Hard Knocks 3 (in this episode, Jon Snow gets reps with the 1s)

Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › Hard Knocks 3 (in this episode, Jon Snow gets reps with the 1s)

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • August 24, 2016 at 9:49 am #51520
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    On ‘Hard Knocks,’ Jeff Fisher demands that Todd Gurley not be tackled

    Alden Gonzalez

    http://www.espn.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/30290/jeff-fisher-demands-that-todd-gurley-not-be-tackled

    IRVINE, Calif. — If you ever wondered just how important star running back Todd Gurley is to his team, look no further than the third installment of “Hard Knocks,” the HBO series that follows the Los Angeles Rams through training camp.

    In it, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher gave his defensive coaches some very explicit instructions.

    “So everybody understands, defensively, that Gurley doesn’t need to f—ing be hit in the 9-on-7 [drill], OK?” Fisher said. “I don’t want ’30’ tackled. We need ’30.’ So, individual groups, let your guys know, ’30’ doesn’t go to the ground in a team period or a 9-on-7. And I know it’s a combination of things [with] guys closing, but we need to treat him like a freaking quarterback. OK?”

    Gurley (the 29th-best player in the NFL, according to ESPN’s rankings) is the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year and finished third in the league in rushing despite not getting a significant amount of carries until Week 4. Now in his second year, and an extra year removed from a devastating knee injury, Gurley will be the focal point of a Rams offense that seemingly won’t offer much in the passing game.

    And that’s why the Rams will be very, very careful with Gurley before the regular season begins.

    Gurley finally got into a game this past Saturday, an eventual 21-20 win over the Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Coliseum. He rushed four times in the Rams’ first offensive possession, gaining 20 yards and scoring a touchdown. And as soon as he jogged back toward the sidelines, offensive coordinator Rob Boras spoke into his headset to ask Fisher a question:

    “Todd’s done, right?”

    “Done,” Fisher said. “Done, done, done. Done. Yeah, done.”

    A look at some of the other Rams personnel featured on “Hard Knocks” …

    Jared Goff: Rams quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke, in a meeting attended by general manager Les Snead, on Goff: “We all knew it was going to be a process. I think you’ve seen flashes of obviously why we took him No. 1, and you also see rookie lapses over the course of each practice. I think those are continuing to be minimized. He’s made great strides since OTAs. I love where this kid’s at, he’s working his ass off, he’s asking the right questions. We’ll continue to obviously just watch him develop. He’s a special one.” Weinke and Fisher acknowledged that Goff running a couple of drives with the first-team offense in the upcoming game would be a big opportunity, but Goff didn’t end up taking full advantage.

    Mike Singletary: The Hall of Fame linebacker and former San Francisco 49ers head coach got on Alec Ogletree, in his first first year as middle linebacker. Singletary pulled Ogletree off to the side and whispered, “You can be on one of the best to ever play the game. You have it in you, in this body, the ability to be an off-the-charts player. But you’re not using it. And it pisses me off, man. You’re not using it. I want to see you hustle.” Ogletree was really upset that the Rams gave up a touchdown on the opening drive for the second straight week.

    Eugene Sims: So apparently Sims, a 6-foot-6, 269-pound defensive end, has some really, really good hands. Sims had one of the Rams assistants turn the JUGS machine all the way up, then stood only a few feet in front of it and continually caught passes with only his right hand. “Hard Knocks” cameras showed Sims make nine of them. Tight ends coach John Lilly even wondered aloud if Sims could be a tight end.

    Brandon Fisher: Jeff Fisher told a cool anecdote about his son, Brandon, who coaches the secondary. The story was from the Music City Miracle in 2000, when tight end Frank Wycheck threw a lateral pass across the field to Kevin Dyson during a late kickoff to push Fisher’s Tennessee Titans over the Buffalo Bills in a wild-card game. Brandon can be seen cheering Dyson on just beyond the sidelines. “Can you imagine if you would’ve bumped that official, what would’ve happened on that play?” Fisher told his son.

    Paul McRoberts: The undrafted wide receiver’s 18-year-old stepbrother died in a double shooting back home in St. Louis County, Missouri, and McRoberts was forced to find out about it Aug. 1 on Facebook. Fisher brought McRoberts into his office to console him. “It’s not an easy time for you, man,” Fisher told McRoberts. “But we’ll help get you through this.”

    Eric Kush: The animated backup center loves his tank tops, and he had some made for the entire team. Left tackle Greg Robinson wanted nothing to do with it, though. “Naw, man, I’m allergic to tanks,” he said.

    August 24, 2016 at 10:13 am #51523
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    HBO ‘Hard Knocks’ 2016: Best Rams Storylines, Moments, Reaction for Episode 3

    While there have been plenty of light-hearted moments on this season of Hard Knocks, Tuesday’s episode started with a serious tone. Rookie wide receiver Paul McRoberts’ step brother was killed this offseason, and Hard Knocks captured coach Jeff Fisher comforting him in his office, especially since the pass-catcher said he found out on Facebook.

