CBS at 4:05, I was really surprised.
Anyone else on the east coast.

If a thread already exists I apologize. I'm expecting a 7-9 season for the Rams. I see improvement across the board, but I don't see this as a playoff team quite yet. Hope I'm wrong.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...win-both-games-and-the-fight-for-los-angeles/

Chargers, Rams face an uphill battle to win both games and the fight for Los Angeles

SHUTTLING BETWEEN COSTA MESA AND IRVINE, Calif. -- The battle for the hearts and minds and, most importantly, wallets, of Southern California is on, between the Chargers (who just moved from San Diego and have mounted "Fight For L.A." signs all over this area, adopting it as an official marketing campaign) and the Rams, whose arrival here predates them by a year but who it's fair to say are still struggling to establish a real foothold in Cali.

As both teams practice in temporary training facilities and play in temporary stadiums for several years awaiting the completion of Rams owner Stan Kroenke's football Taj Mahal in Los Angeles proper (Inglewood, to be precise), the stakes certainly seem high enough, both financially and in terms of branding, public relations and overall relevance in this glitzy media market. As for their on-field product, both teams are in the rebuilding process -- certainly in the case of the Rams -- or at least the re-tooling phase, when it comes to the Chargers, and it would behoove both to start winning football games ASAP.

It's fair to say, at least in the short-term, that this "fight" might be more about mitigating losses than anything else, as declaring either franchise an actual victor may misinterpret the realities of these surroundings. Having spent the better part of a week recently in these parts going to practices, talking to fans and soaking up the atmosphere, neither club was exactly creating a steady buzz or moving the meter. Seems to me both face an immediate uphill climb.

Off-field wins could be marginal and somewhat fleeting as they try to convert generations of fans accustomed to getting their in-person football fix on Saturdays at USC or UCLA and who have found myriad other ways to pass lazy Sunday afternoons; who already have allegiance to an out-of-market NFL team or their own fantasy teams, or were wedded to being able to see the best games on TV with LA going 25 years without a team of its own before two were suddenly thrust upon them.

On one particular sun-soaked, late afternoon August day, however, the "fight" seemed decidedly one-sided. For the second joint practice between the combatants, the Chargers have bused five miles up the I-5, from their camp base in Costa Mesa to the Rams' headquarters on the UC Irvine campus. The darker blue side of Orange County? Anyway, on this afternoon thousands of die-hards have braved the constant threat of traffic to show up. For a few hours at least, the energy is electric.

Rams Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson is being mobbed by fans in one tent. The tennis courts nearby on campus are overflowing with fan groups who have set up tables. The stands stretching around the field are packed and pulsating. With a DJ pumping tunes throughout drills and the beer garden packed and wine flowing, it feels more like a night at the club or a banging happy hour than a training camp. But that's L.A., I suppose.

Rams fans are yelling at and heckling Chargers players, the teams are literally engaged in fisticuffs several times during the two-plus-hour session, and the chants are lively and at times, inspired. "Go back to San Diego!" "You spelled San Diego wrong!" "Whose house? Rams house!" "Chargers suck! Chargers suck!" And, perhaps most to the point, cutting to the Chargers step-brother status when it comes to the stadium being built: "Pay your rent! Pay your rent!"

Yet just the day before the Chargers had practiced in relative obscurity, the interactive fan activities they set up at their camp basically ignored, the food cart lines maybe three people deep at peak lunchtime, the large stands they set up perhaps a third full, with a few hundred fannies in the seats. And in the coming weeks the Chargers would play two preseason games at StubHub Center, a soccer-specific stadium at its construction, and could barely fill three-quarters of the beyond-modest 28,000 capacity, drawing a collective yawn (at best) from the locals.

And two days after the spirited Rams-Chargers joint practice I rolled back to Irvine for another late-afternoon Rams practice, and the campus had become a ghost town. You could count the number of fans with an abacus (and that includes all the players' family members assembled that day); those fancy hospitality tents were full of lonely beer taps waiting to be pulled, the parking lots were empty. Even the media presence was limited.

These teams met at the L.A. Coliseum for a nationally televised preseason game in late August, and all the headlines were about the dismal ratings it provoked (lowest since 2004 was the consensus). They did combine for a total of nine wins in 2016, after all. Then a week later the L.A. Times got a hold of the Rams' highly-ambitious PSL thresholds -- some costing less than a nice house would have back in St. Louis -- and, well, Kroenke better get all of his friends in Malibu to pitch in to the cause. This won't be a cheap ticket; will there be sufficient demand for it over the long haul?

There had best be plenty of Ws sprinkled in the standings for both of these teams, the sooner the better. Merely playing football eight Sundays a year probably isn't going to be enough. Simply building a state-of-the-art stadium might not be enough, either.

Of course, you'll find no shortage of executives and officials from either club who will intimate this is all being grossly overblown. Surely a market this massive, with so much collective wealth and with so many corporate headquarters nearby, can support two NFL franchises. Even if they're middling, I assume. Any notion of competition for fans is quickly poo-pooed by both clubs -- even despite those ever-present "Fight For L.A." signs and the Chargers' social media videos speaking directly to this very competition for fans' attention -- and surely they are going to make for perfect bedfellows once they are actually sharing a stadium (despite the natural tension that will arise over construction and securing the best dates and schedule and sharing suites, etc.).

"Well I think from Ventura County to Orange County and everything in between and the Inland Empire is like what, 16, 17, 18 million people," Chargers general manager Tom Telesco said. "So I think there's enough of a market that we can flourish and the Rams can flourish, too. For us it's just about trying to battle for wins on the field, and not really so much about battling for market share. I think if you put a good product on the field and you win some games people will notice.

"There are a lot of people in this area that have grown up without a team here and who have kids, and those kids grew up rooting for other teams. So there are a lot of families here looking for a team to root for and to follow and support, and there's millions of people who live here, so through USC football and Rams football and Chargers football I think there's plenty for everybody."

Rams coach Sean McVay sounds as if he may have been privy to similar talking points.

"I think the biggest thing for us is just focusing in on ourselves. I've got a lot of respect for (Chargers rookie) Coach (Anthony) Lynn and their coaching staff and their players and what they've done, and being in the AFC it is a little bit different. And I think as an organization we will continue to focus on what we can do, and that's daily improvement and getting better, and I think if our product is good then this fan base is big enough.

"There are enough great football fans in this city to be able to support two quality teams and two quality products. And as long as we take care of what we're supposed to, with the way the NFL is and how many different people want to come see games, I think it will take care of itself."

Maybe so, and maybe not.

There are definitely a few other owners who have at least a bit of consternation about whether this all happened too quickly. Especially with the Raiders headed to Las Vegas around the same time the new L.A. stadium will be built, and Vegas only a few hours drive away for many in this same Southern California region.

"There could certainly be some buyer's remorse here," said one league source in regular contact with owners about relocation issues. "Did all of this (the Rams, Chargers and Raiders all announcing moves in quick succession) have to happen this quickly, and will this over-saturate the market?

Now, you won't hear any of that coming out of the Rams or Chargers offices, certainly not publicly, and their business operations would maintain that even with their combined $1.3 billion in relocations fees due to paid out over close to a decade (make no mistake, that subsidy to the other 29 franchises had plenty to do with these teams getting sufficient votes to leave their former homes), this will prove to be a smart investment over time once Inglewood is full of sponsors and suite holders and fans. Even with the Rams already having to announce months ago that the stadium will delayed at least a year already, which will certainly cost the franchises millions more in the short term.

