Rams at Broncos, joint practices & game

Meanwhile, here are some notes and observations specifically from 11-on-11 work in today’s joint practice. I watched a lot of the Rams’ first-team offense and first-team defense. The teams switch fields between periods. The notes I will put here are a product of what I could see, and am able to report under the parameters of the credential:

• Let’s start with first-team 11-on-11s. Rob Havenstein is still out (neck) and Logan Bruss got some time working at second-team left tackle, so Zach Thomas filled in on the right side. The Broncos defense brought more energy and more pressure on Thursday. Stafford hit a pressure-beater pass to Kyren Williams in the flat, and then would have been “sacked” as outside linebacker Nik Bonitto blew through the right side of the line. Stafford also missed Puka Nacua on a route miscommunication on the series.
• On the second team, Stetson Bennett had a pass batted down in the flat by Drew Sanders, then hit Tyler Johnson on a crosser. Bennett’s sidearm under pressure was incomplete, but he then hit rookie tight end Davis Allen in the seam.
• Back to Stafford and the first team. He got a pass off to tight end Tyler Higbee in the seam, but Denver argued it would have been a “sack” by Josey Jewell (quarterbacks can’t get hit in practice, nor is full-on blocking or pass-rushing allowed because of contact rules). Jewell also nearly picked off Stafford on a miscommunication but the play was flagged and didn’t count. Stafford and receivers rallied; he threw a deep ball downfield to Van Jefferson who had a step and a half on his coverage and it would have been a touchdown if the play were allowed to complete. Denver did argue for a “sack” on that play. Stafford then hit receiver Kupp on a well-timed out-breaking route and Kupp toe-tapped ahead of the sideline to end the period.
• During the workout, Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy was carted off the practice field with an apparent leg injury.
• When the fields flipped, I got to see a little Rams defense in 11-on-11s. Michael Hoecht got pressure and pursuit on Russell Wilson, who didn’t have open receivers downfield and threw the ball away.
• Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham hit a red zone touchdown against the Rams’ backup defense.
• When the first team came back onto the field, outside linebacker Byron Young blanketed a Wilson pass to the flat.
• Tight end Adam Trautman gained a handful of yards on a catch-and-run play, and then receiver Marvin Mims caught about a 15-yard pass near the far sideline with Kendrick covering; position coach Aubrey Pleasant did push-ups after the play which indicates the defense played the wrong call. Russ Yeast nearly picked off a missile of a seam ball to Kendall Hinton, but couldn’t connect with it and Hinton secured the catch. This time, the Rams defense argued a sack.
• Wilson targeted a lot of shorter and mid-range concepts through the day, but did unfurl a deep shot to Hinton. Cobie Durant was in tight coverage on Hinton and if the ball was on-target it would have been a great contested catch opportunity for both players.
• On the far field, Jefferson secured another deep catch – this time amid some contact – and was really fired up afterward.
• The Rams’ tandem of first-string running backs, Cam Akers and Kyren Williams, both had one of their best weeks of practice to date. But it was Williams who had the play of the day on the Rams’ side, when he went up and over a defensive back to catch a touchdown late in the day. He punted the ball in celebration as his teammates cheered him on.
• Stidham threw another deep shot for a touchdown against the reserve defense, this time to receiver Michael Bandy over the arms of defensive back Vincent Gray.
• The Rams’ first-team defense ended their day on a positive note in two-minute. Yeast tipped a Wilson pass and Quentin Lake intercepted it; defensive tackle Kobie Turner had the pressure that hastened Wilson’s throw. Kendrick then broke up a pass to end the day’s practice for the offense and defensive units.