twitter, reporters, the big articles, etc. on the ARZ game

Is this good? pic.twitter.com/bm1nuGut7O

— Blaine Grisak 💭 (@bgrisakTST) November 26, 2023

Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
Rams gave up a TD on other team’s opening drive for second consecutive game. Last week, they adjusted quite a bit in-game.

The Rams first-half defense, after allowing 8-point, 75-yard opening drive:

– Punt (three and out)
– Punt (three and out)
– Downs (four and out)
– Punt (three and out)

(Stafford INT to the AZ 48)

– Penalty nullifies FG attempt

29 net yards allowed.

Rams installed some of the typical Higbee front-side “sift”-type blocks for rookie Davis Allen. Helped Royce Freeman pick up six yards on a carry on second down, and then Allen gets the catch for the conversion on third down.

Stafford/Nacua connection just isn’t there of late. Drive that features a 56-yard Williams run stalls after a red zone incompletion on third-and-5. Rams go up 24-8 after the field goal.

With a versatile, productive run game and effort from their defense like the one they had Sunday, Rams didn’t need to be perfect in a pass game ft. a banged-up Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua and Matthew Stafford (to their credit, have gutted through).
“Trying to give them a bunch of

things to look at,” said Stafford, “I thought our guys did a great job.” Noted AZ was playing their play-action game deep to short, so they got the screen game going really effectively and turned some of those into explosive pass plays.

I’ll add, that the Rams got multiple TEs working across the blocking surface only added more layers of disguise to their run game. Add back Williams, get balanced production from Freeman and they’ve got a depth to the playbook they have to like.

Cameron DaSilva@amdasilva
Kyren Williams has 2 touchdowns in 4 of his 7 games this season

9 total TDs on the year

Greg Beacham@gregbeacham
The Rams still haven’t lost to the Cardinals in Arizona since 2014, when they were the St. Louis Rams and Aaron Donald was a rookie and Puka Nacua was in middle school

Blaine Grisak@bgrisakTST
I do think the Rams have found their RB duo. Kyren Williams and Royce Freeman are a perfect complement for each other.

Utilize both of them like today and good things will happen with the offense.

From https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2023/11/27/23978230/rams-cardinals-pff-grades-kyren-williams-kevin-dotson

Here’s who stood out on an individual level in terms of Pro Football Focus (PFF) grading:

1 – Kevin Dotson, RG: 92.2
Dotson earned an impressive 90.5 run blocking grade and paved the way for Kyren Williams’ and Royce Freeman’s monster days running the football. The recently acquired veteran has been LA’s top lineman this year and is consistently graded in the top five of the Rams’ offensive players. Dotson did not allow a single pressure in 34 pass blocking reps.

It’s time to pay that man, Les Snead and Sean McVay.

2 – Kyren Williams, RB: 84.3
Williams rushed 16 times for a whopping 143 yards (8.9 average) and tacked on another six catches for 61 yards and two touchdowns through the air. He’ll finish both contests against the Cardinals this season with a total yardage output of 362. It’s also worth mentioning that Williams had a decent day in pass protection and earned a mark of 78.3 in that facet.

3 – Tutu Atwell, WR: 84.2
Atwell set the tone for LA’s offense early with a 42-yard reception on third down. He made a couple other intermediate catches and finished the game with three receptions for 76 yards (average of 25.3). Aside from Williams, Atwell was the Rams’ most productive receiver on Sunday as Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua were held to a measly seven receptions for 45 yards total. The Los Angeles offense is better when Atwell is involved.

The Rams replaced Atwell in the first-string lineup with Demarcus Robinson late in the game, though this was probably to help run the football and salt away the game clock. Atwell played only 24 snaps while Robinson was in for 40.

4 – Rob Havenstein, RT: 79.4
5 – Alaric Jackson, LT: 78.0
Havenstein and Jackson surrendered only two and three pressures, respectively, on a day where Matthew Stafford was pressured only seven times total. C Coleman Shelton allowed the other two pressures while LG Steve Avila and Dotson had a clean performance.