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

Login to view embedded media View: http://www.atlantafalcons.com/media-lounge/videos/Shanahan_Blocking_Out_Outside_Noise/72498e65-ee78-4d6a-9316-a1ede2de5801

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns4io7fG-SA

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy8ETA9Odew



Josh McDaniels (Audio Link) You don't want to be predictable...
http://www.patriots.com/audio/2016/11/29/josh-mcdaniels-1129-you-dont-want-be-predictable


(Article)
Bill Belichick: Josh McDaniels worthy of consideration for head-coaching job

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. Bill Belichick knows what it’s like to be a longtime NFL assistant coach in hopes of landing a head-coaching opportunity, and that seemed to be the impetus for him to tout three of his top staffers for that type of opportunity during his Tuesday conference call.

Specifically, Belichick was asked about a report on NBC’s “Football Night in America,” which was detailed by Pro Football Talk, that said offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was not included on an NFL preliminary list of head-coaching candidates for 2017. The list, which includes Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, is put together by the NFL's Career Development Advisory Panel, according to PFT.

While relaying that he didn’t hear the report firsthand, Belichick said, “I think both Josh and Matt are great coaches who should absolutely be on any head-coaching list. I can’t imagine that there are many other coaches that could present a résumé equal or comparable to theirs. They’ve done a great job here for a sustained period of time, so great track record. I personally think that a list of head-coaching candidates that didn’t include them would be incomplete.”

Belichick then introduced director of player personnel Nick Caserio into the discussion as well.

“I have a similar comment on the general manager thing with Nick, which I don’t know if he was or wasn’t included. I think somebody told me that he wasn’t included,” Belichick said. “He does a tremendous job as well. I can’t imagine any list not having those three people.”

A source told Pro Football Talk that McDaniels was left off the list because the thinking is that he’s intent on staying in New England until Belichick retires.

During his weekly conference call Tuesday, McDaniels was asked about that.

“I’m aware of the report and I’ll try to clear that up. Look, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I definitely would love to be a head coach again. There are only 32 of those in the world. They are opportunities that don’t come around very often, and if you would ever be so fortunate and blessed to have another opportunity to do it -- for myself, it would be a second time -- that would be an opportunity I would look forward to,” he said.

“It would have to be at the right place and the right time, which is what I’ve always said. I try to make good decisions, what’s best for my family and myself. Again, somebody would have to offer that opportunity because you’re lucky if you get that.

That’s my mindset, and anything that was reported about my thinking or my plans or the things that I want to do -- the other day I saw that; those things I would say are unfounded. “That being said, that’s all I’ll say about it. I love being here, I’m excited to get to work on the Jets, and look forward to practicing with our guys.”
http://www.espn.com/blog/new-englan...worthy-of-consideration-for-head-coaching-job


JON GRUDEN:

Tom Pelissero , USA TODAY Sports1:45 a.m. EST December 18, 2016

If any team could lure Jon Gruden back into coaching, it's the Rams

Chasing Jon Gruden has become the coaching-search equivalent of chasing a unicorn.

He’s been out of the NFL for eight seasons. He makes a boatload of money at ESPN without the stress of wins and losses. He can roll out of bed and find endorsements and speaking engagements. He gets his football fix grinding tape each week for Monday Night Football, grilling incoming rookies on “Gruden’s QB Camp," etc. For most teams looking, Gruden may as well not exist.

But if there is one job in America – pro or college – that has the potential to lure this mythical creature out of the wilderness, it might’ve opened this week when the Los Angeles Rams fired Jeff Fisher.

Start with the owner. Stan Kroenke generally stays out of the football operation and has plenty of cash to make Gruden one of, if not the highest-paid coach in the NFL, which is probably what it’d take to get the conversation started. Resources wouldn’t be a problem.

Neither would organizational structure. Gruden likes Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff, who was hired as senior assistant in Tampa Bay while Gruden was the Buccaneers’ coach. My understanding is the Rams are making no decision yet on general manager Les Snead’s fate because they don’t want to limit their coaching search. If their coach of choice wants his own personnel guy, the Rams are open to it.

There’s talent to build around, starting with all-pro Aaron Donald on defense, stud running back Todd Gurley – who’s dying for something better than a “middle-school offense” – and a young quarterback, No. 1 pick Jared Goff, whom Gruden gushed about before last year’s draft. “I would want him if I were still coaching,” Gruden said on a media conference call in April.

The Los Angeles market is a big draw, too. Kroenke’s $2.6 billion football palace is set to open in 2019. Gruden’s first head coaching job was with the Oakland Raiders, and he loves California.

You’d have to think the San Francisco 49ers would be interested in bringing Gruden back to the Bay Area, too, if they decide to pull the plug on the Chip Kelly era. But unless the Indianapolis Colts replace Chuck Pagano – which is possible, based on what owner Jim Irsay told me this week – and give someone a chance to build around Andrew Luck, it’s hard to argue any potential opening in this cycle would come close to rivaling the one in L.A.

Gruden, 53, doesn’t need the NFL. It would have to be the perfect fit. I know he has preoccupations about coaching under all the work restrictions in the 2011 collective-bargaining agreement. I also know the guy is as passionate about football as anyone I’ve ever met. Gruden hasn’t won a playoff game since the Bucs won Super Bowl XXXVII after the 2002 season, and surely some part of him relishes the right opportunity to prove one more time how good of a coach he is.

The Rams should have great options regardless. Other candidates who spurn NFL interest every year, such as Stanford coach David Shaw, could be intrigued. Few coaches would make as much noise as the charismatic Gruden just by showing up, though. And in L.A., after the Great Fisher Faceplant of 2016, it’d be hard to blame the Rams for wanting that.

Demoff already has said the Rams “have to be willing to look under every possible avenue to find the right fit to go lead this football team.” Why not at least look the one place nobody else can?
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...pn-los-angeles-rams-coaching-search/95557712/

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


GRUDEN TALKS HOW HIS QB CAMP WORKS AND THE HOURS PUT IN

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgRdn5tEiZM

Did anyone watch A Football Life: Marshall Faulk? I have watched the Kurt Warner one four times, and will watch this one many times as well im sure when it hits the web. Just wondering if anyone has watched and letting people know it aired tonight(Dec 18th at 9pm)for those who didnt know since I didnt see any post about it. Looks like a damn good one to me. Faulk was the key to the GSOT IMO.

Login to view embedded media

I feel like Kyle Shanahan is overwhelmingly the best head coach for Jared Goff and for that matter Todd Gurley. For the long term wellbeing of the franchise getting Goff right is priority number one. That being said I'm not sold that Shanahan would make the best HC. Would it be smart to say screw it even if he isn't best for the team right now, getting him developed is more important for the team health? Or do you try and get a coach in here that you feel is the best overall HC candidate? Or do you feel that there is someone that accomplishes both?

Probably the toughest position translate. This is a highly regarded class. I'm done with Kendricks, but aware with limited resources he'll probably be back. Regardless what TEs do you like?

Rams coaching search: Hall of Famer Tony Dungy explains how the Rooney Rule should work
Sam FarmerContact Reporter

http://www.latimes.com/sports/nfl/la-sp-nfl-rooney-rule-20161217-story.html

What should the Rams keep in mind when hiring their next coach? NFL legends Tony Dungy, Ron Wolf, and Jimmy Johnson weigh in with their first-person perspective in this three-part series on finding a coach who best fits a franchise. Today: Tony Dungy. Sunday: Ron Wolf. Monday: Jimmy Johnson.

First up is Dungy, one of 23 coaches in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A former defensive back, he was coach of Tampa Bay (1996-2001) and Indianapolis (2002-08), winning a Super Bowl with the Peyton Manning-quarterbacked Colts at the end of the 2006 season. He’s a color analyst for NBC’s “Football Night in America.”

Dungy is a strong proponent of the Rooney Rule, a policy the league put in place in 2003 that requires teams to interview minority candidates for head-coaching and senior football operations jobs.

Where I think so many people fail when it comes to hiring a coach is they don’t know what they want. I’ll have people talk to me, “Who would you recommend?” or, “Who do you think would be a good candidate?” And I’ll say, “What are you looking for? Do you want a young coach, a defensive coach, an offensive guy, a disciplinarian?” Every guy that’s a good coach might not be the right fit. You have to know what you’re looking for, and find out who’s going to be the right person.

