Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
znModeratorJoe Curley @vcsjoecurley
Lamarcus Joyner started at safety and earned a 93.1 grade from @PFF, which leads the Rams and all safeties in the NFL thu
Jamon Brown earned an 80.8 grade from @PFF, ninth among guards. Rob Havenstein earned a 81.4 grade from @PFF, 10th among tackles.
Robert Woods had three catches for 53 yards along his Rams debut. Also earned a 80.3 run block grade from @PFF, tops among WRs thus far.
Jared Goff, who completed 21 of 29 passes for 306 yards and a TD, earned an 80.4 rating from @PFF. That’s sixth among QBs thus far.
znModeratorIn general though, i think its true most Univ-profs lean left, if by left we mean lean Democrat.
Honestly. It depends on the field.
SOMETHING is making amerikans into political-idiots, zn. Something. So, is it the water? What would your answer be to the question: What is making Americans vote for the two-parties that screw them over everyday? If its not the Universities, public schools, government, and the Media — what is it?
w
vI blame Linehan.
September 11, 2017 at 2:02 am in reply to: reporters on the Colts game … articles, vids, audios, tweets etc. #74125znModeratorJared Goff and the Rams delivered more than a win on Sunday, they created hope
VINCENT BONSIGNORE
PUBLISHED: September 10, 2017 at 8:07 pm | UPDATED: September 10, 2017 at 8:13 pm
LOS ANGELES — Just before Rams quarterback Jared Goff disappeared into the Coliseum tunnel late Sunday afternoon to celebrate his first win as an NFL quarterback, he paused, peeked over to a hundred or so fans shouting his name from the stands and raised his right arm to the sky.The roar that immediately erupted was unlike anything we’ve heard from the Coliseum for an NFL team in what seems like forever.
Not two minutes before, 31-year-old Rams coach Sean McVay did the same exact thing as he exited the stadium on the way to his team’s excited locker room after dropping a 46-9 hammer on top of the Indianapolis Colts.
The eruption was just as loud.
There was hope in the air. You could feel it, sense it and even hear it.
So were confidence and faith.
It was everything the Rams let slip through their fingers upon returning home to Los Angeles last season after spending the previous 21 years in St. Louis. Their 4-12 finish did more harm than anyone cares to admit, although one look at the crowd Sunday revealed a humbling reality.
The Rams distributed just over 60,000 tickets for their home opener, but the guess is only about 48,000 decided to show up. That’s an absurdly low turnout for an NFL game in a city as big as Los Angeles.
But also somewhat understandable, given how the Rams stumbled all over themselves last year. It was a bad look. And it had devastating effects.
For now, Los Angeles is taking a collective wait-and-see attitude before deciding when, and if, it pours its heart out for the Rams.
Which made the fans’ reaction as Goff disappeared into the Coliseum tunnel so important.
After building a year’s worth of skepticism and cynicism and even anxiety, they were letting their guard down a little bit after soaking in the Rams’ thoroughly entertaining and dominant win over the Colts.
Goff delivered a season-opening masterpiece that, for one day at least, erased the horrible stench from last year.
The offense was efficient and explosive and imaginative.
Even without All-Pro tackle Aaron Donald, the Rams defense was fast and active and disruptive while taking two interceptions to the end zone.
To put the day in perspective, the 37-point margin of victory more than doubled the Rams’ combined margin of victory in their four wins last year.
So yeah, there was hope in the air.
And a huge sigh of relief that the Rams may have gotten it right by drafting Goff first overall last year.
The kid everybody was in such a rush to declare a bust after a miserable rookie season looked every bit like a high-end NFL quarterback. Operating behind a rebuilt offensive line that kept him clean for most of the afternoon, he picked apart the Colts on 21-of-29 passing for 306 yards, one touchdown and a 117.9 quarterback rating.
“Expected of him,” said new Rams receiver Robert Woods. “We see it at practice. We see him making these throws, calling these plays, very poised and confident. You see him out there today, making those throws, giving receivers chances like Cooper Kupp to go up and make plays on the ball. I mean, I would say that’s confidence and you saw it here today.”
It’s a performance we never saw last year from Goff across seven forgettable starts. And one far too many fans and pundits prematurely predicted he wasn’t capable of after watching him struggle as a rookie.
They underestimated just how bad Goff had it, of course. The offensive line was terrible, the wide receivers incompetent and the coaching archaic, ineffective and unimaginative. He was also a 21-year-old kid making the jump from a college spread offense to a traditional NFL system.
Those aren’t excuses.
It’s reality.
A year later, with everything around him decidedly better and a contemporary, imaginative coaching staff in charge, Goff looked like a completely different player.
“He’s a No. 1 overall pick for a reason,” Colts coach Chuck Pagano said. “He’s a damn good football player and he did a great job as far as scheming what we were doing.”
Funny how that works, right?
Give a smart, strong-armed, accurate throwing quarterback real perimeter weapons, a better scheme and time to stand in the pocket and throw the ball and good things happen.
“I think with the additions we’ve made and everything we’ve done in the offseason, that’s how it’s set up,” Goff said.
True, true.
But a good quarterback is also required. Goff wasn’t perfect Sunday, but he efficiently spread the ball across nine different receivers while standing tall and confidently in the pocket while scanning the field and finding the open man.
“Very impressed,” McVay said. “I think that’s the goal – make good decisions, throw the ball with anticipation and accuracy in the timing and rhythm of the play and I thought he consistently did that today. Taking care of the football is a huge part of it and I thought he was able to get a handful of different guys involved in the pass game and that’s what you want to be able to do when we do have a handful of playmakers at the skill guys with our receivers, tight ends and backs. So, credit to Jared. I am very pleased with him today.”
The Rams drafted Goff with those attributes in mind. That it didn’t come together for him in year one didn’t cause panic from the Rams front office as much as it sprung them into action rebuilding the infrastructure around him. Coaching included, moving on from Jeff Fisher and replacing him with McVay.
The bevy of moves they made during the offseason were specifically designed to get Goff on the right track.
But it was on him to take it from there.
He did exactly that on Sunday in a way few could have anticipated.
“I thought he was tremendous,” Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. “I didn’t know how he’d be with a new group, a new offense, but I thought he was great. No moment was too big. He was in control.
