Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher – Post Practice – November 2, 2016


(On what the offense has worked on this week and if he’s seen progress)
“I think everybody, once you take advantage of the time off, you can step back and look and see where you need to improve. Without getting into too much specifics, there are some things that we think can help us, things that may have gotten away from us a little bit. Now, we’ve played some really good defenses, we put some points up against Detroit and thought we had things going, then we didn’t get the points that we needed against the Giants. I feel good about where we are and where the offense is – namely, as I mentioned to you guys yesterday, just the health. We’ve got a pretty good team and we’re healthy and there’s teams out there that are not. We have to take advantage of our health right now, if we’re going get on a run.”


(On CB Trumaine Johnson’s status)
“He was limited today at practice, but only because we held him back. He wanted more – that’ll give you some idea – so that’s encouraging.”


(On how much of a difference there is when Johnson is available and can play)
“His experience and size factor and the match-up factor. They’ve got big receivers and they can run, and he’s tall and he can play the ball. I was not, by any means, disappointed in the corner play in London against the Giants. I thought both (CBs) E.J. (Gaines) and Troy (Hill) played winning football in that game.”


(On if Johnson has healed quicker than he initially expected)
“I think he’s following the timeline that was given to us, which is encouraging. Sometimes that type of injury can set you back a little bit longer, but he’s worked really hard.”


(On if he explains why QB Jared Goff gets extra snaps sometimes to the other quarterbacks)
“No, they understand. They understand that your (No.) 2 needs reps, so our (No.) 2’s getting reps. (QB) Sean (Mannion), unfortunately is not getting offensive reps, but he’s getting great scout team reps. Sean can get the mental reps, he’s been in the system, he understands. And that’s where Jared’s closing the gap, too, as well, is just getting the mental reps when he doesn’t have that physical snap.”


(On the problems the Panthers present)
“From their offensive perspective, their offense is built, largely, around their run game, and they’re very good at it. And it’s a diverse run game, it’s guard-pulls and one-direction zone, another direction reverses, quarterback draws, quarterback powers, especially in the plus-territory. They’re diverse in their run game, which creates problems for your defense. Then they’ve got their play-action game, if your eyes aren’t right, then you can have some problems down the field. Offensively, they’ve got weapons, (TE) Greg Olsen is playing as good as any tight end in the league is right now. When it comes down to it, it’s no surprise, when you have to make a play (QB) Cam’s (Newton) going to Greg and he’s hard to stop. Offensively, they’re very well-coached and very diverse, starting with the run game. Their defense, as (offensive coordinator) Rob (Boras) told you and as (QB) Case (Keenum) probably alluded to, that front-seven is special. And their young secondary has gained experience on a weekly basis. They’re a well-coached team and you could see how they ran through their schedule last year. That’s a very talented team. We got a good gameplan, as I’m sure they’re saying they do and we’ll see what happens.”


(On how important the offensive line is to giving Keenum time and not feeling the pressure)
“It’s important. Protection involves more than just offensive linemen, it also involves running backs and tight ends. But it’s important. You see what happens when you don’t get the time, like what happened Sundayagainst the Cardinals – eight sacks and a lot of hits – it’s hard to win football games that way. Case knows he’s going to be pressured at some point because they’re so talented. He can extend plays like some of the other players that we watched in the past in the games that were successful against them. The quarterback just got off schedule and made plays, and that’s what you have to do.”


(On his thoughts on Panthers QB Cam Newton being able to talk to Commissioner Roger Goodell about his concerns)
“I think it speaks volumes with respect to the commissioner, because the commissioner actually cares, he cares for the players, he loves the players, because that’s the essence of the game. So it doesn’t surprise me that Roger would have gotten in touch with him. But there’s no rule changes, nothing’s going to change – I’m sure they felt good when they hung up – and we go on.”


(On if he feels like the team will get any extra scrutiny after all the attention that has been placed on Newton)
“It would only create more problems for the league if we got, as you say, extra scrutiny. There’s a rule book, the game’s officiated one way. Like I said yesterday, some are missed and some aren’t, that’s just the way it is. We all are in favor of protecting quarterbacks. We know what legal hits are, we know what illegal hits are and we just go from there and hope that the officiating department gets them right, that’s where you are.”


(On if he thinks people listen to Newton because he’s an MVP quarterback)
“That’s a hard question to answer. I know he was very, very frustrated after a win – and this was a win and he was frustrated. As I said yesterday, you can understand the frustration with the low hit, that’s a dangerous play – ask (Patriots QB) Tom Brady and (Cardinals QB) Carson Palmer – it’s a dangerous, dangerous play. We understand the importance of protecting the quarterback.”


(On if it’s disturbing that Newton says he isn’t having fun playing football anymore)
“It’s hard to comment on someone’s emotional status after a game, everybody’s emotional after a game. I find it highly unlikely that Cam is not having fun – just watch him warm up, watch him when he scores a touchdown – it looks like he’s having a blast. He’s a passionate player, that’s why he’s successful, he was successful in college at Auburn. You’re talking about a returning MVP. Off the field, there’s something to what he said, I understand that it’s not fun when you think you’re hit and you shouldn’t be hit or it should be penalized and it’s not, I understand that. That transcends our game, we’ve got DBs that disagree with defensive pass interference calls and the same thing with receivers and holding calls, it’s a human nature of our game, from an officiating standpoint. I can assure you this – the league’s doing everything they possibly can to improve officiating.”



Rams Offensive Coordinator Rob Boras – Post Practice – November 2, 2016


(On what he saw at practice from some of the players today)
“I thought it was a good. Having the shoulder pads on after having a couple of weeks off, it was lively. You felt the energy today. I thought it was a good practice. Just to go through the team run with the pads on and everything was good. Again, to repeat myself, to get back on the field with pads felt like football.”


(On if he felt as if the team needed to re-energize by taking some time off)
“I think this time of year, everybody kind of does. It was good for everybody, whether it was a couple of days, or whatever it was away. But, you come back refocused, and new energy, and ready to take on the next nine weeks, and hopefully more.”


(On if throwing 53 pass attempts is a result of coaching on the sideline, or calls being made at the line of scrimmage)
“I was as surprised as anybody when I saw the stat sheet at the end. We had 19 third downs, which the week before when we played Detroit, we only had nine third downs. I think on 19 of those third downs, 18 of them we passed the ball, and then we had some two-minute situations at the end of the first half, as well at the end of the game. So, I think the numbers, obviously they got up to 53. That’s not the way it was designed to play. Obviously, we want to run the ball, and we want to control it with our play-action, and stuff. It was just one of those games with what happened. There’s always checks, to answer your question, that the quarterback has based on the defensive look. I don’t have the exact number off the top of my head, but I’m sure there were some. It was just kind of the way that the flow of the game went.”


(On if he feels the team needs to be more consistent with RB Todd Gurley in terms of the amount of carries he gets per game)
“I used the word, probably three week ago, consistent. I think consistency for everybody on offense, whether it’s the run game, or attacking through the air, it’s just finding that consistency to let the offense play in rhythm. It seems like forever ago, but that Detroit game, we found some rhythm offensively, whether it was through the air, or handing the ball in the run game early. So, they play hand-in-hand. It’s just finding consistency from drive-to-drive, and then from game-to-game, and that’s really what we’re looking for moving forward.”


(On how he evaluates QB Case Keenum’s performance through the first seven games of the season)
“Again, I go back to the consistency part. He’s played really well. You saw that Detroit game, we all did, and he played lights out. Probably as good a game as I’ve seen him play. Very similar to how he played against Tampa the year before. Obviously, to have the four interceptions – and I know it always gets back on the quarterback, but that’s part of the position and part of the ownership you take when you play that position. He’s played well, and played really well at times. Then there’s plays, just like every position, that you want to have back. Really pleased with his leadership and what he’s providing for us. But, again, I can say it for Case as I can say it for a lot of positions across the board – it’s just finding that consistency, and eliminating the bad plays. That’s magnified at the quarterback position, but if we can eliminate the bad plays, it’s going to give ourselves a chance to continue to be successful.”


(On how he evaluates the progress of LT Greg Robinson, as compared to last season)
“There were some sets in the pass protection world in that New York game where that would be a clinic tape. You would go out and feel really good speaking at the clinic about how to do it. Then, maybe a series later, all of a sudden, you’d put a clinic tape together on how not to do some things. You see flashes of it all the time. Again, I keep going back to saying that about all the positions, but you could ask me about anybody on the offense, and that’s probably what we’re going to say, is there’s flashes of really good things, and then there’s plays that you’re going to want to have back. Just like everybody on the offense, we need to continue to get better; coaches, players, everything. Greg being right along there with Case, and Todd, name a position, or a guy, or a coach, and hopefully they would say the same thing.”


(On if the bye week is an opportunity to do new things as an offensive coordinator)
“I think, hand-in-hand, it’s kind of two-fold. You access what you’ve done. It gives you an opportunity to really evaluate and self-scout yourself, what you think you’re good at, and then sometimes you find out that you’re not good at what you think you’re good at. So, It helps you kind of focus it. It also allows you to tinker with some things that maybe you wanted to have done, but maybe didn’t have a chance during the normal game week; whether its personnel groups, or just some different concepts that you try to establish to get going, because you get more reps during those couple of practices. To answer your question, it kind of goes hand-in-hand – both, if you can.”


