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The Rams have arrived in London! Photos!!
- By DaveFan'51
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 11 Replies
GO RAMS! Kick A$$!!
Ranking the NFL's best, worst offensive lines
- By MadGoat
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 26 Replies
I didn't see this one posted anywhere. Apologies if someone already did.
The impact that blocking has on offensive performance cannot be overstated. Over a decade of research I've done in measuring run blocking indicates that ball carriers are four to five times more productive on plays with good run blocking versus plays with bad run blocking. The passing game also displays a huge disparity, as quarterbacks are roughly three times as productive on a yards-per-dropback basis with a clean pass pocket as they are on dropbacks when pass-rush pressure is impacting the pocket.
Since we're now at roughly the one-third mark of the 2017 NFL season, it's a good time to take a look at how every NFL team's blocking wall (a term that includes anyone who blocks on a play) grades out at this time.
The details of the grading system can be found here, with the nutshell explanation being that it uses a wide variety of advanced blocking metrics to come up with an A-F grade for every platoon.
Now that we have the preliminaries out of the way, let's take a look at the top five and bottom five blocking walls, predict if those blocking paces will continue, and review some interesting metrics being posted by a couple of AFC playoff contenders.
Top five offensive blocking walls
1. Los Angeles Rams
Grade: A
Head coach Sean McVay deserves a lot of credit for his highly creative playcalling, but a big part of why those plays are succeeding is the elite performance of the Rams' blockers. They rank tied for first in my good blocking rate (GBR) metric that measures run-blocking consistency, as they are giving their ball carriers quality run blocking on 50.4 percent of planned rushing plays. This group is nearly as adept in pass blocking, as the 2.5 seconds average time in pocket (TIP) they are giving Jared Goff on pass plays is a league-leading rate.
Outlook: The Rams have placed first or second in GBR every week this season, but that could change given that three of their next four matchups (Arizona, Houston and Minnesota) all have front sevens that have a B or higher grade in my front-seven grading system.
- KC JoynerESPN Insider
The impact that blocking has on offensive performance cannot be overstated. Over a decade of research I've done in measuring run blocking indicates that ball carriers are four to five times more productive on plays with good run blocking versus plays with bad run blocking. The passing game also displays a huge disparity, as quarterbacks are roughly three times as productive on a yards-per-dropback basis with a clean pass pocket as they are on dropbacks when pass-rush pressure is impacting the pocket.
Since we're now at roughly the one-third mark of the 2017 NFL season, it's a good time to take a look at how every NFL team's blocking wall (a term that includes anyone who blocks on a play) grades out at this time.
The details of the grading system can be found here, with the nutshell explanation being that it uses a wide variety of advanced blocking metrics to come up with an A-F grade for every platoon.
Now that we have the preliminaries out of the way, let's take a look at the top five and bottom five blocking walls, predict if those blocking paces will continue, and review some interesting metrics being posted by a couple of AFC playoff contenders.
Top five offensive blocking walls
1. Los Angeles Rams
Grade: A
Head coach Sean McVay deserves a lot of credit for his highly creative playcalling, but a big part of why those plays are succeeding is the elite performance of the Rams' blockers. They rank tied for first in my good blocking rate (GBR) metric that measures run-blocking consistency, as they are giving their ball carriers quality run blocking on 50.4 percent of planned rushing plays. This group is nearly as adept in pass blocking, as the 2.5 seconds average time in pocket (TIP) they are giving Jared Goff on pass plays is a league-leading rate.
Outlook: The Rams have placed first or second in GBR every week this season, but that could change given that three of their next four matchups (Arizona, Houston and Minnesota) all have front sevens that have a B or higher grade in my front-seven grading system.
Rams off to London after wrapping up Jacksonville road show/Vinny B
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 17 Replies
Rams off to London after wrapping up Jacksonville road show
Rams coach Sean McVay and his team left Jacksonville Thursday for London, where they will play the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
y VINCENT BONSIGNORE | vbonsignore@scng.com | Daily News
October 19, 2017 at 4:11 pm
JACKSONVILLE — As a horn blasted into the early afternoon, Sean McVay called the Rams into a circle at the middle of a soccer field at the University of North Florida, said a few words and then dismissed them from practice.
And with that, the Rams six-day business trip to Jacksonville had come to an end. Awaiting them were four large buses that would eventually deliver them to the nearby Jacksonville airport for their 9-hour flight to London, where they will host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday before scattering for their bye week.
The week in North Florida had been good to them, beginning with a 27-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars that pushed them to 4-2 for the first time in 11 years and put them in position to make a serious division run. Ahead are winnable games against the Cardinals and New York Giants to offer the very real possibility of their best start to a season start since 2001.
They remained in Jacksonville to practice this week, rather than leave immediately for London, in part to install their Cardinals game plan prior to the long flight, but also to minimize the distractions associated with spending 11 days away from home base.
“I think the biggest thing for us was, we felt like it was going to be the best way to approach the week, getting them adjusted to an eastern time zone, then staying here, we have a great setup where we’re at, staying in Jacksonville,” Coach Sean McVay said. “I think it will be great for us to not have to travel quite as much, because if you do that then you end up not traveling back home, you go to London for a week.
“So we felt like this was going to be the best thing for our players. Get them adjusted, get the initial game played, really the majority of the game plan for the Cardinals in through Thursday before we travel, and then try to limit as many of the distractions that take place when you do travel that far, and get ready to play an excellent football team.”
The players seem to have embraced the set up well enough.
“It’s been nice. It’s been kind of like a mini training camp a little bit,” said quarterback Jared Goff. “You get to hang out with all the guys again. To be around the coaches some more is always fun and meeting rooms are right near our rooms. It’s kind of like training camp again. It’s nice, and it’s definitely better than flying back to California and then having to fly all the way back out to London.”
Said McVay: “I think it’s gone really well and I think, really, you look at just the first couple days of your weekly preparation, you’re just doing it in a different place. The players handled it great. We actually got a little bit of a jump on our install where we got some of the third downs in just so we can get our entire game-plan installed to our players before we travel to London tomorrow night. They did a great job coming out, having a good locked-in focus and concentration and it’s been outstanding. I think it’s been a great opportunity for us to kind of get away and continue to connect like we’ve talked about. Up to this point, it’s been exactly what we had hoped.”
Not everyone is a fan. In spite of being back near his old stomping grounds in Georgia, Rams running back Todd Gurley isn’t keen on being away from home as long as it requires a West Coast team to make the London trip.
“Not at all,” Gurley said. “I mean it’s cool playing over there. Don’t get me wrong. It’s just more the long week. Messes up a bunch of people’s schedule. I’m pretty sure y’all wanna be in y’all’ bed right now. But nah, it’s all good. It’ll be love. The fans over there are great.”
That said, two points of emphasis were obvious over the course of the week.
