https://www.therams.com/news/first-look-rams-will-face-lions-after-the-bye

First Look: Rams will Face Lions After the Bye

The Rams squeaked past the Chiefs in Week 11, enjoyed their bye week, and are now beginning preparations for the Detroit Lions. The Rams will meet the Lions at Ford Field in Detroit with the opportunity to clinch the NFC West with a victory (or Seahawks loss).

Here’s an early look at the Detroit Lions (4-7):

Offense

• Points Per Game: 21st (21.6)
• Yards Per Game: 23rd (342.7)
• Passing Yards Per Game: T15th (241.4)

Key Contributors

• RB LaGarrette Blount: 97 Att, 271 Yds, 5 TDs
• WR Kenny Golladay: 52 Rec, 804 Yds, 5 TDs

The Lions offense, led by quarterback Matthew Stafford, averages 21.6 points and and 342.7 yards per game in 2018. Wide receivers Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones account for 10 of Stafford’s 17 touchdown passes this season. The Lions, however, will be without Jones for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury that landed the veteran receiver on injured reserve.

Despite limited opportunities, journeyman running back LaGarrette Blount leads Detroit’s running back corps in terms of touchdowns this season. Blount scored two TDs in the absence of rookie running back Kerryon Johnson, who missed Week 12 against the Bears with a left knee sprain. Prior to missing last week’s game, Johnson started seven games for the Lions dating back to Week 4 and had accumulated 641 yards rushing and three touchdowns in his first season as a pro.

Defense

• Points Allowed Per Game: 24th (26)
• Yards Allowed Per Game: 13th (355.5)
• Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: T15th (238.4)

Key Contributors

• LB Devon Kennard: 6.0 Sk, 39 Tkl, 8 TFL, 13 QBHits
• LB Jarrad Davis: 4.0 Sk, 66 Tkl, 1 FF, 5 TFL, 7 QBHits
• DE Romeo Okwara: 5.5 Sk,1 FF, 29 Tkl, 6 TFL, 9 QBHits

Detroit’s defense ranks No. 9 in sacks this season, with 32 through 11 games. The Lions’ cast of pass rushers in linebackers Devon Kennard and Jarrad Davis, along with defensive end Romeo Okwara likely have something to do with Detroit allowing fewer than 250 yards passing per game. In the secondary, cornerback Darius Slay leads the way with two interceptions this season. However, the Detroit defense is tied at No. 26 with just 10 takeaways in 2018.

Quarterback

• QB Matthew Stafford: 11 G, 2,841 Yds, 17 TDs, 67 % Cmp, 10 Int

Stafford is in his 10th season leading the Detroit Lions. Detroit took Stafford No. 1 overall in the 2009 NFL Draft and he has been a consistent signal caller for the club since overcoming a shoulder injury that forced him miss time throughout his first two years in the league.

Stafford has accumulated 37,590 yard passing in his career and has been named to one Pro Bowl team in 2014. This season, Stafford ranks sixth among all quarterbacks in both passes attempted and passes completed.

Stafford has struggled some keeping the ball out of the defense’s hands in 2018. He’s thrown 10 interceptions, and has three games with at least two interceptions — including Week 1 when the former Georgia Bulldog through four picks against the Jets.

Last Week

• L 23-16 vs. Chicago Bears

The Bears defeated the Lions 23-16 at Ford Field on Thanksgiving. Stafford threw two interceptions and no touchdown passes in the club’s annual game on the holiday, but the game was close throughout.

Blount found the end zone twice against the Bears, but it wasn’t enough to beat the NFC North’s top team. Chicago’s fourth quarter 41-yard pick-six by safety Eddie Jackson broke the game’s 16-16 tie and proved to be the game-winner when Stafford threw his second interception of the afternoon at the end of a 4:49 drive into Bears’ territory with 1:11 remaining.

Head Coach

Lions first-year head coach Matt Patricia is 4-7 (.364) since taking his first head coaching job in Detroit. Patricia left his defensive coordinator post in New England in the offseason after six seasons and two Super Bowl championships leading the Patriots defense.

Patricia spent eight seasons in New England working for head coach Bill Belichick before becoming DC in 2012. He worked as an offensive assistant, assistant offensive line coach, linebackers coach, and safeties coach during that time.

https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2018/11/27/nfl-los-angeles-rams-sean-mcvay-jet-sweep-stats/

Eye-popping chart shows how often Rams run jet sweeps
By: Cameron DaSilva



Before Sean McVay arrived in Los Angeles, the Rams’ offense was stale, stagnant, boring and described as being similar to that of a “middle school” team by Todd Gurley, himself. No matter how you cut it, the offense didn’t cut it in today’s pass-happy league.

