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zn
ModeratorIt was a tough first assignment for Emmanuel Forbes, going up against a receiver trio of DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Tyler Lockett, but he did a nice job holding his own on the outside.
According to Pro Football Focus, Forbes allowed three catches on five targets, totaling 38 yards. One of those three receptions went for 22 yards on a deep dig to Metcalf where Forbes appeared to be in zone coverage. On the very next play, he was in coverage against Metcalf on a downfield ball toward the end zone and though Metcalf got a little bit of separation, the pass fell incomplete.
The two other receptions he allowed were to tight end A.J. Barner, which went for 6 yards and 10 yards, both converting for first downs. So in terms of coverage against opposing receivers, Forbes only allowed one catch on three targets, all against Metcalf.
As slender as he is – he’s listed at 6 feet, 180 pounds – Forbes looked like a willing tackler on Sunday. He didn’t shy away from contact and though he did miss one tackle, he wasn’t afraid to stick his nose in and make a stop.
January 8, 2025 at 8:51 am in reply to: around the league: more week 17 recap + setting up week 18 #154534zn
ModeratorAnother year, another new defensive coordinator will be coming for the 49ers.www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootb…
— ProFootballTalk (@profootballtalk.bsky.social) 2025-01-08T03:03:59.218Z
January 8, 2025 at 8:49 am in reply to: around the league: more week 17 recap + setting up week 18 #154533zn
ModeratorNever panicked… -Out of phase- Never looked back- Didn't grab but punched hand through the receivers'–
— Cody Alexander (@matchquarters.bsky.social) 2025-01-08T13:46:40.098Z
January 8, 2025 at 7:27 am in reply to: Rams injuries & roster moves, going into wildcard game #154532zn
ModeratorJourdan Rodrigue @jourdanrodrigue.bsky.social
The Rams placed RB Blake Corum on injured reserve and signed veteran RB Royce Freeman.They also designated S John Johnson III from injured reserve. Making the postseason allowed them extra designations.
zn
Moderatorbut did he train with knives? hahahaha!
Enh. Farr trained with swords and battle axes.
zn
Moderatoroh. you already posted it. haha! that gives me at least some encouragement.
Posts can go in multiple threads, that’s no big deal and ain’t really an issue. For the most part when someone else posts something I already posted I just delete mine. I would rather people felt free to jump in and contribute than be worried about the double-posting revenge demon.
zn
ModeratorRams Bros.@RamsBrothers
@PFF: Jared Verse is the CLEAR Defensive Rookie of the Year favorite.The first-year pass-rusher provided 77 pressures for the Rams in the regular season, the fourth most in the NFL among all positions.
Verse will become the first Ram to win this award since Aaron Donald.
zn
ModeratorHad they worked together prior to McVay being hired? I don’t recall reading anything about that.
No. They had not worked together before.
zn
ModeratorBasically trained like a Martial Artist.I don’t think any of the guys from the 1960s and 70s did that.
You know who did literally train with a martial artist? D’Marco Farr. He used that training to improve his hands in fighting blocks. It was one of the reasons he had a great year in 99.
Not that Farr, as good as he was in his own way, is on the list of all-time elite DTs. Just mentioning that Farr literally did train with a martial artist.
zn
ModeratorSigmund Bloom@SigmundBloom
The most successful rebuild – Detroit.
Retool without losing competitiveness – Minnesota, LA Rams
Long successful runs – Buffalo, KC, Baltimorewhat do they all have in common? HC/GM were either hired together or had a *long* track record of working together
zn
Moderatorfrom https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6042384/2025/01/06/rams-wild-card-matchup-vikings-comparison/
Jourdan Rodrigue
Rams have been a heavy zone team … – but have on occasion this year deployed Ahkello and Darious in tighter concepts and they might try this again considering they got some rest (for Witherspoon, a pitch count). They’d have to trust the front to get home. That has been up and down last few weekszn
ModeratorRams begin preparing for wild-card matchup with familiar Vikings squad
Jourdan Rodrigue
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6042384/2025/01/06/rams-wild-card-matchup-vikings-comparison/
LOS ANGELES — Expect a week leading up to Monday night’s wild-card matchup of news conferences downplaying the familiarity between the Los Angeles Rams (10-7) and the Minnesota Vikings (14-3).