“Communication was great. Demeanor was great. I think he feels, not so sure safe is the right word, but I think he knows he’s got a good group with him. And we’re here to protect him as an offense, and as coaching staff with Sean, to help him be successful.”
Goff did his part Sunday. And the rebuilt offense around him followed his lead.
In the stands, a hopeful crowd roared in approval. It was a sigh of relief as much as anything else.
There were far too many empty seats, of course. It’s the harsh reality of the wobbly first foot the Rams planted back in Los Angeles last year..
The Rams have plenty of time to change all that.
And in Goff, maybe just the quarterback to lead that change.
znModeratorAs people have mentioned, there are still issues with penalties and the running game.
BUT the big difference in this game was the 11-30 yarders they kept hitting seemingly whenever they wanted to. That was their strength. It took Goff getting better, McVay being hired, and acquiring Kupp, Watkins, Woods, and Everett. But being able to hit those turned all those other problems, in this game anyway, into inconveniences.
That’s interesting. Because throwing in that range was a strength of Goff’s at Cal. And it was the strength of the 2016 Washington offense too.
…
znModeratorSean McVay’s Postgame Locker Room Speech
Watch as Head Coach Sean McVay delivers a postgame speech to the Rams players before receiving the game ball for his first win as head coach.
znModeratorWell i hate to state the obvious, but you guys need to keep in mind, once the Colts get Unitas back, they are still gonna be favorites to win the Coastal Division.
Isn;t it just like your type to not even mention Bert Jones.
…
znModeratorZN,
Not a big deal, but that’s a WV quote, not a Billy_T quote.
I fixed that via edit.
…
September 11, 2017 at 12:43 am in reply to: player interviews, post-Colts game (9/10)… vids & transcripts #74116znModeratorRams QB Jared Goff – – September 10, 2017
(On whether today’s win came as a surprise to him or did he expect it)
“I thought we came out and executed well. I thought there was a lot of things that we can definitely clean up, but for the most part (we are) 1-0 and 1-0 is always better than 0-1. I thought we played well as an offense and as a defense.”(On his performance in today’s game)
“Yeah, I was happy. You know, like I always say, I just try to get the ball out, distribute it to the guys that make the plays – and thought I was able to do that pretty well.”(On if he went into this year with confidence in the offense and if so, what gave him that confidence)
“Well of course, I mean it is a new offense and (Head Coach) Sean (McVay) has had the success he’s had in the past not by accident and so you know that coming in. Then just through the offseason, seeing what we’ve done and seeing all the stuff we’ve put in and how it does work. Today getting in the live game and seeing it actually come to fruition a little bit is definitely helpful.”(On his favorite part of today’s game)
“I think the way we scored at the end, because we didn’t score in the second half for so long there, we were getting stuffed and couldn’t get anything going in the run game. Then at the end, there on that last drive that we scored on we were able to finish and put one in the end zone and it count. What we’re trying to do in the second half was run the ball and work on the clock a little bit, worked and we were able to move the ball and get in the end zone.”(On it looking like they were having fun out on the field)
“Yeah, when you get two defensive touchdowns that’s fun and getting ‘Tru’ (CB Trumaine Johnson) out there and (CB) Lamarcus (Joyner) make those plays is fun for us, it helps us – takes a little load off us and then ultimately we have fun as a group. We preach that, we preach execute and have fun and enjoy it and today we did.”(On if he feels like he has a lot of offensive targets to work with compared to last season)
“Yeah, I think so. I think with the additions we’ve made and everything we’ve done in the offseason, that’s how it’s set up. There should be playmakers on the outside and there was today. I’m very proud of those guys and the way they played – continued to get open and continued to run good routes and be friendly and catch everything.”(On having a lot of time to throw the ball today)
“Yeah, I’d love to say the O-line great job today – just keeping me upright. I think I got sacked once and maybe hit twice. It was a great day for them and ultimately just keeping the pressure off and when they can do that it opens up a lot of things and it all starts with them.”(On what T Andrew Whitworth has meant to him and offense line)
“Yeah, just consistency. I think he brings it every day. Every day you see him come out there and he is older, in the back end of his career, but he comes out every day and the effort he has – holds everyone to that standard and that helps us and helps ultimately the whole O-line and keeps that standard high.”(On how pleasing today’s win was given the performance)
“Yeah it’s good. Like I said, I think 1-0 is always better than 0-1 and the way we were able to execute on a lot of things today was great. But with that being said, I think we know better than anybody how much stuff we did miss, how much stuff didn’t go the way that we wanted to and how much stuff we can improve on – ultimately if we’re able to do that we should continue to climb and get better.”(On what he thinks they can improve on)
“A lot of things. I think there was a lot of just missed assignments and various things across the board, but it’s all easy fixes. It’s an easy thing, it’s all easy fixes – mostly mental stuff and stuff we can fix in practice and stay on top of. I think I speak for everyone offensively when I say we know we can do better than that.”(On how it feels to get his first season opener win as a starting QB and Head Coach Sean McVay’s as a first)
“Yeah it’s exciting. Just starting off the season with the win regardless if it’s my first or Sean’s first, I think it’s exciting for everybody. It’s much better, I say it again, it much better than starting off 0-1.”(On how throwing to WR Sammy Watkins early, helped set the tone)
“Yeah, definitely. I think Sammy’s done a great job. I think he’s doing a good job of getting himself open and he has the vertical speed that can threaten guys – something that we’ve looking for and he brings that for us. I thought he did a great job today. He’s only been in the offense for how ever long it’s been four weeks or so now and the way he’s been able to pick it up and being on the screws with everything has been great and so much more helpful for me.”(On WR Cooper Kupp’s performance today)
“Yeah, Cooper’s great. Cooper did a great job. I keep saying the same thing. Cooper did a good job today and executed everything he needed to do and again, he’s another guy – just consistent. Every day in practice you get from him, I know no one was more upset than he was on that ball over the middle, but I told him I said, ‘We’re going to keep coming to you.’ I said, ‘You dropped one then you made a good play, you made up for it. We’re all good on that now’ – joking with him, but no he did a great job.”(On with the amount of weapons he has now, if he feels that he’s taken on the mindset of just distributing the ball, making sound decisions or just managing the game and if so, is it different from his mindset in the past)