Enter McVay, who’s the polar opposite of Jeff Fisher and his staff. He’s brought creativity and explosiveness to a team that ranked 32nd in points scored two years ago. His scheme has elevated the play of everyone involved, primarily Jared Goff and Gurley.

One element that he’s added in a big way this season is the jet sweep. Whether it’s a handoff to a wide receiver or a quick tap pass to Todd Gurley, the Rams use pre-snap motion more than any team in the NFL.

This chart below shows just how much they utilize jet sweeps, showing that it’s more than double the next-closest team.

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The Rams used motion plenty last season with Tavon Austin, but most of that was just to get the defense moving in one direction. They didn’t hand it off to him that often, instead using him as a decoy.

This year, wide receivers have 26 carries on jet sweeps, and that doesn’t include the handoffs to Gurley when motioning across the formation, or the times where Goff “throws” it to the ball carrier.

It should come as no surprise that the best offenses in the league use jet sweeps the most, too. The Chargers are second, followed by the Chiefs, Colts, Ravens and Saints. The Ravens are obviously the outlier, but even they rank 11th in the NFL in yards per game.

Not every team is cut out to use jet sweeps as much as the Rams, Chiefs and Chargers, but it’s clearly had a beneficial effect on their offenses.

https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2018/11/27/nfl-rams-players-improve-2018-season/

5 Rams players who must step up in the final 5 games
By: Cameron DaSilva

The Los Angeles Rams have entered the final stretch before the postseason, facing a fairly easy five-game finish to the year. They’ll play the Lions on Sunday before taking on the Bears in Chicago the following week. A Sunday night showdown with the Eagles at home comes in Week 14, followed by the Cardinals and 49ers in the final two weeks.

The Rams have all but locked up a playoff berth and the NFC West, but they can’t get complacent in the last five weeks. They need to continue playing at a high level and have some of their other players step up in a big way.

These five come to mind in that regard with all of them needing to play well down the stretch.

CB Marcus Peters
Aqib Talib is set to return soon, possibly as early as Sunday against the Lions, which should help everyone in the secondary. Peters stands to benefit the most from Talib’s return, taking pressure off him to be the No. 1 cornerback and cover the top receiver on the opposing team. Peters has had an up-and-down season in 2018 with most of the downs coming since Week 3 when Talib went down.

If Peters can get back to the way he was playing in the first two games, the Rams will be in great shape moving forward. Both he and Talib were nearly impossible to pass against, providing lockdown coverage on the outside. Even if Peters doesn’t get to that level of play, he simply has to be better than he was in recent weeks.

LB Mark Barron
Barron took a while to get on the field this year after recovering from an Achilles injury suffered last season, but he still doesn’t look like the same player he once was. He’s PFF’s 75th-ranked linebacker with a grade of 44.8, missing tackles on a weekly basis. He also hasn’t provided much in the way of coverage, either, which should be his forte as a former safety.

The Rams won’t bench Barron or go back to Ramik Wilson, who actually played relatively well as a starter earlier this season. They’ll ride it out with the veteran linebacker and hope he turns it around in the final five weeks. It may not be the best approach, but the Rams don’t exactly have many better options.

NT Ndamukong Suh
It’s not that Suh has been bad this season, but in the past six weeks, he just hasn’t had a huge impact. Yes, he was great against the Seahawks with nine tackles, three quarterback hits and a half-sack, but excluding that game, he has nine tackles, two quarterback hits, no sacks and no tackles for loss in his last six starts.

Suh hasn’t recorded a tackle for loss since Week 5, which is also the last time he’s had a full sack. The Rams’ defense has been gashed on the ground and while you can’t pin that on one player, Suh is supposed to be that anchor in the middle making stops at or behind the line of scrimmage. He simply hasn’t done that enough in the past six games. He’s PFF’s 27th-ranks interior defender this season.

WR Josh Reynolds
Reynolds played 98 percent of the snaps against Kansas City in Week 11 and had a terrific game, but it was a small sample size. While the Rams don’t need him to be Cooper Kupp or post 80 yards per game, he does have to be a reliable target for Jared Goff. He can’t drop passes or make mental errors that young players sometimes do.

Goff has shown plenty of confidence in the second-year receiver, targeting him eight times in the Rams’ biggest game of the season. Having Reynolds as a red zone weapon and a guy who can prevent teams from doubling Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods is valuable, which is why he needs to continue playing at a high, starting-caliber level.

S Lamarcus Joyner
Joyner isn’t having a terrible season, but he’s far from the player he was last year. As PFF’s 32nd-ranked safety in 2018, Joyner has been weak in run support and had his lapses in coverage. He’s taken poor angles on ball carries and allowed big gains by missing tackles, but hopefully last week’s win over the Chiefs is a sign of things to come.

