Threads
-
To unlock all of features of Rams On Demand please take a brief moment to register. Registering is not only quick and easy, it also allows you access to additional features such as live chat, private messaging, and a host of other apps exclusive to Rams On Demand.
Why the Rams don't own rams.com
- By Riverumbbq
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 39 Replies
Liz Roscher,Shutdown Corner 5 hours ago
If you go to rams.com, you’ll find information about the Bighorn Ram and not the Los Angeles Rams. (Wikimedia Commons)
When a sports team doesn’t own the domain name for their own mascot, it can be confusing. You’re trying to find information about your team and instead you get, well, the opposite of that. There are more than a few NFL teams with this issue, but the most amusing of them all could be rams.com. The Los Angeles Rams don’t own it, which is why when you visit rams.com you get actual information about rams, the animal and not the NFL franchise made up of humans.
Alden Gonzalez at ESPN found the guy who owns rams.com and talked to him about why he owns it. The answer is surprising and weird and kind of wonderful. The guy’s name is Adam Dicker, and he just likes animals. Seriously.
“I love animals, and that’s about it,” Dicker said in a phone conversation. “That’s my motivation for buying it.”
Dicker apparently watches a lot of Animal Planet, and when he sees an animal he likes, he looks up the domain name. He’ll buy it if it’s not too expensive and then put up a site with pictures and information. And that’s what you see when you go to rams.com: information about the bighorn ram and its unique curved horns.
It seems a little suspicious that Dicker owns a bunch of animal domain names, but he says it’s an honest hobby and not something he’s doing just to make money off of sports teams.
Dicker owns, or has owned, several other similar sites. Such as elephants.com, pigs.com, seals.com, giraffes.com, hyenas.com and even worms.com. At one point, he estimates to have possessed about 20 animal sites.
“And you can see by that pattern, none of them represent sports teams,” Dicker noted. “There’s no worm, there’s no pig, there’s no elephant. Surprisingly enough, there’s no giraffe. You’d think there’d be a basketball team called the Giraffes.”
To be honest, sports teams need to get on some of these animals right now, because both worms and giraffes would make exceptional mascots. (Just imagine a fierce worm wearing a football helmet and it’ll be the best thing to pop into your brain all day.)
Gonzalez says Dicker has owned rams.com for a decade, so he was definitely not thinking about the football team when he bought it. Of course, now that the Rams are a relevant team again they’re interested in owning rams.com, and have talked to Dicker about buying it. But apparently the two parties have vastly different ideas of what the domain name is worth.
The Rams, who would not comment for this story, spoke to Dicker about purchasing the rams.com domain right around the time they moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles early in the 2016 calendar year. But the two sides were far apart. How far? Dicker’s initial asking price was $1 million, and the Rams countered with something in the neighborhood of $2,500, a source said.
So they’re a little far apart, then! Just a bit! And apparently after that conversation, the Rams haven’t spoken to him about it again, willing to continue on without ownership of rams.com. Dicker found a different buyer, though. He’s selling the domain to an unidentified international company for six figures. While it’s less than the $1 million price he quoted the Rams, it’s definitely more than the $2,500 the Rams offered. (Dicker didn’t elaborate on the sale price.)
The internet can be truly wonderful. The Rams are an NFL team with millions of dollars, but Dicker got to the domain name first, and now he controls it. If the Rams want it, they’ll have to buy it, but on Dicker’s terms. So if you’re looking for information on the stately, glorious bighorn ram, just head to rams.com. If you want information about the Rams football team, you’ll have to go somewhere else.
https://www.yahoo.com/sports/rams-dont-rams-com-175832668.html
Too bad Rod didn't think of this years ago, we might all be season ticket holders now.
More likely @-X- would be watching the Rams from Tahiti.
Ficken Penn State interview
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 2 Replies
I got this picture off Ficken’s twitter feed from his PSU days.
He’s Ficken bad ass. Ha ha. He should fit right in. Lol.
NFL free agents who will get paid more than you think in 2018
- By PressureD41
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 19 Replies
http://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/21884249/2018-nfl-free-agents-get-paid-more-think
The major storyline entering free agency this year will center on the potential quarterback carousel, which could include Drew Brees, Kirk Cousins, Case Keenum, Jimmy Garoppolo, Sam Bradford, Josh McCown and more.
Best fits for top projected 2018 NFL free agents
Le'Veon Bell could be primed to ink an unprecedented deal, but it might not be in Pittsburgh. Here's where he and 19 other top free agents could land next season.
But it's not always the household names who draw significant interest in free agency and result in significant financial investments. One case that exemplifies this was when the Bills lured defensive back Micah Hyde from the Packers on a five-year deal worth up to $30 million. Getting Hyde was a coup for the Bills, even if it wasn't a move that generated the same number of headlines.
