https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/10/03/chris-simms-shakes-up-his-quarterback-rankings/

Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms made waves last year by placing Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles at No. 70 of Simms’ league-wide quarterback rankings. On Wednesday’s PFT Live, Simms unveiled his updated top 16, after four weeks of the 2018 season.

Spoiler: Bortles did not make the cut.

You can see who did by checking out the segment, and you can chime in with your thoughts regarding the sanity or lack thereof regarding his selections in the comments.

Spoiler No. 2: Simms continues to have his all-time favorite quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, at No. 1 on the list, even though he’s playing on No. 1 leg. The rest of the list quickly gets interesting.

EDIT: I think he's placing waaaaaaaay too much emphasis on McVay scheming things open but I'll give him the fact that he will raise Goff if games like last two weeks keep coming.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-nfl-2018-first-quarter-all-pro-team

NFL 2018 first-quarter All-Pro Team
BY MICHAEL RENNER



QB – JARED GOFF, LOS ANGELES RAMS
Honorable mention: Patrick Mahomes
Goff narrowly edges out Mahomes and Drew Brees on the backs of one of the highest-graded performances we’ve ever seen. He’s been lights out throwing down the field, but he actually hasn’t been asked to do so that often. The Rams’ signal-caller is 8-13 on passes traveling 20-plus yards for a ridiculous 322 yards and five touchdowns.

RB – ALVIN KAMARA, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
HONORABLE MENTION: Matt Breida
What Alvin Kamara is on pace for as a receiver is absurd at this point. If he matched his output for the next 12 games, he’d finish with 140 catches and 1,344 receiving yards. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s picking up 2.8 of his 4.9 yards per carry after contact and leads the league in rushing touchdowns.

WR – DESEAN JACKSON, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
HONORABLE MENTION: DeAndre Hopkins
In a league chocked full of productive deep threats so far this season, Jackson stands on top. He’s hauled in six of his seven targets that have come 20-plus yards downfield for 274 yards and three touchdowns. His 4.20 yards per route is .74 clear of second place Julio Jones at the moment, and he’s done it all without dropping a single pass.

WR – JULIO JONES, ATLANTA FALCONS
HONORABLE MENTION: Mike Evans
Fantasy owners might not agree, but Jones is on pace for something special this season. He leads the league in yards (502) and is second in yards per route (3.46). Jones also has the third-most deep receiving yards of any receiver in the league (228). Now, if he could only find the end zone…



SWR – MICHAEL THOMAS, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
HONORABLE MENTION: Tyreek Hill
It’s reaching a little bit to call Thomas a slot, but he’s still taken over a quarter of his snaps there this season so far. His stats at the moment are like something out of a video game. Of Thomas’ 44 targets, he hauled in 42 of them for 445 yards and three touchdowns. The crazy thing is, of those two misses, one was a drop.

TE – GEORGE KITTLE, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
HONORABLE MENTION: O.J. Howard
The 2017 tight end class was hyped as one of the best ever, and after a somewhat disappointing rookie campaign, they’ve delivered in Year 2. Kittle gets the slight nod because of volume, but at the moment, Howard leads all tight ends with 2.88 yards per route while Kittle is second at 2.87.

LT – ANDREW WHITWORTH, LOS ANGELES RAMS
HONORABLE MENTION: David Bakhtiari
The 36-year-old’s performance hasn’t slipped an inch since coming over to LA last offseason. He’s allowed all of one hit and two hurries so far for the highest pass-blocking efficiency of any tackle in the league.

LG – RODGER SAFFOLD, LOS ANGELES RAMS
HONORABLE MENTION: Ali Marpet
The left side of the Rams’ offensive line has been murderous so far and Saffold’s hot start is a big reason why. Like Whitworth, Saffold has only allowed one hit and two hurries so far this season while also being tied for the league lead in big-time run blocks.

C – JASON KELCE, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
HONORABLE MENTION: David Andrews
Kelce’s reign atop the center position continues. He was the highest-graded offensive lineman in the entire NFL a season ago and hasn’t had any sort of Super Bowl hangover to speak of.

RG – ZACK MARTIN, DALLAS COWBOYS
HONORABLE MENTION: Austin Blythe
No surprise here, as Martin has consistently been either atop this list or honorable mention over the course of his career. The Dallas guard hasn’t allowed a sack since Week 10 of last season and continues to be the gold standard for pass protection on the interior.

RT – TAYLOR MOTON, CAROLINA PANTHERS
HONORABLE MENTION: Mitchell Schwartz
Moton gets the slight nod here due to his impressive work in the run game, though Schwartz deserves recognition as the highest-graded pass-blocking right tackle in the NFL so far this season. Moton, though, has been no slouch himself, allowing only three hurries all season and taking only five downgrades in the run game all season.