He had seven tackles, two passes defensed and a game-sealing interception, showing flashes of how he played last season. The play of L.A.’s secondary as a whole has been shaky, but having that dynamic centerfielder in the middle makes a huge difference. That’s what Joyner has to be for the Rams down the stretch, taking away those big plays downfield.

Not gonna rehash the entire game, but a few things DID stand out to me.

Goff is unflappable. Truly as if ice water runs through his veins. Sure, it’s been written many times before, heck, that’s why I was particularity focusing on it. Maybe we should consider a nickname for him such as “Ice”? No one knows yet just how high Goff’s ceiling may be.

Ebu had an even better game than I thought at the time, and that’s saying something. Made many non-highlight plays that still had positive effect on plays made by others. I’m even slightly more cautiously optimistic about Ebu after watching this game. I think his confidence kept improving and he was just playmaking using his talents rather than thinking so much. What a huge difference.

Jury is still out on Fowler for me. Big upgrade over Longacre, but is that enough to earn an extension? He impacts on a few plays, but is washed out and loses contain on many others. He’s gotta step it up within this system to earn an extension, IMO.

Suh is a disappointment. There, I said it. The man has either lost his fastball OR has lost the necessary passion and desire. Saw too many “loafs”. Not even close to dominating anyone. I encourage all to re-watch his play if you have it recorded or watch his future play and see if you don’t agree. No way he’s earning his $14 million this year.

Not seeing Brockers making big plays, either. He’s no AD, but he’s had his moments in the past, so why not this year? Wade’s scheming? Injury? A “hold AD’s beer” mentality? Geez...

Our O is still lethal, even without Kupp. And Goff clearly trusts all of his receivers. I’m so proud of the way Higbee, Everett, and Reynolds have stepped up. Like a proud grampa , kinda. Lol.

If Wade can get a handle on our scoring D, this team is capable of beating anybody. If not, I still see us making the NFC Championship game against the Saints. Our O and ST are THAT good.

Remember just last year how the media was talking about how the Chargers dont have any fans in LA-"okay true enough,that cant be debated" I had no problem at all with them reporting THOSE facts. But what got me about their biased view on LA is they ALSO lumped in Ram fans there in the same catagory making the false statement-"They wont even support one." referring to Ram fans.That is such BS.

Okay sure thats true that in the second half of the season in their first year back in LA there were a lot of empty seats and that starting the first half of the season last year,it was the same but that was because for a while there,Kroneke looked like he was lying to the fans when he said he was committed to winning in LA.

Hard to take the guy serious when he brought along Jeff Fisher with him there.I was flabbergasted when he did that. I never in my wildest imaginations ever thought he would so such a stupid foolish thing is what it looked like at the time. I guarantee you MANY in LA thought the same thing,that they were thinking the same thing i was that he did not care about winning.

so I could not blame the people in LA for staying away from the LA coliseum in the second half of the 2016 season. who in their right mind would want to support a team where the owner does not give a crap about winning? Man my heart goes out to Raider fans having to put up with the biggest idiot owner in the world. The fans stayed away because Fisher brought such a dull product to the field and who can blame them in the least? I now understand WHY he brought Fisher along now though. Since he had been through relocation before with the Houston Oilers,he wanted a coach who could guide them through that and Fisher knew what to expects o he brought him along just for that reason alone.

Then when the season began last year,unfortunately even though they had a new coach,the bad taste of Jeff Fisher was STILL in their mouths so they still stayed away in the beginning.Now THAT i did not agree with. See Ram fans in LA will support a team if they are not winning just as long as the owner proves he is TRYING to win.That did not appear to be the case with Kroneke. There is a reason they survived in LA for 49 years before the move to st louis.Other than the early 90's,they were always in the top 5 in league attendance in their 49 year history up till 1994.

Here is proof they are not fair weather fans as well.at LEAST back in the old days that is.Now with technology these days that may not be the case anymore but back before cable was big,even the years they were bad,they always had great fan support as big as any other NFL team back in the old days.

The one year the Chargers played in LA in 1960 before wisely seeing LA would not support the chargers hense the move to san diego,despite the fact they had 8-4 record and made it as far as the AFC title game,they only averaged 11,000 fans per game. The Rams on the other hand,they had almost the same identical record but on the losing side,only winning 4 games that year.Yet despite that,THEY averaged 72,000 per game that year.

This link here is asking are the Rams finally LA's team?

https://sports.yahoo.com/rams-las-team-210633482.html


uh they have ALWAYS been LA's team and everybody in LA reading this thread should call out all those liars in the media and confront them face to face on ESPN they are clueless in their babble that LA does not even support one team when the history proves they have ALWAYS supported them even in the down times again the 90's being the exception and that was because as we all know,they hated the owner,not because of the poor play on the field.

shut up LAMESTREAM media,LA DOES support ONE NFL football team and always has.the Rams.:blah: they are clueless in their babble.

