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====The case of Purvi Patel: How Mike Pence won his crusade against abortion in Indiana
On Jan. 14, 2013 Mike Pence was sworn in as governor of Indiana. In late July of that same year, Purvi Patel went to a hospital in pain, bleeding heavily after a miscarriage.
The doctor who saw her suspected that she had induced a late abortion and called the police. When Patel woke up after sedation, there was a police officer stationed by her bed. The anti-choice doctor left the hospital and joined the police in a search for a fetus. A one-pound fetus was indeed found, by the police, in a Dumpster. Despite hospital tests showing no traces of any abortifacent in her blood work, the state of Indiana charged her with both feticide for allegedly inducing an abortion, and child neglect for allegedly having a premature baby and then allowing the baby to die. On March 30, 2015, Patel, convicted of both crimes, was sentenced to 20 consecutive years in prison. To date, she has served one year and four months of that time.
On Friday, July 22, Judge Terry A. Crone of the Indiana Court of Appeals reduced the child neglect charge against Patel and threw out the feticide charge. In his 42-page ruling, Judge Crone chastised prosecutors for charging Patel under the state’s 2009 feticide law,
In his 42-page ruling, Judge Crone chastised prosecutors for charging Patel under the state’s 2009 feticide law, finding “that the legislature did not intend for the feticide statute to apply to illegal abortions or to be used to prosecute women for their own abortions.” The court agreed with Patel’s appeal attorneys and the doctors who made the case that the state did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the fetus could have survived had she done anything differently. A unanimous panel of the Indiana Court of Appeals overturned the feticide conviction. It also reduced her child neglect conviction from a class A felony to class D. Class D convictions carry a maximum sentence of three years.
However, it’s not all good news for Patel. The Court also held that the state’s case did offer sufficient evidence to show Patel knew the infant was born alive. This, despite the fact that Patel’s attorneys challenged the use of the controversial, and historically discredited, “lung float test” that prosecutors used to argue the infant was not stillborn.
This is Mike Pence’s Indiana. This is Donald Trump’s America. One in which women are punished for abortion, for miscarriage, and potentially for any outcome of their pregnancy that doesn’t result in a healthy baby. “Healthy,” in this case, is determined by the politicians who seek to proscribe who can have an abortion, when, and for what reasons.
Though the court’s ruling on the illegitimacy of the feticide conviction and the reduction of charge is significant, and implies that the court did not flout well-established legal principles, it does not amount to justice for Ms. Patel. When the state was unable to offer actual evidence that Ms. Patel neglected a dependent, they leveraged the fact that she sought medication to terminate her pregnancy. They cashed in on well-established abortion stigma and the fact that women of color are not trusted agents of their own reproductive decision-making.
In March of this year, then Pence signed a law prohibiting women from obtaining an abortion because of the race, gender, or disability of the fetus, making Indiana only the second state in the nation to do this. This law would also hold doctors legally liable for wrongful death if it was found they had performed an abortion motivated by one or more of the prohibited reasons. These laws are targeted against women of color and result in mistrust and fear of the medical community. Purvi Patel expressed just this kind of fear and anxiety about going to the doctor, in numerous text exchangeswith her friend, when she learned that she might be pregnant. Mike Pence’s vision for for Indiana is, in fact, already in full effect.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Texas’ House Bill 2, a federal judge blocked the Indiana law from going into effect.
This is Mike Pence’s Indiana. In 2007, as a member of Congress, Pence sponsored the first bill to defund Planned Parenthood. He reintroduced the legislation multiple times until he left the House to run a campaign for Governor in 2011. As Governor, he has signed nearly every anti-choice bill that made it to his desk.
It is this anti-science and anti-choice climate that has contributed to Purvi Patel’s terrible journey. Patel was working at her parent’s store in Mishawaka, Indiana when she learned she might be pregnant. Instead of feeling safe and supported enough to turn to a medical professional who could talk with her about her options, make sure she understood them, and provider her compassionate reproductive health care, she worried about what would happen if she went to the doctor. She worried what would happen to her if her parents found out. She turned to the internet and friends for information. And then, when she arrived at the hospital in distress, she was treated like a criminal, not a patient.
That some of her sentence was overturned, and some reduced is a relief. But it is not justice. At each point, the challenges Purvi Patel faced in getting safe reproductive health care were constructed by the policies Mr. Pence has supported, and fought for. The stigma she faced is the direct result of the shaming that the anti-choice movement has imbued into American culture for decades. Her story is an important harbinger for what could happen if these forces are allowed to flourish unchecked.
That is Mike Pence’s Indiana. And this will be Donald Trump’s America.
Topic: Goff —-> Britt
Kenny Britt confident he will connect with Jared Goff
By JACK WANG / STAFF WRITER
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/britt-736526-rams-time.html
THOUSAND OAKS – For the 10th time in his eight-year career, Kenny Britt is playing with a new starting quarterback.
This past Sunday, the Rams finally started No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff, giving fans reason to keep watching what has become an increasingly frustrating season. In a rainy debut at the Coliseum, he completed 17 of 31 passes for 134 yards — a performance that neither lifted nor doomed his team in a 14-10 loss to the Dolphins.
“He did OK,” Britt said. “He handled himself well for his first NFL game. He hasn’t been on the field for a couple of months now.”
It’s difficult to accurately assess Goff based on one game. In an offense that looked as constrained as ever last weekend, the former Cal star threw just five passes that traveled more than 10 yards through the air. Moving forward, the Rams’ hopes for an unlikely playoff push will depend largely on Goff’s ability to stretch the field more than Case Keenum, who threw nine touchdowns against 11 interceptions and was clearly miscast as a full-time starter.
But as flawed as he was, Keenum did have a connection with the Rams’ leading receiver. Dating back to last season, Britt had played 14 games with Keenum under center, more than anyone else in his career except former Titans quarterback Jake Locker. He remains on pace to become the Rams’ first 1,000-yard receiver since Terry Holt in 2007.
“Physically, he’s feeling better than he’s ever felt,” said Rams coach Jeff Fisher, who coached the Titans when they drafted Britt 30th overall in 2009.
Last month, Britt said that he and Keenum had gotten so comfortable with each other that they could communicate with a single look. Getting that familiar with Goff, who did not get a full offseason’s worth of first-team reps, won’t be accomplished overnight.
“It’s going to take that extra time in the classroom, that extra time on the field,” Britt said this week. “To tell you the truth, in camp, he was putting in the work, the extra time on our routes. He tries to get in after practice. That’s something you don’t see a lot of rooks do.”
Britt’s seven targets against Miami still tied for the team lead, though his 43 yards resulted in a season-low 8.6 yards per reception. Given time and reps, he still figures to be Goff’s most dependable weapon.
More concerning is the continued disappearance of Tavon Austin, whom the Rams just inked to a four-year, $42 million extension. The breakout that Fisher kept insisting was coming has yet to materialize: the former first-round pick is averaging just 43.7 scrimmage yards per game, down almost 13 yards from last season; his catch rate of 53.3 percent is a career low; he has only scored twice.
After a three-game stretch that saw him receive 29 targets, Austin has only seen 11 passes come his way this month. He has pulled in only one pass from Goff, gaining most of the 21 yards after the catch.
