The Oline’s ability to keep Goff healthy.Goff made clutch throws to Kupp and Watkins so I don’t put that on him he can’t catch the ball for them.

I’m so giddy I feel like Coach McVay.

The starting D is scary without 99.I think Kelly is better than Brown and Davis can’t stay on the field.I’ve seen enough of Hemingway,terrible hands and a fs. He did make a nice block to spring rb Holley against the 3s but there are too many really good players fighting for a spot to waste one on him. I think he’s safe on the practice squad.2-1 and they’ve yet to play the starters save Brown .

KhaDarel Hodge’s First Impression

Clarence Dennis
STAFF WRITER

On Sept. 4 at 1:00 p.m. PDT, all 32 NFL teams must have their rosters reduced to 53 players.

The September 4 date will send approximately 37 Rams packing. A few will be invited to the practice squad, others will move on to other opportunities, some may even seek a complete career change altogether.

A job in the NFL is a hard job to land. According to the NCAA, there are over 70,000 NCAA football participants in 2018, many of whom dream of a career in the NFL — and have since Pop Warner. For some, playing professional football is bound to happen, for others it’s about opportunity and a bit of luck. Walk-ons pay tuition, superstars win the Heisman, the good, but not that good pursue a different career, and a fortunate 253 are drafted to the NFL.

The NCAA’s website says 1.6-percent of college football players will go on to play “major professional sports.”

Rams’ receiver KhaDarel Hodge is doing everything in his power to join that one percent.

In the first two preseason games, Hodge has recorded four receptions for 71 yards and one touchdown — good, considering the Rams’ lack of offense early in the preseason, but not exactly numbers to write his hometown of D’Lo, Mississippi about.

Hodge’s impression on head coach Sean McVay and the powers that be in L.A., has come in the form of big-time plays. Three of Hodge’s four receptions in the preseason have been highlight-reel material.

In preseason Week 1 against the Ravens, Hodge scored the Rams’ only touchdown of the game by making an athletic, lunging grab on a low ball, with Ravens’ corner Stanley Jean-Baptiste draped over him in the end zone.

On Saturday against the Raiders, Hodge made his mark with a pair of plays. The first came in the second quarter with an outstanding 47-yard reception in-front of the Rams’ bench. Nearly back-peddling, Hodge leapt backwards, extended to catch the ball delivered by quarterback Sean Mannion, and pulled it to his chest with Raiders’ corner Nick Nelson all over him.

“It was basically a go-route. I know I had the win,” Hodge said confidently. “So, I just dug out and I’d seen the ball in the air – and at that point it’s just having the fundamentals. I didn’t get ahead of myself and made a big play.”

Mannion expressed similar confidence in Hodge when talking about the play.

“He knows where to be on every play. That was a situation where we got the right look to take a shot. I just tried to put some air under it, give him a chance and he went up and made a great play,” Mannion said.

So far, it seems as that if anyone gives Hodge a chance, he will make the most of it.

In the same game, Hodge made another impressive grab early in the third quarter on a high pass by quarterback Brandon Allen. Hodge pulled the ball down from over a Raider defender and toed the sideline en route to a Rams’ field goal.

Hodge is an undrafted free agent out of Prairie View A&M in Prairie View, Texas. Hodge’s time at Prairie View A&M was his third and final college football stop, after starting his career at Alcorn State in 2013, and then spending time at Hinds Community College in Raymond, Mississippi.

To add to the list of largely unknown stops of Hodge’s football career, the 5-foot-11 rookie receiver is originally from D’Lo, Mississippi — a dot in south-central Mississippi that just over 400 people call home. In fact, over 200 of Hodge’s hometown populations could have fit in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday to watch him haul in passes over Raider defenders.

While many of Hodge’s friends and family were likely watching, impressing coach McVay and his staff might be of greater importance to Hodge. A first impression in the preseason is critical for an undrafted and unproven player like Hodge, who is low on L.A.’s receiver depth chart.

“For him to continue to take these steps in the right directions and then being able to demonstrate that play-making ability has been something that you definitely can’t help but notice and it’s been good to see,” McVay said.

The training for a job in the NFL is rigorous. Players must make sure each rep in minicamp, OTAs, and training camp is meaningful. Studying systems and learning extensive playbooks is essential to becoming a pro. The job training wraps up with the preseason — an opportunity to make an impression with pads on, play tackle football in a stadium with with screaming fans, and make plays against a team other than your own.

After doing just that for the second consecutive week on Saturday — just over two weeks until the Sept. 4 roster deadline, Hodge stood in the Coliseum locker room in Los Angeles — a city over 1,800 miles from D’Lo, and with 3.9 million more people than D’Lo — addressing reporters with humble smile.

“I’ve been in these situations before where I’ve had to come from the bottom and stuff. So, this is nothing new to me.”

https://www.therams.com/news/khadarel-hodge-s-first-impression

Mannion looked much better, Hodge was impressive, the D was playing like they had a bunch of free agent all-pros come in camp and share their knowledge. JFM stands out. At least this game was apples to apples,definitely more fun than last week.

Bummer but at least the Rams are deep at CB . Another DT though ?

I didn’t get to watch them much, we didn’t have a TV but listen to them on the radio. I’d say my perception was at 10 years old that the Fearsome Foursome died when Jones left.

Two more outstanding reports! After the first week I went looking for fan reports from other teams first the NFC West then the Eagles and Vikings . You know what I couldn’t find one anywhere! I did find a couple of videos on Youtube . The one that I remember was of the 9ers and they were very leisurely at that particular practice . I have no idea why it is only Rams fans do it but it’s very cool. When you read the reporters reports there isn’t much difference.

I agree it was a great movie. I watched it at the theater and enjoyed it then watched it again at home and I still enjoyed it.

zn wrote:

The thing is the tag situation could get messy cause it could easily lead to this: AD just sits out and demands a trade, and if the Rams don’t trade him, they still have the tag amount counting against the cap and don’t have HIM and don’t get anything for him. So I see a trade in that situation as likely, if it even gets to that.

He lost an accrued year with last seasons holdout loses another on if he’s not in camp by Aug 7 the Rams can keep him with the tag through 2022 so Donald has a lot to lose as well. I think he gets signed soon but just trying to imagine a trade it’s hard to conceptualize what that would look like

Herzog wrote:

Oh My God the comments for the Jeff Fisher article are just brutal. I feel bad for the guy… he has been the laughing stock of the NFL. I don’t think anyone deserves that.

I think he’d be a great DC or scouting Defensive talent but he’s lost when it comes to offense with the exception of RBs he could pick them. Most of those comments are generous as the Rams never won eight games with him as coach.

First time watching Bulger play and all the hype was on McNabb I couldn’t understand why they weren’t raving about Bulger instead. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy9Bg5cOmvA

I think he’s got McVay way underrated as was Pederson who beat Belichick in the Superbowl with a backup QB. Zimmer is a dick and I think he is the next Fisher waiting to happen.

He makes decent points but question marks don’t have to be flaws and if the were they wouldn’t be question marks.

If health is guaranteed then how could they not improve from last year. Everything I’ve seen says there’s a noticeable difference with this year’s O. A full Ota and mini camp (on offense) they look sharp . I’ve watched some from other teams and they aren’t sharp like the Rams. I watched some from the Whiners and they were pretty laid back same with KC.The Rams have an intensity, or focus that I don’t see in other teams.