September 06, 2017


Pinpointing the exact moment when food trucks went from hip alternative dining trend to a mainstream mania isn't easy—but it's clearly well in our rearview. Studies suggest that these mobile eateries have been a billion dollar industry for years. At the same time, the food truck craze has been co-opted for all sorts of promotional purposes: IKEA used one to sling meatballs; Olive Garden drove one around to spread the word about breadstick sandwiches. And now, the Los Angeles Rams are using a food truck to promote the city's recently revived football team.

This week, leading up to the Los Angeles Rams' season opener against the Indianapolis Colts, a Rams-branded food truck—named, fittingly, the Rams Food Truck—is traveling around the greater Los Angeles area spreading love in its ultimate form: free donuts, tacos, and football tickets. It's all part of the NFL's oddly-named "Random Acts of Kickoff" campaign.




Courtesy of Trejo’s Coffee and Donuts



For the record, these aren't just any donuts and tacos. The donuts, which are being served in the morning, are "Ram-themed" and come from none other than Hollywood legend Danny Trejo's heavily-hyped Trejo's Coffee and Donuts. Then, in the afternoons and evenings, it's time for "football-themed tacos." Just what makes them football-themed, or where they come from, isn't entirely clear. But hey, according to the Rams, visitors to the truck will also "have the opportunity to receive team merchandise and one lucky fan at each location will be randomly selected to win a pair of tickets to the season opener on September 10"—so maybe don't be so picky about the tacos, huh?




Courtesy of Trejo’s Coffee and Donuts


The Rams Food Truck kicked things off in Hollywood, Griffith Park and Studio City yesterday. Today, it will be covering Orange County and Inglewood, and then the rest of the week includes stops in the San Fernando Valley, Conejo Valley, Downtown, the Arts District, Santa Monica and Venice. You can find a complete itinerary with exact addresses on the Ram's website.

A lil humor for the night

Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/A2_pboioWf0

Login to view embedded media View: http://www.therams.com/videos/videos/Cart_Talk_With_Jamon_Brown_and_John_Johnson/70b01e66-a9da-4872-87fb-22c31561c855

Watching these guys get interviewed talking about the Rams, it made me think of how much they are enjoying the access and attention as LA Rams alumni. In this age of social media and other news outlets besides the three networks, podcasts, etc, they are getting attention paid to them they haven't had since they played the game ...Watching Jackie Slater, Jack Youngblood, Tom Mack, etc.. ..Having said that, I hope our team venerates the St Louis guys, which I have seen some in recent Ram's events players like Ike, Torry Holt, Big O, and even Roland Williams....

But what about the DONUT BROTHERS, London Fletcher, Az Hakim, Grant Wistrom, Dre Bly.......we need to embrace them all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:grouphug:

Colts Head Coach Chuck Pagano – Conference Call – September 6, 2017

(On what he saw on film from QB Jared Goff last year compared to this year)
“Having gone through it a couple years ago with (Colts QB) Andrew (Luck), you typically see a big jump from any quarterback from year one to year two. They’re all different as far as learning curve and things like that. But, we’ve got great respect for Jared and his play and his capabilities of running that offense. We’re just studying the things that we need to study from last year and then this year from a schematic standpoint, and scheme standpoint. Big, talented guy, good manager of the offense, making good decisions, got arm talent, can make all the throws. All of the same things that we saw when he was coming out, the reason they took him where they took him. He’s a really good player and we’re going to have to do a really good job defensively to manage things.”

(On what the specific things are that a QB improves on going into their second season)
“I think the game slows down for them. There’s a lot of things when you come into the league from a defensive standpoint, schematically – specifically third down stuff, blitz packages. So, from an identification standpoint, I know it was one of the difficult tasks for our quarterback first coming in, but I think things start to slow down for you from a mental standpoint. You start to recognize different things and you’re able to anticipate safety rotation, pressures, where they’re coming from, again, specifically on third down. The guy is able to expand and go through his progressions and go through his reads. Again, the system, it’s an excellent system. It’s very, very tough to defend what they’re doing. He’s got a really good run game behind him, a great back. Really, a great stable of backs that can all tote the rock and the play action stuff that comes off of it. That all helps obviously; and a good defense that can fly around, make plays and create some short fields. So, I think just the experience and seeing the game slowing down and recognition of different fronts and coverages and using all your pre-snap tools to identify what the defense is going to do and that’s where we’ve got to be really good.”

(On if they have been monitoring the DT Aaron Donald holdout and what he brings to the game)
“Well, we’ve seen him. We know what a game wrecker he is. Obviously, paying close attention to it. We’re preparing for him to be there and if he’s not, he’s not. It would be foolish on our part not to study and get our guys prepared for that scenario. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen, but we’re going to prepare accordingly.”

(On what his QB situation is right now)
“Andrew obviously won’t play this week, we’ve ruled him out already. So he’s still going through the rehabilitation process. He’s doing well. He’s in a good place. When the doctors and trainers let us know that he’s able to get back into practice and those kind of things, then start to integrate him back in. (QB) Scott (Tolzien) is going to start the football game for us. We did bring in a talented guy. We got a phone call there at cut down time and things like that and we had a chance to acquire a really good young talent in (QB) Jacoby (Brissett), so we’re excited to have him in the mix. Coaches are obviously busy with him being the number two and the backup, getting him up to speed and getting him as prepared as we possibly can in case he’s got to go in there for whatever reason.”

