Going into this season… who is our most underrated player?

PFF says Ernest Jones.

LOS ANGELES RAMS: LB ERNEST JONES

Naturally, Aaron Donald received all the attention on the Rams' defense over the past decade. His retirement means Jones should get more recognition, especially if he continues to play like he did in his third season. He finished the 2023 campaign with an 86.2 PFF overall grade, which ranked 13th at the position. He was also one of just three linebackers to earn run-defense and pass-rush grades above 80.0.

Login to view embedded media View: https://x.com/pff/status/1791634810173063214?s=61&t=lgp1gRmUcyNSF5v7CIHwMg

Pick YOUR top 4 Games for 2024, as of right now. Which ones are you most looking forward to?

Maybe this was posted somewhere and I didn't see it... if not, this is pretty funny.

Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/8iC3WNeqDDM?si=dTO7Im43xboULkv-

What do you see heading into the bye?

I could see: L, W, L, W, W

I could see better than that, too.

Not sure I am ready to buy into Caleb Williams, but who knows with Chicago? Could be a tough road game.

I think the 49’ers could collapse if certain chips fall. Wish we had them later than week 3.

Lions in Detroit week 1 is tough.


Here's the Rams' complete 2024 schedule:

Can everyone comment on the best QB throw they have ever seen?

I only go back to the 70s so that rules out some early greats for me, but . . .

. . . the two that come to mind are recent:

1. Stafford's no look to Kupp over and between 3 guys in SB winning drive vs. Bengals
2. Big Ben to the back corner of the end zone to win SB vs. the Cardinals

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy93VBDFzZE


I also remember a throw Wilson made vs. the Rams to back corner? of the end zone, scrambling, maybe 3rd and 15 or something? Statcast or whatever said there was something like 5% chance to complete the pass? . . . but it was regular season - incredible throw though.

I'm looking for accuracy/length of throw/game situation obviously helps

What does everyone think? - Best pass ever ?

Love me some Brett Kollmann...

Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/7IR2GLzzsXE?si=Cwu_iXNSyNfreFfL

Overzealous cop with God complex? Or entitled superstar thinking rules don't apply to him?

Darlington's account sure makes it look like overzealous cop with God complex.

Puka Nacua: The challenge is resetting the standard this year​

The 2024 season is going to start with a little deja vu for the Rams because they will be in Detroit to face the Lions in a rematch of the Wild Card game that ended their 2023 season.

Their chances of getting a different result will be helped if wide receiver Puka Nacua’s performance elicits memories of last season as well. Nacua set rookie records for receptions and receiving yards in 2023 as he proved to be a perfect fit in head coach Sean McVay’s offense, so there will be high expectations for what he’ll do this time around.

During an appearance on NFL Network this week, Nacua said he feels challenged to meet those expectations rather than pressured.

“No, not really,” Nacua said. “Every week presented a different challenge and who we were playing against and also just trying to make sure I could prepare myself the best way to be able to be there on Sunday and perform my best. I think coming into this year, I think it definitely presents a challenge of just trying to reset the standard. Last year, from what I put on tape and tried to improve in the ways I know I’m capable of and then being there for my team in every which way coach McVay asks a lot of us from the offensive side of the ball. I’m super excited for the challenges that come up this year.”

The result of Week One won’t determine the fate of the Rams or the Lions for the 2024 season, but it will provide an early snapshot of where two NFC contenders are as they begin their push for another successful year.

There have been 67 Quarterbacks to start a Super Bowl game. Of these, 36 of them lost the game in their first start.

Only three quarterbacks in that pool have come back to win the Super Bowl in their careers.

-Len Dawson lost the first Super Bowl ever, and then won the fourth Super Bowl with the Chiefs. It should be noted that Dawson had already won an AFL championship in 1962 prior to the invention of the Super Bowl.

-Bob Griese lost his first Super Bowl start, and then won two in a row with the Miami Dolphins.

-John Elway lost his first three Super Bowl starts, and ended his career on back-to-back titles with the Broncos.

