Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
October 12, 2017 at 7:34 pm in reply to: McVay & the offense: gameplanning, redzone, target distribution, etc #75987
znModeratorIt’s time to dust off the gear and be proud, Rams fans. Here’s how your team has risen
DAVID CARR
http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/nfl/article178282146.html
The ball was right there. It was a third-and-10 throw, eight seconds to go, and it was on and off the fingertips. If Connor Kupp makes that catch the Rams beat Seattle and we’re having a completely different conversation right now about that team, about Jared Goff, about Sean McVay.
But they’ve been fun to watch and it’s not just a deal where they’re playing well at home. They’ve taken it on the road. They went to Dallas and got a big win, then came home and took Seattle to the wire. They’re 3-2 and one year after having one of the worst point differentials in the NFL (minus-170, 30th) they have one of the best (plus-31, fourth). And this is a team with the youngest coach in the NFL, with the second-youngest roster and with a quarterback who many were ready to write off last season.
McVay has done his best work there, with Goff.
You heard a lot in the offseason: “He’s not going to pan out. He doesn’t have the arm strength or the talent.” I watched him come into the league with Carson Wentz, and I liked Carson better just from a physical standpoint. He also was ahead from a protection standpoint and a read-recognition standpoint.
JARED GOFF IS PLAYING WITH THE CONFIDENCE OF A QUARTERBACK WHO KNOWS THE COORDINATOR HAS HIS BEST INTERESTS, WHO KNOWS HE CAN TRUST THE READS AND TRUST THE THROWS.
It’s not that Jared wasn’t going to be able to do it, it’s just that he wasn’t asked to do a lot at Cal. Then last year, with the Rams, that offense was just archaic.
It was boring and old school and really not a lot of fun to watch. It wasn’t very creative and it didn’t do what Sean is doing this year, which is create offense for his quarterback, create easy throws and make it a simple game for him. They do that now, and Jared is playing with the confidence of a quarterback who knows the coordinator has his best interests, who knows he can trust the reads and trust the throws. He’s letting it rip and you don’t hear anything about arm-strength issues or mechanical issues.
Seahawks Rams Football
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff looks to pass during the game against the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017. After a rough rookie season, Goff is thriving in the offense installed by new coach Seean McVay. The former No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft has completed 61 percent of his passes for 1,360 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions.
Jae C. Hong ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Rams are an impressive team, and they’re only going to get better on the defensive side of the ball as they’re transitioning into that new front that Wade Phillips likes to play.I wish Sean McVay would have been there last year when they showed up in Los Angeles because I think they would have put a better product on the field.
That offense a year ago, it was just hard to watch. If they were going to throw the ball, a lot of times they’d be outnumbered. They’d keep too many guys in for protection, probably because their line wasn’t very good. But sometimes they’d run a three-man route and there would be eight guys dropping into coverage and you’re just not going to win that battle, especially with a rookie quarterback.
Now, the personnel is better up front and that’s a credit to Sean, also. But as a quarterback you’re never in a situation where you’re scratching your head trying to come up with answers. I’ve been in that situation. My rookie year in Houston, we ran an old-school offense and I didn’t know better and I’m sure Jared didn’t know any better. But when you get with someone who really gets it and knows how to move guys around, you finally see it, and you see the way Jared is playing.
Sean is on the offensive. He’s on the attack.
Saints coach Sean Payton is another example. He’s on the attack at all times. He hasn’t had the best personnel, but he’s a coordinator who keeps defensive coordinators up at night thinking because Payton is going to exploit his matchups. He’s going to find a way to get his guys in open space.
Sean McVay is one of those guys.
He has done a fantastic job of spreading the football around and getting everyone involved. It’s not just the “Force Feed Tavon Austin Show” anymore. He’s just part of the plan and he comes in and he’ll play running back and he’ll do some of the things that he did last year, but it’s so much more than that.
Sean is creating offense for Jared and that’s the coordinator’s job. If you’re going to be a good one, at least 30 percent of the game plan should be just easy money throws, where guys have 4 or 5 yards of separation and you just out-scheme the other guy.
I think the good coordinators get close to that number and Sean is definitely doing that.
It’s great to see him with Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods and Tavon. Todd Gurley, it looks like he’s one of the top backs in the league. I’m sure if you asked Todd if he’s a different player than he was last year he might say he’s on the field more, and he is, he’s playing a lot more third downs. Other than that, I’m sure he’d tell you he has prepared the same way his whole career, but now you have a guy who knows how to utilize a back like that and you’re seeing the dividends.
October 12, 2017 at 4:49 pm in reply to: the press sets up JAGZ game … articles, vids, tweets, & telepathic messages #75984znModeratorfrom PFT’s Week Six picks
Mike Florio
…
Rams at Jaguars
MDS’s take: I don’t think many people thought before the season that Rams-Jaguars in Week Six would be one of the best games of the day, but it is. I like the Jaguars to slow down the game with their running offense and win a low-scoring one.
MDS’s pick: Jaguars 14, Rams 13.
Florio’s take: The win-one, lose-one Jags are due to lose one. And since the Rams have the defense to take away the running game and the Jaguars don’t have the passing game to take advantage of it, the trend holds again.
Florio’s pick: Rams 20, Jaguars 13.
October 12, 2017 at 4:35 pm in reply to: McVay & the offense: gameplanning, redzone, target distribution, etc #75983znModeratorSean McVay’s ‘crazy mind,’ play-calling skills quickly gaining notice in NFL circles
RYAN KARTJE
THOUSAND OAKS — Since 2015, when Washington head coach Jay Gruden quietly handed play-calling duties to his 29-year-old offensive coordinator, Sean McVay has earned a reputation in football circles as somewhat of a play-calling savant.
Ask those who witnessed his swift ascent through the ranks — from wunderkind assistant to youngest head coach in NFL history with the Rams to potential Coach of the Year candidate — and, inevitably, they’ll mention his memory. When it comes to football, it is borderline photographic.
“He’s like ‘Rain Man,’” says Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur. “He’ll remember plays from before he was born. I’m not joking. I’ve never met somebody with the recall he has.”
Every week, McVay’s gameplan is memorized, each play filed away to be retrieved at a moment’s notice. On Sundays, his double-sided, 11-by-17 play sheet is essentially window dressing, used mostly between drives as a security blanket. Challenge him to recount any of the 306 plays he has called this season, and he is confident he could describe any of them in full detail.
To his assistants, McVay is a bionic playbook, capable of recounting random play sequences from months or years earlier.
“He’s special,” says offensive line coach Aaron Kromer. “He remembers everything.” And that’s not limited to his own team and its opponents. As LaFleur put together a play this preseason, McVay casually referenced a related sequence from a 2015 tilt between the Broncos and Steelers.
“I’m like, ‘How do you remember that?’” LaFleur says. “He’s just got one of those crazy minds. Everything sticks with him.”
This mastery of the playbook is no doubt a keystone of McVay’s success, like it has been for the dozen or so other NFL coaches who call their team’s offensive plays. But play-calling is more art form than science. A memorized gameplan is useless if the plan itself is thwarted.
“I think it’s the hardest job in all of sports, to be honest with you,” says Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn, hired a day after McVay and quickly handed over play calling duties to his offensive coordinator, Ken Whisenhunt.
