Sanchez to the Redskins... Talk about giving up the season.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...skins-sign-mark-sanchez-to-back-up-colt-mccoy

Unless the Saints fall apart, we are going to end up #2 seed and have to face them again in NO in week 2 of the playoffs, not an ideal situation. Would we be better off as a 3rd seed and hope da Bears upset the Saints? Whoever the 4th seed is will be weak, Dallas? Vikings?

Not trying to be a Debbie Downer but NO scares me and I don't want to see us go one and out again.

Show the world we can beat the best.

I feel like when I hear a lot of the talking heads they really don't give us the same respect as the Chiefs or Saints. In reality it hardly matters - but I can help but be irritated.

I feel like this game could propel us forward confidence wise.

Let's keep winning and get that homefield advantage.

I will give all of my ROD dollars, which currently stands at $208,274 $209,110 to the member who can come closest to predicting the total amount of points for both teams. If it's a tie then the ROD dollars will be split equally. No predictions are valid once the game starts.



However if the Rams lose then there's no deal because I will be extremely ticked off and somewhere else venting my anger.

Seems like we might be getting away from the Jared Goff surfer dude qb, to Jared Goff good young qb. The espn cover has Goff looking pretty serious like he means business rather than with that funny grin he has. It’s easy to forget how young he is, he just turned 24, Mayfield is 23.
Think about the young qbs, Wentz, Trubiski, Mayfield, Mahomes, Goff. Mahomes is breaking records but Goff is right there.

Rampage Radio will play and discuss the best comments/points on the next podcast. Call us after the game at

(307) 622-9119

Let your voice be heard yo!

Let’s get that DUB!

Only Rams/Chiefs comments are posted here. To read the whole article click the link below.
***************************************************************************************
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...rees-sean-payton-fmia-nfl-week-11-peter-king/

By Peter King

Chiefs-Rams Preview

Normally, the 9-1 Chiefs at the 9-1 Rams would be the game of the year—it probably still is—and we’d be celebrating it breathlessly. And we still may, in the hours before the game; I’ll help in a moment. But two things have overshadowed it.

Moving the game out of Mexico City makes the NFL look like a bunch of slightly progressive pikers. “Pikers” because how can the league take a game that we’ve all known would be hugely attractive since it was announced on Jan. 31—two defending division champs with brainy offensive minds—and not properly supervise field conditions in the weeks leading up to the game 10 months later?

It’s inexcusable. If the field was in trouble a month ago, which apparently it was, why didn’t the NFL throw its weight around then and insist on a new surface or tell officials there the game wouldn’t stay in Mexico?

“Slightly progressive” because they did the right thing after all and moved the game instead of trying to force the players to play there—which, I am told by a player leader from one of the teams, they would not have done. And what a scene that would have been, players boycotting the Game of the Year.

The Rams are playing for a wide swath of southern California. They will remember tonight the families of those murdered in the Nov. 7 massacre at the nightclub four miles from their facility in Thousand Oaks, Calif., and for the police officer murdered in that tragedy, and also the first responders and those impacted by the fires that got as close to three miles from their facility and forced 90 Rams employees and family to evacuate their homes.

Tonight, coaches and staff from both teams, instead of wearing Rams and Chiefs hats on the sidelines, will wear hats from local fire and rescue departments; all jerseys from the game, plus the hats, will be auctioned off to raise money for the victims. ESPN will show the anthem and the emotional pregame observances.

The Rams have given away about 4,000 tickets to public servants and victims of the tragedies, and their players have gone the extra mile. Andrew Whitworth of the Rams gave his suite to the game to first responders, one of several donations made by players to reach out.

It’s going to be emotional night at the Coliseum. And there will be fans. Because this game was not on the team’s home schedule, they began selling tickets late Tuesday night, and in just a few days, they sold about 71,000 tickets. So along with the 4,000 donated ones, there should be roughly the same crowd as attended the red-hot Packers-Rams game at the Coliseum three weeks ago (75,822).

Now for the game. This is just a hunch, because nothing will surprise me in this game, not even a little defense being played. But in a game of tremendous offensive weapons—for both teams at quarterback, for both teams at running back, for both teams at wide receiver—the one player who I think has the best chance to be the game-breaker is Tyreek Hill. There is simply no player like him in football right now.

