appears to be playing on continuous loop.
new to me.

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Practice Report: Rams Prepare for Preseason Finale

Kristen Lago


The Rams began preparations for their preseason finale with a competitive, non-padded session on Monday afternoon. With the team’s fourth exhibition matchup against the Packers just a few days away and roster cuts looming on Saturday, this week will be the last chance for many players to crack the 53-man roster.

HE’S BACK

Wide receiver Tavon Austin made his return to the practice field on Monday. After being sidelined for most of the Rams’ offseason workouts with a wrist injury, the fifth-year receiver has been sidelined for the majority of the preseason due to a nagging hamstring issue.

While Austin will still sit out Thursday night, he is expected to practice with the team over the next couple of weeks and should be ready for the regular season opener on Sept. 10.

After practice on Monday, head coach Sean McVay said Austin participated in the majority of the team’s individual drills and has continued to be a positive presence on the offense despite his injury.

“He feels good,” McVay said. “In terms of letting him go full-speed where he’s getting into some of those competitive periods, that might be something that we discuss about doing tomorrow with him. But, he’s in a good place right now and we feel like if we continue to take those steps, he’ll be in great shape to be ready to roll for that Indy game.”

ON TO GREEN BAY

While in years past, the NFL mandated teams cut down their roster to 75 men following the third exhibition game, this year, team’s were allowed to carry a 90-man roster all the way through the preseason. This means that come Saturday afternoon, the Rams’ will have to cut almost half of their active roster down to 53.

But before the big cut this weekend, the team still has one more game to prepare for. The Rams will travel to Green Bay to face the Packers on Thursday night.

On Monday, McVay reiterated the first-team offense and defense would not participate in the preseason finale, making way for a number of other players to participate.

“We’ve made the decision that we were going to get a chance to evaluate the guys that we’re not projecting as starters and get them an opportunity to compete against Green Bay,” McVay said after practice.

“Right now, especially on offense and defense and some of those key guys that we’re trying to continue and figure out on special teams, it’s going to be a great opportunity to evaluate some of those guys that fill will in those depth positions,” he added.

DICKERSON TO RETIRE AS A RAM

On Monday it was announced former Pro Football Hall of Fame and former Rams’ running back Eric Dickerson would sign a one-day contract, effective tomorrow, to continue his retirement as a member of the organization.

"It feels amazing to sign this contract and officially be a Los Angeles Ram for life," Dickerson said. "My passion for this organization during my playing days and for the players wearing Rams jerseys now, is undeniable. This is where my career started and this is where my heart is, so closing this chapter with the Rams back in Los Angeles feels right.”

During his time with the Rams, Dickerson broke the NFL rookie record for most yards gained in a season with 1,808 and the league single-season rushing record with 2,105 yards in his second year on the team.

ide receiver Sammy Watkins is one of the projected starters that will be held out of Thursday’s game. Though he is still relatively new to the Rams’ offense after being acquired from the Bills a few weeks ago, Watkins has steadily improved in his understanding of the playbook and has participated in the preseason contests against the Raiders and Chargers.

After practice on Monday Watkins addressed the media to discuss his transition to the Rams so far and his outlook moving forward. Catch up on his most interesting points below.

SAMMY WATKINS:

On how things have progressed throughout the preseason: Great. I am finally starting to play fast, enjoy and compete...I mean every receiver wants the ball. But at the same time, I’m really just pressing, trying to do everything right and get the plays down and get in shape. But the preseason is just for you to learn the plays and get comfortable with the guys, but like I said during the season it will be different, you’ll be calling different plays, getting different looks and watching film on the defenders.

[www.therams.com]

I'm only here for the pics and videos. Why does this remind me of Mad Max and Road Warrior?
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4830042/Thousands-flock-Nevada-Burning-Man-Festival.html

Ready to burn: Thousands flock to Nevada for the annual Burning Man Festival where larger-than-life art installations take over the desert

• The highly-anticipated art and music festival runs over nine days from Sunday until September 4
• An estimated 70,000 people are expected to attend the event this year in Black Rock Desert, Nevada
• This year's theme is Radical Ritual, where participants are asked to 'create interactive rites, ritual processions, elaborate images, shrines, icons, temples and visions'

By Regina F. Graham and Cheyenne Roundtree For Dailymail.com

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https://www.wired.com/story/behold-burning-mans-awesome-and-totally-bizarre-architecture/

Did I miss this discussion? Out of all the things that we've seen this preseason that's been "consistent" is really well blocked run plays.

Of course, the worrier in me thinks that McVay won't run enough of them but I'm really heartened by them and hope they keep it up when the regular season starts.

Eric Dickerson to Sign One-Day Contract to Retire as a Ram
Posted 1 hour ago

By TheRams.com


THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF. – Pro Football Hall of Fame RB Eric Dickerson will sign a one-day contract with the Los Angeles Rams on Tuesday, Aug. 29 and will continue his retirement as a member of the organization with which he spent his first four full NFL seasons.

"Eric took the NFL by storm the moment he joined the Rams – from an outstanding rookie season, to a string of Pro Bowls and awards, and an unforgettable 1984 season to claim the league’s single-season rushing title," Rams Chief Operating Officer Kevin Demoff said. “While Eric has always been a member of the Rams family, we believe that it was time to officially cement his legacy as a member of the Los Angeles Rams, as his accomplishments and contributions to our franchise deserve to be celebrated and remembered forever. We are proud to honor the Hall of Fame career of Eric Dickerson with his family and Rams fans everywhere."

"It feels amazing to sign this contract and officially be a Los Angeles Ram for life," Dickerson said. "My passion for this organization during my playing days and for the players wearing Rams jerseys now, is undeniable. This is where my career started and this is where my heart is, so closing this chapter with the Rams back in Los Angeles feels right. I would like to thank Stan Kroenke and the Rams for this opportunity and all of the fans for their outpouring support over the years."

Dickerson was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams No. 2 overall in the 1983 draft. His rookie season was one to remember and ranks among the most prolific rookie seasons in NFL history. Dickerson still holds NFL rookie records for most yards gained in a season (1,808) and attempts (390), and he ended the season with NFC and NFL Rookie of the Year honors. The former Southern Methodist standout followed up his impressive rookie season by posting the NFL’s single-season rushing record (2,105 yards), breaking O.J. Simpson’s mark (2,003 yards) on Dec. 9, 1984 – rushing for 215 yards in a 27-16 win over the Houston Oilers at Anaheim Stadium.

Dickerson ranks seventh on the NFL’s all-time rushing list with 13,259 yards and ranks ninth in attempts with 2,996. He rushed for more than 100 yards 64 times, which ranks third on the NFL’s all-time record list. Dickerson was a six-time Pro Bowler and earned five All-Pro selections in his 11-year career in addition to leading the league in rushing four seasons.

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https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2017/...gers-recap-snap-counts-playing-time-breakdown
Here’s how the playing time got doled out in Week 3.
PS Week 3 v Chargers - Offense
Player POS OFF OFF%
Jake Eldrenkamp G 57 83.82%
Darrell Williams OT 54 79.41%
Austin Blythe C 54 79.41%
Cody Wichmann G 46 67.65%
Pharoh Cooper WR 46 67.65%
Sean Mannion QB 43 63.24%
Brandon Shippen WR 39 57.35%
Josh Reynolds WR 34 50.00%
Gerald Everett TE 32 47.06%
Rob Havenstein OT 31 45.59%
Pace Murphy OT 30 44.12%
Justin Davis RB 28 41.18%
Cory Harkey TE 25 36.76%
Jared Goff QB 22 32.35%
Robert Woods WR 22 32.35%
Aaron Green RB 19 27.94%
Tyler Higbee TE 19 27.94%
Sammy Watkins WR 19 27.94%
Michael Dunn OT 18 26.47%
Malcolm Brown RB 18 26.47%
Paul McRoberts WR 11 16.18%
John Sullivan C 11 16.18%
Andrew Whitworth OT 11 16.18%
Rodger Saffold OT 11 16.18%
Jamon Brown G 11 16.18%
Sam Rogers RB 9 13.24%
Shakeir Ryan WR 9 13.24%
Temarrick Hemingway TE 4 5.88%
Lenard Tillery RB 3 4.41%
Alex Kozan G 3 4.41%
Travis Wilson TE 3 4.41%
Dan Orlovsky QB 3 4.41%
Parker Collins C 3 4.41%
Plenty of work for some of those offensive line reserves. Worth pointing out that starting RT Rob Havenstein got a ton more time than the other starters (20 additional snaps, to be exact).One note from the wide receivers? It would seem that WR Brandon Shippen has a leg up on WR Paul McRoberts and WR Shakeir Ryan, for whatever that’s worth.Overall through three games, you’ve got seven players who have cracked at least 100 of the offense’s 205 snaps, five of whom are on the offensive line.