I posted this on Twitter for the Coach Sean McVay Show and they only asked the second part but i was happy to hear Coach McVay say they focus mostly on what they can learn from the official’s perspective. Most of us would probably harp on OLines holding our DLine or the many uncalled PI’s against our receivers but apparently Sean gets a better result when he focuses on what his players can do better.

I suppose JB knows Sean wouldn’t want to address anything close to suggesting criticism of Wade, but I’d sure like to know how much Sean wants to control more of what the defense does. Oh well, maybe next week one of you can get through.

In any case, it was kinda cool getting to communicate with our Coach.

On this day November 26, 1989...

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Talib is back! Tell a friend!
https://www.therams.com/news/cb-aqib-talib-designated-to-return-from-ir

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https://www.jaguars.com/news/jaguar...ackett-of-his-duties-as-offensive-coordinator

Hackett, the Jaguars’ quarterbacks coach in 2015 and 2016, took over as offensive coordinator with nine games remaining in the 2016 season.

The Jaguars, after finishing sixth in total offense and first in rushing offense in 2017 – Hackett’s first full season as coordinator – rank 21st in in the total offense and 15th in rushing offense this season.

Not much on the Rams as expected. To read the article click the link below.
*************************************************************************
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...s-russell-wilson-nfl-week-12-fmia-peter-king/

By Peter King

On Defensive Football

I’m not going to get into a screed about the death of football as we know it—particularly defensive football—as we sit here after 12 weeks … even though the three marquee games of the season have seen 80 points (Saints 45, Rams 35), 83 points (Patriots 43, Chiefs 40) and 105 points (Rams 54, Chiefs 51) scored.

By the way, for those saying the huge defensive plays last Monday in Kansas City’s loss to the Rams make all this a moot point, I say: There were three defensive touchdowns scored in the game, so would you say that a game with 84 points scored and 1,001 yards produced was big on D?

A couple points about the week in football.

• Think of a rule that has been made with the defense in mind in the last few years—I mean, a major rule. There isn’t one.

But let’s look at the effect of the defenseless-player rule. Which, in principle, everyone should support because of safety factors. There was a play on the first series of Rams-Chiefs that showed how truly preposterous the defenseless-play rule has become. Jared Goff threw a short pass over the middle to Robert Woods, who appeared to catch the ball at about the 7-yard line, with Kansas City cornerback Kendall Fuller in pursuit.

Poised to tackle Woods at about the 3-yard line is safety Eric Murray. Murray pauses for a moment, lowers his head, and appears to hit Woods somewhere in the chest region—there is not a clear view of the play on TV, or on the replay—and the ball is dislodged. In the old days, maybe 10 or 15 years ago, the safety would have blown up the receiver. Today, Murray made a perfect play, hitting Woods with his shoulder in what appeared to be his chest, and not at all violently. The ball bounded away. And a flag fluttered in.

Fifteen yards, ref Clete Blakeman ruled. “Unnecessary roughness. Hit against a defenseless receiver,” he announced in the stadium.

This is not an indictment of Blakeman, or the back judge who appeared to call it, Tony Steratore. They are enforcing the rules on the books. Even in a day when the safety of players rightfully is paramount, this call simply has to be revisited after the season. What Murray did is precisely what a defensive player should do in this case. He should lower the strike zone. He shouldn’t use excessive force. He should use his head.


Kendall Fuller, left, and Robert Woods. (Getty Images)

Quite literally, the legal NFL alternative to what Murray did is to allow Woods to catch the ball, wait till he turns upfield, and then attempt to tackle him. At that point, on this play, there’s a good chance Woods would either be in the end zone by then or close to it.

I called Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner, in the radio booth Westwood One that night, and asked him about the call. He was borderline apoplectic. “It was picture-perfect football by Murray, exactly what you’re trained to do,” Warner said. “And you can’t do it. I mean it just it’s absurd to me, the way they call this whole defenseless receiver penalty.

As much as I love offense … the defenseless receiver play I can’t get behind it. It’s just hard for me to watch football and see a great defensive play and he gets 15 yards for it. How do you play pass defense now? A guy throws it across the middle to your zone, you knock the ball out however you have to knock it out, and if you do that, you’re creating a penalty on yourself.”

“There was beauty in the game the other night. Back and forth, and I love offensive football. But to me the greatest part of any team sport is the competition. It’s knowing I get to go up against the best in the world and they have every opportunity to win as I do. You just don’t feel like that’s football.”

• The league’s fine system is crazy. For that hit, Eric Murray, a third-year safety who makes $630,000 a year, was fined $26,739 by the league. His weekly game check is $37,058. So it turns out for making a conscientious hit, Murray got 72 percent of his weekly earnings taken by the league. Fines should be for egregious hits or penalties, not for borderline, run-of-the-mill calls.