That’s one of the reasons the Rooney Rule is good. To me, the goal wasn’t to get more minority coaches hired. It was to make people slow down and hire the right person for them. If that happens, then it’s successful.

The spirit of the rule is really good. But what people have done more recently is, rather than figuring out what they’re looking for and drawing up some parameters and saying, “OK, let me look for some minority coaches who fit these parameters. Let’s discuss it and hire the right person,” people are saying, “Let me just interview a minority candidate and then get down to the business of hiring who I feel like I should hire.”

Rushing the process is where mistakes are made. I understand why that is. Your franchise hasn’t been winning recently, and you’re getting a lot of negative publicity.

There is a great deal of pressure to get who is deemed the hot candidate, or the No. 1 guy on certain people’s radar, whether it’s the best coach for you or not.

To me, rushing the process is very short-sighted and not very smart. You shouldn’t want to have to get the jump on people. You should say, “Let me investigate. Let me figure out what I’m looking for.” And go about getting that guy.

It might take a long while. You might go through 10 or 15 interviews. You might lose a candidate to someone else. But you’ve got to make sure you get the right candidate for your team, and that’s going to take some time. Hopefully, this is a 10-year decision. So to say, “I’m going to fire my coach so I’m going to get a jump on people and make this decision before anybody else gets their oars in the water,” I wouldn’t look at it that way.

Owners or GMs will call me and they’ll say, “Can you give me some advice?” I say, “Call [Steelers owner] Dan Rooney and ask him how he does it.” He’s hired three coaches in 47 years, they’ve all won Super Bowls, and he’s never had to fire a coach. He’s got a formula. He knows what works for him.

He looks for young defensive coordinators who are under the radar, but they connect with the city and connect with him. That’s his formula, and he doesn’t care what people think. He didn’t care when he hired Mike Tomlin that people thought Russ Grimm orKen Whisenhunt should have gotten the job. He knows what he wants.

Now, he’s got enough of a track record that he can do that, but that’s an easy formula. Figure out what you want, look around and take your time and say, “Who do I really like?” Then do it, and don’t worry about public opinion or anything else. Then stand by them, and it’s going to work.

In the case of the Rams, they’ve got a lot to sell. They have a tremendous defense. They have a young running back. They’ve got a lot of things going for them, so they’re going to be attractive. They’ve got to figure out who that right person is, then make a pitch to him. It’s, “I don’t care if I’m competing with 10 people a month from now or not, I want to get the right person.”

Some people think the Rams need a celebrity coach. If you win, you’re going to be the hottest thing in town. Get that person who’s going to win, and whether they’re well known or popular doesn’t really matter. I promise you, you start winning and the stadium is going to fill up. Everybody loves a winner. That’s what the ownership should think of: Who’s going to give us the best chance to win?

I wasn’t the popular choice in Tampa when I got the job in 1996. Jimmy Johnson was No. 1 in everyone’s mind because he had won at Dallas and he had won at the University of Miami. The next guy was Steve Spurrier. Both of those guys turned down the job.

There was no buzz, and nobody was buying tickets because I got there. It didn’t start off pretty for us. We won one of our first nine games. It was tough on our owners, because they said, “We think we hired the right person. You’re going to have to trust us.”

But a year later, by Week 4 of our second year, we were sold out, and you couldn’t get a ticket after that.

sam.farmer@latimes.com

Follow Sam Farmer on Twitter @LATimesFarmer

If the Rams have a couple of top HC candidates on teams participating in the 2017 NFL playoffs, this may give some insight for those of you that didn't already know the general/basic rules.


Non-playoff teams
Coaches on a non-playoff team can interview at one point once the regular season ends. An assistant coach under contract must be granted permission to interview with another team if the interview is for a head coach position. A team can deny interviews for an assistant coach under contract interviewing for a non-head coach position.

Playoff teams
Coaches on teams playing wild card weekend cannot interview during the week of the wild card game. If a team loses, the "non-playoff teams" rules listed above apply. If a team wins, their coaches must be allowed to interview the week leading up to the divisional round games. The interview must take place in the city of the assistant's team, and the team can decide which day they will allow their assistant coaches to interview for head coach positions. The first interview must take place during that divisional round week.

Playoff teams with a Bye
Coaches on the top two seeds in either conference can interview with another team during the week of their bye. That would apply to coaches like Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, or Falcons OC Kyle Shanahan if their teams were to have a bye. The interview must take place in the city of the assistant's current team, and that first interview must take place during the wild card round bye week.

Follow-up interviews
If a team wants to conduct a second interview with a candidate whose team keeps winning and earns a spot in the Super Bowl, the team must wait until the bye week of the Super Bowl. They can conduct a second interview with the candidate (team permission needed) in the week after the conference championship game.

The Rooney Rule
In place since 2003 for head coaches and expanded in 2009 to include general manager jobs and equivalent front-office positions, the rule — named after Dan Rooney, Pittsburgh Steelers chairman and onetime head of the league’s diversity committee — mandates that an NFL team must interview at least one minority candidate for these jobs.

I've been dealing with this problem since childhood and was curious if anyone else here has dealt with this or with someone you know. I don't stutter when I sing, which I've always found odd.

Over the years I've built up quite a vocabulary in order to substitute words I have problems with. Putting a pause like "um" before a word also helps. Slowing down when I speak seems to make it worse and having to read out loud is still a real problem.

Maybe I was dropped on my head as a child.

http://www.stutteringhelp.org/

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aweaoakyK8


Famous stutterers:

Rowan Atkinson, Emily Blunt, Hugh Grant, James Earl Jones, Samuel L. Jackson, Harvey Keitel, Nicole Kidman, Marilyn Monroe, Rosie Perez, Anthony Quinn, Julia Roberts, Eric Roberts, James Stewart, Bruce Willis, Wilt Chamberlain, Lester Hayes, Bo Jackson, Tommy John, Greg Louganis, Adrian Peterson, Michael Spinks, Darren Sproles, Ken Venturi, Bill Walton, Tiger Woods, Joe Biden, Winston Churchill, Noel Gallagher, Chris Martin, Kylie Minogue, Elvis Presley, Carly Simon, Mel Tillis, Bill Withers, Aristotle, Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, John Stossel, Marc Anthony, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Kendrick Lamar, Charlie Sheen

http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2016/12/16/13991902/report-la-rams-head-coaching-rumors-josh-mcdaniels


Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman is reporting that New England Patriots Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels is the lead candidate to win the Los Angeles Rams head coaching job:

The Rams want Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels...but, I'm told, McDaniels is in no hurry to become a head coach again.

...

[The Rams] want to make a huge splash with a big name, but around the league there is a lot of skepticism they can lure one. The reason is Jared Goff. There's tremendous doubt about just how good he is. The thinking goes that the Rams will find it nearly impossible to get the big name they want because whoever goes there will have his wagon hitched to a player who just might stink.

It’s going to be a long search with a ton of back-and-forth, so don’t get tied up in the early report. As Sports Illustrated’s Peter King divulged earlier this week, Rams VP/COO Kevin Demoff put in serious ground work in the Rams’ 2012 head coaching search in Greg Schiano. As we all know, the Rams ultimately went with Jeff Fisher before Schiano headed to Tampa Bay.

In any case as we head into the weekend, perhaps consider this our first legit rumor of the search.

I don't have the detailed numbers to share but if memory serves me correctly, TG was a more efficient/dominant running back in games during the 3rd & 4th quarters when the Rams continued to feed him the oblong shaped leather ball in 2015.

That being said, he wasn't the same consistent force in 2015 after the freak beast mode display he put on in weeks 4, 5, 7 and 8.

As most of you already know, TG finished the 2015 season with only one 100 yard game after week 8.

TG in 2015 appeared to have better vision and definitely looked a half step faster in his initial explosion compared to this year. There is also no doubt his power/ability to break tackles compared to what we have witnessed in 2016 has become a noticeable concern.


