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May 3, 2018 at 9:23 pm #85862
znModeratorfrom Fatal flaw for all 32 NFL teams
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Rams
Fatal Flaw: Edge rushers
There are not many flaws on this team. The offense has an ascending young quarterback in Jared Goff, an MVP-caliber running back in Todd Gurley and just added Brandin Cooks to a wideout group with Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp already on it. The defensive line is Michael Brockers, Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Donald. Most weeks it will look like someone is taking dynamite to an old stadium they way they cave in offensive lines. But if we’re going to nitpick — and that’s what we’re doing! — there are no guaranteed edge rushers here. Someone out of Matt Longacre, Samson Ebukam, Carlos Thompson, Garrett Sickels and the just-drafted duo of Ogbonnia Okoronkow/Trevon Young might find their way to double-digit sacks because there are going to be some free ones out there. But it’s not an elite aspect of this team heading into the offseason.
May 3, 2018 at 9:52 pm #85863
AgamemnonParticipantEdge rushers might not be a strength, but I don’t see them as a flaw.
AgamemnonMay 3, 2018 at 11:26 pm #85866
InvaderRamModeratorEdge rushers might not be a strength, but I don’t see them as a flaw.
yeah. just not enough info at this stage. but i think they’ve got a chance to be good. i like ebukam and okoronkwo.
May 4, 2018 at 10:02 am #85873
ZooeyModeratorYeah, but when I first saw that article, I tried to guess what they would say. And the result of that speculation was that I realized that the Rams are pretty good everywhere. But if you want to pick a spot, it’s LB or edge rush. They threw a lot of resources in the draft at that, but that is where the biggest doubts are.
May 4, 2018 at 10:02 am #85874znModeratorLinebacker: The biggest, perhaps only, concern for 2018 Rams
Alden Gonzalez
LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles Rams’ offense that was among the NFL’s best last season might be even better now, with Brandin Cooks joining the receiver group and Jared Goff potentially taking another step forward as a third-year quarterback. The defensive line, where Ndamukong Suh joins Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers, looks flat-out scary. And the same can be said for the secondary, now that Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters have been added to a group that includes Lamarcus Joyner, John Johnson and Nickell Robey-Coleman.
The linebackers … well, that’s a different story.
The Rams upgraded elsewhere on their roster at the expense of this group. The salary-cap space now allocated for Cooks and Talib used to belong to outside linebacker Robert Quinn (traded to the Miami Dolphins) and inside linebacker Alec Ogletree (traded to the New York Giants). Two long-time fixtures on the Rams’ defense are gone, as is Connor Barwin, an accomplished veteran who started on the left side last year and now remains unsigned as a free agent.
Heading into 2018, the Rams have what looks like three open spots at linebacker — spots they will fill internally, either with former backups or recent mid- to late-round draft picks. The only returning starter in this group is inside linebacker Mark Barron, a potential cap casualty when the offseason began.
Below, we sorted through the candidates to play alongside him.
The favorites: Samson Ebukam and Matt Longacre played well while backing up Barwin and Quinn, respectively, last year. Cory Littleton, mostly an inside linebacker, was a star on special teams, blocking two punts. They all seem to have the inside track on starting roles heading into 2018, but will nonetheless have to earn their keep. Ebukam is an explosive athlete who profiled as a high-upside edge rusher coming out of Eastern Washington, but one who also needed some refinement. The Rams hope Year 2 is a big one for him. Undrafted out of Northwest Missouri State, Longacre’s snap count went from 149 to 354 from 2016 to 2017, while switching from defensive end to mostly outside linebacker. He finished with 5.5 sacks in 230 snaps on the right side. Littleton, undrafted out of Washington, started in place of Barron in Week 16 against the Tennessee Titans and recorded a sack and an interception in the game that clinched a division title.
The incumbents: For outside linebacker, the Rams also have Ejuan Price (a seventh-round pick last year), Garrett Sickels (undrafted in 2017) and Carlos Thompson (undrafted in 2015). Those three have combined for 87 defensive snaps in the NFL. Wade Phillips likes to rotate his outside linebackers, so that total might increase significantly this coming season. That isn’t necessarily the case at inside linebacker; at least not with Barron and Ogletree, who typically played every snap when healthy. Bryce Hager, a seventh-round pick in 2015, was Ogletree’s backup as the defensive signal-caller last year. Ramik Wilson, a fourth-round pick in 2015, was signed over the offseason after the Kansas City Chiefs declined to tender him a contract as a restricted free agent. Wilson started 17 games from 2015 to 2017, so he has far more experience than anybody else in this group.
The rookies: The Rams added four players who could join the mix during a 2018 draft that didn’t include a single pick in the first two rounds. Two names to pay close attention to here are Micah Kiser out of Virginia and Obo Okoronkwo out of Oklahoma, both of whom were fifth-round selections. Okoronkwo was deemed the Rams’ best pick by ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay. He might not have the physical attributes of an elite edge rusher, but he is considered a sound all-around player with a good motor. Kiser, meanwhile, is coming off a solid collegiate career that saw him compile 33.5 tackles for loss, 19 sacks, 12 passes defended and eight forced fumbles in 37 games from 2015 to 2017. He could be a good asset against the run, a major issue for the Rams up the middle last season. The Rams also selected outside linebacker Trevon Young (sixth round) and inside linebacker Travin Howard (seventh).
May 4, 2018 at 10:49 am #85877
wvParticipantI dont think there’s a “fatal” flaw in the starting 22 or special teams.
I’d rate the biggest dangers ASIDE from INJURIES as:
1. Goff regressing or not evolving to the next level. He still does have to improve. I dont think they can win a Ring if he stays at his second-year-level.