So who could be this year's version of Hyde? Last December, I detailed a few under-the-radar guys who could get bigger deals in 2017 than most think, and I hit on a few, including Mike Glennon, Tony Jefferson and Ronald Leary.
Here is the 2018 version of unrestricted free agents to keep an eye on:
Trey Burton, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
Age: 26
ADVERTISEMENT
Jimmy Graham headlines the 2018 class of free-agent tight ends, but it's not a particularly strong group overall. After Graham, in fact, Burton might be the only tight end worthy of a multiyear deal, and that includes the Bengals' injury-prone-but-talented Tyler Eifert. Burton hasn't put up huge numbers playing with Zach Ertz -- he has 59 catches and six touchdowns over the past two seasons -- but he can do a bit of everything: Burton is a strong route runner and has some separation speed, and he is athletic enough to chew up yards after the catch. He has also been an impact special-teams player. He could be a starter in the NFL.
Rating every head coach's job security »
• Everything to know about potential openings »
Lamarcus Joyner, DB, Los Angeles Rams
Age: 27
Joyner, who is in the prime of his career, checks off many of the traits team covet in free agency. He's versatile, having absorbed a safety role this season after mostly playing cornerback previously, and he has terrific instincts and ball skills -- he has three interceptions in 2017. The 2014 second-round pick is undersized at 5-foot-8, but he is a willing and capable tackler, and he plays in a position group that is especially desired in free agency. Teams can use him to cover the deep middle of the field and can bring him closer to the line of scrimmage to match up against tight ends. I expect a substantial market for Joyner, and the Rams also have decisions to make about three other defensive backs who will be unrestricted free agents: Trumaine Johnson, who played on the franchise tag in 2017, Cody Davis and Nickell Robey-Coleman.
Paul Richardson, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Age: 25
I don't usually like player-to-player comparisons, but Richardson compares favorably to the Dolphins' Kenny Stills, who got a big deal this past offseason. Stills is known for his speed, but he has shown in a more prominent role this season that his game includes much more than that. Richardson has blazing speed, too, though there's much more to his game, as well. He has a penchant for some remarkable catches and has overcome two ACL tears. He has 44 catches and six touchdowns this season, and there could be multiple suitors for a potential No. 2 receiver such as Richardson.
Andrew Norwell, OG, Carolina Panthers
Age: 26
One recent free-agency trend that isn't going away in 2018: top-tier offensive linemen cashing in. With the ever-present difficulty of grooming college linemen into ready-made starters as rookies, a few high-end veteran linemen have seen robust markets. Norwell could be next, as the Panthers might not be able to afford him with large cap commitments already set for linemen Matt Kalil, Ryan Kalil and Trai Turner. It wouldn't surprise me to see Norwell, who played on a restricted free-agent deal in 2017 and made $2.75 million, get $10 million per season on his next contract. The massive former undrafted free agent is due for a big raise.
E.J. Gaines, CB, Buffalo Bills[/paste:font]
Age: 25
When the Bills traded wide receiver Sammy Watkins to Los Angeles in the preseason, the centerpiece of the package they received was a 2018 second-round pick. 2014 sixth-round pick Gaines, however, was also acquired, and he has exceeded expectations. He has been a reliable part of Buffalo's secondary and is now set to hit the open market. Quarterbacks, offensive linemen and defensive backs are usually the highest-paid spots in free agency, which should set up the productive Gaines for a bigger deal.
Patrick Robinson, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
Age: 30
The 2010 first-round pick has emerged as one of the league's best slot corners after signing a cheap, one-year deal in the offseason. He has played almost 70 percent of the Eagles' defensive snaps and has contributed on special teams. The reality of today's NFL is that almost any successful defense is going to rely upon at least three cornerbacks who can provide starting-level ability. Robinson has shown a nose for the football this season with 15 passes defensed and four interceptions, which could lead to another payday despite him turning 31 as the 2018 season begins.
Ryan Jensen, C, Baltimore Ravens
Age: 26
The center position should be viewed as invaluable, as a reliable center can do an immense amount for an offense before the snap in terms of communication and setting the protection in addition to his contributions after the snap. 2013 sixth-round pick Jensen brings a ton of nasty to the offensive line, playing with tone-setting toughness that teammates respond to and gravitate toward. He's unafraid to mix it up with massive interior defensive forces. Jensen, who is making $1.8 million in 2017, has played 99.8 percent of the Ravens' offensive snaps this season, his first as a full-time starter. He's a stud.
Field YatesESPN Insider
The major storyline entering free agency this year will center on the potential quarterback carousel, which could include Drew Brees, Kirk Cousins, Case Keenum, Jimmy Garoppolo, Sam Bradford, Josh McCown and more.
