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


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http://sports.live.stltoday.com/Event/NFL_chat_with_Jim_Thomas_29?Page=0

Jim Thomas - NFL Chat

How does an NFL scouting operation miss so badly on a prospect as the Rams missed on Goff? I mean, maybe he'll come around, but it's so obvious other rookie QBs like Wentz and Prescott were NFL-ready. And just as obvious, I guess, that Goff wasn't.

Well, it's way too early to say that Goff was a miss. But it obviously isn't a good look for the Rams to see all of these other rookie quarterbacks off to good starts and Goff can't get on the field. I've heard pros and cons on Goff. From Mike Martz, who told me he was very impressed with Goff's quick release. . .to someone who was very familiar with what went on at Rams training camp who said Goff lacked leadership skills.
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Jim, I appreciate your honesty, but your article on the Rams winning because of TBs mistakes sound like sour grapes. Will you guys bash the LA Rams forever? I became a STL Ram fan quickly, but you guys are relentless with your grudges. GO RAMS.



Oh, you mean when I wrote about how the Rams played with resiliency, how the undermanned defensive line came up with a huge play on the scoop and score, how Case Keenum made some clutch throws, Tavon Austin flashing his big-play ability, Greg Zuerlein's strong field goal kicking on grass so far this season, Robert Quinn having more forced fumbles than anyone in the NFL since 2012/ Man, that's really some bashing.

You're right. I apologize. And then I point out how there was a busted coverage by Tampa on the Rams' first TD, how a poorly designed blitz doomed Tampa on Austin's score, and how crazy-bad the Bucs' game management was at the end of the game. I admit, making such points constitutes vicious low blows against the Rams.

http://www.thesarcasmdetector.com/
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I sure hope Pharoah Cooper and Spruce make a difference when they start playing because the other rookies sure don't look like difference makers. This draft sure looks like a bad one.



Cooper and Spruce certainly flashed in the preseason, although it was just the one game for Spruce before his injury. But it may take them a while to get up to NFL regular-season game speed. And if Spruce and Cooper dress, who sits? OK Mike Thomas for one. But after that? Obviously, you don't sit Britt or Austin. Quick is coming off a game in which he caught a touchdown pass. And Marquez is one of the team's top special teams players.
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Three games in, your assessment of the Rams special teams play?

Would like to see more in the return game, although Cunningham had that nice KOR Sunday in Tampa. (The decision to have Austin on the 20 on that last KOR almost backfired in the worst way.) The kicking and punting game work has been excellent.

You'd never know that Zuerlein had struggled on grass surfaces in the past based on his work so far this season. And the coverage units good. Special teams coordinator John Fassel is one of the best in the business.
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Did you catch "The Rise and Fall" piece channel 5 put out? Your thoughts?

Yeah, I watched it over the weekend. Frank and the rest of the folks at KSDK did an excellent job. My only quibble is that it would have been great to see Bernie Miklasz interviewed for the piece. He had a front-row seat for the Greatest Show. But anyway, I've always wondered why ESPN never did a 30-for-30 on the Greatest Show. There's certainly a lot to work with. The Cuz piece certainly was 30-for-30 quality.
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When can we expect the next "2-Sport Town" podcast?

Thanks for asking. It should be available Wednesday afternoon. We're not taping until tomorrow, but our scheduled guest this week is Dan Dierdorf, who will fill us in on Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, his fellow St. Louis Pro Football Hall of Famer (Orlando Pace), this week's "St. Louis Bowl" _ Cardinals vs. Rams, and more.
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What's your parade meter for the Rams this year?

By rule, I never change it once the season starts. (That would be cheating.) So it was established at 6 this year.


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Very painful to watch 2 bad teams like the Rams & Bucs out fumble and out stumble each other. That game was not about winning, but more about who would lose it. More like having a root canal

Hey, the effort was there. But not always the execution, or the coaching strategy.
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Wow, reading the comments on your excellent, honest, fact-based article today, you would think there has never been a critical article written about the rams. Does the new fan base have that thin skin?

I'm surprised as well by the thin skins. Which surprises me, because they have the Rams. Nothing that's said or written in St. Louis will change that. So enjoy them LA. But hey, they're in the honeymoon stage in LA and I get that. A win is a win, no matter how it comes about. But I think I would've written basically the same article had the team still been in St. Louis.


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The Rams passing game seemed to turn a corner, last Sunday. Or was it just the Tampa Bay DBs?

Someone last week mentioned that STL should pursue a CFL team instead of an Arena League team, and I've been thinking the same thing. I've been watching the CFL for a couple of years and following it fairly closely this year and I have to say I've grown to like the style of play better than the NFL, mainly due to better work by the referees and the lack of a headhunting tackling culture that still persists in the NFL.

I know the CFL's "American Experiment" from a couple decades ago didn't end well, but I think St. Louis could be the exception if they wanted to try again given our town's disdain for the NFL right now. And the smaller size of the CFL means that a team could share whatever MLS stadium comes to fruition (and I certainly hope it will).



Sorry, two questions popped up. So to first answer if the Rams' passing game has turned a corner. . .It was good to see Austin make some plays down field. He needs to be more than just a bubble-screen, quick-toss pass catcher to truly be worth the investment. . . .But I wouldn't call 183 yards passing, plus a pick-6 thrown by Keenum to be turning a corner.

As to the CFL question. . . .Again, I think there's now a rule in place that the CFL can't expand to the U.S. But I'll check on that for you.
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Is there a seating chart out for the Inglewood stadium? I'd like to see where my seats will be.