Defense
Player POS Def Def%
Dominique Hatfield CB 58 87.88%
Andy Mulumba LB 42 63.64%
Michael Jordan CB 41 62.12%
Davis Tull LB 41 62.12%
Isaiah Johnson FS 37 56.06%
Cassanova McKinzy LB 32 48.48%
Tyrunn Walker DT 32 48.48%
Marqui Christian SS 30 45.45%
Nicholas Grigsby LB 28 42.42%
Josh Forrest LB 27 40.91%
Cody Davis FS 27 40.91%
Bryce Hager LB 26 39.39%
Carlos Davis CB 25 37.88%
Tanzel Smart DT 25 37.88%
Casey Sayles DT 24 36.36%
Mike Purcell NT 23 34.85%
Blake Countess CB 21 31.82%
Morgan Fox DE 19 28.79%
Ethan Westbrooks DT 18 27.27%
Folarin Orimolade LB 17 25.76%
John Johnson DB 17 25.76%
Louis Trinca-Pasat DT 17 25.76%
Corey Littleton LB 16 24.24%
Lamarcus Joyner CB 16 24.24%
Omarius Bryant DT 16 24.24%
Tyquwan Glass DB 15 22.73%
Matt Longacre DE 15 22.73%
Willie Mays III OLB 15 22.73%
Trumaine Johnson CB 6 9.09%
Reminder of who was inactive for the game, because it clearly affected things in a major way here.Suffice to say we have a clear battle at corner between CB Dominique Hatfield and CB Mike Jordan?Hard to parse the linebacking snaps for anything concrete given that all four starters were out...

Special Teams
Player POS ST ST%
Cory Harkey TE 13 54.17%
Sam Rogers RB 11 45.83%
Josh Forrest LB 11 45.83%
Marqui Christian SS 10 41.67%
Cassanova McKinzy LB 9 37.50%
Folarin Orimolade LB 9 37.50%
Lenard Tillery RB 8 33.33%
John Johnson DB 8 33.33%
Jake McQuaide LS 8 33.33%
Aarion Penton CB 8 33.33%
Aaron Green RB 7 29.17%
Isaiah Johnson FS 7 29.17%
Carlos Davis CB 7 29.17%
Johnny Hekker P 7 29.17%
Darrell Williams OT 6 25.00%
Cody Wichmann G 6 25.00%
Shakeir Ryan WR 6 25.00%
Alex Kozan G 6 25.00%
Tyquwan Glass DB 6 25.00%
Greg Zuerlein K 6 25.00%
Travis Coons K 6 25.00%
Austin Blythe C 5 20.83%
Pace Murphy OT 5 20.83%
Justin Davis RB 5 20.83%
Travis Wilson TE 5 20.83%
Andy Mulumba LB 5 20.83%
Cody Davis FS 5 20.83%
Mike Purcell NT 5 20.83%
Kevin Davis LB 5 20.83%
Michael Dunn OT 4 16.67%
Paul McRoberts WR 4 16.67%
Temarrick Hemingway TE 4 16.67%
Tanzel Smart DT 4 16.67%
Pharoh Cooper WR 3 12.50%
Tyler Higbee TE 3 12.50%
Dominique Hatfield CB 3 12.50%
Michael Jordan CB 3 12.50%
Bryce Hager LB 3 12.50%
Morgan Fox DE 3 12.50%
Corey Littleton LB 3 12.50%
Lamarcus Joyner CB 3 12.50%
Matt Longacre DE 3 12.50%
Johnny Mundt TE 3 12.50%
Brandon Shippen WR 2 8.33%
Rob Havenstein OT 2 8.33%
Louis Trinca-Pasat DT 2 8.33%
Jake Eldrenkamp G 1 4.17%
Josh Reynolds WR 1 4.17%
Gerald Everett TE 1 4.17%
Davis Tull LB 1 4.17%
Tyrunn Walker DT 1 4.17%
Ethan Westbrooks DT 1 4.17%
Trumaine Johnson CB 1 4.17%
With these special teams snaps and the injury to TE Temarrick Hemingway, does TE Cory Harkey have an inside track now to the 53-man roster? Harkey is among the top eight non-core (i.e. K, P, LS) special teams contributors who have cleared more than 25 of the Rams’ 81 preseason special teams snaps: FB Sam Rogers (37), Harkey (37), S Marqui Christian (34), LB Folarin Orimolade (30), LB Andy Mulumba (29), S John Johnson (29), LB Josh Forrest (27) & CB Dominique Hatfield (26). If we get a shocker on the 53-man, good chance it comes out of this group.

Right in the face. It felt good. It felt real good. He was yelling and looking right at me.....mocking me. I couldn't help myself. I popped him hard. It was an involuntary response.....but hey......any Rams fan would, right?
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What in the hell is the world coming to? What else don't I know about?

Figured we'd start the cut tracker since our first cut has been made.

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Head Coach Sean McVay – Press Conference – August 27, 2017

(On if there is an update on TE Temarrick Hemingway)
“Yeah. He fractured his fibula. In terms of the severity of it, until they go in – it is going to require surgery. We won’t know how long he’ll be out until we go in there and do that. But, unfortunate for him because he’s one of those players that – seen a lot of really encouraging things, did a lot of really good things on the line of scrimmage, especially in the run game, so that’s a big loss for us. It’s going to require some guys to step up in his absence, we’ll see how guys handle that.”

(On who is in line to take over Hemingway’s spot)
“Well, I think the immediate guys that are going to be asked more of them in the run game are (TE) Tyler Higbee and (TE) Gerald Everett and then obviously what (TE) Cory Harkey has been to this organization over the last couple years, offers him an opportunity to step up. I think we’ll get a chance to see (TE) John Mundt and (TE) Travis Wilson looking forward to this Green Bay game where they’ll get a lot of snaps and it will be a great opportunity for us to evaluate them as well.”

(On if he has an estimate on how long Hemingway will be out)
“When you look at it, there’s a couple different ways that it could play out where it could potentially be an eight-to-10 week thing where he’d be one of those guys for the IR (injured reserve) designated to return possibility. But, if you go in there and you find some different thing based on him getting rolled up on, it could be a three-to-four month injury, so you can’t really say until you fully have the surgery, get in there and see the specifics of what’s going on.”

(On Hemingway making a big leap this offseason and preseason)
“Yeah, he really did. He was one of the guys that I was extremely encouraged with – we were as a staff. We were really counting on him for some big things because I think when you talk about the length, the athleticism, his movement – when he gets the ball in his hands, he’s a guy that can create after the catch. He offered a lot of flexibility with what we could do with some of our personnel groupings, so this is a big loss for us. Like I said, it will be interesting to see who kind of steps up to fill that void because there certainly is one left by what we had anticipated for Temarrick for the start of the season. Hopefully we’ll get some good news back where it’s not going to be a season ending injury, but we’ll find that out in the next few days.”