    Things quickly turned back to the football, as Fisher addressed the team and players reviewed film following its preseason victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Defensive coordinator Greg Williams in particular didn’t hold back when pointing out mistakes during film study.

    It wasn’t all hard work, as linebacker Akeem Ayers and defensive end William Hayes hit Disneyland with their families. Hayes made headlines in episode two when he expressed his belief that mermaids exist, so it seemed appropriate that he went to the land of the Little Mermaid on his day off.

    Hayes was rather skeptical about riding a roller coaster and had to ask an employee multiple times if his seat belt would actually keep him in the ride. He even let out some NFL-worthy screams, via the NFL:

    Hard Knocks and the Rams shifted into preparation mode for the second preseason game after the fun at Disneyland. One thing that stood out was the fact Fisher told his staff to make sure running back Todd Gurley was treated like a quarterback for portions of practice and didn’t get tackled because he is so valuable to the team.

    Fisher even joked with New York Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia not to hurt the players when he was at practice.

    Sabathia wasn’t the only notable name to make an appearance. Former San Francisco 49ers coach and legendary Chicago Bears linebacker Mike Singletary showed up, but some of the Rams offensive players thought it was a good idea to mess around with him. Robby Kalland of CBS Sports and the Rams did not agree with that strategy, even if it was in good
    fun:

    After the celebrity cameos, the quarterback competition between Case Keenum and Jared Goff took center stage. While Keenum received some help at home from his wife when it came to memorizing the playbook, Fisher did allow Goff the opportunity to work with the first string for some of practice (and in the preseason game).

    Linebacker Brandon Chubb and tight end Benson Browne provided some comic relief from the football-heavy episode with a bowling trip, and Chubb earned the victory and made his fellow rookie do some push-ups as penance.

    Hard Knocks also highlighted how difficult it was for linebacker Alec Ogletree and wide receiver Austin Hill to be apart from their families during training camp. Thiry underscored the emotion involved:

    Being away from family was part of the preparation for that preseason showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs. Hard Knocks concluded with the Rams’ second preseason game of the year, which was also at home, and captured the dramatic moments of the 21-20 Los Angeles victory.

    The Rams fell behind 7-0 for the second time in a row, but starting quarterback Keenum and Gurley responded. Keenum finished 4-of-5 for 53 yards and a score, while Gurley found the end zone on one of his four carries in his first preseason action. Keenum gave way to Goff with a 14-7 lead, and the rookie proceeded to fumble the ball away in some of his first-half action.

    Goff ultimately responded and ended the day 8-of-12 for 82 yards and a touchdown. He didn’t throw an interception either, and his 10-yard touchdown toss to Malcolm Brown in the fourth quarter gave the Rams the lead for good.

    If the fourth-quarter dramatics continue during the regular season, the Rams’ first year in Los Angeles will be a memorable one. For now, they can enjoy their 2-0 start in the preseason and the occasional trip to Disneyland until the games officially count in the standings.

    August 24, 2016 at 10:14 am #51524
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator
    zn wrote:

    Former San Francisco 49ers coach and legendary Chicago Bears linebacker Mike Singletary showed up,

    This poor writer seems to think that Singletary was a celebrity cameo.

    He doesn’t seem to realize Singletary is a Rams coach.

    .

    August 24, 2016 at 10:19 am #51526
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    9 takeaways from episode 3 of HBO’s Hard Knocks with the Rams

    9 takeaways from episode 3 of HBO's Hard Knocks with the Rams

    The third episode of HBO’s Hard Knocks with the Los Angeles Rams pulled at the heart strings just a bit, while also giving us some great insight into the team as a whole. Let’s take a look at a few of the best and most interesting takeaways from the episode.

    Ethan Westbrooks’ reasoning for his face tattoo is really interesting

    Sep 14, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Ethan Westbrooks (93) during the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. St. Louis Rams defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19-17. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

    ‘The normal 9-5, I’m either going to make it in the league or I’m going to regret it for the rest of my life.’ Westbrooks on his face tattoo.

    The reasoning is definitely interesting, but it’s hard to argue with it being used as motivation for Westbrooks.

    Thoughts go out to Paul McRoberts and his family

    It was a terrible moment hearing about McRoberts’ step brother passing away. It happened in a meeting with head coach Jeff Fisher, and apparently, McRoberts found out about it on Facebook. Thoughts definitely go out to him and his family.

    The father/son coaching bond

    It was a pretty cool moment seeing Fisher speak about his son, current defensive backs coach Brandon Fisher. Not only that, but we got to see the Music City Miracle for a nice throwback moment.