I believe a survey has been sent out on possible prices at Inglewood, but I'm not aware that it included a seating chart.
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What happens vs. Arizona?

Who knows? The league is so unpredictable. I would've never thought the Rams would score 37 in Tampa (Or anywhere based on what we'd seen in the first 2 weeks.) I would've never thought Buffalo smokes Arizona. Or Minnesota wins at Carolina minus Bridgewater and AP.

Or Wentz and Philly wins by 31 _ 31? _ vs. Pittsburgh. Logic says the Cardinals bounced back with a vengeance. Then again, the Cardinals don't seem quite right this year.
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I really like Joyner and Barron playing the hybrid linebacker spots but I can't see those two holding up physically over the long season. Do you see Josh Forrest playing more to help with that problem?

I agree with your assessment. A physical, strong running team would seem to give that hybrid LB alignment big troubles. I thought that might be the case vs. Seattle, but it didn't happen. Partly because of Russell Wilson's ankle problems. But yeah, I think in time Forrest would have to contribute more.
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I have had this debate with a few poeple, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. How do you rate Belichick in the history of coaches? Yes he has had some problems with the league. But can you name another coach that can win with a 3rd string rookie QB? He schemes his way to wins and his game plans are always evolving. I say he's best ever.

I've got to admit, watching how the Patriots carved up Houston with Brissett _ against a Belichick disciple no less in Bill O'Brien _ was fascinating. And based strictly on the won-loss record and the Super Bowls, Belichick certainly has to be near the very top of the list. But to me, there's always going to be that asterisk, because of the other shenanigans. The illegal taping of a walk-through the day before a Super Bowl, if true, (and Mike Martz is convinced it's true), is no small thing.
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Rams, TB game. Seems like the fix was in.

Again, I'm not a big believer in Oliver Stone theories.
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I think the last thing "blocking fullback" "appreciates" is your honesty. Keep telling it like it is and send them to an la rag if they want nice fluffy (demoff-driven) stories.

Again, I do realize it's the honeymoon period in LA.
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It's a bad look that Goff is on the bench, when the Eagles, Cowboys and Patriots are winning with rookies, especially when the Rams passing game has been so bad but maybe it isn't Goff but the coaches who would've rendered Wentz, Prescott and Bissett bench-worthy, too.

Food for thought. . . .

(Yes, let's throw our future franchise quarterback to the wolves and ruin him because a segment of the fan base is restless.) :deadhorse:
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The defensive comeback speaks volumes

What defensive comeback are you talking about? In Rams vs. Tampa Bay? Yes, the Rams got the scoop and score in the 4th quarter. But the Bucs gained 245 yards and scored two TDs in the 4th quarter. Tampa was on the doorstep of a third TD in the 4th quarter and may have scored were it not for probably the most inept end-of-game decision-making I've ever seen.
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What is Mannion's long term future with the Rams? He hasn't gotten much of a chance to play, but he certainly looked pretty promising vs. Dallas.

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAdQLCwKBO8


Well, Dallas was the preseason. And the first game of the preseason. Mannion did look much-improved compared to last year. But the No. 1 overall pick (Goff) is going to get more chances to succeed or fail _ or a better chance _ than the guy you took in the third round.

That's just the way it is. So I think Mannion bides his time. It will probably have to take some combination of poor play and injury for him to get a chance this season
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With Goff still having issues with the Playbook, and Keenum being Keenum, what are your thoughts on why they are reluctant to to give Manion a shot?

It's pretty simple, really. Fisher really likes Keenum _ for his energy and his leadership skills. And how do you bench a guy who's 2-1 as a starter? And Goff is the No. 1 overall pick, and a guy you traded a boatload of draft picks to get. They're going to get the first bites of the apple. And maybe the second.
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If the Rams win this weekend, will people finally take them seriously, or will the narrative just be about how the Arizona Cardinals lost it?

If the Rams' defense gives up 245 yards and two TDs in the fourth quarter, and then narrowly escapes allowing a third TD because of some incredibly inept clock and game management at the end by Arizona, the narrative will probably be how Arizona lost it. Just a guess.


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What did Sims do to be ejected? Rams still seem undisciplined and thuggish at times.

Don't know. And didn't have a chance to look at coaches' tape to see if it showed anything. But Sims has had some hotheaded moments in the past, and committed his share of foolish penalties. And for those scoring at home, that's now 3 Rams ejected in 7 preseason and regular season games (Joyner, preseason vs. KC; Donald regular season vs San Francisco, and now Sims.)
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The LARams fans wo e jumped on the Rams bandwagon are setting themselves up for a big letdown when the lambs play games against playoff caliber teams not named Seahags. I did not watch the games vesus TB but was not expecting the Lady sheep to play well enough to win based on past experience. Your take?



History says you're right. But maybe the Rams will make a new history in LA.
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I sense some cap problems coming in a few years for the Rams. It seems that have handed out some large extensions the last couple of years for players that have not necessarily performed up to those figures so far. it is trending that the Rams will have a couple more large extensions to hand out in a few to keep Donald and Gurley.

Will this cause the Rams to always have one of the youngest rosters so that they can pay most of their players close to the minimum? If so, they will never be able to compete for trophies in my mind. Your thoughts?

Kevin Demoff and Tony Pastoors do a very good job managing the cap. I think the Rams are in excellent cap shape this coming offseason. Keep in mind, the cap has continued to grow each year, more than anticipated.
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What are your thoughts on Hill replacing Sensabaugh? I like it, Hill is a good tackler and seems closer to the WR's he is covering than what Sensabaugh showed.

