My wife just figured out the Atlanta Falcons are playing in the Super Bowl tomorrow. We live in Georgia. She was wondering what all the RISE UP stuff was about. She is quite the football fan and observant too!

Tonight, four to eight new members will selected to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio on August 5th. The Class of 2017 will be announced tonight sometime during the FOX Broadcast of "NFL Honors" from 8-10 p.m. ET. The finalists are:

15 Modern-Era Finalists

• Morten Andersen
• Tony Boselli
• Isaac Bruce
• Don Coryell
• Terrell Davis
• Brian Dawkins
• Alan Faneca
• Joe Jacoby
• Ty Law
• John Lynch
• Kevin Mawae
• Terrell Owens
• Jason Taylor
• LaDainian Tomlinson
• Kurt Warner

1 Senior Finalist

• Kenny Easley

2 Contributor Finalists

• Jerry Jones
• Paul Tagliabue

Any predictions on who makes it?

Flipping through my channels and came across this show. Says its LIVE but its like COPS on steroids. They have commentating in between. Shows live police activity pretty interesting.

Matt Bowen, who played safety for the Rams, Packers, Redskins, and Bills, is one of my favorite writers on all things NFL because he knows what he's talking about and gets into the details. He wrote these two articles on the Falcons/Patriots matchup. Enjoy!
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http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...kyle-shanahan-super-bowl-li-2016-nfl-playoffs

Illustrating the Falcons' 15 go-to plays
By Matt Bowen

One of the biggest reasons the Atlanta Falcons improved from an 8-8 season in 2015 to the Super Bowl is offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan's ability to mesh his creative playbook with the high-level talent on the roster.

The Falcons led the league in scoring during the regular season (33.8 points per game) and put up a combined 80 points in their two playoff wins over the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers.

Let's break down Shanahan's go-to plays: 15 concepts you can look for on Sunday, when the Falcons face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.

Cross-Country Dagger





The Falcons led the NFL in multiple categories when running play-action during the regular season, such as passes thrown (133), yards per attempt (11.8) and total passing yards (1,531).

That's what we see here on the cross-country dagger out of a standard pro I slot formation with wide receivers Julio Jones (Z) and Mohamed Sanu (X) stacked outside. This is a deep clear-out concept, with quarterback Matt Ryan (Q) using the weakside play-action to running back Devonta Freeman (H) to bring the second-level defenders to the line of scrimmage.

That opens up an inside throwing window to hit Jones on the 15-yard dig-route (square-in) while Sanu bends the seam to run off the top of the secondary. It's a high-percentage throw for Ryan (inside breaking route) with Jones working to the vacated area of the field.

Outside Zone

The Falcons ranked fifth overall during the regular season with 120.5 rushing yards per game, and the outside zone (or stretch) is one of the top calls in Shanahan's playbook. It caters to the athleticism of the Falcons' offensive line and the skill set of both Freeman and Tevin Coleman (footwork, vision, speed through the hole).

With the offensive line taking a "zone step" (step to play side) and chipping to the second-level linebackers, the running backs have options after getting the handoff deep in the backfield. Freeman or Coleman (H) can "bounce" the ball outside of the tight end (Y), hit the "bang" or cut the ball back on the "bend."

It's up to the RB to make the correct read based on the blocking up front and the pursuit of the linebackers. This is another reason the vision of the Falcons' running backs is so critical. See the field. Make one cut. And go.

Boot

Working off the outside zone scheme look, Shanahan will lean on the boot concept. This allows Ryan to set the bait for the linebackers with a play-action fake before rolling away from the initial play side on the boot action.

The idea is to take advantage of poor defensive eye discipline (failure to read run-pass keys) while giving Ryan (and his underrated mobility) a two-level read and clean throwing windows outside of the pocket. Sanu (Z) runs the deep out (or comeback), Taylor Gabriel (W) works back on the crossing route and tight end Austin Hooper (Y) releases late to the flat. Ryan's initial read is to the front side of the formation off the play-action, as Jones (X) likely will occupy two defenders downfield on the post.

Look for this boot scheme on Sunday, when the Falcons have the ball in the "strike zone" (Patriots' 20-35-yard line) or the red zone.

Levels

The Falcons love to use levels concepts. These can be packaged into hi-lo reads for Ryan while also creating natural "pick" situations for wide receivers and backs to come clean as underneath options.

Here, the Falcons align in an empty set with Freeman (H) removed from the formation. This gives Ryan a "levels" concept to the strong side of the formation with Hooper (Y) running the dig route and both Gabriel (Z) and Jones (W) on the smash routes (5-yard in-cuts). This creates a natural pick for Jones on the inside cut to beat man coverage on a middle-of-the-field throw.

To the weakside, Ryan can throw the "VO" concept (vertical-out) with Sanu (X) on the fade and Freeman running the flat route. But Ryan's first read is to the three-WR side of the formation -- and he can throw this concept versus both zone and man coverage. Get the ball out and give your receivers room to run after the catch. That's free money.

Follow Route

Shanahan is a master at using bunch and stacked looks to create traffic off the snap versus man-coverage teams. And the abilities of Freeman and Coleman as receiving threats add to Shanahan's game plan.

With Sanu (Z) and Hooper (Y) in reduced splits, and Freeman (H) aligned on the outside leg of the offensive tackle, the Falcons create a bunch formation (three players close together). This allows Hooper to release upfield on the corner route to generate a mess of bodies as Sanu runs the shallow crosser and Freeman hits the angle route.

Freeman beat the Seahawks for a big gain in the divisional round with this concept and scored a TD against the Packers in the red zone. Tough to defend.

Power O

The Falcons are a zone-based running team, but that doesn't mean Shanahan won't reduce the formation to run power schemes out of two-TE personnel (Y and U).

This is the Power O, an old-school concept with the tight end (Y) blocking down on the edge, the fullback, Patrick DiMarco (F), leading to kick out the edge defender, and left guard Andy Levitre pulling through the hole.

This creates a lane for Freeman or Coleman (H) to run inside the kickout block and follow the guard to the second level. Look for this when the Falcons are inside the plus 5-yard line or in short-yardage situations. And remember, in the Power O, there is nowhere to hide. Hat on a hat. Put on the big-boy pads and play downhill football.

Yankee Route

The Yankee route traces back to Shanahan's time in Washington with Robert Griffin III at quarterback. It's a deep play-action concept designed to create an open throwing lane by occupying the top of the defense. Throw in some added window dressing, and this is a tough concept to defend.

The Falcons align the wide receivers in reduced splits tight to the core of the formation (false run keys) and use the run action to remove the underneath defenders. At the snap, the tight end (Y) comes back across the formation on the arc block, with Freeman (H) on the downhill zone action and Gabriel on the reverse (W).

This allows Ryan (Q) to go through two play-action fakes while Jones (X) runs the deep post. That removes the backside cornerback and occupies the safety in the deep middle of the field.

With Sanu (Z) working back on the deep crossing route, Ryan can set his feet off the play-action and target the receiver in the now-vacated area of the field. This is a classic "shot zone" play for Shanahan (ball between the 40s), creating an opportunity for the Falcons to flip the field or advance into scoring position.

