Think what you want, but for some reason...
- By KNUCKLEHEAD
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 21 Replies
...this Super Bowl banner speaks to me as an LA Rams fan. :yess:
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Inside the dynamic plays and schemes built by Shanahan and McVay
- By Florida_Ram
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 3 Replies
Inside the dynamic plays and schemes built by Shanahan and McVay
By Nick Wagoner
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- For four years with the Washington Redskins, Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay spent many long hours talking about and building the offensive scheme and philosophies that are now so prominent on the NFL landscape.
Those conversations continued even after Shanahan left to become offensive coordinator in Cleveland and Atlanta and after McVay was promoted to replace Shanahan under Jay Gruden in Washington.
Now, as the two youngest head coaches in the NFL, Shanahan and McVay find their talks -- at least when it comes to football --
a bit more limited. Such is life when you go from bright, young offensive assistants to the head coaches of the division rival San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams.
"Any time that we cross paths at the combine or whatever it might be, we always enjoy talking ball and it doesn’t have to be anything where you’re giving your secrets away," McVay said.
"But so much of what I’ve learned, it’s really, we’re operating in a very similar manner.
I wish he wasn’t in our division and we didn’t have to play twice a year so that we could be a little bit more open with our dialogue and I feel the same way with a lot of those coaches I have close relationships with on (the 49ers staff).
But, we’re fortunate to even be in these roles. So we’ll take it, but I would prefer not to have Kyle Shanahan in our division."
While Shanahan and McVay haven't coached together since Shanahan departed Washington in 2013, much of what they did there is popping up all over the league, particularly on the heels of McVay's masterful turnaround of the Rams' offense in 2017.
Shanahan and McVay's shared offensive approach actually began when each took a turn learning under Jon Gruden in their first NFL jobs in the mid-2000s.
When Shanahan and McVay moved on to Washington after Mike Shanahan became head coach in 2010, it set the stage for a more free-flowing exchange of ideas.
It was in those Redskins meeting rooms where many of the basic principles were refined.
Now, for anyone who closely watches the Rams and 49ers, their similarities are hard to ignore.
A few calling cards -- such as the use of play-action, pre-snap motion and deceptive use of "minus" splits -- permeate both offenses.
But those are smaller pieces of the larger philosophy that makes a Shanahan and McVay offense go: creating down-to-down deception while presenting the same look.
"It’s all about not creating tendencies," said running back Alfred Morris, who played for Washington under Shanahan and McVay.
"It’s ‘Oh, they’ll never do this and this out of this set or this formation’ and then you try to game plan and it’s like ‘No, they actually will.’"
Coincidentally, while the Niners and Rams look the same offensively in terms of concepts, they mostly look different when it comes to personnel.
The Niners favor '21' personnel, which features two running backs, a tight end and two wide receivers.
The Rams prefer '11' personnel, which features one running back, one tight end and three receivers.
That's not a product of belief in either set so much as a reaction to the specific talent each team has in place. For the Niners, '21' makes sense because they have Kyle Juszczyk, one of the most versatile and dangerous fullbacks in the league.
For the Rams, '11' is the easy choice because they boast a dynamic trio of wideouts in Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods.
"It’s a key philosophy that they have offensively, and something that we’ve taken that I really learned from coach Shanahan," McVay said.
"And I think when you look at successful offenses throughout the league, or people that have been doing it for a while, there’s a clear-cut identity but there’s also a level of uncertainty with regards to what’s coming next.”
Through six weeks, the 49ers offense ranks 11th in yards, ninth in passing yards per attempt and third in rushing yards per attempt.
That's mostly without the services of starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and No. 1 running back Jerick McKinnon, both of whom suffered season-ending ACL injuries.
In terms of deploying '21' personnel, nobody in the league is even close to San Francisco. The Niners have used the alignment on 167 of their 390 offensive snaps, easily the most in the league.
They've accumulated 1,250 yards of offense from that formation, which is more than double the amount of the New England Patriots, who are second.
They're also averaging nearly 11 yards per pass (sixth in NFL) and 5 yards per rush (eighth).
For the Rams, the commitment and results from '11' personnel is unmatched by any team in the league.
The Rams have run 389 total snaps this season and only 16 of those plays have come from a formation that wasn't '11.'
As you'd suspect, the Rams' league-leading offense has posted 2,732 yards from that set, the tops in the NFL, and is averaging the second-most yards per passing attempt and eighth most rushing yards per attempt from it.
Here, ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen provides a couple of examples of how the Rams and Niners run similar concepts from different formations.
Play-action is a key staple for each offense, especially on early downs.
Bowen said that is often paired with pre- and post-snap movements, vertical routes from receivers lined up inside the numbers to keep the safeties in check and some sort of action that looks like an outside zone run.
The idea, according to Bowen, is to pull those linebackers toward the line of scrimmage and create an opening at the second level for the quarterback to throw in rhythm.
Here's a look at Bowen's breakdowns:
Play No. 1 (Play-Action Dig Route)
Let’s start with the Rams' play-action dig concept out of 11 personnel. Using the pre-snap jet motion with the Z receiver -- while adding in the split-flow run game with the tight end (Y) blocking backside and the running back (H) on the outside zone path --
the Rams can grab the eyes of the second-level defenders. And with the slot receiver (W) pressing down the field to occupy both single-high and two-high safety sets, the backside receiver (X) can break back to the middle of the field.