Best fits for top projected 2018 NFL free agents
Le'Veon Bell could be primed to ink an unprecedented deal, but it might not be in Pittsburgh. Here's where he and 19 other top free agents could land next season.
Destination Cousins: 14 places Kirk could play in 2018
The Redskins quarterback could become the NFL's highest-paid player if he reaches the free-agent market in 2018. You like that?! Here are all the places he could land.
But it's not always the household names who draw significant interest in free agency and result in significant financial investments. One case that exemplifies this was when the Bills lured defensive back Micah Hyde from the Packers on a five-year deal worth up to $30 million. Getting Hyde was a coup for the Bills, even if it wasn't a move that generated the same number of headlines.
So who could be this year's version of Hyde? Last December, I detailed a few under-the-radar guys who could get bigger deals in 2017 than most think, and I hit on a few, including Mike Glennon, Tony Jefferson and Ronald Leary.
Here is the 2018 version of unrestricted free agents to keep an eye on:
Trey Burton, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
Age: 26
ADVERTISEMENT
Jimmy Graham headlines the 2018 class of free-agent tight ends, but it's not a particularly strong group overall. After Graham, in fact, Burton might be the only tight end worthy of a multiyear deal, and that includes the Bengals' injury-prone-but-talented Tyler Eifert. Burton hasn't put up huge numbers playing with Zach Ertz -- he has 59 catches and six touchdowns over the past two seasons -- but he can do a bit of everything: Burton is a strong route runner and has some separation speed, and he is athletic enough to chew up yards after the catch. He has also been an impact special-teams player. He could be a starter in the NFL.
Rating every head coach's job security »
• Everything to know about potential openings »
Lamarcus Joyner, DB, Los Angeles Rams
Age: 27
Joyner, who is in the prime of his career, checks off many of the traits team covet in free agency. He's versatile, having absorbed a safety role this season after mostly playing cornerback previously, and he has terrific instincts and ball skills -- he has three interceptions in 2017. The 2014 second-round pick is undersized at 5-foot-8, but he is a willing and capable tackler, and he plays in a position group that is especially desired in free agency. Teams can use him to cover the deep middle of the field and can bring him closer to the line of scrimmage to match up against tight ends. I expect a substantial market for Joyner, and the Rams also have decisions to make about three other defensive backs who will be unrestricted free agents: Trumaine Johnson, who played on the franchise tag in 2017, Cody Davis and Nickell Robey-Coleman.
Paul Richardson, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Age: 25
I don't usually like player-to-player comparisons, but Richardson compares favorably to the Dolphins' Kenny Stills, who got a big deal this past offseason. Stills is known for his speed, but he has shown in a more prominent role this season that his game includes much more than that. Richardson has blazing speed, too, though there's much more to his game, as well. He has a penchant for some remarkable catches and has overcome two ACL tears. He has 44 catches and six touchdowns this season, and there could be multiple suitors for a potential No. 2 receiver such as Richardson.
Andrew Norwell, OG, Carolina Panthers
Age: 26
One recent free-agency trend that isn't going away in 2018: top-tier offensive linemen cashing in. With the ever-present difficulty of grooming college linemen into ready-made starters as rookies, a few high-end veteran linemen have seen robust markets. Norwell could be next, as the Panthers might not be able to afford him with large cap commitments already set for linemen Matt Kalil, Ryan Kalil and Trai Turner. It wouldn't surprise me to see Norwell, who played on a restricted free-agent deal in 2017 and made $2.75 million, get $10 million per season on his next contract. The massive former undrafted free agent is due for a big raise.
E.J. Gaines, CB, Buffalo Bills[/paste:font]
Age: 25
When the Bills traded wide receiver Sammy Watkins to Los Angeles in the preseason, the centerpiece of the package they received was a 2018 second-round pick. 2014 sixth-round pick Gaines, however, was also acquired, and he has exceeded expectations. He has been a reliable part of Buffalo's secondary and is now set to hit the open market. Quarterbacks, offensive linemen and defensive backs are usually the highest-paid spots in free agency, which should set up the productive Gaines for a bigger deal.
Patrick Robinson, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
Age: 30
The 2010 first-round pick has emerged as one of the league's best slot corners after signing a cheap, one-year deal in the offseason. He has played almost 70 percent of the Eagles' defensive snaps and has contributed on special teams. The reality of today's NFL is that almost any successful defense is going to rely upon at least three cornerbacks who can provide starting-level ability. Robinson has shown a nose for the football this season with 15 passes defensed and four interceptions, which could lead to another payday despite him turning 31 as the 2018 season begins.