Playcallers are often judged by their spur-of-the-moment improvisation — and blamed when those decisions go sideways — but it’s the methodology behind Sunday’s high stakes chess match, prepared through long days of work beforehand, that separates the NFL’s true playbook artists.
McVay relishes this responsibility to a near-obsessive degree. Kyle Shanahan, now the 49ers head coach, worked with McVay in Washington when he started as a quality control assistant. Shanahan noticed even then, as McVay broke down film and filed scouting reports, how much pride he put into the process.
“Sean would grind,” Shanahan says. “He takes it very personally if he makes a mistake.”
And indeed, no one has been harder on McVay’s playcalling than McVay himself. After nearly every game this season, even victories, he’s offered unprompted self-critiques, heaping any spare blame on his own shoulders.
But through five weeks of his first season in Los Angeles, Todd Gurley is thriving, Jared Goff is improving, and a once-disastrous offensive line is clicking. Overnight, the Rams have transformed from the NFL’s most moribund offense to one of its most explosive.
Behind it all is a 31-year-old play-calling maestro with a photographic memory and a preternatural grasp on the game, far beyond his age.
FLIPPING THE SCRIPT
In football’s earliest days, the quarterback typically served as his team’s de facto play caller. That first changed in the 1950’s, when legendary Cleveland head coach Paul Brown sought more control, opting to use his own players to relay plays to the huddle.
It wasn’t until Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh and his 49ers offenses of the 1980s that the NFL was introduced to the modern concept of scripting plays ahead of time. Then, Walsh’s script often included just 15 to 25 plays.
“Scripting is planning; it’s contingency planning,” Walsh told the New York Times in 1996. “The fewer decisions to be made during the game, the better. You don’t want to live by your instincts.”
The same concept stands today, although modern play cards have become exponentially more detailed … with exponentially smaller fonts.
“Depending on how long the call is, (McVay’s) can be pretty tough to read,” LaFleur says.
Most Sundays, the Rams’ playsheet will contain more than 100 plays. Each option is organized to match the order in which the Rams practice every week.
In the upper left-hand column are the offense’s 20 or so “openers,” which are exclusive to first- and second-down calls and practiced earliest in the week. Below that are priority second-and-long, “get-back-on-track” calls. Slide over, and you’ll find the third-down plays worked on during Thursday’s practice, followed by those meant for the redzone and two-minute drill, which are practiced on Friday. Those sections are then broken down into further sub-sections and contingency options.
“The whole game is right there,” McVay says.
The process of devising that plan is collaborative, carried out in a series of meetings throughout the week in which open communication is encouraged. Each coach has their own responsibility in regards to game planning. LaFleur teams with McVay on pass plays. Kromer works the run game. Quarterbacks coach Greg Olson handles third downs, and tight ends coach Shane Waldron focuses on red zone. “They’re all instrumental,” McVay says.
But McVay oversees it all, watching hours upon hours of film and jotting down possible plays in his usual notebook. Assistants describe him as meticulously organized, and, in that way, they’ve noticed the Rams’ weekly process mirroring his tendencies.
“Everyone is a creature of habit,” Waldron says. “When you have a clear idea of what you want to be and how you want to communicate, it makes the weekly rhythm that much easier.”
At his behest, McVay’s staff often begins its preparation by looking inward. Over the course of a week, the Rams focus as much time studying their own film, as they do their opponent.
This self-analysis is a crucial tenet of McVay’s coaching philosophy. He is constantly poring over past playcalls, analyzing — and doubting — his own tendencies on film, and subtly manipulating future plans. All with the intention of being a step ahead of his opponent.
“They’re watching the tape, too,” he says. “So we’re making sure we’re aware of what the defense is preparing for when they’re watching us.”
From there, McVay takes his cues from Walsh’s teachings.
“You try to play the game before the game, envision some of the scenarios and situations that can come up,” he explains. Sometimes, McVay will visualize a game from start to finish, two or three times. Until it feels “like second nature,” he says.
When he first started calling plays in Washington, McVay admits he was caught on his heels too often. He tries not to ruminate on any of his failures. But it’s the mistakes he can’t explain to his players, the ones that suggest a lack of preparation, that eat at him most.
In his short time as a playcaller, McVay has done his best to internalize those miscues and learn from them. And as the Rams head into Week 6 ranked second in the NFL in points per game and fifth in total yards, it’s the rest of the NFL that seems to be caught off balance.
KEEPING THEM GUESSING
Two weeks ago, at the end of the third quarter in Dallas, the Rams lined up in shotgun on first-and-10, with two receivers stacked to the left and one split out right. Trailing the Cowboys by five points, they were in desperate need of a spark.
So McVay sent Tavon Austin motion, knowing the Cowboys would then account for the jet sweep. As the ball was snapped, Goff faked to Austin and Cowboys inside linebacker Damien Wilson bit on the fake, just as Gurley sprinted out of the backfield and up the seam behind him.
McVay’s tweak to the original play — sending Gurley into the seam — was just subtle enough to fool the Cowboys, whom he figured knew of his jet sweep and the several variations he’s installed. Down the field, Goff hit an open Gurley, who cut on a dime to avoid the only defender in his way, before darting into the endzone for a 53-yard score. It was the kind of brilliant adjustment for which McVay has come to be known in his short time as a playcaller.
“He just has a great ability to change it up,” Washington’s Gruden says. “You don’t know what’s coming. You think, first-and-10, stop Todd Gurley. Then, they do a play-pass and launch it over your head, or they do a boot leg and hit somebody in the flat for a gain of nine. He’s just got a great way of keeping you off balance.”
McVay’s offense is built on such subtle deception, culled from those long sessions of self-analysis. The jet sweep is perhaps the best example. McVay has faked the jet sweep to Austin 19 times this season, out of several different alignments, while Austin has only actually taken the handoff eight times. Still, defenses are forced to account for him every time he sets in motion.
Pre-snap motion is a foundational part of McVay’s strategy for keeping opponents off balance. A receiver or running back has set in motion before the snap on 45 percent of the Rams’ plays this season. That’s 135 times the opposing defense was forced to make a split-second adjustment, just before the play.
It’s not his only pre-snap curveball. Recently, McVay has used quick snap counts and no-huddle more frequently. Over the past two games, the Rams have run 30 plays of no-huddle offense, compared to just 12 plays from the first three weeks combined.
A few days after the Rams narrowly beat the Cowboys, McVay is asked about how that Gurley touchdown came together. As he describes it in full detail, he grins.
“That was fun,” McVay says.
But he has to cop to something. He stole that play from the Patriots, who used it in Week 2. And he’s pretty sure they stole it from the Chiefs, who used it to burn New England for a 78-yard Kareem Hunt touchdown the week before. Neither team is on the Rams’ schedule this season. Of course, McVay had already studied them, anyway.
“It was a great play,” McVay says. “It fits with what we do because of Tavon’s ability, the same way Kansas City uses Tyreek Hill. Then, New England made it work because it stresses some of the coverage that New Orleans plays.
“We had an idea how it would play out.”
Still, McVay had prepared a contingency plan, if it hadn’t. You know, just in case.
znModeratorfrom THE TOP 10: WEEK 6
Matt Waldman‘s weekly film notebook includes Doug Martin’s return, check-ins with DeShaun Watson and Jared Goff, the McCaffrey Effect, and the Jags out-steeling the Steelers.
http://subscribers.footballguys.com/apps/article.php?article=waldmantop10wk6
…
Forget the box score, Jared Goff shined
Goff was 22-of-47 for 288 yards with an interception and a lost fumble. Forget the box score, the average depth of completed pass, and any report that says Goff isn’t heading in the right direction. Goff passed the test and earns no less than a B+ from me; his team failed him.
