https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2018/...y-can-be-one-of-the-greatest-coaches-ever-tmz

Just in case you didn’t think so yourself, the legend Dick Vermeil shares his opinion!


Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
Anytime an NFL legend shares his opinion, we should be all ears.

This time is no different.

The Los Angeles Rams have had a rich tradition of great teams and coaches, none might top former Head Coach Dick Vermeil who won a Superbowl with the team in 1999 after a long hiatus or “retirement” so-to-speak.

Vermeil shared his opinion on current Head Coach Sean McVay and it was nothing but gushing over his potential greatness:

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Vermeil claims that McVay can be one of the greatest coaches this profession has ever seen, and who’s to argue? What McVay has done in his short 1.5-year career in Los Angeles has been downright legendary. Vermeil believes that his early exposure to football through his grandfather — John McVay — has to do with some of his success. That could very well be true as McVay was born into a life of football, it’s consumed him in his entirety. McVay is not only an offensive genius and innovator, he possesses an uncanny ability to connect with players.

As we wind down towards the end of the 2018 regular season, Sean McVay has a chance to cement his status as at least one of the greatest coaches in Rams history, and probably one of the best starts as a Head Coach across league history.

This week and next week too!
Michigan football collapses, loses to Ohio State again - 62-39

Too The Victor, Belongs The Spoils!

Okay... not sure where this thread could go... but here’s mine;

Back in the early 90’s my wife and I were driving home from her parents. It was a dark and light foggy night. We were driving a rural highway and crossed another rural highway, but it was not a stop for our highway to cross... it WAS a stop for the other to cross.

Once we crossed the intersection another car zoomed right behind ours from the crossing highway... If we were 1/2 second later, we would have been T-boned at a high rate of speed.

They missed and never slowed down for the stop sign. Probably because of the fog, for the same reason I didn’t see them coming.

My wife would have been toast no doubt as the car would have hit her side. I probably wouldn’t have made it either to be honest. The crossing vehicle had to be going about 50mph.

I’ll never forget that. Freaked me out. It was THAT close.

Might as well kick this off a few days early.


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https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2018/11/22/detroit-lions-la-rams-ch/2089183002/

Detroit Lions' Ricky Jean Francois: We should be excited to play Rams
Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free Press

Most people probably wouldn’t want to play the team that just scored 54 points. But Ricky Jean Francois isn’t most people.

Minutes after the Detroit Lions lost to the Chicago Bears, 23-16, and pretty much snuffed out their playoff hopes, the veteran defensive tackle was ready for the next challenge.

That’s the Los Angeles Rams, an offensive juggernaut that beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 54-51, on Monday night. The Rams have many offensive weapons and rank third in NFL scoring with a 35.4-point average. They also have one of the NFL’s best defensive players in Aaron Donald.

The Lions' defense played well Thursday, holding Chase Daniel and the Bears to 264 offensive yards and 16 points on offense. But the Bears aren't the Rams, who are 10-1 and are on a bye this week.

“I understand we didn’t get the W,” Jean Francois said. “But you’ve got to remember, you’ve got to be excited to be happy to see this Thanksgiving, plus you’ve got to be excited next week to play the L.A. Rams, which is probably the most high-powered offense in the NFL.

“And they’re coming to our house. So if you’re walking around that building with your head down, I don’t know why. You’re playing one of the most exciting offenses that’s going to come in here.”

Jean Francois spoke with an almost giddy excitement about the Rams, maybe something like what a shark hunter might sound like before he takes on a great white.

“You should always want a challenge,” he said. “That challenge should make you excited. That challenge should send chills down your spine when you’re playing a guy like Todd Gurley, playing this quarterback, name how many multiple weapons they have on the defense.

“I know our offense has to be excited to play against Aaron Donald, play against Ndamukong Suh, a guy that used to be here, (Michael) Brockers.”
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Pot is legal in Michigan and everyone is mellow caught up in their dreams.
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The Lions will keep the Rams to under a point a minute.
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Possibly a shut out against the rams?
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Yeah. I can see the Lions not scoring a single point after Suh and Donald murder Stafford!
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https://www.freep.com/story/sports/...detroit-lions-beat-bears-and-rams/2072130002/

Why I'm picking Detroit Lions to beat Chicago Bears — and L.A. Rams
Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free Press

They’ll surely beat the mighty Los Angeles Rams. Yes, the offensive juggernaut that just scored 54 points. The Lions will beat them. Book it.

Why? Because this team makes no sense. It is beyond reason.

Yep, the Rams know how to score. But their defense isn’t close to elite. After a defensive line that features Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh, the Rams aren’t great on defense. They rank 24th in scoring, allowing 25.6 points per game and overall they rank 21st — two spots worse than the Lions’ defense. A fumble here, a pick there and the Lions have a chance to win this game at home.
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Make this reporter take a drug test.
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I think the koolaid you guys are drinking is laced with something.
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So The Lions will score 147 points against The Rams?
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wow - didn't take Carlos to long get a hold of recreational Marijuana. didn't think it was in effect for a few more days, but appears he ate an entire gummy haha
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Carlos started drinking a few days before the holiday.
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If Donald lines up over Wagner on passing downs ,Stafford will not finish the game.
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https://247sports.com/nfl/detroit-l...up-this-offense-against-the-Ramsor-125166413/

Will the Lions open up this offense against the Rams?...or

The Rams are going to beat the s*** out of Detroit just like other teams
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This would normally be a game where you mortgage your house, call your bookie or head to Vegas and put everything on the over.

The Rams will do their part and shred our defense. But even on a porous secondary like the Rams', the Lions won't score. They can't score on anybody. They couldn't score when they had Tate-Jones-Golladay-Kerryon.