2015 Games With at LEAST 15 Carries

WK09__24 Att.. 89 Yds... 3.7 YPC
WK10__12 Att
WK11__ 25 Att.. 66 Yds... 2.6 YPC

WK12__ 9 Att
WK13__ 9 Att
WK14__16 Att.. 140 Yds... 8.8 YPC

WK15__21 Att.. 48 Yds... 2.3 YPC
WK16__19 Att... 83 Yds... 4.4 YPC
WK17__ Injured DNP

Gurley played in 8 of the last 9 games in 2015 and for misc reasons (less carries/lack of a passing game), he was better contained by opposing defenses.


2016 Games With at LEAST 15 Carries

WK1__17 Att.. 47 Yds... 2.8 YPC
WK2__19 Att.. 51 Yds... 2.7 YPC
WK3__27 Att.. 85 Yds... 3.1 YPC

WK4__19 Att.. 33 Yds... 1.7 YPC
WK5__23 Att.. 72 Yds... 3.1 YPC
WK6__14 Att

WK7__15 Att.. 57 Yds... 3.8 YPC
WK8__ Bye
WK9__12 Att

WK10__21 Att.. 64 Yds... 3.0 YPC
WK11__20 Att.. 76 Yds... 3.8 YPC
WK12__13 Att

WK13__11 Att
WK14__16 Att.. 61 Yds... 3.8 YPC
WK15__14 Att

Gurley: 2016 Stats (14 games) 241 Carries 778 Yds... 3.2 YPC


The excuses made for Todd Gurley in 2016 are well noted:

1. Inadequate run blocking by the Offensive Line
2. Lack of a passing game - 8-9 defenders in the box
3. Loss of weight to start the season- less power/strength
4. Defensive coordinators adjusted to his style of play - larger sample size of his game film
5. Sophomore slump
6. Pressing/ Confidence
7. Off season hype went to his head and the move to Los Angeles added some Diva to his personality
8. Offense trailing in games... Running game abandoned


No matter how we view or perceive the Gurley man in his 2nd season, he's continued the trend since week 9 of the 2015 season. Todd Gurley is still a big time RB talent and his receiving skills are not to be ignored but his long term success as a Ram seems to be at a crossroads.

Several of us haven't lost hope/faith in Todd but there are patterns that have started to develop aside from the middle school offense and division III offensive line that's been blocking for him this season.

TG's personal commitment this coming off-season along with the new coaching regime in 2017, will be crucial factors for his long term career as a Ram moving forward.

Did anyone else check this out on showtime last night? It was very interesting and really explained parts of his life that morphed him into the troubled man that he was.

Some things I took from it:

-He was intellectually gifted and while in prison was a heavy reader. He also had near perfect cursive penmanship.

-He didn't see color; black/white didn't matter. He saw men by their actions. And kept in touch with former coaches from HS over all those years.

- He did not handle rejection well at all, especially by women. And would lose himself in rage.

-This one was big for me. His friends and family don't believe the suicide. It was completely odd, he was wearing two pairs of socks, pants and shirts. He was clinching a picture of a small boy, they have no clue who he was. When his mother received his items, she found in his sock, in block handwriting a note--"did you hear the one about the ex football player that hunt himself from the tv mount"

Just a good documentary, shot in the style of "A Football Life". I highly recommend it.

Time for some outside the box thinking, don't you think?

Probably a new (and true) GM. Hope it's a highly respected and experienced type. Learning at the feet of an Ozzie Newsome or a Bill Belichick would count for plenty, as a couple of examples.

Definitely a new HC and staff top to bottom. GW is probably a goner. Would love to keep Fassel.

Gonna be a new results oriented attitude, too. Gone are the days of skipping allowed mini camps and gone will be the country club atmosphere. Only results will matter. NO loyalty to players drafted under Fisher. No coddling, either. Gurley, Tavon, the entire OL, and Kendricks, too. It's gonna be produce or get out of the way of someone who will.

Lots of familiar player faces will be gone, and deservedly so.

I expect a heavier than usual FA strategy will have to be employed this off season. Too many of our current players are just not good enough AND we will lack a 1st rounder. A good example was Garrett Reynolds of last year. Turned out to be one of, if not THE best of our OL. More FA moves like that one, please.

The D will likely revert to a more traditional version after GW's departure. Probably a good thing, huh? So often GW seemed to outsmart himself with some of his schemes.

Hard to say where our draft takes us on Day 2. Needs at DE (I'm afraid Quinn is never gonna be even nearly the same ever again), CB (I'm embarrassed to say that I had thought we were fine at C, and WR are pretty obvious. And the draft class looks strong at those 3 positions.

Hiring a gifted OL coach is a must. One who can turn around this backsliding current one. GRob, barring a dramatic turnaround under new coaching, no longer deserves to be a starter. Especially with the departure of his patron saints Fisher and Boudreau. Barnes is unlikely to remain as starter, either. The rest? Man, I'm hoping that they can be salvaged with better coaching. But I'm pretty sure that the new HC will have a VERY high priority on OL play for Goff and Gurley. I mean, what HC wouldn't? So, one way or another, we WILL have an improved OL in '17.

Bet we see more emphasis on pass catching TE plays. Duh!

Geez, I'm just scratching the surface here, aren't I?

To summarize, expect a whole lotta changes this offseason. Starting at GM and HC. And expect a ripple effect of personnel moves that will make this roster not only dramatically different looking, but dramatically better.

In short, no idea is too big or too small to be considered.

The uniforms will look the same, but little else will.

Can't wait...

http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/...wait-to-see-if-jon-ryan-can-return-next-week/

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll defends fake punt call, says team will have to wait to see if Jon Ryan can return next week
By Bob Condotta

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is hopeful punter Jon Ryan won't miss any time after suffering a concussion Thursday, but Carroll didn't rule out that the Seahawks may have to explore options.



Seattle’s decision to call a fake punt with 5:22 remaining in a game in which it held a 24-3 lead not only has led to some second-guessing of the call but also could mean the Seahawks will have to find a fill-in punter.

Jon Ryan gained 26 yards on the play before taking a hard hit and suffering a concussion. He was examined at the hospital afterward and while coach Pete Carroll said Friday he thinks that Ryan will be okay he didn’t rule out that the team might need to find an additional punter for its game Dec. 24 against Arizona.

“We’ll see,’’ Carroll said. “Of course we’ll just wait it out with Jon but if he can’t play we’ll have to do something and we’ll figure it out. There’s a lot of guys who dropped notes in my suggestion box that they can punt. Guys like (Jermaine) Kearse and Russ (Russell Wilson), they all think they can punt if we need it. We’ll have some guys. We’ll have a punt pass and kick contest this week if we need to.”

Ryan’s wife, comedian Sarah Colonna, Tweeted Friday morning that Ryan had “a bit of a headache” but that “he’s good!”

Carroll expressed no second-day remorse about the play call, which some questioned due to the fact that the Seahawks had the game well in hand. On his radio show on 710 ESPN Seattle Carroll said “you’re either competing or you’re not.’’

During his press conference later in the day, Carroll defended it saying “you have to do what you have to do.’’

He then elaborated further saying: “We had a tremendous preparation for an opportunity to take that we knew could be like a turnover in the game. If we could get the opportunity we would go for it. It didn’t matter when it happened, we were looking for it the whole night. The opportunity that we took, it gave us a chance to hold onto the football and not give them even the chance to get the ball back.

What more could I do to help my team? How it gets perceived and all, that’s what you guys get to talk about when you want to and I think it’s a waste of energy but I understand it. I don’t expect that you can see it from our perspective. I thought it was an excellent demonstration of planning and prep and execution.

It worked perfectly, except for the end of it was terrible. But that allowed us to keep the football and it didn’t have anything to do with something with the score or anything, just trying to finish the game as well as we could, in command of it as we were.”

Special teams have been an especially big factor in the Rams-Seahawks series in recent years, and Los Angeles had tried and failed on a fake punt earlier in the game that handed Seattle a field goal. If Carroll was trying to maybe send a message to the Rams, though, will probably be left to history to figure out.

riday Wrap-Up: Goff to Go Through Concussion Protocol

By Myles Simmons


At his Friday press conference to wrap up Thursday’s 24-3 loss to the Seahawks, Rams interim head coach said rookie quarterback Jared Goff remains in the concussion protocol.

