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July 11, 2017 at 10:11 pm #70880
znModeratorVID: Graziano: Rams can surprise as early as this year
July 11, 2017 at 11:16 pm #70884znModeratorhttp://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/19097144/football-outsiders-early-2017-nfl-projections
Football Outsiders has their early 2017 NFL predictions at ESPN (insider subscription required) with some very, very, very favorable fodder for Los Angeles Rams fans.
FO projects the Rams to come in third in the NFC West as of right now. That’s not surprising. What’s perhaps unexpected is that they have the Rams doing so by going 8-8:
Los Angeles Rams: 8-8 (8.1 mean wins; SOS: 20)
The Rams have been trying to compete with a defense and special-teams orientation for years now, but hiring Wade Phillips could finally make that recipe work. Every team that has ever hired Phillips as a head coach or defensive coordinator saw its defensive DVOA improve, including the Broncos, who went from fourth in the league in 2014 to one of the greatest defenses ever in 2015. Phillips’ scheme will likely have a similar effect in Los Angeles, where the defense was already loaded with talent in the front seven. If the offense can be garden-variety bad instead of last year’s near-historic impotence, it’s enough to make the Rams playoff contenders.
Here are their early NFC standing projections:
1. Seattle Seahawks (11-5)
2. Green Bay Packers (10-6)
3. Arizona Cardinals* (10-6)
4. Dallas Cowboys (10-6)
5. Carolina Panthers (9-7)
6. Atlanta Falcons* (9-7)
7. Los Angeles Rams (8-8)
8. New York Giants (8-8)
9. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8)
10. Detroit Lions (7-9)
11. Washington Football Team (7-9)
12. New Orleans Saints (7-9)
13. Chicago Bears (7-9)
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)
15. Minnesota Vikings (6-10)
16. San Francisco 49ers (5-11)* Wild-card teams
July 12, 2017 at 9:33 am #70892znModeratorfrom Rams, Colts, Panthers undergoing offseason identity change
Gregg Rosenthal
“That’s horse—- what we just put out there!”
The lowest moment in a Rams season stuffed with disappointment resulted in former offensive coordinator Rob Boras raging at halftime of a blowout loss to the Falcons, for NFL Films to capture in “All or Nothing” for posterity.
“Now let’s find out what we’re about these next 30 minutes!” Boras seethed. “Are we going to respond or we going to put our heads down and pout? Who’s f—— pissed?”
Running back Todd Gurley was the only man to answer, issuing a stream of invectives to no one in particular that he was tired of the “sorry-ass offense week after week.” After the game, Gurley told reporters the Rams looked like a “middle school offense” and players were “going through the motions.” Head coach Jeff Fisher was fired the next day.
Changing identity in the NFL can happen that fast. The Rams sought a transformation when they moved to Los Angeles, but the dreary offense was all too familiar. Fisher’s teams didn’t finish in the top 20 in points, yards or efficiency (according to Football Outsiders) once during his five seasons at the helm.
Enter Sean McVay, the precocious choice to take over as Rams coach and construct a professional offense for Gurley to thrive in. McVay may as well have “Opposite of Jeff Fisher” tattooed on his forehead. From McVay’s motormouth press conferences to his versatile offensive approach, the young coach provides a facelift for an organization that desperately needs it.
And the Rams aren’t alone in undergoing an extreme makeover this offseason — the Panthers and Colts are making major renovations of their own. For these three teams, it’s the season for natural selection: Adapt or die.
Let’s take a closer look at the changing identities of three NFL franchises:
Los Angeles Rams: Sean McVay is the anti-Jeff Fisher
The Rams are seeking stability while installing their fourth different offense in as many seasons. As Gurley recently put it, they can’t get any worse.
Sean McVay’s approach in Washington was deceptively simple: Flood the field with capable pass catchers and allow Kirk Cousins to distribute the ball like a point guard to the best mismatch. The Redskins’ scheme was loaded with short, high-percentage throws, along with creative ways to get receivers open deep. Their vertical passing game was among the league’s best despite Cousins not having a huge arm.
Last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Jared Goff, has superior physical attributes to Cousins, but there’s no telling whether Goff has the mental makeup to thrive as an NFL quarterback. McVay’s hire was about giving Goff a fighting chance. Passing the football under Fisher was a reactive enterprise. The quarterback’s job was to avoid losing, to be as aggressive as the score dictated, to wait for the overrated defense and running game to save the day. Fisher coached like he was running the 1985 Bears team he once played for.
These Rams don’t have the personnel yet to dominate, but McVay allows them to modernize and be respectable. I witnessed Gurley being moved all around the formation during the team’s June minicamp in an effort to unleash his receiving skills. Gurley joked recently to Sirius XM NFL Radio that he hoped the Rams offense would be more “Todd-friendly.” Ironically, the key to that might be for the Rams to avoid being so Todd-centric. McVay won’t send Gurley running into a brick wall on second-and-8.