RPO Slant

Run-pass options (RPOs) have taken over at the lower levels of the game (high school and college), and we are seeing them more and more in the pros. This is a run concept paired with a passing play that should make the offense right every time, assuming the QB makes the correct pre-snap read.

In Atlanta, Shanahan pairs the two-back zone scheme with the backside slant. This allows Ryan to count the number of defenders in the box and read the leverage/alignment of the defensive back versus the slot receiver.

Ryan can hand the ball off to Freeman or Coleman (H) in the zone scheme, with DiMarco (F) leading on the edge, if the Falcons have the numbers advantage in the box. Ryan can also immediately throw the quick one-step slant to Sanu (Z) if the QB likes the matchup (and defensive look) in the passing game.

Four Verticals



The four vertical concept is run throughout the league, but Shanahan does a really good job of dressing it up based on personnel and alignment with an added bonus of an underneath option.

With two tight ends and two wide receivers on the field, the Falcons shift Coleman (H) from the backfield out wide. This can create matchup issues for man-coverage teams (linebacker has to remove in coverage) with Coleman pressing downfield on the inside seam. That gives the Falcons four vertical routes, with Coleman and Hooper (Y) running the seam routes and Sanu (Z) and Levine Toilolo (U) on the outside fades.

However, don't forget about Jones (X) running the inside smash or shallow crosser. This allows Ryan to use Jones as a checkdown or underneath matchup option. And getting the ball to Jones with space to run after the catch is a nightmare for opposing defenses.

Hi-Lo Mesh



The "mesh" concept is a common route seen on Saturdays in the college game with spread teams, but it's also a top call for Shanahan due to the hi-lo combination and the option to hit Freeman or Coleman on the quick wheel (or rail) route.

With two tight ends and two receivers in the game, aligned in a double-stack look, the Falcons can create pick situations at the release with Toilolo (U) running the corner route and Jones (X) coming on the shallow crosser. That gives Ryan a two-level read inside with Jones underneath (low) and Hooper (Y) on the dig (high).

The key, however, is the release and route of the running back (H). This forces the linebacker in coverage to work through the releases and crossing routes to match the back. That's trouble for the defense when Ryan can get the ball out. Get stuck behind the back, and it could mean six on the board for the Falcons.

Inside Zone



Along with the "duo" scheme (straight downhill run with double-teams at the point of attack), the Falcons will show the inside zone. With the offensive line again taking the "zone step" and Ryan aligned in the shotgun, the running back can find daylight on an inside run off the mesh-point action (quarterback-running back exchange).

However, the key to the Falcons' inside zone goes back to the ability of Freeman and Coleman (H). With the end man on the line of scrimmage left unblocked, the running back can "bend" the ball back in the natural cutback lane that is created off the mesh point, hugging the block of the right tackle in this example.

Keep an eye on this scheme when the Falcons get inside the plus 5-yard line. And expect Coleman to get the ball. He hits the line like a rocket. Target the quick cutback and get the ball into the end zone for six before the end man can close to the ball.

Z-Iso



The Falcons will run the standard three-step concepts (slant-flat, curl-flat, stick-outs, etc.) as the rest of NFL offenses do, but I like Shanahan's ability to use deep routes off play-action to target Jones with max protection.

Again, Shanahan dresses up this route with a diamond or inverted bone look (three backs in the backfield) and Ryan in the pistol alignment. That puts Hooper (Y) and DiMarco (F) in offset alignments, with Freeman (H) behind the quarterback. This allows the Falcons to use play-action while also giving Ryan added protection off the fake as this route takes some time to develop.

In reality, this is nothing more than an isolation route for Jones (Z) with Gabriel (X) running the backside dig. At the snap, Jones releases up the field and stems inside to sell the deep dig or post look. This forces the cornerback to overplay the break while Jones works back on the deep out route. It's a long throw for Ryan (outside of the numbers), but with the extra time to set his feet, Ryan can rip this ball to Jones.

This is a great call versus two-man coverage as the cornerback will be sitting inside and the safety playing top-down. Look for it on Sunday and focus on the backfield set. This is where Shanahan likes to attack the matchup with Jones in a one-on-one situation.

WR Screen



The wide receiver screen is a quick way to get the ball into the hands of Gabriel. He's electric in the open field given his burst and lateral change-of-direction ability. And it's nothing more than a long handoff for Ryan.

With three wide receivers on the field, Sanu (X) and Gabriel (W) align in stack tight to the core of the formation. At the snap, the Falcons use quick play-action to hold the linebackers in the box, with Freeman (H) faking a zone-run look. This allows Sanu to block the force defender outside with both the left tackle and left guard releasing to block the first threats.

After that, it's up to Gabriel. Read the blocks, find daylight and accelerate up the field. This is the same scheme (out of different formations) that Gabriel scored on versus the Arizona Cardinals in the regular season. And it's also a concept Shanahan will use in the deep red zone with Freeman aligned as a receiver. Don't make it complicated here. Just get the ball to your playmakers with blockers out in front on a super high-percentage throw.

Crack Toss


The crack toss is a great call from Shanahan versus man-coverage teams because it forces the defensive backs to become edge players with the big guys leading or pulling outside. And it can be almost automatic in the deep red zone, where hesitation from the defense leads to points.

With two wide receivers again aligned in stack tight to the core of the formation, Sanu (X) blocks down on the edge (called a "crack" block) and Gabriel (W) blocks the first second-level threat. This allows the Falcons to pull left tackle Jake Matthews while DiMarco (F) leads outside. Off the toss, Coleman (H) can press the ball to the edge or cut up the field based on the leverage of the defenders.

The key here: Will the defensive backs assigned to cover Sanu and Gabriel react quickly enough off the blocks (replace on the edge), and are they willing to get downhill to take on both Matthews and DiMarco? If the defensive backs follow the receivers inside or widen versus the blocks, this is a walk-in score -- just as we saw on Coleman's touchdown run in the NFC Championship Game win over the Packers.

TE Throwback



I saved one of Shanahan's top gadget calls for last because this could be a critical play in Super Bowl LI versus the Patriots' heavy man-coverage schemes.

Why does it work? For starters, it combines two of the Falcons' top calls -- outside zone and boot. That's what Shanahan wants to show the defense before sneaking the tight end all the way back across the formation.

At the snap, the Falcons use play-action, with Freeman (H) on the zone look, and Ryan rolls away from the play side (boot). This allows the backside tight end (U) to run the shallow crosser with Jones (X) on the post. The idea is to pull the coverage back to the opposite side of the field while the strongside tight end (Y), either Hooper or Toilolo, blocks before releasing downfield.

Yes, this concept is on tape. And the Patriots are the most prepared team in the NFL from a defensive perspective. You can bet they will run through this gadget concept in practice. But at game speed? With all the window dressing Shanahan throws into the mix? Maybe the Falcons can get a free one Sunday.

Hey, stuff happens. And even the top defenses take the bait from time to time. That's football.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...osh-mcdaniels-super-bowl-li-2016-nfl-playoffs

Inside the Patriots' offensive playbook
By Matt Bowen

Today, let's do the same for the New England Patriots' offense, looking specifically at the game film since Rob Gronkowski went down for the season with an injury. The Patriots feature a mix of short-to-intermediate passing, inside breaking routes, downhill running and empty formations that allow Tom Brady to target favorable matchups.