EDGE – KHALIL MACK, CHICAGO BEARS
HONORABLE MENTION: Lorenzo Alexander
You’d have to have not watched a single minute of football this season to not know Mack would be making this list. He’s not simply pressuring quarterbacks; he’s making game-changing plays. He’s forced a fumble in every game so far and added a pick-six for good measure.

EDGE – J.J. WATT, HOUSTON TEXANS
HONORABLE MENTION: Myles Garrett
It might not be peak J.J. Watt, but he’s still punking guards and tackles alike. Like Mack, Watt has also forced four fumbles so far and notched five sacks. His 90.9 overall grade isn’t quite the utter dominance we’ve seen in the past, but the season is still young.

DI – AARON DONALD, LOS ANGELES RAMS
HONORABLE MENTION: Akiem Hicks
You might get sick of hearing about Donald’s dominance from us, but we obviously don’t get sick of talking about it. He’s simply on a level all by himself right now as a pass-rusher. His 30.4 percent win rate is the highest of any player, regardless of position. The fact that he’s doing it on the interior makes it that much more impressive.



DI – FLETCHER COX, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
HONORABLE MENTION: Geno Atkins
Cox is off to the best start of his career, which is saying something given how good he’s been. We collect times a pass-rusher beats an opposing offensive lineman yet the pass is thrown too quickly to record a pressure. Cox’s 11 such blocks defeated are the third-most of any defensive lineman in the NFL.

LB – BOBBY WAGNER, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
HONORABLE MENTION: Josh Bynes
Wagner’s tackling prowess is reaching unfathomable proportions at this point. He hasn’t missed a single tackle this season and has only missed three of his last 171 tackle attempts. Wagner has also forced more incompletions than any other linebacker so far this season (four).

LB – BLAKE MARTINEZ, GREEN BAY PACKERS
HONORABLE MENTION: Luke Kuechly
Martinez is asked to wear a lot of hats in the Packers DB-heavy scheme and so far he’s delivered. He’s made nine stops in coverage this year, the second-most of any linebacker in the league and has broken up three of his 14 targets.

CB – BYRON JONES, DALLAS COWBOYS
HONORABLE MENTION: Quinton Dunbar
After switching from safety to corner over the offseason, it’s not hyperbole to say that Jones has been the best cornerback in the NFL so far this year. He’s been targeted 16 times, allowing only seven catches for 51 yards. That’s fewer than 13 yards allowed per game! It’s been quite the start for the Cowboys defensive back.

CB – PATRICK PETERSON, ARIZONA CARDINALS
HONORABLE MENTION: Prince Amukamara
Peterson has been deadly as a matchup man corner, but now he’s replicating that prowess playing far more zone coverage than ever before. He’s allowed seven catches on 14 targets, with only two of those catches resulting in a first down and five resulting in coverage stops.

SCB – BRYCE CALLAHAN, CHICAGO BEARS
HONORABLE MENTION: Nickell Robey-Coleman
After establishing himself as one of the best slot corners in the NFL last season, Callahan is doing his best to prove he’s the best this year. Of his 14 targets on the season, only five have resulted in first downs, while he’s made coverage stops on five others, picked off one and broken up two. He’s so far been the third-most infrequently targeted slot corner in the NFL.

S – EARL THOMAS, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
HONORABLE MENTION: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
With Thomas’ season over at this point, he’ll have to settle for the first quarter All-Pro instead of his customary season-long version. He has easily been the highest-graded safety in the league, as he’s allowed as many catches as he has interceptions (3).

S – EDDIE JACKSON, CHICAGO BEARS
HONORABLE MENTION: Derwin James
Jackson is one interception behind Thomas (although he had one on a nullified play) and has been a sure tackler so far with only one miss on the season. Derwin James deserves some recognition as honorable mention here, though, as he’s the only rookie to make this roster. James has three sacks, two hits and five hurries on 22 pass-rushes so far.

K – JUSTIN TUCKER, BALTIMORE RAVENS
HONORABLE MENTION: Brandon McManus
The lone blemish on Tucker’s scorecard so far this season is a blocked field goal in the game against the Denver Broncos. You can’t blame him for that miss, and he’s been perfect outside of that. He leads the league with three field goals of 50 or more yards, putting him on pace to beat his previous best of 10, which he delivered in 2016.

P- MICHAEL PALARDY, CAROLINA PANTHERS
HONORABLE MENTION: J.K. Scott
Palardy has been excellent at pinning opposing returners inside their 20-yard line, and ranks inside the top ten in net yards, with his punts allowing just 25 return yards so far this season.

K/PR: ANDRE ROBERTS, NEW YORK JETS
HONORABLE MENTION: Tyreek Hill
Roberts just edges out Tyreek Hill for this spot right now, but you wouldn’t be upset having either returning punts for you. So far this year Roberts leads the league with 160 punt return yards, including a 78-yard return for a touchdown.

