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September 27, 2017 at 1:10 pm #75107
nittany ramModeratorSeptember 27, 2017 at 6:54 pm #75118
znModeratorSporting News picks Rams to beat Cowboys: http://www.sportingnews.com/amp/nfl/news/week-4-nfl-picks-predictions-rams-cowboys-buccaneers-giants-redskins-chiefs/hyqji4st8xir195kydgutjc1r
RAMS (2-1) AT COWBOYS (2-1), SUNDAY, 1 P.M.
Both teams may have found themselves offensively last week, the Rams maxing out against the 49ers and the Cowboys snapping out of their season-long funk in Arizona. Both have vulnerable defenses, but the Rams will keep getting the benefit of the doubt because of Aaron Donald. AT&T Stadium would be a heck of a place for Jared Goff to fully announce his presence.Prediction: Rams, 34-27
September 28, 2017 at 4:13 am #75140znModeratorKristen Lago
SCOUTING THE COWBOYS
While Thursday’s win was a dominant showcase by the offense, who have already accumulated two 40 point games this season, it was another tough week for the defense.
Through three games, the Rams have struggled significantly with their run defense, allowing both the Redskins and 49ers to accumulate at least 200 yards from scrimmage. And though the defense was impressive in the team’s season opener against the Colts, where Indianapolis scored just nine points, they have since given up 66 points in two games.
Fortunately for the Rams, the defense has extra time this week to prepare for Dallas, while the Cowboys will be coming off a Monday Night Football matchup against the Cardinals. And with a players’ day off for the Rams on Tuesday, many defensive players said they would be spending their Monday night getting a leg up on scouting the competition.
“I know they are a tough team, I know they were 13-3 last year and a playoff team and we’re playing them in their house,” nose tackle Michael Brockers said. “We’re going to get their best shot and we have to expect that and prepare for it. So, of course, I’m going to do a little TV scouting, see what I see and I’ll probably rewatch the game tomorrow.”
“For sure, definitely going to watch them on TV tonight,” Ogletree said, “but I’ll still watch it on my iPad too. We will get a little early start on them while they’re playing, but it will be a good game this week.”
The last time the Rams faced the Cowboys was in 2014 where Dallas came back from a 21-0 deficit to stun the Rams 34-31. In two years, however, both teams have changed significantly and Los Angeles is ready for the added challenge they will face on Sunday.
“They have a whole different quarterback, [but] Dez Bryant is still there and Jason Witten is there,” Ogletree said. “It’s changed a little bit for sure, but they have a lot of guys that have been there a while and with the young talent that they have up there, it’s a high-powered offense. They have a game tonight and I’m sure they’re ready for it and when it comes time to play us, they’re going to be ready to play and we have to do the same.”
“They have a solid offensive line and they’re just a great team overall,” Donald said. “They have running backs, they have guys on the outside, a good offensive line, they make a lot of plays. So we just have to do what we have to do — play solid football, stop the run and get at the quarterbacks.”
September 28, 2017 at 4:16 am #75142znModeratorKristen Lago
KEEPING THE COWBOYS ON THEIR TOES
Entering Week 4, the Rams have been sported one of the best offenses in the league. The club currently ranks No. 1 with a whopping 107 points in three games. The team also holds sole possession of the top spot in the NFC West.
Not only are the Rams putting points on the board, but they are also doing it in style. Last week, quarterback Jared Goff recorded one of the best performances of his career, completing 22-of-28 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns. He was also able to distribute the ball to a variety of different targets and the offense as a whole showed efficiency on the ground and in the passing game.
Also on Thursday night, running back Todd Gurley recorded his first 100-yard rushing game since 2015, while wide receivers Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods both topped 100 receiving yards. It was the first time the Rams have had two players with at least 100 yards receiving since 2006.
When asked on Wednesday what makes the offense run so efficiently, Woods said, “everything” — alluding to the team’s ability to combine the passing game with the ground game along with their consistency in first-down situations.
“The offense, the scheme and the plan of the offense to spread the ball around and get guys going,” Woods said. “Being out there, you see defenses just running the wrong way at times [because] our offense is keeping defenses on edge and I think it shows. It’s showing in our play and our offensive play.”
This week against the Cowboys, the Rams will need to keep the defense on its toes once again. Though the Dallas secondary is young, featuring rookie safety Xavier Woods and cornerback Jourdan Lewis, Woods readily acknowledged the physicality of the Cowboys’ defense as a whole.
“[They’re] a good defense, we see them flying around,” he said. “A fast defense. They’re able to just disguise and you see them they play solid and fly to the ball. [Just] a fast group of guys that like to attack the quarterback and attack the ball.”
And although the team is riding high after a gritty win over the 49ers, the Rams know that there is still much to improve.
“We just turn on the tape and yeah you see the good plays, but you also see the bad ones. It’s early and it’s no time to get fat and happy, it’s only time to keep grinding and keep getting better,” right guard Jamon Brown said. “The main focus for us this year is to take it one [game] at a time. We’re not really judging off last year, but we’re trying to control what we can control this year.”
September 28, 2017 at 6:55 pm #75178znModeratorSean McVay has Jared Goff cooking and the Rams offense should roll vs. Cowboys
If you haven’t been paying attention, these aren’t the same old RamsNOTE: Long article with a lot of gifs, hard to copy. Go to the link for the gifs.
It turns out coaching does matter in the NFL.
When running back Todd Gurley called the Rams’ offense — coached by all-time loser Jeff Fisher at the time — a “middle-school offense” last December, he was thought to have done so out of frustration. It wasn’t considered to be an analytical response to answer the questions behind No. 1 pick Jared Goff’s rookie-year struggles and Gurley’s own mysterious sophomore slump. But Gurley wasn’t that far off with his answer. The Rams’ offensive catastrophe was almost entirely related to its scheme. The first three games of the 2017 season is enough proof.
So far, the Rams’ offense is torching foes — they’re averaging the seventh-most yards per game (374.3) and the most points per game (35.7) in all of football. Goff looks like Legolas sniping Orcs — he’s first in yards per attempt (10.09) and third in passer rating (118.2). Gurley looks like he’s actually wearing a touchdown magnet — he’s tied for the league lead in rushing/receiving touchdowns (six) after scoring six touchdowns over the course of the entire 2016 season.
For all of that, the Rams can thank their new 31-year-old coach, Sean McVay, who replaced Fisher and immediately implemented an offense that caters to its personnel’s strengths — plus, he spells his name the right way. And they can also thank newcomers in receivers Sammy Watkins, Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods, and left tackle Andrew Whitworth. The Rams’ offense received upgrades this offseason in both coaching and personnel.
Watching last year’s Rams offense versus this year’s unit is like going from watching the “Star Wars” prequels to watching “Rogue One.” While we’re on the subject, a quick (but totally accurate) ranking of “Star Wars” movies:
“Rogue One”
“The Empire Strikes Back”
“Return of the Jedi” (Ewoks are cool)
“A New Hope”
“The Force Awakens”
Prequels
OK, back to football. McVay — the former offensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins, where he helped turn a mediocre talent, Kirk Cousins, into a $24-million quarterback — has the Rams rolling. They’re 2-1, find themselves in first place in the NFC West, and will head to Dallas for a showdown with the Cowboys on Sunday.