2. …uh….hmmmm….really its just Injuries after that. Key injuries can sink any team. If Gurley goes down, if the OLine gets bulgerized, etc.
They really do look poised to make a run at it. But then so do the Vikes and Eagles and maybe the Saints and Panthers. Maybe some others. And then there’s always the Pats in the AFC.
I just hope we get to see a lot of Suh and Donald healthy and playing every game this year. I assume it will only be for one year — but that dynamic really looks to be special. Once in a decade type thing. I cant wait. I can not think of a DT combo this good since…? Maybe ever. Course they havent actually done anything yet. But on paper it looks to be about as good a DT combo as has ever existed in the NFL. Think of a better one.
w
vMay 4, 2018 at 8:35 pm #85901znModeratorfrom NFL Power Rankings: Giants climb after 2018 draft; Bills drop
Elliot Harrison
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RANK 2
RAMS
Previous Ranking: No. 6
Change: + 4
“Too high? No way. The Rams did nothing but make their football team better this offseason. They fortified the defense, a group that steadily improved last season, with the additions of veterans Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters and — since we last completed this exercise — Ndamukong Suh. Suh might not have dominated in Miami, but he was far from a bust. Putting him next to Aaron Donald was like parking a 1978 Trans Am with gold trim next to the blue-and-white ’69 GTO you’ve had sitting in your driveway earning Defensive Player of the Year honors. Trade acquisition Brandin Cooks doesn’t exactly “replace” Sammy Watkins at receiver. Different players. Doesn’t matter. This offense is gonna rake.”
May 4, 2018 at 8:35 pm #85902znModeratorA Post-Draft Position-By-Position Breakdown of the Rams
J.B. Long
With free agency and the NFL Draft behind us the 2018 Los Angeles Rams roster is coming more into focus. Here is one way to frame it and the corresponding expectations (recently rising to No. 2 in the most recent NFL.com Power Rankings):
QB: You would expect Jared Goff to continue to make strides entering Year 3, benefiting from system continuity for the first time since leaving Cal, in particular. He’ll also have far more practice time to sync up with Brandin Cooks than he did with Sammy Watkins a year ago.
RB: While it may be unrealistic to project Todd Gurley to be as statistically productive as his MVP-worthy 2017, he’s in his prime and in an offense tailored to his strengths. Malcolm Brown has proven to be a serviceable backup, and sixth-round pick John Kelly fortifies the group.
WR: Even if you don’t view Cooks as an upgrade over Watkins, he’s more than an adequate replacement and will have a better grasp of the offense than the late arrival from Buffalo did last summer. Robert Woods is coming off a career year and might be the most underrated target in the NFL. Cooper Kupp and Josh Reynolds are well-positioned to grow in their sophomore campaigns.
TE: Given their talent, youth, coaching, and perhaps a healthy Temarrick Hemingway, the Rams assuredly will get better results from their tight end room.
OL: The entire group returns intact for a second year in the system, under the mentorship of Aaron Kromer, and is bolstered by the Rams top two draft selections. It also doesn’t hurt that Rodger Saffold, Jamon Brown, and Rob Havensteinshould be motivated by imminent free agency.
DL: Take the defensive MVP, Aaron Donald; add one of his few position peers, Ndamukong Suh; get Michael Brockers and Dom Easley healthy; layer in depth acquired through the two most recent Drafts. This is the strongest defensive line in the NFL, hands down.
S: Depth may have taken a bit of a hit at safety, but Lamarcus Joyner is elite and John Johnson is poised to build off a sensational rookie effort.
CB: What was the Rams’ biggest concern following the 2017 season became one of the biggest strengths in the NFL heading into 2018. Lock Angeles.
OLB: Is it possible that Samson Ebukam, Matt Longacre, and Obo Okoronkwo prove to be more productive than Robert Quinn and Connor Barwin? The Rams believe it’s possible, based on their maneuvering. And few defensive coordinators get better results from edge defenders than Wade Phillips.
ILB: Similarly, there’s a viable case to be made that the Rams can improve inside, having traded Alec Ogletree, retained Mark Barron, acquired Ramik Wilson, and drafted Micah Kiser. The theme of this offseason has been completing the process of matching defensive personnel to Phillips’ system. It may not prove to be as simple as they’ve made it look on paper, but… I wouldn’t expect regression at linebacker, put it that way.
SPTMs: Though it may be difficult to match their three special teams touchdowns from 2017, a Pro Bowl unit has established an elite track record with Bones Fassel. Greg Zuerlein’s back injury would be the only question mark here.
May 4, 2018 at 8:36 pm #85903znModeratorThey really do look poised to make a run at it. But then so do the Vikes and Eagles and maybe the Saints and Panthers. Maybe some others.
I can’t remember the last time the NFC was this crowded at the top.
May 8, 2018 at 6:17 pm #85987znModeratorfrom NFL Power Rankings: Giants climb after 2018 draft; Bills drop
Elliot Harrison
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RANK 2
RAMS
Previous Ranking: No. 6
Change: + 4
“Too high? No way. The Rams did nothing but make their football team better this offseason. They fortified the defense, a group that steadily improved last season, with the additions of veterans Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters and — since we last completed this exercise — Ndamukong Suh. Suh might not have dominated in Miami, but he was far from a bust. Putting him next to Aaron Donald was like parking a 1978 Trans Am with gold trim next to the blue-and-white ’69 GTO you’ve had sitting in your driveway earning Defensive Player of the Year honors. Trade acquisition Brandin Cooks doesn’t exactly “replace” Sammy Watkins at receiver. Different players. Doesn’t matter. This offense is gonna rake.”