Goff took a hard hit from Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman on the sideline to finish a fourth-quarter scramble. Before he could enter the huddle on the next play, officials removed Goff from the field and the quarterback did not return.

“A medical timeout was initiated last night from upstairs by the NFL. They got him out of the game,” Fassel said. “He was assessed and he’s currently in the concussion protocol.”

“We saw him today, and he seemed sharp,” Fassel continued. “But he’ll go through the protocol over the next nine days.”

Fassel said he did have a chance to visit a bit with Goff on Friday.

“I went in there this morning and I saw him in the training room, when he was getting treatment,” Fassel said. “Obviously, a little bit banged up. But, like I said last night, just a really tough kid. And I think he was going for the touchdown. And without the experience of being a real runner, the defender got on him a lot faster than he anticipated.”

“From a special teams perspective, we prefer brawn, maybe, over brains. And I told Jared, from the quarterback perspective, brains have got to trump the brawn,” Fassel said. “But as a rookie quarterback, he’ll learn to know when to maximize his yardage, but then protect his body.”

Goff finished 13-of-25 passing for 135 yards. He was sacked four times and hit seven. Fassel said given his expertise, he stayed mostly to encouragement rather than quarterback coaching points when interacting with Goff during the game.

“Before the game we shared a good little conversation,” Fassel said. “And during the game, I didn’t feel like I should offer any input as far as performance. But I just said, ‘Hang tough, man.’ ‘Great throw.’ ‘C’mon, move the chains.’

In five starts, Goff has completed 54.7 percent of his passes for 879 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions. He’s been sacked 15 times, on 8.5 percent of his dropbacks.

“I’m excited to be involved just a little bit more and learn about the quarterback room just a little bit more, because I think we’ve got a really good quarterback,” Fassel said. “He’s tough. He’s talented. He moves in the pocket. So, it’ll be fun for me to witness him over the next two weeks get better.”

The Rams players will have the next two days off before getting back on the practice field Monday to begin preparation for the 49ers on Saturday, Christmas Eve. Given that, Fassel said Goff will have a couple extra days to go through the protocol, which will determine when he’s cleared to return to practice.

When we come back on Monday, we’re going to treat it like our normal week Tuesday,” Fassel said. “So he’ll get three more days to get treated and become assessed. And we’ll probably make a decision from there, where he’s at, how much he’ll be able to do in practice. And by then, we’ll probably have a better idea how close he’ll be to playing in the game.”

INJURY UPDATES

Fassel had a number of other injury updates to go through following Thursday’s game.

Early Thursday afternoon, the team announced it had placed running back Benny Cunningham and defensive end Robert Quinn on injured reserve. Cunningham has a neck sprain, and Quinn is dealing with a concussion.

“Basically a conservative decision with a couple weeks left and not really feeling like he’d be prepared to play the next couple weeks,” Fassel said of Quinn.

Cornerback Marqui Christian is also headed to IR with an ankle injury. Cornerback Mike Jordan is in the concussion protocol. Safety T.J. McDonald suffered a wrist sprain and is day-to-day. Wide receiver Bradley Marquez is also day-to-day after suffering a wrist sprain. And while wide receiver Kenny Britt suffered a shoulder stinger, he played through it and likely will continue to do so.

[www.therams.com]

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman lays a big hit on Rams quarterback Jared Goff, knocking him from the game during the second half Thursday. (Dean Rutz/The Seattle Times via AP)


Bonsignore: From offensive line to receivers, Rams providing little support for rookie QB Jared Goff

By VINCENT BONSIGNORE / STAFF COLUMNIST

SEATTLE – Jared Goff didn't say much as he made his way across the Rams locker room at CenturyLink Field on Thursday night. With a sleepy look on his face and eyes that some would describe as dazed, he offered only a slight smile while giving a thumb’s-up sign.

It was a comforting gesture after Goff had spent much of a cold night in Seattle getting pummeled by a Seahawks defense that overwhelmed the Rams offensive line. The final blow was delivered by Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman as Goff raced down the sideline seeking a first down. It sent Goff slamming to the ground out of bounds, and after he wobbly rose back up to retreat to the huddle, he was immediately ordered off the field by game officials for fear of a possible concussion.

The whole scene was a scary reminder of the fire the Rams are playing with sending their rookie quarterback into meaningless games while operating behind an offensive line ill-equipped to protect him.

On one hand the Rams hope to build a foundation for Goff over the final few weeks of the season, from which he can climb into next year with a body of work under his belt and some clarity about playing quarterback on the NFL level.

Every play, every game, every up or down or good read or bad is a deposit in Goff's development. And with so much of the Rams’ future tied into the first overall pick in last April's draft, expediting that process is paramount.

On the other, it's easy to imagine Rams decision-makers holding their breath every time Goff drops back to pass. Their anxiety is justified, considering the team’s problems protecting its young quarterback. A national TV audience was confronted with that issue upon seeing left tackle Greg Robinson completely whiff on a pass block, leaving Seahawks end Cassius Marsh to easily slide past him unimpeded before thundering into Goff for a violent sack.

The Rams must weigh the development of Goff with the inherent danger of protecting him with one of the worst lines in the league.

Some other observations from a lost night in Seattle.

GOFF IS GETTING NO HELP

It's tough to gauge how far Jared Goff has come over his first four NFL starts, even unfair, as the rookie quarterback from Cal is getting minimal help from his offensive teammates.

Goff was sacked five times Thursday night, and was under pressure the majority of times he dropped back to pass.

When he was given time to throw, he was effective while going 11 of 17. And at least three of those misses where dropped balls. The most glaring one came when Michael Thomas dropped a well-thrown bomb from Goff to wipe out a big play early in the game.

Between constantly playing under duress and a serious like of firepower and competency among the Rams’ playmakers, it's impossible to judge where Goff is in his development schedule.

“Thought pretty sharp,” interim coach John Fassel said when asked his impression of Goff's play. “We were pressing as soon as we got behind by a score or two. We dropped back to throw it. Their defensive line can start rushing the passer. What I have learned about Jared after spending a little more time learning the quarterback position, he is a tough kid. That will take him a really long ways. We have to do more in all three phases to help him out, whether it’s field position or running the football.”

They've been saying that all year, with little progress.

As a result, it's tough to get a read on what the Rams really have in Goff.

MORE TALK, LITTLE CHANGE

Whether it's silly penalties, missed assignments or dropped balls, the Rams notoriously shoot themselves in the foot over and over and over.

They've addressed the coaching end of that equation by firing Jeff Fisher.

Presumably the new coach will bring new vision and sterner leadership and accountability and perhaps put an end to the maddening habits.

But for now, it's the same old same old.

“It’s just one of those things. It just seems like it’s repetitive,” said center Tim Barnes. “In the last couple of weeks, we’ve just got to find a way to keep improving and trying to finish out right, because that’s what we want to do. The guys in this room, we don’t quit. We’re not quitting. We haven’t quit. We’re playing hard. We just have to find a way to execute better and do better.”

And at some point that will result in a mass exodus of players unwilling or unable to make the necessary improvements.

“I’m going to keep fighting for these guys because this is the last time this locker room is going to look like this, let’s just be honest,” said guard Rodger Saffold. “There are a lot of guys who aren’t going to be here next year.”

[www.ocregister.com]

The Fisher firing has me super excited about all the possibilities. Plus, I have a lot of free time on my hands right now.
Hire
HC Todd Haley
OC Ken Whisenhunt
DC Dick Jauron
STC John Fassel

We bring in Haley to install the Erhardt-Perkins offense which is a great fit for Goff. Haley was previously a HC with the Chiefs. He had an up-and-down tenure which ultimately resulted in his firing. He was known for being arrogant there. Let's hope he learned from his failure. Haley offers some major benefits as a HC. The first is that he's a bright offensive mind who is known for working with QBs and running a QB friendly E-P offense. The second is that Haley is well-connected in the NFL. He came up under Bill Parcells but has connections to a number of staffs around the league. He should be able to pull an amazing coaching staff based on the guys he's worked with.

