Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › Projections, rankings, previews, fantasy analysis, etc. (July)
- This topic has 11 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 7 years, 9 months ago by
zn.
-
AuthorPosts
-
July 1, 2018 at 4:00 pm #87759
znModeratorRams Fantasy Preview
EVAN SILVA
http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/80759/59/rams-fantasy-preview?ls=roto:nfl:gnav
Rams Offensive Profile Under Sean McVay
2017 Pass Attempts Rank: 24th
2017 Rush Attempts Rank: 9th
2017 Play Volume Rank: 20th
2017 Yards Per Play Rank: 6th
Unaccounted for Air Yards from 2017 (Rank): 1,086 (17th)
Unaccounted for Carries from 2017 (Rank): 70 (20th)Projected Starting Lineup
QB: Jared Goff
RB: Todd Gurley
WR: Brandin Cooks
WR: Robert Woods
WR: Cooper Kupp
TE: Tyler Higbee
LT: Andrew Whitworth
LG: Rodger Saffold
C: John Sullivan
RG: Jamon Brown
RT: Rob HavensteinPassing Game Outlook
Jared Goff broke out as a second-year pro under the masterful first-year guidance of Kyle Shanahan/Jay Gruden protégé Sean McVay, leading the NFL in yards per completion (12.9) in a progressive offense that carved out a competitive advantage by racing to the line of scrimmage, then audibling to optimized plays based on McVay’s pre-snap coverage reads. After he threw from play action at the NFL’s second-lowest rate (14%) as a rookie, McVay spiked Goff’s play-action passing to a league-high 30% clip. New faces LT Andrew Whitworth, C John Sullivan, WR Sammy Watkins, WR Robert Woods, and WR Cooper Kupp were colossal upgrades on predecessors Greg Robinson, Tim Barnes, Kenny Britt, Tavon Austin, and Brian Quick. There are forward-thinking red flags, though. Rich Hribar noted Goff threw a league-high eight touchdowns on passes behind the line of scrimmage; the No. 2 quarterback threw three. Goff will struggle to sustain his 5.9% TD rate, the NFL’s third-best mark among signal callers with at least 250 throws. The Rams ranked 24th in pass attempts and are unlikely to become a high-volume passing team supported by offensive centerpiece Todd Gurley and Wade Phillips’ top-ten defense. Goff adds zero rushing value to mask any loss of passing efficiency. Will McVay and Goff maintain their pre-snap edge given defenses had a full offseason to prepare? Goff is a respectable late-round pick, but his ceiling is likely lower than many of the passers going behind him such as Matthew Stafford, Matt Ryan, Ben Roethlisberger, and Pat Mahomes.
Brandin Cooks heads to L.A. after three straight 1,000-plus-yard seasons with Drew Brees and Tom Brady to replace Sammy Watkins, who never formed an on-field bond with Goff after the Rams acquired Watkins one month before Week 1. Watkins settled in as a lid-lifting decoy, changing coverage with his speed but finishing fourth on the team in targets. Whereas the 2017 Rams didn’t have a single player clear 95 targets, Cooks averaged 120 over the past three years with a floor of 114. Cooks does have a four-month head start on Watkins after being acquired before the draft, and (fwiw) Cooks and Goff worked out together as far back as early April. On a balanced Rams team, however, Cooks’ projected volume loss is a significant concern for his ceiling and consistency. Cooks is likely better approached as a boom-bust WR2/3 than the borderline WR1 he produced as with Brady and Brees.
Robert Woods enjoyed a mini breakout in his first year as a Ram, establishing career highs in yards per game (65.1) and catch rate (65.9%) and finishing No. 8 among 93 qualifying receivers in PFF’s predictive Yards Per Route Run metric (2.17). Although Woods has never been viewed as a speed burner, Josh Hermsmeyer’s Next Gen Stats work showed Woods moving at a well-above-par pace. Woods’ season could have been much bigger if not for a shoulder injury that cost him Weeks 12-14, then curbed his effectiveness down the stretch. Healthy in January, Woods blowtorched Desmond Trufant for nearly all of his nine catches and 142 yards in Los Angeles’ playoff loss. Woods’ ceiling remains limited by the Rams’ balanced approach and Cooks’ addition, but his role is secure entering season two with McVay and his 23-year-old quarterback. Woods is a serviceable WR3/4 option in the middle rounds of drafts.