Of course the teams themselves will deploy adjusted game plans and strategies after the Rams’ Week 8, 30-20 win on “Thursday Night Football.” Of course, as Rams head coach Sean McVay reiterated Monday morning, while the two offenses share one play caller — Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was the offensive coordinator for the Rams from 2020-21 including their Super Bowl victory — and some language, the systems have deviated over time to evolve with their personnel.
“He’s done an excellent job of morphing it to his players,” McVay said. “I think that sometimes (similarities between former colleagues’ systems) can get a little bit over-emphasized. There’s a foundational philosophy that I think people carry offensively, but he’s put his own spin on it that works for his team and there’s been a great evolution. You really look at it, I’ve been really impressed with what they’ve done and I enjoy watching their tape.”
After Sunday night’s loss to Seattle that concluded the regular season, McVay minimized the potential helpfulness to the Rams of having already played the Vikings once this season.
“We still played them so early. … There’s just a little bit of familiarity, but they have the same thing with us. So much changes as the season goes,” he said. “You still try to stay abreast of what’s going on relative to what are they doing in the different phases, having your eyes on those possible matchups that could occur.”
But familiarity quite obviously exists beyond the McVay/O’Connell connection. McVay was obsessive about Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ defense when Flores coached in New England, Miami and now in Minnesota. Flores’ scheme (borrowing and successfully applying concepts from Vic Fangio’s own) beat McVay in Super Bowl LIII and was among the catalysts in an eventual trade for veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford in 2021. Wes Phillips is now Minnesota’s offensive coordinator after his tenure as the Rams’ tight ends coach from 2019-21, and former offensive assistant Chris O’Hara holds a similar role there too. Assistant inside linebackers coach Thad Bogardus’ contract was not renewed by McVay after the 2022 season, and O’Connell poached former Rams sports science head Tyler Williams from Los Angeles when he accepted the head coaching job early in 2022. Former Rams players Johnny Mundt and Cam Akers are now in Minnesota.
“I think that stuff gets a little bit over-emphasized,” McVay said Monday morning of game planning against his former OC. “Kevin’s a great coach and there’s a familiarity with the rhythm and the routines in terms of how we all operate. There is an evolution and there are adaptions that occur from season to season and week to week. It’s a fun narrative, but it’s really about the Rams versus the Vikings.”
A few notes and bits of analysis ahead of the matchup:
Who is back (Rams): Rob Havenstein.
McVay said Monday morning that the veteran right tackle, who has missed two games with a shoulder injury, will be back for Monday night’s game.
Who is back (Vikings): Blake Cashman, Fabian Moreau.
O’Connell told Minnesota reporters that the veteran cornerback Moreau, who held a rotational and special teams role, would return from a hip injury this week.
The Vikings will also have star linebacker Cashman against the Rams this time (he didn’t play in the regular-season matchup with turf toe) and his presence could affect how they target the middle of the field.
Who is out (Rams): No. 2 running back Blake Corum fractured his right forearm against the Seahawks on Sunday and will miss the postseason.
Corum showed positive flashes in limited reps behind starter Kyren Williams. Ronnie Rivers will be the No. 2 back and if Sunday’s game plan gave any indication, the Rams will probably get emerging rookie receiver Jordan Whittington involved in the run game on sweeps and reverses (plus as a blocker).
To watch (Rams): Playoff teams receive two additional injured reserve return designations if they make the postseason.
Two previous starters, safety John Johnson III and inside linebacker Troy Reeder, are currently on IR and by the end of the regular season the Rams were limited in their allotment of return designations. McVay said the team has not yet made a decision on either player. Returning either would mean cutting one or two players and shifting the game-day activation count where the Rams have seen successful snaps by a number of former reserves, including safeties Jaylen McCollough and Kamren Kinchens, and inside linebackers Omar Speights and Jake Hummel.
