https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-ranking-all-32-nfl-teams-coverage-units-after-week-7

Ranking all 32 NFL teams' coverage units after Week 7
BY PFF ANALYSIS TEAM

Getting after the quarterback helps, but a strong play in coverage by both linebackers and defensive backs is essential for teams to effectively defend in today’s NFL. Here, we’ve pulled team coverage grades from Premium Stats 2.0 to rank all 32 teams’ coverage units after Week 7.

#3



TEAM COVERAGE GRADE: 85.4
Forced Incompletion %: 11.9 (7th)

Team Passer Rating Allowed%: 96.7 (11th)

Top Coverage Defender (Coverage Grade): S John Johnson III (85.4)

https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2018/10/24/18017720/what-is-next-doomed-teams

What Steps the NFL’s Doomed Teams Should Take Next
For the Raiders, Cardinals, 49ers, Bills, and Giants, it isn’t too early to begin looking ahead to 2019 and beyond
By Danny Kelly


Getty Images/Ringer illustration

The NFL season is just seven weeks old, but for a few teams, it’s already time to start looking ahead to 2019. The Raiders, Cardinals, 49ers, Bills, and Giants all find themselves in various states of disarray, and each is so far out of playoff contention we can all but officially write them off. So what’s the next step for each of these teams?

Whether coaching or quarterback changes are in order, a free-agency spending spree is on the horizon, or a total teardown is needed, the early entrants to the NFL’s “lost season” category all have some major decisions to make — both ahead of the trade deadline and during the offseason.

Oakland Raiders (1-5)
It’s fun to mock the Raiders for trading away all-world pass rusher Khalil Mack, but that die has been cast, and Oakland has to move forward from it. Jon Gruden is here for the long haul — he’s got the long-term security he needs with a 10-year, $100 million deal — and there’s actually some logic to how the Grudster is rebuilding the roster.

I mean, I wouldn’t have traded one of the best young defenders on the planet, but Gruden did at least get himself a few key building blocks in return — first-round and sixth-round picks in 2019 and a first-rounder and third-rounder in 2020.

Along with the Amari Cooper deal this week (which netted Dallas’s 2019 first-round pick), Oakland now holds five first-rounders in the next two years and three in the upcoming draft — which, if FiveThirtyEight’swin projections end up accurate, would be the third, 14th, and 15th picks, plus another two in 2020. That gives the Raiders’ brain trust an embarrassment of draft capital riches that they can use to fortify the crumbling foundation of the roster.

Oakland also has plenty of money to throw around in free agency, too, with $65.3 million in effective cap space for the 2019 league year, seventh most in the league. That number could grow substantially: Gruden might deny that they’re tanking, but the Raiders appear to be in complete fire sale/teardown mode and I doubt anyone on the roster is completely safe.

A bevy of well-paid veteran players could be trade bait or on the cap-cutting chopping block once the year is over, including tackle Donald Penn (a release would save the team $5.6 million in 2019 cap), defensive end Bruce Irvin ($9.25 million), linebacker Tahir Whitehead ($6.38 million), receivers Jordy Nelson ($7.2 million) and Seth Roberts ($4.65 million), and quarterback A.J. McCarron ($5 million).

The biggest decision Gruden must make in the next few months, though, is whether to build around starting quarterback Derek Carr or cut his losses and move on from the team’s highest-paid player. Carr has struggled with turnovers this year — he’s thrown seven touchdowns to eight picks — and there are whispers he’s started to lose the confidence of his teammates.

If Gruden concludes Carr is not the long-term answer at the position, Oakland could save another $20 million in cap space by cutting their quarterback in the offseason with a post-June 1 designation (or trading him after June 1) while eating just $2.5 million in dead money. That minimal sunk cost gives Oakland a ton of flexibility.

All told, a stripped-to-the-studs Raiders team could head into the 2019 offseason flush with high-end draft picks and cap space (more than $120 million with all the cuts described above). Oakland should begin its rebuild by replacing Mack and fixing the team’s listless pass rush.

This year’s draft, which looks to be defensive line-heavy at the top, lines up well with that need, and the Raiders could have options in free agency with guys like the Lions’ Ezekiel Ansah, Texans’ Jadeveon Clowney, Cowboys’ DeMarcus Lawrence, Seahawks’ Frank Clark, Eagles’ Brandon Graham, Redskins’ Preston Smith, Titans’ Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan, Patriots’ Trey Flowers, Jaguars’ Dante Fowler Jr., and Colts’ Margus Hunt all currently slated to hit the open market.

Past that, Oakland must address its secondary, its linebackers group, its receiver corps … well, really, Gruden has to add talent everywhere on the roster.

Raiders fans are looking at a multi-year rebuild, and things could get worse before they get better — but Gruden and Co. will wield considerable power in upcoming free-agent bidding wars and in the draft, which gives the team the opportunity to add blue-chip players to build around for the future. Picking the right players is always the biggest hurdle for any NFL decision-maker, of course, but the Raiders should have the resources to add substantial talent.

Buffalo Bills (2-5)
If the Bills have one advantage over most of the other teams on this list, it’s that they have to rebuild only one side of the ball. Buffalo’s defense under Sean McDermott has been competent this year for the most part, and is ranked third in opponent yards per pass attempt (6.7), fourth in yards allowed and yards per play (5.1), tied for eighth in sacks (19), and ranked 16th in points per game (25.0).

The Bills have a talented nucleus of defensive playmakers to build around in cornerback Tre’Davious White, safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer, and linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano. You can’t say the same thing about the offense, which lacks talent at every spot — and, yes, still has a major question mark at the quarterback position.

Josh Allen, who’s currently nursing an elbow injury, was nothing short of a disaster in his first six games for the team. The rookie first-rounder has completed just 54 percent of his passes (dead last among 33 qualifying quarterbacks this year) with two touchdowns and five interceptions and an abysmal 61.8 passer rating (also easily dead last). He’s taken 21 sacks on 160 dropbacks for a league-worst 13.1 sack rate, and is averaging just 6.0 yards per attempt (you guessed it — dead last).