Hill has gotten picked on a fair amount. But he's got some feistiness to him and is a good tackler. I like him better than Sensabaugh back there. But eventually, it may be a healthy E.J. Gaines there anyway.
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Why aren't more receivers the point after holders? It seems they have the best hands?

Good question. And don't know what to tell you on that one. But for the most part, the punters and backup QBs have done a pretty good job, don't you think?
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I am experiencing a different kind of mental torture this year with the Rams. For at least the past 12 years, I have rooted for them to be successful, and they have laid more eggs than all the Easter bunnies combined. This year I want to root for the players to win but I don't want StanK to make the additional money that an owner will make when his team wins some games and has a dedicated followers. A different kind of torture.

I think he will make enough money just by being in the league. So, it is a different kind of torture. For the last 12 years, all Rams fans would gladly cut off StanK's left arm for a couple ugly wins like the Rams have had the last two weeks. What is a fan to do? How much does Jim Thomas therapy cost?

Many fans are going through the same thing right now. They hold nothing against the players. Therapy by the way, is free of charge and available every Tuesday right here at the Post-Dispatch NFL chat.
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Glad they won, but Fisher always seems to pull out enough wins to save his job and I liked Wentz better from the start. Think we made a mistake? I know my Philly friends are happy.

Gary, I liked Wentz better coming out as well.
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when will fisher get his extension on his contract?

Somehow, I get the feeling it's already agreed to and they simply don't want to announce it.
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What is the issue with Rams' OL? The run blocking has been poor. Is it individuals or playing as a unit?-------by LA Troll

With all due respect, just seeing the words LA Troll I'm sure upsets some of our St. Louis participants. So in the future please change that name in order to participate in the chat.



But for now, I don't think the run-blocking has been as bad as it's looked. Teams are loading the box, and until the Rams start completing more downfield passes _ yes, they did get a couple, three vs. Tampa Bay _ that will continue.

With the recent limitations on practices time and contact during offseason and training camp practice time, I think it takes a little longer league-wide for running games to get going. For example, there were only 7 individuals who rushed for 100 yards over the first two weeks of the season combined. But in Week 3 alone there were eight 100-yard rushers.
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I thought the Rams made a bad move by letting go Laurinaitis, but so far he hasn't played very well. Your thoughts?

Just based on what I saw last night vs. Atlanta, he was active early but didn't look like he was running well.
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Any thoughts on G Robinson so far this year?

He seems a little bit more consistent, but still having some bad moments. That's my thumbnail. Still gets caught lunging, gets off-balance, and thus has trouble with speed rushers. Looks like the holding penalties have decreased, so far.
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What has been the general feel around the league about the impact of moving the Extra Point back and the resulting misses?

I think it's here to stay. It's put just enough uncertainty into the play to make it interesting. I'm sure the kickers hate it, because it puts that much more strain on them _ physically, but especially mentally.


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How would you simplify the rule that determines what is and what isn't a catch?

Tough call. I liked the part about making a "football move" and "completing the football act." That all makes sense to me, and makes sense when I watch plays from the luxury of the press box or on slow-motion on TV. But it's a tougher call on the field. It's a fast-moving game.

And the more you ask game officials to interpret what they see, the more difficult it is to make such split-second judgments. It becomes more subjective. So I don't know how you simplify the rule.
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Overall, in the history of NFL football in STL, who would you say was the greatest head coach?

I've got to rate Vermeil as No. 1 because he won a Super Bowl and united a building (at Rams Park), infusing positive energy into what very much was a negative atmosphere. I think you put Don Coryell and Mike Martz (who idolized Coryell growing up) on the medal stand as well.
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I know this is a moot point now and hope this has not been discussed in another thread but it's been bothering me reading some of the negative comments regarding this play.

This is my take on the play.

Take a look at the picture or better yet the video if you got it. If Tavon lets that ball bounce it looks like it will hit the playing field before the goal line. If he lets it go and it takes a forward bounce it's a live ball. We really can't tell which way the ball was spinning but I think Tavon had no choice but to field it. His momentum carried him into the end zone but he has to bring it out. I had to get that off my chest, carry on.

The D-line played great on Sunday, especially considering how short-handed they were. But I firmly believe if we didn't have a two score lead late in the game we would've lost. If the Bucs had been in a position where they could run the ball the D-line would've been in big trouble. They were already getting gassed and we had almost no depth because of the injuries and ejection. Robert Quinn definitely helped the situation with his strip-sack though. The offense wasn't perfect but they did enough to help the defense secure the win. Now on to Arizona!

Just some of the power rankings around about.
Listed only Ram rankings.Links for each is listed above comments.Happy Ramming.


http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/09/27/week-four-power-rankings-6/

19. Rams (2-1; No. 26): Given Jeff Fisher’s mastery of the Buccaneers, maybe his next job should be in the NFC South.
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http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/n...crack-top-five-and-the-afc-south-is-terrible/
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Rams Don't look now, but they are tied for first place. That's all because of the defense. 4 2-1-0
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http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/galler...ings-standings-patriots-broncos-eagles-092716
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Los Angeles Rams (last week: 22)
Which team leads the NFC West? It’s those same Rams who were blanked by the 49ers in Week 1. The defense has played extremely well thus far and while the offense is still far from explosive, Todd Gurley found some running lanes, which is promising. Still, they’re far from a threat to the Cardinals or Seahawks.

