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October 8, 2017 at 10:30 pm #75763
znModeratorRams Come Close, But Fall Short on Final Drive
Kristen Lago
Despite scoring just one touchdown and committing five turnovers, the Rams still had a chance to win in the final minute of Sunday’s 16-10 loss to the Seahawks.
Though the Rams trailed for the majority of the second half, the game never seemed out of reach. And with just over a minute on the clock, the Rams took over at their own 25-yard line for a final shot at a fourth-quarter comeback.
In what was an uncharacteristic day for the Los Angeles offense, quarterback Jared Goff had already thrown two interceptions and lost a fumble, running back Todd Gurley had been limited to just 50 yards from scrimmage, and the unit had failed to score on three of four trips to the red zone.
But even through such adversity, the Rams seemed back seemed to find something for the contest’s last drive. Prior to the first play of their final series, head coach Sean McVay pulled his quarterback aside, later saying he told Goff, “We’ve got confidence, let’s go execute to the best of our ability and give ourselves a chance to go out and win this football game.”
And execute he did.
With 67 seconds on the clock and no timeouts, quarterback Jared Goff began the drive with a 35-yard completion to tight end Tyler Higbee.
Then on 2nd-and-10 from the Seattle 40-yard line, Goff hit wide receiver Robert Woods on a 20-yard strike to take Los Angeles back into the red zone. And with 17 seconds left on the clock, it seemed as if the momentum was finally in the Rams’ favor.
“We expected to win,” Woods said of the final drive. “[Goff] marched down the ball, threw a key pass to me and Higbee, and set us up great. We had enough time and opportunity to make the play and that’s what you want from your quarterback is [someone] that’s never phased. Whatever time is left on the clock, we’re driving down and trying to score.”
After a spike and an incomplete pass to Gurley on the offense’s left, Goff targeted wide receiver Cooper Kupp on a pass towards the middle of the end zone. And while the receiver has come to be known for his sure-handedness, Kupp’s diving grab came up short as he failed to haul in the game winning touchdown.
“It is what it is,” Kupp said postgame. “We’re playing in the NFL, you’re expected to make those plays and my expectations are no different. I expected to make that play. I can’t say anything about whether it was behind me or a one-handed catch, [but] if I’m putting my hands on the ball, I’ve got to make that play.”
Goff came to Kupp yet again on 4th-and-10, on what looked like a similar play. But this time, Kupp was well covered and the pass fell short. The Rams were forced to turn the ball over on downs.
The quarterback said he told Kupp after the drop that there was a reason he went his way with the football.
“Well I told him, ‘I could’ve picked anyone to throw it to and I picked you,’” Goff said. “‘It’s because you’re a
good player, a guy that we trust and a guy that we believe in.’ Told him not to get to down on himself, he’s a very serious kid and a very good player, and someone who knows he wants to make that play. But I just told him, ‘Don’t worry about it, it’s a long season and we’re going to have so many more situations throughout our career together, just like that.’”
Even in the loss, McVay praised Goff’s improvement in game-winning drive situations like the one he faced on Sunday. In Week 2, the Rams had a similar opportunity to win the game against Washington on the final drive. That day, Goff’s first pass was an interception, sealing the loss.
“I think you look at the last time we were in that situation — on the first play — we turn the ball over,” McVay said. “Then this one, he gave us a chance. I thought he made a couple of big throws down the stretch and whether we were able to get it done or not, he put us in a position to do that, so I think that was definitely an improvement.”
“But again, anytime you don’t get the result, it’s disappointing for our team,” he continued. “What I love about this locker room is we’ve got a bunch of high character people that will look at themselves critically, figure out how they can improve, be a part of the solution and continue to stay connected as a team.”
October 8, 2017 at 10:59 pm #75765znModeratorVincent Bonsignore @DailyNewsVinny
Sloppy sloppy sloppyFeel like the old coach Pete Carroll getting the best of the young coach, Sean McVay, today. #Rams #Seahawks
A lot of #Rams, including Jared Goff, stopped by Copper Kupp’s locker to tell him to keep his head up
Rams Trumaine Johnson, among others, complaining to referees about some PI calls they felt went uncalled on final drive
Joe Curley @vcsjoecurley
Goff said he told Kupp after the drop that there was a reason he went his way with the ball, that he’s a great player.“By no means are we happy about scoring 10 points. Ever.” – Jared Goff
“You see why Seattle has been so good for so long… But we really beat ourselves today, we did.” – Jared Goff
“It wasn’t so much we weren’t moving the ball, we just weren’t finishing drives.” – Jared Goff
“We had the turnovers, we had the missed third downs, so it was really on us.” — Robert Woods
McVay on Austin muffing punts: “He’s our punt returner. He’s going to be better than that.”
Alden Gonzalez @Alden_Gonzalez
Amazing, given the way this game went, that the ultra reliable Cooper Kupp had the winning touchdown in his hands, but missed on a diving third-down attempt in the end zone. The Rams will leave this game lamenting missed opportunities when they could’ve easily built a two-game lead in the NFC West. Every time they seemed to be building positive momentum, they made a key mistake (interceptions, fumbles, missed field goals, etc).
Jared Goff spoke to Sammy Watkins about pulling up midway through his deep route. “He was a little bit confused on what we were doing,” Goff said. “It’s nothing that can’t be fixed overnight. It’s not characteristic from him at all. I don’t expect that to happen.”
Rams RB Todd Gurley, on going long stretches without getting the ball: “It’s kind of what it is. You can’t get the ball every time. We have a lot of great playmakers. Even though I didn’t get the ball, you see the situation we were still in. And I just gotta do a better job of just going out there and making plays. If I make plays, then I get the ball.”
