Add broken foot to Sammy Watkins’ growing list of NFL injuries

Mike Rodak
May 162016

http://www.espn.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/24712/add-broken-foot-to-sammy-watkins-growing-list-of-nfl-injuries

Sammy Watkins entered the NFL with such undeniable talent in 2014 that the Buffalo Bills traded the No. 9 overall pick that year, their 2015 first-round selection and a fourth-round pick in 2015 to acquire him.

We’ve seen flashes of dominance from Watkins, including a 158-yard, two-touchdown first half in a Week 12 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last season. But, man, it’s getting harder and harder not to say Watkins is injury-prone at the NFL level.

The latest ailment for Watkins is a broken bone in his foot that is expected to sideline him for training camp and the preseason, but not affect his availability for the regular season, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported.

Sammy Watkins has racked up injuries at an alarming rate through two seasons. Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images
While Watkins has missed only three games in his two-year NFL career because of injury (all last October), the sheer volume of his injuries is troubling for a player who is trying to break out this season as one of the NFL’s best receivers.

Here’s a look at Watkins’ various ailments since entering the NFL:

Aug. 16, 2014: Watkins exited the Bills’ second preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with what the team called a rib contusion and did not return.

Aug. 28, 2014: After missing the Bills’ third preseason game, Watkins returned for the preseason finale but pulled himself out of the game after reinjuring his ribs. Months later, Watkins revealed that he was dealing not only with a rib contusion but with broken ribs.

Sept. 14, 2014: Watkins scored his first NFL touchdown in a Week 2 win over the Miami Dolphins, part of an eight-catch, 117-yard performance. Watkins was checked out by trainers multiple times during the game and was hunched over on the sideline at one point.

Oct. 8, 2014: Watkins was removed from the injury report after being listed for the first five weeks of the season with the rib ailment.

Oct. 22, 2014: Watkins was added to the Bills’ injury report with a groin injury but was a full participant in practice. Four days later, he gained a career-high 157 receiving yards in the Bills’ win over the New York Jets and was named the NFL’s offensive rookie of the month for October.

Nov. 5, 2014: Watkins left the Bills’ Wednesday session with a groin injury and did not practice for the rest of the week. However, he played in the Bills’ Nov. 9 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, catching four passes on 10 targets.

Nov. 30, 2014: Watkins suffered a hip injury in the Bills’ Week 13 win over the Cleveland Browns but returned to play the following Sunday in a loss to the Denver Broncos, catching seven passes for 127 yards.

Dec. 10, 2014: Watkins was removed from the injury report and did not reappear on it for the final three weeks of the season.

Early 2015 offseason: Watkins underwent surgery on his hip and sat out the vast majority of organized team activities as he rehabbed.

July 31, 2015: Watkins participated fully when the Bills opened training camp at St. John Fisher College.

Aug 6, 2015: Watkins didn’t finish practice after getting “a little nicked up,” as Rex Ryan put it, but Watkins said he was dealing with soreness from his offseason surgery.

Aug. 17, 2015: After easing back into practice, Watkins exited a training camp practice again with what was called glute soreness. He sat out the final three preseason games for precautionary reasons.

Sept. 9, 2015: Watkins was listed on the Bills’ first injury report with a hamstring injury but was a full participant in practice. He was removed from the injury report by Week 2.

Sept. 27, 2015: Watkins left the Bills’ win over the Miami Dolphins with a calf injury and missed two games, against the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans.

Oct. 18, 2015: Watkins fell awkwardly in the end zone while making a 22-yard touchdown catch late in the first half of a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Television cameras later showed him on crutches outside the locker room, and his sprained ankle kept him out of a crushing Bills loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars the next weekend in London.

Quick Hits: Takeaways From Week One

Kristen Lago

http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Quick-Hits-Takeaways-From-Week-One/30f2b0ce-8388-4637-acf5-775f79724016

The Los Angeles Rams opened up their 2017 training camp at UC Irvine last Saturday. And with five days of practice comes a lot of on-field news to catch up on. From injury reports to up-and-coming players, much has been said about the team’s first week of camp.

But don’t worry if you missed any of our team’s coverage from the past week – we’ve assembled five days worth of news into one convenient place. Check below for our top takeaways from the Rams first phase of training camp.

Defensive line depth tested

During their first week of camp, the Rams suffered a serious blow to their line after defensive end Dominique Easley was carted off the field with a season-ending knee injury.

Easley had been pegged as a projected starter on the D-line. In his absence, the Rams have pushed forth a “next man up” mentality, encouraging the rest of the defensive line to step up and compete for a starting role. According to head coach Sean McVay, the Rams will look within the organization to fill Easley’s void at the position.

“We’ve got some depth at that D-line like we’ve talked about – guys like Ethan Westbrooks will be asked to step up, Louis Trinca-Pasat, you are looking at Tanzel Smart,” McVay said. “So we’ll find different ways to continue to develop that depth and being mindful of some of the things moving forward. But that certainly is a big loss for us.”

Goff becoming a leader on the team

The Rams first week of training camp also brought us a true glimpse at the development of quarterback Jared Goff from year one to year two. Goff has looked more comfortable as a leader on this offense, holding his own in the pocket and showcasing confidence in his receivers.

During the offseason the Rams added several players to assist Goff both on the offensive line and among the wideout group, including left tackle Andrew Whitworthand wide receivers Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp.

As the Rams starting quarterback this season, Goff has made a concentrated effort to become a vocal leader and an example for the rest of his teammates.

“I think you just grow, you get older, you have more experiences and you know how to carry yourself a little bit differently,” Goff said on the biggest differences between his first and second year of camp. “I don’t know if there’s any examples. Just as you get older, I can tell that with myself and the way I’m able to communicate with my teammates a lot better.”

“Just knowing I’m the guy that they’re going to look to,” he added. “It is my team to lead and my team to direct and control and command. I don’t take that lightly. I’m trying to put a lot of pride into that and try to do my best.”

New additions making an immediate impact

After five days of training camp there have been several players to catch my eye as potential impact-makers on the roster.