“He’s got to create separation,” offensive coordinator Rob Boras said. “We’ve got to find a way to get it to him in space and let him use his ability for it – and at the same time not get it to him when everybody is expecting us to get it to him.”
“The way they’re playing me on defense, they’re taking me away,” Austin added. “It doesn’t really bother me. I can do other stuff on the field to try to get us to win.
“Just try to stay patient. Don’t get too mad about it.”
Now Jared Goff’s backup, Case Keenum has respect of teammates
Alden Gonzalez
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The word “excited” was used a combined 14 times late Tuesday afternoon, first by coach Jeff Fisher and then by quarterback Jared Goff. But this was outside, in organized media sessions, with the portable backdrop behind them and a handful of working cameras in front of them.
Within the Los Angeles Rams’ locker room, what should’ve been a celebrated occasion — the naming of Goff as the starter, the beginning of a new era — was met with an undercurrent of sadness.
It was because of Case Keenum.
He worked so hard, fought so long, cared so much. He was thrust into an awkward, arduous situation and handled it with class. And though he exasperated an impatient new fan base that grew frustrated with the offense and clamored for Goff, the No. 1 overall pick, Keenum earned the respect of his teammates.
“It’s rough to hear,” Rams left guard Rodger Saffold said of Keenum being demoted to backup duties, “especially after a win.”
Greg Zuerlein kicked three field goals Sunday as the Rams edged the New York Jets 9-6 on the road. Keenum completed 17 of 30 passes for 165 yards and no interceptions.
“He helped us win the game,” Saffold said. “I mean, let’s be honest. There’s a couple of times where some things happened in the red zone and we couldn’t convert them into touchdowns, but this isn’t, at all, all his fault.”
The Rams’ biggest issue is actually their running game, considering how heavily they depend on it. Behind an offensive line that has not done a good enough job opening holes, Todd Gurley ranks 41st among 43 running backs in rushing yards per carry. The offense overall is last in the NFL in yards per game, and Keenum — whose subpar arm strength is a big reason why defenses stack the box in the first place — shoulders the NFL’s lowest Total QBR.
So the highly anticipated move was made, immediately following a three-game stretch in which the Rams mustered only two touchdowns. But Keenum was nonetheless appreciated.
Fisher pointed out that he was named a captain at the start of the season and is “still a captain.”
“His leadership, and his enthusiasm, and his commitment, and everything,” Fisher said about Keenum. “You can’t ask for anything more out of somebody.”
Goff took an assortment of questions centered on his own readiness and went out of his way to offer his own acknowledgements.
“I’ll say it now,” Goff said, while answering a question about how he was informed of the decision. “I can’t stress enough how awesome Case has been before this, in training camp, in [organized team activities], now that this has happened after. On and off the field, I can’t stress enough how good of a teammate and how awesome he’s been with it.”
Keenum went undrafted despite finishing his career at Houston with NCAA records in passing yards, completions and touchdowns. He started eight games for the Houston Texans in 2013, and led the Rams to three wins in the last four games of 2015. Then the Rams drafted Goff and every Keenum interview revolved around that, even though he would begin the 2016 season as the starter.
“I’m still batting a thousand,” Keenum said at one point during training camp. “Every interview has had Jared Goff come up.”
Keenum posted a respectable passer rating of 97.4 from Weeks 2-6, at one point setting a franchise record with 19 consecutive completions. But then he threw four interceptions in London on Oct. 23, absorbed boos from the home fans in Los Angeles after the bye week and couldn’t lead his team into the end zone in New Jersey against the Jets. And now he’s a backup.
“He’s handled this situation like a professional,” Rams defensive tackle Michael Brockers said. “He knows what’s at hand, and he’s helping Jared along, and given him advice. He accepts the role, and he understands what’s at stake, and he understands we’re trying to win games.”
The Rams snapped a four-game losing streak with the win over the Jets. At 4-5, they remain only 1½ games out of a wild-card spot. It’ll be up to Goff moving forward, but Keenum promises to be there to help.
“He’s given me advice all year,” Goff said. “I’m sure he’ll be very helpful this week and helpful on Sunday.”
We don’t see it as being “dogmatic.” I do see things like the reps in Congress putting pressure on both the CIA and the Pentagon to “flip” on this, when in fact both the CIA and Pentagon are well aware of the risks c.change poses to the country and the world.
Exactly. It’s not dogmatic to support the position backed by the preponderance of evidence. It’s dogmatic to support the position not backed up by evidence.
I believe you are a physician? Or are employed as a medical technician of some sort? If so then when treating a patient do you IGNORE the patients prior medical history? Because ignoring the preponderance of geological evidence disputing the concept of man made global warming is exactly what is happening in “climate science” today. That dogmatic vacuum is not how real science works.
The upside to being a Rams fan is heartbreak.
Sprinkles are for winners.
Can Rams RB Todd Gurley build on breakthrough vs. Jets?
By Alden Gonzalez
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — In the second half, late in a tedious game in which the Los Angeles Rams’ offense once again lacked life, it finally happened:
Todd Gurley was finally set free.
He gained 13 yards on the first play from the Rams’ second drive of the third quarter. Then 5. Then 6. Then another 20 yards on a couple of runs early in the fourth quarter. Then 21 yards on a brilliant run that was negated by a hold from the Rams’ oft-penalized left tackle, Greg Robinson. All told, Gurley gained 54 yards on 11 carries in the second half.
Maybe — just maybe — it’s the start of something.
“A lot of people criticize him from the outside, not knowing what he does throughout the week — the extra time he puts in on his own, whether it’s film or being one of the last guys off the field,” Gurley’s backup, Benny Cunningham, said after a season-saving 9-6 win over the New York Jets. “Seeing him get a little bit of success, that’s good for him. Hopefully we can build on it and just get back to how he was last season.”
That idea seems far-fetched, regardless of whatever good vibes Gurley’s second-half production might have provided. He still finished with a pedestrian stat line — 21 carries for 64 yards, one catch for eight yards, zero touchdowns — and gained only 10 yards on his first 10 carries. It came against a Jets defense that had allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards per game, but Gurley has now been held below 100 yards in 15 of his last 16 games.
The Rams were rewarded for staying with him, however.
Gurley received a combined 41 carries over the previous three games and amassed only five of them in the fourth quarter. Rams coach Jeff Fisher stressed throughout the week that Gurley needed to receive more carries, even though the matchup dictated a pass-happy approach, and he got them late.
“We were able to stay with it,” Fisher said. “We knew if we could get him the carries, that there would be some creases.”
Gurley has rushed for 515 yards on 167 carries through the first nine games of his second season, averaging a dismal 3.08 per carry. He had already gained 826 yards by his ninth start last year, but the trend was already heading in the wrong direction. Teams began to zero in on Gurley after he rushed for 566 yards in his first four starts, and the Rams have been trying to counter ever since.
Getting Gurley going in the second half, second-year right tackle Rob Havenstein said, “came down to just staying on blocks. Still, there was a lot of zero runs, a lot of negative runs that we need to correct. We have to do a better job. Todd’s a hell of a running back, Benny’s a hell of a running back. Any time he gets a touch, we want to get him at least to the second level. Let them make plays. I think we did that a little bit. Not to our full potential. That’s something we have to work on.”
Gurley nursed a thigh contusion this week, but his status for Sunday’s game was never really in question.