Cooper Kupp and Goff hit it off immediately last preseason and translated their chemistry into the real games. As a third-round rookie out of Eastern Washington, Kupp led the Rams in targets (94), receiving yards (869), yards per catch (14.0), red-zone targets (23), and targets inside the ten-yard line (7). In an offense that paid its tight ends minimal passing-game mind and used three-receiver 11 personnel at a league-high 81% clip, Kupp operated as Goff’s high-percentage safety valve in the middle of the field and in critical situations. 67.7% of Kupp’s receptions went for first downs, the NFL’s ninth-highest rate among players with at least 60 grabs. Kupp ran 59% of his routes in the slot and will continue to draw the most-favorable matchups in Los Angeles’ receiver corps against a schedule consisting of elite perimeter CBs Patrick Peterson (twice), Xavier Rhodes, Casey Hayward, Darius Slay, and Marshon Lattimore, among others. Kupp likely lacks a high yardage ceiling, but his touchdowns have room for growth in a high-volume scoring-position role with Cooks, Woods, and Todd Gurley commanding attention at other areas of the field. Like Woods, Kupp profiles as a safe WR3/4 pick in the middle rounds.
Jeff Fisher holdover Tyler Higbee operated as Los Angeles’ 2017 primary tight end, out-snapping second-round rookie Gerald Everett 70% to 29% and out-targeting him 45 to 32. They were used much differently, however; Higbee ran pass patterns on just 37% of his snaps versus Everett’s 70% route-running clip. Drafted 44th overall out of South Alabama to become ex-Redskins TEs coach McVay’s next Jordan Reed, Everett’s sophomore-breakout potential will be largely tied to his ability to unseat Higbee for snaps in McVay’s preferred three-receiver, one-tight end “11” formations. Despite his slow rookie campaign – common for tight ends — Everett maintains intriguing Dynasty league upside with 4.62 speed, long arms (33”), and a basketball background. The Rams 2017 usage of Higbee and investment into Everett suggest Higbee has already been stereotyped as a block-first tight end by McVay’s staff.
Running Game Outlook
Todd Gurley was the main beneficiary of Los Angeles’ offensive line additions, implementation of spread concepts, and McVay’s commitment to using Gurley as a true every-down back. Whereas Fisher’s staff frequently pulled Gurley for Benny Cunningham in passing situations, McVay proactively featured Gurley’s receiving skills. Only four NFL running backs caught more passes, and only Alvin Kamara gained more receiving yards. Only Le’Veon Bell played more snaps at the position. Gurley entered 2017 having cleared 90 rushing yards once in his previous 24 games with an abysmal 3.43 yards per carry during that span. Playoffs included, Gurley cleared 90 rushing yards in 8-of-16 games under McVay and spiked his per-carry average to 4.80. In Fisher’s final year, Gurley managed a 41% rushing Success Rate, which ranked 36th among 42 qualified running backs at Football Outsiders. Gurley’s Success Rate soared to 53% under McVay, good for No. 5 among 47 qualified runners. The Rams return all five offensive line starters after last year’s unit finished No. 3 in Adjusted Line Yards and No. 2 in yards created before contact per attempt (PFF). Gurley is neck and neck with Le’Veon as this year’s No. 1 overall fantasy pick.
