There was a piece on Austin Blythe a couple days ago about how he was able to come in for Sully and make a seamless transition. Mostly due to his getting snaps with the ones on Wednesdays because Sullivan and Whitworth are held out to give them extra rest.

Got me to wondering who was taking snaps for Whitworth. So I go to Rams homepage and they have Cornielius Lucas as Whit's backup. Wasn't he cut? If so Who's taking Whit's snaps with the ones on Wed? Darrell Williams or Andrew Donnal or both?

Have to say that's a brilliant piece of coaching because you know someone is going to go down. Blythe came in and the OL never missed a beat. Blythe was the C in that 10 minute TD drive at the end of the game.


Other questionables on the depth chart, Austin listed as #1 WR.

I've been following his career with more than a passing interest. McVay definitely gets credit for developing him but this year without McVay and while still on a very average team he is KILLING defenses.

As valuable as QB play is, and as lights out as he has been playing, the contract is going to be stratospheric. If they tag him again it's a 34MIL deal. He's made 44MIL the last two years. 78MIL in three seasons makes life simpler eh!

If the Redskins don't tag him, and I don't know if they will or won't, he is going to effect whatever division he ends up in.

I think he could land in SF, but he may want to avoid that dumpster fire. I know I would. Arizona could be in the mix too, Palmer is pretty well done and it's a desirable setup and place to live.

I can see the Dolphins and Bills getting in the mix for him. TTaylor probably isn't the long term solution in BUF and Gase is MIA would like a player like Cousins for sure. Either team would instantly challenge the Patriots for the division. No state tax in FL gives the Dolphins an edge on the $$$.

I'm sure BAL and Ozzie would love to have him since Flacco is really just average but cutting him costs major coin. Plus I don't know if they are in a rebuild or just retooling.

But..............I think a dark horse in the race is the Colts. They can get some draft picks for Luck, probably a 1 and 2 next year with a 1 the year after. They offload his contract which makes paying big coin to Cousins easier, and of course the cap is going up again. IMO there is a decent chance this happens.

https://www.spreaker.com/episode/13143409

Here you go. In the poll, I haven’t decided on a day to do it yet. But it’s between Sunday and Tuesday. I’ll leave the time up to you guys.

My daughter is into the Stars these days and wants a telescope now that I have given my old one away. Any suggestions on a relatively cheap scope that is competent for star and planet gazing that doesn't cost a thousand dollars? I want something that you can see Saturn's rings pretty good but is not so expensive that I hate it if she loses interest this time next year. What do you astronomers have?

Anyone watch this show? I’m starting season 2. It’s got such a classic feel to it.

How Jared Goff Has Done a Complete 180 Under Sean McVay

October 26, 2017
Special Guest: Connor Rogers

https://www.downtownrams.com/single...Goff-Has-Done-a-Complete-180-Under-Sean-McVay

It’s hard to be considered a ‘bust’ after just seven NFL games, especially at the quarterback position, but the lack of faith in Jared Goff coming off his rookie season was overwhelming.

He lacked confidence, he turned the ball over nine times while throwing just five touchdowns and worst of all, the Rams did not win in any game he started. This all led to an offseason filled with one question: did the Rams make a mistake after trading up for the number one overall pick?

Enter new head coach Sean McVay. At just 31 years old, McVay would be the youngest head coach in the NFL by far, but he had the resume to warrant the hype. He had just helped quarterback Kirk Cousins to two highly productive and efficient seasons while also getting the best out of the likes of Pierre Garcon, Jordan Reed and Jamison Crowder.

The ideology behind the hire was clear: McVay could scheme players open, game plan on the offensive side of the ball as well as anyone, but most importantly develop a quarterback to reach their ceiling. This was the guy to salvage the career of a former number one pick before it was too late, no matter how early things fell apart.

Now, just how would he pull this off so quickly?

Let's break down a few plays that have shown not only Goff's progression this year, but how his coaches and supporting cast have aided him.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/ConnorJRogers/status/922961846834954242


The play above is a perfect example of Sean McVay scheming a player open to make things easier for his quarterback. With a bunch set to the right (the 'field' side, which is the side with more room), Cooper Kupp is the target. The two other receivers on the field side clear out the coverage, leaving plenty of open space for Kupp to work back to for a short catch and longer run.

Kupp doesn't possess high end speed, but he has reliable hands and upside to make something happen after the catch (Goff has a 95.2 quarterback rating when targeting him). The coaching of this design gets the hard part for him out of the way, which is generating separation. It also makes it easy on Goff by turning a one read, short throw into a first down.

Now let's take a look at a not-so-easy throw:

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/ConnorJRogers/status/922965575512526848


Goff has options after the play-action on this throw. He first looks at his tight end, who gets by the linebacker and open in the middle of the field, but opts to make a tougher throw with bigger upside. That throw would be to running back Todd Gurley, where the ball leads him right between defenders with room to run after the catch.

