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znModeratorNovember 14, 2017 at 6:55 pm in reply to: Baldinger, Waldman, on some plays from the Houston game #77461znModeratorNovember 14, 2017 at 6:55 pm in reply to: Baldinger, Waldman, on some plays from the Houston game #77460znModeratorNovember 14, 2017 at 6:54 pm in reply to: Baldinger, Waldman, on some plays from the Houston game #77459znModeratorNovember 14, 2017 at 6:54 pm in reply to: Baldinger, Waldman, on some plays from the Houston game #77458znModeratorWhy Good hands technique creates second chance opportunities
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November 14, 2017 at 6:54 pm in reply to: Baldinger, Waldman, on some plays from the Houston game #77457znModeratorNovember 14, 2017 at 6:53 pm in reply to: Baldinger, Waldman, on some plays from the Houston game #77456znModeratorClowney too anxious for big play and leaves open gap for Gurley
A post shared by Matt Waldman (@mattwaldmanrsp) on
November 14, 2017 at 6:53 pm in reply to: Baldinger, Waldman, on some plays from the Houston game #77455znModeratorznModeratorI think you mean 11/13 unless you’ve added a new month to the calendar Ramuary perhaps?
Thanks, I edited it.
znModeratorznModeratorI will respond to this soon, promise.
November 13, 2017 at 9:22 am in reply to: tweets (including a few gems) + articles etc. on the HOUSTON game #77401znModeratorSean McVay has Rams resembling ‘Greatest Show on Turf’
Michael Silver
LOS ANGELES — Halfway through Sunday’s home game against the Houston Texans, it was clear that the NFC West-leading L.A. Rams had a problem: a 6-foot-5, 270-pound game-wrecker in an opposing uniform.
Thanks largely to the disruptive and destructive efforts of Texans linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, the Rams’ high-flying offense had been grounded in the first two quarters of Sunday’s game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Limited to a trio of Greg Zuerlein field goals, L.A. held a 9-7 lead as rookie coach Sean McVay and his players filed into the home locker room.
Suddenly, an offense being lauded as the second coming of “The Greatest Show on Turf” resembled the sludge stuck in an ’80s-style drainage pipe emptying into the Pacific Ocean. And McVay, the 31-year-old, eternally turnt up coaching wunderkind, was determined to find a flow.
“Well guys, we can’t play any worse — and I can’t put you in any worse positions — and we’re still up 9-7,” McVay told his offensive players at halftime. “The good news is, if we don’t piss down our legs we’ll get it together and win this game. We’re out of sync, and one guy in particular is killing us. So now let’s find a way to fix it and go back to doing what we do.”
The Rams’ attack stayed stagnant for the first five-and-a-half minutes of the third quarter until — on the second play of their second possession of the second half — McVay dialed up a call that would break open the game, and second-year quarterback Jared Goff executed it to perfection.
With L.A. facing second-and-6 from its own six-yard-line, the Texans came out in a quarters defensive alignment leaving each of four Houston players responsible for a horizontal quadrant of the secondary. There was also a wrinkle: the Texans blitzed a cornerback off the weak side and dropped a linebacker into coverage to take his spot.
When he recognized the coverage, McVay began speaking excitedly into Goff’s headset. “I couldn’t wait for us to snap the ball,” he said later.
The same went for his quarterback: As McVay called the play, Goff was already rushing to the line to take the snap. “We’ve got Robert here,” McVay reminded him — and the rest was pure artistry: Goff making a sweet play-fake to halfback Todd Gurley, who slid to his left and picked up the blitzing Kevin Johnson; Woods running a pinpoint post pattern up the right seam.
The only issue, as usual, was Clowney, who beat right tackle Rob Havenstein to the inside and bore down on Goff in the end zone as the quarterback prepared to throw. And then, just when it looked like the fourth-year pass rusher would wreck yet another opportunity, the 60,032 fans at the Coliseum witnessed a sublime sequence that summed up everything that has made the 2017 Rams dramatically different from their scoring-challenged 2016 forebears.
As Clowney said afterward, as he walked from the visitors’ locker room toward the Texans’ team buses, “Man, that s— was crazy. I don’t know how they did that.”
Havenstein, in a desperate measure that offensive linemen refer to as a “backdoor” maneuver, lunged his hand in front of Clowney and diverted him while spinning toward the quarterback. Goff, meanwhile, hung tough and absorbed a hit from Clowney just after delivering a perfect pass to Woods, who caught it in stride at midfield, with veteran cornerback Johnathan Joseph in futile pursuit.