(On why former USC T Zach Banner did not make the Colts)
“Yeah, we had (Colts General Manager) Chris Ballard and the personnel staff and our coaches, they did a great job of bringing in a really competitive roster. We had a bunch of tough decisions to make and Zach was part of one of those tough decisions. This whole thing is about coming to work every single day and earning your way and earning a spot and competing. Again, it was a tough, tough decision. There’s a guy that’s got a lot of talent and a lot of upside, but it was a competitive camp and it was a competitive room. Again, no easy decision there, but we wish Zach well and he worked hard while he was here.”

(On how he feels Donald’s absence affects the entire dynamic of the Rams defense)
“You build rosters and you build depth – I think (Rams General Manager) Les (Snead) and (Rams Head Coach) Sean (McVay) have built a really good roster and a really good football team and that’s why you have depth. Injuries are going to happen, there’s circumstances that are going to happen and I’m sure their message is the same as ours, it’s next man up. They’ve got guys that are more than capable in that defensive room and amongst that defensive front there’s a bunch of players and it never comes down to one guy. We know how dynamic that football player (Aaron Donald) is, what a game wrecker he is as well as they do. We’re preparing the same way that they are and they’re going to run somebody out there that is going to play really good football and if we thought any different or prepared any different, we’d be shooting ourselves in the foot.”

(On the challenges of game planning against a new staff in Week 1)
“That’s a great question. You go back and you do your homework and you track guys and see where they’ve been and see who they’ve been with, so we’ve tried to do our due diligence. For us, on the offensive side, defensively we’ve faced (Rams Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Wade) Phillips many, many times. We understand and we’ve seen his system and his scheme. What we don’t know is how he’s going to use some of those pieces. We saw a good share of them during the preseason and some we didn’t. We’ve got to kind of anticipate how they’re going to use some of those pieces in that system. We kind of have an idea, but there will obviously be some game time adjustments that we’re going to have to be really good as a coaching staff to identify how they’re going to attack us in all three phases. So, you go back and you study guys and you study where they’ve been and the systems that they’ve been a part of and everybody’s going to add their own wrinkle. There’s definitely some challenges as far as the personnel that you face and not being in the conference and division – not seeing those guys year-in and year-out is always a challenge and then the scheme itself. You’ve kind of got an idea, but again, the true tell will come at 1:05 pacific time on Sunday.”

(On how comfortable he is with C Deyshawn Bond starting on Sunday)
“Unfortunate that (C) Ryan (Kelly), we lost Ryan for this opener with the foot injury and things. But we’re really grateful, thankful that we got ‘007’ (Deyshawn Bond) as they call him in the room. We got him on the roster. We had him in the local pro day and watched him play in college and were fortunate enough to get him in here as a CFA (undrafted free agent) and he’s just been outstanding since the very first day he walked into this building. He had a great offseason, great OTAs, camp – thrust into the starting role and he’s done a great job and he’s been a really consistent performer for us at that spot. He’s just gotten better. He’s a really hard worker, he’s a blue-collar guy, he’s unflappable, he’s smart, he’s tough, he’s strong, plays with good pad level and leverage, understands the system – that’s slowing down for him quite a bit, the mental side of it. I feel very fortunate that we have Deyshawn in here and the job that he’s done and he’s gotten a ton of reps and gained a ton of experience. This will be a different level, we all know that, but he will go out and trust his preparation and trust his fundamentals and his technique and the guys that play around him. He won’t be perfect, there’s going to be some mistakes made, but again, he’s able to move past those things and move on and won’t dwell on some of the bad things.”

(On some of his recollections in his first game as head coach and what challenges he thinks Rams HC Sean McVay will have in his first game)
“It’s like a bunch of the young guys that we’re going to throw out on to the field – we’ve got a bunch of rookies that are going to play. But, Sean’s been around and he’s a smart guy and a great football coach. It’s a little different – I’d love to tell you about all of my escapades, if you will, with the first game and there are some things that happened that you look back on and you can smile and you can laugh at. We didn’t win our first one, but it’s a learning experience. Going into my sixth season there are still going to be things that come up – the rules, officiating, the challenge flags and all the things that you’re charged with. As far as being heavily involved in the offense, those kind of things. He’ll be fine. He’s a really good football coach and he’s a smart guy and he’s surrounded himself with a bunch of great football coaches and talented people that have been in the league and coached for a long, long time. It’s exciting. It’s like anything else, you have your butterflies and your jitters and all those kind of things – you want to make the right calls, you don’t want to make any mistakes, at least that’s how it was for me. As soon as they kick that thing off, it’s like getting your first hit – running down the kickoff on your first play of the season. As soon you get that first hit in – it just all goes back to your preparation and football.”

Off the Official site.... Interesting position on Tavon, but with his salary, understanding

http://www.therams.com/team/depth-chart.html

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/09/06/nfl-nflra-announce-hiring-of-21-full-time-officials/

NFL, NFLRA announce hiring of 21 full-time officials
Posted by Josh Alper on September 6, 2017

The NFL and NFL Referees Association announced in August that they had jointly approved a plan to hire up to 24 full-time officials to see if going that route improved the work that officials do on the field during the season.

On Wednesday, the names of the first 21 officials to be hired on a full-time basis were announced in a joint statement between the league and the NFLRA.

“We believe that we will learn a great deal over the course of this initial year working with the full-time game officials,” NFL Senior Vice President of Officiating Alberto Riveron said. “Our collective goal is to make a positive impact on NFL officiating overall.”

