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How Rams Coach Sean McVay Turned Around the Worst Offense in the NFL
- By Prime Time
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 6 Replies
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/6/16433784/los-angeles-rams-offense-sean-mcvay-jared-goff
These 3-1 Rams Aren’t Last Year’s 3-1 Rams
Though this season’s team is off to a similar hot start, the L.A. squad is riding an offensive resurgence that could carry it to the playoffs. Here’s how Sean McVay is getting the most out of Todd Gurley, Jared Goff, and the rest of the offense.
BY DANNY KELLY
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57030157/rams_getty_ringer.0.jpg)
Getty Images/Ringer illustration
For the second straight year, the Rams are 3-1 at the quarter mark of the season. And … that’s about where any similarities between Jeff Fisher’s 2016 squad and first-time head coach Sean McVay’s group end.
Yeah, many of the players from last year’s team remain. But with a revamped coaching staff, a schematic overhaul, a few key offseason personnel acquisitions, and an upgraded white-horned helmet, this year’s Rams don’t look or feel much like the team that ended up losing 11 of its final 12 games.
I never trusted that group’s early success, but this year’s team has me buying in. The Rams still have a talented and disruptive defensive unit, but the team has finally achieved some balance—and its newly dynamic offense should help them avoid a repeat meltdown performance.
This Rams group leads the league in points (35.5 per game) and has averaged 6.4 yards per play (second); second-year quarterback Jared Goff leads all passers with 9.2 yards per attempt. The Rams haven’t finished higher than 21st in scoring since 2006, and all of a sudden, they look like the second coming of the Greatest Show on Turf. So where the hell is this coming from?
The team’s resurgence starts with Goff, who looks like a completely different player in his second year. As a rookie, all the red flags of a big-time bust were there. He was skittish and frenetic in the pocket, and while you’d expect any rookie to struggle in the face of pressure (and he did--the Rams offense registered an NFL-worst negative-126.5 percent DVOA in these situations, per Football Outsiders), he was worryingly terrible even when gifted a clean pocket.
The team registered a league-worst negative-45.2 percent DVOA on those plays. This year, Goff has played with veteran-like calm and poise in just about every situation, especially with a clean pocket, where he leads the NFL in passer rating (128), has gained 738 yards, and has scored six touchdowns against one interception.
McVay was hired to fix that disjointed, erratic offense, and so far he’s replaced whatever it was the team ran last year with a creative, rhythm-focused passing game. The first order of business was to fix some of the mechanical issues that plagued Goff in his first season, and McVay has provided his quarterback a heavy dose of what Trent Dilfer described to The Ringer’s Robert Mays as “gimme plays.”
He designed formations that allow Goff to make easy pre-snap reads for where to throw the ball, and the route combinations—usually involving bunched or stacked receivers on one side of the field—are designed to, as Mays wrote, create separation early in the route to make Goff’s decision-making process, and his throws, easier.
In the same way that a 3-point shooter can get hot once he gets into a rhythm, these short, easy-win throws build confidence and help Goff rip it in the intermediate and deep game.
The result? Goff’s year-to-year numbers are up across the board, and he’s throwing the ball deeper more often this year, and with better success. His average completed air yards, i.e., how far the ball is traveling downfield before it’s caught, is up from 5.5 last year to 7.4 this season while his accuracy percentage, a Pro Football Focus stat that discounts throwaways and batted passes, is up from 67.4 percent to 72.7 percent.
But a fresh batch of easy-win passes alone couldn’t be enough to turn Goff into a competent pro passer. The Rams needed more from third-year running back Todd Gurley, to stress defenses and take pressure off their quarterback. They’ve gotten it: The former Georgia star has made a case for himself as the league’s MVP through four weeks, scoring a league-high seven all-purpose touchdowns.
He’s second in the NFL in carries (86) and yards (362), and is tied for second in rushing touchdowns (4); among running backs, he is fifth in catches (20), second in receiving yards (234), and first in receiving touchdowns (3). He’s been the foundation of the Rams’ offensive attack, leading the team in both rushing and receiving.
As a runner, he’s showing some of the creativity and elusiveness that we saw his rookie year, but was missing from his game last year. He’s back to barreling through arm-tackle attempts, picking up extra yards, and hurdling defenders in the open field.
(Click link below to watch gif)
https://giphy.com/gifs/l378xAQr8Q6Whqj96?utm_source=iframe&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=Embeds&utm_term=https://chorus.voxmedia.com/object.html
The Rams’ run game, which averaged just 78.3 yards per game and 3.3 yards per rush last year, has seen clear improvement, up to 113.5 yards per game and 3.8 yards per carry. But to supplement the rushing attack, McVay and Goff have heavily used Gurley as a pass catcher as well.
One way to get Gurley even more involved in the offense is to use him on screen plays, where McVay’s clever designs have given him a chance to work in space. Against Washington in Week 2, Los Angeles lined up with a trips formation tight to the right.
All three of those routes angled toward the middle of the field, which created a huge traffic jam—which linebacker Zach Brown had to sift through in order to run with Gurley. That moment of hesitation the routes created was enough, and Gurley was off to the races.
(Click link below to watch gif)
https://giphy.com/gifs/1iURsmpKW1x2tn5m?utm_source=iframe&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=Embeds&utm_term=https://chorus.voxmedia.com/object.html
Gurley has also been a weapon as a simple dump-off option. When deep routes downfield don’t open up, the back has done a great job of giving Goff another option. And against San Francisco in Week 3, Gurley turned one of these check-downs into an explosive play.
(Click link below to watch gif)
https://giphy.com/gifs/l1J9FQ50SLkUrruda?utm_source=iframe&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=Embeds&utm_term=https://chorus.voxmedia.com/object.html
By getting Gurley the ball through a mix of runs, screens, and check-down passes, McVay has done something this year that Fisher and his staff never showed the ability to do last season: fully utilize one of the team’s most talented players. Hell, it doesn’t stop at Gurley, either, because McVay has been able to get the most out of Tavon Austin, too.
Austin may be limited as a route runner and hasn’t yet developed into a downfield threat that can separate from coverage, maintain leverage, or go up and get the ball, but he’s always had incredible speed and quickness in space, and the Rams have done a good job of using that so far this season.
They’ve lined up Austin in the backfield as a de facto running back at times, and he’s second on the team in rushing with 81 yards on 14 attempts. Some of those attempts and yards, though, have come on end-arounds and sweep plays, like these two, which gained a combined 21 yards against the Cowboys.
(Click link below to watch gif)
https://giphy.com/gifs/3ov9jRS0yIZbb9gM1i?utm_source=iframe&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=Embeds&utm_term=https://chorus.voxmedia.com/object.html
Austin’s not just a gadget player in the bigger scheme of things, though, because even if he’s not getting a handoff, using him to run across a formation before the snap can help create for the team’s other offensive players.
Against the Colts in Week 1, that backfield motion toward the right side of the field (combined with routes that ran in that direction post-snap) helped draw nearly the entire Indianapolis defense out of position. That left just one defender on the backside, where the screen play was designed to go. Gurley picked up 23 yards.
(Click link below to watch gif)
https://giphy.com/gifs/l378ay2VacxoY9UCQ?utm_source=iframe&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=Embeds&utm_term=https://chorus.voxmedia.com/object.html
In Week 3 in San Francisco, the same concept helped spring Gurley for a big run. As Austin ran a pre-snap sweep fake to the right, he drew the attention of four defenders. That helped give the Rams a huge numbers advantage (in blockers versus defenders) on the left, and Gurley broke a couple of tackles to pick up 10 yards.
(Click link below to watch gif)
https://giphy.com/gifs/l378A4kXRwdA2OA4E?utm_source=iframe&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=Embeds&utm_term=https://chorus.voxmedia.com/object.html
That sweep-action fake was effective again last week in Dallas. As Austin motioned toward the right, he drew the attention of a pair of Cowboys defenders, which allowed Gurley to sneak right past them on a skinny post route. Goff hit Gurley in stride, and he broke free for a 53-yard touchdown.
(Click link below to watch gif)
https://giphy.com/gifs/l378bEKVZkzPypkwU?utm_source=iframe&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=Embeds&utm_term=https://chorus.voxmedia.com/object.html
The team’s new additions are paying huge dividends as well. McVay is still just scratching the surface with what he can do with Sammy Watkins—the fourth-year pass catcher has yet to fully integrate himself into the passing game after arriving to camp late in the offseason—but through the first month of the season, Watkins has turned 16 targets into 14 catches for 211 yards and two touchdowns, including a beastly catch-and-run against the 49ers in which he broke a few tackles to reach over the goal line and score.
Watkins hasn’t been prolific, but he’s been incredibly efficient with his chances, and ranks first in DVOA (value per play) among all receivers. Then there’s third-round pick Cooper Kupp out of Eastern Washington: The FCS record holder for career catches has already shown flashes as a reliable threat from the slot, capable of separating with quick footwork and sharp routes.
Left tackle Andrew Whitworth, who earned a three-year, $33.75 million contract over the offseason, has been a big pickup for this young team as well. The 35-year-old vet has been a rock on the blindside for Goff, and has given up just one pressure in four starts.
Put it all together—Gurley making plays all over the field, Watkins beating coverage on the outside, Kupp working the middle of the field, Austin keeping everyone on defense honest, and an improved offensive line that’s shown the ability to give its quarterback time to throw—and McVay has created the perfect situation for Goff to thrive.
There are bound to be peaks and valleys performance-wise, and the team gets a great test this week against the Seahawks, but over the course of an offseason, the Rams offense has gone from a group that could do just about nothing right to a unit that can beat you in any number of ways.
The Rams defense hasn’t been as dominant as it was last year—Wade Phillips's squad ranks just 13th in defensive DVOA through four weeks—but that hasn’t mattered, because Los Angeles finally has an offense that can pick up the slack.
These 3-1 Rams Aren’t Last Year’s 3-1 Rams
Though this season’s team is off to a similar hot start, the L.A. squad is riding an offensive resurgence that could carry it to the playoffs. Here’s how Sean McVay is getting the most out of Todd Gurley, Jared Goff, and the rest of the offense.
BY DANNY KELLY
Getty Images/Ringer illustration
For the second straight year, the Rams are 3-1 at the quarter mark of the season. And … that’s about where any similarities between Jeff Fisher’s 2016 squad and first-time head coach Sean McVay’s group end.
Yeah, many of the players from last year’s team remain. But with a revamped coaching staff, a schematic overhaul, a few key offseason personnel acquisitions, and an upgraded white-horned helmet, this year’s Rams don’t look or feel much like the team that ended up losing 11 of its final 12 games.
I never trusted that group’s early success, but this year’s team has me buying in. The Rams still have a talented and disruptive defensive unit, but the team has finally achieved some balance—and its newly dynamic offense should help them avoid a repeat meltdown performance.
This Rams group leads the league in points (35.5 per game) and has averaged 6.4 yards per play (second); second-year quarterback Jared Goff leads all passers with 9.2 yards per attempt. The Rams haven’t finished higher than 21st in scoring since 2006, and all of a sudden, they look like the second coming of the Greatest Show on Turf. So where the hell is this coming from?
The team’s resurgence starts with Goff, who looks like a completely different player in his second year. As a rookie, all the red flags of a big-time bust were there. He was skittish and frenetic in the pocket, and while you’d expect any rookie to struggle in the face of pressure (and he did--the Rams offense registered an NFL-worst negative-126.5 percent DVOA in these situations, per Football Outsiders), he was worryingly terrible even when gifted a clean pocket.
The team registered a league-worst negative-45.2 percent DVOA on those plays. This year, Goff has played with veteran-like calm and poise in just about every situation, especially with a clean pocket, where he leads the NFL in passer rating (128), has gained 738 yards, and has scored six touchdowns against one interception.
McVay was hired to fix that disjointed, erratic offense, and so far he’s replaced whatever it was the team ran last year with a creative, rhythm-focused passing game. The first order of business was to fix some of the mechanical issues that plagued Goff in his first season, and McVay has provided his quarterback a heavy dose of what Trent Dilfer described to The Ringer’s Robert Mays as “gimme plays.”
He designed formations that allow Goff to make easy pre-snap reads for where to throw the ball, and the route combinations—usually involving bunched or stacked receivers on one side of the field—are designed to, as Mays wrote, create separation early in the route to make Goff’s decision-making process, and his throws, easier.
In the same way that a 3-point shooter can get hot once he gets into a rhythm, these short, easy-win throws build confidence and help Goff rip it in the intermediate and deep game.
The result? Goff’s year-to-year numbers are up across the board, and he’s throwing the ball deeper more often this year, and with better success. His average completed air yards, i.e., how far the ball is traveling downfield before it’s caught, is up from 5.5 last year to 7.4 this season while his accuracy percentage, a Pro Football Focus stat that discounts throwaways and batted passes, is up from 67.4 percent to 72.7 percent.
But a fresh batch of easy-win passes alone couldn’t be enough to turn Goff into a competent pro passer. The Rams needed more from third-year running back Todd Gurley, to stress defenses and take pressure off their quarterback. They’ve gotten it: The former Georgia star has made a case for himself as the league’s MVP through four weeks, scoring a league-high seven all-purpose touchdowns.
He’s second in the NFL in carries (86) and yards (362), and is tied for second in rushing touchdowns (4); among running backs, he is fifth in catches (20), second in receiving yards (234), and first in receiving touchdowns (3). He’s been the foundation of the Rams’ offensive attack, leading the team in both rushing and receiving.
As a runner, he’s showing some of the creativity and elusiveness that we saw his rookie year, but was missing from his game last year. He’s back to barreling through arm-tackle attempts, picking up extra yards, and hurdling defenders in the open field.
(Click link below to watch gif)
https://giphy.com/gifs/l378xAQr8Q6Whqj96?utm_source=iframe&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=Embeds&utm_term=https://chorus.voxmedia.com/object.html
The Rams’ run game, which averaged just 78.3 yards per game and 3.3 yards per rush last year, has seen clear improvement, up to 113.5 yards per game and 3.8 yards per carry. But to supplement the rushing attack, McVay and Goff have heavily used Gurley as a pass catcher as well.
One way to get Gurley even more involved in the offense is to use him on screen plays, where McVay’s clever designs have given him a chance to work in space. Against Washington in Week 2, Los Angeles lined up with a trips formation tight to the right.
All three of those routes angled toward the middle of the field, which created a huge traffic jam—which linebacker Zach Brown had to sift through in order to run with Gurley. That moment of hesitation the routes created was enough, and Gurley was off to the races.
(Click link below to watch gif)
https://giphy.com/gifs/1iURsmpKW1x2tn5m?utm_source=iframe&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=Embeds&utm_term=https://chorus.voxmedia.com/object.html
Gurley has also been a weapon as a simple dump-off option. When deep routes downfield don’t open up, the back has done a great job of giving Goff another option. And against San Francisco in Week 3, Gurley turned one of these check-downs into an explosive play.
(Click link below to watch gif)
https://giphy.com/gifs/l1J9FQ50SLkUrruda?utm_source=iframe&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=Embeds&utm_term=https://chorus.voxmedia.com/object.html
By getting Gurley the ball through a mix of runs, screens, and check-down passes, McVay has done something this year that Fisher and his staff never showed the ability to do last season: fully utilize one of the team’s most talented players. Hell, it doesn’t stop at Gurley, either, because McVay has been able to get the most out of Tavon Austin, too.
Austin may be limited as a route runner and hasn’t yet developed into a downfield threat that can separate from coverage, maintain leverage, or go up and get the ball, but he’s always had incredible speed and quickness in space, and the Rams have done a good job of using that so far this season.
They’ve lined up Austin in the backfield as a de facto running back at times, and he’s second on the team in rushing with 81 yards on 14 attempts. Some of those attempts and yards, though, have come on end-arounds and sweep plays, like these two, which gained a combined 21 yards against the Cowboys.
(Click link below to watch gif)
https://giphy.com/gifs/3ov9jRS0yIZbb9gM1i?utm_source=iframe&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=Embeds&utm_term=https://chorus.voxmedia.com/object.html
Austin’s not just a gadget player in the bigger scheme of things, though, because even if he’s not getting a handoff, using him to run across a formation before the snap can help create for the team’s other offensive players.
Against the Colts in Week 1, that backfield motion toward the right side of the field (combined with routes that ran in that direction post-snap) helped draw nearly the entire Indianapolis defense out of position. That left just one defender on the backside, where the screen play was designed to go. Gurley picked up 23 yards.
(Click link below to watch gif)
https://giphy.com/gifs/l378ay2VacxoY9UCQ?utm_source=iframe&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=Embeds&utm_term=https://chorus.voxmedia.com/object.html
In Week 3 in San Francisco, the same concept helped spring Gurley for a big run. As Austin ran a pre-snap sweep fake to the right, he drew the attention of four defenders. That helped give the Rams a huge numbers advantage (in blockers versus defenders) on the left, and Gurley broke a couple of tackles to pick up 10 yards.
(Click link below to watch gif)
https://giphy.com/gifs/l378A4kXRwdA2OA4E?utm_source=iframe&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=Embeds&utm_term=https://chorus.voxmedia.com/object.html
That sweep-action fake was effective again last week in Dallas. As Austin motioned toward the right, he drew the attention of a pair of Cowboys defenders, which allowed Gurley to sneak right past them on a skinny post route. Goff hit Gurley in stride, and he broke free for a 53-yard touchdown.
