No Jourdan, but a good interview and worth the watch. A lot of rehashed stuff, but also some good insights into his play calling.

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The Rams have 4 magic health pills that, when taken, will guarantee complete health for the full season, including playoffs.

They give one to Matthew Stafford, an obvious choice.

You are assigned the task of deciding which 3 players get the other pills.

Who do you give them to?

Just stumbled upon this. Thought it was interesting that the Saints are at UC Irvine and the Raiders are in Costa Mesa.

Since the Rams/Chargers are the home market teams per the NFL, these other two teams cannot advertise their camps and they are not open to the public.

Saints Training Camp

Raiders Training Camp

Brett Kollmann does a good job. Lots to like here as a Rams fan. Warning, this is a discussion vid, so no breakdowns or footage, so it may be a little slow for many.

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The bond that built Jared Verse and Braden Fiske's tenacious chemistry on the field and strong connection off of it​

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Perhaps it was destiny for this partnership to form. As two players who worked their way up from small schools to Power Four football, a natural connection existed between Florida State defensive linemen Braden Fiske and Jared Verse.

Coaches first noticed signs of that friendship in spring practices last year. Arriving from Western Michigan, Fiske was unable to participate in most of Florida State's spring practices last year in wake of offseason shoulder surgery. Still, he would be there to observe and give feedback to his teammates.

A simple thing to do, but one that would set the foundation for a strong bond with Verse, who was entering his second season with the Seminoles after transferring in from Albany in 2022.

"He couldn't practice, couldn't do anything, but he was out there watching and learning and stuff like this," Florida State Associate Head Coach/Defensive Tackles Coach Odell Haggins told theRams.com. "He would say stuff to Verse when they was practicing things things like that, and you'd see Verse would listen to him. That's how it started developing back then."

Over time, that connection grew into one of friendly competition.

"I wasn't going to let someone outwork me," Fiske said after being drafted. "That's something that made us gravitate towards each other. The closer we got, the harder we worked. He was somebody that was in the building with me 'til seven, eight o'clock at night watching film, breaking stuff down and it translated on the field. Just somebody who I can compete with, somebody I can work with. From Day 1, he was somebody that I knew right away, 'Alright, this is a guy I'm gonna be around because I can see the way he works and the way he gets after it.'"

That bond created a tandem force so formidable, it defined not only the Florida State's success last season, but shaped the duo's NFL futures and the Rams' desire to reunite them as NFL teammates.

The chemistry on the field became apparent from the beginning of the 2023 season.

"We didn't say too much, it's just as the season wore on, teams were kind of sliding (their protections) a lot more," Verse told theRams.com. "Especially with me on that side and him on that side, they were like, 'Oh yeah, let's slide this way,' or they'd bring a chip over our way and slide towards the other d-ends like Pat (Patrick Payton) or Byron (Turner Jr.) or Fabe (Fabien Lovett Sr.) and those type of guys. But me and Fiske were kind of like, 'Alright, let's run the game, we're just gonna throw them off instead of straight rushing.' So we ran a couple games and it just kind of hit home, and we were like, 'Yo, we can just do this.'"

They scaled back the intensity of those stunts in practice to protect teammates and keep them healthy. Still, the more they practiced those stunts, the more realized how dangerous the stunts could be when executed by the two of them.

It reached its peak in the ACC Championship against Louisville – the game Rams general manager Les Snead in April said for fans to go watch if they're bored to see the tandem at their best – but according to both Verse and Fiske, signs both players were hitting their full stride playing off of each other trace back Florida State's rivalry game against Florida one week earlier.

That Nov. 25 game was the then 11-0 Seminoles' first without Jordan Travis, their star quarterback and a Heisman Trophy candidate who had suffered a season-ending leg injury the previous week against North Alabama. The leader of one of the nation's top offenses, Travis had tallied a school-record 10,676 total yards of offense in his college career and is the only player to rank in the top 10 in history in passing and rushing touchdowns.

Florida State's offense, and the team as a whole, would not be the same.

"I mean, I think there's always a pressure to go out and perform and succeed, but it starts with losing your starting quarterback," Fiske told theRams.com. "J-Trav is a Heisman front-runner, and you lose him, the team's looking for people to step up. And not that we weren't playing well to begin with, but you've got to take it, you have to find new ways, you have to find new levels of how you're going to take over a game."

With Florida facing 1st and goal at the Florida State 2-yard line with 1:36 remaining in the first quarter and the game still scoreless, both players lined up in a 4-point stance: Fiske over the outside shoulder of the right tackle, Verse over the inside shoulder of the left tackle. They burst off the line of scrimmage with pass rush moves almost mirror images of each other: a club-swipe from Fiske and a club-swim from Verse to win. Both meet at the quarterback at the same time, taking down the Gators' Max Brown for a 7-yard loss.

Although the drive resulted in a touchdown two plays later, that moment reinforced the work put in away from the field that Fiske talked about. And more of those plays would be needed out of the duo, as well as the rest of the Seminoles defense.

On 3rd and 1 from the Florida State 17, they held Brown to no gain on a QB sneak, which forced Florida to settle for a field goal and made it 10-0 Florida with 10:21 left in the second quarter.

On 2nd and 12 from the Florida 23, Fiske attacked the B gap, then Verse looped inside to deliver a crushing blow and force the incomplete pass with 11:47 left in the third quarter. Facing 3rd and 7 with Florida on the Florida State 20 with 7:18 remaining in the third quarter on that same drive, Fiske and Verse line up on same side.

Fiske attacks the left guard. The protection slid three Gators offensive linemen their way, but Fiske fought through the traffic to combine with defensive back Syheim Brown and limit the result of the play to a 1-yard run/scramble by Brown.

While the drive ended in points, Florida was held to a 37-yard field goal to make it 15-14 Florida with 6:33 to go in the third quarter.

