with a familiar question …

When did you realize the mistakes you made preparing for the Patriots?

“During the game,” McVay said. “Right in the middle of it.”

And the lesson?

“If you expect to adapt and evolve, [remember] the teams that did have success against you,” McVay said. “Because you bet your ass you’re going to see that game plan again.”

It should be noted, McVay isn’t downtrodden when he says things like this. Instead, he comes off more like someone who is simultaneously upset with himself and itching to show that he won’t make the same mistake twice.

That’s arguably the biggest positive for the Rams in this training camp. That the undeniably special McVay lost to arguably the best coach in NFL history in Belichick, but walked away with a significant addition to his file cabinet. Specifically, an illustration that a fearless and seasoned team can meaningfully alter its identity in just two weeks of Super Bowl preparation.

And one more lesson for good measure: There is no such thing as a meaningless contingency plan. Because not having one for every scenario is what gets you in trouble.

“The reality is I didn’t give us a chance really to have offensive production, period,” McVay said. “Whether you look at Todd Gurley. Whether you look at Jared Goff.”


Sean McVay (crouched) is wielding the lessons he learned last February as the Rams embark on a season with Super Bowl championship expectations. (Getty)
To McVay’s credit, there’s something impressive about the persistence of that message. While many coaches have admitted their mistakes in Super Bowl losses, few have continued to openly process the errors for the media five months later.

And yet, McVay just keeps embracing the questions. Not because he’s trying to step up and protect anyone else. But because he actually believes he’s the person who bears the most responsibility. It was his game plan. The offensive flow was in large part manipulated by his calls. And even if players like Goff or Gurley didn’t execute, it was on McVay to make the adjustments and kickstart something.

That didn’t happen, so he was left to answer for it.

Which he has. Repeatedly, openly, almost happily. Each question offering another chance to explain what he has learned and who he has learned it from. Which, oddly, has given him even more credibility in his locker room and everywhere else in the franchise. Because when the head coach keeps dissecting his mistakes publicly, it makes it hard for anyone else to skirt their own shortcomings.

There’s no shame in failure. Or as McVay likes to say, “It doesn’t matter who is right. It only matters what is right.”

If that sounds like a pretty vulnerable statement from an NFL head coach, that’s because it is. Particularly in a league where some coaches insist on always looking like they have the right answers.

“Vulnerability is one of Sean’s greatest strengths,” Rams president Kevin Demoff said. “He’s vulnerable with the media. He’s vulnerable with the players. He admits when he screws up. He admits when he needs to get better. He encourages players to be vulnerable, staff to be vulnerable.

“The organization grows from our mistakes.”

The next few months will test that. Not only for the Rams, but for McVay specifically. Come next February, he still may not have it all figured out. But you can bet he’s counting on being a little closer than he was five months ago.


https://www.yahoo.com/sports/sean-m...d-his-rams-are-stronger-for-it-162141725.html

By: Cameron DaSilva | 5 hours ago

While the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive linemen have the difficult task of blocking Aaron Donald in practice, their cornerbacks are faced with the challenge of covering a deep group of receivers. Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods might be the best trio in the NFL, and if you add in Josh Reynolds, it’s undoubtedly one of the deepest, too.

Locking up any of the four is a challenge, as evidenced by their numbers a season ago. Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib face that test every day in practice and when asked who’s the toughest to cover, they had different answers.

That shows just how good all of the Rams’ receivers are.

“Cooper Kupp! Cooper Kupp, that’s a nice route!” Peters declared, without much hesitation. “It’s hard, but I’m going Cooper Kupp.”

The question was then posed to Talib.

“I’m gonna go Bob Woods. I’ll go Woody,” he said. “I say Woody because Woody’s got that straight-line speed and he’s got the quickness, the shiftiness so it’s the best of both worlds. He’s a tough tackle, so I feel like he might not be a 10 in everything, but he’s a consistent 8 1/2 across the board in everything, so that’s tough.”

Peters was asked again about Kupp and what makes him so good. He even declared the third-year wideout the best slot receiver in the NFL.