“Yeah, I think where I’ve played and my whole career a lot of the times it’s been if we don’t score however many, it’s not going to work. I think that’s something I’ve learned in the NFL is you don’t need to do everything yourself. Those guys get paid to and there’s a reason those guys are on your team and there’s a reason that they are who they are and are drafted and all that. So, continuing to get the ball to guys like Sammy, guys like (WR) Robert (Woods), guys like (WR) Tavon (Austin), guys like Cooper, guys like (RB) Todd (Gurley). I mean stuff like that is huge and I know I’m not going to be the one picking up the yards it’s going to be those guys.”(On what contributed to him developing that mindset, it being him growing in the game or the personnel he has now)
“Both. I think ultimately just growing in the game. I think that’s what every quarterback wants to do, just continue to distribute, get the ball out of my hands – don’t take sacks, don’t turn it over, distribute the football and if we do that we should be pretty successful.”(On if he feels like he has something to prove to doubters such as sports media or fans)
“No. I promise you I’m not thinking about the sports talk radio hosts when I’m playing (laughs). I’m trying to do my best for my teammates and come in every day to practice and be the best player and teammate and leader I can be and let (the media) do whatever they want to do and continue to lead this team.”***
RB Todd Gurley – – September 10, 2017
(On what the offense looked like to him on the field compared to last year)
“We did a good job. We executed and obviously, we can get a lot better at a lot of things, but it was a great win. First game, defense did great.”(On how he feels today’s game against the Colts went for him)
“It was good. Like I said, we scored some points on offense, trying to compete out there with the defense. Man, those guys played a heck of a game. So I like I said, we’re going to go back and look at the film tomorrow and just keep getting better and get ready for Washington next week.”(On how different QB Jared Goff looks this year compared to last year)
“He did a good job today. We’re not worried about last year. Last year is last year. We’re just going to keep moving forward.”(On if having more offensive weapons this year will cause opposing defenses to respect the passing game and as a result help him in the run game)
“I don’t know what they’re going to do. Like I said, we’re just going to go out there, play our game, do what the coaches tell us and just keep executing.”***
Rams WR Cooper Kupp – – September 10, 2017
(On making some big catches in his first career NFL game)
“Yeah, it was a lot of fun. Anytime the team can put together a ‘W’ like this, collectively – offense, defense, special teams. Everyone just played lights out and it helps on offense when defense puts up 16 points for you, that’s huge. Offensively, there’s a lot of stuff that we did well, but there’s a lot of stuff we’ve got to fix. Like, I’ve got to catch that ball on third down or second down. When we’re wide open, like that thing’s open, I’ve got to make those plays. So, we’re going to go back and watch the film and learn from it, see what we can improve on.”(On if he will remember the drop more than he will remember all of the catches he did make)
“No, at the end of the day, you’ve got to flush it all, the good and the bad. You’ve got to flush it. You learn from it, then you move on. We’re really excited about the opportunity in front of us, going up against a pretty good Washington team. We’re really excited about preparing for them and fixing what we can this week and being better next week.”(On if he had nerves going into the game against the Colts)
“Yeah, I always have nerves. It doesn’t matter. I’ve had nerves since I was nine years old first stepping onto the football field. It’s all the same. It’s kind of special being able to have that. I don’t think a lot of people get to feel that, so I embrace it. For me, when I’m not nervous anymore, that will be a time that I won’t be playing football anymore.”***
Rams WR Robert Woods – – September 10, 2017
(On if he’s surprised that the Rams were able to score 46 points today considering the team’s offensive performance last year)
“That was last year’s team, whole different team. We’ve got (Head Coach Sean) McVay here. Just a whole different offensive game-plan. I think we’re trying to attack defenses a little bit more and I think it shows with the points. But, we missed out on some points, still not perfect, got an opportunity to gain on for next week. But it’s a good start, you know, Week 1, got to stay positive and enjoy it, but we’ll look at the film tomorrow and just try to capitalize on it next week.”(On what about the game-plan was effective in allowing the ball to get spread around)
“I would say that is our game-plan – just keep the defenses on edge, hurrying up, slowing down the pace, throwing out wide, throwing inside, running the ball wide, running the ball inside. I think that’s our whole offensive game-plan and what that brings, different people touching the ball, spreading it around and allows us to put up 46 points.”(On QB Jared Goff’s performance as a whole)
“Pretty good. Expected. Expected of him. We see it at practice. We see him making these throws, calling these plays, very poised and confident. You see him out there today, making those throws, giving receivers chances like Cooper Kupp to go up and make plays on the ball. I mean, I would say that’s confidence and you saw it here today.”***
Rams CB Trumaine Johnson – – September 10, 2017
(On his thoughts about the early interception and fumble)
“Just trying to set the tone early coming in on defense and we did that. I was glad I was able to make a play for this team.”(On how much Lamarcus Joyner’s pick six, the second pick six of the game does for a defense)
“Scoring on defense is big. We put emphasis on that all week. We had a couple pick sixes, a couple turnovers. It was good. It was good for our defense.”(On what point he knew they were in control of the Colts offense)
“We came into this game playing technically sound. We knew (Colts QB) Andrew Luck wasn’t going to play. No disrespect to (Colts QB) Scott Tolzien, he’s a great quarterback. But going in, we’re playing technique football and we know what we had to do.(On if he could sense a performance like this coming)
“Big time, man – when we went through OTA’s and camp. I’m just happy it went well in a game time situation, it was good for him.”***
Rams OLB Robert Quinn – – September 10, 2017
(On how the Rams defense gave the Colts a little bit of everything)
“When (Head Coach Sean) McVay got here, he raised out accountability level, our standards. And I think guys are having fun. It’s a game you know, so you better have some fun. They flew around and made plays and that’s all you can really ask for. Of course we’re looking for improvements every week but it’s a good way to start.”(On how he felt after not playing in the preseason)
“I felt good. I mean of course I was a little game rusty, not having played a game. But after a few snaps it was back into game mode, stopped thinking as much so that’s just kind of what happened. Went on to being regular me.”(On what he thinks they can do with Aaron Donald back in the lineup)