A 19-yard field goal with 7:17 remaining in the fourth quarter and running back Trey Benson's 26-yard touchdown run put the Seminoles up 9 with 2:48 remaining. A little over a minute after Benson's score, pressure by both Verse and Fiske – after being lined up by the same side – led to the game-clinching interception for Florida State in a 24-15 victory. The undefeated season remained alive.

"I think both of them played extremely well in a game where we needed to step up defensively, and they certainly played off each other well," Papuchis said. "And there was a lot of moments throughout the course of the year when they lined up next to each other and had significant impact on the game, whether it was how they fit on the pass rush or how they ran a line stunt together, but you did start to feel that really come together on that back part of the year. And the Florida game was was certainly one of those examples of just them feeding off of each other. I don't think either one of those guys were going to let us walk out of there with anything except the win."

Fiske and Verse became most dangerous as a tandem when lining up on the same side of the defensive line, as the Florida game showed.

Haggins said both are smart players. He also said Florida State's players are coached hard and taught different protections, and given the freedom to call the weakness in the protections if they see it on the field. In turn, it also gives players the freedom to play off of one another.

Fiske and Verse's chemistry was that freedom at its best. In fact, that chemistry became so strong, they could achieve their desired result through non-verbal communication: Only a head-nod or a simple look at each other was required to know what stunt they wanted to run together.

"Man, that was great," Haggins said. "When you get college kids to do that and communicate and have that chemistry – I played in the NFL and have coached a long time here – that's awesome. That's awesome to see that. And to feel that, and to see that as young men, study the film and develop that chemistry, boy that's great as a coach to see that."

In Florida State's 16-6 ACC Championship win over Louisville, Fiske notched 9 total tackles (4.5 for loss) and 3 sacks, Verse 6 total tackles (3 for loss) and 2 sacks. Haggins told them it was one of the best performances he'd seen in a long time as a defensive front.

"And I've had some darn good ones here," said Haggins, who enters his 31st season on Florida State's coaching staff.

According to Papucis, in the back end of the game, the Seminoles started running a stunt between Verse and Fiske. One was a fourth-down play, and another the last play of the game – both critical moments.

With 3:18 remaining and the Cardinals going for it on 4th and 7 from their own 27, Verse looped inside to set a pick, allowing Fiske to loop outside for a sack. Turnover on downs, Seminoles ball. On the ensuing drive, kicker Ryan Fitzgerald added insurance with a 40-yard field goal to give Florida State that 16-6 lead with 2:19 to go.

With 1:27 remaining and the Cardinals going for it on 4th and 3 from their own 32, Verse and Fiske ran the same stunt, and Fiske looped outside to take down Louisville quarterback Jack Plummer for a 13-yard loss.

Fiske celebrated raising and pointing to his left ring finger, with Verse arriving right next to him raising his pinky. Florida State head coach Mike Norvell was so excited, he leaped into Haggins' arms in celebration on the sideline.

"So Fiske ended that game for us defensively with a sack, and it was off the same line stunt that they had run earlier," Papuchis said. "So it was definitely a defining moment in that game."

One element that should not go unnoticed is the amount of extra time Verse and Fiske spent in the facility watching film and breaking things down, asking each other if they were seeing certain things the same way, how to approach certain situations, or how to approach when to line up opposite each other along the defensive line so they could get certain looks.

Papuchis said that some players will watch extra film to make sure the coaches know that they're doing it, almost in an attempt to get themselves on Florida State coaches' radars. But Verse and Fiske went about it in an authentic way that didn't feel attention-seeking.

"Jared and Braden did that without really ever letting anyone know that," Papuchis said. "And I think it was just kind of their sincere desire for them both to be successful."

One viral draft call video showed just how much it meant to the two college teammates to be reunited in the NFL.

Hustling to get to the Rams' Draft House in time after the team traded up to the 39th pick to select Fiske, Verse got out of the sprinter van and walked through the door, then jogged up the stairs to the war room, receiving the phone from head coach Sean McVay with Fiske on the other end.

"Hey Fiske!" Verse says.

"Let's go boy!" Fiske says.

"Boy ain't now way!" Verse says. "Ain't no damn way! Remember what I told you, man. Oh my God. Can't wait to play with you again. I can't believe it."

Verse tells Fiske he's proud of him, then Fiske begins sobbing.

Their tenacity on the field and work ethic off of it formed a strong, close bond, so the reaction was fitting. How they operate as a tandem in both aspects says a lot about what drove the Rams to reuniting them as NFL teammates and contribute to a defense dealing with the retirement of a franchise great.

Beyond the way he commanded slide protections and double- and triple-teams from offensive lines, another piece to Aaron Donald's legacy with the Rams was the "care factor" related to evaluating prospects. After general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay told him how the roster was going to take shape in 2023 – veteran departures, an influx of younger players – Donald told them he didn't care, just so long as those newcomers had the right mindset and work ethic.

Donald also set an example by being one of, if not the, hardest worker on the Rams during his tenure – something that was also reflected in Verse and Fiske's work ethic at Florida State.

"You want your most talented players to be your hardest workers," Papuchis said. "And for both those guys, that was the case, and that just creates a great opportunity for the young guys coming up to be able to see what it takes to become successful, not only on the college level, but then have the opportunity to both be high draft picks and play together in the NFL."

Of course, the work they've been able to do so far in restarting that chemistry has been limited due to the nature of OTAs – no live contact and no pads limit how aggressive trench play can truly be – but that will change in training camp next week and give them the chance to pick up where they left off on those stunts.

While holding his press conference at the draft house during his visit there, Verse said he and Fiske had talked not too long ago about the level their on-field chemistry had reached.

"Imagine if we got to go to the same team," Verse recalled. "That'd be so cool."

Indeed, it became full circle. Now they hope to keep that chemistry going for the foreseeable future.