Ryan Jensen, C, Baltimore Ravens
Age: 26
The center position should be viewed as invaluable, as a reliable center can do an immense amount for an offense before the snap in terms of communication and setting the protection in addition to his contributions after the snap. 2013 sixth-round pick Jensen brings a ton of nasty to the offensive line, playing with tone-setting toughness that teammates respond to and gravitate toward. He's unafraid to mix it up with massive interior defensive forces. Jensen, who is making $1.8 million in 2017, has played 99.8 percent of the Ravens' offensive snaps this season, his first as a full-time starter. He's a stud.
The Leading Candidates of the NFL’s Unusually Close Defensive Player of the Year Race
- By Prime Time
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 10 Replies
Seriously? I know I'm a Rams homer but is there any other defensive player this season that has been more dominant than Aaron Donald? Someone please explain who is more feared and has to be more game-planned for than A.D?
Even at the end of this article the author agrees that Aaron Donald should win this season's Defensive Player of the Year award. He should have titled it "The Leading Candidates of the NFL's Not Even Close Defensive Player of the Year Race."
***********************************************************************************
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/12/28/16825296/nfl-defensive-player-of-the-year-aaron-donald
The Leading Candidates of the NFL’s Unusually Close Defensive Player of the Year Race
MVP isn’t the only award that’s too close to call. With one week left, these five defenders all have a shot at being named best on the other side of the ball
By Robert Mays
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58129065/DPOY_Getty_AP_Ringer.0.jpg)
Getty Images/AP Images/Ringer illustration
Most of the NFL awards chatter in recent weeks has focused on a constantly shifting, impossibly tight MVP race. With Carson Wentz on the shelf and Todd Gurley slowly gaining on Tom Brady after a pair of monster performances that won the Rams an NFC West title and thousands of people their fantasy football leagues, the debate has only gotten more intense.
But in a season defined by unfamiliar names, surprise stars, and uncertainty, the MVP is hardly the only award that’s still up for grabs. The 2017 Defensive Player of the Year race is one of the more hotly contested battles we’ve seen in some time.
Khalil Mack edged out Von Miller in a close two-man race last season, in large part because of the Raiders’ unlikely run to the postseason. Before that, J.J. Watt took home the trophy in three out of four years, with one fantastic season from Luke Kuechly thrown in.
Even after 16 weeks, it still feels like the field is wide open. Most of the top candidates share traits with previous winners. Their statistical outputs have been staggering, and many of them have been key pieces on defenses that have shaped the NFL landscape this season. So with one game left in the 2017 season, let’s dig into the top candidates and their chances to take this thing home.
DeMarcus Lawrence, DE, Cowboys
Through the first half of this season, it seemed like the award was Lawrence’s to lose. After missing seven games in 2016 because of suspension and injury, Lawrence came into this season healthy and wreaked havoc from the start. He notched at least one sack in each game and 10.5 overall in the Cowboys’ first seven games. For the first two months, Lawrence wasn’t just eyeing a DPOY trophy—he was chasing records.
Sustaining that sort of historic pace is a tall order, though, and Lawrence’s traditional stats fell off considerably over the second half of the year. He still has 14.5 sacks—tied for second in the NFL with Calais Campbell—but only four of those have come since Week 10.
Sack totals are essentially what fuel DPOY campaigns among defensive linemen, which is one reason Lawrence’s candidacy has all but disappeared down the stretch. Another factor is one Lawrence himself pointed out after the Cowboys’ loss to Seattle on Sunday. "It's all irrelevant now," Lawrence told The Dallas Morning News after the game. "One play don't change the game.”
With Dallas missing the playoffs and its defense cratering down the stretch, Lawrence has fallen out of the conversation. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve to be considered for the award. Yes, the sacks have gotten scarce, but Lawrence has still been a consistently disruptive presence for the Cowboys’ defense.
Since Week 10, only seven players have more pressures than Lawrence’s 32, and only two guys (Ryan Kerrigan and Terrell Suggs) have created more pressure on a per-snap basis, according to Pro Football Focus. Sack totals can occasionally be misleading, but Lawrence has been every bit as good as his total would indicate.
Bobby Wagner, LB, Seahawks
Like Lawrence, Wagner was the DPOY favorite at one point during the season. For a five-game stretch starting in early November against Washington, Wagner terrorized offenses like a supernatural being in a horror movie.
I’m not talking about some second-tier schlock here, either. This was expertly made, Blumhouse-type shit. Wagner was flying around the field as if his body had been taken over by some sort of demon, piling up tackles, a sack for a safety, and an interception.
As the Seattle defense has evolved over the years, so have the roles of the players in it. And even with Earl Thomas roaming the back end of the Seahawks’ secondary, Wagner was the most important player on this unit for almost the entire season.
His increased role as a pass rusher became a necessity as the Seahawks’ front four took a slight step back, and with Kam Chancellor on the shelf for almost the entire second half, Wagner’s ability to cover in the middle of the field was more crucial than ever.