It came as surprise to some of these outside owners that needing new coaches both clubs, instead of luring someone like Jon Gruden out of retirement or trading for Super Bowl winner Asshole Face, hired low-profile, first-time head coaches, which ran counter to some conventional wisdom that landing a rock star-type coach would add some sizzle and get more people talking about the new football teams in town.

The task is more daunting for the Chargers, as they had to literally move operations (albeit just a few hours up the freeway) in time for offseason workouts and then OTAs, much less training camp. Gutting their old practice facility in San Diego, finding new digs, securing a place to play at StubHub Center, getting players relocated and on the same page made for extra work for everyone, and made Lynn's transition to head coach outside the norm.

"The good news is I don't have anything to compare it to, because this is my first gig," Lynn said, "So this is completely normal to me. And I think our organization handled the transition really well and they made our lives a little easier for us, and now we're settled in and I'm just worried about playing football. I don't really see it as a rivalry."

Okay, but what about from the business side of the building?

"Now that's a different story," Lynn said, "but I don't pay much attention to the outside stuff, to be honest with you, because I can't get caught up in that. We've got marketing people and they do a heck of a job, and our first day here at camp it was on fire and there were people everywhere. It was really impressive. So our marketing department has done a heck of a job and they're 'Fighting for L.A.' and we're trying to support them and back them up by fighting for each other and being the best that we can be."

All but one person in the organization from what I gathered, the current player most synonymous with the Chargers, made the move north, leaving their former homes in San Diego. Quarterback Philip Rivers, who along with longtime favorite target Antonio Gates had the most emotions stirred with the relocation, is opting to commute (he already lived in the northern part of San Diego, so that cuts down some on traffic), choosing to remain rooted where they are, with a brood of children involved in school and neighborhood activities and that area home for his entire career.

"We kind of wanted to stay put and try this through the fall and see how it goes," Rivers said. "After 13 years in one spot, it's difficult to just pick up and move, and I think we'll be able to make it work. It's about an hour each way, but it's been a good natural progression with the natural emotions you would expect. But it's grown into being really excited and really fired up getting to see the start of camp and getting to see what this environment has a chance to be like."

The Rams know this drill all too well. Their move a year ago from St. Louis was more profoundly trying by pure geography alone. It was a scramble finding multiple locations to practice, and they were unable to carry over the initial momentum from having nearly 100,000 fans pack the Coliseum for their preseason opener. The on-field product was awful, particularly on offense; they were quickly mired in a quarterback controversy, and head coach Jeff Fisher didn't make it through the initial season in L.A. Suboptimal, to say the least.

Now, they open 2017 with questions swirling about the readiness of quarterback Jared Goff, for whom they mortgaged the future to move up and take first overall in 2016, and their best player, Aaron Donald, is vowing to extend his contract holdout well into the regular season, having watched countless lesser players get over-compensated by this front office in past years and wanting to become the highest-paid defensive player in the history of the game (some would say rightfully so).

But hey, at least it's not the summer of 2016, moving halfway across the country!

"Yeah, last year it was a lot," said Rams special teams coach John Fassel, who was the interim head coach a year ago after Fisher was fired. "Just thinking of the football part of the move and then with their families and all of that, it doubled it, at least. So it's been nice to be in familiar territory, at least for me, and just do football. And this year we're only here (at UC Irvine) for three-and-a-half weeks, compared to last year when it was six weeks. So I think they'll be some advantages to being here a second year as a football team."

While this summer has been ominous on many levels, it's hardly all doom and gloom. Los Angeles opens up unique opportunities, and the Chargers may end up being the stepchild in this relationship but there seems to be a chance to do more. The Rams didn't establish a face-of-L.A. player last year -- they tried like heck with running back Todd Gurley but he wilted badly after a stellar rookie season in St. Louis due in largely part to an incompetent offensive line. And, again, Donald, their premier player, is an interior defensive line (not sexy) and is holding out.

The Chargers have a bevvy of potential breakout players on a quality roster, and could surprise people in the AFC West if they can ever stay remotely healthy. Joey Bosa, a fairly unstoppable pass rusher as a rookie who can sound a bit like Jeff Spicoli without trying and who told me has attempted to surf, may be atop that list. This could be a menacing defense led by a stout front seven, and Bosa, who could definitely rock a poncho if he so desired, could become a draw for the team.

"The opportunities in L.A. are obviously going to be greater than in San Diego, not taking anything away from San Diego," Bosa told me. "But this is one of the biggest cities in the world, a huge market, but they can chew you up and spit you out. So you'd better come to play, and we obviously know that there a lot of sports and a lot of entertainment here and plenty of different things to do in L.A., so we've got to fight to win some people over."

Rivers said: "I think obviously that 'Fight for L.A.' has kind of become the rallying cry, and I think as players we really -- I know it's that boring cliché answer -- but control what you can control. And what we can control is finding a way to win more football games and be a group of guys who fight hard and we come out and people go, 'Shoot, I want to go check the Chargers out.' And we know that that takes time.

"But I think that to me, just in general, human nature, people that are real, that they can relate to, that are genuine, that play hard -- those are the kind of teams that people like to pull for. So I think if we can just be that, be ourselves, and not go, 'Hey, we need to go have this master scheme' -- and that's not to sleight the hard work I know the upstairs people (in the marketing office) have done -- but for us as players it's like, 'Let's go out and cut it loose and play,' and maybe people go, 'Shoot, let's go down to the StubHub on Sunday.' Turn it into that sort of team that they want to pull for."

Luring fans to that tiny, soccer-specific bandbox of a stadium, off the grid in Carson, comes with challenges, however, as evidenced by the preseason. It has advantages as well, in that every seat is close to the action, the vibe is intimate and not sprawling and there are no nosebleed seats. But it also lacks all of the bells-and-whistles that teams are rushing to add on to incentivize fans to leave their couches and brave the parking lots to attend games, and the facility itself is anything but a magnet.

It has passed the early tests on feasibility. The locker room set-up, even for the visitors (it's spread out over two areas but they are in close proximity), isn't bad, the sidelines are plenty big enough and visiting teams that played there said their trainers, equipment guys and support staff had no major issues getting in and out (there were problems with the press box and with getting all of the cameras in location it requires for national broadcast of an NFL game, but the Chargers were working closely with the league to address them).

"It was actually pretty awesome," said Seahawks general manager John Schneider, whose team helped christen StubHub Center for NFL football in the preseason opener. "It was a cool place to play and we had no major issues and the guys seemed to like it. Our operations guys made a list of a few things for the Chargers after we left, but we didn't have any major issues at all."

The true measures of this fight are ahead. The Chargers' home opener is Week 2, against the Dolphins, while the Rams host the Colts (likely without Andrew Luck and without much pizzazz themselves) in Week 1. The teams do not meet in the regular season, and thus their on-field fight, in however much there is one, won't be renewed until more joint practices and exhibition games next summer.

"I like to say, in the NFL, you only have to be better than three teams," Rams GM Les Snead told me, "and really that's, for us, San Francisco, Seattle and Arizona. And they've got to be better than three teams (Denver, Oakland and Kansas City in the AFC West). So I'm not sure it's us versus them.

"As I think I've mentioned earlier, hey, if they finish one in the NFL and we finish two, heck, everybody is happy. If we finish 31 and they finish 32, I'm not so sure we won a whole lot. So at the end of the day I think, hey, be better than those three teams. That's all you've got to do."

In most markets, that's sound enough logic. Here, they might need to win with some style points, too. By next summer, perhaps one of these franchises will have experienced some degree of winning and sustained success. Maybe there is overflow demand at StubHub and maybe the Coliseum is close to full. Or could be this all goes down without much fuss at all and concern continues to mount from SoCal all the way to Park Avenue.