Look for more of Stafford going fetal a second before the D-line gets to him.
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Rams will quickly go up 14-0 and it will be turtle mode.
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We will try to run the dink and dunk offense to eat time off, keeping the Rams off the field as much as possible. But the Rams will score on every drive, so by the second half, it will have made no sense
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I predict the O-line will open up, Donald and Suh will have a field day.
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The Lions defense will probably open up for the Rams, probably not the offense though.
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I wouldn't be surprised to see Suh take a liberty with Stafford. Stafford has not played against Suh.
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Right here is the guy that stands between Suh and Stafford:



Stafford will be lucky to see week 14.
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I don't think it'd be wise for detroit to move away from the short passing game next week. Ndamukong Suh can't wait for this game. Suh might kill stafford if cooter tries to open things up down field. Takes too long for those plays to develop.

Stafford needs help. Jones and johnson being out is a major handicap. Hopefully, at least one of them will be back sooner than later.
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With the Rams defense looking like it is, I'd run out 03 personnel most downs with all tight ends blocking and toss it deep to Golladay covered by Peters.
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https://247sports.com/nfl/detroit-l...e-didnt-pick-that-Aaron-Donald-guy-125010385/

So glad we didn’t pick that Aaron Donald guy!

Not sure we’re he would have fit in our D!
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All the other teams that passed on him probably wish that too. But drafts are drafts...you win some you lose some.
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The Rams were terrible with Donald from 14-16.

Unless we were going to hire Wade Phillips, I don’t think the D was going to be much more than it is today.
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Obviously guys like Aaron Donald, Mack, JJ Watt were only good because they had a great secondary, top notch coordinators and hall of fame linebackers to compliment them.

How did I do, Stafford apologists??

Oh, you mean some players actually can make plays themselves and not need a supporting cast of all pros to become more than average?
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There were continuous rumors that Suh wanted out of Detroit and into a larger media market. Remember those consultations he had with Warren Buffett?

Some of us were pounding the table for Donald because we saw the foregoing. If the Lions had drafted Donald, then maybe Suh doesn’t have them over a barrel in negotiations. At a minimum, it would have created a different dynamic.
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I saw exactly 0 topics mentioning Donald the week before the playoffs in 2014 when the DL was dominating the run game....and Aaron Donald was sitting at home on his couch, eating cheetoes.
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Where does Donald go in a redraft? Like.....before Greg freaking Robinson for sure.
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Folks may have liked Donald. But there wasn’t the “yep! Everybody knew!” thing. In fact, as I have said....to believe we’d of dominated in 15-16-17 because we had Donald ignores how much the team sucked even with Suh in 10-13.

The only other argument is: we should have taken a DT because I value it. In truth, the team stopped valuing pressure DTs the day Schwartz left town.

There’s a reason why Austin was canned in Cincy despite a pro bowler like Atkins. It’s never been his ideal scheme. Whether or not folks want to believe it....there are so many reasons we passed on Donald it’s really not much more than sour grapes thinking this defense was a AD away from dominating.

Like it or not....even had we selected him, he’s not the same guy here. Not in the scheme Austin ran. Not in Patricia’s either. I’ll say again: unless we hired Wade Phillips, the gnashing of teeth over Donald is sorta useless. The day we moved on from Schwartz was the day extensive pressure from the DTs took a backseat. It’s not a coincidence the staff that passed on Donald was the staff AFTER Schwartz.

There was a lot that went into the pass that IS absolutely hindsight.

I’ll probably take some heat for this but here goes. Granted our defense hasn’t played up to our expectations based on the acquisitions we made in the off season but I look at defensive play a little differently. There are “stats” and then there is “how does your defense play during big moments in a game”.

Everyone always touts Rex Ryan’s and Greg Williams defenses, however do you ever notice over the years that when their defenses need to make a key stop during the game the other team just marches down the field and scores?

One thing I will say about our defense this year is yes- they have given up a lot of yardage and some big plays, however, everytime we need a big stop or a turnover they have come up big time.

With all the scoring in the Saint game when we needed them to make key stops they did and gave the offense a chance to take the lead with a drive at the end of the game.

Same in the KC game. Everytime KC had a chance to go up by 2 scores the D came up with a huge turnover and then made 2 critical stops to end the game.

So although we would all like to see more “shutdown “ performances, this D shows up when it has too and they have done it against some of the top QBs in the league. I’ll take that any day. Just my 2 cents.

I'm talking about in the background, as well as in featured games. In 2016, Rams players were interviewed, and there was commentary about the bust, Jared Goff and how Gurley was a flash in the pan. When would Fisher be fired, if ever? Remember, he signed a new deal not too long before he was fired and hence the talk of a Rams HC who might never be fired. Did Kroenke even care about winning?

Yeah, most of that sounds pretty stupid now.

IF we had any prime time games, we were normally flexed out because no one outside of Rams fans wanted to see them. But then it all started to change in 2017 with a new Coach and a Jared Goff operating at a high level. Now, we see the Rams everywhere. Whenever a show begins on NFL Network where they show clips of great plays, there is almost always a clip of Todd Gurley. To a lesser extent Jared Goff and Aaron Donald are sometimes featured. Todd and Jared are in the MVP conversation. An injured Rams CB is featured for the Sunday morning shows (Talib). It just seems that we are joining the handful of teams who represent the best of what the NFL has to offer, and just imagine what it would be like if the Rams win the Super Bowl?

https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2018/11/21/nfl-rams-chiefs-snap-counts-week-11/

It took a complete team effort for the Los Angeles Rams to beat the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night, barely edging out the AFC’s best team 54-51. It wasn’t the cleanest game and the defense struggled to stop the Chiefs’ top playmakers, but the offense and defense did just enough to get the win.