(On if he sees opportunity to integrate WR Pharoh Cooper into the lineup)
“Yeah, obviously, having him back out, which has been a while now, four or five weeks. We know he’s dynamic. He’d be a great addition to get out there on Sunday, with what he’s able to do with the ball in his hands, in the slot for us. Obviously, his returning ability for (Special Teams Coordinator) Coach (John) Fassel in the special teams game. Early in practice today, he made a couple of really nice plays down the field against our defense, as well. We see all of that stuff, and we’re excited about getting Pharoh out there and seeing what ‘Coop’ can do.”


(On what happened during the bye week that allowed QB Jared Goff to progress and develop)
“I thought it came to fruition on the practice field. That practice Wednesday, I thought it was great. To me, and you guys that are watching practice, how fast he’s getting in and out of the huddle. You could just see the confidence with what was going on. The wheel weren’t turning when he got up to the line of scrimmage, and he was real accurate, and decisive with what he was doing. I’ve kept talking about how well he’s been doing in the classroom; it was time to see it out here with all those reps that he got. I think we were all really pleased to see what was able to do in those couple of practices.”


(On if he senses if he could handle a game situation if his number was called)
“I think Jared would’ve said that a year ago. That’s the great thing about Jared, how confident he is. I think, yeah, he is ready, and I know he believes that he’s ready, and I believe the coaches and his teammates know he’s able, if he’s called upon, to go out there and do it. That’s the thing since we’ve all met Jared, is the confidence that he has. He’s a great teammate, he’s helping Case. But if his number gets called, we know he’s capable and ready to go out there and play.”



Rams Quarterback Case Keenum – Post Practice – November 2, 2016


(On how he feels coming off the bye week and coming back re-energized)
“I feel good. We had a good recharge week. I think the guys getting away a little bit, kind of recharge the batteries. Getting everybody’s bodies back, feet underneath them. I think it’s good. We’re excited, ready to go.”


(On what he saw after watching the London game against the Giants – what he saw that was good and what he would like to have back)
“Like I said, I’ve reviewed that and put it behind me. But just to talk about it real quick, there are some plays down the field that I can check it down, and live to play another day. Just being smart about when to choose to take shots and being smart with those shots. We can’t put ourselves in that situation and when the defense is playing that well, I can’t turn the ball over – that’s too many turnovers to win a ball game.”


(On how he’s handling the outside noise regarding his job as starting quarterback being in jeopardy)
“It hasn’t changed, nothing’s changed. I’m playing. I’m playing this week, taking it a week at a time and that’s what I’ve been doing. For me, I don’t pay attention to anything outside this building. No offense to you guys and what you guys do, but I don’t pay attention to a lot of that. What matters to me is the opinions to the 53 guys in that locker room and the coaches in their rooms. I’m going to go out and try to do the best I can – prepare to put this team in the best situation to win ball games. That’s what my goal is this week. I’m not worried about anything else, forward or backwards.”


(On how he keeps the negative noise out and whether it has ever bothered him throughout his career)
“I don’t’ have a choice but to keep it out. You don’t get many chances in this league to do what I get to do, and I am giving everything I have and having no regrets.”


(On Panthers Quarterback Cam Newton’s conversation with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell regarding illegal hits and whether he thinks he would be able to have that same conversation with Goodell, if he wanted to)
“I wouldn’t say either way. I know there’s been a lot of talk about that, but that’s something that’s outside of my realm. I just try to get the ball out before they get there. Everything else that happens, that’s not my job. I know everybody out on that field, including the officials, are trying to do the best that they can. I have to trust them, just like I trust my line to do their job and in the end I’ll let Coach Fisher and those guys to protect us.”


(On whether the chatter about QB Jared Goff potentially replacing him is bothersome)
“When I don’t listen to you guys, I don’t hear you (laughs). It doesn’t. I’m sorry to disappoint you. But I’m out here doing my job. If I do listen to that stuff, then I’m not able to do my job the way I need to do my job. We have a heck of an opponent coming in this weekend, that’s the Carolina Panthers. If you guys want to ask about that, that would be good.”


(On the problems that the Carolina Panthers will bring defensively)
“They’re a great front. Probably the best linebackering crew that I’ve ever come across, that I’ve ever played against. We have our work cut out for us. (LB) Luke’s (Kuechly) a great player. He gets those guys lined up, and they’re very rarely not lined up right. We have to I.D. the fronts, get ready and attack them on the back end.”


(On the ways the team has improved offensively during the bye week)
“Like I said, getting our bodies right, getting our bodies back to normal – resetting there. Just getting back to fundamentals, getting back to doing little things – throwing and catching. Getting our feet really set in the pocket. (QB Coach Chris) Weinke’s done a great job of working us really well, mechanically-wise. Making sure that moving forward throughout the rest of the season that we’re getting back to center and staying grounded in that.” ”


(On how well the timing between himself and the receivers)
“It’s all timing. Quarterbacks a lot about rhythm and timing. ”


(On what it meant to have the University of Houston retire his number during the bye week)
“It meant a lot. It’s hard while I’m in the middle of a season, while I’m working extremely hard. I always try to stay humble, but something like that I’ll be able to look back, for the rest of my life and see that No. 7 is retired at Houston. It was really good to be back to see the ‘Cougs’. They’re playing well. They battled through and won a tough one on Saturday. Look forward to seeing them finish this season strong.”

http://rams.1stroundmediagroup.com/weeklybooks/

Panthers Head Coach Ron Rivera – Conference Call – November 2, 2016


(On where the Panthers are right now)
“I think it’s in a good place. Came off a bye, I thought our guys played well last weekend and I think we have an opportunity to build on that.”


(On if he’s surprised that Rams RB Todd Gurley hasn’t gotten going with many big games this season)
“Yeah, again, you just have to watch him every down, then you’ll have an explosive run and you realize and recognize why the guy got the accolades he got last year. He’s a solid football player who’s got a tremendous amount of ability and potential. Right now, it’s just one of those things. It’s kind of like us, we’re struggling to find our footing, and once you get it going, you know it’s going to happen, big time. It’s just a matter of being patient, the team has got to continue to work and grow, that’s the bottom line.”


(On his talk with commissioner Roger Goodell and the situation involving Panthers QB Cam Newton)
“For the most part, Cam had his opportunity to talk with the commissioner and, at the end of the day, we’ll just see how it’s handled on Sunday. Cam’s not trying to find any special treatment, all he wants to do is make sure that, across the board, that the rules are being enforced, and that’s the bottom line. As far as we’re concerned, it’s been pretty much over – he had his opportunity to say what he had to say, the commissioner listened. I had my conversation with the commissioner, he was terrific, and we talked about the things. He was very receptive and very open, and he listened – and that’s the best part about talking with the commissioner, is that he listens to what we have to say. But, at the end of the day, we’ll see what happens on Sunday and we’ll go from there. Like I said, we’re not looking for any calls or anything like that extra, we’re just looking for the rules to be distributed across the board, that’s all.”


(On the differences between this year and last year with his team)
“Not winning games like we did last year. We got ourselves in position to win and we didn’t. Across the board, just a different type of roster right now. We have a group of young guys that have been pressed into service for one reason or the other – that’s probably one of the hard things. The second thing, we lost some veteran leadership, whether it be retirement or moving on to another team – that’s another tough thing that we’ve had to try and replace. And just trying to stay healthy, that’s been a tough thing for us. Hopefully we’re in a good position right now, we can build on our success from last week.”


(On if it helps them that the two wins they have had have come against teams that the Rams have also played)
“Not necessarily. For us, the biggest thing, more than anything else, you try to get things to translate from teams that are similar to what you do. Again, looking at some of the team that are 4-3 fronts, that’s really what you most want to look at, because that’s what we are as a defense. Offensively, for the most part, defenses are going to attack the way they attack, we happen to know that they’re a 4-3 front as well. That’s probably the biggest thing that we look for.”


(On, when he’s looking up at the teams in his division, what is on his mind and what he says to his team about their possibilities)
“The truth of the matter is, if we take care of our business one game at a time, we put ourselves right in position. That’s the biggest thing we have to do, is stay focused on what we have to do. We can’t worry about things we can’t control, but we can most certainly control what we do on Sundays. Let’s focus in on those things, let’s focus in on playing it one game at a time so we can give all of our attention to that.”


(On the key to getting things going and getting to Cardinals QB Carson Palmer last week)
“I think it starts early, if you can have success early in the game, put some points up early in the game. We got off to a 14-0 start right away and that, I think, kind of really accelerated things for us as far as playing offense and playing defensive football. If you have success early, you can, you can control the tempo and the pace of the game. We just have to be able to get a fast start and that’s one thing you try to do. You don’t always have that success, and if you don’t, then you’re in for a slugfest.”



Panthers LB Luke Kuechly – Conference Call – November 2, 2016


(On his thought on the Rams this week)
“I think they have some aspects to their offense that are scary, and that’s when you look at a team as, ‘How can they beat you?’ These guys have the opportunity to make big plays every play. With (WR) Tavon Austin, I think (RB) Todd Gurley is another guy that is very dynamic. You watch those guys, and you get the ball in their hands, they got a chance to take it all the way every play. So, it’s going to be one those things you got to identify where those guys are, and try to make their life difficult.”


(On his thoughts regarding his team this season)
“I think we’re growing, I think guys are working really hard. I think we have a good attitude about us right now, despite kind of the situation we’re in. We have a bunch of good older guys that understands the direction that this team needs to go. We were able to get a good win last week coming off the bye. I think just the prior game experience that some of these guys have had has really helped ourselves moving forward. We’re going to do our best this week, as well.”