May 8, 2018 at 6:17 pm #85988znModeratorPete Prisco’s NFL Power Rankings:
1 Eagles The entire summer should be about getting Carson Wentz healthy. If that happens, they could be repeat champions. — 13-3-0
2 Patriots Forget all that dissension talk. As long as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are around, they are the team to beat in the AFC. — 13-3-0
3 Jaguars They have few weaknesses, but that means it’s all on Blake Bortles. If he plays like he did in the postseason, they could be the AFC Super Bowl team. 10-6-0
4 Vikings They signed Kirk Cousins at quarterback, which should make them a better team. But there’s a lot of pressure on Cousins to be the guy who gets them to the Super Bowl. 13-3-0
5 Saints They were close last year, and I think they will be even better in 2018. The defense will take another step forward with young players growing up even more. — 11-5-0
6 Steelers With Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell playing together, they are always a Super Bowl threat. But did they get that much better this offseason? 13-3-0
7 Packers They added some much-needed defensive help in the draft, especially on the corner, which will help Aaron Rodgers and the offense. 7-9-0
8 Rams They are all-in on this season with the moves they made this spring. I think a big issue remains: Can they rush from the edge? — 11-5-0
9 Falcons The Falcons gave Matt Ryan a new mega-deal, so the pressure is up on this team and him to get back to the Super Bowl. The talent is there. — 10-6-0
10 Panthers They had a good draft to upgrade in key spots, so look for them to again push for a division title. Cam Newton was given some much-needed help in the passing game in first-round receiver D.J. Moore.May 9, 2018 at 5:32 pm #86026znModeratorfrom Where Do Rams Fall in Second Wave of Post-Draft Power Rankings?
Kristen Lago
USA Today: No. 5
Previous Ranking: No. 4
Change: -1
“Case to be made they won offseason after trades for Cooks, Talib, and Peters plus Suh signing. Yet ‘offseason champs’ rarely win Super Bowl.”
ESPN.com: No. 6
Previous Ranking: No. 6
Change: –
“The Rams didn’t make a pick until the third round, but they still walked away with 11 selections and a clear strategy. After bolstering the secondary with trades, they used seven of their picks on offensive and defensiv
May 11, 2018 at 5:05 pm #86075znModeratorfrom 2018 NFL guarantees: L.A. rules
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1) Each Los Angeles team makes a deep playoff run:
“I’m “California Dreamin’,” as The Mamas & The Papas sang. And Sia perfected. (Yeah. I said it.) I’m all in on the Rams and Chargers this year. I think both teams will win 10-plus games and be in the thick of their respective division races…
Both teams are well-coached and have big-time running backs. Philip Rivers is a future Hall of Famer. Jared Goff blossomed into a fine player under Sean McVay. The Chargers and Rams are both hitting the postseason and winning playoff games. I guarantee it. An all-L.A. Super Bowl isn’t a Hollywood pipe dream. It’s truly possible.”
4) Aaron Donald wins Defensive Player of the Year (again):
“I provided this very guarantee in this very column one year ago. And it came to fruition. So … If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
Donald is the best defensive player in the sport by any measuring stick. This cat is the definition of a game wrecker. And now, with Ndamukong Suh joining him up front, Donald will have the opportunity to wreak even more havoc. He is going to ruin Sundays for offensive coordinators. Now, about that new contract.”
May 15, 2018 at 9:04 pm #86195znModeratorMike Clay
Post-NFL Draft Overall Unit Grades
May 15, 2018 at 9:05 pm #86196znModeratorThe Eagles have the best roster in the NFL pic.twitter.com/trhxRgrSt1
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) May 15, 2018
May 16, 2018 at 10:56 am #86218znModeratorNFL Power Rankings: Who’s rising, falling after the draft
1. Philadelphia Eagles
2017 record: 13-3
Post-free-agency ranking: 1The reigning champions drafted Dallas Goedert in Dallas one spot ahead of Dallas. It was one of just five Eagles picks (and the only one in the first three rounds), but it was an effective troll job and a useful choice, as Philly likes its tight ends. No team had more receptions by tight ends last season.
2. New England Patriots
2017 record: 13-3
Post-free-agency ranking: 2It’s no surprise that the Patriots used their first pick on an offensive tackle after losing Nate Solder in free agency. What might have surprised, though, was the selection of Sony Michel at 31st overall, with an abundance of running backs already in New England. Michel is just the second back Bill Belichick has drafted in the first round with the Patriots. (Laurence Maroney was the first in 2006.)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
2017 record: 13-3
Post-free-agency ranking: 5Ben Roethlisberger plans to play for another three to five years, but the Steelers addressed the future with the third-round selection of Mason Rudolph. It’s the earliest the Steelers have drafted a quarterback since they took Roethlisberger in the first round of the 2004 draft.
4. New Orleans Saints
2017 record: 11-5
Post-free-agency ranking: 4The Saints had the second-most snaps from rookies in 2017 and produced one of the best classes ever with Alvin Kamara, Ryan Ramczyk, Marshon Lattimore and Marcus Williams. It’ll be tough for this year’s class to replicate that success, but any contributions will benefit FPI’s third-best team from 2017.
5. Minnesota Vikings
2017 record: 13-3
Post-free-agency ranking: 3After doling out $84 million guaranteed to Kirk Cousins in free agency, the Vikings opted to continue building up a defense that allowed the fewest points last season in the early rounds of the draft. Cornerback Mike Hughes (No. 30) and defensive end Jalyn Holmes (102) join a stacked unit.
6. Los Angeles Rams.Post-free-agency ranking: 6
The Rams didn’t make a pick until the third round, but they still walked away with 11 selections and a clear strategy. After bolstering the secondary with trades, they used seven of their picks on offensive and defensive linemen. They hadn’t selected seven linemen in a single draft since the 1970s.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars
2017 record: 10-6
Post-free-agency ranking: 8The Jaguars used two of their first three selections on defenders, because finishing second in points allowed last season clearly wasn’t good enough. A scary unit that featured six Pro Bowlers gets potentially scarier with the additions of defensive tackle Taven Bryan (No. 29) and safety Ronnie Harrison (93).
