i really have no expectations for this season or at least many positive ones.  and i think 0.500 might actually be optimistic.  especially if kupp is out an extended period of time.  and while i feel better about the oline than i did at the beginning of preseason, i still have a lower opinion of that unit than most people here i suspect.

and i agree with you about the defense.  this defense will be bad.

i’m still gonna watch though and hope to see some signs that the team can improve both during this season and for the future.

health is the only thing keeping kupp from having a hof career.

this will be the third season in seven that he will be dealing with a serious injury depending on how long he is out.

i foresee a lot of higbee this sunday. and akers.

The #Rams are finalizing contract details with veteran kicker Brett Maher, source said.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 30, 2023

zn wrote:

So if Jackson turns out fine, this is a big deal.

yeah it would be huge. but i’m not quite ready to claim victory yet. this season will be his first true test. he did look promising last year in limited action. but mostly i’m glad that he came right out the gate and snatched it from noteboom. that speaks volumes to me. there was no controversy. it seemed like he outright just took it.

the only thing that worries me is he hasn’t lasted a full season yet healthy. but i feel much more comfortable than i did at the beginning of training camp.

but yeah if this works, what a find by the rams. left tackle has been my biggest worry since whit left.

zn wrote:

Blaine Grisak @bgrisakTST Davis Allen was targeted 8 times yesterday and caught all 8 targets. Had two contested catches. That was something he was good at in college at Clemson – went 11/12 last year which led the NCAA.

the rams don’t really have a player like him on the roster. i think a player like him would be really useful.

zn wrote:

Allen, the rookie tight end who the Rams drafted in the fifth round this spring, missed the entirety of training camp with a hamstring issue. Allen just started practicing this week, and was thrown into the mix Saturday night. He absolutely impressed: Allen caught all eight of his targets for 53 yards.

i’m really rooting for this guy.  probably never be a superstar but can do all the grunt work.  looked really tough last night.  physical.  i saw him out there blocking too.  not just making the tough catches.  he’s got great size.  and while he’s not extremely long (32.25″ arms), he’s got big mitts.  and he’s got some explosion (38.5″ vertical)  which should help him move defenders and reach hard to get balls.

i was really glad to see davis allen see some action. i’m hoping he can grab the third tight end spot.

and jake hummel is an interesting prospect. very explosive. very athletic.

6’1″ 235 pounds. 10″ hands 32 3/8″ arms

4.51 40

4.30 ss

6.83 3 cone

37″ vert

10’6″ broad

some serious numbers. second year with the rams. hopefully he can make a step up.

Eternal Ramnation wrote:

I think the D struggles this season but the O is going to surprise some teams

i agree about the defense.

i also agree about offense although i somewhat hedge my bet depending on how the oline performs. i am starting to feel better about the oline compared to 2 weeks ago however. as long as the oline performs i have no reason to believe that the passing game and running game doesn’t perform well. not quite at 2021 levels. but good.

zn wrote:

Odell Beckham Jr. says if he didn’t get hurt, he would’ve had 15 catches and “maybe 250 yards” in the Super Bowl against the Bengals

i would have loved to have seen that.  he and cooper kupp.  what a combo.

zn wrote:

As usual Anchrum is getting good buzz. He’s an impressive guy and the coaches have always been high on him. I think he will be fine. At center, Allen played in a super bowl. So he’s good enough. Shelton got good marks at center last year while playing in the middle of chaos. The issue is LOT. If Jackson can be that guy, so be it. I have always been kind of skeptical of Noteboom but we’ll see.

whatever it takes to fix it, i hope they do because the rest of this offense looks good.

i don’t think stafford is done.  i think he has years left if healthy.  at least four.

the running backs i like.  i think akers is a serious candidate for a breakout year.  i think evans is a sleeper.  i’ve read good things about williams.

kupp is kupp as long as he is healthy.  he was on track for 142 receptions last year before the injury.  i think van is solid.  i really like what i’m reading about puka.  it seems the only worry about puka is health.  he got injured in college, so does that trend continue in the pros?  i’m not the biggest fan of tutu.  i think higbee could have a huge season?  career high in catches last year, and he says he feels even better this year than he did last year at training camp.

but if the oline is shaky.  either because of health or talent.  it’ll mean nothing.

zn wrote:

McVay also made it clear that though he seriously contemplated retirement after the 2022 season that he is no longer thinking in that direction. McVay noted that he is very interested in being a part of the media one day but that it is not in the “near future” anymore. The Rams head coach sounded aware of the fact that nobody knows what’s going to happen this season with so many uncertainties on the roster and that “there’s more competition on our team than there’s ever been since the first year in 2017.” So even if L.A. does have another underwhelming season, McVay sounds ready to be a part of a “reset” that takes multiple years and that he won’t question his commitment to being a football coach any time soon. On the struggles of 2022, McVay said “I wasn’t the best version of myself,” but that he learned more from going 5-12 than he did from winning the Super Bowl.

yeah.  i just put up the interview.  i thought it was a good response.  he realized it wasn’t just about winning a superbowl.  that is was about “the process” i guess.  and he sounded genuine.  he sounded humble.  it really seems like he loves being a head coach.  he did acknowledge that it’s easy to say that now and things can change.  but again.  i just get the sense he wouldn’t be satisfied being a part of the media.

hoecht is super athletic. he’s going into his third year? or maybe fourth? so yeah he’s a good candidate for a breakout year.

another guy i’m looking out for is bobby brown iii. still only 22 but will turn 23 in a week. physically what you are looking for in a tackle. big strong and long.

well. it woulda been hard going with the current group i’m guessing? especially when it comes to blocking?

i just hope that it doesn’t hinder the development of the younger running backs. i don’t think that it would. plus learning from a wily veteran like michel should help.

i’m excited about a lot of these rookie offensive players. nacua, avila, evans, even allen. i know they won’t all make it, but even if just two of them end up being solid contributors i’ll be happy.

honestly i can even see three of these guys being contributors.

excited for training camp to start.

• This reply was modified 3 years ago by InvaderRam.