But for the first time in a generation two NFL teams are about to kick off a season around here, separated by mere miles, after the Raiders and Rams already took off for what they thought would be greener pastures. Alas, sometimes history does repeat.

It's a cliche' now...To spread one's wings and fly in the midst of open space...To step off the creative cliff and to soar....What is it about what you are called to do in this life that makes you "fly"? It doesn't have to be anything grand in terms of commercial success. It is something like the character Will Hunting said about mathematics, like Mozart did from an early age with music, "I could just play" in the field of Math.

Let me start. I gained confidence in my working life in driving tour bus. I was a d@mn virtuoso in doing the New York to Los Angeles tour for Cosmos Tours...I did that tour 2-3 times a year for several years, and knew every turn in the route...I was a personable, safe driver that knew the road. I thought it was my gift, but I was wrong.

When my driving days were done (it was hurting my health), I decided to follow lifelong dream of getting a degree. Like always, I chose a degree path (or work path) that would give me the greatest income. I was going to be a computer scientist. My plan was to become an actuary for an insurance company. I gave it all that I had, and I learned about how much I loathed computer science! lol. I did what my long ago high school transcripts said that I shouldn't do, I went after understanding math. I started with beginning Algebra, and skipped Intermediate Algebra and finished College Algebra. I then did Pre-Calculus and Calculus I...I got all "A's" until Calc I, which I got a high "B."
While hating Computer Science, I realized there was no future for me in just doing Math. I was pretty good at it, but I wasn't excellent. I don't like programming! So I dropped from college for two years.

I tried writing a dystopian novel about the effect of an EMP explosion over Kansas, while not in college. I loved doing it and finished 100 + pages (8 1/2 x 11 in per page),. but I realized that no one would take me seriously as a writer, without the letters after my name (BS, MA, PhD.). So I went back to University and will finish a degree in History (BS) in December this year. My idea is to write historically true, fiction for teens. There is a large market for these stories...But what I am loving in the meantime are creative writing and fiction writing (upper level) courses that I am taking as electives. I love making readers connect to my stories...I love to read my stories out loud and have it affect people in ways that are authentic. I know that I have to give up my "man" card by saying this, but when my words touch people, I think "you really like me!" While trying not to cry. (I'm an idiot, right? lol). It feels like I am floating and defying gravity at these moments

WHAT DO YOU DO TO DEFY GRAVITY? What special thing is there about you, that you are just D@MN good at? Everyone has a talent, tell us about it.

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College football, fantasy drafts, and BBQ's are on my schedule for the next couple days. But before the weekend was here, I wanted to crank out another game for you guys.

December 10th, 2000 - Week 15.
The 11-2 Minnesota Vikings, riding a four game winning streak, were one win away from clinching the NFC Central and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The 8-6 St. Louis Rams had lost five of their last seven games and were desperately clinging to the last NFC playoff spot. In this high scoring offensive battle, Marshall Faulk set a franchise record with 4 rushing touchdowns as the Rams stunned the Vikings with a 40-29 victory.

Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/v9s-CiBZohA


Also, thank you :bowSteveBrown for sending me the game footage!

aout QB Goff before 2016 draft, from OURLADS.
- What Ourlads NFL Scouting Services said before JARED GOFF made the Los Angeles Rams' depth chart: California, 6040 215 4.79. Junior entry. Three-year starter from Kentfield, CA. First-team All Pac-12. Plays in the quarterback friendly pitch and catch spread “Air Raid” offense. A drop back passer from the shotgun who has good arm strength and knows his way around the pocket. Throws the ball on time and on target with good accuracy over his career. The lanky underclassman helped revitalize the Golden Bear program that had fallen on hard times by starting 37 straight games after hitting the field as a true freshman. The two-time team captain will look the rush pressure in the eye and make the clutch pass. Reacts well to pressure. Knows where he wants to go with the ball and throws the receiver open with good accuracy and timing. Keeps his eyes down the field. No pause in the pocket. Good pocket presence and feel. Reads progressions. Keeps his feet hot and throws before the receiver breaks open. Does a good job of changing ball speed and trajectory over the top of defenders. Good ball placement. The receiver doesn’t have to wait on the ball and is hit in stride to give him a chance to run after the catch. A quick snap wrist release with velocity. Steps, throws, and completes passes through small windows in tight areas. At his best when the protection is solid and he can step toward his target and throw. Majors in carving up a defense with short ball control passes from 6-10 yards. Spreads the ball around to multiple receivers who rotate into the huddle in a variety of sub packages. Can make the key throws rolling to his left. Will need to work on his 3-5 and 7-step drops to the throwing point from under center. Goff never played under center and the defense looks a whole lot different when dropping back and making your reads rather than seeing the field from a shotgun formation. The angular passer set 26 Cal records including career marks for passing yards (12,220), passing yards per game (329.7), and touchdown passes (96). He also set a pair of Pac-12 single season records in his final year at Cal when he passed for 4719 yards and 43 scores. An eventual starter with the talent to contribute early in his career. As an added bonus, Goff as a pooch punter is a major weapon. 2015 stats: 341/529, 4719 yds, 64.5%, 43 TD, 13 INT, 161.3 QB rating. Ball velocity 58 mph. OSR:16/18. First round. (A-32 3/4, H-9, SS-4.47, VJ-27).

http://www.ramsondemand.com/threads/bad-news-for-me-medically.50786/
:yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay:

:banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana:
Official R.O.D. Get Well Soon Card

Just Wanted to say,we hope you get feeling better soon!!
I say "We" Cause there's a lot of R.O.D. Brothers here that feel the same as me.
This Joint don't click the same without, Super DaveFan'51 In The House!!!!!
We need you 100% back in time for the opener!!
Time to Kick some Colt Butt!!
:yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay:

:cheers:

I'm new here and haven't backed away from disagreement, but I'm told that this is a community that values positive thinking. So I'll start with what I consider a positive of the 2017 season. No doubt you'll think of others, but here's my first.

Despite not having a first round pick, the team drafted and aquired some excellent young players. I love Kupp and think he's going to be a star. Everett was a great pick and looks to have star potential. Josh Reynolds has great tools and looks to be a steal. Justin Davis has shown flashes of brilliance and has tremendous upside.

I'm sure I'm missing someone, but those pop out in my mind now.

Each week we will bring you an updated look at our prediction for the 53-man roster. Since our last prediction many things have gone down to change the original look of how we felt the roster would play out. Of course, that's football, so here are our 53-man roster predictions following not only preseason week one, but the Sammy Watkins blockbuster trade as well.

Quarterback (2): Jared Goff, Sean Mannion

Yeah, obviously there really isn't much competition. Jared Goff is the starter and that is not in question, but what also isn't in question is how the Rams feel about backup and former third-round pick Sean Mannion. He may not be the Rams long-term backup plan, but Mannion, as we know now, is the backup moving forward. If the Rams had any doubt that Mannion couldn't do it, they would have either drafted a QB (Brad Kaaya was available in the sixth round) or they would have given him more competition then just throwing out a camp arm in Dan Orlovsky.

At first it may have been up in the air going into the off-season when the Rams signed Aaron Murray to compete the for the second QB job, but it became quite evident of the Rams feelings of Mannion when they decided to release Murray before OTA's

Cut: Dan Orlovsky

Running back (3): Todd Gurley, Malcolm Brown, Justin Davis

Another obvious starter Todd Gurley is not going anywhere. Malcolm Brown appears to have taken a vice grip in the backup role unless he continues to put the ball on the ground like he did twice last night. As far as the running backs go after that? Not really a guarantee for any of them and that even includes Lance Dunbar who the Rams signed in free agency.