It’s tough to imagine a guy with Wagner’s career accolades getting any better in his sixth season, but that’s exactly what happened. For the Seahawks’ first 12 games, Wagner was playing the best football of what has already been a marvelous career.
But in a tight race like this one, it’s that final caveat that will probably be his undoing. After tweaking a hamstring in the third quarter, Wagner played only 31 of the Seahawks’ 66 defensive snaps against the Jags in Week 14. The following week, Wagner clearly wasn’t 100 percent.
The sight of him feebly chasing Todd Gurley on the latter’s 57-yard touchdown run in the second quarter is one of the lasting images from the most embarrassing loss of the Pete Carroll era. A late-season snag doesn’t come close to spoiling the magnificent season that Wagner had in the middle of Seattle’s defense, but it probably was enough to knock him from his perch as the frontrunner for the award.
Cameron Jordan, DE, Saints
For longtime fans of Jordan, the most enjoyable part of the Saints’ defensive resurgence has been that folks are actually paying attention to this guy. The 2011 first-round pick has always been among the most underappreciated defenders in this league, and the best season of his career has coincided with— and helped contribute to—a stunning turnaround for the New Orleans defense.
After adding two more sacks against the Falcons on Sunday, Jordan now has 12 on the season. With one more, he’ll set a new career high. Jordan’s size and style make him one of the more fascinating pass rushers in all of football.
At 6-foot-4, Jordan tips the scales at nearly 290 pounds, and the result is a pass-rusher force that’s impossible to plan for. That bulk allows Jordan to bull rush most right tackles into oblivion when he pleases, and if they do choose to account for his power, he’s just as happy to toast them around the edge.
The amount of different ways the Saints deploy Jordan as a pass rusher speaks to just how valuable he is for their defense. He’ll line up in a variety of places, execute twists from both the interior and the edge, and is generally let loose to attack the quarterback in every way.
Jordan also has a knack for understanding how and when to slow down and look to bat down passes. He has an absurd 12 passes defensed on the season, five more than any other defensive lineman in football and tied for 22nd among players at all positions.
As a pass rusher alone, Jordan would be an indispensable asset for New Orleans, but his role goes so far beyond that. Jordan isn’t just a useful run defender; he’s often a dominant one. His 16 tackles for loss are tied for the fifth most in football.
If Jordan has another big day on Sunday, the combination of his relentless consistency this season, the Saints’ stunning defensive improvement, and possible rest days in Week 17 for the two other guys on this list could easily win him the award.
Calais Campbell, DE, Jaguars
When the Jaguars gave Campbell a four-year, $60 million deal (with $30 million guaranteed) this offseason, I was a little conflicted. On one hand, I loved watching Campbell during his time with the Cardinals. At 6-foot-8, 300 pounds, Campbell is a mythical creature among NFL players. For the Cardinals, he was the rock in the middle of the defense—an immovable anchor in the run game and a constantly troublesome interior pass rusher.
But he was also about to turn 31, and he would almost certainly have to change positions in Jacksonville. The money that the Jags shelled out suggested that Campbell would spend plenty of time rushing from the edge in their more traditional 4-3 defense, which would be a departure from his role with Arizona.
It turns out that I shouldn’t have been worried. Campbell has played more defensive end this season, but it’s done nothing to curtail his production as a pass rusher. The 10-year veteran had never finished with more than nine sacks before signing with Jacksonville. He currently has 14.5, tied with Lawrence for the second-best mark in the league.
Campbell has seamlessly stepped into a new defense that’s asked him to play both inside and out in various packages, and he’s done it without blinking. Campbell’s steadying presence has played a key part in a young Jaguars defensive unit becoming the NFL’s best. Yearlong awards often follow narratives, and Campbell has been the most valuable player on a defense that has helped define the 2017 season.
Aaron Donald, DT, Rams
The problem for Campbell—and every other DPOY candidate—is that Donald has both the best narrative and the best case for the award. The upstart Rams may be the story of the season, and although Donald’s dominance is nothing new, the spotlight on his team is. Donald could already have a couple of these awards on his shelf based on past production, and his 2017 resume is just as strong.
Donald’s 11 sacks lead all full-time interior rushers. (Pittsburgh’s Cam Heyward has 12, but he spends a good chunk of snaps as a defensive end.) Only Jacksonville’s Yannick Ngakoue, who has the benefit of rushing from the edge on the blind side, has more forced fumbles than Donald’s five. And those are just the traditional stats.
According to PFF, Donald has 91 pressures on the season. That’s 25 more than any other interior defensive linemen in the NFL. It’s also 12 more than any edge rusher in football. Donald has wrecked games this season like no one else in the league.