Seconds later Woods was celebrating a 94-yard touchdown catch, the Rams’ longest play from scrimmage since 1964 — and the Rams were on their way to a 33-7 rout that reaffirmed their credentials as a legitimate, if totally surprising, contender.
“The greatest trait a quarterback can have is not fearing failure — and that’s how Jared’s wired,” McVay marveled Sunday night. “He had brass balls on that play, and he dropped a dime. And that was so big, ’cause it opened everything up, and after that we were off and running.”
McVay had plenty to do with that, revising his gameplan to run plays away from Clowney throughout the second half, supplementing that strategy by sliding extra blockers toward the linebacker and favoring calls designed to allow Goff to release the ball quickly.
“We had a problem,” veteran offensive line coach Aaron Kromer said, “and Sean solved it.”
In the process, McVay also killed the suspense in a mid-November interconference clash whose marquee value had already been depleted, as the Texans (3-6) were missing their own dynamic young quarterback — rookie Deshaun Watson — who’d suffered a season-ending ACL tear 10 days earlier.
Yet running their winning streak to four was momentous for the Rams (7-2), who hold a one-game lead over the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West and seem capable of outscoring anyone when they’re operating at peak performance.
As with Goff’s deep ball to Woods from his own end zone, almost nobody saw this coming.
Last year, the Rams had the league’s least productive offense, mustering just 224 points en route to a 4-12 record. Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, struggled mightily after taking over as the team’s starting quarterback in the 10th game of the season, and coach Jeff Fisher was fired with three games remaining in the dismal campaign.
After the season the Rams hired McVay, Washington’s promising offensive coordinator, who at the time was 30 years old — making him the youngest head coach in modern NFL history. He and his 23-year-old quarterback have been lighting up the league since September, provoking comparisons to the 1999 Rams, who rebounded from a 3-13 record the previous season and swept to a stunning Super Bowl championship on the strength of future Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner and an explosive offense that commanded an iconic nickname.
Now comprehend this: The Greatest Show on Turf produced 526 points in the ’99 regular season, while the current Rams — the league’s highest-scoring team in 2017 — scored exactly half of that total (263) over their first eight games. Sunday’s output kept L.A. on that pace (32.9 points per game) and allowed McVay and his players to feel a lot better upon entering the locker room after the game than they had at halftime.
“We needed to hit some adversity, because we hadn’t hit any in a while,” said veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth, who has proven to be one of the league’s best free-agent signees of the past several seasons. “All week long we talked about it — what are we gonna do if we hit some adversity? Well, we found out.
“It’s funny, because the week before that, I was talking about how we need to hit some shock plays. We’d been grinding it out and working our way up the field, but leaving those big plays on the table. Then, the last two weeks… boom. It’s pretty impressive.”
Goff (25 of 37, 355 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions) credited the stabilizing efforts of a Rams defense that forced four Texans turnovers. Like Whitworth, he also found value in having overcome Sunday’s first-half futility.
“Well, yeah — it’s good because we won,” Goff said. “As soon as we hit that big bomb, our intensity kind of went up a notch. You could feel that. And then we were rolling, and everyone got involved.”
While Woods (eight catches, 171 yards, two touchdowns) enjoyed a career day, Goff also had key connections with receiver Sammy Watkins (two catches, 41 yards, one TD) and Gurley (who had 68 receiving yards, matching his rushing total). And Goff and his former offseason roommate, rookie wideout Cooper Kupp, hooked up six times for 47 yards.
None of that success seemed likely after an opening quarter during which McVay’s offense bore an unwelcome resemblance to the 2016 Rams’ anemic attack — something that still bothered the coach hours after the game as he and several friends watched highlights on a large television screen at his home atop the San Fernando Valley.
“We had six yards of offense in the first quarter,” McVay scoffed. “Six yards! At that point, I thought we were well on our way to a 30-yard game. … It was a total pukefest. I was ready to crawl into a hole.”
Instead, he solved the problem and allowed the Rams to regain their stride in the second half. It’s becoming a trend — and the whole football world is starting to take notice.
znModerator"Competitive greatness — always striving for that." pic.twitter.com/Rzs7JxLFae
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 13, 2017
znModeratoralyoshamucci wrote:
I’m getting more comfortable with winning so hopefully the reviews will improve … I was hoping to have the Texans exploit some weaknesses on our offensive unit and they did an okay job in the first half.