"It's one thing to play next to somebody," Fiske said after being drafted. "But when it's next to somebody you're having fun with and somebody you can enjoy playing ball with, it's different. Me and him just have a different chemistry that we just built in one year. I can't imagine what we could build in three, four or five, even longer. I mean, it's really special."

Some thoughts for general conversation:

It feels like 4, for sure

We should have 4 solid contributors from our 2024 draft class. And… Anyway you slice it, that’s a good draft.

Then consider there are others, like Kinchens, that could do really well given the opportunity at his position.

This draft looks super solid. Camp opens this week and we’ll start to learn more. Another solid draft, like 2023, opens up a new window for rings!



We’re underestimating Kyren Williams

Or at least, I am. Dude was a STUD in 12 games last year. 24yrs old. 1,144yds rushing at 5.0ypc.

I am super glad we have solid depth with Corum, but Kyren… holy geez man. Stud. The oline should be even better, too.

I wonder how much McVay wants to split the carries between Williams and Corum, ideally?

The non-Rams 2024 draft pick I’ll be watching

Brock Bowers

He ended up being my favorite I was rooting for with our first pick. I am interested to see how he “levels up”, and if it happens right away or not.

Don’t get me wrong… I am excited for Verse, particularly now that paired with Fiske from this draft… but I wanted another premium weapon for the offense.

Good luck, Brock. The Raiders haven’t been traditionally the best landing spot.

Is there any player you have your eye on like this?

Evil Thoughts

I can’t stop thinking about it… The demise of the 49’ers! I dunno… it’s always delicious to watch that cocky bunch get their hopes crushed.

Heading into 2024 it all feels “set up to fall”… if they get off to a clunky start or have an early injury or two. Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but I’m not sure their collective psyche is as durable coming into 2024, as it was 2023.

A top NFL Player I know little about

Myles Garrett

Myles Garrett is the #2 rated Edge Rusher at PFF for 2024 and I rarely see him play. He’s in the AFC. He’s on a team that hasn’t been very good over his NFL career. I have had little reason to watch the Browns.

Is he any good? Don’t ask me!

Anybody feel the same way about a “name player” in the league?

Five Rams positional battles to watch in training camp​

Training camp for the Los Angeles Rams is right around the corner. In camp, rosters truly begin to take shape and players start to separate themselves from each other. Most of the Rams' starting lineup is pretty set, as they return most of their starters on both sides of the ball.

However, there are plenty of spots on the depth chart up for grabs. Many backup spots are in for serious competition and need to have an answer at before the start of the season.

1.) Backup quarterback

Matthew Stafford is obviously entrenched as the starting quarterback for the Rams. However, he's battled injuries every year with the Rams, making the backup quarterback spot important. The Rams signed Jimmy Garoppolo in free agency to a one-year deal, but will also have 2023 fourth-round pick Stetson Bennett returning after an absence for most of the 2023 season.

Garoppolo seems like a shoo-in for this spot, given his experience, but if Bennett can push him and earn this role, that's a good sign for the young quarterback's development.

2.) Starting FS

The Rams don't really use the traditional FS/SS designation, so this is more of a positional diagnosis. The Rams used Jordan Fuller as their deep safety in 2023, but Fuller departed in free agency, leaving that spot up for grabs. There's a three-way battle for that spot between Russ Yeast, John Johnson III, and Kamren Kinchens.

Johnson has been at his best when he can roam the field, playing deep and in the box depending on the coverage and look. Yeast has struggled on the field the last two seasons, while Kinchens is just a rookie. There might not be a "winner" here out of camp, but Kinchens stepping up and seizing this spot would be a boost for the Rams' defense.

3.) LB3

The Rams rostered just three linebackers last season, and I'm not sure that number will change this year. Ernest Jones is the team's top linebacker and arguably their most important defender this season. Christian Rozeboom is the likely LB2 given his familiarity with the defense and his return to that role last year. This leaves a battle for that last spot between five players: Jake Hummel, Troy Reeder, Olakunle Fatukasi, Omar Speights, and Elias Neal.

Hummel won the spot last season on the Rams' initial 53-man roster, but ended up getting out-snapped by Reeder. Speights has flashed some in college, but two straight years of poor tape led to him falling to become an undrafted free agent. Reeder feels like the favorite out of this room, but there doesn't seem to be a real "correct" answer here.

4.) CB3

This spot becomes widely important because of Tre'Davious White's injury history. We don't really even know if White will be ready for the start of the season, making this spot even more crucial, as they'll be the first player to step in to back him up.

The Rams are relying on a trio of young, unproven players to hold this spot: Cobie Durant, Derion Kendrick, and Tre Tomlinson. Durant has been the only one to put out positive tape so far, but struggled in his second season with the Rams. Someone stepping up to lock this spot down would be a relief for the Rams' defensive depth.

5.) WR depth

The Rams' top three receivers are set with Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, and Demarcus Robinson. The spots behind them aren't quite as settled though, and could reveal a shift in the direction of the team. Tutu Atwell is competing with rookies Jordan Whittington, Sam Wiglusz, Drake Stoops, and JJ Laap, as well as former fifth-round pick Tyler Johnson, for playing time. There might not be anybody outright cut, as the Rams have kept six and even seven wide receivers on their initial 53-man roster in previous years, but this spot will be telling.

Will Jordan Whittington become the team's WR4? He's stepped up and adjusted to the offense quickly so far. His blocking ability and special teams acumen might give him the edge over Atwell in an offense that wants to run the ball. Johnson has caught just two passes over the last two seasons, both in the Rams' backup-driven Week 18 win over the 49ers, while Stoops, Wiglusz, and Laap could also serve on special teams as returners or gunners. Who emerges out of here will be a story to monitor.

I hate to even type this but it's been bugging me... 8 still carries the nasty ass stench of failure Bradford left all over it (not to mention guys like Dils and Maddox). Now I know some will start listing greats who have worn that number, starting with Kobe. But football numbers are their own thing to me.