Tavon Austin, on muffing so many punts: “I’m a little scarred up right now, but it’s all right. Never going to make excuses. Just gotta keep working at it day in and day out, hoping I get it back when I’m feeling more comfortable catching the ball back there.” Austin said he was not disappointed Rams coach Sean McVay replaced him with Cooper Kupp. “I understand what’s going on,” Austin said. “I know what’s up with me. … It’s just a mental thing for me. I just have to keep getting better. I’ll be all right.”
Rich Hammond@Rich_Hammond
In a season full of progress, the Rams stubbed their toe against Seattle:Sammy Watkins had 0 receptions for the first time since 9/13/15. Ended 24-game streak. Targeted 4 times today.
The Rams ran 12 red-zone plays. Todd Gurley touched the ball once, on his near-touchdown-but-fumble.
Most egregious? After Johnson INT in 2Q, Rams had ball at Seattle 19. McVay called 3 pass plays, gained 2 yards, kicked field goal.
Rams’ last 8 red-zone drives:
FG, FG, FG, fumble, FG, missed field goal, interception, turnover on downsRams managed to get a holding penalty on a punt return when Cooper Kupp was waving everyone away.
Ryan Kartje @Ryan_Kartje
Any time Cooper Kupp is lined up on a safety or linebacker, Jared Goff is going to find him. Every. Single. Time.Matt Longacre had three quarterback hurries today. The same number as Aaron Donald.
Also, can we talk about Seattle’s left tackle here? Even Greg Robinson is somewhere shaking his head.
J.B. Long@JB_Long
5 turnovers, a missed FG, and yet the ball was on the #LARams hands in the end zone with a chance to win it. Unfortunate not to get the PI.===
Here’s the margin of defeat tonight for the Rams. A sliver of a split of a second. @CVRamsClub #SeavsLAR pic.twitter.com/6kuMf0CMD6
— Joe Curley (@vcsjoecurley) October 9, 2017
"Let's face facts," Cooper Kupp said, "I gotta make that play." Video … https://t.co/pqAk1ljUyx pic.twitter.com/GiD1rBLHIs
— Alden Gonzalez (@Alden_Gonzalez) October 9, 2017
Cooper Kupp looks down as he leaves the field. Johnny Hekker in to pick him up. @CVRamsClub pic.twitter.com/4dRRgXTBA3
— Joe Curley (@vcsjoecurley) October 8, 2017
October 9, 2017 at 12:38 am #75774
InvaderRamModeratorRams rookie safety John Johnson shines in (surprising) first NFL start
By RICH HAMMOND | rhammond@scng.com | Orange County Register
PUBLISHED: October 8, 2017 at 7:46 pm | UPDATED: October 8, 2017 at 8:21 pm
LOS ANGELES — The Rams picked quite a time to show their trust in rookie John Johnson.With starting safety Lamarcus Joyner, out of the lineup Sunday with a hamstring injury, the Rams chose to bench their other starter, Maurice Alexander, and replace him with Johnson, a third-round draft pick.
Like many bold moves, it worked. Alexander had been increasingly unreliable, both on pass defense and in run support. Johnson broke up a pass early in the game and then, five minutes into the second quarter, Johnson intercepted Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson and returned the ball 69 yards.
The turnover set up a field goal that gave the Rams a 10-0 lead, and while the Seahawks later had some success throwing to tight ends covered by Johnson, the rookie seemed solid in his first NFL start.
“I thought he did a tremendous job,” Rams linebacker and defensive captain Alec Ogletree said. “I told him before the game it was going to be his game to come out and let people know who you are. I’m definitely proud of him. He’s got to continue to work and get better, and I think he will do that.”
A former standout at Boston College, Johnson said he had “no idea,” in advance, that he would be displacing Alexander, but the Rams had showed increased confidence in Johnson after he overcame an injury that sidelined him for the early part of training camp.
Johnson actually slid into Joyner’s spot at free safety, while Cody Davis took Alexander’s spot at strong safety, and Davis also recorded an interception in the first quarter.
Johnson said he felt “real comfortable” in his first start, and his only major lament after the game was that he failed to score a touchdown on his interception and was chased down by Wilson.
“I’ll get it right and I will take them to the house,” Johnson said. “But it was great to finally get an interception. I feel like the first one is always hard to get, so hopefully there are a lot more coming.”
BIG IMPROVEMENT
The Rams’ defense, which struggled against San Francisco and during the first half last week against Dallas, carried over its strong play from the second half against the Cowboys. Seattle gained only 240 yards, including only 62 rushing yards (and an average of 2.5 yards per rush).
Seattle lost its top rusher, Chris Carson, to injury last week, but the Rams largely shut down Thomas Rawls and Eddie Lacy and held Wilson, an excellent scrambler, to 16 yards.
“We knew they liked to run the ball and we had to stop the run first and defend the pass second,” Ogletree said. “We did a good job of stopping the run. I wish we could have come out different, but definitely proud as a defense, for sure.”
LOST JOB?
Tavon Austin might be ousted as the Rams’ punt returner. Austin, who suffered fumbling issues in previous games, dropped both of the punts he attempted to field Sunday, and lost one.
Austin fumbled Seattle’s first punt, early in the first quarter, and the Rams went to rookie Cooper Kupp on Seattle’s second attempt. For some reason, the Rams went back to Austin in the second quarter, and he fumbled. The Rams went back to Kupp for Seattle’s only other punt.
“I’m a little scarred up right now, but it’s all right,” Austin said. “I’m never going to make excuses. I’m going to keep working at it, day in and day out, hoping I get it back when I’m feeling more comfortable catching the ball back there.”