Here are the 15 plays from Patriots' offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels that you need to be watching for on Sunday night in Super Bowl LI.

Smash-seam (empty)



The smash-seam concept is one of the top Cover 3 beaters in the NFL because it allows the offense to widen and occupy the cornerbacks outside (smash route). That opens up the inside throwing lane for the quarterback to target the seam routes and split the top of the three-deep shell (cornerback and safety).

Here, Chris Hogan (X) and Martellus Bennett (Y) run the seam routes with the running back, Dion Lewis/James White (H) and Malcolm Mitchell (W) on the smash routes. That sets the bait for the cornerbacks (prevents them from overlapping the inside routes) while Brady can manipulate the free safety in the deep middle of the field to create the perfect throwing window to target the seam.

However, in New England, McDaniels adds the wrinkle of the empty set with Julian Edelman aligned as the Z receiver. Edelman runs the shallow crosser, pivot or the "nod" (stem inside, break up the field).

The idea is to get the ball underneath to Edelman (averaged 5.02 yards after the catch during the regular season) versus both zone and man coverage with room to run. Read the leverage of the defender, convert the route and catch the ball in space.

This route is all over the tape because it caters to the ability of Brady to move the free safety (open his hips) and the talent of Edelman to produce numbers after the catch. Plus, as we will see with all of McDaniels' route concepts, the Patriots can run the smash-seam from any personnel grouping.

Post-wheel/out



I would expect to see this concept on Sunday versus the Falcons because it can clear out space versus Cover 3 (three deep, four under) to feed the ball to Edelman (X) on another short-to-intermediate route.

With a trips look to the front side of the formation, Hogan (Z) and Mitchell/Danny Amendola (W) run the post-wheel combination. This is called "two through the zone" versus Cover 3 and it will remove both the cornerback and the underneath curl defender as the safety or linebacker will carry/match the wheel (W). That opens up the outside one-third of the field for Edelman to stem inside off the release and break to the out. A quick, high-percentage throw from Brady.

To the backside of the formation, with Bennett (Y) flexed, the tight end runs the dig route (square-in) with Lewis/White (H) releasing to the flat. Brady's initial read will be to the front side of the formation, where Edelman has another opportunity to catch the ball in space and get up the field.

Remember, Edelman targets traveled just 8.85 yards in the air on average during the regular season. This is how he makes his money.

Counter (OF)



Brady and the Patriots' ability to consistently create matchups in the passing game always leads off the discussion with this team, but let's not forget about New England's downhill, old-school power running game. The Patriots averaged 117.0 yards rushing during the regular season (seventh in the NFL), and they have no problem aligning in classic 21 personnel (2WR-1TE-2RB) to pound the ball.

Along with the Power O (fullback kick-out, backside guard pull), the Patriots have been showing a lot of Counter OF on the tape. Out of a strong I formation, the front-side guard pulls (kick-out) with fullback James Develin (F) leading up through the hole.

This allows LeGarrette Blount to come downhill, hug the block of the left tackle (down block) while the guard and fullback create a lane on the edge. And just like the Power O scheme, there is nowhere to hide on this old-school run. You need your big-boy pads for this one if you want to get into the mix.

RB slip screen



The Patriots' screen game is tough to defend because McDaniels will dress up these schemes with formation and route concepts that remove defenders from the picture. That, as expected, creates open field to work with -- and blockers out in front -- after Brady dumps off the ball.

In this example, the Patriots are running a simple slip screen to White (H). This allows the right tackle to set deep (invite the edge rusher up the field) while the right guard and center get out to block the second-level defenders dropping into coverage. Pretty standard stuff for the screen game in the pros.

However, I really like the post-wheel concept outside. Remember, the post-wheel/out play to Edelman we discussed above? This holds the same principles versus both zone and man coverage with Mitchell (W) and Hogan (Z) running off the outside defenders. That's going to open up space while Edelman (X) releases inside on a deep slant to occupy the free safety.

If executed, versus the proper defensive look, this simple screen concept can turn into a big play with White (or Lewis) now in a position to get up the field.

Hi-lo crossers (pick)



The Patriots, like every other offense in the NFL, use hi-lo or "levels" concepts to create pick/rub situations versus man-coverage teams. And if the Falcons want to get away from their Cover 3 shell to match up with more man looks (Cover 1) versus the Patriots, we should see this route on Sunday in Houston.

Want to talk about an alert for the defense? Look at the splits of Hogan (X) and Edelman (W). Those are "reduced" splits (tight to the core of the formation). And that should tell the Falcons to expect some sort of crossing route or a pick.

Here, Hogan uses a hard, inside release to run the shallow crosser (low) with Edelman on the intermediate crosser (high) from the opposite side of the formation. Yes, Hogan can sell this and aim the route at the upfield shoulder of the defensive back in coverage versus Edelman. But, as you can see, I drew this up as a pick route (X).

With Bennett (Y) running the inside seam to hold the free safety in the deep middle of the field, the secondary could be in trouble. That pick from Hogan is going to force the defensive back to bubble over the top, which will create separation for Edelman with no immediate help on the crosser. Tough spot for the defense in Cover 1.

NCAA route



The Patriots don't consistently throw the vertical passing game, but they will use play-action to target the deep dig route off the "NCAA" (post-dig) concept out of 21 personnel. Very similar to the "Yankee" route we broke down in Shanahan's playbook, this scheme is designed to remove the second-level linebackers with play-action while occupying the top of the secondary to open a window to the dig route.

With Brady selling the run action to the strong side of the formation (lead strong) and Bennett (Y) staying in to block (giving the Patriots a max-protection look), the Patriots quarterback has time to set his feet in this pocket. This allows Edelman (Z) to press up the field on the post route to occupy the top of the defense versus both single- and double-high safety alignments.

Now, with the safety removed, Hogan (X) can break the dig route off at 15 yards and work to the vacated area of the field. Another inside-breaking target for Brady. Set the feet and deliver the ball. It's a smart call to open up the intermediate window and Brady also has a checkdown option with Develin (F) releasing to the strongside flat.

One-back power



The one-back power is a great answer for the Patriots if they want to run the ball versus defensive sub-packages (nickel/dime). This allows McDaniels to attack six- or seven-man fronts as the defense tries to match up to New England's three-WR personnel.

Blount can carry the ball in this look, but based on the tape, Lewis is the guy you want in the backfield taking the handoff out the shotgun alignment. With the right tackle blocking down, the tight end (Y) kicking out the edge defender and the backside guard pilling up through the hole, Lewis can use his electric burst to push this ball to the second level. Plus, given his change-of-direction ability, don't be surprised if Lewis bounces this ball to the outside.

If the Patriots find a matchup they like up front versus the Falcons' sub-package personnel, expect McDaniels to lean on his "nickel" runs. And he will continue to run the ball until Atlanta comes up with an answer.

Play-action seam



I think the Patriots have the best play-action game in the league for one simple reason: They pull the guard. That's a false run key and it sets the bait for the linebackers to vacate the second level, leaving an open window for Brady to throw the seam, dig or backside slant. And it's a great call after running the one-back power we just looked at.