Our coordinators both previously worked with Haley. Actually, they both were head coaches of teams he worked for in his past. Whisenhunt comes over to join us after McCoy is fired in San Diego. Philip Rivers has done quite well under Whisenhunt as a OC. Whisenhunt has also gotten his second head coach shot and failed, so it'll be much tougher for him to get a third. That means stability for Goff. Dick Jauron is a guy who has been out of the spotlight for a few years. From what I understand, he stepped away from the game to take care of his sick wife. I wonder if he might be willing to come back. He was last a defensive coordinator with the Browns for two years. His first year in Cleveland, they ranked in the top 5 in the NFL in points allowed and top 10 in yards allowed. He'd be a heck of a get. If he's not able to return, Eric Mangini is another possible name to keep in mind.

Cut
HB Tre Mason
OG Rodger Saffold
C Tim Barnes
DE Eugene Sims

Re-sign
WR Kenny Britt - 3 years $21 million
K Greg Zuerlein - 3 years $6 million
HB Benny Cunningham - 3 years $6 million
DT Dominique Easley - RFA Tender
DE Matt Longacre - ERFA Tender

Let Walk
CB Trumaine Johnson (I like Trumaine, but there is a method to my madness.)
S T.J. McDonald (I like T.J., but Mo is a more natural fit at SS. Let's use the money we have elsewhere.)

Trade
Rams trade DE William Hayes
Giants trade Round 6 Pick #23

I like Hayes a lot, but he's always been tied to Fisher and his play has fallen off a bit this year. I'd see if I could trade him this off-season if we pull the FA DE I have later in this mock.

Position Changes
LaMarcus Joyner - CB -> FS

With Alexander moving to SS, Joyner moves to FS. I think it's his natural position. Joyner doesn't play well with his back to the ball. He's at his best attacking downhill. He has surprising strength for a guy his size. In college, he showed good range and no fear at FS. He will deliver knockout shots. Offers the same type of skill-set that McLeod did.

Free Agency

DE Jason Pierre-Paul - 5 years $55 million

I want to go back to the days where our pass rush singlehandedly dominated games. Quinn, JPP, Donald, and Brockers with Jones, Easley, and Longacre coming off the bench? Hell yes. JPP is still one of the best DEs in the game. This year, he moved to LDE with Vernon coming over from Miami and still looked great. Quinn and JPP on the edge with Donald and Brockers inside will be unfair for opposing QBs.


LT Andrew Whitworth - 2 years $18 million

We have to help Goff out. In this mock, Alshon Jeffery isn't available. We go after Whitworth to give Goff protection. Whitworth is a top 5 LT in the game, but he's also 35 years old. The Bengals need to retain OG Kevin Zeitler who is a FA. They already drafted Whitworth's replacement in Cedrick Ogbuehi. It makes sense for them to let Whitworth hit FA. We jump on the ability to sign a guy who can be a bridge at LT until we find his replacement. The added benefit to this FA signing is that if Greg Robinson shows significant improvement with the new coaching staff, Whitworth can slide inside and provides All Pro caliber play at OG.


LG Ronald Leary - 5 years $35 million

We need OL help. There were rumors that Dallas was trying to trade Leary before the season. With the injury to La'El Collins, Leary stepped back into his starting spot. He was also a starter on the dominant 2014 Cowboys OL. Leary is a mauling run blocker who has the versatility to play in either a ZBS or a PBS. He's an above average but not elite pass protector. Either ways, he's a huge upgrade on what we have.


SLCB Captain Munnerlyn - 3 years $15 million

No, Munnerlyn isn't a replacement for Tru. Instead, he allows us to shift Joyner to FS. That upgrades both FS and SLCB as Munnerlyn is one of the best slot CBs in the game.


WR Markus Wheaton - 1 year $3 million

I was a big fan of Wheaton when he was coming out of college. I still like the kid a lot. Pittsburgh's past few WRs who departed have done well elsewhere. We offer Wheaton a "prove it" deal with him missing almost the entire 2016 season with a shoulder injury. We also offer him a clear path to the #2 WR job. I think he's worth the chance. Wheaton comes in with knowledge of Haley's scheme.


DE Datone Jones - 1 year $1.5 million

Thus far, Jones has been a bust. We offer him a "prove it" deal with the opportunity to have a strong year on a very talented DL in a scheme that he better fits.

NFL Draft
Round 2 Pick #7 - Ethan Pocic C/OG/OT LSU
Round 3 Pick #6 - Gareon Conley CB Ohio State
Round 4 Pick #7 - Ahkello Witherspoon CB Colorado
Round 4 Comp Pick - J.J. Dielman OT/OG/C Utah
Round 5 Pick #6 - Ryan Glasgow DT Michigan
Round 6 Pick #7 - Obi Melifonwu FS/SS Connecticut
Round 6 Pick #23 - Jeremy Cutrer CB Middle Tennessee State
Round 6 Comp Pick - Nick DeLuca LB North Dakota State
Round 7 Pick #6 - Mack Hollins WR North Carolina

Projected Starters
QB: Jared Goff
HB: Todd Gurley
FB: Cory Harkey
XWR: Kenny Britt
ZWR: Markus Wheaton vs. Tavon Austin vs. Mike Thomas
SLWR: Pharoh Cooper
TE: Tyler Higbee vs. Lance Kendricks
LT: Andrew Whitworth
LG: Ronald Leary
C: Ethan Pocic
RG: Greg Robinson vs. Jamon Brown
RT: Rob Havenstein

LDE: Jason Pierre-Paul
NT: Michael Brockers
UT: Aaron Donald
RDE: Robert Quinn
WLB: Mark Barron
MLB: Alec Ogletree
LCB: E.J. Gaines vs. Ahkello Witherspoon
RCB: Gareon Conley vs. Ahkello Witherspoon
SLCB: Captain Munnerlyn
FS: LaMarcus Joyner
SS: Maurice Alexander

K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide
KR: Benny Cunningham
PR: Tavon Austin

I recognize that there will be concern about the secondary. I completely understand it. However, I think our pass rush is able to compensate for it. I also picked the CBs I did with everything in mind (I am happy to explain if anyone is curious). I think JPP is a better DE than Tru is a CB and that DEs have a greater impact on the game. Thus, since we would have to pay a similar price for the two, I chose JPP over Tru.

Offensively, I did everything I could to ensure that Goff is protected and Gurley gets running lanes. I understand that I didn't do a ton to upgrade at WR, but I felt fixing the pass protection and run blocking was more important than WR this off-season. My plan in the future is to address WR. I just wanted to fix the OL first. I think winning in the trenches in more important. If Gurley can get running room, it'll start to put Goff in better situations (like 3rd and 3 instead of 3rd and 13).

I realize that some people will probably not like this mock because I changed so much. I totally understand. I do want to say that I think my philosophy is sound, though.

Also, if you're curious about any of the draft picks, I'm happy to give you a short summary of my initial observations on whomever. Don't hesitate to ask.

http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2016/08/02/...oordinator-head-coach-kirk-cousins-jay-gruden

He’s the NFL’s Best Head Coaching Candidate. And He’s 30

Beloved by players and respected by coaches (even those twice his age), Sean McVay has helped build an unlikely offensive power in the nation’s capital. Washington’s play-calling prodigy is now on pace to become one of the youngest head coaches in NFL history

It’s a Tuesday night in June, and Washington’s football headquarters are mostly empty. It’s been a few hours since the second day of the team’s final minicamp practice wrapped up, and offensive coordinator Sean McVay is in his spacious corner office, watching film on a flat screen. There’s a light tap on the open door.

It’s Bill Callahan, the coaching lifer who now oversees Washington’s O-line. His eyes are twinkling. Really twinkling, like in a Disney cartoon. He has an idea for a new run play.

From behind his desk McVay leans forward as Callahan draws on a white board. “And so you know how we usually do this against these defensive fronts?” Callahan says. “Well, OK, OK, OK, follow me here. What if we, instead, were to do this?” He redraws the running back’s path to the other side of the formation, and now his eyes are twinkling even more.

So are McVay’s. “I love it,” McVay says, adding that Washington could also use it as a check (an audible) at the line of scrimmage. For the next 10 minutes, McVay, the NFL’s youngest coordinator at 30, and Callahan, a month shy of his 60th birthday, go back and forth, rapid fire, about when and how they can practice this new play; what they’ll tell the guards and centers to do; what they’ll tell the quarterback to look for; and how they’ll instruct the running backs to set up the cut.