The Rams understand the 4-of-13 third-down conversion rate Sunday against the Jaguars is not sustainable moving forward. And while they aren’t panicking, clearly it’s an area they want to get cleaned up in a hurry.
Meanwhile, the chemistry between Goff and wide receiver Sammy Watkins continues to be a work in progress. Watkins has just two catches and 10 targets over the last three weeks, and even when he has been targeted it just doesn’t seem like he and Goff are on the same page.
Goff threw deep to Watkins twice against the Jaguars, but neither pass was particularly close to hitting the intended target. Watkins, a dynamic force who the Rams traded for to provide an element of athleticism and big-play ability that has been missing for years, has to become a bigger part of the offense if the Rams are to maximize their potential
“I was disappointed we didn’t hit any of those deep balls,” Goff conceded. “But the game dictated that a little bit by the way we were moving the ball on the ground.”
Said McVay: “It wasn’t necessarily not getting down the field, just connecting on those shots. You have a couple opportunities that we expect our guys to be able to make, but again, Jacksonville is one of the top pass defenses in the league for a reason. They’ve got great DBs, excellent in terms of how they match things up on the back end – played a couple different coverage principles.
“But things that we had talked about and kind of had a chance to maybe make some plays, and credit to them, we didn’t do that. But, that’s going to be a point of emphasis really every week, just being efficient in the pass game and when you get your opportunities to make some of those plays, especially off the play action and the movement, you want to try to hit a high percentage and our guys have done that. Last week was a tough one for us.”
McVay has been proactive on the Watkins and Goff front, even overseeing counseling sessions in which coach, quarterback and wide receiver hope to all get on the same page.
“We do offensive meetings and we meet consistently a lot of the times with the receivers and the quarterbacks, just talking about that rhythm and timing, that rapport,” McVay said. “It is an imperfect game, but a lot of times if things happen in the rhythm and timing of the play that we want, we have landmarks on a lot of these things. The quarterback, we tell him to read with his feet and as long as everybody is on the same page, you give yourself a chance to improve.
“I really can’t say enough, not just exclusive to Jared and Sammy, but about our players with how receptive they are with just continuing to learn, continuing to grow and get better and every game and every, really, practice provides a learning opportunity. They did a good job coming out here today.”
Those conversations, according to McVay, are open ended. And players are encouraged to speak up.
“Absolutely. We talk about it all the time as it doesn’t really matter what we know as coaches, it’s about the players,” he said. “They’re the ones out there. We want to make sure that they have an understanding and the thing that I think is really special, too, is we say certain things, but there’s a lot of dialogue that takes place between the players that I think is very healthy, where they’re the ones out there, they’re the ones communicating – there’s so much communication that goes on in the huddle that coaches aren’t exposed to and I think that’s healthy for us. But, it’s our job to be able to kind of set that table and then make sure that they understand it and then let them develop and continue to have an understanding for each other and what we’re trying to get done moving forward.”
And with that, the Rams were good. Bidding farewell to Jacksonville, their home for the past six days. Up next, London.
[www.ocregister.com]
Reply
Rams coach Sean McVay and his team left Jacksonville Thursday for London, where they will play the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
y VINCENT BONSIGNORE | vbonsignore@scng.com | Daily News
October 19, 2017 at 4:11 pm
JACKSONVILLE — As a horn blasted into the early afternoon, Sean McVay called the Rams into a circle at the middle of a soccer field at the University of North Florida, said a few words and then dismissed them from practice.
And with that, the Rams six-day business trip to Jacksonville had come to an end. Awaiting them were four large buses that would eventually deliver them to the nearby Jacksonville airport for their 9-hour flight to London, where they will host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday before scattering for their bye week.
The week in North Florida had been good to them, beginning with a 27-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars that pushed them to 4-2 for the first time in 11 years and put them in position to make a serious division run. Ahead are winnable games against the Cardinals and New York Giants to offer the very real possibility of their best start to a season start since 2001.
They remained in Jacksonville to practice this week, rather than leave immediately for London, in part to install their Cardinals game plan prior to the long flight, but also to minimize the distractions associated with spending 11 days away from home base.
“I think the biggest thing for us was, we felt like it was going to be the best way to approach the week, getting them adjusted to an eastern time zone, then staying here, we have a great setup where we’re at, staying in Jacksonville,” Coach Sean McVay said. “I think it will be great for us to not have to travel quite as much, because if you do that then you end up not traveling back home, you go to London for a week.
“So we felt like this was going to be the best thing for our players. Get them adjusted, get the initial game played, really the majority of the game plan for the Cardinals in through Thursday before we travel, and then try to limit as many of the distractions that take place when you do travel that far, and get ready to play an excellent football team.”
The players seem to have embraced the set up well enough.
“It’s been nice. It’s been kind of like a mini training camp a little bit,” said quarterback Jared Goff. “You get to hang out with all the guys again. To be around the coaches some more is always fun and meeting rooms are right near our rooms. It’s kind of like training camp again. It’s nice, and it’s definitely better than flying back to California and then having to fly all the way back out to London.”
Said McVay: “I think it’s gone really well and I think, really, you look at just the first couple days of your weekly preparation, you’re just doing it in a different place. The players handled it great. We actually got a little bit of a jump on our install where we got some of the third downs in just so we can get our entire game-plan installed to our players before we travel to London tomorrow night. They did a great job coming out, having a good locked-in focus and concentration and it’s been outstanding. I think it’s been a great opportunity for us to kind of get away and continue to connect like we’ve talked about. Up to this point, it’s been exactly what we had hoped.”
Not everyone is a fan. In spite of being back near his old stomping grounds in Georgia, Rams running back Todd Gurley isn’t keen on being away from home as long as it requires a West Coast team to make the London trip.
“Not at all,” Gurley said. “I mean it’s cool playing over there. Don’t get me wrong. It’s just more the long week. Messes up a bunch of people’s schedule. I’m pretty sure y’all wanna be in y’all’ bed right now. But nah, it’s all good. It’ll be love. The fans over there are great.”
That said, two points of emphasis were obvious over the course of the week.
The Rams understand the 4-of-13 third-down conversion rate Sunday against the Jaguars is not sustainable moving forward. And while they aren’t panicking, clearly it’s an area they want to get cleaned up in a hurry.
Meanwhile, the chemistry between Goff and wide receiver Sammy Watkins continues to be a work in progress. Watkins has just two catches and 10 targets over the last three weeks, and even when he has been targeted it just doesn’t seem like he and Goff are on the same page.
Goff threw deep to Watkins twice against the Jaguars, but neither pass was particularly close to hitting the intended target. Watkins, a dynamic force who the Rams traded for to provide an element of athleticism and big-play ability that has been missing for years, has to become a bigger part of the offense if the Rams are to maximize their potential
“I was disappointed we didn’t hit any of those deep balls,” Goff conceded. “But the game dictated that a little bit by the way we were moving the ball on the ground.”