“I didn’t feel like my old self,” Gurley said, “but the runs was getting there like my old self.”
On one, he zipped through a hole on the right side and motored to the second level for 13 yards. On another, he patiently followed fullback Cory Harkey for a 9-yard gain, displaying the patience required to persevere behind shaky offensive line play.
The second-half difference?
“Execution, man,” Gurley said. “It’s simple. Just finishing blocks, staying on your blocks. Just going out there and beating your one-on-ones, like I say every week.”
Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher – November 11, 2016
(On the teams’ health going into Sunday’s game)
“We got guys back on the field. (DT Michael Brockers) ‘Brock’ came back on the field, (CB Trumaine Johnson) ‘Tru’ was back on the field, (RB) Todd (Gurley) was back on the field – all be listed as questionable, but that means that they have a good chance of playing. The only one we designated as out was (WR Nelson) ‘Nels’, Spruce.”
(On whether it helps being well traveled as a team for the upcoming road trips)
“Yeah. We talk about this morning in the meeting, we started a little bit earlier this morning to try to get them acclimated to the time change. Their wakeup call is at 5:00 a.m. our time, pregame meal is at 6:00 a.m. and kickoff is at 10:00 a.m… We were meeting at 8:00 a.m. We told them this morning another hour from now, your bodies are going to be in pregame warm-up. We adjusted, they understand it and we’ve handled it – we just need to score some points. I’m not going to tie the two together, but we need to score some points.”
(On whether the Detroit game was an earlier start)
“Detroit was an earlier start. You had that looming thing after Detroit, with the London thing after. But none of that matters, they were focused. It’s a challenge, but our division has to go do it. It’s not the first or the last 10:00 a.m. start we’re going to have, but we’re going to go out there, get ready and go play.”
(On entering the second half of the season and what he is looking to see form RB Todd Gurley)
“We’re looking for overall improvement. We want to see the arrow go up with respect to the whole football team, and that includes Todd, that includes his touches and that includes his production. That’s an offensive team oriented challenge that we have to face, that we have to meet. But he’s feeling good. The numbers are down right now, for a lot of different reasons. But, I’d like to see the numbers increase out of the backfield as well as the carries.”
***
Rams Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams – November 11, 2016
(On the emphasis of forcing turnovers this week)
“It’s that way every week, but we’re always looking for something to improve upon, (and) we’re in the middle of the pack defensively on that. Some of the better teams I’ve ever been around, some of the better teams I’ve ever coached we’re dominant in that area – it helps the offense, it helps us; taking the ball away. We kind of went back to some training camp rules on some extra drills that we did – heck, I even had to throw the ball a little this week, without getting a sore arm on the interception drill that we really do. The guys have done a great job with that. It’s not that we don’t emphasize it all the time, because we do, and every week, we have been doing it. But it’s been a focal point. The next step for them, would be to do that. We’ve had our hands on the ball enough that we just can’t drop it. We’ve had a couple of dropped interceptions, we’ve had a couple of fumbles that we didn’t quite in possession of. So now, the next time, we’ve got to a better job of that. I will tell you this, I was impressed with (Panthers QB) Cam Newton last week on some of the sacks we got on him – we’re trying to get some ball pressures that way. It tells you what a big hand he has and also what a strong man he is, to be able to protect the ball he did in the pocket last week. We had some opportunities, the next step is for us is to take the ball away – and then score, too.”
(On if it is challenging to not know who will be starting at quarterback for the opposition)
“In all honesty, no. When I say this, conceptually, you take a look at – I scout coordinators every week, too. I’ve gone against (Jets offensive coordinator) Chan (Gailey) and know that, and have a lot a lot of respect for (Jets Head Coach) Todd (Bowles). All the years that Todd was a player, I tried to sign him a long time ago and then the coordinating down here. You have to understand defensive head coaches, too, on what they want their offensive coordinators to do. We’ve got a good handle on all that, if ‘Fitz’ (Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick) plays – I was with ‘Fitz,’ too at Tennessee and when he was a quarterback I went against him in a lot of practices. I feel like I know quite a bit about him. He and I had a really good relationship in the meeting rooms and that kind of stuff, because he would pick defensive players’ mind and defensive coaches’ mind. He’s real sharp, not just because he went to Harvard, I told him all the time that doesn’t make you smart, because my son went to Princeton – there was a rivalry back-and-forth with him on that. Whoever plays, they’re going to adapt the strengths to that player, but it’s going to be within the concepts of, offensively, what they do.”
(On how big the challenge is for coast-to-coast road games)
“Somewhat. And I think in the older days, it was quite a bit more. Not as much so nowadays because we are more understanding of it. And I think our head coach is the best there is at that, I think he understands it very well. He takes a high priority on how we stock up during the week, how we practice during the week, monitoring the reps during the week. And then he and (director of sports medicine and performance) Reggie (Scott) and Anthony (Zamora), our (nutrition assistant), on what we do on the plane. Because we’re on the plane for a long time, that’s also captivated the players on doing what we want done on storing up energy and storing up nutrition. In the old days, it was a hamburger and fries and who knows what was going to go on. It’s a lot better now, it really is.”
(On if he has any superstitions to break losing streaks)
“Oh yeah, I come from a baseball family, too. So you know (St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster) Mike Shannon is my father-in-law, so I get a lot of baseball superstitions, football superstitions, but I just keep it to myself.”
(On if there are ways he can see DT Aaron Donald elevating his game)
“I’m proud of him. Let’s go back to the very first year – you guys weren’t covering, we weren’t out here – but everybody wanted me to compare him to somebody and I refused to do that. Last year, they wanted me to compare him to somebody, I refused to do that. You want to know why? Because people are eventually going to start comparing to him. He is his own guy and he does things I cannot coach – I can help, maybe speed up a decision – but he has instincts that are rare. Not only does he have athletic ability and strength, height and weight and things, but he has instincts that you don’t come around very much. He’s been playing very well, especially as emphasis on offensive protections and emphasis in blocking schemes are going towards him, he’s still being able to find a way to beat it.”
(On if there is anything he can offer the offense when they are having trouble running the ball)
“I really do stay in my lane, but when they come and ask me, I’ll talk to them about that, I was an offensive coordinator, too. But the big thing is, I try to do whatever I can to give a good picture, defensively, give a good picture. They’ve got a lot of good people on that side, so they’ve been doing fine with that.”
***
Rams RB Todd Gurley – November 11, 2016
(On what he’s working on to break through his current slump)
“You know, certain stuff every week. Just got to stay consistent, and read your tracks, and just stay patient.”
(On if there’s any doubt he will play this week after showing up on the injury list)
“I felt pretty good today. I’ll just leave it at that.”
(On what he can do to help get the offense rolling)
“Just do the same things. Just stay patient, read my track, read my press to the line of scrimmage. Just make sure I’m doing the things that help me out, as far as helping those guys out as well.”
(On what staying patient means as a running back)
“Even when the hole is not there, still being able to just read it the same, and don’t try to do nothing outside of the play. If the play is not designed to hit outside, then don’t make up in your mind, ‘Oh, I know it’s not going to be up inside, so I’ll just go outside.’ Just making sure you’re on the same track as everybody else, because once you start to predetermine stuff, that’s when you know you’re not on the same page as your linemen, you try to bounce it outside, you get holding calls. You just want to stay consistent.”