“He’s got it. Best slot in the game, for sure,” Peters said. “If he gets you at the top [of the route], it’s over. It’s over. It’s A.I.”

Kupp’s 2018 season was unfortunately cut short due to injury, but he’s been on the field at training camp and is ready for Week 1. With him back in the mix next to Cooks and Woods, Jared Goff will have his full cast of receivers available.

Opposing secondaries will have their hands full this season when it comes to covering the Rams’ “four-headed monster,” as it’s been called this offseason.

https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2019/07/30/nfl-rams-toughest-wr-cover-talib-peters-woods-kupp/

By: Cameron DaSilva | 6 hours ago


Samson Ebukam was elevated into a starter’s role last season after the Los Angeles Rams moved on from Robert Quinn and Connor Barwin. Expectations were tempered for the young pass rusher, knowing he didn’t have much prior NFL experience.

He had a somewhat disappointing season with three sacks and six tackles for loss, but there might be a reason for his lack of production. He underwent surgery on his knee this offseason and according to Sean McVay, Ebukam was playing through a fair amount of pain last year.

McVay says Ebukam battled through “constant nagging pain,” which would understandably hinder just about any player.

“He’s doing great. I didn’t realize how much pain he was playing through last year,” McVay said after Monday’s practice. “You can see just his get off, his suddenness, his explosiveness, that’s always been the elite trait of his. But not having to fight through the constant nagging pain that he was with that knee injury. I think he feels a lot better about it and you’re seeing it show up. Still three days in, but you can feel him and just talking to him he sounds like he’s feeling a lot better. And then when you just look at him closely and you see the way he’s able to get off, and some of the ways he’s able to just play strong and explosive. You see it paying dividends and hopefully we can keep him healthy throughout the season.”

Ebukam may not be a starter by title this season due to the arrival of Clay Matthews and the return of Dante Fowler Jr., but he should still get his share of reps. When Matthews kicks inside next to Cory Littleton, Ebukam should be the next guy up at outside linebacker opposite Fowler.

He’s certainly earned a roster spot after making a handful of big plays last year and showing good potential at times, but if he wants to unseat Matthews, Ebukam will have to impress in camp and the preseason.

Hopefully the absence of a lingering knee injury will allow Ebukam to play his best football yet.

https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2019/07/30/nfl-rams-samson-ebukam-knee-injury-pain-mcvay/

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/la-jud...s-about-nfc-title-game-noncall-214341582.html

New Orleans judge orders Roger Goodell, NFL officials to answer questions about NFC title game non-call
Shalise Manza Young,Yahoo Sports 17 hours ago

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell hasn’t said much about the highly controversial non-call from the NFC championship game between the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams.

He has said: “Our officials are human ... They’re not going to get it right all the time.”

That apparently isn’t good enough for many Saints fans, and now they may get a better answer.

Judge: Goodell, officials will be deposed
On Monday, a New Orleans judge ruled that Goodell as well as three officials from the conference championship game, where an obvious defensive pass interference call wasn’t made on Los Angeles’ Nickell Robey-Coleman, must answer questions under oath.



Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Nicole Sheppard made the decision to schedule the depositions, and said the four men should be deposed in New Orleans.

Sheppard’s decision came after a Louisiana 4th Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld Sheppard’s decision to allow a lawsuit from attorney and Saints fan Tony LeMon to proceed.

Damages will be given to charity
LeMon and his co-plaintiffs were among several people who filed suit against the NFL in the wake of the game. There’s no way of knowing 100 percent if a PI call would have led to a win for the Saints, who lost the game in overtime.

One of those challenges was thrown out in federal court, but LeMon wrote his lawsuit to try to keep it in state court.

While depositions would mean LeMon could keep moving their case toward a trial, the NFL can appeal to the Louisiana Supreme Court to have the lawsuit dismissed, meaning Goodell would not be deposed.

LeMon is seeking $75,000 in damages, which will be donated to charity.