For a running back like Aaron Green, not competing in the first two games puts him on the bottom of the depth chart or close to it. Of the running backs the most impressive and disappointing on the field was USC product Justin Davis who took nine carries for 70 yards, but a the same time had two fumbles in week one. Davis likely put himself in the roster discussion. Last night he showed some of his ability as a pass catcher out of the backfield.

As for Lenard Tillery, he didn't get much of a chance to run the ball, but when he did it went backwards. Tillery has little time to show the Rams he's an asset. Lastly, this all begs the question if the Rams can have backs like Davis, Tillery and Green show out moving forward to close out preseason. Do the Rams really have to keep Lance Dunbar? I believe Dunbar will likely be put on the injured reserve or PUP list as there has been no reason to believe he will return to the field anytime soon.

Cut: Aaron Green, Lenard Tillery
PUP: Lance Dunbar

Fullback (1): Sam Rogers

After Zach Laskey went down it became Sam Rogers job by default. Laskey is on the Rams injured reserve list and Rogers is one of those players that gives it his all every day and is the first one to show up on the field at practice. Rogers offers special team value, but he was the best fullback coming out of college this year and the Rams plan on using him as a blocker, receiver and runner. There is no doubt the Rams will hold onto him as he offers plenty and he fits in the "We not Me" culture as well as anyone.

Cut: N/A

Wide receiver (7): Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Tavon Austin, Pharoh Cooper, Josh Reynolds, Paul McRoberts

Well, the Sammy Watkins blockbuster trade really shook things up for the Rams and likely knocked a player the Rams pegged as someone who would make the team off of the roster. We likely know of the six players the Rams are keeping in Watkins, Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Tavon Austin, Pharoh Cooper and Josh Reynolds. What we don't know is if they will keep more and if so, who that last player will be.

Overall, this position started out so unpredictable and has gone to what is likely the most predictable position on the roster. All we know is that there are four receivers guaranteed (unless you are on the fence that Tavon Austin makes the team) followed by a ton of uncertainty. The Rams could easily decide to keep McRoberts who actually worked with the first-team offense in their scrimmage versus the Chargers, they could decide that Spruce offers too much as a receiver to just let go or they could say that Cooper is a former fourth-round pick that can do a little bit of everything in the offensive game and special teams game and decide to ultimately keep him.

The last three wide receivers the Rams brought in KD Cannon, C.J. Germany and Justin Thomas appeared to receive a minuscule amount of snaps, but the Rams did try Cannon in the kick return game at least once in the preseason opener. Shakeir Ryan is going to offer something as a returner which will likely leave the Rams coaching staff to make a tough decision. I think when you look at the grand scheme of things, you have to consider who brings size to the table, who is out there everyday competing, who brings game-breaking ability in the return game and who isn't there.

Unfortunately, with the Watkins trade the Rams may have made a mistake in even drafting Josh Reynolds who will likely make the team regardless of what happens and likely push off one of the fan favorites like McRoberts or Spruce. You could also see a trade or two and with that being said Pharoh Cooper would seem like the most likely in that department. You still have to keep in mind Mike Thomas will sit on the suspension list for four games and won't count against the roster. An interesting dynamic to keep in mind as well.

Cut: Brandon Shippen, Shakeir Ryan, Nelson Spruce, KD Cannon
Suspended: Mike Thomas (available for week five if the Rams choose to bring him back on the roster)

Tight end (3): Gerald Everett, Tyler Higbee, Travis Wilson

This Gerald Everett guy looks like no tight end we have ever seen the Rams deploy. Everett has an amazing blend of size, speed and overall quickness. While it says Tyler Higbee as the starter right now on the depth chart, don't be surprised when it's the second-round pick as the starter at the end of the preseason.

With that all being said the Rams seemed set to have three tight ends Everett, Higbee and Temarrick Hemingway moving forward. That was until Hemingway suffered a grueling fractured fibula injury that will sideline him more than half the season. All of them played at least one snap with the first-team offense. Cory Harkey would seem like the likely next man up and the reason being he has dominated the others in snaps in the preseason, let alone his longevity in the league. However, the first signing in the new Sean McVay era was Travis Wilson, a former QB turned TE after working on the transition for awhile. I think McVay likes him as his project and will likely hold onto him.

Cut: Cory Harkey, Johnny Mundt
PUP: Temarrick Hemingway

Offensive line (9): Andrew Whitworth, Rodger Saffold, John Sullivan, Jamon Brown, Rob Havenstein, Andrew Donnal, Austin Blythe, Jake Eldrenkamp, Darrell Williams

This is a unit that shows improvement in the starters, but man, do the Rams have a lot of evaluating to do to get this offensive line depth in order heading into the season. Some of the names above that I have listed to make the roster may not make it and might actually be replaced by a player that is not even on the Rams yet. That's just the nature of the business, it's a very "give and take" type of league and the Rams have to be a team watching attentively to see who is ultimately let go.

Andrew Donnal and Austin Blythe are quite honestly the "stars" of the second-team and I wouldn't sleep on Donnal who could possibly replace Jamon Brown if he turns out to be the wrong decision. Another player to watch would likely be Jake Eldrenkamp who has the ability to play both center and guard. The guy I would expect if any, to be replaced would be Pace Murphy who has had a rough time in pass protection. Although the Rams may not want to think about the idea of their stud left tackle going down with injury. It's important to have a backup plan and right now the Rams best option might be a player that has barely played the tackle spot and that's Donnal.

Cut: Alex Kozan, Parker Collins, Pace Murphy, Michael Dunn, Cody Wichmann

Defensive line (6): Aaron Donald, Ethan Westbrooks, Michael Brockers, Tanzel Smart, Louis Trinca-Pasat, Morgan Fox

This is sort of a bold prediction, but with recent dialogue, it appears Aaron Donald could have a deal sooner than later what would ultimately bring him back to the Rams. Factoring that in unfortunately Casey Sayles, who has looked real good in preseason gets the ax. With Donald, I believe this position group has a lot of promise.

Michael Brockers is one of the better lesser known defensive tackles in football, Ethan Westbrooks is an underrated pass rusher that has improved every year, Tanzel Smart is an exciting rookie that has extremely quick feet and can penetrate the interior like an Aaron Donald, Louis Trinca-Pasat is a player that brings a non-stop motor to the defense, Morgan Fox is literally the same exact thing with some underrated athletic build.

I think by the Rams keeping seven guys, it allows there to be a rotation that might become underrated and forgotten with no Dominique Easley in the fold.

Cut: Casey Sayles, Omarius Bryant, Tyrunn Walker

Linebackers (9): Robert Quinn, Connor Barwin, Alec Ogletree, Mark Barron, Matt Longacre, Bryce Hager, Cory Littleton, Samson Ebukam, Ejuan Price

With the new switch over to Wade Phillips' defense, the Rams find themselves likely employing more linebackers than any former roster in the last decade. The starters are set to be Robert Quinn, Connor Barwin, Alec Ogletree and Mark Barron. On paper that looks nice, but it's a matter of them all staying healthy and putting everything together. I feel as though the Rams have a lot of young talent at his position with Cory Littleton, Bryce Hager, Samson Ebukam and Ejuan Price. Unfortunately, players like Josh Forrest and Cassanova McKinzy might be the odd men out.

The Rams could realistically keep the nine listed with an additional 2-4 more linebackers based off who deserves to be on a 53-man roster. However, they are backed in a corner and will likely need depth in the secondary which will ultimately leave them parting ways with some talent at linebacker.