Dickerson had a buddy intervene and tell him he chose a slow ass number. Where is the intervention with Jared Verse letting him know he's wearing a broke ass QB number.

Now of course I don't think there's a curse or anything ridiculous. I'm bored waiting for the season. But it does bug me that he chose 8 which is kind of funny. Figured I'd get over it by now but when I see him in the practice photos wearing it that stank is still there.

Of Jourdan Rodrigues’ voice, then you can find her here

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The Inside the NFL Podcast has changed it up to be a daily podcast now and Jourdan is going to be a regular contributor. It’s not all Rams info when it’s on but there is some and she does great with the schemes and trends as usual.

I don't understand why the Rams don’t re-sign Witherspoon? He was clearly our best CB last season. He played really good the first half of the season. Yes he struggled as the season wore on but a big part of that was that our pass rush was not getting home. I would take him over burnt toasters Kendrick or Durant. He shouldn’t cost too much and provides experience. Is there an off the field issue ? Surprised no one has signed him

I've been watching Youtube Vids on the XFL kickoffs and talking heads breaking down scenarios and team schemes all day and I'm still a bit confused. What I did come away with is kickoffs this season is not the time to go get another beer.

Teams did all kinds of shenanigans, like traps, end arounds, laterals and other stunts. Kickers being replaced by LB's who can kick so as to add another good tackler. I even saw where the kicker tried to kick line drives just a few feet off the ground.

Thought I'd start a thread and get ROD thoughts on this new rule and its potential impact.

He was one of my all time favorites , Loved both of his shows

I don't count Bob from the 1990's.........lol

I still watch his original show from the 1970's , pretty often

I was so happy for him when he finally got a Emmy award , for his guest appearances of The Big Bang Theory,

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Former Rams assistant has huge opportunity to develop star QB, get HC offers​

Former L.A. Rams assistant coach Shane Waldron has a huge opportunity this season to take the Chicago Bears offense to great heights, and in doing so Waldron could become one of the hottest potential head coaching candidates in the years to come. Waldron has spent plenty of time in the NFL including several seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, and is now the current offensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears.

This will be Waldron’s first year with the Bears and a big part of his hiring was his potential ability to work with either Justin Fields or Caleb Williams. The Bears traded Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers, setting up Williams to become the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Bears. Waldron is now tasked with helping the hopeful franchise quarterback become just that: their quarterback of the future.

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Fortunately for both Williams and Waldron they have plenty of tools to make this work. The Bears have two star receivers in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, and they boast a potential third star with recent first round acquisition Rome Odunze. On paper this team might have the best wide receiving corps in the NFL.

Williams should be able to have time to throw the ball too as Sharp Football Analysis had the Bears’ offensive line ranked in the top half at 12. PFF had the Bears ranked at 11th. If Waldon can scheme up some creative plays and coach up the line then this offense really is on track to be a top unit in the NFL.

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It’s expected that Williams will go through some growing pains. Every rookie does, but after seeing what CJ Stroud did last year the bar is set fairly high. Waldron needs to maximize this offense, and if he does then he may find himself in a head coaching role as soon as next year. Waldron could also take his time and continue to build with the Bears, maybe win a Championship game or Super Bowl, and wait for a head coaching situation that he truly covets as opposed to taking first available.

Of course, if Waldron’s offense falls flat then it will be expected that he takes his share of the blame. If Waldron takes too much heat for a lackluster offense he may have to continue taking assistant and coordinator roles. Nothing wrong with that as every job in the NFL is highly sought-after, but there’s a good chance Waldron wants more than his current title. This year can build a real foundation for him to show he deserves a leading man spot.

Rams fans will get a chance to see Waldron and his Chicago offense in action when the Bears host LA on September 29th. Think anyone will mention that Waldron used to coach with Sean McVay around then?

Aaron Donald 'hated Tom Brady for like 3 years' after Rams' Super Bowl loss to Patriots​

As a seven-time Super Bowl champion, Tom Brady made a lot of fans and players despise him. He was incredibly tough to beat, particularly in the biggest games where he cemented his place as an all-time great.

He beat the Rams twice in the Super Bowl, most recently following the 2018 season in Super Bowl LIII. Though Brady wasn’t the primary reason the Patriots won that game – it was New England’s defense that held the high-flying Rams to three points – he did add a ring to his collection.

Aaron Donald, on the other hand, did not – and that ate at him for years.

On “The Pivot Podcast” recently, Donald revealed that he “hated Tom Brady for like three years” after the Rams’ Super Bowl loss to the Patriots.

“That broke my heart, I ain’t gonna lie,” Donald said. “Losing that Super Bowl was like, I ain’t gonna lie, I was down for like two months. I hated Tom Brady for like three years after that. I ain’t gonna lie, I was mad.”

Donald made a promise to his daughter before the Super Bowl that he would bring her down on the field to play in the confetti once the Rams won. Knowing that he couldn’t keep that promise in the Rams’ first Super Bowl appearance ate at him, but he did come through the second time around when Los Angeles beat the Bengals three years later.

“I was telling my daughter, ‘We’re going to win this game.’ It was ’18, ’19 year. We were on fire. Can’t nobody stop us,” Donald said. “I’m like, ‘We’re going to handle business, we’re going to win this, daddy’s going to bring you on the field, we’re going to play in the confetti. I remember walking off the field seeing my daughter cry, I’m just like, I feel like I let her down. I made her a promise before I even did what I needed to do on the football field, so I was told myself, ‘Once I get back to a Super Bowl, I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure we win this football game.’ How everything played out was like a storybook ending.”

As much as Donald respects Brady for all that he accomplished in the NFL, he had plenty of disdain for the legendary quarterback after that Super Bowl LIII loss.