(Click link below to watch gif)
https://giphy.com/gifs/l378bEKVZkzPypkwU?utm_source=iframe&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=Embeds&utm_term=https://chorus.voxmedia.com/object.html
The team’s new additions are paying huge dividends as well. McVay is still just scratching the surface with what he can do with Sammy Watkins—the fourth-year pass catcher has yet to fully integrate himself into the passing game after arriving to camp late in the offseason—but through the first month of the season, Watkins has turned 16 targets into 14 catches for 211 yards and two touchdowns, including a beastly catch-and-run against the 49ers in which he broke a few tackles to reach over the goal line and score.
Watkins hasn’t been prolific, but he’s been incredibly efficient with his chances, and ranks first in DVOA (value per play) among all receivers. Then there’s third-round pick Cooper Kupp out of Eastern Washington: The FCS record holder for career catches has already shown flashes as a reliable threat from the slot, capable of separating with quick footwork and sharp routes.
Left tackle Andrew Whitworth, who earned a three-year, $33.75 million contract over the offseason, has been a big pickup for this young team as well. The 35-year-old vet has been a rock on the blindside for Goff, and has given up just one pressure in four starts.
Put it all together—Gurley making plays all over the field, Watkins beating coverage on the outside, Kupp working the middle of the field, Austin keeping everyone on defense honest, and an improved offensive line that’s shown the ability to give its quarterback time to throw—and McVay has created the perfect situation for Goff to thrive.
There are bound to be peaks and valleys performance-wise, and the team gets a great test this week against the Seahawks, but over the course of an offseason, the Rams offense has gone from a group that could do just about nothing right to a unit that can beat you in any number of ways.
The Rams defense hasn’t been as dominant as it was last year—Wade Phillips's squad ranks just 13th in defensive DVOA through four weeks—but that hasn’t mattered, because Los Angeles finally has an offense that can pick up the slack.
Rams spreading the ball around, and Sammy Watkins is fine with that
- By rdw
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 23 Replies
http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angele...ll-around-and-sammy-watkins-is-fine-with-that
Alden GonzalezESPN Staff Writer
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- There was a time, Sammy Watkins admits, that this all would have played out a lot differently.
Watkins, the Los Angeles Rams' No. 1 receiver, was targeted only twice in Sunday's 35-30 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, with neither coming within the game's first 50 minutes. And he was totally fine with it, which is, well, unusual.
"Two years ago, it would've probably been different," Watkins said. "I would've probably gone to the media and been saying whatever, trying to get the coach's attention. That's how I used to do it back then. Like, 'I need more targets.' Then that comes to the coach, and me and him have to talk."
Watkins did it quite famously while with the Bills in October 2015, when he said the team was making him "look bad," then told The Buffalo News, "I need 10 targets." Now in his fourth NFL season, Watkins recalled that moment Thursday, four days after making only one catch in his fourth game with his new team. He laughed about how his method actually seemed to work -- Watkins averaged more than eight targets per game for the remainder of Buffalo's 2015 season -- but lamented how it played out in the locker room.
"It definitely helped me and my coach learn each other," Watkins said. "At the same time, I feel like it affected my teammates because they looked at it as selfish."
A foot injury, which forced Watkins to miss half of the 2016 season, triggered a change in perspective.
"I felt like I was consumed, and I was angry," Watkins said. "It was affecting my relationships with the coaches and with the players. I wanted to be great so bad, but I was also selfish, too. Because there were some games that we won and I didn’t get the ball, and I was upset. I looked at both sides of it, like, yeah, it is a point where you want to be great, but you also have to understand what we have on this team."
Acquired in exchange for cornerback E.J. Gaines and a 2018 second-round pick near the middle of August, Watkins joined the Rams as their primary deep threat. But as time went on, he began to understand that his targets would become infrequent because the Rams wanted to spread the ball around and because they actually had the personnel to do it. That certainly has been the case so far. Watkins' targets through the first four weeks: 5, 2, 7, 2.
One hundred and forty NFL receivers have been targeted more frequently this season.
Surrounded by target-worthy teammates, Rams receiver Sammy Watkins looks to be shedding the "selfish" label he acquired with tantrums during his Buffalo days. Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire
"I have to just be honest with myself: There’s a lot of guys who are really good in this wide-receiver room," Watkins said. "Not just wide receivers, but you have the tight ends, you have a running back who needs his touches, and there’s a lot of guys who can do just about the same that I can do. When you have as much potential in one room, I have to be honest and say I’m not going to get 20 targets like an Odell Beckham or a Julio Jones or these other guys. But I’ll take winning games over making myself feel good."
Rams running back Todd Gurley has been absorbing an inordinate amount of the touches, but the receivers and tight ends basically have alternated in making an impact. In Week 1, the targets were pretty evenly distributed, with Watkins, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp combining for 16. In Week 2, Kupp drew a team-leading six targets. In Week 3, Watkins and Woods combined for 12 receptions on 14 targets for 214 yards. In Week 4, it was Kupp, Woods and second-year tight end Tyler Higbee drawing a combined 19 targets.
"When you do have the variety of skill players that we have, you don't want to just force-feed a guy," Rams coach Sean McVay said. "I think that enables us to spread the field, use everybody."
Watkins, a potential free agent at season's end, went from making six catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns against the 49ers to making one catch for 17 yards against the Cowboys: a big one, near his shoestrings, to put the Rams in field-goal range with five minutes left. Watkins spent that entire game repeating one phrase to himself: "Stay in it."
Remaining engaged despite minimal action, Watkins said, "is the biggest challenge for any wide receiver that's used to having 20-target or 15-target games."
"But I know those plays are coming my way, and I've got to make those plays," Watkins said. "Neither of us is going to get 15 targets a game. We have too many great guys that need their touches. So for me, it's really just focus on blocking, focus on getting open, focus on showing Coach that I can play without the ball, that I'm not selfish."
Alden GonzalezESPN Staff Writer
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- There was a time, Sammy Watkins admits, that this all would have played out a lot differently.
Watkins, the Los Angeles Rams' No. 1 receiver, was targeted only twice in Sunday's 35-30 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, with neither coming within the game's first 50 minutes. And he was totally fine with it, which is, well, unusual.
"Two years ago, it would've probably been different," Watkins said. "I would've probably gone to the media and been saying whatever, trying to get the coach's attention. That's how I used to do it back then. Like, 'I need more targets.' Then that comes to the coach, and me and him have to talk."
Watkins did it quite famously while with the Bills in October 2015, when he said the team was making him "look bad," then told The Buffalo News, "I need 10 targets." Now in his fourth NFL season, Watkins recalled that moment Thursday, four days after making only one catch in his fourth game with his new team. He laughed about how his method actually seemed to work -- Watkins averaged more than eight targets per game for the remainder of Buffalo's 2015 season -- but lamented how it played out in the locker room.
"It definitely helped me and my coach learn each other," Watkins said. "At the same time, I feel like it affected my teammates because they looked at it as selfish."
A foot injury, which forced Watkins to miss half of the 2016 season, triggered a change in perspective.
"I felt like I was consumed, and I was angry," Watkins said. "It was affecting my relationships with the coaches and with the players. I wanted to be great so bad, but I was also selfish, too. Because there were some games that we won and I didn’t get the ball, and I was upset. I looked at both sides of it, like, yeah, it is a point where you want to be great, but you also have to understand what we have on this team."
Acquired in exchange for cornerback E.J. Gaines and a 2018 second-round pick near the middle of August, Watkins joined the Rams as their primary deep threat. But as time went on, he began to understand that his targets would become infrequent because the Rams wanted to spread the ball around and because they actually had the personnel to do it. That certainly has been the case so far. Watkins' targets through the first four weeks: 5, 2, 7, 2.
One hundred and forty NFL receivers have been targeted more frequently this season.
Surrounded by target-worthy teammates, Rams receiver Sammy Watkins looks to be shedding the "selfish" label he acquired with tantrums during his Buffalo days. Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire
"I have to just be honest with myself: There’s a lot of guys who are really good in this wide-receiver room," Watkins said. "Not just wide receivers, but you have the tight ends, you have a running back who needs his touches, and there’s a lot of guys who can do just about the same that I can do. When you have as much potential in one room, I have to be honest and say I’m not going to get 20 targets like an Odell Beckham or a Julio Jones or these other guys. But I’ll take winning games over making myself feel good."
Rams running back Todd Gurley has been absorbing an inordinate amount of the touches, but the receivers and tight ends basically have alternated in making an impact. In Week 1, the targets were pretty evenly distributed, with Watkins, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp combining for 16. In Week 2, Kupp drew a team-leading six targets. In Week 3, Watkins and Woods combined for 12 receptions on 14 targets for 214 yards. In Week 4, it was Kupp, Woods and second-year tight end Tyler Higbee drawing a combined 19 targets.
"When you do have the variety of skill players that we have, you don't want to just force-feed a guy," Rams coach Sean McVay said. "I think that enables us to spread the field, use everybody."
Watkins, a potential free agent at season's end, went from making six catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns against the 49ers to making one catch for 17 yards against the Cowboys: a big one, near his shoestrings, to put the Rams in field-goal range with five minutes left. Watkins spent that entire game repeating one phrase to himself: "Stay in it."
Remaining engaged despite minimal action, Watkins said, "is the biggest challenge for any wide receiver that's used to having 20-target or 15-target games."
"But I know those plays are coming my way, and I've got to make those plays," Watkins said. "Neither of us is going to get 15 targets a game. We have too many great guys that need their touches. So for me, it's really just focus on blocking, focus on getting open, focus on showing Coach that I can play without the ball, that I'm not selfish."
How the Rams have completely transformed their wide receiver position
- By Faceplant
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 11 Replies
Didn't see this posted, and it is a good one. Man this team sounds more and more like the 99 squad from a creativity standpoint. They can hurt you in so many ways.....
http://www.ocregister.com/2017/10/0...ely-transformed-their-wide-receiver-position/
By VINCENT BONSIGNORE | vbonsignore@scng.com | Daily News
PUBLISHED: October 5, 2017 at 5:47 pm | UPDATED: October 5, 2017 at 6:05 pm
With so much to unpack and appreciate in the immediate aftermath of Todd Gurley’s 54-yard touchdown catch against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, it was useless trying to pick out a starting point, let alone identify who or what was most responsible for Gurley taking it to the house.
The pull block that left guard Rodger Saffold made to kick out the defensive end running free toward Jared Goff was critical. Gurley casually floating out of the backfield then turning on the burners to split two defenders on a seam route down the field was a thing of beauty. And Goff delivering a perfect throw to Gurley, in stride, to allow him to corral the ball at top speed and never let up on his way to the end zone is exactly why Sean McVay recently added the play to his growing playbook in the first place.
“You kinda perk up a bit because you know it’s a good one,” is how Goff described his reaction when McVay dialed the play up on Sunday.
From design to install to practicing it to calling it to everyone executing their roles to perfection, it was something to behold indeed.
But as Rams wide receiver Robert Woods watched it all unfold after pulling his defender with him on an up-and-out pattern a few yards ahead of Gurley, he knew exactly who to congratulate.
And who he chose to acknowledge first speaks to the dramatic overhaul the Rams made at wide receiver from last year to this year, the versatile, multi-faceted skill set they’ve created as a result, McVay’s insistence on players taking ownership of their position rooms and his uncanny ability to take individual strengths and mesh them in a way that benefits the collective good.
“I ran straight over to Josh first,” said Woods, smiling proudly just remembering the moment.
Josh would be rookie wide receiver Josh Reynolds, who, at the very moment Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis was closing in on Gurley at the 20-yard-line, delivered a picture-perfect crackback block on Lewis to send him sprawling to the turf and spring Gurley free to the end zone.
Woods, the leader of the Rams’ close-knit wide receiver room, refused to let the moment pass without proper recognition.
“I didn’t even run to Todd. I ran straight to Josh,” Woods remembered:
“’Hey man, you just set up that play,’” Woods told Reynolds. “Of course, it was ultimately Todd’s touchdown, he created it. But when you see plays like that, other players setting up plays by knowing their roles and executing them, people might not always see it or appreciate it. But we see it and acknowledge it and praise it.”
And that’s becoming a pretty common thing among the Rams’ wide receivers, a unit that’s emerged as one of the deepest, most versatile groups in the league with the addition of Woods, Reynolds, Sammy Watkins and Cooper Kupp, and the clever way McVay utilizes them while also figuring out ways to weave holdovers Tavon Austin and Pharoh Cooper – and this week Mike Thomas – into the game plan.
“We do have some talented guys out there,” Goff said. “What makes them so special, though, is their daily effort and work ethic. They come in every day and want to get better. They all want to improve and want to help the team in any way possible, and just their unselfishness has been really impressive and a lot of fun to work with so far.”
The Rams’ wide receivers might not be the best overall group in the NFL, but you’d have to look long and hard to find one that has every base covered in the way the Rams do.
“We feel confident that wherever the ball goes, guys can make those plays, and that’s a nice luxury to be able to have with the variety of skill players we have,” McVay said.
Through four games, Goff has connected with eight different receivers three times. That includes Austin and tight ends Gerald Everett and Tyler Higbee and Gurley, who McVay has injected into the passing game and leads the Rams with 20 catches for 224 yards.
In all, 11 different Rams have receptions this year.
“Anytime you’ve got a collection like we do, it’s almost like your basketball roster – you want to have a nice, fluid rotation, keep those guys fresh,” Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur said. “And then it really inhibits the defense’s ability to really lock onto one guy and take them out of the game.”
The spread-the-ball-out mentality is a product of Goff’s ability to see the field and how well the offensive line is protecting him this year. And the scheme and play calling of McVay.
“It really is credit to Coach McVay,” Woods said. “We got a lot of weapons. A lot of different kinds of guys, and he knows how to use us. He puts us in position to make plays and to keep the defense guessing. They don’t know what we’ll do next.
“I mean, you got Todd Gurley running seam routes now. And Tavon is lined up in the backfield. You never know what you’re gonna get. Who knows what’s coming with this offense.”
Neither do the Rams, sometimes.
“We’ll see a new play in a meeting and we’re all like, ‘Dang, we already know it’s going to be open because of stuff we’ve already run,’” Woods said. “The creative mind he has, it’s just great. He keeps this offense explosive. He keeps all of us into it. He finds ways to keep everyone involved.”
But it’s also a testament to how versatile and varied the Rams wide receivers are now, and the trust they’ve already established with Goff.
“We never want to depend on just one player,” Kupp said. “We did a good job with continuing to move the ball. It’s a testament to Jared, the receiving room and to (wide receivers) coach Eric Yarber and all of those guys. When you step on the field, you have to be ready to go.”
Woods, the former USC standout, says it’s the most versatile wide receivers group he’s been a part of.
“We got close in Buffalo when we got Percy Harvin, but not like this,” he said. “This team is completely stacked. We’ve got speed. Speed and power. Quickness. It’s really a complete room.”
For long-suffering Rams fans, that represents a remarkable turnaround from what they’ve been watching the last few years. A state of affairs that didn’t go unnoticed by Rams general manager Les Snead who, upon McVay coming aboard, set out to flip the wide receiver room and add some much-needed firepower and help for Goff.
The first order of business was pushing out the unreliable, which meant jettisoning veterans Kenny Britt and Brian Quick, two non-difference makers who came to embody the mediocrity that Rams wide receivers represented.
Woods was immediately targeted in free agency as an upgrade, and while he isn’t a dynamic speed burner who can take the top off a defense, he’s polished, reliable and accountable, and offers Goff the very important element of dependability. Woods has 12 catches and 186 yards this season.
Kupp, the rookie from Eastern Washington, provides many of the same qualities as Woods, along with an advanced understanding of route running and defensive pass coverages.
“He’s a different breed,” Snead said.
The record-breaking college receiver should have been off the board by the time the Rams picked in the third round. But his 4.7-second 40-yard dash time carried more weight than his production and obvious skill set, so there he was, much to the delight of the Rams.
Through four games he has 14 catches for 186 yards and two touchdowns.
Reynolds came next, getting drafted by the Rams in the fourth round out of Texas A&M. And while he’s much more raw than Kupp and won’t fully pay off until down the road, his lanky 6-4 frame, leaping ability and wide catch radius offers the Rams a downfield target and red zone threat who can go up and get the ball over smaller defensive backs.
He has only one catch – on a fake punt at that – but he’s worked his way into the mix, and as evidenced by the devastating block he delivered on Lewis, he’s figuring out ways to make an impact.
“Josh Reynolds is a guy that maybe hasn’t gotten a lot of reps, but I think you guys saw in the preseason, he got better and better,” McVay said. “We have a lot of confidence in him.”
The remake wasn’t complete until two weeks into training camp when the Rams pulled the trigger on a stunning trade for dynamic playmaker Sammy Watkins, who added the very element they were lacking: An explosive force capable of beating opponents from any point on the field, a speedster who could stretch a defense and an accountable presence able to draw defensive attention his way and create space for teammates to operate in as a result.
Upon learning he’d been traded to Los Angeles, Watkins sized up the roster and instinctively knew he represented the final piece.
“I can have fun and not put as much pressure on myself as I had done in the previous year,” Watkins said of coming to L.A. “I could play free.”