The Great
1) Halftime adjustments this year …. really I swear I didn’t know we were allowed, it’s been so long since we’ve done it.
2) Okay Robert, you get into the great section … I had no idea that we would have this kind of response from him after his inconsistency in Buffalo. On pace for 1000 yards and lots of explosive plays.
3) Barron’s INT. That’s his 3rd. As a LB. I’m starting to think that having the center of our D stable is more important than having Quinn OR Tru.
4) WAAAAAADE.
The Good
5) Ebukam strip sack! Keep it up big guy! He almost had 2.
6) Deep hits on the back end by JJ3.
7) Kupp getting some momentum back.
8) Greg the leg having an all pro year.
9) “Next man up” with Blythe after Saffold went down.
10) Brockers and Donald … really … what a presence on the Dline. Splash plays 5 times a game …
11) Gurley, specifically his tightroping and staying in bounds for big gains.
12) Goff following a career best with a “better best.” Proving to me that I shouldn’t ever sit him in FF.
The Bad
13) Robey Coleman is going to hurt us with PI this year … dunno when, but it’s going to happen and it’s going to hurt.
14) I want more from Everett.
15) We tend to get gashed by the run in the first half then tighten up, but then teams have to go away from the run. Teams that play us close (I’m looking at you, Saints and Eagles) are going to give us problems against the run in the 3rd and 4th quarters.
16) Webster is not a #1 CB. He’s a good 2, but he gets exposed against true #1 WRs. I don’t think we can pay Tru, and I don’t think we can draft a real replacement. I think we’re going to just be weak there next year while the draftee learns the ropes. I have a list of CBs that are solid … but unless McFadden falls due to (insert zero reasons) … we are going to just have to eat that loss.
17) How long does it take to realize that Clowney needs 2 on him, and should never be blocked by a TE? It should take ONCE. He is an injury waiting to happen .. and anyone with his size and speed cannot be allowed to get a full run at anyone on our team.
Going forward
18) I think we clobber the Vikings next week. I don’t think they have enough on offense to keep up. I think they’ll have turnovers and their defense won’t be able to keep them in it.
19) I think the Saints game is the biggest offensive showing of the year.
20) I dont know what to think of the Eagle game yet.
November 12, 2017 at 10:58 pm in reply to: tweets (including a few gems) + articles etc. on the HOUSTON game #77382znModeratorWoods’ Career Day Paves Way for 33-7 Rams Win
Kristen Lago
There’s something about playing in the Coliseum that bodes well for wide receiver Robert Woods. While at USC, Woods set a program record for most career receptions with 252 in three seasons. He also recorded 2,930 yards from scrimmage with 32 touchdowns — cementing his status as one of the best Trojan receivers of all-time.
On Sunday, Woods looked right at home as the Rams put on a commanding second-half performance to beat the Texans 33-7 in Los Angeles’ first true home game in over a month.
“It feels good to be back, making some great plays like that,” Woods said. “It just popped this offense off [and] we’re happy we were able to do it right here at the Coliseum.”
Woods had arguably his best performance as a pro, recording a pair of touchdowns for the second-straight game. He finished the contest with eight catches for a career-high 171 yards in an impressive display that earned him a game ball.
“It feels good to be able to come to a new team, contribute, and be part of a winning team,” Woods said. “It’s just working hard with these guys, coming out, and seeing it pay off on Sundays. We’ve worked hard for this.”
But in the first half of Sunday’s contest, the Rams offense looked uncharacteristically out of sync, recording just 131 yards. Fortunately, it didn’t take much time in the second half for L.A. to get back on track.
The Rams nearly matched their first-half yardage on one play early in the third quarter — a 94-yard touchdown to Woods that marked the second-longest reception in the NFL this season. It was also the longest play from scrimmage by the franchise since 1964.
On 2nd-and-8 from the L.A. six-yard line, quarterback Jared Goff came off of play action, dropped back, and delivered a beautiful deep ball to Woods — hitting him in stride on a post route. The ball traveled over 50 yards in the air while Woods took it the rest of the way, giving the Rams a 16-7 lead and effectively shifting the game’s momentum.
“The players made a great play,” head coach Sean McVay said of the touchdown pass. “Robert was able to get inside of cornerback Johnathan Joseph, run by himself, and finish. That’s where you see that 200-meter juice.”