LINK: https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-s-top-...rediction-don-t-sleep-on-packers-texans-colts​

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NFL's top 10 offenses in 2024? 49ers, Chiefs headline my prediction; don't sleep on Packers, Texans, Colts​

Published: Jun 27, 2024 at 10:49 AM

Gennaro Filice
Deputy Editor, Written Content



What is the best way to rank offenses?
The traditional measure of total offense (yards gained) is flawed in its shortsightedness. Meanwhile, advanced statistics like DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) and EPA/play (expected points added per play) provide more nuance, but they're still not entirely intuitive to the larger football-watching public.
Let's keep it simple here: Who scores the most points? After all, that's the basic goal of nearly every team sport, right? And by the metric of OFFENSIVE points per game -- in which defensive and/or return touchdowns do not count -- these were the top-10 units from the 2023 regular season:
1) San Francisco 49ers: 28.4 ppg
T-2) Baltimore Ravens: 27.5 ppg
T-2) Miami Dolphins: 27.5 ppg
4) Dallas Cowboys: 27.0 ppg
5) Detroit Lions: 26.6 ppg
6) Buffalo Bills: 25.3 ppg
7) Philadelphia Eagles: 24.1 ppg
8) Los Angeles Rams: 23.5 ppg
9) New Orleans Saints: 22.4 ppg
10) Cleveland Browns: 22.1 ppg
So, which offenses will fill those slots at the end of the 2024 regular season? My forecast is below, along with each unit's signature strength and worrying weakness. (Yes, I like the cheap thrill of alliteration.) Plus, five offenses that just missed the cut.
Rank
1

San Francisco 49ers

SIGNATURE STRENGTH: Kyle Shanahan’s scheme. The 49ers’ head man has established himself as one of the best offensive minds in football by running a balanced system that’s not just the envy of tape munchers but also many NFL coaches. Shanahan’s concepts -- which consistently put defenses in a run/pass bind through creative deployment and savvy play sequencing -- have spread throughout the league as the branches of his coaching tree have grown. So, how has he kept his own version of the attack fresh? Constant evolution. As The Ringer’s Ben Solak chronicled before this past February’s Super Bowl, the play-action passes that used to be the hallmark of Shanahan’s offense aren’t nearly as common these days. That said, the coach still leans on wide-zone runs, condensed formations and versatile personnel packages. Speaking of personnel, Shanahan has all-star talent at running back (Christian McCaffrey), fullback (Kyle Juszczyk), wide receiver (Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel Sr.) and tight end (George Kittle), along with a quarterback (Brock Purdy) who executes his system with aplomb. While the offensive line beyond first-team All-Pro LT Trent Williams still leaves something to be desired, Shanahan routinely schemes around it. This is a well-oiled machine with premium parts and a deft designer.

WORRYING WEAKNESS: Kyle Shanahan’s scheme when trailing. One consistent knock on Shanahan: He can’t lead a comeback. The basic thinking goes that his offensive system runs great when San Francisco’s in control of the game, but when the 49ers fall behind and are forced out of their comfort zone, the attack stalls. Now, seeing how the Niners just overcame a 17-point halftime deficit to beat the Lions in January’s NFC Championship Game, this narrative isn’t exactly airtight. Though this pesky statistic lives on: Under Shanahan, San Francisco is 0-38 when trailing by eight-plus points in the fourth quarter. That’s admittedly a little convoluted, but it’s not nothing.

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Rank
2

Kansas City Chiefs

SIGNATURE STRENGTH: The best player in football. Fortune favors the bold, and Kansas City hit the jackpot with an audacious trade for Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 NFL Draft. K.C. gave up a third-round pick and a future first-rounder to jump up from No. 27 to No. 10 and take the Texas Tech gunslinger. Obviously, that deal turned out to be highway robbery for the Chiefs. In hindsight, the monetary value of that move -- for the Chiefs and the city of Kansas City -- is something akin to the gross domestic product of a small nation. It was a legitimate league-changer. In the six seasons since Mahomes took the starting reins, the Chiefs have gone to six AFC Championship Games and four Super Bowls, winning three Lombardi Trophies in the process. Unsurprisingly, Kansas City has also led the NFL in offensive scoring by nearly two whole points during this span (27.1 ppg, with Dallas ranking second at 25.3). Following an uneven 2023 regular season that saw Mahomes finish outside the top five in passing yards and passing touchdowns -- and inherently had the Chiefs rank 14th at 21.0 offensive ppg -- I have a feeling Andy Reid will come out firing in 2024.

WORRYING WEAKNESS: Chemistry questions at wide receiver. Dealing with multiple injuries -- and potentially just the effects of aging -- Travis Kelce fell short of 1,000 yards receiving for the first time since 2015. Without the tight end playing at an All-Pro level, the burden fell on Kansas City’s receivers to produce. Most failed to answer the bell. The lone bright spot was rookie Rashee Rice, who really came on in the back half of the year, seemingly setting himself up for a full breakout in 2024. But now Rice’s status is up in the air following a car-racing crash in April that could result in a suspension under the NFL's personal conduct policy. On the plus side, the Chiefs added a pair of explosive receivers this offseason: free-agent signee Marquise Brown and first-round pick Xavier Worthy. Though both are small, Brown and Worthy possess the kind of blazing speed that can stretch a defense beyond its limits, which is something the back-to-back Super Bowl champs have struggled to do since trading Tyreek Hill. How quickly can the two newbies gain a rapport with Mahomes? How much could a suspension impact Rice’s sophomore campaign?
Rank
3

Detroit Lions

SIGNATURE STRENGTH: The offensive line. This unit is the soul of Dan Campbell’s salty, GRIT-tastic Lions -- and might be the best offensive line in football, with a trio of established studs leading the way. Still only 23 years old, right tackle Penei Sewell just earned first-team All-Pro honors and became the highest-paid offensive lineman in football. Frank Ragnow got a second-team All-Pro nod last season and could be the league’s best center following first-teamer Jason Kelce’s retirement. And despite having never received All-Pro or Pro Bowl recognition, Taylor Decker is old faithful at left tackle -- the longest-tenured Lion on the entire roster. At guard, Detroit lost Jonah Jackson to a lucrative free-agent market at the position, but the Lions should be just fine after re-upping Graham Glasgow and adding steady veteran Kevin Zeitler. For an offense that relies on consistently pounding the rock and keeping Jared Goff comfy in the pocket, this line is the lifeblood.