This is a good example of Goff quickly seeing the field and making a near perfect throw for what ends up being a huge touchdown. He didn't have the confidence or mindset to make this play as a rookie.

These are the plays where Goff shows why a team was enticed to trade up to the number one overall pick with hopes of him being their franchise quarterback. Here's another one:

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/ConnorJRogers/status/922965982716588033


This is a near perfect ball to Cooper Kupp. While the rookie wide receiver has to climb high, the pass is kept away from the defenders and led into a space where only his target can go get it.

Goff’s numbers on play-action passes speak for themselves. According to Pro Football Focus he’s completed 35 of his 56 attempts (62.5%) for 565 yards (10.1 YPA) with a 102.1 quarterback rating. Teams are well aware of the threat that Todd Gurley poses and it’s supplementing the passing game for LA’s young quarterback and his new weapons.

Even mechanically, he looks like a much more confident and consistent thrower.

The biggest question after a 5-2 start and currently sitting in first place is can the Rams keep this up all year? It’s no secret the defense has game changing pieces, whether it’s all-world defensive lineman Aaron Donald, up and coming stud Lamarcus Joyner or their number one corner Trumaine Johnson.

The recipe to stay in first place will be for the offense to keep up their production, which currently has them sixth overall in rushing, 12th overall in passing and most importantly in first in points per game with 30.3. Goff has only thrown four interceptions while his defense has hauled in nine.

The offensive line, with a key new addition in veteran Andrew Whitworth, has only surrendered 10 sacks while their front has tallied 23 (according to Pro Football Focus they rank only 19th in pass blocking efficiency, but have still been a massive upgrade from last year’s disaster).

With the remaining schedule including the Giants, Texans, Vikings, Saints, Cardinals, Eagles, Seahawks, Titans and 49ers, the playoffs are far from a sure thing. With that being said, they’re playing efficient and productive football in nearly every facet of the game, even special teams where they’ve converted on 21 of 22 field goal attempts.

In just his second season, after a disastrous start in his rookie campaign, Jared Goff has done a complete 180 under new head coach Sean McVay. While there is a long road ahead, one that Los Angeles is hoping to include playoff football, the future finally looks bright for the Rams.


Connor Rogers works for Bleacher Report hosting the Stick to Football podcast with Matt Miller and writes for FanRag Sports. You can catch Connor on the Downtown Rams Podcast as well and of course follow him on twitter @ConnorJRogers.

Rams talk starts around 8:20. Typically I can't stomach these guys, but this is worth the listen. Comparisons to Hoody? hmmm

Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/V_EIDSUnYCI

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/adamschefter/status/923687732160888832


Get em Rams!

Nah. But it’s funny that he didn’t wanna play in Buffalo.

https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/10/26/m...redictions-nfl-week-8-thursday-night-football

Previewing Dolphins-Ravens on Thursday Night Football: It's Matt Moore Time for Miami
By Conor Orr

“You’re getting way ahead of me.”

That’s what Dolphins coach Adam Gase said on Monday when asked if Jay Cutler (cracked ribs) will retain his starting gig by default once he returns to the playing field. Tonight’s Dolphins-Ravens game (8:25 p.m., NFL Network, CBS, Amazon Prime) features popular backup Matt Moore in a starting role for the first time since Jan. 8, 2017—a 30–12 playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. In that game, Moore completed 80.56% of his passes (29-of-36) for 289 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

The opportunity gives Moore a chance to prove he can ignite the Dolphins’ offense in a way Cutler has not been able to. Miami is 4–2, though the unretired Cutler has been ho-hum at best, throwing seven touchdowns to five interceptions and just two games with a quarterback rating over 77.

Though Baltimore’s offense is sputtering, Moore will face one of the league’s most efficient defenses (the Ravens were fifth in Football Outsiders’ latest Defense-adjusted Value Over Average rankings) with a chance to crystallize some interesting numbers that have surfaced in recent Moore-Cutler comparisons.

Consider the following, via NFL’s Next Gen Stats:

• In Moore’s relief appearance against the Jets, he was averaging more Air Yards, Air Distance and fewer seconds from snap to throw than Cutler.

• In comparing Moore’s last two seasons with Cutler’s 2017, Moore is still averaging more Air Yards and Air Distance per attempt than Cutler by about a yard. Essentially, Gase’s offense is slightly more vertical with the longtime backup under center.

Maybe Gase doesn’t see it this way. As the Miami Herald reported earlier this week, Cutler is getting his job back unless Moore logs a “Dan Marino-like” performance. If that’s the case, I wonder what Gase would have labeled Moore’s first spot start of the 2016 season, a 34–13 thrashing of the Jets in which Moore threw for 236 yards, four touchdowns and just one interception (quarterback rating: 126.2)?