I was in Kansas City last Sunday, and it took Hill (and Patrick Mahomes) 52 seconds to produce a touchdown against a secondary flailing to keep up with this freak of nature. Patrick Mahomes to Hill down the left side for 38 yards on the first play of the game.

Mahomes incomplete to Hill. Then Mahomes to Hill, who ran past his man and had the corner pointing at the late safety, for a 37-yard touchdown. By the end of this game, my gut feeling is Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will really be missing Aqib Talib.

On Saturday, talking to Asshole Face during my time with the Saints, I mentioned to him that I’d been in Kansas City last Sunday, and I didn’t think there was a player like Hill in football. Payton smiled and nodded, and looked around to find Drew Brees.

“Hey Drew, tell Peter who’s the most dangerous player in football right now,” Payton said.

“Tyreek Hill,” Brees said.

Payton beamed and nodded.

It’s dangerous to predict which of the intergalactic talents will most influence this game. Todd Gurleyis such a touchdown machine that he could more than make up for the loss of Cooper Kupp in offensive production. Patrick Mahomes could get on fire, and with the way Andy Reid spreads the field (his widest-split receivers line up so close to the white-striped boundary that I swear one time they’re going to start a play with a foot out of bounds), an accurate Mahomes could strafe the Rams for 350 yards or more.

I’m just excited that it’s going to be a game played on a good field, on a 60-degreee evening with just a puff of wind, and we can judge two superb teams going head to head on fairly equal footing, with each missing a good receiver, Sammy Watkins (Chiefs) and Cooper Kupp (Rams). Bring on the spectacle, and the game.

Don’t miss the burgeoning Rams’ tradition, the lighting of the torch, at the Coliseum.

Kansas City 37, L.A. Rams 33. Think of this: One of the great NFL games in years was not scheduled for Los Angeles six mornings ago. And tonight, 70-something thousand people will be in the stands in the storied Los Angeles Coliseum watching it. Quite an invention by the Rams. Regarding the score: Chiefs have the ball last. That kind of game.
------------------------------
MVP Watch

3. Todd Gurley, RB, L.A. Rams. Last week: 4. Easily could move up on this list. And by the way, you think he’s happy Sean McVay got the Rams job in 2017? In Gurley’s 25 games with McVay running the offense, the Rams runner is averaging 139.3 scrimmage yards a game, and he’s scored 39 touchdowns. Thirty-nine TDs, 25 games. That’s pretty good.
-----------------------
Rams receiver Cooper Kupp had surgery in Los Angeles last week to repair a torn ACL. His surgeon was noted orthopedist Dr. Neal S. ElAttrache. Kupp, wife Anna and their son, displaced by the wildfire near the Rams practice facility in Thousand Oaks, Calif., needed a place to stay. Their new host, for a while: Dr. Neal S. ElAttrache, who has opened his home to the Kupps.

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angele...fense-grea-the-greatest-show-on-turf-explains

LOS ANGELES -- There’s a method to the madness.

And you'd better believe, the Los Angeles Rams' offense is madness.

Some might even call it the Greatest Show on Turf 2.0, including quarterback Kurt Warner, the conductor of the original Greatest Show.

“What makes them so good is that they’ve got great balance,” Warner said about the 2018 Rams. “They’re equally effective running and passing the football, offensive line is playing great ... and Sean McVay does a great job of making everything look the same.”

It’s time, members of the original Greatest Show said, for the records to fall, for new legends to be made, and for them to reunite at the Super Bowl to watch this new team solidify its place in history.

Kansas City Chiefs in one of the most anticipated Week 11 matchups of 9-1 teams in NFL history.

And Warner, Holt & Co. know why these Rams are so great.

Elite skill players
The Greatest Show had Warner, a trio of dynamic receivers and the versatile Marshall Faulk at running back. Sort of like their present-day counterparts.

Rams quarterback Jared Goff ranks second in passing yards this season, behind the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes, but is the best at using elements of deception.

No quarterback has attempted more passes with either a play-action fake or a screen than Goff this season, as 46 percent of Goff’s passes have featured a play-action or screen, the highest in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

“The hard play-action fakes and the throws up over the top is really where they make their living,” said Warner, who threw for 4,353 yards and 41 touchdowns in 1999 and was the league’s MVP. “And they’re as good as anybody in the league at running the play-action and getting big plays off of it.”