(On if he thinks TE Cory Harkey can be a threat in the passing game)
“Yeah, I think he’s reliable. You look back at the Oakland game a couple weeks ago. He makes a catch on one of the keepers, (QB) Sean Mannion finds him and he goes for 15 yards and then he made a great catch on a shallow cross as well, kind of extended outside of his framework, so he’s got good hands and he’s been a reliable option. I think that’s what you’re looking for. Cory’s a good football player that does bring some versatility to the position and those are very helpful things for us.”

(On if he knows when Hemingway will have his surgery)
“I want to say that it’s scheduled for this upcoming Tuesday.”

(On if there were any other injuries from the game yesterday)
“No, fortunately everybody came out okay, but that’s a big loss for us and it’s unfortunate that it occurred. But, you have to be ready to deal with it and really wishing him nothing but the best. But, I couldn’t have been more pleased with what he’s done and the growth and maturation that we’ve seen from him. I feel sorry for Temarrick.”

(On if he has any indication that DT Aaron Donald will report after the conclusion of the preseason)
“We haven’t received any word like that. Right now, that dialogue is ongoing. I know we had some meetings and discussions with their representation and that’s something that we’re working through to try and get figured out as soon as possible. If we do, we’ll be excited about that and if not, we’ve got to be ready to adjust and move forward. That’s the approach that we’ve taken, but certainly we’re very optimistic and hopeful that we’ll get that done. But we don’t have any specific updates, it’s kind of the same as where it’s been the last couple weeks.”

(On if this is the week that the concerns begin to heighten with Donald not reporting yet)
“I think every day there’s a heightened reason in wanting him to be around. Whether that was at the very start of training camp – any time that you have the ability to have one of your best players who’s not present because of something outside of things that we can control, the injuries and different things like that, you want Aaron here. As far as putting a timetable on it, kind of like we’ve discussed, it’s hard to really say. All that we can do right now, until that issue is resolved is move forward and kind of start to have some contingency plans in place. It’s kind of the same approach for us, where we’re focused on helping the guys that are here and are working and trust that Aaron is working in the meantime. If we’re able to get that worked out, then he’ll be ready to go. If we do that then there will be some plans that we have to have in place. Having an appreciation for the training camp, the offseason, all that stuff that that entails to try to be smart with him and that will be a good problem for us to have to work out.”

(On how his absence affects the rest of the defense)
“You certainly lose some depth. Anytime that you’re missing one of your great players, you do feel that. But, I think what it’s offered is a unique opportunity for some guys to step up. I think we’ve seen some really good things from a (DT) Tanzel Smart that you see him play at the three technique, you see him play at the nose. (DT) Michael Brockers has taken on that leadership role, which he’s had for the last couple years and I think it gives you a chance to continue to evaluate guys that have been on this roster like an (DL) Ethan Westbrooks and a (DT Louis) Trinca-Pasat.”

(On if there is a chance that QB Jared Goff plays against Green Bay)
“Yeah, I think we’re going to keep with the same plan that we have. I was really just kind of getting the schedule situated and settled before now. That’s also taking into consideration some of the things from (Director/Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie’s (Scott) report and how guys are doing. The plan is to stay with probably resting our starters and trying to get them some good work this week on the practice field and then starting to gear up looking forward to that Indy game.”

(On if Goff will play against the Packers)
“He’s not going to play in this game.”

(On if he thinks the third defensive lineman spot is open with Donald and Brockers in place)
“I think when you look at it, we’ve got some different packages that we play, whether it’s our base or our dime package. But, I think you’ve seen some good things from Ethan Westbrooks, from (DE Morgan) Fox. Tanzel Smart’s a guy that continues to show up. (DT) Mike Purcell’s made some nice plays, so I think it’s been a great opportunity in Aaron’s absence to see some guys step up to provide some depth. We know that (OLB) Robert Quinn’s going to be ready to go for that Indy game, so he’s going to provide a huge spark that we haven’t seen. While we’re also appreciative of what preseason does have for us in terms of the things that we can do as a team, we are anticipating getting a lot of these guys that we’re counting on back for that opener. Really, as a defense as a whole with some guys that we haven’t seen, but when you’re talking about specifically up front, we’re looking forward to getting ‘94’ (Robert Quinn) back out there as well.”

(On if he expects OLB Robert Quinn, LB Mark Barron and CB Kayvon Webster to be practicing this week)
“Yeah, the anticipation is they’re going to be practicing and unless something changes in the meantime, they will be ready to go against Indy.”

(On WR Tavon Austin’s status)
“Same thing with Tavon. We’re not going to play him against Green Bay. If it was a normal game week, I think he would be able to play. He’s made huge progress with Reggie over the last week where he’s running, reaching some higher speeds on the treadmill and stuff where it’s 100 percent of the weight that he’s supporting. So, those have been some good things and you’ll start to figure out – we’re going to have to start brainstorming some ways with how we’re going to utilize Tavon in that game, which will be fun.”

(On how he thinks Austin will be a part of his game plan)
“I’m not going to tell you that, we’ll have to watch the game (laughs). But, the anticipation is he’s going to be a part of that game plan. How exactly we utilize him are fun things for us to be able to figure out, but he’s going to be a part of that for sure.”

(On if he thinks it’s more difficult for an offensive player or a defensive player to go into the regular season with no work in the preseason games)
“Yeah, I think it’s both. I think there’s a huge value in being able to get some of that game experience in the preseason, so you knock off some of the rust if you will. But, I think a lot of the times, from a defensive standpoint, so much of it is reactionary based on what an offense presents, where offensive responsibilities and roles, especially from a skilled position, are a little bit more defined pre-snap. Whereas, some of the defensive things that occur on the backend are based on blitzes or formation adjustments. It might be one thing as a call, but then based on what an offense presents, it could totally alter what you’re doing. So, I think they’re both very important, but there is a little bit more involved from a defensive standpoint in terms of adjusting, based on what an offense presents.”

(On if he thinks there are some other players on the roster that can fill the void from RB Lance Dunbar)
“Yeah. I think it’s been unfortunate for Lance, because it hasn’t gone the way that we wanted, but what you like about Lance is he’s handled it like a pro and he’s just taking it one day at a time. But, I think it has offered a chance for (RB) Justin Davis to step up and show what he can do as a change-of-pace back – I thought he made a nice play on the screen. Even in some of the things protection-wise that might go unnoticed, he’s showing some toughness, willingness to stick his face on people and be tough as far as a protector as well. When you see him put his foot in the ground, you notice a different change in that acceleration. In terms of that change-of pace-back, I think he’s done a nice job of competing for that role. And, (RB) Aaron (Green) with that hand injury, I know that’s limited him a little bit. He does offer that element. And, I thought when you’re just looking at the running back position as a whole, love the way that (RB) Malcolm Brown responded from Week 1, then he improved Week 2 and then yesterday, getting to go against a formidable defense with some excellent players, running through some arm tackles, great ball security, being reliable, grinding out some tough yards – I thought it was a great day for him.”