ST: JOE JONES, DENVER BRONCOS
Honorable Mention: Kevin Pierre-Louis
Jones has seen 71 snaps across the kick return, kick coverage, punt return, and punt coverage units. So far this season he has registered five tackles on special teams, tied for third in the league, and blocked a punt against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3.

How does one do that? (as in a "fify").

(I'm using ROD Default).

Glad to see Barron fit to play though.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/JB_Long/status/1047580412640284673

Click link below and scroll down to see chart. Amount of sacks are not the whole story.

Rams
Pressures: 65
Drop backs faced: 157
Pressure rate: 41.40127389

https://buffalonews.com/2018/10/03/...s-still-in-top-10-in-defensive-pressure-rate/

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/RamsNFL/status/1047553045276516353

https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2018/10/03/nfl-los-angeles-rams-stats-sacks-pressures-pff/

Rams lead NFL in pressure rate despite ranking 22nd in sacks
By: Cameron DaSilva

The Los Angeles Rams have built their pass rush and front seven from the inside out. Their strength is on the interior with Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh and Michael Brockers, while the edge rushers leave plenty to be desired.

That’s shown through four weeks with Samson Ebukam and John Franklin-Myers being the only outside linebackers with sacks this season (two combined). On the year, the Rams as a team have just eight sacks total, which is tied for 22nd in the NFL with just six teams having fewer.

On the surface, that would appear to be a huge concern. They don’t seem to be getting to the quarterback often enough, especially with two All-Pros up front. That’s hardly the case, though.

Sure, it’d be nice to have 18 sacks like the league-leading Bears, but the Rams are pressuring QBs more than any other team.

As found by Chris Trapasso of the Buffalo News, the Rams have pressured quarterbacks on 65 of 157 dropbacks – good for a rate of 41.4 percent. That leads the league while the 65 total pressures are the fourth-most in the NFL. The numbers were compiled by Pro Football Focus.

Incredibly, of those 65 total pressures, Donald had 13 of them on Thursday night against the Vikings – a career high for the Defensive Player of the Year. Brockers and Suh added 10 more total in Week 4, so 23 of the 65 pressures generated by the Rams came from those three in one game.

That just goes to show how important they are to the overall success of the defense, not just the pass rush. But how can the Rams turn those pressures into sacks? That’s easier said than done, but part of the fault falls on opposing quarterbacks.

They’re getting the ball out so quickly because of how disruptive Donald, Suh and Brockers are up front, opting to take checkdowns and short passes rather than taking the time to let routes develop downfield.

There isn’t much the Rams can do about that other than covering even tighter on the outside and forcing quarterbacks to hold the ball. Again, easier said than done.

Regardless, don’t be concerned about the lack of sacks thus far. As long as the Rams are generating pressure, poor decisions by quarterbacks will continue to happen, thus elevating the play of the defense.

I was ecstatic when we got him and thought he would be a difference maker. But he's been meh with the Chiefs and Cooks has shown what a stud wide receiver could do in this system. Watkins was evidently not one.

So far with the Chiefs he only has 176 receiving yards and a touchdown.

After watching the Chiefs come from behind on Monday night you gotta wonder if something similar is in store for the Rams. Division game on the road in a place that has been historically hostile against a team trying to stay in contention. And if Case Keenum wasn’t doing Case Keenum things maybe they win that game.
Mahomes was a little off target, the receivers were dropping balls and the crowd was affecting the o- line, it looked like an upset was brewing before they finally got it together. The seahags d line is not nearly as formidable as Denver’s though so I expect the offense to keep humming.

I cannot believe the tripe that poses as objective sports journalism! Here are some of the QB rankings and excerpts from the justification for those rankings this week.

Aaron Rogers @ #4: "Despite the shutout win over the Bills, Rodgers hasn't been the same quarterback we're used to seeing. His production over the last two weeks has not been as efficient as in Weeks 1 and 2. His completion percentage is down more than 10 percent, along with pass yards per attempt and passer rating."

Tom Brady @ #5: "Brady has continued to struggle without Julian Edelman (as discussed above) and finished with 274 pass yards, a 3:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 94.2 passer rating."

Drew Brees @ #7: "Despite the Saints beating the Giants on the road, Brees had his worst game of the 2018 season, with his lowest completion percentage (56.3), pass yards (217), touchdowns (zero) and passer rating (77.2) in 2018."

Jared Goff @ #10: "Goff had a day of personal bests -- 465 passing yards, five pass TDs and a (perfect) 158.3 passer rating. Four of those touchdowns came on deep passes (throws of 20-plus air yards), as he diced up the Vikings' defense."

Brees was actually bumped up one place for having 'his worst game of the 2018 season'! Goff needed to have an absolutely amazing game just to crack the top 10, while the veteran QBs get passes for their relatively crappy play.