Asked about the job going forward, Coach Sean McVay said, “Tavon is a guy who is our punt returner and he’s going to be better than that,” but when pressed again, McVay said, “We will go back after this game and evaluate some of those things moving forward.”
ALL QUIET
Sammy Watkins, expected to be the Rams’ top receiver this season, was blanketed by Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman and did not have a catch. Watkins was the target of four of Jared Goff’s passes. Last week against Dallas, Watkins had only one catch for 17 yards.
Most troubling, against Seattle, might have been a play when Watkins appeared to stop running his route and a Goff pass sailed over his head. Goff said Watkins was a “little bit confused” on the play and that they talked about what happened on the play.
“I think it was probably one of those plays that he didn’t expect,” McVay said, “and I’d have to talk to Sammy about that. Until you go back and truly look at it, I can’t say and I haven’t had a chance to specifically talk to Sammy about that one individual play.”
October 9, 2017 at 12:57 am #75775znModeratorfrom Rams vs. Seahawks Postgame Notes (10/8/17)
– TE Tyler Higbee led the team in receiving yards with 98 on four catches, a new personal high.
– WR Tavon Austin registered his first touchdown on the season on a 27-yard rush. Austin’s career scoring totals: nine rushing, 12 receiving, three punt returns.
– In S John Johnson’s first career start, he notched his first interception and returned it 69 yards to the Seattle 19-yard line. Marks the 10th longest interception return in Rams history.
– Johnson’s 69-yard return is the longest for a rookie in the NFL since Kansas City’s Marcus Peters had a 90-yard interception (12/20/15).
– OLB Matt Longacre recorded his third sack of the season, he currently leads the team in the category.
– LB Mark Barron led the team with 15 tackles (12 solo), according to press box statistics.
– Zuerlein connected on 19-consecutive field goal attempts dating back to 12/4/16, the longest streak of his career and tied for second-longest in franchise history. Former K Jeff Wilkins made 19-consecutive FGs in 2003 after connecting on 30-consecutive FG attempts from 199-2001.
– Hekker has 450 career punts, which is the most punts in franchise history. Previously, the record was held by P Donnie Jones (449)
October 9, 2017 at 2:15 am #75779znModeratorDespite 16–10 Loss to Seahawks, Rams Prove They’re True Contenders
It’s clear that the NFC West now belongs to Seattle and Los Angeles—but while Rams QB Jared Goff may be finally settling into his role, he’s still not quite the clutch quarterback his team needs him to be.
Three thoughts from the Seahawks 16–10 victory over the Rams.
1. Recently the NFC West has been a two-team division between the Seahawks and Cardinals, but this division now belongs to the Seahawks and Rams. Los Angeles may not have won Sunday, but they proved they belong at the top of the division—one they haven’t won since 2003. It’s OK if you were skeptical of the Rams after a few games under a 31-year-old coach and second-year quarterback who went winless as a starter after being drafted No. 1. But five games in they have proven capable of winning against playoff teams. Todd Gurley has returned to his Offensive Rookie of the Year form, Robert Quinn is speeding off the edge, Mark Barron has made the transition to the hybrid defender and Cooper Kupp has become a dependable receiver. The 49ers are still a few years away from competing and the Cardinals remain on the decline that began in the 2015 NFC title game. Gurley’s endzone fumble and Greg Zuerlein’s missed chip shot totally changed the complexion of this game, leaving 10 points on the field in a six-point finish.
2. Jared Goff may be ready—finally—for the big time, but he’s still not ready for clutch time. With more than six minutes left in a three-point game, Goff’s pass for Tyler Higbee was intercepted by Earl Thomas. The Rams’ defense forced Seattle to a three-and-out, but four plays later Goff coughed up the ball when he took a sack from Frank Clark. Those are two fatal errors in the span of less than four game minutes that aren’t acceptable. Sure, he made two nice passes on the final drive that got the Rams knocking on the door (and a third that maybe should have been caught by Cupp in the end zone), but without those errors those plays wouldn’t have been necessary. Goff has gotten a great deal of love for his play this year, and that love seems to be more relative to his horrendous play in 2016 than what he’s done in a vacuum in ’17. But just because he’s light-years better than his awful rookie season doesn’t mean he can perform late in games like winning quarterbacks do.
3. Seattle’s run game continues to struggle. Starting early in the 2014 season and ending late in ’15, the Seahawks put together 25 straight games of at least 100 rushing yards, which was the sixth-longest streak in NFL history at the time. This season, through five games, the Seahawks have rushed for less than 100 yards three times. Seattle finished Sunday’s win with 62 net rushing yards, continuing an ugly trend that dates back to last season when the Seahawks somehow went 6-3-1 in games where they rushed for less than 100 yards. This model clearly isn’t sustainable and shouldn’t help earn Seattle another NFC West crown. As the season grows longer the defense will be relied upon more, and we know well the real and perceived riffs between that offense and defense. Seattle has dealt with an incredible number of injuries at running back since Marshawn Lynch retired, but whether it’s going to be Thomas Rawls or Eddie Lacy, the leading rusher getting 20 yards in a win won’t do.
October 9, 2017 at 2:19 am #75780znModeratorOn another final drive, uneven Goff, Rams fall just short of game-winner
RYAN KARTJE
LOS ANGELES — All afternoon, he looked out of sync. Errant throws. Poor decisions. Missed opportunities and miscommunications. It was the kind of uneven showing we might have expected from Jared Goff a year ago, when the Rams quarterback of the future could only flounder around in a collapsing pocket, hoping for the best.