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http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...er-rankings-week-4-patriots-reclaim-no-1-spot
21


2-1 RAMS

3

How the Rams, who looked so atrocious in Week 1, could bounce back to beat the Seahawks and then drop the Bucs on the road is anyone's guess. Never underestimate athletic pride. In other words, perhaps the butt-kicking this group took in San Francisco fed into their emotional win over Seattle. Resilience was the name of the game in Tampa, especially on defense. First there was the strip-sack by Robert Quinn that Ethan Westbrooks took to the house. Then, the Rams' D held the fort on Jameis Winston's final salvo, earning them this win.

This is a very big game.

Arizona got handled in their last game. They are 1-2 and they haven't looked like they fit the big britches that the national media made for them in the pre season.

Its always fun watching these teams play one another - and right now, there isn't a team I'd like to beat more than the Arizona Cardinals.

Looking forward to seeing updates on the status of Evan Mathis and Michael Floyd through the week. I want to beat them at their best and all - but really, I just want to beat them.

We need to get to Palmer early and often - he needs to feel like he is too old for the NFL by midway thru the first quarter. David Johnson needs to be contained at all costs.

These guys are beatable and if the Rams want to be for real this year - they have to show up for games like this.

I'm looking for Gurley to really get going this week.

Didn't realize this at all, but really amazing play by Brock.

Rams Drop Nose Tackle on Final Play Versus Bucs

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney

On the final play of the Rams at Buccaneers game last Sunday the Rams dropped shade/nose tackle Michael Brockers and rushed only three players.

Brockers is 6-5 and maybe 320 pounds and he took the third receiver essentially man-to-man to the goalline on the play in question and in doing so made the likely easiest throw impossible for Jameis Winston near impossible.

Winston admitted he should have thrown the ball at the 15-yard line, but it's clear no one is open as Brockers and the other defenders had good coverage on the four Bucs receivers in the pattern.

Winston drifted across the line of scrimmage and was tackled by defensive end Robert Quinn as time expired
Fair Use Claim. Credit: NFL Replay
Login to view embedded media This spy drop by Brockers is not unusual in Gregg Williams's scheme, but in this case it paid high dividends in that it took away one option for Winston. Had Brockers rushed the passer he may have been able to affect the play behind the line of scrimmage, perhaps forcing a throw or not allowing Winston to run the ball for a 10-yard game, but he trailed the the Bucs #3 receiver to the top side to the 2-yard line and prevented a throw then reversed his direction and stayed with that receiver.

Now, this was not a zone blitz where a replacement rusher gave chase to Winston while Brockers covered a short zone for an instant. He had the #3 receiver man-to-man for, essentially. He had the #3 receiver to just past the goalline before that receiver went into the endzone on what was likely his scramble rules and the other deeper defenders picked him up. There may not be another nose tackle in the NFL that could do what Brockers did.

Jeff Fisher on Rams' issues with penalties: 'It doesn't look good'
8:00 AM ET

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  Alden GonzalezESPN Staff Writer

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THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Will Hayes was in the locker room in the early stages of Sunday's second quarter, getting an injured ankle evaluated, when he saw fellow defensive lineman Eugene Sims enter, moments after being thrown out for unsportsmanlike conduct.

"I have to go out there," Hayes said then, as told by Los Angeles Rams coach Jeff Fisher late Monday afternoon. "I have to go."

Said Fisher: "There was no way Will should've returned."

The Rams are off to a 2-1 start, but coach Jeff Fisher wants his team to clean up its penalties, especially after having two defensive players ejected from games. Marc Piscotty/Icon Sportswire
The Rams' defensive line came up big once again during a 37-32 win on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, improving the team to 2-1 for the first time in 10 years.

Hayes, one of the Rams' starting defensive ends, is expected to be limited in practice this week and his status for this Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals could be in question. A deeper issue for Fisher is the amount of times his team continues to be penalized. It was a major point of emphasis during training camp, with his Rams among the eight most-penalized teams in the NFL in each of Fisher's previous four seasons as coach.

So far this year?

"It doesn't look good," Fisher said. "We've addressed it, and we'll continue to address it."

The Rams have been hit with the third-most penalty yards, 249, and two of their defensive players have already been ejected from games. It was Aaron Donald in Week 1 and then Sims in Week 3. Fisher wouldn't go into what sparked the unsportsmanlike conduct, which occurred after an extra point attempt, but said Sims was "remorseful" after the game, apologizing to him and his teammates.

"No place for it," Fisher said. "No place for it at all. ... It's going to be addressed [Tuesday]. It falls under that category of the pre-snap and post-snap penalties that you just can't have."

Gurley on his way: Fisher called Todd Gurley's season-long 16-yard run on Sunday "one of the better runs I’ve seen in the last 20 years." Gurley quickly found a hole to his right, exploded to the second level, got tripped up twice, spun around, and managed to stay on his feet for an extra seven yards or so. He scored two touchdowns, but finished the game with 85 yards on 27 carries, falling short of triple-digit rushing yards for the 10th time in his past 11 games.

"If you watch it, he’s really close," Fisher said. "He was even closer than really close. We’re fine there; we’ll be all right. ... The hundred-yard games and those kind of things, they’ll come."