The NFL Record Book Is Under Assault in the 2018 Season
BRAD GAGNONOCTOBER 2, 2018

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...om&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_medium=referral



Harry How/Getty Images
Each of the seven highest-scoring seasons in NFL history took place between 2010 and 2016. Rules making it harder for defensive players to do their jobs led to more opportunities for offenses—and quarterbacks in particular—to explode. Several teams led by in-their-prime superstar quarterbacks—Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Matt Ryan, Michael Vick, among others—took advantage.

But that all changed in 2017, which was suddenly the lowest-scoring season this decade. That caused many of us to wonder whether the NFL had a scoring problem.

Had defenses finally caught up?

Nope.

The first month of the 2018 regular season strongly indicates that the 2017 campaign was a low-scoring aberration.
The average NFL game this season has featured 48.1 points, which is up nearly 10 percent from 43.9 during the first four weeks of the 2017 season. It's on pace to become the highest-scoring season in NFL history by a 327-point margin over the 2013 campaign. That's equivalent to more than 46 converted touchdowns.

A few additional points:

• This is just about on track to be the first 1,400-touchdown season in league history. Only three seasons have featured 1,300 touchdowns.
• NFL games are averaging 725 total yards, which is a record pace. Only twice in league history has that total been north of 700 for an entire season.
• Teams are averaging 5.6 yards per play. That total has never been higher than 5.5 and is way up from 5.3 last season.

Last year, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio suggested low point totals in September might have been a result of "the cumulative effect" of "reduced offseason workouts, reduced intensity of training camp practices [and] reduced padded practices." While that's a fair hypothesis, it seems as though the league has gotten to a point at which that lack of preparation might not matter.

Scoring might be up even more if teams could still practice the way they did under the last collective bargaining agreement. That 48.1 number would undoubtedly be even higher if teams were still kicking extra points from the two-yard line rather than the 15-yard line. Kickers have already missed 14 extra points this season, whereas they missed only eight during the entire 2014 season—the last under the old rule.

Unsurprisingly, this is all about the quarterbacks:

• Ten qualified quarterbacks have passer ratings above 100. Five have completion rates above 70. Five have at least 10 touchdowns and two or fewer interceptions. Three have yards-per-attempt averages above 9.0—a mark that's been hit only 13 times in modern NFL history. Those numbers are up from eight, two, oneand two at this point in 2017. They're up from eight, two, one and one at this point in 2016.
• The leaguewide completion rate is 65.4. It's never been higher than 63.0.
• The leaguewide yards-per-attempt average is 7.5. It hasn't been that high in a half-century.
• The leaguewide passer rating is 92.6. It's never been higher than 88.4, and was 85.1 last season.
• The leaguewide passing touchdowns-per-game rate is 1.8. It's never been higher than 1.6.
• Offenses are averaging fewer rushing yards per game (106.7) than in any other season in NFL history except 1994 and 1999 (104.3 and 106.5, respectively).

Drew Brees has been practically perfect this season.Bill Kostroun/Associated Press/Associated Press
As for records, if the season continued on at this pace...

• Brees would set a new single-season record for completion percentage (75.8), while both Eli Manning (74.2) and Jared Goff (72.4) would also break the previous record (72.0, set by Brees last season).
• Roethlisberger would set a new single-season record for passing yards (5,656), while Goff (5,624), Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings (5,548) and Derek Carr of the Oakland Raiders (5,492) would also break the previous record (5,477, set by Peyton Manning in 2013).
• Patrick Mahomes would set a new single-season record for passing touchdowns (56), breaking Manning's record of 55 set in 2013.
• Goff would set a new modern-era record for yards per attempt (10.5), breaking Kurt Warner's record of 9.9 set in 2000. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is on the same pace, but that's unlikely to hold up now that Jameis Winston has taking the starting job back in Tampa Bay.
• Goff would set a new single-season record for passer rating (127.3), while Mahomes (126.5) would also break the previous record (122.5, set by Rodgers in 2011).

This is all a bit inflated by what happened this weekend. Chase Stuart of Football Perspective crunched the numbers to determine that this was the "greatest passing week in passing history."

"The average passer rating so far has been an outstanding 99.3, which would make it the second-best in NFL history. But what's even more incredible are the other passing stats: The average ANY/A has been an insanely high 7.16! The big difference between passer rating and ANY/A is completion percentage, which is only reflected in the former statistic. An absurdly high completion percentage made the Week 2 passer rating so high (69.4%), while teams have 'only' completed 65.0% of passes so far this week. But while teams averaged 7.6 yards per attempt in Week 2, they've averaged 7.9 yards/attempt so far this week."

A few nuggets to back that up:

• Per the NFL, there were a record five 400-yard passing performances in Week 4, and the 12 400-yard games recorded by passers this season is a record at the four-week mark.
• Also according to the league, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck became just the 11th signal-caller in league history to pass for at least 450 yards and four touchdowns without throwing an interception in a single game in Sunday's loss to the Houston Texans. But Luck wasn't even the first quarterback to accomplish that feat this week, because Goff did the same Thursday night against the Vikings.