(On what his assessment was on Goff after watching the film)
“It was a similar thing to kind of what we had said after the game. I think the biggest thing that you take away that you’re encouraged with is, when you look at those two plays in a different way, the week before I point it out to you guys the 4-yard completion or 5-yard completion he has to (WR) Sammy (Watkins) where, the right side of the pocket got a little bit of a push, he got choppy on a same timing play, stepped up, kept two hands on the ball, ball tight to his body and is able to deliver a nice, accurate throw. Same situation, where we get a little push, get a little too much depth in the pocket, got to step up, find a way where maybe you have a chance to throw it to (TE) (Tyler) Higbee for a touchdown, or a throwaway and we kick a field goal and now you feel totally different about it. What you feel encouraged about, is he’s made those plays before. So, it’s not like we don’t have an answer. It’s, ‘Hey, we’ve done it like this before, now let’s make sure we consistently do it over and over again.’ And that’s where the experience comes into play. That’s where trying to get in the practice settings making sure that he has a feel, even though he can’t get hit, understand when that pocket gets edged, alright you’ve got to step up. You can’t get too much depth, alright and then be ready to keep that nice ball security, two hands on the ball, so it’s strong when guys hit it out. And then, on the high cross, it’s going to happen. You’re going to miss some throws. Ball just sailed on him a little bit. Got to sit in there, trust your protection and let that thing go and he’s made that throw over and over again. So, those are two plays that everybody’s going point to like we talked about, but the takeaway that you look at it is, absolutely have to be better. I know he feels the same exact way, but these are plays that he’s made. It’s not like you’re searching for answers like, ‘We don’t know what to do.’ It’s about, how can we collectively all be on the same page and consistently make those good decisions over and over again as opposed to letting those be the plays that we’ve got to get corrected.

(On T Andrew Whitworth chasing down the fumble return yesterday)
“I saw it live, because you could see (DE) (Melvin) Ingram was looking back and he was digging out. But, I think for what you talk about the effort, we talk about this with our players – the burst, speed and the finish. Watching a guy like that continue to compete and go all the way to the whistle and try and give it his best to go get that thing done. You know, that’s the types of players that you want on your team. Those are the types of players that when those guys are your leaders, alright, that kind of culture takes care of itself, because they set the standard, nobody’s above it and another great example of why he’s a special player and a special person, being able to do that.”

(On his impressions of WR Pharoh Cooper)
“Yeah, I think Pharoh’s an excellent football player. I can’t say enough about just the toughness that he plays with, but I think in terms of watching him progress as a receiver – been very pleased with him. You win with players like Pharoh Cooper because he does all the things the right way. He’s tough. He creates after the catch. He’s willing to compete in the run game. He’s one of the guys that you can’t help but love being around competitors. He’s a great competitor and I think it shows up with the way that he plays the receiver position. I think that’s why he’s such an intriguing prospect coming out of South Carolina. What you’re getting a chance to see is as he’s playing the receiver position more, whether it be running routes from outside, running from the slot – he’s getting more and more comfortable. The one thing that you can’t deny is this guy’s a good football player.”

(On what his role was in Washington with roster cut-down day and lessons he learned)
“What was great about my role in Washington is you’re heavily involved in terms of trying to help (head coach) Jay (Gruden) and the personnel staff figure out what’s going to be the best 53, but specifically just to the numbers offensively that we had kind of had allocated based on the way that we projected it. I think you always have a bottom line number in place for certain spots with how to get to that 53. But, what I thought Jay and (team president) Bruce (Allen) and when I was working with (former General Manager) Scott McCloughan – I thought they did such a good job of, ‘Let’s not be aware of the 53, but what’s your 46 on game day?’, where you might be able to keep some extra players at certain spots, if you do have some depth and some good football players. I think just being around some people that did it the right way was very helpful. But, we’ve got a lot of people in place here, both from the coaching and the personnel staff that we’ll rely on to be able to come to those decisions that are best for our organization. Those are things that we’re talking about right now, today, you know all morning projecting that knowing that the next week will offer some changes to that. But, you still always want to have that big picture perspective in mind.”

(On how the rule change with keeping 90 players until the final cut has affected things)
“Well, it didn’t change too much except for you’re thankful that you do have those bodies to go through a preseason game with. Because, it always ends up being where you’ve got a lot of nicks and bruises and some guys with some hamstring pulls or quad pulls or lower extremities that you want to be careful with them. So, what I think what it’s enabled us to do is feel good about knowing that the guys that you’re projected as your starters – you can hold out, maybe ramp it up a little bit more with them in practice as opposed to if they had to get ready for a game. Then like I’ve said before, I think it offers the unique opportunity for a handful of guys that would’ve been cut, to be able to put some good game film on tape in that fourth preseason game. If it doesn’t work out for us, hopefully it will work out for one of the other 31 teams.”

(On if the 90 player rule allows you to rest players in the fourth preseason game)
“I think it does…that’s what we’ve done in the past, so that’s probably a similar approach. What it does is it enable you to be a little bit…you give guys a chance where they don’t have to play that whole preseason game that maybe have gotten a lot of work – where it might offer a (QB) Dan Orlovsky to get more snaps, because of (QB) Sean Mannion’s experience he’s gotten. Might offer a chance to see some of those guys like the (TE) Travis Wilsons, like the (TE) John Mundts that we mentioned to get more snaps than they would’ve otherwise.”

(On if he thinks there is a certain date that Donald has to show up in order to play in the first regular season game)
“Yeah, you know I think it’s hard to put an exact date on that right now. I think what you got to have is as each day gets closer, if we haven’t come to a resolution – having a plan for that day. To rule out one of our best players and put a specific date on that – I don’t think would be fair to our team or for him, so I don’t want to do that right now. I think the biggest thing that I would stress is we’d love to have him around and we’re working hard to try to come to a solution with respect to the process.”

With no Aaron Donald in sight the Rams will need Robert Quinn to get pressure on opposing QBs. The Rams backup defensive players have put little to no pressure on opposing QBs in the preseason. Quinn not only creates sacks but he forced turnovers that changed games. He has created 19 Forced Fumbles over his career and 7 in 2013. His game changing 7 Forced Fumbles and 19 Sacks are exactly what this Rams defense needs. The Rams have been playing mostly backups on the front seven this preseason. They have produced little to no pressure on opposing QBs. Newly acquired OLB Connor Barwin has produced as high as 14.5 sacks but has been up and down year to year with some years as little as 3 sacks. There aren't any other proven QB disruptors without A. Donald on the Rams defense. Wade Phillips will scheme to get pressure but, that can only do so much. A healthy productive Quinn really needs to get back near his 2013.

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Combining N and O produces an impressive list of Ram players, including the final member of the Fearsome Foursome, some great offensive lineman and a couple great linebackers, including one off our current team:

1. Merlin Olsen
2. Tom Newberry
3. Mel Owens
4. Tom Nutten
5. Jim Nettles
6. Alec Ogletree
7. Vince Newsome
8. Terry Nelson
9. Anthony Newman
10. Leslie O'Neal

Honorable Mention: Fred Naumetz, Bill Nelson, Dwayne OSteen, David Nixon.

Notable: Joe Namath, Chuck Nelson, Keith Null, Phil Olsen.

No: Brad Otis

https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2017/8/26/16210014/la-rams-la-chargers-recap-winners-losers

The Los Angeles Rams faced off against the Los Angeles Chargers in the #FightforLA. It was not much of a battle for the starters, folks.The Chargers came out of the gates running, while the Rams were caught flat-footed. Even with the less than impressive showing, who caught the eyes of spectators in the loss?

Winners
RB Malcolm Brown
With RB Todd Gurley not suiting up, Brown received the start against the Chargers. With heavy running and the willingness to go through defenders, Brown impressed to the tune of nine carries for 44 yards. He solidified his role as the RB2 to Gurley.Not bad for a former UDFA.

WR Josh Reynolds
The fourth-round pick out of Texas A&M showed out once again this week. After catching the game-winning TD last week against the Oakland Raiders, Reynolds struck again. After taking a vicious hit, Reynolds reeled in a 38-yard TD on a well placed ball from QB Sean Mannion. The rookie took advantage of WR Cooper Kupp’s absence, finishing with three catches for 71 yards and a TD.

WR Pharoh Cooper
Cooper has been having a rock solid training camp and preseason, and continued that tonight. Reeling in five catches for 70 yards, Coop could be carving out a nice little niche for himself.

HC Sean McVay
The youngest coach in NFL history has impressed me through his first three, albeit preseason, games. After falling down 21-0, McVay stayed calm and composed and was able to lead the team back into the game. Another plus is McVay challenged a play and.....wait for it....was able to actually FIND his flag. That is a victory in its own right, as we know head coaches of over 25+ years who struggle with that...