There were a handful of overlooked players who stepped up in a big way, too – guys like Josh Reynolds, Gerald Everett and Samson Ebukam. They played more snaps than usual and it paid off for Sean McVay.



Here’s a look at the snap counts from Week 11, which saw Reynolds turn into a starter, Sam Shields play every snap and Nickell Robey-Coleman get sent to the bench.

Offense

• If you simply replace Cooper Kupp’s name with Reynolds’, the Rams’ snap counts look almost the same as usual. Reynolds played 98 percent of the offensive snaps, which only trailed Robert Woods by one. Brandin Cooks exited with cramping and missed 10 snaps before returning. KhaDarel Hodge made one catch on nine snaps.
• Todd Gurley only played 85 percent, which is a low number for him. We learned on Tuesday that he suffered a minor ankle injury on the Rams’ first drive, which McVay says limited him. Malcolm Brown spelled him on 14 plays.
• Everett and Tyler Higbee both played meaningful snaps at 29 percent and 74 percent, respectively. They combined for nine catches, 112 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner.

Defense

• Wade Phillips and McVay clearly saw Shields as being a good matchup for Tyreek Hill, putting him on the speedy receiver early and often. That didn’t work out in their favor, but Shields didn’t miss a single snap. Marcus Peters played all but one and Troy Hill was out there for 83 percent.
• The real mystery comes with Robey-Coleman. He played just 13 snaps, the third time in the last five games he’s played less than 30 percent of the defensive snaps. The Rams clearly liked the matchups with Hill and Shields better, but Robey-Coleman has played well this season. this is something to watch.
• Dante Fowler Jr. has clearly become a starter and even made Matt Longacre a healthy scratch Monday. He was out there 90 percent of the time, which was the most of any edge rusher. Ebukam was extremely productive with a historic day despite playing only 42 percent of the snaps.
• Marqui Christian continues to see playing time as a matchup piece, often covering Travis Kelce in this one. He played 18 snaps on Monday night.

If these guys approach the level anywhere near where they are capable during the playoffs, Rams make the bowl:

35 defensive backs had a PFF grade of 85+ last year. The Rams now have 4 of them in Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters, Lamarcus Joyner and John Johnson. Once free agency begins and the trades are official, they'll be the only team with 4.

Twenty-seven games into his coaching career, Sean McVay has been labeled a coaching genius. As true Ram fanatics, it drives us crazy when he does things like he did Monday night, passing in the final moments when we all thought he should be running the ball and the clock. After listening to him explain his reasoning (the Chiefs has 11 in the box), his logic seems to make perfect sense, proving, once again, that he knows more about football than I do. True, he's just a young coach still learning from his mistakes but, as Ram fans, we have to take a step back and remember that he's just in his second year as a head coach. What he has had to deal with in the last two weeks with the shooting, the fires, and the move from LA to Colorado Springs and back is truly amazing. The fact that his team put on one of the most exciting games in history cements his place, in my mind, as a truly great coach. Think about this...we are 10-1 and looking for things to complain about. Things could be worse. But how does McVay's first 27 games compare to other great men who coached this game or are still coaching?

I've put together a list (see attachment) of how legendary coaches fared in their first 27 games. Only the venerable George Halas put together a more impressive won-loss percentage, rolling up wins against the feared Moline Universal Tractors, the Kewanee Walworths, and the Minneapolis Marines among others while was coaching the Decatur Staleys way back in 1920. In regards to his contemporaries, McVay's 78% winning percentage is only approached by that of Mike McCarthy who won at a 67% clip during his first 27 games. My point is we Ram fans have much to be thankful for this season. Whether we win it all or not, this regime is just in its infancy. Hopefully, there will be many more seasons of success to come.

FYI: My source for this information was https://www.pro-football-reference.com. They have boxscores and even more on every game (almost) ever played. If you're a true fan, you'll get lost in it reliving legendary games;-)

https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2018/11/22/nfl-los-angeles-rams-schedule-record-2018/

Rams have easiest remaining schedule in the NFL
By: Cameron DaSilva



After the Los Angeles Rams ripped off seven straight wins to start the season, they entered a difficult stretch of games against playoff contenders. From Week 8-11, they faced the Packers, Saints, Seahawks and Chiefs, all of which boasted elite-level quarterbacks.

Going 3-1 in that span of four games would have been satisfying and realistic, and that’s exactly what the Rams did. They only fell to the Saints in Week 9 before beating the Seahawks and Chiefs on Monday night, getting through that four-game gauntlet nearly unscathed.

Now, things get easier for the Rams – much, much easier.

As of now, they’ll face just one team that’s above .500 right now: the Chicago Bears in Week 14. Their other opponents are the 4-6 Lions, 4-6 Eagles, 2-8 Cardinals and 2-8 49ers. The Bears are legitimate playoff contenders, but even with their 7-3 record mixed in, the Rams have the easiest remaining schedule in the league.

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It’s not just based on their opponents’ combined record, either. It’s also the easiest remaining schedule based on DVOA, which is a staple of Football Outsiders.

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The Rams’ schedule hasn’t been a cakewalk by any means. They’ve faced the sixth-toughest slate of games to date, which includes wins over the Chargers, Vikings, Seahawks, Packers and Chiefs.

Given the ease of their remaining five games, the Rams have a legitimate chance to go 15-1.

The kicking game. The Rams probably have the best punter and kicker combination in the entire NFL. People tend to take the Kicking game for granted and they only think about when they don't have a good one. Zuerlein and Hekker are worth 3 or 4 wins a season.

During this Christmas Season, please remember those that are less fortunate than you, and make a donation to a charity. Whether it be a homeless shelter, Salvation Army, Toy for Tots, The Red Cross or your local animal shelter. You don't have to make a monetary donation, your time is just as valuable.

