tweets … 12/16 thru 12/20

Michael Giardi@MikeGiardi
The Bill Belichick/Sean McVay postgame handshake was captured by cameras Thursday night and the #Patriots coach was heard saying, “Great job. You [expletive] killed us. You had a great plan.”

Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
CB Darious Williams was asked by a reporter if he thinks DC Brandon Staley has the makings of a head coach.
“Oh, hell yeah. The dude is a genius.”

Sean McVay says he always roots for and supports his assistants getting talked about for new opportunities. He’s hopeful they have DC Brandon Staley for more than one year, of course, and jokes that if he were to get another opportunity elsewhere, “the Rams would get worse.”

Stu Jackson@StuJRams
Rams DC Brandon Staley on his name being brought up as a candidate for open head coach positions around the NFL:

“It’s humbling anytime you’re considered in those conversations,” but also representative of an example of the entire team and the way it is playing.

PARAM

Does Goff have a turnover problem?

He’s started 60 games for the Rams (42-18, .700 win pct). In 14 of them (23%) he’s had at least 2 turnovers and he’s 6-8 in those games. In 6 of them (10%) he’s had at least 3 turnovers and he’s 0-6. That leaves 8 games where he just had 2 turnovers and in those games he is 6-2. So when Goff keeps the turnovers at 2 or less (which he has done 90% of the time), he’s 42-12. That’s a .777 win percentage which equates to more than 12 wins in a season.

There’s not a huge difference in the Rams winning percentage when he turns it over only twice (6-2, .750) compared to less (36-10, . 782). Like I said, keep in at 2 or less, and he has in 90% of his starts, it’s a .777 win percentage.

Who are some candidates for next season? Wade Phillips’ worst season in the past 8 years is better than any Raider defense in Gruden’s second tenure pic.twitter.com/7oUTgIvIKL

— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) December 17, 2020

Most YAC per completion for QBs:
t1. Nick Mullens – 6.2
t1. Aaron Rodgers – 6.2
t3. Jared Goff – 6.0
t3. Philip Rivers – 6.0

Lowest:
1. Nick Foles – 3.5
t2. Andy Dalton – 3.9
t2. Daniel Jones – 3.9
t2. Tua Tagovailoa – 3.9https://t.co/cTKQZOT7Zp

— ProFootballReference (@pfref) December 17, 2020

from 2020 NFL pass-rushing, run-stopping, blocking leaderboard: Win rate rankings: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29939464/2020-nfl-pass-rushing-run-stopping-blocking-leaderboard-win-rate-rankings

Team Pass Rush Win Rate
1. Pittsburgh Steelers, 55%
2. Buffalo Bills, 53%
3. Atlanta Falcons, 52%
4. New York Jets, 51%
5. Washington Football Team, 50%
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 48%
7. Jacksonville Jaguars, 47%
8. Baltimore Ravens, 47%
9. Los Angeles Rams, 46%

Team Run Stop Win Rate
1. New York Jets, 34%
2. Atlanta Falcons, 32%
3. New England Patriots, 32%
4. Las Vegas Raiders, 31%
5. Tennessee Titans, 31%
6. Jacksonville Jaguars, 31%
7. Pittsburgh Steelers, 31%
8. Philadelphia Eagles, 31%
9. Houston Texans, 31%
10. Indianapolis Colts, 31%
11. Washington Football Team, 31%
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31%
13. Los Angeles Rams, 31%

Team Pass Block Win Rate
1. Green Bay Packers, 75%
2. Cleveland Browns, 70%
3. Arizona Cardinals, 69%
4. Buffalo Bills, 63%
5. Seattle Seahawks, 63%
6. New Orleans Saints, 62%
7. Kansas City Chiefs, 62%
8. Indianapolis Colts, 62%
9. Los Angeles Rams, 61%