• 
  
  13 hours ago
  Now every game will be decided after a senate oversight committee has been formed and the house votes on an amendment to change the score to what it should have been.
• 
  
  
  16 hours ago
  are they suing because the refs missed the clear as day facemask when Jared Goff was about to march in for a touchdown?
• 
  
  16 hours ago
  Did anybody get compensated for Bounty-gate ?!?
  

Pretty good take IMO

https://sports.yahoo.com/2019-nfl-p...ore-questions-like-todd-gurley-122937856.html

Rams try to take next step, but with more questions (like Todd Gurley)
Frank Schwab, Yahoo Sports • July 30, 2019

The Rams were aggressive, knowing they had a unique and short-term opportunity with Jared Goff on his rookie contract. They acquired as much talent as they could for a run at glory.

We figure the next step in the story is that the Rams take that Super Bowl loss, use it as motivation and win a championship this season. The problem is, that almost never happens in the NFL.

It’s not like the Rams’ window closed that night in Atlanta. They’re still wildly talented, with a great head coach. But we’ve seen plenty of Super Bowl teams fall short of making it back the following season. Last season’s Patriots were the first team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to win a Super Bowl after losing one the previous season. That’s a long gap, and the Patriots are an outlier in many ways. Super Bowl hangovers exist, and they’re usually especially hard on the loser. The season is long and the recovery time is shorter. It’s hard to mentally regroup for a new season. You might not catch as many green lights when it comes to injury luck or fortunate bounces in close games. And the roster always changes.

Todd Gurley’s situation is as good as any to illustrate the temporary nature of the NFL. Over the last two seasons, Gurley has 3,924 yards from scrimmage and 40 total touchdowns. Through three-quarters of last season Gurley looked like a legitimate MVP candidate again, though it’s nearly impossible for non-quarterbacks to win that award. It has all changed since then.

Even if Gurley is never the same — and to be clear, any outcome seems possible because we have no idea how to predict the health of his knee — the Rams could overcome it. They have a great passing game (though, how much of that has been opened up due to Gurley’s dominance?) and the Rams liked Henderson for a reason. The defense lost some pieces but still has Aaron Donald.

The Rams aren’t going anywhere. The roster is loaded with stars. They’re still the class of the NFC West. They still should feel they are well within their Super Bowl window. And yet, everyone knows nothing is guaranteed in the NFL.

We’ve already mentioned the four key free agents who left: guard Rodger Saffold, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, linebacker Mark Barron and safety Lamarcus Joyner, and unsigned center John Sullivan too. It’s worth mentioning C.J. Anderson as well, because he was very good at the end of the season. Anderson signed with the Lions. The Rams signed safety Eric Weddle and outside linebacker Clay Matthews, banking on a couple of stars in their mid-30s still having at least one more good season left. They prioritized re-signing pass rusher Dante Fowler Jr., who was inconsistent with the Jaguars before the Rams acquired him in a midseason trade. Blake Bortles was added as a backup quarterback, which is an interesting transaction but one the Rams hope doesn’t matter to their 2019 season. The Rams traded their first-round pick to Atlanta, and over the past three drafts they have no first-round picks and only two second-round picks. The Rams made a nice value pick with safety Taylor Rapp in the second round, and they liked running back Darrell Henderson enough to move up and get him in the third round. Overall, there was more talent leaving the roster than was added.
GRADE: C-minus


It’s becoming clear that we’ll look back at Aaron Donald’s career and realize we were likely watching the greatest defensive tackle of all time (no offense, Joe Greene). Donald simply can’t be blocked. He faced double-team blocks on 60.5 percent of his pass-rush snaps last season, according to NFL Next Gen Stats (via ESPN). He still had 73 quarterback pressures, which led the league according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Donald won his second straight NFL defensive player of the year award after leading the NFL and setting a single-season record for defensive tackles with 20.5 sacks. Donald is probably the best player in the league, regardless of position. He should be in the MVP conversation, though it’s getting harder to believe a defensive player ever wins that award again. No matter if you prefer breaking down film, traditional stats, advanced stats or simply watching him work on your TV every Sunday, everyone should agree Donald is already an all-time great.