Allen has the worst supporting cast of any quarterback in the NFL, sure, an important caveat, but the bottom line is that the state of the Bills’ offense is grim. Buffalo’s offense has the worst DVOAthrough seven games of any team that Football Outsiders has ever tracked. This team could have an ’85 Bears-level defense and it might not matter; they simply can’t win with an offense this historically inept.

Let’s just assume the Bills are committed to Allen, at least for another year or two. If the big-armed former Wyoming star has any shot at succeeding as a pro, Buffalo needs to build a strong, talented support system around him — and fast. Using an early-round pick on a receiver or offensive lineman wouldn’t hurt, but the Bills should lean heavily on their $85 million and change in effective cap room for next year (fifth most) to go out into free agency and improve its offensive line and buy some game-ready playmaking talent.

This year’s skill-position class doesn’t exactly blow you away, but Buffalo’s holding a hefty stack of chips, and there’s possibility for improved depth. Receivers slated for free agency include Golden Tate, John Brown, Chris Hogan, Tyrell Williams, Quincy Enunwa, Randall Cobb, and Devin Funchess; running backs like Le’Veon Bell, Latavius Murray, Mark Ingram, T.J. Yeldon, and Spencer Ware could boost the team’s ground game; and tight ends like Tyler Eifert, Jared Cook, Luke Willson, and Maxx Williams could all blossom into nice safety blankets for a young QB like Allen.

Offenses are exploding around the league and quarterbacking just keeps getting easier and easier, but Buffalo is stuck in purgatory and seeking an answer to whether Allen is a franchise cornerstone. They likely won’t know until they give the signal-caller some help, though, so after spending the past couple offseasons jettisoning offensive talent (including pass catchers like Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, and Marquise Goodwin) Buffalo desperately needs to restock the shelves.

Arizona Cardinals (1-6)
The Cardinals have needs on both sides of the ball, but before general manager Steve Keim can set out to address the holes on his roster, a more pressing question must be addressed: Is first-time head coach Steve Wilks the man for the job? Hired ostensibly for his defensive expertise, the former Panthers’ defensive coordinator has yet to impress calling the shots in Arizona.

The group that ranked fourth in DVOA in 2017 fallen out of the top 10, and a recent report indicates that the team’s best defender, Patrick Peterson, is desperately seeking a trade — in part, perhaps, because of the way Wilks’s scheme is using him.

More worrying, though, is what Wilks has done with the offense: The guy he handpicked to run his offense, Mike McCoy, lasted just seven games after failing to show any understanding on how to utilize running back David Johnson. And while rookie quarterback Josh Rosen has flashed at times, Arizona’s offense has been almost as bad as the Bills’, and is ranked in the bottom-10 all time in DVOA through seven games.

Wilks, notably, was hired before Rosen’s draft-day fall, a surprising turn of events that precipitated Arizona’s decision to trade up into the 10th spot to take the former UCLA star. The team had, after all, just signed veteran quarterback Sam Bradford to serve as a placeholder in what looked to be a transitional year following the retirements of Carson Palmer and Bruce Arians. Does the fact that the team seems to have found its new franchise passer change Keim’s perspective?

Does it make more sense to pair his young signal-caller with a bright offensive mind, as the Rams did with Sean McVay and Jared Goff or the Eagles did with Doug Pederson and Carson Wentz? We’ll find out. What we know now is that the decision to draft Rosen accelerated the team’s timeline to Super Bowl contention dramatically.

A quality quarterback on his rookie contract is still the most valuable asset in football, a factor that should give Keim the salary-cap flexibility to spend big in free agency and build a strong supporting cast around his young passer.

The Cardinals carry $41 million of effective cap space going into next season (13th in the league), and could boost that number with a few cost-cutting moves. Declining Bradford’s 2019 option would add an additional $19.7 million, and the release of veterans like quarterback Mike Glennon ($3 million), tight end Jermaine Gresham ($4.25 million), safety Antoine Bethea ($3.25 million), tackle Andre Smith ($4 million), defensive lineman Corey Peters ($3.75 million with a post-June 1 designation), and cornerback Jamar Taylor ($3.825 million) could free up an additional $20 million or so.

That’d give Arizona somewhere in the ballpark of $86 million to work with. If the team does end up trading Patrick Peterson, that would add more than $10 million to that number.

The team’s final nine games could tell us a lot about the direction Keim will take, and newly minted offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich’s performance could be a make-or-break factor for Wilks’s job security.

If the first-time offensive coordinator proves he can unlock Johnson as a pass catcher, get Larry Fitzgerald more involved, and get tangible development out of Rosen, the team could stick with Wilks. If not, the rookie head coach could be one-and-done. The Cardinals simply can’t waste any time during Rosen’s rookie contract.

New York Giants (1-6)
There’s no quick fix for a team that’s gone 4–19 in its last 23 games, but the first and most obvious decision general manager Dave Gettleman must make in the coming months is what to do with Eli Manning. The veteran and probable future Hall of Famer is no longer good enough to carry a flawed team, and his $23.2 million cap hit in 2019 is prohibitive for a squad with just $15.1 million in effective cap space (25th) next year.

New York is likely to ride this season out with Manning under center, but going into next season, the team may need to make some major cost-cutting moves in order to start to reshape the roster around its twin offensive pillars, Odell Beckham Jr. and Saquon Barkley.

It seems unthinkable for the Giants to drop the most iconic QB they’ve had, but cutting the soon-to-be 38-year-old Manning would open up $17 million in much-needed cap space and give the team more ammunition to build for the future.