“I don’t think we can talk about him as a possession receiver anymore after the last couple of weeks, so very pleased with Robert,” McVay added.
But Woods wasn’t done yet.
With 1:33 left in the third quarter, outside linebacker Samson Ebukam forced the Rams’ second strip-sack of the day, hitting quarterback Tom Savage hard enough to knock the ball out. Defensive lineman Tyrunn Walker recovered the fumble at Houston’s 12-yard line.
It took the Rams just one play to capitalize on the takeaway when Goff hit Woods on a screen pass behind the line of scrimmage. The wideout forced a missed tackle as he sped his way into the endzone for his second touchdown of the day, extending the Rams lead 30-7.
“I think [in the] second half everybody was paying attention,” Woods said of the turnaround. “We were focused on details and I think that’s why we were able to click and those plays finally were happening.”
Overall this season, Woods has been a standout player on a Rams’ offense that is loaded with weapons. Not only has he proved himself as a reliable pass catcher and an effective route-runner, but he has also become a leader in the locker room.
After the game many of his teammates praised the wideout, characterizing him as someone who raises the level of play among all players on the team.
“Robert Woods leads this group,” wide receiver Sammy Watkins said. “The way that he practices, the way that he plays the games, the way he does everything — it kind of moves this wide receiver group.”
“He’s been huge, he’s been as big as anybody on this team.” Goff echoed. “I think even if you take away everything that he does on Sunday’s, it’s been truly impressive seeing him day in and day out — the way we he works and brings guys along. His attitude daily and the way he communicates with me is impressive. I’m happy to have him, and I know he’s happy to be here.”
November 12, 2017 at 10:15 pm in reply to: tweets (including a few gems) + articles etc. on the HOUSTON game #77381znModeratorfrom Rams vs. Texans Postgame Notes
– This is the Rams first four game winning streak since 2003.
– The Rams are now 3-0 against the AFC South this season. The last time the Rams went 3-0 against the AFC was in 2003 when they swept the AFC North.
– Goff, Kansas City’s Alex Smith and New England’s Tom Brady are the only three quarterbacks in the NFL this season with multiple games passing for at least 300 yards, three passing touchdowns and zero interceptions.
– Per the NFL’s Randall Liu, Goff is the only quarterback in franchise history to pass for 300-plus yards, three touchdown and no interceptions in consecutive games.
– WR Robert Woods had a career day with eight receptions for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Woods hauled in the third-longest reception in franchise history, a 94-yard touchdown reception from Goff.
– Woods collected a second touchdown on a 17-yard reception. Marks the second-time in Woods’ career that he has posted a touchdown in consecutive games.
– Woods is one-of-six wide receivers in the NFL this season to post 125-plus receiving yards and multiple touchdown receptions in a single game.
– WR Sammy Watkins notched a 12-yard touchdown reception. Watkins has four touchdowns this season and 21 career. Watkins has posted a touchdown in back-to-back games.
– RB Todd Gurley rushed 11 times for 68 yards, a 6.2-yard average and a long of 34 yards. He added six receptions for 68 yards. In total, Gurley collected 17 touches for 136 yards from scrimmage.
– Gurley registered a 43-yard reception from Goff. That was the third 40-plus yard reception of Gurley’s career. He joins Marshall Faulk, Steven Jackson and Amp Lee as the only running backs in franchise history with three or more receptions of 40-plus yards.
– The Rams have scored 20-plus points in eight of their nine games this season.
– DT Aaron Donald sacked Texans QB Tom Savage and forced a fumble. OLB Matt Longacre recovered the ball and returned it eight yards. Donald has recorded 5.5 sacks this season.
– Donald is the first Ram to force a fumble during the first drive of the game in back-to-back games.
– Rookie OLB Samson Ebukam earned his first career sack on Savage and caused him to fumble. DT Tyrunn Walker recovered the fumble.
– According to press box statistics, LB Alec Ogletree led the team in tackles with seven (four solo).
– Going into today’s game, the Rams ranked second in the NFL in points off turnovers. Today, the Rams notched four turnovers and came away with three scores off those plays. Rams points after turnovers today: two field goals and one touchdown (13). Rams points off turnovers this season: 84.
– In the last five games, the Rams defensive unit has given up an average of eight points per game and recorded at least 2.0 sacks in each contest in addition to at least one interception, dating back to L.A.’s last home game against the Seahawks.
– The Rams defense has tallied at least one interception in eight-of-nine games this season.
