Hekker is incredible.. he just attempted a punt that folks only do in practice #RespectTheArt pic.twitter.com/PYjrn3y8P9

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 10, 2017

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Rams punter Johnny Hekker kicks with a new spin

Lindsey Thiry

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-rams-johnny-hekker-20170915-story.html

Johnny Hekker is punting with a new deal, and a new spin.

The Rams punter, ranked first in the NFL in punting yards the last two seasons, spent the last year perfecting a technique introduced to him by Australian Nick Porebski, who punts for Hekkers’ alma mater, Oregon State.

“Nick said, ‘Check out this kick, mate,’” Hekker recalled. “And it was amazing.”

Porebski taught Hekker to hold the ball perpendicular over his foot, instead of parallel, to create a sideways spin in the air.

“It’s really effective, as far as being able to kind of show you’re going one way and then getting it to curve and go the other way,” Hekker said.

Hekker, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, tested the technique during the preseason before he booted a 38-yard punt in the season opener against the Indianapolis Colts. The punt went out of bounds at the Colts’ seven-yard line — and it also went viral on Twitter.

“It was a fun one,” Hekker said, adding that he wouldn’t hesitate to attempt the kick again if the situation called for it. “I also like to just boom it, hit it the regular way.”

The Rams signed Hekker to a two-year contract extension through the 2022 season. The two-year extension includes $10 million in guarantees, according to several reports.

“I didn’t know that we were close on getting more years added on to that deal,” Hekker said, adding, “It was a deal where I was patient with it, I was very happy with the situation I was in, but to get the numbers bumped up is great.”

Said coach Sean McVay: “He’s a special person, he’s a special player, he’s been very productive, an all-pro player the last couple years and then what he brings to the locker room matches up with the production you see on the field.”

Teammates voted Hekker among six team captains this season.

Last Sunday, Hekker punted five times in a 46-9 victory over the Colts. All of his punts were inside the 20-yard line.

Los Angeles Rams HC Sean McVay

(Opening statement)

“Fortunately for us, no injuries to report and that was kind of the goal going into this, is being as healthy as we could going into our first game. Fortunately, we’ve got a lot of guys back that have not played on the defensive side, they were flying around. It was a good start to our game plan. First and second down emphasis today, so that’s kind of where we’re at.”

(On how the defense looks as a group)

“It looks good. I mean, guys had a great energy, great enthusiasm, they flew around. Great communication on the back end with some of the formation adjustments that we think their offense will require us to do. I think it was a good start to the week. We know we’re taking it one day at a time right now, but I think in terms of starting off the week (the way) that we wanted to as a team, it was a positive step in the right direction for us.”

(On if it has sunk in yet that his first game as a head coach is quickly approaching)

“I think we’ve got a lot of great people around me that can kind of help guide – you look at guys on this staff that have been a head coach. You look at (defensive coordinator) Wade Phillips, (special teams coordinator) Coach (John) Fassel did it for a handful of games last year. So, having those guys as mentors to be able to kind of guide along the way has been great. And then, really, I think until you get out there in the game, it probably won’t set in, but I think we want to do everything in terms of our approach and our preparation to be smart with it, to try to put our players in the best situations to have success. But, it certainly has a different feeling this week. I know I’m excited about it. I certainly feel it from our players and our coaching staff and I think by the time Sunday at one o’clock rolls around, it will be a fun time and it will probably set in how humbling and what a blessing it is to be able to do this.”

(On where he is confidence wise with QB Jared Goff heading into Sunday’s game against the Colts)

I think we’re very confident in our team as a whole and our offense. I think with Jared leading the way, we feel good about it. We know it’s going to be about making good decisions, distributing the ball to the playmakers that we do have. Want to maintain a certain level of balance because of the confidence we have in our back that has done a lot of good things. So, as long as we just take it one play at a time, we expect him to make good decisions, throw with accuracy, timing and rhythm and if he does that, then I think he’ll give himself a chance to play good football for us.”

(On how he would compare where Goff was when he arrived versus where Goff is now)

“I think unless you’re with a guy, it’s always hard to truly evaluate him. What you see on tape from Jared before you ever get a chance to work with him and know the person – natural thrower of the football, he’s tough where he’ll stand in there and keep his eyes down the field. And then, in terms of building and developing a relationship with him, he’s been a joy to coach – very coachable, understands that it’s about correction not criticism and he takes things in stride really well. One of the things I like the most about him is, when things don’t go as we planned, he doesn’t flinch. I think that’s something that you see in a lot of good quarterbacks, their ability to respond from a bad play, because inevitably there will be some that occur at some point. You want to try to minimize those as much as possible. But, the more that I get to know him, the more that I’ve enjoyed being around him and looking forward to seeing him compete on Sunday.”

(On any specific areas that he’s seen improvement from Goff)

“I think any time that you get guys in the games, that’s where you get a chance to really evaluate them. I think we’ve been really pleased with what we’ve seen in practice – the pocket movement, the ability to work through progressions. The best test is when you can truly get tackled and I think in spurts, he’s showed some really good positive signs of going in the right direction with what he did in the preseason. Certainly this game on Sunday will offer a great opportunity for us to see if what we feel like the confidence that we have in him and that we expect to see. Looking forward to seeing him deliver and we have a lot of confidence in Jared that he’ll do that.”

(On where Goff was mentally when he arrived as head coach to where Goff is now)

“The thing that I really like is, when I got a chance to interview for the job, you talk to him about how he processed last year. Clearly, it didn’t go the way that we wanted it to go, but I sensed a guy that was motivated in the right ways. He didn’t lose any of his confidence, but I think it was something that has driven him to work harder moving into this year, motivated for the right reasons. I think that’s what you want from your quarterback. I’ve been impressed, like I was just saying, with his mental toughness and I think that’s going to serve him well for a long time to come.”

(On if he’s disappointed that Colts QB Andrew Luck isn’t playing and how he plans to attack QB Scott Tolzien)

“Well, I’ve got a lot of respect for Andrew Luck. To say that I’m disappointed not to see him, I probably wouldn’t say that (laughs). But, what I would say is that, a lot of respect for them as a team, for Scott Tolzien. And we know that it’s going to be a great challenge. I think they’ve got great players on that offense when you look at (WR) T.Y. Hilton, leading the league in receiving yards last year, (RB) Frank Gore’s got over 13,000 yards in his career. You know, (TE) Jack Doyle I think is one of the more underrated tight ends in this league, so they’ve got guys that have made plays. They’re tough up front. I think (offensive coordinator) Coach (Rob) Chudzinski does an excellent job in terms of the way that he attacks people, so it’s going to be a great challenge for us and looking forward to seeing how things go on Sunday.”

(On what keeps Colts RB Frank Gore on top of his game at age 34)

“I think he’s a pro’s pro. I don’t know Frank personally, but I’ve been around a lot of people that have been around Frank and it sounds like he’s all about the right things. He’s one of the more patient runners. I think he’s got a great feel for when he squares his shoulders off downhill. He’s able to just feel the way that a defense pursues and he always seems to get the ball in the right place based on the way that the plays blocked. Works edges on people, great ball security. He’s a guy that, he had a bunch of carries last year – only lost one fumble. So I think when you look at over the course of his career, when you see 13,000 yards, that production speaks for itself. Just watching the way that he competes he seems like he’s all about the right kind of stuff and you respect that as a coach.”

(On what he’s seen out of DT Tanzel Smart thus far and whether he’s a natural fit for the three-technique spot)

“I think Tanzel is one of those players that he’s a natural fit for anything, because all he does is exactly what you want him to do and he continues to get better every single day. I think it’s a huge credit to (Defensive Line) Coach (Bill) Johnson and (Defensive Quality Control) Coach (Thad) Bogardus with the work that they’ve done with him – obviously (Defensive Coordinator) Coach Wade (Phillips). But, I think he’s one of the more contentious players that we do have. What he’s supposed to do…you see, ‘Hey, there’s Smart again showing up doing exactly what he’s supposed to do – making a play, affecting the offense.’ Everybody wants to probably make a point about that he’s short, but he seems to be a guy who tips the ball as much as anybody. You feel him as an offensive coach, can’t say enough about how please we’ve been with what Tanzel’s done. Especially in (DT) Aaron’s (Donald) absence having him step up get some more opportunities that he wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. It’s been a great chance for him to take advantage of those reps and that’s exactly what he’s done.”

(On any update on DT Aaron Donald)

“No.”

(On if he has ruled out Donald for the game against the Colts Sunday at this point)

“No, I wouldn’t rule him out. We’re still in the same place. I know I kind of sound monotonous where, ‘Hey we’re trying to find a solution’, which is exactly the truth. There’s no update right now. Right now we had a great practice on a Wednesday and a lot of guys…you know you look at the Tanzel Smarts, (DE) Ethan Westbrooks. It’s offered an opportunity for (DE) Morgan Fox and some of those guys to get reps that they wouldn’t. You bring (DT) Tyrunn Walker back and I think they’ve capitalized on it. I think it’s allowed us to develop some depth that maybe we didn’t realize we had, so if you want to put a positive light on that. And then again, I’ll continue to praise our players for…we know they love and respect Aaron – want him to be here, but they haven’t let it be a distraction going into what we know is an extremely important game for us.”

(On if he reacts to a quarterback’s mistake differently as a head coach than he did previously as an offensive coordinator)

“No, I think especially being involved in the offense like you are. I think you always want to be mindful of how you communicate with your players. But, there’s a certainly level of expectation that we have in terms of the decision making, especially when it involves taking care of the football that we expect everybody to have. And that really goes anybody that has the football, but especially those quarterbacks because they touch it every single snap. I think the guys…I think you want to make sure that you’re firm with these guys, but it’s always in a positive way, where it’s about us figuring out how can we get better together. And like I mentioned earlier, it’s not about criticizing, it’s about correcting. You want to try to minimize that as much as possible. But I think when you’re able to develop and build a relationship like you’d like to think you had with the guys that I’ve worked with in Washington like I’m continuing to do with Jared (Goff) and Sean (Mannion). It enables you to coach them in a way where they know you have a high standard for them and you expect big time results. So that allows you to coach them hard and I think they respond in the right way and that’s what I’ve felt from those guys.”

(On if there’s anything during the week he’s been thinking about going into his first regular season game as a head coach)

“I think the biggest thing is, let’s just follow our preparation and our approach the right way to put ourselves in a position to try to play at an efficient level. Especially when you look at what you’re responsible for offensively – want to kind of keep that same rhythm that you had in Washington. I don’t want to try to do anything different. I don’t want…I think it’s just about us continuing to trust our process. You hear us talk about that all the time. We feel like we’ve established a good one in terms of our weekly rhythm leading up to the game. Certainly there’s a level of excitement that’s definitely different than what it’s been, but we want to go about it where it’s a very important game to us – just like any another game will be – and we’ll try to do the best that we can.”