The group of 21 officials features at least two at each of the positions on the field and 17 of the 21 officials hired in a full-time capacity have at least 10 years experience in the NFL.

Referees: Brad Allen, Walt Anderson, Jerome Boger, Pete Morelli

Umpires: Barry Anderson, Dan Ferrell, Bill Schuster

Down Judges: Derick Bowers, Ed Camp

Line Judges: Rusty Baynes, Julian Mapp, Mark Perlman, Mark Steinkerchner

Field Judges: Tom Hill, Steve Zimmer

Side Judges: Boris Cheek, Jonah Monroe

Back Judges: Steve Freeman, Scott Helverson, Terrence Miles, Greg Steed

Not including the win vs the Iggles at the LA Coliseum! By this time, Goff should be looking a lot like the QB we wanted @ one-overall in the NFL Draft. Whitworth should be rocking strong, injury free (& Sully too, dammit!).
* yards after the game
Goff should have 3200 +
Gurley 1200 +
Kupp 800+

I hope Goff gets 4 TD's in the air this game and 400 yards passing vs Wentz.....:rockon:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...t-arrested-by-fbi-in-5-6-million-fraud-probe/

Boomer Esiason’s radio co-host arrested by FBI in $5.6 million fraud probe
Posted by Michael David Smith on September 6, 2017


Getty Images

Craig Carton, who co-hosts a WFAN sports radio show with former NFL Most Valuable Player Boomer Esiason, has been arrested and accused of defrauding investors out of millions of dollars with a phony ticket resale business.

Federal authorities say Carton defrauded people out of $5.6 million, money he needed because he had huge gambling debts. Those debts include millions of dollars in losses at two casinos and $825,000 he owes to an unidentified individual.

The criminal complaint says Carton sent fake documents and forged emails to his business partners to keep them from realizing the whole ticket resale business was a giant scam.

“Carton’s deceit did not stop with providing fake documents . . . When [one investor] made its $2 million investment, Carton misappropriated the money by lying,” court papers said.

Carton was replaced by a fill-in co-host on this morning’s show. Esiason said on the air that at first he thought Carton had called in sick but then learned that, “Unfortunately my partner was arrested.”

“We are aware of the situation and are cooperating with authorities,” CBS Radio said in a statement.

The 48-year-old Carton has long made a name for himself with a brash talk-radio personality that makes him come across at times like a jerk nozzle. When he wrote a memoir in 2013, the title was Loudmouth. Today, authorities reminded him he has the right to remain silent.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl...ish-this-season/ss-AArm2fq?li=BBnb7Kz#image=2

This moron picks us to finish last in NFL at 4-12. Better yet he picks the Panthers to be second to last and Green Bay to go 7-9.

This clown has to have a boss to answer to I would think.

2017 PFF All-Preseason Team
BY JOSH LISKIEWITZ • SEP 4, 2017
KANSAS CITY, MO - AUGUST 11: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs in action during the preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers at Arrowhead Stadium on August 11, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
The preseason has come and gone, with it we saw potential new stars, rookies’ first action in the NFL and some outlandish individual performances.

With rosters finalizing over the holiday weekend, it’s time to take a final look at the top performers over the course of the entire preseason. While this group is certainly represented by some of the NFL’s established elite, it is also made up of a number of intriguing young talents.



OFFENSE


Quarterback: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs, 81.5 overall grade
The Chiefs may publicly be insisting Mahomes isn’t anywhere near Alex Smith’s current level, but if the rookie’s preseason play is any indication, Kansas City may get a much earlier return on it’s investment than expected. Mahomes showed off his elusiveness throughout preseason play, as he was sacked on just 8.0 percent of his dropbacks despite facing pressure 41.0 percent of the time, the seventh-highest mark. His 109.2 passer rating was the highest through four weeks, and his 67.9 completion percentage was fourth-best.

Running back: Rod Smith, Dallas Cowboys, 80.5 overall grade
Smith forced 11 missed tackles on 29 rushing attempts, helping him earn the highest elusive rating this preseason (126.4). Not surprisingly, his 3.79 yards after contact per attempt was second-best.

Wide receiver: Dede Westbrook, Jacksonville Jaguars, 85.6 overall grade
Jaguars QBs had a rating of 157.1 when throwing to Westbrook, as he amassed 13 receptions for 288 yards and two scores on 17 targets. He also did not have a drop all preseason, and earned the second-most yards (139) on deep targets(throws that travel at least 20 yards through the air).

Wide receiver: Kasen Williams, Seattle Seahawks, 84.0 overall grade (since claimed off waivers by Cleveland)
The Seahawks presumably tried to stash Williams on their practice squad, but there was no hiding his performance on the field this preseason. He topped Westbrook on deep yards with 167 (on six grabs), and overall totaled 208 yards on nine grabs.

Slot wide receiver: Austin Carr, New England Patriots, 79.4 overall grade
Carr snared all 14 catchable targets thrown his way, and the 132.1 rating earned by Patriot quarterbacks targeting him this preseason was ninth-best among receivers with at least 10 targets. 51.8 percent of his routes were run through the slot, and half of his grabs came when aligned inside, yet the Patriots still elected not to keep him as part of the replacement plan to Julian Edelman.