Gurley’s effusive praise of the team’s new coaching staff could be interpreted through the lens of what last year’s staff lacked, depending on your level of cynicism. Gurley has mentioned the staff’s attention to detail, creating advantageous one-on-one matchups and evolving into situational masters.
McVay understands that the best offensive identity is to never stop evolving.
“We want to do a good job as coaches figuring out our players and then we’ll adjust the system accordingly,” McVay said in June. “We’ve got a lot of different things that we can do, but it’s about figuring out what these guys do best. Having an identity and making sure that you have some complements off that identity.”
July 12, 2017 at 6:40 pm #70916znModeratorPFT preseason power rankings No. 27: Los Angeles Rams
Curtis Crabtree
PFT preseason power rankings No. 27: Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams have not made the postseason since 2004. We don’t expect that to change in 2017.
But that doesn’t mean the Rams are completely devoid of talent. Aaron Donald, Robert Quinn, Michael Brockers, Todd Gurley, Alec Ogletree and Trumaine Johnson are all legitimate pieces to build a team around. If Jared Goff can make a sizable jump in his second season – despite having to learn a completely new offense – the Rams could make some strides faster than expected.
A year removed from the move from St. Louis to Los Angeles, the franchise is more settled in their routines and environments in Southern California. For a team that could never find consistency under Jeff Fisher, the change to Sean McVay gives the Rams a fresh start for the first time in five years.
Biggest positive change: Mr. 7-9 is no longer coaching the team. The St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams perennially fell short during the Jeff Fisher era. While he certainly inherited a long-term mess to clean up when he came to the team, the Rams were still an enigma under Fisher. They’d get up for games against division rivals like San Francisco and Seattle and then fall flat against teams they had no business losing to. They also always played with an aggressive style that bordered on cheap and dirty too often. And despite having several stars on defense, they never could put together an offense capable of leading the team into the postseason.
Biggest negative change: Kenny Britt was arguably the best player on offense for the Rams last season and now he’s in Cleveland. He was one of Jared Goff’s most reliable targets and was the first Rams’ receiver since 2007 to eclipse the 1,000-yard receiving mark in a season. Britt finished the year with 68 catches for 1,002 yards and five touchdowns. While Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and Nelson Spruce might be able to fill the void, it again leaves Tavon Austin – who the Rams gave a ridiculously over-valued contract extension to last year – as a focal point of the offense despite being a somewhat awkward receiving/scat back hybrid.
Coaching thermometer: While Sean McVay should get some time to turn the Rams’ fortunes around, his hot seat clocks in at a tepid 55 degrees. This is Los Angeles after all. The pressure to build a winner quickly will be substantial as the franchise tries to build a new footing in L.A. And while Jeff Fisher was shown the door, Les Snead remains as general manager. If Stan Kroenke’s finds reason to oust Snead after (or during) this season, a new G.M. could be given authority to bring in his own head coach for the future.
We’d like to crack a beer with . . . Johnny Hekker. The Rams’ All-Pro punter has been the best in the league for several seasons and brings a great sense of humor along with him. We’d also like to ask exactly what the hell he was thinking when he decided it was a good idea to blindside Michael Bennett in Seattle two seasons ago.
How they can prove us wrong: Sean McVay manages to tailor an offense to suit Jared Goff and Todd Gurley and get a significant spike in production. Wade Phillips manages to seamlessly convert a former 4-3 defense into a 3-4 front and not lose any productivity in the change. Aaron Donald and Robert Quinn continue to terrorize opposing offensive lines. Trumaine Johnson uses his franchise tag year to build an argument for the All-Pro team. If the Rams can find a way to be in the Wild Card discussion as the calendar hits December, they will have surpassed expectations.
July 14, 2017 at 11:23 pm #70960znModeratorOff-season report card: Los Angeles Rams
Chris Burke
https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/06/02/los-angeles-rams-offseason-grades-free-agency-nfl-draft
2016: 4–12, third in NFC West
Significant additions: Head coach Sean McVay, DE Connor Barwin, RB Lance Dunbar, QB Aaron Murray, CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, C John Sullivan, DT Tyrunn Walker, CB Kayvon Webster, OT Andrew Whitworth, WR Robert Woods, TE Gerald Everett (R2), WR Cooper Kupp (R3), S John Johnson (R3), WR Josh Reynolds (R4)
Significant losses: C Tim Barnes, WR Kenny Britt, S T.J. McDonald, DE Eugene Sims
The best news about Jared Goff’s rookie year is that it’s over. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2016 NFL draft looked lost and overwhelmed during his seven starts last season, games in which the Rams finished 0–7 with a combined scoreline of 221–85. Los Angeles finished the season with the league’s worst offense, both by points and yardage.