Barely.
Todd Gurley fumbled a touchdown away at the pylon. It was the difference in the game’s outcome. The film is showing that Goff is making confident, accurate throws on difficult targets and often with pressure bearing down.
Goff may not be a future stud, but he’s still causing those with biased processes to formulate reasons why he’s not good. This is a ballsy throw that not only shows accuracy but also trust in his receiver to make the play in a tight high-low window with bad consequences if missed.
Response to adversity with ice water in veins: Goff 35 yards over two DBs
A post shared by Matt Waldman (@mattwaldmanrsp) on
Detractors will say that it was a foolish throw, but they’re often the same people that blow sunshine up the hind parts of players who the consensus has already proclaimed “good.” This was a necessary throw and a good one.
Goff’s vertical accuracy and footwork are superior to Carson Wentz, Jameis Winston, DeShaun Watson and maybe even Dak Prescott and Marcus Mariota.
Goff has footwork and vertical accuracy many a young QB would envy
A post shared by Matt Waldman (@mattwaldmanrsp) on
Goff is more old-school from the pocket than Wentz, Mariota, and Watson, but it’s also the reason why the Rams are using an offense with him under center. His feel in the pocket is decisive and poised.
While many analysts are short-sighted and bemoaning the interception and fumble as a “failed test,” I’d rather examine how Goff responded to the strip sack in the previous series—a terrific play from Frank Clark against veteran tackle Andrew Whitworth that was no fault of Goff.
These two plays, the sack and subsequent offensive series for Goff tell me that the young quarterback has the goods to become a long-term starter in the NFL.
This kind of play despite a Gurley TD-turned-touchback and failures of Goff’s line is a failed test for Goff against the Seahawks defense? Try again. Try harder.
Goff had the knockout blow served up to the Seahawks with this target of Cooper Kupp. White a difficult catch, it was a makeable catch and one Kupp has routinely made at Eastern Washington—and several of greater difficulty.
Goff brought the Seahawks to the brink the way Russell Wilson brought the Cardinals to the brink in his rookie opener. The way several long-term starters came back from adversity during rookie starts to put their teams in position to win the game.
If you’re the same people who attacked Jeff Fisher’s offense then you must acknowledge that this year is still Goff’s rookie season. He hasn’t started 16 games in the NFL. One thing that’s certain, there’s a marked difference with the way defenses are respecting Goff and the passing game this season compared to last.
T Austin TD: Product of newfound respect for Rams passing gm
A post shared by Matt Waldman (@mattwaldmanrsp) on
This touchdown run for Tavon Austin against a dime defense bent on stopping Goff is a great example. Last year, opponents dared Goff to beat them. They now know he will.
The more year-to-year continuity that Goff, his line, and coach Sean McVay can have together, the more layers we’ll see with this offense that will make the Rams a dangerous unit.
Goff has the technical, conceptual, and emotional acumen to be a starter for a long time in this league. Last year was a perfect storm working against him.
October 12, 2017 at 1:57 am in reply to: the press sets up JAGZ game … articles, vids, tweets, & telepathic messages #75974znModeratorznModeratorznModeratorAll-22: Take a closer look at @iamjohnthethird's first career interception. pic.twitter.com/YvjnszQJZ9
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 11, 2017
October 11, 2017 at 11:43 pm in reply to: Watkins opened a window into his frustration, Rams need to squash that ASAP #75967znModeratorSammy Watkins ‘frustrated’ but calm about surprisingly small role within Rams’ offense
By RICH HAMMOND
THOUSAND OAKS — No ego, no demands, no lashing out. Sammy Watkins said all the proper things Wednesday, when asked about his minimal role as a receiver in the Rams’ offense this month.
More troubling was a question Watkins couldn’t answer. Does Watkins, a former 1,000-yard receiver who was expected to be a top target for Jared Goff, see a way to increase his role in the Rams’ offense?
“I don’t know,” Watkins said, plainly, after Wednesday’s practice at Cal Lutheran.
That could be a long-term problem. Watkins ranks fifth on the Rams this season in pass targets (20) and fourth in catches (14). He hit a low point last Sunday against Seattle, when he failed to catch a pass for the first time in his 42-game NFL career.
Watkins took to social media that evening and posted some mild comments, but ones that clearly indicated he was displeased with his role. Soon thereafter, Watkins and Coach Sean McVay met and reviewed game tape, but Watkins didn’t pull back when asked if he felt frustrated.
“As a player, of course you’re going to be frustrated,” Watkins said. “I don’t know a player, a wide receiver, that’s not frustrated throughout the game if you’re not getting the ball. Each week, it could change. They had certain coverage that kind of took me out of the game, and that’s part of the game.”
Watkins was targeted on just four of Goff’s 47 pass attempts against Seattle. A week earlier, in victory against Dallas, Watkins was targeted just twice and caught one pass for 17 yards.
The Rams, as is reasonable, are trying to spread the ball around among targets such as Watkins, Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Tavon Austin, Todd Gurley, Gerald Everett and Tyler Higbee, and also not force the ball to a player (Watkins) who regularly draws coverage from the opponent’s top cornerback.
“Definitely want to try to get him more involved,” Goff said, “but by no means are we, or am I, going to change the approach, play in and play out. I’ll go through the reads and hopefully he gets more touches.”
By at least one measure, Watkins has been the Rams’ most efficient receiver. He has caught passes on 14 of his 20 targets, a 70-percent rate that is the best of any Rams receiver or tight end this season. Woods and Kupp each caught just under 60 percent of their targets in the first five games.
On a personal level, Watkins’ frustration could be understandable. He’s in the final year of his rookie contract and soon will seek a major, multi-year contract, but Watkins said that’s not a factor.
“No, I think I’ve got enough money,” Watkins said with a grin. “I just want to have fun and ball. I want to be a part of this team. It’s a great team. I know where they’re about to be at [in terms of success]. I just want to be a part of it and make plays and score touchdowns.”
The solution might not come before the Rams’ bye week, given who the Rams are playing.
This week, it’s Jacksonville, which leads the NFL in interceptions and arguably has a better secondary than the Seattle group the Rams just faced. Then, in London, the Rams will face Arizona, which is more porous on pass defense but will present a tough matchup with cornerback Patrick Peterson.
“Those guys are great players, but leave no doubt, we’ve got a great room,” Watkins said. “We’re going to compete. We’re going to be open. We’re going to make plays. For me, it’s just to continue to show Jared that I can gain his confidence, to keep getting open and show McVay that I’m open. Hopefully everything will start working out.”
October 11, 2017 at 11:38 pm in reply to: Watkins opened a window into his frustration, Rams need to squash that ASAP #75966znModeratorWR Watkins ‘frustrated,’ but still believes in Rams’ offence
The Associated Press
WR Watkins ‘frustrated,’ but still believes in Rams’ offence
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Sammy Watkins realizes the size of his next NFL contract depends partly on his numbers for the Los Angeles Rams this season.
The receiver insists he’s more interested in the numbers in the Rams’ win column.