(On how he takes the pressure off himself)
“It’s always a must win, it’s always a must win. You’ve got to win every game. Got to play every game like you’re trying to win. It’s definitely tough going to East Coast opponents. At the end of the day, they have to come over here as well. Just go out there and execute.”
(On if he had any superstitions growing up playing sports, in regards to breaking out of a slump)
“No. Just keep it the same. Definitely work a little harder, but keep it the same.”
(On how to manage getting the ball play, after play, after play)
“Just depends. You’re getting yards play, after play, after play, or you’re not getting yards play, after play, after play (laughter). Obviously being a running back, you want the ball. You’ve just got to mentally tough to be able to get those carries play after play. The biggest thing with that is – that’s when endurance comes in. You start seeing stuff when you’re tired. Just making sure you’re doing the same thing on that first carry that you’re doing on that 25th carry.”
(On if it’s easier to sustain a consistent rhythm when you’re getting a lot of carries)
“I don’t know, you’ve just got to get your mind right. You never know what they play call is. Sometimes, like I said, I’ve had times in college where I got the ball five times in a row, and you know you’re going to get it again. But, you just got to man up and do your best.”
(On how his body feels at this point in the season, in comparison to this point last season)
“I feel like this year, my body has been a lot healthier. Definitely been better, knock on wood. I say that next week, and I feel like crap (laughter).”
Topic: Fisher, 11/7 … transcript
Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher – November 7, 2016
(Opening Remarks):
“When you lose consecutively like we did there’s always a point of emphasis, or a focus that goes in, to see what’s going on. Obviously, as a staff today, as we looked at the tape, some things came up that were – I guess I’m stating the obvious with respect to them – but ten points in the last two weeks offensively is not going to get it done. That’s by and large the biggest issue that we’re facing right now, is our lack of ability to score points. Then of course, on the other side of the ball, on defense, we’ve had one turnover in the last three weeks. When you only get one turnover, it’s hard to turn the ball over to your offense. We’re not playing particularly well on third down defensively, so we’re not getting the additional drives or the opportunities for big plays. We all see it and I think the biggest challenge for us offensively is running the football. (RB) Todd’s (Gurley) not getting enough carries, our passing numbers were skewed. But if you’re realistic, we’ve had a lot of two-minute snaps the last two weeks. Those people that are saying that we are throwing it almost 50 times a game and running it 20 or 25, well 15 or so of those plays in each one of the last two games have been in two-minute, at the end. We’re doing whatever we can to try and win games, it’s just not happening.“We put it in perspective for the players. Players understand. As we told them, we need to flip the switch, we’re in the second half of the season. Our goal, like anybody else in the league right now, is to compete and contend for the division. That starts with a potential win, a great week of preparation rather, and then a win here at New York (Jets). From a health stand point, we’re good – I think we’re better than most teams right now. I may have mentioned to you after the game, but we started the same 22 players yesterday that we basically started in the opener. That’s encouraging and we’re just going to keep working at it, get them back, and have a good week – got a long trip and go out and should we put one together. But understanding that the only change you have to put together is to score points – we need to do that.”
(On where things are at with the quarterback situation)
“Case (Keenum) is starting.”(On what specifically is QB Jared Goff missing in order to become the starter quarterback)
“Jared is improving. I keep saying that as you guys keep asking the questions, he’s improving. But, Case right now, especially against this defense, give us our best chance. It’s an extremely complicated defense, and they can pressure the quarterback, they can do anything they want to do. They’re very, very talented. Our focus is this week against the Jets, and Case will be under center.”(On what specifically is Goff improving on, and what has he not mastered in order to give him enough confidence to insert him as the starter)
“I’ve been saying from day one, we’re going to play him when the time is right, and when he’s ready. With each passing week, he’s getting better and better. He’s better understanding, he recognizes things, he’s prepared, he understands the challenges week-to-week. There was a moment yesterday when Case came out. He had an extreme contusion to his non-throwing hand, and there was a chance – we didn’t know on the sideline – but there was a potential chance for a fracture. So, I said, ‘Jared, get warmed up. Get ready to go.’ He goes, ‘Coach, I’m ready.’ I said, ‘I know you are. Let’s see where Case’s forearm is, and we’ll go from there.’ Then, it was determined that is was just a contusion and not a fracture. But, that’s his mindset. I know everybody wants to talk about it, and that’s the big question. Again, he’s going to play. Whether it’s the following week, or the following week, or what have you, it’s eventually going to happen. The big picture, as I keep saying, this is about making sure that he’s ready to go out there and be sharp, and give us a chance to win. The quarterback position is not easy – Andy Dalton, (Philip) Rivers, Jay Cutler, (Drew) Brees, (Andrew) Luck, Cam Newton, (Ben) Roethlisberger, (Joe) Flacco, and (Aaron) Rodgers, that’s a good list – That’s an impressive list of quarterbacks. The one thing they have in common – two things rather – other than being really, really good quarterbacks, a number of them have rings, is right now, their records are .500 or worse. So, that shows you how hard it is to play at the quarterback position. We’re taking our time, we’re being patient, and when we feel it’s the right time, he’ll be under center.”(On if there will be a tipping point to when Goff will start) OR (On if Goff will be the starter if the team falls out of playoff contention)
“I don’t think the playoff contention is fair to the football team, so we’ll see. Our expectations are we’re going to stay in it, so we’ll see. I’m not ruling out the possibility that he’ll make a playoff run for us as well. But for right now, Case is starting and we’re going to New York.”(On if the challenge to incorporate RB Todd Gurley in the run game was harder than he had anticipated coming into the season)
“Yeah, good question. It’s been a much greater challenge. Defenses are saying, ‘Don’t let Gurley or Tavon beat you and put the ball down the field.’ We’ve got to do a better job, we recognize that. Todd’s number of carries the last few weeks are not what we would like. I think they’re 15, 14, and 12. Those numbers need to get up in the 20s. Again, they’re offset a little bit by our third-down stuff, in addition to the two-minute snaps. But, his touches and his numbers need to increase significantly. That’s what we discussed, and what we’re working on right now offensively.”(On why RB Benny Cunningham is better suited for the two-minute offense than Gurley)
“There’s nothing that Todd doesn’t give us in two-minutes, and there’s nothing that Todd can’t do on third down. We have a tandem, we have one, two, we’ve got Todd on first and second down, because we have so much trust in Benny on the third down stuff. Again, Benny can make plays, because you’ve seen him make plays. That’s kind of how we deploy our personnel. Todd was in on some third down reps, but when we go to two-minute, or we’re in the third-and-long, or something like that, Benny is the back that gives us the opportunity. Todd understands everything. It’s just a matter of – I don’t want to say not committing to Todd – but, Todd is going to need a break. He needs a break every once in a while, and basically our philosophy going in, that’s how we’ve been since Benny has been productive for us, that Benny has been our third down guy and two-minute, and Todd has been our bell cow during the other series.”(On how he would evaluate the offensive line’s performance)