“All we’re worried about is what we can control. We’re looking at our opponent no matter who’s available and who’s not. We’re going to expect to win, which everyone should. Again like I said, the coaches came in from day one holding us to a higher standard, so like I said, no matter who’s here and who’s not here, guys hold themselves on a different level so we’re going out there trying to win each and every week no matter who’s available and who’s not and just leave it at that.”znModeratorRams Head Coach Sean McVay – September 10, 2017
(Opening Remarks)
“Injuries – (CB Dominique) Hatfield came out, he got checked for a concussion, came back good and then (CB) Kayvon Webster we’re continuing to evaluate for his shoulder. Everybody else came out clean.”(On what he can say about the coaching staff and how they prepared the team for this game)
“Can’t say enough. They had our guys ready to go and that’s where you feel so fortunate to have such a great coaching staff. When you look at (Defensive Coordinator) Wade Phillips leading the defense, Assistant Head Coach Joe Barry – we’ve got a handful of other great coaches on that staff. Special teams, (Special Teams Coordinator) John Fassel had those guys ready to go, (Assistant Special Teams Coordinator) Tyrone McKenzie. And the offensively, (Offensive Coordinator) Matt LaFleur, (Offensive Line) Coach (Aaron) Kromer, (Quarterbacks Coach Greg) Olson – really, I could go on and on. Every single one of our coaches, I feel very fortunate to have these guys. They’ve done an excellent job and then the players responded. We know it’s not a perfect game, but there’s a lot of things that the players did a great job with and, ultimately, it’s about coming away with a win and we were able to do that.”(On the offensive line praising QB Jared Goff on managing the game, and what he saw from Goff)
“I think I saw the same. I thought he did a great job making good decisions, getting the ball out in the timing and rhythm of the play. We were able to avoid sacks for the most part. We took the one of third down where they ended up bringing a zone pressure on us and did a good job getting home. I thought he took good care of the football, made good decisions and he did seem to have good command of it. Offensively as a whole though, we have to avoid those penalties. We can’t beat ourselves with the pre-snap false starts, different things like that. That will get you beat and we’ve got to get that cleaned up. But, just from Jared as a whole, I’m very proud of him, thought he did a great job and it was awesome for him to get his first win.”(On how he thought the offense flowed)
“I thought it was okay. I thought, really, we started out where the first drive, went down the field and then missed the third down and short. It led to a great field goal by (K) Greg (Zuerlein) and then after those penalties I thought we finished the first half the right way and then you’re kind of trying to play smart. We’ve got to be able to run the football better, more consistently get a hat on a hat, be targeted the right way and some of the things in the run game and then we’ve got to do a good job avoiding the penalties. But, I think it’s a step in the right direction, definitely some positives in the pass game. I know our guys will be motivated the right way to respond, so that’s kind of where we’re at offensively.”(On if he thought that the success throwing the ball today will help to open up the run game later in the season)
“You hope so. I think we talk about it all the time, we want to be able to maintain a level of balance where you’re running it, throwing it and making people defend both. If you do that, then you kind of mix up what you’re seeing defensively because they’re trying to take one thing away and then you can kind of try to make them pay, hopefully, with the counter to it. But, we’ve got to a better job in the run game overall whether they’re giving us eight-man fronts or playing some split-safety coverages and that’s something that we’ll look at hard as a coaching staff moving into this week.”(On him being anxious in seeing Goff play today and if he had a gut feeling of how he would perform)
“I’m not surprised that he played that way. When I was excited to be able to see him play, by no means was I not confident that he would come out and have a great performance. I thought he’s done a great job with his preparation throughout the course of the week. Put himself in a position to make good decisions, anticipate some throws and credit to him, he did an excellent job executing. Now we’ve got to see if we can do it again next week.”(On how it feels to get his first win as an NFL head coach)
“It feels good. It’s a little surreal, but it’s one game. I think the thing about the NFL is it’s an extremely humbling business and while this was the goal and we came away with that, I know we’ve got a great Washington team that I’m very familiar with and we’re playing next week. (Redskins Head) Coach (Jay) Gruden will have those guys ready to go. Just seeing a couple plays, I thought their defense flew around excellent – just watching the Philly game just kind of when it’s up on the TV. I know what they have offensively and special teams, so it’s going to be a very tough challenge and Coach Gruden will have those guys ready to go next week.”(On if he could sense the game being fun and entertaining for the fans)
“It’s hard to say. You’re kind of so locked in during the game. It’s nice to be able to kind of enjoy it towards the end when you feel like you’ve got the game secured. But, you’re kind of so locked in during the course of the game, that you want to stay focused on what’s important now. But, I thought the players did an excellent job of executing and credit to them for coming away with a win.”(On if he’s figured out how to manage the in-game head coaching responsibilities yet)
“I think the biggest thing is, like I’ve mentioned over and over, being so confident and comfortable with John Fassel and Wade Phillips where you can be fully engaged making sure that you’re not feeling like I’ve got to flip over on the defensive headset. I want to make sure that we know – look at the pictures, what did we get defensively from the opponent – so that going into the next drive, you can kind of preview some things with the quarterback and with our other coaches so that they can prep their players. And that’s the luxury that you do have where you certainly what to be involved and know what’s going on, but you can empower those guys and make sure that it doesn’t take away from your ability to call plays. That’s why it feels so great about having those guys.”(On how the defense took pressure off Goff today)
“Unbelievable. When we come away with the field goal to start the game and then for (CB) Trumaine Johnson to have the pick-six. Then when they end up getting a little something going offensively, here comes (S) Lamarcus Joyner, so can’t say enough about the defensive effort as a whole. I thought they were consistently putting pressure on (Colts QB Scott) Tolzien all day and really loved the way those guys fly around. It was fun to watch.”(On if seeing the defensive performance today makes him excited that he can plug DT Aaron Donald in next week)
“I think what it makes you feel like is that these guys that played today did a great job. Certainly Aaron is an excellent player – we’ll figure that situation out as we move forward. But, don’t want to take away from what a great defensive effort it was for those guys that did play today.”(On if he’s still figuring out the in-game timeline as a head coach with respect to having to run into the locker room at halftime following an interview)