(On how the defense will approach Todd Gurley this weekend)
“I think he’s still a dynamic player. He’s big, he’s powerful, he’s explosive. I think he’s a very unique running back that is a challenge for you. He can kind of do a little bit of everything. He’s not just a fast guy, he’s not just a strong guy, he’s not just a guy that can catch the ball out of the backfield, he’s able to do all three. That’s what’s fun to see, is a competitor like him, and gives ourselves a chance to compete against a guy like him. I think he’s a stud, and that’s what makes this game fun.”


(On what was key for the defense in the eight team sack performance against the Cardinals last week
“I think our defensive line played really well. I think they came out with an edge, and they were determined to make a difference in the game, and those guys did a great job for us. I think they set the tone for us on defense. I think (DT) Star (Lotulelei), and (DT Kawann Short) ‘KK’, and those guys inside did an excellent job of clogging things up, putting pressure on the quarterback, and when those guys are playing that well, it makes everyone’s job a lot easier.”


(On how the team is dealing with the issue regarding QB Cam Newton and illegal quarterback hits)
“That’s not been an issue at all. That was addressed after the game, and I’m sure coached talked about it the other day. So, it’s not an issue. That stuff doesn’t hang over our heads during the week. Guys are focused on playing this week, and that’s really where our mindset is on that.”


(On as a defender, how he reacted to the comments by QB Cam Newton regarding illegal quarterback hits)
“You got to play the game fast; you go to play the game hard. I try to play the game as hard as I can, and you’ve got to be smart. That’s just kind of how I feel about it. I feel like I just try to make plays when they’re allowed, and let the rest take care of itself. I try not to worry about that stuff, and I just go out there and play hard.”


(On if he ever feels as if he has to pull back because of the new rules)
“I just think you have to understand what the rules are, and what you can and can’t do. I try not to think about that stuff too much. I just try to play within the rules, and understand that when the quarterback has got the ball, there’s certain ways you can hit him, and when he throws the ball, you can’t hit him. I think it’s pretty straight-forward stuff, just go to make sure you’re doing what you’re supposed to do.”


(On what CB Leonard Johnson brings to the defense)
“I think he’s brought some energy, and competitiveness. He hasn’t been able to play football for a little while, so I think this first game back gave him a chance to kind of get out there and kind of let it go. I think he felt good to be back out there on the field with the team, and compete, and help a team win a game. He did a great job for us. He gave us a good spark. He made a bunch of big plays. He had a sack, he had some other pressures on the quarterback, he had a big pass deflection on a two-point conversion, he made some big tackles just all over the field. So, he did a good for us. We’re excited to have him back again this week.”


(On what the main difference is between last season and this season for the team)
“I just think it’s a little bit different on defense. We had some new guys come in. You just kind of have to mesh with those guys, and we’re doing a really good job with that. I think the bye week helped with that. I think the guys played really well last week. I think we’re kind of moving in the right direction that where we want to be, and I think that’s the sign of a defense that’s growing together. It doesn’t really matter where you start, it’s do you improve each week, and I think we’re trending in that direction. Hopefully, we can continue that.”


On how many different ways people have tried to pronounce his last name)
“Oh my goodness gracious, there’s a lot of them. I haven’t been asked that question in a long time, and it makes me laugh a little bit, I like that. (KEEK–lee), (CATCH–lee), (KOOK–lee), anything that starts with a ‘k’ and ends with like an ‘ly’ and maybe a hard ‘k’ there at the end, is how it gets pronounced. But, when I was in grade school and high school, I had a brother who was year older than me. So, I’m sure he got all the mispronounced names more than I did, because they had already had them. So, he’s the guy to ask on that. But, I think anything that starts with a ‘k’ and ends with an ‘ly’, I would usually respond to when I was a little kid.”


(On if the team is doing anything different defensively with the possibility of seeing Jared Goff this week)
“It’s one of those things that I think you just got to go in with the mindset of what do they try to do as an offense as a whole. You can’t worry about necessarily who is going to be playing quarterback, it’s more of what they try to do as a whole, and you kind of go from there. I don’t know who is going to be playing quarterback, but you just got to make sure you’re aware of what they like to do in situations, and kind of how they are as an offense as a whole.”


(On if he feels as if the defense can get after Rams QB Case Keenum a little easier, coming off his four interception game)
“Maybe some guys, but I think he’s a competitor. You watch him play, that the game of football is super important to him, and he loves to compete, and he loves to win. So, this will be, coming off a game where he probably didn’t play as well as he wanted to, I think he’s going to be even more motivated to play well, especially at home. I don’t think it’s going to be one of those things that, ‘Oh man, we can do this and that.’ I think it’s, ‘Oh, we got to make sure we’re ready to go,’ because he’s going to prepare, he’s going to compete; he’s going to play really well, especially at home. We have got to do our best to make sure we’re ready to go. Like I said, he’s a guy that wants to go out there and win, and he plays hard, and that’s something cool to see.”

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...es-to-start-in-place-of-alex-smith-vs-jaguars

Nick Foles will start in place of Alex Smith at quarterback for the Chiefs this Sunday against the Jaguars, coach Andy Reid told reporters Wednesday. Smith is going through "return-to-play" protocol and is currently symptom-free from any head injury, but will not be available as a backup for this weekend's game.

Around The NFL will have more on this shortly.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...ner-resigned-as-vikings-offensive-coordinator

Wow didnt see that coming. Give him a call?

https://theringer.com/the-2016-redzone-power-rankings-acae8ab115ec#.dfurcpadr

The 2016 RedZone Power Rankings
At the season’s midway mark, which teams are the most — and least — fun to watch in seconds-long bursts?
Kevin Clark
Staff Writer, The Ringer

When people discuss the golden age of television, they often miss the point. Sure, it’s great that we’re living in an era of consistently stellar shows like Game of Thrones and Mad Men and Atlanta, but the real beauty comes from seeing Ryan Tannehill hit Damien Williams for a 10-yard score to extend the Dolphins’ lead over the Browns.

Fans nationwide can see that thanks to RedZone, a channel that’s designed to show every scoring opportunity and notable play and that’s probably a government-funded program designed to save oxygen by guaranteeing that no one goes outside on Sundays. RedZone is almost always fun, but some moments, and some teams, honor the intent of the platform better than others.

Great RedZone teams:

1. Make big plays in crucial moments: Fourth-quarter comebacks aren’t a particularly telling way to gauge a quarterback’s talent, but they’re a great way to gauge a team’s RedZone viability. If a squad is driving late, chances are it’s earning some RedZone love, hopefully by doing something wild.
2. Perform in the red zone itself: The vast majority of RedZone plays come when a team is simply in the actual, physical red zone, running its typical offense. In order to stand out, a team needs to score a lot in those situations, and do so in exciting fashion. Two-yard runs never made anyone want to abandon their lives and marry their television. A leaping catch in the corner of the end zone, however …
3. Don’t waste time: No team is perfect, but great RedZone squads avoid being bad in the spotlight. That means avoiding too many garbage-time scores that waste everyone’s time.
4. Look great in short bursts: It doesn’t matter if a team is 2–5. If it looks good for a few seconds when the channel pans to it, it can contribute greatly to a football Sunday.

With those qualifications in mind, we’ve ranked the RedZone teams of 2016.

24. Los Angeles Rams

The Rams’ nondivisional games tend to be surprisingly but sufficiently entertaining NFL contests. Look at the 31–28 Lions-Rams game from two weeks ago or the 37–32 Rams-Bucs showdown from September. Those games actually featured points!

The Rams’ divisional contests, meanwhile, are some of the worst games in the NFL. They include the Rams’ 9–3 win over the Seahawks from September and their 17–13 win over Arizona last month, and should be avoided at all costs. In the rare moments when the Rams appear on RedZone during divisional play, try to avert your eyes.

1. Alabama-
2. Clemson
3. Michigan
4. Texas A&M-
5. Washington
6. Ohio State
7. Louisville
8. Wisconsin
9. Auburn
10. Nebraska

I swear they try to create controversy....
Washington out but A&M in?? Gimme a break
A&M in despite getting crushed by Bama yet Louisville who was a bad call away from beating Clemson is all the way down at 7? Good grief
Washington with no losses at 5?

For the people that requested the 1999-2001 games:

10 people asked me for games....I will send them....but, check your spam box because it will look like a mass mailing.

I will send the games to 'all' (some wanted 2001 games, too)....and you don't need to click on the link if you don't want them.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/...-guide-november-moon-meteor-shower-astronomy/

I love this stuff!

So I was on the train to London for work today and I felt like I needed to write this post.
After 4.5years in the fisherball era, I felt I wanted to put my thoughts on paper about the overall state of the team. Really interested to see what people agree and disagree with to be honest.

Good:

Kenny Britt: Playing the way which we've all seen flashes of, consistently with a Below average QB. Boss

AD: Best defensive player in the NFL. Even with consistent double teams. Legend in the making

Safety's: haven't really noticed a massive change since Rodney left. Huge compliment to MoAlex that. They all Hit hard over the middle

Ogletree: stepped up to run the defence from JL. He's the leader of our D now

Special Teams: One thing I'll credit Fisher for is taking special teams seriously. Hekker, Legatron and excellent kick/punt coverage is one of the reasons why all of our games have been winnable (bar SF)

----------

Bad:

Penalties: as much as our dear leader likes to say that he's not worried about the penalties, he should be. Undisciplined football with a below average talented team is some 7-9ish

Tight Ends: Must be a scheme issue because we're getting nothing from our TE's in passing this year. We don't even use the Harkey play anymore :-( I miss that play

OL: simply no push in the run game. Execution is way below average summed up by way below seasons from GRob and RHav. Pass pro surprisingly ok considering we have a QB who runs into pressure and no rushing attack. and what the hell is Tim Barnes doing btw :-/ Coach Bou has had 5years to create the line and it's embarrassing

Tavon: Should never have been paid, doesn't fit in this team. Any other team would have traded him, see Percy harvin and the hawks. Dropped passes a problem

Gurley: Many factors why our run game is spluttering and Todd gurley is one of them. Has to take advantage when the rare holes are there.