As the season wears on and the weather gets colder, there's room for passers to slow down while maintaining a record-breaking collective pace. That's how hot the league's passing offenses have been this season.

What do we chalk it up to?



Peak quarterback

Though teams pass more frequently now than ever before, sack rates are low and quarterbacks take fewer hits than in the past. As a result, we're basically seeing two generations of great quarterbacks at the same time.




Philip Rivers has also been on fire this season.Marcio Sanchez/Associated Press
Legends like Brady, Brees, Roethlisberger and Rivers continue to put up huge numbers in their late 30s. Meanwhile, a new wave of young guns has finally emerged, with Goff, Mahomes, Carson Wentz, Deshaun Watson, Carr, Dak Prescott, Jimmy Garoppolo, Marcus Mariota and Mitchell Trubisky all flashing early in their careers. Throw in quarterbacks currently in their prime—Rodgers, Ryan, Russell Wilson, Andrew Luck, Cam Newton, Kirk Cousins, Matthew Stafford and Alex Smith—and the NFL might no longer be a league with fewer franchise quarterbacks than franchises.

That was almost the case last season, too, but the major difference was that many of those quarterbacks failed to stay healthy. Rodgers, Luck, Watson, Wentz, Carson Palmer and Ryan Tannehill missed a combined 62 games, which contributed to last season's drop in offensive production.



Peak creativity

The NFL has turned into an arms race. Per our research, teams are passing 61 percent of the time, and the game has shifted toward offense and passing to such a degree that those areas receive the vast majority of the attention.




Sean McVay is one of several promising offensive-minded head coaches.Harry How/Getty Images
Fifteen of the 20 head coaches hired since 2016 were offensive specialists, and gurus like Doug Pederson, Sean McVay, Matt Nagy, Kyle Shanahan, Doug Marrone and Anthony Lynn have already had a lot of success. They're smart, creative and bold, and we're seeing that on the scoreboard.



Peak aggressiveness

The Titans could have settled for a 23-23 tie Sunday against Philadelphia, but first-year head coach Mike Vrabel rolled the dice on a 4th-and-2 from the Philadelphia 32-yard line, eschewing a 50-yard field-goal attempt that would have tied it. It paid off, resulting in three extra points when Tennessee found the end zone three plays later.

Minutes later, the Colts could have settled for a 34-34 tie against Houston, but first-year head coach Frank Reich rolled the dice on a 4th-and-4 from his own 43-yard line with less than 30 seconds remaining in overtime. It didn't pay off, but it resulted in three extra points when the Texans kicked a field goal to win.

Pederson has developed a reputation as a gambler, too, and it seems as though the league is finally coming around to taking calculated chances on fourth down. There's been an eight percent rise in fourth-down conversion attempts this season compared to last September.

This mentality shift doesn't solely explain why scoring is up, but it's a contributing factor. Punts are an enemy of points, and punt rates are also down significantly this year.



Roughing the passer




Alex Brandon/Associated Press
Defensive penalties have risen by seven percent this season, particularly roughing-the-passer calls. The league is emphasizing its body-weight provision with regard to those plays, which is part of the reason there's been a 53 percent rise in such penalties through four weeks, per our calculations using data from NFLPenalties.com.

That isn't the entire reason offensive passing numbers have exploded, but it has worked to extend drives more often.

Put it all together, and the result is fairly predictable.

"Look at the rules," Jaguars defensive lineman Calais Campbell told NBC's Peter King last month. "I know the NFL is trying to make the game safer, but the safer they make it, the easier they make it for the offense. Offense makes good TV. The quarterbacks are the rock stars of the league, and they want to protect them. My job's harder."


_______________________________________________________________________

Note how they used pics of Goff and McVay for the article. Just saying.

This confirms what some of us were saying this offseason - the league is favoring the offense now, not the defense. That could change, but for now, it's a QB league.

I mean, talk about a guy who's been MIA! I don't think it's just that teams have been focusing on the short passing game as we have had some deep shots taken on us.

By Dominic DeAngelo

An Impolite Article About The Admirable Talent & Politeness Of Los Angeles Rams Quarterback, Jared Goff

Jared “The Pisss Missile Prodigy” Goff.

This dude murdered it all on Thursday night.

Even only two years into his role as a starter, Goff aired it out like a Marino veteran - he and his receiver corps full of Woods, Kupps and Cooks all played off one another’s skills and talents.

Goff became the top quarterback in history with the most passing attempts to have a perfect passer rating (that’s 158.3 if you’ve been smoking that ESPN QBR doobie for the past 7 years).

Remember when people were giving him hell on Hard Knocks because he didn’t know where the sun rose and set?