8. Atlanta Falcons
2017 record: 10-6
Post-free-agency ranking: 7The Falcons drafted wide receiver Calvin Ridley in the first round. Their past two first-round receivers? Roddy White and Julio Jones, who currently sit first and second on the franchise’s all-time receiving list.
9. Green Bay Packers
2017 record: 7-9
Post-free-agency ranking: 9The Packers used their first two picks on defensive backs — just as they did in 2015 and 2017. They also allowed the second-most passing touchdowns (30) last season, so that investment needs to start paying off.
10. Kansas City Chiefs
2017 record: 10-6
Post-free-agency ranking: 14The Chiefs were 28th in total defense in 2017 — their worst finish since 2009, when they went 4-12 — which led to their becoming the first team in the common draft era (1967) to select only defensive players in a single draft.
May 17, 2018 at 7:30 pm #86242znModeratorfrom: NFC West projected starters: Rams the division’s new juggernaut
Gregg Rosenthal
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Los Angeles Rams
QB: Jared Goff
RB: Todd Gurley
WR: Brandin Cooks
WR: Robert Woods
WR: Cooper Kupp
TE: Gerald Everett
LT: Andrew Whitworth
LG: Rodger Saffold
C: John Sullivan
RG: Jamon Brown
RT: Rob HavensteinDE: Michael Brockers
DT: Aaron Donald
DT: Ndamukong Suh
OLB: Matt Longacre
ILB: Mark Barron
OLB: Samson Ebukam
CB: Marcus Peters
CB: Aqib Talib
CB: Nickell Robey-Coleman
S: Lamarcus Joyner
S: John Johnson» Don’t necessarily expect Brandin Cooks to get the targets of a traditional No. 1 receiver. The Rams will want more production out of Cooks than Sammy Watkins gave them last year, but the yardage could still be split evenly between Cooks, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp.
» Gerald Everett played far less than Tyler Higbee as a rookie, but tight end is a notoriously difficult position in which to make a quick impact. Everett’s explosiveness as a receiver should get him on the field more.
» The Rams tried to address their lack of offensive line depth in the draft, but it’s fair to say that 36-year-old Andrew Whitworth remains one of the most irreplaceable players on the team. General manager Les Snead has a lot of work to do because so many of his starting lineman are nearing free agency.
» Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips has a lot of options for how he can line up this loaded defense, but a three-man line of Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh and Michael Brockers looks ferocious. That trio should make unproven outside linebackers Matt Longacre and Samson Ebukam become far more well-known.
» The linebackers don’t need to be that special playing behind perhaps the stoutest line in football and playing in front of perhaps the best secondary. Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib both play a gambling style that fits perfectly in Phillips’ scheme. Lamarcus Joyner and John Johnson are an underrated duo at safety who will provide cover on the back end. The entire group has a tenacious playing personality.
» There are virtually no position battles on Los Angeles for starting jobs, which is one sign of a team ready to contend for a Super Bowl. Phillips still needs to figure out his second inside linebacker and second defensive end, but those spots are unlikely to top 500 snaps.
May 17, 2018 at 9:15 pm #86246ZooeyModeratorWho’s kicking?
That insurance salesman guy?
May 21, 2018 at 11:26 am #86363znModeratorStar turn: Sean McVay and Los Angeles Rams could be box office smash
Joe Curley
LOS ANGELES — The steel is rising out of the dirt. The new 70,000-seat stadium, scheduled to open in 2020, is beginning to take shape in Inglewood, Calif.
While the Los Angeles Rams are building their future home, however, they aren’t exactly building for the future.
As a headline-grabbing offseason has reinforced, the Rams are responding to last fall’s breakout season by reaching for the Lombardi Trophy.
During a wild three-week span in March and April, the club traded for all-pro cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib, signed all-pro defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and traded for three-time 1,000-yard receiver Brandin Cooks.
As a result, the Rams’ Super Bowl odds were slashed from 18-1 to 9-1, according to Bovada.com. By May, the Rams were the third favorite to win the Super Bowl, behind last season’s participants, New England and Philadelphia.
“We’re excited about the expectations and certainly don’t shy away from them,” said coach Sean McVay, who, at this time last year, was a relative unknown who’d just eclipsed Lane Kiffin as the youngest NFL head coach of the modern era.
By November, McVay had pulled off a sudden turnaround that would feature a seven-win improvement, the first worst-to-first scoring improvement of the Super Bowl era and the franchise’s first playoff game in 13 years. The effort earned him coach of the year honors.
But it’s only the beginning of the McVay era in L.A.
“This league is too competitive, the players are too good,” he said. “You’ll get humbled very quickly if you kind of just rest on your laurels. I think that’s the exciting thing for us. Let’s focus on what we can do to evolve and improve every single day.”
Much of the foundation of the Rams’ surprising turnaround last fall was laid in the spring.
That’s when the team solidified its offensive line with the veteran free agent additions of tackle Andrew Whitworth and center John Sullivan. That’s when the team signed receiver Robert Woods, who would lead the team in receptions and receiving yards on a per-game basis. That’s when the team drafted rookies who would combine to make 26 starts, including receiver Cooper Kupp, tight end Gerald Everett and safety John Johnson.
“I think there’s a confidence that we were able to at least lay and establish a foundation,” McVay said about 2017. “But I think what those players will also tell you is that (you) really have to wipe the slate clean. We have to earn it every single day.”