Sacks: 10 sacks for a defence with Quinn a Donald on it? Totally not acceptable. Scheme and players both share responsibility. Embarrassing

Case Keenum: we know who keenum is by now. He will not win us a superbowl but might get us to 7-9. He's the perfect fisherball player

------------------

Ugly:

Draft Class: Goff, Higbee, Cooper, Spruce, Hemmingway. Anyone? Injuries a factor here sure but essentially all of our 2016 draft class are adding nothing to this season. How many NFL teams draft 5 offensive weapons and haven't got a single strand of production from any of them? Bemusing.

Run game: No toss's, no misdirection, no creativity, poor blocking, poor running back play. Totally disgraceful situation for a "power football" team. Say what you want about Cignitti, he had a solid run game.

QB situation: it's really bad, make no mistake about it. Keennum is an above average back up and shouldn't be leading this team. The fact we've given up so much to get Goff and he's not on the field is very worrying. The kid needs reps and experience and this is now turning into a farce. We're now in this position:

A) if fisher plays him and he stinks, he gave up a kings ransom for a QB who's simply not ready to play after months and months of trying to get him ready. This would Reflect extremely badly on the coaching staff and GM for choosing goff in the first place. Fisher would be fired and I fear this is a major reason he's not playing goff at the moment. Self preservation
B) if he plays him and does well, he'll be hounded by the media for sticking with Keenum in the first place.

Jeff Fisher: I'm tired of Mr Fisher. I'm tired of his unbelievable arrogance. Tired of his lack of class when winning (see Cards) and I'm tired of him making excuses and not taking responsibility when losing. Tired with his negative and unsustainable brand of football. saying "we'll fix it" and obviously not fixing it. Tired of his consistently bad offence. Tired of 7-9. Tired of of his oversized shirts.

Les Snead: every GM has bad picks, there's no exact science here. That being said, far too many high profile picks that have been "work in progresses" and picks with little or no production. Time for a change


Sorry for the long'ish post. If anything this exercise was more like therapy for me to blow off some steam. We're very lucky to have ROD as a friendly place to air our love for this team, even if it's very frustrating at times! Love you all
Up the rams!!!

Let's fucking kick some panther ass!


To victory!

Who's with me?

Yeah I know, have a winning season or two and respect will come. But Florio couldn't even squeeze us in there between the Dolphins and the Saints?



http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...am-is-most-likely-to-make-it-to-the-playoffs/

Which sub.-500 team is most likely to make it to the playoffs?
Posted by Mike Florio on November 1, 2016

Every year since 2000, at least one team with a record of .500 or below at the midpoint of the season has recovered to make it to the playoffs. Last year, five did.

This year, several sub-.500 teams have a viable chance to make it. Wednesday’s question of the day on PFT Live asks which of several sub-.500 teams through eight weeks is the most likely to get to the postseason.

Bengals
Cardinals
Dolphins
Saints
Panthers

Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher – Post Practice – November 1, 2016


(Opening Remarks)
“The players took advantage of the break. We didn’t have any issues. A lot of guys stayed behind. As I said, where else would you go – it was great. We got some guys back, guys who stayed behind, that needed treatment, and we’re close. ‘Tru’ (CB Trumaine Johnson) was on the field today, and ‘Brock’s’ (DT Michael Brockers) close – it was a productive weekend. As you say, they always come at the right time. We got a good start on the plan and we’re playing an outstanding opponent. We have a big week ahead of us. ”


(On whether the players were anxious to get back on the field)
“They are excited about getting back on the field. We got back together yesterday, had some meetings, and jogged around, got loose, got stretched out for today and particularly for tomorrow. They’re excited.”


(On Panthers QB Cam Newton and Head Coach Ron Rivera saying Newton may be subject to illegal hits and what he has seen on tape regarding that)
“Well, first off, what head coach is not going to support his quarterback, number one? Secondly, there are hits – illegal hits – that are missed in every game on a quarterback. We’ve got, probably, a half dozen or so on (QB) Case (Keenum) – and I have my own theory on that. They’re doing the best they can to officiate the game. Cam’s a great player, he’s a physical player. I know he understands the difference between being hit in the pocket as a passer and pulling the ball down and running as a runner, because he does run the football quite a bit, I mean, he’s a big man. When you go into a pile or go into the line of scrimmage on a called run, where the quarterback’s purpose is to run the football, then there’s going to be some contact. But those aren’t the things, I don’t think, Cam was complaining about – I think he overreacted to the low hit from (Cardinals DE) Calais (Campbell), which, I’ve heard different things, should have been called, should not have been called. Not that Calais did it on purpose, you just can’t have people on the knees of any quarterback, for that matter. Calais found himself unblocked, stumbled and went in, so I can see Cam’s frustration on that. Across the league, it happens all the time. The league’s priority, from a safety standpoint, starts at the quarterback position. I’ve done a lot of work, through the (competition) committee over the years, protecting the quarterback – there’s going to be things that just aren’t called. At the same time, there are hits on quarterbacks that are legal that are called fouls. The league’s doing the best they can to protect them.”


(On if he’s concerned being the next team to play Carolina after all the attention being paid to this issue)
“I’m not concerned about it, because there’s no rule changes, and our players understand the rules – as do their players understand the rules. So I’m not concerned about it at all. I’m more concerned about him extending plays with his legs and making plays with his arm. He was an MVP for a lot of reasons last year.”


(On what concerns him the most about getting the team back in rhythm after the bye week)
“There are statistics associated with the week off, penalties tend to increase a little bit after a week off. You have a tendency over the years, at times, to start a little slower. But I don’t anticipate that with our guys, they’ve played hard, they know how to practice. I’m kind of excited to get back on the field, it seems like we’ve been out of the Coliseum forever right now.”


(On how QB Jared Goff came out today with his extra work over the bye)
“He was good. He’s good and he benefitted from it, no doubt. We’ll continue to give him the same reps we’ve given him the last few weeks, work him in with the 1s during the preparation week.”


(On if he is happy with the offensive line’s performance)
“I think anytime we’re allowing pressure on the quarterback – although we’ve played some good defenses – and not run the football, all attention goes there. But we’re just going to get better up front. You look around the league, there are some teams that are really hurting up front on the offensive line, from a health standpoint, and we’re in good shape. We’re just going to get better.”


(On what he did to relax over the bye week)
“I worked.”


(On if he senses if the opportunity to win the division is still present)
“Yeah, we do. Obviously, that’s our goal, as is the rest of the teams in the division. But, this thing just becomes one at a time now, it really does. November is an important month to make a move if you’re going to have a chance to plan in January, but you can’t look ahead. You can’t look ahead to December. You just got to focus on each opponent. We got a challenge. This is a good football team. It’s hard to look at the tape and see that they only won two games, but it’s a good football team. We get a sense for watching them match-up against Arizona, because we know Arizona very well, and it’s a dominating game. It was a great effort by them, and a much needed win for them.”


(On if he sees any similar tendencies with Carolina that he also sees within NFC West opponents)
“Yeah, they’re built to run the football and they play outstanding defense and their really talented front seven. They’re hard to run the football against they don’t give up a lot of big plays and they can collapse the pocket. You get behind there, and they make it hard on you. Our focus and our goal going into this week is we’re going to have to play the best run defense we’ve played all year, just because of the way they’re built, and the way they commit to it. That puts a lot of pressure on your secondary, but we’re going to have to commit there.”


(On how has LB Alec Ogletree’s role developed since the start of the season)
“This is his first year as our starting ‘Mike’ and he’s taken it by the horns, and he’s running with it. He’s running the show. He’s the guy in the room right now. He came out with his football pants on today. This thing is important to him, and it’s also important to him that everybody does everything right. From a leadership standpoint and an ability standpoint, I think he’s off to a great start.”


(On the health status of CB Trumaine Johnson and DT Michael Brockers)
“They were out today, so they’re coming on. Probably will be a game-time decision. We’ll have an injury report for you at the end of the week.”


(On if he dressed up for Halloween)
“You know, I did not, actually. I’m probably wearing the same thing tonight that I wore last night (laughter). I missed it unfortunately. We extended an invitation to the players’ and staff’s kids, and we made the rookies sit out in that lounge out there and hand out candy. It was kind of cute last night.”

He actually said the rams could win the nfc west. I was so shocked. I almost crashed. Im just glad he wasnt spewing all of his usual hate. Being in stlouis its annoying not to get any news on them without hearing the usual bs. Hate the owner not the team.

Biggest takeaways from the first half of the L.A. Rams 2016 season

November 1st, 2016 | By: Jake Ellenbogen

It's been quite the up-and-down season for the Rams return in Los Angeles. They sit in third-place in a division they really could be leading right now with a 3-4 record and plenty of let downs to thank for that. Here are the biggest takeaways as we look back on what went down during the first half of the Rams 2016 campaign.

We still have yet to see the no.1 overall pick Jared Goff play in a real game
Perhaps the biggest story line and takeaway is the fact the player the Rams dealt away their future for, has yet to play a game for a 3-4 team starting Case Keenum. Yes, it's a little shocking, but for the most part Rams fans were pretty sure Goff was going to spend most of the first half of the season on the bench. However, now the majority of fans think it's time to let it rip with the young QB.