Cut: Cassanova McKinzy, Josh Forrest, Carlos Thompson, Nic Grigsby, Kevin Davis, Folarin Orimolade, Andy Mulumba, Davis Tull, Willie Mays

Cornerbacks (5): Trumaine Johnson, Kayvon Webster, Nickell Robey-Coleman, Michael Jordan, Dominique Hatfield

The Rams traded away E.J. Gaines for Sammy Watkins and while Gaines could be considered a loss, I believe the Rams are equipped with some nice depth even going down to the back end of the position. Trumaine Johnson returns on a rental one-year contract, Kayvon Webster is the one player at cornerback that we still have yet to see in game action. I believe he can be a legit starter in the NFL and if so, that alleviates the pressure of losing Gaines to this trade.

After the two projected starters, Nickell Robey-Coleman, Michael Jordan and Dominique Hatfield make up what I believe will be the full position depth chart. This leaves the Rams with a young group at the back end with Jordan and Hatfield that the Rams can develop moving forward. Yes, to some, Hatfield seems like a shocking pick, but that's who I predicted on the latest Downtown Rams Podcast episode and I'm sticking with it here.

I love what Kevin Peterson brings to the table, but unfortunately, I don't believe he received enough reps to actually make this roster. He showed some serious potential in limited opportunities, but I don't believe it was enough to get on the 53, but I do believe it will be enough to make the practice squad. Regardless of what you may think about Peterson, keeping him and perhaps another cornerback in the building probably makes the most sense.

Cut: Aarion Penton, Kevin Peterson, Tyqwuan Glass, Carlos Davis
Suspended: Troy Hill (available for week three if the Rams choose to bring him back on the roster)

Safeties (5): Maurice Alexander, LaMarcus Joyner, Marqui Christian, Blake Countess, John Johnson

It seems crazy to snub players like Cody Davis and Isaiah Johnson, but unfortunately that's what the draft pick of John Johnson ends up causing. No, I wasn't a fan of the pick and I'm still not. As you all know I am very optimistic about the Rams, but I did not like that pick of Johnson. Regardless, Mo Alexander and LaMarcus Joyner are starting this season and I believe the Rams will have two versatile pieces behind them in Marqui Christian and Blake Countess.

Countess, like Joyner and Johnson can play cornerback as well as safety. I believe the Rams could have mutual interest in recently rumored cut T.J. Ward, which would likely change everything for this unit. As for right now though, I don't believe the Rams need Ward. I like where the Rams are at with this group heading into week one. Don't sleep on Christian, he has a knack for the ball and could be a vital third safety moving forward.

Cut: Isaiah Johnson, Cody Davis

Special Teams (3): K Greg Zuerlein, P Johnny Hekker, LS Jake McQuaide

Nothing to see here....

Cut: Travis Coons

Predicted Practice Squad:
RB Lenard Tillery
WR Brandon Shippen
WR Shakeir Ryan
TE Johnny Mundt
OT Michael Dunn
DT Casey Sayles
LB Cassanova McKinzy
LB Davis Tull
CB Kevin Peterson
SS Isaiah Johnson

I knocked down the 90 to 53 man roster this morning and it wasn’t even hard. No personal relations, no connection to the players to be cut. No skin in the game. Not that the cuts don’t include some very good talent but based on our investment in mid to high round picks, based on performances on the field and injuries already hampering certain players and our ability to IR others it was the most obvious choices I’ve seen in years. Aaron Green was a late scratch and one I hope another team picks up. We have a gem in Davis and Gurley & Brown should allow us to carry fewer backs this year maybe an xtra WR but I really like Green. There are many others that make that list so our practice squad will be even easier to assemble. Thanks to all the Rams that came out and took a shot. You brought a lot of passion and excitement to the team!

All the best!

As we wait on the edge of our seats for roster cuts, today's list starts off with a legendary Ram quarterback, then a guy often forgotten about. Yes, the Rams actually have TWO legendary players nicknamed "Deacon". Check out this video, (despite the CRIME the host commits at the end.)

Login to view embedded media View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SfcEzIXFIUs


And with only two days left in this series, here is your list:

1. Norm Van Brocklin
2. "Deacon" Dan Towler
3. Adam Timmerman
4. Billy Truax
5. Wendell Tyler
6. Pat Thomas
7. Pisa Tinoisamoa
8. Pat Terrell
9. Ryan Tucker
10. Danny Villanueva

Future Riser: Mike Thomas?

Honorable Mention: Jewerl Thomas, Robert Thomas, David Vobora, Frank Varrichione, Norwood Vann, Charlie Toogood, Larry Turner, Louis Trinca-Passat

Notable: Diron Talbert, Mosi Tutupu, Nick Toon, Matt Turk, Vernon Turner, Rick Tuten, Kyle Turley,

No: Claude Terrell

http://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/techa...-galaxy/ar-AAr3s20?li=AAadgLE&ocid=spartandhp

Astronomers detect 15 signals from mysterious object in distant galaxy

While looking for signs of intelligent life in the universe, astronomers have detected 15 fast radio bursts from a distant galaxy.

These poorly understood phenomena are short pulses of radio emission, just milliseconds long, believed to be coming from rapidly spinning neutron stars or black holes in distant galaxies. A less popular theory is that they're signs of extremely powerful spacecraft from alien civilizations.

This particular fast radio burst (FRB), called FRB 121102, is of particular interest as it is the only known one to be repeating, something that astronomers can't yet explain.

Earlier this month, astronomers using the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia (a collection of radio telescopes) not only found 15 more bursts, but found them at a higher radio frequency than was ever observed before, the astronomers said in their findings published in The Astronomer's Telegram.

"It's not surprising that we've found 15 more from this source; we've been detecting many of them over the past few years," Paul Scholz, an astronomer who studies FRBs with the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory in Penticton, B.C., told CBC News. "The one thing that's unique about these [new ones] is that they are at a higher frequency than we've ever seen before."

Scholz, who was not involved with the new discovery, was with McGill University when he and a team of astronomers discovered FRB 121102 to be a repeater. In 2016, a McGill team was able to locate the source of the strange FRB.

At the time the signals left its host galaxy, Earth would have been two billion years old, less than half its current age. The only living things on the planet would have been single-celled organisms.

Solving the mystery

As though the object wasn't strange enough, it also behaves like no other FRB. Typically, objects that emit similar signals, such as pulsars, do so in a smooth fashion across many frequencies. But that's not the case with FRB 121102.

"So it's kind of perplexing," Scholz said.

Scholz said that there could be reasons such as the signal being distorted between its source galaxy and Earth.

In the coming months, a new telescope in B.C. called the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) is expected to begin its research into FRBs, with the possibility of discovering several a day, something that Scholz is looking forward to seeing.

"It's a mystery that needs to be solved," Scholz said.

Now this is some quality programming:

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My trip down to LA was just canceled.

I will list my 2 tickets to the game (40ish yard line, 46 rows up), but wanted to give my Rams Bros first opportunity.

PM me and I'll just take highest offer I get today. List price is $170/ea. I have built PDF to send highest bidder and will email to winner.

Good luck and GO RAMS!

Los Angeles Rams' 53-man roster includes 17 new players - Los Angeles Rams Blog
Alden GonzalezESPN Staff Writer
13-16 minutes
7:00 PM PT

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  • Joined ESPN in 2016 to cover the Los Angeles Rams
  • Previously covered the Angels for MLB.com

The Los Angeles Rams must cut their roster to 53 by 4 p.m. ET Saturday, Sept. 2. Here's a final 53-man roster projection:

QUARTERBACKS (2): Jared Goff, Sean Mannion

I went back and forth on this, but ultimately opted not to put Dan Orlovsky on the roster. Goff, the starter, and Mannion, his backup, are both young. Orlovsky has a ton of experience, with a dozen years as mainly an NFL backup. But he hasn't shown much this preseason, and the Rams are going to ride their young quarterbacks throughout the year no matter what. I have them using that roster spot elsewhere.