In this example, the Patriots dress it up even more with an extra offensive tackle in the game aligned as the on-the-ball tight end (Y) and Edelman (Z) in a reduced split. These are both high run alerts for the defense.

At the snap, the Patriots pull the front-side guard with Blount or Lewis coming downhill on the run fake. That's going to force the inside linebackers to take a downhill path to the run action while creating that window for Brady with Bennett (U) working up the field on the seam.

Even if the defense is playing man coverage, the inside help is removed as Bennett starts to bend the seam route (work away from the defender's leverage). And given the mechanics from Brady off the play fake, the Patriots quarterback is going to flip his hips and deliver a dime to the upfield shoulder of Bennett.

With the guard pull, the play-action and the footwork of Brady, this is one of the toughest routes to stop in McDaniels' offense.

Stick route



The stick route might be one of the most common combinations in the NFL and the Patriots will run it out of multiple personnel groupings. But I like it the most out of three-WR personnel because it gets Edelman (Z) to the flat quickly with a backside slant-flat combination.

To the front side of the formation, Edelman aligns with a reduced split (alert to the stick combo) and bursts immediately to the flat (automatic versus off-man coverage) with Bennett (Y) running the "stick." Versus man coverage, Bennett will run the quick out. But if he reads a zone coverage, the tight end can sit the route down (short curl) in the open window between defenders.

Looking at the backside of the formation, Hogan (X) runs the slant with Mitchell/Amendola/Floyd (W) on the flat. That's going to be a natural pick situation versus man coverage while Brady can also hit Hogan on the slant in the zone window.

It's not complicated. In fact, it's pretty simple. But the stick route shows up time and time again on the Patriots' film. This is a go-to concept when they need five or six yards to move the sticks.

Fake WR screen



The Patriots will throw bubble/tunnel screens to the Z wide receiver out of trips formations, so the next step is to sell the same action and target the vertical concepts. Try to get a free one and play with the eye discipline of the secondary.

In this example, out of a trips look, the Patriots show the run action (H on the inside zone) and the tunnel screen with Edelman (Z) at the snap. Brady shows the ball to Lewis (H) on the zone run look, pumps to Edelman on the screen and then flips his hips to target the two vertical concepts: Hogan (W) on the outside fade and Bennett (Y) on the seam.

With both vertical routes, Hogan and Bennett will take outside releases (blocking angles) and stutter before converting the routes up the field. Take a false step here or play with poor eye discipline and Brady is going to throw the ball over your head for an explosive gain.

Goal-line lead (strong)



Blount had 18 touchdown runs during the regular season. His natural power and the Patriots' downhill schemes in goal-line situations are a perfect match.

Along with the two-back stretch (zone) scheme and the Power O, the classic lead strong is at the top of the list for McDaniels in this area of the field. Bring two tight ends into the game, plus an extra offensive lineman, and play power football. No window dressing. Nah. Time to strap up.

Nothing really special here, either, with the guard blocking down and Develin (F) leading through the hole to take on the linebacker. That's a big collision too, with Blount (H) following the blocker into the end zone.

Yes, McDaniels will spread the formation, run pick routes on the goal line and find matchups to target. But this is a proven way to get the rock into the end zone when you have a running back with the skill set of Blount.

Double dig



The double-dig route gives Brady two inside breaking routes at different levels to beat zone coverage or work away from outside leverage versus man coverage. Plus, with "pony" personnel in the game (two tailbacks), Brady also can work the ball underneath to the flats.

Here, Hogan (Z) runs the outside dig at a depth of 15 yards with Edelman (W) breaking off the inside route at 10 yards. This gives Brady levels to work with while Mitchell (X) runs the fade or out.

However, as I mentioned above, having two tailbacks in the game gives Brady the option to the throw the flat routes to Lewis (H) and White (F). That's key versus zone teams, and it also creates matchup issues for the defense if linebackers or safeties have to check the backs underneath in man coverage.

This is something to keep an eye on Sunday with the Falcons' sub-packages versus three-WR personnel. Can they match the Patriots' running backs on underneath concepts in third-down situations? If not, that's where Brady is going with the ball.

Double slant (pick)



We could see this route from the Patriots in third-and-2 to third-and-6 situations or inside of the deep red zone (plus 10-yard line) because of the pick/rub created by the inside breaking routes.

With the Patriots in a 3x1 alignment, Edelman (W) runs the inside slant with Hogan (Z) on the shallow slant. That allows Bennett (Y) to break to the flat and forces the defender in coverage to make a decision: Do I go under the pick (Hogan) or bubble over the top? Either way, Bennett is going to create separation. And, inside of the 5-yard line, that's a touchdown.

To the backside, the Patriots are running a curl-flat combination with Mitchell (X) on the inside curl and White (H) releasing to the flat. And Brady will look to this side of the field versus zone coverage as the underneath defender is taught to widen with the flat (which opens a window to the curl). Easy toss to move the sticks.

Flat-7 (corner)



The Flat-7 route out of trips allows the Patriots to clear out the top of the secondary on the corner route (tight end) while creating that one-on-one matchup underneath with White or Lewis in the flat.

Bennett (Y) releases up the field on the corner route. That's going to get the attention of the safety in man coverage, or the backside cornerback in zone coverage, which leaves White/Lewis (H) underneath versus a linebacker.

In zone coverage, the running back can stem up the field and then break to the flat. Or versus man coverage, it's a quick release to the flat and the ball is out, with the linebacker having to work through Bennett's vertical release to get to the flat. Either way, this is an advantage for the Patriots on Sunday.

To the front side of the formation, the Patriots send Hogan (W) on the post, Mitchell (X) on the dig and Edelman (Z) to the flat. However, the play here is to target White/Lewis. This is just another way the Patriots can use their personnel to win on third downs or in the red zone.

And it's also very similar to how the Patriots utilized Shane Vereen in Super Bowl XLIX versus the Seattle Seahawks' defense (the same scheme the Falcons run). Throw the ball underneath and take what the defense gives you.

Slant-flat/VO (empty)



Remember White's big play versus the Ravens on Monday Night Football during the regular season? This was the route (to the front side of the formation) as New England forced Baltimore to walk a linebacker out into coverage. Find the matchup. And take advantage of it.

With the Patriots in an empty alignment, and White (H) aligned as the No. 1 to the strong side (count outside-in), the Patriots' running back releases on the three-step slant with Mitchell (Z) breaking outside and Bennett (Y) releasing on the shallow cross. To the back side of the formation, the Patriots show the "VO" combination (vertical-out) with Hogan (X) running the fade and Edelman (W) on the flat route. This combination is designed to clear space for Edelman to run a quick, outside cut.

This, again, will force the Falcons to find the proper matchup to check White or Lewis when they remove from the formation. That's why these short, quick routes in McDaniels' playbook can destroy opposing defenses. They aren't exotic or complex. But when you use your personnel to expose weakness in the defense, as the Patriots do, those three-step routes can turn into game-changing plays.

Hey there gentlemen. I'm trying to collect Rams jerseys lately and I've been able to acquire some really nice ones in my opinion. What are some of your favorites that you own
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Also is there anyone here wanting to sell any old jerseys? Old colors especially. Anyway thanks guys let's see some nice jerseys.