Rookie fullback Sam Rogers has been the first player out on the field every day for the past week, making a point of catching jugs before each practice. And his hard work has not gone unnoticed. Rogers has made his name known to many for several juking moves during the team drills and strong blocking abilities during the one-on-ones.

Kupp and Woods have also come forward as promising starting receivers. Both have had several impressive catches, showcasing their strong hands and run-after-catch skills. In addition, they seem to be building a strong relationship with their quarterback. Though there are still a few timing kinks to work out on various deep routes, these two have proven themselves as reliable options for their QB.

And finally, defensive back Kayvon Webster has shined as a projected starter on the Rams’ secondary. Webster has had a seamless transition to the Rams defense thus far, reuniting with his former defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. During week one of practice he has forced several incomplete passes in man coverage and proven himself as a defensive workhorse, working at the jug machine after every practice and on the sidelines with his teammates.

The “Wade Phillips” defense is on full display
Last, but certainly not least, the entire Rams defense under Phillips has come forward as the MVPs of week one. During the last five days, the defense has successfully begun its transition from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defensive scheme. Linebackers Connor Barwin and Robert Quinn have looked strong on the outside, using the added mobility of Phillips’ scheme to blitz the quarterback on the pass rush.

The secondary has also been a strong spot for the Rams during the past five days, making noise both on the field and on the sidelines. Cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant and safeties coach Ejiro Evero have encouraged their players to be aggressive and make plays all over the field – challenging the offense each and every day.

“I think what we’re striving to see is just great competitiveness on both sides of the football,” McVay said of the strong defensive play. “I think when you look at it just seeing it firsthand right now watching it live, it seemed like it was a good balance back and forth between the offense and the defense. But absolutely as a coach, it’s about winning football games and any time you have a great defense, you give yourself a chance.”

Amazon’s All or Nothing makes bad football look good with Rams, thanks to NFL Films

Watching the Rams’ disaster of a season makes for great entertainment.

By Adam Patrick

link: http://awfulannouncing.com/nfl/amazon-all-nothing-rams-bad-football-good-nfl-films.html

During the first season of Amazon’s original sports documentary series All or Nothing, viewers got to witness the 2015 NFL season through the eyes of the 13-3 Arizona Cardinals. That team ended its season just one game short of an appearance in Super Bowl 50.

For the second season of All or Nothing, the focus of the show switched to a totally different circumstance. The NFL Films crew was forced to endure the excruciating, emotionally taxing task of documenting the 2016 season of the 4-12 Los Angeles Rams.

Despite the Rams’ year of football not being anywhere close to a success, All or Nothing still provides viewers with many memorable moments beginning with the team’s move to Los Angeles (which was also documented on HBO’s Hard Knocks). The series then covers the drafting of quarterback Jared Goff to the team, moves on to starting the season 3-1, and finally ends with Rams head coach Jeff Fisher informing his players that he has been fired.

As usual, NFL Films does a great job in highlighting specific details about a team’s players and coaching staff that are mostly unknown to the common football fan. These aspects of the show are really what holds it together since watching a team lose 12 out of 16 games is not what one would call “entertaining.”

If not for this season of All or Nothing, no one would know how Case Keenum’s consistent avoidance of blurting out curse words bears a keen resemblance to one Ned Flanders. Even at his most frustrating points in the regular season (and boy, were there a lot of them), the worst word or phrase that is muttered out of Keenum’s mouth is “shoot” or the occasional “son of a biscuit.”

Rams defensive end William Hayes made himself a little more notable to fans this year after his comments during the most recent season of Hard Knocks in which he proclaimed his belief in mermaids and his disbelief in dinosaurs. In All or Nothing, Hayes continued to share his mind-boggling thoughts with the world. For example, in one episode, he stated how it was a stupid rule that NFL teams had to be truthful about their injury reports each week.

A majority of this year’s show was based around the battle for the starting quarterback job between Keenum and Goff. It ended up not being so much of a battle as it was Keenum just not getting the job done. After Fisher finally made the decision during the middle of the season to start Goff, viewers of All or Nothing are given exclusive access to Keenum’s reaction. The quarterback obviously expressed his disappointment, but also acted with great class when it came helping the young rookie adjust to his new role.

If there was a secondary storyline for this season of All or Nothing, it would have to be the downfall of Fisher as the Rams’ head coach.

During the beginning of the year, he had the Rams playing well and sitting at 3-1 after their first four games. But after the team lost eight of their next nine matchups, the Los Angeles front office decided a change needed to be made and fired Fisher with three weeks left in the regular season. (And this was after the team had given Fisher a three-year contract extension.)

This was a situation that had never really ever been filmed or revealed to the media before this season of All or Nothing. Viewers get to see exactly how Fisher handles telling the news to his coaches and then to his players.

The reactions from the Rams’ players and coaches ranged from angry to sad to disappointing. Some shed tears while others just put their hands over their faces.

So the team’s first season in Los Angeles was obviously not a success, but there was still a story to be told, even if it was painful to follow. NFL Films, who can make any team’s season look good, still took that story and turned it into a masterpiece with this year’s season of All or Nothing.

Seahawks may lose 2nd-round pick for not disclosing Richard Sherman injury

Josh Alper

Seahawks may lose 2nd-round pick for not disclosing Richard Sherman injury

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll admitted this week that the team failed to disclose a knee injury that cornerback Richard Sherman was dealing with throughout the regular season, saying “he never missed anything” as a way of explaining why the team didn’t share the information.

The Seahawks could be missing something as a result of not disclosing Sherman’s condition. PFT reported that the NFL is looking into the situation; Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that the team may lose a second-round pick as a penalty.

The league has issued fines in the past when teams haven’t shared full injury information, but there can be additional discipline handed down if teams have multiple offenses of league policies. The Seahawks have run afoul of the league three times due to violations of the rules governing offseason work, which led the NFL to strip a week of organized team activities this offseason and a fifth-round pick from the team.

There’s no word on when the league might announce any penalties for the Seahawks as a result of Carroll’s admission that their injury reports were incomplete during the regular season.