Callahan got his first coaching job, at the University of Illinois, six years before McVay was born. He was head coach of the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII, when McVay was 16. Asked whether he has any issue working under someone half his age, Callahan quickly answers no. “[He] is in this position for a reason… he’s earned it.”

And at this rate, McVay won’t be in this position for much longer. Last season, his seventh as an NFL coach and first as a play-caller, he and head coach Jay Gruden took an unproven first-year starting quarterback and turned Washington into the league’s sixth most efficient passing game and 10th highest scoring offense.

“I’m sure,” says Gruden, “he’ll be a head coach a lot sooner than people think.”


Photo: Al Messerschmidt/AP
After Callahan leaves, McVay restarts the film. There are no wife and kids to get home to. He watches spring practice and raves about Kirk Cousins’ underrated quick release. “OK, OK, let’s look at just one more throw,” he says for a fourth time. Jordan Reed catches a touchdown. “Now that’s a dime. Look at that throw! That’s a dime!”

When the film ends, McVay puts on an old TV copy of the 1981 NFC championship, when Joe Montana and the 49ers defeated the Cowboys on a come-from-behind drive, culminating with The Catch. “Look at them march down the field,” he announces. “People think it’s Joe Montana winning this game. No sir. It’s this [smashmouth run play] ‘18-19 Bob!’ Look at all these extra bodies in the backfield. Here’s ‘18-19 Bob’ again!”

Dwight Clark makes The Catch. All done now, time for dinner?

“People also forget how much of an opportunity Dallas had after this play,” McVay says, settling in to now watch the forgotten proceeding Cowboys drive. (It ended with a lost sack-fumble on San Francisco’s 44-yard line.)

Because of McVay’s mannerisms “everyone teases him that he’s Baby Jon Gruden,” says Chris Cooley.

McVay wasn’t born until four years after the ’81 Niners’ Super Bowl run, but he has a special connection to the team: His grandfather, John McVay, was its VP/Director of Football Operations. That year produced the first of John’s astounding five Super Bowl rings during his 20 years heading San Francisco’s front office.

Sean, of course, grew up during the back half of his grandfather’s tenure. He lived in Atlanta and played catch with Jerry Rice and Steve Young whenever the Niners made their annual trip to town.


Photo: Michael Zagaris/Getty Images
McVay's grandfather, John McVay, was inducted into the 49ers hall of fame.
“I can remember being around those guys, being around Jeff Garcia and Terrell Owens,” he says. “They were always so great to me. At the time I was so young, you don't realize what a unique and neat experience it was.”

McVay played soccer as a youth. He took up football formally in eighth grade and went on to be a star option quarterback at Marist High, in Georgia’s ultra-competitive 4A class. “He was like a coach on the field,” says Marist coach Alan Chadwick, who’s been at the school for 30 years. “He saw things that a lot of players don’t see. He felt things a lot players don’t feel. And he was able to adapt and make things happen on his own.”

An elected captain, McVay after the season would take all of his offensive linemen to the Brazilian Steakhouse Fogo de Chão. “You don’t hear about that very often in high school,” says Chadwick. “You hear about it in college. Maybe in pros.”

McVay grew up in a traditional two-parent household. His father, Tim, a veteran TV news executive, played safety for Lee Corso at Indiana. There Tim met Sean’s mother, Cindy, who now owns an interior design business and helped her son buy and furnish his first town home after getting promoted to coordinator.

“Sean’s mom and dad are very comfortable in their skin,” says Chadwick. “And very comfortable in any atmosphere, any situation. Socially. In groups. Speaking in front of people. They’re just such class individuals. And so much of that, you can tell, rubbed off on Sean.”

• WHAT IT’S LIKE TO INTERVIEW FOR A HEAD COACHING JOB: The MMQB’s Jenny Vrentas got an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at the hiring process for an NFL head coach.


Photo: Alex Brandon/AP
Gruden (right) made McVay (left) his play-caller when McVay was 29.
When visiting with McVay, you notice the confidence and vibrancy. You also notice the uncanny similarities to Jon Gruden. From the eyebrow cocking to the affirmative nodding and exaggerated, slow-motion hand gestures; it can feel like McVay is flat-out impersonating the Super Bowl winning coach. “Everyone teases him that he’s Baby Jon,” says former Washington tight end Chris Cooley. “His mannerisms are more like Jon’s than Jay [Gruden]’s are.”

There’s an explanation for that. In 2008, shortly before McVay graduated from Miami (Ohio), where his career as a receiver and return specialist was hindered by injuries, he went to the NFL combine in Indianapolis and interviewed for a job with Jon Gruden, a longtime family friend. Gruden hired him as an assistant wide receivers coach. McVay started immediately after graduating, skipping the graduation ceremony to get to the team’s offseason program.

After that first year, Gruden and his entire staff were fired—something McVay calls a blessing in disguise. He spent the 2009 season with the UFL’s Florida Tuskers, under head coach Jim Haslett (fired by the Rams after ’08) and with a little-known offensive coordinator named Jay Gruden. The Tuskers started 6-0 and reached the championship, but really, what defined that season for the coaches was the creation of Jon Gruden’s now famous Fired Football Coaches Association (FFCA). McVay spent hours each day in the classroom with Haslett and the Grudens. Reputed football experts from all over were flown in as speakers. Jon ran most of the meetings, and there was nowhere to hide. Attendees had to answer pop questions, get up and draw on the board and think miles outside the box. It was, as Cindy McVay puts it, like getting your masters in coaching.

Jay even says “I learned more about coaching football in those FFCA meetings than I probably did in seven years working for my brother.”

• WASHINGTON’S WIDE APPEAL: The pass-catching group in D.C. has it all—shifty slot man, uncoverable tight end, speedy burners and a rising rookie. As a new expert notes: ‘It could be special.’

In 2010, McVay got an opportunity to interview with Washington’s Mike Shanahan for an offensive quality control job. The conversation transitioned from computers and data processing to actual football, and after a few hours Shanahan hired him on the spot. That year McVay worked quality control and also as an assistant to receivers coach Keenan McCardell. Then, with four weeks left in the season, tight ends coach Jon Embree left to take the head job at Colorado. McVay was promoted, and just like that, Washington had a 24-year-old running its tight ends meetings. In those meetings was the 28-year-old Cooley, a two-time Pro Bowler, and 24-year-old Fred Davis, who had been a second-round pick three years earlier.

“It didn’t matter where Sean came from, how old he was—the dude knew it better than anyone else,” says Cooley. “He was the best.

“I remember, in the first week that he took over, I was finally being coached intricately on some of the things that go into the tight end position. He taught every tiny nuance. I wish I would’ve gotten to work with him a lot longer. I loved all the coaches that I played for. I absolutely did. But I would’ve been better if I had worked with Sean for my entire career. I have no doubt about that.”

Shanahan never had any concerns about appointing such a young coach. “Players want to be taught,” he says. “If you can teach a player something that can keep him in the game, whatever it may be, they don’t care about your age.

“Getting a chance to watch Sean coach and handle himself, I knew he was going to be a coordinator and eventually a head coach in the National Football League.”



Photo: Mark E. Tenally/AP
Last year, Washington's offense thrived behind first-year starter Cousins and first-year play-caller McVay.
In 2014, Shanahan was fired and replaced by Jay Gruden, who had been the offensive coordinator in Cincinnati. At his introductory press conference, a reporter told Gruden there was a rumor that he would tab McVay as his offensive coordinator. “Nice, good for Sean,” Gruden said. And that, essentially, was how people learned who the new offensive coordinator was.

As Gruden explains, “Sean was here with Robert Griffin before I got the job, and with Kirk. He kind of knew the players that we had and the system that they ran. So I could try to transform a lot of my stuff into their language and it would be a smooth process.”

In 2015, Gruden quietly handed play-calling duties to McVay. Kirk Cousins was the new starting QB after spending the entire offseason working behind Griffin. (A lot of wasted practice reps those turned out to be.) In the second half of the season, Cousins threw for 2,212 yards, 19 touchdowns and two interceptions (passer rating: 126.1). Washington surged to an NFC East title.