Going for two: The Rams somewhat surprisingly went for a two-point conversion with an 11-point lead and 4:38 remaining. Taking the extra point to go up 12 would've at least forced the Bucs to require two touchdowns, while staying at 11 meant they could tie it with a touchdown, a two-point conversion and a field goal. Here was Fisher's explanation: "We were up by 11, which in my brain is three scores: it’s touchdown, two-point conversion and a field goal. What I want to do is, I want to try to get to 13. ... Because if I got to 13, then that’ll put pressure on their place kicker [Roberto Aguayo] for two scores, because he’d been struggling.”

Gaines closing in: Rams cornerback E.J. Gaines, who has been nursing an ailment in his left thigh since the third preseason game, has a "really good chance" of playing this Sunday, Fisher said. Gaines would replace Troy Hill as the second outside cornerback, opposite Trumaine Johnson. Hill played ahead of Coty Sensabaugh for most of Week 2 and all of Week 3.

Cooper, Spruce update: Rookie receivers Pharoh Cooper (shoulder) and Nelson Spruce (knee) will continue to practice this week, but Fisher is unsure about their status for this Sunday. If healthy, Cooper would be the No. 3 receiver and Spruce could be a weapon on third downs.


http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/...ams-issues-with-penalties-it-doesnt-look-good

Without looking it up on the web

Perhaps the real Todd Gurley has finally arrived
By Alden Gonzalez

[www.espn.com]


TAMPA, Fla. -- Todd Gurley took his right hand and slammed it against the turf at Raymond James Stadium.

It was second-and-11, early in the second half of the Los Angeles Rams' 37-32 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, and Gurley still couldn't find any holes through which to run free. The star running back tried cutting his way to the outside, but was stuffed for no gain by the Bucs' safety -- yes, their safety -- Bradley McDougald. By then, Gurley had managed a mere 34 yards on the ground, putting his average for the season at 2.5 yards per carry.

Then, finally, it happened: Todd Gurley became Todd Gurley again.


Todd Gurley finally seemed to break through Sunday, gaining 38 yards on six carries on the drive that put the Rams ahead.
Six minutes later, the Rams had the ball and Gurley led them on an eight-play, 69-yard drive that gave them a 24-20 lead. He ran for 38 yards on six carries, capping it with a one-yard score. He gained nine yards twice. And he broke off a brilliant 16-yard run in which he quickly found a hole to his right, exploded to the second level, got tripped up twice, spun around and managed to stay on his feet for an extra seven yards.

"That’s what he needs," Rams left tackle Rodger Saffold said, "but it’s just like last year. He didn’t even get to play the first three games, and then he came out smoking. Everything comes together when you start to see it. Then you start to believe in it, then it becomes second nature. That’s when it becomes your mentality."

That's the Rams' hope for Gurley, who finished with 27 rushes for 85 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 3.15 yards per carry, an improvement over Week 1 (2.77 yards) and Week 2 (2.68) but still not quite good enough.

"He's not there yet," Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. "Not because of Todd Gurley personally, but we don't have him there offensively to where we want to get to."

That's partly because of an offensive line that isn't opening up enough holes and partly because of a passing game that doesn't pose enough of a vertical threat, and it's hard to identify where one issue ends and the other begins.

The Rams, at least, have shown progress offensively.

They've gone from gaining 185 yards from scrimmage in Week 1 to 283 in Week 2 and 320 in Week 3. On Sunday, they went 6-for-13 on third down. And on several occasions, Case Keenum -- 14-of-26 for 190 yards, two touchdowns and an interception that was returned for a touchdown -- used play action with Gurley to set up a deep pass play.

Gurley credited the offensive line and said there were "a lot of good signs" that the running game was moving in the proper direction, but that he would check the film to make sure.

"I tried to be patient," Gurley said. "Obviously they’re going to try to stop the run, and we’re going to keep running, so you just have to go out there every play and just try to get some yards."

It wasn't all on James L., but was a starting LBer that oversaw the Falcons rush 217 yards in tonight's game. I don't remember him being as slow as he was tonight, last year. Little Animal, it's time to do something else.....

Lame as fuck. Think up something more douche' NFLN. This is getting redundant over 4 or more "analyst".

And yes I finally turned off the TV.

We just love to hate in this 50 state country on Everything!

I have to admit, basking in the glory of a 2-1 start has been nice, considering we've started 1-2 or worse in our first 3 since 2007; but as the ecstasy of another dramatic win wears off I found myself wondering how we can improve this team. What can we fix this year?

Sure getting back a healthy Gaines anywhere near his 2014 campaign would do wonders for this D. As would Quinn returning to his 2013 form, which it seems like is becoming more of a possibility week after week. Or adding Cooper and Spruce into the fold: two possession receivers known for their hands and ability to make contested catches (something few on this offense have shown the ability to consistently do).

No folks, the answer (paging @jrry32 ) to this team becoming a playoff contender this year is Jared Goff.

I'm sure some of you are wondering: how does this tie into Gurley? It's as simple as:

jrry32 said:

He started getting it going today. The Bucs and our other opponents bring an 8th man into the box on every running down because they don't fear Keenum. It was getting in Todd's head. When you combine that with an OL that has been shaky in the run blocking department, it breeds bad results.

IMO, the best chance to open some running lanes is to get Goff on the field. He can back defenses off because his arm talent allows him to challenge more parts of the field. Keenum is doing his best. He was much more aggressive against TB. But it's still difficult for him.

It'll also help Gurley if the OL can do a better job of opening holes and holding their blocks.

Click to expand...

Bottom line is a better QB, one with the ability to air it out & consistently convert routine NFL throws (both of which Keenum fails at), will warrant more respect and as a result more favorable matchups for Todd will arise.

