Good chance there will only be one and it would be the Rams (it will be 1 or 2 because no way we lose to the seachickens. It will be interesting to see how Mahomes and the KC offense does versus a quality defense. I think the Jags win this one even with Fourtnett out leaving our LA Rams as the only remaining undefeated team!

Why would they only have 52 when you're allowed 53? At first I thought they were holding a spot for Obo, but they currently have 2 kickers on the team in Cairo and Greg. Greg should be back in a week or two. So that probably isn't the reason. I've been racking my brain trying to figure this out. Anyone else have any reasonable ideas as to why the Rams are doing this?

http://ramstalk.net/rampage-radio-ep-15-looking-ahead-to-seattle/

Or on iTunes.

Check it out boys!

to the NFL.....

Due to circumstances out of my control, I'll miss the entire Rams/Seahawks game on Sunday. But the one game I'll be able to watch in its entirety and am looking forward to is the Chiefs/Jaguars game. Mahomes against that Jaguars defense. A great offense against a great defense. Something will have to give. Looking forward to having Mahomes getting taken down a notch.

And yes, there is actually a man on Twitter named Tad Dickman.
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https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2018/...onville-jaguars-patrick-mahomes-blake-bortles

Patrick Mahomes II vs. the Most Talented Defense in Football

The great Mahomes is finally going to face a defense that looks perfectly engineered to stop him. But right now, whether Mahomes can be stopped is a legitimate question.

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Jaguars cornerback AJ Bouye hasn’t allowed a regular-season touchdown reception in more than 700 snaps. His teammate Jalen Ramsey is one of the best cornerbacks in the league, and the Jaguars defensive line is more talented than any other. Sunday’s game should teach us plenty about the Jacksonville unit and the quarterback it’s facing.

Something different is happening in the NFL right now. There are five teams averaging more than 30 points per game this season. Guess how many teams eclipsed 30 points per game last year. Zero. The new bar to compete in the NFL is to score a ton of points. Through the first month, everything else has been secondary. The Chiefs have played the Chargers, Steelers, Niners, and Broncos—all decent teams—and Mahomes and Co. put up at least 27 points in each game. But they have yet to face a defense like Jacksonville’s.

We’ve reached the end of the Mahomes hype cycle, because this is just who he is. He won’t always be the best quarterback in football, as he is at the moment, but when you consider his talent, his supporting offensive cast, and his coach, he should be a reliably great quarterback for the foreseeable future. Mahomes is current a 4/1 MVP favorite according to Bovada. Guess who else also has MVP odds.

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Mahomes versus Jaguars defense, or Mahomes versus Blake Bortles, if you’re into that particular matchup, would be enough to make this the game of the week. But there’s another layer: Tyreek Hill vs. Jalen Ramsey. Earlier this week, Hill said Ramsey is “all right.” Ramsey then went the semantics route, roasting Hill for making the Pro Bowl as a return specialist and not as an offensive player.

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I've been a Rams fan since 1969. I'm from Hawaii and back in the 1970's, we had "satellite live games". Most fans cheered for the Rams, Cowboys or Vikings. I was born in LA and my dad was a Rams fan, therefore.....

In the 70's and 80's, the Rams were almost a playoff fixture but could never win the big one. They fielded powerhouse teams but always fell short in the playoffs. In the 90's we were probably the worst team in the NFL. In 1999 when Trent Green went down, I was devastated. "We will rally around Kurt Warner, and we'll play good football". It was a dream season but it was short lived. A handful of years later we were the worst team in the NFL again.

Fast forward to the hiring of McVay. I thought he was very young but realized this young man knew what he was doing. Especially when he said Wade Phillips was his DC.

The Rams are likely the #1 ranked team right now. Big deal. In the NFL, rankings don't matter. We are not the NCAA, we settle it on the field.

But as a fan, even though I really want the Rams to take the title this year, I honestly feel that McVay is a football genius and as long as he is our coach (hopefully 30+ years), the Rams will win a handful of super bowls and will be in contention for many years to come. Like Belechik without the cheating.

The Rams have struck gold. Mr. Kroenke, please give McVay a long term lucrative extension.

I have sipped the kool aid officially.