Losers
QB Jared Goff
After impressing last week against the Raiders, Goff got off to a nice start tonight against the Chargers. Looking calm and collected, that all changed on a strip sack from Joey Bosa. The play seemed to rattle Goff as he never seemed to recover, throwing a horrendous INT on the ensuing drive. After showing so much potential last week, tonight was a major step back for the Rams’ QB.

S Lamarcus Joyner
While Joyner didn’t play long, he didn’t look good. Surrounded by backup players, Joyner got absolutely burned by Chargers WR Travis Benjamin for a long TD on the opening drive. As someone many have predicted as a potential breakout player, Joyner MUST improve off of what we saw today.

WR Nelson Spruce
Everyone’s (though not my) favorite receiver may be seeing his Rams career coming to an end. With continued injury problems and limited athletic ability, it’s hard to see how Spruce sticks around. He had a great chance tonight to prove his worth, but wasn’t even dressed. This seems like the end of the line for the fan favorite, barring a miracle.

These are excerpts. To read the whole article click the link below.
***************************************************************
https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/08/28/h...-watt-texans-nfl-peter-king-monday-morning-qb

Monday Morning QB: J.J. Watt Helps With Hurricane Harvey Flood Relief in Houston
By Peter King

JAY CUTLER LOOKS POSITIVELY NIMBLE


MATT ROURKE/AP

PHILADELPHIA — Me to Jay Cutler: “Did you practice doing TV much this offseason before coming back?”

Cutler: “I mean, I’d be lying if I said I did.”

Cutler never worried about being politically correct. Or correct. He’s the Paul Zimmerman of quarterbacks. So when he walked away from football after last season for the FOX booth, at age 33, and to be a husband and dad to his three kids in Nashville, it just felt odd. In an era when the best quarterbacks talk about (and not flippantly) playing into their 40s, Cutler walked away totally healthy, five or seven years before his time.

Was he a great quarterback? No. Could he be a top-15 quarterback, a good player on a playoff contender, in the right place? Absolutely. “Without Jay, and I told him this, I’d never have gotten this job,” said his Chicago coordinator in 2015, Adam Gase, now Miami’s coach.

Then came the Ryan Tannehill knee surgery, and here came Cutler out of retirement. Strangely, I found myself rooting for him watching him practice against the Eagles. Two reasons: Just because a guy’s got a prickly personality doesn’t mean he’s an idiot. And there was this nagging thought when he retired that there was this unfulfilled part of his career, that we never saw the optimum Cutler. Will we now? Who knows.

But it’ll be a fascinating story. No one knows if this is a five-month detour on the way to a quiet life in Tennessee, or the rekindling of a fascinating career, a la Jim Plunkett. That’s why watching Cutler now, in his second act, will be fun.

Here, on one play, flushed from the pocket by the Eagles’ rush, Cutler moved right, bought time, and with his feet not set, slung a 33-yard pass to the end zone—a strike to backup back Storm Johnson. “As I’ve always told him: ‘You’re like Houdini. I call a bad play and you get me out of it,’” Gase said.

Cutler had his best year of an uneven career under Gase in 2015. He’s got a chance to reprise it now; that was my takeaway watching Miami practice. He’s picked up the offense quickly, is bonding well with his three big receiving weapons—Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker, Kenny Stills—and says they “definitely” comprise the best receiving tandem he’s had. Cutler looks trim; he’s lost the pudgy early-career look he had and appears to have lost weight in the few months of retirement.

“It’s fun,” he said, stopping before getting on the team bus post-practice. “I am enjoying it a lot more than the past two years, just because I know how short-lived your NFL career is. It’s kind of a bonus. It’s a really good group of guys, and Adam does a great job of taking care of quarterbacks and the rest of the team, so it’s been fun.

“How do you think you’ll play?” I asked.

“No idea. With the talent we have on offense, we should be pretty good. We’ve got some guys who can play football, which makes it easier for me. A lot of things happen in a football season so we’ll have to see how it goes.”

Final question: “Ever get pissed at how you’re perceived?”

Pause. “Ummm,” he said. (His only pause to think during a short interview.) “Not really. Some of it is my fault. Some of it is how things went down. It is what it is. Right now I am just trying to make an impact with these guys and get to know them as quickly as possible so that we can have a good season.”

I feel for Tannehill, a worker bee and great teammate. But the Dolphins could be better with Cutler. They’ll sure be a lot more interesting.

* * *

WHAT DID WE LEARN FROM CAM NEWTON’S FIRST GAME SINCE JAN. 1? NOT MUCH


JOHN RAOUX/AP

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Before Thursday night, Cam Newton hadn’t played in a game in 33 weeks. It had been almost five months since his torn right rotator cuff was surgically repaired, and about three weeks since his sore shoulder forced him to sit out some practice time in training camp. So it was a matter of intense interest to see how Newton played in Jacksonville.

He played one series. Ten snaps. Two passes among those 10 plays—and both were thrown exactly three yards past the line of scrimmage. Both were complete. But there was no sign, positive or negative, about the arm. And though some around the Panthers feel coach Ron Rivera will give Newton a series or two in the preseason finale against Pittsburgh on Thursday night, the coach said he might not.

No one—Newton, Rivera, offensive coordinator Mike Shula—seemed too worried about Newton’s condition after the game. Rivera and Shula see him every day; who am I to doubt them? But if Carolina opens at San Francisco in 13 days, and that’s all anyone sees of game action for Newton, I’d be fairly concerned how he plays early in the season … and the high-scoring Saints and world champion Patriots loom in Weeks 3 and 4. Said Shula: “I’m sure there’s going to be some rust. We’re going to have to live with it.”

The good news in Newton’s one series? The running game was what Rivera has been harping on all off-season. Eight carries, 54 yards, a mixture of Christian McCaffery and Jonathan Stewart. And credit Newton for not pressing the issue, for not trying to change plays to make the kind of low-percentage throws that plagued him last year. Ten plays, 75 yards against a rising defense is good. Newton said he wasn’t worried about the lack of playing time. “If I don’t play next week, I have to pick it up in practice,” he said. “It’s not a big deal.”

It will be big, though, for Newton to be more accurate, and to take more of what the defense gives him. Maybe shoulder strength will be less important this year because theoretically he’ll be throwing shorter, higher-percentage passes in 2017, trying to recover from his seven-percentage-point drop in accuracy from 2015 to ’16. The idea for Newton is to still run some, but also to make more economical throws closer to the line of scrimmage—the way he did on his only two passes Thursday night.

“I’m in the best shape of my life,” he said. “People will see that this year.”

They may not see much before the opener. But look on the bright side if you’re a Panthers fan: Andrew Luck hasn’t even practiced yet after his offseason shoulder surgery. Newton’s ahead there. But with two significant new weapons on offense, the Panthers look to be a work in progress for a while early in the season. Newton’s got to get to know his guys.

* * *

THE BURFICT BAN: FAIR OR NOT?

With virtually all other players in football, the Aug. 19 crushing hit on defenseless receiver Anthony Sherman of the Chiefs would not have resulted in a suspension by the NFL. But Cincinnati linebacker Vontaze Burfict is not like many other players.

He is one of the most fined and suspended players for egregious hits in recent NFL history. And as Adam Schefter reported Sunday night, Burfict will be suspended for the first five games for the hit on Sherman.

The history: You’ll remember how he cheap-shotted Steelers receiver Antonio Brown into wooziness in a playoff game two years ago, knocking him out of the following week’s game at Denver. Greg Olsen and Ben Roethlisberger have both accused Burfict of trying to intentionally injure them, and he was fined for both incidents.