(On if there’s anyone from his past that he will call to lean on for advice going into his first game as head coach)

“From a family standpoint, my dad and my grandpa have been some of the biggest influences in my life. My grandfather’s history in this business he’s just got such a great perspective on things where he’s seen it from the personnel side and the coaching side. And then, when I first got a chance to get into coaching in this league, working for (former Buccaneers Head Coach) Jon Gruden and then being around (Redskins Head Coach) Jay (Gruden) – those are two guys that I’m extremely close with, with the Gruden family as a whole. I know that I can always call them. I’ve talked quite frequently with Jay throughout the course of the preseason when things come up. He’s a great resource for me and I think we’ll even feel more comfortable sharing things with each other after Week 2.”

***

QB Jared Goff

(On the similarities between his first season at Cal and his first season with the Rams and the similarities between moving into the second season both at Cal and with the Rams)

“In some ways sure, but I think it’s completely different situations. There are some things that I definitely learned from that year, my freshman year, that I can carry over in how I approach this season. But yeah, I think as a whole we’ve really improved everywhere – not only offensively, but defensively, special teams, everywhere we’ve improved. I think I speak for a lot of people when I say we feel really good where we’re at.”

(On where he feels he’s improved the most since last year)

“I think just understanding the intent of stuff that we do and understanding what the defense is trying to do and what the intent of their calls are and different ways to attack it. With that, the game just begins to slow down a little bit. I think that’s what you ultimately feel. I felt it from year one to year two, at every level you’re at, you get that slowdown effect a little bit from those two years and I think it continues to slow down as time goes on.”

(On how he defines the difference from today compared to where he stood a year ago)

“Yeah, I’ve felt like I’ve answered this question many times, but yeah I feel good, I feel confident compared to last year. I think that obviously getting all the reps through the offseason has been huge and understanding what we’re trying to do and like I just kind of said, understanding so much more about the game and about what everyone’s intent is on the field. Ultimately, just comfortability and just being where I want to be mentally, physically, emotionally, everything.”

(On if he is going to have to work at all with keeping some of that in check initially going into the first game)

“Maybe a little bit. The first game of every season there is always a lot of jitters and a lot of excitement and I think you even saw it in the first preseason game – it tends to happen and it even gets more so for the first regular season game. Yeah, there will be some of that, but I’ve never really had many issues with being able to stay calm, so I’ll just continue to do what I do.”

(On if he every puts pressure on himself because he was a No. 1 overall pick)

“I don’t think so. I think I’ve always just tried to be the best player that I can be, day in and day out. Try to be the best teammate I can be, day in and day out and let the rest speak for itself. Don’t try to do more than you can do, do what you can do every day and that’s all that you can do.”

(On if it’s easy to have that mindset when everyone else on the outside keeps adding pressure)

“I think you have to. I don’t think you can pay attention to anything and put too much unneeded pressure on yourself. Like I said, everyday come in here and do the best you can and continue to be the best person, player, teammate you can be and ultimately at the end of the day it should be enough.”

(On how he will look to attack the Colts defense in the first game)

“I think we’ve done a good job so far up to this point game planning and getting a good sense of what they do defensively. They do a lot of things well and they do have a lot of good players there, so we’re excited to get a chance to see them this Sunday and get a chance to show off what we’ve worked on the last six to nine months.”

(On if that’s important for him)

“Very, yes. Very important.”

(On what is different from this coaching staff compared to last years’)

“I think they’ve done a great job. Since the moment I met (head coach) Sean (McVay) and the rest of the staff, I think they’ve done a great job not only getting myself ready, but getting (QB) Sean (Mannion) ready and getting the whole offense ready as a whole. I’ve felt like they’ve done an incredible job just changing the culture around here and doing a great job with not only the offense, but Sean peeks in on the defense at times and has done a great job just keeping everything in line.”

(On the overall vibe with Coach McVay compared to former Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher)

“Like I said, I just think he’s done a great job since he got in the building. Just getting everyone on the same page and continues to teach us and get us ready.”

(On how he will define success this season from a personal standpoint)

“You always want to win and that’s always the main point, but I think as long as we continue to keep getting better and continue to improve, I think the rest will take care of itself. You don’t want to say too much or say too little, but I think we’re happy with where we are right now and excited about the future and excited to go into this season and hopefully make some noise.”

(On if there is any disappointment with Colts QB Andrew Luck not playing in this game)

“I don’t think so. I think you go into the game, you’re playing the defense. I haven’t looked at a snap of their offensive film. It is cool to play some of the guys that I grew up watching sometimes. Like last year I got a chance to play against (Patriots QB Tom) Brady and (Saints QB Drew) Brees and that can be cool for the first series and then you kind of settle in and start doing your thing. But no, I think most of the time you’re playing against the defense.”

Rams Head Coach Sean McVay – September 2, 2017

(On the trade for Redskins TE Derek Carrier)
“Derek is a great guy. He brings some versatility to the position. He’s familiar with a lot of the verbiage, the terminology – he can play the ‘F’ position, he can play ‘Y’ in-line. So he can do a lot of things that will complement that group. Good athlete – he will be able to contribute for (special teams coordinator John Fassel) ‘Bones’. When you lose a (TE) Temarrick Hemingway, who was going to be a big part of what we wanted to do, (Carrier) was a guy that we had potentially targeted knowing the depth that the Redskins had at that position. We feel fortunate to be able to acquire Derek. He is going to be a big help to us.”

(On if there is an update on DT Aaron Donald)
“It’s the same. The dialogue’s been good and it’s where we kind of left it off the last time that we discussed that.”

(On if he is expecting Donald at practice on Monday)
“Like I said, we’re in a situation right now where the dialogue is ongoing. I still remain very optimistic. I’m always going to maintain that positive approach and that’s where we’re at. I know that our guys are working relentlessly to try to come to this solution and like we said, the level of urgency is certainly raised as we get closer and closer to our first regular season game. But, right now there is no update – kind of still where we’re at and the dialogue is back and forth with us and Aaron’s representation.”

(On how difficult cut day can be and how the process was his first time as a head coach)
“Yeah, I felt really good about just the way that we were able to come to decisions on our entire team, both with our offensive and defensive staffs, with (GM) Les (Snead) and his staff. I feel like the communication on all levels has been very good where we’ve kind of all been on the same page. Certainly the decisions weren’t easy, but I feel like because you have some many people that are good at what they do, are able to give their insight with their previous experience, it makes it as seamless as possible. But, with regards to some of those decisions in dealing with a lot of these players, it’s tough. I couldn’t say enough about just what a class act all the guys that we dealt with where you’re delivering unfortunate information, but what a joy these guys have been to be around – I speak for all of our coaches when I say that. I think it’s a representation of the type of guys that we have in this building, both that are still here and guys that were here. It was a special group of 90 men. I thank them for what they did and it was a great opportunity to be able to work with those guys. Unfortunately, with a lot of them we had to move in different directions and then a handful of them we’ll bring back to the practice squad, but it’s never fun. I think certainly being in this role for the first time where you’re kind of the first one delivering that information, it definitely has a different feeling to it. But, as long as you deal with these guys openly and honestly and when you’re dealing with good people like we were fortunate enough to do – an unfortunate and a tough day went as well as it could of I guess is the best way to put it.”

(On if he anticipates any changes with the roster between now and Monday)
“Yeah, that’s a good question. I think really when you look at it, as we continue to get all the guys that have been waived in and Les and his staff have done a nice job kind of sorting through those things. We’ve had an eye on a handful of guys that could be subject to being released that might potentially upgrade us. We haven’t gone through that. Those are discussions that we’ll have after this and kind of watching that waiver wire and see how things shape up. Then when everything kind of gets finalized tomorrow, we’ll be able to make the decisions if we stick with the guys we do have or if we decide to kind of make some swaps. You want to be smart about it, especially kind of being mindful of having that fifth spot where you’re at in the claim order where you might be able to potentially upgrade if we feel like a guy does give us that upgrade spot at one of those positions that we’re looking at.”

(On if offensive line is a position that can potentially be upgraded)
“Really you’re looking at all positions or spots that you can potentially upgrade and it depends on who becomes available. With us right now, currently keeping eight guys on the O-line because (T) Darrell (Williams) and (T) Andrew (Donnal) – Andrew is a guy that’s played both guard and tackle. I haven’t had a chance to evaluate a lot of him, but with (C) Austin Blythe being a center, I think we feel good about those eight right now. We’ll look at the waiver wire, but certainly it’s not a knock on the eight that we do have. Really, when you look at what Andrew does provide, he hasn’t been able to practice, but this is a guy that’s played all over the line. Darrell has done a nice job at tackle and then we feel good about what Austin has done at the center position.”

(On Donnal’s status)
“He was out there today. He was able to do some team work for the first time since the injury occurred. He’s a guy that it was tough because you’d like to see him out there and get acclimated and accustomed to a lot of the new techniques that we’re implementing, different than what they had done before. I feel like right when he was kind of hitting his stride at the end of the offseason program, you started to see him get comfortable with that and then unfortunately, the knee injury occurs right at the beginning of camp. But, Andrew is a guy that’s played a lot of football. A very smart player and that versatility is valuable, especially when you are talking about typically having seven guys active on game day and when you’ve got a guy that can fill a lot of needs they bring value to the team for sure.”

(On if CB Michael Jordan did not make the active roster because of the numbers at that position)
“I think so. I think really when you look at our secondary as a whole, both the corner and the safety position, it’s as deep a group as I’ve ever been around where you feel really good about the room from top to bottom. When you keep six safeties on the active roster and five corners, not to mention that when (CB) Troy Hill gets back you’re talking about potentially 12 DBs. But ‘Mike J’ is a guy that did a lot of good things. He got his hands on the ball, made some plays, closed a couple games out, but I think he’s a guy that can play in this league. I think it was more of a situation where we had such good depth at that positon and it became more of a numbers game, but I think Michael Jordan is definitely capable and I think he’ll get a shot somewhere.”

(On how the conversation went with TE Cory Harkey being released)
“Well, I think you guys know what a class act he is, what he’s meant to this organization. That was certainly a difficult discussion because of the type of player, the type of person he is, but like you guys would expect, what a class act, what a great human being. A good leader, kind of stands for all the right types of things in terms of what you’re looking for, for a guy to represent the organization the right way. That’s what he’s done over the last handful of years. He would still be on this team right now if it weren’t for the Derek Carrier trade where we were able to acquire Derek. So, it certainly wasn’t an easy discussion, but I wish nothing but the best for Cory and can’t say enough things about what he represents in terms of the toughness, the leadership, the character, all those good things that you want your players to embody, that’s what Cory Harkey is and that’s what he stands for. I think very highly of Cory.”