The Rams earnestly began their attempt to solve their production woes (and to reverse course on Goff’s trajectory) by hiring new coach Sean McVay, a 31-year-old wunderkind who helped Kirk Cousins play his way into back-to-back franchise tags. In free agency, Rams GM Les Snead revamped his offensive line with the signings of center John Sullivan and outstanding veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth. And then he attempted to find Goff some help via the skill positions by signing free agent Robert Woods and drafting rookies Cooper Kupp, Josh Reynolds and move TE Gerald Everett.
“I don’t think you can ever have enough playmakers,” McVay said during a press conference following Day 2 of the draft. “And if those guys merit it by the way that they compete in practice, then those guys will be on the field, as well.”
Without question, there are more options for Goff this season. Will they be effective options, though?
Lacking, for the moment, is a clear-cut No. 1 receiver—perennial source of frustration Tavon Austin doesn’t fit that bill, nor does Woods, who served as Sammy Watkins’s sidekick in Buffalo and is cut from a complementary-WR cloth. Kupp was the go-to guy on his Eastern Washington offense, but he doesn’t necessarily have the physical or athletic traits to project as an NFL lead dog. The likeliest candidate is Reynolds, a lanky 6′ 3″ wide receiver capable of making big plays downfield—at the very least, he could step in as Goff’s preferred target in the red zone. Last year’s team leader in touchdowns (as well as receptions and yards), Kenny Britt, signed a free-agent deal with Cleveland.
How rapidly any development occurs from the newcomers will go a long way in dictating Goff’s chances this season. In reality, though, the recent additions on offense are as much about the future as they are about the ’17 season. L.A. drafted a combination of three tight ends and receivers in 2016 (WRs Pharoh Cooper and Mike Thomas, TE Tyler Higbee), then matched that number last month.
The benefit, in theory, is that all of these fresh faces can mature together, headed by Goff. Woods, Austin, Whitworth and Sullivan all have been around the block enough times that they should be able to offer some guidance.
But growing pains are inevitable.
For one, McVay still has to decipher exactly how mesh Goff’s skill set with RB Todd Gurley’s game. The former comes from a West Coast-scheme, shotgun-heavy background; the latter is better suited to attack in downhill fashion, with his QB under center.
McVay put both concepts to work in Washington, and he figures to do so again. The additions of Whitworth and Sullivan up front should help the Rams across the board up front, while the overstocked roster of receivers and tight ends will allow McVay to spread the field when he so chooses.
Again, though, this is going to be a steep uphill climb for a bit, which will shift a great deal of pressure onto the Rams’ defense. Helping the cause there is new coordinator Wade Phillips, who brings decades of experience to supplement McVay’s youthful energy. In tune with the transition from their base 4–3 defense to Phillips’s more flexible, 3–4 plan, the Rams picked up Barwin to add a little pop off the edge. They also added D-line depth in Smart and Walker.
The defense kept the Rams in several games last season, only to crumple down the stretch under the weight of the offense’s issues. McVay’s presence, another off-season’s worth of development for Goff and the free-agent/draft additions to the Los Angeles attack should help a bit in 2017.
But expecting too much, too soon would be a mistake. Repairing Goff will be a substantial challenge for McVay, and Goff can be only as good as the unproven talent around him.
Grade: B+
July 25, 2017 at 12:41 am #71235znModerator2017 Los Angeles Rams game-by-game predictions
Alden Gonzalez
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Rams’ featured non-NFC West games in 2017 will be against the AFC South, the only division that didn’t field a team with double-digit wins last year. Their first two games will be at home. Their last game will come against a popular pick to finish with the NFL’s worst record. In between are several winnable games, too. But the Rams, under an entirely new coaching staff, still have a lot to figure out internally.
Here’s an early, game-by-game look at how the 2017 season could shake out.