I found myself wondering: were the first 4 games a coming out party for Todd and the league had yet to adjust? Why has he only posted ONE 100-yard game in his last 11 games? I looked at personnel. We have virtually the same OL this year as last, arguably better with more experience under their belts. We have the same skill players, aside from the three rookies who have yet to make an impact.

So why has Todd's production fallen off? It's certainly not on Todd, as I've seen him turn -5 into +2 time and time again this year.

It's the quarterback.

I know Nick Foles is no Aaron Rodgers, but he is a one-time Pro Bowl QB with NFL tools and is a step up from what we have in Case Keenum. Keenum is gritty, but lacks arm strength, accuracy, anticipation, and awareness. You can win games in the NFL in spite of good quarterback play, but not consistently and certainly not consistently enough to make the playoffs.

I've done enough rambling, so I'm just gonna drop my stats on you:

(CPG=carries per game, YPG=yards per game, TDPG=TD per game, OPPG=total offense points per game, & %OPPG=% of offensive points scored by Todd)

You can take away from these numbers what you want, but what I see is a clear correlation between a greater passing threat in Foles and good numbers from Todd. The numbers also show that there is less stress on Todd (fewer carries), but he's more effective with the touches he gets (5.4 ypc to 3.6 ypc). Lets also not forget Todd had 4 100-yard games in 8 games with Foles and only 1 in 7 games with Case.

So please, @jrry32 and I beg you Fisher, please insert Goff ASAP. You've maxed out Case's potential and Todd is suffering because of it!

lol. LANGUAGE & VOLUME WARNING

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Five Takeaways: Rams 37-32 Win over Buccaneers

By Myles Simmons

[www.therams.com]

The Rams won a shootout with the Buccaneers on Sunday 37-32, improving their record to 2-1 on the season. With this kind of high-scoring affair, plenty went right for Los Angeles but there was also clear room for improvement.

1) Touchdowns

Head coach Jeff Fisher joked early in the week that he had found a box full of touchdowns at the Rams’ facility that had gotten misplaced in the move to Cal Lutheran. After Sunday’s game, he repeated the line, quipping the Rams “just had to pass them out.”

That they did, with the offense scoring four touchdowns and the defense adding a fifth in the Rams’ second straight victory.

Los Angeles got on the board with a 44-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Case Keenum to wide receiver Brian Quick on the opening drive, which was significant from a mental standpoint.

“Anytime you can get out there and have success early, it just kind of settles you down as an offense,” Keenum said.


The quarterback’s second touchdown pass came in the fourth quarter, when he found wide receiver Tavon Austin on the left side of the field for a 43-yard touchdown reception. Between the two passing touchdowns, running back Todd Gurley scored two rushing TDs — both from a yard out.

Generally, the offense moved the ball much better than they had the first two games of the season on Sunday. L.A. finished with 320 total yards, 18 first downs, and a 6-of-13 mark in third-down efficiency. Those numbers do represent progress, though there is still significant room for improvement.

“There were a lot of good things,” Gurley said. “I’ll watch film tomorrow and kind of build off that.”

2) Scoring on defense

One element of the game the Rams’ defense takes a lot of pride in is the unit’s ability to put points on the board itself. L.A. did that on Sunday when defensive end Robert Quinn recorded a sack/fumble on Tampa Bay QB Jameis Winston and defensive end Ethan Westbrooks brought the loose ball 77 yards to pay dirt.

“It was big — it was big for Ethan,” middle linebacker Alec Ogletree said. “You want to create an extra possession for our offense if we didn’t score, but we also want to score on defense, too.”

“To do that on defense is a great thing — put points up and your offense is on the sideline is always a great thing,” Quinn said. “But I think that’s just the mindset in the room. We can score on defense and put the game in our hands.”

With the temperature at 90 degrees and humid for kickoff, Westbrooks was rightfully exhausted when he reached the end zone. So much so, he said he didn’t even do much celebrating.

“Oh yeah, I was pretty done after that,” Westbrooks said. “My coaches were like, ‘Why didn’t you celebrate?’ I honestly didn’t have any energy to celebrate. I barely had enough energy to get to the sideline.”


While Westbrooks’ return is getting a lot of earned attention, the play Quinn made to get the ball out is why he’s so dangerous when healthy. The defensive end recorded his second strip-sack in two weeks, giving him 18 forced fumbles since the start of the 2012 season — the most in the NFL over that time frame. It’s a sign that Quinn is getting back to to himself after finishing last season on injured reserve.

“It’s a long season, but I feel like he’s going to get even stronger as the season goes on,” Ogletree said of Quinn.

“I’m feeling a lot more comfortable,” Quinn said. “As the weeks [have] been going on, I’m feeling better and better. And, of course, when you get to play games, that’s when you really get the true test of yourself.”

3) Donald plays D-end

Some unexpected circumstances pushed the Rams into giving defensive tackle Aaron Donald significant snaps at defensive end during Sunday’s game. First, defensive end William Hayes had to exit the contest with an ankle injury. While Hayes re-entered the game at one point, he was sidelined for much of it.

Then defensive end Eugene Sims was ejected for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. With defensive end Matt Longacre inactive, that left the Rams with just two available defensive ends.

In steps Donald, who ended up playing a total 77 of 90 possible defensive snaps — a very high percentage for a D-lineman.

“Just like playing D-tackle — just lined up different,” Donald said of the experience. “But it was good, anything I have to do to make sure we come out on top. And I know we had some guys that went down and things like that and just needed to move around a little bit more.”