(On if he feels like he ever really got a chance to get a look at WR Nelson Spruce due to his injuries)
“It’s one of those situations when you talk to Nelson today, you say it’s unfortunate because he’s a good football player, he’s got great instincts, good, aggressive hands. Unfortunately, the injuries really kept him out of chances to really compete for a roster spot and it’s unfortunate. We’re hopeful that Nelson will get a spot and get a chance to compete somewhere else. We wish him nothing but the best, but again, that’s another position like you talk about the secondary with looking at some of the guys that we were able to acquire through free agency or a trade and then the two guys we added through the draft. We feel really good about the depth at the receiver positon. Just like at corner, you’re going to get (WR) Mike Thomas back after Week 4 and potentially some tough decisions to be made there, but we have six guys going into this season that you feel really good about where you have a chance to keep guys fresh because they’re interchangeable because you truly have confidence in all six of those guys if they’re targeted to be able to make the play.”

(On if he is committed to just going with QB Jared Goff and QB Sean Mannion and letting go of QB Dan Orlovsky)
“I think Dan – the value that Dan had for those guys especially being aware of how young Jared and Sean both are, I thought Dan was a great example of kind of providing a mentorship role for them. Being around some great players and then him having the experience that he’s had. I thought he was really helpful to those guys. Dan’s definitely a possible guy that we’ll bring back on this roster, so by no means does that mean that we couldn’t see him Week 2. I think very highly of Dan. I’ve heard a lot of great things about Dan from other people in the coaching world that have been with him and he certainly lived up to that reputation. He’s definitely a guy that could be a possibility for us to bring back in Week 2.”

(On what RB Justin Davis showed him to earn a spot on the active roster)
“I think, probably, the same things you guys noticed. He’s an explosive back that, I think he got better as the preseason progressed, really a conscientious player – was really impressed with just the maturity and growth in a short amount of time. I saw some things that improved in terms of his technique in the protection element. Obviously, when the ball’s in his hands and he puts his foot in the ground and decides to get vertical – you see an explosion and I think he’s a nice change-of-pace back. And when you look at really, I think (RB) Todd’s (Gurley) kind of that complete all-around back that can do a little bit of everything. You guys know how highly I think about Todd. Then I think (RB) Malcolm (Brown) is a nice guy that can kind of provide some carries in the first and second-down role. Then, really, when you look at what Justin does bring, if you’re looking for that change of pace back, very similar to the reason that we liked (RB) Lance Dunbar so much – that’s kind of what Justin has provided. We’re excited about Justin. We know that as a rookie some of the things that we’re going to ask him to do, it’ll be something that we’ll just take little steps at a time. Justin definitely earned his spot on this roster and we’ve been pleased with what he’s done throughout the preseason.”

(On if WR Tavon Austin will be ready for Week 1)
“He is, that’s the plan. Unless something changes, he’ll be our punt returner. He’s going to be a guy…not sure if you guys saw him moving around before the Green Bay game just getting a workout in. I asked him, “How he felt today? Yeah, I feel okay.’ I said, ‘Well if that’s how okay feels that’s great news for us, man.’ He looked pretty good. He looks healthy. He looks explosive and he looks like the Tavon Austin that we’re accustomed to seeing.”

(On how he feels about the defensive line outside of DTs Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers)
“I think (Defensive Line) coach (Bill) Johnson’s done a nice job developing some depth. I think when you really look at it – having those guys that you feel good about provides an opportunity to move guys around in a variety of roles based on the package that we’re playing. We’ll do some different things with our rush packages. When you’ve got guys that you feel like you can play, it allows them to be interchangeable and keep those guys fresh. We know what kind of special rusher (OLB) Robert Quinn is. You feel really good about (OLB) Connor Barwin. But what I think what’s been nice is you see the emergence of the (DT) Tanzel Smart. You know what ‘Lou’ (DT Louis Trinca-Pasat) brings inside as a solid player. I think (DE) Morgan Fox has done some good things and then bringing back (DT Tyrunn) Walker – all of those guys can do a little bit of everything. Like you already mentioned with ‘Brock’ (Michael Brockers) and I think the more guys that you can have that you feel like can fill a variety of roles – the fresher you can allow those guys to be where you’ve got a healthy rotation. That’s when those guys have a chance to be at their best.”

(On if he feels like this year was a strong draft class despite not having a first-round pick and considering so many made the final roster)
“I think (General Manager) Les (Snead) and his staff did a great job of kind of prioritizing that board and then allowing, when our coaches got involved in it, for us all to be on the same page and kind of come to a conclusion – especially with those guys early on. So far, we know that the season’s going to really give us a good idea of kind of where we’re at with those players. But from what we’ve seen with the offseason program going into training camp and the preseason – I think that there’s a lot of draft picks that we’re going to rely heavily on. I think you look at some of those guys especially offensively with the skill players that we drafted. (OLB) Samson’s (Ebukam) a guy that has flashed. And then you look at (OLB) Ejuan Price in the limited time that he’s had, you see why he was such a productive player at Pitt, (DT) Tanzel Smart. So, when you go back and you really look at it, you do feel good about what we were able to do through the draft and these are guys that we’re going to be counting on and looking forward to seeing these guys progress each and every day.”

(On what went into TE Johnny Mundt making the active roster)
“I think when you really look at it, John did a nice job the other night. He’s been a guy that…very smart, contentious player. I think he’s a guy that we’re really looking forward to developing. He’s a guy that…I don’t necessarily know how things will shape out, but when you do go get a (TE) Derek Carrier then it allows you to feel comfortable with that fourth tight end to go the route of where you’re going to be patient with a guy and allow him to develop, knowing that he had the ankle injury in the rookie minicamp – so he’s missed some time. But when he’s gotten out there and when you look at what he was able to do at Oregon, he’s got some ability. He’s got some talent – really contentious, smart. He has the ability to move around the formation a little bit. Then I think (Tight Ends Coach) Shane’s (Waldron) done a good job of getting him more comfortable playing in-line. It was good for John to make a couple plays the other night for his confidence. I think you see a little bit of flashes with him and he’s a guy that we’re looking forward to kind of just seeing how he progresses.”

(On if he expects most of his starters to practice this week)
“Yeah we are. Unless something changes, everybody’s going to be ready to go. That was kind of what we had out there today as well. So, with the exception of obviously (DT) Aaron (Donald) not being there, we had kind of all hands on deck and that was good. You know, you’ve got (LB Mark) Barron out there, you’ve got (OLB Robert) Quinn, (CB) Kayvon Webster is back and healthy. So, everybody that has missed some time was back out there and they did a nice job. It was good to see them move around.”

(On if Monday will be a full practice)
“It’ll be modified. I think what it is, is we want to be aware of using it to be able to get ahead on the Colts, but also want to be fresh. So, that when we do get into that normal game week preparation, because Tuesday will be a day off and then we’ll get right into our normal weekly rhythm that we’ll have throughout the course of the season. So, Monday will be a bonus day. I thought today was good for these guys to get out there, get a good sweat in, but really didn’t want to push it too much. We got some good competitive work. There’s a little bit of carryover kind of what we do offensively and defensively, where even when you’re going against each other, you’re seeing some similarities to what we’ll see from Indy offensively and defensively and it’s going to be a great challenge. We’re excited to get going and Monday will really represent the first day of true preparation for our team and for the Colts.”

(On if he is still hopeful that he will see Donald at practice on Monday)
“Oh yeah, I’m an optimistic guy. You know, I’m always going to take the positive approach, so nothing’s changed on my end. I know that with what I can do is try to help with that situation, I had some conversations with Aaron. Aaron’s a very special player to us and we want him here and we want him to be a part of this. I think with what these players have started to create, I think it would be special to have Aaron be a part of that, because of what we’ve talked about and some of the things that we want our players to represent and the way they go about their daily work. Everything that I’ve heard and in the short exposure that I’ve had to Aaron, he kind of personifies what we’re looking for. And I think the players have a huge amount of respect for him. We already know what the production that he’s had, that kind of speaks for itself. That’s why he’s an important part of what we’re trying to do. We’re going to try to come to a solution and a conclusion to this. I can’t tell you how happy I’ll be, hopefully, if I don’t have to answer any more of these questions about it (laughs).”

(On the tone of his conversations with Donald)
“I think the one thing that I would reiterate – (Executive Vice President of Football Operations/Chief Operating Officer) Kevin (Demoff), (General Manager) Les (Snead) and (Senior Assistant) Tony (Pastoors) have done a great job of kind of keeping me out of those discussions when it comes to the money and the specifics of it. And, Aaron and I’s discussions have been exclusive to you know, player/coach relationship types of things – what he’s missed out on, how much we can’t wait to get him back here. And Aaron loves football. He wants to be here. We respect their approach and where they’re at, their stance, kind of based on kind of what they want to get accomplished out of these things. But, with regards to mine and Aaron’s dialog, it’s been exclusively kind of player/coach football related stuff. And, that’s where I think it can be – that’s what you want it to be and that’s where I think it’s helpful and healthy for my role to be. That’s why you appreciate Les, Tony and Kevin taking that approach and kind of looking out. Let’s keep it about business with them and let them kind of get those things handled with the agents and you keep it about football with your players and that’s very helpful for me.”

(On who initiates those conversations with Donald)
“I’m kind of chasing him around like I’m chasing a girl in high school again right now (laughs). So, I reach out to Aaron, just like anything else. We’ve had a back-and-forth dialog. I’ve reached out to Aaron, but it’s kind of been a back-and-forth. He’s a guy that I enjoy talking to and I’ll enjoy it a lot more when I see him in person.”

(On if he thinks Donald will be ready to go once he gets back)
Yeah, well I think it’s going to be predicated on when he does get back. Aaron’s a special player. I know he’s taking good care of himself. Certainly there’s no substitute for actual practice and the stress that you get on your body when you’re putting pads on and the time in between plays. If there’s anybody that you feel like can try to mimic and emulate those things when he’s working out on his own, Aaron is one of those guys. But, we do definitely want to be aware of getting him back and being smart about it. While knowing that, if we do get it solved and come to a solution, he’s one of our best players – want to have him out there with his teammates, but not at the expense of not having a smart plan in place to where you rush him back and then it results in not having him for a couple weeks. So, hopefully those are things that we’ll have to figure out a plan sooner than later, but that’s definitely something based on when he comes back, we’ll have those discussions and that will involve (Director/Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie (Scott), (Strength and Conditioning coach) Ted (Rath), Aaron, our coaching staff and a lot of people involved in that conversation with how we feel like its best for our team and for him moving forward into the season.

(On if he is prepared for a scenario where Donald does not show up)
“Yeah. Certainly you have to. I think you always have to have those plans in place and I think that’s the one thing that you don’t want to have to do that, but I think what I would say that’s been such a breath of fresh air with our team and our players that have been here is, while they want to have Aaron back, they haven’t allowed it to be a distraction to what we’re trying to get done and guys are getting reps at the spot that you kind of project Aaron right now. I know that if that’s the case, they’ll be ready to go against Indianapolis and we got confidence in those guys to step up. Certainly, we know the type of player that Aaron is, but I think credit to the players right now that are here, they won’t allow it to be a distraction and if he does come back, everybody will welcome him back with open arms and be happy to have him.