The Brown hit caused Burfict to be suspended for the first three games of 2016. So, barring a successful appeal, Burfict will miss the opening five games this year after missing the opening three games last year.

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On the hit in question in the Bengals’ second preseason game, Sherman came out of the backfield and had his head turned, so he was not looking upfield. It appears from the replay as though Sherman could not see Burfict coming and thus was defenseless. Burfict blasted Sherman either on the upper arm or shoulder pad/neck area (the replay is not conclusive), and down went Sherman. It was a big hit, and the 242-pounder flew to the ground.

A new rule this year gives defenseless receiver protection to an offensive player running a pass route—if the receiver is contacted from the side or from behind. Burfict approached Sherman from the side and hit him. The defenseless part is certainly correct. With his history, it’s going to be a tough case for Burfict to win.

There will be those, perhaps with good reason, who will say it's absurd to erase 31 percent of a player's season for a play that happened in a preseason game. I would be one of those. But the league will be quick to point out that Burfict lost the benefit of the doubt long ago. Clearly the NFL is tired of his act.

* * *

THE NEW FALCONS STADIUM HAS 2,600 TVS IN IT


JOHN BAZEMORE/AP

ATLANTA — And a pretty cool “Halo Board” encircling the area just beneath the roof. That’s a circular scoreboard/video board/social-media board with vivid color and picture. You know what’s interesting about the board? It’s situated higher in the stadium than the 180-foot wide high-def screens high above either sideline in Dallas. I’ll tell you the difference:

When you’re in the second or third level of the Cowboys’ stadium, your eyes almost lock onto the screens because you can see the game far better on the screen than you can in real life. In Atlanta, you have to think to look up to the screens. You’re rewarded when you do look up, because the circular board is a stunner.

Two other things: The Georgia Dome lasted just 25 seasons. It’s almost like the Falcons barely liked it, and Blank was determined to build a showplace downtown. But you can’t go building new downtown football stadia every 2.5 decades; the cost and waste are just too high. “We designed this one to last 40 to 50 years, maybe longer,” Blank told me. It needs to.

The field seemed to play softer than some artificial turf fields, and the players agreed. “It was soft,” said center Alex Mack. “But the softer the better. Slows down those defensive lineman, who get faster every year.”

* * *

“You can have a lot of body parts replaced. But you can’t do a brain transplant.”

—Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who also told Tim Rohan of The MMQB that he’s taking his future football career a year at a time.
---------------
“What is he, a couple of months older than Jared? They hired a buddy for Jared. The NFL has nothing to do with being the friend or the buddy of the quarterback. You’ve got to coach them and work them hard with respect. But buddy? And this guy is a quarterback expert? An offensive expert? Wait a minute while I puke.”

—Former Rams coach Mike Martz on the current Rams coach, 31-year-old Sean McVay, coaching Jared Goff, to SB Nation.

I wonder what the encounter between Martz and McVay will be like at the 2033 meeting of the Rams Head Coaches Alumni Association?

Come to think of it, I doubt Jeff Fisher, Steve Spagnuolo or Martz would attend.
------------------
“Everybody is entitled to their opinion, and I can understand that, and the bottom line is this—I’ve never been a head coach before, I haven’t won a game, I haven’t done anything. I know that it’s going to be a great learning curve, and I’m not going to pretend to have the answers to things that I don’t know. But what I am going to do is continue to look at myself critically and try to be the best head coach and leader that I can be for this team and this organization.”

—McVay, in one of several deflecting responses to Martz’s criticisms. I hope when I grow up I handle someone ripping me to shreds as well as McVay handled this.
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“You f------- sh------ me? Why you gotta do that? Jameis, you’re playing a great game and then your greed takes over. You’re so much better than that. ... You can’t do that, ever, ever, ever.”

—Tampa Bay coach Dirk Koetter, as captured by NFL Films for the HBO “Hard Knocks” show last week, ripping into quarterback Jameis Winston for throwing a careless, inexcusable interception at Jacksonville.

That’s the benefit of “Hard Knocks”: seeing real stuff when it happens, and when teams don’t over-edit the show. I credit the Bucs as an organization, and Nelson Luis as the keeper of the communications flame there. If “Hard Knocks” is going to exist, and it is going to be real, you need to see what really happens.

* * *

NAMES OF THE PRESEASON

Arizona has them all.

• Cap Capi, LB. Longshot linebacker after stints in Baltimore and Miami. His name is actually Nordly Capi, and he sacked Matt Simms in Atlanta on Saturday night.

• Ironhead Gallon, S. The rookie free agent from Georgia Southern got the name from his father, who grew up a big Ironhead Heyward fan. Real first name: Deshawntee.

• Gump Hayes, CB. Formerly known as De’Chavon Hayes, he got the Gump nickname as a kid because of his Forrest Gump-like speed. Run, De’Chavon, Run didn’t quite work for a fast kid.

Haven’t even mentioned Budda Baker, Frostee Rucker or Scooby Wright III.

* * *

THINGS I THINK I THINK

1. I think these are my thoughts about the preseason weekend:

a. Biggest positive surprise of the preseason? Baltimore’s defense. Now we have to divine whether that means anything. But what the Ravens’ first unit-plus has shown is great speed and pursuit, stout run defense led by Brandon Williams and Michael Pierce, and a fairly ancient secondary playing extremely well (47 percent opposition completions and 52.5 opposing passer rating). Shouldn’t overrate this stuff, of course, but the Ravens won’t be pushovers. And Marlon Humphrey, the first-round corner, is not afraid, a vital attribute for his position.

b. The Bills’ offensive yardage on their first five possessions: minus-1, minus-3, 36, minus-4, minus-1.

c. Watched the first three Kansas City offensive series in Seattle. And if the Seahawks stay healthy, they could win the NFC West by a lot because of that fierce defense.

d. News item: Blake Bortles named Jaguars starting quarterback over Chad Henne. Does it really matter? Does anyone doubt Henne or someone else will be the quarterback by Halloween?

e. Best preseason competition I saw: Dallas linebacker Sean Lee, in his first game of the preseason, zeroing in on Marshawn Lynch on a run play early in the first quarter, slamming him to the ground, and then chasing down Lynch on a sideline pass play. Lynch looks strong and quicker than he was at the end of his time in Seattle. Lee looks fast. That was great football.

f. The Lions’ first units are absolutely not ready for prime time, judging by their 24-0 deficit early in Friday’s home tilt.

g. The Eagles should be worried about their running game, but not their quarterback or the passing game.

h. Blair Walsh: 10 of 10 on PATs, eight of nine on field goals in three games. Looks like he’s rebuilding his lost Minnesota trust with the Seahawks. Then again, these games don’t count.

i. So that draft deal between New England and Carolina, the Pats moving down eight picks from 72 overall to 80 to pick up defensive end Kony Ealy, was a dud. The world champs cut him Saturday.

j. Chris Johnson didn’t help his case to earn the prime backup role to David Johnson in Arizona’s game at Atlanta. Fumbled twice, dropped a pass in his breadbasket … all in the first four minutes of the game. Andre Ellington looked significantly better.

k. Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee had a superb reminder of the great “distraction”Kaepernick was last year for the Niners.

l. If Jason Pierre-Paul plays in September the way he’s played in August, in very limited snaps, the Giants could have the NFC’s best edge combination—in Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon. “I am just getting warmed up,” Pierre-Paul said after the bizarro 32-31 Giants’ win over the Jets. Pierre-Paul was dominant against the Jets. My Lord: The way Pierre-Paul tossed aside right tackle Brandon Shell to get to Christian Hackenberg … scary.

m. Christian Hackenberg … scary.

n. Tyrod Taylor, concussed. Well, the Bills may end up seeing a lot more of Nathan Peterman than they ever thought in year one.

o. I loved Hue Jackson not babying DeShone Kizer in his start at Tampa. Kizer was throwing deep, and trying to find good and tight windows to throw into—and, more importantly, he was looking downfield consistently. Kizer’s not afraid. He needs to play.