There is now an open void for the quarterback to deliver the ball off the play-action fake.
This is a similar play for San Francisco. This is a two-back look for the 49ers on the outside zone (or stretch) scheme with the fullback leading (F) and the running back (H) pressing to the edge.
Here the 49ers add in the tight end (Y) blocking backside to create that split-flow camouflage for the defense.
But the route is the same, with the X receiver occupying the top of the secondary and the Z receiver breaking to the middle of the field on the dig route.
Create a void -- and expose it.
Play No. 2 (Play-Action Yankee Route)
The “Yankee” route pairs the outside vertical/post with a deep over route, or crossing route. Again, the scheme blends with both coaches, but the personnel -- and the pre/post-snap movement -- presents a different look.
With the Rams, we again see 11 personnel on the field. Here, L.A. shows the pre-snap jet motion/sweep (Z) and the split-flow outside zone play-action, as the tight end (Y) blocks backside and the running back (H) presses the edge.
This will force the linebackers downhill and generate open space. Now, send the X receiver down the field on the vertical or the post to pull the cornerback with him, with the slot receiver (W) working back across the field on the over route.
This is a classic zone beater that creates a clean, open window throw.
In the 49ers’ version Shanahan runs it out of 12 personnel with the same split-flow backfield look.
But instead of using pre-snap jet motion, the 49ers show the post-snap wide receiver reverse (Z).
And the route doesn’t change, with the X receiver clearing out and the second tight end in the game (U) running the deep over route to the void in the coverage.
When the 49ers and Rams tangle on Sunday afternoon at Levi's Stadium, it's a good bet that these plays and/or some variation of them will be dialed up at some point.
And when you cut through all the fancy X's and O's, Shanahan and McVay still understand that the best coaches design what they do around their talent rather than the other way around.
"You try to get your best players on the field," Shanahan said. "That also gives you an advantage and I think they’ve done a very good job at that offensively and I think we have also.”
http://www.espn.com/blog/san-franci...plays-and-schemes-built-by-shanahan-and-mcvay
By Nick Wagoner
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- For four years with the Washington Redskins, Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay spent many long hours talking about and building the offensive scheme and philosophies that are now so prominent on the NFL landscape.
Those conversations continued even after Shanahan left to become offensive coordinator in Cleveland and Atlanta and after McVay was promoted to replace Shanahan under Jay Gruden in Washington.
Now, as the two youngest head coaches in the NFL, Shanahan and McVay find their talks -- at least when it comes to football --
a bit more limited. Such is life when you go from bright, young offensive assistants to the head coaches of the division rival San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams.
"Any time that we cross paths at the combine or whatever it might be, we always enjoy talking ball and it doesn’t have to be anything where you’re giving your secrets away," McVay said.
"But so much of what I’ve learned, it’s really, we’re operating in a very similar manner.
I wish he wasn’t in our division and we didn’t have to play twice a year so that we could be a little bit more open with our dialogue and I feel the same way with a lot of those coaches I have close relationships with on (the 49ers staff).
But, we’re fortunate to even be in these roles. So we’ll take it, but I would prefer not to have Kyle Shanahan in our division."
While Shanahan and McVay haven't coached together since Shanahan departed Washington in 2013, much of what they did there is popping up all over the league, particularly on the heels of McVay's masterful turnaround of the Rams' offense in 2017.
Shanahan and McVay's shared offensive approach actually began when each took a turn learning under Jon Gruden in their first NFL jobs in the mid-2000s.
When Shanahan and McVay moved on to Washington after Mike Shanahan became head coach in 2010, it set the stage for a more free-flowing exchange of ideas.
It was in those Redskins meeting rooms where many of the basic principles were refined.
Now, for anyone who closely watches the Rams and 49ers, their similarities are hard to ignore.
A few calling cards -- such as the use of play-action, pre-snap motion and deceptive use of "minus" splits -- permeate both offenses.
But those are smaller pieces of the larger philosophy that makes a Shanahan and McVay offense go: creating down-to-down deception while presenting the same look.
"It’s all about not creating tendencies," said running back Alfred Morris, who played for Washington under Shanahan and McVay.
"It’s ‘Oh, they’ll never do this and this out of this set or this formation’ and then you try to game plan and it’s like ‘No, they actually will.’"
Coincidentally, while the Niners and Rams look the same offensively in terms of concepts, they mostly look different when it comes to personnel.
The Niners favor '21' personnel, which features two running backs, a tight end and two wide receivers.
The Rams prefer '11' personnel, which features one running back, one tight end and three receivers.
That's not a product of belief in either set so much as a reaction to the specific talent each team has in place. For the Niners, '21' makes sense because they have Kyle Juszczyk, one of the most versatile and dangerous fullbacks in the league.
For the Rams, '11' is the easy choice because they boast a dynamic trio of wideouts in Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods.
"It’s a key philosophy that they have offensively, and something that we’ve taken that I really learned from coach Shanahan," McVay said.
"And I think when you look at successful offenses throughout the league, or people that have been doing it for a while, there’s a clear-cut identity but there’s also a level of uncertainty with regards to what’s coming next.”