Gurley’s near-every-snap usage leaves Los Angeles’ other backs without game-day roles, but running backs’ raised injury propensity based on the violent nature of the position gives his backups deep-league relevance. 57 of incumbent No. 2 back Malcolm Brown’s 63 carries came in blowouts and meaningless Week 17 with the Rams’ starters resting. Brown has been a replacement-level grinder since going undrafted in 2015 out of Texas. He will be pushed by sixth-round pick John Kelly, a well-built (5’10/216) physical runner who showed plus receiving chops with 37 catches in his lone season as Tennessee’s lead back. Kelly averaged only 4.1 yards per carry, however, and a concerning 27% of his career runs went for no gain or negative yards. He ran a pedestrian 4.64 forty at the Vols’ Pro Day. Kelly’s superior versatility gives him more fantasy upside should he steal the gig, but Brown will enter preseason as the favorite.
2018 Vegas Win Total
The Rams’ Win Total opened at 9.5 with -150 odds to the over, an aggressive response to last year’s 11-5 turnaround. They previously went 13 straight seasons with eight wins or fewer. Factors working against this year’s club include the NFL’s tenth-toughest schedule and regression concerns, including the league’s healthiest roster in 2017 and last year’s field-position dominance, which helped spike the Rams’ touchdown rate. Los Angeles’ away-game draws are especially imposing this season, beginning with a Week 1 trip to Oakland’s Black Hole, at Seattle, at Denver, at San Francisco, at New Orleans, at Detroit, at Chicago in December, and at Arizona. The Rams’ offensive and defensive personnel and superb coaching on both sides make them a legitimate Super Bowl contender, but their unfavorable over odds and difficult slate have me leaning toward the under as a one-for-one win-total bet
July 4, 2018 at 10:53 pm #87838znModeratorAre the Los Angeles Rams the team to beat in the NFC West?
It’s time to start scouting the 49ers opponents for 2018. Today it’s the Los Angeles Rams
By Patrick Holloway
https://www.ninersnation.com/2018/7/4/17530024/49ers-2018-opponents-preview-los-angeles-rams
So it’s come to this, the Los Angeles Rams. A historic rivalry that is (finally) about to be renewed. The Rams and the 49ers are the old school rivalry that fittingly revives itself when the Rams move to Los Angeles.
While the 49ers have made some nice free agent signings, they seemed to instead build through the draft and had a solid core from 2017 and hopefully the same in 2018.
The Rams on the other hand? Well they just threw money and draft picks at everything for two years and now they have one of the best rosters in the NFC West, if not the NFL.
There’s a lot of variables here though. For one thing, head coach Sean McVay having one good season as head coach doesn’t make him a good head coach. Several head coaches have made it to the playoffs, take Tony Sparano who led the Miami Dolphins to the playoffs in his first year. Following an impressive first year, the Dolphins are very bad, leading to Sparano getting fired. Even Rex Ryan managed to take the Jets to the playoffs a couple times before the team regressed.
What Sean McVay needs is progress or consistency, the slightest regression won’t work for his stock. If he can managed another two playoff appearances, then we can begin to separate him from the rest of the coaches who have been flashes in the pan before him.
As for the actual roster? Oh boy…they definitely pushed their chips in for 2018. Jared Goff is the main focus for all of this. After a ho-hum rookie season, Goff was serviceable in 2017. much like his coach, Goff needs to take that season and build on it or he’s going to be just as much of a flash in the pan as McVay is.
What does all of this mean? I don’t know. This is the hardest roster and storyline to put a finger on.
…
Alright, let’s try and sort all of this out. As you can see from above, the Rams didn’t have a pick in the 2018 draft until the third round. This is due to several trades from over the years and current in order to get players like Jared Goff, Marcus Peters, and others. What has resulted is another NFC West arms race where the 49ers seemed to almost just kick back and watch the action. They had a deal going for Aqib Talib but due to him not wanting to come to San Francisco, the 49ers nixed the trade.
The result was them channeling their inner Trent Baalke and having a bazillion picks in the later rounds. A lot of these picks (Such as Jamil Demby) are great where they were taken at and will help for the future when salary cap concerns decimate this current roster. Most of these picks were decent and with a year of development can come in to fill the holes.