“No, I think I’ve got enough money,” Watkins said with a grin Wednesday. “For me, I just want to have fun and ball. I want to be a part of this team. It’s a great team. I know where they’re about to be at with Coach (Sean) McVay and his staff, and I just want to be a part and make plays, just score touchdowns and be a part of it.”
Watkins acknowledges he has been “frustrated” about his relatively small role for Los Angeles (3-2), which gave up a second-round pick to acquire the speedy pass-catcher from Buffalo during the preseason. But Watkins insists he doesn’t feel forgotten by Jared Goff and McVay, who have struggled to get the ball to Watkins early.
Watkins has 14 catches for 211 yards and two TDs in his first five games with the Rams. He failed to make a reception against Seattle last Sunday, going without a catch for just the second time in his four-year, 42-game NFL career.
“I don’t know a wide receiver that’s not frustrated throughout the game if you’re not getting the ball, but that’s the game,” Watkins said. “Each week, it could change. They had certain coverage that took me away, and that’s part of the game.”
But Watkins expressed some of his frustrations on social media after the Rams’ narrow loss by responding to tweets from retired Rams receiver Torry Holt, who questioned why Watkins wasn’t more involved.
“Something gotta be going on,” Watkins tweeted, along with an emoji of a face with the mouth zippered shut.
Watkins’ tweets led to a conversation with McVay, and both parties came out of it publicly happy.
“Sammy is a player that wants to be involved,” McVay said. “I really respect the way Sammy handled our conversation, in terms of taking the accountability to know that it’s about snap-in and snap-out (readiness), and really the tape is what tells the story. Sometimes when you don’t get your number targeted, it can be a little bit misleading, and what I appreciate about Sammy is I think he took it the right way.”
Watkins has just 14 catches, but the number that should concern Watkins more is 20 — the number of times he has been targeted by Goff and McVay’s offence in five games, including just four times on Goff’s 47 passes against Seattle. That’s a tiny number for a playmaking receiver expecting to put up significant stats in the final year of his rookie contract.
After the game, Watkins thought he had been open regularly against Seattle. After watching tape, he revised his opinion.
“They had certain coverage that took me away, and that’s part of the game,” Watkins said. “When you really watch film and look at film critically, certain things (are more obvious). Sometimes it’s on the line, sometimes it’s on wide receivers. There’s not a perfect play out there, so I can’t say I’m open. There’s a lot of other things that’s taking place on the field.”
October 11, 2017 at 11:34 pm in reply to: the press sets up JAGZ game … articles, vids, tweets, & telepathic messages #75965znModeratorJaguars’ pass defense among NFL’s best but Jalen Ramsey thinks they deserve more respect
Like many cornerbacks, Jalen Ramsey has never lacked confidence.
But his play, along with cornerback A.J. Bouye’s and the rest of the secondary and linebackers, are starting to speak for itself.
No team in the NFL has intercepted more passes (10) or forced more takeaways (15) after the first five weeks of the season. Consider that that Jaguars had only seven interceptions all of last season.
Last Sunday, the Jags’ pass defense flustered Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who threw a career-high five interceptions, two returned for touchdowns, one by safety Barry Church (51 yards), the other by linebacker Telvin Smith (26 yards).
It was the first time the Jaguars (3-2), who are alone in first place in the AFC South, returned two interceptions for touchdowns in a game in their franchise history.
“For me, I’m just ready to start getting my respect,” Ramsey said. “I’m ready for A.J. to start getting his respect. I’m ready for the secondary to start getting the respect that we deserve. Four picks in the secondary. I mean we ball – that’s what it is. We are balling out there.”
And it’s not only been only the cornerbacks and safeties making plays on passes. The linebackers have played with the same purpose. They all want Pick-sixes, and more wins.
“With our linebacker corps, we feel like we can cover, we can hit you and stop the run game,” said second-year linebacker Myles Jack, the team’s leading tackler. “For all of us to come together like this, I’m very eager to see what we’re going to be like down the road. We’re kind of working with each other. Somebody can tip the ball to somebody else, but at the end of the day we all win.”
Against the Steelers, nose tackle Abry Jones reached up to a tip an errant Roethlisberger’s pass off his forearm that sailed into Smith’s hands for an interception. On Church’s pick-six, Ramsey reached up to knock away the ball from Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown’s hands.
The Jaguars have surrendered 889 total yards passing after five games, the third lowest in franchise history. They also have forced quarterbacks to have a 56.9 passer rating, the franchise’s second lowest after five games (55.0 in 1999).
Safety Tashaun Gipson leads the Jaguars with three interceptions; Ramsey, Bouye and Smith each have two.
“We have a point to prove,” Gipson said. “As a defensive back, we feel like we haven’t been given the love that we deserve. We’re consistently going out there to perform. Every guy got to the ball. There’s A.J., Jalen and Aaron (Colvin), who I think is the best slot in the game. He should be starting on somebody’s team.”
Colvin was tied for the team-lead against Pittsburgh with 10 tackles, including two for loss.
The secondary has a strong rapport with each other. They have group chats after some practices and they all occasionally go out to dinner together.
“A lot of football teams, they are best friends in the locker room but once they leave it’s like nobody knows each other,” Church said. “We keep in touch. We text each other throughout the day. It is just like a tight-knit group, I haven’t been around a secondary like that in a long time. Even in my Cowboys days. After first five games, I feel like we have each other’s back and it is a great feeling.”
Now another challenge is ahead on Sunday at EverBank Field against the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams are the fifth-best passing team in the NFL, averaging 271.2 yards a game with young quarterback Jared Goff. They have a speedster in wide receiver Sammy Watkins and running back Todd Gurley is a pass-catching threat out of the backfield.
Although Ramsey and Gipson think they are not getting the respect they deserve, Rams 31-year-old coach Sean McVay had good things to say about Jaguars’ pass defense in a conference call on Wednesday.
“I’m very concerned, I think they are playing as well as any secondary in the league,” McVay said. “When they get in just their base defense, they have two of the best corners in the league with A.J. and Jalen. Barry and Tashaun are an excellent combination at the safety spots.
“I think you look at the depth and the overall speed when guys get their hands on the ball, they catch it and I think that’s a big reason why they’ve been able to lead the league in (takeaways).”
October 11, 2017 at 11:28 pm in reply to: the press sets up JAGZ game … articles, vids, tweets, & telepathic messages #75964znModeratorMeet this week’s Rams opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
RICH HAMMOND
link: http://www.dailynews.com/2017/10/10/meet-this-weeks-rams-opponent-jacksonville-jaguars/
Leonard Fournette issued the challenge and turned himself into a one-man highlight last Sunday.
Fournette, Jacksonville’s excellent rookie running back, found himself with open space during a run, then motioned for Pittsburgh safety Mike Mitchell to come tackle him. Mitchell lowered his shoulder, Fournette braced for the hit and both players hit the ground after a hard but clean collision.
So, this is what the Rams will face Sunday in Jacksonville. Fournette, the No. 4 overall pick in this year’s draft, ranks second in the NFL with 466 yards, 61 more than the Rams’ Todd Gurley.
Fournette is coming off an extraordinary game against the Steelers, in which he rushed 28 times for 181 yards and two touchdowns. Fournette’s biggest play was a 90-yard touchdown run.