Tight end: Bucky Hodges, Minnesota Vikings, 79.9 overall grade
Hodges caught all four catchable balls thrown his way, amassing 72 yards and a score. The rookie also earned a solid 72.9 run blocking grade, and it was this balance to his game that secured him the highest tight end grade this preseason. Hodges survived the first wave of cuts only to be waived to make room for the Vikings to claim TE Blake Bell.

Left tackle: Victor Salako, Philadelphia Eagles, 79.2 overall grade
Salako earned the top preseason overall grade at his position, thanks to a balanced performance on run and pass blocks. His run blocking grade of 80.2ranked 13th among all tackles, and he did not give up a single pressure on 43 pass blocks.

Left guard: Matt Feiler, Pittsburgh Steelers, 83.3 overall grade
Feiler’s 84.0 run blocking grade was fifth-best among all guards this preseason, and his pass-blocking was outstanding. While he finally gave up his first sack against Carolina in Week 4, on 112 total pass block reps in August, he surrendered just three total pressures.

Center: Joey Hunt, Seattle Seahawks, 82.3 overall grade
Hunt’s 80.2 run blocking grade was certainly impressive, but it was his pass blocking that put him in the top spot at the position. He surrendered just one pressure, a hurry against Seattle in Week 2. The Seahawks released him, but he put down some good tape this preseason to help him catch on elsewhere.

Right guard: Josh Sitton, Chicago Bears, 81.7 overall grade
Sitton posted an impressive 84.8 run blocking grade in three appearances this preseason, third-best among all guards. Even better was his pass blocking, as he did not give up a single pressure in August.

Right tackle: Taylor Moton, Carolina Panthers, 82.5 overall grade
Moton played 21 snaps at left guard in Week 1, but spent the rest of the preseason at right tackle (151 snaps). In 99 total pass blocks, he yielded no sacks and just three total pressures, and also graded well on run blocks (76.3).



DEFENSE


Interior Defender: Shelby Harris, Denver Broncos, 90.8 overall grade
Harris’ overall grade of 90.8 topped all players at all positions, as he was a dominant interior force for the Broncos throughout the preseason. He posted three sacks and a total of 12 QB pressures, and notched nine total defensive stops.

Interior Defender: Christian Ringo, Green Bay Packers, 87.2 overall grade
Ringo’s run stop total wasn’t massive (two), but he did an excellent job of defeating blocks and changing the point of attack inside. His pass-rushing was excellent, however, as he tallied 11 total pressures, including four each in Weeks 1 and 4.

Interior Defender: Elijah Qualls, Philadelphia Eagles, 85.9 overall grade
Qualls’ play this preseason was too good not to include him among the league’s top defensive performers. He racked up two sacks and nine total pressures, and was even better against the run, where he posted five stops.

Edge: Chris Smith, Cincinnati Bengals, 87.1 overall grade
Smith didn’t play in Week 4, but his early preseason dominance was too much to for the rest of the edge players to overcome. He managed a sack on limited snaps in Week 3, but in Weeks 1 and 2, he totaled 14 total pressures.

Edge: Aaron Lynch, San Francisco 49ers, 85.9 overall grade
Lynch posted five total defensive stops in three preseason games, two of them sacks in Week 1 against Kansas City. He posted 12 total pressures, and also batted down a pass at the line of scrimmage.

Linebacker: L.J. Fort, Pittsburgh Steelers, 85.2 overall grade
Fort got extended looks in Weeks 1, 2 and 4, and was a tackling machine in all three. He notched 16 solo tackles, with 12 of them going for stops, and did not miss a single tackle.

Linebacker: Jordan Evans, Cincinnati Bengals, 84.7 overall grade
Evans posted eight run stops, the highest total among 4-3 outside linebackers. His run stop percentage of 20.0 percent was third-best at his position, and he also posted three additional stops in coverage.

Cornerback: E.J. Gaines, Buffalo Bills, 87.4 overall grade
In 38 coverage snaps, Gaines was targeted just five times this preseason, and it’s easy to see why when looking at the results. He surrendered just one catch for six yards, while notching a pick and two break-ups. Quarterbacks had a rating of 0.0 when challenging his coverage in August.

Cornerback: P.J. Williams, New Orleans Saints, 86.5 overall grade
Williams gave up four catches on nine throws into his coverage, but combined they totaled just 23 yards. He racked up five total defensive stops to go with a pass break-up, and did not allow a touchdown.

Safety: Marwin Evans, Green Bay Packers, 89.7 overall grade
Evans played a whopping 169 total snaps this preseason, and was a force against both the run and pass. He notched seven total stops and tallied a pick and two pass break-ups while allowing a passer rating into his coverage of just 37.5.

Safety: Landon Collins, New York Giants, 89.4 overall grade
If the preseason is any indication, Collins is set for an impressive encore performance to his breakout campaign of 2016. He allowed just 11 receiving yards on four catches into his coverage, and notched a pick while surrendering a passer rating against of 22.6.

SPECIALISTS
Kicker: Brandon McManus, Denver Broncos
10 was the magic number for McManus, as he booted 10 touchbacks in the preseason to go with a perfect 10-for-10 mark on field goals. His kicking duties weren’t limited to chip shots either, as five were kick between 40 and 49 yards, and two of them were over 50.

Punter: Sam Koch, Baltimore Ravens
Koch’s net average of 45.5 yards per punt was the best in the league this preseason, and his 46.9-yard average was eighth-best. Most impressive is the fact nine of his 11 punts were inside the 20 (with no touchbacks), and the only three returned punts netted the opposition just 16 yards.