So now free agency. The Ndamukong Suh signing makes what already was a decent defensive line in one of the most feared in the league. Moving to trades, you now have Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters in the backfield with Sam Shields waiting in the wings? That’s a defense that Wade Philips has to be drooling over. If they can stay healthy and can stay focused with their eyes on the prize, this defense can definitely be something. On the other end, you have Brandon Cooks and Cooper Kupp on the wide receiver line which is almost unfair with the speed they have. Cupp could be coming into his own in 2018 and if he does this as well as his former college teammate Kendrick Bourne, I’d be sending scouts to Eastern Washington to observe their wide receivers more closely (the shared alma mater of the two).
If the defense can keep it together and not melt down, this could be something. But that’s a huge ‘if’.
The matchup
It’s fine to have faith in Jimmy Garoppolo, I know I do, but when comparing both rosters side by side I see a possible up and coming dynasty with the 49ers and a team that pushed every chip they had into the center for one shot in the Rams. Sure, there are ways out of all of this but they all end the same way it did for the Seattle Seahawks—salary cap casualties and trades.
If I’m looking at 2018, the Rams are simply the better team. Now all of that could change when and if they start losing (and I have a strong feeling they may) but if I’m looking at it right now in July of 2018, the 49ers just aren’t there yet. One more year and John Lynch has positioned the team to not have issues for years with smart spending of the salary cap and not banking the team’s future with draft packages. For now, the Rams are the team to beat in the NFC West, and it’s going to be very expensive to have that distinction for one year. I won’t be surprised if it’s the other way around, but I’m predicting a sweep for the Rams. This is the last year it’s going to happen. The 49ers offense is going to do a lot of good things, beating the Rams in the playoffs may be one of those.
They just aren’t going to get it done in the regular season.
July 5, 2018 at 2:58 pm #87853znModeratorfrom PFW roundtable: 5 key offseason questions, NFC West
http://www.profootballweekly.com/lists/2018/07/02/7a00daa39c914415983e1a0368b05b71/index.xml?page=1
PFW editors Bob LeGere, Eric Edholm, Greg Gabriel and Arthur Arkush answer five key offseason questions regarding the NFC West.
…
5) Predicted order of finish?
BL: 1. Rams 2. 49ers 3. Cardinals 4. Seahawks
The Rams have way too many young players who should still be ascending for them to suffer much of a drop-off after 2017’s breakout season, and the youthful 49ers could be on a similar trajectory. The Seahawks and Cardinals appear headed in the opposite direction, and it could be awhile before either is ready to challenge the Rams.
EE: 1. Rams 2. 49ers 3. Seahawks 4. Cardinals
The Rams’ wild offseason shopping spree certainly puts pressure on them to thrive again after a breakout 2017 campaign. Might unreal expectations, a tough schedule and Aaron Donald’s looming contract status derail their Super Bowl dreams? It’s absolutely possible. But we still feel they’re the toast of the division as the 49ers continue reloading. We love what San Fran is doing, but the picture isn’t quite complete yet — give the Niners another year, we say, before they’re true title contenders. The Seahawks won’t be as bad as many think, and the Cardinals were 8-8 last season, don’t forget. It’s a tough division, but someone has to finish last. We say it’s Arizona with a murky QB situation and a first-year head coach, but the team isn’t terrible either.
GG: 1. Rams 2. 49ers 3. Cardinals 4. Seahawks
The Rams could have one of the strongest defenses in the league this year, and Jared Goff has one more year of experience. The 49ers hope that Jimmy Garoppolo picks up where he left off last season, and if that happens, they’ll challenge the Rams for the West title. In Arizona, a lot will depend on two things: The health of Sam Bradford and how Josh Rosen fares if he has to play. New coach Steve Wilks is underrated, and I have no doubt that he’ll do an outstanding job. The glory days in Seattle are over. The once-strong defense and strong overall roster are things of the past. Pete Carroll could be gone at the end of the season.