Head Coach Sean McVay – August 28, 2017

(On why QB Jared Goff isn’t going to play at all against Green Bay)
“We’ve made the decision that we were going to get a chance to evaluate the guys that we’re not projecting as starters and get them an opportunity to compete against Green Bay. That will offer an opportunity as well for our starters to kind of start getting in the mindset of preparing for that Indianapolis game. Where, we’ll get a chance to still compete against each other like we did, but then we’ll also start moving towards what we’re going to do against the Colts on September 10th.”

(On Goff not playing against Green Bay even though he hasn’t played two full quarters in the preseason)
“Yeah, it’s something that we’ve gone back and forth with about. And, certainly not undermining how important that experience is for him. But, that’s why we’ve made a real big emphasis – especially with some of those guys that we’re really counting on that haven’t gotten that work – that, we’ve got to understand the importance of when we ramp up the tempo of practice, let’s make sure that we get something out of it. Even though nothing is quite like a game and that’s what the decision that we felt like was going to be best for our team and for our offense and some of the guys that we’ll rest on defense as well.”

(On if WR Tavon Austin was a full participant in practice today)
“He wasn’t a full participant. He might have been able to do that, but we’re going to be patient with him. He went through the individual drills. He feels good. In terms of letting him go full-speed where he’s getting into some of those competitive periods that you just saw, that might be something that we discuss about doing tomorrow with him. But, he’s in a good place right now and we feel like if we continue to take those steps, he’ll be in great shape to be ready to roll for that Indy game.”

(On if CB Kayvon Webster, LB Mark Barron and OLB Robert Quinn practiced today)
“They did. With Mark right now, we’re just being smart where, with that maintenance program like you’ve seen where we rested (T) Andrew Whitworth today, Mark’s going to be a guy that has kind of the same type of plan just based on being smart and having that September 10th date in place. Robert’s gotten a lot of rest. He did a great job today. You certainly felt him out there rushing the passer and Kayvon was a full participant and did a nice job as well today.”

(On how he envisions using WR Tavon Austin)
“Well, that’s a good question. I think we’re going to put him a quarterback actually (laughs). No, I think that’s something that’s unique about what you can do with a player like him. So that’s one of the advantages that we do have, if you’re going to look at a positive of him not having played this preseason. Haven’t put that on tape and I think that’s a competitive advantage that we’re still figuring out as a staff. But one thing that we do know is, he’s a special player and we’ve got to find a way to get him touches and get him involved because in the past, when the ball is in his hands good things have happened. That’s what we’re going to look to continue to do with him moving forward into the season.”

(On if not playing some of his key players in preseason puts the team behind the eight ball heading into the regular season)
“I think it’s certainly something that you always discuss because you have an appreciation for the importance of the preseason. But, I thought (Defensive Coordinator) Coach Wade (Phillips) said it best where, a lot of these guys that have played a lot of football, the important thing is being aware of allowing them to be at their best September 10th with their health, with everything else and trusting that they know how to prepare to the best of their ability. Not taking away from that, that’s definitely something that, in an ideal situation, we’d like to have all those guys having played together, getting ready, but just based on the circumstances that we’ve dealt with, we’ve made some of those decisions that the first time a lot of the guys will get an opportunity to play together is September 10th. We’re certainly not using that as an excuse to be rusty in any form or fashion. We just know that the level of urgency for these next 13 days has to be ramped up, especially for those guys that haven’t gotten a chance to play in the preseason.”

(On if he is going to take all 89 guys to Green Bay)
“We’ll take those guys. The only guys that we’ve left behind are guys that would be out because of an injury. So, we’ll take all those guys unless it’s something where a (TE) Temarrick Hemingwaysituation, or somebody that wouldn’t be able to play because of an injury. So, right now that’s the plan and that’s what we’re going to do.”

(On if WR Sammy Watkins is going to play against Green Bay)
“He won’t. No – he’s not going to play this week. I think when you talk about Sammy I think it’s very important for us as a coaching staff, to do a good job of getting a game plan together, so that we can start to trim his focus as well. I think that will enable him to be able to play faster, where we can detail up the assignments in a better way, to put him in a good spot. Because, as of right now, you look at the last couple weeks, he’s kind of just been thrown into the fire. We haven’t game-planned like we normally will, so in terms of the attention to detail and having more of a singular focus on a game plan as opposed to the whole playbook being up. I think it’ll make it a little bit easier for him and that’s something that we want to do sooner than later to allow him to play fast and be the best version of Sammy Watkins that we’ve all seen before.”

(On how he thinks WR Tavon Austin took the news about the Rams acquiring Watkins)
“He was great. I think the biggest thing…we always talk about clear communication with our players. Before it even happen we discussed that with the receiver room to let them know that we’re going to adding another good player to the room. That resulted in losing a great player in (CB) E.J. Gaines. I think as long as you deal with these guys upfront and honest – they’re great competitors. Tavon’s response was exactly like what you would expect. ‘I’m excited to have Sammy on this team. It makes our receiver room even better and it gives us the ability to utilize a variety of guys in a variety of ways and that’s where when you have a couple guys that can stretch the field or some intermediate underneath you always want to have complements. But, when you have guys that can do some of the same things, it gives you versatility as well.”

(On if there’s a specific area within the team that he’s going to focus on heading into the final preseason game)
“I think there’s specific players, but I think as far as just kind of looking at specific areas on the team every single position is so important. Right now, especially on offense and defense and some of those key guys that we’re trying to continue and figure out on special teams, it’s going to a great opportunity to evaluate some of those guys that fill will in those depth positions. Whether it be the inside linebacker position, some of those additional rushers that we’re looking at, guys that are going to be your back-up lineman, in addition to the five guys that we’re counting on being our starters. I think it’s going to offer a great opportunity to see a lot of players that, at some point just based on the way an NFL season goes, we’ll probably be relying on, where they’ll start out maybe providing depth but you never know what ends up happening. They’ll be a very important part of what we do so, that’s why this evaluation for us is very important over the next week.”

(On if there is anything that he needs to focus on in terms of his head coaching duties heading into the final preseason game)
“I think really the first three weeks has offered us a great opportunity to get that figured out. What you feel really good about, and you’ll continue to hear me say, is when you’ve got great leaders in (special teams coordinator) John Fassel and (defensive coordinator) Wade Phillips running your defense and your special teams – you feel very comfortable to allow them to do their job. What that frees you up to do is, really as a guy that’s going to be heavily involved in the offense calling the plays, be focused on that similarly to the way that you would approach it as an offensive coordinator. The difference is just making sure that when you get inside two minutes, John Fassel and I will be in constant communication which will mostly be relevant when we’re mostly on defense. Because, when you’re on offense calling the plays you’re more involved in some of those game-like situations. We’ve told Wade that if there’s ever a time where when the defense has the possession which has kind of naturally occurred over the first three weeks anyways – if I was talking to the quarterbacks or going through some pictures where you’re still making sure that you can transition from series to series, then his experience trusting his judgement if there’s a defense penalty – whether there’s a decision to accept or decline that has to be made right there if I’m not there, then you have a guy like him that you can empower for those decisions. We discussed all of the mechanics of you look at something as simple as the challenge. We talked about that where the reason (assistant to head coach) Billy (Nayes) has that flag and we joke about it the other day, but if for whatever reason being involved in the offense, a defensive challenge has to occur – where I’m kind of moving on to the next series. He’s got to be ready on the sideline to throw it for the ref and that’s again where you trust your defensive coaches up top to be able to say, ‘Hey definitely want to challenge it. You trust your assistants and ultimately, I’m the one that responsible for it. When you have great coaches around you, it enables you to feel comfortable with the game-day dynamics knowing that you’re going to be involved in the offense. I know that’s kind of a long-winded answer, but I think it’s been a great way to figure that out and feel very comfortable going into the regular season with kind of the way that we have it laid out.”

more statue controversies
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statues:https://theconversation.com/statues-of-medical-racist-who-experimented-on-slaves-should-also-be-taken-down-82704?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#link_time=1503679553

Confederate generals are not the only statues causing public outrage in the US. On Saturday, protesters gathered in New York City’s Central Park to call for the removal of a monument to James Marion Sims – the “father of gynaecology” – a doctor who bought, sold and experimented on slaves.

There are two other Sims statues on state-owned property. One is in Columbia, South Carolina, and the other in Montgomery, Alabama. In an interview with MSNBC, Steve Benjamin, the mayor of Columbia, recently agreed that the local Sims statue should come down “at some point”. Now the New York Academy of Medicine has reissued a statement supporting the removal of Sims’ effigy from Central Park.

Over the past five decades, a small army of academics – including social historians, feminists, African American scholars and bioethicists – have reached a consensus that Sims’ medical research on enslaved patients was dangerous, exploitative and deeply unethical – even by the standards of his times. And doctors at the Medical University of South Carolina, in Sims’ home state, have publicly acknowledged Sims’ overt medical racism.
James Marion Sims. R. O’Brien/Wikimedia Commons

The ongoing removal of statues that celebrate the Confederacy and other forms of white supremacy, is an opportunity to also correct the problem of Sims’ troubling presence on the symbolic landscape of America’s past.
Searching for victims

It is common knowledge that Sims was a slave owner during the years he practised medicine in Montgomery, Alabama. It is also well known that he performed dangerous experiments on enslaved women, men and babies. These experiments were so dangerous that even his friends and fellow doctors told him that he was going too far.

The evidence of Sims’ medical malpractice is apparent from the extensive published case notes of the procedures he performed and from his autobiography, The Story of My Life. In his autobiography, Sims revealed that the most “memorable era” of his life was between 1844 and 1849, during which he recollected that “there was never a time that I could not, at any day, have had a subject for operation”.

In same years, he doubled the size of his private hospital for enslaved patients, “ransacking country around” Montgomery for incurable cases of vesico-vaginal fistula (an abnormal tract between the bladder and vagina). Enslaved women were particularly prone to this side effect of childbirth, due to the coercive “breeding” practices of slave-owners and widespread sexual exploitation. For Sims’ fistula patients, the memory of these years would have been unbearable, as they were subject to repeated surgery, without anaesthesia.

Sims is a typical example of a slave-owning, slave-trading, racist medical researcher, of which there were an abundance in antebellum America. Medical experiments on the enslaved were commonplace throughout the era of slavery. Sims, however, proved particularly shrewd in having positioned his medical practice and backyard private hospital at the heart of Montgomery’s booming slave-trading district….see link

Goff already notices a difference with Rams’ new O-line

Alden Gonzalez

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/post/_/id/34995/jared-goff-already-notices-a-difference-with-rams-new-o-line

HOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The Los Angeles Rams’ offense flowed better — better than it did at any point last season — during Saturday’s preseason game against the Oakland Raiders, which offered the first meaningful sample size under this new, offensive-minded coaching staff. Jared Goff was more efficient, Todd Gurley was more patient, the receivers and tight ends were more, well, open.