Gettleman is also going to have to weigh cost vs. production with pass rusher Olivier Vernon ($15.5 million cap savings with post–June 1 cut), linebacker Alec Ogletree ($10 million post-June 1), cornerback Janoris Jenkins ($11.25 million post-June 1), outside linebacker Kareem Martin ($4.35 million post-June 1), guard Patrick Omameh ($4.75 million post-June 1), and running back Jonathan Stewart ($2.85 million).

The purge may already be starting. The team dealt cornerback Eli Apple to the Saints, a trade that may indicate Gettleman is “‘open for business’ ahead of next week’s trade deadline,” per CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. The Giants are bad, the roster has a bunch of holes, and they don’t have much cap space. None of that is likely to change without an aggressive rebuilding plan.

San Francisco 49ers (1-6)
The Niners offense has a good excuse for its struggles this year. Marquise Goodwin, Pierre Garcon, Dante Pettis, and Matt Breida have all been banged up at different times, and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and running back Jerick McKinnon are both on IR.

The team simply hasn’t been able to overcome that litany of injuries, but going forward, I’m not really worried about that side of the ball. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has a strong scheme, a good quarterback, a handful of explosive running backs and receivers, and with a few depth moves over the offseason, that unit could make a big jump in 2019.

The defense, on the other hand, is going in the wrong direction. San Francisco has allowed the second-most points (31.1 per game), has surrendered an opponent passer rating of 101.9 (27th), has just one interception (tied for last) and has racked up just 14 sacks (tied for 24th). Cornerback Richard Sherman and pass rusher DeForest Buckner have both been excellent, but past that, the team doesn’t have many difference-makers.

Solomon Thomas, the third overall pick in 2017, has been a non-factor as the team’s tried to figure out where to play him. Arik Armstead would probably fit better in a 3–4 scheme. Second-year linebacker Reuben Foster has taken a step back along with cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, and former first-rounder Jimmie Ward and second-rounder Jaquiski Tartt have both been injured.

Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s seat might be getting warmer as the year goes on, but Shanahan and general manager John Lynch need to add talent this defense, too.

The good news? The 49ers have $67.3 million in effective cap space for 2019, sixth-most, a number that could grow if the team cuts any of the following players: Armstead ($9 million), Garcon ($6 million), linebacker Malcolm Smith ($4 million), tackle Garry Gilliam ($5.1 million), or pass rusher Cassius Marsh ($4.2 million).

The stacked free agent pass-rush group should be priority no. 1 for San Francisco, but the team could look to the cornerback and linebackers spots as well. The Niners aren’t going to transform into a top defense overnight, but Lynch and Co. have the resources to add a few foundational players to that underperforming group.

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congrats to @FaulkSF for winning last weeks contest, just 1 point off. Your credits will be in your account soon.


On to this week. The Mighty Los Angeles Rams (7-0) head home for the first time in a month to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. (3-2-1) . Who will emerge victorious?


Lets see those predictions !!!

I think it's foolish to think there isn't a direct connection between playing football and increased chance of CTE. But I'm glad there is starting to be at least some discussion of the flawed research that was done on the subject that started the firestorm a few years ago. Hopefully this leads to real scientific research on causes and treatments to prevent CTE and hopefully it is well funded and lead by the NFL.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/op-ed-...ing-launched-wave-cte-hysteria-150349666.html

Op-ed: How one flawed study and irresponsible reporting launched a wave of CTE hysteria


(Getty)
Editor’s note:The following is an op-ed written by the authors of “Brainwashed: The Bad Science Behind CTE and the Plot to Destroy Football.”

The New York Times story dropped like a bomb on football and the medical community on the morning of July 25, 2017. Dr. Ann McKee, lead neuropathologist at the Boston University CTE Center, had examined the brains of 111 former NFL players and found signs of CTE, or Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, in 110 of them.

The news broke the internet, sent reporters scrambling to develop their own takes, and sealed the deal for millions of American parents, doctors, coaches and players. Finally, the link between playing football and developing a terrible neurodegenerative disease seemed ironclad.

As an ex-NFL player and a forensic neuropathologist, respectively, we both have an interest in solid science and sound policy that protects athletes, so we were alarmed by the CTE Center’s findings. In its wake, parents were removing their kids from Pop Warner leagues, experts were calling football “child abuse” and some states talked of banning tackle football altogether.

Then we took a closer look at the study that led to the Times story — apparently something few journalists had bothered to do. When we dug into the methodology, we were floored. The study was so badly flawed that it was nearly worthless. But that’s not what had been reported in practically every major media outlet in the world. Thanks to the barrage of sensationalist coverage, the “110 out of 111 brains” story had turned into a wildfire, and we were standing around with a couple of garden hoses, telling everybody to calm down.

That’s why we wrote our new book, “Brainwashed: The Bad Science Behind CTE and the Plot to Destroy Football” (Amplify, Oct. 23, 2018), and it’s why we’ve written this op-ed. We believe that when people know what we know, they’ll start asking tougher, smarter questions, and the “football causes CTE” connection will be revealed as the pseudoscience that it is.

Sure, that’s a provocative statement. How can we back it up? Let’s start with this: the study that produced the 110 out of 111 brains finding had no control group. Good research design requires a control group against which findings can be compared. In this case, the control group could have been brains from 100 athletes from sports other than football, brains from 100 men who had never played contact sports – any cohort that would have allowed the researchers to determine whether men of a certain age who hadn’t played in the NFL also showed signs of CTE. For some reason, this study didn’t have that.

Strike one.

Also, many of the 111 NFL brains were donated by deceased players’ family members specifically because the players had displayed symptoms of mood, cognitive or behavioral disorders. That’s selection bias. If you only look at brains from people who seem to have neurological problems, don’t be surprised when you find signs of those problems. A better approach would have been to randomly examine brains from some ex-players who exhibited mood, cognitive or behavioral issues as well as from some who didn’t. But this study didn’t do that.

Strike two.