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Grammar Nazis have a proper place in this world. Even in the world of sports -- yes, indeed they do, and I believe that every sports writer I've read lately needs to report to a mandatory Grammar Nazi 're-education camp'. Consider this scintillating writ:

"Mayfield produced a gritty comeback performance with head-turning throws in Week 3 before* taking over the starting job from Tyrod Taylor."
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...ns-dc-mayfield-is-this-generations-favreelway

ok, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Mayfield make head-turning throws *after taking over for Tyrod??? How in the world could he have made head-turning throws, in week 3, before taking over for Tyrod???
Sigh... oh the hue-manatee.

Anyone else got any gems they wanna submit to the Grammar Nazi in this here thread?

We didn't think we were going to get season tix for the new stadium for 2 reasons. #1... we figured we would be priced out. #2... We will only be in SoCal till late 2023. When we retire we will move out of state. My window came up yesterday and I looked at what was available. My co-workers, who have been with me in the Coliseum since the start, really wanted in. So I then ran it by the Boss.... she was like..what the hell, why not!. The SSL (Stadium Seating License) for what we wanted was $4000 per seat. The game day tix are $100 per game/seat. That's $2000 a year for both seats. I'm paying $3k for 2 seats a year at the Coliseum now.

Bottom line is you only live once. Worst case I sell in 5 years and might lose a little of that 8K. Or, I hold on and just sell the gameday tix. Another co-worker who called yesterday inquiring if we were buying followed us today and got the row right behind us. So we have 10 seats bunched together!

Who else has purchased seats???


We are in section 301, row 4, seats 2-8

Player acquired: Jamon Brown, Guard, Los Angeles Rams
Compensation: 5th round pick
The 2015 third-round draft pick has mainly played right guard throughout his career so far, but he has had multiple starts at left guard in his career, too, and graded solidly when he’s been there. Left guard is one of the weaker spots on the Ravens’ offensive line, with Alex Lewis producing a PFF grade of just 48.8 so far this season, and with Brown being kept out of the starting lineup by the impressive play of Austin Blythe, this is a trade that makes sense all around.



Player acquired: Ezekiel Ansah, EDGE, Detroit Lions
Compensation: 3rd round pick
If there’s a weakness on the Rams’ defense, it’s on the edge. Ansah brings a productive player who can compress the edge while Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh dominate in the middle.
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To read the whole article click the link below.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/ne...-to-see-after-the-first-quarter-of-the-season

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...e-things-to-watch-for-in-coltspatriots-on-tnf

Five things to watch for in Colts-Patriots on 'TNF'

After being spurned during the offseason by New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels for the then-vacant head coach position in Indianapolis, Colts general manager Chris Ballard provided a comment to fuel future matchups.

"The rivalry is back on," Ballard said on Feb. 7 as he walked away from the podium.

The Colts eventually hired Frank Reich, but the first step of Ballard's declaration occurs in Week 5 of the 2018 regular season when the Colts (1-3) and Patriots(2-2) renew acquaintances on Thursday Night Football.

The rivalry between the two teams peaked during numerous Peyton Manning-Tom Brady showdowns. And the high-profile competition between the two teams drew further national attention on the heels of the 2014 AFC Conference Championship game, which produced the Deflategate scandal and later a four-game suspension for Brady in 2016.

While there are off-field matters to add fire to the matchup, the players still have a game to play, of course.

So, with that in mind, here are five areas to watch Thursday night at 8:20 p.m. ET (watch the game on FOX, NFL Network, or streaming on Amazon Prime Video):

1. Is it really a rivalry if recent contests produced one-sided results?

Let's start with the obvious because the win-loss record doesn't lie.

The Patriots have dominated this matchup in recent years by winning seven straight games, including the postseason, against the Colts with an average margin of victory of 19 points. The last time the Colts defeated the Patriotsoccurred in Week 10 of the 2010 season in Indy, and the Colts haven't won in New England since 2006.

Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is 0-5 on his career, including the playoffs, against the Patriots and has totaled more losses and interceptions (10) against New England than any other opponent. The glare of a national audience also doesn't bode well for Luck, who is 7-8 on his career in prime-time games, including going 1-5 in the last six.