According to the press box statistics, Donald recorded two tackles — one for loss — two quarterback hits, and two passes defensed.

“Aaron was playing end, and Ethan had to play the whole time,” Fisher said. “In the conditions, that’s hard. So they’re going to need some rest the next couple days.”

4) Need to cut down turnovers

After playing a clean game of no turnovers last week to beat Seattle, Los Angeles had two costly turnovers on Sunday. The first came on the second drive when Keenum threw a pick six to linebacker Kwon Alexander. Later, wide receiver Kenny Britt fumbled and the Buccaneers’ offense scored on the ensuing drive.

“We were just doing stupid stuff, man,” Gurley said. “We score a touchdown, we give a touchdown up, and basically [gave] them two touchdowns on offense. That can’t happen. We can’t have that.”

The offense was able to get past those negative plays for this week. But those are the kinds of plays that can effectively derail an offense when it comes to staying on schedule, sustaining drives, and scoring points.

5) Overcoming the weather delay

As if 90-degree heat with significant humidity were not enough of a weather obstacle — with two minutes left in the game and the Rams’ offense on the field for a 3rd-and-11 play, the officials suspended play because of lightning in the area. And it’s not the first time the Rams have had to deal with a weather delay while playing at Raymond James Stadium.

“You know what’s funny, it’s the second time in a row that we’ve had a little break coming down here and having a weather delay, and then coming out and fortunately finding a way to win the game at the end,” Fisher said, referring to Week 2 of the 2014 season, when the Rams beat the Bucs 19-17.

While it’s a nuisance to deal with, the Rams were able to work through it effectively.

“The most important thing is communicating to the players,” Fisher said. “The officiating department did a great job just keeping us informed and then I would relay the information to the players. And finally, I told them we’re going to get this thing going again.”

“You kind of used it to your advantage, just to cool down, hydrate a little bit, get a little bite to eat and re-focus yourself,” Quinn said. “The Bucs had to do the same thing. We just came back in, got our minds right, and went out and tried to execute our plan.”

Fortunately, the delay and the game worked out in the Rams’ favor as the club was able to seal its 37-32 victory.

We had a great time at the game in Tampon yesterday. I'll try and give you a brief blow by blow with some pics.

I hope that all of you who were there will also use this thread to post pics and share a story or 2 about our successful visit into enemy territory.

We had a smaller group than normal this year. Mainly because some of our FL Locals limped out on us ... and I missed them (except for @LesBaker of course). But I think this group pic will show just about everyone who stayed and spent a little time together under my FSU canopy.




I'll point out the ROD members for everyone starting from the left...

@Ramhusker in the yellow Gurley jersey.

In the current Gurley jersey holding his son on his shoulders is @BeachRam78. His wife is to his right.

I'm in the Dickerson throwback. My wife is on my left.

@Ramrasta is in the Tavon jersey. My oldest son.

@RamzFanz is in the white Gurley jersey. His sister is on his left. Yes,,, she is a buc fan and has on that red top... she has on a badass buc necklace that is hard to see in this pic.

@ramfan46 is in the white Quinn jersey with a blue towel around his neck.

The others who are not in Ram gear are Ramhusker's son and his 2 friends. Well,,, except for the one Tampon fan in the back photo bombing us... you can see his sorry ass behind my wife. We were having some good fun with the buc fans around us really. A buc fan actually took this shot for us.

First time listening to the pre and post game shows for various reasons.
What the fuck is this niner douchebag doing on our own broadcast? He has always hated on the Rams and it is no different on the radio now. I wanted punch the fucking radio listening to asshat comment on OUR team, fuck him. Who is the absolute idiot who hired this fuck to talk about my team? He should be fired, anybody who knows anything Rams wouldn't go this way.
Here's to hoping he gets French fry hair ass off my fucking coverage, I hate him.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/09/26/report-greg-hardy-arrested-for-drug-possession/

Report: Greg Hardy arrested for drug possession
Posted by Michael David Smith on September 26, 2016

Getty Images

Former Panthers and Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy has been arrested for drug possession.

NBC 5 in Dallas is reporting that Hardy was arrested in the Dallas suburb of Richardson on Sunday for possession of a controlled substance. He was taken to the Richardson City Jail, where he remained as of Monday afternoon.

There is no immediate word on the substance Hardy possessed, or any information about the circumstances surrounding his arrest.

Hardy was once among the best pass rushers in the NFL, but after the Ray Rice domestic violence incident put the NFL under intense scrutiny, Hardy became toxic for his own past domestic violence arrest. Although charges against Hardy were eventually dropped, he never played for the Panthers again after the Rice elevator video became public.

In 2015 he signed with the Cowboys, but this year no team has shown any interest in him. He was already a long shot to return to the NFL even if he stayed on his best behavior, and a drug arrest could end any hope he had of playing in the NFL again.

I've just found some pics of former US tennis star Ashley Harkleroad, am now speechless!!

"If Bucs coach Dirk Koetter had used just one of the two remaining timeouts on any one of those three plays, he buys time for at least three more plays. Instead, he used one of the two remaining timeouts after an incomplete pass — meaning the clock was stopped already — with four seconds left. And he never used the last timeout."

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_e4880a3d-607a-523e-b3ae-609da055d250.html

I know William Hayes had an ankle

Brock had a scare - from what I'm reading - both are probably OK.

Anyone hear why Wichmann left the game in the 4th? I saw him limping a bit on the series before he left but they never reported anything unless I missed it.