But there was something else: The pocket looked cleaner, a product of a new offensive line that should be a lot stronger on Goff’s blind side.

Goff himself is already noticing the difference.

“No doubt,” the second-year quarterback said. “I think just as a whole, they’ve really worked together. They’re starting to jell, and I think you saw that last Saturday. The Oakland defensive line is no slouch. They’ve got some dudes over there, and they did a great job keeping them away and giving me a good pocket. It wasn’t just throw it and get hit; it was clean the whole night. It was. No one really around me.”

Behind the Rams’ offensive line last season, Goff absorbed an NFL-high 25 sacks over the final six weeks and Gurley averaged 1.59 yards before first contact for the entire season, ranked 41st among 42 running backs with enough carries to qualify.

The Rams have since replaced Greg Robinson, one of the game’s worst left tackles, with Andrew Whitworth, one of the game’s best. They kept Rodger Saffold, their best offensive lineman last season, at left guard. And they brought in veteran center John Sullivan, who spent last season as a backup under Sean McVay — now the Rams head coach — with the Redskins and seems to be fully recovered from prior back injuries. On the right side are third-year players Rob Havenstein (tackle) and Jamon Brown (guard).

Gurley needed only eight carries to reach 38 rushing yards Saturday, and Goff only took one sack, courtesy of reigning defensive player of the year Khalil Mack. Through the first two preseason games, Pro Football Focus has the Rams’ first-team offensive line allowing just three pressures on 109 pass-blocking attempts.

That is stunningly low for any team, but particularly the Rams.

“It’s been a good camp,” Gurley said. “We’ve been getting better. Each game, we’ll see how we do. We just have to go out there and just compete and communicate. Even though I might have a 1-yard run, we may have done one or two things, whether it’s me or a lineman or someone back side — 1-yard runs can always be 20-yard runs. It’s just the little things, going out there and communicating. Then the next game, having the same exact look and making sure we get it right.”

The concept of schizophrenia is coming to an end – here’s why

https://theconversation.com/the-concept-of-schizophrenia-is-coming-to-an-end-heres-why-82775

The concept of schizophrenia is dying. Harried for decades by psychology, it now appears to have been fatally wounded by psychiatry, the very profession that once sustained it. Its passing will not be mourned.

Today, having a diagnosis of schizophrenia is associated with a life-expectancy reduction of nearly two decades. By some criteria, only one in seven people recover. Despite heralded advances in treatments, staggeringly, the proportion of people who recover hasn’t increased over time. Something is profoundly wrong.

Part of the problem turns out to be the concept of schizophrenia itself.

Arguments that schizophrenia is a distinct disease have been “fatally undermined”. Just as we now have the concept of autism spectrum disorder, psychosis (typically characterised by distressing hallucinations, delusions, and confused thoughts) is also argued to exist along a continuum and in degrees. Schizophrenia is the severe end of a spectrum or continuum of experiences.

Jim van Os, a professor of psychiatry at Maastricht University, has argued that we cannot shift to this new way of thinking without changing our language. As such, he proposes the term schizophrenia “should be abolished”. In its place, he suggests the concept of a psychosis spectrum disorder.

Another problem is that schizophrenia is portrayed as a “hopeless chronic brain disease”. As a result, some people given this diagnosis, and some parents, have been told cancer would have been preferable, as it would be easier to cure. Yet this view of schizophrenia is only possible by excluding people who do have positive outcomes. For example, some who recover are effectively told that “it mustn’t have been schizophrenia after all”.

Schizophrenia, when understood as a discrete, hopeless and deteriorating brain disease, argues van Os, “does not exist”.

Breaking down breakdowns

Schizophrenia may instead turn out to be many different things. The eminent psychiatrist Sir Robin Murray describes how::

I expect to see the end of the concept of schizophrenia soon … the syndrome is already beginning to breakdown, for example, into those cases caused by copy number [genetic] variations, drug abuse, social adversity, etc. Presumably this process will accelerate, and the term schizophrenia will be confined to history, like “dropsy”.
Research is now exploring the different ways people may end up with many of the experiences deemed characteristic of schizophrenia: hallucinations, delusions, disorganised thinking and behaviour, apathy and flat emotion.

Indeed, one past error has been to mistake a path for the path or, more commonly, to mistake a back road for a motorway. For example, based on their work on the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which is transmitted to humans via cats, researchers E. Fuller Torrey and Robert Yolken have argued that “the most important etiological agent [cause of schizophrenia] may turn out to be a contagious cat”. It will not.

Toxoplasma gondii – likely a cause of ‘schizophrenia’, unlikely the most important. Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock
Evidence does suggest that exposure to Toxoplasma gondii when young can increase the odds of someone being diagnosed with schizophrenia. However, the size of this effect involves less than a twofold increase in the odds of someone being diagnosed with schizophrenia. This is, at best, comparable to other risk factors, and probably much lower.

For example, suffering childhood adversity, using cannabis, and having childhood viral infections of the central nervous system, all increase the odds of someone being diagnosed with a psychotic disorder (such as schizophrenia) by around two to threefold. More nuanced analyses reveal much higher numbers.

Compared with non-cannabis users, the daily use of high-potency, skunk-like cannabis is associated with a fivefold increase in the odds of someone developing psychosis. Compared with someone who has not suffered trauma, those who have suffered five different types of trauma (including sexual and physical abuse) see their odds of developing psychosis increase more than fiftyfold.

Smoking skunk every day increases your odds of developing a psychotic disorder fivefold. Pe3k/Shutterstock
Other routes to “schizophrenia” are also being identified. Around 1% of cases appear to stem from the deletion of a small stretch of DNA on chromosome 22, referred to as 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. It is also possible that a low single digit percentage of people with a schizophrenia diagnosis may have their experiences grounded in inflammation of the brain caused by autoimmune disorders, such as anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, although this remains controversial.

All the factors above could lead to similar experiences, which we in our infancy have put into a bucket called schizophrenia. One person’s experiences may result from a brain disorder with a strong genetic basis, potentially driven by an exaggeration of the normal process of pruning connections between brain cells that happens during adolescence. Another person’s experiences may be due to a complex post-traumatic reaction. Such internal and external factors could also work in combination.

Either way, it turns out that the two extreme camps in the schizophrenia wars – those who view it as a genetically-based neurodevelopmental disorder and those who view it as a response to psychosocial factors, such as adversity – both had parts of the puzzle. The idea that schizophrenia was a single thing, reached by a single route, contributed to this conflict.

Implications for treatment

Many medical conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension, can be reached by multiple routes that nevertheless impact the same biological pathways and respond to the same treatment. Schizophrenia could be like this. Indeed, it has been argued that the many different causes of schizophrenia discussed above may all have a common final effect: increased levels of dopamine.

If so, the debate about breaking schizophrenia down by factors that lead to it would be somewhat academic, as it would not guide treatment. However, there is emerging evidence that different routes to experiences currently deemed indicative of schizophrenia may need different treatments.

Preliminary evidence suggests that people with a history of childhood trauma who are diagnosed with schizophrenia are less likely to be helped by antipsychotic drugs. However, more research into this is needed and, of course, anyone taking antipsychotics should not stop taking them without medical advice. It has also been suggested that if some cases of schizophrenia are actually a form of autoimmune encephalitis, then the most effective treatment could be immunotherapy (such as corticosteroids) and plasma exchange (washing of the blood).

Not everyone diagnosed with schizophrenia is helped by antipsychotic drugs. sylv1rob1/Shutterstock
Yet the emerging picture here is unclear. Some new interventions, such as the family-therapy based Open Dialogue approach, show promise for a wide range of people with schizophrenia diagnoses. Both general interventions and specific ones, tailored to someone’s personal route to the experiences associated with schizophrenia, may be needed. This makes it critical to test for and ask people about all potentially relevant causes. This includes childhood abuse, which is still not being routinely asked about and identified.

The potential for different treatments to work for different people further explains the schizophrenia wars. The psychiatrist, patient or family who see dramatic beneficial effects of antipsychotic drugs naturally evangelically advocate for this approach. The psychiatrist, patient or family who see drugs not working, but alternative approaches appearing to help, laud these. Each group sees the other as denying an approach that they have experienced to work. Such passionate advocacy is to be applauded, up to the point where people are denied an approach that may work for them.

What comes next?

None of this is to say the concept of schizophrenia has no use. Many psychiatrists still see it as a useful clinical syndrome that helps define a group of people with clear health needs. Here it is viewed as defining a biology that is not yet understood but which shares a common and substantial genetic basis across many patients.

Some people who receive a diagnosis of schizophrenia will find it helpful. It can help them access treatment. It can enhance support from family and friends. It can give a name to the problems they have. It can indicate they are experiencing an illness and not a personal failing. Of course, many do not find this diagnosis helpful. We need to retain the benefits and discard the negatives of the term schizophrenia, as we move into a post-schizophrenia era.

What this will look like is unclear. Japan recently renamed schizophrenia as “integration disorder”. We have seen the idea of a new “psychosis spectrum disorder”. However, historically, the classification of diseases in psychiatry has been argued to be the outcome of a struggle in which “the most famous and articulate professor won”. The future must be based on evidence and a conversation which includes the perspectives of people who suffer – and cope well with – these experiences.

Whatever emerges from the ashes of schizophrenia, it must provide better ways to help those struggling with very real experi

Rams Head Coach Sean McVay – – August 12, 2017

(On if the game went by quickly)

“It did, it went by really quickly. The one thing that I’m going to have to continue to get used to is the transition in between offensive series where you’re kind of getting some thoughts together but still being involved with what’s going on with defense and special teams. But what you feel really great about is having great leaders like (defensive coordinator) Wade Phillips and (special teams coordinator) John Fassel to be able to run those units. They kind of seamlessly operate, but I think it’s still important for me to be mindful of being in control of those game situations and what’s going on and how that affects our decision making. But we’ll take the win however we can get it. Certainly there’s going to be a lot of things that we need to clean up, but I thought it was a great opportunity to get out in front of our fans and come away with a win and the atmosphere was outstanding.”

(On QB Jared Goff capitalizing on the fumbled punt)

“I think that’s huge. Really other than points, turnovers end up being the biggest indicator of wins and losses if you just look at the stats for the last handful of years. Specifically, offensively, we have to do a way better job of taking care of the ball. We only lost one tonight, but we put in on the ground way too many times. Fortunately, the red zone touchdown that we had ended up with (WR) Cooper Kupp falling on that fumble. There were some good things to take away. I thought our defense flew around and I think our special teams units continue to do a nice job. We have to be careful of avoiding the penalties both offensively and on special teams. But like I said, we’ll take the win however way we can get it.”