At some point, the Rams will likely come back down to earth. Their offensive explosion, to this point, is at least partly due to matchups against the Colts and 49ers. Looming on the schedule are dates with the Seahawks, Jaguars, Cardinals, Giants, Texans, and Vikings — all teams that know how to play defense. The Rams likely aren’t a playoff team, Goff isn’t a legitimate MVP candidate, and Gurley isn’t the next David Johnson, but they’ve all shown enough signs of progress through three games to already consider the season a success. And they’re going to the give the Cowboys some issues this weekend — even if it’s the Cowboys who emerge with the win at home.
It starts with the QB
Goff’s NFL career began on the sidelines, as he was unable to beat out both Case Keenum and Sean Mannion. When he finally did win the starting job in late November, he did not look like someone who was worthy of the first-overall pick. He sucked and his #DraftTwitter bandwagon — something I found myself on — began tumbling down a seemingly unending slope.
Writing off Goff was premature. Check out his numbers from the first three weeks of this season compared to his seven games last season (admittedly, both are tiny sample sizes, but it’s all we’ve got to work with):
Comp. %
YPA
TD %
INT %
Rating
2016
54.6
5.3
2.4
3.4
63.6
2017
70.4
10.1
6.2
1.2
118.2
Again, it’s true that Goff has benefited from matchups with the Colts and 49ers, but let’s not penalize him for tearing up bad defenses. That’s what good quarterbacks are supposed to do. And don’t forget that he also played against the Redskins, a team that just held Raiders quarterback Derek Carr to one of the worst performances of his career.
Goff’s been good in part because McVay’s creating easy throws with big windows. He’s done this by using a ton of play-action:
goff-rams-playaction-week-1.gif
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“The first thing you’ll notice, you want plays that start out looking the same that are different — your run actions, whether it’s play-action, or some of your movements, where you’re bootlegging him,” McVay told Sports Illustrated after Week 1. “Those are the things he’s really done a good job with, especially when you take into account the stuff in the preseason where early-down plays, you’re running play-actions and movements.
“He’s good at it, he’s gotten really comfortable with it. And that’s where there’s a good chance to open up some things down the field.”
So far this season, Goff has posted a 104.7 passer rating off play-action, completing 13 of 21 passes for 257 yards, according to Pro Football Focus. By using play-action, the Rams are simplifying the game for Goff. More often than not, Goff has an easy read and an easy throw off a play fake — like the play above.
McVay has also gotten creative with his play-action to create big-chunk plays.
goff-rams-play-design-week-1.gif
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Below, Goff uses a play-fake to Gurley to set up a screen to Gurley. It’s so simple for the quarterback, yet so effective. And it gets the ball to one of the Rams’ best playmakers in space.
goff-rams-play-design-screen-week-1.gif
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It’s not just play-action. On normal passing plays, Goff’s passer rating is 122.9 — the second-best in football behind Alex Smith of all quarterbacks (drunk season, right?), according to PFF. Even without play-action, Goff’s getting open, easy throws.
The touchdown pass below wasn’t just an easy throw, it was an easy pre-snap read by Goff. It looks like a run-pass option, so it’s up to Goff to decide to hand the ball to Gurley or throw to Watkins. Goff chose to throw the ball likely after realizing the Rams’ blockers were outnumbered by the 49ers’ defenders in the box and his receivers were isolated in single coverage — it’s two vs. two on the outside. With his offensive line run blocking, Goff fired a quick slant to Watkins.
goff-rpo-week-3.gif
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I don’t mean for this to sound like Goff hasn’t done anything of value, because he has. Back at Cal during this three college seasons as a starter, Goff loved throwing deep balls down the sideline. That’s not an oversimplification. Cal’s “Bear Raid” offense ran four verticals up to 40 times a game. Goff’s arm talent is never going to blow you away, but one of his strengths is lofting up weighted deep balls down the sideline.
That skill has translated to the NFL this year.
weighteddeepball.gif
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According to PFF, Goff is the league’s best deep-ball passer. On passes thrown at least 20 yards downfield, Goff is 9 of 13 for 304 yards, one touchdown, no picks, and a 137.5 passer rating. It’s throws like this that make it seem like Goff has a bright future in the league (note the play-action, the pressure and quarterback hit, and Watkins’ ability to track the over-the-shoulder pass):
goff-watkins-rams-week-3.gif
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He’s also shown the willingness to cycle through his reads. Below, you’ll see Goff’s eyes work from his right to his far left before finding his tight end on a delayed release all the way back on his right.
goff-week-2-rams-redskins.gif
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To do that, Goff needs protection — something that didn’t happen last year. In his rookie season, Goff was under pressure on 44 percent of his dropbacks, according to PFF. This year, he’s been under pressure on 38.4 percent of his dropbacks. It’s worth noting that Goff has still dealt with the seventh-highest pressure rate among all quarterbacks, so it’s not as if the signing of Whitworth has transformed the Rams’ offensive line into a top unit — it hasn’t. But the Rams’ offensive line has been better. That’s important.
Even when he’s under pressure, Goff has been great. He’s accumulated the third-best passer rating under pressure (98.9), per PFF. And when he’s been given a clean pocket, he’s racked up a passer rating of 126.2 — only Alex Smith has been better without pressure.
If given time in the pocket, Goff is deadly like most NFL quarterbacks.
goff-week-1-rams.gif
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Impressively, Goff has cut down on his turnovers. Going through all of his passes to this point in the season, there have been very few dropped picks. That’s a credit to the coaching, which has drawn up risk-free throws, and Goff’s decision making. Obvously, he’s still going to make mistakes. See his game-losing interception to the Redskins, when he stared down a short pass for an eternity:
goff-week-2-int.gif
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But he has been light years better than last year. The scary part? Goff and McVay are still growing comfortable together, and Goff has started only 10 games in his career, which pretty much makes him a rookie.
“It’s the fact that we just haven’t worked together long enough,” McVay told SI. “We’re trying to figure it out ourselves as we get comfortable with one another. That’s the biggest thing.”
Goff’s success should continue against the Cowboys, whose defense features one capable playmaker in defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and his league-leading 6.5 sacks. The Rams will need to account for Lawrence if they want Goff to remain upright. But besides Lawrence, no one on the Cowboys’ defense should scare them. Block Lawrence — not an easy task — and the Rams offense should be fine.
The Cowboys’ defense has pitched two solid games this year — Week 1 against the Giants and Week 3 against the Cardinals. The key to those performances? They manhandled weak offensive lines and got after the quarterback. The Rams need to protect Goff. If they can do that, they can torch a weak secondary.