Finally, there was no attempt made in the research paper (or the subsequent coverage) to control for or account for all the other factors in the lives of the deceased players that could have contributed to the condition of their brains. For example, nearly half the players had a history of substance abuse, suicidal thinking or a family history of psychiatric problems, but these were offered as possible results of CTE, not as possible independent causes of mood, cognitive or behavioral disorders.

In fact, 67 percent of the players found to have mild CTE also had substance abuse problems – and the abuse of some drugs can cause the key physical sign of CTE, deposits of a protein called tau in the brain. By the way, obesity, steroid use, cigarette smoking and chronic stress can also cause many of the physical signs of CTE. For example, 2016 research from the University of British Columbia found that anabolic steroid use causes CTE-like brain changes in mice, while research published in Frontiers in Neuroscience in 2014 found that obesity increases tau deposits in the brain. Were any of those former players obese, smokers or steroid users? Did they experience a lot of stress? We have no idea, because the study either didn’t ask or doesn’t tell us.

Strike three. You’re out.

Some of these limitations were discussed in the paper published on this work, but only in the last paragraph. In other words, they were buried. The researchers, especially BU, were all too willing to ride the wave of attention provided by the press without ever copping to the severe weaknesses in their work. As a result, the public is convinced that football causes CTE — and that anyone who says otherwise is a “denier” — based on work that would not have passed muster in a graduate-level research design course.

For the record, we’re not saying that CTE doesn’t exist or suggesting that taking repeated hits to the head is a good thing. Clearly, something is causing neurodegenerative disease in some athletes, and something is leaving CTE’s distinctive protein signature in their brains. But there’s so much we don’t know: what causes it, if impacts to the head are really involved, how much exposure is too much, what clinical symptoms (if any) these physical signs might cause later in life, if other factors are involved, and more. There are too many unanswered questions to justify the fear and hysteria.

What do we want? Simple. Pump the brakes. Let’s do transparent, collaborative, well-designed research that identifies the link between sports-related head trauma and neurodegenerative disease — if there is one. Let’s study other sports, like soccer. Let’s study women’s sports, not just men’s. Let’s do long-term prospective research that will tell us what decades of playing all kinds of sports does to the brain, what effects measures like protective gear and concussion rehab protocols have on outcomes, and if ex-athletes’ self-care after their careers are over can help them avoid CTE and other neurological diseases.

Let’s get good data from multiple sources and assess it based on diagnostic criteria created by the consensus of experts from multiple disciplines and multiple sources — rather than the criteria we use now, which were predominantly influenced by one source: Boston University. Let’s do science the way science is supposed to be done, and then act on that information, rather than on fear.

One of the arguments people are making is, “What’s the harm in being overcautious about hits to the head?” Good question. If the work of people like Dr. McKee is wrong and the media is peddling sensationalism and fear backed up by flimsy data, the harm is the impact this anxiety can have on people — young, old, and in between. The dire picture painted by the media could have a negative impact on mental health outcomes in athletes.

Right now, football players ranging from high schoolers to ex-pros are living in fear of CTE because they read inflammatory, fact-free stories in the press or because they forget where they put their car keys. Some pros are quitting the game in their twenties and giving up years of potential earnings because they fear that playing will cost them their futures. Bad information comes at a high cost. We not only have to get the science right; we have to get the story right.

Our kids, pro athletes, the great game of football and people who care about the truth deserve nothing less.

giants, raiders, bills, possibly the cards? Any bones we can pick clean here obviously the majority of us looking for outside edge rush help, but anything else within the cap we could use? Obviously we have all mentioned Hughes on buffalo but bills supposedly don't want to move him or shady unless they get a haul or just trying to drive up price. I would be on phone for Murphy (of course), Raiders I'd want Irvin and Giants well Vernon would be awesome but cap wise it's not possible. I think maybe without some creative financing none of this is possible. Saints getting Apple who yes has been ehhhh but three corners now athletic corners to put on our 3 wideouts. I'd like to add something to help us down the road.

Also just throwing it out there if he were made available would you guys be willing to take Jared cook back? I know that's a tough pill to swallow but before anyone jumps all over me its just for conversation but he could be a very good weapon in this offense.

http://www.footballzebras.com/2018/10/week-8-referee-assignments-2018/

Packers at Rams — Ron Torbert

Torbert was the ref for the Rams opener at the Raiders.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Torbert

Torbert's 2018 NFL officiating crew consists of umpire Dan Ferrell, down judge Sarah Thomas, line judge Mark Steinkerchner, field judge Jimmy Buchanan, side judge Scott Edwards, and back judge Tony Josselyn.

Any links posted for the 9er's game?

Use the search engine or at least scan the first page before posting something. Don't want to merge or delete a thread if possible. Thanks.

Eli Apple is leaving the Big Apple.

The often-maligned former first-round cornerback is being traded from the New York Giants to the New Orleans Saints, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported. ESPN first reported the news.

Around The NFL will have more on this story shortly

Professional dumbass and Rams hater Walter Cheripinsky continues to deny greatness when he sees it and places the Patriots and the Chiefs at #2 and #1 respectively.



http://walterfootball.com/nflpowerrankings.php

3. Los Angeles Rams (7-0) - Previously: 3.
Overrated NFL Team: See why the Rams are an overrated NFL team in our new Overrated-Underrated page.

No new comments as of yet but you can say hello to him if you have a Twitter account.

https://twitter.com/walterfootball?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author
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https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2018/10/23/nfl-power-rankings-rams-week-8-standings/

NFL Week 8 power rankings: Rams still No. 1
By: Cameron DaSilva

Through the first seven weeks of the season, no team has been as dominant as the Los Angeles Rams. They have a points differential of plus-107, which is No. 1 in the league by 29 points, to go along with the best record at 7-0.

As a result, they’ve remained atop this week’s USA TODAY power rankings. Here’s what the site had to say about the Rams:

They don’t have that ‘x’ designation in the standings yet for officially clinching a playoff berth, but all 24 teams starting 7-0 since 1990 have reached postseason.