– WR/KR Pharoh Cooper returned two punts for 49 yards (24.5-yard average) and three punts for 32 yards, including a long of 27 yards.
– K Greg Zuerlein converted four-of-four field goals from 27, 33, 50, and 33 yards. Zuerlein is 28-of-29 on field goal attempts this season and has converted all 30 extra points. In total, he has 114 points this season.
znModeratorWe are also enjoying @JaredGoff16 to @sammywatkins 🙌#HOUvsLA pic.twitter.com/d2S5yxB143
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 12, 2017
znModeratorGive @robertwoods 6 more!
Touchdown number ✌️ for Woods! #HOUvsLA pic.twitter.com/nQcQPIHTCU
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 12, 2017
znModeratorBEASTS. #Respect pic.twitter.com/iCaZCssyp6
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 13, 2017
znModeratorthrew 2 ints keenum did, but he’s hanging tough. came back to get them in fg range.
Yeah he threw those kinds of INTs with the Rams. It balances out if the game does not come down to him. Like the 2016 Detroit game. He lit them up but in the final minutes he couldn’t sustain…with CK, Rams could not win just by passing. CK needs a defense and a running game. When the Rams had a running game, they went 3-2 with CK at qb; without a running game, they went 4-5.
znModeratorThe OL is where my biggest worry lies. An injury there could end the season for the Rams.
They will certainly be adding to the OL in the offseason.
I think they could handle someone being out for a game or 2.
This has been the Rams healthiest OL season since 2010, and then before that, 2003.
znModeratorOL Depth.
Right now it’s 8 linemen.
LT Andrew Whitworth …Cornelius Lucas
LG Rodger Saffold
C John Sullivan …Austin Blythe
RG Jamon Brown …Andrew Donnal
RT Rob Havenstein …Darrell WilliamsAlso on the PS they have
Neary, Aaron C/G 6-4 301 2nd year in the league from Eastern Washington
===
On Lucas (from the wiki):
Detroit Lions
Lucas was signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent on May 12, 2014.He has played in 30 games and started six for the Lions. As an exclusive-rights free agent, he was tendered by the Lions on March 9, 2017.On September 3, 2017, Lucas was waived by the Lions.
Los Angeles Rams
On September 12, 2017, Lucas was signed by the Los Angeles Rams.===
On Neary (from the wiki):
Denver Broncos
Neary was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent on May 2, 2016.[1] He was waived on September 3, 2016.Philadelphia Eagles
On September 5, 2016, Neary was signed to the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad. He signed a reserve/future contract with the Eagles on January 2, 2017. He was waived by the team on September 2, 2017.Los Angeles Rams
On September 3, 2017, Neary was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Rams. He was waived by the team on September 16, 2017 and re-signed to the practice squad.…
znModeratorRams no longer roll their eyes at Sean McVay’s quirky offensive game-planning
RICH HAMMOND
Sean McVay described the play in the meeting room, a version of the old “hook and lateral.” Jared Goff would throw a screen to Cooper Kupp, who would pitch the ball to a sprinting Tavon Austin. Eyes rolled.
“We’re just like, ‘Yeah, right, this is the NFL,’” Rams running back Todd Gurley said with a laugh.
McVay called the play in the red zone last Sunday, all three players executed it perfectly, and it picked up 9 yards and set up a go-ahead field goal in the second quarter of what turned into a blowout victory.
This is McVay: young, excitable, full of ideas of energy, bringer of much-needed excitement and belief to a Rams offense that moved like a tortoise last year. McVay, the offense’s architect and play-caller, has developed a reputation as a constant tinkerer, one always looking for new wrinkles and new plays.
McVay’s offensive mind is the major reason why the Rams have the NFL’s highest-scoring offense and take a 6-2 record, and first-place standing in the NFC West, into Sunday’s home game against Houston.
“He’s up all night,” Gurley said. “He’ll tell you, he doesn’t have much to do. He’s always copying ideas.”
Indeed, McVay said this week, “I probably kind of have no life outside of football.” And for that, the Rams are grateful.
There’s one part of the story Gurley forgot, or perhaps repressed. The Kupp-Austin lateral? The New York Jets ran the exact same play against the Rams a year earlier, in the same stadium, and scored a touchdown. McVay wasn’t even with the Rams then, but clearly he saw the play when he reviewed film.