Team Run Block Win Rate

1. Green Bay Packers, 74%
2. Philadelphia Eagles, 73%
3. Arizona Cardinals, 73%
4. Baltimore Ravens, 73%
5. Washington Football Team, 73%
6. Carolina Panthers, 72%
7. Cincinnati Bengals, 72%
8. Houston Texans, 72%
9. New England Patriots, 72%
10. Dallas Cowboys, 71%
11. Indianapolis Colts, 71%
12. New Orleans Saints, 71%
13. New York Giants, 71%
14. Cleveland Browns, 71%
15. Minnesota Vikings, 71%
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 70%
17. Detroit Lions, 70%
18. Chicago Bears, 70%
19. Los Angeles Rams, 70%

from NFL General Manager Report: All 32 teams’ GMs by win percentage: https://theathletic.com/2253188/2020/12/18/nfl-general-managers-list-report/

4. Les Snead (.521): Snead will graduate into the 10-plus drafts bucket next year and will slot in behind the Cowboys’ Jones for winning percentage, with a higher recent trajectory. The Rams were 31-49 during Snead’s first five seasons, when Jeff Fisher was the coach and quarterback Sam Bradford was frequently injured. The Rams are 42-19 under current coach Sean McVay, tied with New England for third-best in the league behind New Orleans and Kansas City. Some of the team’s roster-building tactics have drawn criticism that increasingly appears misplaced.

Rams Wire@TheRamsWire
Andrew Whitworth could return in Week 17, but Rams targeting playoffs

Clash Of The Horns 9-4@RamfamPodcaster
Seattle Seahawk fans thought they had an easy schedule but they forgot their oline sucked and they were playing bad teams with great defensive lines.

SeattleRams@seattlerams_nfl
Former Rams kicker, Sam Ficken is on track to kick for the Jets this weekend.

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How are the Rams feeling about Noteboom being the future?

Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
It’s still too early to tell, although the fact that we haven’t noticed anything egregious from Joe Noteboom since he took over at left tackle is a promising sign.

The Rams have been clicking well on their run-blocking snaps (with help from the tight ends in 12 personnel sets), and here’s a fun fact: 18 of running back Cam Akers’ 50 carries — for 116 of his 242 yards (plus a touchdown) — in the last two games have come from running wide left, according to Next Gen Stats.

Veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth, who is rehabbing a knee injury suffered in Week 10 against Seattle, remains on track to return for the Rams’ postseason. McVay said Thursday that Whitworth has made such progress that they could rush him back for the regular-season finale against Arizona, but they’d prefer not to risk it and instead have an even healthier Whitworth for the playoffs.

By then, the Rams will have a clearer picture of where Noteboom has progressed, and where he could still go.

With Reeder and Young playing well lately, will the Rams bring back Kiser from IR before the end of the season?

Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
It largely will depend on how mobile Kiser is when he comes back from his knee injury, which is expected to happen sometime in the next couple of weeks. Teams may try to stretch the Rams more horizontally, taking a page out of San Francisco’s playbook, and that could be difficult for Reeder to cover.

This is not a knock on Reeder, who is responding to assignments well and especially thriving when he can make plays downhill. But let’s make sure we understand that the defensive line is playing on another planet right now, and in coordinator Brandon Staley’s scheme, that sets up an inside linebacker for success. Also remember that Staley likes to move a safety (John Johnson, usually) down toward the line of scrimmage in support, and that also takes some of the responsibility away from the inside linebackers.

This is basically a long-winded way of saying that it’s great to have depth down the stretch. If Kiser is moving well on his knee, try him out, given that the defensive line and Johnson are playing as well as they are. If not, stick with Reeder. Just complement one or the other with Young, and not each other.

Are the Rams willing to go with 2 TE sets and becoming more run heavy? Or was that a scheme specific situation to face the Patriots?

Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
The Rams wanted to be more physical than the Patriots were up front, and they were, in part by using more 12 personnel than they had in most previous games. Against Arizona and New England, the Rams ran 12 personnel on 50 percent and 69.4 percent of their snaps, respectively, which is much higher usage than in previous games.