Touchdown Todd
Look for Gurley’s success to continue too, but don’t expect him to keep scoring touchdowns at this rate.
Last year, Gurley averaged 3.2 yards per carry. This year, he’s averaging 3.8 yards per carry. According to PFF, he ranked 19th in elusiveness out of 25 qualified running backs last year. This year, he ranks 18th out of 28 qualified running backs. So Gurley hasn’t been transformed back into the rookie-version of himself we saw in 2015, but he’s been better. There’s no doubt that his unsustainable touchdown rate — no, he’s not going to score 32 touchdowns this year — will come back down to earth.
But the biggest difference from last year to this year is how Gurley is being used. Mainly, the Rams are getting Gurley into open space by using him as a pass catcher. Last year, Gurley averaged 2.7 catches per game and 7.6 yards per catch. This year, he’s averaging 4.3 catches per game and 10.8 yards per catch. When he’s in space — and not bottled up behind a mediocre offensive line — he can do stuff like this:
gurley-rams-week-2.gif
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In Week 2, C.J. Anderson roasted the Cowboys for 154 yards on 28 touches. Expect Gurley to get the ball a lot and expect him to perform well. The Cowboys have shut down the Cardinals and Giants’ running backs, but neither of those teams feature quality players coming out of the backfield. Gurley might not ever be as good as he was in his sensational rookie year, but he’s more than capable.
Setting realistic expectations
Again, it’s not realistic to expect the Rams to continue scoring 35.7 points per game. It’s not realistic to expect Goff to outplay Tom Brady for the rest of the season. And it’s not realistic to expect Gurley to score touchdowns at this rate. The Rams are going to calm down when they play defenses that are capable of exploiting their flaws. A regression is coming.
But the Rams should already be pleased at their progress. They likely won’t make the playoffs this season, but their future is bright. Last year, it looked like their most recent first-round picks of Goff and Gurley might bust. Now, those two look like potential building blocks. If Watkins can stay healthy, he’s a WR1. For so many years, the Rams were stuck as a 7-9 or 8-8 team under Fisher. For the first time in what probably feels like forever, the Rams can dream of a better future that involves an exciting, innovative offense — an offense that can lead the team into the postseason in the wars to come.
Dallas will get a glimpse of that offense on Sunday. And even if it’s the Cowboys that walk away with the win — they are, after all, the more talented team that’s also playing at home — they’ll actually have some difficulty lassoing these high-flying, youthful Rams.September 29, 2017 at 12:59 am #75191znModeratorJason Witten on Rams: ‘I’m older than the coach’
http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/nfl/dallas-cowboys/article175971176.html
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten is impressed by what he’s seen so far from the Los Angeles Rams under new coach Sean McVay.
But he remains taken aback by one startling fact. He is 35 and McVay, who was the Washington Redskins offensive coordinator from 2014-2016, is 31.
“It’s something,” Witten said. “I don’t know that I’ve ever played against a team that I’m older than the coach. Maybe that’s a sign. He deserves it because he’s one hell of a football coach. He’s smart, he communicates well. He’s done it in Washington. You can see his touch, his wrinkle on the offense with the way they try to attack.
“Not only am I older, I’m like four years older than him.”
The Cowboys host the Rams at noon Sunday at AT&T Stadium.
Asked what it was a sign of, like maybe a sign for him to walk away, Witten refused to bite.
“A sign to just keep on going, brother,” Witten said. “A sign to just keep on going. In the preseason game, I saw (Rams tackle) Andrew Whitworth who I’ve known over the years, a left tackle, we’re similar in age, and I made a comment, how is it being older than your coach. He said he owns it. That’s a great personality to have. Whit is one of the better left tackles in football. You know, age is just a number. It’s all about production and play.”
Witten, a 15-year veteran, leads the Cowboys with 18 catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns
September 29, 2017 at 1:09 am #75192znModeratorRams still figuring out things on defense, but with Dallas coming up, they better hurry
RICH HAMMONDTHOUSAND OAKS — It’s not time to worry about the Rams’ defense. Give that another couple days.
Thus far, the scheme of new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips has underwhelmed. The Rams rank 26th in the NFL in points allowed per game (25.0) and 22nd in yards allowed (343.7), and last week the Rams ended up in a shootout against a San Francisco team that previously hadn’t scored a touchdown.
The challenge doesn’t get easier this Sunday, as the Rams travel to face a balanced Dallas offense that includes quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott and tight end Jason Witten.
“We look at it as a big challenge,” Phillips said after Thursday’s practice at Cal Lutheran. “I think we’ll see a lot about our team this week, as far as where we are, to match up against that premier offense.”
The Rams clearly are having some issues. After their dominating season-opening game against an Indianapolis team that lacked its quarterback and center, the Rams allowed 27 points and 385 yards in a loss to Washington, then 39 points and 421 yards in a way-too-close victory over the 49ers.
Run defense remains an issue, cornerbacks have been beat on big plays and, last week, the 49ers converted on nine of their 18 third-down attempts.
On the other hand, Phillips pointed out that special-teams miscues sent the Rams’ defense onto the field in unusual circumstances multiple times, and Phillips said the unit would get a boost from the expected return of starting cornerback Kayvon Webster, who missed two games with a shoulder injury.
Phillips also hinted that the Rams might move Michael Brockers, who has been one of the most productive players up front, away from nose tackle and to a defensive tackle role.
“A premier challenge,” Phillips said of Dallas. “When you’re playing a really good offensive team, that’s when you have to step up and be a good defensive team. I think we’ll get better in some of the areas we need to, but we’ll find out. That’s why we play the games, to see what happens. But I like our group.”
Phillips’ recent history shows that early-season struggles, when he takes over and transitions a team from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 front, are not uncommon.
In 2011, Phillips took over an awful Houston defense. In the third game of that season, the Texans allowed 40 points and 454 yards in a loss to New Orleans. Houston finished that season ranked fourth in points allowed (17.4 per game) and second in yards (285.7).
In 2004, Phillips’ San Diego defense allowed an average of 28 points in its first three games. The Chargers finished that season 11th in the league, with an average of 19.6 points allowed per game.
Even in Denver in 2015, when Phillips took over what had been a fairly stout defense, the Broncos twice allowed 40-plus points. So while these early bumps for the Rams shouldn’t automatically cause panic, another bad week or two might counter the narrative that Phillips is a turnaround artist.
“It goes both ways,” Phillips said. “One year we started 0-3 in Buffalo and made the playoffs. Then, I think in Denver in our first game we gave up 170 yards. It’s all about how you play and who you’re playing, too. I’m looking forward to this one.”
In his last four stops as defensive coordinator (Denver, Houston, San Diego and Atlanta), Phillips has improved his teams’ points-against and yards-against totals in the first year. Not since 2005 has a Phillips-coached defense finished out of the NFL’s top 10 in points and yards.