“We gave up four sacks and that’s not good – although, this defense sacked (Cardinals QB) Carson Palmer eight times the week before. So, there were some good things in the game. There were a couple mistakes, a couple holding penalties, but we’re healthy and we’re progressing. Our offensive struggles are related to the entire team – you can’t blame it all on the offensive line, we had five drops yesterday, we dropped a touchdown pass you can’t blame that on the offensive line. You catch the touchdown pass and you’re lucky to kick a 55-yard field goal, the game’s different, we win and our offensive line played pretty good against one of the better defensive fronts in the league. I think you have to be realistic and keep things in perspective.”(On if not having an official determination on his future makes him uncomfortable)
“No, I’m not uncomfortable at all. I’m uncomfortable because I didn’t expect to be three-and-whatever we are, okay, but I’m not uncomfortable at all. I never look over my shoulder, we’re moving on. (Rams Owner/Chairman) Stan (Kroenke) and I are on the same page, he understands what we’ve been through, he’s as disappointed as I am at the losses – two three-points and a seven-point in the last three games. He understands that we’re competitive and we’re doing everything we possibly can to get this turned around.”(On if he has to keep an eye on how the defense is doing mentally to make sure they don’t start to get frustrated)
“What we’re going to do, we’re going to get the defense to help the offense on the practice field, that’s how you handle that. The defense gave up 31 points three weeks ago in Detroit – or three games ago. Every week there’s a different challenge. I thought, in the game defensively, it was one of our better efforts. I thought the game-planning was outstanding, the coaches did an outstanding job, the players responded, we got everybody back, we didn’t get the turnovers, but we bottled up a very, very explosive offense and held them to 13 points. If you’re a defensive guy, the 13 points was too much because we didn’t win the football game. The attitudes are different on both sides of the ball. But, no, I’m not concerned about the defense, they played really hard, they played smart, they played fast, they played physical – there was a lot of contact in the game. We just have to make sure that that becomes our standard.”(On what he thought of the 10 penalties on Sunday)
“We did have 10. The two on special teams, I disagreed with. The holding penalty on (DE) Eugene (Sims) on the reverse, I really completely disagreed with it. The same thing with (RB) Chase’s (Reynolds) penalty on the punt return, I didn’t agree with that, either. We had the two defensive offsides. The last penalty, which was on the onside kick, you can scratch that, that was just kind of one of those things that happens. But the holding penalties, the defensive offsides and then the DPI (defensive pass interference) – the DPI shouldn’t happen – (DB) Lamarcus (Joyner) should have played the ball better. Yeah, statistically, we had 10, I would acknowledge maybe six of them.”(On CB E.J. Gaines’ status)
“Oh, he’s fine. Yeah, he’s fine.”(On if the penalties, the drops and the inconsistencies are a matter of coaching or personnel and how he addresses it)
“It’s hard to talk in general terms about it. For example, we’re behind in the game and their best asset on defense is rushing the passer and (T) Rob (Havenstein) gives up an inside move – he’s been playing well the whole game – gives up and inside move and grabs to make sure the quarterback is not hit. That’s not an athletic-ability deficiency at the right tackle, it’s just one of those things that happens. You have to look at each one of those penalties, in particular, to come to conclusion on that. Nonetheless, the penalties, we had two defensive offsides, (DT) Cam (Thomas) and (DE) Rob (Quinn) just were drawn offsides, they shouldn’t be drawn offsides – they should never be drawn offsides at home – but they were trying to rush the passer. Again, the special teams penalties, I disagreed with. We don’t allow those things to happen on the practice field, we coach them. I disagreed with a number of calls. This particular crew was the crew that did the Oakland-Tampa Bay game last week, so that’ll tell you something.”(On WR Pharoh Cooper and TE Tyler Higbee getting more integrated into the offense)
“Yeah, ‘Higs’ made the big play – it was a great throw by Case, ‘Higs’ came up and made the big play. He needs to play better, he’s starting to figure it out now and we’ve got him involved. He needs to be better at the point of attack and he knows that. Nonetheless, he did come down with the big catch and a field position change. ‘Coop,’ he’s healthy, we worked him into the offense last week. For all intents and purposes, we’re going to continue to work him in and he’ll probably see a little bit more playing time offensively. I’m pleased with where he is right now. We just need to get the ball in his hands. Then again, I’m adding another person to the list that we need to get the ball in his hands – Gurley and Tavon. He’s a playmaker, he’s taken on his special teams responsibilities and he’s accepted them. He’ll be able, I think, you’ll see more of him. I’d like to be able to keep him up now.”Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher – November 4, 2016
(On how the bye week has helped the team prepare for Carolina)
“Off hand, I know Kansas City’s schedule. (Head Coach) Andy (Reid) has got a great record. I haven’t paid much attention to it, but the things that we stress are, obviously, the things that are timing related, and then penalties. We worked that this week, we talked about it, we’ve addressed it. We’ll start fast, we’ll be emotional, because we’re back home playing an outstanding opponent.”
(On if the team will do anything different defensively, against QB Cam Newton)
“I think everybody structures their plan a little differently against Carolina. First and foremost, you’ve got to defend the run. Then in passing situations, you have to be intelligent with your rush plan, because he can pull it down and run for first downs. Once they get close, they like to use him as a runner. So, we adjust the game plan accordingly.”
(On what RB Todd Gurley has to do in order to improve)
“It’s not a Gurley thing, I think it’s more of a team thing, and then it’s an opponent issue too, because they’re stopping it, they’re loading up. Like I said, we need to get it going. It’s November, and we need to get it going. What bigger challenge we’re going to have getting the run game going against this defense. This defense is really sound, and solid, especially with Luke (Kuechly) in there. Luke is telling everybody what’s going to happen before the ball is snapped. You got to give him some different looks. We got to finish, hit some creases, get receivers more involved in the blocking, and the concepts, and the schemes, and try to get Todd and Benny (Cunningham) creases. Run it in passing situations, and throw it in run situations.”
(On if Gurley needs to make any adjustments to his game)
“No, we grade everybody. You’d like to see him make somebody miss, or break a tackle. He should win against defensive backs, especially corners. But, I’m not, by any means, down on Todd.”
(On if he feels QB Case Keenum is eager to improve on his last performance)
“Case is the same every week. He loves to play, he loves to compete, he loves to prepare, practice. I know he’s a little disappointed in two of the interceptions, and the other two we don’t put on him. The week before, he put together a winning effort at Detroit. He’s excited, I know he’s excited, he’s prepared. He gets here before I get here in the morning, and I get in pretty early.”
(On if he feels as if Carolina’s secondary is an area in which the offense can exploit)
“I think we have a good plan going in to be able to mix and match our offense. Their secondary, even though they’re young, they’re improving weekly, and that’s what happens when you get snaps. They’ve gotten a lot of snaps. It’s not one of those games where you say, ‘Oh, we’re going to go after him, or go after him.’ We have to be sound, and the quarterback has to go through the progressions. Their secondary is not the issue. Like I said, just look at the quarterbacks. You have got a young secondary, look at the quarterbacks they’ve faced over the three or four weeks, that’s quite a challenge.”
(On CB Trumaine Johnson’s status)
“Trumaine was limited today in practice, and he’s listed as questionable, as is (DE) William (Hayes) and (DT Michael Brockers) ‘Brock’ and (RG) Jamon (Brown). I think the only we’ve listed as out is (WR) Nelson (Spruce). Everybody else is limited and questionable.”