The Rams defense isn’t without flaws. They allowed the most yards per run in the NFL last season. Los Angeles was tied for 23rd in the NFL in yards allowed per pass play. The Rams were ninth in pass defense in Football Outsiders’ DVOA per-play metric, but 27th against the run and 18th overall. The Rams secondary will be relying on 33-year-old cornerback Aqib Talib and 34-year-old safety Eric Weddle, which is a bit scary, as is relying on mercurial cornerback Marcus Peters. The Rams lost a lot of pieces off a defense that was a bit disappointing. If the Rams fall well short of expectations, it’ll probably be because the defense faltered.


First off, this scenario I’m about to present won’t play out. However, we all seem to agree that the most valuable thing to have in the NFL is a good quarterback on his rookie deal, right? And the history of highly paid quarterbacks winning Super Bowls is spotty. Wouldn’t it make sense for an NFL team to cycle through quarterbacks on rookie deals? Draft a quarterback, use him for four or five years, then trade him to move on to the next cheap rookie. And if a team did try that, why not the Rams? After this season and before signing him to a contract extension, Los Angeles could theoretically trade Jared Goff to a desperate team willing to pay a couple first-round picks, at least. If we believe Sean McVay is the real machine behind the Rams offense, he could develop the next young quarterback playing at a fraction of what it’s going to cost to extend Goff, which would allow the Rams to allocate most of their salary cap to build a great defense and stellar offensive supporting cast. McVay and general manager Les Snead are in the rare position to have enough job security to survive if this hypothetical plan failed miserably. We all understand no team is ready to try this out (though it makes sense for some team to fade the inefficient salary market for quarterbacks), and Goff will be extended soon. But it would be an interesting experiment if the Rams decided to move on from Goff as he gets set to break the bank.


Not to dwell too much on Todd Gurley, but it seems like the Rams might not be the same team if he can’t bounce back after his strange end to last season. We know what Aaron Donald, Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, Andrew Whitworth and the rest of the Rams’ stars will do. Gurley is a mystery. Gurley will be on a “veteran plan” through August, resting for practices and sitting out the preseason, and who knows what his workload will like once the season starts. Gurley will turn 25 years old on Aug. 3, which is way too young to have these questions about his health. And this isn’t an ACL, in which there is a finish line in rehab and he can plan to be 100 percent at some point. Gurley’s workload and his ability to stay healthy through the season are questions that are hugely important to the Rams season (according to Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson they currently view rookie Darrell Henderson as a “Chris Thompson type” change-of-pace back, so perhaps he wouldn’t necessarily take over Gurley’s role if needed), and we have no idea how it will play out.


From Yahoo’s Scott Pianowski: “Todd Gurley turns 25 at the end of the week, and he’s without question one of the oldest 25-year-olds in America. His body has been through the ringer, man. He had knee surgery at Georgia, and his knee is considered a chronic issue now as he deals with arthritis. We saw the Rams pull back from Gurley in key moments of last year’s playoffs, and then the team traded up to draft running back Darrell Henderson." style="margin-bottom: 1em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px;">From Yahoo’s Scott Pianowski: “Todd Gurley turns 25 at the end of the week, and he’s without question one of the oldest 25-year-olds in America. His body has been through the ringer, man. He had knee surgery at Georgia, and his knee is considered a chronic issue now as he deals with arthritis. We saw the Rams pull back from Gurley in key moments of last year’s playoffs, and then the team traded up to draft running back Darrell Henderson.

“Most NFL teams are not in the business of informing us on sensitive topics — there’s no incentive for that, anyway. A fantasy pick on Gurley is a fantasy pick partially invested on blind faith and the past resume of a player who might not effectively exist now. I’d be shocked if Gurley played much, if at all, in the preseason.


Jared Goff was a one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks through the Rams’ epic 54-51 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Then, all of a sudden his numbers took a nosedive.