Man... this is bad.

https://www.engadget.com/2017/02/03/fukushima-radiation-skyrockets-after-possible-fuel-breach/

Radiation levels inside the damaged Fukushima nuclear reactor are over 100 times fatal levels, the highest they've been since the triple meltdown in March, 2011, according to operator Tepco. The company recently sent a camera-equipped robot into the reactor, which relayed images showing a meter-wide hole in the pressure vessel (above), with possible melted uranium fuel on a grating below. "It may have ... melted and made a hole in the [containment] vessel, but it is only a hypothesis at this stage," a company spokesperson told the AFP.

Since the accident, the highest recorded level in the plant was around 73 sieverts per hour, but a new reading, estimated from a camera that was sent in on Monday, shows an "unimaginable" 530 sieverts per hour, according to an expert. A dose of one sievert can cause radiation sickness, while 10 sieverts would kill you in a few weeks.

Tepco and its partners had been unable to locate the exposed low-enriched uranium fuel (LEU), a prerequisite to decommissioning the plant. So far, the levels of radiation made it impossible to get cameras and robots in close in close enough to gauge the damage -- of the five sent in, none returned.

Until Monday, it was believed that the radioactive fuel was contained within the reactor's pressure vessel. However, if it broke through into the larger containment vessel, the situation could be much worse than previously thought. The company had planned to deploy a robotic camera in March that can withstand 1,000 sieverts per hour, but the latest readings indicate it would last less than an hour.

Authorities are supposed to figure out a plan to remove the fuel by 2018, but the latest discovery could delay that. In December, the Japanese government pegged the plant decommissioning cost at 21.5 trillion yen ($190 billion), nearly double the original estimate.

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http://www.csnne.com/new-england-pa...gh-for-a-fact?p=ya5nbcs&ocid=yahoo&yptr=yahoo


HOUSTON -- Over the years, Marshall Faulk has come to regret some of the things he has said about the Patriots in more bitter days. Time heals all wounds, though, and the fact of the matter is that he respects Bill Belichick and the Patriots now.


Ah wait, that’s actually LaDainian Tomlinson. Wrong running back. Faulk is still pissed.

Per WEEI, Faulk went off on the Patriots once again Thursday, saying the Patriots taped St. Louis’ walkthrough ahead of New England’s 20-17 win over Faulk’s Rams. This is something that, though reported in 2008, was retracted and has not since been reported by any major outlet.

Faulk, though, remains convinced.

“[The practice] before the Super Bowl, the guy who worked for the Patriots. If you remember, that was someone mysteriously living in Hawaii, who made his way back to the states and delivered the tapes,” Faulk said. “[Roger] Goodell then watched those tapes and said there wasn’t enough there to deem anything being done.

“Now, I didn’t see what was on the tapes, because we didn’t get to see that. The only thing I could say is that they taped our practice. That was wrong.”

When asked if that was his belief, Faulk responded, “I don’t believe anything. I’m just telling you the facts.”

This is a song Faulk has been singing for years. In 2013, he told Tom E. Curran that the Pats cheated in their Super Bowl win over the Rams.

"Am I over the loss? Yeah, I'm over the loss," Faulk said at the time. "But I'll never be over being cheated out of the Super Bowl. That's a different story."

On Thursday, Faulk said that he is not necessarily a Patriots-basher, but rather someone who discusses what’s happened.

“You can’t criticize facts,” he said. “The only think I’ve criticized [for] is the things they have been penalized for. That’s it. Other than that. what have I been critical of? I think Tom Brady is awesome. I never said he has a weak arm, can’t throw, doesn’t do this. [He] does more with less.”

Found this posted on Sportslogos.net , the Jags and Lions have proven correct so far.
I can't imagine this change without it actually being a uniforms\helmet change too.

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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/02/02/steve-smith-joins-nfl-network/

Steve Smith joins NFL Network
Posted by Josh Alper on February 2, 2017

Wide receiver Steve Smith was always one of the better quotes in the league during his 16-year NFL career and his retirement from the playing field won’t mean the end of access to his thoughts on the game.

In a tweet on Thursday, Smith told Rich Eisen of NFL Network to “ice up” because he will be joining Eisen and the rest of the league’s broadcast team as an analyst. In a more formal announcement of the plans, NFL Network said that Smith’s duties will start this Sunday as part of their Super Bowl coverage.

“I was blessed to have a long and productive playing career on the field but now it’s time to turn my attention to the business of covering the game and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining the team at NFL Network,” Smith said in a statement. “As the only network with a 100% focus on the sport I love, I was drawn to NFL Network and look forward to joining a team made up of many legends of the game.”

Smith played his final season for the Ravens. He ended his career with the seventh-most receiving yards in history and is 12th all-time in receptions.

I saw this article earlier in the week... it's interesting to see how the halftime has morphed into the spectacle it is today.

As much as I hate to admit it, the New Kids On The Block probably were the first artist to really shift the show.

----

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/l...e-performers-lady-gaga-set-to-join-u2-prince/

Here is the complete list of previous Super Bowl halftime performers and themes:

2016: Coldplay, Beyonce, Bruno Mars

2015: Katy Perry, Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott

2014: Bruno Mars, Red Hot Chili Peppers

2013: Beyonce

2012: Madonna

2011: The Black Eyed Peas, Usher, Slash

2010: The Who

2009: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

2008: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers


Prince (2007) and Bono (2002) were two of the better halftime shows. (Getty Images)

2007: Prince and the Florida A&M marching band

2006: The Rolling Stones


The legendary Paul McCartney performs in Jacksonville (2005). (Getty Images)

2005: Paul McCartney

2004: Janet Jackson, Kid Rock, P. Diddy, Nelly and Justin Timberlake

2003: Shania Twain, No Doubt and Sting

2002: U2

2001: "The Kings of Rock and Pop" featuring Aerosmith, 'N'Sync, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige and Nelly

2000: "A Tapestry of Nations" featuring Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias, Toni Braxton and an 80-person choir

1999: "Celebration of Soul, Salsa and Swing" featuring Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and tap dancer Savion Glover

1998: "A Tribute to Motown's 40th Anniversary" including Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, Queen Latifah, Martha Reeves and The Temptations

1997: "Blues Brothers Bash" featuring Dan Akroyd, John Goodman and James Belushi (also featuring "The Godfather of Soul" James Brown and ZZ Top)

1996: Diana Ross celebrating 30 years of the Super Bowl with special effects, pyrotechnics and stadium card stunt. Finale featured Diana Ross being taken from the stadium in a helicopter


Diana Ross performs at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Getty Images

1995: "Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye" featuring Tony Bennett, Patti LaBelle, Arturo Sandoval, the Miami Sound Machine and stunts including fire and skydivers. Finale included audience participation with light sticks

1994: "Rockin' Country Sunday" featuring Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, Wynonna & Naomi Judd. Finale included flashlight stunt

1993: "Heal the World" featuring Michael Jackson and 3,500 local children. Finale included audience card stunt

1992: "Winter Magic" including a salute to the winter season and the winter Olympics featuring Gloria Estefan, Brian Boitano and Dorothy Hamill