Listed at 6 feet, 228 pounds, Fournette is built like a speedy linebacker and doesn’t shy from contact, as the Steelers learned last week. Teammates were thrilled at Fournette’s moxie.
“It just shows what kind of team we are,” defensive lineman Malik Jackson told reporters in Jacksonville on Monday. “We’re a tough team. We like contact. We’re very physical. We want the issue to be brought to us so we can show people that we can stand up to it and overcome it.”
Fournette is the motor behind a Jaguars offense that has been surprisingly efficient. The Jaguars average 27.8 points per game, fifth-best in the NFL, even though their average of 324.8 yards per game is only 20th-best in the league. They, like the Rams, have improved their scoring dramatically in 2017.
Even quarterback Blake Bortles, who had his starting job threatened in training camp, has been solid. Bortles has completed 54.8 percent of his passes and has thrown seven touchdowns in five games.
WHO’S COACHING THE JAGUARS?
Doug Marrone, in his first full season with Jacksonville, coached three current Rams (Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods and Nickell Robey-Coleman) during his previous stint as head coach in Buffalo.
That didn’t go so well. Marrone, who surprisingly got the Buffalo job in 2013 after he coached Syracuse to a .500 record for four seasons, got fired after the Bills went 15-17 in two seasons.
Marrone then went to Jacksonville as offensive line coach and became interim head coach last December when the Jaguars fired Gus Bradley. Marrone coached the Jaguars to one win and one loss, but it was enough to land the permanent job one week after the end of the regular season.
BY THE NUMBERS
10: Number of years since Jacksonville’s last playoff appearance. It’s the fourth-longest drought in the NFL, and one below the Rams, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2004.
3: Number of games, out of five, in which the Jaguars have scored 29 or more points this season. In 2015, they scored at least 29 points in only four of their 16 games.
10: Number of interceptions by the Jaguars this season, three more than their total in 2016.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Myles Jack, the former two-way phenom at UCLA, has settled into a full-time role as a linebacker for the Jaguars and, in his first season as a regular starter, leads the team in tackles.
Jack appeared in all 16 games as a rookie in 2016, but he was eased into the Jacksonville defense during the season as he finished recovering from a serious knee injury he sustained at UCLA.
This season, Jack has been an important part of a Jacksonville defense that leads the NFL in sacks and interceptions. He’s been a disruptive force, and had nine tackles last week against Pittsburgh.
WHAT DID HE SAY?
“If we continue to play ball like we’ve been doing, there’s no doubt in my mind that we can be the best team in this division.”
— Offensive lineman A.J. Cann on the Jaguars (3-2), who hold a one-game lead over Houston, Indianapolis and Tennessee in the AFC South.October 11, 2017 at 11:10 pm in reply to: the press sets up JAGZ game … articles, vids, tweets, & telepathic messages #75963znModeratorRams talk: Los Angeles Times NFL writer Sam Farmer
John Oehser
Senior writer
jaguars.comSenior writer John Oehser talks with Los Angeles Times NFL writer Sam Farmer about the Rams as they enter Sunday’s game against the Jaguars at EverBank Field in Jacksonville
Question: The Rams lost to the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, 16-10. They are now 3-2 after a 3-1 start. How do the Rams see themselves? Where is this team entering Sunday?
Answer: Sunday was a step back. They had sort of a flashback. They wore their throwback uniforms and had sort of a throwback offense to last year in the second half. They were sort of grasping at straws. They couldn’t consistently move the ball. They couldn’t get [running back Todd] Gurley engaged the way they had in the first four games. Buy they’re one of the surprising stories to me in the NFL – Sunday notwithstanding. They’ve completely revamped their offense with a lot of the same personnel. They’ve added three good receivers in Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods and rookie Cooper Kupp, who is surprisingly good. Gurley was consistently hit in the backfield last season. He seldom did anything beyond getting two or three yards on a carry. This year they have done a lot of wheel routes and middle screens. He has been way more effective. He’s rediscovered the game he had as a rookie.
Q: And of course second-year quarterback Jared Goff is a major story …
A: Jared Goff is a completely different quarterback [than he was as a rookie].He’s playing with confidence. He has a command of the offense. He’s really good when plays break down about finding the right receivers and getting yardage. He has a surprisingly strong arm, which you don’t really see when he’s practicing. It’s not like he has a whip when he’s practicing, but there were a few times Sunday when he hummed it. You can see some of the things the Rams saw when they made the biggest trade in history to get to No. 1 to select him [in the 2016 NFL Draft].
Q: Is the offense all new Head Coach Sean McVay? Is that too easy?
A: Not only have you seen how good McVay is, but it underscores just how bad they were last year – and how poorly coached they were last year, especially offensively. There was no rhyme or reason last year to their offense. The predictability was they would be in second and long, then run a slant pattern that was occasionally effective. It was like they stumbled upon the end zone last year. Now, it really feels like there’s a rhythm and cadence to the offense, and they’re using the weapons they have. The line has been really effective. On the flip side, the defense has been slow to get up to speed. That’s kind of surprising because that’s where a lot of their talent is – and they were pretty effective last season until they were just running on fumes as a team and the defense broke down. But defensively in the last few weeks they’ve stepped up when they needed to and they’ve slammed the door on teams. They did it on the 49ers and the Cowboys, but they have given up a lot of yards and had some breakdowns. They were better Sunday.
Q: There’s a feeling from afar that this 3-2 start could be the start of something long-term for the Rams. Does it feel that way from up close?
A: There are the seeds of a start. They’re starting to pour a foundation. They got out a little bit over their skis, I think, with this heady win at Dallas [in Week 4]. Sunday was sort of a reality check and you realized, ‘Hey, the Seahawks still control this division.’ The Seahawks came and won in a critical game in L.A. Really, Sunday was the first meaningful game in Los Angeles aside from the ceremonial games; this had something to do with the division and their place in the world. But it does feel like there’s a different buzz to this team … like, ‘Wow, maybe they can operate with this offensive line and maybe they can move the ball with these receivers and maybe Todd Gurley is more than a one-hit wonder from his rookie year.’ The biggest of them is maybe they have something in Goff we didn’t see last season.
Q: The Rams are 21 games into their return to Los Angeles. Is the franchise settling in there again?
A: L.A. is a very difficult market. We knew it was a difficult market before the teams [Rams and Chargers] came here. I think it has been surprising to the NFL and surprising to the teams just how difficult it is to capture the attention of the fans. You don’t see a lot of people walking around with Rams T-Shirts or Rams hats – and you certainly don’t see Chargers stuff. You’ll see grocery store promotions, but it’s hard to get noticed on the L.A. landscape – particularly when USC is doing well, when the Dodgers are in the [baseball] postseason and the Lakers are starting out with Lonzo Ball Mania. This is probably the only market in the nation where the NFL teams have to do a soft shoe to get the media’s attention – or win. But winning means going deep in the playoffs or winning a Super Bowl. The Rams were coming off a big win at Dallas, but there were a lot of Seahawks fans at the game Sunday.
Q: Is Sunday against the Jaguars big for the Rams?
A: It’s huge. If you look at last year, this is when it all fell apart. They got to 3-1 last year, lost at home to Buffalo, then they hit the road and during that stretch they lost 11 out of 12. The bottom dropped out. They need to avoid that and show they actually have made progress and that probably means finishing 8-8 or better.
Q: Does this feel like a team capable of that to you?