Said McVay: “It wasn’t necessarily not getting down the field, just connecting on those shots. You have a couple opportunities that we expect our guys to be able to make, but again, Jacksonville is one of the top pass defenses in the league for a reason. They’ve got great DBs, excellent in terms of how they match things up on the back end – played a couple different coverage principles.
“But things that we had talked about and kind of had a chance to maybe make some plays, and credit to them, we didn’t do that. But, that’s going to be a point of emphasis really every week, just being efficient in the pass game and when you get your opportunities to make some of those plays, especially off the play action and the movement, you want to try to hit a high percentage and our guys have done that. Last week was a tough one for us.”
McVay has been proactive on the Watkins and Goff front, even overseeing counseling sessions in which coach, quarterback and wide receiver hope to all get on the same page.
“We do offensive meetings and we meet consistently a lot of the times with the receivers and the quarterbacks, just talking about that rhythm and timing, that rapport,” McVay said. “It is an imperfect game, but a lot of times if things happen in the rhythm and timing of the play that we want, we have landmarks on a lot of these things. The quarterback, we tell him to read with his feet and as long as everybody is on the same page, you give yourself a chance to improve.
“I really can’t say enough, not just exclusive to Jared and Sammy, but about our players with how receptive they are with just continuing to learn, continuing to grow and get better and every game and every, really, practice provides a learning opportunity. They did a good job coming out here today.”
Those conversations, according to McVay, are open ended. And players are encouraged to speak up.
“Absolutely. We talk about it all the time as it doesn’t really matter what we know as coaches, it’s about the players,” he said. “They’re the ones out there. We want to make sure that they have an understanding and the thing that I think is really special, too, is we say certain things, but there’s a lot of dialogue that takes place between the players that I think is very healthy, where they’re the ones out there, they’re the ones communicating – there’s so much communication that goes on in the huddle that coaches aren’t exposed to and I think that’s healthy for us. But, it’s our job to be able to kind of set that table and then make sure that they understand it and then let them develop and continue to have an understanding for each other and what we’re trying to get done moving forward.”
And with that, the Rams were good. Bidding farewell to Jacksonville, their home for the past six days. Up next, London.
[www.ocregister.com]
Reply
Referees Association ticked off at claims of officiating bias
- By Prime Time
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 51 Replies
Referees have undoubtedly done a crappy job overall, not just this season but for a long time. Why else would the NFL agree to hire certain refs full-time? No one's perfect at their job but when the screw ups continue year after year then something needs to be done.
Are some refs biased towards one team and against another? Maybe but good luck proving that. I have the feeling they keep the games close by order of the NFL. Calling penalties can be very subjective with some exceptions of course when they're obvious. So the ref calls a few more on the team that's ahead and less on the team that's behind. And there you go. Would love to see some stats on that.
*************************************************************************************
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...back-at-misguided-claims-of-officiating-bias/
NFLRA hits back at “misguided” claims of officiating bias
Posted by Josh Alper on October 19, 2017
Getty Images
After the Eagles beat the Panthers last Thursday night, PFT and other outlets pointed out that the Eagles had 10 penalties accepted for 126 yards in the game while the Panthers were deducted one yard on their one accepted penalty.
That wasn’t out of the norm for Eagles games officiated by referee Pete Morelli. The last four games involving the Eagles and Morelli saw Philly penalized 40 times while their opposition was penalized eight times. Eagles coach Doug Pederson was asked about it and said he thought the league was aware of that disparity.
That’s not the only history between a referee and a team that’s come up recently. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady noted referee Jerome Boger’s crew has “called much more penalties on us than the other team” after a loss to the Panthers earlier this month and all of that discussion has caught the attention of the NFL Referees Association.
They released a statement from NFLRA executive director Scott Green on Thursday hitting back at any suggestions of bias that might come from such observations and comments.
“Claims like these demonstrate a fundamental lack of knowledge about NFL officiating,” Green said. “NFL officials are graded on every call made in every game. Missing a single one can hurt his or her ranking and may be the difference between working in the postseason or not.
These recent attempts to sensationalize statistics and create click-bait headlines lack important context. Without the proper perspective, the information being pushed is completely misguided. The passion of NFL fans and teams are a big part of what makes the game so great.
However, it’s no excuse for the irresponsible and baseless claims we’ve seen lately. NFL officials are committed to upholding the integrity of the game and do so every week.”
The statement points out that declined penalties could paint a more balanced picture and that notions of historical bias don’t fit with crews that change their makeup from year to year. Both of those things are true, but they’re unlikely to make too many fans feel differently if their team is on the wrong side of a wide disparity in penalties.
Are some refs biased towards one team and against another? Maybe but good luck proving that. I have the feeling they keep the games close by order of the NFL. Calling penalties can be very subjective with some exceptions of course when they're obvious. So the ref calls a few more on the team that's ahead and less on the team that's behind. And there you go. Would love to see some stats on that.
*************************************************************************************
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...back-at-misguided-claims-of-officiating-bias/
NFLRA hits back at “misguided” claims of officiating bias
Posted by Josh Alper on October 19, 2017
Getty Images
After the Eagles beat the Panthers last Thursday night, PFT and other outlets pointed out that the Eagles had 10 penalties accepted for 126 yards in the game while the Panthers were deducted one yard on their one accepted penalty.
That wasn’t out of the norm for Eagles games officiated by referee Pete Morelli. The last four games involving the Eagles and Morelli saw Philly penalized 40 times while their opposition was penalized eight times. Eagles coach Doug Pederson was asked about it and said he thought the league was aware of that disparity.
That’s not the only history between a referee and a team that’s come up recently. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady noted referee Jerome Boger’s crew has “called much more penalties on us than the other team” after a loss to the Panthers earlier this month and all of that discussion has caught the attention of the NFL Referees Association.
They released a statement from NFLRA executive director Scott Green on Thursday hitting back at any suggestions of bias that might come from such observations and comments.
“Claims like these demonstrate a fundamental lack of knowledge about NFL officiating,” Green said. “NFL officials are graded on every call made in every game. Missing a single one can hurt his or her ranking and may be the difference between working in the postseason or not.
These recent attempts to sensationalize statistics and create click-bait headlines lack important context. Without the proper perspective, the information being pushed is completely misguided. The passion of NFL fans and teams are a big part of what makes the game so great.
However, it’s no excuse for the irresponsible and baseless claims we’ve seen lately. NFL officials are committed to upholding the integrity of the game and do so every week.”
The statement points out that declined penalties could paint a more balanced picture and that notions of historical bias don’t fit with crews that change their makeup from year to year. Both of those things are true, but they’re unlikely to make too many fans feel differently if their team is on the wrong side of a wide disparity in penalties.