Anyone else?

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Credit to Tlangland from the rams subreddit.

Wanted us to move on from this guy because I didn't think he had the mental make up that was needed.
Could still be right about that, but I have to give him serious props for his performance this year so far.
Dude is not only kicking everything out of the EZ on kickoffs ( he hasn't ever been consistent with this) , but he is nailing every stinking FG right down the middle, no matter the distance. He is flat out killing it, and is a hugely needed component to out team the way it is constructed. This guy is absolutely vital to our success and I hope he keeps it up.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/pro-la-tb-grades/

Los Angeles Rams 37, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 32

Here are the biggest takeaways and highest-graded players from the Los Angeles Rams’ 37-32 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:



Quarterback grade: Jameis Winston, 66.8

For two straight weeks, quarterback Jameis Winston has attempted over 50 passes. Part of that is due to being behind late in games; the other part is having a reliable running back that opponents will respect and not daring Winston to win the game through the air. The Rams’ pass-rush had him on edge the majority of the game, as he was hurried 10 times and hit five. On plays where he wasn’t pressured, Winston threw for 322 yards and two touchdowns while completing 64 percent of his passes. On the final play of the game, Winston simply seemed to lose awareness of where he was the field and drifted past the line of scrimmage looking for receivers before being brought down from behind, dropping the Bucs’ record to 1-2 on the season.

Top offensive grades:

WR Mike Evans, 82.9

TE Cameron Brate, 80.2

LT Donovan Smith, 78.4

RT Demar Dotson, 77.7

WR Adam Humphries, 74.0

Receivers grade well for Bucs

Wide receiver Mike Evans continues to be Jameis Winston’s favorite target, and will be for the foreseeable future. Evans was targeted 13 times, hauling in 10 for 132 yards. Eight of those receptions came against Rams CB Trumaine Johnson, who had a difficult time dealing with Evans’ unique size and speed after holding him in check early in the game. Evans has already been targeted 37 times through the first three games by QB Winston, but they’ve only managed to connect on 21 of those. TE Cameron Brate had to be a pleasant surprise for the Bucs; he was the offense’s highest-graded run blocker, at 87.2, while also catching five passes and two touchdowns.

Top defensive grades:

LB Lavonte David, 90.2

LB Kwon Alexander, 87.6

DT Gerald McCoy, 80.8

CB Brent Grimes, 77.4

S Chris Conte, 76.8

Linebackers live up to hype

The Bucs’ linebackers have rare athletic abilities, but those traits do not always translate to production. Against the Rams, the pair could not be accused of underperforming, however. Alexander had the momentum-shifting pick-six, one of four incompletions into his coverage. He also managed another pass deflection on his four targets, none of which were caught. Lavonte David was his usual, active self around the line of scrimmage, giving up just three catches for 12 yards with a pass deflection. The Bucs’ weak-side linebacker also managed five stops and an impressive 89.2 run-defense grade. Playing like this, opposing offenses will have trouble topping the Tampa Bay defense with small-ball.



Quarterback grade: Case Keenum, 58.1

Keenum recovers from early error

The perception of a performance can change dramatically on a single play. Case Keenum was largely effective against the Bucs, but threw a dreadful pick-six that tarnished an otherwise solid outing. He stared down his receiver, compounding that mistake by throwing late over the middle. It was the kind of error a rookie might make—only exacerbating the call for Jared Goff. To be fair to Keenum, he shook off that mistake and played well the rest of the way. His two touchdowns were relatively simple throws—a post against no centerfield defender and a corner route with a couple steps separation—but Keenum did enough ensure the win.

Top offensive grades:

RT Rob Havenstein, 80.1

LT Greg Robinson, 76.0

WR Tavon Austin, 74.5

WR Brian Quick, 71.7

RG Jamon Brown, 70.0

Riding the ground game working for Rams

The Rams’ physical style has now helped them to back-to-back wins. Right tackle Rob Havenstein embodies that philosophy; the former Wisconsin Badger looks capable of holding down a starting spot over the long-term. In the backfield, Todd Gurley had a solid performance without ripping off any big gains. He was forced to work for his 85 yards, earning 60 of them after contact. Even backup Benny Cunningham made an impact, bursting through the middle for a first down on 3rd-an- 20. Stopping the Rams’ run game undermines their game plan entirely, but it is easier said than done.

Top defensive grades:

DT Aaron Donald, 84.4

LB Alec Ogletree, 84.3

S T.J. McDonald, 81.7

DT Michael Brockers, 76.5

DE Robert Quinn, 73.3

Defensive line continues to shine

Defensive tackle Aaron Donald had a quieter day by his standards—even then, however, he still graded out as the top defensive player for L.A., and generating two QB hurries, two QB hits, and two batted passes. He finished with a pass-rush grade of 83.6, and gave Tampa Bay’s interior offensive line fits all game. Potentially the biggest play for the Rams’ defense was when DE Robert Quinn beat LT Donovan Smith clean off the edge with speed, then stripped Jameis Winston; Quinn’s execution of the play was a thing of beauty, remindining us why he’s still one of the top pass-rushers in the game.

PFF Game-Ball Winner: Buccaneers LB Lavonte David
PFF’s player grading process includes multiple reviews, which may change the grade initially published in order to increase its accuracy. Learn more about how we grade and access grades for every player through each week of the NFL season by subscribing to Player Grades.

We play against all the ex rams this year except Rodney. And since they all play defense its going to be interesting to see how we play against guys that definitely know our awesome scheme