A: They’re absolutely more solid than last year; the offense has a pulse. Last year set such a low standard that it would be hard to be worse than last year. If there is a flicker of light from the offense, which there has been, then it’s by definition a better team. We’ll have to see. They had the big win on the road at Dallas and they won at San Francisco. They’ve got some confidence. That’s different than last year.
October 11, 2017 at 11:05 pm in reply to: the press sets up JAGZ game … articles, vids, tweets, & telepathic messages #75962znModeratorKristen Lago
CONTAINING FOURNETTE
In last week’s game against the Seahawks, the Rams’ defense was challenged by a mobile, dual-threat quarterback in Russell Wilson. This week, the unit will be tasked with containing another dynamic player, running back Leonard Fournette.
Through five games, Fournette has recorded 594 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns. The rookie out of LSU has set the tone for the Jaguars’ offense, and has become known as an explosive rusher who is not afraid of a little contact.
“He’s a physical guy and it shows up on tape,” middle linebacker Alec Ogletree said. “He runs downhill and really tries to make you miss. But we have a plan for everyone to put in and if everybody sticks to the game plan, I think we will come out pretty well.”
Leonard Fournette wasn't afraid of the Steelers: https://t.co/ONxtptrhry pic.twitter.com/DRpbePNA4e
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) October 9, 2017
Fournette had an exceptional showing in last week’s 30-9 victory over the Steelers, rushing for 181 yards and two touchdowns. But the highlight of his performance came early in the fourth quarter as he was attempting to run time off the clock.
Fournette took the ball around the edge, shrugged off one defender, and then encouraged safety Mike Mitchell to come his way by waving his hand towards him. And when asked about the challenges of facing a rusher who does not shy away from contact, Ogletree laughed saying “it’s football, it’s a contact sport.”
“A guy like that, that’s what he wants to do,” Ogletree said. “He called out the safety from the Steelers to come do that, so we’ll be ready. We know what type of game it’s going to be — a physical game — and that’s what we like to play.”
Overall, Ogletree is hopeful that the defense can build off of their impressive game against Seattle, where they allowed the Seahawks to score just one touchdown. He believes, “with a good week of preparation,” the Rams will be able to “go on the road and get a win.”
znModeratorPractice Report: Joyner Returns to Practice, Ogletree Talks Jaguars Run Game
Kristen Lago
The Rams began their preparation week for the Jaguars on Wednesday afternoon at Cal Lutheran. Los Angeles will travel to Jacksonville in Week 6, before heading to London to face the Cardinals.
INJURY REPORT
The Rams released their official injury report after Wednesday’s practice. Six players were listed on the release, including left tackle Andrew Whitworth, center John Sullivan and outside linebacker Connor Barwin. All three were held out of Wednesday’s session for rest, as part of the team’s “maintenance program” meant to keep many of the veteran players healthy for game action.
Linebacker Mark Barron and cornerback Troy Hill did not participate in the afternoon session with a knee and shoulder injury, respectively. But head coach Sean McVay said Barron “should be good to go” for Sunday’s matchup against the Jaguars.
JOYNER RETURNS TO PRACTICE
Safety Lamarcus Joyner returned to practice on Wednesday as a limited participant. Joyner suffered a hamstring injury two weeks ago and has been held out of practice ever since. The four-year pro said he “felt okay,” during the session, but was admittedly “a little rusty.”
“I have to get back into the groove, but it was okay for the most part,” he said. “I’m going through the process, I’m progressing, getting better, and that’s all that matters at this point right now.”
Joyner said sitting out of two games has been extremely difficult for him, especially as someone who “loves the game,” and wants to be out on field “to help his teammates win.”
However, in sitting on the sidelines, the former Florida State standout did get a chance to watch and evaluate rookie John Johnson III, who stepped in as a starter in Week 5 in place of Maurice Alexander.
“He played really well,” Joyner said. “[It was] definitely a good game to show how good of a football player you can be and I think he handled the situation well.”
And though Joyner says his status for Week 6 is “still up in the air,” he and McVay are optimistic about his progress.
“Tomorrow will really offer a great feel for us in terms of we’ll ramp up the tempo a little bit, we’ll put the pads on,” McVay said. “So, that will give us a better indicator of where Lamarcus is at and how his hamstring handles a little bit heavier workload and then I think that will give us an idea if he’ll be ready to go against Jacksonville or not.”
znModeratorBesides scoring more points, what do you feel we need to do to win this game against Jacksonville?
Jack we have an “ideas about the Jax game” thread…it’s stickied. Feel free to add this to it. Just copy it and re-post it there. If you did that I would respond to it there. Thanks.
October 11, 2017 at 12:31 pm in reply to: Rams buzz, power rankings, Football Outside rankings, etc. #75949znModeratorLMU93 gathered all this:
FootballOutsiders week 5 rankings
FootballOutsiders DVOA Ratings
Los Angeles Rams
Overall: 7th (down from 3rd a week ago)
Offense: 13th (down from 6th)
Defense: 11th (up from 13th)
Special Teams: 13th (down from 3rd)Passing offense: 5th
Rushing offense: 22ndPass defense: 8th
Run defense: 18thSpecial Teams
FG/XP: 9th
Kick coverage: 20th
Kick return: 2nd
Punt coverage: 5th
Punt return: 32nd (again…)Player/Unit rankings:
QB Jared Goff- 6th among 32 ranked QBs
RB Todd Gurley- 24th among 32 RBs rushing; 5th among 44 RBs receiving
WR Sammy Watkins- 11th among 74 WRs
WR Cooper Kupp- 9th among 74 WRs
WR Robert Woods- 46th among 74 WRs
TE Tyler Higbee- 27th among 41 TEs
TE Gerald Everett- 17th among 41 TEsOffensive line
Run blocking: 12th
Pass blocking: 2ndDefensive line
Run defense: 21st
Pass rush: 7thOctober 11, 2017 at 12:02 pm in reply to: the press sets up JAGZ game … articles, vids, tweets, & telepathic messages #75948znModeratorfrom PFF: Ranking all 32 NFL offensive lines by average grade, Week 5
18. Jacksonville Jaguars
Average offensive lineman grade: 59.2Even though Jacksonville‘s offensive line has allowed just two sacks – tied for the fewest in the NFL – they have surrendered 39 total pressures, including 10 quarterback hits. In fact, the 10 hits are tied for the seventh-most in the NFL and the Jaguars have a pass-blocking efficiency rating of 80.3, which is the ninth-highest in the league. With the exception of injured center Brandon Linder, the Jaguars offensive linemen have not been playing well overall as they have struggled in pass protection and run-blocking. Although the Jaguars ran the most inside zone runs with 75 through the first five weeks, they average just 1.48 yards before contact on these runs, which is only 18th in the NFL.