BOLD PREDICTION: Ravens coach John Harbaugh has already come to the defense of offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg a few times this season. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Ravens playcaller try something different to snap Baltimore out of this funk. Despite a slew of injuries to the team’s receiving corps (Breshad Perriman,

Mike Wallace and Jeremy Maclin are all listed as questionable), I think Joe Flacco will throw the ball 25 times in the first half—about the same number of attempts he had in the entire 30-17 win over the Raiders two weeks ago.

SCORE PREDICTION: MIAMI 23, BALTIMORE 17

Can anyone give me some brief tutorial tips, maybe applications or programs you use. . .

I pay to have gamepass and I do watch a lot of game film. I'd love to learn how to start capturing things and being able to share them.

I know how to do screen shots. . . so maybe I'll start there and see what I can come up with. . .

Forgive me if this has been posted before....Loved it!

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5APtyqXRiHQ

Don't know if this is for real or not but I'm laughing until this is proven to be a fake.


************************************************************************
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/f...n-surveys-winning-important-article-1.3590574

49ers reportedly sent questionnaires to fans asking if winning is important
BRETT BODNER

The 49ers are doing something not even the Jets or Browns have sunk to.

Fans of the team have reportedly been receiving questionnaires asking if they care whether or not the team wins.

San Francisco Chronicle reporter Ann Killion posted on Twitter about her discovery of the questionnaire and the surprising question on it.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/annkillion/status/923246279093653504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nydailynews.com%2Fsports%2Ffootball%2F49ers-reportedly-fan-surveys-winning-important-article-1.3590574

A fan posted the survey to Twitter showing the question, including the multiple choice options for the answer.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/boztank/status/922522970114859008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nydailynews.com%2Fsports%2Ffootball%2F49ers-reportedly-fan-surveys-winning-important-article-1.3590574

It's unclear if this was a survey sent to all fans of the team or just season ticket holders.

The 49ers have had a rough couple of seasons, but it doesn't make sense for the team to ask whether or not the fans care if it wins.

http://m.therams.com/s/30854/409?itemUri=40892409/3121926115772314561224610

Longacre Off to a Strong Start, Leads the Rams in Sacks



The Rams have found an unlikely star when it comes to the pass-rush this season. No, it's not star defensive tackle Aaron Donald, nor seven-year veteran Robert Quinn. Instead, the most efficient player at getting to the quarterback this year has been backup outside linebacker Matt Longacre.

After recording zero sacks through six games with the Rams last season, Longacre has currently notched 4.0 through seven games in 2017 - enough to lead the team. And though his role on defense has been mainly as a rotational option for Quinn, Longacre has admittedly made the most of every snap taken.

"For me, [my role] is when Rob gets tired, I'm going to go in there and play with a high motor, not let the production and how he plays drop off," Longacre said Tuesday. "When he needs a break, I want the coaches to be comfortable with putting me in and know that there is not going to be a drop. So that's how I see myself and that's how I kind of go into each game is with that attitude."

When asked about what he believes has been the key to his success on the line this year, he is quick to mention his fellow linemen. Longacre said reading Donald as he rushes has allowed him to come back underneath and get to the quarterback more effectively.

"There's a stunt that we've run that I've gotten two [sacks] off of and I really like that stunt," Longacre said. "It allows me to make a quick inside move and I like those. And so that's what I had last week and then I had one against Indy with that one. Just the combination of those two has really helped out."


Longacre first signed with the Rams as a college free agent in 2015, a year in which the team ran a 4-3 defense - a scheme the then defensive end was very familiar with. But this year both Longacre and Quinn have made the transition to outside linebackers under Wade Phillips' 3-4 defense. And though he was unsure of his new role just a few months ago during OTA's, he seems to have hit his stride in the first half of the season.

"It all started back in OTA's," Longacre said of his transition. "The [coaches] kind of were wondering where they saw me and so we went a good three weeks where they were like, 'We're not sure where you're going to go.' So we hit the middle of OTA's and they were like, 'We kind of like where you are now,' and we have been good with that."

"I got a lot of help from Thad [Bogardus, defensive quality control coach], kind of after practice in the offseason going over footwork, the drops and stuff that I'm not used to... [But] I was right there with them," Longacre continued. "I chose a 4-3 team coming out of college and now we're a 3-4, so I had the same thoughts as the [coaches]: 'Where did I fit?' And it has worked out for me very well."

In last week's game against the Cardinals, Longacre sacked quarterback Drew Stanton resulting in a three yard loss and a forced fumble. He has also recorded sacks on Russell Wilson, Brian Hoyer and Scott Tolzien.

The linebacker's mindset coupled with his high production this season has not gone unnoticed. McVay says he "has made a point of giving guys [like Longacre] their praise and their credit when it's due."

"Matt Longacre continues to show up week-in and week-out," McVay said. "And I think it's been a reason why he's been so productive recently and then I think it's helped Robert be able to have a player of his caliber."

Serious question here. Personally, i'm only counting games played during the Sunday Ticket era. I only watched prime time games prior to '09.