“It comes quick. When you want to try to get some openers for the second half that’s where – I didn’t realize that was the fastest anyone has ever run. I like to think I’m in decent shape running around with these guys. But yeah, that 12 minutes goes quick, so you’ve got to be able to get up there, get in there and I’m not used to having to do those interviews at halftime.”(On his confidence in the rookies and that they’ll be able to step up and perform this season)
“Absolutely. I think you look at (WR) Cooper Kupp, he’s a great player, made some big-time catches for us – the one handed catch on the crossing route. The type of player he is, all he’s going to remember is the one in breaking route that he could have made. But, I thought he responded excellent on the third- down-and-five, where he catches the wheel-route down the sideline. That’s the type of player he is and I think you’ll continue to see more of all those rookies. (TE) Gerald Everett makes a huge play on a second- and-10 down the left sideline, getting matched up one-on-one against a linebacker. I thought that was a big time turning point leading to that touchdown drive that he made on the second-and-10 to have that, I think it was a 35-yard plus catch.”(On his reaction to having Donald back in the fold)
“You know I’m optimistic. I’m optimistic that he’s here. Here’s the thing that you like about Aaron though, you sit down with Aaron, you talk to him – Aaron loves football. He wants to get this thing figured out. When you talk to him about, ‘What do you think the best way to handle this is?’ The first thing he says is, ‘I don’t at all want to be a distraction to my teammates, so I’ll reconvene with the team on Monday and we’ll figure this thing out moving forward.’ So that’s why you appreciate Aaron because he is all about the right things. We’re trying to work to come to a solution. He’s a special player. In my interaction with Aaron, I have nothing but the utmost respect and hopefully come to a conclusion where we can get him on the field with his teammates and we know that he’ll certainly help our defense.”(On what he is going to take away from this game going forward)
“I think you take away how fortunate you feel to be a part of it more than anything else. You look at the defensive effort today, you look at the special teams, offensively we were able to do some good things. I think it’s a step in the right direction, but it’s all about those players and I can’t say enough about the way that these guys have bought into what we’re trying to do. We know it’s one win and now, the true measure of performance, is consistency. Let’s see if we can have a great week of preparation and see if we can give ourselves a chance to have a good performance against a tough Washington team next week.”(On if that was his first Gatorade bath)
“It was and I could have avoided it if I wanted to, but I felt like I kind of had to take it a little bit.”(On how impressed he was with how Goff managed the game)
“Very impressed. I think that’s the goal – make good decisions, throw the ball with anticipation and accuracy in the timing and rhythm of the play and I thought he consistently did that today. Taking care of the football is a huge part of it and I thought he was able to get a handful of different guys involved in the pass game and that’s what you want to be able to do when we do have a handful of playmakers at the skill guys with our receivers, tight ends and backs. So, credit to Jared. I am very pleased with him today.”September 10, 2017 at 11:55 pm in reply to: reporters on the Colts game … articles, vids, audios, tweets etc. #74112znModeratorJames Laurinaitis @JLaurinaitis55
Congrats the Coach McVay and the @RamsNFL on the impressive W today! #JustRamItSeptember 10, 2017 at 11:52 pm in reply to: player interviews, post-Colts game (9/10)… vids & transcripts #74111znModeratorFirst career INT? Took it to the house 🙌
One-on-One with Lamarcus Joyner pic.twitter.com/YGRbmWB6UL
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 11, 2017
September 10, 2017 at 11:50 pm in reply to: reporters on the Colts game … articles, vids, audios, tweets etc. #74110znModeratorDefense Dominates in Rams Week 1 Victory
Kristen Lago
The Rams made history on Sunday, ushering in a new era under head coach Sean McVay with a dominating performance over the Colts.
In the team’s season opener, the Los Angeles’ defense put up 16 of the team’s 46 points, outscoring the Indianapolis offense by seven. The performance marked the first time in NFL history that a defense has recorded two pick-sixes and a safety in Week 1 of the regular season.
The unit started off strong in the first quarter when cornerback Trumaine Johnsonpicked off quarterback Scott Tolzien on the Colts’ first pass of the day. After a tackle for loss by defensive tackle Tyrunn Walker, Indianapolis was backed into a passing situation on 3rd-and-10.
Johnson cut in front of Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton on what looked to be a deep out to the defense’s right and took the ball 39 yards to the house, marking his 17th career interception.
“Just trying to set the tone early,” Johnson said of his interception. “Coming in we wanted to score on defense and we did that. I was glad to make a play for this team.”
But Johnson wasn’t done yet. The Rams’ captain also forced his second turnover of the day at the end of the first quarter.
On 2nd-and-8 from the Indianapolis 25, Tolzien completed a short pass to Hilton. But when he attempted to gain a few extra yards after the completion, Johnson stripped the ball right out of Hilton’s hands and dove on it to give the home team an extra possession.
“Like I said we just come out and try to set the tone early,” he said. “It was a big play for us. We went down there and scored after that.”
In the third quarter, safety Lamarcus Joyner recorded a pick-six of his own, leaping high into the air and taking it into the end zone untouched to increase the Rams’ lead to 37-3. The interception was the first of his career.
Joyner credited defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ new scheme with putting the secondary in the position to make big plays.
“When technique meets opportunity, you make the play and it’s up to Wade and his defensive scheme to put us in the right place,” he said. “And that’s what it’s been doing since preseason. We’re just capitalizing off the position that we’re put in.”
Even after two picks and a series of big tackles, the defense continued to play lights out. With 9:18 remaining in the fourth quarter, outside linebacker Cory Littleton stripped running back Marlon Mack deep in Indianapolis territory and the ball rolled into the end zone. Indianapolis quarterback Jacoby Brissett fell on the ball and defensive end Morgan Fox touched him down for the safety.
Overall, the Rams’ defense allowed just 225 total yards and one touchdown. The defense also recorded five sacks. With its dominant performance, the unit was also able to take some pressure off of quarterback Jared Goff and the Rams’ offense.
“When we come away with the field goal to start the game and then for Trumaine Johnson to have the pick-six. Then when they end up getting a little something going offensively, here comes Lamarcus Joyner,” McVay said postgame. “So can’t say enough about the defensive effort as a whole. I thought they were consistently putting pressure on Tolzien all day and really loved the way those guys fly around. It was fun to watch.”