To watch (Vikings): Quarterback Sam Darnold (technically another connection between the teams although a collegiate one; he played at USC) hobbled around in the later minutes of Sunday night’s game after a player landed on his foot.
While he’s not known for pure mobility, he can run and work out of structure. O’Connell said that the team came out “clean.”
Darnold had by far the worst game of his otherwise remarkable season against the Lions, who blitzed him at over a 50 percent rate (and pressured Darnold on nearly 60 percent of his dropbacks, per Next Gen Stats) plus played a ton of man coverage despite being limited in their own personnel. He was 18 of 41 for 166 yards and had the second-worst red zone passer rating of the year by any quarterback with 10-plus attempts there, according to Next Gen Stats.
Enemy bonding: Red zone.
The Rams have an offensive success rate in the red zone of just 41.5 percent. The Vikings don’t fare much better at 41.9 percent. Both offenses are well under the league average success rate of 47.6 percent and both rank in the bottom quartile in the NFL in this metric.
The Rams and the Vikings rank No. 5 and No. 6, respectively, in red zone defensive success rate.
Vikings offense: 25.41 points per game (No. 9), No. 15 in EPA/play.
Vikings defense: 19.5 points per game (No. 5), No. 3 in EPA/play, turnover margin is 12.
Rams offense: 21.59 points per game (No. 20), No. 13 in EPA/play.
Rams defense: 22.7 points per game (No. 17), No. 27 in EPA/play, turnover margin is 6.
Matchup point: The Rams’ slow starts against the Vikings’ aggressive, shapeshifting defense.
Not counting Week 18, during which most starters sat out, the Rams have failed to score a touchdown in 13 first quarters this season and have been shut out completely in 11 first quarters. They are the second-worst first quarter offense in the NFL this season, edging the Chicago Bears with 1.8 points per first quarter to Chicago’s 1.6. The Vikings average 6.41 points per first quarter (tied for No. 2) and allow just 2.8 (tied for No. 3).
But in Week 8, the Rams got their offense moving relatively quickly. They scored seven first-quarter points and added another seven before halftime (and held the Vikings scoreless in the second quarter).
“The last time we played these guys, they are an unbelievable defense (that deserves a) ton of respect,” McVay said. “We started fast and we executed well. It really comes down to putting the guys in the right spots and all 11 (players) doing what they’re supposed to do.”
The Rams’ offensive line also allowed no sacks against the Vikings and just eight total pressures according to TruMedia, inclusive to skill players picking up pressure, although players noted postgame that Flores’ overall pressure designs for that game were not what they expected to see (players frequently dropped into coverage despite showing a blitz look pre-snap).
zn
ModeratorSean McVay shares his initial thoughts on the Vikings and what makes them an 'excellent team' https://t.co/FUplaaJV1M pic.twitter.com/gTKoA4reGB
— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) January 7, 2025
zn
Moderatorfrom https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2025/01/07/nfl-playoffs-rams-schedule-strength-season/
According to Pro Football Focus, the Rams’ schedule was the hardest of any playoff team based on the chart below. It shows that the offensive and defensive strength of their opponents was the highest of every team that made the postseason.
always fun to look at: strength of schedule with playoff teams highlighted pic.twitter.com/EZrnAdAI2K
— Timo Riske (@PFF_Moo) January 6, 2025
During the regular season, the Rams faced five of the 13 other teams in the playoffs.
zn
ModeratorBTW, I appreciate it but you don’t have to ask. Going forward feel free to move it.
This site subtracted the mod’s ability to move posts. My only recourse is asking, I’m afraid.