Watkins has 14 catches for 211 yards and two touchdowns. He’s one of four Rams with double-digit catches. The emerging passing game has also benefited the running game, with Gurley rushing for 362 yards and four touchdowns.
Not surprisingly, the Rams are leading the NFL in scoring while averaging 35.5 points per game.
“In our offense, everyone’s touching the ball all over the field,” Woods said. “Whether it’s downfield or one-yard flats. You just never know what you’re going to get. Like I said, you’ve got Todd running down the field now. And that’s the biggest thing. Defenses don’t know what’s coming next.”
http://www.ocregister.com/2017/10/0...ely-transformed-their-wide-receiver-position/
By VINCENT BONSIGNORE | vbonsignore@scng.com | Daily News
PUBLISHED: October 5, 2017 at 5:47 pm | UPDATED: October 5, 2017 at 6:05 pm
With so much to unpack and appreciate in the immediate aftermath of Todd Gurley’s 54-yard touchdown catch against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, it was useless trying to pick out a starting point, let alone identify who or what was most responsible for Gurley taking it to the house.
The pull block that left guard Rodger Saffold made to kick out the defensive end running free toward Jared Goff was critical. Gurley casually floating out of the backfield then turning on the burners to split two defenders on a seam route down the field was a thing of beauty. And Goff delivering a perfect throw to Gurley, in stride, to allow him to corral the ball at top speed and never let up on his way to the end zone is exactly why Sean McVay recently added the play to his growing playbook in the first place.
“You kinda perk up a bit because you know it’s a good one,” is how Goff described his reaction when McVay dialed the play up on Sunday.
From design to install to practicing it to calling it to everyone executing their roles to perfection, it was something to behold indeed.
But as Rams wide receiver Robert Woods watched it all unfold after pulling his defender with him on an up-and-out pattern a few yards ahead of Gurley, he knew exactly who to congratulate.
And who he chose to acknowledge first speaks to the dramatic overhaul the Rams made at wide receiver from last year to this year, the versatile, multi-faceted skill set they’ve created as a result, McVay’s insistence on players taking ownership of their position rooms and his uncanny ability to take individual strengths and mesh them in a way that benefits the collective good.
“I ran straight over to Josh first,” said Woods, smiling proudly just remembering the moment.
Josh would be rookie wide receiver Josh Reynolds, who, at the very moment Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis was closing in on Gurley at the 20-yard-line, delivered a picture-perfect crackback block on Lewis to send him sprawling to the turf and spring Gurley free to the end zone.
Woods, the leader of the Rams’ close-knit wide receiver room, refused to let the moment pass without proper recognition.
“I didn’t even run to Todd. I ran straight to Josh,” Woods remembered:
“’Hey man, you just set up that play,’” Woods told Reynolds. “Of course, it was ultimately Todd’s touchdown, he created it. But when you see plays like that, other players setting up plays by knowing their roles and executing them, people might not always see it or appreciate it. But we see it and acknowledge it and praise it.”
And that’s becoming a pretty common thing among the Rams’ wide receivers, a unit that’s emerged as one of the deepest, most versatile groups in the league with the addition of Woods, Reynolds, Sammy Watkins and Cooper Kupp, and the clever way McVay utilizes them while also figuring out ways to weave holdovers Tavon Austin and Pharoh Cooper – and this week Mike Thomas – into the game plan.
“We do have some talented guys out there,” Goff said. “What makes them so special, though, is their daily effort and work ethic. They come in every day and want to get better. They all want to improve and want to help the team in any way possible, and just their unselfishness has been really impressive and a lot of fun to work with so far.”
The Rams’ wide receivers might not be the best overall group in the NFL, but you’d have to look long and hard to find one that has every base covered in the way the Rams do.
“We feel confident that wherever the ball goes, guys can make those plays, and that’s a nice luxury to be able to have with the variety of skill players we have,” McVay said.
Through four games, Goff has connected with eight different receivers three times. That includes Austin and tight ends Gerald Everett and Tyler Higbee and Gurley, who McVay has injected into the passing game and leads the Rams with 20 catches for 224 yards.
In all, 11 different Rams have receptions this year.
“Anytime you’ve got a collection like we do, it’s almost like your basketball roster – you want to have a nice, fluid rotation, keep those guys fresh,” Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur said. “And then it really inhibits the defense’s ability to really lock onto one guy and take them out of the game.”
The spread-the-ball-out mentality is a product of Goff’s ability to see the field and how well the offensive line is protecting him this year. And the scheme and play calling of McVay.
“It really is credit to Coach McVay,” Woods said. “We got a lot of weapons. A lot of different kinds of guys, and he knows how to use us. He puts us in position to make plays and to keep the defense guessing. They don’t know what we’ll do next.
“I mean, you got Todd Gurley running seam routes now. And Tavon is lined up in the backfield. You never know what you’re gonna get. Who knows what’s coming with this offense.”
Neither do the Rams, sometimes.
“We’ll see a new play in a meeting and we’re all like, ‘Dang, we already know it’s going to be open because of stuff we’ve already run,’” Woods said. “The creative mind he has, it’s just great. He keeps this offense explosive. He keeps all of us into it. He finds ways to keep everyone involved.”
But it’s also a testament to how versatile and varied the Rams wide receivers are now, and the trust they’ve already established with Goff.
“We never want to depend on just one player,” Kupp said. “We did a good job with continuing to move the ball. It’s a testament to Jared, the receiving room and to (wide receivers) coach Eric Yarber and all of those guys. When you step on the field, you have to be ready to go.”
Woods, the former USC standout, says it’s the most versatile wide receivers group he’s been a part of.
“We got close in Buffalo when we got Percy Harvin, but not like this,” he said. “This team is completely stacked. We’ve got speed. Speed and power. Quickness. It’s really a complete room.”
For long-suffering Rams fans, that represents a remarkable turnaround from what they’ve been watching the last few years. A state of affairs that didn’t go unnoticed by Rams general manager Les Snead who, upon McVay coming aboard, set out to flip the wide receiver room and add some much-needed firepower and help for Goff.
The first order of business was pushing out the unreliable, which meant jettisoning veterans Kenny Britt and Brian Quick, two non-difference makers who came to embody the mediocrity that Rams wide receivers represented.
Woods was immediately targeted in free agency as an upgrade, and while he isn’t a dynamic speed burner who can take the top off a defense, he’s polished, reliable and accountable, and offers Goff the very important element of dependability. Woods has 12 catches and 186 yards this season.
Kupp, the rookie from Eastern Washington, provides many of the same qualities as Woods, along with an advanced understanding of route running and defensive pass coverages.
“He’s a different breed,” Snead said.
The record-breaking college receiver should have been off the board by the time the Rams picked in the third round. But his 4.7-second 40-yard dash time carried more weight than his production and obvious skill set, so there he was, much to the delight of the Rams.
Through four games he has 14 catches for 186 yards and two touchdowns.
Reynolds came next, getting drafted by the Rams in the fourth round out of Texas A&M. And while he’s much more raw than Kupp and won’t fully pay off until down the road, his lanky 6-4 frame, leaping ability and wide catch radius offers the Rams a downfield target and red zone threat who can go up and get the ball over smaller defensive backs.
He has only one catch – on a fake punt at that – but he’s worked his way into the mix, and as evidenced by the devastating block he delivered on Lewis, he’s figuring out ways to make an impact.
“Josh Reynolds is a guy that maybe hasn’t gotten a lot of reps, but I think you guys saw in the preseason, he got better and better,” McVay said. “We have a lot of confidence in him.”
The remake wasn’t complete until two weeks into training camp when the Rams pulled the trigger on a stunning trade for dynamic playmaker Sammy Watkins, who added the very element they were lacking: An explosive force capable of beating opponents from any point on the field, a speedster who could stretch a defense and an accountable presence able to draw defensive attention his way and create space for teammates to operate in as a result.
Upon learning he’d been traded to Los Angeles, Watkins sized up the roster and instinctively knew he represented the final piece.
“I can have fun and not put as much pressure on myself as I had done in the previous year,” Watkins said of coming to L.A. “I could play free.”
Watkins has 14 catches for 211 yards and two touchdowns. He’s one of four Rams with double-digit catches. The emerging passing game has also benefited the running game, with Gurley rushing for 362 yards and four touchdowns.
Not surprisingly, the Rams are leading the NFL in scoring while averaging 35.5 points per game.
“In our offense, everyone’s touching the ball all over the field,” Woods said. “Whether it’s downfield or one-yard flats. You just never know what you’re going to get. Like I said, you’ve got Todd running down the field now. And that’s the biggest thing. Defenses don’t know what’s coming next.”
Rams see positives from move of Michael Brockers to defensive end
- By Riverumbbq
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 1 Replies
Rams see positives from move of Michael Brockers to defensive end
Posted by Curtis Crabtree on October 6, 2017, 3:30 AM EDT
Getty Images
The Los Angeles Rams are continuing to tinker with their defensive personnel as they seek to find the best fits for specific roles in Wade Phillips’ 3-4 defense.
The Rams had previous played with a 4-3 front under Jeff Fisher and Gregg Williams. For the Rams most talented defensive pieces – including Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers and Robert Quinn – this meant a significant change in their responsibilities this season.
According to Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times, the Rams made an additional changewith Brockers last week that paid immediate dividends.
Brockers had initially been asked to play nose tackle in Phillips’ defense, a position asked to line up right over the top of the opposing center. But last week against the Dallas Cowboys, the Rams moved Brockers to defensive end instead. That put Brockers and Donald as the two defensive ends with Quinn at outside linebacker and a tandem of Tanzel Smart and Tyrunn Walker at nose tackle instead.
“For (Phillips) to see me as a playmaker and to open it up and give me those opportunities, I appreciate it,” Brockers said. “And I just want to show him that he didn’t make the wrong decision and I can get the job done.”
Brockers had three tackles with a sack and two passes defended. It was the first game this season where Brockers had managed to get a sack.
“He’s a really good player at any position he plays, especially going against the offensive tackles that Dallas has. He played really well against those guys and showed how good he can be,” Phillips said.
Posted by Curtis Crabtree on October 6, 2017, 3:30 AM EDT
Getty Images
The Los Angeles Rams are continuing to tinker with their defensive personnel as they seek to find the best fits for specific roles in Wade Phillips’ 3-4 defense.
The Rams had previous played with a 4-3 front under Jeff Fisher and Gregg Williams. For the Rams most talented defensive pieces – including Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers and Robert Quinn – this meant a significant change in their responsibilities this season.
According to Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times, the Rams made an additional changewith Brockers last week that paid immediate dividends.
Brockers had initially been asked to play nose tackle in Phillips’ defense, a position asked to line up right over the top of the opposing center. But last week against the Dallas Cowboys, the Rams moved Brockers to defensive end instead. That put Brockers and Donald as the two defensive ends with Quinn at outside linebacker and a tandem of Tanzel Smart and Tyrunn Walker at nose tackle instead.
“For (Phillips) to see me as a playmaker and to open it up and give me those opportunities, I appreciate it,” Brockers said. “And I just want to show him that he didn’t make the wrong decision and I can get the job done.”
Brockers had three tackles with a sack and two passes defended. It was the first game this season where Brockers had managed to get a sack.
“He’s a really good player at any position he plays, especially going against the offensive tackles that Dallas has. He played really well against those guys and showed how good he can be,” Phillips said.
The Gurley Hurdle...
- By shaunpinney
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 26 Replies
We've all seen it, it's an amazing thing, but am I the only one that worries he's going to get seriously hurt by doing this move? Mt heart is always in my throat waiting to watch him get up after it!
TNF: Patriots@Buccaneers
- By Prime Time
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 63 Replies
https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2017/1...-2017-time-tv-channel-thursday-night-football
Patriots vs. Buccaneers 2017: Start time, TV schedule for 'Thursday Night Football'
Expect fireworks between two teams who’ve struggled with defense in 2017.
by Christian D'Andrea
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Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Tom Brady has thrown for more yards than anyone else in the NFL, but a Swiss cheese defense has his Patriots languishing at 2-2. New England will have the chance to get back on track — and avoid a rare two-game losing streak — when it travels to Tampa for a Thursday Night Football showdown with the Buccaneers starting at 8:30 p.m. ET and broadcast live on NFL Network/CBS in local markets (live stream).
Brady is on pace to set a new single-season passing mark after throwing for a shade under 350 yards per game in the Patriots’ otherwise unimpressive start. He’ll square off against a Buccaneer defense that got shredded by Case Keenum for 369 yards and three touchdowns in Week 3. Will the future Hall of Famer do enough to overcome New England’s sieve of a passing defense?
Time, TV channel, and streaming info
New England’s inability to get late stops cost the team victories over the Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers. Without Tom Brady’s fourth-quarter magic, it would have sunk the Pats against Houston as well.
Which Jameis Winston will show up in prime time?
Winston’s third season as a pro has started on a roller coaster track. He was solid but subdued in a romp over the hapless Bears, then threw three bad interceptions in Minnesota to even the team’s record at 1-1. In Week 4, he took advantage of another bad team — this time the Giants — to throw for 332 yards and three touchdowns without committing a turnover. The young passer has been inconsistent, but has shown he’s got the tools to be one of the league’s top quarterbacks.
Of course, given the Patriots’ predilection of giving up 300-yard games through the air, recent history suggests he’ll have one of the best nights of his career on Thursday.
Patriots at Buccaneers prediction:
Every one of our NFL experts went with the Patriots in their Week 5 NFL picks except Stephen White, former defensive end for the Buccaneers. OddsShark’s computer, however, agreed that Tampa Bay will win.
Patriots vs. Buccaneers 2017: Start time, TV schedule for 'Thursday Night Football'
Expect fireworks between two teams who’ve struggled with defense in 2017.
by Christian D'Andrea
Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Tom Brady has thrown for more yards than anyone else in the NFL, but a Swiss cheese defense has his Patriots languishing at 2-2. New England will have the chance to get back on track — and avoid a rare two-game losing streak — when it travels to Tampa for a Thursday Night Football showdown with the Buccaneers starting at 8:30 p.m. ET and broadcast live on NFL Network/CBS in local markets (live stream).
Brady is on pace to set a new single-season passing mark after throwing for a shade under 350 yards per game in the Patriots’ otherwise unimpressive start. He’ll square off against a Buccaneer defense that got shredded by Case Keenum for 369 yards and three touchdowns in Week 3. Will the future Hall of Famer do enough to overcome New England’s sieve of a passing defense?
Time, TV channel, and streaming info
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
- TV: NFL Network (CBS in local markets)
- Streaming: Amazon Prime
- Odds: New England is favored by 5 points.
- The Patriots defense looks like a fatal flaw in their quest to repeat as Super Bowl champs.
New England’s inability to get late stops cost the team victories over the Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers. Without Tom Brady’s fourth-quarter magic, it would have sunk the Pats against Houston as well.
- Doug Martin returns from suspension this week, and it could be just what a low-key rushing attack needs.
- The Patriots could make a trade to improve their defense, but it won’t fix what’s fundamentally wrong.
- Last week’s win over the Giants has the Buccaneers climbing the NFL power rankings.
- Will moving Devin McCourty into Patrick Chung’s role improve the Patriot defense?
Which Jameis Winston will show up in prime time?
Winston’s third season as a pro has started on a roller coaster track. He was solid but subdued in a romp over the hapless Bears, then threw three bad interceptions in Minnesota to even the team’s record at 1-1. In Week 4, he took advantage of another bad team — this time the Giants — to throw for 332 yards and three touchdowns without committing a turnover. The young passer has been inconsistent, but has shown he’s got the tools to be one of the league’s top quarterbacks.
Of course, given the Patriots’ predilection of giving up 300-yard games through the air, recent history suggests he’ll have one of the best nights of his career on Thursday.
Patriots at Buccaneers prediction:
Every one of our NFL experts went with the Patriots in their Week 5 NFL picks except Stephen White, former defensive end for the Buccaneers. OddsShark’s computer, however, agreed that Tampa Bay will win.
QB Index, Week 5: Tom Brady unfair, Alex Smith on fire
- By kurtfaulk
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 5 Replies
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...ex-week-5-tom-brady-unfair-alex-smith-on-fire
QB Index, Week 5: Tom Brady unfair, Alex Smith on fire
Tom Brady is the NFL's best quarterback at 40 years old, throwing the ball deeper, moving better and carrying an uneven Patriots roster more than he ever has in his 18-year career. None of this feels sustainable, but that's been true for years.
The start of Brady's season is so impressive because it's been so different. Teams are daring him to throw deep and he's making them pay. No quarterback has attempted or completed more passes that have traveled 20-plus yards this season, which isn't usually his strength. Brady hasn't finished in the top five in deep completions since 2007, according to Pro Football Focus' numbers.
Brady is also quicker when evading the rush, which has been more necessary with his offensive line struggling. PFF ranks the Patriots' pass protection 23rd in football and only four quarterbacks have been sacked more. Brady is not used to taking so many big hits and it's worth wondering how long this can keep up. A mediocre running game and the league's worst defense have forced Brady to put up more than 30 points per week just to compete -- and he's obliging.
Of all the achievements in Brady's career, I find his accomplishments since returning from last year's suspension the most stunning. In his past 16 regular-season games, he's thrown for 4,893 yards at 8.3 yards per attempt, with 38 touchdowns and two interceptions. The greatest quarterback of theSuper Bowl era is following up perhaps his greatest season with an even better encore thus far at age 40. Precedent left the picture a while back.