Goff right now, is the backup according to Head coach Jeff Fisher. Could that change before week nine's contest in Los Angeles versus a re-energized Carolina Panthers team? It definitely could. For now, though the biggest takeaway is that Goff is on the bench with average and sometimes below-average play from Keenum.

Todd Gurley has been completely ineffective
This one is just shocking to many, including myself. I had no idea Gurley was going to struggle like he is doing in 2016. Gurley looked like a can't-miss top three rusher this season. While he could still end up being just that, he's not off to a good start that's for sure.

Part of the problem for Gurley has been the lack of an offensive line. Yes, that same offensive line that led Gurley or rather guided Gurley to a 1,000 yard season on the ground. This year is a different story, Gurley is staring at a season below 1,000 yards if he keeps up this type of performance. The bottom line is this, the Rams will not go to playoffs if Gurley doesn't get it together soon.

Jeff Fisher finally has been put on the "hot seat"
Yes, everyone of you who have been chanting, yelling or even creating promotional images "Fire Fisher" are really backing that ideology this year. Fisher was blamed for how flat the Rams came out on opening night versus the 49ers in front of the nation when they were dominated, losing 28-0 against a team that just won five games last year. Then, even though the Rams went on a fierce three-game win streak and took over first-place in the NFC West division. Fans don't care because Fisher's squad has since followed that up with a three-game losing streak.

One of the main things that might have everyone, including the owner Stan Kroenke up in arms about Fisher, is his lack of success with current starting QB Keenum and his stubbornness to play his no.1 overall pick Goff. One thing is for sure, Fisher needs to win this Sunday and onward if he wants to remain the Head coach in L.A.

The defense still looks dangerous despite multiple injuries...but still plenty of work needs to be done
What we saw versus the Seattle Seahawks in the Rams first regular season game back in Los Angeles, was the defense no team wants to play. The Rams have shown flashes of being an elite defense, but then the issue is the ability to completely stop offensive drives in their tracks. Just watch the Rams on third down and long. No Rams fan likes third down and long anymore. Normally any fan will love seeing the opposing team backed far away from the first down marker but not the Rams.

The injuries the Rams have had to go through this season playing without three of their four defensive line starters in one game and the injury to star cornerback Trumaine Johnson. The Rams have continued to battle through these injuries and on top of that, have received great play out of two young former draft picks CB LaMarcus Joyner and FS Maurice Alexander.

The 2016 Los Angeles Rams draft class has looked putrid to this point
When you took a look at this incoming draft class the Rams had put together. There is no way you were expecting the lack of playing time and production out of these young players. Many felt like the man they call "Baby Gronk" fourth-round pick Tyler Higbee, would end up being a vital part of the offense, but he has only two catches for six yards on the season. In the same round the Rams took Wide receiver Pharoh Cooper, who has zero yards and zero catches on the year after battling injury for the majority of the first half of the season.

Obviously, as covered above, Jared Goff has yet to play and the three sixth round picks have only really been special team's assets besides LB Josh Forrest, who at this point would be the Rams mid-season rookie of the year by default.

Despite losing four out of their seven games, the Rams are still well in the hunt for the NFC West title
Lastly, the most important takeaway is the fact the NFC West lack of dominance in year's past has kept the reeling Rams in the hunt to steal the division title. Yes, this is the same division the Rams were leading at 3-1 but since then the Rams have lost three straight and are in third-place, but have been set up down the line nicely with a tie between the Arizona Cardinals and Seahawks.

The Rams were on their annual one week bye last week and they were lucky to see both their rivals, the Cardinals and Seahawks lose their games. Now sitting only one and half games back from the leading Seahawks the Rams have the majority of their second half of the season being played at home.

These are selected questions and answers. To read the whole chat click the link below.


********************************************************************
http://sports.live.stltoday.com/Event/NFL_chat_with_Jim_Thomas_34

Jim Thomas - NFL Chat

Do you think Fisher is discouraged because the record for most penalties in a game is now a little more difficult for his team to beat?

The Raiders have set the bar high. But the Rams have 8 more games to get it done.


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Why is Mike Martz doing nothing more than radio analysis of the Chargers? Is he blackballed from the NFL for some reason? Why wouldn't a team that's struggling offensively reach out to him and see if he would come to the rescue?

Good question. Mike has had a reputation for being hard to work with. I think it would take a strong personality, and a secure personality, in a head coach and GM to work with Mike. But my goodness, I agree with you. It's hard for me to think of a better QB guru than him.

Granted, it's tough love, but the guy gets the most out of QBs. I mean, he squeezed two 4,000-yard passing seasons out of Jon Kitna in Detroit, went 5-3 with Shaun Hill has his starter in San Francisco. I think Mike would like one more crack at it.
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Not counting the braintrust that runs the Rams, which NFL team has the most mundane offensive philosophy? Conversely, not counting the braintrust that runs the Patriots, which team displays the most progressive offensive philosophy - one that really pushes the evolution of the game?

Tennessee has a very old-school approach in terms of running the ball. I think coach Mike Mularkey calls it "exotic smash-mouth" _ which is kind of an odd name. You know, the Dallas Cowboys are very balanced. Entering their Sunday game with Philadelphia they were the only team with more run plays called than pass plays.

Although I've broadened my scope in terms of what I pay attention to in the NFL, it's tough for me to come up with a "progressive " offensive philosophy team. I like that Dirk Koetter at Tampa Bay tries to push the ball down the field more in the passing game. So many teams are dink and dunk. I haven't really seen much of Atlanta or Oakland this season, so don't have a great feel for what they're doing.
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Jim, based on your trips to other cities and the conversations that (I assume) you have with writers in others towns, do you get the sense that fans outside of SD/Oakland/St. Louis have any sense for how poorly the NFL treated the fans in those three places? I'm not sure how much I would notice if I were on the other side, so I am wondering how other people feel.

It's not something I've talked about much lately with writers I run into, but if you're asking if there's an awareness of how the NFL abuses its fan base for the sake of the almighty dollar _ the answer is yes. And there are more towns than maybe you'd think of that have lost their teams. Cleveland, Baltimore, Houston, Oakland, and yes, LA/southern California have all gone through it.
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Do you think the Vikings' offensive struggles have more to do with the performance of their offensive line and the loss of AP, or has Norv Turner failed to utilize his talent and adjust appropriately?

I have a lot of respect for Norv Turner, but yeah, I would've liked to have seen more screens and quick throws to the WRs last night. Saying that, it was pretty clear even with what the TV shots showed last night that there were times when the Vikings' O-line was getting beaten and beaten quickly.

For example, I'm sure Jake Long will get better as he gets more playing time, but it's sad to watch him play these days. I mean, this guy was once a Pro Bowler. I could be wrong on this, but I think the running game will improve with more work for Ronnie Hillman.

Right now, Bradford looks a little shell-shocked. I know that look. I've seen it in St. Louis.



But with their defense and that coaching staff, I don't think it's a time for panic in Minnesota. Football is a game of momentum, and the bye week couldn't have come at a worst time for the Vikings. The same thing happened to Philly after they came out of their bye.
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Jake Long is gonna get Sam Bradford killed. It's deja vu all over again!

Circa third preseason game of 2014, in Cleveland?
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Who is the favorite from the NFC now to the super bowl to be the sacrificial lamb to the Patriots?

I'm certainly not ready to bury Minnesota, or even Seattle for that matter. But I have to say it would be Jerry Jones' squad in Dallas. But lots of games left Things can change. The New York Giants won a Super Bowl after a 9-7 regular season.
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JT - one of the brainy LA "fans" on NFL Talk made the prediction he thinks the Rams will win their next 4 games and be 7-4 when they play the Patriots. Do these left coast clowns realize how long it's been since they have won 4 straight?

The next 4 teams may not have good W/L records but they all have better QBs than the Rams, and a good QB will torch the Rams secondary by throwing deep. Brees will be in the Hall of Fame, Newton might be and Fitzpatrick & Tannehill have beat better teams than the Rams. Do these LA idiots actually watch this team?



As you know, the optimism would be based on the fact that the Rams' next 4 opponents _ Carolina, New Orleans, Miami, and the New York Jets _ are a combined 11-18, and none of the 4 currently has a winning record. But New Orleans and Miami are improving, Carolina came out of its bye week with a strong win against Arizona, and even the Jets have won their last two.

The Rams' defense, which has looked very quick this season, should be almost fully healthy. We'll see. You know as well as I it's hard to imagine the Fisher Rams playing with the kind of week-to-week consistency to win 4 in a row.
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The LA media is pounding Fisher pretty hard about the quarterback situation. Is the man competent to have the final say about an offense?

If you don't make a change in the midst of a 3-game losing streak, on the heels of a 4-interception game by your quarterback, with the extra time of a bye week to prepare. . . .when would you?
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Jim, really miss your day-to-day Rams coverage. Unfortunately your LA counterparts are still in the honeymoon phase and cover the team like a kid with a new toy - very limited insight. Anyway, help us try to understand Fisher's handling of Goff.

Depending on one's perspective, he could be saying "drafting him wasn't my idea", or "I have to win, so I'm okay with Keenum because he's better now", or "Stan's going to extend me, so am immune from having to win, and Goff sitting is best for everyone", or "Goff isn't the kid we saw pre-draft", or (fill in the blanks).... Help us understand with your take on Fisher's thinking.