Top 21 Quarterbacks for the Rest of 2017 - Goff #21
- By Prime Time
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 10 Replies
https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/10/18/nfl-quarterbacks-qb-rankings
The NFL’s Top 21 Quarterbacks for the Rest of 2017
By Andy Benoit
The Aaron Rodgers injury serves as the latest reminder: In pro football, nothing is more important than quarterback play. Here are the top 21 quarterbacks in the NFL right now. (Why 21? I set out to do 20, but thought the first man on the outside looking in, Goff, was too interesting to not write about.) And by “right now” we mean, if you had to choose a QB to play with for the rest of the 2017 season-only, who would you want? Assume the QB can bring his offensive system along, but not the players around him.
21. Jared Goff, Rams: In many respects, he’s a more talented Kirk Cousins. Goff throws the seam ball well, he’s sharp on early down play-action where the reads are defined (a key facet in head coach Sean McVay’s system), he’s willing to attempt tough throws when the situation demands and, while not mobile per se, he can make the occasional play when things break down.
Even better, Goff himself is not usually the one breaking them down; he’s getting firmer from the pocket. But also like Cousins (especially a younger Cousins), Goff is prone to making the boneheaded mistake. That’s not atypical this early in a QB’s career. The Rams have a nice young head coach-quarterback tandem.
https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-nfl-qb-rankings-by-pff-grade-after-week-6
20. Deshaun Watson, Texans: Is five-and-a-half games too small a sample size to put Watson on this list? Probably. But if we’re talking about playing now? Defenses have yet to figure out Watson’s mobility or how to bait him into the ill-advised decisions that he already flirts with too often.
That will change, it’s just a matter of whether Watson can grow fast enough to outpace his opponents. If he doesn’t, turnovers will ensue. Watson is a nice touch passer but not a flamethrower. His future hinges on how well he commands Bill O’Brien’s scheme. O’Brien, to his credit, has tweaked that scheme to accommodate his rookie QB.
19. Joe Flacco, Ravens: He’s on the list because it doesn’t feel right to put callow QBs like Goff and Watson ahead of an accomplished 10-year vet and Super Bowl winner. But sheesh, what has happened to the Ravens’ leader? His poise and aggressiveness have abated and his decision-making often goes awry. He’s been a shell of his former, star-caliber self the past year-and-a-half.
Addendum on Flacco being one spot ahead of Watson: I’ve seen every snap from both QBs on film, and there’s no doubt that Watson has been infinitely better in 2017. Each week, Watson has gotten quicker and smoother going through his reads, but there have been cases where he’s looked like a rookie—most notably, several ill-advised throws late in the down, many of which he doesn’t have the arm strength for—and gotten away with it. If he keeps making those mistakes, at some point his luck will change. (He very well could continue to improve rapidly, in which case I’ll be the biggest idiot left standing.)
As for Flacco, I’ve always been smitten with his arm strength; I guess that’s the big-armed-pocket-passer-loving part of me that I just can’t quit. He is 32, too young to be washing up—I just can’t stop thinking he’ll turn it around. And, ultimately, I think there’s something to be said for Flacco’s decade-worth of solid tape. As for Watson, he had a shaky game-and-a-half followed by four great games. His long-term outlook is exciting, but this exercise is focused only on the remainder of his rookie year.
18. Andy Dalton, Bengals: Because he’s not great from a messy pocket and doesn’t have the biggest arm, he needs quality players around him in order to thrive. When he has that, he’s an excellent field general who can throw well between the numbers.
17. Marcus Mariota, Titans: Mariota can obviously make plays with his legs, but in Tennessee’s offense he must also be proficient throwing on first and second down (including play-action). He has a quick enough release, but you’d like to see more consistent accuracy.
16. Carson Palmer, Cardinals: He’ll continue to get the living daylights beaten out of him behind a bad Cardinals O-line and in a scheme that doesn’t leave extra men in to help pass protect. It’s incredible that Palmer keeps standing tall in the pocket and making his downfield reads. That’s why Arizona still has a fighting chance in the NFC West.
15. Dak Prescott, Cowboys: We wondered how he’d play once the perfect conditions of his rookie season disappeared. Well, this year, top receiver Dez Bryant has struggled, Dallas’s O-line has underachieved and Ezekiel Elliott has been bottled up (and could soon be serving that six-game suspension). Prescott’s response has been impressive.
He continues to be a pocket QB first, a mover second. That’s a must in pro football. When Prescott has used his legs, he’s been sensational. He’s low on this list because the sample size of games he's played without those perfect conditions (five games) is small. But if he continues this current growth, he’ll soon be top 10.
14. Russell Wilson, Seahawks: Yes, he’s hindered by a shaky O-line, and that accentuates some of his limitations as a pocket passer. If Wilson is unable to get the ball out quickly, his lack of height and vision become issues, and the play can break down. Wilson can become dangerous—really dangerous, in fact—but not if he has bouts of inaccuracy like he’s had a few times this season.
13. Philip Rivers, Chargers: Meet the NFL’s most difficult QB to reconcile. Rivers is a true field general, owning the entire offense and commanding the game at the line of scrimmage. He still has the arm to make all the throws, and, though it’s unattractive, he can create new throwing opportunities off of movement, both outside the pocket and especially inside the pocket.
And yet . . . the Chargers have suffered from perplexing turnovers and tight losses. It’s been for a variety of factors, but at some point you have to consider the quarterback’s culpability. How do you analyze a QB whose process is so much better than his team’s results?
12. Kirk Cousins, Redskins: The “and his system” stipulation on this list is critical. Cousins fits Jay Gruden’s scheme about as well as any QB fits any coach’s scheme. The slow development of wide receivers Josh Doctson and Terrelle Pryor has hurt, but Cousins understands how the system can get the ball to interior playmakers like tight ends Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis, and especially scatback Chris Thompson. Cousins still occasionally attempts throws beyond his abilities, but as a timing and rhythm passer, he’s become very sound.
11. Jameis Winston, Bucs: An intriguing old-school dropback pocket passer, no one attempts more tight-window downfield throws than the third-year pro, and often the results are positive. Naturally, though, some are negative. That creates the fine line that Winston and head coach Dirk Koetter must walk together.
10. Alex Smith, Chiefs: He’s still a game manager. However, he’s managing the best-designed offense in football. As a smart player who has been in that offense for five years, Smith has naturally become more aggressive. He doesn’t leave nearly as many throws on the field as he used to.
9. Eli Manning, Giants: Yes, he’s had a few of his patented horrendous turnovers (the sack-fumble at the end of the Chargers game comes to mind). And yes, he’s without his receivers and playing behind a questionable offensive line, which will continue to impact his performance. But Manning hasn’t suddenly forgotten how to play football, and in a quick-timed scheme like New York’s, where two-receiver route combinations can work when the defense is properly diagnosed, he’s still a QB you can win with.
8. Derek Carr, Raiders: The Raiders have underachieved, but we shouldn’t overlook Carr’s quick release and accuracy. He’s become a more decisive passer, and he has the legs to survive when indecision does set in. Quarterback is not among Oakland’s problems, which is why their problems can be resolved.