The lowest the Rams have been in these rankings all season is No. 5, while they’ve been atop the list for several weeks now. It’s impossible to put any team above them, too. There isn’t a team they wouldn’t be favored against at this point in time, which is the ultimate sign that they’re the best squad in the NFL.

The most surprising development in these power rankings is that the Chiefs remain fourth and haven’t even climbed past that position all season. Sure, the defense is suspect, but that offense might be the best in football.

The Saints jumped the Patriots for the second spot, while the Chargers come in at No. 5. As for the rest of the NFC West, the Seahawks are 16th, followed by the Cardinals at 30 and the 49ers one spot behind them. The Raiders are last with an abysmal 1-5 record.
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http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...-rankings-2018-players-need-step-all-32-teams


1. Los Angeles Rams

Record: 7-0
Week 7 ranking: 1

Need more from: P Johnny Hekker. There's not much to gripe about with the Rams' 7-0 start, and they don't punt often -- but when they do, Hekker hasn't been as productive as last year. The Rams are averaging the third-fewest yards per punt this season after averaging the fourth most last year. -- Michael Schwartz
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http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...kings-week-8-redskins-hit-top-10-jags-plummet

1


RAMS (7-0)

Previous rank: No. 1

The Rams charge to 7-0, besting their long-time adversaries from the north. The 49ers were no match for a team sitting on the NFL's top shelf, even though the Niners donned the same jerseys they wore in their most recent Super Bowl title season. The usual chatter around the Rams centers around Jared Goff, Todd Gurley and the offense, but on Sunday, it was about the defensive line blowing up the center of the 49ers' offense.

Aaron Donald posted four sacks and a rip job worthy of Peanut Tillman. While you're watching highlights, check out how fast Donald collapses the pocket, deep in San Francisco territory. Since we're having so much fun with L.A.'s dominance on video ... I never thought this delayyyyyyyyyyyed screen that Goff threw across his body -- and all the way across the field -- would result in Gurley scoring yet another touchdown.

Side note: I have 49ers at Rams from 1994 on DVD. Both teams wore the same throwbacks they donned this weekend. L.A. was led by Chris Miller and Chris Chandler at quarterback. Jerome Bettis rushed for over 100 yards. The teams were celebrating the NFL's 75th Anniversary. To think next season is Year 100. Pretty cool.
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https://www.milehighreport.com/2018/10/23/18011296/nfl-power-rankings-week-8

1. Los Angeles Rams:

What can you say about the last undefeated team who just steamrolled another opponent? They get the #1 ranking for being the #1 team.
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https://www.sbnation.com/2018/10/23...018-surprising-teams-rise-up-division-outlook


Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

1 Los Angeles Rams

NFC West

It’s the Rams ... and then everyone else in the NFC West. The Rams won their seventh straight game (courtesy of the 49ers) and look completely dominant as the NFL’s top team. The Seahawks had their bye this week while the Cardinals were trampled over on Thursday night and fired their offensive coordinator as a result.

The 49ers were dealt a tough blow with the Jimmy Garoppolo injury back in Week 3, but it looks like they’ll get a top-10 draft pick again next year to add a nice piece to their roster. With that said, the Rams own the NFC West right now.
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https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2018/10/23/18013402/week-8s-nfl-power-rankings-are-rolling-in

1 Rams
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https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/nfl-power-rankings-week-8#slide-39

1. Los Angeles Rams
They're winning close games now too, and that's the sound of the '72 Dolphins getting a little more nervous with each passing week.
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https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...e-football-philadelphia-eagles-cowboys-giants

1 - Los Angeles Rams (Last Week: 1) - The Rams continue to roll their opponents. LA owns the league’s best point differential at +107. That’s 29 points higher than the second closest team.
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http://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/...es-jaguars-packers/1esio0sr8wl5w1onry5eu1j1fo

1. Los Angeles Rams 7-0 (last week: 1)

Todd Gurley and Jared Goff were having too much fun, so it became time for Aaron Donald to flex his muscles and remind everyone this team has both the best running back and the best defensive player in the NFL.
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https://bleacherreport.com/articles...ek-8-updated-standings-predictions-before-mnf

1. Los Angeles Rams (7-0)
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https://www.barstoolsports.com/newyork/nfl-power-rankings-week-7



Through seven weeks of the season, it’s clear the Rams are the best team in the NFL and, despite a hard schedule, should be the clear favorites in each game from here on out.

https://www.packerforum.com/threads/week-8-packers-at-rams.80961/


Game week will be here before we know it.

Preliminary thoughts on what needs to happen if we have any hopes of beating this team on their field?
________________________
Jupiter aligning with Mars perhaps?

I don't mean to sound negative because I firmly believe that any team is beatable. Pack's chances hinge on that unpredictable defense of ours.

Rams drive the length of the field on their first drive and I'm seeing an ugly game. Gurley is the guy that will end up killing us at first, then when we adjust they'll get us with TE's over the middle.

If the D can shut them down on 2 or 3 drives, the Pack will still need 40 points. It could be ugly. Sorry but this team hasn't given me any reason to polly-anna it up.
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I expect us to have a chance of winning because of who our QB is. Unfortunately he doesn’t play defense, or call the plays. This is a game where you could see us get out schemed on both sides of the ball smh.

The #1 priority will be protecting Rodgers from a fierce pass rush, so I hope that Philbin and McCarthy have their ish together going into the game. DONT get into a track meet with them because that will not work in our favor...the Packers are very good at getting the play off at the last possible second as it is so keep their offense on the sidelines as long as possible. RUN the ball and run for screens for goodness sakes...they work.