(On what he thought of Goff’s performance)

“I thought he did a nice job. When you really look at the limited amount of snaps and plays that he did have. The first throw of the game we came out with a quick gain and Dallas did a good job of matching it but that’s where we have to be patient and ready to sit on our back foot and let (WR) Robert Woods see that throw and get a completion play there. But did a great job on the keeper where he changed the launch point and found Cooper Kupp on the crossing route after we got the turnover from our special teams. And then really the other two completions, the one to Robert Woods on third-down in the red zone and then (RB) Todd (Gurley) on the check down where they did a good job on third-and-long playing deep to short, found his check down and with a back like Todd, you feel good about his opportunity to be able to move the chains in some of those situations.”

(On is he saw from Goff what he hoped to see)

“I think so. I think the one thing that you feel good about with him is he comes to you during the game and says, ‘I wish I had that first play back,’ where you’re able to kind of let Robert (Woods) see that throw and get a completion right off the bat. But those are the kind of expectations that we have for him and we expect him to have that for himself and he does. We know that there are always things that we can do a little bit better, myself included and I think it provides a great opportunity for us to learn and move forward to the Raiders next week.”

(On what he said to RB Justin Davis after the fumble)

“I think he was clearly disappointed. That was a big time turnover that we had down in the red zone. But you can see the explosiveness that Justin (Davis) does have. I just told him, I said, ‘Hey, let’s be mindful of taking better care of the football, we’re going to give you an opportunity and more interested now in seeing how you respond, not about what just happened.’ I thought he did a good job responding. He broke out that 30-plus yard run at the beginning of the second half. You can feel that he’s a great back with good explosion, good change of pace, he’s very productive in the receiving game as well, but we certainly have to do a better job as a running backs group as a whole taking better care of the football. I know he’ll be one of those guys that we’ll really focus on here in this next week.”

(On if those are the instincts he has come to expect from WR Cooper Kupp)

“Yeah, I think he’s one of those players that just seems to always be in the right spot. I think that’s a credit to his football IQ and his level of urgency when he recognized what was going on and it ended up being the difference in us winning and losing that football game tonight. He’s going to continue to improve. Very smart, conscientious player like you guys have heard me say. We feel fortunate to have Cooper on our team.”

(On if the fumbles are a result of the lack of hitting in training camp)

“I think that’s a great point. You always want to be mindful of how you practice. You want to try to mimic and emulate those game-like situations as much as possible without the risk of injury. And that’s sometimes the thing that you suffer from is when you are able to get tackled with live hits, ball gets a little bit loose when you’re not as conscientious about it. Those are things that I as a coach have to do a better job of finding ways to creatively implement a more structured environment so that it can be something that we do a better job with especially offensively.”

(On if he got the chance to meet with WR Sammy Watkins today)

“I did. He just got in where his flight got in and it gave us a chance to spend a little bit of time together pregame. A really impressive person. I got a chance to talk to him. There’s a lot of similar people that we’ve crossed paths with that have reached out to me since we acquired him and can’t say enough good things about him. Was really impressed with the way that he carried himself. Can’t wait to go to work and like we’ve said, he’s a special player and we’re excited about adding him to our offense.”

(On if a month is enough time to get Watkins settled in)

“I think you don’t want to take away from the offseason program and what training camp has already entailed. But I think we just have to have a bigger level of urgency then maybe you would with somebody else when you have month to get ready for that September 10 date. I know that he’s a guy that’s excited about getting to learn it and immediately get immersed in the system. I think that you just make sure that you pay a little closer attention. We’ve got a couple receiver coaches with Eric Yarber, who does an excellent job and then we’ve got an assistant in Zac Taylor who’s a great coach too. They’ll be able to split up those duties and maybe one of them will be able to pay closer attention in trying to get Sammy up to speed. That’s going to be an important part of what we’re doing.”

(On if he expects Goff to get more reps as the exhibition season moves along)

“Yeah, typically what our plan would be is ideally 6-10 or a scoring drive which we were able to do tonight and next week we’ll probably play through a series into the second quarter and then that third preseason game will offer us an opportunity as a first team offense to play a first half and maybe a series into the third quarter. Those will be the things that we’ll discuss and monitor as a coaching staff but the goal is to get him more work through those first three weeks as we progress.”

(On why he didn’t have Goff play more)

“I think because we were mindful of getting some of the veteran offensive lineman out. We wanted to make sure we got Todd some touches but got him out. Wanted to him to play with guys that we anticipate him playing with by the time the regular season rolls around. We’re all a product of our previous experiences. My experience in Washington being with (Head) Coach (Jay) Gruden, that was the plan that we had and it seemed to work out pretty well as far as what you had with those guys that are your starters. That’s why we went about it the way we did tonight.”

(On his initial impressions about his offensive line)

“Until you get a chance to really go back and look at the film because of all five and the continuity upfront, it’s really difficult to say. We had a couple runs where it seemed like they got into our backfield, but I think when you’ve looked at that group as a whole, feel really good about some of those players and now it’s about gelling together. I think when you look at (RG) Jamon Brown and (RT) Rob Havenstein having gone back and forth between guard and tackle. I feel like Rob’s really settling in nice at that tackle position and Jamon’s will be our right guard right now unless something changes. I think it’s about those guys getting more and more comfortable. They’re talented players, but they’re still very young in terms of their experience. And then when you look at the left side, these are veteran players that have never played together. So it’s about them being able to establish that continuity with those five. We feel very good about them and we know that, like anybody else on this team, we have room for improvement but I think we have a chance to be pretty good upfront with those guys.”

***

Rams QB Jared Goff – – August 12, 2017

(On if he got a lot out of the limited snaps he had tonight)

“Yeah, I was happy with what we were able to, fortunately, do there with the muffed punt and finish off that drive. You don’t design it to go that way, but sometimes the ball bounces your way and we took advantage of it.”

(On how he thinks he handled himself in the game)

“I was happy. That first throw I would like to have back. We talked about it on the sideline, I would have had a perfect night with a four-for-four, but it’s a good one to learn from. I was happy, like I said, with the way we finished.”

(On how things went with Head Coach Sean McVay as the play caller)

“It was great. It was really good. I was talking with (QB) Dan (Orlovsky) and (QB) Sean Mannion about it all night. Just the way he verbalizes things, the way he’s able to communicate with us and give us little tips in the play call and stuff to remember, little reminders is so helpful and it was really good.”

(On his reaction to the trade for WR Sammy Watkins)

“We were in meetings and we break meetings and I look at my phone – like 50 text messages like, ‘Sammy Watkins. Sammy Watkins.’ I was like, ‘What? What happened?’ Obviously we got him and you hate to lose a guy like (Former Rams CB) E.J. (Gaines). I think E.J. is a special player and a really special teammate. I think he was a really good guy, so you hate to lose him. But, we’re excited about Sammy and excited to see what he can do.”

(On the weapons he has with the addition of Watkins)

“Yeah, absolutely. Like you said, you start stacking guys like that – you start building a pretty good roster on the perimeter there. Again, I’m excited to see what he can do along with the other guys.”

(On RB Justin Davis’ performance)

“Yeah, he had a good game. His return to the (Los Angeles Memorial) Coliseum I guess, right? I thought he ran well. I thought he ran really well and I think the best part of it was that he had that fumble and came back and kept running really, really well and that’s good to see. You want to have a guy with short memory like that and he did a good job. I thought (RB) Todd (Gurley) did a good job for the limited plays he had as well.”

(On if he views this as a building block heading into the regular season)

“Yeah, I think it’s just like any other game – you take good things from it, you take bad things from it and you just try to learn from it and get better. Especially preseason one, our first time back out there it’s a bunch of fumbles. We have to eliminate that if we want to continue to be good and be good September 10th against the Colts, but I think there was a lot of good things that we can take away from it and a lot of things to learn from for sure.”

(On what he was trying to focus on from the sidelines once his playing time was over)

“I was trying to do my best to help Sean (Mannion) and then just try to talk to the guys, keep those guys encouraged, keep their heads up and just try to do my job.”

(On if he’s happy where he is right now)

“Yeah, we went out and scored on the first drive. That’s what we’re supposed to do. Well, I guess one and a half, right? We had that punt and again, don’t like to start it that way, but the ball bounced our way, we got lucky and took advantage of it. Yeah, if my job is to take us down the field and score and we did that on our first drive today, so I was happy with it. Again, the second drive, I guess.”

(On what he thinks the process is going to be like with integrating Watkins into the offense)

“He’s obviously a weapon. His track record speaks for itself and what he’s able to do. I think he’s a guy who can stretch the field. I think that’s what we get from him, obviously right away. I also think he’s not only a really good guy, but works hard – just from what I’ve gathered so far. He’s excited to be here. He’s excited to get to work, and just briefly talking with him over the phone and on the sideline really quickly, just getting a feel for him – he seems like a really determined guy and excited about a fresh start.”

(On if building chemistry with Watkins will be a big adjustment)

“It won’t be an adjustment. It’ll take a couple days throwing to him, but it’s just like anybody else that’s a new player.”

***

RB Todd Gurley – – August 12, 2017

(On how he’s feeling at this point)

“I’m feeling good man. Obviously, it’s hard to get started with just a couple plays, but just to be out there, just get the goosebumps off and be with the offense. It was good to be out there watching guys. Just watching guys like (WR Nelson) Spruce, man everything’s good.”

(On what he was personally looking to accomplish tonight)

“Obviously, the first thing you want to go out there and execute, put some points on the board. We were able to do that, I mean, not the way we wanted to, but we’re still happy. We’re excited.”

(On if WR Sammy Watkins coming to the team takes some pressure off of him)

“Well, with him and (WR Nelson) Spruce out there, it will take a lot of pressure off of me. I’m just happy to have those additions to my team and he’s a playmaker.”

***

RB Justin Davis – – August 12, 2017

(On how playing in the Coliseum as a pro is different than when we played at USC)

“Oh man, when I walked in the locker room, it was kind of surreal at first because you’ve got everything covered up and its different colors and what not, but at the end of the day, it’s home for me. When I got out on the grass, all the memories started to come back and it just felt like home. I love to be here.”

(On what he expects this team will bring energy-wise)

“Going forward, it’s going to be a whole lot of things that we’re going to do that will break the defense down in coverage. Coach McVay, he’s a very smart guy. He knows how to take advantage of match-ups and we just listen to what he says, because it’s always going to be right. He puts us in a great position going forward and we’re going to turn a lot of heads.”

(On how he felt adjusting to the speed of the game tonight)

“Well, my first NFL game it was – I made a couple mistakes here and there, but all that matters is how I bounce back and how I can eliminate those mistakes in the future, because it’s different than college. It’s a whole lot different. It’s more intense, faster, players are smarter. That’s just me, I’ve got to adjust to that and I’ve got to do it quicker than slower. So just going forward, I’m going to look back at the mistakes and try to avoid them and just do better next time.”