There's been wins with more exciting football than week 3 this year but as far as games won that indicated season might be a special one.

Week 3,4 or5 vs Seattle Bradford's rookie year was kind of a big one. Not even because I hated or considered Seattle to be a quality win. I didn't even get to watch the game.

I just know the win gave Ram's a winning record, they had a promising new coach and a #1 overall draft pick at QB and for first time in over 3 years there was reason for hope...pretty similar scenario was happening after this year's Dallas game.

2nd place goes to the win @ Arizona Gurley's rookie season.

Man I can't help but be reminded of that awful loss @SF Bradford's rookie year. The 49ers were a mess that year.

Click link below to watch videos.
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View: http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Brown-%E2%80%9CTaking-Advantage-of-Every-Opportunity%E2%80%9D-as-Multipurpose-Back/12431313-36db-462f-a5a8-4f3b72edf7db

Brown “Taking Advantage of Every Opportunity” as Multipurpose Back
Kristen Lago



In his third year with the Rams, running back Malcolm Brown has emerged this season as a solid rotational player on the Los Angeles offense. Not only has he had an important impact on special teams, but he is also hitting his stride on the ground.

Last season, Brown put up fewer than 100 yards from scrimmage without a single trip to the end zone. But through seven games this year, the former Texas standout has more than doubled his yardage on the ground and in the air, scoring two touchdowns and recording 127 total yards.

Last week against the Cardinals, Brown was particularly effective on third downs, converting a couple of important plays to extend the Rams drive in the fourth quarter. After a lengthy 10-minute, 16-play drive downfield, the series culminated in a touchdown pass to wide receiver Cooper Kupp to seal a Los Angeles win.

“The offensive line, they made it easy for me,” Brown said of his production in Week 7. “The third-down conversions I got with the couple of runs that I had, they made it real easy. The holes were opening up like the Red Sea and I am just out there running.”

As he did on Sunday, Brown said he has gone into every game this season with one thing on his mind — to make the most of every opportunity he’s given.

“I go into every single game, every time I step on the field [as if] it’s the most important play for me,” he said. “I’m just going in trying to do what I can to contribute to this team and I am thankful that these coaches have given me the opportunity to do that.”

But it’s not just the ground attack where Brown has found success. He is also a primary member of the Rams special teams unit.

Under coordinator John Fassel, Los Angeles has been one of the league's most aggressive clubs on special teams. In Week 6 against Jacksonville, the Rams scored two special teams touchdowns, including a blocked punt Brown returned.

“From the first day I stepped in in St. Louis actually my rookie year, I was on the practice squad, but Bones has created just the mindset that special teams is the most important thing,” Brown said. “Practicing like we do just pays off every single week.”

Heading into the bye, it seems Brown’s work ethic is also paying off. Head coach Sean McVay has reiterated many times just how impressed he has been with Brown’s mentality and production from the offseason until now.

“You know, Malcolm has a handful of third-down conversation that keeps our defense off the field and keeps the clock moving in that game the other day,” McVay said. “He’s just been so steady and done a great job delivering when his opportunities come up.”

“I think we’ve got a lot of good contributors that understand their importance and their role and you try to just make a habit of pointing them out and letting them know by that communication,” he continued. “That lets them feel appreciated, because it is recognized and that credit is well deserved.”

But Brown isn't neccessarily seeking credit or recognition for big plays. Instead, the running back says he’s just hoping “to keep doing what I’m doing,” and remain steady through the latter half of the season.

“[When I] go into any game, I say to myself, ‘This is the most important play right here,’” Brown said. “I just want to continue to do that and continue to make plays and be consistent. I think that’s probably the thing that is most important to me is being consistent with my game.”

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/10/26/pfts-week-eight-picks-7/

PFT’s Week Eight picks
Posted by Mike Florio

The good news is that I nailed 13 of 15 picks last week(you picked the Cardinals over the Rams, dumbass). The bad news is that MDS did as well.

Which keeps me four games behind MDS as we approach the halfway point of the season.

This week, the slate consists of only 13 games. We disagree on two three of them. (Thanks to Mary Lou in Palm Coast for spotting that it’s three, not two.)

Start scrolling now to see who we like in each of the games.

Dolphins at Ravens

MDS’s take: I’m not sure that the loss of Jay Cutler matters because I’m not sure that he’s any better than Matt Moore. Either way, the Ravens’ defense should shut down the Dolphins’ offense, and Baltimore should win a low-scoring game.

MDS’s pick: Ravens 17, Dolphins 7.

Florio’s take: The 2011 team MVP for the Dolphins has a chance to help continue to push the 2017 season in the right direction while Jay Cutler’s ribs heal. If Matt Moore continues to play well, it may take a little while for Cutler to get to “100 percent.”

Florio’s pick: Dolphins 27, Ravens 17.