This is the Quarterback Index. For the first time this season, each QB is ranked based on 2017 performance only. So what's happened in previous seasons and what I think will happen moving forward doesn't matter. It's only about evaluating this season. Let's get weird:
1
&w=120&h=120)
Tom Brady
QB
Patriots
The book on Brady has been to take away the middle of the field and make Patriotsreceivers win one-on-one on the outside. Brady is ripping the pages out of said book with his teeth.
2017 stats: 4 games | 66.5 pct | 1,399 pass yds | 9.0 ypa | 10 pass TD | 0 INT
2
&w=120&h=120)
Drew Brees
QB
Saints
If not for Brady, Brees' body blows against Father Time would be a bigger story. The 38-year-old's season has been as unflashy as the three scoring drives of 10-plus plays theSaints executed in the second half of their win in London. I was a little surprised at how high Brees' steady efficiency landed in my amateur grading system, then found out he'sranked third by Football Outsiders and second by PFF thus far, too. He's a constant in an inconstant season.
2017 stats: 4 games | 69.1 pct | 1,135 pass yds | 7.5 ypa | 8 pass TD | 0 INT
3
&w=120&h=120)
Alex Smith
QB
Chiefs
This is like the normal Alex Smith, but with roughly 2-3 extra huge plays added every week. These plays are often improvised, like Smith's beautiful throw on the run to Albert Wilsonon Monday night to beat Washington. Three game-winning drives in four weeks and an 8.8 YPA helps Smith to his highest QB Index ranking in my five seasons doing the column.
2017 stats: 4 games | 76.0 pct | 1,067 pass yds | 8.8 ypa | 8 pass TD | 0 INT | 89 rush yds | 1 rush TD
4
&w=120&h=120)
Aaron Rodgers
QB
Packers
He's played better every week, managing a difficult situation with his starting tackles missing for most of the season. Rodgers' game against the Bears -- getting the Packersinto the right plays while mixing in impossible throws on the run without forcing anything -- showed the most talented quarterback in football can impersonate a "game manager" in the best way possible.
2017 stats: 4 games | 66.9 pct | 1,146 pass yds | 7.2 ypa | 10 pass TD | 3 INT
5
&w=120&h=120)
Matthew Stafford
QB
Lions
Stafford's high ranking -- despite a disappointing Week 4 in Minnesota -- speaks to the strength of his first three weeks and how erratic the quarterback position has been as a whole. Thirty games in, it's now safe to say Stafford's gains in the Jim Bob Cooter era are sticking around.
2017 stats: 4 games | 63.8 pct | 887 pass yds | 6.4 ypa | 7 pass TD | 1 INT
6
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Matt Ryan
QB
Falcons
Some of Ryan's good fortune from his MVP season has flipped, with three of his five interceptions bouncing off receivers' hands. The Falcons still lead the NFL in yards per drive, with Ryan not looking that different than a season ago.
2017 stats: 4 games | 65.2 pct | 1,109 pass yds | 8.2 ypa | 5 pass TD | 5 INT
7
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Russell Wilson
QB
Seahawks
At some point, it's probably safe to stop pining for some consistent, mystical Seahawkspassing game that consistently moves the chains and just enjoy the streaky attack that can include six plays over 20 yards in one game, with a long rushing touchdown from Wilson, to boot.
2017 stats: 4 games | 61.7 pct | 1,024 pass yds | 7.3 ypa | 7 pass TD | 2 INT | 138 rush yds | 1 TD
8
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Tyrod Taylor
QB
Bills
I've read enough about what Taylor can't do. What he can do is scare the daylights out of the league's best defenders like Von Miller, who guarded Taylor on one Week 3 play as if the QB was LeBron James about to take Miller to the hole. Taylor responded by flipping a pass across his body 31 yards down the field to tight end Nick O'Leary. These moments are incredibly common for a quarterback ranked 31st in pass attempts.
2017 stats: 4 games | 65.7 pct | 744 pass yds | 7.5 ypa | 5 pass TD | 1 INT | 118 rush yds | 0 rush TD
9
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Jared Goff
QB
Rams
It's amazing the Rams' offense is high-powered enough to score 35 points in Dallas while barely using its outside receivers. Goff looks more comfortable in part because he has more time. He has the third-longest time to throw -- at 2.92 seconds on average, according to Next Gen Stats -- and he's using that time to find receivers who are often wide open.
2017 stats: 4 games | 66.7 pct | 1,072 pass yds | 9.2 ypa | 7 pass TD | 1 INT
10
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Ben Roethlisberger
QB
Steelers
It's been a strange start to the season for Roethlisberger, with a lot of just missed bombs down the field and drama off it. Maybe that's not so strange for Big Ben.
2017 stats: 4 games | 62.1 pct | 957 pass yds | 6.8 ypa | 6 pass TD | 2 INT
11
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Derek Carr
QB
Raiders
The Raiders' passing attack struggled to put points on the board for seven straight quarters before Carr injured his back. That sudden slowdown was one of the biggest surprises of this young season after Carr looked unstoppable in Weeks 1 and 2.
2017 stats: 4 games | 67.9 pct | 753 pass yds | 6.9 ypa | 7 pass TD | 2 INT
12
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Dak Prescott
QB
Cowboys
Prescott is making a living off death-defying scrambles where he slips the tackle of players like the Rams' Aaron Donald. Few quarterbacks try to go deep less, and Dak's connection with Dez Bryant (16 catches on 40 attempts) has been extremely inefficient.
2017 stats: 4 games | 60.8 pct | 941 pass yds | 6.6 ypa | 8 pass TD | 3 INT | 89 rush yds | 1 rush TD
13
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Marcus Mariota
QB
Titans
Just when Mariota and the Titans appeared to have turned the corner, he gets hurt in a game in which they were already getting lambasted on the road against a division rival. (The same story happened last year in Jacksonville.) Hopefully Mariota's hamstring injury won't limit his running ability, which the Titans were using to greater effect this season.
2017 stats: 4 games | 60.0 pct | 792 pass yds | 7.2 ypa | 3 pass TD | 3 INT | 116 rush yds | 3 rush TD
14
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Trevor Siemian
QB
Broncos
Stop calling him a game manager. If anything, Siemian trusts his arm a little too much to complete passes only Aaron Rodgers could pull off. A little irrational confidence is not a bad thing.
2017 stats: 4 games | 62.7 pct | 888 pass yds | 7.0 ypa | 7 pass TD | 4 INT
15
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Jameis Winston
QB
Buccaneers
Speaking of trusting his arm too much ... Winston still hasn't met a play he's willing to give up on. His excellent use of secondary receivers like Adam Humphries, O.J. Howard andCameron Brate against the Giants was a great sign that Winston's season is ready to take off.
2017 stats: 3 games | 63.0 pct | 864 pass yds | 8.0 ypa | 6 pass TD | 3 INT
16
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Carson Wentz
QB
Eagles
Philadelphia coach Doug Pederson is asking Wentz to do less in his second season and it's working. The most imposing running quarterback to enter the league since Cam Newton, Wentz still lacks the timing and pocket presence to consistently win from the pocket. He often appears a half-tick behind pulling the trigger on tough throws, but his crazy athleticism makes up for it.
2017 stats: 4 games | 60.5 pct | 1,058 pass yds | 7.2 ypa | 6 pass TD | 2 INT | 97 rush yds | 0 rush TD
17
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Cam Newton
QB
Panthers
Sometimes offseason narratives come true. His attempts, completion percentage and passer rating on throws under 5 yards have gone way up this season in part because ofChristian McCaffrey. Newton is also leaner and more slippery as a runner than a season ago. I'm expecting him to find his way back to the top 10 after a slow start.
2017 stats: 4 games | 65.2 pct | 882 pass yds | 7.9 ypa | 5 pass TD | 5 INT | 90 rush yds | 2 rush TD
18
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Deshaun Watson
QB
Texans
I can't wait to see where Watson goes from here. He's only ranked in the middle of the pack because of his first six sluggish quarters. Since then, he's made enough next-level throws with wild elusiveness, resulting in the Texans becoming more watchable as a franchise than ever before.
2017 stats: 4 games | 64.9 pct | 811 pass yds | 7.1 ypa | 7 pass TD | 4 INT | 148 rush yds | 2 rush TD
19
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Case Keenum
QB
Vikings
Keenum has given everything the Vikings could want in a backup quarterback, including plenty of chunk plays he's created on his own after escaping pressure. The loss to the Lions was not on him -- his teammates fumbled the ball three times and had other costly breakdowns.
2017 stats: 3 games | 61.0 pct | 755 pass yds | 7.6 ypa | 3 pass TD | 0 INT
20
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Kirk Cousins
QB
Redskins
It appears that Cousins has shaken off his early-season slump even faster than he did a year ago, despite a higher degree of difficulty. Cousins is trying to incorporate a lot of new parts to the offense while his old reliables ( Rob Kelley, Jamison Crowder and Jordan Reed) haven't been very reliable.
2017 stats: 4 games | 66.1 pct | 1,004 pass yds | 8.3 ypa | 7 pass TD | 1 INT
21
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Philip Rivers
QB
Chargers
He's a rhythm quarterback who hasn't been in rhythm often this season. Listening to his disheartened press conference after a third straight loss in Los Angeles, it's easy to imagine Rivers relieved to end this extended homestand.
2017 stats: 4 games | 63.3 pct | 1,107 pass yds | 7.4 ypa | 6 pass TD | 4 INT
22
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Carson Palmer
QB
Cardinals
The physical skills are still there. The scheme fit, with a lack of vertical weapons or the time to find them open, may no longer be so perfect alongside Bruce Arians.
2017 stats: 4 games | 59.0 pct | 1,282 pass yds | 7.0 ypa | 5 pass TD | 5 INT
23
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Eli Manning
QB
Giants
Manning and Alex Smith have both thrown 14 passes of 20-plus yards this season. Smith's have gone for 376 yards and three touchdowns, while Eli's have gained 98 yards with one score and an interception. This is a limited offense.
2017 stats: 4 games | 69.9 pct | 1,113 pass yds | 6.7 ypa | 6 pass TD | 4 INT
24
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Andy Dalton
QB
Bengals
Dalton joins Cousins and Watson as the only quarterbacks on this list to have improved scores in my grading system each week this season. Dalton should get better.
2017 stats: 4 games | 66.7 pct | 892 pass yds | 7.3 ypa | 6 pass TD | 4 INT
25
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Josh McCown
QB
Jets
Old enough to have backed up Jake Plummer, Jeff Blake, Shaun King and Kurt Warner on the Cardinals before traveling to seven other NFL teams, McCown is playing better with this motley crew of Jets than he has any right to.
2017 stats: 4 games | 70.1 pct | 826 pass yds | 7.1 ypa | 3 pass TD | 3 INT | 38 rush yds | 1 rush TD
26
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Blake Bortles
QB
Jaguars
Throwing four touchdowns in London followed by 4-yards-per-attempt in New Jersey nicely sums up Bortles' maddening career. He's holding his franchise back.
2017 stats: 4 games | 54.5 pct | 732 pass yds | 6.0 ypa | 7 pass TD | 3 INT | 98 rush yds | 0 rush TD
27
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Jacoby Brissett
QB
Colts
I've enjoyed watching Brissett, a man with deceptive speed who uses pump fakes, a variety of throws and other crafty maneuvers like a 10-year veteran. Time will tell if he can be a starter, but he's already shown he has a place in the league for a long time.
2017 stats: 4 games | 59.1 pct | 683 pass yds | 7.3 ypa | 2 pass TD | 2 INT | 69 rush yds | 2 rush TD
28
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Jay Cutler
QB
Dolphins
The poor mechanics are familiar, but the complete lack of creativity or pop on his throws are surprising. Perhaps it was Miami's never-ending road trip that wore this offense down, but Cutler's physical skills just haven't looked the same.
2017 stats: 3 games | 66.7 pct | 614 pass yds | 5.8 ypa | 2 pass TD | 2 INT
29
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Brian Hoyer
QB
49ers
There was a lot of talk about Hoyer putting up sneaky-great fantasy stats in Kyle Shanahan's system. After three games out of four without an offensive touchdown, that talk has ended.
2017 stats: 4 games | 58.1 pct | 858 pass yds | 5.8 ypa | 2 pass TD | 4 INT
30
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Joe Flacco
QB
Ravens
There was a time when Flacco was a fun quarterback to watch because he could make every throw possible, but now the Ravens don't even let him attempt them.
2017 stats: 4 games | 61.9 pct | 601 pass yds | 5.1 ypa | 4 pass TD | 6 INT
31
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Deshone Kizer
QB
Browns
Kizer has at least a few plays each start that make me want to see more. But the Brownslack the regular chain-moving completions that sustain an offense, and the boom-or-bust approach went bust against the Bengals.
2017 stats: 4 games | 51.4 pct | 764 pass yds | 5.4 ypa | 3 pass TD | 8 INT | 97 rush yds | 2 rush TD
32
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Mike Glennon
QB
Bears
After a solid opener, Glennon turned the ball over too often and didn't fit with the Bearsoffense. Perhaps he could succeed in a Bruce Arians-like vertical approach elsewhere, but for a fraction of the $16 million he's earning this season from the Bears.
2017 stats: 4 games | 66.4 pct | 833 pass yds | 6.0 ypa | 4 pass TD | 5 INT
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
QB Index, Week 5: Tom Brady unfair, Alex Smith on fire
- By Gregg Rosenthal
- Around The NFL Editor
- Published: Oct. 4, 2017 at 04:57 p.m.
- Updated: Oct. 4, 2017 at 05:22 p.m.
Tom Brady is the NFL's best quarterback at 40 years old, throwing the ball deeper, moving better and carrying an uneven Patriots roster more than he ever has in his 18-year career. None of this feels sustainable, but that's been true for years.
The start of Brady's season is so impressive because it's been so different. Teams are daring him to throw deep and he's making them pay. No quarterback has attempted or completed more passes that have traveled 20-plus yards this season, which isn't usually his strength. Brady hasn't finished in the top five in deep completions since 2007, according to Pro Football Focus' numbers.
Brady is also quicker when evading the rush, which has been more necessary with his offensive line struggling. PFF ranks the Patriots' pass protection 23rd in football and only four quarterbacks have been sacked more. Brady is not used to taking so many big hits and it's worth wondering how long this can keep up. A mediocre running game and the league's worst defense have forced Brady to put up more than 30 points per week just to compete -- and he's obliging.
Of all the achievements in Brady's career, I find his accomplishments since returning from last year's suspension the most stunning. In his past 16 regular-season games, he's thrown for 4,893 yards at 8.3 yards per attempt, with 38 touchdowns and two interceptions. The greatest quarterback of theSuper Bowl era is following up perhaps his greatest season with an even better encore thus far at age 40. Precedent left the picture a while back.
This is the Quarterback Index. For the first time this season, each QB is ranked based on 2017 performance only. So what's happened in previous seasons and what I think will happen moving forward doesn't matter. It's only about evaluating this season. Let's get weird:
1
Tom Brady
QB
Patriots
The book on Brady has been to take away the middle of the field and make Patriotsreceivers win one-on-one on the outside. Brady is ripping the pages out of said book with his teeth.
2017 stats: 4 games | 66.5 pct | 1,399 pass yds | 9.0 ypa | 10 pass TD | 0 INT
2
Drew Brees
QB
Saints
If not for Brady, Brees' body blows against Father Time would be a bigger story. The 38-year-old's season has been as unflashy as the three scoring drives of 10-plus plays theSaints executed in the second half of their win in London. I was a little surprised at how high Brees' steady efficiency landed in my amateur grading system, then found out he'sranked third by Football Outsiders and second by PFF thus far, too. He's a constant in an inconstant season.
2017 stats: 4 games | 69.1 pct | 1,135 pass yds | 7.5 ypa | 8 pass TD | 0 INT
3
Alex Smith
QB
Chiefs
This is like the normal Alex Smith, but with roughly 2-3 extra huge plays added every week. These plays are often improvised, like Smith's beautiful throw on the run to Albert Wilsonon Monday night to beat Washington. Three game-winning drives in four weeks and an 8.8 YPA helps Smith to his highest QB Index ranking in my five seasons doing the column.
2017 stats: 4 games | 76.0 pct | 1,067 pass yds | 8.8 ypa | 8 pass TD | 0 INT | 89 rush yds | 1 rush TD
4
Aaron Rodgers
QB
Packers
He's played better every week, managing a difficult situation with his starting tackles missing for most of the season. Rodgers' game against the Bears -- getting the Packersinto the right plays while mixing in impossible throws on the run without forcing anything -- showed the most talented quarterback in football can impersonate a "game manager" in the best way possible.
2017 stats: 4 games | 66.9 pct | 1,146 pass yds | 7.2 ypa | 10 pass TD | 3 INT
5
Matthew Stafford
QB
Lions
Stafford's high ranking -- despite a disappointing Week 4 in Minnesota -- speaks to the strength of his first three weeks and how erratic the quarterback position has been as a whole. Thirty games in, it's now safe to say Stafford's gains in the Jim Bob Cooter era are sticking around.