RUNNING BACKS (4): Malcolm Brown, Justin Davis, Aaron Green, Todd Gurley

Asked earlier this week about the running back room getting smaller after final cuts, Gurley said, "I hope it doesn't get any smaller than it is now. There's only about three or four guys in there." The Rams signed Lance Dunbar over the offseason with hopes that he can be their change-of-pace back, but a pre-existing knee injury has kept him from practicing. Brown has established himself as Gurley's backup. Davis, an undrafted rookie out of USC, has looked good in space, though he has had fumbling issues.

FULLBACKS (1): Sam Rogers

The Rams drafted Rogers out of Virginia Tech in the sixth round this year. He's a 5-foot-10, 235-pound ball of fire who can block, run the ball and catch passes. It'll be interesting to see if Rams coach Sean McVay finds some type of role for Rogers in this offense. He drafted him for a reason.

Tavon Austin, Pharoh Cooper, Cooper Kupp, Josh Reynolds, Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods

The Watkins acquisition has Nelson Spruce, in my mind, as the odd man out. He's a local product and a fan favorite, and he shined in last year's preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys. But Spruce barely got on the field after that last season and hasn't really stood out this preseason. The Rams are a lot more talented at receiver now. Paul McRoberts and Shakeir Ryan, who has been returning punts, were also tough cuts here.

TIGHT ENDS (3): Gerald Everett, Cory Harkey, Tyler Higbee

Temarrick Hemingway suffered a fractured fibula during Saturday's preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers, an injury that could prompt him to miss the entire season. That suddenly opens up a role for Harkey, a sixth-year player, to serve as the third tight end. Harkey doesn't bring Hemingway's skills and athleticism in the passing game, but he's a solid blocker who McVay considers reliable as a receiver. Said Harkey: "I'm here to do whatever I need to do to help the team win, and that's my attitude my whole career."

OFFENSIVE LINE (9): Austin Blythe, Jamon Brown, Andrew Donnal, Rob Havenstein, Rodger Saffold, John Sullivan, Cody Wichmann, Andrew Whitworth, Darrell Williams

Donnal hasn't been able to practice because of a knee injury, so right now it looks like Williams (a tackle), Wichmann (a guard) and Blythe (a center) will be the backups for a solidified first-team offensive line. I kept tackle Pace Murphy and center Jake Eldrenkamp out on this one.

DEFENSIVE LINE (7): Michael Brockers, Aaron Donald, Morgan Fox, Tanzel Smart, Louis Trinca-Pasat, Tyrunn Walker, Ethan Westbrooks

This, of course, assumes that Donald will show up before the cut-down deadline. Otherwise, the Rams may add someone like Mike Purcell to the mix. Dominique Easley was supposed to start alongside Brockers and Donald in base sets, but Easley suffered a season-ending torn ACL early in training camp. Now that third spot seems open, with Fox, Trinca-Pasat and Westbrooks seemingly the ones being considered.

LINEBACKERS (8): Mark Barron, Connor Barwin, Samson Ebukam, Josh Forrest, Cory Littleton, Matt Longacre, Alec Ogletree, Robert Quinn

The Rams need fewer defensive linemen and more linebackers now that they are transitioning to a 3-4 under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. I have Ebukam, Forrest, Littleton and Longacre as the backups to what looks like a talented position group. One can also make a case for Nic Grigsby, Bryce Hager and Ejuan Price.

CORNERBACKS (4): Trumaine Johnson, Mike Jordan, Nickell Robey-Coleman, Kayvon Webster

The Rams lost depth here, with Troy Hill being hit with a two-game suspension and E.J. Gaines sent to the Buffalo Bills as part of the trade that landed Watkins. It would make things a lot easier for the Rams if Robey-Coleman, a standout slot corner, can establish himself as an option on the outside. It'll be Webster and Johnson serving as starters.

SAFETIES (6): Maurice Alexander, Marqui Christian, Blake Countess, Cody Davis, John Johnson, Lamarcus Joyner

The Rams have versatility at this position, with guys like Christian, Countess and Joyner also able to play corner. They've lost starting safeties in back-to-back offseasons, with Rodney McLeod leaving to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016 and T.J. McDonald joining the Miami Dolphins in 2017. But they have done a nice job replacing them. The key is Joyner, transitioning from slot corner to free safety this year.

SPECIALISTS (3): Johnny Hekker, Jake McQuaide, Greg Zuerlein

This was easy. Hekker, McQuaide and Zuerlein are among the best at what they do. No need to mess with anything here.

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angele...es-rams-53-man-roster-includes-17-new-players

Nathan Fenno and Sam Farmer
The $2.6-billion stadium Rams owner Stan Kroenke is building in Inglewood will be the world’s costliest venue with a ticket pricing plan that would offer the most expensive seats in NFL history.

According to a document obtained by The Times, the highest priced personal seat licenses for Rams games could range from $175,000 to $225,000 per seat. It would far eclipse the $150,000 PSLs offered by the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.





http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-
sp-rams-psl-20170831-story.html

This is gonna be a big one, folks. It went from a tropical storm to a Cat 4 hurricane in 24 hours with one of the fastest spin ups ever recorded.

Early tracks have a wide spread, but this super storm is likely to be a "retiree" or so big they retire the name. The models show the possibility of wind speeds at landfall in excess of 170mph.

Small chance it hits Houston. Larger chance it hits Florida and/or the Carolinas.

Pay attention folks because this one won't be the slow lingerer that Harvey was.

This ones gonna hit like a young Mike Tyson.

https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/8/31/16225408/10-weird-nfl-stats

10 Weird NFL Stats From 2016 That Could Help Explain 2017
How do the oddities from last year help us understand emerging NFL trends?
BY DANNY KELLY

We’re living in the golden age of NFL statistical analysis. The sheer amount of data out there on players, teams, and the league at large is exciting … but also a little overwhelming.

Whether you’re perusing the various databases at Football Outsiders, Pro Football Focus, Pro-Football-Reference, Sharp Football Stats, or NFL Next Gen Stats, or trying to keep up with the never-ending flow of information promulgated on your Twitter timeline, it’s easy to miss the most interesting or important statistical nuggets.

But we’ve got your back: We’ve sifted through the spreadsheets and bookmarked the best tweets. In no particular order, here are 10 of the most intriguing, strangest, or most surprising numbers from 2016—and what they can tell us about 2017.

1. Offenses featured three-plus receivers on 66 percent of all plays.
The evolution of the pro game toward a more college-spread style system isn’t slowing down. Per the Football Outsiders Almanac, NFL teams ran 66 percent of their total plays with three or more receivers on the field, up 6 percentage points from 2015 and 15 percentage points from 2010.

“11 personnel” (three receivers, one tight end, one back) remains far and away the favorite personnel grouping leaguewide, and as FO’s Brian Knowles wrote in June, “If you don't have a third receiver who you trust to play 400 snaps, you're not playing modern football.”

With three (or more) receivers on the field, offenses can stretch the field both horizontally and vertically, which spreads a defense thin. It’s hugely beneficial for the passing game, of course, as more pass-catching options allow the quarterback to quickly and efficiently identify coverage and get rid of the ball. The extra space this creates helps in the run game, too.