January 7, 2025 at 1:56 am in reply to: around the league: more week 17 recap + setting up week 18 #154508zn
ModeratorWhat a rookie season for @BoNix10 🔥#BroncosCountry pic.twitter.com/PSSa4Qlq6j
— NFL GameDay (@NFLGameDay) January 6, 2025
zn
ModeratorJanuary 7, 1990#NFCDivisional#Giants #Rams @Jim_Everett throws the overtime winning touchdown to Flipper Anderson
19-13 #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/LyMXaRlP2F— Old Time Football 🏈 (@Ol_TimeFootball) January 7, 2025
January 7, 2025 at 1:36 am in reply to: around the league: more week 17 recap + setting up week 18 #154506zn
ModeratorNick Wagoner@nwagoner
The #49ers have fired special teams coordinator Brian Schneider, sources tell ESPN.Michael Silver@MikeSilver
Rough, rough season for the 49ers’ special teamsGideon Townsend@GideonTownsend
Maybe if the head coach cared a bit more about special teams, they’d be better. Rare that a championship team ignores a third of the units that contribute to winning.Michael Silver@MikeSilver
Very fair conversation. Schneider was a very successful special teams coach under Pete Carroll.zn
ModeratorRams Bros.@RamsBrothers
The last time Puka Nacua played in a playoff game:• 9 receptions on 10 targets
• 20.11 yards per reception
• 182 yards (most by a rookie in a post-season game EVER)
• 1 TDzn
ModeratorWhen Aaron Donald posted 20.5 sacks in 2018 🐐 pic.twitter.com/uwT5rf02fK
— Football’s Greatest Moments (@FBGreatMoments) January 6, 2025
zn
ModeratorLos Angeles Rams PR@TheLARamsPR
Since becoming a starter in Week 10, ILB Omar Speights is tied for 18th in the NFL in tackles with 60. ILB Christian Rozeboom is also fifth in the NFL in tackles since Week 11 with 69.The Rams are one of three teams to have two players in the top-20 since Week 10.
zn
Moderatoraccording to the FOX broadcast, this was the first game in NFL history where there were at least three field goals of 55-plus yards.
The fact that Karty made two field goals himself from 55-plus yards is remarkable, especially because his career-long prior to Sunday was 55 yards.
zn
ModeratorShoutout Ethan Evans! The best punter in the league in terms of pinning the opponents within the 20 yard line! #RamsHouse #puntersarepeopletoo https://t.co/6IcjawVkXc
— LA Sports Fanatic (@CESSmasterJ) January 7, 2025
zn
ModeratorDeMarcus Robinson is set to make his 8th playoff appearance in his 8th season.
Robinson also set career highs in yards (505), yards per catch (16.3) and TDs (7) this season at age 30. DRob had 27 first downs on his 31 catches this season. A valuable veteran signing pic.twitter.com/6o982JXwWD
— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) January 7, 2025
zn
ModeratorRamblin’ Fan repostedLos Angeles Rams PR
Over the last two seasons, DE Kobie Turner ranks in the top-25 across the NFL in sacks (17.0) and hurries (74).zn
ModeratorNice discussion with Big Whit about the Rams, playoffs, etc. Some good insight here.
NR–that’s a nice big and long, good vid. I suggest it deserves a thread in its own right. Would you do that? It can stay here too, no harm in that.
zn
ModeratorI’m a little surprised they didnt add Warren Sapp to that list. I think Sapp is in the conversation.
I agree. Sapp, and arguably, Randle, Randy White, Cortez Kennedy. Or maybe those 3 guys are next step down, which is still pretty high up.
In terms of the article, though, if you’re going to do a top 5 DTs of all time, it’s hard to do better than Donald, Olsen, Lilly, Greene, and Page. That’s lofty company.
zn
Moderatoractionjack
Jimmy def better at the screen game then Stafford, at least with the timing. It’s probably the only thing he is better at.
My overall thoughts on the game…
-Surprising the Rams were in it with a makeshift line but the screen game was on fire. Seattle continued to take the cheese.
– We have our kicker, great to see Karty going off from distance at home, should serve well for the playoff game at sofi.
– Please McVay/Stafford get the other WR’s involved. We need more Whitt, TJ and Tutu and way less Kupp. Criminal not to have TJ on the field in your redzone package.
zn
ModeratorApparently Dan Campbell issued some Bulletin board fodder. After the game against the Vikings he hugged head coach Kevin O’Connell and said that he’d “see him in two weeks”.
.
"I'll see you in two weeks."
Dan Campbell to Kevin O’Connell pic.twitter.com/Vr1ituDmKd
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) January 6, 2025
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