Happy Holidays to all

I do NOT like the Saints but they are a very good team (Drew Brees IS unreal!) and while I do think the Rams can beat them it will not be easy! And, I think the Saints remaining schedule is much tougher than the Rams and if they end up with the same or better record than the Rams they definitely deserve the Home Field Advantage (Really hope that does NOT happen!)! I just hope the Rams can stay healthy!

How high are your expectations for this team down the road? How much would you like to see this team win a SB?

I will try to keep up on these. It may not be daily and I will also probably be posting some trivia from the NFL as a whole. Good luck and have fun.

Note: These questions will change almost daily. I will unsticky them as soon as I post the answer.

OK so here is the deal. Years ago I found an LA Rams Trivia Game in a Goodwill. I pretty much bought it as a piece of memorabilia. Now with the Rams moving back, I thought it might make for a fun game for some of us old timers. Odd thing is that about 70% of the questions have nothing to do with the Rams.

So here is what I will do. I will post the questions that are Rams related and let you guys answer. I will then post the answers the next day. These are not easy questions as far as I can tell but maybe the memory function of my brain has been compromised.
.View attachment 11961
There is only basically one rule. No search engines or internet sites to look up answers that you will post later. I realize some will still look up the answers. I know I would if I didn't have the cards. But I want to see how many out there actually know the answers. So if you do feel like looking them up on the internet, feel free.

And if you know the answer, don't post it. Comment all you want.

Now - keep in mind. I said the internet is off limits. But if you have books, magazines, football cards, etc... feel free to use them. That may seem hypocritical but it's about time some of us got some use out of all that stuff we've bought over the years.

Cheers.

Surprised this isn't posted already. Have a great day everyone!

https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-2018-pff-play-caller-ranking

2018 NFL playcaller ranking
BY ERIC EAGER AND GEORGE CHAHROURI



Football is a complex and interconnected game. Offense is more predictive than defense, and the quarterback influences the success of an offense substantially. Be that as it may, nothing in football is purely correlated with anything else.

Quarterbacks are enhanced by their supporting casts, and running backs in the running game are almost entirely determined by them. Coverage improves the productivity of the pass-rush, and vise versa.

Even if one could account for all of the interconnectedness inherent between the players on a football field, there’s still some possibly reducible uncertainty remaining, which is that of the ability to coach on the sideline. With analytics having its day in today’s NFL, individual coaching decisions are being scrutinized on a weekly basis – and for good reason.

The NFL season is 16 games long, and one poor, high-leverage decision can be the difference between making the playoffs and not, getting a first-round bye and having to play in the wild-card round of the playoffs, or “earning” the number one pick in the draft or having to trade draft capital to acquire it in April.

To that end, we at PFF have developed a metric for offensive and defensive playcallers that accounts for consistent play-by-play variations in the value a team generates, versus what you would expect from them given their team’s PFF grades. Value is measured by expected points added (EPA), while a team’s offensive and defensive strength is gauged using PFF’s version of the popular Massey ratings.

We used cluster analysis to keep plays for which there was significant in-game leverage and to throw out plays where there was little variation in coaching quality. Below are some play callers that have stuck out using this metric during the 2018 season, with some commentary on each.

ANDY REID, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Long lauded for his ability as a playcaller, Reid has really shined over the last two seasons in Kansas City. Despite a quarterback with deep limitations in Alex Smith, the Chiefs finished sixth in the NFL in points scored in 2017 and have simply exploded this season, with second-year signal caller Patrick Mahomes generating the second-most points per game through the league’s first 11 weeks.

Injuries to key players like Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Mitch Morse and Sammy Watkins have not slowed this team a bit, in large part due to Reid’s ability to limit the high-variance Mahomes to a turnover-worthy play rate of just 2.5% of his dropbacks.

SEAN MCVAY, LOS ANGELES RAMS
The other half of the coaching duo that orchestrated the league’s best game of the season, McVay has to be on any list that includes coaches moving the needle league-wide. In addition to taking Jared Goff from a cluster 6 quarterback as a rookie to a cluster 2 quarterback today, he’s made running the football so easy for Toddy Gurley (1.9 yards per carry before contact) that there are legitimate members of the media that are considering voting for a running back for league MVP.

The Rams are one of only three teams in the NFL with positive expected points added in both the early-down passing game and running game, and appear to be an engine to reckon with for the foreseeable future.

FRANK REICH, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
As our friend Peter King discussed in his weekly column, the Colts are a new team; utilizing their most-important assets in advantageous ways en route to a possible playoff berth. After a slow start, the Colts have been successful on over 51% of early-down pass plays this year, while Andrew Luck’s passes have netted 0.12 EPA.

It’s always difficult to untangle credit – how much of Philadelphia’s success can be attributed to Reich, Pederson, DeFilippo, etc.? It’s looking more and more like Reich was a big part of what happened in Philly, and the Colts lucked into a gem here.

Asshole Face, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
An oldie but a goodie here, as Payton is once again (along with Drew Brees) orchestrating arguably the league’s best offense in a league where offense has never been better. While Brees is the highest-graded quarterback in the NFL, and there’s an argument to be made that Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas are the league’s best players at their positions, the Saints have dealt with injuries at other spots offensively, and have only accelerated their early-season pace.

Each Drew Brees air yard is being converted into 1.27 actual passing yards, which is easily the best rate in the NFL, a testament to a coach being able to make a collection of brilliant players into more than the sum of their parts and create a Super Bowl favorite with just six weeks left to play in the regular season.

RANDY FICHTNER, PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Another guy in his first year in a new role, Fichtner has been able to oversee substantial efficiency by the Pittsburgh offense, despite the fact that dual-threat running back Le’Veon Bell has played zero snaps this season, and far more importantly, the fact that Ben Roethlisberger has been a cluster 5 quarterback through the season’s first 11 weeks.