***
Rams Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams – November 4, 2016
(On the challenge of stopping Panthers QB Cam Newton)
“I’ve had some experience being in that division when he came in as a rookie, playing him twice a year. I have tremendous respect for him. When you guys get a chance, if you haven’t seen him before, up front, in person, he looks better than our defensive ends. He’s got a defensive end’s body, he’s 6-6, 260 (lbs.), can run like a defensive back, running back – a great athlete. A lot of those guys like him play in the NBA and this guy’s playing in the National Football League because he’s tough enough to do it. He brings some different things to the game, and I think (Panthers offensive coordinator) Mike Shula does a great job on what they do, offensively, to fit the skillset of his players, including the quarterback. Mike and I were together at Jacksonville, so I’ve known some things and he was there at Carolina when I was at the Saints. There’s still some familiarity of what they’re doing, conceptually, but each year he’s gotten better. As quarterbacks in our league, the guys that can stay healthy and move on through the league, it’s amazing how smart they get, as far as the feel for the game and they turn into coordinators. They’re giving him a lot of freedom to do a lot of checks and a lot of different things at the line of scrimmage. So we’ve got our work cut out for us. We’ve got to play well, we’ve got to play good.”
(On if the attention that has been paid to Newton this week, with regards to late hits, is worth a conversation with the defense going into this game)
“It really isn’t, with our guys, we play a certain way inside the white lines anyway. They really haven’t even focused anything on it. We’re just going to play football the way we are – and our guys play well, we’ve got some good team speed, we’re going to have to play the run really well there. They’re a really good run team and they take their calculated shots. They’ve got one of the tight ends that’s in this league, that’s one of the best pass-receiving tight ends in our league in Greg Olsen. Dynamically, all put together offensively, they pose some big time problems and we’re going to have to be up for it.”
(On Newton speaking with Commissioner Roger Goodell)
“No, we don’t worry about that, we just play ball. We really don’t, we just play football.”
(On how a healthy RB Jonathan Stewart changes what the Panthers do)
“He’s an extremely hard-nosed runner, but people don’t realize how fast he is. We liken him to, in this division, when Frank Gore was at his best (with the 49ers). We’ve tried to picture that to some of our players that have played against Frank in Frank’s prime, too, that they’re very similar to how they play – great pad level, can run over you in the A and the B-gaps inside the run, but don’t give on him, don’t think that he can’t outrun you outside. He’s a better pass-receiver year after year after year. Again, he’s one of those all-purpose, versatile running backs that we’ve had some experiences with. Now, can we do the same thing with him?”
(On Carolina’s wide receivers having a size advantage on Los Angeles’ cornerbacks)
“We’ve had some experience with that already this year, we had some experience with the Giants. But, really, when you take a look at Tampa Bay’s receivers, Tampa Bay’s receivers were some of the tallest that we could go against in the league, too. Those are just things; we have some tall receivers here in practice, so we get that picture all the time. So that’s no excuse for us, we just have to play.”
(On who sees the most pressure on the defense when playing against a running quarterback)
“It really has to do with what kind of a call we’re in. You would love to always say it’s defensive line, but it’s not, it could be our safeties, our linebackers and our defensive line. Conceptually, our defensive line will be the first ones there on how we go about making sure we balance the rush and have good rush discipline. But it’s all of us and it really, kind of, depends on whether it’s a man call, zone call, pressure call, all that kind of stuff. You can’t predict what you’re going to be in.”
(On if he senses that the players are antsy coming off the bye week)
“It’s fun to see how much energy they have. I’ve been teasing all week long that it brings me back to my day care, managing young kids and all that kind of stuff when I had young kids growing up. And that’s that there’s a lot of energy, they can’t wait to get on the practice field, they’ve been chippy in the locker room – I’m sure you guys have seen some of the battles and the competitions that have been going on all this week. It’s time to play. Now, I would be worried if it wasn’t this way, it would bother me. But I’m not worried about it because they’re ready to play. They’re real chippy, they just need a way to get this release and, hopefully, they’ve saved enough for Sunday to have the release that we want.”
(On the health of the defense)
“What we do is, in all honestly, we don’t worry a whole lot about that. Because if you’re on an active roster, and we’ve done a good job building our roster and we have a very defined ‘next man up’ philosophy. Our D-line is getting healthier, but all those guys can play – our secondary, our young guys have stepped up and done really well, and our linebackers have done very well. We’ve got a lot of youth in that linebacker crew and you’re going to see a few more of those guys get some more playing time now. The bye week was good for all of them. And health-wise, we’re getting close; but again, whoever Coach Fisher says is active, those are the guys we have on gameday and we’re ready to go, no matter who it is.”
***
Rams RB Todd Gurley – November 4, 2016
(On how excited the team is to play at home on Sunday after coming off the bye week)
“Pretty excited. It feels like it’s been forever since we played at home. We just have to get rid that losing streak and get a winning game.”
(On how hopeful he is that things will start opening up for him during the second half of the season)
“You just have to stay patient, stick to the plan, keep going out there, and work hard – just hope that things open up and I’m pretty sure they will.”
(On if he thinks he’ll see more action in the pass game on Sunday in hopes of exposing an inexperienced Carolina secondary)
“I think that whatever coach calls out there, he’s going to do a good job of putting us in a good situation. Just going out there and doing my job and trying to make a play after catching the ball. Whatever he calls, I’ll be ready for it.”
(On how he spent his time off during the bye week)
“I went back home to see my family and friends. I had a good time.”
(On whether the bye week came at the right time for him personally)
“It felt like it was the perfect time. I don’t know how many away games we’ve had, probably about five and we went on two away games in a row, went all the way to London, and then came back for the bye week. I felt like it definitely couldn’t have happened at a more perfect time.”
(On what stands out to him when looking at the Panthers defense)
“Obviously looking at the last game, probably one of their best games overall. Great, great, physical front seven. Linebackers are great – they know what you’re going to do before the ball…You just have to play your game and make sure that you’re studying them as good as they’re studying you, and just beat your man, one-on-one.”
MMQB: Ready or Not, Is It Jared Goff’s Time?
On the heels of three straight losses, calls for the Rams to hand the reins to the No. 1 overall pick are heating up. Is it just a matter of L.A. sticking to a long-term plan, or is there something more that’s keeping Jared Goff off the field?
Emily Kaplan
http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2016/11/03/nfl-rams-jared-goff-when-will-he-take-over-rams
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Los Angeles waited two decades for its NFL team to return. So forgive Rams fans if they’re impatient regarding their anointed franchise quarterback, Jared Goff. Seven months after L.A. shipped a slew of high draft picks, including its No. 1 in 2017, to Tennessee for the right to select the Cal quarterback first overall, Goff has yet to play a down in the NFL. While five other rookie quarterbacks have started games this season, the No. 1 pick sits behind Case Keenum, who has the league’s fifth-lowest passer rating and threw four picks in his most recent game, the 17-10 loss to the Giants in London that dropped the Rams to 3-4.
Coach Jeff Fisher maintains that Goff will start “when he’s ready,” but calls for a quarterback change have swelled to the point that, in an interview at practice on Wednesday, Fisher felt obligated to say: “Jared Goff is still our quarterback of the future. He’s still our franchise quarterback, still in our long-term plans. It was a great trade.”As to whether he’s in the Rams’ short-term plans, and if so when he might play, Fisher declined to offer any timetable: “The worst thing we can do to Jared is say, ‘Hey, here is when it’s going to happen.’” The logical question, especially given the early success of Carson Wentz in Philadelphia and Dak Prescott in Dallas, is: Why isn’t Goff playing? What exactly are coaches working on, and why has the process dragged on for the better part of a year?