The defense has to contain Gurley. Pettine won’t be able to get away with that only two down linemen and six DB crap against Gurley. They have a good trio of WRs but with Kupp
More than likely out for that game and Getting Alexander back with hopefully a Breeland appearance we should be able to handle Woods and Cooks. IDK ...this will either be a close win for the Packers...or an ugly loss. Rams are very good at Home.
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Rams have played 1 and a half good teams in the Chargers and Minnesota. The other teams they have beat are less than impressive. Matter of fact, they only beat Denver by 3 and Seattle by 2. Their other wins are against the abysmal Cardinals and the trash Oakland Grudens. The Rams seem scary and hip. But don't believe for a second that they are some unbeatable juggernaut. We may not win, but Packers fans should believe it is not as hopeless as you may think.
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If Green Bay falls to Los Angeles, there will be a silver lining. Clearly, McCarthy lacks innovation and is not attuned to the new NFL. His seat will get hotter. Yes, this is a new era of NFL scheming. The changes of rules reflects this.

Anyways here's my Packers/Rams analysis:

O-Line must step up, especially the interior. Donald, Suh, and Brockers? Yikes!

Running the ball is imperative. I found it very puzzling when they cut Aaron Ripkowski before the season started. He was versatile and a plus at blocking. Following Rodgers' injury last year, one would think having a fullback to offer a last line of protection, would've been considered. Plus he would've offered more tunnels of vision for Williams and Jones. A great plan for the run game will help with time of possession, because...

There is no way Green Bay's defense will stop the Rams offense!!! Hopefully, Cooper Kupp will be inactive another week giving the safeties a fighting chance, because Cooks will fly down the field, and Gurley will be all over the place in the run game and passing game. Woods is a route running tactician, so our young CBs must stay disciplined. Without a pass rush, can't see Green Bay getting through that Rams O-Line.

However, as always, Rodgers is the wildcard. Adams has been very impressive this season, and MVS is starting to make a legitimate case for No.2 WR status. Rams secondary is injured and not very deep. Rodgers knows Sam Shields' game having practiced against him for so many years. Also, Rodgers elevates his game when the stakes are high. Plus he's going back home to Cali, which according to Week 8 NFL schedule, will be the game of the week.

Rodgers will ball...will everyone else?
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This game will hinge on......turnovers and the Packers playing mistake free. Packers will need to be at least +2 in turnovers and not make a lot of mistakes or this will be the typical games we have seen in the past when the Packers face a solid team on the road and just can't keep up. Top to bottom, the Rams are a better team than the Packers and will be on their home turf. Goff is playing solid football, Gurley is running well and if Kupp can play, their 3 WR's (Wood, Kupp, Cooks) could give the Packers fits. The only good news for the Packers, TE's Everett and Higbee haven't done a whole lot, but that could change and Gurley can catch the ball out of the backfield.
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I expect us to get eaten alive by Gurley catching the ball in the backfield on screens.
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If you all remember sometime back, I predicted the Rams going to and winning the Super Bowl.
A young team, young coach, young players that spend and enjoy their time together without any doubt.

Everything that reeks, "Let's do this."
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How do you prepare for the LA Rams? They are good in every aspect of the game. I will be happy if the Packers are within 7 points of this team. I do not see how you effectively prepare to win a football game against a relatively flawless football team.
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There's no doubt the Rams have a high powered offense but the Packers might be able to score a decent amount of points against their defense as well.
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The Rams are good. Not infallible. I’m not saying I like our chances, but I would be a bit worried if I was a Rams fan too. This team is certainly capable of going toe to toe with the rams but it will take a clean game, something we haven’t seen from them yet. Only sputters and stops. But we’ve seen this team getting it going more than once or twice in the past. It’s not like we’re wishing for miracles here
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We're used to blaming our defense for losses, but in this case I actually believe our offense won't be able to keep up. Our biggest chance is "any given Sunday" IMO.
By the way, ESPN reports this is the biggest point spread as an underdog that Rodgers has faced during his career (8.5).

I see the Rams toasted the 49ers yesterday. For those who said the 49ers aren't that bad of a team so it's no shame that they kept up with GB last week. And those who say the Rams aren't that good.
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I’m gonna save my time from watching this game.. I’m diehard I know any given Sunday but let’s be real this is gonna be ugly.. we are gonna get tiki torched!!! Sorry if u don’t like it and I’m being negative but it’s gonna be a blowout
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If Rodgers does not take his own admission to heart that he's holding onto the ball too long, and if Philbin doesn't scheme to get quick passing and something other than a vanilla running game going, then Rodgers will get sacked at least 6 times.
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I will gladly stand corrected if they happened to beat them.. but in all honesty I have a better chance of getting it in with my wife that night vs Green Bay winning ‍
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Yes, but a football game lasts about 3 hrs., what will you do the other 2 hrs and 56 minutes of the evening.
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Couple things got me wondering ...

1. Who will Sam Shields be matched up on? Cobb? Adams? GMo or MVS/ESB?

2. Wonder what Troy Hill and Cooper Kupp will be in terms of health this next week?

3. Should we adopt the Denver strategy of slowing their offense down with shell coverage and make them run it with Gurley? No doubt he'll rack up plenty of yards doing that, but can we limit their points?

One thing I think we can be fairly certain of is Rodgers will not be a turnover machine against them like Bethard was.
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Don't underestimate the significance of Cobb and Allison returning healthy. They are on the same page as Rodgers when he scrambles, not to mention our offense looked at its absolute best for 15 minutes in the fourth quarter on opening night when they were making plays. I know people are fawning over MVS and EQ but, right now, our best offense is with Cobb and Allison on the field. That being said, I would love to see them spread them out with some five-wide.
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Seems like we usually play up (and down) to the competition so i expect the game to be respectable. probably lose though
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Are the Rams going undefeated? I don't think so. They will lose at some point, and perhaps it will be to us.
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Five wide sets could be useful in this game. Especially, mixing in Graham and splitting him out wide a few times. This is probably a game better suited for speed, rather than smash-mouth. Keep away from Donald and Suh, a lot of outside running, screen pass, bunch formation...something creative.
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Basically this game will come down to whether or not the Packers have figured out their stuff over the bye week. If they have and the offense has locked it in, then we can expect a game. If they play like we saw on MNF, they're getting blown out.
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The Packers needed all time heroics from Aaron Rodgers to barely take down the juggernaut known as the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field. Meanwhile, the Rams beat the brakes off of the exact same team on the road yesterday.