Each of the other 33 have failed, at least thus far, to win the Super Bowl. Of course, some of them are still active. Assuming Matt Ryan is indeed retired, it's possible that Jared Goff, Jimmy Garoppolo, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, or Brock Purdy could buck this trend. Although as you can see, they have a lot of history to overcome.


Edit: For context, here are the stats for the other 31 QBs who won their first SB start:

11/31 won at least one more Super Bowl in their careers.

15/31 made at least one more Super Bowl in their careers, compared to just 6/36 for the losers.

Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, and Joe Flacco could all technically raise these numbers if they were to make/win another Super Bowl as well.

-courtesy of Reddit

Well deserved.
Login to view embedded media View: https://x.com/RapSheet/status/1791087331631398914

With the addition of safeties Cam Curl and Camren Kitchens, I've been thinking about how their skill sets might influence our defensive alignments this season. Since we brought in Brandon Staley in 2020, we've relied heavily on a two-high safety look inspired by Vic Fangio's defense where we don't really distinguish between strong and free safety. But the strengths and versatility of Curl and Kitchens could make single-high safety schemes an actually viable option going forward.

Cam Curl brings a unique skillset to the table. Last season with the Commodes, he racked up a career-high 115 tackles and demonstrated impressive instincts in the open field. His man coverage skills have significantly improved since his rookie year, and he finished this past season with the second-highest man coverage grade among safeties. He can line up anywhere on the field and has great understanding of leverage. His ability to play in man coverage and to play near the line of scrimmage could allow for more single-high safety looks, with Kitchens patrolling deep. This setup could be particularly effective against offenses that heavily utilize tight ends and slot receivers, allowing Curl to match up in man coverage while Kitchens provides over-the-top support.

Camren Kitchens, our third-round draft pick, seems to project as a pure free safety with incredible range and ball skills. Over the last two seasons in college, he recorded 11 interceptions, showing potentially elite playmaking skills. Kitchens is known for his sideline-to-sideline range and speed, making him an ideal candidate for deep zone coverage. While open-field tackling has been the biggest weakness in his game, his potential as a game-changer is undeniable.

The flexibility that Curl and Kitchens bring might enable us to disguise our coverages more effectively. By showing a two-high shell pre-snap and rotating into a single-high look post-snap, we can create confusion for opposing quarterbacks and make our defense more unpredictable. While it’s probably unlikely that we’ll abandon our two-high safety foundation entirely, the addition of Curl and Kitchens could potentially lead to more single-high safety looks this season. What do you guys think?

Are you kidding me? Good Lord.

Login to view embedded media View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?si=6KzOAOqDO2BELgkH&v=Lm_NaxFxS5g&feature=youtu.be

Just saw the NFL awarded Netflix the Christmas Day games. Thanks Roger. In order to compensate his $50+m annual salary you now have to pay $70 a month for local broadcasting to receive in market games and Monday Night football. $16 a month for Amazon for Thursday night games. $389 for YouTube Sunday Ticket, and now additional money for Christmas day games if you dont already have Netflix. Goodell's personal greed, outrageous contracts (especially QBs) are making it difficult to afford all the programming if you're a pro football junkie. Is it just me or is anyone else getting tired of being fucked as fans as corporate greed takes over?

Come and get it!!!

Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/5F2a9ZpIuAs?si=KFRWWTP5MLiRAeLA

I was just responding to @Tano about Isaiah getting hammered by Earl Campbell in the 70's, when it occurred to me to start a thread about 2nd favorite teams. If I ever had one, it was the late 70's Houston Oilers: HC Bum Phillips, Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, Dan Pastorini, Earl Campbell.
Why?
I was born in Whittier and grew up being a Rams' fan, but in Oct. of 1975 my Dad was relocated to a small town outside of Houston, TX. We had like 2-3 channels of tv stations before cable tv was available. The newspapers always had a small paragraph about Rams games. Of course there was no internet and so there was literally no NFL news outside of the Oilers and the Cowboys. My Dad would get tickets to see the Oilers at the Astrodome every once in a while when the game was too boring for his clients to want to see, We'd get to go. What fun that was! The atmosphere was electric with the Houston Oilers' silly anthem playing after every touchdown (you couldn't help but join in). The Oilers were like the Rams at the time, in that although they were good, they could never get by the 70's Steelers. Earl Campbell was the most exciting RB and maybe the best RB, I ever saw in perspn. ("Skoal, brother").
That ended in 1978 when I moved to Northern California and could catch Rams vs 49ers games (finally). Yep, just in time for Joe Montana and Bill Walsh! lol. Yeah, I was never a Niners fan!