Special teamer: Victor Bolden Jr., San Francisco 49ers
Bolden returned just one punt (in Week 4), but made it count be returning it 92 yards for a score. He also scored on a kick return (104 yards), and average 34.4 yards on eight returns.

http://www.footballzebras.com/2017/09/05/week-1-referee-assignments-2017/

• Colts at Rams — Ron Torbert

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



Ronald Torbert is an American football official in the National Football League (NFL) since the 2010 NFL season. He wears uniform number 62.

A graduate of Michigan State University, Torbert began his NFL officiating career in 2010 as a side judge, then became a referee for the 2014 NFL season. Torbert is only the fifth African-American referee in NFL history, after Johnny Grier, Mike Carey, Jerome Boger and Don Carey.

Torbert's 2017 NFL officiating crew consists of umpire Paul King, down judge Sarah Thomas, line judge Mark Steinkerchner, field judge Aaron Santi, side judge Scott Edwards, and back judge Greg Yette.

Outside of his NFL officiating duties, Torbert is an attorney, like fellow referees Clete Blakeman and Ed Hochuli.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/10/27/will-torbert-be-suspended-with-pay-or-reassigned/

Will Torbert be suspended with pay or reassigned?
Posted by Mike Florio on October 27, 2015

With the NFL reportedly planning to admit that referee Ronald Torbert failed to acknowledge that Ravens offensive lineman John Urschel had properly reported as an eligible receiver during Monday night’s game against the Cardinals, the next question becomes whether the NFL will take action of any kind against Torbert.

Mistakes are made all the time by officials. But the NFL has developed a new habit of taking action against officials who make mistakes in prime time games. Three weeks ago, back judge Greg Wilson failed to penalize Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright for batting a loose ball out of the end zone against the Lions on a Monday night, and Wilson was later reassigned away from the Week Six Sunday night game between the Patriots and Colts.

Two weeks ago, side judge Rob Vernatchi was suspended one game with pay for failing to notice that 18 seconds had ticked off the clock near the end of the Steelers-Cardinals game on a Monday night.

If the mistake had happened in one of the various 1:00 p.m. ET games on a Sunday, it may have been no big deal. The fact that it happened on a Monday night could prompt the league to act against Torbert in a way that doesn’t take away any of his pay — which means that there won’t be anything the NFL Referees Association can do.

The reassignment of Wilson and the suspension of Vernatchi sent a clear message to all officials: If you screw up in a prime-time game, the consequences will be more prominent than getting a bad grade from the league office.

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angele...-use-player-tracking-to-optimize-availability

Alden Gonzalez

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Practicing makes players better at football. That's obvious.

It also wears down their bodies, makes them susceptible to injuries and limits their availability, which ultimately matters more than anything. Tyler Williams, the Los Angeles Rams' sports science coordinator, operates within those margins, continually pursuing the perfect balance between preparation and availability.

"You want to flirt above and below that line," Williams said. "You don't want to go too far below where you're underprepared, or too far above where you're overworked."

On most days, one can usually find Williams between the two practice fields of the Rams' headquarters. Williams, director of sports medicine Reggie Scott, strength and conditioning coach Ted Rath and a small handful of others are equipped with tablets that track every step each player takes, using the data to help determine when they need more work or when they have had enough. The information comes instantaneously through miniature GPS and radio-frequency identification tracking devices that are sewn on players' shirts or inserted into their shoulder pads.

Each player has a running tally for the amount of yards they have covered and the various speeds they have traveled. Pre-established speed zones -- 15 to 20 mph, for example -- provide a gauge for how much time they are operating at higher intensity levels. And each player -- 63 of them, if you include the practice squad -- has his own baseline for what constitutes an optimum amount of work, based on age, position, personal history and overall preference.

The process is complex, but the objective is simple.

"My main focus is to increase player availability," said Williams, who is in his 11th year with the Rams and in his third under his current title. "The more availability you have, theoretically, the better percent chance you have to win.”

It ultimately didn't help their record, but the Rams were one of the NFL's healthiest teams last year. Some of that is the luck of avoiding a freak injury. But the Rams' progressive, collaborative approach toward player tracking also helps push the odds in their favor. The vast majority of teams use GPS or RFID tools to track workloads between games, to varying degrees. But Williams said the Rams "like to try to push the envelope as much as we can" with its overall implementation of sports science.

"I think they're the best at it," said outside linebacker Connor Barwin, entering his ninth NFL season.

Barwin spent the previous four years with the Philadelphia Eagles, who were coached by Chip Kelly from 2013-15. Kelly in some ways helped pioneer this method. His Oregon teams implemented Catapult technology to monitor practice workloads, and eventually that data spawned a lot of his outside-the-box philosophies. Barwin was exposed to that in Philadelphia.

"But at that time," Barwin said, "they didn't really know what they were doing."

Nobody really did; the data was too fresh for proper context.

Williams started using this information about five years ago and was overwhelmed at first. The tracking devices spit out hundreds of metrics, so much of it trivial. It took Williams and the Rams' analytics staff two years of combing through reams of data to figure out which ones were relevant, and even now he'll tell you that the process is "evolving."

For the last two years, Zebra Technologies, an Illinois-based company, has been using its RFID chips to track each player's movement on game days. Teams are now privy to that information, but everything else is produced internally. Teams don't share their player-tracking data from practices with one another. For rookies, the only collegiate player-tracking data that NFL teams get comes from the Senior Bowl.