Goff has averaged an NFL-best 10.7 yards per attempt off play-actions and screens this season with 10 touchdowns and no interceptions, compared to 8.3 yards per attempt without either element. This has been consistent for Goff under Sean McVay.

MVP front-runner Todd Gurley ranks first in rushing yards, averaging 98.8 yards per game.

Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp were each on pace for a 1,000-yard season, but Kupp was sidelined because of a knee sprain, then suffered a torn ACL last Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.

Prior to Kupp’s season-ending injury, the Rams featured the most prolific five-man, skill-position groupings in the league. Woods, Kupp, Cooks, Gurley and tight end Tyler Higbee have been on the field together for 277 snaps, and the Rams have scored 17 touchdowns with them on the field. Both marks are the most of any skill-position combination this season.

That consistent usage of personnel and McVay’s ability to call any play from any formation make it hard for a defense to know what’s coming.

“We did so many different things that it was hard to figure out what we were going to do any given week because we had so many plays and so many formations and so many different things that you could study us the last four weeks and we’d give you a bunch of stuff that you’d never seen before,” said Warner. “The difference with the [current] Rams now is you can watch them and they do similar things every single week; the problem is that they just do it so well.”

Personnel grouping
The Rams operate in 11 personnel -- one running back, one tight end and three receivers. And they run it almost all the time. Out of 648 snaps, 617 (95 percent) came in that formation.

“The Rams' first goal is to get Todd Gurley going, so when you line up 11 consistently, you’re going to be playing with one smaller guy than you’re used to playing with to stop the run, so that’s where the Rams get creative, finding different ways to make that guy have to make all the plays versus Todd,” said D'marco Farr, who was a defensive tackle on the original Greatest Show. “At some point, you’re going to have to give something up. Either they’re going to out-man you running the football, or if you have to put a bigger guy in to stop the run, that’s where Sean McVay really starts to wreak havoc within the passing game. There’s just going to be a mismatch out there somewhere because of Todd Gurley.”

One of their signature plays was on display against the New Orleans Saints: The inside-outside zone play, on which Gurley reads the zone blocking and then all of the sudden takes a hard right and is one-on-one with a corner. It’s a tough play to make for a defender, and it gave Gurley one of his league-leading 17 touchdowns this season.
“The design. The deception,” Farr said. “And then the ability of the athlete to get the ball into the end zone. There’s been so many ‘wow’ plays on offense.”

The Rams have also used jet-sweep motion regularly this season to assist both Goff and the running game. They’ve used jet-sweep motion at the snap 139 times and picked up a first down 33 percent of the time. Goff has completed 70 percent of his passes on those plays, and Gurley has averaged 5.5 yards per rush.

And practically any of the skill players can be utilized in the motion.

“The jet sweeps is one play that we ran constantly and that they’re running,” said Isaac Bruce, who caught a 73-yard touchdown when the Rams beat the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV. “And that they run precisely well.”

The wide receivers
The Greatest Show had Bruce, Holt, Az-Zahir Hakim and Ricky Proehl. In L.A., it’s Woods, Cooks and Kupp. Kupp’s loss will be one that tests the Rams, but it’s the trio of receivers who have elevated the offense.

They are as smart in the meeting room as they are talented on the field. They know the nuances of McVay’s scheme and the intention of each route on every play.

A few of the most notable plays are ones Holt and Bruce would love to be inserted into.

Against the Green Bay Packers, Cooks ran a deep post that resulted in a 32-yard reception, a route Holt said reminded him of his favorite -- "Seven house" -- back in the day.

And then there were the two jaw-dropping plays Goff and Kupp teamed up on against the Minnesota Vikings.


Animation courtesy of NFL Next Gen Stats

Goff spotted the matchup he wanted when he hit Kupp in stride for a 70-yard touchdown and left Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr in his wake. Later in the game, Goff rolled to his right, then dropped a 19-yard pass to Kupp in the back corner of the end zone, perfectly placed behind two defenders.

Each play demonstrated intricacies of the Rams’ offense that make it impossible for a defense to take away any one receiver.