October 11, 2017 at 10:16 am in reply to: media on the SEATTLE game: articles, vids, tweets, etc #75945znModeratorOctober 11, 2017 at 10:09 am in reply to: OL rankings, starting in week 2, UPDATED for week 6 #75944znModeratorfrom PFF: Ranking all 32 NFL offensive lines by average grade, Week 5
12. LOS ANGELES RAMS
Average offensive lineman grade: 69.1
The Rams offensive line could probably get an award for most improved unit in the NFL. That has a lot to do with the free agent acquisition of veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth. The former Cincinnati Bengal is the highest-graded player on the line with a grade of 84.4, fifth among offensive tackles in the league. While Whitworth gave up four total pressures, including a sack, against Seattle in Week 5, he allowed just one total pressure in the first four games. As a comparison, Greg Robinson – who played left tackle for the Rams last season – gave up four pressures in just the first game of the 2016 campaign.
znModeratorWHO IS THE WEEK 5 PEPSI ROOKIE OF THE WEEK?
http://www.nfl.com/voting/rookies/2017/REG/5
In Week 5 of the NFL season plenty of first-year players made impacts on the field for their respective teams. Which rookie stood out the most to earn Pepsi Rookie of the Week honors?
PEPSI ROOKIE OF THE WEEK NOMINEES
Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars
Fournette rushed for 181 yards on 28 carries and two touchdowns in the Jaguars’ 30-9 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans
Watson completed 16 of 31 passes for 261 yards and five touchdowns for a 119.8 passer rating in a 42-34 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
Garrett recorded two sacks in his NFL debut during a 17-14 loss to the New York Jets.Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers
Jones rushed for 125 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown in the Packers’ 35-31 win over the Dallas Cowboys.John Johnson, Los Angeles Rams
Johnson recorded two tackles, two pass break-ups and an interception in a 16-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.znModeratorLindsey Thiry @LindseyThiry
The Rams are 3-2, and won’t return to the Coliseum for a month.J.B. Long @JB_Long
This is odd…
Todd Gurley career totals coming into 2017: 5 fumbles, 2 lost.
Todd Gurley in #LARams games this season: 5 fumbles, 2 lost.Jared Goff’s 47 pass attempts (in a 1-score game) vs SEA were career-high for #LARams. 11 more than he threw at DAL (previous season high).
After doubling season total vs SEA, #LARams now have the 4th-most turnovers in the #NFL with 10… and 4 of them have been committed on SPTMS.
Myles Simmons @MylesASimmons
JAX took over that game in the third quarter with a pair of pick sixes. If QB isn’t accurate, you’re gonna have a bad time.Few film observations of the Jags from #JAXvsPIT…
That defense is fast, tough, and physical. If they can pin their ears back and rush, whew===
The NFL's leaders in pressure from the interior pic.twitter.com/Hp1dxNzpgO
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) October 10, 2017
==
Rams targets per route run, five games in …
Higbee: 22.3%
Kupp: 21.5%
Gurley: 21.0%
Woods: 18.1%
Watkins: 13.7%— Alden Gonzalez (@Alden_Gonzalez) October 10, 2017
znModerator.@RamsNFL @sonofbum is a smart experienced coach. He constantly gets @AaronDonald97 freed up to go 1 on 1. OL nightmare #Baldybreakdowns pic.twitter.com/dbiSxuZYpl
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) October 10, 2017
October 11, 2017 at 1:30 am in reply to: the press sets up JAGZ game … articles, vids, tweets, & telepathic messages #75938znModeratorI’ve never seen this before: #Jaguars rank No. 1 in @fboutsiders total defense metrics and No. 31 in rush defense.
— Chris Wesseling (@ChrisWesseling) October 11, 2017
October 11, 2017 at 12:14 am in reply to: the press sets up JAGZ game … articles, vids, tweets, & telepathic messages #75937znModeratorOctober 11, 2017 at 12:10 am in reply to: the press sets up JAGZ game … articles, vids, tweets, & telepathic messages #75936znModeratorOctober 10, 2017 at 10:48 pm in reply to: McVay & the offense: gameplanning, redzone, target distribution, etc #75934znModeratorRams Aim to Improve Red Zone Offense
Kristen Lago
Entering Week 5, the Rams led the NFL in scoring with 142 points. First year head coach Sean McVay had rejuvenated an offense that ranked No. 32 for the last two seasons. And the unit was looking efficient under quarterback Jared Goff, who was distributing the football to a variety of playmakers, including running back Todd Gurley — September’s NFC Offensive Player of the Month.
But while the Rams as a whole have looked vastly improved this season, Sunday’s 16-10 loss to the Seahawks pointed out a significant issue with the team’s offense: Los Angeles has a problem scoring in the red zone.
“It wasn’t so much we weren’t moving the ball, we just weren’t finishing drives,” Goff said after Sunday’s contest. “That’s what it came down to, we just weren’t finishing drives. We got into the red zone and we didn’t do a very good job and that’s what shows up.”
The Rams took four trips inside the Seahawks’ 20-yard line on Sunday. Of those four drives, just one led to scoring — a 36-yard field goal attempt made by kicker Greg Zuerlein — and none of them ended in the Rams crossing the goal line.
“It felt like a lot of little things that one, didn’t go our way, or two we hurt ourselves,” left tackle Andrew Whitworthsaid. “If you don’t execute at a really high level, you don’t win.”
“I think it was extremely frustrating after the game,” McVay said Monday, “and still frustrating when you go back and look at it.”
Sunday’s loss continued a red zone pattern that began in Week 5’s victory over Dallas. Though the Rams’ scored 35 points against the Cowboys, the team reached the end zone just twice, settling for seven field goals from Zuerlein.
Overall, the team has scored just one touchdown in its last eight trips to the red zone — the rest of those drives have ended in several field-goal attempts, an interception, a fumble, and a turnover on downs. Los Angeles is now the No. 24 ranked team in terms of red zone scoring percentages, crossing the goal line just 43.87 percent of the time.
On Monday, Mcvay was asked what he believes is the reason for the Rams’ struggles inside the 20-yard line. He said it starts with himself as a playcaller.
“To Seattle’s credit they did a good job,” he said. “That’s why they are a highly ranked red-zone defense. But I definitely need to look at myself and make sure that with some of the passes when you’re going incomplete — are we giving good, high percentage throws like we did early on when we were having some success? And then we have got to run the football efficiently as well.”
Goff, however, called the team’s red zone struggles a problem of execution, not play calling.
“We need to be sharper,” he said. “I can do a better job of understanding what they’re going to do coming into it. Getting the ball out of my hands a little quicker would probably help and then we need to make plays. We need to make plays all over the field. Ultimately that’s why we lost the game.”
This week, against the Jaguars, Los Angeles will face off against another elite defense, one that will challenge the offense’s ability to improve its red-zone efficiency. But fortunately for the Rams, McVay referred to the team’s mistakes this past weekend as “fixable things that we can correct,” not extreme areas for concern.
“We can do a better job of emphasizing it as a coaching staff and then it’s on the players then to be able to fix those things,” he said Monday. “We’ve got the right kind of guys in that locker room to be able to look at themselves critically in the mirror and figure out what they can do to be a part of the solution.”
“That’s kind of what today was, is figure out what we can do to fix that and then we’ll come back Wednesday with a plan for the Jacksonville Jaguars.”
znModeratorColin Cowherd thinks the Cowboys, Eagles and Rams have all found long term solutions at the quarterback position.
http://www.foxsports.com/watch/the-herd-with-colin-cowherd/video/1066387011865
– And here’s the three names I kept thinking about and how good it is for the NFC, how good it is for the NFL, Dak, Wentz, and Goff. Yeah, I know Aaron Rodgers was great. Aaron Rodgers is always great. But Dak Prescott was 25 of 36, 70% completion rate, seven yards attempt. First downs, advantage Dak. Passing first downs, Dak. Third down efficiency– better than Aaron– Dak. Fourth down efficiency– three for three– Dak. Yards per pass, Dak. Possession, Dak.
