8/11 … tweets, vids, articles from camp

Practice Report 8/11: Ready for the Cowboys

Myles Simmons

http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Practice-Report-811-Ready-for-the-Cowboys/3eb3dfe6-0fcc-4865-b40e-cb2b5b419053

The second week of training camp is complete, and now the Rams are ready to take on the Cowboys for the first preseason matchup.

“We’re looking forward to it,” head coach Jeff Fisher said. “Guys really had a great experience at the Coliseum and they’re looking forward to going back under real-life situational circumstances.

“The players are excited about lining up against somebody else,” Fisher added. “Our interior center and two guards have just about had enough of Aaron Donald, so they’re looking forward to lining up against someone else.”

While football will be back in a sense, there are a few significant differences between the exhibition matchups and the regular season. The first is the level of game planning that goes on — which, especially for the first contest, is very little. The Rams did practice a few plays against the Cowboys’ schemes during Thursday’s session and will do a bit more on Friday. But it certainly doesn’t come close to the level of preparation during the regular season.

“We’re keeping things pretty basic, as I would expect the Cowboys to as well,” Fisher said. “Most people keep things basic in the first preseason game.”

“We’ll have a session tomorrow, but we’ll tone things down and kind of go through all those little detail things that you have to go through, including the anthem and pregame warmups,” the head coach added.

The larger point of the first couple of preseason games is to see how much players have learned in camp against live competition.

“We’re looking for execution. Obviously, keep the penalties down,” Fisher said. “In a perfect world, you defense goes out, they go three-and-out, they come off the field, you go down and get points. That doesn’t always happen. But you have to keep in mind and be objective about the fact that we’re not doing an awful lot.”

While the head coach said he had not yet discussed with the players the specifics of Saturday’s playing time, there are some general conventions that come with early exhibition matchups.

“Typically speaking, what we’ve done in the first preseason game is you play your starters in that two-to-three series [range], and then you start making your changes,” Fisher said. “Most of them know what to expect as far as Saturday’s concerned. Maybe a couple guys don’t get on the field. We may wait until next week.”

“The challenge is in special teams where you’ve got guys up and down and moving around, and the real burden falls on the younger players who are starting offense and are also playing on the four core special teams,” Fisher added. “So guys are going to get a lot of exercise. But that’s typically how the first preseason game is.”

Of course, No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff will be among those players subbing in early. He said Thursday he’s feeling ready for his first live professional action.

“I feel good,” Goff said. “Obviously it will be my first NFL game, and I’m going to try to go out there and treat it like every other game I’ve ever played in my life. Have fun, execute, and do the best I can.”

The rookie has played in the L.A. Coliseum before, but as a visitor while in college at Cal. Goff admitted he might take in the moment for a minute or two, but then he’ll get right back into the mental space where he feels he needs to be.

“Maybe a little bit at first when I run out of the tunnel,” he said. “But after that it’s just football — the same game I’ve played my whole life. I’ve played hundreds of games up to this point, and this will just be another one.”

Aside from Goff, there are a few position battles that should be worth monitoring not just for this first game, but also throughout the preseason. Fisher pointed out the offensive line, with Rodger Saffold currently playing at right tackle for Rob Havenstein, as a group where positions aren’t quite set in stone. Plus, there’s the ongoing battles in the secondary, particularly at cornerback with Coty Sensabaugh, Lamarcus Joyner, and Marcus Roberson all currently in the mix.

“We’re going to move some people around a little bit on the offensive line,” Fisher said. “Defensively, the corner spot is competitive. They’re all playing well right now. Someone’s going to have to go inside on the slot, someone’s going to line up outside and start for us. So I would think that would be one position you keep an eye on.”

But, again, it’s important to remember Saturday represents the first time players have faced live competition in at least seven months. Because of that, mistakes will be made. And that’s OK.

“You don’t want to go out and win 48-0 and have no penalties — you have to learn from things,” Fisher said. “It’s a great learning experience from the team once we grade the tape and come back, and address the penalties and address the mistakes, because you have to correct them.”

REACTIONS TO HARD KNOCKS

One of the most talked about scenes from this week’s debut episode of Hard Knocks was Jared Goff vs. where the sun happens to rise and set. The quarterback took a few questions about that from the media today, and handled everything in stride with a laugh.

“It was funny,” Goff said. “Caught a lot of grief from my friends and stuff, but it was funny. I didn’t mind it.”

But apparently there was someone who wasn’t quite happy with some of the language used during the uncensored show.

“I got one of these yesterday: ‘Jeffrey!’ This is from mom,” Fisher said with a laugh. “I said, ‘Sorry, mom. That’s our world. I’ll try to do better.”

“When I hear, ‘Jeffrey,’ it’s like, uh-oh — something went wrong,” Fisher continued.

But overall, reviews have been positive for the show and the experience of being on it.

“I thought it was great,” Fisher said. “It’s a very, very talented crew. And I thought they [had] some extraordinary shots in there. And the content was good.”

The next episode of Hard Knocks will air Tuesday at 10 p.m. on HBO.

VISIT FROM THE CREW

While the first preseason game won’t be televised on a Monday, ESPN’s Monday Night Football crew is working the game. That means new play-by-play man Sean McDonough, sideline reporter Lisa Salters, and color commentator Jon Gruden were at practice on Thursday to observe and get a feel for what the team might look like for Saturday’s game.

After practice, our Dani Klupenger sat down with Gruden to get his take on Los Angeles’ quarterbacks and what he’s looking forward to seeing from the team against Dallas.

“When I watch the Rams, I look at the defense first because that’s where the Pro Bowlers are,” Gruden told Klupenger. “I’m interested in [Alec] Ogletree at middle linebacker, who the free safety is going to be — I see [Maurice] Alexander. And the communication was very good, the energy level’s great. I’m excited about Ogletree in the middle, personally.

“And then I want to see Goff,” Gruden continued. “I want to see the young offensive players — all of them. Gurley, Goff, I want to see the young offensive linemen. Which receiver is going to step up and be the third, guy, the fourth guy, the fifth guy. So there’s a lot of competition, a lot of unknown. That’s why this preseason is critical.”

Gruden and Klupenger talked about plenty more, which you can check out in the full one-on-one video right here on the site.

tyler higbee too. wanna see what all the fuss is about. goff and higbee especially should be getting a lot of playing time i would think. hopefully coop too.