The Steelers are fourth in the AFC in early-down efficiency throwing the football and only Drew Brees has faced less pressure than Big Ben (24.3%) through 11 weeks. As the offensive coordinator of one of five teams with more than a 10% chance to win the Super Bowl, Fichtner needs to be a bigger name moving forward.

DOUG PEDERSON, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
While the results of the 2018 season thus far have not been as stellar for the most successful member of the Andy Reid tree, Pederson is still offering substantial value as he builds his Eagles offense for the future. Carson Wentz is making a negatively-graded throw on fewer than 10% of his dropbacks, while they are making the correct run/pass decision on two-thirds of their second-down decisions so far this year in close games.

Injuries to their offensive line, some fourth-down variance and having to come from behind due to a banged-up defense has obscured what continues to be one of the more well-run offenses in the NFL.

MATT NAGY, CHICAGO BEARS
Another Andy Reid disciple makes his way onto this list. No quarterback has had a bigger disparity between process (PFF passing grade) and result (EPA generated on dropbacks) than Mitchell Trubisky, a dynamic that can no doubt be attributed to the upgrade in quality that Nagy has represented so far in the Windy City.

This was also true about Alex Smith in 2017, Nagy’s only year of (partially) calling plays prior to 2018. To help Trubisky, he’s using role players like Tarik Cohen (third among running backs in yards per route run), far more efficiently than his predecessors, meaning that if Trubisky turns the corner in this season or the next, watch out for Chicago.

VIC FANGIO, CHICAGO BEARS
Speaking of the Bears, Vic Fangio was allowed to hold over from John Fox’s staff, due in large part to steering an underrated group during years where offensive struggles kept the Monsters of the Midway an arm’s length away from contention.

The Bears are second to the Chargers in early-down passing efficiency allowed (-0.07 EPA per play) with Fangio nurturing standout, homegrown players at each level of the defense in Eddie Goldman (81.7), Leonard Floyd (69.8), Roquan Smith (62.6), Eddie Jackson (92.4), Bryce Callahan (85.1), Kyle Fuller (84.0) and Adrian Amos (76.8), while adding the right pieces in Khalil Mack (89.6), Akeem Hicks (92.1), Danny Trevathan (71.6) and Prince Amukamara (75.3).

Defense is hard to sustain, but the Bears have the goods moving forward.

ROMEO CRENNEL, HOUSTON TEXANS
After relinquishing play-calling duties to Mike Vrabel a season ago, Crennel is a sneaky reason why the Texans have won seven-consecutive games and sit atop the AFC South with six games to play. We’ve seen a rebirth in players like Kareem Jackson (87.8 PFF grade) and Tyrann Mathieu (76.3), and a return to brilliance for J.J. Watt (90.5), which has staved off injuries to players like Aaron Colvin and Kevin Johnson.

They will always be under stress defensively behind a quarterback that can be as high-variance as Deshaun Watson (15.3% of his dropbacks have earned a negative grade), but to this point they’ve held up and are in the driver’s seat for the AFC South.

MIKE ZIMMER, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
In 2013, the year before Mike Zimmer took over the Vikings and their defense, they allowed 30 points per game. In 2017, they led the league in scoring defense, and continue to be one of the league’s best units despite losing players like Everson Griffen, Andrew Sendejo, Mike Hughes and Anthony Barr for significant time due to injuries.

Historically a group of players that have not graded up to their reputation in our system, the Vikings defense is a classic example of one with a coach that makes the whole greater than the sum of the parts, able to evolve his approach in a league where all of the advantages are given to the offense.

While their ceiling at the quarterback position might always keep the Vikings safely out of the Super Bowl conversation most years, Zimmer consistently creates elite defenses that flirt with being able to overcome said limitations.

It's Official: Rams' Return To Los Angeles Is A Rousing Success

Raise your hand if you thought the Rams would manage something in the neighborhood of 4-12 upon returning to Los Angeles in 2016. All of you? That's what I thought.


Samson Ebukams. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)


Now raise your hand if you expected anything resembling an 11-5 rebound season in 2017. Now raise a leg if truly, honestly, if your life depended on it, you expected the team to improve after seven straight losses (and 11 of 12) to finish their first season in L.A. to the playoffs the following year, behind a second-year leader named Jared Goff, who'd finished his rookie season with a total quarterback rating of 18.3?

Now raise your other leg if you expected the season you're watching now: the 10-1, 35-points-per-game Super-Bowl-contending-powerhouse third-year-return-home Los Angeles Rams. A lot of fans, having lifted both legs, rolling on the floor with big smiles, I see.

I don't know about you, but truth be told, happy as I was about the Rams returning to L.A. -- which I wished for for years -- I never really expected any great success on the field. Not this much success, and certainly not this fast. I'd heard the warnings out of St. Louis, about how Stan Kroenke doesn't really care about winning, and even if he did, he wouldn't know how to go about it.

I bought into it to a degree. Not a lot, but a little. I figured Kroenke wouldn't move halfway across the country and build not just a stadium, but a mini-city off the 405 just to fall all over himself, piling up losing season after losing season. Sure, his team had managed five double-figure-loss seasons out of the previous 10 in Missouri, with an 8-8 campaign as the absolute best they could do (in 2006) but I was hopeful. I wasn't expecting anything like what we're watching now, however. Not in season three.


Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Josh Reynolds (83) catches a touchdown pass over Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Orlando Scandrick, lower right, during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)ASSOCIATED PRESS


Of course, I didn't know at the time that Jeff Fisher would be given the heave-ho 13 weeks into the 2016 season, and a grand total of eight days after being awarded a generous contract extension by club management. I didn't know then -- I couldn't know then -- that the Rams had 30-year-old Sean McVay up their jersey sleeve, that'd he blossom essentially overnight into the 2017 NFL Coach of the Year, that he'd actually improve upon that the next season, and be responsible for what the rest of the league is watching with envy now.