What stood out again and again on film was how few plays the quarterback himself had to actually create. Washington’s system, with its array of formations, intertwined route combinations and zone running game married to play-action, was often defining the plays for him. Schematically, there may not have been a better-designed offense in football. Cousins, to his credit, allowed it to function and prospered under the circumstances.

“I could be here a long time talking about Sean’s help in my development and his ability to call plays for our offense and lead our offense,” says Cousins. “In the 2015 offseason I was coming off a year when I had been benched halfway through and was going into the next year with the chance to really only compete as a backup. I was a little disappointed with that and Sean was a great encourager through that process, challenging me to stay the course. I think his belief in me and his support and his encouragement was what enabled me to eventually have the opportunities that I had.”

From a pure strategic standpoint, Cousins explains that “part of the reason our offense has a lot of depth is because a lot of different guys get to touch the ball. That goes back to play-calling and the way Sean aligns players. You have to be creative with [weapons like] Jordan Reed, DeSean Jackson. That takes a lot of preparation and creativity and Sean does it on a week-in, week-out basis.”

Jackson took the rare personal measure of sitting down with an unknown media member to laud his coach. “Sean’s young but he’s still one of those guys that wants everything done right,” Jackson says. “He wants you to pay attention. He wants you to know what you need to do. And he’s very detailed about it. He breaks everything down in meetings. There’s nothing he doesn’t notice. He hits every part of the game.”

America wasn’t introduced to McVay until last season’s Wild-Card round, when FOX put him on full screen and analyst Troy Aikman sang his praises. Washington lost that day, scoring only 18 points, but that was not reflective of the game-planning. In the first quarter Jackson left a touchdown on the field by failing to explode to the front pylon on a crossing route. (Washington had first-and-goal from the one-yard-line and wound up kicking a field goal. McVay regrets running the ball twice on the first two downs that followed.) On the following series, a designed play-action deep shot got Jackson wide open over the top for a touchdown. However, the TV audience didn’t see that because Green Bay’s Julius Peppers beat offensive tackle Mike Compton around the edge to create a sack for Clay Matthews. People in the NFL noticed it on film, though. The score at that point would have been 12-0 Washington, if not for the sack.

Only two men in NFL history have become head coaches before age 32: Lane Kiffin with the 2007 Raiders and Harland Svare with the 1962 Rams. Both were short-tenured and neither had a season above .500. Perhaps that’s why McVay is eager but not necessarily antsy to land a head job.

“What’s absolutely incredible is Sean doesn’t have any ego,” says Cooley. “He will never say he believes he’s great. He knows he’s great at what he’s doing, but he’ll never tell you. He’ll be a head coach. And it won’t be long.”

McVay frequently uses the word “process” and values the personal growth that “processes” can bring. But another strong season as a play-caller, and NFL executives could stop whispering his name and actually start knocking. Like Callahan did after that minicamp, they’ll find the door open, McVay at his desk, ready to talk football.

Question or comment? Email us at talkback@themmqb.com.

Login to view embedded media View: http://www.nfl.com/videos/los-angeles-rams/0ap3000000757774/Casserly-on-Goff-s-improvement-I-saw-hope-last-night
Login to view embedded media View: http://www.nfl.com/videos/los-angeles-rams/0ap3000000757776/Rapoport-Goff-was-officially-diagnosed-with-a-concussion

So I want to know what ROD thinks about our rookie QB??

Be bold. Go with your gut.

We know all the caveats... needs to stay healthy... depends on the players around him etc...
We know all that, and it's true but... I want to get your raw, unfiltered thoughts.

http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2016/12/15/nfl-general-manager-candidates-2017

The General Manager Short List for 2017
By Albert Breer

As the market for GMs is about to heat up, here’s my list of some candidates who deserve a look—and who could bring a fresh approach to turning around a struggling team.

In searches for general managers and coaches, every team looking to fill a corner office in January will publicly talk about casting a wide net and keeping an open mind. Whether they really mean that is a matter of opinion.

And while there are often coaching searches that quickly focus on one candidate, and become more pursuit than process, the problem has proven worse on the personnel side. As some evaluators explain it to me, the influx of search firms and veteran consultants has spawned a network connecting candidates to advocates and narrowing the process—making it easier for teams, and hard for everyone else.

“There’s an absolute conflict of interest with those people,” said one veteran executive. “One-hundred percent. If you’re in with those people, forget about it.”

Another exec explained it like this: “If you spoke to most people, the consensus is there are front-runners in every one of those situations, depending on who’s running the search. You can just connect the dots. … What you hope for is the opportunity to go in front of people with an open mind, and hopefully that opens a door.”


Future GMs? Player personnel directors Chris Ballard of the Chiefs and Nick Caserio of the Patriots.
Photo: George Gojkovich/Getty Images :: Steven Senne/AP

A third personnel man was more specific: “It’s all full of nepotism. It’s a joke. And it starts with Charley Casserly.” So I called Casserly, the former Redskins and Texans GM, to try to figure where the flaws are in a process that’s turned off a lot of people lately, and one that’ll get going in earnest again here in just three weeks’ time.

But we start with my eighth annual future general managers list. It was born at the Boston Globe, went with me to NFL Media, and now I’m bringing it here to The MMQB for the first time. The idea was presented to me in 2009 by a young GM who wanted young guys on the personnel side (who were far less visible to owners than young coaches) to get recognition for their work and potential.

And when I started hearing the complaints the past few weeks about searches being rigged for certain candidates, it got me thinking back to the original idea for this. It was not only to help scouts, but also to give the public and even teams an idea of who was well-regarded in the talent-acquisition community. So all of this brought me to my former NFL Network colleague Casserly on Tuesday night.

Casserly, Ron Wolf, Bill Polian, Ernie Accorsi, John Madden, Tony Dungy and Carl Peterson make up the NFL’s career development advisory panel, and the first five have figured prominently in consulting roles during GM searches over the past two or three years. Those guys compile candidate lists and handle invites for the symposium they hold in June.

Without question, they have sway. And as I detailed, in many corners, the belief is that an old boys’ network has been formed. But Casserly, who led the Jets’ 2015 search—which ended with his former co-workers Mike Maccagnan and Todd Bowles as GM and coach—takes exceptions to the idea that the process is cooked.

He said the search he ran in New York was open, and points out that the team gave Jon Robinson (whom he didn’t know) and Chris Grier (whom he says he only knew through Chris’s father, Bobby) their first GM interviews, and that he left the room for Maccagnan’s interview. That said, Casserly acknowledged that connections help.

“It’s so different than it is with coaches,” Casserly said. “Coaches are so clearly defined. You know who calls the plays, you see them on TV, coordinators have press conferences. It’s just not like that in scouting. Are they pro? College? None of them are making big decisions. What you need is networking. It’s not politicking.”

He continued with some advice: “Every time you’re at workout, do your job, because people are watching. You need to show everyone you’re a hard worker. But meet people, too. Ask a GM questions. Be the guy with the clicker. By doing that, you connect with people. That’s how you market yourself. You need advocates. Someone needs to pick up the phone for you. If they aren’t doing that, you’re in a tough spot.”

That won’t quell the frustrations of candidates who believe that Polian delivered his protégés to San Diego and Jacksonville, or that Casserly made sure Maccagnan was front and center for the Jets, or that Wolf got Reggie McKenzie to Oakland. All this is, of course, complex, and these are big decisions that, in many cases, owners would rather have someone else make for them, which fuels the suspicion.

The truth? Every situation is different. And my belief is that this list, as I present it in two parts, does a little to open the minds of people who may think they already know who they want. So here’s this year’s group …

READY TO ROLL

Chiefs VP of player personnel Chris Ballard: Kansas City’s continued success only enhanced the candidacy of an exec who’s been on the cusp for some time. Bonus to hiring him: Widely held belief he’d swiftly assemble a robust scouting staff.

Patriots VP of player personnel Nick Caserio: He interviewed in Miami a few years back, and there was a feeling then that he was ready to take his shot. He hasn’t interviewed elsewhere since, leading to a growing sense that it’d be tough to pry him away.