Meanwhile, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is 5-0 in head-to-head regular season and postseason matchups against Luck, and 14-4 against the Colts on his career, including the playoffs.

Brady also provides a historical sidebar to monitor. The Patriots quarterback enters Week 5 with 497 career touchdown passes, which currently ranks third all-time and one ahead of New Orleans Saints signal-caller Drew Brees. With three TDs Thursday night, Brady can join an exclusive 500 Club with Peyton Manning (539) and Hall of Famer Brett Favre (508).

2. How effective will the Colts' aerial attack without T.Y Hilton?

Hilton (hamstring, chest) did not participate in the Colts' walkthrough practices Monday and Tuesday and was officially ruled out Wednesday.

While Colts will be without Hilton, there shouldn't be a need to panic when considering what Luck has done with the other receivers.

Hilton leads the Colts with 21 catches for 294 yards on 38 targets, but Luck's completion percentage is just 55.3 when compared to a combined 75.9 when throwing to wide receivers Ryan Grant, Chester Rogers, Zach Pascal and Marcus Johnson.

The Colts will also be missing tight end Jack Doyle (hip), but Eric Ebron (knee) is good to go. Ebron leads the Colts with three receiving touchdowns.

3. What will Julian Edelman do?

The Patriots enter Week 5 ranked 22nd in the league in passing, but Brady and the offense get a boost with the return of wide receiver Julian Edelman, who served a four-game suspension to start the season.

How much does Edelman's role as a reliable slot receiver mean to Brady and the Patriots' offense?

Since 2013, the Patriots are 46-9 with Edelman in the lineup, but 19-10 without him. Before missing the 2017 season with a torn ACL, Edelman proved himself as a major spark within the offense, totaling the most receptions and yards receiving for Brady from 2013 to 2016. During the 2016 season, Edelman led the offense with 98 receptions for 1,106 yards receiving on a head-turning 158 targets.

While the Patriots should get more productivity on the outside from wide receiver Josh Gordon, who made his debut last week, going forward, Edelman's presence goes beyond his individual statistics.

Edelman's ability to work routes underneath will free up defensive coverage on tight end Rob Gronkowski, who has been consistently mugged by double teams this season. Gronkowski (ankle) didn't practice Monday or Tuesday, but the injury is minor and he is considered day to day.

4. Can the Colts put together a run game?

Indianapolis hasn't succeeded in establishing the running game so far and currently ranks 29th in the league, averaging 72 yards per game.

But not having running back Marlon Mack, who has been dealing with a hamstring injury, the past two games certainly doesn't help. Mack will miss another game Thursday, so the Colts once again will rely on rookies Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins.

The versatile Hines led the Colts with a career-high nine catches for 63 yards and two touchdowns in Week 4, but the Colts need a consistent ground game Thursday night to keep the ball away from the Patriots.

The matchup suggests the Colts could have success when considering the Patriots enter Week 5 ranked 26th in the league against the run, allowing 121.5 yards per game. In New England's two losses, they allowed 104 total yards rushing to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2 and 159 yards to the Detroit Lionsin Week 3.

The Colts rushed for 104 yards as a team in their lone win against the Washington Redskins in Week 2, while failing to top 75 yards in three losses.

5. Can the Patriots use Thursday night to jump-start the season?

Different season, but the Patriots maintain the status quo of starting slow.

Since 2016, New England is 7-5 in the first four weeks. Something always happens, however, from Weeks 5-17 to energize the team to finish strong, evidenced by a 22-2 record with just one loss at home during that span.

The Patriots have started 2-2 or worse a total of seven times in the Tom Bradyera, but shook off the sluggish starts by winning the Super Bowl in three of the six previous instances.

Given the one-sided history in recent outings between the Colts and Patriots, don't be surprised if the Patriots (who just handled an undefeated Dolphinssquad) come out with a victory and go on another run.

https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2018/10/4/17936990/sean-mcvay-offensive-mind-los-angeles-rams

Getty Images/Ringer illustration

Jared Goff’s reaction was telling. He threw five touchdown passes in the Rams’ 38-31 win over the Vikings in Week 4, but none elicited the response that his second one did. With about 10 minutes left in the second quarter, the third-year quarterback hit wide receiver Cooper Kupp deep down the right sideline for a 70-yard strike. As his former roommate rumbled into the end zone, Goff ran toward the Los Angeles sideline and met head coach Sean McVay with a full-contact chest bump. “I told him after, ‘I didn’t mean to knock you over there,’” Goff said.