I didn't know then what I know now, and that must be said as emphatically as is humanly possible: It's official -- the Rams return to Los Angeles is a rousing success. It's something not even the most optimistic of prognosticators could have foreseen three years ago. The team is averaging 72,178 in attendance this season, in an old stadium for built track and field, with crappy parking and even worse freeway access. Some 77,002 Southern Californians showed up early and were in their seats at rush hour last night, for a game that was scheduled to be played in another country just days before, roaring from the outset.

The team rewarded the patrons with an historic 54-51 Monday Night Football win over the previously-9-1 Kansas City Chiefs and now stands as the NFL's winningest team. They'd likely clinch the NFC West next weekend, if not for the fact this it's their bye week.

I'm looking forward to the Detroit Lions December 2, I'm looking forward to the playoffs this year, the final season at the Coliseum next year, and the opening of the new stadium in 2020. And I think the city of Los Angeles owes a hearty thank you this Thanksgiving week to Mr. Kroenke, to Mr. McVay, to Executive Vice President of Football Operations and CEO Kevin Demoff, and perhaps most importantly, to General Manager Les Snead.

I didn't know Snead had it in him. Raise your hands and legs -- not all at once, please -- if you did.

[www.forbes.com]

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/thanks...s-vs-new-orleans-saints-prediction-picks-2018

Thanksgiving Day: Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints needed overtime to fend off the Atlanta Falcons in a 43-37 shootout back in Week 3. But much has changed since Sept. 23, as the Saints get set to face the rival Falcons for the second time this season Thanksgiving night inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

New Orleans (9-1) has parlayed a league-best 38 points per game into nine consecutive victories and the NFL’s longest winning streak. The Saints' most recent conquests include ending the Rams’ perfect season with a 45-35 victory in Week 9, followed by blowout wins against the Bengals (51-14) and the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles (48-7).

Things have taken a turn for the worse for the Falcons (4-6), who have now dropped two games in a row after reeling off three consecutive wins. Their most recent defeat came in the form of a heartbreaking 22-19 home loss to the Cowboys on Sunday. Atlanta now finds itself in must-win mode, sitting in third place in the NFC South. The Falcons will likely need to run the table to have any chance of securing a playoff spot. That lofty endeavor begins on Thursday night, as the desperate Falcons attempt to spoil Thanksgiving for the red-hot Saints by exacting revenge with a huge upset victory.

The Falcons lead the all-time series against the Saints by a slight 52-47 margin. The Saints have won each of the last two games in the rivalry.

Atlanta at New Orleans

Kickoff: Thursday, Nov. 22 at 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Spread: Saints -13

Three Things to Watch

1. A surging New Orleans pass defense

Matt Ryan led an all-out aerial assault against an easily exploitable Saints’ pass defense when these teams met back in Week 3. It resulted in a career-best outing for the former NFL MVP quarterback, who completed 74 percent of his passes for 374 yards with five touchdowns and zero interceptions. Rookie wide receiver Calvin Ridley also took advantage with a monster performance of his own (7 catches for 146 yards and 3 touchdowns).

While New Orleans still ranks just 27th in the NFL against the pass (280 ypg) heading into the Thanksgiving rematch, the Saints have been anything but vulnerable against opposing passing games of late. They have allowed just 154 passing yards per game and one TD pass over their last two games, tallying five interceptions and seven sacks in the process. Can the Saints keep it going against a high-powered passing attack that has already torched them once this season?

The Saints’ chief objective will be a difficult one — shut down the Matt Ryan to Julio Jones/Ridley connection. Jones leads the NFL with 1,158 receiving yards, and the elite wideout is currently in the midst of a streak that includes 100-plus yards in each of his last five contests, with a touchdown in three consecutive games. But Jones hasn’t had much luck finding the end zone against the Saints, registering just one touchdown catch in his last nine games against them. And Ridley may have trouble filling the void this time around after going relatively quiet since that breakout performance in Week 3.

2. Can the Falcons slow down the Saints offense?

They certainly didn’t accomplish that goal the first time, as New Orleans racked up 43 points and 534 yards against them. And much better defenses have tried and failed since that time. The good news is that the Atlanta defense, which allows 405 yards per game on average (29th in the NFL), could get a big boost on Thursday night if Pro Bowl linebacker Deion Jones is able to make his long-awaited return from injury. Jones has been particularly effective against the Saints in four career games, recording an impressive 38 tackles, five tackles for a loss and three interceptions. But even with Jones, it is still going to be a very tall order for the Falcons to contain the blazing Saints offense.

New Orleans has been virtually unstoppable on that side of the football over the last three weeks, averaging an NFL-best 514 yards and 48 points per game during that stretch. Drew Brees, who accounted for more than 400 yards and five touchdowns (2 rushing) in the Week 3 victory over the Falcons, continues to play at a nearly flawless level. And the same can be said for offensive standouts Michael Thomas (82 catches, 1,042 receiving yards, 8 TDs) and Alvin Kamara (1,185 all-purpose yards, 15 TDs). Mark Ingram, who was suspended for the first meeting, adds to an already difficult challenge for the Falcons' defense this time around.

3. Atlanta run game vs. New Orleans' run defense

Atlanta produced a season-low 48 rushing yards against the Saints in the first matchup, which was a big factor in the Falcons losing that game. They will most likely suffer the same fate if they fail to find some semblance of success with the run game on Thursday night. It will be paramount for Atlanta to control the clock and keep the Saints' potent offense off the field as much as possible to have a chance.