September 29, 2017 at 10:11 am #75198nittany ramModeratorLots of history with Rams and Cowboys…
Link: http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-rams-cowboys-history-20170927-story.html
There’s a lot of history between the Rams and Cowboys, and Sunday’s matchup stirs memories
Frank Corral, Pat Thomas
Kicker Frank Corral (3) and cornerback Pat Thomas (27) indicate how the Rams should be rated after a 21-19 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in an NFC divisional playoff game Dec. 30, 1979, at Texas Stadium. (Associated Press)
Gary Klein Gary KleinContact Reporter
During a Rams career that spanned 20 seasons, Jackie Slater heard coaches deliver 259 pregame speeches.The one from Nov. 15, 1992, stands out.
The Rams were two-touchdown underdogs against the Dallas Cowboys at Texas Stadium.
So coach Chuck Knox opted for an economy of words.
“He looked at us for a long time,” Slater, a Hall of Fame offensive lineman, said, “and then he finally said, ‘14-point underdogs?’ And then he spit on the floor, put his cap on and walked out on the field.
“Nothing else needed to be said.”
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The Rams went out and upset the eventual Super Bowl champions 27-23.No one knew it then, but it was the last time the Los Angeles Rams would play the Cowboys, seemingly ending a rivalry that ranked among the NFL’s best, especially during the early and mid-1970s when the Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings served as annual playoff roadblocks for the Rams.
Sunday, 25 years and two franchise moves later, the Rams return to Dallas to play the Cowboys. It will be a litmus test for a Rams team that is 2-1 and sits atop the NFC West under first-year coach Sean McVay.
“You are familiar with it,” McVay, 31, said of the history between the teams. “Embracing that history is part of it.
Podcast | Fearsome Twosome: Whoa, is this Rams team for real? Let’s discuss the win over the 49ers and matchup with the Cowboys
“I think it’s also important to know this is a storied franchise on both ends.”The Los Angeles Rams and the Cowboys have played 25 times, with the Rams leading 13-12. They are 4-4 in playoff games.
It started in 1960, when the Rams defeated the Cowboys 38-13 at the Cotton Bowl in the first regular-season game between the teams. Thus began a long cross-country partnership.
Rams owner Dan Reeves and Cowboys general manager Tex Schramm were good friends, so the Rams and Cowboys were among the first NFL teams to hold joint practices. And the Cowboys, who trained in Thousand Oaks, annually played the Rams in the The Times preseason charity game.
“The Rams were our friends because of the relationships,” said Gil Brandt, 84, the Cowboys’ head scout in 1960, later a longtime executive for the team and now an NFL.com contributor.
In 1967, the Rams defeated the Cowboys 35-13 amid accusations that coach George Allen had sent a scout to spy on the Cowboys during practice. Allen comically countered that the Cowboys had put a scout in a tree to spy on the Rams.
San Francisco was “Enemy No. 1” and Dallas was “Enemy No. 2”
— Former Rams quarterback Roman Gabriel
Rams tight end Gerald Everett, left, can’t hold on to the ball as he drops the pass while Dallas Cow
Rams tight end Gerald Everett, left, can’t hold on to the ball as he drops the pass while Dallas Cowboys defensive back Leon McFadden defends during the second half of a preseason game on Aug. 12. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
“San Francisco was ‘Enemy No. 1’ and Dallas was ‘Enemy No. 2,’ ” former Rams quarterback Roman Gabriel said.Tommy Prothro replaced Allen as coach in 1971 and Gabriel remembers a 28-21 Rams defeat on Thanksgiving Day at Texas Stadium. One third-down play stood out.
“I remember I started running off the field and [linebacker] Lee Roy Jordan says, ‘You’re not going to fool us, no one punts on third down. I know better,’” Gabriel said. “I told him, ‘Lee Roy, you’re in for something.’
“We pinned them, but they still beat us.”
During the 1970s, the Rams made the playoffs seven times. The Cowboys eliminated them three times, including 28-0 at the Coliseum in 1978. The Rams finally broke through in 1979, on the way to their only Super Bowl appearance.
The Rams had lost at Dallas in mid-October, with then-backup quarterback Vince Ferragamo suffering a broken hand in the defeat.
Eleven weeks later, the Rams returned for an NFC divisional playoff game.
Ferragamo, elevated to starter, was approached before the game by an amped-up teammate who anchored the defensive line.
“When Jack Youngblood comes up to you and says, ‘Son, this is the biggest game you’re going to play in your life. You better get ready,’ Wow, you better perform,” Ferragamo said, laughing.
Robert Woods has found what he was looking for in the Rams’ offense
The Rams trailed 19-14 in the fourth quarter when Slater and his fellow offensive linemen gave Ferragamo seemingly an eternity to find an open receiver. Ferragamo stepped up and drilled a pass over the middle to Billy Waddy for a 50-yard touchdown.“We gave him a good length of time to make a good decision,” Slater said.
The Rams held on for a victory that finally moved them past a longtime nemesis.
“It was so monumental,” defensive back Nolan Cromwell said. “We finally got over the hump.”
The game was the last for Roger Staubach, the Cowboys’ Hall of Fame quarterback.
Youngblood suffered a broken leg, a setback that did not stop the Hall of Fame end from finishing the game, or playing in the NFC championship game victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Super Bowl loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The next season, the Rams lost at Texas Stadium in a wild-card game. They lost there again in 1981 during the regular season.
But on a cold day in 1983, the Rams beat the Cowboys 24-17 in a wild-card game.
Ferragamo’s touchdown pass to receiver George Farmer early in the fourth quarter gave the Rams an 11-point lead.
“I think that kind of did Tom Landry in as coach of the Cowboys,” Farmer said.
Rams coach Sean McVay, right, greets Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett after a preseason game on Au
Rams coach Sean McVay, right, greets Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett after a preseason game on Aug. 12. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
Kids grow up, they want to be Cowboys. It’s like a religion
— Rams kicker Tony Zendejas
New owner Jerry Jones fired Landry in 1989 after the Cowboys made the playoffs only once in the next five seasons. Three years later, coach Jimmie Johnson had the Cowboys rolling with a team that featured quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith and receiver Michael Irvin.The Cowboys were 8-1, the Rams 3-6 in 1992 when Knox gave his short speech and headed to the field at Texas Stadium.
Rams kicker Tony Zendejas had spent his first six NFL seasons with the Houston Oilers. He knew what awaited the Rams on the road against the Cowboys.
“Texas is Cowboys country,” Zendejas said. “I used to get jealous: ‘What about me? What about the Oilers?’
“Kids grow up, they want to be Cowboys. It’s like a religion.”
The Rams had lost 12 consecutive road games. They had fallen 20-14 the previous week at home against the Phoenix Cardinals in a game that included three fumbles by running back Cleveland Gary.
But Gary rushed for a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass against the Cowboys. Quarterback Jim Everett passed for two touchdowns. And Zendejas kicked two late field goals before the Rams survived a last-second threat by the Cowboys in a 27-23 victory.
After the game, Everett referenced the point spread.
“The guy who’s making the lines must be smoking dope,” he said of the oddsmakers.