Vikings at Browns

MDS’s take: In my opinion Cody Kessler is the best of the Browns’ three bad quarterbacks, but Hue Jackson disagrees with me and has gone back to DeShone Kizer. It probably doesn’t matter, as the Vikings’ defense is good enough to shut down the Browns no matter who plays quarterback.

MDS’s pick: Vikings 20, Browns 3.

Florio’s take: The Browns have won one of 23 games since the latest reset of the franchise, and the current regime has passed on the likes of Deshaun Watson and Carson Wentz. Whoever passed on Watson and Wentz is about to be gone, for good.

Florio’s pick: Vikings 30, Browns 16.

Falcons at Jets

MDS’s take: The Jets are better than expected and the Falcons are worse than expected this season, but order will be restored on Sunday and the Falcons will win easily.

MDS’s pick: Falcons 28, Jets 14.

Florio’s take: The Falcons continue their tour of the AFC East, with coach Dan Quinn returning to the place where he easily won a Super Bowl ring four years ago. This one won’t be as easy, in part because the Falcons are struggling and in part because the Jets aren’t.

Florio’s pick: Falcons 24, Jets 17.

Panthers at Buccaneers

MDS’s take: The Buccaneers’ defense has been horrible this season, and as a result I’m tempted to pick the Panthers in a road upset. But Cam Newton has been too inconsistent this year for me to be confident in him on Sunday and so I’ll say the Bucs win a close one.

MDS’s pick: Buccaneers 24, Panthers 23.

Florio’s take: It’s feeling like a division-title elimination game, even with plenty of games left to play. While there’s a chance neither team makes to the postseason, chances are the loser this week will have a fork in them.

Florio’s pick: Panthers 24, Buccaneers 20.

49ers at Eagles

MDS’s take: The winless 49ers are certainly not going to get their first win of the season in Philadelphia. This is the easiest pick on the board.

MDS’s pick: Eagles 30, 49ers 10.

Florio’s take: One of the best teams in the NFL faces one of the worst. Which probably means the 49ers will win. I’m not nearly drunk enough (yet) to go out on that limb.

Florio’s pick: Eagles 37, 49ers 17.

Bears at Saints

MDS’s take: The Bears are finding ways to win despite bad quarterback play, but against a Saints defense that has improved remarkably since the start of the season, that’s not going to work.

MDS’s pick: Saints 28, Bears 10.

Florio’s take: The Bears return to the scene of their only Super Bowl win, with a team that is far closer to contending for a berth in the Super Bowl tournament than many would admit. Unfortunately for Chicago, the Saints are much closer to matching their best season in franchise history, thanks to a defense that currently seems closer to the ’85 Bears than the ’09 Saints.

Florio’s pick: Saints 23, Bears 13.

Chargers at Patriots

MDS’s take: The Chargers are on a nice little run and I’m tempted to pick them in an upset, but Tom Brady is still playing at an MVP level and I like the Patriots in a high-scoring game.

MDS’s pick: Patriots 31, Chargers 30.

Florio’s take: This one could be the game of the day, if the Chargers continue to build on what they’ve done over the past three weeks. But the Patriots are at home and that 2-2 start managed to get their attention, on both sides of the ball.

Florio’s pick: Patriots 27, Chargers 20.

Raiders at Bills

MDS’s take: The Raiders’ defense just can’t stop anyone this season, and the Bills should be able to slow down Derek Carr and Amari Cooper better this week than the Chiefs did last week. Buffalo takes another big step toward the playoffs.

MDS’s pick: Bills 28, Raiders 21.

Florio’s take: Once upon a time, Buffalo blasted Oakland with a berth in the Super Bowl on the line. For the Raiders, this one is nearly a playoff game, and a loss would wipe out a potential season-saving win against the Chiefs.

Florio’s pick: Raiders 23, Bills 17.

Colts at Bengals

MDS’s take: The Colts look as bad as anyone in the NFL right now. They’ve won two games, but I don’t see them winning two more.

MDS’s pick: Bengals 17, Colts 9.

Florio’s take: The Bengals get a bit of a break from the schedule-makers, with an overmatched Indy team coming to town just in time for Cincinnati to avoid, or at least to stall, an implosion.

Florio’s pick: Bengals 31, Colts 14.

Texans at Seahawks

MDS’s take: I think the Texans are a better team than the Seahawks overall, but in Seattle, rookie Deshaun Watson is going to be in the toughest environment he’s faced. The Seahawks’ defense should have a good game and they’ll win a close one.

MDS’s pick: Seahawks 17, Texans 14.

Florio’s take: The last time the Texans and the Seahawks got together, the Pick-Six Machine known as Matt Schlub (autocorrect insisted on it) helped Houston blow a big lead and lose in overtime, thanks to an interception that Richard Sherman returned with a shoe missing for the game-tying score. This time around, the quarterback is better — but the venue has flipped to Seattle. Welcome to the NFL, Deshaun.