Of course, that is easier said than done, especially for an Atlanta run game that is averaging only 88.8 rushing yards per game (29th in the NFL) in the absence of star running back Devonta Freeman. That task is further compounded by a Saints run defense that allows only 77.9 rushing yards per game (No. 2 in the NFL). Atlanta running backs, Tevin Coleman and Ito Smith, will have their work cut out for them.

Final Analysis

The Falcons are one of the few teams that have been able to give the Saints a run for their money this season. However, it took a career-best performance from Matt Ryan to make that possible. And these two teams have gone in vastly different directions since Week 3. Even if Atlanta plays the best game it can possibly play on Thursday night, it’s unlikely that it will be enough to pull off the Thanksgiving upset against the surging Saints on the road. New Orleans is simply on a different level right now.

Prediction: Saints 45, Falcons 27

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/thanks...skins-vs-dallas-cowboys-prediction-picks-2018

Thanksgiving Day: Washington Redskins vs. Dallas Cowboys

The Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys have a lot to play for on Thanksgiving. First off, these are two historic franchises that have grown into one of the biggest rivalries in the NFL. As if that wasn’t enough, they’ll also be fighting for first place in the NFC East.

Prior to Week 11, the Redskins were in control of the division after starting the season 6-3. That was until a 23-21 home loss to the Houston Texans created a small window of opportunity for Dallas.

The Cowboys capitalized in the final moments of their matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. With the game tied at 19 and only three seconds left, kicker Brett Maher nailed a 42-yard field goal attempt to send Dallas home with a .500 record. It also puts them in position to take over first place of the division, should they get the win on Thanksgiving.

Washington at Dallas

Kickoff: Thursday, Nov. 22 at 4:30 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
Spread: Dallas -7.5

Three Things to Watch

1. Colt McCoy’s first start of the season

The season-ending leg injury to Alex Smith was unfortunate. You never want to see someone suffer that sort of brutal injury – or any injury, for that matter. With that said, we also can’t forget how poorly the 34-year-old had played up to that point.

In 10 games, the former No. 1 overall pick was only averaging 218 yards and a touchdown through the air. His 6.6 yards per attempt was reminiscent of his early days with the 49ers when he struggled to get anything going consistently.

In other words, Smith had reverted back to being a game manager with little-to-no upside. The question is going to be whether the Redskins are going to be better off with 32-year-old McCoy running the offense.

The good news is there were some glimpses against Houston. McCoy’s first pass of the regular season was a nine-yard touchdown strike to tight end Jordan Reed. So, what’s the bad news? Well, he only completed five of his other 11 attempts (45.5 percent) for 45 yards (4.1 yards per attempt) while also taking two sacks.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team try to get McCoy on the move more (five rushes for 35 yards last week).

2. Can the Redskins slow down Ezekiel Elliott?

Elliott and the rest of the Dallas running game went toe-to-toe with the Redskins’ defensive front back in Week 7. Sadly, things didn’t go too well for the former No. 4 overall pick.

Washington’s defense held Elliott to his worst statistical performance of the season. The third-year running back only managed 42 yards (33 rushing, 9 receiving) on 17 touches – good for just 2.5 yards per touch.

It’s been a completely different story over the last two weeks, though.

Elliott has put up up 388 total yards (273 rushing, 115 receiving) and three total touchdowns on 55 touches during that span. Granted, it was against the Falcons and Eagles, but it’s still impressive nonetheless.

3. Potential bounce back from Amari Cooper

It looks like the Cowboys have finally found a long-term replacement for Dez Bryant. The team sent over its first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft in order to secure Dak Prescott’s new No. 1 receiver, Cooper.

Since that trade, Cooper has been a steady contributor. He’s brought in 14 receptions for 169 yards and one touchdown through three games.

Cooper’s most recent performance was his least productive, however.

The Alabama product only hauled in three of his five targets for 36 yards and no touchdowns in Sunday's win over Atlanta. Considering the Falcons have one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL, Cooper’s performance was a disappointment.

The hope is that he’ll be able to bounce back on Thursday against a Washington defense that ranks 24th in the league against the pass (261.2 ypg).

Final Analysis

Here’s the bottom line: there are way too many injury concerns for Washington right now. Sure, Colt McCoy is capable of leading the offense to some points, but the Cowboys are finding ways to win.

The Redskins will need to once again lean on Adrian Peterson, who totaled 107 yards on 25 touches against the Cowboys in Week 7. If they can get that sort of production from the future Hall of Famer, they might have a chance to keep things close.

In the end, Dallas scores a late touchdown to put things out of reach and move into first place in the NFC East.

Prediction: Dallas 26, Washington 17

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/thanksgiving-day-chicago-bears-vs-detroit-lions-prediction-picks-2018

Thanksgiving Day: Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions

This year's Thanksgiving Day football festivities get started with the Chicago Bears taking on the Detroit Lions in the Motor City. The Lions are one of the traditional holiday hosts and these longtime division rivals have played each other on Turkey Day nine times since 1964. Detroit holds a 5-4 lead in those games and has won the last three meetings on Thanksgiving Day. But this year finds both teams in different situations.

Chicago (7-3) assumed full control of the NFC North with last Sunday's home win over Minnesota on "Sunday Night Football." The Lions (4-6) are currently in the basement of the division but snapped a three-game losing streak with a come-from-behind win over Carolina at Ford Field.

The Bears can increase their lead in the division with a season sweep of Detroit. The two teams met just two weeks ago in Chicago, a game the home team won 34-22. The Lions need a victory if they want to keep their already slim playoff hopes alive.