None of them practiced this week.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/rams-739325-game-49ers.html

INJURY REPORT

The Rams placed receiver Bradley Marquez on injured reserve Friday, ending his season with two games left. Marquez only has only three catches this season, but has played a vital role on special teams in punt return coverage.

The team also promoted running back Aaron Green and receiver Paul McRoberts to the active roster. The two undrafted rookies have been on the practice squad all season.

Safety Maurice Alexander (concussion), defensive back Lamarcus Joyner (ankle) and receiver Mike Thomas (hip) are all doubtful to play against the 49ers.

Alden Gonzalez

Rams will be a bit shorthanded on Thursday, as expected. S Maurice Alexander (concussion) and RB Benny Cunningham (neck) are out. DE Robert Quinn (concussion) and CB EJ Gaines (thigh) are doubtful. DE Matt Longacre (heel) is questionable.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/rams-737990-goff-snead.html

INJURY REPORT

The Rams will likely be without backup running back Benny Cunningham when they return to the Coliseum on Sunday, but have a chance to roll out an otherwise intact roster.

Cunningham, who did not practice this week because of a neck injury, is listed as doubtful to play against the Falcons. Defensive end Robert Quinn (concussion) and cornerback E.J. Gaines (thigh) are listed as questionable, although the latter was also held out of practice this week. Quinn participated fully on Friday.

Offensive lineman Rodger Saffold, who sat out last week’s loss to the Patriots following recent hand surgery, appears on track to return to the starting lineup.

The Falcons ruled out receiver Mohamed Sanu (groin) and defensive end Adrian Clayborn (knee). Julio Jones, who leads the NFL in receiving yards, was listed as questionable after missing this week’s practices with turf toe.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/rams-737990-goff-snead.html

Rams still waiting for No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff to blossom
By JACK WANG
2016-12-09 17:47:50

THOUSAND OAKS – Seven months ago, Jeff Fisher raved about the future of the Rams.

“I am so excited,” said Fisher, who often appears dour regardless of his actual mood. “You should have seen us in the room there. Did you see it? I’m happy, are you kidding me? We just drafted a franchise quarterback with the first pick in the draft.”

He was referring to Jared Goff, the Cal product whom the franchise moved heaven and Earth to acquire. Originally slotted behind 14 other teams in the 2016 NFL draft, the Rams gave the Titans six selections – including their 2017 first-round pick – to move up to No. 1 overall.

A high price, perhaps, for a rookie quarterback who has started only three games.

Goff might have a fine career ahead of him. Although he holds a pedestrian passer rating of 70.0, he is still just 22 years old and has shown impressive flashes even as he searches for his first NFL victory.

But regardless of Goff’s future development, the fact remains that the Rams gave up significant draft capital to get him. After falling to 4-8, the first-round pick they gave to Tennessee could end up being a top-10 or top-five selection – one that could go a long way toward plugging other roster holes.

Asked on Friday whether that was a higher price than he’d originally expected, Rams general manager Les Snead insisted that the decision to trade up was a sound one.

“With the QB thing, I’ll always say this: Go get the one you want when you can get him,” Snead said. “Because there’s times you’re going to want one and can’t get him. And do it sooner rather than later.”

The Rams had significant hopes in drafting Goff: that he would prove ready to start immediately, that he would turn around a perennially anemic offense, that he would inject excitement into a fan base that had been without the NFL for two decades.

With the team having lost seven of its last eight games as it heads into Sunday’s home game against the Falcons (7-5), Snead stressed that the development of a franchise quarterback doesn’t happen overnight.

“It does take time to get that,” he said. “You probably weren’t one first-round, young kid away. You need that kid to become a veteran. That was an important piece, and I think for all teams it is.

“The nice thing about Jared is, to date, we’ve seen some of the things that we’ve seen in college that we thought were going to be his go-tos, his assets in the league. They’ve shown up. He’s just not there yet. We’ve got to get him there.”

Snead also noted that the Rams had endured a long stretch of playing with a “No.2 QB” – specifically naming Kellen Clemens, Shaun Hill, Austin Davis and Nick Foles. Add in Case Keenum, who started nine games this year, and that accounts for 50 contests in a streak of five non-winning seasons.

“I give credit to all of them and they all have a special place in my heart because we beat some good teams with those guys,” Snead said. “But I do think that did stunt the passing game and what you can do, and what the coaches can do with it.”

The trouble is, switching to Goff does not appear to have significantly altered the offense, rarely stretching the field even with his superior arm strength. In nine games with Keenum, the Rams averaged 15.4 points and 308 yards per game. In their first three games with Goff, they averaged 13.7 points and 212 yards.

The team has not been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but in all likelihood, Goff has only four games left in his rookie season. With each passing week, cries for the franchise to move on from either Fisher or Snead – or both – have grown louder. And if Goff doesn’t show more signs of a potential Pro Bowl future? Those cries might be answered.

“In the real world, you’ve got to raise that guy,” Snead said. “How long it takes is to be determined.”
INJURY REPORT

The Rams will likely be without backup running back Benny Cunningham when they return to the Coliseum on Sunday, but have a chance to roll out an otherwise intact roster.

Cunningham, who did not practice this week because of a neck injury, is listed as doubtful to play against the Falcons. Defensive end Robert Quinn (concussion) and cornerback E.J. Gaines (thigh) are listed as questionable, although the latter was also held out of practice this week. Quinn participated fully on Friday.

Offensive lineman Rodger Saffold, who sat out last week’s loss to the Patriots following recent hand surgery, appears on track to return to the starting lineup.

The Falcons ruled out receiver Mohamed Sanu (groin) and defensive end Adrian Clayborn (knee). Julio Jones, who leads the NFL in receiving yards, was listed as questionable after missing this week’s practices with turf toe.

I think the title should be “So Far, So Good.”

Practice Report 12/6: Atlanta’s Offense Presents Many Challenges

Myles Simmons

http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-practicereport/Practice-Report-126-Atlantas-Offense-Presents-Many-Challenges/ca06b495-c7b2-4dfa-a5ce-bf5476b3680d

The Rams have had to face their share of strong offenses this season, and they have another one coming up on Sunday with the Falcons.