But everything had been different for Goff over the past month, and on Sunday, as 69 seconds remained and just six points separated the NFC West’s top two teams, the second-year quarterback entered the huddle brimming with confidence. Around him, his teammates felt his energy. They believed.“That’s what you want from your quarterback,” wideout Robert Woods said. “Never fazed, no matter what time is left.”
Goff had plenty of reason to be shaken at that point. He’d completed less than 50 percent of his passes. His last two possessions ended with backbreaking, fourth-quarter turnovers. One throw skied on him and hit Seattle safety Earl Thomas in the chest, abruptly ending a 12-play drive. On the next possession, left tackle Andrew Whitworth uncharacteristically missed a block, and Goff was pummeled on his blind side, coughing up a brutal fumble.
“We had some effect on him,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said.
But still, the Rams defense held, as it had all afternoon. And as Goff stood under center on that final drive, with three turnovers to his name, the young quarterback had every chance to lead the Rams to a crucial, divisional victory.
He’d been here before, just three weeks earlier, with the game on the line. It didn’t end well. Washington picked up Goff’s first throw, and that was that. Until Sunday, it’d been his only interception of the season, and since that failed final drive, he’d been on the best two-game tear of his career, with five touchdowns and 547 passing yards.
For Goff, though, this final drive felt different. He’d learned a little something from the last time. “I came into it this time knowing that we had everything we want,” he said.
So as Goff snapped the ball and sailed a quick throw over the middle, the Coliseum roared in anticipation. His pass wobbled through the air towards the seam, narrowly sneaking past the outstretched arms of Seattle safety Kam Chancellor. Behind him was tight end Tyler Higbee, who pulled it in for a miraculous 35-yard gain. Goff, with no timeouts, hurried the offense to the line for another snap.
As he dropped back again, Goff saw Woods streaking away from Seahawks shutdown corner Richard Sherman. He responded with a frozen rope across the middle, and suddenly, after just two plays, the Rams were threatening in the red zone.
“He gave us a chance,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “I thought he made some great throws down the stretch there. Whether we were able to get it done or not, he put us in position to do that.”
There is perhaps no better measure of a quarterback than his poise in the final seconds of a potential game-winning drive, and here, as 17 ticks remained and 20 yards stood between the Rams and a 4-1 start, there was no truer measure of how far Goff still has to go.
From the slot, Cooper Kupp broke free on a post route. Goff, reading man coverage, spotted Kupp immediately. He fired a pass in his direction, and Kupp dove, wide open in the endzone. But his soared just out of Kupp’s reach. Goff had missed on the Rams’ best opportunity. For a moment, Kupp laid on the grass, devastated, his head cradled in his hands.
He’d have one more chance on fourth down, but as Goff forced a throw to Kupp in double coverage, it landed in the dirt, sealing a 16-10 Rams loss. Still, McVay complimented his quarterback.
“It was a credit to Jared to get us in that position,” McVay said. “But no excuses, we didn’t get it done today.”
For most of the afternoon, Goff was one of the reasons the Rams had struggled. Against a dominant defense, he was under pressure all afternoon, finishing with 288 yards, two interceptions, and a fumble. As McVay turned away from Todd Gurley and the run game, Goff threw 47 times, but completed just 22. In a narrative-changing first five weeks for Goff, there were still flashes of the flailing rookie who lost his first seven starts a year ago.
But hidden in the failed final drive were reasons for hope, too.
“It builds a little confidence, for sure,” Goff said. “But by no means are we satisfied with the way it ended. We’d love to have one more. With that being said, we’re in an OK spot now.”
October 9, 2017 at 2:22 am #75781znModeratorMiraculous catch or not, Cooper Kupp felt he let the Rams down on Sunday
VINCENT BONSIGNORE
Even on his best day, it would have been a hell of a catch. Maybe one of his best ever. And that’s saying something considering many of the record-breaking catches Cooper Kupp made at Eastern Washington were of the circus variety. Like the one-handed grab he made as he simultaneously peeked over his shoulder while diving and stretching out into the end zone against Idaho State.
It was pretty standard stuff for Kupp, who’s stepped right into the NFL and immediately established himself as one of the best rookie wide receivers in pro football and most respected players in the Rams locker room.
And while the rest of us humans consider the pass from Jared Goff that skimmed off Kupp’s fingertips on what would have been the game-saving touchdown catch against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday as an acceptable incompletion, Kupp argues otherwise.
“At the end of the day, just face the facts,” he insisted. “I gotta make that play. I’m going to take responsibility for that. Extreme ownership.”
Kupp was talking in an excruciatingly subdued Rams locker room after a frustrating 16-10 loss to the Seahawks that deprived them the chance to put an early stranglehold on the NFC West and provide further compelling evidence that they’re for real.
Instead, they fell back into a first-place tie with the Seahawks and now face the prospect of three straight games on the road. Including a taxing 10-day excursion through suddenly tough Jacksonville and then London, where they’ll host a division game against the Arizona Cardinals.
That Kupp became the face of the Rams’ frustration on Sunday had more to do with circumstance than anything he did or didn’t do. The Rams played a sloppy game across most of a gorgeous afternoon at the Coliseum, stacking up five turnovers and a handful of bad penalties to sabotage themselves at nearly every turn.
They double-downed on their inefficiency with a few curious play-call decisions by Sean McVay and a couple of tentative throws by Goff that could have changed the complexion of the game had he just been more decisive.
“I’m sick about it,” said McVay.
Added Goff: “We just weren’t finishing drives,” Goff said. “That’s what it came down to. We weren’t finishing drives. When we got into the red zone, we didn’t do a great job”
In spite of it all, there were the Rams perched at the doorstep of a miraculous comeback victory after Goff struck for two long completions to Tyler Higbee and Robert Woods to set up shop at the Seahawks 20-yard-line.