Chicago at Detroit

Kickoff: Thursday Nov. 22 at 12:30 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Spread: Bears -4

Three Things to Watch

1. Kahlil Mack is practically unstoppable

Mack continued to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks as he made his presence fully felt against the Vikings this past Sunday night. Mack added to his team-leading total with his eighth sack and he also was credited with two tackles, two tackles for a loss, two quarterback hits and a pass defended. Two weeks ago, he collected two sacks and five total tackles in Chicago's win over Detroit.

And the mere presence of Mack makes the rest of Chicago's defense that much more dangerous. Take Akiem Hicks, the unheralded anchor of the Bears' defensive line had a huge game against Minnesota, registering a sack and five tackles for a loss. The constant pressure generated by Hicks, Mack and the rest of the defense was a big reason why Kirk Cousins completed 30 of 46 attempts for 262 yards (5.7 yards per attempt) with two touchdowns but also two costly interceptions.

2. Matthew Stafford getting the job done under pressure

Feeling pressure is nothing new to Stafford, who has already been sacked 29 times this year. But he's still managed to find ways to make plays downfield. Over the last four games, Stafford is averaging 25 completions and more than 250 passing yards per game. He also has five touchdowns and three interceptions during this stretch. For the season, his 66.3 percent completion rate represents the second highest in his 10-year career.

Stafford already knows what to expect on Thursday from a Bears defense that sacked him six times and picked him off twice two weeks ago. The rest of the offense will have to pick up their game, starting up front with the offensive line, but the Lions also will most likely be without their leading rusher, Kerryon Johnson. The rookie suffered a knee sprain last week against Carolina and is considered week-to-week. He accounted for two of the Lions' three touchdowns in the first meeting with Chicago, so in his absence LeGarrette Blount, Theo Riddick and Zach Zenner will need to step up against a Chicago defense that's ranked third in the league overall and first against the run.

3. Turnovers a plenty for the Bears' defense

Not only has this Chicago team made its mark with its pass rush, the defense also has gotten back into the habit of making takeaways a regular occurrence. During this current four-game winning streak the Bears have forced six fumbles, recovered three of them and recorded seven interceptions. They have picked off two or more passes in three straight games and lead the NFL with 18 on the season. The defense also has made the most of some of these takeaways, including Eddie Jackson's 27-yard interception return for a touchdown against Minnesota this past Sunday. Chicago leads the league in total takeaways (27) and turnover margin (+13), two more reasons why the Bears currently sit atop the NFC North and have the third-best record in the conference.

Final Analysis

Chicago enters this game on a roll, winners of four in a row, outscoring opponents 124-61 in the process. The Bears have been stingy against the run, have kept teams from scoring much at all against them and the offense continues to find ways to get the job done. Chicago has grabbed control of the NFC North and controls its own destiny as it relates to getting back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2010 season.

Detroit has had more success at home this season (3-2, with wins over New England, Green Bay and Carolina) and has won five in a row against the Bears at Ford Field. Chicago, however, has all of the momentum on its side. It does appear that quarterback Mitchell Trubisky will miss this game because of a shoulder injury he suffered in the fourth quarter on Sunday night; but Chase Daniel was signed as the backup because of his familarity with head coach Matt Nagy's offense. And with how well the defense has been playing lately, it may not matter who is at quarterback for this one. This Bears team is for real and will show that yet again on Thanksgiving Day.

Prediction: Bears 24, Lions 21

Rams and those in Thousand Oaks and LA area have been through a lot in 2 weeks....

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angele...ks-that-could-have-knocked-the-rams-off-track

There's some big games with implications for us this weekend in spite of the fact we have that well deserved bye:

Falcons (hopefully) over Saints. Ok so the Falcons are sorry as F and logic of course says they don't have a snowball's chance in New Orleans. They have a ton of defensive injuries too but they are capable of putting together a good game effort and upsetting a Saints team that is riding high since their win over our Rams. It could happen, kind of like how I supposedly could have won the Powerball I suppose. I'll be pulling for Craplanta tomorrow.

Skins over Cowpokes. Should be another @$$ beating tbh, what with the Skins losing Smith which is a damn shame. Dallas is the more dangerous team, thus I will be pulling for them to serve up a turkey in Jerryworld. So I'll be wasting my time while waiting to eat by hoping for another miracle only to be disappointed but it's all good because approximately 2 hours later I won't be able to breathe or remember wtf happened.

Lions over Bears. Bears are the more dangerous team and their record is looking real good. I'd like to see them knocked down a peg just in case. This is the only one of the three games that has a good chance to go how I prefer to see it go due to a guy named after a bank taking over the reins to the Bears offense. Of course Stafford is like an effin tackle dummy back there and the Bears have a good defense so should be a game of hideous errors.

Panthers over Seahawks. This one needs no explanation. I have a chalice ready to catch Pete Carroll's tears so I can savor them.

1. We can still run the table, have the Saints lose one to the Panthers or Falcons and still get home field advantage.

2. We are on bye and our players and coaches will get some well needed physical and mental rest.

3. Aqib Talib returns after the bye and will certainly help our defense get better.

4. Goff is a bonafide lite QB at this point and way ahead of last season. This season I feel confident that he will lead us to a win even when we are down.

5. I don't believe the Rams have played anywhere near their best game as a whole team an we are 10-1.

6. The toughest part of the schedule has passed.

7. Pete Carrol is now the "Jeff Fisher" of the NFC West resorting to a surprise onside kick that failed.

8. Ebukam looks like he might be coming around, Fowler's presence might be helping.

9. We beat a 9-1 team so maybe the talking bobble heads can stop saying the Rams haven't beaten anyone.

10. Even if the Rams don't get the #1 seed, we are nearly a mortal lock for the #2 seed which means we get a bye before having to play a playoff game.

As Ram fans in your lifetime what are they?