Geez, I just made the Japan “Land Of The Rising Sun” connection only after that became a news topic and thought “in lieu of” meant “in light of” up until a comments section lit me up at my freelance job.

I’m an idiot and you are too. This media world today I tell ya, all up in everybody’s twigs and berries.

I could give a late Gene Wilder if he believed that we had two moons (a flat earther is another thing, however), there’s talent behind that boy from Cal.

Coach “Makes Me Feel My Age” McVay and the athletes he put around Goff helped bring out his quarterback’s first overall auroa, and Goff in turn, has made those LA Rams one of the top NFL overall offenses this side of the greatest shows on turf - something not every franchise quarterback is capable of doing.

You can’t tell me 2016 MVP Matt Ryan would have even done that stuff.

Call me a prisoner of the moment, but guess what fellow football fan reading this?

This game lives and breaths off people saying stuff like that.

And all talent aside, you know my track record - I’m a writer who likes his quarterbacks old, weathered and on the Ensure, but I’m also a sucker for polite people.

Goff, after he threw the best game of his career had a post-game chat with Kristina Pink and the dude didn’t thank her just once, but twice for the interview - once on the stick and once off it.

Pre-$10 million Jon Gruden would have admired the X’s & O’s acumen of “PMPl” (like CM Punk - but again, Pisss Missile) I however, am a staunch believer that good manners scores just as many touchdowns as huffing whiteboard markers with a television personality if you ask me.

You want more “prisoner of the moment” hot takes?

I slept in until noon today folks, so I got ‘em flaming from my fingertips:

I bet Goff also tips at least 25%, holds the door for people despite age or gender, and plays moderator when friends with two abrasive political views make things awkward during a wholesome game of Cards Against Humanity.

Quality guy he is, I bet he even picks up stray trash when he goes for walks. Sip on that today, ya shittt heels.

And thank you for your time. Thank you.
https://www.keystonestatement.com/home/jared-goff-polite

Where ya at Prime? Damn! This is my favorite post of the week every week. I’ve been dying to read what delusional fools are going to say!

Here they are, read these b/c you won't see these for 2 more weeks (read description...NBD).

https://ramsondemand.com/powerrankings/angry-ranks-week-5.29/

Read this and try not to laugh.

The growing legend is confirmed??? After 4 games??? He's redefining the position??? After 4 games??? The days of Brady and Brees are coming to an end??? He's the standard bearer??? After 4 games???

Holy cow this is terrible sports writing.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...om&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial

Incredible Comeback Confirms the Growing Legend of Pat Mahomes
BRENT SOBLESKIOCTOBER 2, 2018



Dustin Bradford/Getty Images
Certain talents emerge and change the game forever.

Jim Brown's combination of size, speed and athleticism redefined the standard for everyone who followed. Lawrence Taylor revolutionized how to rush and protect the passer. Peyton Manning's cerebral approach advanced how quarterbacks prepare and the amount of responsibility placed on the position.

Patrick Mahomes is now redefining how we view the game's most important position.

His breathtaking performance on Monday during the Kansas City Chiefs' 27-23 victory over the rival Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium only solidified his ascendency.

The evolution of professional football is geared 100 percent toward quarterbacks and offensive play. As a result, wide-open passing attacks have become the norm. As NFL Network's Bucky Brooks noted on Twitter, 13 different signal-callers threw for more than 300 yards this past weekend, with 24 receivers eclipsing 100 yards. Furthermore, the league featured 227 passing touchdowns through four weeks of play—an NFL record—before the Chiefs and Broncos even took the field.

He is now the standard-bearer for what other franchises want from the position, because his game extends well beyond being a simple facilitator working within the Chiefs' offensive structure, a la Alex Smith.

Instead, the second-year gunslinger brings an exciting brand of football that supersedes traditional approaches, even if he's not playing flawless football. The days of Tom Brady and Drew Brees are coming to an end. Spread-style offenses with built-in pocket movement, run-pass options, zone reads, numerous slip screens and smoke routes as well as a heavy reliance on multiple-receiver sets allow the position to feature playmakers as much as cerebral assassins, who work best from inside the pocket.

Mahomes' entire repertoire came into play when trailing the Broncos by 10 points with 12:47 remaining in the fourth quarter after failing to establish a rhythm in the first half. During Kansas City's final two drives, Mahomes was 13 of 16 passing for 157 yards.

His overall efficiency at a critical juncture is actually less impressive than the natural playmaking the quarterback displayed in crucial situations.

Mahomes consistently avoided pressure, with his offensive line appearing to be out of sorts. His ability to create outside the pocket is something to behold, and the NFL hasn't seen anything like it in a long time, per ESPN Stats & Information:


ESPN Stats & Info

✔@ESPNStatsInfo
https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/1046960741016842240

Patrick Mahomes has thrown for 192 yards out of the pocket tonight, the most such passing yards in the last 10 seasons.