“We’ve got very capable players that can do a lot of the things that we’re asking them to do,” McVay said. “When you have that, it makes it fun, as an offensive coaching staff, to kind of find creative ways to do some different things that fit within the framework of our system.”
And here’s the thing about McVay: he’s smart enough not to take credit. He deflects praise at every opportunity, to his players and assistant coaches, and openly admits that he borrows ideas from other coaches. Specifically, near the start of this season, McVay said he lifted a play from Andy Reid.
Among the many problems for the Rams’ defense last year was stagnant coaching. Coach Jeff Fisher and offensive coordinator Rob Boras (who was in his first full year as an NFL coordinator) really tried to shake up an offense that was bland and ineffective. It was the same stuff for 16 weeks, and it didn’t work.
Now, the Rams shake up things on a weekly basis. Some weeks, they feed Gurley a ton. Other times, they get the tight ends more involved. And the perception, whether it’s true or not, is that McVay and this year’s staff spend more time studying the opponent and determining the best way to exploit it.
“If we see something two, three weeks ago that Seattle beat them on, let’s try it again,” Gurley said. “If they stop it, they stop it. If they don’t then that’s a win for us.”
That’s a quote Gurley never would have spoken last season, when, at one point, he got so frustrated that he referred to the Rams’ attack as a “middle-school offense.” Now, Gurley, who typically attempts to play it cool in front of reporters, can’t stop smiling and laughing when he talks about McVay’s offense.
Gurley offered another example. He’d always wanted to score on a specific inside-zone run that he could bounce outside. McVay dialed that up last week against the Giants, and Gurley scored a touchdown.
“I’ve always seen people do it,” Gurley said. “I saw (New Orleans running back) Mark Ingram do it a couple of weeks ago. I’ve seen (Kansas City’s) Kareem Hunt. I’ve seen a lot of people do it, so I was happy to definitely get that touchdown like that so easily.”
No doubt, McVay found that play on tape somewhere, maybe in a Saints or Chiefs game, and it clicked.
McVay, it seems, has found the correct balance between tweaking and adjusting the playbook but not overwhelming his players with changes. Much like Gurley, Goff said he sometimes laughs when McVay installs the week’s game plan and has added new wrinkles.
“We have some plays in there where we’re like, ‘What are we doing this for?’” Goff said. “And sure enough, we see it and we’re like, ‘Oh, it’s going to work.’ That happens weekly.”
The Rams knew what they were getting when they hired McVay as the youngest coach in NFL history. His motor never stops and he brings a kinetic energy to the locker room.
By contrast, the Rams’ 70-year-old defensive coordinator, Wade Phillips, is a slow-talking Texan with a wry sense of humor and 40 years of experience as an NFL coach. Phillips, one would assume, has seen it all in the NFL, but he was asked this week if anything has surprised him about working with McVay.
“Yeah, that we’re leading the league in scoring,” Phillips said with a laugh, but then turned serious. “You don’t expect that certainly just coming from the past, but it doesn’t surprise me. I didn’t say it would surprise me, I’m just saying he works awfully hard, he knows what he’s doing and he’s doing a great job of getting our offense to be one of the top offenses.”
znModeratorAuthor = RICHARD JANVRIN
MAY 2, 2017Here’s what Richard is saying these days:
NFL Predictions Week 10
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2743610
Houston Texans at Los Angeles Rams (-12, 46.5)
Like the Steelers/Colts, the Rams will win, but by how much?
Well, I’ll tell you this: it will be by more than 12. The Texans offense is horrendous with Tom Savage under center, and the Rams have one of the best offenses in the league against a Texans defense that is greatly deteriorated since the beginning of the season.
This could get ugly.
Pick: Rams 44, Texans 17
znModeratorExchange from elsewhere. A post and my responses. It’s not a “debate,” it’s supposed to be more like looking at 2 different aspects of the same issue, some of it purely positive, some maybe still developing.
===
max wrote:
There is a direct correlation between Net Yds / Pass Attempt and trips to the Red Zone. Here is the list of the top 10 QBs in Net Yds/Pass Attempt this season. (Net Yds / Pass Att takes sacks into account.)