I'm sure the LA/southern California writers felt the same way about the St. Louis media in 1995, Of course, the Rams did start 5-1 that year. You can't manufacture perspective _ it takes a little time.

Just a couple of thoughts on Fisher-Goff. Fisher really likes Keenum _ his energy, his intangibles, his leadership. Also, trading up to the No. 1 overall spot for Goff didn't seem like a Fisher move to me. (Nor did having his team on Hard Knocks.) The trade-up seemed like a hey we're in LA now we need to make a splash move. If you were going to trade up for a QB, I think the year to do it was 2015 with Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota.

Maybe time will show otherwise, but I never saw Goff or Wentz as franchise QBs. One last thing: the longer Goff sits on the bench, the more you have to wonder if the Rams aren't sold on him, no matter what they say publicly.
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Jim - the PD had an interesting table in the paper the other day. 5 NFL teams with least number of victories since 2007. Everybody thinks the Browns are the worst team in the league - they were the second worst team with 47 victories.

The worst team? Yep, you guessed it - the Rams with 45 victories. And this is the team that's going to rip off long winning streaks. They have already lost this year to 3 teams that won't come close to making the playoffs, Giants, Lions and niners.



There was a time late last year when it was the Raiders as the worst team of the last decade. But they've zoomed past the Browns and Rams.
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If the Invisible Man (SK), presumed to be somewhere in North Texas these days, were to claw out of his cocoon, would he be surprised that his number one drafted QB still hadn't taken a rep in a real game or would he even care?



Malibu Stan has a lot of faith in Jeff Fisher. That should be fairly obvious by now.
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Looks like the Rams 1st rounder in 2017 is ahead of the Titans own pick. Do you think that will continue?

Already checking out that draft order, are we? Yes, right now the Rams' pick at 3-4 would come before the Titans' pick at 4-4. I think it'll be neck and neck on which pick comes first. Tennessee looks improved this season but 5 of their last 8 games are on the road _ they haven't taken their bye yet. And their 3 home games are against Green Bay, Denver, and Houston.
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Andy Reid has been a very good head coach for a long time - only 3 losing seasons in 17. But - he always comes ups short in the playoffs. What would you say are his biggest weaknesses as a head coach that contributes to the playoff losses?

It's hard to say it's just one thing that prevents coaches from advancing in the playoffs. Some coaches get a little too conservative in the postseason. Some have problems with clock management. But without downplaying the importance of good coaching, usually it's the team with the best players _ particularly the best QB _ that wins in the Super Bowl.
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To follow up on the question about Andy Reid. When the Eagles played the Cardinals in the NFC Championship, about 8 years ago, the Eagles took the lead early in the 4th quarter, then the Cardinals came back to retake the lead.

During the drive, Kurt Warner looked as cool as can be, his passes looked no different than if he had been playing catch in the backyard. when the Eagles got the ball back, McNabb's passes were mostly a little bit off--not terrible, but even when his receivers caught the ball, they were off balance. And McNabb was a good player, he just wasn't Kurt Warner. Alex Smith isn't Kurt Warner either.

Hey, there's only one Kurt Warner. And I think it will be Kurt Warner, Pro Football Hall of Famer, come February.
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According to Forbes magazine, the Cowboys are worth $800 million more than the Patriots, despite the latter being far more successful on the field than the former. If you polled the other 30 owners, how many would prefer to own the Patriots, and be the best on the field, and how many would prefer to be the generally mediocre Cowboys?

That's a fascinating question. Would you rather have more money? Or more success? I think we know where Stan Kroenke stands on the issue.



I think most owners would rather have the Lombardi Trophies _ after all, isn't that why you want to own a pro sports franchise, to win championships? It's a given that you're going to make money and show a profit in the NFL because of the TV dollars, even if you never win a single game. There is no such thing as an NFL team that's losing money. So why not win some games, lots of games, on your way to the bank?.
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The Raiders have turned it around and they didn't need a boatload of extra draft picks like the Rams had. It's amazing what a franchise can do to improve when, you know, they actually work at it.

The LA Lambies fans squawk about how great it is having them back "home", but they haven't even been the best team in their own state...the Raiders have won multiple super bowls and the Chargers were a dynamite team in the AFL for a long time after it was formed.

The Raiders have hit on some draft picks lately _ and hit big. Derek Carr, Amari Cooper, and Khali Mack to name a few.
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Kurt Warner led the Rams and the Cardinals to the Superbowl. How can he not be a hall of famer?

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


Exactly. And both were woebegone franchises until he worked his magic. But what has worked against Warner in terms of the Hall of Fame is his relative late start in the NFL _ he was a 27-year-old rookie in 1998 _ and the down years of his career, when his time ended with the Rams, he struggled with the Giants, and first arrived in Arizona.
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I found the NFLs excuse for the Instant Replay issue in Carolina very interesting. They said the feed went out in Carolina, however the IR offices in NY have 2 feeds they can look at; 1 from the stadium that mirrors the feed coming out of the IR booth as well as the network feed that they get directly from the provider.

Since they instituted that this season, challenges can "now" be helped by the NY offices (which they did last year too, by the way), they should have been able to review the play using the network feed. I know we won't get a straight answer, but Arians has a legitimate beef.

I haven't followed this story very closely, but it definitely sounds like the league botched this one.
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Yeah, as usual have to begin looking at the draft in November, with no hopes of a playoff game. Which of the impending FA's do you see the rams keeping? Johnson, McDonald, Britt, Quick and Keenum seem to be the top 5.

I think Johnson will be tough to keep, barring another franchise tag application. But I can certainly see Britt and McDonald staying. Not sure how much of an outside market there would be for Quick or Keenum.
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Goff looks a lot like a Stan decision to me. Have to make a big splash in our new home, draft the kid from California, need a star to be the face of the franchise and fill my new palace of a stadium. Reminds me a lot of Bill Bidwell's decision to draft Steve Pzarkewitz (sp?).

Now he is showing why so many people had the reaction they did at the time. If, as appears likely, he is the next Ryan Tannehill, and the Rams have no first or third round draft choice in 2017, the Rams should get worse before they get better.

Has the look of a Kroenke/Demoff decision to me.
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After we win a SB here you can burn the one you have there down with that dump of a dome.



I'm not sure exactly what you're saying here. You want St. Louis to "burn the Super Bowl it has here?"
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I was saying burn the trophy with the dome.

The trophy accompanied the team to Los Angeles. It's not in St. Louis.
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By the time your Rams win a Super Bowl the "dump of a Dome" will fall down from old age. Also, your man Malibu Stan made a lot of money off that dump - he had the sweetest lease in the NFL. And the west coast morons like you need to stop commenting on winning Super Bowls since you've never won one. Rams = 70 years in existence - ONE Super Bowl won in that Dump you refer to.


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How does Fisher justify sitting Goff on the bench? I believe that it has to hurt Goff's mental state actually sitting on the bench! We sent 6 draft picks for the 1st pick in the draft and he isn't ready? I understand the upside potential but it hasn't worked so far with Robinson, Quick and even to some degree Austin.

One more thing his free agency and trades have been pretty bad. Look at how much money the team has spent on Sensabaugh, Cook and Foles. To make matters worse we extended Foles and cut him in one year and Sensabaugh lasted 4 games!

I don't know how you justify sitting Goff. Obviously, Fisher feels like Keenum gives the Rams their best chance to win this year. And as he finishes out the last year of his original 5-year contract there may be some survival instinct at work here.
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Grob seems to be stuck in neutral. Rams moving on, maybe a new OL coach to get him going?

I don't think the issue has anything to do with Boudreau. Alex Barron was Alex Barron. Jason Smith was Jason Smith. There's only so much you can do.
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Denver - Oakland this Sunday looks like the rare watchable game this season. Who wins?

Yeah Sunday night game. In Oakland. (I have a feeling not all of those Halloween costumes will be put away yet.) This has been a year where the teams with the better defense usually prevail. And the Raiders are 5-0 on the road and only 1-2 at home. But I don't know. I'm gonna take the Raiders at home.
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It looks like Fishers next 4 games will make or break a contract extension. Do you think the Rams will win enough game to prevent Fisher getting fired ?



This may surprise you, but overall this team has played a little better than I expected with the exception of the opener against San Francisco. As I referenced in an earlier answer, the defense looks very quick and aggressive. Britt is having a career year. But all things considered, I see more 7-9. . .you know what.
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Bernie Miklasz pointed out on The Fast Lane that Jeff Fisher in 20+ seasons as a head coach has 6, yes SIX winning seasons. Does this guy have pictures on someone? Mike Martz can't find work as a coach and this stumble bum makes $7 million a year?



Pretty amazing when you think of it in those terms. Martz was 56-36 as a head coach, for a 61 percent winning percentage.
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Mike Martz is BY FAR the best QB talent evaluator in football since Sid Gillman. He picks QBs that other people scoff at and has them playing at a Pro Bowl level.

Mike didn't think arm strength was the end-all, be-all. He always told me the 3 biggest assets he looked for in a QB _ in no particular order _ were accuracy, toughness, intelligence.
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Looks like lovable Uncle Bruce in Arizona has fallen flat on his face, I think his arrogance has gotten the better of him: horrible clock management, horrible risk taking, horrible special teams, take his deep ball offense away and he is rather impotent, your take?