7. Cam Newton, Panthers: The plan was to give Newton more throws to running backs in hopes of improving his completion percentage. So far, it’s gone well. Newton is connecting on 64.5% of his passes—5.7 percentage points better than his career mark. He still doesn’t (and probably never will) have the consistent precision-accuracy and timing to run a full-fledged spread quick-strike game, but the Panthers don’t need him to.
They’ve incorporated Christian McCaffrey as the underneath piece in their existing deeper dropback concepts, and so Newton’s game still centers around downfield power throws, where he’s as effective as anyone. Oh, and also around his mobility, of course. The plan to run Newton less has, fortunately, fallen through. In crucial moments—third-and-medium, late in games, in the red zone, etc.—Newton’s legs become Carolina’s primary weapon.
This offense would be lost without that. His mechanical glitches still make week-to-week consistency a question. But if Newton continues to play at his current level, he’ll climb this list, just like he did in 2015.
6. Carson Wentz, Eagles: We thought before the season that Eagles head coach Doug Pederson might expand the offense to better capitalize on Wentz’s late-in-the-down playmaking prowess. He has, and Wentz has responded. You can’t teach a quarterback to keep his eyes downfield under duress the way Wentz does, and you certainly can’t teach him to make Wentz’s strong-armed throws, which can come off design or improvisation.
5. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers: Contrary to speculation, he can still play. Even if—if—he’s not quite the physical specimen he was, his evolution into a cerebral QB, both before and after the snap, will make him a great overseer of an offense that can rely on a smashmouth ground game or spread passing game. And by the way, there isn’t a defensive coordinator in the league that doesn’t still worry about Roethlisberger’s playmaking prowess.
4. Drew Brees, Saints: Business as usual. He still gets through his progressions as efficiently as anyone, which is why New Orleans’s offensive line shuffles have not been a huge problem, and why Brees’s declining arm strength usually isn’t.
3. Matt Ryan, Falcons: Though they’re slogging through a valley right now, the Falcons under new coordinator Steve Sarkisian have mostly looked like the schematically diverse, run/pass-synchronized offense that they were under Kyle Shanahan. It helps that Sarkisian’s QB can identify the defense before the snap (Atlanta’s varied formations out of base personnel helps) and work through his progressions smoothly after it.
2. Matthew Stafford, Lions: With Aaron Rodgers shelved, Stafford right now possesses the best arm in football. His ability to throw with velocity from a variety of platforms has been the difference in a few Lions wins; no one is better on far-hash, downfield throws. Stafford actually makes it risky to play Cover 2. Plus, he continues to show more pre- and post-snap maturity in coordinator Jim Bob Cooter’s offense.
The Lions frequently line up in static formations and let their QB research the defense and tweak the play call before the snap. That’s what the Colts did in the Peyton Manning years. True, it wasn’t a great showing for Stafford against the Saints last Sunday, and yes, the Lions’ passing numbers are far from dazzling (there aren’t many weapons there). That doesn’t change the fact that Stafford’s skills have now caught up to his extraordinary talent.
1. Tom Brady, Patriots: He’s having the best season of his pretty decent 18-year career. New England’s offensive line woes have not just led to Brady getting knocked around, they’ve also forced him to move within the pocket (which he does better than anyone in history) and make throws with hits looming.
Brady has been masterful here, especially given that New England has evolved into more of a vertical passing attack. Brady’s arm strength shows no sign of decline, and his precision accuracy remains pinpoint, even under pressure.
The NFL’s Top 21 Quarterbacks for the Rest of 2017
By Andy Benoit
The Aaron Rodgers injury serves as the latest reminder: In pro football, nothing is more important than quarterback play. Here are the top 21 quarterbacks in the NFL right now. (Why 21? I set out to do 20, but thought the first man on the outside looking in, Goff, was too interesting to not write about.) And by “right now” we mean, if you had to choose a QB to play with for the rest of the 2017 season-only, who would you want? Assume the QB can bring his offensive system along, but not the players around him.
21. Jared Goff, Rams: In many respects, he’s a more talented Kirk Cousins. Goff throws the seam ball well, he’s sharp on early down play-action where the reads are defined (a key facet in head coach Sean McVay’s system), he’s willing to attempt tough throws when the situation demands and, while not mobile per se, he can make the occasional play when things break down.
Even better, Goff himself is not usually the one breaking them down; he’s getting firmer from the pocket. But also like Cousins (especially a younger Cousins), Goff is prone to making the boneheaded mistake. That’s not atypical this early in a QB’s career. The Rams have a nice young head coach-quarterback tandem.
https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-nfl-qb-rankings-by-pff-grade-after-week-6
20. Deshaun Watson, Texans: Is five-and-a-half games too small a sample size to put Watson on this list? Probably. But if we’re talking about playing now? Defenses have yet to figure out Watson’s mobility or how to bait him into the ill-advised decisions that he already flirts with too often.
That will change, it’s just a matter of whether Watson can grow fast enough to outpace his opponents. If he doesn’t, turnovers will ensue. Watson is a nice touch passer but not a flamethrower. His future hinges on how well he commands Bill O’Brien’s scheme. O’Brien, to his credit, has tweaked that scheme to accommodate his rookie QB.
19. Joe Flacco, Ravens: He’s on the list because it doesn’t feel right to put callow QBs like Goff and Watson ahead of an accomplished 10-year vet and Super Bowl winner. But sheesh, what has happened to the Ravens’ leader? His poise and aggressiveness have abated and his decision-making often goes awry. He’s been a shell of his former, star-caliber self the past year-and-a-half.
Addendum on Flacco being one spot ahead of Watson: I’ve seen every snap from both QBs on film, and there’s no doubt that Watson has been infinitely better in 2017. Each week, Watson has gotten quicker and smoother going through his reads, but there have been cases where he’s looked like a rookie—most notably, several ill-advised throws late in the down, many of which he doesn’t have the arm strength for—and gotten away with it. If he keeps making those mistakes, at some point his luck will change. (He very well could continue to improve rapidly, in which case I’ll be the biggest idiot left standing.)
As for Flacco, I’ve always been smitten with his arm strength; I guess that’s the big-armed-pocket-passer-loving part of me that I just can’t quit. He is 32, too young to be washing up—I just can’t stop thinking he’ll turn it around. And, ultimately, I think there’s something to be said for Flacco’s decade-worth of solid tape. As for Watson, he had a shaky game-and-a-half followed by four great games. His long-term outlook is exciting, but this exercise is focused only on the remainder of his rookie year.
18. Andy Dalton, Bengals: Because he’s not great from a messy pocket and doesn’t have the biggest arm, he needs quality players around him in order to thrive. When he has that, he’s an excellent field general who can throw well between the numbers.
17. Marcus Mariota, Titans: Mariota can obviously make plays with his legs, but in Tennessee’s offense he must also be proficient throwing on first and second down (including play-action). He has a quick enough release, but you’d like to see more consistent accuracy.