2017 stats: 4 games | 63.8 pct | 887 pass yds | 6.4 ypa | 7 pass TD | 1 INT
6
Matt Ryan
QB
Falcons
Some of Ryan's good fortune from his MVP season has flipped, with three of his five interceptions bouncing off receivers' hands. The Falcons still lead the NFL in yards per drive, with Ryan not looking that different than a season ago.
2017 stats: 4 games | 65.2 pct | 1,109 pass yds | 8.2 ypa | 5 pass TD | 5 INT
7
Russell Wilson
QB
Seahawks
At some point, it's probably safe to stop pining for some consistent, mystical Seahawkspassing game that consistently moves the chains and just enjoy the streaky attack that can include six plays over 20 yards in one game, with a long rushing touchdown from Wilson, to boot.
2017 stats: 4 games | 61.7 pct | 1,024 pass yds | 7.3 ypa | 7 pass TD | 2 INT | 138 rush yds | 1 TD
8
Tyrod Taylor
QB
Bills
I've read enough about what Taylor can't do. What he can do is scare the daylights out of the league's best defenders like Von Miller, who guarded Taylor on one Week 3 play as if the QB was LeBron James about to take Miller to the hole. Taylor responded by flipping a pass across his body 31 yards down the field to tight end Nick O'Leary. These moments are incredibly common for a quarterback ranked 31st in pass attempts.
2017 stats: 4 games | 65.7 pct | 744 pass yds | 7.5 ypa | 5 pass TD | 1 INT | 118 rush yds | 0 rush TD
9
Jared Goff
QB
Rams
It's amazing the Rams' offense is high-powered enough to score 35 points in Dallas while barely using its outside receivers. Goff looks more comfortable in part because he has more time. He has the third-longest time to throw -- at 2.92 seconds on average, according to Next Gen Stats -- and he's using that time to find receivers who are often wide open.
2017 stats: 4 games | 66.7 pct | 1,072 pass yds | 9.2 ypa | 7 pass TD | 1 INT
10
Ben Roethlisberger
QB
Steelers
It's been a strange start to the season for Roethlisberger, with a lot of just missed bombs down the field and drama off it. Maybe that's not so strange for Big Ben.
2017 stats: 4 games | 62.1 pct | 957 pass yds | 6.8 ypa | 6 pass TD | 2 INT
11
Derek Carr
QB
Raiders
The Raiders' passing attack struggled to put points on the board for seven straight quarters before Carr injured his back. That sudden slowdown was one of the biggest surprises of this young season after Carr looked unstoppable in Weeks 1 and 2.
2017 stats: 4 games | 67.9 pct | 753 pass yds | 6.9 ypa | 7 pass TD | 2 INT
12
Dak Prescott
QB
Cowboys
Prescott is making a living off death-defying scrambles where he slips the tackle of players like the Rams' Aaron Donald. Few quarterbacks try to go deep less, and Dak's connection with Dez Bryant (16 catches on 40 attempts) has been extremely inefficient.
2017 stats: 4 games | 60.8 pct | 941 pass yds | 6.6 ypa | 8 pass TD | 3 INT | 89 rush yds | 1 rush TD
13
Marcus Mariota
QB
Titans
Just when Mariota and the Titans appeared to have turned the corner, he gets hurt in a game in which they were already getting lambasted on the road against a division rival. (The same story happened last year in Jacksonville.) Hopefully Mariota's hamstring injury won't limit his running ability, which the Titans were using to greater effect this season.
2017 stats: 4 games | 60.0 pct | 792 pass yds | 7.2 ypa | 3 pass TD | 3 INT | 116 rush yds | 3 rush TD
14
Trevor Siemian
QB
Broncos
Stop calling him a game manager. If anything, Siemian trusts his arm a little too much to complete passes only Aaron Rodgers could pull off. A little irrational confidence is not a bad thing.
2017 stats: 4 games | 62.7 pct | 888 pass yds | 7.0 ypa | 7 pass TD | 4 INT
15
Jameis Winston
QB
Buccaneers
Speaking of trusting his arm too much ... Winston still hasn't met a play he's willing to give up on. His excellent use of secondary receivers like Adam Humphries, O.J. Howard andCameron Brate against the Giants was a great sign that Winston's season is ready to take off.
2017 stats: 3 games | 63.0 pct | 864 pass yds | 8.0 ypa | 6 pass TD | 3 INT
16
Carson Wentz
QB
Eagles
Philadelphia coach Doug Pederson is asking Wentz to do less in his second season and it's working. The most imposing running quarterback to enter the league since Cam Newton, Wentz still lacks the timing and pocket presence to consistently win from the pocket. He often appears a half-tick behind pulling the trigger on tough throws, but his crazy athleticism makes up for it.
2017 stats: 4 games | 60.5 pct | 1,058 pass yds | 7.2 ypa | 6 pass TD | 2 INT | 97 rush yds | 0 rush TD
17
Cam Newton
QB
Panthers
Sometimes offseason narratives come true. His attempts, completion percentage and passer rating on throws under 5 yards have gone way up this season in part because ofChristian McCaffrey. Newton is also leaner and more slippery as a runner than a season ago. I'm expecting him to find his way back to the top 10 after a slow start.
2017 stats: 4 games | 65.2 pct | 882 pass yds | 7.9 ypa | 5 pass TD | 5 INT | 90 rush yds | 2 rush TD
18
Deshaun Watson
QB
Texans
I can't wait to see where Watson goes from here. He's only ranked in the middle of the pack because of his first six sluggish quarters. Since then, he's made enough next-level throws with wild elusiveness, resulting in the Texans becoming more watchable as a franchise than ever before.
2017 stats: 4 games | 64.9 pct | 811 pass yds | 7.1 ypa | 7 pass TD | 4 INT | 148 rush yds | 2 rush TD
19
Case Keenum
QB
Vikings
Keenum has given everything the Vikings could want in a backup quarterback, including plenty of chunk plays he's created on his own after escaping pressure. The loss to the Lions was not on him -- his teammates fumbled the ball three times and had other costly breakdowns.
2017 stats: 3 games | 61.0 pct | 755 pass yds | 7.6 ypa | 3 pass TD | 0 INT
20
Kirk Cousins
QB
Redskins
It appears that Cousins has shaken off his early-season slump even faster than he did a year ago, despite a higher degree of difficulty. Cousins is trying to incorporate a lot of new parts to the offense while his old reliables ( Rob Kelley, Jamison Crowder and Jordan Reed) haven't been very reliable.
2017 stats: 4 games | 66.1 pct | 1,004 pass yds | 8.3 ypa | 7 pass TD | 1 INT
21
Philip Rivers
QB
Chargers
He's a rhythm quarterback who hasn't been in rhythm often this season. Listening to his disheartened press conference after a third straight loss in Los Angeles, it's easy to imagine Rivers relieved to end this extended homestand.
2017 stats: 4 games | 63.3 pct | 1,107 pass yds | 7.4 ypa | 6 pass TD | 4 INT
22
Carson Palmer
QB
Cardinals
The physical skills are still there. The scheme fit, with a lack of vertical weapons or the time to find them open, may no longer be so perfect alongside Bruce Arians.
2017 stats: 4 games | 59.0 pct | 1,282 pass yds | 7.0 ypa | 5 pass TD | 5 INT
23
Eli Manning
QB
Giants
Manning and Alex Smith have both thrown 14 passes of 20-plus yards this season. Smith's have gone for 376 yards and three touchdowns, while Eli's have gained 98 yards with one score and an interception. This is a limited offense.
2017 stats: 4 games | 69.9 pct | 1,113 pass yds | 6.7 ypa | 6 pass TD | 4 INT
24
Andy Dalton
QB
Bengals
Dalton joins Cousins and Watson as the only quarterbacks on this list to have improved scores in my grading system each week this season. Dalton should get better.
2017 stats: 4 games | 66.7 pct | 892 pass yds | 7.3 ypa | 6 pass TD | 4 INT
25
Josh McCown
QB
Jets
Old enough to have backed up Jake Plummer, Jeff Blake, Shaun King and Kurt Warner on the Cardinals before traveling to seven other NFL teams, McCown is playing better with this motley crew of Jets than he has any right to.
2017 stats: 4 games | 70.1 pct | 826 pass yds | 7.1 ypa | 3 pass TD | 3 INT | 38 rush yds | 1 rush TD
26
Blake Bortles
QB
Jaguars
Throwing four touchdowns in London followed by 4-yards-per-attempt in New Jersey nicely sums up Bortles' maddening career. He's holding his franchise back.
2017 stats: 4 games | 54.5 pct | 732 pass yds | 6.0 ypa | 7 pass TD | 3 INT | 98 rush yds | 0 rush TD
27
Jacoby Brissett
QB
Colts
I've enjoyed watching Brissett, a man with deceptive speed who uses pump fakes, a variety of throws and other crafty maneuvers like a 10-year veteran. Time will tell if he can be a starter, but he's already shown he has a place in the league for a long time.
2017 stats: 4 games | 59.1 pct | 683 pass yds | 7.3 ypa | 2 pass TD | 2 INT | 69 rush yds | 2 rush TD
28
Jay Cutler
QB
Dolphins
The poor mechanics are familiar, but the complete lack of creativity or pop on his throws are surprising. Perhaps it was Miami's never-ending road trip that wore this offense down, but Cutler's physical skills just haven't looked the same.
2017 stats: 3 games | 66.7 pct | 614 pass yds | 5.8 ypa | 2 pass TD | 2 INT
29
Brian Hoyer
QB
49ers
There was a lot of talk about Hoyer putting up sneaky-great fantasy stats in Kyle Shanahan's system. After three games out of four without an offensive touchdown, that talk has ended.
2017 stats: 4 games | 58.1 pct | 858 pass yds | 5.8 ypa | 2 pass TD | 4 INT
30
Joe Flacco
QB
Ravens
There was a time when Flacco was a fun quarterback to watch because he could make every throw possible, but now the Ravens don't even let him attempt them.
2017 stats: 4 games | 61.9 pct | 601 pass yds | 5.1 ypa | 4 pass TD | 6 INT
31
Deshone Kizer
QB
Browns
Kizer has at least a few plays each start that make me want to see more. But the Brownslack the regular chain-moving completions that sustain an offense, and the boom-or-bust approach went bust against the Bengals.
2017 stats: 4 games | 51.4 pct | 764 pass yds | 5.4 ypa | 3 pass TD | 8 INT | 97 rush yds | 2 rush TD
32
Mike Glennon
QB
Bears
After a solid opener, Glennon turned the ball over too often and didn't fit with the Bearsoffense. Perhaps he could succeed in a Bruce Arians-like vertical approach elsewhere, but for a fraction of the $16 million he's earning this season from the Bears.
2017 stats: 4 games | 66.4 pct | 833 pass yds | 6.0 ypa | 4 pass TD | 5 INT
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
-
Poll
Member Map - No... not THAT member
- By RamFan503
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 35 Replies
So it came up in another thread that we have a map where you can place a pin to show where you are located. It's kind of fun to see at a glance where someone lives or if there are more members of the ROD family near you.
I thought I'd just put up a thread to show you where it is and how to place your pin. I've included pretty pictures for those of you who cannot read so you have no excuses. So here goes:
First thing is go to the three dots near the right of the top menu bar. When you hover over it a drop down menu should show. Click on Member Map.
When the Member Map page comes up, look for and click on Add or Update Location.
Type in your zip code and click on Search.
Select the result that matches your location.
And that's pretty much it.
Now if you want to see if a pin was placed in your location, just look to the right and select your name from the list. Or you can select someone else's name if you want to start stalking them. It still may be difficult because when I was trying to stalk @Selassie I , it still wouldn't give me his exact location. I had to trick him into giving it to me. He's so easy. But I digress.
What will come up is a little banner at the bottom of the map and a number or pin where the person is located. In this instance, there are two of us who have placed their pins in the Reno area. Sometimes you may have to look around a bit to find the pin for the person you are looking for.
If you click on the number, it will expand the map and show you the members in that area.
So there you go. Give it a shot and show us where you call home. You may just be surprised when another member hits you up to go buy him a beer when he's in town.
Cheers, and GO RAMS!!!
I thought I'd just put up a thread to show you where it is and how to place your pin. I've included pretty pictures for those of you who cannot read so you have no excuses. So here goes:
First thing is go to the three dots near the right of the top menu bar. When you hover over it a drop down menu should show. Click on Member Map.
When the Member Map page comes up, look for and click on Add or Update Location.
Type in your zip code and click on Search.
Select the result that matches your location.
And that's pretty much it.
Now if you want to see if a pin was placed in your location, just look to the right and select your name from the list. Or you can select someone else's name if you want to start stalking them. It still may be difficult because when I was trying to stalk @Selassie I , it still wouldn't give me his exact location. I had to trick him into giving it to me. He's so easy. But I digress.
What will come up is a little banner at the bottom of the map and a number or pin where the person is located. In this instance, there are two of us who have placed their pins in the Reno area. Sometimes you may have to look around a bit to find the pin for the person you are looking for.
If you click on the number, it will expand the map and show you the members in that area.
So there you go. Give it a shot and show us where you call home. You may just be surprised when another member hits you up to go buy him a beer when he's in town.
Cheers, and GO RAMS!!!
Latest Madden Glitch Causes Chargers Fans To Appear In The Stands At Home Games In LA
- By thirteen28
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 3 Replies
I don't play Madden, but if I did, this would annoy the heck outta me ... 
http://dailysnark.com/latest-madden-glitch-causes-chargers-fans-appear-stands-home-games-la/
Latest Madden Glitch Causes Chargers Fans To Appear In The Stands At Home Games In LA
By
NFLMemes
-
October 4, 2017
With every Madden release comes glitches, both annoying and funny. It adds to the spirit of the game, whether it be players being flung 20 feet into the air, balls being intercepted by invisible defenders, or even players appearing to have sex mid game.
But nothing tops the latest Madden 18 glitch, which makes fans appear in the stands of Stub Hub Stadium during Chargers home games. Even more bizarre, the fan are actually Chargers fans instead of opposing fans.
“I returned mine to be honest,” one disgruntled customer said. “There were no boos when the Chargers came out on the field, and the whole stadium cheered when the Chargers scored. ‘Our most realistic game ever’, my ass.”
Someone at EA Sports has some explaining to do.
http://dailysnark.com/latest-madden-glitch-causes-chargers-fans-appear-stands-home-games-la/
Latest Madden Glitch Causes Chargers Fans To Appear In The Stands At Home Games In LA
By
NFLMemes
-
October 4, 2017
With every Madden release comes glitches, both annoying and funny. It adds to the spirit of the game, whether it be players being flung 20 feet into the air, balls being intercepted by invisible defenders, or even players appearing to have sex mid game.
But nothing tops the latest Madden 18 glitch, which makes fans appear in the stands of Stub Hub Stadium during Chargers home games. Even more bizarre, the fan are actually Chargers fans instead of opposing fans.
“I returned mine to be honest,” one disgruntled customer said. “There were no boos when the Chargers came out on the field, and the whole stadium cheered when the Chargers scored. ‘Our most realistic game ever’, my ass.”
Someone at EA Sports has some explaining to do.
PFF's 2017 First Quarter All-Pro Team - What a joke
- By Prime Time
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 29 Replies
https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-nfl-2017-first-quarter-all-pro
NFL 2017 First Quarter All-Pro Team
BY SAM MONSON
With a quarter of the season in the books (for everybody except the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers), it’s time to start recognizing the players that have been standing out thus far this season, with a look at what the All-Pro team would look like if the season ended today.
This year we will match the new and improved All-Pro system when it comes to offensive and defensive formation, with a flex player for both sides of the ball that can be either a receiver, slot weapon, tight end or running back on offense, and anybody in the defensive secondary on defense.
This gives us the flexibility to reward the player that best deserves it across multiple positions, rather than shoehorning in somebody just to fit a slot receiver or cornerback role.
OFFENSE – FIRST TEAM
Quarterback – Tom Brady, New England Patriots
PFF Grade: 89.6
Elite Stat: Brady currently holds the league’s highest passer rating under pressure at 138.5.
Typically quarterbacks struggle in the face of pressure, but Tom Brady through one month of the season has a passer rating of 138.5 when hurried. Not only is that better than any other passer when pressured, but it’s better than any other quarterback’s passer rating when they are kept clean in the pocket. Brady has been sensational again through the first quarter of this season, even if this Patriots team doesn’t seem as good around him as it was a season ago.
Second Team QB – Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (88.9)
Honorable Mention – Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills (85.6), Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs (86.2), Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks (85.7)
No Jared Goff? WTH?
Running back – Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs
PFF Grade: 93.4
Elite Stat: Hunt has forced a total of 25 missed tackles on carries alone – more than any other RB has forced on runs AND receptions, combined.
Kareem Hunt has been one of the stars of the young season. Last season’s No. 1 graded running back in college at PFF, Hunt has hit the ground running in the NFL, and since fumbling with his first professional carry, has done nothing but dominate for Kansas City. Hunt has broken 31 total tackles on just 81 touches between carries and receptions, and has an elusive rating two times higher than any other back.
Second Team RB – Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons (87.6)
Honorable Mention – C.J. Anderson, Denver Broncos (84.4), LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills (83.1)
No Todd Gurley? WTH?
Wide receiver – Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings
PFF Grade: 87.9
Elite Stat: Diggs sees a 149.9 passer rating when targeted – a massive 17.3 points higher than the next closest WR with a minimum of 20 targets.