“When you get two defensive touchdowns, that’s fun and getting ‘Tru’ out there and Lamarcus make those plays is fun for us, it helps us, takes a little load off us,” Goff said. “And then ultimately we have fun as a group. We preach that, we preach execute and have fun and enjoy it and today we did.”
znModeratorWell, I tend to agree with X that, in general, Probably, most University profs are “liberal” (Ie, Clinton-ish, Obama-ish, Democrat-ish)
There’s a right wing mantra on that but it exists because it’s vague. Different fields tend to attract different types. Business, engineering, and economics for example are not dominated by “liberals.” Just the opposite. The hard sciences are iffier. The humanities tends to attract liberals but then that’s not entirely true of history. And so on. On top of it, college and university administrations are more than ever attracting career administration types and they tend to be conservative. At the same time administration is expanding, tenured faculty are shrinking, so what you end up with is administrators dominating a very large population of part-timers, and part-timers do not have the standing or resources to be a voice in the overall university or college. It’s dominated cheap labor. They have no voice in policy.
My own experience is that with requirements being what they are in higher education, students are exposed to a wide range of types.
I’ve read actual real study after study that confirms all of the above.
In terms of right-wing site style writing about universities and colleges, what I have encountered from that world I find to be uselessly paranoid and sensationalist.
September 10, 2017 at 10:02 pm in reply to: player interviews, post-Colts game (9/10)… vids & transcripts #74093znModeratorJared Goff Postgame Press Conference 9-10
QB Jared Goff meets with the media following the Rams’ season-opening win over the Indianapolis Colts.
September 10, 2017 at 9:22 pm in reply to: reporters on the Colts game … articles, vids, audios, tweets etc. #74089znModeratorQuick Thoughts: Colts Lose at Rams 46-9
by Brett Mock
https://www.stampedeblue.com/2017/9/10/16285024/quick-thoughts-colts-lose-at-rams
The Indianapolis Colts set the wrong tone from the start of the game. The Rams were able to pass the ball at will with all kind of space in the secondary. Additionally, Scott Tolzien’s first throw was intercepted and taken back for a touchdown, his second throw was batted down at the line, and his first completion to T.Y. Hilton resulted in a lost fumble.
If you didn’t want to see a train wreck, you should have averted your eyes at this point.
Rookie running back Marlon Mack made an early appearance in the red zone and quickly acted as a release valve for Tolzien. He caught a pass on his first play and took that ball in for a touchdown. The officials blew the call on the field, forcing the Colts to challenge. Rather than do that, the Colts rushed to the line and quickly snapped the ball trying to…. catch the Rams sleeping?
For those who like to follow the game from home, there is a common practice among NFL teams since instant replay was instituted. The reason teams will rush to the line and quickly snap the ball is because the opportunity to challenge a play ends once the ball is snapped and the next play begins.
So, if you feel that your player might not have caught a pass, may have stepped out of bounds, or may not have crossed the first down marker, you quickly get to the line and snap the ball to stop the opposing team from taking a good look at the replay and getting the play reversed.
This strategy is not used when your player may very well have scored a touchdown and you and your staff want to get a close look at the replay to confirm. In that case, you slow down, take a look, and then decide whether to throw one of your two challenge flags for the game. Apparently, this strategy is understood and practice by every team and coach in the NFL other than the Colts and head coach Chuck Pagano.
This poor decision cost the Colts 4 points early in the game. The remainder of this tilt makes it pretty apparent that it wouldn’t have necessarily changed the outcome of the game but very well have cost the Colts very important momentum that they would never find again. This big mistake set off chain reaction that wouldn’t quit until the final gun mercifully sounded.
Other unforced errors? Well, Tolzien finished the game 9/18 for 126 yards and threw two interceptions that were returned for Rams touchdowns. He threw what would have been a third pick six but Donte Moncrief tried to tear off the Rams defender’s head to keep him from making the play.
While Marlon Mack showed that he deserves more opportunities to make an impact in the Colts offense, he lost a fumble when the ball was stripped from his arms to be recovered by Jacoby Brissett in the end zone for a safety. Let’s just say that it was a good day to own the Rams defense.
On the day the Colts threw two interceptions, nearly a third, gave up two defensive touchdowns for a score, and the offensive line allowed four sacks.
In terms of bright spots? At best, the defensive line look pretty solid clogging running lanes in the middle of the field. The Rams were only able to put up 63 total rushing yards on 33 attempts — 1.9 yards/attempt. Todd Gurley was held to 40 yards on 19 attempts — 2.1 yards/attempt.
At times the offensive line also looked good opening holes for the ground game. Frank Gore ran for 42 yards on 10 attempts — 4.2 yards per attempt. So, I guess Pagano and the Colts are finally close to achieving the goal? We can stop the run and sort of run the ball?
Rookie Marlon Mack still looks like a promising pick up — although at one point in the game he took six carries for a total of 1 yard. While that was discouraging, he is a big play threat and can take one step for many yards. He should have had two touchdowns in the game and that is a great sign for the young player’s future.
He had a long run of 24 yards and a long reception for 21 yards (that should have been a touchdown). He did score the Colts lone touchdown late in the game after the long Brissett bomb to Donte Moncrief.
Speaking of, shorlty after entering the game, Jacoby Brissett showed off his big arm. He threw a bomb to Donte Moncrief for 50 yards. The pass wasn’t perfect. it was a little behind his target but Moncrief did a nice job adjusting on the throw and made the catch. A couple of plays later the Colts were in the end zone.
In the aftermath, there are some things that are pretty clear. The Pagano-led Colts still look woefully under-prepared to play football games. Until Indianapolis has its biggest offensive weapon back on the field, its best defensive back, and its star center back running things with the offensive line, things are going to be ugly.
Additionally, the time for inexcusable in-game decisions has to be nearing its end. This was Chuck Pagano’s first chance to impress new General Manager Chris Ballard and potentially make a bid to stay in Indianapolis. He soundly failed in that effort across the board. The Colts fan base is used to winning and it won’t be satisfied until they do.j
FINAL SCORE: Rams 46 – Colts 9
znModeratorEverett Dives for a 39-Yard Reception
Rams tight end Gerald Everett makes a diving catch on a ball from quarterback Jared Goff for a 39-yard gain
znModeratorRams Get the Safety
Indianapolis Colts running back Marlon Mack is stripped of the ball and quarterback Jacoby Brissett recovers in the end zone for a safety.
http://www.therams.com/videos/videos/Rams-Get-the-Safety/9713ee02-49cb-458b-883e-ac02648ba1ae
znModeratorKupp Wrestles Ball Away From Defender
Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp is able to keep the ball away from his defender as he hauls in a 28-yard reception.