It does look like at least some of the bloom is off that rose, but I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that Carson Palmer isn't playing nearly as well this year as he has in the past.
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Jim, do you think Fischer encourages dirty play, or does it just seem that way, I know he is a Buddy Ryan disciple

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdhyhiDQX84


I'll put it this way: the last thing Fisher (or Gregg Williams for that matter) wants on defense is a bunch of boy scouts.
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Can you think which was the Stl Rams worst move. I think it was firing the only winning coach in the teams time in Stl - Mike Martz

Letting London Fletcher go in free agency belongs on the medal stand. So does not talking Dick Vermeil out of retirement. Martz was a lightning-rod for the fans, and as you may recall many were glad to see him go at the time.
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A tutorial for L.A. fans: you can tell what time of year it is by the buzz around your team. If the buzz is about losing games to improve your draft position, it is October through December (well, not this year, most years).

If the buzz is about your great draft position and the terrific players you can draft to fill the many holes in your roster, it is January through April (most years).

If the buzz is about the fabulous players you drafted, it is May through July (most years).

If the buzz is about how terrible the fabulous players you drafted look and who will be cut by other teams who can be picked up and become your savior, it is August.

If the buzz is about how you might surprise a few teams and sneak into a wild card spot, it is September.

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clp7I5ZOIpw

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I agree the hit on Cam was a penalty, but I also concur that going public was pretty stupid. I think he just put a bounty on himself, look at the absolute pounding that lineman, backs and linebackers incur each week, Cam, this is big boy sports.

Maybe it's the sportswriter in me, always looking for the good quotes. But I like that he spoke out. I like that Josh Norman spoke out. Game officials in particular, and the league in general, should be held more accountable for officiating gaffes. And there were some doozies in Week 8.

While realizing it's a fast-moving game, how do you miss that facemask on the Jamison Crowder TD in the Washington-Cincy game? And how do you not see Indy's Clayton Geathers using his left arm to smash Alex Smith's head into the turf in the Chiefs-Colts game? What's 10K, 20K in fines for these guys? I'd rather they speak their minds.
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Was just watching nfl insiders they were talking about buyers and sellers of the trade deadline. According to the guys they had on there the rams should move keenum to Denver they both agreed he was an upgrade over Simein and if they wanted a chance to win another super bowl they would have to make a move. Do you think it will happen? what would he be worth?

http://artfulashes.com/

Put my ashes in this as a keep-sake.

I don't get this favored by 3 Bull. Panthers 2-5 record coming to LA Rams 3-4. Ok the Rams imo should be favored by 3 because of home field, the Panthers haven't played this year like they have the past couple years and the Rams coming off by week should be fresh and healthy. I can see this being a close game and also if the Rams play mistake free ( cough, cough ) ball it could be a game that the Rams finish at home with a win that the offense or defense doesn't have to win the game for them on the last drive.
Not sure yet which QB is going to start for the Rams with all the speculation about Goff but I feel the same way with either QB.
And I would imagine with Cam crying about no calls on Qb hits on him the refs will be calling penalties on the Rams when they breathe on Cam, lol.

L.A.'s Fight Song: We Are Not Fam-i-lee

Quarterback Vince Ferragamo is the No. 1 complainer on a Ram team riddled with discontent, but the bickering stops at gametime

By Barry McDermott
http://www.si.com/vault/1980/12/08/...iscontent-but-the-bickering-stops-at-gametime

That walking piece of handsome Italian sculpture, Vince Ferragamo, the NFL's newest quarterback star, is bidding to take the bickering Los Angeles Rams to the Super Bowl once more despite the distractions of a love-hate relationship with moody fans and warfare with a parsimonious front office. So far this season he has thrown 26 touchdown passes—and has been called a choker, a dimwit, a prima donna, an ingrate and a malcontent. He also might make All-Pro.

Last Sunday, Ferragamo and the Rams, those ruffians of the West, did it again—that is, put aside their squabbles long enough to beat the New York Jets 38-13 in Anaheim Stadium, with Vince throwing four TD passes. L.A.'s victory, coupled with Atlanta's 10-6 win over Washington, kept the Rams (9-4) one game behind the first-place Falcons (10-3) in the NFC West, a division the Rams had dominated for seven seasons.

Barring a disastrous finish, the runner-up in the NFC West seems certain to gain one of the conference's two wild-card playoff spots; thus, win or place, Los Angeles should be around for the postseason festivities.

But this has been a season of turmoil for all the Rams. The source of disgruntlement is the front office, where owner Georgia Frontiere, the widow of Carroll Rosenbloom, has adopted a fiscal policy that might be called "The buck stops here." No fewer than eight players—defensive linemen Jack Youngblood and Larry Brooks; Guard Dennis Harrah; linebackers Jim Youngblood, Bob Brudzinski and Jack Reynolds; Cornerback Pat Thomas; and Ferragamo, i.e., the heart of the team—have either held out, walked out or spoken out this season. Says Brooks: "We don't play for management; we play for ourselves." Two weeks ago Brudzinski said goodby forever, stalking off and suggesting he never again would play for Madame Ram, as Georgia has been called.

L.A. began the season out of shape and out of sync, losing its first two games. Since then, Coach Ray Malavasi, who also is trying to negotiate a contract with Madame Ram, has alternately fretted and applauded as his team turned the tap off and on.

Ferragamo's mission, returning the Rams to the Super Bowl, is additionally difficult because L.A. is weighted just where it can hurt—at both ends of the age spectrum. The Rams are prone to rash mistakes, something that happens to teams with eight rookies, and at times they tend to doze off, something that happens to teams with eight players in their 30s. And Ferragamo has had to rely on the passing game more than he had expected to, because the Rams' No. 1 runner, Wendell Tyler, who gained 1,109 yards last year, missed the first seven games with a dislocated hip, the result of a summer auto accident.

Tyler rushed for 88 yards while playing only a half against New Orleans on the Monday night before the Jets game, and he started off strongly against New York, gaining 27 yards in the first 10 minutes. But then he went out—probably for the rest of the regular season—with a dislocated right elbow. So onto the field trotted Elvis Peacock, the former Oklahoma flash who had knee surgery in 1978 and a broken ankle in 1979. Peacock rushed for 112 yards in the first half, finished with 152 and made Ferragamo happy by keeping the Jet blitzers honest.

For his part, Ferragamo is lucky to be starting, to say nothing of doing so well. For the second season in a row, L.A.'s No. 1 quarterback on paper, Pat Haden, has broken a finger, and Ferragamo has come on to save the Rams. Along the way Ferragamo has sold a couple of million newspapers, creating controversy by remaining unsigned. In his own eyes, he is also unloved. If the free-agent market beckons, his bags are packed. In the meantime, the Rams have won 15 of the 20 games Ferragamo has started. And for the most part he has had to make do with a motley group of wide receivers—free agents, discards and draft-choice dregs called the Forgotten Five.

Ferragamo, 26, is 6'3", 212 pounds and sturdy. When he played for Nebraska, after having spent his first two seasons of college eligibility splitting time with Steve Bartkowski at California, a linebacker hit him head on and was knocked unconscious for several moments.

And Ferragamo throwing the ball is like Mozart working a sheet of music—the performance is classical. In one five-game stretch this season, while NFL statisticians frantically jiggled their calculators to see if they were working properly, Ferragamo hit on 70% of his passes, throwing for 13 touchdowns while yielding only two interceptions.

Sundays seem to be the easiest days of the week for him. Before last year's Super Bowl, in which he completed 15 of 25 passes as L.A. scared the Steelers before losing 31-19, the other Rams looked at their relaxed quarterback and wondered if he knew it was the Big Game.

Off the field, Ferragamo's penchant for the public-relations gaffe could make him the Mark Spitz of the '80s. Many anti-Ferragamo letters to the editor in L.A. are pure venom, and when Ferragamo was introduced before the Jets game, he heard more than a few boos. His public image began to wither when, in the second week of the season, after Haden had broken the index finger on his right hand in a game with Detroit, he played hooky from practice to underscore his contract demands. This was just three days before a game with Tampa Bay. Ferragamo's Beverly Hills attorney, Paul Caruso, said that the reluctant hero would not play without a new contract, one that substantially increased his $52,000 salary, which constitutes peon's wages for an NFL quarterback. That made Ferragamo look traitorous.

A week later, after Caruso negotiated a three-year, $750,000 agreement for his client, Ferragamo abruptly fired Caruso and said he was taking over the contract talks himself. That made him look greedy.

Then on Nov. 2, after Ferragamo had thrown five touchdown passes in a romp over New Orleans, the Rams sent in the now-mended Haden to give Ferragamo a rest. Instead of giving Haden a pat on the back, Ferragamo fumed on the sidelines. "They never put me in during the third quarter," Ferragamo said, referring to his days of clipboard-holding while Haden did the quarterbacking. Earlier, discussing his relationship with Haden, Ferragamo had said, "I had to endure what Pat is enduring now for 2½ years. Now that I'm on top, it's something that Pat has to get used to. There's not much to say about the way things have changed. I remember what it was like being No. 2. I'll never forget how I was treated." That made him look spiteful.

It also squelched the idea that Haden and Ferragamo were good friends who happened to be competing for the same job. At training camp this season Ferragamo got mad when Haden listened in on his practice huddles. He told Haden to quit it. Says Haden with a shrug, "Vince is not knowingly malicious. I don't think he hates me."

Haden earns $200,000 a year from the Rams, and he makes more in endorsements than Ferragamo does in salary. The son of an executive who recruits corporate accounts for a bank, Haden grew up in Los Angeles and went to the local private club, Southern Cal, where he played in three straight Rose Bowls and made a network of friends among the people who run L.A.'s boardrooms. He was a Rhodes scholar, attends law school in the off-season, remembers first names, is polished with the press and lives well, with a Cadillac in the driveway of his home in the well-appointed San Marino area of L.A.