AA: 1. Rams 2. Seahawks 3. 49ers 4. Cardinals
The Rams can (and will) take a step back and still win the division handily — the talent is undeniable but so are the obstacles that come with managing it. Seattle still has the West’s best coach and quarterback, so while others pen an obituary, we still envision a winning season. The Niners are obviously trending upward but to anoint them even quicker than the Seahawks have been buried seems premature. Arizona has enough talent to compete, but with three new schemes will come growing pains, and I think the decision to pass on James Bettcher might haunt Steve Keim.
July 8, 2018 at 5:37 pm #87928znModeratorfrom Fantasy Football Preseason Reports: A Scout’s Take on Every Team
…
LOS ANGELES RAMS
This team is all about their coach, Sean McVay. He’s the reason that Jared Goff is playing well. This is as well-designed an offense as there is in the league. Last year McVay tried to replicate what Goff did when he was at Cal. They went no-huddle to force the defense to set up early, and then McVay could see the defense and talk to Goff. Between that and McVay’s pass-game schemes and design, this is a beautifully constructed offense.
Todd Gurley is a really good back. He’s multi-dimensional. He’s outstanding in the inside zone run game, and he’s a terrific receiver. He was a major part of what they did in the pass game.
The Rams have everything you want at receiver. Cooper Kupp was terrific in the slot as a rookie last year. Robert Woods is a good possession-type receiver, and now they have Brandin Cooks, who replaced Sammy Watkins. Cooks adds that explosive element on the outside.
They have two young tight ends, Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett. Everett is almost like a wide receiver, and we’ll see if his role expands in his second season. He can line up outside and be a factor in their pass game. Higbee is also pretty athletic, and they can line him up as an in-line tight end.
They have a good offensive line, too. They really have all the pieces. Last year they were first in the NFL in scoring, averaging about 30 points a game. There is no reason to believe that in their second season under McVay, and with Goff having more experience, this offense won’t be very, very good.
July 11, 2018 at 9:42 am #87981znModeratorfrom NFL’s best and worst offensive arsenals: 32-1 weapons ranking
Bill Barnwell
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24045670/ranking-nfl-best-worst-offensive-arsenals-weapons-2018
…
6. Los Angeles Rams
I grossly underestimated the Rams’ weapons last year. Running back Todd Gurley looked stuck in mud during his second season with Jeff Fisher, then subsequently led the league in fantasy points in 2017. Robert Woods, who had been a more notable blocker than pass-catcher in Buffalo, averaged just over 65 receiving yards per game. Cooper Kupp was the second-most productive rookie wideout in the league. Sammy Watkins had a middling year, and it didn’t even really matter. The Rams were a joy to watch for most of last season, and they upgraded on Watkins by trading a first-round pick for Brandin Cooks, who has averaged 1,131 receiving yards and eight touchdowns over the past three seasons.
Excitingly for Rams fans, this is a young group of weapons. Jared Goff’s top six targets will all be 26 or younger in 2018. (Somehow, Cooks is younger than Kupp.) If everyone produces at the same level from a year ago and they swap out Watkins for Cooks, this could be the best group in football. My one concern is that Gurley is more likely to be very good than transcendent….recent history suggests that Gurley is more likely to be something like the seventh-best running back in football than repeat as the league’s most productive halfback.
July 14, 2018 at 9:11 am #88101znModeratorColin Cowherd’s top-10 NFL offensive arsenals
(Rams #3)
July 14, 2018 at 9:11 am #88102znModeratorWhich NFL team has the best arsenal of offensive weapons? pic.twitter.com/sPxKyyI1el
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) July 13, 2018
==
July 19, 2018 at 9:19 am #88296znModeratorLatest 2018 Los Angeles Rams #ClayProjections —> Game-by-game predictions, player projections, unit grades + more! pic.twitter.com/HfTXHwc4bk
— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) July 18, 2018
July 19, 2018 at 8:51 pm #88321znModeratorJuly 20, 2018 at 11:28 am #88326znModeratorfrom: RICK GOSSELIN’S NFL OFFSEASON RANKINGS
link: http://www.talkoffamenetwork.com/rick-gosselins-nfl-offseason-rankings/
The Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles all won division titles last season. Minnesota and Philadelphia reached the NFC title game and the Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl.