The Rams have been even more aggressive this offseason, dealing a first-round pick to New England for Cooks, a second- and a fourth-rounder for Peters and taking on Talib’s $11 million cap hit.
As Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff explained in February at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, the Rams’ strategy of swapping potential rookies for developed players is a reaction to the latest collective bargaining agreement, which reduced offseason practices and limited contact in 2011.
“In the new CBA, you get such limited time with players,” Demoff said via The Boston Globe. “It’s great to have picks, but even if you hit on them, how they develop is so much harder now. You don’t necessarily have three years to develop these guys.”
The Rams learned the lesson under ex- coach Jeff Fisher, who suffered through a series of losing seasons with a roster that, year in and year out, was one of the youngest in the league. Little more than a year after Fisher was fired, only 18 players who made the move with the team to Los Angeles remain on the roster.
And the Rams are suddenly one of the NFL’s “it” teams.
“We can’t fall into the hype,” defensive tackle Michael Brockers said. “We just have to put our heads down and grind.”
Beyond the Super Bowl odds, the rising hype surrounding the franchise was confirmed by the release of the NFL schedule. The Rams will play in prime time five times this fall, including Monday Night Football against Oakland, featuring McVay’s chess match with mentor Jon Gruden, and Kansas City, in which Peters will face his former team. Showdowns with rival San Francisco and Super Bowl champion Philadelphia, respectively, will be showcased on Sunday Night Football. The matchup with Minnesota also was chosen to kick off Fox’s Thursday coverage in Week 4.
The prime-time appearances present a significant contrast to the franchise’s recent history. Apart from the required Thursday night appearance, the Rams played in prime time just five times in their final six seasons in St. Louis and only once since returning to Los Angeles. The franchise’s only showcase in 12 seasons of Sunday Night Football remains the 2010 season finale against Seattle, which was flexed into prime time because it was a de facto NFC West title game.
If taking over a team on a 13-year losing streak seemed like a difficult task, McVay will now attempt, in his follow-up campaign, to live up to the hype.
“What you feel good about is you’ve been able to establish a rapport and you have a familiarity with a lot of these players,” McVay said. “We know what our coaches are about. Now it’s going into Year 2 of our offensive and defensive systems.
“Just that comfort level where we know each other, we know what to expect. Now let’s continue to try to improve and evolve as we move forward.”
May 25, 2018 at 1:36 pm #86587znModeratorfrom 2018 NFL Over-Under Win Totals: Rams smell like a legitimate Super Bowl contender
The Rams look like a team that could and should win double-digit games next yearWill Brinson
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The Rams are the new class of the NFC West, and their 2018 NFL win total of 10 games reflects that.
Early Schedule Analysis
The Rams won the NFC West last year, and their schedule reflects it. They also lose one home game because they’re taking a trip to Mexico to play the Chiefs; it’s cool to play a high-profile international game, but giving up a home contest is a tough break in the NFL. They open at the Raiders, which should be a win, and a home game in Week 2 against the Cardinals sets L.A. up for a fast start. Then things get tricky: Week 3 is the Chargers (home), Week 4 is the Vikings (home) and the next three weeks are road games against the Seahawks, Broncos and 49ers. They get to come off that stretch with a home game against the Packers and follow that up with a road game against the Saints. Woof. The Seahawks at home and Chiefs in Mexico give way to a Week 12 bye. They close out the season with the Lions (away), Bears (away), Eagles (home), Cardinals (away) and 49ers (home). There’s potential to go streaking down the stretch, and if they dominate from Week 4 through Week 11 they just might look like one of the best teams in the NFL.
Why They’ll Go Over
Goff taking a step back would be a major disappointment, and a major surprise considering how much better he looked in Year 1 of McVay’s system. Just like with Kirk Cousins, Goff was given easily definable reads and executed very well. It’s a point-guard style offense, and he can distribute in impressive fashion. If Gurley runs like he did last year, the Rams are just going to be dangerous. And I can’t find a reason why the defense would be bad. They don’t need Ebukam or Longacre to be superstars, they just need to be average pass rushers and this team will be tough. Suh-Donald-Brockers is just absolutely disgusting and Peters-Talib has flamethrower potential, but they can shut any team down. Honestly the only reason to not take this over is the stretch of games they have in the middle of the season that looks like a murderer’s row. But it might look a lot easier midway through and the Rams should be able to handle it.
Why They’ll Go Under
Perhaps teams get a long look at Goff this offseason and figure out how to slow down the Rams offense. It’s possible! Gurley might not have 2,000 scrimmage yards this year. Don’t forget we’re just a year removed from him plummeting to the late-second and early-third round of fantasy drafts because he was so bad in 2016. Gurley is an otherworldly talent but the NFL is fickle when it comes to running backs. Sammy Watkins’ loss might not move the needle, but if Brandin Cooks doesn’t make a major impact, it could be felt. Cooks has been traded by both the Saints and the Patriots, which is the red-flag equivalent of being a highly successful person in your mid 30s unable to hold a serious relationship with anyone. I literally don’t have an answer for how the defense will be bad, but I guess people could get injured. The schedule — which, again, is brutal the way it looks right now — could cause them to take the division with nine wins.
The Pick
he way that things flipped for Los Angeles will have people clamoring to take the over, so that’s a little concerning. Again, I’m worried about the schedule and things not going perfectly. But there is too much talent on both sides of the ball and too much high quality coaching on both sides of the ball not to get on board with the Rams winning double-digit games in 2018.