Atlanta sports the top passing offense and top scoring offense in the league, averaging 302.0 yards per game through the air and 32.2 points per game. The latter mark is 3.3 points higher than No. 2 New Orleans.

“They’re an explosive offense,” defensive back Lamarcus Joyner said. “I feel like their offensive guys think, ‘Home run, home run, home run, big play, big play.’ That’s the way they think.”

Indeed, the Falcons are tied with the Saints at No. 1 in the league with 53 passing plays of at least 20 yards. While that can be a tough test for any defense, it’s also the kind of challenge the Rams are embracing.

“That’s any DB’s dream — if you’re a competitor,” Joyner said. “So when you see an offense like that on film, you know you have a good challenge. And in your heart, you just get ready to compete and that’s the way this defense has been preparing over here.”

Quarterback Matt Ryan is averaging a career high 9.2 yards per attempt, and is on pace to set a new career high in touchdowns. He’s already thrown for 3,813 yards with 27 touchdowns and just seven interceptions in 12 games.

“He’s very efficient,” defensive end William Hayes said. “They can throw it and he’s got weapons around him. They’re just playing really good, solid football right now.”

And his top target it wide receiver Julio Jones — who has the most yards receiving in the league at 1,253. Jones is averaging 6.0 receptions and 104.4 yards per game, with 12 receptions for 300 yards and a touchdown against Carolina in the first half of the season. He’s had at least 110 yards receiving in five of his last seven games.

“He can do it all — literally,” cornerback Trumaine Johnson. “His speed, he can catch great, physical at the point. He doesn’t go down easy. So, like I said, we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

But it’s not just Jones. The Falcons signed former Bengals receiver Mohamed Sanu in the offseason. And wideout Taylor Gabriel has emerged as another significant target for Atlanta over the course of the regular season. Combined, Sanu and Gabriel have 943 yards receiving and seven receiving touchdowns.

“They compliment each other,” Joyner said. “And that’s why they’re so explosive — because you can’t say, ‘We’re going to take Julio away’ or ‘We’re going to take Devonta Freeman away’ and exclude those guys, because they make their big plays, too. So we just, as a group, we have to get together and have some sort of continuity and get after those guys.”

“That’s what happens in the league. That’s what happens. You take somebody away, you know the ball is going someplace else,” head coach Jeff Fisher said. “It just speaks for their personnel and the weapons that they have. They understand it. When you have a dominating player like they do, you need to have complimentary players and the quarterback trusts them.”

As the Rams continue through their practice week, limiting the Falcons’ big-play and scoring opportunities will certainly be top priorities.

INJURY REPORT

The Rams’ first official injury report of the week does not come out until after Wednesday’s practice. But Fisher did provide an update on defensive end Robert Quinn and wide receiver Tavon Austin, saying they were back on the field for Tuesday’s session. Running back Benny Cunningham, however, was not.

“Benny probably won’t do much this week, but I’ll go into more detail with that later in the week,” Fisher said.

EXTRA POINTS

— There was a moment in Sunday’s game that’s made the rounds, and it’s when Fisher could not find his challenge flag in his pocket. Asked about it today, the head coach said, “I thought it was hilarious.”

“Forever, [I’ve kept] my flag in my back right pocket of my coaching pants,” Fisher continued. “I was a little underdressed in the first half, I started to get cold, so I put some wind pants on and then I put a jacket on. I had this really long jacket, and then I was wired for NFL Films, and then I have a belt pack with two things on the side.

“I had taken the challenge flag and I had stuck in one of the pockets of this big jacket, so when I walked up to the official, I said, ‘I want to review that catch. I think it’s a catch,’ and he goes, ‘Well, where’s your flag?’ I said, ‘It’s right here.’ I can feel it, but I can’t find it. And he goes, ‘Well, you need the flag,’ I said, ‘Just tell [referee] Jerome [Boger] that I’m challenging this and I’ll eventually find it for you.’ It was hilarious, it was just one of those funny moments on the sideline. It’s what happened. I could feel it, but I couldn’t find it.”

Rams

DID NOT PARTICIPATE
WR Tavon Austin – Chest
C Tim Barnes – Foot
DE Robert Quinn – Concussion
G Roger Saffold – Hand
LIMITED PARTICIPATION
T Andrew Donnal – Hip

Quinn is following concussion protocol

Patz

DID NOT PARTICIPATE
DB Nate Ebner – Concussion
TE Rob Gronkowski – Back
DL Woodrow Hamilton – Illness
DB Jordan Richards – Knee
LIMITED PARTICIPATION
TE Martellus Bennett – Ankle/Shoulder
QB Tom Brady – Knee
WR Julian Edelman – Foot
DL Trey Flowers – Shin
WR Chris Hogan – Back
WR/SpT Matthew Slater – Foot

Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher – Post-Practice – November 30, 2016

(Opening remarks)

“A good day today, we were excited. The guys had a lot of energy, they practiced well. (QB) Jared (Goff) had a nice day. We get to take a little deep breath tomorrow and continue with our game plan against an outstanding opponent. The key against this team is your ability to adjust, particularly offensively, because there’s a different game plan for everybody week after week after week, (Patriots Head Coach) Bill (Belichick) and his staff do a great job preparing the defense. We’ll have some things to go to and be ready to adjust. But I think it’s a great challenge for us. We’re excited about it.”

(On how serious G Rodger Saffold’s injury is)

“Yeah, I know exactly how it is. I’ll have an injury report for you on Friday (laughs). I know exactly what he’s got going on there. He’s not out, he’s not been ruled out.”

(On how T Greg Robinson has reacted to everything that has happened recently)

“He’s been great. He understands. Every once in a while, when you take a step back and watch what’s going on and see things through a different window – it’s life-changing. He is really excited right now. He’s been in here early, he’s staying late, he’s focused. We’ve got some stuff behind him and he’s excited about playing.”

(On if Robinson’s problems were mostly mental as opposed to technique problems)

“I don’t want to call this a day care, but things come up outside and there’s distractions and you have to deal with them and you have to put them in perspective and we did that – and he did that. He’s embracing it right now. It’s a combination of technique, it’s a combination of some outside distractions and some misunderstandings – maybe a little lack of preparation. By all accounts right now, he’s ready to go play, so I’m proud of him.”