Earlier this season, Pete Carroll called Donald, “really, really problematic,” which is one of the bigger understatements of the year. He also said there was no one quite like Donald in the league right now, which is undeniable. With the Rams cruising toward the playoffs and Donald crushing everyone in his path, this year’s award belongs to him.
Even at the end of this article the author agrees that Aaron Donald should win this season's Defensive Player of the Year award. He should have titled it "The Leading Candidates of the NFL's Not Even Close Defensive Player of the Year Race."
***********************************************************************************
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/12/28/16825296/nfl-defensive-player-of-the-year-aaron-donald
The Leading Candidates of the NFL’s Unusually Close Defensive Player of the Year Race
MVP isn’t the only award that’s too close to call. With one week left, these five defenders all have a shot at being named best on the other side of the ball
By Robert Mays
Getty Images/AP Images/Ringer illustration
Most of the NFL awards chatter in recent weeks has focused on a constantly shifting, impossibly tight MVP race. With Carson Wentz on the shelf and Todd Gurley slowly gaining on Tom Brady after a pair of monster performances that won the Rams an NFC West title and thousands of people their fantasy football leagues, the debate has only gotten more intense.
But in a season defined by unfamiliar names, surprise stars, and uncertainty, the MVP is hardly the only award that’s still up for grabs. The 2017 Defensive Player of the Year race is one of the more hotly contested battles we’ve seen in some time.
Khalil Mack edged out Von Miller in a close two-man race last season, in large part because of the Raiders’ unlikely run to the postseason. Before that, J.J. Watt took home the trophy in three out of four years, with one fantastic season from Luke Kuechly thrown in.
Even after 16 weeks, it still feels like the field is wide open. Most of the top candidates share traits with previous winners. Their statistical outputs have been staggering, and many of them have been key pieces on defenses that have shaped the NFL landscape this season. So with one game left in the 2017 season, let’s dig into the top candidates and their chances to take this thing home.
DeMarcus Lawrence, DE, Cowboys
Through the first half of this season, it seemed like the award was Lawrence’s to lose. After missing seven games in 2016 because of suspension and injury, Lawrence came into this season healthy and wreaked havoc from the start. He notched at least one sack in each game and 10.5 overall in the Cowboys’ first seven games. For the first two months, Lawrence wasn’t just eyeing a DPOY trophy—he was chasing records.
Sustaining that sort of historic pace is a tall order, though, and Lawrence’s traditional stats fell off considerably over the second half of the year. He still has 14.5 sacks—tied for second in the NFL with Calais Campbell—but only four of those have come since Week 10.
Sack totals are essentially what fuel DPOY campaigns among defensive linemen, which is one reason Lawrence’s candidacy has all but disappeared down the stretch. Another factor is one Lawrence himself pointed out after the Cowboys’ loss to Seattle on Sunday. "It's all irrelevant now," Lawrence told The Dallas Morning News after the game. "One play don't change the game.”
With Dallas missing the playoffs and its defense cratering down the stretch, Lawrence has fallen out of the conversation. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve to be considered for the award. Yes, the sacks have gotten scarce, but Lawrence has still been a consistently disruptive presence for the Cowboys’ defense.
Since Week 10, only seven players have more pressures than Lawrence’s 32, and only two guys (Ryan Kerrigan and Terrell Suggs) have created more pressure on a per-snap basis, according to Pro Football Focus. Sack totals can occasionally be misleading, but Lawrence has been every bit as good as his total would indicate.
Bobby Wagner, LB, Seahawks
Like Lawrence, Wagner was the DPOY favorite at one point during the season. For a five-game stretch starting in early November against Washington, Wagner terrorized offenses like a supernatural being in a horror movie.
I’m not talking about some second-tier schlock here, either. This was expertly made, Blumhouse-type shit. Wagner was flying around the field as if his body had been taken over by some sort of demon, piling up tackles, a sack for a safety, and an interception.
As the Seattle defense has evolved over the years, so have the roles of the players in it. And even with Earl Thomas roaming the back end of the Seahawks’ secondary, Wagner was the most important player on this unit for almost the entire season.
His increased role as a pass rusher became a necessity as the Seahawks’ front four took a slight step back, and with Kam Chancellor on the shelf for almost the entire second half, Wagner’s ability to cover in the middle of the field was more crucial than ever.
It’s tough to imagine a guy with Wagner’s career accolades getting any better in his sixth season, but that’s exactly what happened. For the Seahawks’ first 12 games, Wagner was playing the best football of what has already been a marvelous career.
But in a tight race like this one, it’s that final caveat that will probably be his undoing. After tweaking a hamstring in the third quarter, Wagner played only 31 of the Seahawks’ 66 defensive snaps against the Jags in Week 14. The following week, Wagner clearly wasn’t 100 percent.