Ravens assistant GM Eric DeCosta: Good luck pursuing him. He’s almost certainly going nowhere. If anything were to lure him, my sense is it would have to be full control and either a major market or an historic franchise.

Seahawks co-director of player personnel Scott Fitterer: The former college director was promoted last year. And while he’s still on the road plenty, the change has given him experience in pro scouting and an office setting. His résumé = Seattle’s roster.

Texans director of player personnel Brian Gaine: In many ways, Gaine has been the bridge between scouting and coaching, with his background speaking Bill O’Brien’s language. And the Texans’ resiliency this year speaks to the depth he’s helped build.

Packers director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst: As the team’s former college director, he’s vital in how Ted Thompson builds the roster. And while Eliot Wolf is a bigger name, I’ve heard too many good things about Gutekunst to leave him off.

Seahawks co-director of player personnel Trent Kirchner: He was promoted from pro director when Fitterer was, and has since gotten more experience on the college side. He’s interviewed with the Jets and Lions the last two years.

Cowboys assistant director of player personnel Will McClay: The Cowboys’ offensive talent speaks for itself, but Dallas has been equally resourceful in stocking the defense. And in that regard, the team’s top scout has been a difference-maker.

Cardinals VP of player personnel Terry McDonough: Part of the Ozzie Newsome tree, McDonough helped Steve Keim pull off a difficult rebuild-on-the-fly the past four years. The success of Tampa’s Jason Licht coming from Arizona won’t hurt either.

Vikings assistant GM George Paton: Like Ballard, he’s been in the mix for a number of jobs—he was one of two finalists for the Rams post in 2012—and has helped build a proven winner. Minnesota’s rash of injuries has only highlighted that.

Falcons assistant GM Scott Pioli: By all accounts, he’s learned from his experience in Kansas City, and he left the cupboard far from bare. His impact in Atlanta can be seen in the recent influx of talent on defense and along the offensive line.

Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin: Most road scouts have an enormous amount of respect for the stoic Tobin, who has strong football roots, plus a deep, sturdy roster to show for his nearly two decades in Cincinnati.

Packers director of football operations Eliot Wolf: Once Seattle’s John Schneider signed his extension, the assumption became that Wolf would succeed Thompson in Green Bay, maybe very soon. The rumor mill has also tied him to the Niners.

ON DECK

Brandon Beane, Carolina; Joey Clinkscales, Oakland; Joe Douglas, Philadelphia; Brian Heimerdinger, NY Jets; Chris Grier, Miami; Alonzo Highsmith, Green Bay; Brandon Hunt, Pittsburgh; Joe Hortiz, Baltimore; Jeff Ireland, New Orleans; Dan Morgan, Seattle; Kyle O’Brien, Detroit; Monti Ossenfort, New England; Chris Polian, Jacksonville; Jimmy Raye, Indianapolis; Matt Russell, Denver; John Spytek, Tampa Bay; Jamaal Stephenson, Minnesota.

* * *

Rams search starts with research. Maybe the most pivotal piece of the impending Los Angeles search, once the Rams figure out who else stays and who else goes—and primarily what becomes of GM Les Snead and his staff—will be the franchise picking an organizational structure.

Five years ago the team dangled control over the 53-man roster as a carrot to convince Jeff Fisher to pick St. Louis over Miami. And in the time since, that type of circumstance hasn’t been scarce—Adam Gase got it in Miami, as did Dan Quinn in Atlanta, Lovie Smith in Tampa and Chip Kelly in Philadelphia.

In each of those three cases, it was largely the result of competition for the coach’s services. Accordingly, in recent years, many of those types of structures have been modeled after how Seattle makes it work with GM John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll, the idea being that the GM controls the offseason (and the 90-man roster, free agency and the draft), and then hands the reins of the team and decisions on the 53- and 46-man (game day) rosters over to the coach during camp.

If you can make it work, it’s ideal, because it broadens the pool of coaches you can realistically pursue, and head coaching candidates are generally more sought-after than GM candidates, plus there are usually more coaching openings than GM openings.

The caveat here? If you’re going to make that division of power work, you need to have not just the right people, but the right mix of people. Here’s how Schneider explained it to me a couple years ago: “We do have a collaborative effort. I never give Pete a player he wouldn’t want, and that works both ways. We’re constantly talking about what makes sense in the draft, free agency and with the 53. And we never run into situations where we can’t work it out. ...

The important thing is he respects me and I respect him. And I respect him as an evaluator, and he respects me as a team-builder, which is the really important thing.” So as I see it, that first decision—charting the organizational structure—is just as important for the Rams as the more newsworthy hires that’ll follow that.

I am responding to a article that some Fart head from ramswire wrote
Can one of you guys refresh my memory.There are two int's that I know of
that were great passes but tipped into the hands of the defender
.Help me out if you know for sure.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000757780/article/jeff-fisher-i-want-a-chance-to-play-the-rams
You did bro. You lost the Super Bowl.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/12/16/jeff-fisher-i-want-a-chance-to-play-the-rams/

Jeff Fisher: “I want a chance to play the Rams”
Posted by Mike Florio on December 16, 2016

Getty Images

Rams Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson may not have had a vendetta against Jeff Fisher, but Jeff Fisher now has a vendetta against the Rams.

“I want a chance to play the Rams,” Fisher tells FOX in an interview to be aired during Sunday’s pregame show.

Fisher provides that sound bite with a smile when asked for his “perfect scenario.” In the snazzy clip released by FOX to promote the interview, which starts with a cinematic slow-motion shot of Fisher walking down a hallway, the former Titans and Rams coach also fills in the blank as to why Jeff Fisher was fired.

“He didn’t win enough games, and the organization has a much bigger picture,” Fisher said. “And I don’t think I was ever part of seeing the new stadium.”

There’s the patent-pending I-don’t-make-excuses-here’s-my-excuse maneuver. Fisher admits he didn’t do a good enough job before suggesting, without taking a breath, that it doesn’t matter how good of a job he would have done, he was always getting fired before the Rams christened Kroenkeworld in 2019.

The swiftly and slickly produced interview reconfirms that Fisher is very well connected, both at the league and media level. When the time comes for him to get a new job, he’ll have plenty of people pushing the issue both behind the scenes and out in the open.

Those efforts apparently will focus on the other teams of the NFC West, whenever those jobs next come open. The next best option could be to coach the Chargers, if they move to L.A. and share space with the Rams in their new stadium.

However it plays out, the 58-year-old Fisher isn’t going anywhere. In the end, it takes only one owner to become sufficiently intrigued to give Fisher a chance to coach his third team — and to break the tie with Dan Reeves at 165 for the most career losses.

Rams to launch “wide-ranging” search on Friday
Posted by Mike Florio on December 15, 2016, 8:34 PM EST
Getty Images
The Rams have had a busy week, far too busy to commence the process of looking for a new head coach. After Thursday night’s game against the Seahawks, however, the effort to find a replacement for Jeff Fisher will begin.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the Rams will embark on a “wide-ranging” coaching search on Friday. The team will lean toward a coach with an offensive background, but the Rams haven’t ruled out the possibility of hiring a defensive coach.

Those parameters necessarily will land Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels (who served as the offensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams in 2011) and Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan on the list of potential candidates.

Getting the job surely will entail proposing a compelling plan for using quarterback Jared Goff, running back Todd Gurley, and receiver Tavon Austin — and for augmenting their talents with other players who will assist in maximizing the ability of the Rams to rekindle the Greatest Show on Turf.

Many other factors will influence the final decision, including compensation for the coach and the amount of power he will have. The anticipated roles of G.M. Les Snead and COO Kevin Demoff likely will influence whether the coach the Rams target will accept the job.

Ultimately, that will be the most important factor when it comes to selling the hire to a potentially fickle L.A. fan base: Creating the impression that the Rams hired their first choice for the job. Whoever it will be, the effort to find him starts essentially when Thursday night’s game at Seattle ends.


http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/12/15/rams-to-launch-wide-ranging-search-on-friday/

Share this:

do we get a chance to see Mannion?

I don't want Goff to miss any time but if he does I sure as hell don't want to waste more time with Keenum.