See the problem?

The Packers were pretty bad for most of that game. The offense was hit or miss. Far from a well oiled machine. And the defense was absolutely atrocious in the 1st half. Really no other way to put it.

So yes. If we play like we did a week ago against the Rams, we're going to get spanked.
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With Mike McCarthy as head coach, the Packers are 9-3 coming out of a bye — prior to last years loss at Detroit, the only other losses were to teams which were unbeaten.

Rams opened as 9 point favorites, the largest spread ever while Rodgers has been the starting QB.

One can only hope that the Rams are looking ahead to playing New Orleans and forget to put it all out on the field against the Packers Sunday.
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Good information.

There are a few things that could potentially be working in the Packers favor. To your point, coming off of a bye allows the team to get healthier, and allows additional time to prepare. Your point about the spread I think will do nothing but eat at Rodgers to the point he'll be ultra dialed in. Also, the Rams will be coming off of a blowout win yesterday.

The Packers will have to play very solid, but I'm hoping the combination of maybe the slightest bit of overlooking from the Rams, along with additional motivation from the Packers makes this a very compelling game.
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Packers are going to have to play near perfect football, win the turnover battle by +2 or more and hope to play solid enough defense to not get into a track meet. Not sure how tough it is to play at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, but shut that crowd down as fast as you possibly can.
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With our linebacking core the way that it is, how can we stop Todd Gurley off of the edge? I think if we can hold Todd Gurley to less than 100 yards, is the only way we have a legitimate chance in this football game. I just don’t see how we could stop him.
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It does start and end with Gurley. He can beat you with the power game at 4 yards a time and if you're not paying attention he'll get you with a 20+ run. If you're paying attention, they'll get you with play action. They're tough to defend, but they're not the first team in the NFL to have that attack. We'd benefit from a power run game, but I'm not that confident in ours.
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Is this our stiffest test of the year so far? Absolutely. Will I be a little surprised if we beat them in their house? Yes. As the saying goes "that's why you play the game." We have not played up to our potential very often this season but that doesn't mean Sunday will be a dud. 2 weeks to prepare will help. Having AR12 always helps. I am hopeful we can be close to healthy come kick and if so, I think we have a decent shot of stealing one. Yes, the Rams are all kinds of potent. They are
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let's just take another bye week.

Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/XAu-bl0zQVY


Biggest load of bullshit I have ever heard

I’ll start this by saying I’ve never been what you would call a “sound” sleeper. I’ve always awoke easily, and have always been the first one out of bed in my home, never in my life have I needed an alarm clock.

I typically am in bed by 10pm, sometimes a little earlier, sometimes a little later. But I’ve always woke up about 5:30-6am religiously.

Well, every now and then I’ll have these spells where I just sleep like shit. I’ll wake up a ton throughout the night, and I’ll wake up at 3-4 in the morning and not be able to fall back to sleep. It’s like I’m wide awake.

Well, almost 6 weeks ago I had a pretty painful surgery that kept me horizontal for 2 weeks. I slept on the couch for about 12 of those days to prevent moving around. I was on Percocet every 4 hours and the dr had me taking 4 Benadryl to sleep at night. And I slept like a fucking king. Til sometimes 8am. That may seem early to a lot of you, but I have never, a single time, as far back as middle school, slept past 6:30. So, to me, that’s late.

Well ever since going back to my bed, I cannot sleep for shit. I wake up about 3-3:30 every damn day and just lay there trying to fall back to sleep until I give up and just go to the living room and watch some TV. Neither the Benadryl or the OTC sleeping aids I bought seem to help much. I may get to sleep til 5 but it’s still very restless.

I had a follow up appointment last Wednesday for a different health issue and brought this up to the doctor but found no answers. He said it sounds like sleep apnea but since I’ve lost so much weight (71lbs—booyah) and have never snored, it doesn’t seem likely. The seriousness of the other issues quickly took back over the conversation and I found myself without answers.

Does anyone else have issues like this? If you do, what are some things you try? I’ve tried cooling down my room, turning the fan on different speeds, different blankets, pillows, sleeping pants, shorts, boxers. Nothing. I know it’s not a comfort think at this point.

Hour 1 opening. Skip to about 1:30 seconds and listen for a few minutes. Mad love for the Rams.

Sorry if the link kinda jerks you around a bit. Hit the "no thanks" if it does and look for Hour 1 of 10/22/2018.

https://www.jimrome.com/media/audio-channel/jim-rome-hour-1-10222018

TV

Speakers

Wireless

If you could build your living room today - what would you buy?

Looks like they pulled a kid out of the stands and dressed him up in a Rams uniform. Saffold’s arm is bigger than JoJo’s legs, damn near the size of his torso. JoJo is quickly becoming one of my (many) favorites.

If you haven't seen this (funny appearance by Gurley)


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Well, I don’t see a whole lot of daylight between the 2 teams.

However...

Now that GZ is back, and factoring in Littleton, Hekker, plus our coverage tackling? I’ve gotta give the ST edge to the Rams. Hekker is perfectly capable of kicking away from their PR studs and GZ can kick it out of the end zone all game long. Slight advantage Rams.

And the D’s? C’mon... The Chiefs have to string together a few more low scoring D efforts before I’m convinced. Big edge to the Rams.

As to the two O’s? Both are elite, no doubt about it. But I will say this. I suspect that McVay has been keeping some things under wraps because they just haven’t really been needed so far. But you can believe that the Chiefs will get the whole load. Another thing is that Kupp will be back and 100% healthy by then. I just think that the Chiefs D is less capable of slowing the Ram O than the Ram D is capable of slowing the Chief O. Slight advantage Rams.