“I get it, that’s the big concern right now,” quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke told The MMQB. “Here’s the No. 1 pick, other guys have played, it’s human nature to question, why hasn’t this guy? The simplest answer is it’s a process. We’re not working on one particular thing. We’re really working on a number of variables. Could he be playing right now? Is he capable of playing in the National Football League right now? My answer would be yes. But if we’re being truly honest with ourselves, and we knew when we went through the process of drafting him, we knew it was going to take some time, and we were OK with that.”
The Rams, privately and publicly, will remind outsiders that the Eagles initially planned to reshirt Wentz, and that Prescott is only starting because of Tony Romo’s injury. But the success of those rookies—specifically of Prescott who, like Goff at Cal, played in a spread offense at Mississippi State—legitimizes the question: If the Rams believe Goff is capable of playing in the NFL, why wait?Cultivating quarterback talent is a delicate and inexact art. A franchise’s fear is currently playing out in Jacksonville: The Jaguars wanted to sit Blake Bortles as a rookie in 2014, reversed course midseason, thrust the quarterback into action and may have stunted his long-term development. Two years later Bortles’ mechanics seem out of whack. This week the Jags QB summoned a private quarterback coach to Florida for recalibration. Such anecdotes seem to shape the Rams’ plan for Goff: mold the young quarterback into a polished product, then plug him in.
“If Jared Goff is playing quarterback, we’re not going to change our offense,” Weinke says. “We have a library [of plays] where we are always able to cater to the quarterback. I mean, that’s just being smart. We do that for Case Keenum, and obviously for Goff we’ll do that as well, where we call things he’s comfortable with and likes. I think we’re being smart right now in not rushing him into a position—not that he’s going to fail, we’re not saying that—but we want to put him in a position to be successful.”
Keenum’s subobtimal passing numbers—including four picks in the London loss to the Giants—have caused the calls for Goff to grow.Goff’s development may be taking slightly longer because the spread offense he played in at Cal drew on Mike Leach’s up-tempo, pass-happy Air Raid philosophy. While highly favorable to the stat line, Air Raid offenses don’t ask nearly as much of a quarterback in terms of his reads as do NFL pro-style attacks. Consider former Air Raid quarterbacks whose college productivity didn’t carry over (or hasn’t yet) to the NFL: Tim Couch, Nick Foles, Kevin Kolb, Johnny Manziel, Geno Smith, Brandon Weeden. In fact, Keenum may be the most successful former Air Raid quarterback in the league right now. In an interview last month for my college column about the Air Raid conundrum, Weeden—a 2012 first-round pick of the Browns who started 15 games as a rookie—brought up Goff’s situation unprompted: “I look at what the Rams are doing and I think it’s awesome,” Weeden said. “By having Case Keenum on the roster, Goff can have a year, a half a year, and redshirt to learn the NFL game. That’s huge. My rookie year, I had no idea what I was doing a lot of the time. I knew coverages, but they are just so much more complex, dissecting everything—it was impossible. I wish I had been in a situation like Goff’s where I wasn’t forced to be thrown into the fire.”
* * *
At Cal, Goff operated out of the shotgun. Now he’s under center, and the footwork is different. That was the first thing Weinke and Goff worked on. “The easiest thing I’ve found is to relate it to what he’s comfortable with,” Weinke says. Weinke explained to Goff that where he used to take a three-step drop from the shotgun, now it’s simply a five-step drop under center: just add two steps. Goff had been working on his five-step drop even before the draft process, and he had the footwork down by training camp in August.
But it’s more complicated than just adding steps, Weinke notes. “He’s used to [having the ball snapped], getting the ball and going,” Weinke says. “Now he has to make decisions while he takes the ball.” So as Goff gets the ball at the line of scrimmage and retreats back to the position he’s comfortable with, he enters what Weinke calls “information overload.”
“A veteran guy doesn’t have to think about his footwork—he just does it,” Weinke says. “A young guy, he’s always thinking, and then his motor skills slow down. He learned the language, then has to think functionally and act physically.” According to Weeden, whose college offense at Oklahoma State was similar to Goff’s, adjusting to turning your back to the defense was a tremendous struggle. “That’s a really hard thing to learn,” Weinke says. “It’s awkward to turn your back to linebackers, then get your eyes up and find the defenders again.”
The complexities stretch beyond footwork. The terminology is different, and seven months after he was handed the playbook, Goff can, according to Weinke, “speak the language and articulate it.” But he also must execute it.
At Cal, the quarterback had significantly fewer responsibilities. Tony Franklin, Goff’s offensive coordinator at Cal, often discussed how Goff was given more freedom than any of his previous quarterbacks. Indeed, Cal’s offense evolved with Goff over three years, as the coaches gave him more flexibility, according to Chris B. Brown, author of The Art of Smart Football, who has written about Air Raid offenses extensively. “By Goff’s final season he could change plays more often, and they were running variations of more formations,” Brown says. “They also did some stuff with protections on the back side, where they’d block the defensive line then let Goff read the linebackers, so it wasn’t totally like he was getting teed off.”Cal’s offense included run-pass options (RPOs) in which the quarterback, post-snap, chooses whether to run or pass the ball with a series of simplified reads. “As far as RPOs and packaged plays, nobody did it more than Cal,” Brown says. “Literally every play, it was layered on.”
Brown explains further: “It was a binary read—two plays going at once. Look at the weak-side linebacker; if he does this, throw it here, and if he doesn’t, hand it off. It’s not necessarily, ‘Look at the coverage and then identify which side of the field he’s going to work and run a strict progression there.’ Which Goff can do, but he has to do it in a different context.”Says Weinke: “Conceptually there were things he did in college that we do here; we just call it something different or take it to the next level, where he always has to identify the linebackers, make protection changes, every play. As it relates to run-pass options and things he did in college? We have that in our offense, so we have those things he can do. But there is more now. We hear about it all the time—how the college game is transferring, or not transferring, to the NFL game at the quarterback position. Well, here’s a case where it just takes time.”
Time means reps, and once the Rams determined in training camp that Goff wouldn’t be their starter, the bulk of first-team reps went to Keenum. While this slowed Goff’s learning process, it satisfied the Rams’ short-term interest (getting Keenum ready each week) while preserving the long-term vision. Fisher says the Rams decided to dress Goff as the third quarterback in Week 1 this season so he could see everything that Sean Mannion, the backup, did during the week to prepare. The next week Goff was promoted to No. 2 because the coaching staff felt he could play if needed. Last week’s bye afforded the opportunity for Goff to get a significant number first-team reps. But will he play?
For now it appears the Rams will finish out the plan they committed to, whether it’s right or wrong: insert Goff when they believe he is perfectly polished, then hope the wait was worth it.Rams seek recommitment to running game, Todd Gurley
Alden Gonzalez
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The last time the Los Angeles Rams played — seemingly forever ago, but actually Oct. 23 — they attempted 53 passes, a total they hadn’t exceeded in more than three years.
It is not ideal.