Thus, players who join the Rams essentially come with a clean slate. Their ideal baseline evolves as the team navigates through the offseason program and training camp. Williams' goal is to have a good sense for what their bodies can tolerate as they head into the regular season. They're asked to fill out a survey about how their bodies are feeling almost on a daily basis, and the communication is constant.

"They try to stay on top of everything," Rams inside linebacker Mark Barron said. "They really do their research."

Barron was one of several Rams defensive starters who did not appear in preseason games, along with outside linebacker Robert Quinn and cornerback Kayvon Webster (and, of course, defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who is holding out in a contract dispute). Others, including Barwin, nose tackle Michael Brockers, inside linebacker Alec Ogletree and strong safety Maurice Alexander were held out of the third preseason game, which is typically when teams play their starters the most. Rams first-year head coach Sean McVay attributed most of that to a "maintenance program," which has its roots in the data that Williams and others pore through.

The Rams say that what sets them apart is their cohesiveness. Every department -- medical, strength and conditioning, nutrition, analytics, coaching -- buys ino the way they implement sports science.

"They communicate well together, and they follow it," Barwin said. "A lot of times the training staff and the strength staff are on different pages. These guys are all on the same page, which I think is really important."


Williams, Scott, Rath and others on the strength-and-conditioning staff all play a hand in monitoring player workloads in the moment, with the analytics team studying a larger sample of data later. They'll split it up by offense and defense and sort through it all on their tablets. For a normal practice, a receiver and a cornerback will cover somewhere between 4,000 and 5,500 yards, while a linebacker will be between 3,000 and 4,000. But some of the most pertinent information comes from the amount of distance a player covers within his pre-established speed zone.

Williams sees it all as a slider scale, with optimal readiness on one side and broken-down fatigue on the other.

The key is to widen that gap as much as possible.

"The more football you play, the better you are at football, but the more exposure risk you are for a breakdown or injury," Williams said. "So, it's that balance. And that's where we use some of that objective data, to make sure we're within that range and balance where we want to be.

anyone else getting this?

Mine is downloading now as I type. I can not wait til I get off work!

If anyone plays on PS4 add me, billydontshoot

I hope he gets 2-3 sacks, and some big splash plays. I hope he has people saying "Aaron who?" Glad he is getting his opportunity, I hope he does his best with it.

It's a little thing, but details bug me.

I've moved and wanted to update my profile and change my location. I'm not completely illiterate when it comes to computers, but for the life of me, I can't figure how to do this...

With thanks to @x -This is too good not to caption. Have at it you derelicts...

btw- @Rynie is that you?

That's right Rams fans, we are back with our tradition of checking out what opposing fans are saying about their upcoming game against our beloved team. We kick off the 2017 season with the Colts.


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Week One Colts vs. Rams Prediction Thread

http://forums.colts.com/topic/53510-week-one-colts-vs-rams-prediction-thread/

I want the Colts to win but I have a hard time thinking Tolzein will do much against that defense.

I'll say Rams win 21-17. I think it'll be an ugly game with not a whole lot of scoring.
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If the d can contain Gurley, I think we win. Low scoring game I'm guessing
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I think it will be low scoring, but if we can contain their run game I think we pull out a win. I wouldn't be surprised to see Brisset on a couple two minute drives. He did really well running up-tempo in NE.
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It's going to be awful. I think we score 1 Rushing TD and Vinny kicks a field goal.

17-10 Rams
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Colts fight valiantly but ultimately fall short. I'll go Rams 17-13.
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Rams 11 - Colts 3
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31-10, Rams, courtesy of multiple TOs.
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Hard to really predict this one... I guess I will be the cockeyed optimist and say Colts squeak one out 20 to 17.
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I think the Colts keep it close for 3ish quarters, but the Rams do a better job keeping the chains moving and extending drives, which will eventually lead to LA pulling ahead by way to much in the fourth quarter. I just don't see the Colts doing a good job keeping drives moving.

Rams win 27-10.
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Colts go into half time, trailing 42-0, Luck gets so mad, he knocks out Pagano, grabs a helmet runs out the field to start the third quarter. Then plays MLB on Defense cause he doesn't hold anything back, Colts tie the game with 11 seconds left in the 4th, they kick an onside kick, recover it, Luck throw a beautiful 44 yd TD as time expires to The Ghost, Colts win 48-42.

Hey a man can dream right?
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Colts - 3

Rams - More than 3
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I believe the Colt win the turnover battle and the game.

Colts 20 - Rams 10
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Colts 16 Rams 13

Marlon Mack rush TD + 3 Vinatieri FG
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20-3 Rams
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Week 1's suck honestly. We have zero reference on how good or bad we are.

I wouldn't be shocked with a 13-10 win or a 28-7 loss.
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With our inexperienced defense and the improvement Jared Goff made from last year, I can see the Rams putting up plenty of points.
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This game seems winnable on the surface, but the Rams defense is still strong without Aaron Donald, and Gurley is their strong offensive weapon which also is against our defensive weakness. I think Gurley scores two tds on us and Goff does just enough to keep us off the field along with the defense. Just don't see Tolzien working any magic this game. Gore or Mack gets us a td, but it's not enough and we lose 24-10.