16. Carson Palmer, Cardinals: He’ll continue to get the living daylights beaten out of him behind a bad Cardinals O-line and in a scheme that doesn’t leave extra men in to help pass protect. It’s incredible that Palmer keeps standing tall in the pocket and making his downfield reads. That’s why Arizona still has a fighting chance in the NFC West.
15. Dak Prescott, Cowboys: We wondered how he’d play once the perfect conditions of his rookie season disappeared. Well, this year, top receiver Dez Bryant has struggled, Dallas’s O-line has underachieved and Ezekiel Elliott has been bottled up (and could soon be serving that six-game suspension). Prescott’s response has been impressive.
He continues to be a pocket QB first, a mover second. That’s a must in pro football. When Prescott has used his legs, he’s been sensational. He’s low on this list because the sample size of games he's played without those perfect conditions (five games) is small. But if he continues this current growth, he’ll soon be top 10.
14. Russell Wilson, Seahawks: Yes, he’s hindered by a shaky O-line, and that accentuates some of his limitations as a pocket passer. If Wilson is unable to get the ball out quickly, his lack of height and vision become issues, and the play can break down. Wilson can become dangerous—really dangerous, in fact—but not if he has bouts of inaccuracy like he’s had a few times this season.
13. Philip Rivers, Chargers: Meet the NFL’s most difficult QB to reconcile. Rivers is a true field general, owning the entire offense and commanding the game at the line of scrimmage. He still has the arm to make all the throws, and, though it’s unattractive, he can create new throwing opportunities off of movement, both outside the pocket and especially inside the pocket.
And yet . . . the Chargers have suffered from perplexing turnovers and tight losses. It’s been for a variety of factors, but at some point you have to consider the quarterback’s culpability. How do you analyze a QB whose process is so much better than his team’s results?
12. Kirk Cousins, Redskins: The “and his system” stipulation on this list is critical. Cousins fits Jay Gruden’s scheme about as well as any QB fits any coach’s scheme. The slow development of wide receivers Josh Doctson and Terrelle Pryor has hurt, but Cousins understands how the system can get the ball to interior playmakers like tight ends Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis, and especially scatback Chris Thompson. Cousins still occasionally attempts throws beyond his abilities, but as a timing and rhythm passer, he’s become very sound.
11. Jameis Winston, Bucs: An intriguing old-school dropback pocket passer, no one attempts more tight-window downfield throws than the third-year pro, and often the results are positive. Naturally, though, some are negative. That creates the fine line that Winston and head coach Dirk Koetter must walk together.
10. Alex Smith, Chiefs: He’s still a game manager. However, he’s managing the best-designed offense in football. As a smart player who has been in that offense for five years, Smith has naturally become more aggressive. He doesn’t leave nearly as many throws on the field as he used to.
9. Eli Manning, Giants: Yes, he’s had a few of his patented horrendous turnovers (the sack-fumble at the end of the Chargers game comes to mind). And yes, he’s without his receivers and playing behind a questionable offensive line, which will continue to impact his performance. But Manning hasn’t suddenly forgotten how to play football, and in a quick-timed scheme like New York’s, where two-receiver route combinations can work when the defense is properly diagnosed, he’s still a QB you can win with.
8. Derek Carr, Raiders: The Raiders have underachieved, but we shouldn’t overlook Carr’s quick release and accuracy. He’s become a more decisive passer, and he has the legs to survive when indecision does set in. Quarterback is not among Oakland’s problems, which is why their problems can be resolved.
7. Cam Newton, Panthers: The plan was to give Newton more throws to running backs in hopes of improving his completion percentage. So far, it’s gone well. Newton is connecting on 64.5% of his passes—5.7 percentage points better than his career mark. He still doesn’t (and probably never will) have the consistent precision-accuracy and timing to run a full-fledged spread quick-strike game, but the Panthers don’t need him to.
They’ve incorporated Christian McCaffrey as the underneath piece in their existing deeper dropback concepts, and so Newton’s game still centers around downfield power throws, where he’s as effective as anyone. Oh, and also around his mobility, of course. The plan to run Newton less has, fortunately, fallen through. In crucial moments—third-and-medium, late in games, in the red zone, etc.—Newton’s legs become Carolina’s primary weapon.
This offense would be lost without that. His mechanical glitches still make week-to-week consistency a question. But if Newton continues to play at his current level, he’ll climb this list, just like he did in 2015.
6. Carson Wentz, Eagles: We thought before the season that Eagles head coach Doug Pederson might expand the offense to better capitalize on Wentz’s late-in-the-down playmaking prowess. He has, and Wentz has responded. You can’t teach a quarterback to keep his eyes downfield under duress the way Wentz does, and you certainly can’t teach him to make Wentz’s strong-armed throws, which can come off design or improvisation.
5. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers: Contrary to speculation, he can still play. Even if—if—he’s not quite the physical specimen he was, his evolution into a cerebral QB, both before and after the snap, will make him a great overseer of an offense that can rely on a smashmouth ground game or spread passing game. And by the way, there isn’t a defensive coordinator in the league that doesn’t still worry about Roethlisberger’s playmaking prowess.
4. Drew Brees, Saints: Business as usual. He still gets through his progressions as efficiently as anyone, which is why New Orleans’s offensive line shuffles have not been a huge problem, and why Brees’s declining arm strength usually isn’t.
3. Matt Ryan, Falcons: Though they’re slogging through a valley right now, the Falcons under new coordinator Steve Sarkisian have mostly looked like the schematically diverse, run/pass-synchronized offense that they were under Kyle Shanahan. It helps that Sarkisian’s QB can identify the defense before the snap (Atlanta’s varied formations out of base personnel helps) and work through his progressions smoothly after it.
2. Matthew Stafford, Lions: With Aaron Rodgers shelved, Stafford right now possesses the best arm in football. His ability to throw with velocity from a variety of platforms has been the difference in a few Lions wins; no one is better on far-hash, downfield throws. Stafford actually makes it risky to play Cover 2. Plus, he continues to show more pre- and post-snap maturity in coordinator Jim Bob Cooter’s offense.
The Lions frequently line up in static formations and let their QB research the defense and tweak the play call before the snap. That’s what the Colts did in the Peyton Manning years. True, it wasn’t a great showing for Stafford against the Saints last Sunday, and yes, the Lions’ passing numbers are far from dazzling (there aren’t many weapons there). That doesn’t change the fact that Stafford’s skills have now caught up to his extraordinary talent.
1. Tom Brady, Patriots: He’s having the best season of his pretty decent 18-year career. New England’s offensive line woes have not just led to Brady getting knocked around, they’ve also forced him to move within the pocket (which he does better than anyone in history) and make throws with hits looming.
Brady has been masterful here, especially given that New England has evolved into more of a vertical passing attack. Brady’s arm strength shows no sign of decline, and his precision accuracy remains pinpoint, even under pressure.