Goff first 11 games: 258-of-381, 67.7 completion percentage, 3,547 yards, 26 TD, 6 INT, 113.5 passer rating" style="margin-bottom: 1em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px;">Goff first 11 games: 258-of-381, 67.7 completion percentage, 3,547 yards, 26 TD, 6 INT, 113.5 passer rating

Goff final 8 games, including playoffs: 165-of-286, 57.7 completion percentage, 1,853 yards, 7 TD, 8 INT, 73.7 passer rating" style="margin-bottom: 1em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px;">Goff final 8 games, including playoffs: 165-of-286, 57.7 completion percentage, 1,853 yards, 7 TD, 8 INT, 73.7 passer rating

How much of the slump can be attributed to losing slot receiver Cooper Kupp to a torn ACL? Kupp missed three games in the middle of the season, and missed the Chiefs game too and Goff played fine in those four games. But without Kupp’s versatile talent out of the slot, the Rams offense wasn’t quite the same. Teams might have caught up a bit to the Rams’ play-action heavy approach, culminating in the Patriots confounding the Rams in the Super Bowl with a zone-heavy game plan. The reports on Kupp have all been positive and assuming he’s back in Week 1 and looking like his old self, it seems like a good bet that Goff will rebound too. Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson said the Rams have been very impressed with Goff in training camp.


CAN THE RAMS HAVE THREE 1,000-YARD RECEIVERS?"

Five times in NFL history, one team has produced three 1,000-yard receivers: 1980 Chargers, 1989 Redskins, 1995 Falcons, 2004 Colts and 2008 Cardinals. Had Cooper Kupp not torn his ACL last season, the Rams might have become be the sixth in that group. Robert Woods had 1,219 yards, Brandin Cooks had 1,204 and Kupp had 566 in eight games. The Rams offense might shift toward a more pass-heavy approach if Todd Gurley needs his workload cut in a significant way, and that could mean big seasons for the Rams’ trio. Kupp will need to stay healthy, but all three have the talent to breeze past 1,000 yards and make some history. It’s the rare offense that can support huge seasons from three different receivers.


The Rams have the ability to make it right back to the Super Bowl, and win it. Jared Goff could be productive and efficient with Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods returning and Cooper Kupp healthy. Maybe we’ll see Todd Gurley look healthy, or Darrell Henderson look like the next Gurley, or be reminded that the running back position generally doesn’t dictate a team’s success. The defense could be better because they have a lot of great blue-chip talent and might be healthier. Don’t forget, the Rams defense was fantastic in a Super Bowl loss. Los Angeles has the talent to take the final step.


Super Bowl hangovers exist. We’ve seen talented teams make a Super Bowl and play below their expected level the next season. We like to believe in the narrative of a team taking incremental steps and using a Super Bowl loss to vault themselves to a title, but only the 1971 Cowboys, 1972 Dolphins and 2018 Patriots have actually done it. It’s possible Todd Gurley was the lynchpin of the offense and he never recaptures his 2017-18 level. The defense isn’t guaranteed to rebound. I’m not buying that the Seahawks or 49ers could steal the division, but a lackluster season and quick playoff exit right before Jared Goff takes an enormous bite out of the Rams’ salary cap? That’s possible. We’ve seen Super Bowl losers take big steps back before.


I’m not sure what to do with the Rams. I obviously like their upside, but Todd Gurley’s status is a pretty big cloud over their outlook. I have them as the highest ranked NFC team in the countdown, yet I’m nervous about picking them to make it right back to the Super Bowl. Very few teams actually pull that off, and there are logical reasons behind that history. We’re also very unlikely to get much clarity on Gurley before the season starts. But who do you trust more in the NFC?

https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2019/...-season-preview-todd-gurley-darrell-henderson

Yahoo! Sports’ Charles Robinson dishes on Los Angeles Rams training camp, pegs backup running backs to get 35% of carries

Some interesting nuggets out of camp.

By 3k@3k_ Jul 29, 2019, 2:37pm CDT


Los Angeles Rams RB Darrell Henderson runs downfield during the second day of training Camp, Jul. 28, 2019.
Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images
Yahoo! Sports’ Charles Robinson was in attendance at the Los Angeles Rams’ training camp yesterday and dropped a phenomenal thread on Twitter today, but I know not everyone’s on Twitter so I figured I’d put it here.