Ferragamo resides in more modest circumstances in Irvine in Orange County. There is a concrete wall in the backyard to give an illusion of privacy. Here he is: Vince Ferragamo, one of the big guys in the NFL, the quarterback who took the Rams to the Super Bowl, and he has this little backyard with two Japanese cars in the garage, no mobile phone, no star-shaped swimming pool.

Ferragamo grew up in Wilmington, Calif., near Long Beach, and no one in his family ever wore a suit and tie to work. His father, Vince Sr., a daily spectator at Rams' practices, started as a painter at a Ford plant and then put in some 25 years as a union officer. His mother, Stella, gave guitar lessons in the dining room. One brother, Chris, is a successful high school football coach—he has won the last four L.A. city championships—who sells hot tub-like spas on the side. He installed one for Vince and his wife, Jodi. Another brother, Mike, is a paramedic with the fire department. His sister, Estelle, is a hairdresser.

The family invested its dreams in the baby, Vince—Dude, they called him. Vince's brothers, both of whom played high school and college football, put the ball in his hands and told him to throw it. Haden remembers going to a high school all-star game at the Coliseum and watching Ferragamo set several passing records. "That guy is going to be something," Haden said to his friends.

A fourth-round draft choice of the Rams in 1977, Ferragamo threw for a touchdown in five of his six appearances in exhibition and regular-season games that year. But his development slowed, and he was saddled with the same "dumb quarterback" rap that dogged Pittsburgh's Terry Bradshaw in his early seasons. He has called plays not listed in the Rams' playbook. "Vince is a little spacy," Tyler once said. At practice one day, Ferragamo lined up behind center during a scrimmage. "Here, you forgot this," said Peacock, handing Vince his helmet.

But the truth is, Ferragamo not only can spell C-A-T, he also has dissected one; he is on leave of absence from Creighton University's medical school. "How dumb can you be if you're accepted for medical school?" Ferragamo asks. The problem is, when you talk to him, his attention appears to be in a different area code. This tends to make coaches, especially those who worry about their mortgages in the California real-estate market, slightly nervous. Haden's demeanor, on the other hand, is like a Boy Scout's: earnest and attentive.

Now that Ferragamo has backed up his promise with performance (a 59.8% completion average this season), he figures he deserves to be paid as much as anyone. He reads that Terry Bradshaw makes $400,000 a year. "I rate myself at the top," Ferragamo says. "I'd like to get paid accordingly. But I'm not writing the check. If they have respect for you, you'll get paid. If things don't work out, we've got Canada or the free-agent market." To cover himself against injury as he plays out his option, Ferragamo has taken out a policy with Lloyd's of London, reportedly for as much as $1 million.

There is a feeling among all the Ferragamos that Vince may well be in the wrong place, that Haden is more management's and L.A.'s type of guy. Ferragamo says that somebody is going to have to make a decision. "I'll guarantee that one of us won't be here next year," he says, "and there's a good chance that both of us won't be here."

Meanwhile, Ferragamo's former attorney, Caruso, has lost interest in the quarterback. "I'm like Frankenstein," he says. "I've created a monster. Ferragamo believes he's as good as I've been telling him he is. The trouble with Vince is that the last guy who talks to him has his brain. And he hears voices everywhere."

Chris Ferragamo disagrees. "Vince is his own man now," Chris says. "He's making his own decisions, discovering who he is." In high school, when Vince played for Chris, the coach got so mad at the quarterback that he broke a clipboard over the quarterback's head. "I wanted him to be better than he was," says Chris. "I always expected more. And I always got more. The Rams expect less and get less. He could be the greatest with a little help. By not signing him, they're saying they don't" want him."

Obviously, however, the Rams do want him. As for the money, public sentiment has shifted to management's side. Vengeful detractors dismiss Ferragamo's fine performances, claiming they occur only against weak teams. They were especially gleeful when Miami routed the Rams, after Ferragamo's diatribe over the Haden substitution against New Orleans.

Malavasi clearly is willing to stake his future on Ferragamo. "He's got the ability to be one of the great quarterbacks," Malavasi says. "Pat had the experience, but once Vince got in, he had the job. I don't play any musical chairs with my quarterbacks."

Not for now, anyway, although Ferragamo can evoke agony as well as ecstasy. Against the Jets, when he was good he was very good, passing for 284 yards, those four touchdowns and moving the club up and down the field so well that Punter Frank Corral practically had the day off, kicking only once. But when Vince was bad he was terrible, throwing four interceptions, three of them balls he just put up for grabs. "A couple of them were better than punts," said Ferragamo, simply shrugging his shoulders.

Ferragamo's Mad Bomber tendencies are one reason why, no matter how many scoring passes he throws, the "We Want Pat" faction will always be vocal. In the third quarter Sunday, Ferragamo caught a finger in the eye and ran off the field. In came Haden. Cheers. Haden passed for a first down. More cheers. Then Ferragamo came back. Cheers for Haden and boos for Ferragamo, even though Ferragamo already had three touchdown passes on the board.

Haden thought the whole thing was a little silly. "The applause meter had me the winner, but if I had not completed that pass, they would have booed me back up to the Coliseum," he said.

Ferragamo's four TD passes gave him 26 for the season and moved him past Roman Gabriel as the Rams' single-season leader. His second scoring pass, a 44-yarder to Wide Receiver Billy Waddy, one of the Forgotten Five, came in the second quarter when New York still had the temerity to be thinking upset. On a second-and-two play with L.A. ahead 10-6, Waddy streaked down the field, and Ferragamo hit him in the end zone with a pass that had traveled 63 yards in the air.

"A good loft," Ferragamo called it. Waddy said, "It's just who outruns who, and Vince slung it pretty good."

The other touchdown passes were a 12-yarder to Cullen Bryant—Ferragamo read the Jets' coverage and knew that his fullback would be open over the middle—and throws of 15 and 19 yards to 32-year-old Wide Receiver Willie Miller, who now has eight TD catches this year. "Forgotten Five?" said Miller. "You can't forget the record book."

"I think the fans are on my side now," said Ferragamo. Then he smiled, looking like a man who knows that the check is in the mail. For Ferragamo, Sundays are always the easiest day of the week.

So, teams finally decided to turn back the clock and look for Sam's weak points and they found it. We saw it for years. Get in his face and hit him. He can't run and has zero sense of pressure coming. I don't know why it took this long to figure it out, but Minnesota has a so so offensive line and a weak running game. So pressure Sam and the Vikings offense will crumble.

I don't hate the guy or anything. I do hate the Vikings and their itchy little pussified coach Mike Zimmer. It warms my heart to see that team getting beat by a bad Bears team and to know that coaches have suddenly remembered to give Sam a lot of pressure to keep him from carving you up.

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsport...to-taking-the-new-york-giants-job-in-january/

Nick Saban reportedly came close to taking the New York Giants job in January

By Bryan Fischer | Oct 31, 2016, 5:14 PM EDT

It’s Nick Saban’s birthday today and the Alabama head coach is turning 65, prompting an appropriately low-key celebration across the college football landscape of somebody who just might be the best coach of all time in the sport.

As much as he would like all the focus to be on his team’s upcoming game against LSU however, that does not appear to be the case. In fact, according to one report in the New Jersey Record, Saban could have been preparing to face the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend instead of heading to Baton Rouge to play the Tigers.

This whole thing got started when comedian Tom Arnold told Paul Finebaum that Saban got in touch with the owners of the New York Giants in January and expressed interest in the open head coaching job vacated by Tom Coughlin. While a move from Alabama back to the NFL didn’t end up working out (Ben McAdoo was eventually promoted to the position), boxing promoter Bob Arum confirmed a few of the details involving Saban’s interest with the Record over the weekend.

“I get a call from Nick Khan, who’s an agent at CAA, and is a good friend of mine. He says, ‘Bob, I know you’re a good friend of (Giants co-owner) Steve Tisch. I have a colleague here at CAA,’ and I forget the guy’s name, ‘who represents Nick Saban. And Saban would be very interested in the Giants job,’” Arum told the paper. “I guess [Tisch] talked to (fellow co-owner John Mara)… because he called me back and he said, ‘Yes, we would be very interested. But we’re on a deadline. We’re about to hire somebody else.’

“They came back and said, ‘Nick is delighted. Now he’s talking to his wife.’ They went so far as to contact real estate agents in New Jersey, for homes in New Jersey. Then Nick [Khan] called back the next day and said, ‘Call Steve. Tell him Nick can’t do it. His wife loves Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She doesn’t want to move, so Nick can’t take the job.’”

Rumors that Saban has been looking to return to the NFL again have popped up nearly every season he’s been in Tuscaloosa and you could understand why he might be looking for a new challenge after winning his fifth national title. A prestigious job like the Giants would certainly be a solid fit given how he operates and even the timing makes some sense as Alabama beat Clemson on January 11th — three days before New York named McAdoo as their new head coach.

But it was not to be of course, and certainly not the first time that Saban’s wife Terry has been involved in a story about the coach possibly taking another job.

Thankfully for Alabama fans though, Saban stayed put in January and has the program on the cusp of yet another national title with an undefeated record and No. 1 ranking in all of the polls. It’s fun to think of what might have been had he decided to move on to the NFL but it’s probably safe to say it’s not the story Saban is thinking about on his birthday.

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So Saban's wife is keeping him from landing a head coaching job in the NFL? I'm sure Tuscaloosa is a wonderful town to live in, but I wonder if living in Hollywood with a truck load of cash could change her mind...