Through six weeks, the 49ers offense ranks 11th in yards, ninth in passing yards per attempt and third in rushing yards per attempt.
That's mostly without the services of starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and No. 1 running back Jerick McKinnon, both of whom suffered season-ending ACL injuries.
In terms of deploying '21' personnel, nobody in the league is even close to San Francisco. The Niners have used the alignment on 167 of their 390 offensive snaps, easily the most in the league.
They've accumulated 1,250 yards of offense from that formation, which is more than double the amount of the New England Patriots, who are second.
They're also averaging nearly 11 yards per pass (sixth in NFL) and 5 yards per rush (eighth).
For the Rams, the commitment and results from '11' personnel is unmatched by any team in the league.
The Rams have run 389 total snaps this season and only 16 of those plays have come from a formation that wasn't '11.'
As you'd suspect, the Rams' league-leading offense has posted 2,732 yards from that set, the tops in the NFL, and is averaging the second-most yards per passing attempt and eighth most rushing yards per attempt from it.
Here, ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen provides a couple of examples of how the Rams and Niners run similar concepts from different formations.
Play-action is a key staple for each offense, especially on early downs.
Bowen said that is often paired with pre- and post-snap movements, vertical routes from receivers lined up inside the numbers to keep the safeties in check and some sort of action that looks like an outside zone run.
The idea, according to Bowen, is to pull those linebackers toward the line of scrimmage and create an opening at the second level for the quarterback to throw in rhythm.
Here's a look at Bowen's breakdowns:
Play No. 1 (Play-Action Dig Route)
Let’s start with the Rams' play-action dig concept out of 11 personnel. Using the pre-snap jet motion with the Z receiver -- while adding in the split-flow run game with the tight end (Y) blocking backside and the running back (H) on the outside zone path --
the Rams can grab the eyes of the second-level defenders. And with the slot receiver (W) pressing down the field to occupy both single-high and two-high safety sets, the backside receiver (X) can break back to the middle of the field.
There is now an open void for the quarterback to deliver the ball off the play-action fake.
This is a similar play for San Francisco. This is a two-back look for the 49ers on the outside zone (or stretch) scheme with the fullback leading (F) and the running back (H) pressing to the edge.
Here the 49ers add in the tight end (Y) blocking backside to create that split-flow camouflage for the defense.
But the route is the same, with the X receiver occupying the top of the secondary and the Z receiver breaking to the middle of the field on the dig route.
Create a void -- and expose it.
Play No. 2 (Play-Action Yankee Route)
The “Yankee” route pairs the outside vertical/post with a deep over route, or crossing route. Again, the scheme blends with both coaches, but the personnel -- and the pre/post-snap movement -- presents a different look.
With the Rams, we again see 11 personnel on the field. Here, L.A. shows the pre-snap jet motion/sweep (Z) and the split-flow outside zone play-action, as the tight end (Y) blocks backside and the running back (H) presses the edge.
This will force the linebackers downhill and generate open space. Now, send the X receiver down the field on the vertical or the post to pull the cornerback with him, with the slot receiver (W) working back across the field on the over route.
This is a classic zone beater that creates a clean, open window throw.
In the 49ers’ version Shanahan runs it out of 12 personnel with the same split-flow backfield look.
But instead of using pre-snap jet motion, the 49ers show the post-snap wide receiver reverse (Z).
And the route doesn’t change, with the X receiver clearing out and the second tight end in the game (U) running the deep over route to the void in the coverage.
When the 49ers and Rams tangle on Sunday afternoon at Levi's Stadium, it's a good bet that these plays and/or some variation of them will be dialed up at some point.
And when you cut through all the fancy X's and O's, Shanahan and McVay still understand that the best coaches design what they do around their talent rather than the other way around.
"You try to get your best players on the field," Shanahan said. "That also gives you an advantage and I think they’ve done a very good job at that offensively and I think we have also.”
http://www.espn.com/blog/san-franci...plays-and-schemes-built-by-shanahan-and-mcvay
Sean McVay of Hank Scorpio?
- By Loyal
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 2 Replies
The comical evil genius from the Simpsons, or genius HC of the Los Angeles Rams, you be the judge.
The Time Is Now For Reynolds
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 63 Replies
When they announced his name last season most of us thought highly of the pick as Reynolds proved to be a nice red zone target at 6’3 for the Aggies of Texas A&M and had a decent 40 time too. Add in some solid play in preseason (last year) and all seemed like another thoroughbred in the stable of Wide Receivers in Southern California, however, so far, the review have been mixed at best.
Injuries derailed some development last season as Reynolds slight frame seems to make him more susceptible to injuries or like that Jaguar Vehicle in the garage, that just never seems fine-tuned. Reynolds came in after the injuries to Cooks & Kupp against the Seahawks and gave us some hope. Goff looked his way and Reynolds made some big catches in limited action, but towards the end of the game was not getting open. And then when Kupp went down last week against Denver, enter Josh Reynolds and all I could think about was the song “Slip Sliding Away.”
Reynolds a Texas Native seemed to be a tender foot on the damp soil of Colorado and of course one pass that was thrown in his direction was tipped into his face mask, which led to a Bronco interception with Reynolds looking aloof as to how it happened. What I love about Cooper Kupp is his ability to sit in the soft zones and get open, from the neck up there is none better than Kupp.