I’ve compiled the thread as a single quote, but if you’re on Twitter (and believe me, I am not suggesting you should be) give him a follow @CharlesRobinson.

1. #Rams QB Jared Goff continues to get stronger physically. Sean McVay says he’s more twitchy in his upper body and flicking passes that used to require a tiny windup. Mentally? Sounds like Goff is *there*. As in, he knows the offense to the point of adding his own stamps to it.

2. #Rams feel good about Todd Gurley + RB depth. I’d wager Malcolm Brown & Darrell Henderson combine for 35% (or more) of RB snaps. Henderson is very interesting. Plan is for him to be a Chris Thompson type. Thompson’s 2016 #Redskins film under McVay was a flexible mismatch role.

3. Even more than past seasons, #Rams should be able to throw the living hell out of it. If the offensive line can mesh, don’t undersell the continuity at the WR/TE positions. I think RB depth will factor in passing game, too. Health permitting, I buy Goff having a monster year.

4. #Rams defense will benefit from adding vocal leaders in S Eric Weddle and LB Clay Matthews. But also by subtracting DT Ndamukong Suh. I doubt Rams will say it publicly, but Suh was very difficult for former DL coach Bill Johnson to handle. Frankly, Suh was a poor culture fit.

5. Speaking of the defensive line, #Rams are extremely high on adding Eric Henderson as the new DL coach. But the DL shakeup makes me curious to see where things go long-term with Wade Phillips at D coordinator. Seeing confidant Bill Johnson go had to be tough business for Wade.

6. #Rams like what they’ve seen from 5th round pick David Edwards from Wisconsin. They feel like he could very capably give them good backup depth along the offensive line if he continues the path he’s on. He might be a future starter with a year or two of position-specific work.

7. Another late-rounder making noise for the #Rams? NT Sebastian Joseph-Day. He went from developmental 6th round pick out of Rutgers in 2018 to the guy who could fill the Ndamukong Suh void this season. Like David Edwards, another late pick panning out in the depth department.

A ton there of interest (the Suh “fit” stands out as something I’d love more explanation on...), but that 35% figure stands out.

Under McVay, running backs have averaged 362.5 carries per season (354 in 2017, 371 last year). So 35% of that would be just under 127 carries for Henderson and Brown leaving 235 for JTG.

In any case, good stuff from Robinson.

I'm eager to see them in pads. Supposed to be a bit cooler today. Should be interesting. Good to see more camp reports, I was bumming about not being able to attend yesterday. Not missing today!

https://www.therams.com/news/quotes...ews-enjoying-his-first-training-camp-with-l-a

Quotes & Notes 7/29: Clay Matthews enjoying his first training camp with L.A.

After each media session, Quotes and Notes will bring you what was said, who said it, and what it means for your Los Angeles Rams.

“Ram for life.”
— GM Les Snead

• The Rams signed the franchise’s all-time leading rusher Steven Jackson to a one-day contract on Monday, allowing him to officially retire as a Ram.
• Jackson rushed for 10,138 yards while playing in horns from 2005-2012.
• He had eight consecutive seasons with 1,000 yards rushing, putting him in rarefied air.
• Jackson went on to play two seasons for Atlanta, and one in New England.
• He’s currently No. 18 on the all-time rushing list with 11,438 yards.

“We’ve got a couple guys that we want to be smart with.”
— HC Sean McVay

• While players were in shoulder pads for the first time on Monday, the Rams gave many veterans the day off from practice.
• Head coach Sean McVay noted after the session that it’s usually players who have been in the league for at least seven years who get those veteran rest days — like left tackle Andrew Whitworth, safety Eric Weddle, linebacker Clay Matthews, cornerback Aqib Talib, defensive lineman Michael Brockers, etc.
• Defensive tackle Aaron Donald was also a part of that group, even though he’s entering just his sixth season.
• McVay said those players are slated to be back on the field for Tuesday’s full-pad practice.
• The head coach also noted that the Rams have successfully avoided soft-tissue injuries so far during camp, and that everyone who was out of practice today was scheduled to be.