New Kids on the Block put on a show in Tampa. (Getty Images)

1991: "A Small World Salute to 25 Years of the Super Bowl" featuring New Kids on the Block

1990: "Salute to New Orleans" and 40th Anniversary of Peanuts' characters, featuring trumpeter Pete Fountain, Doug Kershaw & Irma Thomas

1989: "Be Bop Bamboozled" featuring 3-D effects

1988: "Something Grand" featuring 88 grand pianos, the Rockettes and Chubby Checker

1987: "Salute to Hollywood's 100th Anniversary"

1986: "Beat of the Future"

1985: "A World of Children's Dreams"

1984: "Super Bowl XVIII's Salute to the Superstars of the Silver Screen"

1983: "KaleidoSUPERscope" (a kaleidoscope of color and sound)

1982: "A Salute to the 60s and Motown"

1981: "A Mardi Gras Festival"

1980: "A Salute to the Big Band Era" with Up with People

1979: "Super Bowl XIII Carnival" Salute to the Caribbean with Ken Hamilton and various Caribbean bands

1978: "From Paris to the Paris of America" with Tyler Apache Belles, Pete Fountain and Al Hirt

1977: "It's a Small World" including crowd participation for first time with spectators waving colored placards on cue

1976: "200 Years and Just a Baby" Tribute to America's Bicentennial

1975: "Tribute to Duke Ellington" with Mercer Ellington and Grambling State band

1974: "A Musical America" with University of Texas band

1973: "Happiness Is." with University of Michigan marching band and Woody Herman

1972: "Salute to Louis Armstrong" with Ella Fitzgerald, Carol Channing, Al Hirt and U.S. Marine Corps Drill Team

1971: Florida A&M band

1970: Carol Channing

1969: "America Thanks" with Florida A&M University band

1968: Grambling State band

1967: University of Arizona and Grambling State marching bands

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Hire Chip Kelly as Commissioner of Speed? That would be right up his alley. I doubt if the NFL would mess with the amount of commercials each game, especially considering the 8% drop in ratings last season.
*****************************************************************************
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...king-speed-pace-games-reduce-stoppages-action

NFL looking to speed up pace of games, reduce stoppages in action
Kevin Seifert/NFL Nation

The NFL could change game management procedures to speed up the pace of games and reduce stoppages, commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday in Houston.

Goodell, giving his annual news conference at the site of Super Bowl LI, provided examples, most notably a new play clock that would minimize the time between point-after attempts and the ensuing kickoff.

He said the discussions began several years ago, but acknowledged the urgent timing after the NFL's television ratings fell by 8 percent in 2016 compared to the previous season.

"What we're trying to do is make our product as exciting, and our games as exciting and action-packed, as possible," Goodell said.

Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti has previously said he thinks the game needs to speed up.

"It doesn't take a genius to figure out that nobody wants to see two minutes of commercials, come back, kick the ball and then go to a minute-and-a-half of commercials," Bisciotti said in early January.

The changes Goodell mentioned included:

• A time limit for teams to be ready for a kickoff, reducing the duration of what is typically the least-eventful sequence of an NFL game. The purpose would be to avoid "delays getting the teams assembled and back onto the field," Goodell said.
  
  
• Using Microsoft Surface Pro tablets for replay reviews. The league has experimented with the tablets for replay in previous preseasons and Pro Bowls. Currently, they are approved only for coaches and players to view photographs on the sidelines. Goodell suggested using the tablets would be faster than the current replay stations.
  
  
• Cutting the referee announcement that a play is under review.
  
  
• Reducing the number of commercials from five per quarter to four. "We think less is more in this area," Goodell said. "And we can do it with the right balance that will improve the quality of experience either in the stadium or on television."

Details for most of those changes would be developed by the NFL competition committee and considered by owners this spring or summer. Typically, however, initiatives that Goodell advances in January are approved.

"I expect to see a lot of those changes in the offseason," Goodell said.

Information from ESPN's Jamison Hensley contributed to this report.

Just saw this in the Orange County Register and just rumors.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/raiders-742747-diego-san.html

Wouldn't it be ironic that the Chargers move to L.A. only to have the Raiders move to San Diego to fill their spot and take their market shares?

Had the Chargers stayed put in San Diego and the Raiders deal fell through with Las Vegas, the Raiders would have overtaken the Rams fan base in L.A. and Raiders fan would outnumber Rams fans by a wide margin.

Things are getting a bit complicated.

Stay tuned.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...pain-gain-pro-football-hall-of-fame/97258738/

NFL legend Earl Campbell still hits hard, compares current NFL to wrestling
Josh Peter , USA TODAY Sports



AUSTIN — Earl Campbell, one of the most celebrated football heroes in Texas, leaned on a metal walker and shuffled to the front of his office last week to greet visitors.

He said he has had both knees replaced and had four back surgeries and battled substance abuse since his playing career ended three decades ago. Among the most punishing runners in NFL history, Campbell, 61, wants people who consider him a living legend to know he is, indeed, still living.

“I haven’t gone nowhere yet,” said Campbell, who starred for the Houston Oilers, earned induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991 and about a decade ago spent 45 days in a rehab facility for abuse of painkillers and alcohol.

He is proud of his recovery — sober for almost nine years, he reported — and for helping Houston secure the right to host Super Bowl LI on Sunday at NRG Stadium. But he expressed little enthusiasm for watching the New England Patriots play the Atlanta Falcons.

In fact, Campbell compared current play in the NFL to professional wrestling.

“And we all know now that we’re grown men that wrestling’s fake,” Campbell told USA TODAY Sports. “Well, football is not played like it was when I played.

“It was real football when Jack Tatum (a Hall of Fame safety for the Oakland Raiders) and I hit each other on the 2-yard line and I backed into the end zone. And after the game I said, ‘Hey, that’s the best I had,’ and he said, ‘That’s the best I had, too, Campbell.’ I mean, that was real football. But now … ”

Shaking his head at the excuses he hears from contemporary NFL players, Campbell said, “I can’t play because I’ve got a hangnail on my toe. I can’t play because I didn’t get a pedicure this week. I don’t play because my head hurt.

“That wouldn’t have got the job done back in my day.”



That disdain is one reason Campbell spends Sundays as he does.

“A lot of people would think on Sundays, with football going on, I’d be watching football, right?” he said. “But my wife and I watch golf.

“I’d give anything to be able to hit a 9-iron,” added Campbell, whose physical problems prevent him from playing golf. “I know everything about golf. I know all about Tiger (Woods), I know all about Bubba Watson and I know all about Jason Day. I mean, I’m really in on it.”

But his Saturdays are reserved exclusively for college football, and Campbell kicks off in the morning with ESPN’s College GameDay on the television and then hunkers down.

“I come out of my man cave at about 1 in the morning,” he said, and inevitably he emerges from the cave without having seen a running back whose style resembled his.

A bruising runner, Campbell rushed for 4,443 yards and 40 touchdowns at the University of Texas and capped his four-year college career by winning the 1977 Heisman Trophy. During his NFL career that included 6½ years with the Oilers and 1 ½ years with the New Orleans Saints, he rushed for 9,407 yards and 74 touchdowns, was named NFL MVP in 1979 and made the all-pro first team three times.