With no timeouts remaining, Goff spiked the ball to stop the clock with 17 seconds remaining and then threw incomplete to Todd Gurley to make it third and 10 with 12 seconds left.
Which brings us to Kupp, who, working out of the slot, shook his defender with a jab step then broke free to the end zone. Goff, who had looked off Kupp’s defender to help set his teammate free, unleashed a tight spiral toward Kupp. A gasp of anticipation could be heard across the Coliseum as the ball zipped through the air toward the Rams most sure-handed receiver.
But the combination of Kupp having to leave his feet and the velocity of Goff’s throw resulted in the ball grazing off Kupp’s hands rather than him clutching it tightly for a game-tying touchdown.
The moans of agony could be heard all the way to the Santa Monica Pier. For a second or two, Kupp lay on the ground in disappointment.
“I make that play, it’s tough (for Seattle) to score with three seconds left,” Kupp said. “So I think if I make that play we get the W.”
Goff went right back to Kupp on fourth down on what looked like the same exact play, but Kupp was double covered, the ball fell short and the Rams gave up possession of the ball – and the game – on downs.
And while the Rams traveled a town of clumsy roads for which only a miraculous catch would have saved the day, we all know last impressions work.
When the Rams and their fans plopped their heads on their pillows Sunday night, the image of a possible game-winning touchdown pass falling harmlessly to the turf is what everyone remembered.
“That’s a tough, tough catch. It’s a really tough catch,” Goff argued, trying to deflect the blame from his rookie wide receiver. “It would have been an incredible catch if he came up with it.”
Kupp appreciated the thoughts.
But he was having none of it.
“We’re playing in the NFL,” he said. “You’re expected to make those plays. My expectations are no different. I expect to make that play. I can’t say anything about whether it was behind me or a one-hand catch. If I get my hands on the ball I’ve got to make that play.”
Kupp was beating himself up over it from the moment the ball sailed off his fingertips. He carried the hurt with him as he slowly walked off the field. And the burden of it wrapped itself around him as he slumped at his stall in an eerily quiet Rams locker room.
There was a litany of plays and mistakes and turnovers and curious play calls that conspired against the Rams on Sunday. Not to mention a proud Seahawks defense.
But for Kupp, it all came down to the catch that eluded him.
“I felt like I let these guys down,” he said.
The Rams, sensing their young teammates remorse, made it a point to stop by his locker to console him. Goff included.
“Don’t want him to get too down on himself,” Goff said. “He’s a very serious kid and a really good player, and someone who knows he wants to make that play.”
Which is why the second-year quarterback pulled up a chair next to Kupp for a prolonged heart-to-heart.
“I told him, ‘There’s a reason. I could have picked anyone to throw to there and I picked you,” Goff said. “There’s a reason we threw it to you there, because you’re a good player and a guy we trust, a guy we believe in.’”
Kupp appreciated the kind gestures and supportive words.
“I’ve got the best teammates in the world,” he said.
Chance are he’ll move on from this. Grow from it. Maybe even be better off for it.
But it might take a day or two.
“I just have to make that play,” he repeated. “Bottom line.”
October 9, 2017 at 2:25 am #75782znModeratorRed alert: Rams can’t finish drives in loss to Seahawks
Joe Curley
LOS ANGELES — The red zone is leaving the Los Angeles Rams red-faced.
The Rams left the Coliseum frustrated Sunday afternoon, knowing they were a hair’s breadth away from taking control of the NFC West with a win over the foe that has won the division eight of the last 13 seasons.
“We didn’t get the result that we wanted,” head coach Sean McVay said. “I’m sick about it.”
And they only had themselves to blame.
In its 16-10 loss to Seattle, which left the two teams tied atop the division standings at 3-2, Los Angeles (3-2) failed to break the goal line on any of its five trips to the Seahawks’ 20-yard line and beyond.
It settled for just three points on those possessions on a lone Greg Zuerlein field goal.
“It wasn’t so much we weren’t moving the ball,” quarterback Jared Goff said. “We just weren’t finishing drives. That’s what it came down to.
“We got into the red zone and we didn’t do a very good job. That’s what shows up. You see why Seattle has been so good for long with what they do defensively. It gave us issues all day.”
The failure in the red area continued a trend that began in last week’s signature 35-30 win in Dallas, which included a team-record seven field goals by Zuerlein, who was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
The Rams have failed to score a touchdown in their last eight trips to the red zone, which have ended with five field-goal attempts, an interception, a fumble and a turnover on downs.
“We continued to step on our own feet,” offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth said. “We’ve got to find a way to close the door.
“It’s frustrating. At the end of the day, we play this game to win it. You can’t continue to hurt yourself like we did today.”
Todd Gurley’s fumble against the pylon as he attempted to break the plane of the goal line on the first possession cost the Rams seven points.
Cooper Kupp’s difficult drop in the end zone on the penultimate play of the game cost the Rams the same margin.
Both were huge plays that bookended a frustrating afternoon. In between, the Rams had three other opportunities to render those mistakes moot.
A three-and-out and a 35-yard field goal, followed rookie John Johnson’s interception return to the Seattle 19 midway through the second quarter.
Running back Todd Gurley, the reigning NFC Offensive Player of the Week, did not line up in the backfield during that possession.
“It starts with me,” McVay said. “I have to make sure I’m looking at myself critically. Are we running plays are conductive to giving our players an chance to have success? We’ve got to evaluate some of the things that we’re doing.”