Goff’s elation was the culmination of a weeklong process, as the play design was a subtle mutation of a McVay staple from the Rams playbook. The offense was aligned in 11 personnel, with Kupp in the left slot, Brandin Cooks on the outside, and Robert Woods split out right. At the snap, Goff faked a handoff to running back Todd Gurley while Woods completed an over route and Cooks ran a deep corner toward the sideline. Those three elements are typical of the Rams’ bootleg concept, which McVay had used during the team’s first three games.

When this design is used on a bootleg—as it was in a 35-23 win over the Chargers in Week 3—Kupp starts by faking a block and then runs a route to the middle of the field. Against the Vikings, his initial movements looked identical to that play: He feigned a block against linebacker Anthony Barr before transitioning into a pass route across the formation. That’s where the similarities ended.

Instead of stopping and looking for a quick pass, Kupp continued his route up the right sideline with Barr giving chase. Tight end Tyler Higbee, rather than sprinting into the flat as he flashed to the other side of the offensive line, stopped to block, ensuring that Goff had enough time to get the ball to Kupp. This play design is known as a “leak” concept, and it’s a fixture in heavy play-action schemes such as Kyle Shanahan’s in San Francisco and offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur’s in Tennessee. But McVay’s version has a twist: He leaks his slot receiver out instead of a tight end. That wrinkle, combined with the deception of Kupp’s bootleg-esque first few steps, left Barr and the Vikings unprepared. “I was fired up about that one because that’s one we tweaked during [practice that] week,” Goff says. “I was fired up for him getting that thing off.”

Him refers to McVay, who used a Thursday-night national showcase against Minnesota’s vaunted defense to solidify his status as the premier play-caller in the NFL. Last year, in his first season with the Rams, McVay took the NFL’s worst scoring offense and transformed it into the top unit in football. This year, he’s elevated his group from a feel-good story into a planet-destroying superweapon. Through four games, Goff—the 2016 no. 1 overall pick who looked like a lost cause as a rookie—has thrown for 1,406 yards and 11 touchdowns with a 72.4 percent completion rate.

The 32-year-old McVay is no longer just an intriguing footnote in the football world. He’s the most advanced offensive mind in the game. And as those close to him will tell you, what sets him apart goes beyond just his bag of tricks. “For anybody that meets Sean McVay, age is irrelevant,” Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth says. “From the moment you talk ball with him, you realize his level of intelligence and his level of understanding the game is just different.”

Sean McVay and Jared Goff Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Matt LaFleur remembers the first time he heard McVay’s voice. It was the spring of 2010, when LaFleur was an assistant on Mike Shanahan’s staff in Washington. The now-Titans offensive coordinator was transitioning out of his role as a quality control coach, and Shanahan was interviewing candidates for his old job. Sitting in then-coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s office, LaFleur overheard a manic voice mapping out plays in painstaking detail. “I could hear, literally though the wall, Sean installing plays,” LaFleur says. “I was like, ‘This is pretty impressive.’”

McVay got the job, and during their first conversation, LaFleur could already see into the young coach’s future. “I knew the first time I met him he was going to be a head coach,” LaFleur says. “He just has a positive energy, extremely intelligent, loves ball more than anybody I’ve been around. And he’s just brilliant. I think he might have a photographic memory. He’s just rare.”

Others echo a similar sentiment when describing their initial interactions with McVay. You just know. “It was before the clock struck 10 minutes in the interview,” Rams general manager Les Snead says of talking to McVay during the franchise’s coaching search in 2017. “From intuition, just hearing him present and naturally, his enthusiasm. His ability to communicate. You’re like, ‘You know what? I’ll buy stock in this.’”

For Snead, the Rams’ plan during that offseason was three-pronged: “Hire the best head coach, fix the offense, and don’t forget about the defense.” After going 4-12 and recording a league-worst offensive DVOA in its final campaign under former coach Jeff Fisher in 2016, Los Angeles was set on turning things around on that side of the ball. But Snead says bringing in a dual head coach and play-caller wasn’t a requirement.