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He said the only player in recent years who has impressed him is Marshawn Lynch, the powerful running back who played nine years in the NFL and was with the Seattle Seahawks when he abruptly retired after the 2015 season.

“I think he had two or three more good years in him,” said Campbell, who assured that he had nothing left when he retired in 1986 at 31.

Campbell said that he made the decision after a preseason game when his feet were so sore that he had to crawl his way to the bathroom.

“And I said, ‘Oh, hell, I don’t like it no more,’ ” Campbell recalled.

Rite of passage

Tracing his legendary toughness to growing up on a ranch in Tyler, Campbell offered snapshots of his rise to stardom.

His father died when he was in the fifth grade, leaving Campbell to work in the rose fields to help his mother pay the bills for seven boys and four girls. Campbell said he often went without socks.

Envisioning a life of poverty in the rose fields, Campbell said, at 15 he vowed to carve out a more luxurious life through football. As a high school junior, he was playing linebacker.

“I was the black Dick Butkus,” he said. “That was my hero, Dick Butkus.”

But in his senior season, the team needed a running back. Soon Campbell was plowing over linebackers in a sport he suggests is a rite of passage in this state.

“When you are born in Texas, you are going to play some football,” he said. “People in Texas love their football players. And any dad have a son, he might not directly push him into football, but he’s going to try to sneak it in there somehow.”

Though research shows football-related concussions lead to brain trauma known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), Campbell questioned how safety concerns are being addressed.

“It’s great that they’re teaching guys about the CTE and the tackling and all that,” he said. “But to play football you’ve got to be pretty physical. Sometimes I think a lot of guys are getting hurt in the game of football now because they’re trying to remember how not to tackle someone.

“Like myself, if I were playing football, heck, I would get more 15-yard penalties than anybody ’cause I play football with my whole body.”

Taking care of business

Expressing regret that he failed to lead the Oilers to a Super Bowl despite three playoff appearances, Campbell predicted the Falcons will get their first Super Bowl title Sunday by upsetting Tom Brady and the Patriots, winners of four Super Bowls since the 2001 season.

“They’re the better team,” Campbell said of the Falcons. “They have younger players. They want it. I don’t think Brady wants it as bad as he did that second one and that third one.”


(Photo: Erich Schlegel, USA TODAY Sports)

Asked for the favorite memories of his career, Campbell shot back, “Which one?”

He works with his two grown sons on business ventures that include Earl Campbell Meat Products, which his son Tyler said sold more than 14 million pounds of sausage last year.

Another priority is developing a non-profit venture called Project Rose, which will focus on research related to spine and joint issues that would benefit people such as Campbell.

After his football career, Campbell said, he discovered he suffered from a narrowing of the spine that contributed to his four back surgeries.

“I think if I’d gotten a real physical like they do now, CAT scans and everything, probably I wouldn’t have been able to play,” he said, adding he has no regrets about participating in a sport that has contributed to his using a walker and abusing painkillers. “I’m pretty happy. It don’t take that much to make a guy who don’t wear socks happy.”

Sean McVay likes to attack deep, will seek more balance with Rams

Alden Gonzalez

LOS ANGELES -- The sample size is too small for Sean McVay. He has only been an offensive coordinator for one team; only called plays for two seasons. At 31 -- younger than any head coach in the NFL's modern era -- McVay is too early in his career to have solidified his offensive philosophy, which is part of what makes his transition to the Los Angeles Rams so unpredictable and so enthralling.

With the Washington Redskins, McVay helped Kirk Cousins compile the NFL's fourth-highest Total QBR from 2015 to '16 and led an offense that ranked sixth in yards, ninth in points and third in third-down conversions over that two-year stretch. But McVay was handling a more experienced quarterback, a better group up front and a dynamic collection of receivers. With the Rams, he takes over an offense that has amassed the NFL's fewest yards each of the last two years -- with a 22-year-old quarterback, an uninspiring group of pass-catchers and perhaps the game's worst offensive line.

How much of McVay's scheme moves with him from D.C. to L.A. remains wholly uncertain, but that doesn't mean we can't learn from the evidence presented to us. Below are three of the main takeaways from McVay's Redskins offense.

Stretching the field vertically

Seven days before McVay was hired as the Rams' head coach, he sat alone with Jared Goff and went over film for two hours. Goff left that meeting ecstatic about what McVay's offense could do for his career. He talked about how "everything kind of runs through the quarterback" and said he expects McVay to "bring out the best in me."

Goff, the 2016 No. 1 overall pick, was forced to make a lot of adjustments coming out of Cal, which ran an Air Raid offense that spread the field and prompted Goff to take almost every snap from the shotgun. But McVay often resembled a spread offense with the Redskins. He frequently ran formations with DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, Jamison Crowder and Jordan Reed, a tight end, out wide, designing an assortment of deep vertical routes mixed with short, easy targets to take advantage of a soft middle of the field. He loved trips formations, running complex routes off of them that confused defenders. And he did a nice job of using motion before the snap to set up deep strikes down the field.

The play below illustrates several key aspects of McVay's offense: (1) motion before the snap, (2) use of play action, (3) unique routes off trips. It came in the season finale against the Giants, in the third quarter of a 19-10 loss. On first-and-10 with less than three minutes left, Cousins sent tight end Vernon Davis in motion to the right side of the screen. At the snap, the two outside receivers ran post routes towards the middle of the field, while Davis ran a deep fade up the right sideline.



The safety had to pay attention to the deep post and the outside corner had his eyes fixed on the outside receiver. That allowed Davis to beat the slot corner in single coverage and make a 31-yard, heel-tap catch near the 15-yard line. You can see the finish here.



Only one team, the Steelers, attempted more passes of at least 20 yards than the Redskins this past season. The Redskins used three-receiver sets more often than all but four teams, and in the vast majority of those sets, a tight end -- either Reed or Davis or both -- also acted as a downfield threat. Their vertical passing game opened things up, but it also became a hindrance in the red zone. Only 45.9 percent of the Redskins' red zone drives resulted in touchdowns, fourth-worst in the NFL, because spreading things out doesn't work so well with a shrunken field.

They needed a bigger threat with the run, which brings us to our next point.

Unbalanced attack

Chris Cooley, the former Redskins tight end who is now part of the organization's broadcast team, will tell you McVay "believes in a true run-pass balance system." He just wasn't able to implement that with the Redskins. McVay's offense averaged 23.7 rushing attempts per game, ranked 27th in the NFL even though it didn't play from behind very often. Cousins, meanwhile, was one of six quarterbacks to attempt more than 600 passes in 2016.

The Redskins averaged a solid 4.5 rushing yards per carry, but Cooley will tell you that's "entirely misleading, because there were 10 games this season when we could not run the football at all."

As a result, the Redskins threw frequently and unconventionally. They attempted 232 passes on first down and 80 passes in the red zone, both marks within the top 10. One of McVay's best skills was designing plays that put the Redskins in favorable third-down situations, evidenced by the fact they needed 3 or fewer yards on 32.2 percent of their third-down plays in 2016, fourth-highest in the NFL. But they were rarely able to do it on the ground, and correcting that will be a major focus for McVay with the Rams.