Stefon Diggs has been looking more and more like Antonio Brown as his career has progressed. Not only does he lead the league in receiving yards, but he does so without his starting quarterback throwing him the ball for three of those games, and he has made numerous tough catches over that span, going up and taking the ball away from defensive backs in the manner of a guy several inches taller than he is.
Second Team WR – Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks (84.5)
Honorable Mention – Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers (83.5)
Wide receiver – A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals
PFF Grade: 87.4
Elite Stat: Green is averaging 2.30 yards per route run, seventh-best in the league.
A.J. Green has been the victim of the Cincinnati offensive struggles, but just because his overall output hasn’t been as strong as it has been in the past, it would be a mistake to ignore how good he has been. Green has caught 71.4 percent of the passes thrown his way, which is the highest mark of his career, and has still made several big plays.
Second Team WR – Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons (87.0)
Honorable Mention – Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers (82.8)
Tight end – Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
PFF Grade: 88.0
Elite Stat: Gronk’s 2.27 yards per route run are the second-most for any TE so far this season.
Rob Gronkowski continues to be the standard of the modern day tight end. Gronk has gained 2.27 yards per route run, second in the league, but what always separates him from other top receiving tight ends is how well he blocks. In three of the four games he has played in this season his blocking in the run game has been exemplary, and at the moment he is helping offset a Patriots offensive line that has been struggling.
Second Team TE – Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans (87.6)
Honorable Mention – Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (84.2), Vernon Davis, Washington Redskins (85.3)
Flex O – Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers
PFF Grade: 87.3
Elite Stat: Brown fields an average of 2.66 yards per route run, third-highest in the league.
Antonio Brown remains one of the game’s best receivers, and despite being covered by some top cornerbacks so far this season has still been extremely productive. Brown has a quickness and decisiveness to his movement that makes him extremely tough to bottle up, and only Stefon Diggs and Julio Jones have gained more yards per route run this season.
Second Team FLEX – Golden Tate, Detroit Lions (83.7)
Honorable Mention – Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings (82.8)
LT – Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns
PFF Grade: 87.3
Elite Stat: On 190 pass blocking snaps, Thomas has yet to allow a sack, the most snaps of any tackle without an allowed sack this season.
Joe Thomas hit a milestone of 10,000 consecutive snaps played since entering the league over the first month of the season. If you count plays that were nullified by penalty he exceeded that some time ago, but despite all that mileage he remains the standard by which all left tackles are measured. Thomas has allowed just six total pressures across four games so far.
Second Team LT – Jason Peters, Philadelphia Eagles (86.4)
Honorable Mention – Andrew Whitworth, Los Angeles Rams (83.6), Taylor Lewan, Tennessee Titans (83.9)
LG – Richie Incognito, Buffalo Bills
PFF Grade: 84.1
Elite Stat: Incognito has yet to allow a QB Hit this season, on 127 pass block snaps.
Since coming back into the league there have been few better guards than Buffalo’s Richie Incognito. This season he has been part of a Buffalo team that has overachieved, and he has allowed just three total pressures through four games. Incognito has also run blocked well, though he is coming off his worst game of the season against the Atlanta Falcons.
Second Team LG – Andrew Norwell, Carolina Panthers (83.3)
Honorable Mention – Joel Bitonio, Cleveland Browns (82.2), Kelechi Osemele, Oakland Raiders (81.4)
C – Alex Mack, Atlanta Falcons
PFF Grade: 93.9
Elite Stat: Mack sees a pass blocking efficiency mark of 99.5, having surrendered just 1 hurry all season.
Alex Mack has been arguably the best player at any position in the league through the first month of the season. The former Cleveland Brown isn’t just back to his best, but is playing better than he ever has before in his NFL career. Mack has allowed just one hurry and no other pressure across four games this season, has yet to be penalized, and has been one of the game’s best run blockers, instrumental in the Falcons zone blocking plays.
Second Team C – Jason Kelce, Philadelphia Eagles (92.0)
Honorable Mention – Rodney Hudson, Oakland Raiders (85.5), Travis Frederick, Dallas Cowboys (84.2)
RG – David DeCastro, Pittsburgh Steelers
PFF Grade: 91.7
Elite Stat: DeCastro has seen 148 pass blocking snaps, and allowed just 3 hurries.
Pittsburgh’s offensive line as a whole has been less dominant than it was a season ago, but David DeCastro is playing the best football of his career through the first month of the season. DeCastro has yet to allow Ben Roethlisberger to be sacked or hit, and has allowed just three hurries across his four games, while run blocking well, particularly on the move when he is asked to pull block.
Second Team RG – Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys (85.6)
Honorable Mention – T.J. Lang, Detroit Lions (83.5), Trai Turner, Carolina Panthers (83.4)
RT – Trent Brown, San Francisco 49ers
PFF Grade: 85.7
Elite Stat: Brown has allowed just 5 total pressures – tied for sixth-fewest among tackles with at least 100 pass block snaps.
One of the surprises of the young season is the play of 49ers RT Trent Brown. Brown, at 6 foot 8 and 360 pounds has been a revelation as a pass blocker, allowing just five total pressures so far this season, and doing so against some high-level defenses. Brown shut out both the Panthers and Seahawks, and was impressive against the Rams and Cardinals.
Second Team RT – Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles (85.4)
Honorable Mention – Demar Dotson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (86.0)
DEFENSE – FIRST TEAM
Defensive interior – DeForest Buckner, San Francisco 49ers
PFF Grade: 93.2
Elite Stat: No interior defender has more pressures than Buckner through four games, as his 23 total pressures are 3 more than the next player.
DeForest Buckner certainly benefits from some of the offensive lines he has gone up against, but a player can only beat what is in front of them, and Buckner has certainly done that. He only has one sack, but Buckner has 23 total pressures, a batted pass and eleven defensive stops to his name across the first four weeks of the season.
Second Team DI – J.J. Watt, Houston Texans (91.0)
Honorable Mention – Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams (91.4), Linval Joseph, Minnesota Vikings (87.1), Damon Harrison, New York Giants (86.9)
Defensive interior – Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
PFF Grade: 92.4
Elite Stat: McCoy ranks in the top 10 in pass-rush productivity (eighth), while also accruing five stops in run defense, despite playing one less game than other DIs.
Somehow Gerald McCoy has yet to register a sack, but he has taken the quarterback down six times and hurried him another ten, while consistently knifing into the backfield and destroying blocking schemes with his quickness and penetration. McCoy has also been a force in the run game, which hasn’t always been true about his performances, making him one of the biggest impact players of this season.
Second Team DI – Ndamukong Suh, Miami Dolphins (89.3)
Honorable Mention – Geno Atkins, Cincinnati Bengals (88.5), Michael Brockers, Los Angeles Rams (87.0)
Edge defender – Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders
PFF Grade: 91.1
Elite Stat: Mack’s 10 stops in run defense are the second-most of any edge defender.
Khalil Mack was our highest-graded edge defender a season ago and he doesn’t look keen to relinquish that crown in 2017. He has four sacks, four hits and nine additional hurries to his name after four weeks, and is second among all edge defenders with 15 defensive stops. Mack has been a force in both the run and pass game and is one of the game’s most complete and destructive defenders.
Second Team Edge – Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints (90.4)
Honorable Mention – Calais Campbell, Jacksonville Jaguars (88.5), Brandon Graham, Philadelphia Eagles (87.4)
Edge defender – DeMarcus Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys
PFF Grade: 90.6
Elite Stat: Lawrence’s 20.2 pass-rush productivity mark is almost a full 1.0 higher than the next closest edge defender.
DeMarcus Lawrence has generated more pressure than any other defender in the game through the first four weeks of the season. In fact, with 30 total pressures, eight of which are sacks, there is nobody else even close to the volume of pressure Lawrence has been able to produce and his PFF pass rush grade of 92.5 is almost five points higher than any other edge defender.
Second Team Edge – Everson Griffen, Minnesota Vikings (88.9)
Honorable Mention – Von Miller, Denver Broncos (88.2), Melvin Ingram, Los Angeles Chargers (87.7)
Linebacker – Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks
PFF Grade: 93.3
Elite Stat: Wagner is tied for first with his 12 run stops, and also second among all linebackers with his 25.0 pass-rushing productivity mark.
Bobby Wagner is another player looking to retain his place on the All-Pro team from a season ago, and he is going about it in the right way so far this year. Wagner is one of the most complete players in the game, ranking joint second among linebackers in defensive stops (18), but also having picked off a pass, broken two up and earned a sack, hit and three hurries on the blitz for the Seahawks.
Second Team LB – Myles Jack, Jacksonville Jaguars (88.7)
Honorable Mention – Tahir Whitehead, Detroit Lions (86.7), De’Vondre Campbell, Atlanta Falcons (83.4)
Linebacker – Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers
PFF Grade: 89.8
Elite Stat: Kuechly has allowed just 0.78 yards per snap in coverage, 12th-lowest among all linebackers.
Luke Kuechly is the game’s best coverage linebacker, and over four games he hasn’t allowed a pass into his coverage longer than 14 yards, while notching an interception and a pass breakup on the 20 targets that have come his way. Kuechly has also performed well in the run game, sifting his way through traffic to make stops or taking on blockers at the point of attack.
Second Team LB – Ryan Shazier, Pittsburgh Steelers (86.9)
Honorable Mention – Kendell Beckwith, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (84.6), Anthony Barr, Minnesota Vikings (83.5)
Cornerback – Aqib Talib, Denver Broncos
PFF Grade: 87.4
Elite Stat: Talib’s 0.41 yards per snap in coverage are the fifth-lowest of any CB with at least 87 snaps in coverage.
If there was any concern about whether Aqib Talib could maintain his high level of play from 2016, he has answered those resoundingly so far. Talib has two pass breakups and an interception to his name, returning that more than 100 yards against the Cowboys to seal that win, and he could have had more interceptions if Dez Bryant hadn’t spent much of that game playing defensive back and ensuring Talib couldn’t come up with another pick.
Second Team CB – Tre’Davious White, Buffalo Bills (88.7)
Honorable Mention – Patrick Robinson, Philadelphia Eagles (89.0)
Cornerback – Jalen Ramsey, Jacksonville Jaguars
PFF Grade: 89.1
Elite Stat: Quarterbacks targeting Ramsey see just a 23.4 passer rating.
Jalen Ramsey may be the league’s next great cornerback. So far this season teams throwing his way have a passer rating of just 23.4, which is more than ten points lower than if they just threw the ball at the floor every snap instead. He has been targeted 19 times and has yet to allow a catch longer than ten yards, having surrendered just 42 yards across four games.
Second Team CB – Jason McCourty, Cleveland Browns (87.7)
Honorable Mention – Marshon Lattimore, New Orleans Saints (87.6)
Safety – Tyvon Branch, Arizona Cardinals
PFF Grade: 91.5
Elite Stat: Branch has already made 10 stops in run defense, two more than any other safety this season.
Tyvon Branch has rediscovered the play of his youth so far in 2017, and though he hasn’t recorded either an interception or pass breakup, he has notched 14 defensive stops, which is three more than any other safety. When targeted in primary coverage he has allowed an average of just 4.4 yards per catch, and has a pair of QB hits on the bitz.
Second Team S – Harrison Smith, Minnesota Vikings (88.7)
Honorable Mention – Landon Collins, New York Giants (86.5)
Safety – Glover Quin, Detroit Lions
PFF Grade: 90.5
Elite Stat: Quin is one of just seven safeties with at least 80 snaps in run defense, and no missed tackles.
One of the keys to the Lions impressive start this season has been the play of safety Glover Quin, who has notched a pair of interceptions already this year and been a real force on the back end for the Lions. Quinn also has nine defensive stops to his name and has been the leader of a secondary that has been vastly improved this season.
Second Team S – Kam Chancellor, Seattle Seahawks (87.1)
Honorable Mention – Jaquiski Tartt, San Francisco 49ers (86.9)
Flex D – Casey Hayward, Los Angeles Chargers
PFF Grade: 89.5
Elite Stat: Not afraid to mix it up, Hayward ranks eighth among cornerbacks with his 3.3 run stop percentage.
Casey Hayward has developed into one of the game’s best cornerbacks. Once seen as a slot corner only, Hayward got an opportunity to play outside, and then become the team’s No. 1 corner because of injury, and he hasn’t looked back. This year, he doesn’t have the interception total of a season ago, but he has broken up five passes and made seven defensive stops.
Second Team Flex – Rashaan Melvin, Indianapolis Colts (86.6)
SPECIALISTS
Kicker: Matt Prater, Detroit Lions
Matt Prater has been money for the Lions this season, an while he hasn’t attempted nearly as many field goals as some other kickers (just nine so far), he has attempted more from 50+ yards than anybody, and made four of the five he has lined up from that distance. Prater has also been averaging 71.4 yards on kickoffs, and helped the Lions to an average start position on defense inside the opponent’s 25-yard line.
Second Team K – Stephen Hauschka, Buffalo Bills
Honorable Mention – Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles
No Greg Zuerlein who has yet to miss a field goal or an extra point and recently kicked 7 field goals in one game? What a joke!
Punter: Marquette King, Oakland Raiders
The fake punt this past week wasn’t his finest hour, but King’s ability to boom the ball into the stratosphere has been a huge boost to a Raiders team that has struggled on offense far more than people were anticipating. King has seen one punt this season hit a hang time of 5.4 seconds.
Second Team P – Bradley Pinion, San Francisco 49ers
Honorable Mention – Brett Kern, Tennessee Titans; Rigoberto Sanchez, Indianapolis Colts
No mention of Johnny Hekker? Really?
Kick/Punt Returner: Isaiah McKenzie, Denver Broncos
McKenzie has made a big impact, averaging 11.1 yards per punt return, but it would have been even more had his long touchdown not been wiped off the board thanks to a penalty this past week against Oakland. The rookie showcased his game breaking speed and is someone to keep an eye on as the season wears on.
Special Teamer: Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers
Mostert has been outstanding on special teams for the 49ers, registering two tackles on punt returns and forcing fair catches on another two just this past weekend.. The former Purdue Boilermaker has played on the kick coverage, kick return, punt coverage and punt return units, and figures to be a key special teamer for the 49ers this season.
Second Team – Bradley McDougald, Seattle Seahawks
Honorable Mention – Elijhaa Penny, Arizona Cardinals
NFL 2017 First Quarter All-Pro Team
BY SAM MONSON
With a quarter of the season in the books (for everybody except the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers), it’s time to start recognizing the players that have been standing out thus far this season, with a look at what the All-Pro team would look like if the season ended today.
This year we will match the new and improved All-Pro system when it comes to offensive and defensive formation, with a flex player for both sides of the ball that can be either a receiver, slot weapon, tight end or running back on offense, and anybody in the defensive secondary on defense.
This gives us the flexibility to reward the player that best deserves it across multiple positions, rather than shoehorning in somebody just to fit a slot receiver or cornerback role.
OFFENSE – FIRST TEAM
Quarterback – Tom Brady, New England Patriots
PFF Grade: 89.6
Elite Stat: Brady currently holds the league’s highest passer rating under pressure at 138.5.
Typically quarterbacks struggle in the face of pressure, but Tom Brady through one month of the season has a passer rating of 138.5 when hurried. Not only is that better than any other passer when pressured, but it’s better than any other quarterback’s passer rating when they are kept clean in the pocket. Brady has been sensational again through the first quarter of this season, even if this Patriots team doesn’t seem as good around him as it was a season ago.
Second Team QB – Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (88.9)
Honorable Mention – Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills (85.6), Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs (86.2), Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks (85.7)
No Jared Goff? WTH?
Running back – Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs
PFF Grade: 93.4
Elite Stat: Hunt has forced a total of 25 missed tackles on carries alone – more than any other RB has forced on runs AND receptions, combined.
Kareem Hunt has been one of the stars of the young season. Last season’s No. 1 graded running back in college at PFF, Hunt has hit the ground running in the NFL, and since fumbling with his first professional carry, has done nothing but dominate for Kansas City. Hunt has broken 31 total tackles on just 81 touches between carries and receptions, and has an elusive rating two times higher than any other back.
Second Team RB – Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons (87.6)
Honorable Mention – C.J. Anderson, Denver Broncos (84.4), LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills (83.1)
No Todd Gurley? WTH?
Wide receiver – Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings
PFF Grade: 87.9
Elite Stat: Diggs sees a 149.9 passer rating when targeted – a massive 17.3 points higher than the next closest WR with a minimum of 20 targets.
Stefon Diggs has been looking more and more like Antonio Brown as his career has progressed. Not only does he lead the league in receiving yards, but he does so without his starting quarterback throwing him the ball for three of those games, and he has made numerous tough catches over that span, going up and taking the ball away from defensive backs in the manner of a guy several inches taller than he is.
Second Team WR – Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks (84.5)
Honorable Mention – Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers (83.5)
Wide receiver – A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals
PFF Grade: 87.4
Elite Stat: Green is averaging 2.30 yards per route run, seventh-best in the league.
A.J. Green has been the victim of the Cincinnati offensive struggles, but just because his overall output hasn’t been as strong as it has been in the past, it would be a mistake to ignore how good he has been. Green has caught 71.4 percent of the passes thrown his way, which is the highest mark of his career, and has still made several big plays.