“They have deep routes and short routes, and all of them look the same,” Warner said. “And then when you least expect it, they’re going over the top of you; when you’re planning for them to go over the top of you, now they’re hitting you underneath.”

The offensive line
Goff has attempted a league-high 246 passes (completing 159) with more than 2.5 seconds to throw this season and has a league-best 150 attempts (83 completions) with at least three seconds to throw. Goff’s 11 touchdowns with three-plus seconds to throw are tops in the NFL.

There’s not a superstar lineman like the 1999 Rams had in left tackle Orlando Pace, but Goff benefits from a consistent, veteran group that includes left tackle Andrew Whitworth and a line that ranks as the best in the league.

The Rams own the best pass-block win rate in the NFL at 61 percent, according to ESPN pass rush metrics using NFL Next Gen Stats (a pass-block win is when a pass-blocker sustains his block for the first 2.5 seconds following the snap).

Further, the Rams have the best three-second pass-block win rate in the NFL, as well, at 52 percent. The Rams even sustain their blocks for three seconds at a better rate than the rate at which 20 teams sustain their blocks for 2.5 seconds.

“That offensive line has been the constant, and for all offenses to have a great deal of success and to score points the way they score points and to move the ball the way that they move the ball, whether that’s on the ground or in the air, you have to have stability at the offensive line,” Holt said. “And they have that with this group.”

But above the rest, McVay has convinced each player to buy in. Gurley is known as one of the toughest blockers on the team. And check any of Gurley’s big runs, and you’ll see receivers who helped clear the path.

“They’re selfless players, and that’s pretty tough to come up with for a group of guys. Fortunately, we had it; I think our comradery was great and people around the league saw it,” Bruce said. “They have the same thing because it’s at a point right now as, they don’t care who makes the play, they celebrate each other’s success.”

The coach
“He’s consistently keeping defenses on their toes, and there’s only so much as a defense that you have to prepare for,” Holt said.

That’s McVay’s greatness.

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/monday...efs-vs-los-angeles-rams-prediction-picks-2018

Monday Night Football: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Rams

It won’t play out on the international stage as planned, but the NFL still has to be pretty happy with having the showdown between the 9-1 Kansas City Chiefs and 9-1 Los Angeles Rams slated for a national television audience on Monday night.

The game will be played in Los Angeles after the field at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City was deemed unsafe and unplayable. While that’s a little bit of a black eye for the NFL, it would have been much worse if these two high-flying offenses were grounded by poor footing.

The head coaches — Kansas City’s Andy Reid and Los Angeles’ Sean McVey — have been at the forefront of the offensive explosion in the NFL. Teams around the league are copying them and scrambling to keep up, but few have weapons to work with like the Chiefs and Rams. So expect plenty of points and nothing left on the table as both teams head into their bye week after this possible Super Bowl preview.

Kansas City at Los Angeles

Kickoff: Monday, Nov. 19 at 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Spread: Rams -3.5

Three Things to Watch

1. Mahomes chasing history

In his first season as a starter, Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes is rewarding the Chiefs for trading up to nab him in the 2017 NFL Draft. With 31 touchdowns in 10 games, he is on pace for 50 (OK, 49.6), a milestone reached before by only Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Manning’s record of 55 is not out of reach given that Mahomes has already thrown four or more touchdowns in one game five times this season. But don’t expect Mahomes to get greedy, as he may have learned a lesson last week. After throwing for a season-low 249 yards against the Cardinals, Mahomes admitted he was possibly looking for big plays too often, resulting in a season-high five sacks. If Mahomes goes back to taking what is given and just getting the ball into the hands of playmakers such as Tyreek Hill and Kareem Hunt, more touchdowns will likely follow.

2. The Rams run through Gurley

While Los Angeles quarterback Jared Goff has been excellent as well, running back Todd Gurley is the key to a Rams offense that ranks third in scoring (one spot ahead of the Chiefs) and second in total offense (one spot ahead of the Chiefs). Gurley leads the NFL in Rushing (988 yards), total yards from scrimmage (1,390), rushing scores (13) and total touchdowns (17). Last season he led the NFL in yards from scrimmage (1,093) and total touchdowns (19), and he is on pace to blow past those numbers. He may be licking his chops this week as well, because the Kansas City defense has struggled. The Chiefs rank 22nd in the NFL in rushing defense, but that number would be worse if teams didn’t have to throw so much to keep up. Only two teams have allowed more yards per carry than the Chiefs (5.1), so expect Gurley to find plenty of room to run.