We may win a game with Tolzien, but this one isn't it.
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It'll be an ugly game. The Rams O won't be able to get going. Their D will stop the Colts Offense. It comes down to whose offense can suck less.
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I honestly think the only QB or RB that will get going is Gurley, and they'll wear us out in the run game and break us down. It'll be an ugly game, but I expect something like what the Titans try and do to us in the run game, except we are in much worse shape this time.
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Rams in a Blowout.
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24-10 Rams
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Rams 45, Colts 0
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Rams 20, Colts 6
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Colts get 3 turnovers (one of which is returned for a TD by Wilson). One comes at the end of the game with John Simon smashing Goff into the dirt, the ball comes loose and Farley gets it to close out the game.

Colts win 20-13.
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Jared Goff hasnt gotten better he only really have 2 weapons watkins and gurley tbh
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You're not watching the preseason then. He has a lot of chemistry with Connor Kupp as well. Remember that name for week 1.

And when the Rams score on the first possession and everybody is surprised and blaming Pagano, remember this post.
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Colts win 3-2 on a last second field goal by AV.
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Slow their run game & make our run game work- Colts 17-14 .... then again Gurley runs over us like ants and Tolzien can't complete a pass more than 7 yards- Rams 31-10
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Rams 27 Colts 6.
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Colts 10 Rams 45.Three tolzien ints one of which is a pick six. Strip sack recovery for td by rams. Fumble recovery from Matt Jones
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Rams....23-6
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We're fixing to lose to a 30 year old coach.. who will immediately tweet #NFLhistorymade after the game.
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I'm guessing 21-10 Colts. TY is going to use this game to show that he's not reliant on Luck. I think he gets 120 rec with 2tds
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I love that because Tolzein is starting at QB so many people on here are predicting we get smashed by a Rams team who is not any better. Saying we will allow some obscene amount of points when there offense is no better. There D is pretty solid but we will still be able to move the ball. This forum has shown me the large sum of fair weather fans in Indy....and it is sad!

It will be an all-around slow offensive game with the FG becoming everything. IMO we win 12-10.
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Indy wins, but will have trouble keeping Gurley contained. The difference will be a Vinatieri field goal.
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Colts win 24-17.... I don't see the Colts losing this game, I see the defense keeping them in this game and the offense finally stepping up and scoring some points late in the second half.
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Rams 20-6.
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The Colts best player is out.

The Rams best player is out.

This is a toss up for me. I think I would pick Colts if Vontae was healthy. We should definitely be able to move the ball w/o that wrecking ball in the middle for the Rams. This may be drudge fest. Something like 12-9.
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I think our defense will score a TD against a struggling Rams offense. Todd Gurley will be contained in the first half, but will score at least twice during the game. Tolzien will suprise, throwing a TD and no interceptions. Frank Gore will rush for a TD in the first quarter, and another back(Mack, Turbin, or Matt Jones) will score at some point in the game.

Vinny misses a pat, but nails a 43 yarder.

Final:

Rams: 17

Colts: 30
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This is likely to be our worst game of the year. No Luck, No Kelly, No Vontae, No Geathers, and we have to go into enemy territory on the west coast with a bunch of backups... I'd like to be optimistic, and if the game were in Indy, I would be optimistic. But I think the Rams come out strong for their home opener and win 27-16.

Not the worst thing in the world. The Colts could probably use a good punch in the mouth to start the season, like Luck needs to get hit at the beginning of a game to get into "game-mode". Losing bad to an average Rams team should be a good wake-up-call.

Of course winning without Luck, Kelly, etc. would be a huge win for this team, and a wake-up-call for all the tankers that would rather have a high draft pick next year than go for glory this year. I would be thrilled with a 16-13 win over LA.
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Rams 24 - Colts 10

Pagano foolishly sticks with Tolzien who can't move the ball and turns it over at least 2 times but manages to get them into FG range once.

Because of turnovers and sheer number of 3 and outs the Rams are able to score 3 TD's and a FG.

AT the end of the game playing against a prevent defense Brissett goes into the game and leads a late drive for a TD. Too little too late.
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Colts win 16-10. While Indy's defense doesn't have Geathers or Davis out there, the defense will show improvement and get 1 or even 2 timely turnovers. The offense will see Moncrief and Hilton carry a bulk of the load while Mack gets some good runs. Hope I'm right.
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Ram 24 Colts 9. I'd be absolutely shocked if Tolzien won. I know the Rams aren't world beaters but there home and I think they are the superior team with Luck and Davis not playing. I'd absolutely love to be proven wrong.
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The last time these two teams met, the Rams blasted the Colts. For as long ago as that was, a lot of why that game went the way it did (who can run and stop the run- and Tavon Austin being fast..) hasn't changed as much as we'd expect.

I think the Colts can win a low scoring game, but I'd save my money on a bet..

My gut.

Rams 24
Colts 13
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no Aaron Donald= no pass rush smallish D weak vs run Gore/Mack could do some damage. I could write a book on Goff..total bust

doesn't feel pass rush, small hands, (fumbles, wounded ducks) bad decisions..in preseason game 3 basically benched after 2 series when he should of played 3 quarters.and starters basically didn't play in preseason so will be very rusty. Below avg cb's and safeties wo will be exposed if oline give wr's time. also Rams have slow cb's who will struggle vs speed

do a draft site and thought Hooker had to play in a simple defense best in a Seattle one deep zone. Not sure what you guys run. Rams traded for Watkins and Woods and drafted Kupp and McVay calls a good game as HC/OC. Gurley been a 18 game bust for the Rams and barely played in preseason and didn't show much when he did. .