“I was as surprised as anybody when I saw the stat sheet at the end,” said offensive coordinator Rob Boras, alluding to the fact that the Rams threw on 15 of their 20 first-down conversions during their 17-10 loss to the New York Giants from London. “… That’s not the way it was designed to play. Obviously, we want to run the ball.”
It might not be by design, but the Rams have gone away from Todd Gurley over their past two games.
Gurley averaged 3.97 yards per carry against the Detroit Lions and Giants, a subpar rate that was nonetheless better than the 2.74 yards he averaged through the first five weeks. In those two most recent matchups, though, Gurley only carried the ball a combined 29 times, with just 13 of those carries coming in the second half, even though they were basically one-possession games throughout.
The Rams need to — and want to — get Gurley more involved, because relying on him for offense is typically a much better option than having Case Keenum try to beat opposing defenses down the field, regardless of Gurley’s struggles on the ground in 2016.
For the season, Gurley ranks second-to-last in the NFL yards per carry (3.01) and dead last in average rushing yards before first contact (1.34). To counter, the Rams have looked to Gurley more frequently in the passing game. He has already been targeted as a receiver 26 times, only one fewer than his targets through 13 games as a rookie last season. His 21 catches tie his mark from 2015.
“I think not being able to get things going in the running game, I improved a lot in the passing game,” Gurley said on a conference call with Panthers reporters ahead of Sunday’s visit from Carolina. “… Just staying patient and trusting the process. You’ve got to keep working hard even though something’s not going. Hard work doesn’t always pay off at the right time, but you still have to trust the process and keep going.”
Gurley has now failed to reach 100 rushing yards in 14 of his past 15 games, a stunning stretch for such a gifted runner. The Panthers have given up the third-most passing yards per game but feature a talented front seven that has allowed only 3.26 rushing yards per carry, the lowest mark in the NFL. And like everybody else, they’ll be fixated on Gurley.
“He’s still a dynamic player,” Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly said. “He’s big, he’s powerful, he’s explosive. I think he’s a very unique running back that is a challenge for you. He can kind of do a little bit of everything. He’s not just a fast guy, he’s not just a strong guy, he’s not just a guy that can catch the ball out of the backfield. He’s able to do all three.”
The Rams haven’t been able to display that man just yet. Getting there hinges on a trio of factors. It’s Keenum keeping defenses honest through the air, it’s Gurley having the patience to let holes materialize and, most important, it’s the offensive line improving. Rams guard Jamon Brown, who returned to practice seven days after undergoing minor surgery on his left hand, believes his unit has to “amp it up a little bit.”
“We have to pay more attention to detail,” Brown said. “Just do more. Obviously we knew that everybody was going to have a plan for Todd, try to contain him. As an offensive line, we know that it takes work; it’s a grind. It’s not going to be perfect, but we just have to continue to put our bodies on other bodies and Todd will eventually do his thing.”
Is Jeff Fisher’s extension with the Rams still on the table?
Alden Gonzalez
It seems like forever since the Los Angeles Rams played an actual football game. But they’re back in a normal practice week now, getting set to host Carolina on Sunday for what will be their first true home game in nearly a month. Late Tuesday afternoon, they will hold their first official practice in six days. Before that, I answered some of your lingering questions, touching on the three essential topics for this team: Jared Goff versus Case Keenum, Jeff Fisher’s extension and Todd Gurley’s production.
@HoldenCantor
@Alden_Gonzalez any chance fisher is trying to hide that Goff will actually be the starter vs the panthers?Sure, there is always that chance. But I wouldn’t bet on it. Goff took first-team reps last week because of the bye, then said he feels “tremendously more comfortable than I’ve ever felt” and added that he is “confident that if my number’s called, I’ll be ready to go.” But Fisher has repeatedly said he is sticking with Keenum, who has the NFL’s lowest Total QBR and just threw four interceptions in the Rams’ third straight loss on Oct. 23. There can really only be two reasons for this …
There is something Goff simply isn’t showing the Rams, and because it’s so difficult to judge a quarterback based on limited scout-team reps, you’d have to think it largely stems from the classroom. One thing Keenum does have is a good feel for the way this offense operates. But Fisher recently stated that the Rams wouldn’t simplify the offense to accommodate Goff, because Goff has “that good of a feel for what we’re doing.” So there’s that.
Fisher is hell-bent on sticking to his plan heading into the season, which seemingly called for Goff to use his entire rookie year to learn as a backup. Goff entered the NFL having not called a play from the huddle or taken a snap from under center. Also, he was 22 years and 18 days old as of Tuesday morning. Carson Wentz (23 years and 307 days old), Dak Prescott (23 years and 95 days) and Cody Kessler (23 years and 174 days) are all older.
If a change at quarterback is going to occur, this is the time to do it, because it’s a bye week and because three of the Rams’ next four opponents — the Panthers, Jets and Saints — rank within the bottom four in passing yards allowed per game. If Fisher doesn’t change his mind this week, it probably means Goff won’t start unless the Rams completely fall out of it in the final weeks.
Steven Wise @StevenWise89
@Alden_Gonzalez What’s holding up Jeff Fisher’s long rumored contract extension?Eight NFL weeks have passed, and still there has been no announcement on an extension for Fisher (or general manager Les Snead, for that matter). It’s odd. Talks were reported dating back to February, parameters were reportedly in place as recently as late September. But now it’s November, and Fisher still has lame-duck status. Timing and public perception appear to be a major reason for that. The Rams are in a new market, with a fan base that they have to win over, and announcing an extension for Fisher would not have gone over well following the season-opening 28-0 drubbing or the three straight losses that spilled into the bye week.
Fisher’s extension might be on hold until the end of the season, and by that point, who knows which direction the Rams’ brass will go. Fisher and Snead have earned respect from the higher-ups for the way they turned the franchise around following a five-year stretch in which it compiled 15 wins from 2007-11. Stan Kroenke is said to believe his team is headed in the right direction because of the work Fisher and Snead have done since arriving in 2012. But the Rams have not finished above .500 since 2003 and don’t seem poised to do so this season, either. Their head coaching position would be a highly coveted one if they leave it open after the season.
Andrew Edling @AEDLING
@Alden_Gonzalez when/how will the rams make the corrections needed to unleash Gurley’s potentialI’m not sure how much more they can do. This is far more a case of opposing teams not respecting the Rams’ passing attack and the offensive line not doing a good enough job up front. Perhaps some of the blame also lies with Gurley, who isn’t necessarily the most patient of runners. From a play-calling standpoint, the Rams have run the Wildcat with Gurley twice — already one more than all of last season — and have lined him up on the outside as a receiver on several occasions. In seven games, Gurley has the same amount of receptions (21) that he had in 13 as a rookie last season.
Now, I would like to see the Rams set up more screen passes for Gurley, who has caught only four of those. And it would be nice to see him have more runs where he is bouncing it to the outside as opposed to fighting between the tackles. But it’s hard to do that when you’re averaging 1.34 yards before first contact, the lowest rate in the NFL. Gurley has rushed for only 403 yards (ranked 21st) despite getting 134 carries (eighth-most). He averaged a much-improved (but still pedestrian) 3.97 yards per carry over his past two games, but only compiled 29 attempts in that span.
For some reason, the Rams mostly went away from Gurley in the second half of those games, even though the score remained close.
They have to stay committed to the running game.
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