September 10, 2017 at 8:59 pm in reply to: player interviews, post-Colts game (9/10)… vids & transcripts #74082znModeratorRobert Woods Postgame Interview
WR Robert Woods meets with the media following the Rams’ season-opening win over the Indianapolis Colts.
September 10, 2017 at 8:58 pm in reply to: player interviews, post-Colts game (9/10)… vids & transcripts #74081znModeratorSammy Watkins Postgame Interview
Dani Klupenger chats with WR Sammy Watkins following the Rams’ season-opening win over the Indianapolis Colts.
September 10, 2017 at 8:58 pm in reply to: player interviews, post-Colts game (9/10)… vids & transcripts #74080znModeratorAndrew Whitworth Postgame Interview
LT Andrew Whitworth talks to the media following the Rams’ season-opening win over the Indianapolis Colts.
September 10, 2017 at 8:57 pm in reply to: player interviews, post-Colts game (9/10)… vids & transcripts #74079znModeratorCooper Kupp Postgame Interview
WR Cooper Kupp meets with the media following the Rams’ season-opening win over the Indianapolis Colts.
znModeratorBrown Keeps Feet Moving on 3-Yard TD
Rams running back Malcolm Brown refuses to go down as he scores on a 3-yard touchdown.
znModeratorBlue and Gold wrote:
Last time Rams had 3 or more sacks, 2 pick 6s and a safety: 1983 in the season finale verses Saints.
znModeratorHekker is incredible.. he just attempted a punt that folks only do in practice #RespectTheArt pic.twitter.com/PYjrn3y8P9
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 10, 2017
September 10, 2017 at 8:21 pm in reply to: reporters on the Colts game … articles, vids, audios, tweets etc. #74071znModeratorRams Begin McVay Era with 46-9 Win Over Colts
Myles SimmonsLOS ANGELES — The Rams began head coach Sean McVay’s tenure with a dominating team performance to beat the Colts, 46-9.
Los Angeles’ defense recorded a pair of pick sixes — one from cornerback Trumaine Johnson and another from defensive back Lamarcus Joyner — forced three turnovers, and had five sacks while holding the Colts to just nine points.
The passing offense was impressive as well, with Goff completing 21 of his 29 passes for 306 yards with a touchdown. Newcomer Sammy Watkins was a significant target, as the wide receiver caught five passes for 58 yards. But Goff spread the ball around well — as is customary in McVay’s offense — completing passes to seven different targets.
L.A. got the ball first after the Colts won and deferred, and used a no-huddle offense to quickly move down the field. Goff completed a 13-yard pass to Watkins and a 21-yard pass to wideout Robert Woods to move the Rams down the field. Greg Zuerleinconnected on a 50-yard field goal to give the home team an early 3-0 lead.
VIEW GALLERY | 112 Photos
PHOTOS: Rams vs. Colts Game Gallery
But the score wouldn’t stay that way for long. On the Colts’ first set of downs, Johnson undercut what looked like an out route by wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and intercepted Scott Tolzien’s pass on the defense’s right. Johnson was off to the races from there, returning the pick 39 yards for a touchdown, putting the Rams up 10-0.Indianapolis got on the board with a 20-yard field goal from Adam Vinatieri — but that was after a strong L.A. goal-line stand. It looked like running back Marlon Mack would run in for a touchdown, but Joyner hit him out of bounds to keep the defense on the field. The extra effort would pay off.
Buoyed by a pair of nice catches from rookies, the Rams would extend their lead in the second quarter. First wide receiver Cooper Kupp caught a 24-yard pass on a deep crossing route. The pass was nearly out of reach, but the Eastern Washington product tipped the ball up to himself and reeled it in on the left side.
A play later, tight end Gerald Everett dove to catch a 39-yard pass on the left sideline, giving the Rams 1st-and-goal at the Colts six-yard line. Gurley finished off the drive with a five-yard touchdown run, extending the ball at the goal line before his knee hit the ground.
Kupp would catch his first NFL touchdown in the second quarter, too, making an 18-yard reception on a post route from Goff to cap a six-play, 58-yard drive.
With a Zuerlein 35-yard field goal, the Rams took a 27-3 lead into halftime.
While the offense garnered many of the first-half headlines, outside linebacker Robert Quinn looked strong in his first action of the season, recording a tackle for loss and the 55th sack of his career. Quinn is now No. 4 on the Rams’ all-time sack list.
The home team extended its advantage with a Zuerlein 44-yard field goal early in the third quarter, before Joyner removed all doubt with his pick six.
On 1st-and-10 from the Indianapolis 25, Tolzien attempted a short pass to the Hilton on the defense’s right, and Joyner undercut the route, leapt up, and snagged the ball. He had a shorter distance to run than Johnson, taking it 29 yards for the club’s second defensive touchdown of the day.
With the Rams up 37-3, the Colts inserted their new quarterback, Jacoby Brissett, into the game. Los Angeles had removed its defensive starters, and Brissett completed a long downfield pass to wide receiver Donte Moncrief to put Indianapolis in scoring position. Mack ran in a three-yard touchdown for the Colts’ first touchdown of the day, which came with 11:36 left in the fourth quarter.
Later in the period, linebacker Cory Littleton stripped Mack deep in Indianapolis territory. Brissett recovered the loose ball, but defensive lineman Morgan Foxtouched him down in the end zone for a safety.
L.A. closed out its scoring with a three-yard touchdown by Malcolm Brown, giving the club a 46-9 lead.
With the victory, the Rams move to 1-0 on the season. They’ll be back in action next weekend against Washington at the Coliseum
September 10, 2017 at 8:20 pm in reply to: reporters on the Colts game … articles, vids, audios, tweets etc. #74070znModeratorDefense, Jared Goff lead Rams to romp over Colts in Sean McVay’s debut
RICH HAMMOND
LOS ANGELES — Relocated in 2016. Revitalized in 2017?