It’s truly unconscionable. When the league’s Competition Committee meets to massage the rules beginning in February, something has to be done about the defenseless receiver call. I say make it interpretive, and make it reviewable. And while league fathers are at it, they should give Murray his money back.
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At some point, Christian McCaffrey is going to take his place with the best all-around backs in the game. Soon.

Todd Gurley, scrimmage yards per game entering December: 134.9.
McCaffrey, scrimmage yards per game entering December: 133.2.
-----------------
MVP Watch

3. Jared Goff, QB, L.A. Rams. Goff and Gurley could eat up support, leaving neither close to winning. And that doesn’t include the best defensive player of the season, Aaron Donald.
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I think the best game in the last five weeks of the season, for many reasons artistic and strategic, is Rams-Bears at Soldier Field in 13 days. Can’t wait for that one.

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/monday...itans-vs-houston-texans-prediction-picks-2018

Monday Night Football: Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans

The Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans seem to be heading in opposite directions as the 2018 season progresses. After starting 0-3, Houston has gone on an impressive seven-game win streak to take hold of the AFC South.

Tennessee, on the other hand, is 2-4 over its last six games. Included in that stretch was a 38-10 beatdown from the Colts last week. In other words, it’s likely that the Titans are playing themselves out of any sort of potential playoff berth.

The showdown between these two teams on “Monday Night Football” will be a chance for both to make a statement as we get deeper into the back half of schedule.

Tennessee at Houston

Kickoff: Monday, Nov. 26 at 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Spread: Texans -6

Three Things to Watch

1. Can the Titans bounce back after last week?

There’s no denying that the 2018 season hasn’t been good to the Titans. With that said, things may have hit a breaking point after the 38-point loss to the Colts last week. From start to finish, Tennessee was dominated in almost every facet — leaving fans wondering if there’s any hope left for the rest of the season.

In other words, Tennessee has officially hit the point where every game may be a must-win.

The problem with that is Houston’s motivation in this game. The Texans already dropped one to the Titans back in Week 2 when they traveled to Nashville lost 20-17. On top of that, the Texans will be playing this divisional game at home, where their only loss was back in Week 3.

This game isn’t setting up well for the Titans on paper.

2. Will Marcus Mariota be at 100 percent?

If there was any good news for Tennessee, it’s that the offense will more than likely be led by Mariota. After the former No. 2 overall pick suffered a stringer in last week’s game, his availability was in question for most of the week.

Overall, it’s been an up-and-down season for the Oregon product. He’s was forced to miss that Week 2 win over the Texans due to an elbow injury, but it’s been his on-the-field play that has created the most inconsistency.

In nine games (eight starts), the 25-year-old has only thrown for 1,583 yards and seven touchdowns while tossing six interceptions. Sure, he’s added 255 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, but the fumbling problem continues to be an issue (six fumbles, two lost).

The Titans need Mariota to bring his A-game against a formidable Texans defense.

3. Houston’s defense looks healthy

Houston has fielded one of the league’s top defenses this season. The Texans have only given up 3,305 yards on the year (330.5 ypg), which placed them seventh entering Sunday’s action. They’ve only generated 28 sacks (tied for No. 14). But with guys like J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney, they still have one of the most feared pass rushes in the NFL.

It also looks like they’ll be adding two more pieces back as well. Linebacker Zach Cunningham and cornerback Aaron Colvin are both expected to play after missing time due to injury.

Cunningham, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound inside linebacker from Vanderbilt, has only missed the last two games. But Colvin hasn’t seen game action since late September, so it’ll be a major boost to the secondary having him back in the lineup.

Final Analysis

It’s hard to imagine a scenario where Tennessee goes into NRG Stadium and comes away with a win. The offense has been one of the worst in the NFL (ranked 30th, 295.4 ypg) and will be going up against one of the top defenses in the league.

That’s not to say that there aren’t some talented pieces on the Titans’ roster. The defense is littered with potential impact players, but that impact may not be fully felt until next year.

The Texans have steadily improved on the offensive side of the football as the season has gone on. That especially holds true for Deshaun Watson, who’s thrown eight touchdowns and only two interceptions over the last three weeks.

With the matchup on Monday night, that improvement from Houston should continue to be on display as the Texans post their eighth consecutive victory and increase their lead in the AFC South.

Prediction: Texans 28, Titans 17

The Rams, Saints and Bears are making the playoffs.

That leaves 3 spots up for grabs for 5 remaining teams!!

Below is listed your final 5 NFC Teams hoping to punch their playoff ticket.

WHO WILL GET IN?

Tell us based on remaining schedule below how the final 5 teams will finish and where the losses are.