In the third quarter, the Rams had a 13-play drive that reached the Seattle 16 and an 11-play drive that reached the Seattle 15, but failed to scratch out a single point from either possession.
Zuerlein missed a 36-yard field goal on the first possession, snapping a streak of 19 straight field goals made dating back to last November.
On the second, Michael Bennett drove the Rams back with a quarterback sack and Goff’s deflected screen pass to Gurley was intercepted by defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson.
“Also, give credit to Seattle, they’re an excellent red-zone defense,” McVay said. “I thought it really hurt our ability when we were not efficient on first down. Then you get yourself in some second and longs, and it’s going to be tough to able to convert in the third and longs against an excellent front.”
The Rams piled up 375 yards of total offense, outgaining Seattle by more than a hundred yards, and moved the chains 21 times. They nearly drove the length of the field in the final 69 seconds to steal the game and salve all of their mistakes.
A late touchdown would have given the Rams a two-game lead over Seattle in the NFC West, plus a vital head-to-head victory.
But the NFC West’s dominant team, and dominant unit — the Seattle defense — remained unmoved, especially with their backs against their own end zone.
“These guys have been playing great football for a long time and I think it’s just another statement that they will not relent,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “There (were) some tough situations… but they’re just really strong and really together and I think it was fantastic that they showed that again.”
October 9, 2017 at 2:28 am #75783znModeratorTorry Holt@BigGame81
Sammy Watkins 0 catches on four targets, Watkins now has 1 catch for 17 yards over his past two gamesRich Hammond @Rich_Hammond
I don’t see this as a loss that should panic Rams fans. The team played well enough to win against a good Seattle team. Just too many errorsOctober 9, 2017 at 4:31 am #75784
AgamemnonParticipantWe are walking to our cars. Want to chat about life and the Rams? Sure you do. https://t.co/PiQWjdmgn1
— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) October 9, 2017
AgamemnonOctober 9, 2017 at 4:58 am #75786AgamemnonParticipantKey stats and grades from the Seahawks win over the Ramshttps://t.co/oU4llilIpU pic.twitter.com/52k6MwDmKR
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) October 9, 2017
Unstoppable. pic.twitter.com/kagxRYLUNw
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) October 9, 2017
AgamemnonOctober 9, 2017 at 9:17 am #75797znModeratorRams went away from Sammy Watkins, Todd Gurley in loss to Seahawks
LOS ANGELES — Jared Goff stepped up into the pocket and unloaded a deep ball to Sammy Watkins, his best vertical threat. But Watkins stopped midway through his route, the ball sailing over his head with nobody in sight. That play encapsulated a weird Sunday afternoon for the Los Angeles Rams’ offense, because of the five turnovers that doomed them and because of a game plan that went away from their two best offensive players for long stretches.
Watkins was targeted only four times and finished with zero catches for the second time in his 42-game career, seven days after drawing only two targets against the Dallas Cowboys. Todd Gurley, who led the NFC in scrimmage yards and touchdowns through the first four weeks, received a season-low 16 touches and often found himself off the field during early downs.
“The flow of the game kind of dictates and determines whatever plays we feel like are going to work best,” Rams coach Sean McVay said after a 16-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. “Obviously, we know what a special player Todd is, but given some of the things that they were presenting, we felt like there were some other chances with some different things. But nothing that Todd wasn’t doing.”
Todd Gurley had a season-low 16 touches and just 50 yards from scrimmage in the Rams’ loss to the Seahawks. Robert Hanashiro/USA TODAY Sports
Gurley ran well early, gaining 9 yards on the Rams’ second offensive snap, then turning the corner for what was initially ruled a 12-yard touchdown run. But replay overturned the call, ruling that Gurley was down at the 1-yard line and also fumbled the ball into the end zone and out of bounds, giving the Seahawks the ball on a touchback. It was Gurley’s fifth fumble of the season, matching his total from all of 2015 and 2016.He carried the ball seven times in the first quarter and only seven times over the final three.
“It’s kind of what it is,” said Gurley, who finished with 50 scrimmage yards. “You can’t get the ball every time. We have a lot of great playmakers. Even though I didn’t get the ball, you see the situation we were still in [with a chance to win the game in the final seconds]. And I have to do a better job of just going out there and making plays. If I make plays, then I get the ball.”
Tavon Austin, who could barely sniff the field in the season’s first quarter, saw an uptick in workload on offense, running the ball six times for 27 yards — the same yardage total as his touchdown run — and catching three passes for another 14. Tyler Higbee had a career-high 98 receiving yards, Robert Woods made five catches for 66 yards and Cooper Kupp, who couldn’t come up with a tough catch on the potential winning touchdown, totaled three receptions for 44 yards.
But Watkins, acquired from the Bills to be the Rams’ primary receiver, has only one catch for 17 yards over the past two weeks. Later on social media, he retweeted fans who vouched for him to get more targets and had an interesting exchange with prolific former Rams receiver Torry Holt.
Torry Holt @BigGame81
Sammy Watkins 0 catches on four targets, Watkins now has 1 catch for 17 yards over his past two gamesKing Me @sammywatkins
Something gotta be going onIn an interview with ESPN last week, Watkins admitted that two years ago he probably would have complained to the media about his lack of targets. He talked about how his mindset has changed, because his foot injury made him see things differently and because he understands that the Rams have a lot of weapons. But he also said, “We’re winning, so it’s not a bad thing. Now, if we lose, I might be upset.”
The Rams lost on Sunday, falling to 3-2, now tied with the Seahawks for first place in the NFC West. Afterward, Goff said getting Gurley and Watkins the ball is usually in the back of his mind.
“But by no means do I want to force them the ball,” Goff said. “Just continue to let them get open in the framework of the play and work the ball around.”