3. Familiar faces

Chiefs receiver Sammy Watkins and Rams cornerback Marcus Peters will be facing the teams they played for last season, and Peters at least has had this date circled. Traded for two draft picks in the offseason, the outspoken corner hasn’t been afraid to trash talk about landing a couple turnovers against his former team. Watkins missed last week’s game with a foot injury but is expected to play and could find himself heads-up against Peters much of the time. Whoever gets the better of that matchup could tip this game in his team’s favor.

Final Analysis

While the Rams' defense hasn’t quite lived up to expectations this season, it still ranks in the NFL’s top half in points and yards allowed. Kansas City, on the other hand, has mostly needed to out-score opponents. Given that the Rams are just a slightly more complete team — and the fact that it’s unlikely the Chiefs can slow down Gurley — we’re sticking with the home team.

Prediction: Rams 41, Chiefs 37

3rd game this year with a rating of over 150. And twice in a row.

It's nearly incomprehensible how lights out he is playing right now.

This might be the best season a QB has ever had. No actually it is.........and I am not sure another can stack up to this.

It's simply remarkable. How does he do this???

Ok, I laughed....."Ok. I do think the Goff is better than Wentz" (Iggles fan)

The hosts on 97.5 are losing their minds that this is even a conversation.....God, I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i called it when the Rams released him that he would certainly be claimed by the Giants and by no means are the Giants a powerhouse but being a Rams fan living in ny I keep an eye on that stuff and let me tell you he has made an impact for a horrific line. If he keeps it up he will be one wealthy man as the Giants may move mountains to keep him. Of course he has to continue this but it's weird it's kind of he made a difference to the o-line overall kind of stabilized it for now anyway but most importantly brown is doing what he did for Gurley and opening holes for Barkley. Guess I'm bored with no Rams today lol. Off topic saints are annoying AF here we are complaining about losing Kupp and they plugging in these no names and basically have one wideout but somehow keep churning points in all ways which is worrisome.

We can only hope. They look unstoppable against the Iggles today.

To all -

You may have noticed the icons have changed in the post ratings bar.



Other than color, we added a tad more space around them. Just a little. This is intended to help the fat finger hits we get from time to time.

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EDIT; “Ouch” is now a hospital symbol

I know this is likely an unpopular opinion, but how many of us feel comfortable with our backup QBs? Offer him a NFL minimum contract. He might accept it because he wants an opportunity to be part of a contender. Bradford is far from perfect, but if disaster happens, I feel more comfortable with him under center than Mannion and Allen. Yes I know he struggled this year, but the Cardinals were a disaster. I think McVay could get competent enough play out of him if necessary.

They're 5-5 right now.
Do you think the Seattle Dickhawks will get a wildcard spot this season?
Please give a reason as to why you answer the way you do.


NOTE: The only answer not allowed is: "It doesn't matter, we can beat them in our house if they do."

23 in a row BABY!

Had College Game Day there this weekend... and Knight Nation set a record for attendance for that. There were students camping out in tents since Friday night just to be close to the stage. It was insane. @Ramrasta was there with his girl and they were on TV... he was also at the game... maybe he will share some pics with us ??? :fighting:

Anyway... they packed the Bounce House and gave a smack down to #24 Cincinnati. And for anyone saying that UCF hasn't played anyone... take a look at the beatdown the Knights put on Pitt. Guess what Pitt is playing for now? Oh... and Pitt should have won against the Irish too.

GO KNIGHTS


Oh... and @Ramrasta ... tell us about that whole thing will ya ! And post some damn pics !

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/sunday...ikings-vs-chicago-bears-prediction-picks-2018

Sunday Night Football: Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears

The latest chapter in the storied book of the NFL's “black and blue” division will be written this week when the Minnesota Vikings renew acquaintances with the Chicago Bears. With the NFC North lead at stake, the NFL felt it was necessary to “flex” this Sunday’s game between the Vikings (5-3-1) and Bears (6-3) from its original afternoon slot to "Sunday Night Football."