Josh Reynolds will not be in the slot come Sunday against San Francisco, so this will give him his chance to stretch the field and offer a Red Zone target with fade patterns that the Rams have been missing, but will Reynolds have the ability to locate the football at it highest point and leap to grab it, or will he not even know the ball is intended for him and give that “Deer in Head Light Look.” like he did on that fake punt pass from Hekker?
WR Coach Eric Yarber has had it somewhat easy with the likes of Watkins, Cooks, Woods & Kupp, but what of the others? Reynolds, Hodge and now Nick Smith. Sean McVay wanted someone who knew is offense, is that because Josh Reynolds lacks the mental capacity to digest the playbook? Who knows, but come Sunday we will get to see if Reynolds rises to the occasion and provides the Los Angeles Rams with another dependable target and make us as fans worry less as the next man up comes through or will we be shaking our head and wondering why Reynolds is underwhelming? Coming out of college his strengths was toughness, work ethic and football intelligence, but none of us have seen that translate to the field and The Time is Now for Reynolds.
The Eight Best Players of the 2018 NFL Season So Far
- By Prime Time
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 14 Replies
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2018/...-gurley-drew-brees-adam-thielen-philip-rivers
The Eight Best Players of the 2018 NFL Season So Far
At this point in the schedule, the MVP race is far too close to call. So instead of trying to predict who’ll wind up taking home the hardware, we’re celebrating the players who have defined the first six weeks of the season.
By Robert Mays
At the six-week mark of almost every NFL season, the MVP race is too close to call. Sure, there are usually front-runners (and plenty of people willing to prognosticate and play the odds), but there’s so much football left that—especially in 2018—the award seems pretty up for grabs.
So instead of trying to predict who’ll take home the hardware at the end of this season, we’re celebrating the players who have stood out in their respective positions so far this year and examining why and how they’ve been so effective.
Todd Gurley, RB, Rams
The Case: As I mentioned in Monday’s Starting 11, Gurley is on pace for 2,320 yards from scrimmage and 29 touchdowns. If he pulls that off, he’d be just the second player to do it since the merger (the other being LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006, the year he won the MVP award). For the second straight season, Gurley has been the most dangerous player on arguably the league’s best offense.
Sean McVay has crafted an offensive identity centered around Gurley—he masks certain play designs, making them look identical to others. The play-action passes look like runs. The runs look like play-action passes.
McVay’s scheme is completely unpredictable, and it only functions that way because Gurley can do everything you could ask of a running back. His skills as a receiver and dominance on screen passes ensure that when he’s in the game, any play on McVay’s call sheet is on the table.
And the Rams have taken full advantage. Gurley faces eight or more rushers in the box on 10.08 percent of his carries, the seventh-lowest rate in the league. On the surface, that doesn’t make any sense. Why the hell would the league’s best running back face light boxes on nine out of every 10 runs?
The answer is that the Rams use 11 personnel on nearly 93 percent of their running plays, and opponents are forced to respond with sub-package defenses. Then Gurley responds in kind by gashing them all game.
Saying that McVay does all he can to accentuate Gurley’s talent isn’t meant to take anything away from what Gurley’s been doing this season. The only time a player should be dinged for the damage he does in a great system is when another player could come in and produce at the same level—which is certainly not the case with Gurley.
There might be one other back in the league who could destroy defenses under McVay the way that Gurley has, but that’s it. We’ve all seen the wrong coaching staff steal the joy of peak Todd Gurley by slamming him into the line on every play. Let’s all just be thankful McVay got to him when he did, because he’s turned Gurley into the MVP frontrunner.
The Clip:
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Former NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz did a great job of breaking down this concept on Twitter earlier this week(see below). When the Rams use jet motion, it holds the opposing linebackers just long enough for L.A.’s linemen to execute blocks that wouldn’t be possible with a normal inside zone run. With Gurley carrying the ball and the big boys picking off players at the second level, just say goodnight.
Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/geoffschwartz/status/1052169004595507200
Jared Goff, QB, Rams
The Case: For anyone wondering why the Rams are still undefeated and clearly the best team in football, maybe it’s because their running back and quarterback both have a viable claim as the league’s best player.
Goff’s improvement from his rookie year to last season’s sophomore campaign was the largest jump any player in the league made over that period, and he’s continued his ascent in his third season. While Goff was merely seen as a capable point man for McVay’s offense last year, he’s spent the first six weeks of the 2018 season making throws only a few quarterbacks in the league can make.
His Week 4 performance against the Vikings was the most impressive game I’ve ever witnessed in person from an NFL quarterback. Goff threw five touchdown passes, and each one was more gorgeous than the last. It was like watching a ridiculous Steph Curry game where he’s pulling up from near half-court and casually dropping it through the net.
The rim was 10 feet in diameter for Goff against Minnesota, and after his second touchdown throw to Cooper Kupp that night — a throw ripped into the back corner of the end zone while on the move — he couldn’t help but smile. Goff admitted to me after the game that he might have gotten lucky with that one; I don’t think he’s giving himself enough credit.