Everett laughed last week when reminded of his comment.
“Sounds like something I would say,” he said. “I do remember that game, my buddies getting in a fight in the stands.
“They had beers thrown on them because they were wearing Rams gear.”
That was the last time the Los Angeles Rams played the Cowboys.
The Rams moved to St. Louis after the 1994 season. They did not play the Cowboys again until 2002. They last met in 2014.
The Rams returned to Los Angeles last season and played their last two preseason openers against the Cowboys.
Despite leading the NFL in points scored, they will travel to AT&T Stadium as six-point underdogs.
Slater does not expect the loquacious McVay to repeat Knox’s short pregame speech.
“’I’m expecting him to have a lot of words,” Slater said. “He seems to have a way with them.”
September 29, 2017 at 1:09 pm #75206nittany ramModeratorThe Rams trailed 19-14 in the fourth quarter when Slater and his fellow offensive linemen gave Ferragamo seemingly an eternity to find an open receiver. Ferragamo stepped up and drilled a pass over the middle to Billy Waddy for a 50-yard touchdown.
“We gave him a good length of time to make a good decision,” Slater said.
The Rams held on for a victory that finally moved them past a longtime nemesis.
“It was so monumental,” defensive back Nolan Cromwell said. “We finally got over the hump.”
The game was the last for Roger Staubach, the Cowboys’ Hall of Fame quarterback.
The last pass of Staubach’s HOF career fell harmlessly to the turf as Jack Youngblood drove him into the concrete floor of Texas Stadium.
What an awesome game.
September 29, 2017 at 5:00 pm #75209znModeratorThe last pass of Staubach’s HOF career fell harmlessly to the turf as Jack Youngblood drove him into the concrete floor of Texas Stadium.
Even further…here’s his last completion: ‘
Who Caught ROGER STAUBACH’S Last Pass?
Roger “completed” his last career pass to Herb Scott in a 21-19 playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Texas Stadium on December 30, 1979.
However, because Scott was a lineman, the completion was to an ineligible receiver; the completion was thus waived off and the Cowboys were penalized with a loss of down.
September 29, 2017 at 5:03 pm #75210znModeratoroldschoolramfan wrote:
Jackie Slater remembers a story……
“It was Nov. 15th, 1992 and the Rams were playing the Cowboys at Texas Stadium. The Rams were 2 touchdown underdogs and the team knew that the coach was not happy about that.”
Slater continues……”Coach Knox walks in to the locker room and just looked at us for a long time. Then, he finally say’s, 14-point underdogs? And then, he spits on the floor, put his cap on and walked out to the field. Nothing else needed to be said.”The Rams beat the Cowboys 27-23 that day.
That was the last time the LOS ANGELES RAMS played the Dallas Cowboys……..25 years later, they meet in Dallas on Sunday to revive one of the NFL’s best rivalries.
September 29, 2017 at 5:12 pm #75211znModeratorConcern Surrounds Cowboys OL Heading Into Week 4
link: https://insidethestar.com/concern-surrounds-cowboys-ol-heading-week-4/
After the first three weeks, the 2-1 Dallas Cowboys are in pretty good shape heading into week four. In the first three games we’ve slowly but surely seen the defense get better, Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott have found their grooves, and the play calling has improved. What has yet to improve, that I’m sure surprises us all, is the offensive line.
Through three weeks, it’s not an exaggeration to say that the offensive line has been the worst position group on the team. Trust me, I can’t believe I’m saying that either.
In recent years we’ve seen the OL struggle in maybe one aspect of the game for a game or two, but two weeks in a row the Dallas OL has been bad across the board. The first question that will always get brought up is, are they struggling because of the departures of Doug Free and Ronald Leary?
While that certainly doesn’t help the cause, Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, and Zack Martin haven’t been playing at the All-Pro level we’re used to seeing. If I had to guess, it’s likely due to each lineman feeling out the new man beside him.
If you didn’t know this yet, you do now. Each Cowboys’ offensive lineman has never played in a regular season game lined up beside the teammate he’s currently playing alongside, other than Travis Frederick and Zack Martin. Even then, Frederick has a new face at left guard in Chaz Green.
When La’el Collins was the starting left guard, he was lined up between Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick. When Chaz Green played left tackle last year, filling in for Tyron Smith, he lined up beside Ronald Leary. Tyron Smith has very few reps playing alongside Chaz Green and Zack Martin has very few reps playing alongside La’el Collins.Why does that matter? Playing offensive line is all about knowing when and where your teammates are going to be and who they are going to block.
For example, Travis Frederick never used to worry about passing his man off to Ron Leary. Tyron Smith never had to worry about giving Ron Leary some help inside while also dealing with whoever is screaming off the edge.
The main reason behind that is because those five guys had played so many snaps together as a unit. So far this year, that has changed. Each lineman is having more responsibilities helping each other out.
The current five starters have only played three regular season games together and are still feeling each other out. The first team unit didn’t get many reps together in preseason due to injury concerns with both Tyron Smith and Chaz Green.
So we should all probably pump the breaks on the worrying just a little bitSo far it hasn’t been pretty, but eventually this OL will figure it out.It may take another week or two to fully gel, but I personally don’t think this is a long-term issue. We saw at the end of the Arizona game that Dak Prescott was getting more time to pass, and Ezekiel Elliott’s running lanes were opening up more and more.
The Dallas Cowboys offensive line hasn’t had it easy the first three weeks by any means, facing three of the better defensive lines in the NFL. It doesn’t get any easier this week when the Aaron Donald-led Los Angeles Rams come to town on Sunday.
September 29, 2017 at 5:49 pm #75212znModeratorTake the Rams over Cowboys
http://nypost.com/2017/09/28/take-the-rams-over-cowboys/
Rams (+6) over COWBOYS: After too many years of broad mediocrity under Jeff Fisher, Rams hierarchy let Fisher go last season during franchise’s first year back in Los Angeles. New coach Sean McVay appears the jockey change highly regarded young QB Jared Goff needed, as the Rams are off to encouraging 2-1 start. Cowboys won their opener, but after getting drilled in Denver, were not impressive wrestling the Cardinals into submission Monday. ’Boys have underperformed for years off Monday nighters, and it appears coaching adjustments and slick drafts could take this Rams talent base a long way. L.A. Express picking up steam … hop aboard these Rams, for one unit.
September 29, 2017 at 9:42 pm #75230znModeratorSeptember 29, 2017 at 10:30 pm #75231znModeratorGame Preview: Rams, Cowboys to Face Off in Week 4
Kristen Lago
The Rams will be on the road for the second-straight week this Sunday as they travel to Arlington to take on the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. The Week 4 contest brings together two teams that share a rich history and rivalry together, dating back to their first game in 1960.
“I’ve always been a fan of the game [and] you have an appreciation for what’s taken place before,” first-year head coach Sean McVay said of the history between teams. “I think that embracing that history is part of it, [but] I also think it’s important to know that this is a storied franchise on both ends and we’ve got a great challenge.”