Those who may not have been able to watch the Bears yet this season are in for a treat. They get watch a team that has shown remarkable improvement under new head coach Matt Nagy and are starting to think about a possible playoff berth. They’ll also get a good look at a Vikings squad that has claimed two of the last three division titles and fell one game short of a trip to last year’s Super Bowl.

This is just the third division matchup for the year for either team as the Bears have gone 1-1 against NFC North foes while the Vikings are 1-0-1. It's still early to determine which team will rule the division, but with the Packers and Lions struggling, it could be down to a two-team race already.

Both the Vikings and Bears feature strong defenses, talented offenses, and quarterbacks who are becoming the talk of the league. This one will be worth staying up for.

Minnesota at Chicago

Kickoff: Sunday, Nov. 18 at 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Spread: Bears -3

Three Things to Watch

1. Kahlil Mack is back

The Bears' top pass rusher (seven sacks) returned to the lineup after a two-game absence due to an ankle injury with a vengeance last week. Against Detroit, Mack had two sacks among his five total tackles, four of them being solo. He’ll be licking his chops to take on a Vikings offensive line that’s allowed six sacks in the last three weeks. Double-, or even triple-, teaming him will be a must as the Vikings cannot afford to let Mack put Kirk Cousins on the ground this Sunday night.

2. Minnesota has a stout defense of its own

The Vikings' own style of defense has played a huge role in their success over the last couple of seasons. Minnesota has won four of its last five games, and in those four wins has held the opposition to an average of 16 points per game. The Vikings have also shown a knack for rushing the passer with 20 sacks over this five-game stretch. On the season, Minnesota is fifth in total defense (322.2 ypg), 11th in scoring defense (22.7 ppg), and has generated 14 total takeaways thus far. This will be one of the best defenses that the Bears have faced this season.

3. Quarterback battle

Mitchell Trubisky continues to grow before our eyes as Chicago's second-year signal-caller had his fifth 300-yard passing game of the season last week against the Lions. It was the fourth such effort this season, already a single-season franchise record. Trubisky has 2,304 yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions to this point, while completing 65.5 percent of his passes. Minnesota's defense will serve as a good test of just how far the No. 2 overall pick of the 2017 draft has come under new head coach Matt Nagy's tutelage.

Meanwhile, Kirk Cousins has earned every cent of that fully guaranteed, three-year, $84 million contract thus far. He's third in the league with a 71.4 percent completion rate and has at least one touchdown pass in every game (17 total). He's also tossed just five interceptions and is averaging close to 300 passing yards per game. Cousins will keep the Bears' 12th-ranked passing defense on its toes Sunday night.

Final Analysis

While many consider the Bears to be slight favorites at home, the Vikings will be tough to beat. They are coming off of a bye, so they should be rested and healthier than they have been in a while. Minnesota's defense will be hard to handle and Kirk Cousins' experience advantage over Mitchell Truibksy will be a factor as well. Chicago may be a team on the rise, but the Vikings are the defending NFC North champs and aren't quite ready to surrender their throne. The defenses will keep this thing close, but Minnesota comes away with a close victory on the road in the national spotlight.

Prediction: Vikings 24, Bears 21

Wondering with Kupp out and the subtle up tick in snaps for Everett before Kupp went down. Will this be the game McVay unleashes some form of a differ personnel package to mess w/ KC?

I for one been waiting to see if were able to use the 21 formation for a good chuck of a game plan in a game(s).

Would love to see some of the late 80's early 90's Gibbs Skins 21 playbook in horns, where we can run or pass out of said formation!

Thoughts?

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...-43000-in-fines-on-aaron-donald-justin-britt/

League imposes more than $43,000 in fines on Aaron Donald, Justin Britt
Posted by Mike Florio

Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald and Seahawks center Justin Britt will be making significant involuntary contributions to the league’s favorite charities as a result of their interactions during, and after, last Sunday’s game.

Between them, Donald and Britt will fork over more than $43,000.

It started after Donald returned what would have been a turnover, if it wasn’t an incomplete pass. Britt shoved Donald hard when Donald was clearly out of bounds. The league fined Britt $20,054.

Donald retaliated, drawing a $10,026 for grabbing Britt’s facemask during the exchange.