When the L.A. brass of Snead, executive vice president Kevin Demoff, and VP of football and business administration Tony Pastoors sat down with McVay for their initial interview, it found a coach who could accomplish the team’s top two priorities while also righting the trajectory of its young QB. It also glimpsed the qualities that would help the Rams jump to 11-5 last season and a start a spotless 4-0 this fall. “In those first 10 minutes, he probably articulated [the offense so well] to myself, Tony, and Kevin—who I’ll quickly say could never coordinate an offense, or defense, or special teams, even though we’re in football—that I guarantee we could’ve run a few of his plays,” Snead says. “He was that good at clearly explaining it. Oh, I could get you open. No, Sean, you really couldn’t.”

According to his players, McVay’s greatest strength isn’t some mad-scientist tendency to lock himself in a dark lab and emerge hours later with dozens of ingenious play designs. While he’s a wunderkind play designer, his best attribute is his ability to clearly communicate the tenets of his offensive philosophy. “It was really just the way he portrayed things,” Goff says. “The way he communicated. The way he made something that’s so complicated seem so simple. Right then, it was like, ‘Wow.’”

Following the Week 4 win over the Vikings, Whitworth told reporters in the locker room that McVay and his staffers don’t coach football. They teach it. Every directive is coupled with a specific reasoning. “Everyone can, for lack of a better word, empathize with it,” Whitworth says. “It’s ‘OK, not only do Iunderstand what to do, I understand why I would want to do it that way.’”

The lines of communication are constantly open. Whether it’s a conversation at lunch, a quick chat in the hallway, or a short sidebar after a meeting, Whitworth says McVay probably interacts with every member of the offense at some point during each day. Those sessions often center on a concept or tactic that a player doesn’t feel comfortable executing. When an issue arises, players are able to voice their concerns to McVay, and one of two outcomes will follow. Either the coach will explain, in depth, why a concept is necessary, or he’ll brainstorm a way to change it to fit the player’s preference. “Most people are stubborn in their ways,” Whitworth says. “Just like everyday people who do a job. This is how I’ve always done it. I’m going to do it this way. He’s the opposite of that. Not only is he the most intelligent person in the room, he’s also the most humble. With him it’s, All right, I already know all the answers, but why don’t you tell me why you wouldn’t do this? If I can understand that and rationalize with it, then we just won’t do it that way. We’ll do it the way we both feel comfortable with.”

That willingness to continually learn and adapt is reminiscent of Bill Belichick and Nick Saban. And it results in belief traveling both ways in the Rams’ building. McVay and the staff place faith in their players to improve the system, and the players’ faith in the system grows. Everyone associated with this offense is moving in lockstep at all times. “It’s not, ‘Hey, I don’t care if you understand it or don’t, we’re going to run this play,’” Whitworth says. “It’s a marriage of him believing that players have to have confidence in the coaches as well as coaches having confidence in the players. Some places, you see different than that. It’s, ‘This is the way we do things. And we’re going to run this play whether you like it or not.’ That’s not his style.”

McVay Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Near the end of an August training camp practice, the Rams’ star-studded secondary gathered on the sideline, dumbfounded. Cornerback Aqib Talib conferred with slot corner Nickell Robey-Coleman about what, if anything, they could do to stop the bunch formation and route combination that had just roasted them for a touchdown near the goal line. As they brainstormed, Los Angeles cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant chimed in. “Yo,” Pleasant shouted, “that’s why Sean is the dude.”

McVay devises plays that are specifically engineered to test the defense’s guiding principles. Practices become games of chess between McVay and stellar defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. They also shed light on another aspect of McVay’s brilliance: In order to exploit the weak points of a defense, McVay has to know exactly how that defense operates.

McVay’s understanding of defensive football lies at the core of his wizardry. Take the Rams’ first touchdown against the Vikings on Thursday. Gurley released out of the backfield and started an in-breaking route toward the middle of the field. Most offenses using this alignment would try to isolate a player with Gurley’s route-running ability on an outside linebacker, thus allowing the stud back to shake the slower player in space. As a result, the Vikings saw L.A.’s setup and called for Barr to shield off the middle.