p. Case study needed on how many teams passed for three full rounds and most of a fourth on Dak Prescott. Amazing how poised and confident he looks, and how confident he is throwing downfield. His play-action touchdown pass to Jason Witten was Boomer Esiason play-action stuff. (Which is very good. Boomer was the king of play-action.)

q. Darren McFadden is making the Dallas front office a little less worried about the outcome of the Zeke Elliott appeal with nights like Saturday against Oakland.

r. Myles Garrett is going to get his sacks unless left tackles have consistent help. Did you see the play when, almost like the old dance move the Limbo, the Cleveland pass-rusher literally slithered under Bucs tackle Donovan Smith to pressure the quarterback? Such an athletic move for a big man.

s. “I was hoping he’d look like that tonight,” Denver coach Vance Joseph said of Jamaal Charles (four carries, 27 yards) in his first NFL appearance in a color other than red.

t. Read Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe on Chris Berman. Heck of a column.

u. The reason Andy Reid can feel so comfortable making Tyreek Hill a full-time receiver (likely to make kick return cameos only) is that he has De’Anthony Thomas in reserve. Quite a reserve. Thomas burst 95 yards for a kickoff-return touchdown in Seattle.

v. Carson Palmer throws such a beautiful ball. His 28-yard fade to John Brown for a touchdown at Atlanta … perfect.

2. I think the Texans will be staying in Dallas at least through mid-day Tuesday, minimum. And it’s likely that their final preseason game, currently scheduled for Thursday night in Houston against the Cowboys, will be moved. The Cowboys have offered their stadium for the game, and they also have opened their practice facilities to the Texans. Houston will be practicing at The Star in Frisco on Monday at 9:30 a.m.

3. I think, as many have said, the Jaguars exercising the fifth-year option on Blake Bortles at $19 million will be a haunting decision for the franchise.

4. I think, regardless of the flippancy of the comment, this is another one that could, and should, haunt NFLPA president Eric Winston, the Cincinnati tackle. WCPO TV in Cincinnati, in an interview with Winston, quoted him saying about the future of football: “Honestly, I don't care, and I don't think the guys in this locker room care whether [the NFL] is going to be around in 20 years because none of us are going to be playing. …

If this thing dies out in 20 years, it dies out in 20 years. That's not really my concern.” On FOX Sports 1, former player Seth Joyner said he was “appalled and really blown away” by the comments. I have a lot of respect for Winston—he once guest-authored this very column—and have known him for most of his career as a guy who cares a lot for his fellow players. I did not like these comments at all. Those words are totally not in keeping with the history of the union, which has always said it makes decisions today for the players of tomorrow.

5. I think for an 84-year-old “reporter,” Gil Brandt is pretty darned young and frisky. Late Saturday afternoon he Tweeted that Odell Beckham Jr., trying to accelerate recovery on his sprained ankle and improve his chances to play opening day, had his second special treatment on the ankle at a facility in Phoenix. “Giants not involved in plan,” Brandt wrote. Hmmmm.

7. I think this hole the Bills have dug for themselves just seems to get deeper every day. The team last played a playoff game eight days into this century. Seventeen years into this century, the drought is far from over. The Bills, who sent Marcell Dareus home before the preseason game at Baltimore over a disciplinary issue, now need to have a serious discussion about his future in Buffalo. “Obviously, a guy with his contract status, you would hope that he would be a better leader than that,” GM Brandon Beane said.

Since being drafted in 2011, Dareus has been arrested twice, suspended by the league for substance issues, and now gets sent home for team disciplinary reasons. Since signing a six-year, $96 million extension in 2015, Dareus has had a four-game suspension and now this, and the Bills have to choose between paying Dareus $9.75 million in salary this year … or face the onerous task, if they choose to cut him, of splitting a $38.35 million hit for dead money over 2017 and ’18.

It’s all onerous, frankly. The contract was an idiotic one to agree to in the first place, based on Dareus’s off-field history. And now the franchise has another anchor on it. Say you were 10 years old and just getting into pro football when the Bills last made the playoffs.

Now you’ve gone through middle school, high school and maybe four years of college, and gotten married, and maybe just started a family. And your team’s been miserable every season. How much more are you ready to take? Not sure of that … but it ain’t over.


PETER KING/THE MMQB

8. I think one of the coolest things I saw over the weekend in Atlanta happened Friday morning at the John Lewis Invictus Charter School on the West Side, in the neighborhood that the Falcons hope gets a boost from the new stadium. There, about 150 gym teachers and school volunteers from around the state gathered to get taught the basics in flag-football coaching and league organization as part of the Falcons’ Rise Up 159 flag football programs.

The franchise is funding flag football programs at one school in all 159 Georgia counties, and providing a pool of grant money for other interested schools and youth programs, to encourage kids to play the game—and, frankly, to play anything. This is something all 32 franchises should be doing, in my mind.

The future of youth football is going to go more and more to flag, and rightfully so, with the legitimate fears of head trauma in tackle football for children before their brains are fully developed. “We wanted to include the entire state,” said owner Arthur Blank, “because every child should have a chance to play.

We wanted to find a way to share the game and encourage more playing and teamwork, and to get kids out doing things instead of being in front of a screen all the time.” The Falcons paid for the cost of substitute teachers for any school employees who came to Friday’s training, and some drove three to four hours from rural parts of the state to come. Laudable effort.

9. I think this about the Jerry Kramer nomination to the Hall of Fame: I am glad he will get another day in front of the full committee of 48 voters next February in Minneapolis. He will need 39 yes votes for enshrinement (as will fellow Seniors Committee nominee Robert Brazile). Once and for all, Kramer’s fate will be decided. That’s a very good thing.

The way the system works, it’s rare to come out of the morass of the Seniors pool, which consists of all players retired for more than 25 years. Kramer came out of the pool in 1997 and did not get 80 percent of the vote, so he was not enshrined.

Now he comes out of the pool again, and if he doesn’t get 80 percent, I doubt he’d ever again come out of the Seniors pool, which has at least 50 truly legitimate candidates waiting to have their cases heard. Kramer, in the years he was eligible as a Modern Era finalist, was a finalist nine times and never got the vote. So overall he’s 0-for-10. This is it.

This Thursday night's preseason finale in Green Bay will be LIVE on NFL Network at 7pm Eastern.

Not sure when NFL Network made the decision to carry the game live -- when I checked their broadcast schedule 2 weeks ago, this game was only listed as a re-air for this coming Saturday night.

http://www.nfl.com/network

McRoberts, KD cannon, Reynolds,Shakier,Cooper

I think this is another chance for Reynolds to show that he is further along in his development than was initially thought. McRoberts is another lanky guy with nice speed and his hands and route running improved over last year. Haven't seen much of KD or Shakier in the receiving game, I think those too are practice squad. It will be good to see who steps up and actually take advantage of their playing time. Cooper has really stepped up and I think with his solid receiving play and special teams he makes the 53. Competition is tight across the board which bodes well for our offense

Rams won't place deadline on Aaron Donald to end holdout and report

Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald, smiling during a summer practice in June 13, is holding out and believed to be seeking a new deal that would make him the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Gary Klein

As each day passes, Sean McVay’s anxiety grows.

This is the final week of the NFL preseason and the Rams’ first-year coach is still without star defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who remains a holdout because of a contract dispute.

“Every day, there’s a heightened reason in wanting him to be around,” McVay said Sunday.

McVay has said for weeks that Donald’s absence provided opportunities for other players to step up. And several, including Ethan Westbrooks and Louis Trinca-Pasat, have taken advantage of Donald’s absence.

But the Sept. 10 season opener against the Indianapolis Colts is looming.

McVay declined to specify if there is a date that Donald must report to be able to play in the opener.