Rams uniform changes are coming – but not before 2019 --OC Register
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 43 Replies
Rams uniform changes are coming – but not…
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Pharoh Cooper celebrates his 103-yard touchdown return, on the opening kickoff, with Cory Littleton. left, and Malcolm Brown, right, during the first half of an NFL game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
By VINCENT BONSIGNORE | vbonsignore@scng.com | Daily News
PUBLISHED: October 18, 2017 at 1:30 pm | UPDATED: October 18, 2017 at 5:40 pm
JACKSONVILLE – Unless a future 2017 regular-season road opponent throws the Rams a curve ball, it looks like they won’t have to wear the hideous mismatched uniforms they wore against the Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars.
That’s the good news.
On the flip side, the major changes the Rams have planned for a fresh new look representing their move back to Los Angeles won’t happen until 2019, at the earliest, and possibly 2020 to coincide with the opening of their new stadium in Inglewood.
By NFL rule, uniform changes require a two-year notification and lock teams into that uniform for five years. The Rams have begun that process – remember, the new stadium was originally expected to be opened in 2019 – and have yet to decide whether to make the switch in 2019 or 2020.
Change is coming, which is a positive for those who hate the current color scheme. And there are plenty of haters, most of whom reside in Southern California and can’t help but connect the present jersey and pants color schemes with the years the Rams spent in St. Louis.
Just not quickly enough.
The Rams understand, which is why they changed to the old-school white and blue helmet this year and switched to their white away jerseys for home games. It was something, at least. But league rules prohibit them from going any further. There are various reasons for this, with merchandising and retail partnerships coming into play as well as the importance the NFL puts in creating a consistent global brand that fans identify teams with.
So, for the next couple of years anyway, they’ll try to make do by integrating the white and blue helmets with the carry over jerseys and pants from their St. Louis days..
That hasn’t stopped them from petitioning the league for flexibility to allow them to wear their throwback or color rush uniforms above and beyond the times NFL teams are permitted. At least for games in which they have to wear their blue jerseys.
They also requested permission to wear their throwback uniforms full time, provided they could still change to their new uniforms in 2019 or 2020.
But the league refused.
By the way, in case anyone is wondering, the throw back and color rush uniforms apply to the playoffs too.
[www.ocregister.com]
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Pharoh Cooper celebrates his 103-yard touchdown return, on the opening kickoff, with Cory Littleton. left, and Malcolm Brown, right, during the first half of an NFL game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
By VINCENT BONSIGNORE | vbonsignore@scng.com | Daily News
PUBLISHED: October 18, 2017 at 1:30 pm | UPDATED: October 18, 2017 at 5:40 pm
JACKSONVILLE – Unless a future 2017 regular-season road opponent throws the Rams a curve ball, it looks like they won’t have to wear the hideous mismatched uniforms they wore against the Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars.
That’s the good news.
On the flip side, the major changes the Rams have planned for a fresh new look representing their move back to Los Angeles won’t happen until 2019, at the earliest, and possibly 2020 to coincide with the opening of their new stadium in Inglewood.
By NFL rule, uniform changes require a two-year notification and lock teams into that uniform for five years. The Rams have begun that process – remember, the new stadium was originally expected to be opened in 2019 – and have yet to decide whether to make the switch in 2019 or 2020.
Change is coming, which is a positive for those who hate the current color scheme. And there are plenty of haters, most of whom reside in Southern California and can’t help but connect the present jersey and pants color schemes with the years the Rams spent in St. Louis.
Just not quickly enough.
The Rams understand, which is why they changed to the old-school white and blue helmet this year and switched to their white away jerseys for home games. It was something, at least. But league rules prohibit them from going any further. There are various reasons for this, with merchandising and retail partnerships coming into play as well as the importance the NFL puts in creating a consistent global brand that fans identify teams with.
So, for the next couple of years anyway, they’ll try to make do by integrating the white and blue helmets with the carry over jerseys and pants from their St. Louis days..
That hasn’t stopped them from petitioning the league for flexibility to allow them to wear their throwback or color rush uniforms above and beyond the times NFL teams are permitted. At least for games in which they have to wear their blue jerseys.
They also requested permission to wear their throwback uniforms full time, provided they could still change to their new uniforms in 2019 or 2020.
But the league refused.
By the way, in case anyone is wondering, the throw back and color rush uniforms apply to the playoffs too.
[www.ocregister.com]
Rams are happy to be 4-2, but not content/Bonsignore
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 4 Replies
Bonsignore: Rams are happy to be 4-2, but not content
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff, left, talks with head coach Sean McVay during the second half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The dark clouds and wet, gloomy conditions that besieged North Florida the last couple of days lifted by the time the Rams returned to practice Wednesday in preparation for their Sunday game against the Cardinals in London.
But Florida being Florida, sooner than you could say Aaron Donald is the best defensive lineman in the NFL, daunting clouds rolled back in to add a definite shade of gray to what had mostly been blue skies.
And in a way, it offered the perfect overhead from which to view the Rams current position and frame of mind as they near the halfway point of their very telling second season in Los Angeles.
At the risk of playing the clichéd game of after-the-fact rationalizing, it’s safe to say had you asked the Rams and their fans at the beginning of training camp whether they’d accept a 4-2 start to the 2017 season, a mass rush to click the “Absolutely” link would have ensued. And, with the Rams sitting in that precise place six games in, it would be a bit disingenuous not to express satisfaction as a result.
But here’s the rub: It’s a satisfaction that comes with an asterisk. The Rams don’t feel fortunate to be 4-2. Nor lucky, fortuitous or charmed.
Quite the contrary actually.
Their asterisk represents a definite feeling of “but it should be even better,” after the stubbing of the toes that occurred in losses to Washington and Seattle. And for longtime Rams accustomed to experiencing sinking feelings this time of year, that’s, well, kind of cool.
“It just feels good to feel that way,” said defensive tackle Michael Brockers. “Even with two losses on your record, you feel like you could have won one of those games. Or both of them, and be here sitting at (6-0). And that’s a great feeling. I haven’t had that feeling in a long time.
“It feels good to not have a losing record, but also know we can be so much better.”
The Rams can’t rewrite their wrongs through the first six games of a 16-game season. The five turnovers against the Seahawks and the untimely mistakes against Washington are disappointments they just have to swallow. But you get the feeling their reaction to where they sit now creates almost the perfect position from which to attack the rest of the season.
Good but could be better. Happy but still not content. Satisfied, but …
“Happy with where we are but at the same time disappointed in some of the things that caused us to lose two of those game,” is how quarterback Jared Goff put it. “There’s definitely that, not being content and wanting more and I think that’s the sign of a great team. That’s good to see around here.”
This isn’t last year, or so many others previously, where the Rams talked about improvements or finding solutions and answers but, in the deepest part of their souls, knew those answers weren’t coming anytime soon.
Damaged rosters provided no ready-made improvements. A flawed coaching staff offered insufficient guidance or ability to fix and lead.