All are better on paper now than when they walked off the field after their final games of 2017.
The Eagles won that Lombardi Trophy without their starting quarterback (Carson Wentz), Pro Bowl left tackle (Jason Peters), middle linebacker (Jordan Hicks) and Pro Bowl return specialist (Darren Sproles) because of injuries. All are back in 2018.
The Vikings won 13 games with a caretaker quarterback and reached the NFC title game without their starting running back. Minnesota has swapped out Case Keenum at quarterback for Kirk Cousins, who will be able to stretch the field and take better advantage of wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. RB Dalvin Cook also returns from a knee injury that ended his season in October.
The Rams won 11 games with the most explosive offense in football. Los Angeles led the NFL in scoring and have added speedy Brandin Cooks on the flank. The Rams needed to improve defensively and they have, adding inside pass-rushing forced Ndamukong Suh to the front and Pro Bowl cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib to the back end.
So how do you separate these teams? By the division they are competing. The Rams have the easiest path to January in the NFC West, followed by the Eagles in the East and Vikings in the North. So with NFL teams heading off to training camp at the end of this month, here’s how they stack up in Rick Gosselin’s annual offseason rankings:
1. Los Angeles Rams. The 2017 Rams reminded me of the 1991 Cowboys. Jimmy Johnson’s Cowboys were so young in 1991 but didn’t realize how talented they were until they won 11 games and went into Chicago and won a playoff game against Ditka’s Bears. The light bulb went on and the Cowboys won their first Super Bowl the following season. The 2018 Rams now know how good they are and how good they can be. The Cowboys added Hall of Fame pass rusher Charles Haley in 1992. The Rams added defensive impact as well in Peters, Suh and Talib. The light bulb has turned on in Los Angeles.
2. Philadelphia Eagles. Is there a team with a better two-deep at quarterback than the Eagles? Had Carson Wentz stayed healthy, he might have been the NFL MVP. But he leaves with a knee injury in December and his backup Nick Foles goes on to become Super Bowl MVP. Leading rusher LaGarrette Blount departed this offseason but the Eagles proactively replaced him last October with the trade acquisition of Pro Bowl halfback Jay Ajayi. Philadelphia also swapped out speed (Torrey Smith) for speed (Mike Wallace) on the flank this offseason.
3. Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have the best defense in the NFL and, in Kirk Cousins, now have a quarterback who can threaten defenses downfield with his arm. He strung together three consecutive 4,000-yard passing seasons with the Redskins and he’ll have better blockers, runners and pass catchers in Minnesota than he had at any point in Washington. Cook was one of the NFL’s leading rushers as a rookie with 354 yards at the time of his injury in the fourth game of the season. He’s back and the Vikings drafted a cornerback (Mike Hughes) in the first round to add another layer of polish to the NFL’s best defense.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars reached the AFC title game last season with the NFL’s second-best pass rush (55 sacks). That front got better this offseason with the selection of DT Taven Bryan with a first-round draft pick. Jacksonville also signed Pro Bowl guard Andrew Norwell to improve an offensive line that produced the NFL’s top-ranked rushing attack a year ago and allowed only 24 sacks. Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye give the Jags the best cornerback combo in the NFL.
5. New England Patriots. The Patriots still have Tom Brady. But he’s 41 this season. He’ll also be without his left tackle Nate Solder, who left in free agency. Also gone are his top two pass-catching wideouts, Brandin Cooks (trade) and Danny Amendola (free agency). His go-to guy WR Julian Edelman will sit the first four games of the season with an NFL suspension. TE Martellus Bennett (30 catches in 2017) and RB Dion Lewis (32 catches) also are gone. Much is asked of Brady. Much more will be asked of him in 2018.