The Rams couldn’t have pre-planned a better season opener than what took place Sunday afternoon, when they got points on their first drive and never looked back in a 46-9 victory over Indianapolis at the Coliseum.
It was a shockingly dominating day for the Rams, who moved the ball well on offense, for a total of 443 yards, and were opportunistic on defense, as they returned two interceptions for touchdowns.
Lamarcus Joyner’s 29-yard touchdown return, midway through the third quarter, gave the Rams a 37-3 lead. That’s 37 points, equal to as many as the Rams scored in any full game last season.
So, Coach Sean McVay’s debut went quite well. Quarterback Jared Goff completed 21 of 29 attempts for 306 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions, and the Rams’ offensive line allowed only one sack.
The Rams had less success running the ball, as Todd Gurley gained only 40 yards on the ground (on 19 carries), but Gurley showed some spark coming out of the backfield as he caught five passes for 56 yards.
The Rams took the ball to start the game and moved 43 yards but had to settle for a Greg Zuerlein 50-yard field goal and a 3-0 lead.
The big play came three plays into the Colts’ ensuring drive, when Johnson easily stepped in front of a Tolzien pass and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown. The Rams, after less than five minutes, had a 10-0 lead and had scored more points than they did in five complete games last season.
The game got bogged down in effective play on both sides for a while, and the Colts pulled within 10-3 on a short first-quarter field goal, but the Rams regained the momentum on both sides in the second quarter.
Goff got back on target on the Rams’ second drive of the second quarter, with a 24-yard completion to Cooper Kupp and a 39-yard completion to another rookie, tight end Gerald Everett. The drive ended on a five-yard touchdown run by Todd Gurley, which gave the Rams a 17-3 lead.
After the Rams’ defense forced a three-and-out punt, the Rams marched 58 yards in six plays, and took a 24-3 late in the second quarter when Goff made a beautiful throw on a 18-yard touchdown pass to Kupp in the back of the endzone.
The Rams got the ball back with approximately two minutes remaining in the first half, and managed a 35-yard Zuerlein field goal to take a 27-3 lead into halftime.
The Rams even survived a muffed punt by Tavon Austin, which gave the Colts the ball at the Rams’ 28 early in the third quarter. The Colts missed a field goal, and on their ensuing drive, the Rams added another field goal to take a 30-3 lead.
Joyner clinched the game on the next play from scrimmage, with the interception for a touchdown.
znModeratorFirst W as head coach = game 🏈! pic.twitter.com/n4FjM0zaEt
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 10, 2017
znModeratorWhere were the Tight Ends? I was told there’d be tight ends.
McV is a bust.
w
vEverett caught a key game breaker deep (39 yarder).
September 10, 2017 at 8:09 pm in reply to: reporters on the Colts game … articles, vids, audios, tweets etc. #74066znModeratorAdam Schefter @AdamSchefter
Wade Phillips’ Effect: Rams are first team in NFL history to record two interception-return TDs and a safety in season opener.
Vincent Bonsignore @DailyNewsVinny
Just congratulated #Rams DB coach Aubrey Pleasant on his guys getting 14 points: “not enough. We dropped two picks. We can do better”#Rams have a few things to clean up, obviously, but this is a pretty complete performance so far: offense/defense/special teams
Last season did a lot of harm. Some fans don’t want to admit it but it did. If #Rams keep playing like today, it’ll get better
Interesting watching Sean McVay on #Rams sideline. He’ll go sit by himself at Gatorade cooler looking at tablet, writing down notes
I wrote this week that #Rams Jared Goff could ease a lot of concerns depending on his performance today.
#Rams Goff is really managing this game and this offense. Complete turn around from last year
Can’t say enough about how well the #Rams offensive line is protecting Goff.
Joe Curley @vcsjoecurley
Asked about outside criticism, Goff responds “I promise you I’m not thinking about the sports talk radio hosts when I’m out there playing.”“1-0 is always better than 0-1. But we know much just stuff we can improve on” – Goff
“It was a great day for them,” Goff compliments his OL, which only allowed one sack.
McVay says the Gatorade bath he took was the first one. Said he could have avoided it “but I felt like I just had to take it.”
McVay calls the Everett catch a turning point in the game.
“I’m not surprised that he played that way… I thought he did a great job in his preparation throughout the week.” – McVay on Goff
McVay says offense “was okay,” but need to clean up the penalties. “We need to be able to run the ball better.”
Mike Wells @MikeWellsNFL
This just summed up Chuck Pagano in the postgame presser. He said they got their “ass” kicked by the “49ers.”Rich Hammond @Rich_Hammond
Lamarcus Joyner, on Aaron Donald’s return: “I even called my wife and told her he was back. I was excited.”This is the most points (39) for the Rams since a 52-0 win over the Raiders on Nov. 30, 2014.
The Rams got a safety because, sure, why not.
Ryan Kartje@Ryan_Kartje
Cooper Kupp is real, y’all. Go make your fantasy waiver claims now.J.B. Long @JB_Long
#LARams owner Stan Kroenke awards the Week 1 game ball to head coach Sean McVay in @RamsNFL locker room.Return yardage allowed by #Rams special teams units today: 0
Points scored by #LARams at the Coliseum last year: 89
What a difference a year makes: Jared Goff was 40 passing yds shy of his career high… at halftime. 27-3 #LARams
Adam Caplan@caplannfl
#Rams are the first team in #NFL history to record 2 INT TDs and safety in season opener, per @RLiuNFL.Lindsey Thiry @LindseyThiry
Rams players all thrilled about the return of Aaron Donald.Tavon Austin, visibly frustrated after the game, says the punt that he dropped hit the television camera cables.
===
Check out the cheer Jared Goff gets as he leaves the Coliseum after his first win as Rams quarterback @CVRamsClub pic.twitter.com/Vxm0HwG5qj
— Joe Curley (@vcsjoecurley) September 10, 2017
==
Making his regular season #NFL head coaching debut, @RamsNFL Sean McVay stops to great newly-minted Hall of Famer @kurt13warner. pic.twitter.com/G5ca5QFk2d
— J.B. Long (@JB_Long) September 10, 2017
-
AuthorPosts