VERDICT: OVER
May 30, 2018 at 4:12 pm #86811znModeratorfrom Eight NFL teams with best chance to build a dynasty
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1. LOS ANGELES RAMS
The Rams have constructed a crew that is going to be tough to conquer in the NFC. From the youngest head coach in the NFL to a roster loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, this franchise is trending up in a spectacular way. Quarterback Jared Goff is proving to be worth the first overall pick the team used in 2016 to take him. He helped the Rams become the highest-scoring franchise last season. His wide receiving group offers tons of upside and shares the field with last season’s Offensive Player of the Year. We are talking about the young Todd Gurley, who recorded a league-high 2,093 scrimmage yards, topped off with 19 touchdowns.
On defense, the Rams are equally as impressive. A couple of bold trades scored the Rams one of the best cornerback back duos in the league, featuring Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib. The team also improved its front seven by adding defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to join Aaron Donald and Co.
This team should be in full overdrive mode by the time it settles into its new stadium in 2020.May 30, 2018 at 4:18 pm #86812znModeratorBreaking down new-look Rams: Ndamukong Suh boosts defence, Brandin Cooks refines offence
The Los Angeles Rams’ response to a long-awaited breakthrough season in 2017 has been a Hollywood marquee-worthy 2018 offseason.
After going 11-5 and winning the NFC West for the first time in 14 years thanks to rookie coach Sean McVay getting the best out of the offense, the Rams went to work in upgrading their defense. Six new starters are projected to flank stud lineman Aaron Donald, as the team acquired tackle Ndamukong Suh and cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib to be key personnel in Wade Phillips’ 3-4 scheme.
McVay and general manager Les Snead did not forget to make a splash on the other side of the ball. They traded for former Saints and Patriots wide receiver Brandin Cooks late in free agency.
That’s a lot of change for a talented, young team still trying to find its championship groove. When examining key parts of the Rams’ depth chart going into training camp and cutting through the hype, some new questions come with those new solutions.
Wide receiver
Cooks, still only 24, was traded for the second time in many offseasons ahead of the final year of his rookie deal. After going through a roller coaster in New Orleans and New England with Drew Brees and Tom Brady, respectively, Cooks hopes to last in LA as Jared Goff’s go-to guy.
The Rams had Cooks on their radar in 2017, and he gives them both a big-play and a little-play upgrade over Sammy Watkins, who signed with the Chiefs. Cooks got a head start working with Goff before they officially became teammates. There’s a good Pac-12 vibe going with Goff, Cooks and last year’s surprise top wideout, Robert Woods.
Cooks and Woods are more interchangeable than Watkins and Woods were when it comes to their hands and skills after the catch. With Josh Reynolds, who once was tabbed as Watkins’ possible replacement, coming off shoulder surgery, Cooks is a luxury born out of necessity. His quickness will give McVay new ways to stretch the passing game.
Cooper Kupp, who was outstanding from the slot as a rookie last season, is a few months older than Cooks. Their styles cross well, especially on pivot routes, which are staples of the Rams and Patriots’ offenses in which Kupp and Cooks excelled separately in 2017. This year, when spreading the field against man coverage, the Rams will be harder to stop.
Defensive Line
While Donald does whatever he wants while away from the team and waiting to get a lucrative contract extension worthy of the league’s most disruptive defensive player, the Rams are figuring out the best way to fit Suh next to him on their base three-man front.
Suh arrives in LA with new motivation on a one-year “prove it” deal for the first time in his career. Although he has gone through the wringer of defensive coordinators, Suh played in a base 4-3 scheme throughout his time with the Lions and Dolphins.
The trick for Phillips is getting the most out of Suh in the inside pass rush and not putting him in a more limited (though more comfortable) run-stopping role in an unfamiliar defense. The Rams’ third starting lineman, Michael Brockers, is so good against the run that Suh can assume an attack-based (instead of gap-clogging) nose tackle role.
Suh, 31, saw his sack total trickle down to 4.5 in Miami last season after registering 8.5 in his last year with Detroit (2014). Phillips will put him in an ideal position to be more productive as Suh plays directly off the attention Donald receives.
The Rams ranked No. 4 in the NFL with 48 sacks last season, with Donald (11) and Brockers (4.5) producing nearly a third of them. Another 15.5 sacks from linebackers Robert Quinn, Connor Barwin and Alec Ogletree are gone, so with LA now lacking a dominant edge-rusher, Suh must rediscover some of his pop with Phillips’ help.
Linebackers
The Rams parted with Quinn, Barwin and Ogletree, and with Mark Barron at inside linebacker as the only returning starter, there are no surefire replacements on the roster.
Based on situational snap counts last season, Samson Ebukam (fourth-rounder in 2017) and Matt Longacre (undrafted in 2015) are set to start outside now that rookie Ogbonnia Okoronkwo is coming off foot surgery. Ebukam is the better run-stopper and Longacre is the better pass-rusher, but neither has proved himself in coverage. Third in the mix is Morgan Fox, who is a little more well-rounded but also is converting from defensive line. Compared to how strong they are elsewhere on defense, the Rams are weak, inexperienced and thin at linebacker.
The Rams’ defense last year ranked No. 28 against the run, giving up 122.4 yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry. Although Barron can boost the coverage as a converted safety, he struggles against the run. Ogletree was even worse, which led to his being traded to the Giants despite signing a contract extension during the 2017 season.
Barron could be challenged in camp, too, but for now, Cory Littleton, Bryce Hager, former Chief Ramik Wilson and rookie Micah Kiser are battling for snaps at the other inside spot. Kiser is a natural inside pass-rusher but not much else. Littleton also can get to the QB and is equally good at run and pass coverage. Wilson goes in with the most seasoning, having started 11 games for the Chiefs two seasons ago. But Hager, who produced as a starter in the Rams’ 2017 regular-season finale against the 49ers, has a chance to emerge as the best of the bunch.