So while they talked a lot, it was all in lieu of real solutions or meaningful change. That isn’t the case anymore, which is why the defensive woes of early in the season were more easily accepted because there was sufficient talent on hand and a proven coach and system under coordinator Wade Phillips.
After giving up 90 points over the first 10 quarters of the season, the Rams have allowed just 39 points over the past 10 as players get more acclimated to the 3-4 defense under Phillips, and Donald continues to round into form.
“We’ve just been buying into the system and trusting the process and it’s been working,” Brockers said.
And it’s why they can be disappointed at the offensive breakdowns over the past two games that cost them the game against the Seahawks and made the one over the Jaguars closer than it should have been, but not completely disheartened.
The Rams’ woes in the red zone and difficulty converting on third downs on Sunday — they were 4 of 13 — are fixable. Not in the way it’s been in the past. In fact, the Rams have already shown enough proficiency in both areas this year — from a talent, scheme and execution level — that there’s confidence they can reclaim that previous efficiency.
“I think it’s just execution on each play,” Goff said. “I think we had some good plays on (recently) and we just didn’t quite execute them. Everyone’s a part of it. I can throw a couple of balls a little better, I think. We can do a little better running routes. But for the most part it’s just execution. And we look to bounce back in that this week.”
The Rams in the past uttered similar answers. They talked about fixing things and getting better and executing more efficiently. It all sounded great. But just like the taste of cotton candy dissolves into virtually nothing almost immediately after you take a bite, all those proclamations and promises never amounted to anything.
You don’t get the feeling that’s the case with these Rams. Their answers seem available, that execution attainable. And it’s driven by a surprisingly frank mindset.
The Rams don’t feel lucky to be 4-2, even after more than a decade of losing. If anything, there’s genuine disappointment that they aren’t 6-0. It’s a perspective that bodes well moving forward.
“Our two losses, we lost by six points and seven points,” Rams guard Rodger Saffold said. “And those are things we look at, especially as an offense, and say: ‘What could we have done better to put more points on the board? What can we do to stay on the field longer, to help out the defense?’
“And those are constant challenges that are getting us to work, day after day after day, instead of just sitting back and looking at our record like: ‘Hey, we’re doing so well.’”
[www.ocregister.com]
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff, left, talks with head coach Sean McVay during the second half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The dark clouds and wet, gloomy conditions that besieged North Florida the last couple of days lifted by the time the Rams returned to practice Wednesday in preparation for their Sunday game against the Cardinals in London.
But Florida being Florida, sooner than you could say Aaron Donald is the best defensive lineman in the NFL, daunting clouds rolled back in to add a definite shade of gray to what had mostly been blue skies.
And in a way, it offered the perfect overhead from which to view the Rams current position and frame of mind as they near the halfway point of their very telling second season in Los Angeles.
At the risk of playing the clichéd game of after-the-fact rationalizing, it’s safe to say had you asked the Rams and their fans at the beginning of training camp whether they’d accept a 4-2 start to the 2017 season, a mass rush to click the “Absolutely” link would have ensued. And, with the Rams sitting in that precise place six games in, it would be a bit disingenuous not to express satisfaction as a result.
But here’s the rub: It’s a satisfaction that comes with an asterisk. The Rams don’t feel fortunate to be 4-2. Nor lucky, fortuitous or charmed.
Quite the contrary actually.
Their asterisk represents a definite feeling of “but it should be even better,” after the stubbing of the toes that occurred in losses to Washington and Seattle. And for longtime Rams accustomed to experiencing sinking feelings this time of year, that’s, well, kind of cool.
“It just feels good to feel that way,” said defensive tackle Michael Brockers. “Even with two losses on your record, you feel like you could have won one of those games. Or both of them, and be here sitting at (6-0). And that’s a great feeling. I haven’t had that feeling in a long time.
“It feels good to not have a losing record, but also know we can be so much better.”
The Rams can’t rewrite their wrongs through the first six games of a 16-game season. The five turnovers against the Seahawks and the untimely mistakes against Washington are disappointments they just have to swallow. But you get the feeling their reaction to where they sit now creates almost the perfect position from which to attack the rest of the season.
Good but could be better. Happy but still not content. Satisfied, but …
“Happy with where we are but at the same time disappointed in some of the things that caused us to lose two of those game,” is how quarterback Jared Goff put it. “There’s definitely that, not being content and wanting more and I think that’s the sign of a great team. That’s good to see around here.”
This isn’t last year, or so many others previously, where the Rams talked about improvements or finding solutions and answers but, in the deepest part of their souls, knew those answers weren’t coming anytime soon.
Damaged rosters provided no ready-made improvements. A flawed coaching staff offered insufficient guidance or ability to fix and lead.
So while they talked a lot, it was all in lieu of real solutions or meaningful change. That isn’t the case anymore, which is why the defensive woes of early in the season were more easily accepted because there was sufficient talent on hand and a proven coach and system under coordinator Wade Phillips.
After giving up 90 points over the first 10 quarters of the season, the Rams have allowed just 39 points over the past 10 as players get more acclimated to the 3-4 defense under Phillips, and Donald continues to round into form.
“We’ve just been buying into the system and trusting the process and it’s been working,” Brockers said.
And it’s why they can be disappointed at the offensive breakdowns over the past two games that cost them the game against the Seahawks and made the one over the Jaguars closer than it should have been, but not completely disheartened.
The Rams’ woes in the red zone and difficulty converting on third downs on Sunday — they were 4 of 13 — are fixable. Not in the way it’s been in the past. In fact, the Rams have already shown enough proficiency in both areas this year — from a talent, scheme and execution level — that there’s confidence they can reclaim that previous efficiency.
“I think it’s just execution on each play,” Goff said. “I think we had some good plays on (recently) and we just didn’t quite execute them. Everyone’s a part of it. I can throw a couple of balls a little better, I think. We can do a little better running routes. But for the most part it’s just execution. And we look to bounce back in that this week.”
The Rams in the past uttered similar answers. They talked about fixing things and getting better and executing more efficiently. It all sounded great. But just like the taste of cotton candy dissolves into virtually nothing almost immediately after you take a bite, all those proclamations and promises never amounted to anything.
You don’t get the feeling that’s the case with these Rams. Their answers seem available, that execution attainable. And it’s driven by a surprisingly frank mindset.
The Rams don’t feel lucky to be 4-2, even after more than a decade of losing. If anything, there’s genuine disappointment that they aren’t 6-0. It’s a perspective that bodes well moving forward.
“Our two losses, we lost by six points and seven points,” Rams guard Rodger Saffold said. “And those are things we look at, especially as an offense, and say: ‘What could we have done better to put more points on the board? What can we do to stay on the field longer, to help out the defense?’
“And those are constant challenges that are getting us to work, day after day after day, instead of just sitting back and looking at our record like: ‘Hey, we’re doing so well.’”
[www.ocregister.com]