(On if Patriots DE Chris Long is doing what he expected him to do)

“Yeah, he is. It was a difficult decision to part ways with Chris because he’s one of my all-time favorites and a locker room favorite and everything. But of all the places where one would think that he’d have a chance to be successful, it would be New England. He landed on his feet and he’s playing well. And he’s playing especially well on the right side of their defense because he’s primarily, for his whole career, prior to us getting here and then while we were here, he was a left defensive end. He’s doing some things, he’s dropping, he’s covering and he’s buying in – he bought into it, obviously. It looks like he’s having fun, I’m happy for him. It was a tough decision last year, to go the direction that we did with Chris and (LB) James (Laurinaitis) because they were just such great locker room guys. But I’m happy that Chris is on a team that’s won a lot of games, because he’s deserved that opportunity.”

(On the decision to release a very popular player like Chris Long)

“We were dealing with, over the course of a couple years, with some injury issues, so that was primarily the reason. I liked the youth that we had on the roster, but at the same time, wanted to give him an opportunity. He landed in a good spot. It’ll be a great battle, a great battle. He knows (T) Rob (Havenstein) really well, he knows Greg (Robinson), there will be some great match-ups.”

(On what he has thought of DT Dominique Easley since his arrival from New England)

“He’s done a great job for us in the rotation. He’s having a blast, he’s not making any mistakes and he’s playing hard. I don’t know what happened there, all I know is that we had a very high draftable grade on him and it made sense for us to give him an opportunity. It’s not the first time, these things happen in the league, sometimes guys fit, sometimes they don’t, sometimes they go to another club and there’s a better fit. I know he’s excited. He’s excited about playing against them.”

(On if it makes a difference that Patriots QB Tom Brady and TE Rob Gronkowski did not practice today and may not play on Sunday)

“I don’t know how much they practiced last week. ‘Gronk,’ I don’t know what the situation is, we’ll see. He’s an impact player on their offense. But I can assure you that Tom is going to show up, he always does week after week after week. At his age and with his experience, he doesn’t need a lot of practice reps. We’re not going to be mislead by the lack of practice as far as the quarterback is concerned.”

(On if there are any developments in the Eric Dickerson situation)

“No, it’s the first time I’ve heard his name since yesterday, not a word. All about the Patriots.”

(On what kind of response he’s seen from the defense this week after the game on Sunday)

“They’ve been playing hard and reckless and have been hunting and contact, we just had some issues within the scheme. But they’ve bounced back. They understand the challenge this week. We’re certainly not looking ahead to next week or the following week, but we’ve got some good quarterbacks on our schedule. They understand this challenge and they know they need to be right.”

(On if he has an update on CB Troy Hill’s status)

“We released Troy and re-signed him back to (the) practice (squad). I’m not aware of any of the law enforcement issues and the status there. Like I said last week when we released him, I think people deserve second chances in life – he made a bad decision and he understands that. And there’s a significant difference between being on our active roster on being on practice squad. He’s here and we’ll support him as he goes through this. I believe that he’ll do whatever is asked of him from a legal standpoint and that would include Mothers Against Drunk (Driving) and all that stuff. Hoping to take a negative and turn it into a positive right now with him.”

(On how he deals with scrutiny regarding his job security after some of his quotes on “Hard Knocks” in training camp)

“We opened our world to ‘Hard Knocks,’ and those comments came after a couple of issues that we had. I’ve never been satisfied with 7-9 or 8-8. I’ve had a number of winning seasons. I’m not concerned, I don’t look over my shoulder, like I’ve said over and over again. I’m not concerned about my job, I have a great relationship with (Owner/Chairman) Stan (Kroenke). He understands the difficulties that were placed on this organization, as far as the move is concerned. And I’m moving forward, optimistically, with this team. In fairness to the fans and in fairness to the players, that’s all I can do. We’re just going to prepare day after day and week after week and try to win games, that’s what you do. Over the years, I’ve learned to realize that the most important thing is to be consistent, you need to be consistent through this. Consistent through the wins, consistent through the losses and just keep moving your team forward. You guys have been out here, you’ve seen these guys, they love to practice, they like each other. We went through some trying things over time – I had a player, in particular, that lost his grandfather last night and I had a coach whose son gave birth to his grandson. As a family, you stress those things, you stress the importance of coming to work every day and how lucky we are. We had a great example of the circle of life today with respect to our team.”

***

Rams Offensive Coordinator Rob Boras – November 30, 2016

(On his thoughts regarding the first half against New Orleans)

“It was, obviously, good to see. We’ve been saying it for so long with all the questions about how he’s growing in the classroom, and then we’ve seen the flashes of it, and it was good. You saw it leading up during the course of the week. Just his comfort being in the huddle, the tempo that we had to practice with Friday, the way he handled everything. You saw it coming, and you prayed that it was going to happen. You just didn’t know if it was going to come to fruition, and it did. It just proved it wasn’t too big for him. You saw the way he moved in the pocket. He made some big-time throws. It was a really good first half for him.”

(On why they’ve been so good on opening drives this season, and how to sustain that success)

“That’s a great question. Obviously, we spend a lot of time trying to figure out what our openers are going to be, and have had success, whether it’s been the first series or the second series in a number of games, we just got to continue that in the second half. Trying to script the openers, give the guys the plays that they know that we’re thinking about coming in the second half, to give them some comfort. We know how fast those halftimes go, but we just got to find a way to do better. Again, it’s the focus, and getting back to what we’re doing, and guys just playing one play at a time. Hopefully, we can find that same sort of success in the second half, and find a way to put some points on the board.”