Phillips in LA doesn’t have a DeMarcus Ware or a Von Miller at linebacker. While steadiness is important for those positions, the strengths of the Rams’ front and back ends can allow the coordinator to take risks with the players who provide the most youthful energy and upside vs. those who might be considered safe.
Secondary
There was a perception last season that the Rams had strong corners, but their coverage was propped up by their two priority re-signees, nickel corner Nickell Robey-Coleman and free safety LaMarcus Joyner. They were active playmakers who combined for five of the team’s 18 interceptions.
Trumaine Johnson and Kayvon Webster had their moments outside but were below-average starters. Enter Talib from the Broncos, where he once played for Phillips, and Peters, the former Chiefs corner who arrives as the Rams’ biggest offseason prize.
Talib is a sturdy shutdown type who seems to get better into his 30s. Peters can be burned for big plays, but he is fearless in trying to make them himself. It’s hard to find a better combination of players who complement each other’s games so well. They also combine to match the Phillips mentality of mixing consistent reward with worthy risks.
The key for Talib and Peters will be meshing their personalities, as well as accepting the fact that they will be considered co-No. 1 corners. Phillips has handled plenty of aggressive defenders with attitude; his track record is making them happy by putting them in positions that mutually benefit the team and the individual players.
Behind Peters, Talib and Robey-Coleman are few viable fill-in options, but former Packer Sam Shields brings another veteran presence to the depth chart. Throwing downfield against the Rams and their revamped secondary will be difficult. The new defensive backs give Phillips endless blitzing scenarios to generate an improved pass rush by committee.
Phillips is as good at masking defensive weaknesses as he is at magnifying strengths. With LA’s offense expected to score plenty of points and put pressure on opponents to pass, the defensive coordinator now has the goods to capitalize on the mistakes those opposing offenses make.
May 31, 2018 at 12:15 am #86825znModeratorDan Hanzus
For me, the two most obvious dynasty candidates right now are the Eagles (reigning champs, proven head coach, savvy front office, loaded roster with young superstar QB) and — more of a projection here — the Rams (dynamic young coach, savvy front office, balanced roster, generational talents at running back and D-line, promising QB). I struggle to come up with another team to get behind right now.
May 31, 2018 at 1:19 am #86830znModeratorfrom Dream Super Bowl LIII matchup
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Willie McGinest
Star power carries Texans, Rams to Super Bowl LIII
I’m excluding the Patriots — where my loyalty lies — for this question. And with that condition stated, I’m taking the Houston Texans against the Los Angeles Rams. There are too many good storylines to count …Sean McVay is in his second year as the Rams’ head man and should build on what his offense impressively did a year ago. Not to mention, L.A. added a TON of high-level guys on defense, including Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters and Ndamukong Suh. Watching Talib and Peters against Houston’s DeAndre Hopkins on the big stage would be something special.
Houston returns its star quarterback in Deshaun Watson — and yes, I expect he will recover from his knee injury and swiftly get back to rookie form. The Texans also return a pair of key pieces to their daunting front seven ( J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus, who both hit IR in October last season), while adding safety Tyrann Mathieu to the secondary. I can’t wait to watch Wade Phillips and Romeo Crennel orchestrate their improved defenses in 2018 — two units that should take their teams far.
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Chris Wesseling
An all-Angeleno Super Bowl in Atlanta? Why not?
Packers and Rams.Oh wait, I have to pick an AFC team? Make it an all-Angeleno Super Bowl: Chargers vs. Rams. The Bolts were one of the best teams in the league down the stretch in 2017, winning six of the final seven games. The only thing stopping them from becoming an annual contender is the occult: black magic (injuries, kicker yips) from the football gods. Hunter Henry knows.
Why the Rams? What Sean McVay is whispering in Jared Goff’s ear at the line of scrimmage is the most interesting innovation in the game right now.
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June 6, 2018 at 12:15 pm #87101znModeratorfrom NFL executives grade every team’s offseason
Mike Sando
http://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/23696198/nfl-offseason-grades-all-32-teams-nfl-executives
More than a dozen decision-makers around the league contributed their thoughts to this team-by-team review. We took into account coaching changes, free-agency moves, draft maneuvering and shocking revelations that rocked two franchises outside the realm of football operations.
In the end, we tried to reserve the best grades for the teams that had made themselves demonstrably better through well-founded strategic planning, knowing full well there can sometimes be zero correlation between offseason work and in-season results.
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Los Angeles Rams
Grade: A-
The Rams worked the system impressively. Acquiring Brandin Cooks, Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib by trade and Ndamukong Suh off the discard pile shielded those acquisitions from the formula for compensatory draft choices. When Sammy Watkins and Trumaine Johnson left the team for massive paydays, the Rams moved into position to receive two 2019 third-round comp picks. Well done.
That work and the Rams’ ability to maneuver their way into 11 selections in the 2018 draft produced high marks from executives, despite obvious risks.
“They asked Sean McVay about adding some risky players, and he said, ‘My defensive coordinator [Wade Phillips] has more swag than all of them,'” an exec said. “That is very empowering.”
Trading away credible veterans Alec Ogletree and Robert Quinn while embracing players such as Peters, Talib and Suh did not go over well with everyone. It was notable, too, that other core players, notably Aaron Donald, had not yet received extensions.
“I think of [Eagles GM] Howie Roseman and the dream team and I think Howie learned from that,” another exec said. “There is a difference between acquiring talent and building a team. I think they did more acquiring talent than anyone else. But I could very well see all the pieces work and them having a lot of success. Suh is fine — even people with the Dolphins will tell you he is just kind of his own guy, not a bad guy. I’m not sure I want Peters around Talib, however.”
Another exec called Peters misunderstood — good at heart, but emotional to a fault.