The sight of him feebly chasing Todd Gurley on the latter’s 57-yard touchdown run in the second quarter is one of the lasting images from the most embarrassing loss of the Pete Carroll era. A late-season snag doesn’t come close to spoiling the magnificent season that Wagner had in the middle of Seattle’s defense, but it probably was enough to knock him from his perch as the frontrunner for the award.
Cameron Jordan, DE, Saints
For longtime fans of Jordan, the most enjoyable part of the Saints’ defensive resurgence has been that folks are actually paying attention to this guy. The 2011 first-round pick has always been among the most underappreciated defenders in this league, and the best season of his career has coincided with— and helped contribute to—a stunning turnaround for the New Orleans defense.
After adding two more sacks against the Falcons on Sunday, Jordan now has 12 on the season. With one more, he’ll set a new career high. Jordan’s size and style make him one of the more fascinating pass rushers in all of football.
At 6-foot-4, Jordan tips the scales at nearly 290 pounds, and the result is a pass-rusher force that’s impossible to plan for. That bulk allows Jordan to bull rush most right tackles into oblivion when he pleases, and if they do choose to account for his power, he’s just as happy to toast them around the edge.
The amount of different ways the Saints deploy Jordan as a pass rusher speaks to just how valuable he is for their defense. He’ll line up in a variety of places, execute twists from both the interior and the edge, and is generally let loose to attack the quarterback in every way.
Jordan also has a knack for understanding how and when to slow down and look to bat down passes. He has an absurd 12 passes defensed on the season, five more than any other defensive lineman in football and tied for 22nd among players at all positions.
As a pass rusher alone, Jordan would be an indispensable asset for New Orleans, but his role goes so far beyond that. Jordan isn’t just a useful run defender; he’s often a dominant one. His 16 tackles for loss are tied for the fifth most in football.
If Jordan has another big day on Sunday, the combination of his relentless consistency this season, the Saints’ stunning defensive improvement, and possible rest days in Week 17 for the two other guys on this list could easily win him the award.
Calais Campbell, DE, Jaguars
When the Jaguars gave Campbell a four-year, $60 million deal (with $30 million guaranteed) this offseason, I was a little conflicted. On one hand, I loved watching Campbell during his time with the Cardinals. At 6-foot-8, 300 pounds, Campbell is a mythical creature among NFL players. For the Cardinals, he was the rock in the middle of the defense—an immovable anchor in the run game and a constantly troublesome interior pass rusher.
But he was also about to turn 31, and he would almost certainly have to change positions in Jacksonville. The money that the Jags shelled out suggested that Campbell would spend plenty of time rushing from the edge in their more traditional 4-3 defense, which would be a departure from his role with Arizona.
It turns out that I shouldn’t have been worried. Campbell has played more defensive end this season, but it’s done nothing to curtail his production as a pass rusher. The 10-year veteran had never finished with more than nine sacks before signing with Jacksonville. He currently has 14.5, tied with Lawrence for the second-best mark in the league.
Campbell has seamlessly stepped into a new defense that’s asked him to play both inside and out in various packages, and he’s done it without blinking. Campbell’s steadying presence has played a key part in a young Jaguars defensive unit becoming the NFL’s best. Yearlong awards often follow narratives, and Campbell has been the most valuable player on a defense that has helped define the 2017 season.
Aaron Donald, DT, Rams
The problem for Campbell—and every other DPOY candidate—is that Donald has both the best narrative and the best case for the award. The upstart Rams may be the story of the season, and although Donald’s dominance is nothing new, the spotlight on his team is. Donald could already have a couple of these awards on his shelf based on past production, and his 2017 resume is just as strong.
Donald’s 11 sacks lead all full-time interior rushers. (Pittsburgh’s Cam Heyward has 12, but he spends a good chunk of snaps as a defensive end.) Only Jacksonville’s Yannick Ngakoue, who has the benefit of rushing from the edge on the blind side, has more forced fumbles than Donald’s five. And those are just the traditional stats.
According to PFF, Donald has 91 pressures on the season. That’s 25 more than any other interior defensive linemen in the NFL. It’s also 12 more than any edge rusher in football. Donald has wrecked games this season like no one else in the league.
Earlier this season, Pete Carroll called Donald, “really, really problematic,” which is one of the bigger understatements of the year. He also said there was no one quite like Donald in the league right now, which is undeniable. With the Rams cruising toward the playoffs and Donald crushing everyone in his path, this year’s award belongs to him.
Another Arctic blast poised to usher in 2018
- By Prime Time
- OFF TOPIC
- 104 Replies
I hate the cold weather. At the moment it's 21 degrees here in Cumberland, MD and expected to dip down to 11 degrees tonight. It won't get any warmer next week either. Yeah, I know it's winter and no one forced me to live here(except the wife), and that's just the way it is so suck it up, but still...so shut up!