The series has spanned 57 years and 32 games, but Sunday will mark the first regular-season since 2014, when the Cowboys mounted a comeback to defeat the Rams 34-31.
However, this season’s contest will look a bit different from the last. Dallas’ offense now features the dynamic duo of quarterback Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott and the team is coming off a 13-3 finish, while Los Angeles enters the game under a different coaching staff and with many new faces on both sides of the ball.
“What coach Garrett’s done with his team, it’s going to be a great challenge and an excellent atmosphere,” McVay said. “And I know our guys are looking forward to it.”
One thing the two teams will have in common entering Week 4 is their records, as both the Cowboys and the Rams will look to improve to 3-1. But after recording a 4-12 record last year, it’s Los Angeles that has the most to prove. Not only does the team sit in sole possession of the top spot in the NFC West, but also the offense as a whole has shown immense improvement under McVay.
“We know that we’re going to have to be at our best to get our third win against an excellent Cowboys team,” he said. “They go 13-3 last year, 7-1 at home, with great road win for them this week. I’ve got a lot of respect for this organization and head coach Jason Garrett, just from having gone against them a couple times a year, so it’s going to be a great challenge for us.”
The tough matchup against the Cowboys — highly regarded as one of the league’s top-tier programs — should provide a benchmark test of sorts for the Rams as they enter the second quarter of the season.
“It’s an opportunity for us to go up against a great team and see where we are and how far we have come,” Gurley said. “Every week you have to come with it and if you can finish, this is the first quarter of the season. If you can finish 3-1, you are going to be right where you want to be.”
The Rams are currently the league’s highest-scoring team through three games with 107 points and quarterback Jared Goff has looked vastly improved over his rookie season. Goff enters Sunday’s game with 817 passing yards, five touchdowns and just one interception, while running back Todd Gurley was named September’s NFC Offensive Player of the Month after recording an 149-yard, three touchdown performance in Week 3.
An improved receiving corps and offensive line has also bolstered the offense through the addition of dynamic playmakers like Robert Woods and Sammy Watkins as well as strong veterans on the line like center John Sullivan and left tackle Andrew Whitworth.
And though the Cowboys strong suit is their offense, the Rams will still need to be ready for a tough Dallas defense. On the offensive line, expect the right side — comprised of right guard Jamon Brown and right tackle Rob Havenstein — to be challenged by defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence. The NFC Defensive Player of the Month has 6.5 sacks this season and has been one of the most consistent players on the Cowboys’ defensive line.
“I think when you just flip on the tape, he’s a scary player,” McVay said. “Excellent effort, he’s got a variety of ways that he can get to the quarterback and they move him around, I think he plays the run very well as well. He’s done a great job by winning his one-on-ones and that’s what the great players in this league do and he’s certainly playing like that right now.”
And although Gurley may not need to worry about linebacker Sean Lee — who will be a gametime decision for Sunday — middle linebacker Jaylon Smith is also a dominant force on the Dallas defense. In Monday night’s game against the Cardinals, Smith recorded seven tackles and a forced fumble.
In the secondary, Rams’ receivers will face a young, but challenging group of cornerbacks and safeties including Jourdan Lewis and Xavier Woods. The duo combined for nine tackles and two pass deflections in Week 3.
“I mean, they do a lot of different things. They’re very multiple and have changed some of the stuff they’ve done,” Goff said. “They mix up coverages, mix up fronts, mix up blitzes and do a good job of it. I think they’re talented in all three phases.”
“[They’re] a good defense, we see them flying around,” Woods said. “A fast defense and they’re able to just disguise [their coverages]. They play solid, fly to the ball and they are a fast group of guys that like to attack the quarterback and attack the ball.”
While Dallas’ does boast a strong defense, the real challenge for the Rams does not lie with their offense. Instead, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and the Los Angeles defense will have to answer a tough question come Sunday: Can the Rams defense stop Prescott and a high-powered Cowboys’ offense?
“[It’s] a premiere challenge,” defensive coordinator and former Cowboys’ head coach Wade Phillips said. “You know, when you’re playing a really good offensive team, that’s when you have to step up and be a really good defensive team. I think we’ll get better in some of the areas that we need to, but we’ll find out.”
The Rams’ defense has been a bit up-and-down this season, starting off the season on a high against the Colts, but allowing a combined 66 points and 806 yards in their last two games. But many players, like defensive tackle Aaron Donald, do not seem worried.
“I feel like it wasn’t as bad as we thought,” Donald said of last week’s performance against the 49ers. “We definitely made a lot of mistakes here and there. But it’s nothing that we can’t clean up. And I’d rather it happen now — early — than later. So we’re going to be good.”
Fortunately for the Rams this week, outside linebacker Connor Barwin has a lot of experience playing against the Cowboys and had some tips on how to stop the formidable Dallas’ offense, led by Prescott and Elliott.
“In my experience last year, the quarterback is the real deal,” Barwin said. “He can really do it all. He can make plays from outside the pocket, he can make plays from inside the pocket and then he can make plays with his feet. So we will have to be at our best against him.”
“It’s a common theme — You stop them, you stop them, and then a guy gets out of their gap and Ezekiel will crease you for a 40-yard run,” he continued. “ We would play really well against him at times, but as soon as one guy makes a mistake up front, Ezekiel is great at getting north very quickly. So it’s about being focused and physical for the entire game, for 60 snaps not 50 snaps and that is how you stop the run.”
In the secondary, one matchup to watch this week will be between cornerback Trumaine Johnson and wide receiver Dez Bryant. Though Dallas has a slew of other offensive weapons, including tight end Jason Witten, stopping Bryant will be a No. 1 priority for the Rams and Johnson seemed ready for the challenge after practice on Thursday.
“He’s a competitor and he’s a dog,” Johnson said. “I have been playing Dez since I have been in the league and I will have to be aggressive with him, I have to be ready to compete and it’s going to be fun. I can’t wait.”
Overall, Week 4 should be one of the toughest games the Rams have faced thus far and could come down to a series of key matchups on both sides. Kickoff for the Rams vs. Cowboys is set for 10 A.M. To find out where you can watch the contest, click here.
September 30, 2017 at 12:31 pm #75239znModeratorSeptember 30, 2017 at 10:32 pm #75266znModeratorRams front 7 v. Ezekiel Elliott
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NFL.com: http://www.nfl.com/public/article/2017/09/29/0ap3000000853536.htm
If I told you in June that Jared Goff would rank in the top three in the NFL in completion percentage (70.4), yards per attempt (10.1), and passer rating (118.2) as we hit October, you would have likely fallen off your chair laughing. The Sean McVay effect, however, has the second-year passer looking like a rising quarterback. Gone are the jittery hitches and deer-in-headlights plays. Instead, McVay has schemed his quarterback easy throws into wide-open windows and Goff is making plays with confidence. The Cowboys secondary looks like a 21st-century version of M*A*S*H right now, which provides Goff with an optimal matchup on paper. First, however, the Rams will need to find a way to block game-wrecker DeMarcus Lawrence.