I know Aaron Rodgers is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Dak Prescott, no more doubters. His best wide receiver is Cole Beasley. His tight end is old-and-rickety, 35-year-old Jason Witten. Dez Bryant can’t separate. Terrance Williams can’t catch. And here’s Dak Prescott.
A lot of doubters out there. I was one of them initially. And I’m thinking to myself, do you know how lucky you are in Dallas? Look around the NFL. Over the– how long has it taken Miami to replace Marino, and Denver to replace Elway, and the Jets to replace Namath?
Between Terry Bradshaw and Big Ben, it was 20 years of Bubby Brister. Chicago, Sid Luckman, and 67 years of waiting. Detroit, two quarterbacks, franchise history, that can play, Bobby Layne and Matt Stafford. Cleveland, 60 years after Otto Graham, still crying in their beer. Cowboys, you’ve got a quarterback for the next 15 years. You’ll wake up on every NFL Sunday morning, know we’ve got a shot.
By the way, let’s turn our attention to Jared Goff. How good was he? Seattle’s defense is relentless. It’s the best defense in year two that Jared Goff has ever faced. He was outstanding, for the most part. His completion percentage wasn’t great, but his offensive line protection was so-so. He’s nimble in the pocket. You’re not going to complete 65%, 70% against the Seahawks’ pass rush and secondary.
But down the stretch, three pinpoint, brilliant passes. And if the third one was caught by rookie Cooper Kupp– and it was a catchable ball– then Jared Goff would have stunned the Seahawks, and they’d be in first place.
As far as Carson Wentz, what is there left to say? Of all the young quarterbacks, Wentz has been the one, to me, that looks the most like Andrew Luck. He’s got great feet. He’s got great size. He’s nimble. Now he’s in year two with Doug Pederson.
Listen, I’m looking around right now. Wentz, Prescott, Goff. Philadelphia, Dallas, Los Angeles, you can wake up for the next decade or more– Cleveland can’t. Chicago is still searching. Detroit’s had two that can play. They went 20 years between Bradshaw and Big Ben.
When you get the guy– and Goff, Dak, and Wentz are the guy– it is an amazing thing, because now your GM and your scouts and your coaches can just worry about filling holes, getting a left tackle, getting a slot receiver, getting a Mike linebacker. The most important position, by a mile, in this sport is easily quarterback. And in Dallas, Philly, and LA, my takeaway yesterday, all three of you have your guy.
October 10, 2017 at 9:07 pm in reply to: Rams buzz, power rankings, Football Outside rankings, etc. #75930znModeratorRams Power Rankings: Week 6
Kristen Lago
The Rams will be on the road for the next two weeks, travelling to Jacksonville and London to face the Jaguars and Cardinals, respectively. The team is coming off of a tough loss to the Seattle Seahawks, 16-10 on Sunday, but will be looking to bounce back in Week 6.
Every week, TheRams.com will be taking an aggregate look at where the team ranks in different outlets across the sports media landscape. Here are the power rankings for the Rams heading into Week 6:
NFL.com, Elliot Harrison Rank: 11
Last Week: 10
Change: – 1
“Jared Goff’s improvement certainly deserves mention among the early-season storylines. Too often on Sunday, though, the sophomore signal caller could’ve afforded to take a cue from the sixth-year vet across the way. Russell Wilson has made a living of knowing when to extend plays and when to throw the ball away. Goff still needs to show more pocket awareness. Take the Earl Thomas interception, where Goff tried to lob the ball over his offensive lineman (who was getting moved backward into the QB) and over the middle. Move to the side, step back, etc. — don’t force a ball over the middle with poor trajectory at that stage of the game. On another front, Wade Phillips’ defense continues to get a wee bit better week by week. Just an observation.”
Yahoo! Shutdown Corner Rank: 12
Last Week: 9
Change: – 3
“The Rams are fine. The Seahawks just have a great defense and weren’t going down without a heck of a fight. Jared Goff had a rough day on the whole, but it was impressive seeing him direct a nice drive at the end (and he made a nice pass to Cooper Kupp in the end zone that should have been caught). The Rams will be fine. They’re just not ready to take over the NFC West from the Seahawks yet. Considering where they were at the end of last season, that’s fine.”
Washington Post Rank: 10
Last Week: 7
Change: – 3
“The Rams had their chances against the Seahawks but couldn’t deliver. They’ve still become competitive ahead of schedule. Overtaking the Seahawks so soon was a lofty ambition.”
ESPN.com Rank:11
Last Week: 16
Change: 5
USA Today Rank: 12
Last Week: 10
Change: – 2
CBS Sports, Pete Prisco Rank: 12
Last Week: 12
Change: –
Bleacher Report Rank: 12
Last Week: 12
Change: –
Sports Illustrated Rank: 14
Last Week: 11
Change: – 3
THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT’S RANKS: THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
NFL.com — 13
ESPN.com — 12
Yahoo! Shutdown Corner — 14
USA Today — 13
Bleacher Report — 20
CBS Sports — 14
Sports Illustrated — 15
Washington Post — 12
znModeratorAll-22: Breaking down @Tayaustin01's 27-yard touchdown. pic.twitter.com/qxfemDujFD
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 11, 2017
znModeratoralyoshamucci wrote:
After pulling myself up off the ground when the ball skipped off Kupp’s hands… I figured it would take me a few days to really get into a game review. Overall, I think the mistakes we made will make us a stronger team moving forward, from many angles and for multiple players. I plan on a severe beat down of Seattle IN SEATTLE when we play them. Kinda glad we came back down to Earth a little.
The Great
1) That we were one play away after having horrendous luck and making many mistakes.
2) JJ3. Got a quality starter on our hands and a presence on the back end.
The Good
3) Pressure on Wilson and Stopping the Running game.
4) Cody Davis making me eat my words last week with some quality play in coverage.
5) Tanzel Smart eating up double teams at the nose and Brockers moving all over the line.
6) Longacre and Ebukam with quality snaps.
7) Malcolm Brown getting 3rd down work and making the most of it.
8) Robert Woods looking like I expected him to out of USC, rather than how he looked in Buffalo.
9) Higbee? Dang … guess we found some plays for him. He’s dangerous downfield … was not expecting that.
10) “Pretty good” pass protection.
The Bad
11) Need to have Sammy get his hands on the ball … even if it means scheming him open specifically on some plays. It looked like Goff was trying to get him involved … but on plays where he was obviously bracketed or even quadruple covered. I know that McVay is young and may not understand player psychology, but he needs to learn.
12) Offense out of synch. Not really “in step” … don’t know what that was about, at least the Rams weren’t the only ones having issues.
13) The playcalling in the late 3rd and early 4th … the first time we looked predictable and confused. Not ready to attack.
The Ugly
14) That freaking rule. It’s the only place on the field where fumbling out of bounds is a turnover. Makes zero sense.
15) Tavon and punts. This is on Fassel/McVay. Guys … he muffed or fumbled like 5 punts this year. Take him off punt returns. I was so surprised when he was on the field for that punt.
The Look forward
16) Jags are being hyped, just like we were. They have passing issues. They can be run on. We can beat them.
-
AuthorPosts