Second Team WR – Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons (87.0)
Honorable Mention – Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers (82.8)
Tight end – Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
PFF Grade: 88.0
Elite Stat: Gronk’s 2.27 yards per route run are the second-most for any TE so far this season.
Rob Gronkowski continues to be the standard of the modern day tight end. Gronk has gained 2.27 yards per route run, second in the league, but what always separates him from other top receiving tight ends is how well he blocks. In three of the four games he has played in this season his blocking in the run game has been exemplary, and at the moment he is helping offset a Patriots offensive line that has been struggling.
Second Team TE – Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans (87.6)
Honorable Mention – Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (84.2), Vernon Davis, Washington Redskins (85.3)
Flex O – Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers
PFF Grade: 87.3
Elite Stat: Brown fields an average of 2.66 yards per route run, third-highest in the league.
Antonio Brown remains one of the game’s best receivers, and despite being covered by some top cornerbacks so far this season has still been extremely productive. Brown has a quickness and decisiveness to his movement that makes him extremely tough to bottle up, and only Stefon Diggs and Julio Jones have gained more yards per route run this season.
Second Team FLEX – Golden Tate, Detroit Lions (83.7)
Honorable Mention – Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings (82.8)
LT – Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns
PFF Grade: 87.3
Elite Stat: On 190 pass blocking snaps, Thomas has yet to allow a sack, the most snaps of any tackle without an allowed sack this season.
Joe Thomas hit a milestone of 10,000 consecutive snaps played since entering the league over the first month of the season. If you count plays that were nullified by penalty he exceeded that some time ago, but despite all that mileage he remains the standard by which all left tackles are measured. Thomas has allowed just six total pressures across four games so far.
Second Team LT – Jason Peters, Philadelphia Eagles (86.4)
Honorable Mention – Andrew Whitworth, Los Angeles Rams (83.6), Taylor Lewan, Tennessee Titans (83.9)
LG – Richie Incognito, Buffalo Bills
PFF Grade: 84.1
Elite Stat: Incognito has yet to allow a QB Hit this season, on 127 pass block snaps.
Since coming back into the league there have been few better guards than Buffalo’s Richie Incognito. This season he has been part of a Buffalo team that has overachieved, and he has allowed just three total pressures through four games. Incognito has also run blocked well, though he is coming off his worst game of the season against the Atlanta Falcons.
Second Team LG – Andrew Norwell, Carolina Panthers (83.3)
Honorable Mention – Joel Bitonio, Cleveland Browns (82.2), Kelechi Osemele, Oakland Raiders (81.4)
C – Alex Mack, Atlanta Falcons
PFF Grade: 93.9
Elite Stat: Mack sees a pass blocking efficiency mark of 99.5, having surrendered just 1 hurry all season.
Alex Mack has been arguably the best player at any position in the league through the first month of the season. The former Cleveland Brown isn’t just back to his best, but is playing better than he ever has before in his NFL career. Mack has allowed just one hurry and no other pressure across four games this season, has yet to be penalized, and has been one of the game’s best run blockers, instrumental in the Falcons zone blocking plays.
Second Team C – Jason Kelce, Philadelphia Eagles (92.0)
Honorable Mention – Rodney Hudson, Oakland Raiders (85.5), Travis Frederick, Dallas Cowboys (84.2)
RG – David DeCastro, Pittsburgh Steelers
PFF Grade: 91.7
Elite Stat: DeCastro has seen 148 pass blocking snaps, and allowed just 3 hurries.
Pittsburgh’s offensive line as a whole has been less dominant than it was a season ago, but David DeCastro is playing the best football of his career through the first month of the season. DeCastro has yet to allow Ben Roethlisberger to be sacked or hit, and has allowed just three hurries across his four games, while run blocking well, particularly on the move when he is asked to pull block.
Second Team RG – Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys (85.6)
Honorable Mention – T.J. Lang, Detroit Lions (83.5), Trai Turner, Carolina Panthers (83.4)
RT – Trent Brown, San Francisco 49ers
PFF Grade: 85.7
Elite Stat: Brown has allowed just 5 total pressures – tied for sixth-fewest among tackles with at least 100 pass block snaps.
One of the surprises of the young season is the play of 49ers RT Trent Brown. Brown, at 6 foot 8 and 360 pounds has been a revelation as a pass blocker, allowing just five total pressures so far this season, and doing so against some high-level defenses. Brown shut out both the Panthers and Seahawks, and was impressive against the Rams and Cardinals.
Second Team RT – Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles (85.4)
Honorable Mention – Demar Dotson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (86.0)
DEFENSE – FIRST TEAM
Defensive interior – DeForest Buckner, San Francisco 49ers
PFF Grade: 93.2
Elite Stat: No interior defender has more pressures than Buckner through four games, as his 23 total pressures are 3 more than the next player.
DeForest Buckner certainly benefits from some of the offensive lines he has gone up against, but a player can only beat what is in front of them, and Buckner has certainly done that. He only has one sack, but Buckner has 23 total pressures, a batted pass and eleven defensive stops to his name across the first four weeks of the season.
Second Team DI – J.J. Watt, Houston Texans (91.0)
Honorable Mention – Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams (91.4), Linval Joseph, Minnesota Vikings (87.1), Damon Harrison, New York Giants (86.9)
Defensive interior – Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
PFF Grade: 92.4
Elite Stat: McCoy ranks in the top 10 in pass-rush productivity (eighth), while also accruing five stops in run defense, despite playing one less game than other DIs.
Somehow Gerald McCoy has yet to register a sack, but he has taken the quarterback down six times and hurried him another ten, while consistently knifing into the backfield and destroying blocking schemes with his quickness and penetration. McCoy has also been a force in the run game, which hasn’t always been true about his performances, making him one of the biggest impact players of this season.
Second Team DI – Ndamukong Suh, Miami Dolphins (89.3)
Honorable Mention – Geno Atkins, Cincinnati Bengals (88.5), Michael Brockers, Los Angeles Rams (87.0)
Edge defender – Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders
PFF Grade: 91.1
Elite Stat: Mack’s 10 stops in run defense are the second-most of any edge defender.
Khalil Mack was our highest-graded edge defender a season ago and he doesn’t look keen to relinquish that crown in 2017. He has four sacks, four hits and nine additional hurries to his name after four weeks, and is second among all edge defenders with 15 defensive stops. Mack has been a force in both the run and pass game and is one of the game’s most complete and destructive defenders.
Second Team Edge – Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints (90.4)
Honorable Mention – Calais Campbell, Jacksonville Jaguars (88.5), Brandon Graham, Philadelphia Eagles (87.4)
Edge defender – DeMarcus Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys
PFF Grade: 90.6
Elite Stat: Lawrence’s 20.2 pass-rush productivity mark is almost a full 1.0 higher than the next closest edge defender.
DeMarcus Lawrence has generated more pressure than any other defender in the game through the first four weeks of the season. In fact, with 30 total pressures, eight of which are sacks, there is nobody else even close to the volume of pressure Lawrence has been able to produce and his PFF pass rush grade of 92.5 is almost five points higher than any other edge defender.
Second Team Edge – Everson Griffen, Minnesota Vikings (88.9)
Honorable Mention – Von Miller, Denver Broncos (88.2), Melvin Ingram, Los Angeles Chargers (87.7)
Linebacker – Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks
PFF Grade: 93.3
Elite Stat: Wagner is tied for first with his 12 run stops, and also second among all linebackers with his 25.0 pass-rushing productivity mark.
Bobby Wagner is another player looking to retain his place on the All-Pro team from a season ago, and he is going about it in the right way so far this year. Wagner is one of the most complete players in the game, ranking joint second among linebackers in defensive stops (18), but also having picked off a pass, broken two up and earned a sack, hit and three hurries on the blitz for the Seahawks.
Second Team LB – Myles Jack, Jacksonville Jaguars (88.7)
Honorable Mention – Tahir Whitehead, Detroit Lions (86.7), De’Vondre Campbell, Atlanta Falcons (83.4)
Linebacker – Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers
PFF Grade: 89.8
Elite Stat: Kuechly has allowed just 0.78 yards per snap in coverage, 12th-lowest among all linebackers.
Luke Kuechly is the game’s best coverage linebacker, and over four games he hasn’t allowed a pass into his coverage longer than 14 yards, while notching an interception and a pass breakup on the 20 targets that have come his way. Kuechly has also performed well in the run game, sifting his way through traffic to make stops or taking on blockers at the point of attack.
Second Team LB – Ryan Shazier, Pittsburgh Steelers (86.9)
Honorable Mention – Kendell Beckwith, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (84.6), Anthony Barr, Minnesota Vikings (83.5)
Cornerback – Aqib Talib, Denver Broncos
PFF Grade: 87.4
Elite Stat: Talib’s 0.41 yards per snap in coverage are the fifth-lowest of any CB with at least 87 snaps in coverage.
If there was any concern about whether Aqib Talib could maintain his high level of play from 2016, he has answered those resoundingly so far. Talib has two pass breakups and an interception to his name, returning that more than 100 yards against the Cowboys to seal that win, and he could have had more interceptions if Dez Bryant hadn’t spent much of that game playing defensive back and ensuring Talib couldn’t come up with another pick.
Second Team CB – Tre’Davious White, Buffalo Bills (88.7)
Honorable Mention – Patrick Robinson, Philadelphia Eagles (89.0)
Cornerback – Jalen Ramsey, Jacksonville Jaguars
PFF Grade: 89.1
Elite Stat: Quarterbacks targeting Ramsey see just a 23.4 passer rating.
Jalen Ramsey may be the league’s next great cornerback. So far this season teams throwing his way have a passer rating of just 23.4, which is more than ten points lower than if they just threw the ball at the floor every snap instead. He has been targeted 19 times and has yet to allow a catch longer than ten yards, having surrendered just 42 yards across four games.
Second Team CB – Jason McCourty, Cleveland Browns (87.7)
Honorable Mention – Marshon Lattimore, New Orleans Saints (87.6)
Safety – Tyvon Branch, Arizona Cardinals
PFF Grade: 91.5
Elite Stat: Branch has already made 10 stops in run defense, two more than any other safety this season.
Tyvon Branch has rediscovered the play of his youth so far in 2017, and though he hasn’t recorded either an interception or pass breakup, he has notched 14 defensive stops, which is three more than any other safety. When targeted in primary coverage he has allowed an average of just 4.4 yards per catch, and has a pair of QB hits on the bitz.
Second Team S – Harrison Smith, Minnesota Vikings (88.7)
Honorable Mention – Landon Collins, New York Giants (86.5)
Safety – Glover Quin, Detroit Lions
PFF Grade: 90.5
Elite Stat: Quin is one of just seven safeties with at least 80 snaps in run defense, and no missed tackles.
One of the keys to the Lions impressive start this season has been the play of safety Glover Quin, who has notched a pair of interceptions already this year and been a real force on the back end for the Lions. Quinn also has nine defensive stops to his name and has been the leader of a secondary that has been vastly improved this season.
Second Team S – Kam Chancellor, Seattle Seahawks (87.1)
Honorable Mention – Jaquiski Tartt, San Francisco 49ers (86.9)
Flex D – Casey Hayward, Los Angeles Chargers
PFF Grade: 89.5
Elite Stat: Not afraid to mix it up, Hayward ranks eighth among cornerbacks with his 3.3 run stop percentage.
Casey Hayward has developed into one of the game’s best cornerbacks. Once seen as a slot corner only, Hayward got an opportunity to play outside, and then become the team’s No. 1 corner because of injury, and he hasn’t looked back. This year, he doesn’t have the interception total of a season ago, but he has broken up five passes and made seven defensive stops.
Second Team Flex – Rashaan Melvin, Indianapolis Colts (86.6)
SPECIALISTS
Kicker: Matt Prater, Detroit Lions
Matt Prater has been money for the Lions this season, an while he hasn’t attempted nearly as many field goals as some other kickers (just nine so far), he has attempted more from 50+ yards than anybody, and made four of the five he has lined up from that distance. Prater has also been averaging 71.4 yards on kickoffs, and helped the Lions to an average start position on defense inside the opponent’s 25-yard line.
Second Team K – Stephen Hauschka, Buffalo Bills
Honorable Mention – Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles
No Greg Zuerlein who has yet to miss a field goal or an extra point and recently kicked 7 field goals in one game? What a joke!
Punter: Marquette King, Oakland Raiders
The fake punt this past week wasn’t his finest hour, but King’s ability to boom the ball into the stratosphere has been a huge boost to a Raiders team that has struggled on offense far more than people were anticipating. King has seen one punt this season hit a hang time of 5.4 seconds.
Second Team P – Bradley Pinion, San Francisco 49ers
Honorable Mention – Brett Kern, Tennessee Titans; Rigoberto Sanchez, Indianapolis Colts
No mention of Johnny Hekker? Really?
Kick/Punt Returner: Isaiah McKenzie, Denver Broncos
McKenzie has made a big impact, averaging 11.1 yards per punt return, but it would have been even more had his long touchdown not been wiped off the board thanks to a penalty this past week against Oakland. The rookie showcased his game breaking speed and is someone to keep an eye on as the season wears on.
Special Teamer: Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers
Mostert has been outstanding on special teams for the 49ers, registering two tackles on punt returns and forcing fair catches on another two just this past weekend.. The former Purdue Boilermaker has played on the kick coverage, kick return, punt coverage and punt return units, and figures to be a key special teamer for the 49ers this season.
Second Team – Bradley McDougald, Seattle Seahawks
Honorable Mention – Elijhaa Penny, Arizona Cardinals
Practice Report: Thomas Returns, Offense Eager to Put More Points on Board
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 38 Replies
The Rams began on-field preparations for the Seahawks on Wednesday afternoon at Cal Lutheran. After two road games against the 49ers and Cowboys, Los Angeles will be back at the L.A. Coliseum in Week 5 to face its second divisional opponent of the season.
INJURY UPDATE
The Rams released their official injury report on Wednesday after practice.
Six players did not participate in the afternoon session, including left tackle Andrew Whitworth
, center John Sullivan, and outside linebacker Connor Barwin. The three veteran players have consistently been held out of Wednesday practices in a long-term effort to keep them healthy on game days.
On the injury front, safety Lamarcus Joyner — who was inactive in Week 4’s contest against the Cowboys — did not participate as he continues to rehab a hamstring injury. Right guard Jamon Brown was limited on Wednesday with a groin injury, while wide receiver Sammy Watkins has an illness and did not take the field.
Head coach Sean McVay told reporters that Watkins would be fine for gameday.
“We expect him to be ready to go, but we held him out today because of that,” McVay said.
MIKE THOMAS RETURNS
Wide receiver Mike Thomasreturned to the field on Wednesday for the first time since the preseason, after serving a league-mandated four game suspension. The second-year wideout said he was “excited to be back with the guys” after a long four weeks, and shared his experiences having to watch his team from afar.
“At the end of the day [I learned] to just watch what I put in my body and don’t make the same mistakes again,” Thomas said. “Just watching on the sidelines, watching from home, that’s not a good feeling and I didn’t like that, it didn’t sit too well. I was just at home pulling my hair out.”
“It’s very difficult knowing that you’re supposed to be on the field,” he continued. “I did some careless things to make me [have to be] on the sidelines and that’s not a good feeling at all for four games straight. I just had to get over it at the end of the day and it’s behind me. So now I’m moving forward.”
On Monday, McVay said there’s a chance for Thomas to make an immediate impact on special teams, though it has yet to be determined whether the wide receiver will suit up for Sunday’s contest. And though the former Southern Miss standout understands it will take some time to get back into the swing of things, he is excited to begin contributing as soon as he can.
“I have been studying while I’ve been gone for the four games,” Thomas said. “A little rusty, but I didn't lose too much and still remember most of the plays and all that. I’m going to hit the ground running.”
“Whatever it is that my role is coming back I just want to continue to help the team win and do whatever I have to do,” he continued. “I want to put myself in a position to win games, on special teams, offense, or wherever.”
GETTING INTO THE END ZONE
There has been a lot of excitement surrounding the Rams offense this season. Entering Week 5, the team ranks No. 1 in points scored at 142, which is a significant reason why L.A. sits atop the NFC West.
And while putting points on the scoreboard hasn’t been an issue for Los Angeles thus far, the offense did struggle to get into the endzone in last week’s contest against the Cowboys. The Rams scored just two touchdowns on Sunday, with kicker Greg Zuerlein providing 23 of the team’s 35 points.
“I think we did a great job of being able to execute and our rhythm was really good,” left guard Rodger Saffold said of the team’s performance. “But of course, looking back at it we want to score more. We want to be able to get into the end zone a bit more. I believe we were 1-for-5 in the red zone, so we need to pick it up a bit.”
“There’s a lot still to clean up,” wide receiver Cooper Kupp said. "As much as you want to look at how many points we were able to put up, at the end of the day there was a lot of points that we left off the board.”
Saffold and Kupp, however, did not see the offense’s red zone struggles as a long-term problem.
“It’s just little mistakes,” Kupp said. “As you get down into the red zone things become that much closer, that much tighter and you just can’t have those little things. We have to tighten up the screws.”
“I think that was just for that game,” Saffold said. “Of course, the closer that you get to the red zone in an away game, the tougher it is to score. We were able to make plays some times, but calls got reversed and sometimes the penalties put us in a bad position. So, I think eliminating those small mistakes we’ll get us to optimize our touchdown efficiency.”