Dak Prescott is systematically dismantling any lingering concerns about his ability to carry the Cowboys offense. With a running game that has suffered fits and starts this season and an offensive line not as dominant as a year ago, Prescott has been a marvel. The second-year quarterback is nearly unstoppable when on the move. Against a Rams defense that boasts Aaron Donald in the middle, expect the Cowboys to move Prescott’s pocket often Sunday, putting pressure on L.A.’s secondary with his feet and arm. The Rams have been gashed on the ground to the tune of 139.0 yards per game this season (fourth-worst in the NFL), so Sunday should be a get-right game for Ezekiel Elliott.
NFL Research stat of the week: DeMarcus Lawrence leads the NFL in sacks (6.5) and QB hits (10) this season. The last Dallas player to lead NFL in sacks was DeMarcus Ware (15.5, 2010). Lawrence earned the most sacks by a Cowboy in the first three games of a season since 1982.
October 1, 2017 at 8:41 am #75273znModeratorBonsignore: The Rams really are better than last year, and they can beat the Cowboys
By VINCENT BONSIGNORE
IRVING, TEXAS — Jared Goff didn’t play the first four games last year. But no one had a better vantage point from which to witness the Rams 3-1 start than he did watching from the sideline.
Or the eventual buckle of the bridge they built and subsequent collapse, for that matter.
Goff is playing now, of course. And there isn’t anyone more responsible than the second-year quarterback from Cal for the 2-1 record the Rams take to Texas on Sunday to play the Cowboys.
But knowing what he knows from last year, don’t expect Goff to be doing any victory laps even if the Rams march into AT&T Stadium and beat the Cowboys.
“We started off 3-1 last year and saw the way that went,” Goff reminded everyone. “So, it doesn’t mean much. It’ll be good. It means we started off well, but you break the season into quarters and if we are able to finish this one with the win, it would be a good quarter for us and be ready to go for another good second quarter, is the plan. But right now we’re just focused on going out there Sunday and playing as best we can.”
Goff might only be a second-year NFL quarterback. And really just a first-year one considering he spent the majority of last season as the backup to Case Keenum. But give him credit for the prudence he shows in putting the Rams fast start in perspective. It has, and will, serve him well.
But we’re under no such decree or guidelines.
So let’s just say what everyone is thinking.
The Rams’ 2-1 start this year is in no way, shape or form similar to the same start they got off to last year. The one that ultimately crumbled into a 4-12 disaster and created the kind of carnage that results from almost an entire coaching staff losing their jobs and a dramatic makeover of the roster.
This feels different. It looks different. And frankly, it is different. Which renders comparisons to last year utterly useless and pointless.
No matter how cleverly the Rams try to cover that up.
“A win is a win. It’s hard to get a win in this league,” Tavon Austin said, “It’s all the same to me.”
You’d expect Austin to play the skeptical or low-key card given the losing he has experienced since coming aboard in 2013. It takes a mental toll, being part of the 21-40 record Austin has endured the past four years, and while he, as much as anyone else, should recognize the nuanced contrasts between this year and years past, he isn’t ready to go there just yet.
Maybe we all shouldn’t, no matter how much instincts and experience tell us things are different this year compared to last. How the league-leading 35.7 points per game the Rams are averaging is no mirage, given the superior talent they assembled and the imaginative coaching Sean McVay has added and the growth and maturity of Goff, whose performance thus far is among the best in the NFL.
Best to just play it safe, even if it’s just to protect us in the event the proverbial other shoe drops. The one that’s crushed the hearts and souls of the Rams and their fans for more than a decade as losing season after losing season has piled up.
Is it OK to feel better about things?
“Yeah I think so,” Goff said. “We feel good right now.”
But maybe it’s best we keep it in perspective.
“I don’t know if you want … think any of it long term right now,” he added. “We’re so focused on Dallas and what we’re doing right now that we don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. We’ve played three games, we’ve won two of them. At the end of the day, we’re 2-1 and that’s the only stat that matters and we know that. We know that you go into the details of what happens in each game and there’s things that we do well and there’s things that we can work on. And that’s really what we’re focused on the most is how we can keep improving and keep getting better and ultimately just become the best team we can each Sunday.”
Maybe that other shoe starts descending against the Cowboys. They are arguably the best team in the NFC and will have the benefit of playing in front of the 100,000 fans that will cram Jerry’s World.
It wouldn’t be a shock. Conventional wisdom suggests that’s exactly what will happen. Heck, in some necks of the woods, it’s the odds-on favorite outcome.
The Wise Guys have the Cowboys winning by nearly a touchdown, and you’d be hardpressed to find anyone who has the Rams strolling into AT&T Stadium and robbing the place before high-tailing it back to L.A. sitting pretty at 3-1 with the Seahawks coming to town next week.
Best to roll with the odds on this one, if only to insulate your heart from a week’s worth of misery.
Right? Not so fast.
If you trust your instincts and believe your eyes you fully understand things are different with the Rams this year.
That makes hope real and elevated expectations warranted.
Other than past history, which has zero to do with what will happen Sunday in Texas, there is really no compelling argument to be made against the Rams going toe to toe with the Cowboys and returning home with a victory.
Your eyes are not deceiving you. This is real.
What’s done isn’t just done. It’s quite revealing.
Goff is emerging as a very good quarterback. And he will keep getting better.
The Rams didn’t just flip their wide receiver group from last year by deleting a handful of names and replacing them with others. They improved the position dramatically by adding dependability and professionalism in Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp and explosiveness in Sammy Watkins. Andrew Whitworth and John Sullivan have been game changers on the offensive line. You talk to people in the NFL, and there is high praise for the job McVay and his staff have done in offensive schemes, imagination and play calling.
And while the defense has yet to hit its stride under new coordinator Wade Phillips, there is enough talent on hand to suggest they’ll eventually get things stabilized on that side of the ball.
The Rams don’t just feel different this year. They are different.
And there is no reason to think they can’t go to Texas and beat the Cowboys.
Let the Rams play the perspective game. It’s the right approach. The prudent thing to do.
But if you’re a Rams fan turning on the TV Sunday morning, remember this: This is a different team than the one you’ve been watching the last decade or so. Your eyes aren’t deceiving you. Your instincts are sound.
If you want to play it careful, go ahead.
But deep down you know things have changed.
This is a winnable game.
There, I said it.
October 1, 2017 at 10:27 am #75276znModeratorHas Sean McVay turned the Rams around already? Sunday will say
The Los Angeles Rams are the highest scoring team in the NFL. Todd Gurley is the NFC Offensive Player of the Month. Jared Goff leads the NFL is passing yards per attempt.
Has first-year head coach Sean McVay turned the Rams around already?
We’ll find out on Sunday morning, when the Rams visit Jerry’s World for an early season test against Dallas.