From the 2017 season to now, not much has changed about the Rams’ offensive personnel. This unit has taken another step because Goff looks like a different quarterback. McVay will do plenty to scheme receivers open, but if Goff continues to make throws like he has for much of this season, there’s no limit to how great the Rams can be.
The Clip:
Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjhBSZoYXr0&feature=player_embedded
Goff’s touchdown pass to Kupp is the only reason this bomb to Cooks won’t be remembered as the prettiest throw from his evisceration of the Vikings. Plays like this one are what differentiate 2018 Goff from last year’s version. Design has some role in allowing this touchdown to happen — by holding the safety with Kupp’s deep in route, McVay turns the play into a foot race between Cooks and cornerback Trae Waynes.
But even color commentator Troy Aikman admitted that he didn’t think Goff had the arm to get the ball there. This pass travels 60 yards in the air, which would be impressive in its own right. But dropping it right into the receiver’s arms makes it truly special.
--------------------------------------------------
To read about the rest of the players on this list, click the link.
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2018/...-gurley-drew-brees-adam-thielen-philip-rivers
The Eight Best Players of the 2018 NFL Season So Far
At this point in the schedule, the MVP race is far too close to call. So instead of trying to predict who’ll wind up taking home the hardware, we’re celebrating the players who have defined the first six weeks of the season.
By Robert Mays
At the six-week mark of almost every NFL season, the MVP race is too close to call. Sure, there are usually front-runners (and plenty of people willing to prognosticate and play the odds), but there’s so much football left that—especially in 2018—the award seems pretty up for grabs.
So instead of trying to predict who’ll take home the hardware at the end of this season, we’re celebrating the players who have stood out in their respective positions so far this year and examining why and how they’ve been so effective.
Todd Gurley, RB, Rams
The Case: As I mentioned in Monday’s Starting 11, Gurley is on pace for 2,320 yards from scrimmage and 29 touchdowns. If he pulls that off, he’d be just the second player to do it since the merger (the other being LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006, the year he won the MVP award). For the second straight season, Gurley has been the most dangerous player on arguably the league’s best offense.
Sean McVay has crafted an offensive identity centered around Gurley—he masks certain play designs, making them look identical to others. The play-action passes look like runs. The runs look like play-action passes.
McVay’s scheme is completely unpredictable, and it only functions that way because Gurley can do everything you could ask of a running back. His skills as a receiver and dominance on screen passes ensure that when he’s in the game, any play on McVay’s call sheet is on the table.
And the Rams have taken full advantage. Gurley faces eight or more rushers in the box on 10.08 percent of his carries, the seventh-lowest rate in the league. On the surface, that doesn’t make any sense. Why the hell would the league’s best running back face light boxes on nine out of every 10 runs?
The answer is that the Rams use 11 personnel on nearly 93 percent of their running plays, and opponents are forced to respond with sub-package defenses. Then Gurley responds in kind by gashing them all game.
Saying that McVay does all he can to accentuate Gurley’s talent isn’t meant to take anything away from what Gurley’s been doing this season. The only time a player should be dinged for the damage he does in a great system is when another player could come in and produce at the same level—which is certainly not the case with Gurley.
There might be one other back in the league who could destroy defenses under McVay the way that Gurley has, but that’s it. We’ve all seen the wrong coaching staff steal the joy of peak Todd Gurley by slamming him into the line on every play. Let’s all just be thankful McVay got to him when he did, because he’s turned Gurley into the MVP frontrunner.
The Clip:
Former NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz did a great job of breaking down this concept on Twitter earlier this week(see below). When the Rams use jet motion, it holds the opposing linebackers just long enough for L.A.’s linemen to execute blocks that wouldn’t be possible with a normal inside zone run. With Gurley carrying the ball and the big boys picking off players at the second level, just say goodnight.
Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/geoffschwartz/status/1052169004595507200
Jared Goff, QB, Rams
The Case: For anyone wondering why the Rams are still undefeated and clearly the best team in football, maybe it’s because their running back and quarterback both have a viable claim as the league’s best player.
Goff’s improvement from his rookie year to last season’s sophomore campaign was the largest jump any player in the league made over that period, and he’s continued his ascent in his third season. While Goff was merely seen as a capable point man for McVay’s offense last year, he’s spent the first six weeks of the 2018 season making throws only a few quarterbacks in the league can make.
His Week 4 performance against the Vikings was the most impressive game I’ve ever witnessed in person from an NFL quarterback. Goff threw five touchdown passes, and each one was more gorgeous than the last. It was like watching a ridiculous Steph Curry game where he’s pulling up from near half-court and casually dropping it through the net.
The rim was 10 feet in diameter for Goff against Minnesota, and after his second touchdown throw to Cooper Kupp that night — a throw ripped into the back corner of the end zone while on the move — he couldn’t help but smile. Goff admitted to me after the game that he might have gotten lucky with that one; I don’t think he’s giving himself enough credit.
From the 2017 season to now, not much has changed about the Rams’ offensive personnel. This unit has taken another step because Goff looks like a different quarterback. McVay will do plenty to scheme receivers open, but if Goff continues to make throws like he has for much of this season, there’s no limit to how great the Rams can be.