I blame Canada for this. :fuelfire:
Btw in the age of technology we live in, why can't someone invent gloves that actually keep your fingers warm?
The best comment I've seen so far is "We need to throw Al Gore into a volcano and stop the madness."
So now it's your turn to tell me how much colder it is where you are.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/another-arctic-blast-poised-to-usher-in-2018/70003663
Another Arctic blast poised to usher in 2018
By Faith Eherts, AccuWeather meteorologist
Brutally cold weather will soon be refreshed as another blast of Arctic air prepares to dive through the central and eastern United States.
The new frigid blast will reach the northern Plains on Saturday, then sweep southeastward over the balance of the New Year's Day weekend.
Temperatures in Minneapolis are forecast to fail to exceed zero F on Saturday and Sunday.
“Bitterly cold arctic air will settle in across a large swath of the U.S. as we turn the calendar from 2017 to 2018,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski.
“People will really need to bundle up if they are heading out Sunday night for New Year's Eve celebrations in places like Chicago, for example, where the high will be 15 F on Sunday, around 15 degrees below normal,” he warned.
Cities as far south as Nashville and Little Rock, Arkansas, will experience temperatures more than 20 degrees Fahrenheit below average by the end of the weekend. Temperatures will be no higher than the 20s at both locations on Sunday and New Year's Day.
Frigid weather is expected to reach the Big Apple just in time to chill those visiting Times Square, though the record low of minus 4 F from 1918 will not be challenged.
Temperatures will be in the lower teens as the ball drops in Midtown Manhattan on Sunday night. At that level the temperature may be within the top two lowest since records have been maintained in the 1800s.
These conditions will be dangerously cold, especially for those spending many hours outdoors overnight across the majority of the eastern two-thirds of the country.
Consuming alcoholic beverages increases the risk of hypothermia, if not alert and properly dressed, according to the Mayo Clinic.
In Atlanta, it will be the coldest New Year's Eve since welcoming in 2010, when the temperature bottomed out at 29. Temperatures may hover in the low 30s at the very start of 2018.
If the temperature fails to top 5 degrees, Chicago may tie the coldest high temperature for any New Year's Day. The only time this occurred was in 1969. That morning brought a record low of 10 degrees below zero.
“People will need to bundle up with all their winter gear in order to stay warm,” said Pydynowski.
I blame Canada for this. :fuelfire:
Btw in the age of technology we live in, why can't someone invent gloves that actually keep your fingers warm?
The best comment I've seen so far is "We need to throw Al Gore into a volcano and stop the madness."
So now it's your turn to tell me how much colder it is where you are.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/another-arctic-blast-poised-to-usher-in-2018/70003663
Another Arctic blast poised to usher in 2018
By Faith Eherts, AccuWeather meteorologist
Brutally cold weather will soon be refreshed as another blast of Arctic air prepares to dive through the central and eastern United States.
The new frigid blast will reach the northern Plains on Saturday, then sweep southeastward over the balance of the New Year's Day weekend.
Temperatures in Minneapolis are forecast to fail to exceed zero F on Saturday and Sunday.
“Bitterly cold arctic air will settle in across a large swath of the U.S. as we turn the calendar from 2017 to 2018,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski.
“People will really need to bundle up if they are heading out Sunday night for New Year's Eve celebrations in places like Chicago, for example, where the high will be 15 F on Sunday, around 15 degrees below normal,” he warned.
Cities as far south as Nashville and Little Rock, Arkansas, will experience temperatures more than 20 degrees Fahrenheit below average by the end of the weekend. Temperatures will be no higher than the 20s at both locations on Sunday and New Year's Day.
Frigid weather is expected to reach the Big Apple just in time to chill those visiting Times Square, though the record low of minus 4 F from 1918 will not be challenged.
Temperatures will be in the lower teens as the ball drops in Midtown Manhattan on Sunday night. At that level the temperature may be within the top two lowest since records have been maintained in the 1800s.
These conditions will be dangerously cold, especially for those spending many hours outdoors overnight across the majority of the eastern two-thirds of the country.
Consuming alcoholic beverages increases the risk of hypothermia, if not alert and properly dressed, according to the Mayo Clinic.
In Atlanta, it will be the coldest New Year's Eve since welcoming in 2010, when the temperature bottomed out at 29. Temperatures may hover in the low 30s at the very start of 2018.
If the temperature fails to top 5 degrees, Chicago may tie the coldest high temperature for any New Year's Day. The only time this occurred was in 1969. That morning brought a record low of 10 degrees below zero.
“People will need to bundle up with all their winter gear in order to stay warm,” said Pydynowski.