    Nelson Spruce is probably going to be featured in every episode now

    Even though Spruce was injured throughout the duration of this episode, he still got face time on Tuesday night. That’s what happens when you’re the breakout star after your first preseason game. Expect to see plenty of the undrafted free agent wide receiver over the coming weeks.

    Fisher really doesn’t want Todd Gurley touched

    Fisher legitimately stopped during a meeting to make sure it was known (by every single coach) that no one should hit Todd Gurley in practice. Ever. He even went as far as saying that Gurley should be ‘treated like a quarterback.’

    Eric Kush working on his tank top game, and his wife is helping

    As if we didn’t hear enough about Kush’s tank tops before, he’s now making his own, and you’re probably going to want to buy one. On top of that, his wife dressing her whole family in tanks for the second preseason game was awesome to watch as well.

    They’re talking about Jared Goff running with the first string

    Unfortunately, as badly as the Rams coaches are pushing for Goff running with the first-team offense, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be a full-time thing anytime soon. While the show may make it seem like the strides are being taken forward (and they probably are), it’s unlikely that it’s happening as fast as many want to believe that it is.

    Austin Hill’s growth as the Hard Knocks darling

    From playing on the field with his daughter to putting in work on the field during practice, Hill is making fans fall in love with him and his family. Here’s to hoping he can get some more in-game work soon because we’re all rooting for him.

    He’s personable, seems like a great leader and an all-around good guy. To top it off, when re-watching the tape, Keenum looked pretty impressive during the second preseason game against the Chiefs. Rams fans may want to get used to seeing Keenum in 2016, because this guy is not only a legitimate NFL quarterback, but he seems completely unphased by team’s decision to draft Goff No. 1 overall in the draft.

    August 26, 2016 at 6:09 am #51625
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator


    ‘Hard Knocks’ Episode 3 making a case for Rams quarterback Case Keenum

    http://www.ocregister.com/articles/episode-726827-rams-hard.html

    If you happened to stumble upon a 10-minute interview the current Rams’ No. 1 quarterback did with Fred Roggin and Leeann Tweeden during the Tuesday afternoon “L.A. Today” show on KLAC-AM (570), that should have come across more than a couple of times.

    But if asked to measure your interest or likeability of Keenum based on what you’ve seen through the first two episodes of HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” you may have little to no opinion at all.

    Leading up to Tuesday’s middle installment of the five-part series, the recurring storyline each week is some variation on: How long will it be before No. 1 overall pick and rookie Jared Goff is ready to be the top QB?

    When Keenum was asked Tuesday on the radio about whether he’s bothered by the Goff talk or even notices the “Hard Knocks” cameras around, he replied: “Oh, you definitely notice them. They’re in your face and everywhere including our quarterback meeting room, security cameras like ‘Big Brother’ following you around. But it’s great to have people excited about us and we’re excited about being here. We’re enjoying every second of it.”

    They were more than in his face in Tuesday’s third episode. They were in his apartment kitchen, as his wife, Kimberly, was trying to help him memorize the complicated huddle calls by reading them aloud to Case as she was cooking.

    Recall back in the first episode how Goff struggled learning the language of the NFL quarterback, and stumbled as he tried to repeat it back in the huddle.

    At this point in the process, no matter how hard the Rams may want Goff to accelerate the maturation process, the media may be revealing that Keenum has been a much smarter bet to be put in charge.

    Of course, two more exhibitions, and two more “Hard Knocks” episodes, could twist things up otherwise.

    What else was learned from this new episode:

    • If Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is at all interested in rehabilitating his national image four years after his indefinite NFL suspension for his role in the New Orleans Saints’ “Bountygate” scandal (only to be reinstated a year later), it’s a bit surprising how much he doesn’t seem to care that cameras are on him during his grinding, explicative-laced tirades directed at several players.

    During this episode, however, he seems to try to frame it more as “tough love” moments, including a time when he capped off his outburst with a message like: “People that have enabled you your whole life, they’re disabling you for your future.”

    During the Rams-Kansas City exhibition game at the Coliseum, Williams is also seen going ballistic at linebacker Brandon Chubb for not acknowledging that he kept calling his name in the wireless helmet communication device. Afterward, Williams tells Chubb: “If I didn’t like you, I wouldn’t holler at you.”

    Maybe Chubb can offer Williams the T-shirt he wore during a scene where he was bowling, one with big letters reading “I NEED MY SPACE” with the NASA logo on it.

    • If the Rams do end up dropping rookie receiver Austin Hill, it definitely won’t please any of the viewers who have become attached to his young daughter, Rielyn. Not that it should matter. But it will.

    • Finally, there was more camera time for Mike Singletary, the Hall of Fame linebacker and former San Francisco 49ers head coach who is on Coach Jeff Fisher’s staff as a special assistant. Just having his presence and working specifically with fourth-year linebacker Alec Ogletree could be one full episode in itself.

  • Author
    Posts
Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

Comments are closed.