***

Rams WR Cooper Kupp – – August 12, 2017

(On emotions going out there for his first game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the first drive)

“It was fun, things were moving fast. I think when you hear about the first drive, everything is kind of just moving quick and thinking about a lot of things, and knowing it would calm down a little bit. Just getting into the groove of the game. It was fun. I had a great time. You know this, but obviously, like with everything you do, there’s a lot to go back and look at. I even know before watching the film there’s a lot of stuff that I need to improve on. So, I’m excited to be able to go back and get to work on that.”

(On playing for Head Coach Sean McVay for the first time and the energy he’s been able to bring to the offense)

“It’s incredible, very smart coach one of the smartest I’ve played under and with that he just brings this sense of calming that think any head coach wants to be able to exude; just even keel. And guys what to play for him. I step on the field and I want to play for him and that’s a huge thing, I think, and very fortunate to be here.”

(On feeling like he was the only player going for the ball in the end zone and if he thought it would be called dead)

“Well afterwards, I thought that they were…I think they did review it, but I thought it was a close call. Actually, I was able to get a glimpse of it and it was just kind of a bang, bang play. If there’s any doubt you would still want to be on the ball.”

(On how he feels he’ll fit alongside WR Sammy Watkins and what was his thoughts when he heard about the trade)

“I can’t wait to get on the field with him. He’s an incredible athlete, incredible football player. Got to talk with him a little bit together on the sideline and he’s really excited about being able to step out on the field and play together. I think the mix of receivers we have in the room is awesome and there’s competition, but it’s healthy competition – challenging each other and pushing each other to be the best that we can be. I’m excited about that.”

***

Rams LB Alec Ogletree – – August 12, 2017

(On what he saw from the defense tonight)

“I thought we played pretty well. We still got a lot to learn and we always…wish we could have finished the game up with the interception but we were able to close it out. I felt pretty good about it for sure this year.”

(On facing the Cowboys in the regular season this year)

“We got a game next week that we got to worry about first and then our first game is against the Colts, so when we get to that game against the Cowboys then we’ll worry about that week. So, it’s good competition. You got a lot of young guys out there for the first time and we were able to finish out the game.”

(On when he thinks DT Aaron Donald will arrive to be with the team)

“Yeah, I mean he’ll be back when he gets back here. Like we said, we’ll welcome him back when he gets back. Until then, there’s a business side to this and he needs to take care of for him and his family, so we support him and definitely want him back for sure.”

Rating the job security of every NFL head coach

ESPN.com

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/page/32for32x170810/nfl-rating-preseason-job-security-all-32-nfl-head-coaches-2017-hot-seat

Who will be the first NFL coach to be fired this season? Chicago Bears coach John Fox, Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano and New York Jets coach Todd Bowles own the hottest seats at the moment, according to NFL nation reporters.

We rated each coach’s job security on a scale of 1 to 5.

Here’s the scale on which each coach was rated:

5: Hot seat: Out if the season is a disappointment
4: Warm seat: Not safe if the season is a disappointment
3: Lukewarm seat: Not under fire but not disaster-proof
2: Cool seat: Safe barring a total disaster
1: Cold seat: No way he’ll get fired

Rating: 5 = Hot seat

Chicago Bears
John Fox: 5

Fox is 9-23 in Chicago. Let me repeat: Fox has lost 23 of 32 games as coach of the Bears. It got so bad last season that a lot of fans didn’t even bother to show up to Soldier Field the final couple of weeks. Fox took Carolina and Denver to Super Bowls — he has won 128 career regular-season games — but unless the Bears show significant improvement in 2017, it’s hard to envision Fox being around for another season. — Jeff Dickerson

Indianapolis Colts
Chuck Pagano: 5

Pagano survived back-to-back 8-8 seasons in which the Colts missed the playoffs. Owner Jim Irsay fired general manager Ryan Grigson and has only said Pagano will be coach for this season. Irsay is passionate about winning, and GM Chris Ballard will use this season to evaluate Pagano. Missing the playoffs for a third straight season won’t cut it. — Mike Wells

New York Jets
Todd Bowles: 5

Bowles doesn’t have a playoff mandate, according to owner Woody Johnson, but he must move the franchise in the right direction. That’s a tall order, considering the Jets have one of the worst rosters. Is it fair? No, but Johnson is known for letting public sentiment cloud his judgment — and the public won’t be happy with Bowles if there’s no glimmer of hope. Bowles is 15-17. The most recent Jets coach to survive after beginning with three non-playoff seasons was Walt Michaels in the late 1970s. — Rich Cimini
———————————————————————————–
Rating: 4 = Warm seat

Cincinnati Bengals
Marvin Lewis: 4

Lewis is going into the season with no new contract in sight, and even Bengals owner Mike Brown admitted that it might put a little pressure on their longtime coach. But the Bengals have given Lewis a contract after a previous down season. Brown has said there are no parameters that would guarantee a contract, so “playoffs or bust” might not apply here. Still, Lewis probably will need to show that the team is going in the right direction to be renewed. — Katherine Terrell
————————————————————————–
Rating: 3 = Lukewarm seat

Baltimore Ravens
John Harbaugh: 3

Some will contend that the seat is hotter than this, but Harbaugh won a Super Bowl in 2012, beat the rival Steelers in the playoffs in 2014 and still ranks among the top 10 coaches in the NFL. Sure, he has missed the playoffs in three of the past four seasons, which has ratcheted up the pressure. But if the Ravens decide to part ways with Harbaugh, he wouldn’t be out of a job for long. — Jamison Hensley

Detroit Lions
Jim Caldwell: 3

The Lions are coming off a playoff berth last season, and Caldwell has reached the postseason in two of his three seasons in Detroit. But the way the team reached the playoffs last season is a bit concerning (losing the last three regular-season games and being handled easily by Seattle in the wild-card round).

Caldwell isn’t general manager Bob Quinn’s hire, and Quinn could eventually want his own guy. Also, this is the last year of Caldwell’s contract, and as of now, no extension has been announced. A poor season could leave the Lions with a tough decision to make. — Michael Rothstein

Houston Texans
Bill O’Brien: 3

Back-to-back 9-7 seasons and AFC South titles would normally keep a coach away from the hot seat. But O’Brien has said that the Texans’ offense needs to get better, and by taking over playcalling and not hiring an offensive coordinator, he has put that need to improve on himself. O’Brien has two years left on his contract, but he has not signed an extension. It’s unlikely owner Bob McNair will let him coach with one year left, so this is a big season for O’Brien. — Sarah Barshop

Minnesota Vikings
Mike Zimmer: 3

The Vikings have one winning season and zero playoff victories in three years with Zimmer. There have been serious extenuating circumstances in both non-winning seasons, including Adrian Peterson’s suspension in 2014 and Teddy Bridgewater’s injury in 2016. But coaches are employed on a bottom-line basis. If 2017 bottoms out in disaster, it would be difficult to consider Zimmer’s position secure. — Kevin Seifert

New Orleans Saints
Sean Payton: 3

I have a hard time believing Payton will be fired unless this season turns into a total disaster. Yes, the Saints have finished 7-9 three seasons in a row. But Payton got a five-year extension last year because the Saints believe in his ability to lead their rebuilding efforts (and that wouldn’t change if they ever decided to move on from Drew Brees because Payton is a quarterback guru by trade and could help develop the next guy). If anything, the two sides could mutually part ways if it becomes apparent that this team is stuck in the mud and a change is needed. — Mike Triplett

Philadelphia Eagles
Doug Pederson: 3

Pederson went 7-9 in his first season as head coach, but he gets a bit of a pass, considering he was breaking in a rookie quarterback and a new system in 2016. He’s now on the clock. Owner Jeffrey Lurie believes he has something special in Carson Wentz, and he spent some money this offseason upgrading the talent around him. He’s looking for progress in Year 2. Pederson needs to deliver it. — Tim McManus
——————————————————————————————————
Rating: 2 = Cool seat

Carolina Panthers
Ron Rivera: 2

Rivera was the NFL Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2015, taking the ’15 team to an NFL-best 15-1 regular-season record and the Super Bowl. But the Panthers have had a losing record in two of the past three seasons and have had a losing record in four of Rivera’s six seasons. As a result, you can’t say he has total job security if the Panthers miss the playoffs again. — David Newton

Cleveland Browns
Hue Jackson: 2

Has the team of constant change finally found stability? It sure feels that way. Players never wavered in their support of Jackson in a one-win debut season, and the team seems to stand solidly with him. One can never say never with this team — Jackson was the fourth head coach in five seasons — but it appears that it would take a major calamity to uproot him from being the coach in 2018. — Pat McManamon

Dallas Cowboys
Jason Garrett: 2

Garrett is not completely safe, despite coming off an NFC East title and the best record in the conference last season. If the Cowboys follow their 13-3 season the way they followed up their 12-4 finish from 2014 (4-12 in 2015), then there will be plenty of heat on Garrett. He has done a good job of putting the program together over the years, but it’s time for the Cowboys to sustain success and advance further in the playoffs. — Todd Archer

Green Bay Packers
Mike McCarthy: 2

McCarthy’s job was never in jeopardy last season, when the Packers were 4-6, but what would’ve happened if they hadn’t won six straight to close the regular season and make the playoffs for the eighth straight year? Probably nothing, and there’s probably nothing that could happen that would cost McCarthy his job this time around, either. Maybe GM Ted Thompson will retire and his replacement will want his own coach, but that seems like the only way a coaching change would happen. — Rob Demovsky

Oakland Raiders
Jack Del Rio: 2

Del Rio has led the Raiders from a 3-13 finish the season before he arrived to 7-9 in 2015 to 12-4 and the franchise’s first playoff appearance since 2002 last season. Plus, he got a four-year contract extension in February. So why is Del Rio not listed as a “1,” in that there’s no way he’ll get fired? Because he is safe, barring a total disaster, really.

Plus, a few more winning seasons and, gulp, maybe even a Super Bowl title, and then we’ll talk “1s” because the Raiders are going to need a steady hand to guide them through these lame-duck seasons in Oakland before the franchise moves to Las Vegas. — Paul Gutierrez

Washington Redskins
Jay Gruden: 2

No coach has lasted more than four years under owner Dan Snyder; two coaches resigned, and four have been fired. Gruden is entering his fourth season. However, he signed a two-year extension in early March, so if the Redskins did something after the season, they’d have to pay him $15 million plus whatever is left on the contracts of his assistants.