“We’re counting on big things from Clay Matthews.”
— HC Sean McVay

• Matthews was one of the veterans who received a day off, but with him scheduled to speak to the media on Monday, McVay received a question about the veteran linebacker.
• McVay said the Rams have definitely already benefited from Matthews’ veteran presence.
• While Matthews has positional flexibility based on what he did with Green Bay, the Rams have mainly had him at outside linebacker during practice so far.
• But given his skillset, he could be a wild card in known-passing situations.

“To have a day off like this — I didn’t get many days off in Green Bay.”
— LB Clay Matthews

• Matthews told the media that he appreciates the veteran rest days that the Rams have implemented.
• He mentioned that the Rams may have taken some heat for not playing starters during the preseason last year, but also noted it worked out well for L.A. in the end.
• From what Matthews has observed, he said it feels like the Rams are at the forefront of sports science when it comes to taking care of players’ bodies.

“When you go to a new team, you get to prove yourself all over again.”
— LB Clay Matthews

• Matthews said it’s exciting to him to be in a new spot and to have to demonstrate his value to a new group of teammates and coaches.
• It’s something Matthews hasn’t had to do throughout the course of his career, given that he spent 10 seasons in Green Bay.
• Matthews noted that in some ways, certain things may have gotten a bit stale for him over the course of the last couple years.
• But with the talent around him, new teammates, to learn, and a new system to master, Matthews is excited about what’s ahead.

“Having this thing come full circle, it definitely feels like this is the way it should continue, or should end — however you want to look at it.”
— LB Clay Matthews

• Matthews is a Southern California native, attending Agoura Hills High School and USC.
• He said he’s enjoying being back home now as his career reaches its next stage.
• Matthews also mentioned that when it became clear he wouldn’t return to Green Bay, his goal was to get to the Rams.
• The linebacker feels there was a need for a player like him, but the fact that the club has a good chance to be highly competitive once again was also enticing.

“Those are things that he does naturally because he’s invested in these guys, he wants to help out.”
— HC Sean McVay

• Even on his day off, Whitworth was still involved with his teammates throughout the course of practice.
• Whitworth could be seen taking to the younger players along the offensive line, counseling them between plays.
• McVay said that’s typical of Whitworth, who the head coach has often called one of the best leaders he’s been around.

I'll go on record right now that Henderson has a 1000+ yard season (combined rushing and catches) THIS year. His rookie season. His field vision, full speed cuts, and overall speed is that awesome.

I’m here now. Looks crowded again. Won’t be posting much as I’m focused on my photography skills. Trying some new settings with my DSLR.

I’ll send a report later tonight

Myles Simmons
RAMS INSIDER

Running back Steven Jackson made countless plays over the course of his career as a Ram.

He made an impact from the time he entered the league as a first-round pick out of Oregon State. He rushed for 673 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie in 2004 — helping the Rams secure a playoff berth and defeat the Seahawks in the Wild Card round.


From there, Jackson recorded eight consecutive seasons with 1,000 yards rushing from 2005-2012 — his last season with the club. In the process, Jackson became the Rams’ all-time leading rusher with 10,138 yards in 131 games.

Now as the Rams continue their 2019 training camp, Jackson has signed a one-day contract to retire as a member of the organization.

It’s fitting for someone who has meant so much to the franchise. And as No. 18 in all-time rushing yards — one of just 21 players to eclipse 11,000 — Jackson has a case to eventually be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1155914237501464576


A week into training camp, this can't be a good thing. Or can it if he was as reported having a hard time installing the blocking scheme? So glad we have the stable of coaches we do.

As Myles Simmons leaves Los Angeles Rams to join Oakland Raiders beat, Rams fans would be best served if the Rams eliminated the position

https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2019/7/29/8937919/la-rams-myles-simmons-beat-writers-journalism-media-2019-fans