IMO best coaches will win. more winnable then many of you think Run the ball and pressure Goff...he will turn the ball over and hope Mcvay doesn't get into a play calling rhythm..Kid is good.

To make the playoffs this year. Watching the NFLN's 2017 season preview and Marriuci, Faulk, Warner and Irvin had to remove one of the 2016 playoff teams and add a team to make the playoffs in 2017. Here is who they removed and who they added:

Marriucci removed the Chiefs and added the Broncos
Warner removed the Falcons and added the Cardinals (surprise)
Irvin removed the Dolphins and added the Titans

And our own Marshall Faulk removed the Lions and added the Rams to make the playoffs. He's sold on the upgrades made offensively and also thinks Wade will make the defense even better. I love it!

https://www.si.com/vault/issue/44486/88/1

How the Rams love to trade.

You'd figure that coming from USC, John Robinson would low-key it for a while until he got the hang of it. I mean, all these years he didn't work deals with Penn State, a tailback for a linebacker.... But since Robinson took over in February, the Rams have been the tradingest team in the NFL. A trade put them in position to draft SMU Halfback Eric Dickerson high in the first round, and before the exhibition season was a week old they were telling people he's the greatest runner to wear a Ram uniform since Jon Arnett, forgetting Dick Bass and Lawrence McCutcheon. Then they unloaded running backs Wendell Tyler and Jewerl Thomas, figuring they're still well stocked. They switched cornerbacks, dealing Rod Perry to Detroit and picking up Eric Harris from Kansas City, and they got K.C. Quarterback Steve Fuller to serve as Vince Ferragamo's backup. Perry brought them Detroit Tight End David Hill, and they switched people in the defensive line, trading away Tackle Mike Fanning, who didn't project as a nose man in their new 3-4, and getting End Gary Jeter from the Giants. And they'll probably be picking up an offensive tackle to replace Irv Pankey, who's out for the year with a ruptured Achilles tendon, just about as you're reading this.

But the question still remains, while Ferragamo is throwing those pretty rainbows and Dickerson is dodging and darting for yards, how are the Rams going to stop the opposition? Jack Youngblood, whose forte was always splitting out wide and swooping down on enemy passers from the 4-3, will now learn about life in the meat grinder as a 3-4 end, and the left one at that, the run-stopping side. Behind him at left linebacker is Mel Owens, as yet unproved, and behind him at cornerback is Kirk Collins, another green tomato. Nolan Cromwell fell off his All-Pro pace last season, and a switch at safety, sending Cromwell to strong and Johnnie Johnson to free, might be the logical move. Something's got to be done to rescue a defense that's forgotten how to defend, by land or air, and that gave up the most points per game (27.78) in the club's 37-year history.

PROJECTED FINISH: 6-10

The SportsZone 9/5/17 - Vincent Bonsignore of the LA Daily News joined Bob Kemp to discuss the Rams off-season, Jared Goff, Aaron Donald and a new head coach.

Login to view embedded media View: https://soundcloud.com/nbc-sports-radio-1060/the-sportszone-9517-vincent-bonsignore

Just got a NFL text alert that game will not be held in Miami.
Neutral site or post-poned until later in year.

I vote Anchorage Alaska.
How can you get more neutral than that?

So i live in the midwest and even though the game is scheduled to be on cbs this sunday it is only for local broadcast. I thought about cbs all access but it only allows you to stream content from your local cbs station which seems pointless.

I cant sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket because where i live i have to also have direct tv tv package which i refuse to switch too. Is there any other ways that i can watch the game that is pretty good feed.

NFL Power Rankings Have Los Angeles Rams In Bottom Looking Up At Rest Of League
18 comments
Yet again, the Rams enter the NFL season as one of the league’s worst teams according to the power rankings.
by 3k Sep 5, 2017, 12:22pm CDT

https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2017/9/5/16255122/nfl-power-rankings-2017-la-rams

Here we are again. The Los Angeles Rams are set to open their 2017 regular season campaign. And as the power rankings come in, Rams fans are forced to face the annual rite of reaffirming that these guys “don’t know what they’re talking about” or that “they’re going to look so stupid when they’re wrong.”

It’s tradition.

Today, we’ve already got four major power rankings out. I’ll update this piece as the other major rankings are made available as we track these every week.

But yeah, screw these guys.

SB Nation: 25th

NFL.com: 29th (27th in previous rankings)

The Rams, for all their door dings and cracked engine blocks, have an incredible opportunity to open the season. First, they'll face the Andrew Luck-less Colts at home. After dodging one of the better quarterbacks in the game, they will have to face one in Kirk Cousins -- but the Redskins QB is still trying to mesh with his new offensive teammates, and that game is also in Los Angeles. Thus, the Rams could be 2-0. Then L.A. plays at S.F., another winnable game. It's a trip to Dallas in the following week, and the Cowboys could be missing Ezekiel Elliott. Maybe by the time the Rams see the Seahawks in Week 5, A) The light bulb will have come on for Jared Goff, and B) Aaron Donald will be on the field, playing lights out.

Yahoo! Sports: 25th (28th)

The Rams couldn’t ask for a better spot in Week 1, catching the Colts without quarterback Andrew Luck and cornerback Vontae Davis. And it’s a home game for the Rams. If they can’t win that, it’ll be a long season.

USA Today: 24th (28th)