That’s where McVay’s mind comes into play. Rather than sending Gurley on an angle route to the middle, he called for his back to adjust his route vertically and break toward the back of the end zone. Goff delivered a perfect strike, and Barr never stood a chance.



The Rams run 11 personnel more than any other team in the NFL. This season, they’ve used it on a staggering 97 percent of their offensive plays. For many play-callers, formational monotony like this could produce a bevy of unimaginative, boring designs. McVay’s offense is the complete inverse because of his commitment to dressing up his three-receiver sets. “That’s why it’s so hard to defend us,” Goff says, “because we do so many different things off the same look.”

McVay alters the alignment of his receivers to no end, toying with defenses’ hard-and-fast rules. That sometimes means putting Kupp, Woods, and Cooks in bunches and stacks to combat tight man coverage. It can involve a steady use of jet motion and play-action to give linebackers an extra element to consider. Lining up Kupp or Woods next to an offensive tackle allows McVay to send a false signal to a secondary about what route is coming. Most teams use tight splits to set up out-breaking routes. The Rams, naturally, love using those alignments to set up in-breaking routes.



For all the bells and whistles adorning this offense, though, the Rams staff will tell you that the basic set of plays it has each week remains relatively static. McVay’s biggest advantage isn’t that he has a 1,000-page playbook for defenses to worry about; it’s that the fundamental set of plays the Rams rely on is built to accommodate one or two adjustments acutely aimed at attacking a specific defense. By the time a defense realizes how a concept differs from what it’s seen on tape, it’s too late. “That, to me, is the essence of football,” Whitworth says. “When you look at the rare teams, the rare NFL offenses, outside of special talent, the good ones are the ones where everything’s married to each other. Everything looks the same, but it’s completely different. That’s where teams get special and play to their potential.”

Over his first two seasons, McVay has passed his obsession with learning the ins and outs of defenses down to his players. He and Goff meet on Mondays to go over new plays for a coming week’s game, and again on Fridays to finalize the calls with which Goff feels most comfortable. “I like doing it for me, but I think he enjoys it as well, learning the stuff I like and the stuff I don’t like,” Goff says. “It helps him call the game.”

The dialogue has all but caused their minds to meld. In the middle of last season, Goff realized that what he saw from a defense was starting to match McVay’s calls. He points to a play from a 33-7 win over the Texans in Week 10. The Rams faced a second-and-8 from their own 6-yard line with about 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter. This would’ve been a precarious spot for just about any other offense, but Goff came up to the line knowing that a huge play was coming. “I saw the structure, and I said, ‘Man, I hope he calls this play,’” Goff says. “Sure enough.” McVay relayed in a sail concept that sent Woods on a deep post. Goff hit him in stride for a 94-yard score.



What mystifies Goff most about those moments isn’t that McVay always seems to see the right calls. It’s that he dictates them without reading off a card. “It’s fascinating to me,” Goff says. “I’m like, ‘I don’t know how you do that.’ A lot of them are long. When someone’s just saying them to you, they’re hard to just spit out.”

Like most of the league, Goff is mesmerized by his coach’s mind. The difference is that he gets to share in that football genius. That unified effort is what leads to moments like Goff and McVay’s sideline chest bump. McVay has turned the Rams’ offensive meetings into collaborative attempts to not only learn the game, but solve it. And damn, it feels good.

I ran across this and wanted to share it. It's worth watching. TED talks are always interesting and this one is about sports, so that's a bonus!!!

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This is a couple of weeks old, but it's still nice to see Wittle Wussell Wilson repeatedly get hit and sacked (and not merely pressured), imo.

Summary: FHawks' problems with pass pro have more to do with fixable issues concerning scheme and Wilson. O-Line is not that bad. Kollman believes the issues will be fixed soon and that when they are fixed, some unsuspecting team is going to get ambushed in Century Link Field.

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As in some teams can’t afford to get deeper into the hole?

Other teams need to get a firm grip on their division?

[www.nfl.com]

Packers vs Lions. Packers need to stay within striking distance with the Bears in their division.

Broncos vs Jets. Broncos can’t afford to fall further behind the Chiefs. Period.