It’s difficult to imagine that happening, unless there is some complete collapse. Gruden has helped the Redskins win 17 games the past two seasons combined, and he owns one NFC East title. The hard part will be taking that next step, but it would require a big one backward for Snyder to consider a move. — John Keim
———————————————————————————————–
Rating: 1 = Cold seat

Atlanta Falcons
Dan Quinn: 1

Quinn took his team to the Super Bowl in just his second season in Atlanta. The former defensive coordinator in Seattle brought a championship mentality from the Seahawks after winning a ring there. He has established a true “brotherhood” among the players, organization and fans, and the best seems yet to come with the speed and talent acquired the past couple of years. — Vaughn McClure

Arizona Cardinals
Bruce Arians: 1

It’s safe to say Arians won’t get fired. He might retire after this season, but he won’t get fired, regardless of how the team does. If the Cardinals don’t make the playoffs again, they likely will go through a roster overhaul. Will Arians stick around for that? It’s tough to say. The question will become: Will he want to work with another young quarterback? If his health is an issue throughout this season, it’s very plausible that he will call it quits. — Josh Weinfuss

Buffalo Bills
Sean McDermott: 1

In the span of about four months at the beginning of this year, owners Terry and Kim Pegula fired the head coaches and general managers of both of their professional sports teams, the Bills and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. With all of those positions now filled, the last thing the Pegulas want to do is gas up their private jet for more job interviews. Barring utter disaster, coach McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane are safe for the next two years at least. — Mike Rodak

Denver Broncos
Vance Joseph: 1

Joseph was hired in January, and Broncos president of football operations/general manager John Elway picked Joseph over the other candidates, including Kyle Shanahan. Joseph will get a chance to grow into the job. — Jeff Legwold

Jacksonville Jaguars
Doug Marrone: 1

Marrone is entering his first year with the Jaguars after taking over for the fired Gus Bradley. He and Tom Coughlin, the executive VP of football ops, are on the same page philosophically, so there is a lot of harmony in the organization. This rating could change next year because owner Shad Khan has made it clear that he expects the team to compete for the AFC South title, and a seventh consecutive season with 10 or more losses would heat up Marrone’s seat in 2018. — Mike DiRocco

Kansas City Chiefs
Andy Reid: 1

The Chiefs recently extended Reid’s contract so he’ll be around for the long term. If anything, he became a more essential part of the football operation when the Chiefs dismissed veteran general manager John Dorsey and replaced him with a rookie, 39-year-old Brett Veach. — Adam Teicher

Los Angeles Chargers
Anthony Lynn: 1

The Chargers hired Lynn in January after parting ways with Mike McCoy. With the franchise relocating to Los Angeles, the Chargers likely will be somewhat patient with Lynn. However, in the team’s self-proclaimed battle for L.A., Lynn will have to get things going before the Chargers move into new digs at Inglewood stadium in 2020. — Eric D. Williams

Los Angeles Rams
Sean McVay: 1

McVay is taking over a team that has finished each of the past 10 years with a losing record, and he will try to steer an offense that has finished last in the NFL in yards each of the past two seasons. McVay won’t just be a first-year head coach; he’ll also be the offensive playcaller. He will have a long leash. — Alden Gonzalez

Miami Dolphins
Adam Gase: 1

When you win 10 games and make the playoffs in your first season as head coach, you don’t have much to worry about in Year 2. Gase has exceeded expectations in Miami thus far. This season’s team is more talented, and Gase has a better feel for his players. His status is safe, regardless of this season’s results. — James Walker

New York Giants
Ben McAdoo: 1

McAdoo went 11-5 in his first season of a four-year deal as coach. He ended a five-year playoff drought. That bought him enough space to feel confident and comfortable about his job. McAdoo, who has drastically changed the program from Tom Coughlin’s previous approach, is definitely trending in the right direction. The early returns on him are positive. — Jordan Raanan

Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike Tomlin: 1

Save a second championship, Tomlin’s job security couldn’t be much stronger entering Year 11. He signed an extension last week that puts him under contract until 2020. He has won 32 regular-season games and three playoff games since 2014. The Steelers value stability at the top, replacing only two coaches since 1969. Plus, Tomlin is entering the 2017 season with arguably his best roster in years. — Jeremy Fowler

San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Shanahan: 1

After an extended game of musical head coaches, the Niners sought some much-needed stability in hiring coach Shanahan and general manager John Lynch in the offseason. As evidence of that commitment, they gave Shanahan and Lynch six-year contracts to go through what figures to be a lengthy rebuild. The 49ers seem to be realistic about their expectations for 2017 and understand that this season is as much about Shanahan establishing culture as it is about wins and losses. — Nick Wagoner

Seattle Seahawks
Pete Carroll: 1

Carroll signed a contract extension last offseason that will take him through 2019. At 65, he’s the NFL’s oldest head coach, but Carroll has shown no signs of slowing down. Russell Wilson is only 27, and the defense has a lot of key pieces in place. But most importantly, Carroll enjoys a special relationship with GM John Schneider, who is signed through 2021. Ultimately, Carroll deciding down the road that he wants to retire is more likely than the Seahawks firing him. — Sheil Kapadia

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dirk Koetter: 1

The Bucs are thrilled with the job Koetter has done with Jameis Winston and with the team’s 9-7 finish last season. As offensive coordinator in 2015, Koetter led the Bucs to the fifth-highest offensive yardage total in the league and set a franchise record. The Glazers have shown little patience with coaches in the past — Greg Schiano and Lovie Smith were gone after two seasons — but Koetter’s job is safe. — Jenna Laine

Tennessee Titans
Mike Mularkey: 1

Mularkey’s first season as Titans coach went better than most people expected, as he helped lift the team from 3-13 to 9-7. Mularkey hasn’t had a successful record in other head-coaching stops, but his style is a great fit for this ground-and-pound Titans team.

General manager Jon Robinson has built a loaded roster, and the playoffs should be an expectation — not a hope. Mularkey’s job is safe in 2017. However, with this team’s talent, a 2017 losing season with a fairly healthy roster could put Mularkey on a warmer seat in 2018. — Cameron Wolfe

Bonus Rating: 0 = The coldest seat of all

New England Patriots
Bill Belichick: 0

I know, I know. It wasn’t on the scale of 1-5, but how else to make the point that Belichick has the most secure seat in all of professional football? If the 65-year-old Belichick decided he wanted to call it a career and run for political office in the New England region, he’d probably win that in a landslide. The saying in New England is simply, “In Bill We Trust.” — Mike Reiss

Link: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/human-embryo-editing-crispr-9-baby-treatment-advance-paediatrics-designer-babies-a7873746.html
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NewsHealth
Human embryo editing breakthrough is a ‘major advance’ towards controversial treatments for babies
The treatment could help rid babies of genetic diseases. But the ethical and legal considerations need urgent work, experts have warned

Andrew Griffin @_andrew_griffin 7 days ago94 comments

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The Independent Online
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Picture: Getty/iStockphoto
A landmark study suggests that scientists could soon edit out genetic mutations to prevent babies being born with diseases. The technique could eventually let doctors remove inherited conditions from embryos before they go on to become a child.

That, in turn, opens the possibility for inherited diseases to be wiped out entirely, according to doctors. But experts have warned that urgent work is needed to answer the ethical and legal questions surrounding the work.

Though the scientists only edited out mutations that could cause diseases, it modified the nuclear DNA that sits right at the heart of the cell, which also influences personal characteristics such as intelligence, height, facial appearance and eye colour.

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The breakthrough means that “the possibility of germline genome editing has moved from future fantasy to the world of possibility, and the debate about its use, outside of fears about the safety of the technology, needs to run to catch up”, said Professor Peter Braude from King’s College London. Scientists warned that soon the public could demand such treatment – and that the world might not be ready.

“Families with genetic diseases have a strong drive to find cures,” said Yalda Jamshidi, reader in genomic medicine at St George’s, University of London. “Whilst we are just beginning to understand the complexity of genetic disease, gene-editing will likely become acceptable when its potential benefits, both to individuals and to the broader society, exceeds its risks.”

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The new research, published in Nature, marks the first time the powerful Crispr-Cas9 tool has been used to fix mutations. The US study destroyed the embryos after just a few days and the work remains at an experimental stage.

In the study, scientists fertilised donor eggs with sperm that included a gene that causes a type of heart failure. As the eggs were fertilised, they also applied the gene-editing tool, which works like a pair of specific scissors and cuts away the defective parts of the gene.

When those problematic parts are cut away, the cells can repair themselves with the healthy versions and so get rid of the mutation that causes the disease. Some 42 out of 58 embryos were fixed so that they didn’t carry the mutation – stopping a disease that usually has a 50 per cent chance of being passed on.

If those embryos had been allowed to develop into children, then they would no longer have carried the disease. That would stop them from being vulnerable to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – and would save their children, too.

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Gene editing technique named scientific breakthrough of the year
“Every generation on would carry this repair because we’ve removed the disease-causing gene variant from that family’s lineage,” said Dr Shoukhrat Mitalipov, from Oregon Health and Science University, who led the study.

“By using this technique, it’s possible to reduce the burden of this inheritable disease on the family and eventually the human population.”

The heart problem is just one of more than 10,000 conditions that are caused by an error in the gene. The same tool could be used to cut out those faults for all of those, and eventually could be used to target cancer mutations.

The work could lead to treatments that would be given to patients, once it becomes more efficient and safe. Using such a treatment on humans is illegal in both the US and the UK – but some experts expect that law will soon be changed, and that the legal and ethical frameworks need to catch up with the technology.

There is some suggestion that the editing work could take place in the UK. Though using the research as treatment is illegal there as well as the US, the regulatory barriers are much higher in America and look unlikely to be changed.

In the US, there are various regulations and restrictions on how embryos can be edited, including stipulations that such work can’t be carried out with taxpayers’ money. UK regulators are more relaxed and liberal about those restrictions, leading to suggestions that it could eventually become the home of such work in the west.

The UK has become the first country that allows mitochondrial replacement therapy, another treatment that opponents warn could allow for the creation of designer babies.

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Individual cells days after injection (PA)
“UK researchers can apply for a licence to edit human embryos in research, but offering it as a treatment is currently illegal,” said a spokesperson for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HEFA), which would regulate any such experiments.

“Introducing new, controversial techniques is not just about developing the science – gene editing would need to offer new options to couples at risk of having a child with a genetic disease, beyond current treatments like embryo testing.

“Our experience of introducing mitochondrial donation in the UK shows that high-quality public discussion about the ethics of new treatments, expert scientific advice and a robust regulatory system are crucial when considering new treatments of this kind.”

Doctors said that any change in the law would have to strictly keep such treatment to being used for medical reasons, and not for “designer babies” that have other characteristics edited out.

“It may be that some countries never permit germline genome editing because of moral and ethical concerns,” said Professor Joyce Harper from University College London. “If the law in the UK was changed to allow genome editing, it would be highly regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, as is PGD, to ensure it is only used for medical reasons.”

But that work has already received significant opposition.

Dr David King, director of the Human Genetics Alert, which opposes all tampering with the human genome, said: “If irresponsible scientists are not stopped, the world may soon be presented with a fait accompli of the first GM baby.

“We call on governments and international organisations to wake up and pass an immediate global ban on creating cloned or GM babies, before it is too late.”

Professor Robin Lovell-Badge from the Francis Crick Institute said the research only appears to work when the father is carrying the defective gene, and that it would not work for more sophisticated alterations. “The possibility of producing designer babies, which is unjustified in any case, is now even further away,” he said.

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