The Clip:
Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjhBSZoYXr0&feature=player_embedded
Goff’s touchdown pass to Kupp is the only reason this bomb to Cooks won’t be remembered as the prettiest throw from his evisceration of the Vikings. Plays like this one are what differentiate 2018 Goff from last year’s version. Design has some role in allowing this touchdown to happen — by holding the safety with Kupp’s deep in route, McVay turns the play into a foot race between Cooks and cornerback Trae Waynes.
But even color commentator Troy Aikman admitted that he didn’t think Goff had the arm to get the ball there. This pass travels 60 yards in the air, which would be impressive in its own right. But dropping it right into the receiver’s arms makes it truly special.
--------------------------------------------------
To read about the rest of the players on this list, click the link.
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2018/...-gurley-drew-brees-adam-thielen-philip-rivers
TNF: Broncos at Cardinals
- By CGI_Ram
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 111 Replies
https://athlonsports.com/nfl/thursd...os-vs-arizona-cardinals-prediction-picks-2018
Thursday Night Football: Denver Broncos vs. Arizona Cardinals
The "Thursday Night Football" world tour heads to the desert this week as the Denver Broncos (2-4) battle the Arizona Cardinals (1-5). These are two teams that desperately need a win to jump-start their seasons as both are on the brink of playoff elimination and securing a high pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Denver fell behind 20-3 against the Los Angeles Rams but kept battling in the second half to give itself a shot to win, ultimately falling short 23-20. It was a combination of factors that led to the loss: First, the Broncos failed to slow down Todd Gurley, as he rushed for 208 yards and two touchdowns. Second, there was a costly lack of discipline by wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, whose taunting penalty in the first quarter ended up costing the Broncos four points. Third, the offense was way too one-dimensional, as running back Royce Freeman was limited to just 22 yards on nine carries.
Arizona struggled at the line of scrimmage in a 27-17 loss at Minnesota. The Cardinals couldn’t run the ball on offense (just 61 yards on the ground). Meanwhile, the Vikings dominated the Arizona defense on the ground, as Latavius Murray rushed for 155 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Josh Rosen learned a harsh lesson about life on the road, as the Cardinals went 0-for-12 on third and fourth down. That inability to stay on the field won’t cut it, as it wears down your defense over four quarters. Head coach Steve Wilks and his offensive staff need to find answers quickly to jump-start the offense, possibly by using more of the no-huddle that Rosen ran at UCLA.
Kickoff: Thursday, Oct. 18 at 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: FOX/NFL Network
Spread: Broncos -2.5
Three Things to Watch
1. Denver defense
Von Miller and Bradley Chubb should have a field day against the Arizona offensive line after the duo teamed for 4.5 sacks and four tackles for a loss on Sunday. The Cardinals are not going to be able to get away with double teaming both guys. So, if Chubb can build off his three-sack performance, it should free up Miller to go wild. In the secondary, it is going to be key for the Broncos to play effective press coverage and not let Larry Fitzgerald and the rest of the Cardinals receivers to get loose behind them for big plays. Controlling David Johnson in the running game is another point of emphasis for the Denver defense, as Johnson is more than capable of going off for a big game if the chance presents itself. The ability to limit the explosive running plays and put Rosen in long-yardage passing situations will be a big key to success for the Broncos defense.
2. Denver offensive line vs. Arizona defensive line
This is where the short week can become even more of a challenge, as the Broncos are paper thin right now along the offensive line. Guard Ron Leary left Sunday’s game with what looked like an Achilles injury. Jared Veldheer could have an uphill battle to make it back from a knee injury suffered in Week 4 against Kansas City. The injury situation along the offensive line will provide some interesting challenges for Denver offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave. One of the biggest challenges will be dealing with Cardinals end Chandler Jones, who is a handful for even the most seasoned offensive lines. Jones has had at least one sack in each of the last four games and is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Look for Musgrave to try and get the running game going early to set up Case Keenum in the quick passing game to slow the pass rush.
3. Desperation of both teams
For the Broncos, this game initiates a gauntlet of four out of their next six games on the road, including games against the Chiefs, Chargers and Bengals, who have a combined record of 13-5. That is why this game against the Cardinals is an absolute must win for Denver, which has failed to win a road game this season and needs to build momentum. Arizona needs this game more for confidence than anything else. The Cardinals are in a rebuilding situation with Rosen at quarterback, and any win they can get will help the psyche of the locker room. The head coaching battle of Vance Joseph and Steve Wilks will be an underrated key to this game, as Joseph is already on the hot seat and needs this win. Joseph must get his team ready to play and not let the Cardinals have any hope in this game. Wilks could use a win to help to build credibility within the locker room in his quest to get the players to buy in fully.
Final Analysis
If the Broncos were at full strength along the offensive line, it would be easier to expect Denver to have a high-scoring offensive performance. However, with the health issues along the offensive front and the short week, this game has the feel of a low-scoring, ugly type of game. Case Keenum is the better quarterback and should be capable of doing just enough to minimize turnovers and not allow Arizona’s offense to get any short field opportunities. The growing pains for Rosen should continue against a quality Denver defense. The first team to 16-17 points should win this one. Look for Denver to ride a conservative offensive game plan to its third win of the 2018 season.