1. Jared Goff • LAR 7.72
2. Drew Brees • NOR 7.63
3. Tom Brady • NWE 7.32
4. Matt Ryan • ATL 7.25
5. Alex Smith • KAN 7.24
6. Deshaun Watson • HOU 7.10
7. Ben Roethlisberger • PIT 7.00
8. Marcus Mariota • TEN 6.92
9. Carson Wentz • PHI 6.80
10. Derek Carr • OAK 6.78Red Zone Attempts per Game
1 LA Rams 4.5
2 New England 4.2
3 Dallas 4.1
4 Pittsburgh 3.6
5 Minnesota 3.5
6 Atlanta 3.4
7 Denver 3.4
8 Arizona 3.3
9 Green Bay 3.2
10 Philadelphia 3.2===
Me, in response:
Note, though, that the Rams are not yet that good throwing TDs in the redzone.
There’s actually a stat for percentage of TDs on attempts inside the 10. Inside the 10 isn’t the whole redzone obviously but still. This site also isn’t up to date, but this is not a new issue for the Rams this year.
According to the site that does this, on that stat Goff ranks 9th.
[stats.washingtonpost.com]: http://stats.washingtonpost.com/fb/leaders.asp?range=NFL&rank=050&type=Passing
But, they have him with 12 passes there, and espn has him with 17. According to espn Goff has 6 TDs on 17 attempts inside the 10, which is 35.3%, and against the current numbers that would rank 17th. The top guys are all above 54.%. (Though a couple of the top guys, Watson and Rodgers, are out for the season.)
According to a more general stat from a different site, Rams rank 16th overall on Team Red Zone Scoring Percentage (TD only)…both run and pass. Last 3 games, though, they ranked 11th.
[www.teamrankings.com]: https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/red-zone-scoring-pct
It’s a thing the team said they addressed over the bye, but we don’t know yet what effect that had.
znModeratorDonnal has never been active
I stand corrected. Should have looked it up.
znModeratorRating the five best and five worst offensive lines in the NFL
Sam Farmer
http://www.latimes.com/sports/nfl/la-sp-nfl-week-10-farmer-20171111-story.html
They seldom make the highlight packages. If you hear their name during a game, it’s usually because they’ve done something wrong. Yet they are the often overlooked element when it comes to the success or failure of NFL teams.
They are the offensive linemen, and although they’re always essential, it’s this time of the season when they can really create separation. As the weather turns colder, wetter and windier, teams frequently run the ball more, relying on their big men up front to set the tone and push open holes.
It’s tricky to judge the effectiveness of an offensive line based solely on simple statistics such as sacks, yards per carry, rushing touchdowns and the like. There are so many factors and complexities — among them: What was the quarterback’s role in that sack? Did a back miss his block? Who’s carrying the ball? How good is the opposing defense at stopping the run? Several websites do a good job of drilling down on the stats, looking deeper into the numbers to assign a pecking order to the league’s 32 offensive lines, but it’s a nuanced science.
“In the end, the film is the most important thing,” said former NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz, whose brother, Mitchell, plays right tackle for Kansas City. “You can use stats to confirm what you see on film, but it starts with the film.”
For the purposes of ranking the NFL’s top five and bottom five offensive lines heading into the second half of the regular season, I turned to a trio of experts: Schwartz and offensive line consultant Duke Manyweather, who co-host the “Block Em’ Up” podcast; and Hall of Fame tackle Jackie Slater, who played his entire 20-year career with the Rams and now coaches offensive line at Azusa Pacific.
“It’s hard to assess offensive lines,” Manyweather said. “There are people who get it and people who don’t. A lot of people may not want to admit this, but even teams get it wrong a lot.”
Now, a look at the five lines playing the best as of Week 10:
1. Philadelphia — When nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters went down with a season-ending knee injury last month, some observers saw it as the beginning of the end for the Eagles. That did not come to pass. At 8-1, Philadelphia has the best record in the league, and the cohesiveness of the offensive line has a lot to do with that. Slater’s stance: “You can’t overlook the play-calling and the decision-making of a talented young quarterback in Carson Wentz.”
2. New Orleans — The Saints have surrendered a league-low eight sacks, which is particularly impressive considering how much Drew Brees throws the ball. The left side of the line is particularly strong with Terron Armstead at tackle and Andrus Peat at guard, and rookie Ryan Ramczyk has found a home at right tackle. Slater’s stance: “Getting Armstead back was huge, and Brees is such a quick trigger man that it always helps the line.”
3. Dallas — The Cowboys have been the gold standard in terms of offensive line play the past few seasons, and they’re seeing a lot of eight-man boxes with defenses selling out to stop Ezekiel Elliott. With that back now suspended for six games, we’ll get a better idea of how much of that running game is him, and how much is the line. Slater’s stance: “Every bit of success Jerry Jones has had as an owner is partly due to his investment in his offensive line.”