Did you ever have a second favorite team? If so, why did you have one? Rams forever, baby!

"Now, I love me some Montreal Alouettes!" ~ @CGI_Ram

God Damn I'm getting old and grumpy. WTF does the NFL slowly release this shit and not all at once?




Anyways

2024 NFL schedule release: Jets-49ers on 'MNF' in Week 1; Bengals-Chiefs in Week 2​

• NS-CHIEFS IN KICKOFF GAME
• COWBOYS-BROWNS IN WEEK 1
• JETS-49ERS ON 'MNF' IN WEEK 1; BENGALS-CHIEFS IN WEEK 2

New York Jets

AT

San Francisco 49ers

• WHERE: Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, Calif.)
• WHEN: Week 1 | 8:20 p.m. ET | ESPN, NFL+

Take two of the Aaron Rodgers era in New York will kick off in prime time.

ABC announced Tuesday morning the New York Jets will visit the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football on Sept. 9.

Rodgers’ 2023 season famously lasted just four snaps before rupturing his Achilles tendon in prime time against Buffalo.

The 2024 comeback for the Jets will take flight against Nick Bosa and the Niners in Santa Clara. San Francisco, of course, famously passed on Rodgers way back in 2005 in favor of Alex Smith -- a fact that is sure to be brought up roughly 30,000 times between now and the start of the season.

The prime-time opener is not all about Rodgers.

The 49ers are attempting to wipe another bitter playoff exit, falling short in a Super Bowl overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. With Brock Purdy at the helm for another season, the 49ers boast an array of weapons, from Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle and first-round pick Ricky Pearsall. They’ll face off against a star-studded Gang Green defense highlighted by Quinnen Williams, Sauce Gardner, C.J. Mosley, Jermaine Johnson II and new addition Haason Reddick -- whose hit on Purdy in the 2022 NFC Championship Game injured the QB.

Jets coach Robert Saleh kicks off a pivotal campaign traveling to his old stomping grounds in the Bay Area, where he was defensive coordinator for four seasons under Kyle Shanahan.

The kickoff storylines are plentiful for two clubs with designs on deep playoff runs in 2024. It makes perfect sense that the battle will be broadcast in prime time.










David Carr's top AFC North storylines to watch for before 2024 schedule release | 'NFL Total Access'





Cincinnati Bengals

AT

Kansas City Chiefs

• WHERE: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, Mo.)
• WHEN: Week 2 | 4:25 p.m. ET | CBS, NFL+

The Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals will renew their rivalry in Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season.

CBS announced Tuesday morning that the AFC powers will kick off at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 15.

The bout marks the sixth time the budding rivals will face off in three seasons. It’s the first time they will meet before December.

Joe Burrow missed the last matchup in 2023 against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs after suffering a season-ending wrist injury in Week 11. All signs point to the QB being ready for training camp in July, keeping him on pace for the early showdown with Mahomes.

The Bengals won the first three matchups against the Chiefs in the Burrow-Mahomes era, leading to the infamous "Burrowhead" chatter before the 2022 AFC Championship Game. K.C. won that tilt to head to the Super Bowl and own a two-game win streak over Cincy.

Placing the game early in the season gives the best chance both QBs will be healthy for the showdown in 2024.

The signal-callers are the headliners, but the matchup offers additional intrigue. The sides sport two defenses that could be among the best in the league. Travis Kelce, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Marquise Brown, rookie Xavier Worthy, Isiah Pacheco and others highlight what could become a classic showdown.