“What you’ve got to have is, as each day gets closer and if we haven’t come to a resolution, having a plan for that day,” McVay said. “To rule out one of our best players and put a specific date on that I don’t think would be fair to our team or for him, so I don’t want to do that right now.

“But I think the biggest thing that I would stress is we would love to have him around and we’re working hard to try to come to a solution with respect to the process.”

Pro Bowl selection, is believed to be seeking a new deal that would make him the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell also has held out during training camp and the preseason, refusing to sign the $12.1 million franchise tender that was placed upon him.

Bell tweeted and later confirmed to the Columbus Dispatch that he would report Friday, the day after the Steelers’ final preseason game.

There has not been similar word from Donald, who has been accruing daily fines of $40,000 since he failed to report with veterans on July 28. That total now stands at about $1.2 million. Those fines, however, are expected to be creatively addressed by the Rams if and when Donald signs a new contract.

Players are paid only during the regular season, so if Donald does not report before the opener, he also would lose at least one game check.

“That dialogue is ongoing,” McVay said when asked if there was any indication that Donald will report at the conclusion of the preseason. “I know we had some meetings and discussions with their representation and that’s something that we’re working through to try and get figured out as soon as possible.

“If we do, we’ll be excited about that and if not, we’ve got to be ready to adjust and move forward.”

If Donald returns this week or next, he would not be the only Rams starter expected to play in the opener without preseason snaps.

Linebackers Robert Quinn and Mark Barron and cornerback Kayvon Webster have not played because of injuries or what McVay has described as maintenance programs. They will not play in Thursday night’s preseason finale at Green Bay.

Etc.
Starters, including quarterback Jared Goff, will not play against the Packers, McVay said. ... Receiver Tavon Austin, who has been sidelined because of a hamstring injury, will not play against the Packers but is expected to be ready for the opener, McVay said.


[www.latimes.com]

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Wide receiver Tavon Austin has been sidelined since early in training camp with a hamstring injury. He was sidelined for the majority of the offseason program, too, after undergoing surgery on his wrist.

And while Austin won’t play against Green Bay on Thursday — nor will any of Los Angeles’ starters — head coach Sean McVay said on Sunday that the wideout should be ready to go on Sept. 10 for the season opener agains the Colts.

“He’s made huge progress with [head trainer] Reggie [Scott] over the last week where he’s running, reaching some higher speeds on the treadmill and stuff where it’s 100 percent of his weight that he’s supporting. So those have been some good things. And we’re going to have to start brainstorming some ways of how we’re going to utilize Tavon in that game — which will be fun.”

Because Austin has not done much on the field since McVay took over as head coach, there’s still some question as to how the wideout will fit in the new offense. But McVay says that’s a good problem to have.

“The anticipation is he’s going to be a part of that game plan,” McVay said. “How exactly we utilize him are fun things for us to be able to figure out. But he’s going to be a part of that for sure.”

Hemingway Suffers Fractured Fibula

Second-year tight end Temarrick Hemingway will be out for a significant amount of time after suffering a fractured fibula on Saturday, head coach Sean McVay said on Sunday.

“Unfortunate for him because he was one of those that [we’d] seen a lot of encouraging things [from], did a lot of really good things on the line of scrimmage — especially in the run game,” McVay said. “So that’s a big loss for us. And it’s going to require some guys to step up in his absence. And we’ll see how guys handle that.”

Hemingway was carted off the field following a nine-yard run by Malcolm Brown in the second quarter of Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Chargers. According to McVay, Hemingway is slated to have surgery on Tuesday. After the procedure, McVay said there will be more clarity on the extent of the injury and a timetable for recovery.

“There’s a couple different ways that it could play out, where it could potentially be an eight-to-10-week thing, where he’d be one of those guys [who’s a candidate] for the IR/designated to return possibility,” McVay said. “But if you go in there and you find some different things based on him getting rolled up on, it could be a three-to-four-month injury. So you can’t really say until you fully have the surgery, get in there, and see the specifics of what’s going on.”

Selected in the sixth round of last year’s draft out of South Carolina State, Hemingway was mainly a special teams contributor as a rookie, but had been carving out a significant role for himself in McVay’s offense.

“He was one of the guys that I was extremely encouraged with — we were as a staff — and really counting on him for some big things,” McVay said. “I think when you talk about the length, the athleticism, his movement — when he gets the ball in his hands, he can create after the catch. He offered a lot of flexibility with what we could do with some of our personnel groupings.

“So it’s a big loss for us,” McVay continued. “And, like I said, it’ll be interesting to see who steps up to fill that void because there certainly is one left by what we had anticipated for Temarrick for the start of the season.”

With Hemingway sidelined, McVay said tight ends like Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett may have to contribute more in the run game. And Cory Harkeycontinues to be an option at the position, too.

“What Cory Harkey has been to this organization over the last couple years offers him an opportunity to step up,” McVay said. “Cory’s a good football player that does bring some versatility to the position, and those are very helpful things for us.”

Two younger tight ends who will have a chance to showcase their talents on Thursday against Green Bay are Johnny Mundt and Travis Wilson.

“[T]hey’ll get a lot of snaps and it will be a great opportunity for us to evaluate them as well,” McVay said.

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Shoulder to the head of a defenseless player while the ball is thrown about 20 yards down field.

Old timers dominate todays list. Lots of "Mc" names to pour over, one of my favorite running backs from childhood, The Rams all-time interception leader, and a couple long snappers deserve mention below! But first, a Hall of Fame lineman that paved the way for seven Division Titles during the '70's...

1. Tom Mack
2. Eddie Meador
3. Lawrence McCutcheon
4. Ollie Matson
5. Riley Matheson
6. T.J. McDonald
7. Greg Meisner
8. Dexter McCleon
9. Buford McGee
10. Andy McCollum

Honorable mention: Fred Miller, Willie Miller, Jake McQuaid, Chris Massey, Rodney McLeod, Joe Marconi, Shaun Miller, Brandon Manumaleuna, Tommy Mason, Kevin McLain, Mike McDonald, Dante Magnani.

Special Category: Tre Mason

Notable: Sean Mannion, Bradley Marquez, Jamie Martin, Gerald McBurrows, Randy McMichael, Ryan McNeil, Hugh Millen.

No: Steve McLaughlin

I really think Fitz Harvard should have been Kurt back up back in the day...He never got to share his glove with Kurt...:fighting:

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I re-watched the Chargers game 2 times this morning, the first quarter was disgusting.

For those of us that were expecting Goff to look more like the quarterback we watched against the Raiders or thought Wade's defense would at least hold one of the Chargers 2 offensive scoring drives to a field goal, we got slapped down!

I was a little upset that Goff took 2 steps back after taking 3 steps forward against the Raiders. (fumble/interception)

The right side of the line with Havenstein and Jamon Brown is going to be suspicious when the real bullets start flying.

First string, second string, preseason pedigree or not, Sean Mannion looked like the more polished quarterback when the 3rd preseason game finally ended.

I will say that McVay seemed to call more of a conservative game plan this week for JG by not showing (role outs/boot legs or calling any deep shots for him of 30 plus yards down the field . These are schemes and plays we would expect to see in the week 1 opener.

On Saturday, Jared was missing some of his key starting contributors and he looked off showing no awareness of the pass rush.

For what ever the reasons, Goff appeared to have lost his spider senses and pocket presence (detecting the pass rush) unlike what he had shown just 7 days prior.

Jared also looked a little bit embarrassed by his performance when I viewed his post game interview.

3rd preseason game or not, the Chargers game in the first half tells us very little about how this team will look on the field in 14 days from now vs the Colts.

Other than a cameo appearance practice game at Green bay on Thursday, McVay, Wade & Bones have 14 days from today to prepare for week 1.

All available starters will be on the field for the first regular season game and the preseason will again be remembered as noting more than 4 glorified scrimmages .

The Real Deal






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