Defenses are not only more spread out, but they must send out smaller, quicker defensive backs to account for those third and fourth receivers in coverage, which gives offensive linemen and tight ends smaller targets to block.

This sea change isn’t happening just because coaches think the college game is fun or cool—teams are spreading the field more because, well, it works. Per Knowles, 30 of the league’s 32 teams had a higher play-to-play efficiency (as measured by DVOA) in 11 personnel than they did (on average) overall. “It's not just slight increases, either,” he said. “Twenty-three of them saw their DVOA go up five or more points when they went three wide.”

As long as they keep working so well, don’t expect three-receiver sets to go anywhere. It won’t happen everywhere, but we could start to see more teams take after last year’s Giants offense, which ran 11 personnel on more than 90 percent of its plays.

2. Defenses averaged a decade-low 4.24 pass rushers per dropback.
The evolution toward more three-, four-, and five-wide looks has changed the calculus on defense. Instead of stacking the box and sending all-out blitzes at the quarterback, defensive schemes have been forced to drop more and more players into coverage to account for the increase in targets downfield.

In 2010, defenses blitzed (defined as five or more defenders rushing at the quarterback) 33.2 percent of the time, per the Football Outsiders Almanac. By 2016, that number had dropped to 27.4 percent. As ESPN’s Mike Clay noted recently, “NFL quarterbacks faced [a] decade-low 4.24 pass rushers per drop back last year.”

The new normal for defensive coordinators is to try to get pressure with just four pass rushers. But that strategy hasn’t created a huge dropoff in their ability to apply pressure; per Clay, despite staring down a decade-low number of pass rushers, quarterbacks faced pressure on a decade-high 20.3 percent of their dropbacks last year.

There are a few ideas for why that’s happened: First, teams are increasingly creative in bringing pressure with linebacker/defensive back zone rushes (when a linebacker or corner rushes in while a defensive lineman drops into a passing lane), which is a great way to create pressure without sacrificing coverage downfield. Second, there’s been a big dropoff in offensive line talent over the past six or seven years.

The NFL has changed, sure, but it hasn’t completely turned into the college game; offenses still run plenty of “pro-style” concepts, many of which are foreign to college players. Rookie linemen must learn how to sustain blocks, and must often learn how to start from a three-point stance from scratch. It has meant that there just aren’t many high-quality pass-protecting offensive lines left. Expect teams to keep sending four, dropping seven, and still managing to get pressure in 2017.


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3. The Bills averaged 2.88 yards before contact per rush.
Buffalo’s rushing attack was really, really good last year—better, surprisingly, than the much-ballyhooed Cowboys ground game. In fact, Buffalo finished the season ahead of Dallas (and the rest of the NFL) in yards per game (164.4), yards per carry (5.3), rushing touchdowns (29), and rush DVOA.

It didn’t hurt that LeSean McCoy and Mike Gillislee were both elusive and explosive runners, and quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s mobility put a lot of stress on opposing defenses. But Buffalo’s incredible success in the run game all started with a talented and physical offensive line.

Per Pro Football Focus, the Bills led the NFL in yards before contact per rush attempt (2.88), a metric that suggests the unsung heroes in the trenches were doing plenty of work at the snap to give the ball carriers behind them a chance to get downhill—first by generating push up front and getting defensive linemen off their spots, then by pulling, trapping, and moving to the second level to take on and seal off tackle attempts.

Think about it: Giving your running back an average of 2.88 yards of green to build up a head of steam is going to create plenty of big gains.

The pieces are all still in place for Buffalo’s rushing success to continue in 2017: The offensive line remains mostly intact (with rookie tackle Dion Dawkins potentially providing a boost), and while Gillislee is gone, McCoy is still one of the best backs in the league.

There are bound to be some new concepts in the passing game under brand-new head coach Sean McDermott and offensive coordinator Rick Dennison—but there’s no need for the new regime to change too much in the run game. We should expect the Bills to pick up where they left off, building an offensive foundation on the run—starting with the offensive line opening up plenty of running lanes for the talented backfield.

4. Carlos Hyde averaged 3.0 yards after contact per rush.
The 49ers finished in the middle of the pack in yards before contact per rush last year (1.64, 16th), but with the help of running back Carlos Hyde and his fifth-best 3.0 yards after contact per rush (per Football Outsiders), they finished fourth in rushing yards per game (126.2) and tied for 10th in yards per attempt (4.4). Hyde broke a tackle on 20.9 percent of his touches—for 51 total—with 48 of those broken tackles coming on run plays (fourth in the league).

The Niners’ new regime under John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan may have publicly hinted that they wouldn't renew Hyde's contract this summer, but my guess is that was just a motivational ploy—and if Hyde can stay healthy this year, the tackle-breaking fourth-year back has the chance to be a big-time producer in Shanahan’s scheme.

5. Houston ball carriers broke a tackle on just 7.5 percent of all plays.
On the other end of the broken-tackles spectrum we had the Texans. Houston left far too many potential yards on the field in 2016, and per Football Outsiders, the team combined to break just 90 tackles, averaging a broken tackle on an NFL-worst 7.5 percent of their 1,023 plays last season.

And guess what. The Texans finished dead last in the same category in 2015, too, breaking a tackle on just 5.8 percent of their offensive plays. For reference, the league-best Redskins lapped Houston in this category last year, breaking a tackle on 12.8 percent of their plays.

A pair of former third-round picks could help the Texans get out of the cellar in this category this season: Receiver Braxton Miller is battling an ankle injury but has the potential for a breakout campaign, and running back D’Onta Foreman has looked spritely and elusive in preseason action thus far. Houston’s offense is going to need that boost in elusiveness from their skill position players to make up for what I expect will be less-than-stellar play from quarterback Tom Savage.


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6. Chargers players lost a combined 127.8 adjusted games to injury.
The Chargers are regular standouts in Football Outsiders’ adjusted games lost metric, which measures the cost of injuries, accounting for both missed games and games in which players played through injuries.

Last year, San Diego’s AGL of 127.8 was second-worst in the league, in part due to season-ending injuries to receivers Keenan Allen and Stevie Johnson, corners Jason Verrett and Brandon Flowers, running backs Danny Woodhead and Branden Oliver, linebackers Manti Te’o and Jeremiah Attaochu, and defensive linemen Brandon Mebane and Caraun Reid, to name just a few.

The Chargers were a balanced injury collector on both sides of the ball, with 61.7 adjusted games lost on offense and 66 on defense. Twenty-one Chargers players ended the year on the injured reserve.

That could bode well for a big bounceback for Los Angeles this season. With the return of a healthy Allen and Oliver, the offense could be a little more dangerous, and with Verrett, Attaochu, Reid, and Mebane all back out there, an already good defense could approach great. It can’t be that bad again this year, right? Well, yeah, maybe, because like I said, the injury bug seems to hit the Chargers every year:

They’ve finished near the league’s worst in each of the last four seasons, ranking 26th in 2015, 31st in 2014, and 28th in 2013. It’s already started in 2017, and we’re not even to the regular season—rookie receiver Mike Williams, the team’s first-round pick, might miss this year with a back injury, and the team’s second-rounder and projected starting guard, Forrest Lamp, is out with an ACL tear.

7. Sam Bradford completed 57.4 percent of his deep passes.
Despite an NFL-record 71.6 percent completion percentage last year, Bradford has failed to shake his reputation as a lower-tier passer. He did set that record, of course, by being one of the league’s most egregious check-down artists, finishing with an NFL-low average for air yards per completion (5.4), intended air yards per attempt (7.1), and air yards to the sticks on third downs (negative-1.7). In other words, he rarely chucked the ball deep, and he hardly ever threw past the sticks on third down.