Gonna be interesting to see what the “over” line will be by game time. Lol.

When Mcvay was hired, he was doubted as being too young, and more of a “ra ra” guy who would only focus on offense and schemes, and would be better suited as a coordinator. When Shanahan was hired, he was viewed as a slam dunk, an ultra successful coordinator everywhere he went, and was just the fix for a struggling niners squad.

My friends, and fellow Rams fans, McVay and Shanahan are a TEXTBOOK example of someone being made to be a coordinator and head coach, except people had it mixed up. I’ve never believed in Shanahan as a head coach since watching his unit last year. He strikes me as a very smart, very calculating play caller and schemer, who isn’t relatable with players and can’t see the forest from the trees(coaching up an entire team, not just offense). Want an example? Tell any niner fan Shanahan isn’t a good coach, and they’ll tell you how they’re ranked 13th in offensive yards per game.

McVay, on the other hand, has single handily changed, not just the offense, but the entire discipline and energy of the Rams. The Rams, since McVay, are a buttoned up unit, well-disciplined, focused, and coached up.

Shanahan very well may be a gifted, brilliant coordinator and playcaller. But I’ll happily take the guy made to be a head coach over the guy made to be a coordinator.

Ha....Been listening to the fall out from choking a 17-0 lead at home in the 4th quarter.....Things I've learned from fanz:
1. Carson sucks...where is Nick Foles?
2. Our Coaches are worthless
3. Anthony Gargano was spitting mad when called out for calling Wentz a g*d. (He was so mad he was spitting bullets....lol)
4. Why didn't they RUN THE BALL!?!?! at 3rd and 2 yards near the goal line.!!!
5. If we don't get Lev Bell, the season is over...
6. WE WON'T EVEN MAKE THE PLAYOFFS!

There is more....Radio hosts are screaming during their whole show, and screaming at callers...

HA!

https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/10/22/todd-gurley-mvp-los-angeles-rams-sean-mcvay-offense

Todd Gurley and the MVP Debate
By ANDY BENOIT



Sean McVay gets irked when people give credit for the Rams’ offensive success to his system and not his players. Jared Goff is usually the one short-changed, but Todd Gurley gets it, as well. I once admitted to McVay that I was a driver of that Gurley narrative. My argument was that Gurley is a top-flight back, but he’s less valuable than some of the other top-flight backs because if you took him off the field, the Rams’ offensive play designs would change very little.

McVay diplomatically dismissed this and said this is what needs to be considered: As a coach, when you have a weapon like Gurley—especially one who is uniquely lethal in space—you find yourself willing to overemphasize certain plays and concepts. That freedom to overemphasize is immensely valuable because it helps lead to a clear offensive identity.

So even if my theory were true that, without Gurley, McVay’s Rams would still feature their patented condensed formations, outside zone play-action and backfield screens, with Gurley those concepts can be repeated and built upon so effectively that they form the foundation of football’s most explosive offense.

And the brilliance of L.A.’s offense is that it does not rely an overly expansive scheme. The Rams play in “11” personnel (“1 back, 1 tight end” and 3 receivers) on almost every snap—95% of the time entering this week, per Sports Info Solutions—and feature a lot of the same looks. Their scheme is predicated on subtle wrinkles off those looks. Gurley is critical in almost all the wrinkles.

This season’s new wrinkle has been jet-sweep action, which the Rams employ more than any team in football by a huge margin. On Sunday, they gashed the 49ers with jet sweeps early on (the second week in a row an offense has gashed San Fran on the edges, by the way; Green Bay did it in the first half last Monday night). Gurley is critical to the jet-action game, either as a ballcarrier away from the jet action, a decoy on the jet action or, at times, the recipient of a jet-action handoff/pass, where two of his league-leading 14 touchdowns have come this season.

Still, this scheme continues to be built off the outside zone and play-action that defined it last year. Which keeps a spotlight on Gurley. To be honest, McVay’s explanations of Gurley’s value broadened my view of the 24-year-old-back (and my view of what comprises a player’s value). I’m more receptive to Gurley being in the discussion for MVP this year.

Given what we know about his impact on the Rams’ scheme, there’s really only one argument against Gurley for MVP, and it’s one McVay would probably have a tougher time dismissing: Gurley has a great supporting cast. L.A.’s offensive line has become one of the NFL’s best under venerated O-line coach Aaron Kromer.

That front five of—(from left to right) Andrew Whitworth, Rodger Saffold, John Sullivan, Austin Blythe and Rob Havenstein—zone-blocks better than any group and is acute at locating landmarks and assignments in the screen game. You also must consider the other end of L.A.’s play-action game. We always think of play-action as the run setting up the pass, but when you’re as deft at it as L.A., defenders take notice and the threat of the pass starts to set up your runs.

Jared Goff is not yet Peyton Manning, but he’s becoming very crisp in the subtle details that make for great play-action. (If we gave love to Kromer, we should acknowledge the men who help Goff develop his details: offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and QB coach Zac Taylor). L.A.’s wideouts—coached by Eric Yarber—are also the most details-oriented in football.

It’s an almost-perfectly tuned offensive machine. And so the “Gurley for MVP” debate centers around this philosophical question: Who is more valuable, a player in an imperfect machine who makes that machine productive (think Aaron Rodgers or Ezekiel Elliott), or a player like Gurley, who is fortunate in that he operates in a “perfect” machine, but is perhaps that machine’s main component?

And our boys could use the secondary help.

Yea or nay?

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...as-asked-the-cardinals-to-trade-him/#comments

I know, one game at a time. But....

The Saints just played the Ravens. Then they play Minnesota. Hopefully Minnesota gets it’s defense going to give the Saints two difficult games in a row, before they get the Rams.




The Rams then get the Chiefs after their bye week. I seem to remember Andy Reid being very good the week after a bye.

But that’s another week.