After the game, Donald was still miffed at Britt. So, after Donald removed his jersey and shoulder pads, he put his helmet back on and confronted Britt again. The league fined Donald another $13,369 for his actions.

“That was last week,” Donald told reporters on Friday, via Cameron DaSilva of USA Today. “We’re trying to get ready for the Chiefs. Coach talked to us and that’s the past so we’re moving on and we’ve gotta be better. I just gotta control my temper. I just gotta be better. . . . You’ve gotta be smarter with the game. Can’t hurt your team.”

Donald was asked whether he’s worried that the Chiefs will try to push his buttons.

“They ain’t going to get under my skin because that’s the past and I learned from it,” Donald said. “I think everybody learned. We all saw it, we all were involved with it so we understand what we need to do to be better.”

It’s always easier said than done. No matter what Donald tells himself before the game, playing in the game makes blood pressure spike, quickly. And plenty of coaches will deal with a periodic penalty if it means having a guy on the field who plays with an attitude.

Just wondering

First, a little housekeeping. Our O and our ST are just fine. More than just fine, actually. Both are of SB caliber. As an aside, can you imagine what this O might accomplish if the D could become even top 10 status? Scary.

But our D has become a bit of an enigma to me. An example of the whole being less than the sum of it’s parts. Anti-synergistic, if there is such a word.

Opponents have exposed chink after chink in the D’s armor. The O has been able to overcome these mostly, with the exception of the Saints game, but it’s been far too close, lately. And the caliber of our playoff competition will be such that I’m not sure that the Ram D can withstand.

Let me put it this way. If someone had told me before opening day that the Rams would be averaging 33-35 points per game, I would have predicted an undefeated season ending with raising the Lombardi. THAT’S how much confidence I had in this D roster.

But after watching these guys play together for 10 games? I fear that we have position groups that simply aren’t good enough.

I love Wade. Just want to be clear about that. But I have to say that he seems to have made some miscalculations when assembling this D roster.

Suh impact
Brockers (seems to have largely disappeared)
Ebu
Longacre
Barron
Peters (jury still out but is MP a scheme fit?)
Joyner (can anybody explain his regression this year?)

Put another way, other than the obvious AD, and perhaps Littleton, is there a single D player that has exceeded expectations?

Man, I expected more from our D, and I don’t think I’m the only one.

My prediction for next offseason? Wade will remain because he’s having too much fun and he wants to “finish” his D before any thought of retirement.

But I do see significant turnover among D starters. Here are my likely goners as starters:

Suh
Ebu
Barron
Joyner

Unless Fowler earns an extension, there will be a 2nd opening outside, as well. That makes 4-5 new starters on D next year, a significant percentage, indeed.

I see a heavy emphasis on D through FA, trade, and the draft next offseason. The departures of Suh, Barron, and Joyner will provide some good cap relief for FA and trades. Draft will consist of BPA’s at DT, OLB, CB, S, and maybe ILB. Heck, that’s every position group, isn’t it? Lol.

It’s gonna be an “interesting” offseason, that’s for sure.

Great Video that I know a lot of you have seen, I haven't watched since we all mocked (with fingers crossed) AD to us for this very reason

Take note Patty


Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C25r8eN44yA

I am SO GLAD he is not our QB. I am not saying “he’s bad”, because he’s not... but I wouldn’t want to pay him franchise money when it sure looks like he’s more middle tier.

Nearly impossible for a team to get a good value on his next contract, IMO.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...riota-100-million-man-plus-leveon-bells-value

Marcus Mariota = $100 million man?

Is Marcus Mariota really a $100 million quarterback?

On the surface, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft checks numerous boxes as a franchise quarterback, with an enviable combination of size, speed, athleticism and arm talent. Displaying solid leadership skills and big-game moxie (remember last January's road playoff win in Kansas City?), Mariota appears to be the right kind of quarterback to lead the Tennessee Titans' blue-collar outfit for the next decade.

"You notice good football players on the road when you're scouting, and he was a guy that had a quiet confidence about him, that distributed the football well, that had a unique balance of arm talent and athleticism and just thought he was going to be a really good football player," Titans general manager Jon Robinson said about his franchise quarterback during an interview on the Jim Rome Show in 2016 shortly after being hired by Tennessee.