11:11 PM - Oct 1, 2018

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Two examples can be found on those final drives, and they best encapsulate how the Chiefs quarterback is making a mockery of the game.

One highlight will be played over and over again in the coming days. Did everyone know Mahomes is ambidextrous? Neither did the Denver Broncos. While in the grasp of the game's best edge rusher, Von Miller, the 23-year-old signal-caller switched hands and flicked the ball to Tyreek Hill for a crucial third-down conversion with just over three minutes remaining to keep the Chiefs alive:




NFL

✔@NFL
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1046957906304864258

LEFT-HANDED?@PatrickMahomes5 is UNREAL.

: #KCvsDEN on ESPN

10:59 PM - Oct 1, 2018

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Four plays later, the Chiefs faced another third-down as they chased a victory. No worries. Pressure from Mahomes' blindside flushed the quarterback to his right, where he threw a rope to tight end Demetrius Harris:






"I knew if I could give my receiver time to get open that I could throw it to them and make plays," Mahomes told reporters. "When you play defenses like this in one of the more hostile environments in this league, it becomes a confidence booster to face adversity and come out with a win."

Mahomes is at his absolute best when he's unleashed and playing good ol' backyard football, much like Brett Favre did during his illustrious career.

The difference is the Chiefs aren't worried about reining in Mahomes like Mike Holmgren once did with his Hall of Fame quarterback. Kansas City knew exactly what it was getting when the team chose its face of the franchise.

"Chiefs general manager Brett Veach, who is a far cry from the spread panickers of years past, told me his team didn't even consider what type of offense Mahomes was playing in at Texas Tech before they traded up to draft him with the 10th overall pick in 2017," The Ringer's Kevin Clark reported. "Rather, they just evaluated the player's skills."

The Chiefs are playing to their quarterback's strengths instead of trying to shoehorn him into a specific scheme. Mahomes played in a dreaded Air Raid variation during his time at Texas Tech. He's still doing so, in a manner of speaking. Mahomes has been especially effective working in five-receiver sets, per Pro Football Focus' Steve Palazzolo:


Steve Palazzolo

✔@PFF_Steve
https://twitter.com/PFF_Steve/status/1046923191279656961

Patrick Mahomes in "empty" sets coming into the game:

15-for-18 208 yards 3 TD 0 INT

154.4 passer rating

8:41 PM - Oct 1, 2018

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Adaptability is the name of the game.

The Chiefs are well ahead of other offenses around the league, because the coaching staff allows the prodigiously talented quarterback to be himself in a system with play-calls suited to his skill set and the freedom to capitalize on his exceptional free-styling capabilities.

Mahomes is unique. His elite arm talent, athleticism and intelligence provide the complete package. Other organizations can't replicate someone so gifted. Nor should they try.

But others can take a similar approach by building their systems around their quarterbacks and allowing them to do more, even if it actually means simplifying certain aspects.

Even after Mahomes looked human for one half, his superpowers ignited in the second half once again to provide the NFL with the hero it needed.



Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @brentsobleski.

Let me just say that the Rams should win the next 3 games because they are straight up better than those teams. It's funny hearing people whistling past the graveyard in saying "The Rams haven't won outside of California yet," like last year didn't happen. As Mojo can tell you, we were better on the road last year on the road than at home in the Coliseum.

Having said that, I don't remember a Rams team in my lifetime that ever went undefeated past 6 games. Even the 1999 and 2001 GSOT teams lost the 7th game. So why do you think this was? In 2001, we lost to the Saints in Week 7 at the Ed, but then beat them in New Orleans later in the year (should have been harder to win there).....Just a natural letdown point?

Probably not vs Seahawks. Should be no need.

Broncos? They’re just 2-2 as we speak. So maybe, or maybe not.

Niners? Absolutely no need for it.

Packers? They’re 2-1-1 as of today. Could go either direction by then. I’d say maybe a wrinkle or 2 vs Packers, depending on which direction they’re headed at that time.

Saints? Definitely more wrinkles will be in the arsenal for those guys.

That’s okay. It’s plenty of fun to watch the Rams beating teams with their current playbook. Pray for minimal future injuries, y’all.

Seriously...why do they get so many options? I wanna be fashionable. How many times you go through NFLShop and say "ooooh that's a nice shirt; oh wait it's for women. DAMNIT!". https://www.nflshop.com/los-angeles...-3289184706?pageSize=72&sortOption=TopSellers



I feel like dudes get the most basic shirt options. That some bull.

BTW what DID you think I was talking about???

I been out of the game for the last 20 years. But I started to buy a few Rams cards.

So my question is which rookie cards should I be buying, or is this a good group of cards?????