Still, per Pro Football Focus, Bradford finished last year with an adjusted completion percentage of 57.4 percent on passes of 20 or more yards downfield, best in the NFL. Jonathan Kinsley’s Deep Ball Project expands the range to anything 16-plus yards downfield, and in this study, Bradford again comes out on top: The Vikings signal-caller was accurate on 66.7 percent of those passes, totaling 1,002 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception on 66 attempts last year.

So what’s that mean for 2017? Well, considering Bradford was incredibly good when he actually did throw the ball downfield last year, it could mean that the Vikings will ask Bradford to ratchet up the aggressiveness now that he’s more comfortable in the scheme and has developed better chemistry with his receiving corps.

Minnesota was forced to trade for the veteran quarterback just before the start of the regular season last year after Teddy Bridgewater went down with a knee injury, and the former Rams and Eagles passer had to pick up a brand-new offense on the fly.

There’s little surprise the Vikings went with a conservative, simplified version of their offense, and didn’t ask him to do a whole lot downfield. This year, expect things to change, and with an already good defense, a more aggressive vertical passing attack could help Minnesota surprise some people.

8. The Titans scored a touchdown on 72 percent of their red zone trips.
Tennessee was solid offensively last year, riding a slow-paced, run-heavy scheme to an average of 5.7 yards per play (11th), 358 yards per game (11th), and a 14th-ranked 23.8 points per game. But while it’d be a stretch to call that offense one of the league’s best, the Titans were elite inside the 20-yard line: Once into the red zone, the team was a machine, scoring a touchdown a league-high 72 percent of the time.

That success was driven by a balanced attack, some clever scheming, and most of all, the cool efficiency of quarterback Marcus Mariota. The Titans’ franchise signal-caller has been surgical in that area of the field in his career, with 33 touchdown passes to zero interceptions, and last year he threw 18 touchdowns and no picks, with a 113.5 passer rating.

Normally, I’d caution that fans should expect some pretty serious regression back to the mean in the red zone, which could lead to fewer points and, in turn, a few more losses in close games. But with the addition of Eric Decker in free agency and Corey Davis and Taywan Taylor in the draft, I’m expecting Mariota and the Titans to continue tearing it up inside the 20.

9. Tyreek Hill scored a touchdown on 10.6 percent of his offensive touches.
Hill broke out as a rookie last year, ending the season with 61 catches for 593 yards and six touchdowns, adding 24 rushes for 267 yards and three touchdowns (nine scores on 85 touches). He added another three scores on return duties.

A big part of Hill’s success was his ability to elude tackles, and per the Football Outsiders Almanac, his 30.6 percent broken-tackle rate (26 total on 85 touches) was second among all qualified offensive players last year (behind Odell Beckham Jr.). Hill combined pure speed (he registered the two fastest on-field speeds last year, topping out at 23.2 miles per hour) with explosive acceleration, and the Chiefs utilized him just about everywhere they could.

But in year two, Kansas City is trying to turn him into a more prototypical wide receiver. He’ll see less action on kickoffs, and considering the majority of his routes last year were screens, quick curls, and go-routes up the sideline, he must start to put together a more complete route tree in order to graduate from gadget player to go-to guy.

So far, it’s a work in progress: Hill dropped three passes on four targets last week against the Seahawks, and he’s been relatively quiet this preseason, with three catches for 52 yards in three games.

Still, Hill will get plenty of looks as the Chiefs’ no. 1 receiver this year after the departure of Jeremy Maclin, and he’s got the athleticism and talent to turn those opportunities into production. But don’t expect the second-year pro to come close to matching his outrageous rookie touchdown-to-touches rate this season.


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10. The Browns racked up 54 rushes of 10-plus yards.
Don’t sleep on the Browns this year. Sure, they’re trying to get younger by offloading or trading away their overpriced veterans, and yeah, the offense will be run through a rookie signal-caller in DeShone Kizer, but the 21-year-old passer should have one of the best ground games in the NFL to lean on for support. Cleveland quietly finished second in the league in yards per rush last year (4.9) while ranking a respectable 12th in rush DVOA.

And, surprisingly, Cleveland ended the year with 54 explosive run plays (rushes of 10-plus yards), per Sharp Football Stats. That number, which was good for 10th, is particularly impressive considering the team finished tied for last in rush attempts with just 21.9 per game. On a per-rush basis, Cleveland ranked second in explosive runs (15 percent).

With the addition of center J.C. Tretter and right guard Kevin Zeitler in free agency, Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson look poised to produce big numbers in 2017—especially if an improved defense can keep games closer in the early going and prevent Cleveland from having to go right into “comeback mode” and abandon the run game.

Because they trailed so early and often, the Browns finished fourth in pass rate last year, throwing the ball on 64 percent of all their snaps. You can bet that head coach and play-caller Hue Jackson is going to try to get that number back down into the mid-50s somewhere with a renewed emphasis on running the ball in 2017.

https://www.jibjab.com/view/make/youre_the_one_that_i_want/942be25c-9a7f-416a-a946-f1e0702ef7aa


Sorry, I'm bored tonight!

Offensive linemen galore! That is the theme of todays S thread. Hall of famers, road graders, trench heroes! Lot's of successful free agent Offensive linemen at the back end of their career, (hopefully Sully doesn't follow the pattern ) , and...well, total busts, too. It's the nature of the game at any position.

But todays list is interesting, in that there were so many O-linemen, they made their own second list below, with emojis denoting a symbol of their time with the Rams. And a special third list, as well. The standard top ten list is first:

1. Jackie Slater
2. Rich Saul
3. Doug Smith
4. Jack Snow
5. Joe Scibelli
6. Bill Simpson
7. Will Sherman
8. Del Shofner
9. Michael Stewart
10. Eugene Sims

Future Riser: Tanziel Smart, Nelson Spruuuce?

Honorable Mention: Fred Strickland, Rodger Saffold, Fred Stokes, Ivory Sully, Tony Slaton, Frank Stams,
Rob Scribner, Larry Smith, Mike Scurlock, Bob Shaw, Carver Shannon, Gaylon Smith, Vitamin Smith, Harry Schuh, Cameron Spikes, Darien Stewart, Zac Stacy.

Notable: Greg Salas, Darrell Scott, Jason Sehorn , George Selvie, Rafael Septien, Pete Stoyanovich, Woody Strode, Lorenzo Styles, Pat Studstill, Harland Svare, Torrance Small, Jacoby Shepperd, Coty Sensabaugh , Mike Sims-Walker , Jeff Smoker .

No: Mike Schad. (The Rams Schad the bed that draft.)

Oh heck no: Jason Smith

Notable OffenSive Linemen:

Jackie Slater :bow:
Rich Saul :yay:
Doug Smith :yess:
Joe Scibelli :boxing:

Rodger Saffold :eek::eek::banghead:

John Sullivan

Tony Slaton

Harry Schuh

Cameron Spikes :notsure:

John St Claire :shocking:

Todd Steussie alm:

Max Starks alm:

Shelley Smith :effemine:

Mike Schad

Jason Smith :redcard:uke:

And, speaking of Smiths, I dedicate this song to Jason Smith!!

Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/DQDYaG7ntHc


And finish with a Rams Smith list in descending order:

1. Doug Smith
2. Larry Smith
3. Vitamin Smith
4. Lucious Smith
5. Billy Ray Smith Sr.
6. Ron Smith
7. Gaylon Smith
8. Shelley Smith
9. Steve Smith
10. Jason Smith