Florio’s pick: Seahawks 20, Texans 9.

Cowboys at Redskins

MDS’s take: This is the toughest game on the board to pick, and probably a must-win for one of these teams to have any hope of catching the Eagles in the NFC East. I see Kirk Cousins putting up a big game against the Cowboys’ defense and the Redskins bouncing back from a tough Monday night loss.

MDS’s pick: Redskins 28, Cowboys 27.

Florio’s take: The Cowboys have beaten the Giants, the Cardinals, and the 49ers. The Redskins have lost to the Eagles twice and the Chiefs. Maybe Dallas isn’t as good as we thought, and maybe the Redskins are better.

Florio’s pick: Redskins 24, Cowboys 21.

Steelers at Lions

MDS’s take: Matthew Stafford hasn’t played up to his enormous contract this season, and against an outstanding Steelers pass defense he’s going to continue to struggle.

MDS’s pick: Steelers 20, Lions 10.

Florio’s take: The Steelers return to the site of Super Bowl XL, in what surely will be Ben Roethlisberger’s last career game there (barring a team change). If he plays better than he did that day back in 2006, the Steelers should be able to find a way to win, especially with their defense getting back to what it was in the era that resulted in two Super Bowl wins only three years apart.

Florio’s pick: Steelers 27, Lions 24.

Broncos at Chiefs

MDS’s take: The Chiefs have fallen back to earth a bit since their hot start, but the Broncos have declined even more. This is a good opportunity for Kansas City to bounce back and get a win in the division.

MDS’s pick: Chiefs 28, Broncos 20.

Florio’s take: It’s getting close to desperation time for both teams, with two straight losses each and promising seasons now threatened by Raiders and Chargers uprisings. Home team gets the edge, also because it’s better.

Florio’s pick: Chiefs 30, Broncos 17.

@dieterbrock:
"Surprised we haven’t been over run with Austin threads so we’ve got that going for us"

You asked for it... we deliver!!!

Carry on now

(mods:
feel free to delete after the first five posts)

First of all, I'm an admitted nerd. Numbers and data have always fascinated me. When I was in middle school, my second-favorite pass time was reading world almanacs. I would pour over all of the statistical data and come up with a working theory of how the entire planet operated. It was all contained within the numbers.

So, I was looking at NFL statistics through week 7 yesterday, and it occurred to me that you could get a good idea of the health of each team based on their position in several key categories. Those categories are: Total Offense, Rushing Offense, Passing Offense, Scoring Offense, Total Defense, Rushing Defense, Passing Defense, Scoring Defense, Kicking (Total Yards), Field Goals, Kick Return Yards, Punting (Net Avg.), Winning Percentage, and Turnover Ratio. I compiled each team's rank in each of these categories, giving each category a weight of 1, and totaled up each team's results and ranked them. I also compiled offense, defense, and special team numbers and ranked them individually.

After all of this, I can report that the current state of the Los Angeles Rams is quite good! Their Total Offense Rank is 5, Total Defense Rank is 15 (should improve going forward), Special Teams Rank is 1 (and it's not even close!), Winning Percentage Rank is 2, and Turnover Ratio Rank is 19 (a bit disturbing).

Now, the Week Seven Statistical Overall Power Rankings

32. New York Giants - 345 pts.
31. Cleveland Browns - 314 pts.
30. Indianapolis Colts - 308 pts.
29. Arizona Cardinals - 298 pts.
28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 297 pts.
27. San Francisco 49ers - 284 pts.
26. New York Jets - 280 pts.
24. Miami Dolphins - 276 pts.
24. Chicago Bears - 276 pts.
23. Cincinnati Bengals - 272 pts.
22. Los Angeles Chargers - 252 pts.
21. Green bay Packers - 250 pts.
20. Oakland Raiders - 249 pts.
19. Detroit Lions - 246 pts.
18. Baltimore Ravens - 243 pts.
17. Washington Redskins - 232 pts.
16. Buffalo Bills - 225 pts.
15. Denver Broncos - 219 pts.
14. Dallas Cowboys - 215 pts.
12. New England Patriots - 208 pts.
12. Atlanta Falcons - 208 pts.
10. Tennessee Titans - 189 pts.
10. Houston Texans - 189 pts.
9. Pittsburgh Steelers - 186 pts.
8. Seattle Seahawks - 185 pts.
7. Carolina Panthers - 184 pts.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars - 170 pts.
5. New Orleans Saints - 167 pts.
4. Kansas City Chiefs - 153 pts.
3. Philadelphia Eagles - 137 pts.
2. Minnesota Vikings - 124 pts.
1. LOS ANGELES RAMS - 115 pts.

Yee hi!

I have already strained YouTube for anything Rams. New information, that is.