Prediction: Broncos 16, Cardinals 13
The Weird, Unpredictable, High-Scoring NFL
- By Florida_Ram
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 9 Replies
By Kevin Clark
It’s Time to Get Used to the Weird, Unpredictable, High-Scoring NFL
Scoring is up. Scoring margins are down. The Cowboys can look lost on offense one week, and then hang 40 on the best defense in the league the next. This version of pro football is here to stay.
League executives in New York have an ideal formula for high television ratings. They’ve explained it to me, simply, as: more points and a close margin of victory. That seems obvious, but it’s not easy to get there.
If you watched, say, Eli Manning or Blake Bortles on most Sundays and then also watched Patrick Mahomes II or Jared Goff, you would not think that this is a league where every team is bunched together.
You would also not think that the mere presence of a handful of Bortles-esque entities would be enough to keep scoring down leaguewide. You’d also be wrong on both counts.
This season has been the NFL’s dream. Heading into Sunday, the league was on pace for its lowest average margin of victory—9.96 points per game—in 86 years, according to the league’s numbers.
The NFL is also on pace to set the record for the most overtime games in a season. And on top of that, the weekly scoring average is at an all-time high.
More points and a shrinking margin of victory have led to an increase in television ratings, as the league office predicted. This spike comes after those numbers had dropped off in the previous two seasons.
There were too many game windows two years ago, but the other big problem was boring football. Being boring isn’t an issue anymore.
The increasing parity in the NFL has created an annual chorus of commentators, analysts, and fans marveling at how the league has gone haywire.
SB Nation recently mentioned the “weird start to the NFL season.” Last year, Newsweek dubbed the season “really, really odd.”
At this time last year, the Rams had a better record than the Seahawks, but the Seahawks were still considered to be a significantly better team because the Rams’ success was supposedly one of the many bizarre early-season happenings.
A year later, the Rams are the only undefeated team remaining.
The “weirdness” this year is a series of seemingly unlikely events: Brock Osweiler won a game against the Khalil Mack–led Bears.
The Dallas Cowboys looked like the worst offense in the league over the first five weeks, then hung 40 on the alleged best defense in the league, the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Bucs became early-season darlings and now look incapable of winning a game. The Pittsburgh Steelers came into the season as one of the AFC’s big favorites, and then opened the year by tying the Browns.
The Patriots lost to the Jaguars and Lions, looking awful in the process; three weeks later, they scored 43 points on the previously undefeated Chiefs.
That all sure seems weird, but when everyone is scoring lots of points and coaches are innovating every week, there’s bound to be surprising results every weekend. It’s not weird; it’s just what the NFL is now.
The new volatility is likely not a fad, either. The “best defenses” can be torched at any given point. There are too many scoring records or passing records to mention here.
Sunday night, the Patriots became the first team in history to not punt or commit a penalty in a game. Derek Carr averaged 0.1 yards per air completion Sunday.
Carr’s coach, Jon Gruden, earlier this year became the first guy with a 10-year contract to trade his franchise player away for seemingly no reason.
Marcus Mariota got sacked more Sunday than Dan Marino did in six different seasons. Adam Thielen might just set every receiving record imaginable this year, and his quarterback might launch a similar assault on the record books. These are strange times.
The shrinking margin of victory plays a huge role in producing what appear to be random results. There’s a lot of luck involved in one-score games—and heading into Sunday, the 2018 NFL season was tied for the most one-score games in history through five weeks.
According to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, who details one-score luck here, performance in one-score games doesn’t necessarily carry over from one year to the next.
When, say, a team wins six more one-score games than it loses one season, it’ll typically fall back down to earth the next. On average, that team’s record will drop by three wins the following year.
As always, it all comes back to quarterbacks. Scores are bound to be closer when most teams have a competent signal-caller. The NFL has made it easier than ever to play quarterback, and almost everyone is getting better.
Mahomes is an MVP candidate on pace to set all kinds of records, but Joe Flacco has achieved something more shocking: He’s become a generally serviceable quarterback.
In 2008, the average quarterback had a rating of 83. There are 25 players this season with a higher rating. There are nine quarterbacks this season with a higher rating than Aaron Rodgers’s career mark, which is the highest of all time.
Despite often looking like he’s never played football before, Eli Manning has a quarterback rating though six weeks that is three points off of his career high. In fact, it’s 17 points higher than it was in 2007, the year he won his first Super Bowl.
Say what you will about Manning, but the Giants’ average scoring margin (minus-7.5) is within one score. In other words, they’re a few lucky bounces away from being in the thick of the playoff race. Even with Eli Manning behind center, the floor is not that low.
It has long been said that there is no defensive answer to a perfectly thrown pass, but we’re getting to the point where offenses are so efficient that there’s no defensive answer to any pass.
The world-beating Jaguars defense looked helpless as the Dallas Cowboys—I dare you to name three of their wide receivers—ran some fairly routine plays designed to beat the Jacksonville Cover 3.
Across the league, the difference between the best and the worst appears smaller than ever before. In 2016 and 2017, no positional unit was among the best in history, according to Football Outsiders’ vital DVOA wrap-up from earlier this year.
There have been virtually no historical outliers on either side of the ball.
“If you’ve been reading Football Outsiders for a long time, you know one of our main axioms is that offense is more consistent than defense,” Football Outsiders’ Aaron Schatz wrote. “In 2017, the exact opposite was true.”