Two and a half weeks removed from putting up 106 yards and two touchdowns against the 49ers, Watkins spent most of Sunday being hounded by four-time Pro Bowler Richard Sherman. On one deep shot, Watkins couldn’t get his arm extended on a pass that sailed beyond him. On another, he didn’t complete his route. He and Goff talked about it.
“He was a little bit confused on what we were doing,” Goff said. “But we’re good, and it’s nothing that can’t be fixed overnight. It’s not characteristic from him at all. I don’t expect that to happen.”
October 9, 2017 at 11:43 am #75803AgamemnonParticipant AgamemnonOctober 9, 2017 at 3:18 pm #75815znModeratorStill not sure the referees got this call correct in #Rams #Seahawks game. pic.twitter.com/QtFdjQ1qZQ
— Vincent Bonsignore (@DailyNewsVinny) October 9, 2017
==
Here’s the margin of defeat tonight for the Rams. A sliver of a split of a second. @CVRamsClub #SeavsLAR pic.twitter.com/6kuMf0CMD6
— Joe Curley (@vcsjoecurley) October 9, 2017
October 9, 2017 at 3:20 pm #75817znModeratorRams’ five turnovers prove costly in loss to Seahawks
Alden Gonzalez
LOS ANGELES — Cooper Kupp made a move, caught Justin Coleman flat-footed and, for one fleeting moment, found himself free, a Jared Goff pass zipping toward him for what could become the game-winning touchdown. Kupp dove towards it and reached out his hands, his body now well into the west end zone at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. But the football ricocheted off his fingertips and fell helplessly to the ground.
“Let’s face facts,” Kupp said, “I gotta make that play.”
The Los Angeles Rams made numerous mistakes on Sunday, most of them on offense. But Kupp’s drop wasn’t among the worst of them. Their 16-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks — and, thus, their blown opportunity to take a two-game lead in the NFC West — had culprits elsewhere.
“We turned the ball over five times today,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “That’s not a recipe for winning football. That’s not something we can afford to do if we can expect to win games moving forward.”
In a game underscored by mysterious under-usage of running back Todd Gurley and wide receiver Sammy Watkins, the Rams failed to capitalize on a spectacular defensive performance and appeared to make a costly mistake every time a positive development took place. When they marched up the field on their first drive, Gurley ran more than 10 yards along the left sideline, then reached for the pylon and fumbled into the end zone and out of bounds, giving the Seahawks the ball for a touchback.
“Obviously, I’ve got to do a good job of taking care of the ball,” Gurley said of his fifth fumble, which ties his total from all of 2015 and 2016. “No ifs, ands or buts about it.”
But that was only the start.
When Rams receiver Tavon Austin dropped his second punt of the game, a rookie named John Johnson, who started in place of safety Maurice Alexander, made up for it by intercepting a Russell Wilson pass and returning it 69 yards — but the Rams settled for only a field goal.
When the Seahawks put a kickoff out of bounds inside of two minutes before halftime, the Rams, with the ball at their 40-yard line, went three-and-out, helping the Seahawks tie the game with a field goal on the ensuing drive.
When the Rams drove into the red zone to start the second half, Greg Zuerlein missed a 36-yard field goal — after making his previous 28 attempts inside of 40 yards.
When Goff went deep, Watkins — targeted only four times, with zero of those passes caught — pulled up in the middle of his route and watched the ball sail over his head.
When the Rams got to the Seahawks’ 15-yard line, Goff slipped on a play-action rollout, lost 10 yards, then threw high of Gurley on a screen pass for an interception.
When Robert Woods made a full-extension diving catch to set up a first down inside enemy territory, Goff threw a wobbly pass into no-man’s land for his second pick.
When the Rams’ defense forced an ensuing three-and-out, and Tyler Higbee made a 29-yard catch, Frank Clark came around the edge and forced a fumble by Goff with three minutes remaining.
And when the Rams drove down the field with only seconds left, getting a 35-yard catch from Higbee and a 20-yard catch from Woods, Kupp failed to secure the winning score.
“It wasn’t so much that we weren’t moving the ball; we just weren’t finishing drives,” said Goff, who went 22-of-47 for 288 yards and three turnovers. “That’s what it came down to. We weren’t finishing drives. We got into the red zone, and we didn’t do a very good job. It shows up.”
The Rams, as Goff alluded, had 13-, 11- and 9-play drives that did not finish in a score. They came up with only three points in four trips to the red zone, their only touchdown an Austin run from 27 yards out. Gurley carried the ball only seven times after the first quarter, and Watkins failed to make a catch for only the second time in 42 career games. Their defense registered two interceptions and three sacks, bringing constant pressure to a very mobile and dangerous Wilson. But the Rams, now tied with the Seahawks at 3-2, could not capitalize.
Afterwards, though, it was Kupp who seemed distraught.
Goff offered a pep talk.
“He’s a very serious kid and a very good player, someone who knows he wants to make that play,” Goff said. “I know it’s a tough, tough catch. It was a really tough catch, and it would’ve been an incredible catch if he would’ve come up with it. But to him, his standards are so high. That’s the type of play he likes to make. I just told him, ‘Don’t worry about it. It’s a long season, and we’re going to have so many situations — hopefully throughout our career together — just like that.'”
October 9, 2017 at 7:48 pm #75848znModeratorFive Takeaways: Rams 16-10 Loss to Seahawks
Myles Simmons
After a loss to the Seahawks in which the Rams had five giveaways, Los Angeles’ record stands at 3-2 heading into a two-game road trip. But even with the turnovers, the Rams had an opportunity to win on their final drive.