My predictions are below highlighted in red.

Washington
Current Record 6-5

Remaining Schedule:
@PHI
NYG
@JAX
@TEN
PHI

My Prediction 8-8.
----------

Dallas
Current Record 6-5

Remaining Schedule:
NO
PHI
@IND
TB
@NYG

My Prediction 9-7. DALLAS Wins Division and earns the 4 seed.
----------

Seattle
Current Record 6-5

Remaining Schedule:
SF
MIN
@SF
KC
ARI

My Prediction 10-6. Seattle earns #5 seed based on head to head with Carolina.
----------

Carolina
Current Record 6-5

Remaining Schedule:
@TB
@CLE
NO
ATL
@NO

My Prediction 10-6. Carolina earns the 6 seed.
----------

Minnesota
Current Record 6-4-1

Remaining Schedule:
@NE
@SEA
MIA
@DET
CHI

My Prediction 8-7-1
----------

Summary: Based on remaining schedule I have the following matchups slated for wildcard weekend.

#4 Dallas host #6 Carolina
#3 Bears host #5 Seattle


What say you????????????

The Rams have been 21-6 since the beginning of 2017 (best record in that span) and have never been on Sunday Night Football. I keep seeing teams like the Saints, Bears, Cowboys, Packers and Vikings every week. I know they finally flexed the Bears game and we have the Eagles the week after that as well, but what took them so long to schedule the Rams. I think maybe the schedule makers thought the Rams might have been a one year fluke last year and thought they would regress this year. I dont know.

For most of the skill players, anyway.

Think of last year when we coasted in the last game of the season because the Rams had no shot at a first week bye and the NFC West had already been locked up and won by them. It was this game of rest that allowed for Jimmy G. hysteria in the off season.

This year, we have a better than average chance at the first round bye AND home field throughout the playoffs, but the Saints are nipping at our collective heals, and that's why the Rams will ball out until the bitter end. Last year, Jared Goff should have thrown for more than 4000 yards, easily. Todd Gurley was beaten for the rushing title because he sat and rested the last game. Woods, and Cooks will both be well over a thousand yard receivers and Cooks is very close to it now. I think that Frisco game last year in Week 17 was a mistake. There was a flow of dominance that was disrupted after such an important performance by Todd Gurley vs the Titans to clinch the division the week before. Letting our hated rivals beat us because we held our starters from action in a real game was hateful to me and many others. The argument is to say that it was risking injury to play to win the game. Maybe...But it seemed to take the starch out of the Rams vs the Falcons the following week in the Wild Card round.

In any case, players will play the whole season, and hopefully Aaron freakin Donald will get 20+ sacks as an Interior DLineman!

He also tied the record for most consecutive completions but I think set a record for most consecutive in a single game.

The Giants have to regret that trade year after year.

Good afternoon Rams brothers, I am lost without a Rams game today...soooooo, I was hoping one of you more technically proficient members could find and post a picture for me. While watching the Rams Chiefs game I noticed something that made me chuckle. The tight end of the Chiefs, Travis Kelce, has a pair of playing cleats that look like they were stolen from Ronald McDonalds closet. Can any of you guys post a picture of the cleats he was wearing during the Rams game?

What a difference a year can make.

They mounted a comeback to beat a very bad Giants team.

Giants 3-8 (two of the 5 wins)
Falcons 4-7
Colts 5-5
Jags 3-8

Maybe Wentz is a trailer LOL. Right now he is a .500 QB though.

Anyway not to poke fun but he doesn't seem like he is as dangerous as he was his rookie year or last year.

Is it lingering effects from the knee injury and he isn't feeling confident yet? I don't know, I have seen bits and pieces of a few games and he just doesn't seem to be as dynamic throwing the ball. Forgetting about the run threat, he doesn't look like he can do much other than throw short and hope. He seemed to be going long a lot more before.

I posted in the early games thread that I am really glad the Rams went after Goff and not Wentz.

I don't wish the guy ill will, but I'm not a fan so to speak. I think he isn't going to get better, and I think he is going to have a rapid trajectory compared to Goff's.

Last year that O and D were good. This year they are both meh not so good.

First of all - I DON’T like the Seahawks and was definitely NOT rooting for them today (Or, Any other Day!) but since they did win I am trying to get some kind of consolation out of it! And, The ONLY consolation that I can come up with is that this loss makes the Panthers games with the Saints that more crucial so maybe that will give them a little more of an edge (Not that they really need it!) when they play the Saints (Twice!) later this season!

Well, NO real Good News with this Seahawks win but I am trying to make myself feel a little better!

Has Ebu truly turned the corner? I think it’s possible. He’s always had the measurables, heart, and football smarts. Perhaps he now has the confidence needed? We need to see some consistent good play game after game. Fingers crossed.