“We’ve got to be at our best on Sunday,” McVay said this week. “There’s not a weakness on this team and that’s why if we’re going to give ourselves a chance to compete, we’ve got to be ready to go.”
Just an offseason removed from putting up perhaps the worst offensive season in a decade, the Rams lead the NFL in scoring with 107 points in three games.
They put up 46 and 41 points in their two wins, meaning the Rams now have as many 40-point games in McVay’s three games as they did in five seasons under previous head coach Jeff Fisher.
“They’re obviously playing really good offensive football and it doesn’t surprise me one bit,” Dallas head coach Jason Garrett said. “They’ve got a lot of good pieces there.
“The running back is outstanding, a lot of weapons outside and there is no question that Jared is in a comfortable place and really doing a good job executing what they’re asking him to do.”
Gurley has already made up for last year’s struggles. The running back is tied for the league lead in touchdowns with six through three games.
He had six total in his “sophomore slump” of 2016.
“You have your ups and downs in this game,” said Gurley, who was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month this week. “Every year is not going to be a good year and, obviously, I figured that out last year.
“All you can do is move forward, just keep working hard, control what you can control and just take it day-by-day preparation. Once the season comes, you just let all the anger out.”
Goff is coming off a career-high 145.6 passer rating in the Rams’ 41-39 win at San Francisco on Sept. 21.
“We feel good right now,” Goff said. “We’re so focused on Dallas and what we’re doing right now that we don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves.”
Goff remembers vividly that the Rams opened 3-1 a year ago and lost 11 of their final 12 games.
“We started off 3-1 last year and saw the way that went,” Goff said. “So it doesn’t mean much.”
Especially since the wins have come against Indianapolis and San Francisco, who are a combined 1-5.
Conversely, the Cowboys (2-1) were 13-3 a year ago and have one of the top offenses in football, featuring quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliot and receiver Dez Bryant.
Of course, McVay mentioned all three this week, and then included “first ballot Hall of Famer” Jason Witten at tight end, “one of the better slot receivers in the league” Cole Beasley, as well as receivers Terrance Williams and Ryan Switzer.
Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips called the Dallas offense a “premiere challenge” this week.
“When you’re playing a really good offensive team, that’s when you have to step up and be a really good defensive team,” Phillips said.
While the offense is surpassing all expectations, the defense has been slow to transition from Gregg Williams’ 4-3 defense to Phillips’ 3-4 system.
The Rams are 26th in scoring defense and 29th against the run through three games.
“We’re going to be all right,” Phillips said. “We’re getting better.”
The Rams will be boosted by the return of cornerback Kayvon Webster, who missed the last two games with a shoulder injury. Although safety Lamarcus Joyner, one of the keystones of the unit, has already been ruled out with a hamstring injury suffered in San Francisco.
“I feel good about our defense,” Phillips said. “I think we’re going to be fine. … We’ve got a good group that works hard and I’m glad I’m coaching here.”
Phillips will coach in Dallas for the first time since being first as Cowboys head coach in 2010.
“Like most of the teams in the league, it didn’t end well with me,” Phillips said laughing. “So, if I had a vendetta against… any team that has fired me, I’d have a quarter of the league, seven of them.
“Those things happen. Part of coaching is getting fired.”
October 1, 2017 at 11:01 am #75278znModeratorAfter a week of hype, Rams face a prove-it game against talented Cowboys
By RICH HAMMOND
ALLAS — Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?
The Rams have been caught in a landslide of positivity since their last game. Sean McVay? Boy genius. Jared Goff? The right choice as No. 1 pick. Todd Gurley? The NFC player of the month, no less.
At this rate, if the Rams could stay off the field, there might soon be parades held in their honor. Alas, the NFL schedule dictates that they return to the field after a nine-day break, and Sunday’s road game against the Dallas Cowboys isn’t an ideal way for the Rams to sustain their surprising momentum.
NFL coaches will downplay the existence of “benchmark” games, but this is one for the 2-1 Rams, with their high-scoring offense and their underachieving defense. The Cowboys went 13-3 last season. The Rams have won a combined total of 13 games since the start of the 2015 season.
“Obviously the goal is to win every game,” Gurley said, “but going into Dallas, they’re ‘America’s team.’ They’re coming off a 13-3 season last year and they have one of the best running backs in the league. They have a great defense. They have the league’s sack leader right now. It’s an opportunity for us to go up against a great team and see where we are and see how we’ve come.”
That about says it all.
The Rams have put themselves in about as good a position as possible. They should have handled a hobbled Indianapolis team, and they did. They should have beat San Francisco, and they did, barely. The Washington game basically was considered a toss-up going in, and the Rams lost on a late touchdown.
A 3-0 start would have been marvelous, but even 1-2 would have been a disaster. This is the first time this season that the Rams are the clear underdogs, and even with all of the plaudits the Rams have received, they seem to be taking a slow-go approach to their recent good times.
“Any time you have success, you have confidence,” Goff said, “whether it’s in practice or in the film room or wherever. It’s not just on game day. The whole team is feeling pretty good right now. We’re grounded and we want to get better, but we believe in each other, and I think that’s the biggest part.”
Then again, that’s easy for a Rams offensive player to say. The Rams, shockingly, are the NFL’s highest-scoring team entering the fourth week. They’ve have to deal with Dallas defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, the NFL’s sack leader, but the status of talented linebacker Sean Lee is a game-time decision.
It’s not quite as rosy for the Rams’ defense, which struggled against Washington and San Francisco and now will be without starting safety Lamarcus Joyner and, perhaps, his backup, Cody Davis.
The Rams must attempt to slow a balanced Dallas offense led by quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott, and improve after they allowed 39 points to a weak 49ers offense.
“I feel like it wasn’t as bad as we thought,” Donald said. “We definitely made a lot of mistakes here and there, but it isn’t anything that we can’t clean up. I’d rather have it happen now, early, than later. We’re going to be good.”
Now would be the time to show it. After the Dallas, the Rams have a tough home game against Seattle, then the annual weird two-week stretch in which they play an East Coast road game (in Jacksonville) then stay on the road for an additional week before a “home” game in London (against Arizona).
A victory over Dallas would put the Rams into a full-blown national hype cycle, even though, as Goff noted this week, the Rams started 3-1 last season and lost 11 of their final 12 games.
“You break the season into quarters,” Goff said. “If we’re able to finish this one with a win, that would be a good quarter for us and we’d be ready to go for a good second quarter.”
October 1, 2017 at 11:25 am #75280
InvaderRamModeratorplease…
October 1, 2017 at 11:39 am #75282znModeratorplease…
Is that an
“oh puh-leez” as in get real.
Or a “pleez” as in ooo I want this.
October 1, 2017 at 11:59 am #75283InvaderRamModeratorplease…
Is that an
“oh puh-leez” as in get real.
Or a “pleez” as in ooo I want this.
as in please don’t crush my spirit.
at least not this season.
October 1, 2017 at 12:11 pm #75284znModeratoras in please don’t crush my spirit.
at least not this season.
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