Since Football Outsiders started tracking team consistency from year to year, teams that were good on offense tended to be good the following year, and vice versa, while projecting defense was more of a crapshoot.
Why did it reverse? Maybe because offensive schemes are changing so quickly, and there was a sea change in the league. Or maybe only a few teams left in the NFL have figured out defense, and thus those teams stay atop of the pecking order.
What matters changes so quickly that even if you’re on trend one week, you might be lost the next. If you’re a year or two behind, you’re screwed.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, whose recently fired defensive coordinator could not shut up about stopping the run in July, are among those teams not on trend.
(“You know, everybody sometimes gets fixated on sacks and putting pressure on the quarterback …” Mike Smith said.) Meanwhile, the number of runs in a game has cratered relative to NFL history.
Of course, that didn’t stop the Bucs from drafting a run-stuffing defensive lineman in the first round this year.
Chargers standout rookie safety Derwin James—who looks like a future star—would have been a nicer pick for Tampa Bay.Sloppiness on the offensive line or mind-boggling defensive breakdowns can often be the fault of one player, and that’s just another factor that creates more unpredictable outcomes.
Teams can’t even practice in pads every week during the season. This rule change, enacted after 2011, dovetailed with increasingly young rosters across the league.
The last three seasons (at least) have each broken the record for youngest average rosters in NFL history. In late September, ESPN’s Mike Sando asked a coach what he thought of the wild outcomes across the first few weeks of the regular season.
The coach responded by asking Sando how he was enjoying Week 3 of training camp. Plenty of teams feel like the early part of the year is essentially an extended preseason.
Since there are more young players learning how to play with fewer practice hours than ever, and because teams have less time to jell, it’s simply reality that certain players—and entire franchises—will look much worse in September and October than in November.
Either entire teams forgot how to tackle, or sloppiness is now just a normal part of the first few months of the NFL regular season. Amid the chaos, teams will sometimes find themselves scrambling for a solution.
A wonderfully insightful Twitter thread from Bucs beat writer Greg Auman detailed how, desperate to stop any offense at all, the Buccaneers turned to a defense they haven’t used before on Sunday, one that featured six defensive backs.
They used it only on third-and-long … and gave up a first down all four times it was employed. Two of those drives ended in touchdowns.
It’s nice to know that in this wild 2018 season, we’ve got at least one thing we can set our watch by: the Bucs defense giving up points. As for everything else? Well, it’s not normal, but nothing is anymore.
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2018/...ring-low-margin-victory-parity-dallas-cowboys
Cooper Kupp out. Greg Zuerlein in.
- By RamzFanz
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 31 Replies
https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2018/10/17/nfl-rams-cooper-kupp-greg-zuerlein-injury-week-7/
The Los Angeles Rams will be getting one key player back this week, while also losing another. Sean McVay announced on Wednesday that Cooper Kupp has officially been ruled out for Week 7 against the 49ers as he recovers from a knee sprain suffered on Sunday.
Myles Simmons
✔@MylesASimmons
#LARams HC Sean McVay says it’s safe to rule WR Cooper Kupp out for this week.
3:15 PM - Oct 17, 2018
On the bright side, Greg Zuerlein is ready to go and will play for the first time since Week 1. He’s fully recovered and cleared to play after suffering a groin injury in pregame warmups prior to their Week 2 win over the Cardinals.
The Rams signed Nick Williams and waived Cairo Santos as corresponding moves this week, but it’s unclear if the former will suit up on Sunday against the 49ers. McVay called Santos a “stud” and a “class act,” wishing him nothing but the best.
As for the receiver spot, it’s more likely that either Robert Woods or Brandin Cooks will kick inside in place of Kupp with Josh Reynolds stepping in outside. The Rams run 11 personnel 95 percent of the time, so having three quality receivers is crucial.
Zuerlein has played just one game this season, but he was solid against the Raiders in the season opener. He made 4 of 5 field goals, including a 55-yarder.
The Los Angeles Rams will be getting one key player back this week, while also losing another. Sean McVay announced on Wednesday that Cooper Kupp has officially been ruled out for Week 7 against the 49ers as he recovers from a knee sprain suffered on Sunday.
Myles Simmons
✔@MylesASimmons
#LARams HC Sean McVay says it’s safe to rule WR Cooper Kupp out for this week.
3:15 PM - Oct 17, 2018
On the bright side, Greg Zuerlein is ready to go and will play for the first time since Week 1. He’s fully recovered and cleared to play after suffering a groin injury in pregame warmups prior to their Week 2 win over the Cardinals.
The Rams signed Nick Williams and waived Cairo Santos as corresponding moves this week, but it’s unclear if the former will suit up on Sunday against the 49ers. McVay called Santos a “stud” and a “class act,” wishing him nothing but the best.
As for the receiver spot, it’s more likely that either Robert Woods or Brandin Cooks will kick inside in place of Kupp with Josh Reynolds stepping in outside. The Rams run 11 personnel 95 percent of the time, so having three quality receivers is crucial.
Zuerlein has played just one game this season, but he was solid against the Raiders in the season opener. He made 4 of 5 field goals, including a 55-yarder.
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Poll
Poll: Should Vontaze Burfict be kicked out of the NFL?
- By Prime Time
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 50 Replies