The Chiefs open the season against the Baltimore Ravens, followed by the Bengals. That’s a serious one-two punch for the two-time defending Super Bowl champs to start the campaign.

Los Angeles Rams & Malbon Golf tee up limited collection​

May 13, 2024 at 10:00 AM

TheRams.com

The Los Angeles Rams are teaming up with lifestyle brand Malbon Golf to release an exclusive limited collection, the two brands announced today on their social channels. Celebrating LA-made Malbon's home team with a six-piece collection, the collaboration pays tribute to the Rams' rich history and features a unique take on their classic logo marks.
"We are proud of our partnership with the Los Angeles Rams," said Stephen Malbon, co-founder of Malbon Golf. "Working closely with the organization has offered us a unique opportunity to directly engage with their passionate fan base and make a positive impact on the local community."
From the fairway to gridiron, the collection blends Malbon's signature clean-cut designs and Los Angeles street style. The line-up includes a 59Fifty Fitted Cap, Nylon Pullover, Wool Varsity Jacket, Cotton Pique Polo, Hooded Sweatshirt and Nylon Coaches Jacket. Malbon's mascot 'Buckets' is featured on each item, sporting the iconic Rams throwback helmet.

EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: Rams x Malbon Golf limited collection | Available May 17​

The Los Angeles Rams have partnered with Malbon Golf to release a limited collection that will be available for purchase on May 17th online at RamsFanShop.com and The Equipment Room at SoFi Stadium.








6 / 23


7 / 23


8 / 23
















PausePlay
"Many of our players say golf is their favorite pastime during the offseason and with the support of Malbon, we're making golf a team sport," said Los Angeles Rams Chief Marketing Officer Kathryn Kai-ling Frederick. "Malbon Golf believes in disrupting the status quo. We're thrilled to announce this new collaboration, bringing together like-minded brands to offer our fans a new way to represent their favorite team on the course and in life."
Rams linebacker and Super Bowl LVI Champion Ernest Jones IV enjoys wearing Malbon Golf on the course and is featured in the collection's lookbook released today. Tomorrow, the Rams will launch the newest season of their acclaimed social series "Behind The Grind" on their YouTube channel, and the first episode features a behind-the-scenes look into the shoot.
The Rams teased the collaboration in various pieces of the content announcing their Zillow Draft House leading up the 2024 NFL Draft. The collection's logo was made into a rug placed in the team's merchandise room at the house. Check out Tre Tomlinson , Rams defensive back and the Blitzfits 2024 Rookie of the Year, teeing up the collaboration here.

The LA Rams x Malbon Golf Limited Collection will be released on Friday, May 17 at 7:00 a.m. PT/ 10:00 a.m. ET in limited quantities online at ramsfanshop.com and malbongolf.com. The collection also will be available at Malbon Golf LA and the Rams' official store, The Equipment Room at SoFi Stadium.

First-year DC Chris Shula has tools needed for success. He won’t have many excuses if his unit falls flat in 2024.
By JB Scott May 13, 2024, 11:37am CDT

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

While known in previous years for making splashy moves and headlines, the Los Angeles Rams kept a much more low profile this offseason. They continued their investment along the interior of the offensive line as they embrace a more physical brand of football on offense. On defense, they will journey into a world post-Aaron Donald’s retirement and spent free agency and the NFL Draft restocking the cupboard of talent.

How did the Rams’ defense change over the offseason?​

​

---

OUT: DE Aaron Donald, CB Ahkello Witherspoon, DB Jordan Fuller, DB John Johnson, DE Jonah Williams
IN: OLB Jared Verse, DE Braden Fiske, DB Kamren Curl, CB Darious Williams, DB Kamren Kinchens, CB Tre White, OLB Brennan Jackson, DT Tyler Davis
I’m personally not sure anyone is giving the weight of Donald’s retirement the full credit it deserves. Los Angeles lost one of the most impactful defensive players we’ve ever seen. He’s been the sole focus of opposing offensive coordinators for the past decade, and someone teams rarely ever left blocked one-on-one.