(On the next step QB Jared Goff needs to take in his development)

“I don’t know exactly what the next step it. I think he’s getting more comfortable. Even coming out Tuesday, again, there’s the same plays, but maybe different formations and stuff. A lot of times, it takes the quarterback a day, maybe, to catch up. This Tuesday when we came out yesterday, he was good. You just saw even how much better he was this Tuesday, compared to last Tuesday. Now, he’s just playing football. You don’t see him thinking out here on the practice field. It’s way faster in the meetings, and I think it’s just, again, I’m assuming his confidence level – you’d have to ask him – I think he’s feeling confident too. That’s a big part of having success in any sport, or really anything in life, is having some confidence, and I would think right now, having a taste of success, he feels pretty good. Again, what his next step would be, he’s got to protect the football, as we all do. If we can play turnover free, we’re going to have a chance. But having two turnovers, however they come about, is going to hurt most offenses, and obviously, it hurt us Sunday. So, just being more aware and doing a better job protecting the football.”

(On the challenge of facing the Patriots defense, and how will it manifest itself Sunday)

“We’ll find out Sunday how it manifests. Their defense, with Coach (Bill) Belichick, and Coach (Matt) Patricia, and their whole defensive staff, they do a lot, and they do it very well. That’s a really good team defense. Again, just playing on the road again, and having that environment, different temperature, outside, the crowd noise. Every week there’s new challenges and new obstacles. That’s why this league is the best league in sports. I think he’ll handle it. He’s going to see different looks. We know they’re going to try to create confusion. It’s not just Jared that they’re confusing. Because of that, all the other guys need to step up and apply the rules, and trust what they’re seeing as well. It’s not just the quarterback, it’s, obviously, the other 10 guys on the field as well have to recognize and get on the same page with Jared, and all those different fronts and coverages that we’re going to see.”

(On if Goff is a different quarterback if he was a fifth year senior out of college, compared to a true junior)

“I can’t comment on (Eagles QB) Carson (Wentz), or (Cowboys QB) Dak (Prescott). I haven’t really seen them play at all this year. We just haven’t had any cross over games. But, yeah, I would think anytime that you’re 23 as compared to 21, you’ve played more games, and you’ve had more experience. We’ll see a different quarterback in Jared in two years from now, as compared to what he is now. It’s hard to quantitate how much better he would be, but I think that’s safe to assume the more games you play, the more experience you have, the more comfortable and better that you can be.”

(On what surprised him the most about Goff that he didn’t know about before he started playing)

“Jared has a very short memory, and he’s a very confident young man. I talked, his confidence has probably even gotten better. But, the fumble – he forgets it. He comes back, and he’ll play. The next play. Same thing with the interception. He doesn’t carry that, and that’s hard. We always talk about play the next play, and a lot of times it can just be lip service, but I think he’s got a short memory. He’s confident in himself, and his ability. I think seeing something go bad and how he responded, I think that was a really positive sign, how he battled through those couple plays of adversity.”

(On the decision to make T Greg Robinson inactive, and if Robinson has benefited from that moving forward)

“That was a decision Coach (Fisher) made in communication with the offensive staff. Anytime that you feel threatened, and you get something taken away, I think it refocuses your energy and channels your focus. I think in communication with Greg, and just the guys that were on the sideline just talking about Greg’s energy, and what he was on the sideline, and how he handled the situation, I think spoke volumes. He didn’t pout, he handled it, he was communicating, making calls. Again, he’s handled things in the meeting really well, and had a good practice today. So, we’ll see how he handles it, but everything is pointing in the right direction right now. We expect Greg to perform really well.”

(On the performance of T Andrew Donnal)

“That’s a compliment to all of those guys in the room. When you only dress seven or eight offensive linemen, you say you’ve got to be the third tackle, or the second or third center, or whatever, and Andrew is kind of those guys that has to be the third center, or guard, and tackle, but there just aren’t enough reps in practice for him to get it. So, when he went in, you’re concerned. Not necessarily about him knowing his assignment, because he’s a pro and he handles that part of it very well, it was just going to be adjusting to the speed of things, and he handled it really well. That two-minute drive – I think we got hurt on the first play with Rodger (Saffold) – and then he came in at the two-minute warning, and we went down the field; and we were trying to throw the ball. You weren’t sure exactly what we were going to get, and he handled that as well in the second half, very well. We got down two or three scores and we knew they were going to keep blitzing and coming after us. When they know you’re going to pass, and you have to pass, it’s tough on those five guys up front, and I thought Andrew handled that situation well. It speaks to his preparation both mentally, and the physical aspect of it.”

(On if WR Kenny Britt’s career season a result of the play-calling, or his preparation)

“I’ve talked about Kenny a number of times. His focus in the classroom, his energy on the practice field, I think it’s at an all-time high. I think what’s great is it’s carrying over from the classroom, to the field, to Sundays. He’s having that success, and then success breeds success. The quarterbacks have comfort with him, they trust him, and he’s made plays when he’s been called upon. I’m sure there’s lots of different variables to it, but it starts with him, and then building that rapport with the quarterbacks, which he did this offseason.”

***

Rams Quarterback Jared Goff – – November 30, 2016

(On Patriots QB Tom Brady and what he represented growing up)

“I’ve been a big fan of his growing up. Obviously, he’s one of the greats – if not the greatest. Big fan of his growing up. He’s a Bay Area guy as well. Always looked up to him and have been a fan of his.”

(On what he admires about Brady’s game)

“Everything. He’s really good at everything, has been for a long time. Of course, there are little things that I’ll watch in him, (Saints QB) Drew (Brees), Peyton (Manning) and a bunch of guys across the league, that I’ll take from and have in the past, as well.”

(On what it means to compete on the same field as Brady)

“It’s similar to last week, they’re both great quarterbacks. I need to stay focused on their defense, but at the same time it’s going to be cool to see them out there, maybe see them across the field in warm-ups or something – it’ll be cool to be on the same filed, for sure.”

(On the most difficult part about preparing for a Bill Belichick defense)

“I think it’s just the variety that they have. They change stuff pretty consistently and do what they do really well for a long time – it’s proven results. You don’t really know what to expect going in, you have an idea on film, but you know they’re going to bring something new every week – you have to be ready to adjust.”

(On looking at his game against New Orleans and what stands out to him in terms of the progress he’s made since the preseason)

“I don’t think it’s anything in particular. I think it’s just everything’s improved and the game is starting to slow down. It’s starting to feel more comfortable every day out here and every week on Sundays.”