“They have Wade Phillips, so they should be able to rein that in the next two years and get the best from him,” this exec said. “Now, it could blow up, but if the purpose of these grades is to look at who acquired talent, the Rams have to be up there.”
One big question: Where will the outside pass-rush come from?
..
June 7, 2018 at 7:18 pm #87161znModeratorfrom: Predicting Every NFL Team’s 2018 Season Record
JONATHAN JONES
https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/06/07/nfl-schedule-2018-team-record-predictions-analysis
With about three months until the official start of the NFL season, everyone—from players and coaches to the fans—is feeling good about their teams. Each team got a crop of great young players in the draft. The aging vets are about to come out of the offseason slumber in the “best shape” of their lives. The new coordinators promise their units will be fast, smart and physical. Get excited.
Except… next season’s playoffs will probably look a lot like last season’s. For the second consecutive year I’ve predicted the winners of each of the 256 regular-season contests, and I’ve come out with a very similar group of top teams compared those playing in January last season.
A year after just four teams made consecutive appearances in the playoffs (tying a league low since playoff expansion following the 1990 season), I believe we’re looking at an all-time league-high nine teams returning to the postseason this year.
It’s difficult to look at the NFC last year and view any of those playoff teams as flukes or one-offs. In fact, you could argue that each of those team’s rosters today are better than they were in the postseason. The same could said more or less about the AFC—with the exception of Buffalo—going into this season.
First thing’s first: The NFC is the dominant conference. Not only does it have several contenders to the Eagles’ throne (the Saints, Vikings, Rams and Packers with a healthy Aaron Rodgers), but it also has a solid second tier of teams that would likely make the playoffs in the AFC.
That’s why, in these predictions, you’ll see more NFC teams with records closer to .500 than in the AFC, and the two NFC wild-card teams boast 12–4 records. Meanwhile, it’s tough not to go ahead and pencil in a Steelers-Patriots AFC title game.
This is always a difficult projection because, as I alluded to, everyone feels great about his or her team right now. So I’ll be the bad guy.
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LOS ANGELES RAMS: 12–4*
The rich got richer this offseason, and the Rams look to be completely unfair. Ndamukong Suh is now on a defensive line beside Aaron Donald. Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib are in the same secondary. Brandin Cooks adds speed to the offense. The Rams are building a monster, and their youthful wild-card exit last year will only fuel this 2018 campaign.Pivotal game: Week 15 vs. Philadelphia
No game on paper is as exciting as this one. It’s the site of where Carson Wentz tore his knee and Nick Foles was reborn. Both squads have their third-year quarterback with a team of veterans around them acquired through various trades and deft free agency moves. The NFC title game could be in Philly or L.A. based on the outcome of this game.
June 7, 2018 at 9:25 pm #87163ZooeyModeratorTrading away credible veterans Alec Ogletree and Robert Quinn while embracing players such as Peters, Talib and Suh did not go over well with everyone.
First I’ve heard of it.
June 9, 2018 at 12:06 am #87208znModeratorfrom NFC West offseason grades: Rams steal the show
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Los Angeles Rams
Key additions: WR Brandin Cooks, DT Ndamukong Suh, CB Marcus Peters, CB Aqib Talib, CB Sam Shields, LB Ramik Wilson
Key losses: WR Tavon Austin, WR Sammy Watkins, LB Alec Ogletree, DE Robert Quinn, CB Kayvon Webster, CB Trumaine Johnson
Key rookies: OL Joe Noteboom, C Brian Allen, DE John Franklin-Meyers
No team in the NFL made more offseason headlines than the Los Angeles Rams. If they made one thing clear over the past three months, it’s that they’re going to do whatever it takes to win the Super Bowl in 2018. If you need a quick rehash of the Rams’ offseason, here’s what they’ve done since Feb. 23:
Acquired Marcus Peters from the Chiefs
Acquired Aqib Talib from the Broncos
Signed Ndamukong Suh
The crazy thing is that those three moves were all on the defensive side of the ball. To be honest, it’s almost as if the Rams entire plan this offseason was to become the 2018 version of the 1985 Bears. The addition of Suh alone is going to be a nightmare for the other three teams in the NFC West and that’s because the veteran defensive tackle is going to be paired with the NFL’s reigning defensive player of the year, Aaron Donald, which seems like a pretty unstoppable combination.If Suh and Donald have any issues getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, that might not matter because the Rams also added two of the best cover corners in the game in Talib and Peters. By adding those two, there’s a good chance that no one in Los Angeles is going to remember (or care) that the Rams got rid of two of their starting cornerbacks from 2017 (Kayvon Webster and Trumaine Johnson).
The fact that the Rams spent so much time acquiring defensive talent this offseason means they’re probably going to take a step back on offense, right? Wrong.
Although the Rams won’t have Sammy Watkins and Tavon Austin this year, they arguably upgraded at the receiver position when they added Brandin Cooks from the Patriots. Basically, the NFL’s top scoring offense from 2018 might have actually gotten better this offseason.
As a matter of fact, if the Rams last few practices are any indication, coach Sean McVay is already fantasizing about what he’ll be able to do with Cooks on offense this year.
Although the Rams didn’t do much in the draft this year, we’re not going to penalize them for that. The team didn’t get to make their first pick until the third round, but that’s only because they traded away their first round pick to land Cooks from the Patriots.
Offseason grade: A
June 9, 2018 at 10:21 pm #87243znModeratorfrom NFL’s 10 most talented teams
Gil Brandt
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[Note: Brandt’s top 10 in order are Eagles, Jaguars, Rams, Vikings, Titans
Chargers, Saints, Falcons, Steelers, Giants.Rams play 4 of those in 2018 (Eagles, Vikings, Chargers, Saints).]
June 13, 2018 at 5:40 pm #87336znModerator -
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