Is Fowler the answer at one edge? And will he be affordable for extension? Jury is still out on both questions, I think. Sure would be nice to have one less “hole” to fill next offseason, though.

Other than maybe some OL depth, are there any real “needs” on our entire O? Simply remarkable what S&M have done with O in just 2 offseasons. Pinch me.

Do we still need another TE to add to this roster? Unless one happens to be BPA at one of our picks? I’m not at all sure that I would consider one a “need”.

Can you believe that our WR corps has gone from pathetic in ‘16 to 4 deep in ‘18? Possibly our most improved unit. Another pinch me assessment.

Will Big Whit play in ‘19 if we win the SB this year? Should he? I’m optimistic about Boom, either way.

Why are both Suh and Brockers underwhelming this year? Is it scheming? Age? Injuries? WTH? I think Suh is a goner. You?

Barron looks like another goner, huh? Injuries, age, playing wrong position? Pick one. See ya!

Which Marcus Peters are we gonna see to finish this season? How can Wade match MP’s best skills with his overall scheme? I honestly don’t know how MP is gonna work out, although he’s virtually certain to be here in ‘19. One of this year’s biggest mysteries to me.

Will Talib be able to “settle down” our secondary in particular, and our entire D, in general? Kinda think so. Sure hope so.

Is GZ healthy or did he injure himself kicking off on that loose field at the Coliseum? This is a biggie.

Can Reynolds take off now that he’s gained experience and confidence? He’s sure looking like a quality starting WR to me. Not necessarily a #1 (whatever that is anymore), but a quality starter, nevertheless. Dang, we’re deep at WR now.

Don’t look now, but I think we have 2 real weapons at TE in Higbee and Everett. Each can wreck a DC’s best laid plans. Rams have an embarrassment of riches receiving Goff’s passes, even without Kupp.

Our scoring D numbers should improve over this next 5 game stretch against some weaker teams (other than the Bears). We shouldn’t be misled, unless the D becomes smothering as it was early in the season. Look for possible Wade tinkering moves during this stretch. He knows that his D isn’t “there” just yet. It’s gotta be frustrating to see all that D roster talent and still be struggling on the field. Sigh...

Will McVay have the Rams at a peak come that first playoff game? Unlike last year? I’m pretty sure he will because of lessons learned the hard way. Playoff competition is just “different”. Lol.

Has McVay been saving a wrinkle it two for this final 5 games to help secure HFA? And/or for critical moments during those playoff games? Frankly, I would be surprised if he hasn’t. No, I would be STUNNED if he hasn’t.

So, what will be our biggest offseason need, assuming Suh, Barron, and Joyner are gone? Depends a lot on how Ebu and Fowler work out, of course, but I’m thinking CB? Could easily be DT or LB, depending on BPA. Heck, maybe even S? Gonna be an active Ram FA and a helluva D oriented draft, IMO. I predict 3-5 new starters on D in ‘19, depending on how Ebu/Fowler work out.

Okay, y’all...

So what did I miss?

he was arrested Saturday for suspected Donestic Battery. The 9ers are releasing him. His talent is off the charts. (Don’t know how to do the link thing)

Do we have the veteran leadership to guide this young man? I would love that ability on defense!

Probably a no for me, but I could be talked into it. Lol

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/sunday...rs-vs-minnesota-vikings-prediction-picks-2018

Sunday Night Football: Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings

The Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings started the 2018 NFL season as Super Bowl contenders. The Pack were expected to easily bounce back after losing Aaron Rodgers to a broken collarbone most of the 2017 campaign. While they struggled, the Vikings came within one win of being a Super Bowl home team, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. This was the duo most thought would fight for the NFC North crown.

Now? They’re simply fighting for their postseason lives.

The Chicago Bears have stolen the division, racing to an 8-3 record on the heels of quality defense. The Packers and Vikings, meanwhile, have gone a combined 7-9 since their 29-29 tie the second week of the season. Neither one has found their footing in a conference where the Rams and Saints have stolen their thunder as trendy Super Bowl picks.

Instead, the battle between these two teams this week, highlighted on "Sunday Night Football" may be for the final NFC Wild Card spot. The Vikings currently have it, sitting at 5-4-1 but have one of the league’s most difficult schedules down the stretch. Games against the Patriots and Seahawks remain (both on the road) along with one more against the Bears.

The Packers, meanwhile, sit at 4-5-1 but their schedule gives them an opening. Games against the Cardinals, Falcons, Jets and Lions could leave them at no worse than 9-6-1 if they’re able to beat the Vikings on the road. Can Rodgers pull off some magic despite working with a depleted receiving corps?