4. Rams — In one year, the Rams have gone from having the NFL’s worst line to one of its best. The addition of left tackle Andrew Whitworth was huge — Manyweather calls him the team’s most valuable offensive player so far — and getting center John Sullivan was big too. But the whole line is rolling, and Jared Goff and Todd Gurley are surely grateful. Slater’s stance: “The stability in this unit, including putting young lineman Rob Havenstein back at right tackle, has been critical.”
5. Pittsburgh — It’s a blast from the past with the Steelers dominating up front again, as they have on so many of their championship teams. This line is especially solid in the interior, with guards David DeCastro and Ramon Foster, and center Maurkice Pouncey. Slater’s stance: “Mike Munchak is coaching that offensive line, and if anyone is going to put together the best interior triad it’s that Hall of Famer.”
Best of the rest — Washington would be a top-five line but for some key injuries. … Oakland was right up there with Dallas as the league’s best last season, but the Raiders have taken a slight step backward with their scheme adjustments. … Jacksonville, Minnesota and Tennessee could all make convincing cases to be among the top five.
Here are the bottom five at this point, starting with the worst:
1. New York Giants — The one-win Giants have had a terrible season on both sides of the ball, but their offensive line has been particularly bad. Their tackles have been terrible both in pass protection and in run blocking, where they’re 27th in rushing. Slater’s stance: “The grit of this team went to Jacksonville with Tom Coughlin. The Giants should try rookie Chad Wheeler at left tackle because he could be their future.”
2. Cincinnati — The Bengals sorely miss Whitworth and guard Kevin Zeitler, now in Cleveland. They’re averaging a paltry 3.1 yards per carry, worse than everyone but Arizona (3.0). Slater’s stance: “Cincinnati’s loss was the Rams’ gain. The Bengals should never have let Andrew Whitworth go.”
3. Colts — The Colts have surrendered an NFL-high 38 sacks. Three of their starting linemen from Week 1 are on injured reserve. Compounding their talent issue up front is the fact that those guys are blocking for an indecisive young quarterback who holds onto the ball for too long. Slater’s stance: “I was on the field for warmups when the Colts played the Rams. This is a hodgepodge group of offensive linemen, and some of them don’t look the part.”
4. Broncos — Right tackle Menelik Watson has been a bust as a free-agent acquisition so far, and now he’s out for the season with a foot injury. Rookie Garett Bolles, while showing toughness and a mean streak, leads the team in penalties. Slater’s stance: “The Broncos have totally gotten away from their stretch-run scheme. That leads to undersized linemen getting exposed.”
5. Seattle — After losing their left tackle in training camp, the Seahawks limped through the first half of the season with an anemic running game. They traded for Pro Bowl tackle Duane Brown, but now he’s hurt. What’s more, Seattle’s line is constantly penalized, and it doesn’t help that Russell Wilson holds onto the ball so long. Slater’s stance: “This group relies on the dynamic play of its quarterback. It’s a line that’s high on athleticism but low on skill.”
Also struggling — Other than the Rams, it has not been a good year for offensive lines in the NFC West. A case can be made that both San Francisco and Arizona could be in the bottom five. … The lines in Buffalo and Houston also have fallen short of expectations.
November 11, 2017 at 5:39 pm in reply to: Can the Rams survive a home game (against Houston)? #77321znModeratorTrue Rams Fans know the Rams don’t need bulletin board material for the Seahawks.
Of course the Rams don’t NEED bulletin board material.
But true Rams fans know the players LIKE to read it.
You guys are so fiercely dedicated to fighting over who is the real Rams fan that you may have overlooked something.
Are these in fact actually the Rams?
Yeah the gear looks the same, but that’s a superficial thing, like the record and the game scores.
So ask yourself this. Where are the injuries? Where are the defensive fouls? Where are the controversial comments from the head coach? Where are the arrests? How come no one is saying a thing about which photos of former players are or are not on the walls at team headquarters?
I don’t mean to spook anyone, but…I dunno man. Something kind of “alternative universe” is going on, you know?
…
znModeratorLos Angeles waived offensive lineman Andrew Donnal as its one corresponding move to put the club at 53 players for Sunday’s game against Houston.
I think he’s been active on gamedays too.
From Lonesome Dove: “By God, life is cheap here north of the Canadian.”
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znModerator -
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