This will be more situational, based on opponent. I think they will try it again against Arizona, to see if it will work a second time. I think, especially with an inexperienced left tackle (relative to Whitworth) and with Akers getting more carries, it would be a smart idea to continue using in-line tight end blocking help — and man, did I get a kick out of seeing Gerald Everett at fullback. If I’m recalling correctly, he caught at least one or two long passes out of a fullback route in October. Keep an eye on that as the tight ends get more involved.

from Five biggest threats to Chiefs’ reign; Matt Ryan era’s run its course in Atlanta

Bucky Brooks

https://www.nfl.com/news/five-biggest-threats-to-chiefs-reign-matt-ryan-era-s-run-its-course-in-atlanta?campaign=Twitter_atn

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Rank: 2
Los Angeles Rams
9-4 · NFC No. 3 seed

The Rams have quietly undergone a personality transformation, as their defense has become the key to their success. The combined star power of DT Aaron Donald and CB Jalen Ramsey gives the D a chance to snuff out the Chiefs with a mix of pressure and coverage. The Rams’ dynamic duo has keyed a defensive resurgence that makes them a dark-horse Super Bowl contender. First-year defensive coordinator Brandon Staley employs a zone-heavy system that utilizes a “vision and break” philosophy: defenders look to take away the deep ball while reacting quickly to underneath throws. As an excellent open-field-tackling team, the Rams punish pass catchers on every throw and test the patience of the quarterback and play-caller.

On offense, Sean McVay is a masterful schemer with an uncanny ability to marry his run game with complementary play-action designs. Jared Goff directs the offense like a symphony conductor, morphing from game manager to playmaker as needed. With rookie Cam Akers breaking out as an electric RB1, the Rams can win with body blows or a knockout punch in a heavyweight fight.

will we at least get one more season with Brandon Staley or do you think he gets a HC offer this offseason?

Rams Wire@TheRamsWire
I don’t have any inside information or intel, but I really think Staley will be back for another year. It’s rare for a guy to go from first-year coordinator to head coach after one season, and as well as the Rams defense has played this year, it’s hard to feel completely confident that Staley would have immediate success as a head coach.

He’d benefit from another year under McVay’s guidance, and there’s nothing wrong with getting a second chance to coach Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey in sunny L.A.

Rams Wire@TheRamsWire
Van Jefferson to take the field vs. Jets with his dad coaching on the other side. Van Jefferson’s dad is the wide receivers coach of the Jets, adding a layer to Sunday’s game.

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J.B. Long, from https://www.therams.com/news/securing-win-number-10-remains-the-only-focus-vs-jets-week-15

Flexing in Prime Time

The most important takeaway from the Thursday Night Football win? An unmatched physicality that could unlock a deep postseason run.

That effort can prevail in the Superdome, if necessary. That approach will play on the Frozen Tundra if you have to go to Green Bay in late January.

In the wake of the 24-3 drubbing of New England, I asked Sean McVay if this was the most physically imposing of his four Rams teams.

“I think it’s safe to say,” he replied. “Through 13 games, that’s exactly what you would say. But it’s all about how you finish, and you want to see that continue on into our 14th game this week.”

zn wrote:

Cameron DaSilva@camdasilva
The Rams put Nick Scott and Bobby Evans on the reserve/COVID-19 list today, and both will miss Sunday’s game

CROMWELL21

Rams call up Gervase from practice squad. He replaces Nick Scott. Man they have an endless supply of safeties. Johnson, Fuller, Rapp, Scott, Hughes, Reed, Gervase, Burgess.

Rams to wear long-awaited new uniform combo vs. Jets https://t.co/YK39jWYduo

— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) December 20, 2020

Andrew Whitworth running the sidelines here at SoFi Stadium. pic.twitter.com/k14Y2Spt7D

— J.B. Long (@JB_Long) December 20, 2020