With that in mind, here are five takeaways from Week 5.
1) Far too many turnovers
As referenced above, the Rams committed five turnovers on Sunday — an alarming number for any single game. Running back Todd Gurley fumbled at the goal line, wide receiver Tavon Austin muffed two punts — both after signaling for a fair catch — losing one, and quarterback Jared Goff threw two interceptions and lost a fumble.
Head coach Sean McVay said he was “extremely concerned” about the giveaways following Sunday’s game.
“[W]e always talk about it — other than points there is no greater indicator of the history of this game of winning and losing football games than turnovers,” McVay said. “We turned the ball over five times today and that’s not a recipe for winning football. That’s not something that we can afford to do if we expect to win games moving forward.”
Given the circumstances, both Goff and Gurley said they felt that in a sense, L.A. gave the game away.
“They’re really good for a reason they’ve been really good for a long time for a reason. But. we really beat ourselves today — we did. We beat ourselves all day, offensively,” Goff said. “The defense did a great job for us, caused a couple turnovers and held them to some field goals and did a great job. We didn’t do our part.”
“Just take care of the ball and the rest takes care of itself. We just weren’t able to do that, but it’s stuff we can fix for sure,” Gurley said. “Taking care of the ball, we will definitely get that fixed for sure.”
2) And yet…
Despite the myriad mistakes — Los Angeles also scored only three points in four red-zone opportunities — the Rams still had a chance to win the game late.
Down six points with just over a minute left, Goff began the home team’s final drive with a 35-yard pass to tight end Tyler Higbee, bringing L.A. into Seattle territory. Then a 20-yard pass to wide receiver Robert Woods put Los Angeles on the Seattle 20.
Of course, the Rams wouldn’t get it done. But a pass to Cooper Kupp went off his hands in the end zone, leaving the rookie wideout particularly disappointed in the locker room.
“At the end of the day, let’s face the facts — I have to make that play,” Kupp said. “I’m going to take responsibility for that and extreme ownership of it and go back and continue to work. As much as I would like to go back and fix it, I can’t. So I have to go back and learn from it, move forward.”
That Los Angeles’ offense was able to put itself in position to win the game after what was an uneven performance says something about the unit’s resiliency.
“To our players’ credit, they continue to fight and battle all the way to the end,” McVay said. “That’s one of the things that I feel like is starting to become one of our identities. And we make no excuses — we didn’t get it done today. Starting with me, we can all look at ourselves critically and figure out what we can do to be a part of the solution.”
3) Defense shows improvement
One reason the Rams were able to stay in the game throughout was the defensive performance. L.A. surrendered only 241 yards and 15 first downs to Seattle, as the visitors managed only 3.7 yards per play.
“We knew they like to run the ball and we had to stop the run first and defend the pass second,” middle linebacker Alec Ogletree said. “Wish we could have came out a little different, but definitely proud as a defense for sure.”
“Yeah, I think we just had a great plan,” defensive lineman Michael Brockers said. “I think we prepared very well and we knew these guys. I just chalk it up to preparation.”
Quarterback Russell Wilson had only 198 yards passing and 16 yards rushing, as the Rams contained him well.
“He’s so good outside of the pocket and to his advantage he’s better out of the pocket mostly because he can’t see inside the pocket,” Brockers said. “Our whole philosophy was just to keep him in the pocket, don’t let him beat us with his feet.”
What makes the performance all the more impressive is that the defense held Seattle to just 16 points, despite having to contend with five turnovers. The Seahawks scored only three points off of Rams giveaways. Brockers said there wasn’t much frustration on the defense, even though the offense was out of sync on Sunday.
“Not really, because we’re a brotherhood — we stick together,” Brockers said. “Our motto is “Don’t blink,” so we have to play through those things. It’s football and those things happen.”
4) John Johnson looks the part
One reason the game did not get out of hand despite the five giveaways is that the Rams also had two takeaways. Safety Cody Davis started for the injured Lamarcus Joyner and came away with his second career interception on a Seattle trick play.
But safety John Johnson also made the first start of his career, and appeared to play quite well. He intercepted Wilson after Austin’s muffed punt left Seattle with good field position, and the rookie out of Boston College nearly returned the pick for six points.
“I felt real comfortable,” Johnson said of making his first start. “I believe the whole team and the coaching staff have a whole lot of trust in me. I have got to come in and play. I have got to prepare like a starter like I said and I felt really good out there.”
Johnson ended Sunday with three total tackles, two passes defensed, and the interception.
“I know just when you’re able to look at it from afar, he made a couple splash plays, was in a position as a middle safety to get over the top on some deep balls, obviously makes the pick,” McVay said. “I think John’s a player that since he’s got here, he’s continued to grow. He’s a player that we have a lot of confidence in and expecting him to continue to improve.”
5) Earning some respect
Seattle safety Earl Thomas — widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in the league — had some praise for the Rams’ offense while speaking to NFL Network’s Deion Sanders on GamedayPrime following yesterday’s game.
Thomas forced Gurley’s fumble at the goal line, and had an interception in the second half to be one of the keys to Seattle’s victory. But he was complimentary of what he saw from Los Angeles during the contest.
“It was a hard-fought battle,” Thomas told Sanders. “Hats off to Goff — he’s better than last year, bro. He did a great job. He even looked me off sometimes, so I’ve got to get better.”
It’s not often that quarterbacks can say they’ve successfully looked off Thomas, who has 24 interceptions, 63 passes defensed, and 11 forced fumbles in his eight-year career. And so while the Rams still clearly have work to do to clean up their errors, there has been marked improvement through five games.
October 11, 2017 at 10:16 am #75945znModerator -
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