WORRYING WEAKNESS: The wide receivers not named Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Lions have a certified WR1 in St. Brown, who ranked top four last season in catches (119), yards (1,515), touchdowns (10) and yards after catch (668), effectively putting the “slot-only” narrative to bed by cooking corners inside and outside. But beyond the Sun God, Detroit’s receiver room lacks proven production. Obviously, this is somewhat mitigated by Sam LaPorta immediately emerging as one of the NFL’s best receiving tight ends, but the Lions still need a secondary threat at WR. Josh Reynolds, who had a surprising number of big catches (as well as a few critical drops) over the last two seasons, is now in Denver. Kalif Raymond is an undersized playmaker but not a consistent contributor, while Donovan Peoples-Jones seems to top out as quality depth. So, yes, all Honolulu Blue backers know exactly where this is going: Jameson Williams could be the hinge player for the 2024 Lions. The speed merchant whom Brad Holmes aggressively targeted in the first round of the 2022 draft heads into Year 3 as a lightning-rod figure in the Motor City. His rookie campaign was mostly a wash due to a college knee injury and then he missed the first month of last season due to a gambling suspension. When on the field, Williams has mixed stunning drops with sensational home runs. If Jamo can even out his play, consistently providing Detroit with a dangerous deep threat, Ben Johnson will force opponents to defend every blade of grass. And in that scenario, this lofty ranking might be too low.
Rank
4

Los Angeles Rams

SIGNATURE STRENGTH: An elite coach-quarterback combo. The marriage between Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford immediately produced a seven-pound, 22-inch bundle of joy. But the Lombardi luster didn’t last long, as the Rams suffered an epic Super Bowl hangover in 2022, going 5-12 with Stafford missing eight games due to injury. Nobody gave Los Angeles much of a chance to compete entering last season, and when the Rams hit their Week 10 bye at 3-6, it did indeed appear to be another clunker campaign. Then Los Angeles ran off six wins in its next seven games to clinch a playoff berth, with Stafford quarterbacking at an extremely high level and second-year back Kyren Williams bursting on the scene as a perfect complement to balance out the offense. L.A. lost a nail-biter in Detroit on Super Wild Card Weekend, but don’t blame Stafford, who flambéed his former team for 367 yards and two touchdowns. This offseason, GM Les Snead beefed up the offensive line and then drafted RB Blake Corum, obviously looking to further support his 36-year-old quarterback with a more potent ground game. Smart thinking. In 15 NFL seasons, Stafford has only been supported by a top-20 rushing offense twice: the 2013 Lions ranked 17th and last year’s Rams finished 11th. Can you imagine what McVay and Stafford could accomplish with top-10 ground support? I can, which is why the Rams earned a top-five spot on this list.

WORRYING WEAKNESS: Is Cooper Kupp still elite? Puka Nacua was a revelation last season -- the last pick of the fifth round set rookie receiving records for catches (105) and yards (1,486). But the Rams’ previous pass-catching dynamo suffered a second consecutive injury-abbreviated year. Kupp wasn’t bad, eclipsing 100 yards in four of his 12 games, but the game-to-game showing was a far cry from his 2021 Offensive Player of the Year campaign, when he achieved the rare receiving triple crown. With Kupp having just turned 31, we’re left to wonder if he’s in decline. Nacua’s rugged playing style leaves him susceptible to injury. Although he started all 18 games for Los Angeles last season, the 6-foot-2, 205-pounder missed time in college and the pre-draft process due to various ailments, partially explaining why he lasted until Pick No. 177. If the Rams’ new WR1 goes down, will their old WR1 be ready to spearhead the passing attack once again?
Rank
5

Cincinnati Bengals

SIGNATURE STRENGTH: Joe Burrow’s mind. Burrow has improved his arm strength since entering the NFL, but he doesn’t have a cannon. His mobility’s solid, but the man isn’t a true dual-threat. So, what makes him one of the very best quarterbacks in the game today? Extraordinary processing speed. OK, the pinpoint accuracy to all levels of the field -- whether stationary or on the move -- helps, too. But Burrow’s ability to swiftly crack the code on today’s labyrinthine defenses is his superpower. And it’s something that will be increasingly put to the test in the wake of Brian Callahan’s departure to Tennessee. Sure, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor has always been Burrow’s primary play-caller in Cincinnati, but Callahan was the only NFL offensive coordinator he knew. Having former quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher assume the role helps continuity, but Burrow’s beautiful mind faces heightened responsibility.

WORRYING WEAKNESS: Joe Burrow’s body. Four years into his pro career, Burrow has suffered a litany of health issues, including two of the season-ending variety. And as he continues to rehab the wrist injury that sent him to injured reserve last November, Burrow admits that the setbacks have affected him. "Whenever the injuries start to stack up, your football mortality kind of comes into the back of your mind," Burrow said earlier this month. "So that's definitely something I've thought about and something I have had to fight through." The Bengals keep surrounding their quarterback with gargantuan human beings -- after signing 6-foot-8, 345-pound OT Orlando Brown Jr. in free agency last year, Cincy went right back to the towering-tackle well this offseason for veteran Trent Brown (6-8, 380) and first-round pick Amarius Mims (6-8, 340) -- with the obvious intention of protecting their most valuable asset. No word on whether they’ve procured injury bug spray.