ED liked Dak Prescott and the rest of the talking heads are drooling over Wentz and we have to wait for Goff's performance against the Giants. But even that is just a couple of tv shows, and it seems like a chasm exists between now and the Rams next football Sunday. I said the day after the win versus the Cardinals, would be the most enjoyable bye week in years. I was wrong .

If you got anything new POST IT HERE. I just heard something new on GMFB, Connor Barwin and Sean McVay played against each other in College and they are both 31 years old....

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angele...-evidence-that-jared-goff-is-a-much-better-qb

By: Alden Gonzalez ESPN Writer




Jared Goff won zero games through seven starts in 2016, but has won five games through seven starts in 2017.

He absorbed 26 sacks in the Los Angeles Rams' final seven games last season, but only 10 in the first seven this season.

As a rookie, the former No. 1 overall pick completed 54.6 percent of his passes, averaged 4.3 yards per attempt, threw five touchdowns to seven interceptions and posted a Total QBR of 18.3. As a second-year player, he has completed 59.9 percent of his passes, averaged 7.7 yards per attempt, thrown nine touchdowns to four interceptions and posted a Total QBR of 53.6.

So, yeah, things are looking up for Goff.

He isn't an elite quarterback yet, but there's restored hope in the belief that he someday might be. And there's comfort in knowing that he is at least serviceable now, while less than two weeks removed from his 23rd birthday. A lot of the credit for the improvement has been directed at Goff's surroundings: He's operating under a friendlier scheme, while taking snaps behind a better offensive line, and throwing to a more dynamic group of receivers.

But Goff himself got better, too.

"He's done a good job of improving throughout this first part of the season," Rams first-year head coach Sean McVay said. "I think he's gotten better and better. Any time that you're able to learn from your experiences, both good and bad, you're going to give yourself a chance for growth."

Below are five screen grabs to help illustrate that growth. Three were taken from the best game of Goff's professional life, when he went 22-of-28 for 292 yards and three touchdowns in a win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 21. Two others were taken from Goff's worst performance of the year, when he turned the ball over three times in an Oct. 8 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

While he sat through the first half last year, former Rams quarterback Jim Everett identified Goff as someone who can "visualize the deep ball better than anyone on that roster." After studying film from 2016, McVay saw past Goff's struggles and continually referenced his "arm talent."

It showed in the throw above, a 47-yard completion to Sammy Watkins.

Watkins made a nice over-the-shoulder catch. But Goff stepped up into the pocket off play-action and dropped that throw in the only place he could, right between two defenders downfield. Goff has already completed 27 passes that have traveled at least 15 yards through the air, third-most in the NFL. Last year, he completed only 10 such passes.

On that play, Watkins said Goff "threw a great ball to protect me from the safety."

There may not be a more impressive Goff throw than this one, which somehow resulted in a 31-yard completion to Robert Woods.

49ers defensive lineman Arik Armstead found himself free on a stunt and was bearing down on Goff. But Goff moved to his right, then uncorked a deep ball to the right sideline off one foot. The throw was perfectly placed in Woods' back shoulder, allowing him to make the catch despite very tight coverage.

Goff has only completed 36.7 percent of his passes outside the pocket this year (ranked 26th among 32 qualified quarterbacks) and only 37.7 percent of his passes when pressured (24th). But that throw was proof that he has the talent to get it done in those situations, too.

Goff may not have Carson Wentz's athleticism, but he has been known to surprise people with the way he moves. And this year, his pocket awareness and overall patience has allowed him to run free when things break down.

The play above is a prime example. It was 3rd and 10 from midfield at the 13-minute mark of the third quarter, and the Seahawks brought the blitz. Six defenders went after Goff, but they left the middle of the field wide open. Goff dropped back, then immediately sprinted ahead, navigating towards the sideline and running safely out of bounds for a 22-yard run, the longest of his career.

Goff has run for 45 yards this year, nearly three times what he ran for as a rookie. Two weeks after that game, in a 33-0 win over the Arizona Cardinals from London, he had a nine-yard run that resulted in his first rushing touchdown of the season -- on a read-option.

"I've been begging them to call that for a long time now," Goff said. "For a few weeks. I keep going, 'Call it, call it, call it.' And so when it came in, I was like, 'All right, here we go.'"

This play resulted in an incompletion, but it could've easily been the game-winning score -- largely because of what Goff did before getting rid of the football. Trailing by six with 67 seconds remaining and no timeouts, Goff hit on a 35-yard pass and a 20-yard pass to get to the Seahawks' 20-yard line. That brings us to the play pictured above, on 3rd and 10 with 12 seconds left.

Check out where Goff's eyes were directed. Five-time Pro Bowler Earl Thomas, lined up as the single-high safety, was trying to bait Goff into an interception. But Goff looked him off, making Thomas dart to his right. That allowed Cooper Kupp to get free on a skinny post near the middle of the end zone. Goff reset, then delivered the throw on time and on target. But it went off Kupp's fingertips and fell harmlessly to the ground.