6. Green Bay Packers. QB Aaron Rodgers missed nine games last season with a shoulder injury and the Packers lost six of them to finish out of playoff contention at 7-9. He’s back in 2018 but Jordy Nelson, his favorite receiver, is not. He became a salary-cap casualty. But the Packers did add TE Jimmy Graham to complement Pro Bowl WR Davante Adams. Green Bay also addressed the NFL’s 22nd ranked defense by signing DT Muhammad Wilkerson and spending its first two draft picks on cornerbacks.
7. Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers and Patriots were the only teams in the NFL last season to finish in the Top 5 in both scoring and scoring defense. First-round draft pick Derwin James should have an immediate impact on the NFL’s 15th ranked defense and free-agent center Mike Pouncey should make life easier for HB Melvin Gordon and the league’s 24th ranked rushing offense. But losing TE Hunter Henry to an offseason knee injury removes a key piece from the offense.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers. No team has a better 1-2-3 punch at the top of its offense than Pittsburgh’s trio of Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. The key is Bell. He rushed for almost 1,300 yards last season and caught 85 passes. He eases the defensive pressure on both Roethlisberger and Brown. The Steelers also led the NFL in sacks last season with 56 and adding first-round draft pick Terrell Edmunds at safety makes a Top 5 pass defense even more formidable.
9. Atlanta Falcons. Nineteen games ago, the Falcons were sitting on a 25-point Super Bowl lead with 20 minutes to play. They wound up losing that game to the Patriots, then were knocked out of the 2017 playoffs by the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles. The Falcons have added All-America WR Calvin Ridley to complement Julio Jones and Muhamed Sanu on the flank but the defensive front will be a tad softer with the departures of Adrian Clayborn and Dontari Poe.
10. Carolina Panthers. When Cam Newton was the NFL MVP in 2015, he accounted for 43 touchdowns with his arms and legs and only 14 turnovers. Since then, he has accounted for 19 touchdowns with 16 turnovers in 2016 and 28 touchdowns with 17 turnovers in 2017. The Panthers go as far as Newton can carry them. WR Devin Funchess had a breakout year in 2017 with 63 catches and eight TDs and the Panthers used a first-round pick on WR D.J. Moore.
July 22, 2018 at 6:28 pm #88388znModeratorfrom NFL Future Power Rankings: Projecting the next three seasons
Louis Riddick, Mike Sando and Field Yates
…
[Note: 1-6 are Eagles, Patz, Saints, Vikes, Steelers, & Falcons]
…
Why they’re here: When your quarterback is an established player but still on a rookie contract, it’s time to strike. The Rams have done exactly that, acquiring a litany of Pro Bowl-caliber talent this offseason to augment a roster already filled with dominant players such as Aaron Donald and Todd Gurley. Coach Sean McVay will soon establish himself as one of the league’s best (he’s rapidly on the track), which matters in a major way, as finding a way to fit all of the top-tier talent under the salary cap will be a chore for L.A. — Yates
Biggest worry: Rarely do all-in approaches to unrestricted free agency turn out the way you plan them when it comes to professional football. Having personally been through this kind of thing, I speak from experience. McVay will have to be the best version of himself in order to handle a roster that has some of the most “explosive” personalities in the NFL on it, particularly on defense, and I don’t mean that in a universally good way. If the Rams win early and often, all will be well. If they start to lose and expectations are not met, this could turn very ugly in a hurry. — Riddick
What could change for the better: It’s hard to envision the Rams being better in actuality than they appear on paper after collecting high-profile veterans such as Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib, Ndamukong Suh and Brandin Cooks. But if the Rams are to outperform already high expectations, it’ll likely be because quarterback Jared Goff takes another giant step forward in his development. Goff does seem to have the talent to make that happen. — Sando
July 23, 2018 at 8:51 am #88399znModerator -
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