Rank
6

Miami Dolphins

SIGNATURE STRENGTH: Dizzying speed. No surprise “strength” here. Miami just drafted a running back who blazed a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in Jaylen Wright, and he’s probably not fast enough to make a Dolphins 4x100 relay team. Shoot, I assume he’s not even the fastest Jaylen on the roster. With Tua Tagovailoa distributing the ball to a quartet of world-class speedsters (receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle; running backs Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane), Miami led the NFL in yards per game (401.3) and posted a league-high 20 plays of 40-plus yards. This is a symphony of speed with Mike McDaniel as the maestro, always looking for new ways to get his playmakers the ball in space. Last season, he unveiled a short pre-snap motion that essentially gave his receiver a running start, inspiring copycats across the football world. What’s Mikey cooking up for 2024? Stay tuned!

WORRYING WEAKNESS: Dubious blocking. McDaniel and Co. admirably overcame a spate of injuries on the offensive line for most of last season, keeping defenses at bay through creative scheming and Tua’s quick release. But Miami lost two of its better blockers to free agency -- Robert Hunt and Connor Williams -- giving the unit continuity concerns before the season even kicks off. Yes, Terron Armstead held off retirement for another year, but the Pro Bowl left tackle has dealt with injuries throughout his entire 11-year career, never playing a full season while logging 14-plus games just three times. Armstead’s projected partner on the left side, Isaiah Wynn, has suffered a laundry list of injuries, too. McDaniel’s offensive innovation is heady stuff, but are the Dolphins overestimating its ability to trivialize the basics of blocking?
Rank
7

Green Bay Packers

SIGNATURE STRENGTH: Youth that grows together. Over the past three drafts, Green Bay has showered intriguing talent across the offense, highlighted by five wide receivers (Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, Dontayvion Wicks and Bo Melton), three linemen (Zach Tom, Rasheed Walker and Jordan Morgan), two tight ends (Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft) and a running back (MarShawn Lloyd). With the high-level quarterbacking Jordan Love showcased in the second half of his debut season as the starter, it’s easy to get intoxicated with this young offense’s immense upside.

WORRYING WEAKNESS: Youth that experiences growing pains together. Love feels like such a made man today that it’s easy to forget we’re less than eight months removed from the Packers sitting at 2-5, with GM Brian Gutekunst being asked if it’d take more than the 2023 campaign to figure out whether the quarterback has staying power. The beginning of Gutekunst’s answer to that question -- “I hope not. I think we got 10 games left. It's going to be a very important 10 games.” -- created headlines aplenty. To be fair, Gutekunst also reiterated his faith in Love during that same Nov. 1 presser, stressing that he wasn’t the only offensive player to blame for the slow start: "I think that unit as a whole has a lot of work to do, but at the same time, I think they're committed to the process. I expect better results coming." That last comment turned out to be quite prescient, as the Packers proceeded to completely turn their season around and log a rousing playoff win against Dallas, establishing themselves as an exciting team on the rise. But revisiting that hinge point serves as a reminder of the ebbs and flows of youth. Not all growth is linear.
Rank
8

Buffalo Bills

SIGNATURE STRENGTH: Josh Allen. Allen entered the NFL as a raw talent out of the University of Wyoming, and his first couple seasons were a roller-coaster ride. But he took an enormous leap forward in Year 3, giving Buffalo its first division title in a quarter century and guiding the Bills to the AFC Championship Game. Over the past four years, including that breakout 2020 campaign, Allen comfortably leads the league with 174 total touchdowns (throwing/running/receiving) -- 23 more than the next-most prolific scorer, Patrick Mahomes. A rocket-armed, fleet-footed freak at 6-5 and 237 pounds, Allen has been Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded quarterback in each of the past two regular seasons.

WORRYING WEAKNESS: Over-reliance on Josh Allen. Allen’s 2020 star turn didn’t happen in a vacuum. In March of that year, Buffalo traded for Stefon Diggs. A month later, the team spent a fourth-round pick on Gabe Davis. Diggs led Bills receivers in catches, yards and touchdowns during each of the past four seasons, with Davis serving as a pretty steady source of splash plays. But both WRs departed Buffalo this offseason. Can third-year pro Khalil Shakir, free-agent signee Curtis Samuel and second-round pick Keon Coleman fill the void in the receiver room? Buffalo ran the ball more effectively down the stretch last season after Joe Brady took the offensive reins following Ken Dorsey’s midseason firing, and you have to believe Brady will continue to feature RB James Cook in 2024. Meanwhile, tight end Dalton Kincaid showed plenty of promise in a solid rookie season (73 catches for 673 yards and two scores), so it’d behoove Brady to keep watering that plant. Allen’s such a rare physical talent that he can befuddle defenses as a one-man army, but that’s just not a winning formula in an increasingly loaded AFC.

Rank
9

Houston Texans

SIGNATURE STRENGTH: C.J. Stroud, certified wunderkind. Fresh off one of the most impressive rookie seasons ever by an NFL quarterback, Stroud has the world on a string. His offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach both interviewed for promotions elsewhere, but ultimately stayed put in Houston. His receiving corps got a fresh influx of Pro Bowl talent. He’s become a viral takesman on domestic soil and an international adventurer in Africa and the Far East. Suffice to say, the 22-year-old’s had a nice offseason. And the expectations are sky high for Year 2, especially considering everything he overcame in his dynamic debut. Stroud joined a last-place team mired in the fallout of Deshaun Watson’s fall from grace. He had a rookie head coach and a rookie play-caller. To top it off, his offensive line was immediately and unrelentingly ravaged by injury. And yet, he led the NFL in passing yards per game. It’s safe to assume Houston will have better injury luck up front -- and now that unit has some battle-tested depth -- so I might be understating the Texans’ offensive prowess with this ranking.

WORRYING WEAKNESS: The ground game. Dameon Pierce was one of the most pleasant surprises in the 2022 rookie class, but he just seemed to be persona non grata with the new coaching regime, so Devin Singletary led a sluggish Texans rushing offense in 2023. This offseason, Houston traded for Joe Mixon and let Singletary walk in free agency. That’s a name-brand bump, but is it really a substantial real-life upgrade at this point in Mixon’s career, with the one-time Pro Bowler turning 28 in July? He’s eclipsed 100 yards rushing three times in his last 43 games.