Green Bay at Minnesota

Kickoff: Sunday, Nov. 25 at 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Spread: Vikings -3.5

Three Things to Watch

1. Can the Vikings jump-start their run game?

The Vikings’ biggest problem this season continues to be their rushing attack. They’re averaging just 84.7 rushing yards per game, ranked 31st in the NFL and have yet to fully replace the departure of Jerick McKinnon to the 49ers this past offseason.

Latavius Murray, it seems, has taken a step back. After a season-high 155 rushing yards against the Cardinals in Week 6, he’s run for a total of just 161 yards the last four games. It’s no surprise that the Vikings have gone 2-2 over that stretch as too much of the load has been shouldered by quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Second-year player and second-round pick Dalvin Cook has been a disappointment; he’s been hurt much of the year and is averaging just 3.6 yards per carry. The third-leading rusher on the team? That would be Cousins (86 yards), a telling stat for an offense once built around future Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson.

The Vikings' offensive line should shoulder part of the blame here. Cousins has been sacked 26 times, tied for 10th in the NFL. But expect them to have an opportunity for redemption Sunday. Head coach Mike Zimmer was vocal after the team’s loss to the Bears last week he thinks the team needs to run the ball more. They ran just 14 rushing plays in that game, their lowest total since September in a game where Cousins made 46 pass attempts. They need that to even out going forward.

2. Kirk Cousins vs. Aaron Rodgers, Part II

The Packers know a thing or two about failing to stick with the run. But while the team fails to use Aaron Jones consistently Rodgers is on track for another Pro Bowl season. He’s thrown 19 touchdowns already to just one interception. His 3,073 passing yards ranks fifth in the NFL.

But Rodgers has also been streaky, hamstrung due to some hamstrings. That’s kept Randall Cobb out for five of the last seven games; another of Rodgers’ favorite targets, Geronimo Allison, is on injured reserve with a groin injury. Their absence has left the load to talented young receivers like Marquez Valdes-Scantling or Equanimeous St. Brown; but they play more like deep threats than possession receivers. Guys like Jimmy Graham (two catches the last two weeks, fractured thumb) have to step up for Rodgers to have the right options when it matters.

Cousins, meanwhile has more weapons, including the emergence of Adam Thielen into one of the game’s top five receivers. Thielen’s 131 yards against the Packers were his second-best effort of the season; his 85 receptions overall lead the NFL. Add in another 71 grabs by Stefon Diggs and the Vikings own two of the top six pass catchers in the league.

The problem is Cousins has a habit of stumbling over his own two feet. He’s thrown four interceptions the last three weeks, including two against the Bears’ top-tier defense. Only Russell Wilson has more fumbles this year than Cousins’ eight, leaving him constantly battling to overcome his own mistakes. It’s one thing to throw for 300 yards; it’s another to do it after giving your opponent a pick-six along the way. The Packers' defense has hardly been intimidating, producing just 12 takeaways (tied for 20th in the league). But they picked off Cousins last time and another mistake Sunday night could be the game-changer.

3. Whose kicker will blink first?

The Vikings lost an opportunity to win in Week 2 when Daniel Carlson missed two field goals against the Packers. That included a 35-yarder as overtime ran out to push both teams into an awkward tie.

Carlson’s no longer with the team; he was replaced by former Cowboys veteran Dan Bailey, a solid pickup who’s gone a respectable 14-for-17 since. But the Vikings have also not been in a clutch field goal situation with Bailey, so in that sense he’s still somewhat unproven.

The Packers’ Mason Crosby, meanwhile tied a career high with five field goals in their Week 2 matchup but also missed a 52-yarder that would have won it. That was a precursor of stumbles to come as the 12-year veteran has had his worst year in the league since 2012. Making just 77 percent of his kicks, Crosby was a memorable 1-for-5 against the Lions last month with a series of flubs that easily cost them that game. It’s the difference between the Packers being over and under .500 on the season.

To his credit, the team stuck by Crosby and he’s missed just one kick over the last five games. But perfection is a must this time around in a U.S. Bank Stadium where he likely won’t be haunted by poor weather conditions.

Final Analysis

It’s a game both teams have to have. On paper, the Vikings appear to be the more talented squad. Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is openly on the hot seat and their middling defense (16th in points allowed) has been catching up with them. They’ve allowed 27 points or more in five of the last six games.

But there’s an x-factor here. Kirk Cousins, despite being known as an elite quarterback is just 4-12 in primetime games. He’s got a habit of throwing that interception at the worst possible time or missing the one play that could have made the difference against top-tier opponents. The Packers’ rejuvenated run game on the other side opens the field for Aaron Rodgers which means the offense could keep the game close. And if it’s a make-or-break drive down the stretch? Cousins needs to prove he’s through with late-game mistakes on a national stage.

I'm not sure we're there yet.

Prediction: Packers 31, Vikings 27