The Rams are losing a lot of snaps played by Witherspoon, Fuller, Johnson, and Williams; however, the reinforcements brought in are younger and probably more talented overall. While there may be step backs in the short-term, the longer view on these players could very well be more favorable—though it’s easy to feel optimistic about offseason moves generally.

The combination of Byron Young and Jared Verse should give the Rams their most formidable set of edge rushers in some time along with the potential of longevity. While Young and Verse might not ever be as productive as Von Miller and Leonard Floyd were during the team’s playoff stretch and victory in Super Bowl LVI, Young and Verse are at least together for the next three seasons if not longer. LA looks to have finally solved their void at edge rusher that they’ve had since Miller darted to the Buffalo Bills during the 2022 free agent period.

---

Curl and Williams bring experience and professionalism to the secondary, and should be stabilizing forces on an otherwise young defensive unit. White brings a similar skillset to the table, though his recent injury history is a major red flag. Nearly any production the Rams get out of the veteran corner should be viewed as a bonus. I think there’s a reasonable chance he never starts a game for the team, or if he does he might not play at the level we’ve come to expect from the top of his game. The bottom line is that Witherspoon isn’t much of a loss, and the Rams still have Cobie Durant, Derion Kendrick, and Quentin Lake on the roster. If Williams is a solid starter and the White signing busts, the defense is probably still improved at corner overall from 2023.

I also like the selection of Kinchens in the third round, though it’s fair to have concerns regarding his athletic profile. We’ve seen the Rams find diamonds in the rough at safety later in the draft, though their earlier picks at the position haven’t necessarily panned out.

Login to view embedded media View: https://x.com/tkyles39/status/1773434536459735489


Terrell Burgess was also a third round pick. He impressed as a rookie under Brandon Staley in 2020 before suffering a serious ankle injury. His performance never returned to what we saw from him in his debut, and he was sooner after cut and is still bouncing around the league as a depth player.
While Taylor Rapp—taken in the second round of the 2019 draft out of Washington—should be considered a “hit”, he was labeled more of a high-floor player and solid starter than impact contributor or star player during the draft process. There was time he missed with injuries, but when he was healthy he mostly started and was steady for the Rams over his time in Los Angeles.

Can Kinchens be the best safety the Rams have drafted under Snead in recent history?

Why Chris Shula is among the most important Rams in 2024:​

The Rams spent the 2023 offseason embracing their identity as an offensive-minded football team under Sean McVay, and they asked then-defensive coordinator Raheem Morris to figure a lot out on the defensive side of the ball. After losing the likes of Leonard Floyd, Jalen Ramsey, Bobby Wagner, Nick Scott, etc. Morris was able to hold together a middle-of-the-road, patchwork defense that was just good enough to help keep the Rams in the playoff race.
Login to view embedded media View: https://x.com/TheShineTheory/status/1783955940649415001

After clearly prioritizing the defense this offseason, first-year DC Chris Shula’s unit must show improvement over what Morris’ group accomplished last year. The defense can’t be “just good enough” in 2024, they’ll need to be the reason Los Angeles wins a game here and there. That’s good news for an offense that at times was left out to dry by the defense a year ago, though the offense won’t have many new starters other than LG Jonah Jackson and TE Colby Parkinson.
Outside of injuries—which can always be an excuse in the NFL if you let it be one—Chris Shula is likely out of reasons why his defense shouldn’t be successful this year. Fair or not, there is pressure on him to perform in 2024 with a new crop of talent under his control.
Will we see the Rams defense take another step forward after an influx of talent and under Shula’s stead?

It finally arrived yesterday. I ordered it right after the Super Bowl and they only made a limited number of these bottles.

I filled it with some blue Gatorade and now have it displayed behind my bar...

Lots of great former Rams... Which one of them in their prime, added to the makeup of this team, puts us over the top?

Hmm…

Orlando Pace?

she was 77

I'm sure everyone knows who she was


Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrEvK-tv5OI