This week the Rams will embark on a tough four game stretch that includes three road games and a divisional matchup at home against the Seahawks. Last year, Los Angeles split two games against Seattle, winning a close game 9-3 at the Coliseum before losing 24-3 at Centurylink Field.
In both games, Zuerlein was the only Rams’ player to post any points on the board, a trend Saffold said he hopes to change this Sunday at home.
“Ultimately, in previous games we have been able to score more in the red zones, but when you’re in that type of environment, which we will be once again going down to Seattle and those types of places, it’s going to be tougher to score,” he said. “If we’re going to be able to score points, then we’re going to have to be effective with everybody on field, minimize mistakes with no penalties, just all of the basic things that you’re supposed to do as an offense.”
[www.therams.com]
INJURY UPDATE
The Rams released their official injury report on Wednesday after practice.
Six players did not participate in the afternoon session, including left tackle Andrew Whitworth
, center John Sullivan, and outside linebacker Connor Barwin. The three veteran players have consistently been held out of Wednesday practices in a long-term effort to keep them healthy on game days.On the injury front, safety Lamarcus Joyner
— who was inactive in Week 4’s contest against the Cowboys — did not participate as he continues to rehab a hamstring injury. Right guard Jamon Brown was limited on Wednesday with a groin injury, while wide receiver Sammy Watkins has an illness and did not take the field.Head coach Sean McVay told reporters that Watkins would be fine for gameday.
“We expect him to be ready to go, but we held him out today because of that,” McVay said.
MIKE THOMAS RETURNS
Wide receiver Mike Thomas
returned to the field on Wednesday for the first time since the preseason, after serving a league-mandated four game suspension. The second-year wideout said he was “excited to be back with the guys” after a long four weeks, and shared his experiences having to watch his team from afar.“At the end of the day [I learned] to just watch what I put in my body and don’t make the same mistakes again,” Thomas said. “Just watching on the sidelines, watching from home, that’s not a good feeling and I didn’t like that, it didn’t sit too well. I was just at home pulling my hair out.”
“It’s very difficult knowing that you’re supposed to be on the field,” he continued. “I did some careless things to make me [have to be] on the sidelines and that’s not a good feeling at all for four games straight. I just had to get over it at the end of the day and it’s behind me. So now I’m moving forward.”
On Monday, McVay said there’s a chance for Thomas to make an immediate impact on special teams, though it has yet to be determined whether the wide receiver will suit up for Sunday’s contest. And though the former Southern Miss standout understands it will take some time to get back into the swing of things, he is excited to begin contributing as soon as he can.
“I have been studying while I’ve been gone for the four games,” Thomas said. “A little rusty, but I didn't lose too much and still remember most of the plays and all that. I’m going to hit the ground running.”
“Whatever it is that my role is coming back I just want to continue to help the team win and do whatever I have to do,” he continued. “I want to put myself in a position to win games, on special teams, offense, or wherever.”
GETTING INTO THE END ZONE
There has been a lot of excitement surrounding the Rams offense this season. Entering Week 5, the team ranks No. 1 in points scored at 142, which is a significant reason why L.A. sits atop the NFC West.
And while putting points on the scoreboard hasn’t been an issue for Los Angeles thus far, the offense did struggle to get into the endzone in last week’s contest against the Cowboys. The Rams scored just two touchdowns on Sunday, with kicker Greg Zuerlein
providing 23 of the team’s 35 points.“I think we did a great job of being able to execute and our rhythm was really good,” left guard Rodger Saffold
said of the team’s performance. “But of course, looking back at it we want to score more. We want to be able to get into the end zone a bit more. I believe we were 1-for-5 in the red zone, so we need to pick it up a bit.”“There’s a lot still to clean up,” wide receiver Cooper Kupp
said. "As much as you want to look at how many points we were able to put up, at the end of the day there was a lot of points that we left off the board.”Saffold and Kupp, however, did not see the offense’s red zone struggles as a long-term problem.
“It’s just little mistakes,” Kupp said. “As you get down into the red zone things become that much closer, that much tighter and you just can’t have those little things. We have to tighten up the screws.”
“I think that was just for that game,” Saffold said. “Of course, the closer that you get to the red zone in an away game, the tougher it is to score. We were able to make plays some times, but calls got reversed and sometimes the penalties put us in a bad position. So, I think eliminating those small mistakes we’ll get us to optimize our touchdown efficiency.”
This week the Rams will embark on a tough four game stretch that includes three road games and a divisional matchup at home against the Seahawks. Last year, Los Angeles split two games against Seattle, winning a close game 9-3 at the Coliseum before losing 24-3 at Centurylink Field.
In both games, Zuerlein was the only Rams’ player to post any points on the board, a trend Saffold said he hopes to change this Sunday at home.
“Ultimately, in previous games we have been able to score more in the red zones, but when you’re in that type of environment, which we will be once again going down to Seattle and those types of places, it’s going to be tougher to score,” he said. “If we’re going to be able to score points, then we’re going to have to be effective with everybody on field, minimize mistakes with no penalties, just all of the basic things that you’re supposed to do as an offense.”
[www.therams.com]
Rams LT Andrew Whitworth: The NFL's best offseason addition?
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 19 Replies
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Perhaps no NFL team improved at one position more than the Los Angeles Rams did at one of the game's most important ones.
The Rams went from quite possibly the game's worst left tackle in Greg Robinson to quite possibly the game's best in Andrew Whitworth. The Houston Texans have seemingly made a significant upgrade at quarterback, going from Brock Osweiler to Deshaun Watson.
The same can probably be said about the New York Jets at strong safety, from Calvin Pryor to Jamal Adams. Or the Jacksonville Jaguars at defensive end, from Tyson Alualu to Calais Campbell. But it's nearly impossible to match the Rams on Jared Goff's blind side.
Consider: Whitworth, guaranteed $15 million at the age of 35, has allowed one quarterback pressure through this season's first four games, according to Pro Football Focus. Last season, Robinson -- the former No. 2 overall pick who was recently called "lazy" by an opponent -- allowed 40 pressures in 14 starts.
You can make the case that Whitworth's presence -- more so than Goff's turnaround, Todd Gurley's surge, the overhaul at receiver, or even Sean McVay's scheme -- has been the main catalyst in the Rams' offensive breakthrough.
Veteran Andrew Whitworth (77) has been an immediate, and significant, upgrade at left tackle for the Rams. Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports
"He's made a huge influence and impact on our team," McVay said. "Not only on our offense, but on our team."
Whitworth's presence alone has helped the Rams' offensive line go from a major weakness to a major strength, one that has allowed only four sacks on Goff and has helped Gurley average a more respectable 4.2 yards per carry. But it isn't just Whitworth's play that has made an impact; it's his ability and desire to mentor others, most notably right tackle Rob Havenstein, who did a masterful job of blocking NFL sacks leader DeMarcus Lawrence on Sunday.
Havenstein, 25, calls Whitworth "one of the best to ever do it."
"I don't want to downplay that at all," Havenstein said, "but it's definitely great to have someone to ask all those little questions to. One of the biggest things is you feel welcomed to ask him, and he feels happy to help."
Whitworth is a captain on the Rams, even though it's his first season with them. McVay credited Whitworth with helping him as a first-year head coach, as someone he trusts to take the pulse of the locker room. Whitworth has started 168 of a possible 180 games in his 12-year NFL career, making three trips to the Pro Bowl along the way. But he didn't impose himself on teammates, McVay said. Whitworth let his work and his play speak for him, and he waited for others to seek him out as a byproduct of it.
"A lot of young people in today's society believe that leadership is the loudest person in the room, or the person who's always commanding people," Whitworth said. "To me, that's not leadership. That's just a loud voice; just someone who's assertive. There's a difference. Leadership, to me, is about the ability to have people want to hear what you have to say. People want to be around you, people want to believe in what you tell them, and they feel good when they walk away from you about who they are and what they're doing."
Whitworth has studied the elite athletes from other sports, whether it's Michael Jordan in basketball, Nolan Ryan in baseball or Wayne Gretzky in hockey. He also studied the great leaders in this country's history, namely Martin Luther King Jr. He wanted to know what made them special; what it was that allowed them to empower others. He wanted to take a little bit from all of them.
"You learn the most by listening," Whitworth said. "And so to me, always just listening, always just paying attention, and finding out what it is that people see in somebody like them. You find those things and you try to figure out how to fit them into who you are, who you want to be, and how you want to lead."
Whitworth has helped Havenstein with his technique, but he has also taught the third-year pro how to break down film on a deeper level. Whitworth's mentorship began as early as the Rams' offseason program in the spring, but it wasn't just with Havenstein. It was with Andrew Donnal, Darrell Williams, Jamon Brown and, before he was traded to the Detroit Lions, even Robinson himself.
Whitworth is trying to guide them the way he guided the likes of Anthony Collins and Andre Smith during his time with the Cincinnati Bengals, but he's also producing on his own.
Some nuggets to help put the difference between Whitworth and Robinson in perspective, courtesy of Pro Football Focus:
[www.espn.com]
The Rams went from quite possibly the game's worst left tackle in Greg Robinson to quite possibly the game's best in Andrew Whitworth. The Houston Texans have seemingly made a significant upgrade at quarterback, going from Brock Osweiler to Deshaun Watson.
The same can probably be said about the New York Jets at strong safety, from Calvin Pryor to Jamal Adams. Or the Jacksonville Jaguars at defensive end, from Tyson Alualu to Calais Campbell. But it's nearly impossible to match the Rams on Jared Goff's blind side.
Consider: Whitworth, guaranteed $15 million at the age of 35, has allowed one quarterback pressure through this season's first four games, according to Pro Football Focus. Last season, Robinson -- the former No. 2 overall pick who was recently called "lazy" by an opponent -- allowed 40 pressures in 14 starts.
You can make the case that Whitworth's presence -- more so than Goff's turnaround, Todd Gurley's surge, the overhaul at receiver, or even Sean McVay's scheme -- has been the main catalyst in the Rams' offensive breakthrough.
Veteran Andrew Whitworth (77) has been an immediate, and significant, upgrade at left tackle for the Rams. Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports
"He's made a huge influence and impact on our team," McVay said. "Not only on our offense, but on our team."
Whitworth's presence alone has helped the Rams' offensive line go from a major weakness to a major strength, one that has allowed only four sacks on Goff and has helped Gurley average a more respectable 4.2 yards per carry. But it isn't just Whitworth's play that has made an impact; it's his ability and desire to mentor others, most notably right tackle Rob Havenstein, who did a masterful job of blocking NFL sacks leader DeMarcus Lawrence on Sunday.
Havenstein, 25, calls Whitworth "one of the best to ever do it."
"I don't want to downplay that at all," Havenstein said, "but it's definitely great to have someone to ask all those little questions to. One of the biggest things is you feel welcomed to ask him, and he feels happy to help."
Whitworth is a captain on the Rams, even though it's his first season with them. McVay credited Whitworth with helping him as a first-year head coach, as someone he trusts to take the pulse of the locker room. Whitworth has started 168 of a possible 180 games in his 12-year NFL career, making three trips to the Pro Bowl along the way. But he didn't impose himself on teammates, McVay said. Whitworth let his work and his play speak for him, and he waited for others to seek him out as a byproduct of it.
"A lot of young people in today's society believe that leadership is the loudest person in the room, or the person who's always commanding people," Whitworth said. "To me, that's not leadership. That's just a loud voice; just someone who's assertive. There's a difference. Leadership, to me, is about the ability to have people want to hear what you have to say. People want to be around you, people want to believe in what you tell them, and they feel good when they walk away from you about who they are and what they're doing."
Whitworth has studied the elite athletes from other sports, whether it's Michael Jordan in basketball, Nolan Ryan in baseball or Wayne Gretzky in hockey. He also studied the great leaders in this country's history, namely Martin Luther King Jr. He wanted to know what made them special; what it was that allowed them to empower others. He wanted to take a little bit from all of them.
"You learn the most by listening," Whitworth said. "And so to me, always just listening, always just paying attention, and finding out what it is that people see in somebody like them. You find those things and you try to figure out how to fit them into who you are, who you want to be, and how you want to lead."
Whitworth has helped Havenstein with his technique, but he has also taught the third-year pro how to break down film on a deeper level. Whitworth's mentorship began as early as the Rams' offseason program in the spring, but it wasn't just with Havenstein. It was with Andrew Donnal, Darrell Williams, Jamon Brown and, before he was traded to the Detroit Lions, even Robinson himself.
Whitworth is trying to guide them the way he guided the likes of Anthony Collins and Andre Smith during his time with the Cincinnati Bengals, but he's also producing on his own.
Some nuggets to help put the difference between Whitworth and Robinson in perspective, courtesy of Pro Football Focus:
- Robinson has seen more penalties called on him this season (four) than Whitworth has allowed pressures (one) and penalties (one) combined.
- Robinson has allowed 19 quarterback pressures on 156 pass-blocking snaps, more than Whitworth and Havenstein (12) combined on 247 pass-blocking snaps.
- The entire Rams offensive line has allowed 36 total quarterback hits and quarterback hurries, and none of them have come from Whitworth.
[www.espn.com]
Maurice Alexander and his play
- By SanAnRam
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 19 Replies
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56976875/856375172.0.jpg)
I've posted before that I'm a big fan of the 'homegrown' Rams players and of Maurice, but I've been crazy irritated by his play.
Take a look at this pic...
That shoulder looks pretty heavily wrapped, but I don't recall MA on any injury reports. Could this be what's caused him to not look for contact, not make an aggressive play on the ball (too many times), and take so many bad angles (yea, sorry MA, shoulder don't explain those). But if he's out there toughing it out, might that be cause for hope that he will get back to playing at last year's level? I hope so because he's been the biggest disappointment to me on the D. My very simple uninformed opinion of course.
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Locked
Cam Newton puts his foot in his mouth
- By Prime Time
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 93 Replies
The misogyny label will be draped over him like that towel he always wears over his head. Get ready for some serious...
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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...swer-to-female-reporters-legitimate-question/
Cam Newton gives sexist answer to female reporter’s legitimate question
Posted by Michael David Smith on October 4, 2017
Panthers quarterback Cam Newton made a sexist comment to a female reporter today, smirking at her question and telling her he found it “funny” to hear a woman ask a question about football.
The incident started during Newton’s normal media appearance. Jourdan Rodrigue, a female reporter for the Charlotte Observer, asked Newton a completely legitimate question about Panthers receiver Devin Funchess.
Jourdan Rodrigue
“Cam, I know you take a lot of pride in seeing your receivers play well,” Rodrigue said. “Devin Funchess has seemed to really embrace the physicality of his routes and getting those extra yards. Does that give you a little bit of enjoyment to see him kind of truck sticking people out there?”
Newton was smirking while Rodrigue asked the question, and he made a totally inappropriate comment before answering.
“It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes. It’s funny,” Newton said, before then giving some thoughts about Funchess growing as a receiver.
Neither Rodrigue nor any of her colleagues in the local media followed up on that comment from Newton, but Rodrigue later took to Twitter to address the matter.
“I don’t think it’s ‘funny’ to be a female and talk about routes. I think it’s my job,” Rodrigue wrote. “I spoke with him after and it was worse. I chose not to share, because I have an actual job to do today and one he will not keep me from.”
Newton has surely spoken to hundreds of female reporters in the years that he’s been a famous athlete. It’s stunning that he would suggest that there’s something “funny” about a woman asking him a question about football.
Newton will apologize because the Panthers, the NFL and his sponsors will urge him to, but here’s hoping he offers more than just a rote apology. A person with that big a platform should put a lot more thought into his words than Newton did today.
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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...swer-to-female-reporters-legitimate-question/
Cam Newton gives sexist answer to female reporter’s legitimate question
Posted by Michael David Smith on October 4, 2017
Panthers quarterback Cam Newton made a sexist comment to a female reporter today, smirking at her question and telling her he found it “funny” to hear a woman ask a question about football.
The incident started during Newton’s normal media appearance. Jourdan Rodrigue, a female reporter for the Charlotte Observer, asked Newton a completely legitimate question about Panthers receiver Devin Funchess.
Jourdan Rodrigue
“Cam, I know you take a lot of pride in seeing your receivers play well,” Rodrigue said. “Devin Funchess has seemed to really embrace the physicality of his routes and getting those extra yards. Does that give you a little bit of enjoyment to see him kind of truck sticking people out there?”
Newton was smirking while Rodrigue asked the question, and he made a totally inappropriate comment before answering.
“It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes. It’s funny,” Newton said, before then giving some thoughts about Funchess growing as a receiver.
Neither Rodrigue nor any of her colleagues in the local media followed up on that comment from Newton, but Rodrigue later took to Twitter to address the matter.
“I don’t think it’s ‘funny’ to be a female and talk about routes. I think it’s my job,” Rodrigue wrote. “I spoke with him after and it was worse. I chose not to share, because I have an actual job to do today and one he will not keep me from.”
Newton has surely spoken to hundreds of female reporters in the years that he’s been a famous athlete. It’s stunning that he would suggest that there’s something “funny” about a woman asking him a question about football.
Newton will apologize because the Panthers, the NFL and his sponsors will urge him to, but here’s hoping he offers more than just a rote apology. A person with that big a platform should put a lot more thought into his words than Newton did today.