The Rams lost, but Thomas was impressed with the way he was taken out of that play.

"Hats off to Goff," Thomas said after the game. "He's way better than last year."

Of all the plays Goff made in that Thursday night game near his hometown, this is the one his coaches raved about.

It wasn't flashy, but it came in a big spot and was the product of sensible decision-making. Facing 3rd and 10, with the Rams up by eight from the 49ers' 46-yard line in the fourth quarter, Goff dropped back and scanned the field. He quickly went through all of his progressions, didn't see anyone open and instead dumped it off to Todd Gurley, who turned it into a 27-yard gain to help set up another touchdown.

Goff kept it simple and didn't force it, which might be the area where he has made the biggest strides as a second-year quarterback. Goff has combined for only three turnovers in six of his seven games. His 2.25 touchdown-to-interception ratio is only slightly above the NFL average (1.92), but it's significantly better than the 0.71 mark he carried as a rookie.

McVay has made it a point not to heap effusive praise on Goff, but he has also made sure not to set the expectations too high.

"We just want him to continue to take those daily steps, and he's done that and been receptive," McVay said, crediting offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur and quarterbacks coach Greg Olson for Goff's continued development. "We're in a good place. By no means are we where we want to be, but I think he's doing a great job of leading. And that's a credit to Jared.”

Below is a submission for a "Rant" flash fiction short story concerning Mike Sando and ESPN Power Rankings. I will be revising it later to make it better for a grade, but thought it was rather current with the Rams this week. I never knew that a rant could also be considered a short story form until yesterday. So all of us have been short story writers without knowing it! One of the parts of a story is to be emotionally off kilter with a flaw of reasoning at the end in most cases. A novel that used this form was the controversial classic "Tropic of Cancer" by Henry Miller.....Hope you like it.

I know you Mike Sando! (Rant Form)

I saw what you did.

You and the rest of those NFL Power Ranking contributors at ESPN just keep pushing down my Los Angeles Rams behind division rival Seattle Seahawks! The latest slight is ranking the Rams behind the Seahawks and the Dallas Cowboys at number five on the list this week. The Rams have the highest scoring offense and just shut out another divisional rival Arizona Cardinals 33-0, revealing an improved defense as well. Even though the Rams beat themselves in a loss to the Seahawks earlier this year with five turnovers, they STILL were one dropped pass in the end zone away from winning the game in the final moments. The Rams have played one game more than the Hawks and currently lead the division because they won that extra game, but the brain-trust at ESPN ranks the Rams lower by one spot because of “who they lost to”? Really ESPN? You mean like the Dallas Cowboys who are ranked above both the Rams AND the Seahawks and who have won fewer games than both NFC West teams AND who have lost to the Rams earlier in the season are considered better?

How about a little consistency when you are wrapping the Rams helically around an axis!*

Earlier in the season the Rams beat the 49ers on a Thursday Night in the most entertaining, high scoring game in TNF history, and Sando’s conspirators came up with new criteria in the rankings according to defense. How much did a dramatic win by the Rams move them up the Power Rankings? Zero, zilch, nada! Yes, this new formula was created to keep teams like the Rams down because they didn’t believe in them and had trouble ranking them in the basement due to having one of the best records in the NFL!

But they never HAVE believed in the Rams! Why? Because former Seattle Seahawk team reporter Mike Sando has always disliked my team. Always! The recently departed senior columnist and ESPN commentator John Clayton and Mike Sando currently live in Seattle metro area and are in-the-closet Hawk homers! As to the “who have they beaten” criteria used in the latest round this year, it was never mentioned when my team SWEPT the Seahawks a couple of years ago. Yes, the Rams had horrible record that year, but on a weekly basis that was not yet known when ranking the Hawks above the Rams.

Sando and others keep looking at past failures to judge the present team, which is a fallacy! Even with individuals, the past doesn’t necessarily predict the future except maybe under very specific conditions. A team is multifaceted, and the parts change every year. Due to the many moving parts and the difficulty in winning in the NFL, haters like Sando can always be negative with a struggling team. They are often right because they can make blanket-statements as to whether a team is good or not, without any context. . A struggling team must overcome previous flaws, institute player upgrades, and hire a great coaching staff for a fan to win the argument against those like “The Great Sando” as to whether a team is good. The Rams turned over twenty percent of its roster and the whole coaching staff after last season and improved in several key areas. But no, Sando and the haters in sports journalism felt it was too much change in a year for a good team to emerge. The Rams started in Week One at the very bottom of the rankings, and have clawed their way to be in the top five of the NFL.

Now you see why I hate him and the rest at ESPN!
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* Big Bang Theory

I think Higbee has all the tools to have a career similar to Heath Miller but I think GE can make history and have seasons comparable to Antonio Gates and Vernon Davis. I hope both are extended past their rookie contracts. I don't want to have to worry about having another Kendricks. They both need to put on about 10-15 pounds IMO.