tweets … 12/16 thru 12/18

Jared Goff injured his hand early vs. Cowboys but says he's fine https://t.co/BZeQvRyofM

— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) December 16, 2019

Rich Hammond@Rich_Hammond
You can rightfully knock a lot of Rams-related things these days, but Troy Hill is not one.

J.B. Long@JB_Long
With third place in the division now an inevitability, the #LARams will host the Chicago Bears out of the North in 2020 at @SoFiStadium
.
Final piece to the schedule to be decided in the last two weeks. A road trip to TB, ATL, or CAR from the South.

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https://www.therams.com/news/higbee-gurley-kupp-achieve-new-rams-career-milestones

Kupp … surpassed 1,000 yards receiving on the season, marking the first time in his career he’s accomplished the feat. It was achieved when he made his first catch of the game, an 11-yard grab with 5:18 left in the third quarter, and he ended the contest with 41 yards on six catches, plus one touchdown, to give him 1,031 receiving yards through 14 games.

…

Gurley moved him into a tie with Eric Dickerson for second all-time in rushing touchdowns in franchise history at 56 after reaching the endzone on a seven-yard run late in the fourth quarter.

…

With his 111 yards on 12 catches, Higbee became the first tight end in franchise history to have three 100-yard receiving games in a single season. He also needs just 126 receiving yards to set a franchise record for most single-season receiving yards by a tight end.

J.B. Long@JB_Long
Monday’s @RamsNFL updates from McVay:

Troy Hill fractured thumb; surgery today; possibility he could cast/play at SF.

Greg Z has leg muscle strain. Decent chance he’ll kick Saturday, but #LARams preparing for other options.

Jared Goff (thumb contusion) feeling good today.

The NFLPA got a big victory over the NFL and the Jaguars, who are forced to repay fine money to 10 players—including Dante Fowler.

That and more in @AlbertBreer’s MAQB https://t.co/RJ6z0Z9ILW

— The MMQB (@theMMQB) December 17, 2019

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Jalen Ramsey@jalenramsey
Tried to tell y’all

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Dante Fowler Jr. was the player the Jaguars fined 25 times for $700K+. He says "they literally hated me" https://t.co/Uy6xQe5Mje

— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) December 17, 2019

PFF LA Rams@PFF_Rams
#LARams Dante Fowler has quietly been one of the more productive pass rushers in the league this season

Among all defenders this year, he ranks:
– T-5th in Batted Passes
– T-6th in Sacks (tied with teammate Aaron Donald, among others)
– 7th in QB Hurries

Lindsey Thiry@LindseyThiry
Jared Goff has a thumb bruise on his right hand and says it’s a little stiff, but should be good in a day or two.

LMU93
Disappointment in injuries affecting the team’s performance and reality that they were ridiculously healthy in 2017 and 2018… In 2018 they had 32 players who did not miss a single game… That number will be 23 (at best) this year. Projected starters and key backups- by my rough estimate- have or will have missed about 80 combined games this year. 25%+ more than last year.

Cameron DaSilva@camdasilva
Sean McVay has never lost to the same team twice in a season. Will Saturday change that?

Rams Wire@TheRamsWire
Three Rams make PFF’s Pro Bowl team, including one former backup

PFF released its own set of NFC and AFC Pro Bowlers based on its grading system, and three Rams players were selected. Donald, of course, was one of them, but the other two were under-the-radar picks.

Troy Hill and Tyler Higbee made it at cornerback and tight end, respectively, thanks to their solid overall grades. Hill has been the Rams’ best cornerback and one of the top corners in football since taking over as a starter in Week 7, earning an overall grade of 76.4.

Jeff Duncan@JeffDuncan_
A possible explanation for the Janoris Jenkins signing….

In the past three games Saints CB Eli Apple has allowed 17 catches in 21 targets for 234 yards with zero PBUs, per @PFF. In that span, he also has four penalties for 57 yards & four first downs.

Lindsey Thiry@LindseyThiry
Sean McVay, when asked if he is surprised about where his team is at this season: “I think that would probably be accurate.”

Stu Jackson@StuJRams
McVay thinks they will be better from the adversity faced this season.

“You find out about people when you do go through some of these things, and that’s been a blessing.”

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from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2019/12/18/nfl-rams-cooper-kupp-stats-second-half/

Sean McVay has opted for more usage of 12 personnel, which takes a receiver off the field in favor of a tight end. Some of the time, that’s been Kupp – especially in Weeks 13 and 14. He played just 72% of the snaps in Week 13 against the Cardinals and a minuscule 28% against Seattle.

Robert Woods has supplanted Kupp as the top option for Goff in the second half of the season, being targeted 56 times in five games. He’s hardly come off the field for the Rams, catching 37 passes for 479 yards and one touchdown since the bye.

Tyler Higbee is also getting more playing time with Gerald Everett out and is taking a big chunk of the targets away from Kupp. In the last four weeks, Higbee has 31 catches on 39 targets for 354 yards. In that same stretch, Kupp has 22 catches (26 targets) for 186 yards.

Hill has been the Rams’ best cornerback and one of the top corners in football since taking over as a starter in Week 7, earning an overall grade of 76.4.

ICYMI: Troy Hill was 1 of 3 #LARams to make the 2019 #PFF Pro-Bowl roster

PFF LA Rams@PFF_Rams
Among all defensive backs in 2019 (min. 100 snaps), Hill has allowed the 3rd-lowest Receiving % and the 6th-lowest NFL Passer Rating, while also only allowing 1 TD all season