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 10, vs. Indianapolis Colts, 4:05 p.m. ET
One thing is pretty clear about the Rams’ 2017 schedule: They’ll face a lot of good quarterbacks. The first will be Andrew Luck. But Luck is coming off shoulder surgery, and Rams quarterback Jared Goff will be facing a shaky secondary. He should get off on the right foot here. Record: 1-0
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 17, vs. Washington Redskins, 4:25 p.m. ET
Former Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay left to become the Rams’ head coach, and soon thereafter, Washington’s top two receivers, DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon, signed with other teams. Now head coach Jay Gruden has a transitioning offense on his hands. But it’s still better than the one McVay inherited. Record: 1-1
Week 3: Thursday, Sept. 21, at San Francisco 49ers, 8:25 p.m. ET
Last year, the 49ers embarrassed the Rams in a season-opening game on Monday Night Football. The 49ers won two games in 2016, and both came against the Rams, the last one on the strength of an impressive comeback at the Coliseum. The 49ers, now under Kyle Shanahan, will continue to be bad. The Rams should be better against them. Record: 2-1
Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 1, at Dallas Cowboys, 1 p.m. ET
This will be the Rams’ toughest test all season. Their defense should be pretty good, but new defensive coordinator and former Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips will have a hard time trying to contain QB Dak Prescott, RB Ezekiel Elliott, WR Dez Bryant and TE Jason Witten. On offense, the Rams don’t have anything close to the firepower to keep up. Record: 2-2
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 8, vs. Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. ET
Hate on Jeff Fisher all you want, but for some reason, he seemed to have some weird magic touch when it came to beating the Seahawks. It’s unlikely McVay will have that same feel, simply because most coaches don’t. The Seahawks’ defense — perhaps rejuvenated by the return of safety Earl Thomas — will be a big early test for McVay’s developing offense. Record: 2-3
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 15, at Jacksonville Jaguars, 4:05 p.m. ET
The Jaguars are no strangers to offseason spending. And this offseason was no different, as they splurged on three new defensive players: defensive end Calais Campbell, cornerback A.J. Bouye and safety Barry Church. At home, they’ll make life really difficult on Goff and his offense. Record: 2-4
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 22, vs. Arizona Cardinals in London, 1 p.m. ET
The Cardinals have lost as much as the Jaguars gained on defense. Four of their top six defensive snap leaders from 2016 signed elsewhere. Coming off a disappointing 7-8-1 season, Arizona has holes all over its defense — holes Goff can exploit in Twickenham Stadium, where the Rams suffered a heartbreaker to the Giants last year. Record: 3-4
Week 8: Bye
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 5, at New York Giants, 1 p.m. ET
Another long flight — though it’s coming off a bye — and another difficult matchup. The Giants feature two dynamite cornerbacks in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Janoris Jenkins. And now, with Brandon Marshall joining Odell Beckham Jr., the Giants have two standout receivers for QB Eli Manning. They should be pretty good. Record: 3-5
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 12, vs. Houston Texans, 4:05 p.m. ET
The Texans won the AFC South without J.J. Watt, but they did so with a minus-49 point differential, seventh-worst in the NFL. And though Watt should be healthy again, their quarterback situation has not been resolved. The Rams will be happy to be back home. Record: 4-5
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 19, at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m. ET
The Vikings — much like the Rams — have had to overhaul their offensive line. For a Rams defense that is led by Aaron Donald and is now overseen by Phillips, who’s very creative in the ways he can pressure the quarterback out of a 3-4 base set, this is usually a good matchup. But not this time. Record: 4-6
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 26, vs. New Orleans Saints, 4:05 p.m. ET
Rams fans have probably tried really hard to forget about this team. The Saints dealt the Rams perhaps their most crushing blow of 2016, annihilating them 49-21 in New Orleans. But the Saints have had a hard time putting pieces around aging QB Drew Brees in recent years, and the Rams should get some revenge. Record: 5-6
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 3, at Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. ET
The last time the Rams played in Arizona, they stunned the Cardinals and improved to 3-1 to start 2016. It was the apex of their season; perhaps the apex of Fisher’s tenure. The Cardinals probably won’t let that happen again. Record: 5-7
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 10, vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 p.m. ET
This will be the most highly anticipated game of the season. Goff, the 2016 No. 1 overall pick, goes up against Carson Wentz, the 2016 No. 2 overall pick. Wentz entered the NFL with more experienced coaching than Goff, and now he has something Goff still lacks: a true No. 1 receiver in Alshon Jeffery. But maybe I just have a gut feeling about this one. Record: 6-7
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 17, at Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. ET
It’s the Seahawks, at home, late in the season, when they’ll probably be fighting for playoff positioning. But in Washington, McVay was a master at adjusting to exploit opponents’ weaknesses, and he’ll pick up a few things from the Week 5 meeting between these teams. Record: 7-7
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 24, at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m. ET
The Titans are coming off only their second winning season in eight years, and franchise QB Marcus Mariota was very good down the stretch. They’re on the rise, and they should be a playoff contender in 2017. No early Christmas present for the Rams. Record: 7-8
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 31, vs. San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 p.m. ET
One shot, at home on New Year’s Eve, against the lowly 49ers, to capture their first non-losing season since 2006? The Rams get it done. Record: 8-8
July 25, 2017 at 12:41 am #71236znModeratorOur annual prediction of how the NFL season will unfold: https://t.co/umqyUdrDRR pic.twitter.com/LqxmUr5e7T
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