Todd Gurley, coming off a disastrous sophomore season, is traditionally a downhill runner who prefers to run behind a fullback or a pulling guard. Goff is more comfortable taking snaps from the shotgun and running a spread offense. McVay must strike a favorable balance, which brings us to our last point.

Ability to adapt

A turning point for McVay came on Dec. 7, 2015. The Redskins lost to the Cowboys, 19-16, on Monday Night Football and ran the ball on 16 of their 23 first-down plays. Their play-calling was too predictable and too basic. McVay vowed to turn up the aggressiveness. He soon adapted to an offense that was better-suited for throwing the football. He maximized Jackson's abilities as a deep threat, utilized Reed's skills on the outside and, according to several of those who watched that offense closely, constantly put his receivers in position to succeed.

Some say McVay was simply running an offense installed by head coach Jay Gruden. But there were shades of Mike and Kyle Shanahan, particularly the outside stretch zone and the bootlegs. McVay also incorporated the power run concepts of offensive line coach Bill Callahan. And he added his own wrinkles, too.

Two weeks after that fateful Monday night loss to the Cowboys, Cousins wasmic'd up for NFL Films in a game against the Bills. At one point, Cousins walked over to McVay on the sideline and said, “Look at what putting our foot on the gas pedal the whole time has done.” McVay's response: “That's what we did last week, too. I'm going to keep doing that. I'm learning, too.”

The Redskins beat the Cowboys, 34-23, to finish the 2015 season. When the two teams met again in Week 2 of the 2016 season, the Redskins lost, 27-23, but gained 432 yards from scrimmage, even though Cousins missed two open receivers for long touchdowns. There was no way Cousins could miss Josh Doctson in the early stages of the fourth quarter, however. The rookie receiver was too open. It happened, once again, on first down, with motion before the snap and off play-action passing.



Doctson was motioned to the other side of the field, lining up almost directly behind Jackson. At the snap, Jackson ran a post and took both defenders with him, leaving Doctson wide open on a fly route for a 57-yard gain. The Redskins led by three, were just starting their fourth-quarter drive and had lined up in an offset-I formation. A deep pass down the field was the last thing the Cowboys expected. You can see the play here.



McVay has a lot to learn as a young, first-year head coach, but he will call plays for the Rams in 2017.

And he promises to adapt to his personnel.

"When you talk about forming an offensive identity, it's about first let's figure out what our players do best," McVay said at his introductory press conference. "What does Jared do best? How can we maximize Todd, and Tavon [Austin], and our linemen up front? We're going to continue to get to know our players, figure out what they do best, and fit our scheme to their skill-sets."

[www.espn.com]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/c...-up-to-watch-these-falcons-in-the-super-bowl/

HOUSTON -- The Patriots might have Deflategate, Roger Goodell and revenge on their minds as they prepare for Super Bowl LI. But they've hardly cornered the market on bringing a chip on the shoulder to the big game.

It might be true that Goodell would rather not see the Patriots here this week. But it's also true almost no one else -- sorry, Atlanta fans -- is burning to have the Falcons up against them.

This is not a knock on Atlanta. If anything, it's a knock on me -- and you -- for not seeing earlier, embracing now and getting fired up by Sunday for a Falcons team that is a force on offense and an absolutely worthy contender as the game's best football team.

And yet ... I can't. Can you? They sure can't here in Houston. And while the Falcons are clearly aware and channeling that grudge, it still makes them more blasé than captivating.

The buzz here for the NFC's champion remains painfully far from robust. At Opening Night, the vibe Monday during the Falcons' session was utterly flat. And the team, following suit, was every bit as boring and low-key as you would expect from a group that all season has been overlooked, underappreciated and -- even now -- mostly an afterthought.

There are several reasons for that. The Patriots are an amazing story -- the dynasty implications, the Goodell-Deflategate storyline, Tom Brady trying to win a fifth Super Bowl ring, never done by a quarterback, and even Bill Belichick and his growing mastery over the game.

But some of this has to do with a Falcons team that despite its high-powered offense is neither particularly interesting nor widely respected. Quarterback Matt Ryan -- the front-runner for this season's MVP -- perfectly encapsulates all of this.

Ryan has been in the league for nine seasons and over that time he has put together a Hall of Fame résumé. He is already 21st all-time in passing yards, 25th all-time in touchdown passes, 11th all-time in passer rating and 12th all-time in game-winning drives.

Add a Super Bowl win to that and he's a Hall of Fame player, period.

"I feel like he doesn't get enough credit because he hasn't won it yet, and I feel like that's just how it goes," Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce told me Tuesday. "This is his first time in the dance, with the success you get I feel like that's where your QB rankings go."

Even this season, as we've obsessed over Dak Prescott and Aaron Rodgersand Brady and Ben Roethlisberger, many of us have missed Ryan's extraordinary season.

He had 4,944 passing yards, second to Drew Brees by just 264 yards. But Ryan had 139 fewer attempts -- making him markedly more efficient. He averaged 9.3 yards per attempt, a full yard better than the next closest QB, Brady. He had 39 touchdowns, second only to Rodgers' 40.

His 117.1 QB rating was the best in the league, five points better than Rodgers.

And yet, at Monday night's televised circus of a media day, they threw this man on the stage with his opponent, Brady, and made him stand there awkwardly as the New England quarterback was asked what advice he had for Ryan.

Ugh.

"Matt doesn't need my advice," Brady said. "He's doing just fine by himself."

Nor, it turns out, does he need our respect. Nobody really wants his team here, but the Falcons couldn't care less. Few saw it coming, yet here they are. Most people think the Patriots are more or less a sure thing -- almost 70 percent of the betting public is putting its money down on the Patriots, even though they're three-point favorites.

Matty Ice might be boring, his Falcons not interesting and Atlanta utterly underwhelming here at sports' biggest event.

But that might not stop them from winning it all, and from Ryan quietly putting himself into sure-thing Hall of Fame territory.

http://am570lasports.iheart.com/onair/la-today-55470/les-snead-on-benchmarks-for-goff-15522839/

Goff wasn't ready, but felt that he needed the experience regardless. He expects him next season to change plays and protection plans.

Interesting notes, he believe Quarterbacks hit their stride in their mid to late twenties. @jrry32

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/r...ind-of-stuff-you-think-he-did-in-high-school/

Most professional athletes played multiple sports growing up. While some have laser focus on one sport their whole lives, others play two or even three for a while before making a decision.

One of those such players was none other than Rob Gronkowski. He was a high school basketball player. Take a look at teen Gronk:

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/FieldGulls/status/826477075045322752


What kinds of things did Gronk do as a member of his high school hoops team? Well, you can see in the picture above that his hobbies were sports, working out, and chicks. That sounds exactly like the Gronk we've come to know. But there's also this:

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/BenMillett_/status/826451734184787969


Well, that also sounds exactly like Gronk. We should probably note that he's on 69 career touchdowns right now, so maybe we shouldn't be surprised if he decides to just never cross the goal line again, even if there's no one standing between him and a touchdown.

It's long shot, but this could be great news for the Rams if he actually falls in the draft.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/826476375859163137

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/JasonColeBR/status/826072022744698880


Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/AllbrightNFL/status/826076747762393089