This is what I bought within the last few days, any feedback (good or bad) would be welcome

Aaron Donald: Panini 33/99 2014 Certified Potential
Panini #202 Prestige 2014 42/50 "extra Points

Todd Gurley: Topps Rookie Finest 95FRR
2015 Topps Chrome 60th Anniversary Relics #T60R-TG Todd Gurley FB
2015 Topps Chrome 1976 Refractor #76-TG Todd Gurley FB
2015 Finest X-Fractor #85 Todd Gurley FB

JARED GOFF: 2016 SAGE HIT High Series Autos Gold #A57 Jared Goff FB
2016 Panini Prizm Collegiate Draft Picks Prizms Purple Flash #102 Jared Goff FB
2016 Panini Infinity RPS 2016 Dual Memorabilia #DM-GW Carson Wentz|Jared Goff FB
2016 Panini Black Gold Rookie Tetrad #10 Carson Wentz|Derrick Henry|Ezekiel Elliott|Jared Goff FB

Suh Enjoying Success as Edge Rusher
By Myles Simmons
https://www.therams.com/news/suh-enjoying-success-as-edge-rusher

For the vast majority of his career, Ndamukong Suh has lined up as an interior rusher. He’s done that a lot in Los Angeles, too, starting games as the Rams’ nose tackle in the club’s base 3-4 defensive alignment. But over the last few weeks, Suh has been particularly effective on the edge.

The Nebraska product recorded his first sack as a Ram on Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers in Week 3, rushing from left defensive end. And then last week against the Vikings, Suh recorded his second sack of the season — again rushing from the left end. It’s not the biggest sample size, but the Rams have clearly found some success with Suh on the outside.

“Yeah, I enjoy being able to be moved around,” Suh said on Monday. “It’s something I’ve always prided myself on, since I was really a rookie and got an opportunity to move around like midway through that year. “So, being able to play end, tackle, nose — anything I’m asked to do. I’ll stand up in the linebacker position if I can, which I’ve done before,” Suh continued, drawing a laugh from the media. “But whatever they need me, I’m happy to do.”

Given Suh’s prowess as an interior rusher, when he puts his hand in the grass at defensive end, it can catch offensive linemen off guard."Usually it’s after the play that they’ll say something. But I think they’ll notice I’m out there a little bit more now. But we’ll see,” Suh said. “I wish I got a chance to go against my old teammate, Riley Reiff. We spoke after the game. But nonetheless, I enjoy being able to play as long as I’m on a football field.”

One benefit of having Suh rush from defensive end on this particular team is that Los Angeles also has 2017 AP Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald. Suh had previously mentioned how when it comes to pass rushing, the defensive end usually pairs with the defensive tackle on the opposite side of the unit. And on both of Suh’s sacks in 2018, he’s been at left end with Donald at right defensive tackle.

“That’s my goal every time I get out there at end, is be opposite of him,” Suh said. “People who understand football really understand that the ends and the tackles work together — not only because they’re side to side, but really because they’re opposite of each other. Pushing the pocket in different ways, understanding how he rushes, understanding having a great inside rusher like ‘Brock,’ [Michael Brockers] as well as the rookie [John Franklin-Myers] coming from the other side — as long as we’re collapsing the pocket.


"But it’s really the left end and the right tackle are working together, and the left tackle and the right end are working together,” he continued. “And that’s kind of how it flows when you look at different pieces of getting pressure and pushing the quarterback one way or the other.”

The Rams would certainly like to get more sacks — having recorded a total of eight since the start of the season. But with 4.0 in the fourth quarter last week, and Suh seeming to get more comfortable on the edge, there should be plenty more in store for Los Angeles’ defense as 2018 continues.

Per 710 ESPN...3 starters from the Hawks starting defense from last week out for the Rams game

[www.nfl.com]

Where to start?

Just in the NFC:

Eagles at 2-2? And coulda been worse, tbh.

Bears at 3-1 and leading both the Packers and Vikings?

Falcons at 1-3 and last in their division. Anybody see THAT coming?

In the AFC:

Dolphins at 3-1 and leading the Pats by a full game?

Browns tied with Steelers?

Chiefs with Mahomes at 4-0 and 2 games ahead of Chargers?

What a season so far!

Forget the timed speed in shorts.

There are 2 players on this current Ram team that just jump off the screen with their football speed compared to the other players on my TV screen. And it’s a pretty dramatic difference, too. Worthy of this post.

One is Brandin Cooks and the other is JoJo Natson. Wow!

http://www.footballzebras.com/2018/10/week-5-referee-assignments-2018/

Rams at Seahawks — Clete Blakeman

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

Blakeman's 2018 NFL officiating crew consists of umpire Ramon George, down judge Dana McKenzie, line judge Walt Coleman IV, field judge Joe Larrew, side judge Dyrol Prioleau, and back judge Jim Quirk.

Blakeman and his crew officiated Super Bowl 50 on February 7, 2016 in which the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 24-10.

Here's one reason to like him...

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