While all of those factors are certainly true, Mariota still has been an inconsistent player over the past few seasons. At this point, quantifying his value as a franchise quarterback is no easy task.

The fourth-year pro sports a 23-26 career record as a starter, with a 62.5 percent career completion rate, a 65:39 touchdown-to-interception ratio and an 88.8 passer rating. Over the past 23 regular-season games -- going back to the beginning of the 2017 campaign -- the TD-to-INT ratio sits at 20:20, with only five games above a 100.0 passer rating during that span. Certainly not eye-popping statistics for a so-called franchise quarterback, which is why the Titansface something of a conundrum when it comes to the franchise's future plans at the game's most important position. Mariota is poised to play on his fifth-year option in 2019, at a rate of $20.9 million, but he could be tracking toward inking a deal worth more than $25 million annually when all is said and done.

That's a whole lot of cheese for a quarterback who currently ranks 37th in passing yards per game (187.2), behind the likes of Dak Prescott (214.4), C.J. Beathard (208.7), Brock Osweiler (207.8) and Ryan Tannehill (194.4). Mariota's 89.9 passer rating puts him behind Derek Carr (93.5), Eli Manning (92.7), Prescott (90.8), Alex Smith (90.7) and Andy Dalton (90.7). Considering how much hate the football world spews on many of those other passers, you can see the dilemma facing the Titans when making a decision on how to value their QB1 in the current marketplace.

Is an average quarterback worth $100 million dollars or should the team look for another QB1?

"He's not a Tier 1 or Tier 2 quarterback, but you have to keep him," an NFC personnel director told me. "It's hard to find an elite quarterback in this league, so you have to continue to build around him and hope that he develops into an upper-echelon player with the right supporting cast in the right system."

With that in mind, the Titans have attempted to build around their young quarterback. They've invested a ton of draft capital and free-agent dollars in offensive skill players, and they brought in a new offensive coordinator (Matt LaFleur) with a scheme designed to maximize Mariota's talents. After a slow start to the 2018 season, where the QB slogged through six straight games with a passer rating under 100.0, Mariota has posted dazzling figures of 119.9 and 125.0 over the past two weeks -- easy wins over the Cowboys and Patriots. Mariota has posted a 69.8 percent completion rate with a 4:0 TD-to-INT ratio during this span.

Studying the All-22 Coaches Film of those performances, Mariota is at his best when he plays like an athlete at the quarterback position. He flourishes when he is able to throw on the move on bootlegs and scrambles. Mariota has a knack for finding open receivers on second-reaction plays, when the defense breaks down as he flees the pocket. In addition, the 25-year-old is a spectacular runner who's quite adept at executing the zone-read and other designed QB run concepts on the perimeter. Although his injury history prevents the Titans from extensively utilizing these concepts, Mariota's elusiveness and explosiveness as a runner add a dangerous element to the offense.

From the pocket, Mariota is at his best making quick-rhythm throws to the perimeter. He excels throwing quicks and in-breaking routes at short and intermediate range. He also shows impressive accuracy, touch and anticipation tossing post-corners to receivers down the field. Mariota consistently places his passes on the proper shoulder along the boundary, which makes it hard for defenders to make a play on the ball.

From a critical standpoint, Mariota remains a little inconsistent as a passer from the pocket. He misses a handful of layups each game -- which is odd, based on his feathery touch and solid instincts. In addition, Mariota hasn't shown opponents that he can consistently pick apart a defense with a surgeon's precision from the pocket. Granted, he is still acclimating to a new scheme and play caller, but his inconsistent stretches are more user error than poor play design.

That said, Mariota is certainly good enough to win games in this league. He is a mobile playmaker with the potential to be a true difference-maker as a dual-threat quarterback. No. 8 needs to continue to refine his game as a passer, but he's trending in the right direction in Tennessee's current system.

From a monetary standpoint, the Titans should bite the bullet and pay market rate for their young QB1, based on his potential and the dearth of other enticing options available. With an average quarterback class in the 2019 draft and a bunch of ho-hum prospects heading toward the free-agent market, Tennessee is better served investing in its young QB1 and continuing to add pieces around him to help him play winning football from the pocket. This approach has served Alex Smith's employers well during the latter part of his career, and it certainly could help the Titans remain a fringe contender with a quarterback offering a similar game.