Rank
10

Indianapolis Colts

SIGNATURE STRENGTH: Anthony Richardson’s superheroic upside under Shane Steichen. Yep, I’m bringing some spice at No. 10. Or am I? Steichen’s offense scored the 13th-most points in the league during his debut season with the Colts -- and that was with backup QB Gardner Minshew taking 85 percent of the snaps! Now his hand-picked signal-caller is back in the fold. Given the immense growth Jalen Hurts experienced with Steichen as his offensive coordinator in Philadelphia, it’s impossible not to get swept up by Richardson’s potential under the cunning coach. And it’s not simply because the 6-4, 244-pounder offers video game traits via his arm and legs. By all accounts, Richardson was a quick -- and passionate -- study in his first year under Steichen. Anyone assuming this is a raw athlete lacking mental acuity or feel for the position is grossly mistaken. I can’t wait to see what we get from a full year of Anthony Richardson. Well, if we get a full year of Anthony Richardson …

WORRYING WEAKNESS: Anthony Richardson actually thinking he’s a superhero. There’s no question Richarson is one of the most impressive physical specimens we’ve ever seen at the quarterback position, but I kind of wish AR himself didn’t know that. He plays with such reckless abandon at times, and it takes a real toll on his body. That’s why his rookie season lasted a grand total of 173 snaps before he landed on IR, with injuries sidelining him during three of the four games he played and a concussion causing him to entirely miss a fifth contest. Unfortunately, this isn’t anything new: Richardson missed significant chunks of time due to injuries in college and high school. Can he break the cycle? For the good of entertainment, let’s hope so.

Is this the end of the line for Rams QB Jimmy Garoppolo?​

It wasn’t that long ago that Jimmy Garoppolo was picked as the heir apparent to Tom Brady in New England. Head coach Bill Belichick selected Garoppolo in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft with thoughts of him eventually stepping in for Brady.

That sounds crazy today, but 10 years ago that was the sentiment in New England. Or at least that was Belichick’s thought process. Brady was 37 years old and as great as he’d been, the Patriots had not won a Super Bowl since the 2004-05 campaign when they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX.

Belichick was preparing for a future without Brady long before it actually came to fruition. Coach Belichick handpicked Jimmy G and when he did have a chance to play, Garoppolo didn’t disappoint.

However, by the time the 2017 season rolled around (Garoppolo’s fourth year), Brady had managed to win the power struggle with Belichick, and Garoppolo was traded to San Francisco in October of that year.

Garoppolo experienced his greatest success as 49ers quarterback peaking during the 2019-20 campaign where the team won 13 games and the NFC Championship. But the loss in Super Bowl LIV to the Kansas City Chiefs is where many think the Garoppolo train began to go off the rails.

Up 20-10 heading into the fourth quarter of that Super Bowl, the Niners had more than one chance to put the Chiefs away, but Garoppolo could not connect with his receivers. The play everyone remembers came late in the fourth quarter when Garoppolo overthrew Emmanuel Sanders deep as he’d separated from two Chiefs defenders.

Kansas City had already come back to take the lead, 24-20, but had Garoppolo been able to connect with Sanders on that pass his legacy could be completely different.

"That right there could have been a legendary moment for me and Jimmy, but unfortunately it didn't happen. Instead of walking into airports and stores and people saying, 'Great catch, man. You're a legend.' Now they say, 'Aw man, you were this close.' Hopefully I don't go down as 'this close,' and hopefully, we can change that this year. That's a play that will forever be in my mind,” Sanders said about Garoppolo’s overthrow in Super Bowl LIV.

Since that game Garoppolo’s accuracy and durability issues have come to define his career in the eyes of most. He played most of the time he was on the field for San Francisco although he continuously struggled to hit targets downfield.

Not being able to consistently complete deep throws coupled with being frequently sidelined by injuries is a horrible combination. Once Brock Purdy stepped in (while Garoppolo was injured) and played well, Jimmy G’s fate was sealed.

Last season Garoppolo started six games for the Las Vegas Raiders and that was obviously enough for them as he signed with the Los Angeles Rams this offseason as a backup. It seems like the writing is on the wall as the one-time heir to the throne in New England turns 33 in November.

Year 11 in the NFL for Garoppolo will begin with a two-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. It’s doubtful Garoppolo will touch the field much for LA as long as Matthew Stafford is healthy, but nobody wants that blemish on their resume.

A once promising career is now likely to be remembered as what could’ve been.

I bought 5 tickets, 3 two day passes for my buddy and his kids and 2 one day passes for my wife and I.
One day of music that basically sounds the same is enough for me.
Anyway, they flaked.....as hippies are want to do.
Anyone interested in enjoying beautiful Lake Tahoe for a couple days of sun, food, beer and music?
August 3rd and 4th at Palisades at Tahoe (Squaw Valley).

My niece, whose husband is stationed at Fort McCarthur in San Pedro just told me a lady from the Rams walked into his office. She said if he would write up a Bio, he could be the Hero of the Game one week at the game with on field ceremony and tickets to game. He told her I was a Rams fan and she said tickets for me too. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.

Lost in the weekend of other famous departures and the tragic event in PA, is the unfortunate passing of Shannen Doherty

I’m looking at getting something like a 200 gallon tank.

Yes I know, I’ve watched a lot of YouTube vids and thinking of starting with the bigger one.

Anybody else have any tips or cool fish they’d recommend?

I want to get some live corral and anemones to.

Looks pretty good. I was apathetic being it EA but damn, there's so much life in it compared to Madden. There's still looks to be the annoying Madden-isms but overall looks good Refs, cheerleaders, crowd, commentary, band, etc. Cmon Madden, please be good too.

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Interesting list
4 of the top 5 Combos in the AFC
Where do McVay and Stafford land?

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