(On the message Saints QB Drew Brees had for him after the game last Sunday)

“Nothing. It was real quick. Just said, ‘good luck, stay healthy’, and wished me the best. I told him that I’m a big fan of his and I appreciate it.”

(On whether he hopes to greet Brady after the game)

“I think the quarterbacks shake hands, right? After the games? Yeah.”

(On Offensive Coordinator Rob Boras’ comments concerning Goff’s ability to forget about things during the game and how he learned to do that)

“Always kind of been like that with good things and bad things. Throw a touchdown, it’s over immediately. Have a bad play, it’s over immediately. I think that’s kind of the best way to go about it as a quarterback – not get too high, not get too low. Obviously there are times that you’re going to be excited and there’s going to be times where you’re not very happy, but forget about as soon as you can because the next play is the most important one.”

(On playing in California all his life and if he has any memories playing in cold weather)

“Oh yeah, I got a few. Even at Cal last year, our last game of the season at Cal, it was like 35 (degrees) – really cold, against Arizona State and that was a home one. But yeah, we had plenty – Washington, Oregon and Utah.”

(On whether there will be any difference playing in New England)

“No. I’ve played in a bunch of cold weather.”

• This topic was modified 8 years ago by zn.

Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher – November 29, 2016

(Opening remarks)

“Good start to the week. Yesterday was ‘put it behind you’ and today was all about the next opponent. We had solid meetings. Backed down a little bit today from a normal Tuesday. We just got some guys that weren’t able to go, but needed the reps – I was pleased with where it went. Jared’s (Goff) into the plan, he’s excited. Like last week, he was excited to go up against (Saints QB) Drew Brees and how could you not be excited to go and compete against (Patriots QB) Tom Brady. They’re playing well and we are on to New England. We’ll have some injury reports for you tomorrow. We’ll have some guys back on the field – I think tomorrow and then maybe a couple guys probably have to wait until Friday. But we’re in good shape right now.”

(On his reaction to Eric Dickerson’s comments regarding their conversation)

“I’ll say this – I stand behind what I talked about yesterday. He’s welcome here. The last conversation we had was really positive – that was on November 17. I got a text from him moments after saying, ‘Thanks for the conversation, best of luck, have a good night and go Rams.’ I don’t know what took place between then and now. But I’m on to New England now – we’re moving forward. He’s welcome – he’s always been welcome as it was documented in things that I said. I want him to be around, want him to be part of this family like we have with everybody else. I don’t know where it came from. We’re moving on.”

(On if he’s surprised about how much traction this received)

“I heard some things. I didn’t pay much attention. I’ve been game planning most of the day, as coaches do. But, I heard that there were some things out there. Again, the way we left it, it was good. I don’t know where it got off course as far as he’s concerned. He’s welcome here. He’s a Hall of Famer. I have great respect for his career, and his jacket, and what he represents.”

(On if he’s reached out to Dickerson again)

“We’ve done that. When we finished the conversation, I thought things were good. So, I’m moving on. We’ve had (former Rams DE) Jack (Youngblood) out here. Like I said yesterday, I’ve talked to (former Rams T) Jackie Slater. Our guys are welcome here, and they’re a part of this; a part of this new start, this new era here in town.”

(On did he address the team about the situation)

“No. I talked about New England. I think that’s probably much more important than this. It’s a fact. These guys are 9-2. This is a good football team. So, that’s where our focus is.”

(On if he’s reached out to any former players that might have been critical of the team in years past)

“I still don’t follow the question here, but I have not had a lot of criticism from my former players. I trust the relationships I’ve established with my players. I have great relationships with my players. This game is about establishing relationships, and I’ve done so. With respect with the Eric situation, and it’s well documented, he’s totally entitled to his opinion and he has every right to be critical. As I told him in the conversation, you can’t have it both ways, you can’t be critical and then come back and ask for this, and ask for that. That’s just common sense. And we got it resolved. Again, based on that last conversation I had with him and the text, it was resolved. Anything about New England?”

(On if the report stating that Dickerson can have luxury suite passes is true)

“I opened everything to Eric. I wanted him to know that we would provide anything for him that he needed.”

(On if this is a distraction to the players)

“No, no it’s not. When you guys finish, you can go in the locker room and ask them. It’s not. They’re focused, they’re ready and they understand the challenge. It’s not a distraction. This is the most I’ve talked about it all day long – I’ve been working all day.”

(On how the team has been able to keep spirits up with the losing record)

“It’s the opportunity each day, as you prepare, to go out and have a chance to win another football game. That’s what it’s about, that’s how our league is. Obviously, we had to put it behind us real quickly and recognize what happened in the game and understood why. Now let’s accept this great challenge. (Patriots Head Coach) Bill (Belichick) is a great coach, he’s got a great staff and he’s got a really good football team. It’s a tough place to play, they haven’t lost many games there. Right now, the score is 0-0, so we’ll see what happens.”

(On Dickerson’s comments regarding being “banned from sidelines” and if there was a contentious conversation that he thought resolved itself)

“We never went there. As you guys know and as he has said, he, again, was voicing his opinion, which he has every right to do so. And then immediately after, wanted things from the organization – and it doesn’t work that way. You can have it one way or the other, it’s just simple. No one banned him. We had that discussion and I opened the organization, I opened our arms to him during the discussion, that’s where we left it, that’s where it was.”

Rams Notes: Todd Gurley can’t capitalize on fast start in loss to Dolphins

JACK WANG

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/rams-736090-gurley-week.html

LOS ANGELES – Todd Gurley didn’t feel like talking.

A few minutes earlier, the Rams running back had blown off a ring of reporters waiting at his locker. A team spokesperson said Gurley would return after getting postgame treatment. Later, after talking briefly to one person on Sunday, he again walked past reporters in the hallway at the Coliseum.

“It’s too late,” Gurley said. “I already did my media.”

His frustration is understandable. On Sunday, the Rams (4-6) fell to the Dolphins, 14-10, their fifth loss in six games. Gurley finished with 76 yards on 20 rushing attempts, the eighth time this season that he has failed to average at least 4.0 yards per carry.

The reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year – a title that feels like a cruel joke at this point – remains mired in an offense that is good for only one or two competent drives per game. He still breaks out an occasional double-digit-yard run, but far more common are the 1- and 2-yard sputters, a trend that continued despite a quarterback change from Case Keenum to Jared Goff.

Considering that Gurley led the league last year with 14 runs of at least 20 yards, his sophomore campaign (590 yards, four touchdowns) has become downright depressing.

“I thought Todd played really hard,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “He made some plays. It’s just getting him the carries and things, but I thought he played hard. He ran the football well and had some plays.”

Gurley’s start was promising enough, breaking out his two longest runs of the year in the first quarter – including a season-long 24-yard touchdown. His first five carries went for 40 yards, and for a little while, it seemed like the Rams had finally forced some defensive attention away from their star running back.

It didn’t last. Gurley’s nine carries in the second and third quarters produced a net gain of just 26 yards. His six fourth-quarter carries produced just 9 yards.

“He was doing what he’s done for his whole life, which is run the ball well,” Goff said. “Early on, we were running the ball. Kind of just a hit a lull, started stepping in front of ourselves.”

Much of the fault still lies with the Rams offensive line, which has been among the league’s worst run-blocking units. But according to Pro Football Focus, Gurley has broken just one tackle on 62 carries since Week 6. Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi, on the other hand, broke four on his 16 carries against the Rams.

BIG RETURN
Rams defensive end Robert Quinn, who started the week in the hospital, not only played Sunday but started and recorded a sack late in the second half.

“I felt fine,” Quinn said. “We did a great week, just getting myself prepared to get back for the game. I felt great out there. I wish I could have done a little bit more, but I was fine.”

Quinn was admitted to a local hospital hours after last Sunday’s game, and later said he had been dehydrated. Quinn didn’t practice all week but played his normal complement of snaps against Miami.

“Rob had a rough week,” Fisher said, “but he came on strong, feels good. We felt like he was going to be fine.”

CAPTAIN CASE
Keenum, deposed by Goff as starting quarterback, remained one of the Rams’ captains and was one of the players who represented the team at the coin toss.

Goff said Keenum, who seemed understandably irritated when he spoke to reporters mid-week, helped him throughout the day as he made his first NFL start.

“Case was great,” Goff said. “I told him before the game, ‘I’m going to need to lean on you,’ and he was great. Very helpful. Gave me good information. He helped me out, told me what he saw and the pressures they were bringing. Him and Sean (Mannion, the third-stringer), both.”

INJURY REPORT
Rookie linebacker Josh Forrest appeared to be the only Rams player to leave the game with a significant injury. Forrest hurt his knee in the second half and needed a cart to get to the locker room.

Rams center Tim Barnes, who didn’t practice all week because of a foot injury, started and played the entire game.

INJURY REPORT

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20161111/todd-gurley-still-stuck-in-frustrating-cycle-of-rams-offense

Bothered by a thigh injury, Gurley nonetheless practiced in full on Friday and is listed as questionable for Sunday. The same went for defensive tackle Michael Brockers (groin), cornerback Trumaine Johnson (ankle) and defensive back Lamarcus Joyner (back).

All four starters seem likely to play against the Jets, whose injury report has reached absurd lengths. In addition to left tackle Ryan Clady, who was placed on injured reserve this week, New York has ruled out linebacker Bruce Carter (quad), defensive back Marcus Williams (ankle), linebacker Josh Martin (concussion), tight end Kellen Davis (elbow) and offensive lineman Nick Mangold (ankle).

Los Angeles Rams rookies continue to get a chance to contribute

Gary Klein

http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-rams-report-20161110-story.html

Fans are not chanting their names and pundits are not publicly debating their readiness for the NFL.

But several Rams rookies other than quarterback Jared Goff, the No. 1 pick in the draft who has yet to take snap, could see increased playing time in Sunday’s game against the New York Jets at East Rutherford, N.J.

Tight end Tyler Higbee, receivers Pharoh Cooper and Michael Thomas and linebacker Josh Forrest have contributed throughout the season or are making plays of late.

Higbee caught a long pass in Sunday’s loss to the Carolina Panthers at the Coliseum.

Cooper made his first catch.

Thomas has made several good special teams plays, and Forrest has started three times and is contributing in a situational role.

Tight end Temarrick Hemingway is still working toward an opportunity.

The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Higbee, a fourth-round pick from Western Kentucky, was the darling of training camp and appeared on track to earn significant opportunities in the passing game.

But through seven games he had only two catches for six yards.

Early in the second quarter against the Panthers, he caught a pass from quarterback Case Keenum and turned it into a 31-yard gain.

“It was nice getting my hands on the ball,” said Higbee, who was targeted six other times against the Panthers. “There were a couple others I wish I could have had, but we’ll get them.”

Coach Jeff Fisher said Higbee “needs to play better” but that he was improving.

“He’s starting to figure it out now and we’ve got him involved,” Fisher said. “He needs to be better at the point of attack and he knows that.”

Cooper, a fourth-round pick from South Carolina, was sidelined for the first four regular-season games because of a shoulder injury suffered in an exhibition at Denver.

He returned a kickoff 23 yards against the Buffalo Bills and was the intended receiver on what turned out to be a pick-six interception by the Bills.

Against the Panthers, Cooper caught a pass in the second quarter for a short gain.

“He’ll probably see a little bit more playing time,” Fisher said, adding, “We just need to get the ball in his hands.”

Thomas, a sixth-round pick from Southern Mississippi, is in search of his first reception. He caught a pass from Keenum late in the game against the New York Giants in London but was beyond the end zone.

Forrest, a sixth-round pick from Kentucky, has five tackles.

Quick hits

The Rams did not practice Thursday, the players’ scheduled day off…. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was listed as limited on the Jets’ injury report. Fitzpatrick suffered a knee injury last week. Jets Coach Todd Bowles has said that Fitzpatrick would start against the Rams if sound. Bryce Petty could start in his place. Jets center Nick Mangold is expected to be sidelined for a third consecutive game because of an ankle injury.