Falcons vs Steelers. Neither team can afford a loss.

Vikings vs Eagles. Another game where each team can ill afford another loss.

Rams vs Seahawks. Seahawks are practically toast if they lose. Not mathematically, but in reality.

Redskins vs Saints looks like a barn burner. Lots at stake for both teams.

Speaking of barn burners, how about Jags vs Chiefs for drama? No, not a “must win” for either, but damn!

Definitely gonna be a fun weekend for the fans, overall. But some fans of certain teams that lose will have their hearts broken, for sure.

Jonathan Hudec ESPN -

"Goff became the first player in NFL history with 350 passing yards and a 75.0 completion percentage in three straight games."

All this without knowing how the sun rises and sets. You could have predicted??

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...d-goff-rams-oline-playing-the-best-in-the-nfl

Jared Goff: Rams' O-line 'playing the best' in the NFL

The Los Angeles Rams are flying high with a 4-0 record and own the league's No. 1 offense in total yards and scoring.

A lot of the team's offensive success can be traced to the front five, where left tackle Andrew Whitworth, left guard Rodger Saffold, center John Sullivan, right guard Austin Blythe and right tackle Rob Havenstein have kept quarterback Jared Goff safe.

"They're playing the best in the league right now and I don't think it's really close," Goff said, via Rich Hammond of the Orange County Register. "I don't know what the numbers are, but I've hit the ground maybe three or four times. I mean even just hits, pressures, not even sacks. That stuff is incredible, and they're doing a great job."

Goff has been sacked just five times on the season, a remarkable number when considering he has attempted 134 passes through four games. His ability to stay upright has allowed Goff to total 1,406 yards passing and 11 touchdowns pass, both ranking second in the league.

The Rams' offensive line appears primed to continue helping Goff lead a potent attack when considering upcoming opponents before a Week 12 bye.

While the schedule produces individual elite pass rushers, such the Denver Broncos' Von Miller in Week 6 or the Kansas Chiefs' Justin Houston in Week 11, the Rams face just one team currently ranked in the top 10 in sacks -- the Green Bay Packers in Week 8.

For all the accolades Goff, running back Todd Gurley and a triple-threat wide receiver corps of Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods receive, the engine that drives the Rams' express train starts up front with a group of players often away from the spotlight.

After allowing 28 sacks in 2017, which ranked as the ninth-lowest in the league, the Rams are on pace to allow just 20 sacks in 2018 because of the front blockers.

An upright Goff should more than welcome the opportunities with a little help from his friends to pick apart opponents unless defenses figure out a way to affect him in the pocket.

Yeah, this would make things interesting. I STILL think the Rams are better if this happens.

This is the Rams year.
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Move over Rams, Ravens are the NFL's most complete team
By Jamison Hensley ESPN Staff Writer
http://www.espn.com/blog/afcnorth/p...r-rams-ravens-are-the-nfls-most-complete-team

- Joe Flacco is on pace to throw for 5,000 yards. The defense has yet to given up a touchdown in the second half. And Justin Tucker is the most accurate kicker in NFL history.

The best team in the NFL right now? The consensus is the Los Angeles Rams, who sit atop most power rankings. But the most complete team in the NFL? That title currently goes to the Baltimore Ravens, and the numbers back this up. The Ravens are the only team to rank in the top 10 in offense, defense and special teams efficiency, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

"The most balanced teams in this league usually have more success and have a chance to win late in the season, so that's where we're trying to be," safety Eric Weddle said............................

.........................................................................................................The undefeated Rams (4-0) rank in the top 10 in offense and defense, but they're having troubles replacing injured kicker Greg Zuerlein, and their defensive ranking seems inflated. Los Angeles' yards per play allowed is 22nd in the NFL..........................

If you want to read this entire article click under ESPN staff writer

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How many more times should we expect to see this? I love how the D supports the O!

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https://www.stltoday.com/sports/foo...17e95537-db82-5945-a7a2-307ec4e0e073.amp.html

Yes yes and yes. I do not want this team to feed off the bs mainstream sports media for ego boost. Do what they been doing. Focusing on just perfecting craft is all I want from here on out. McVay era in effect.