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znModeratorIt’s not that rare.
But it can be tricky.
znModeratorAT&T bought DirectTV. In a couple of years all of their stuff will be streamed over the internet. Satellites will be cut out. I
Good. Now, instead of having to deal with my dish kicking out, I will only have to worry about cable kicking out. Which of course it does, more often than the dish.
znModeratorQuite frankly I don’t think there’s enough interest in American football to expand overseas. Especially at what it costs to attend a game.
Yeah I don’t like this new “grow the brand” NFL.
And Kroenke buys into that stuff like a starving kid in a bakery.
znModeratorThe end is nigh.
Garden, phase omega.
An autumn snapshot.
.
znModeratorPractice Report 9/30: For Gurley, Back to Where it Began
By Myles Simmons
In Week 4 of the 2015 season, the Rams traveled to Arizona to take on the Cardinals. The club was coming off a tough loss to the Steelers, during which running back Todd Gurley took his first NFL carries — but they didn’t go for many yards.
At the time, head coach Jeff Fisher said the running back had been close to breaking off a few big runs, but they just did not work out against Pittsburgh.
All skepticism was put to rest in the following game, as Gurley rushed for 146 yards in the Rams’ 24-22 victory — 144 of which came in the second half.
“I had played the week before, got like six carries,” Gurley said after Friday’s practice. “I was just so anxious to get back on the field, because I went for like six carries for nine yards. So, I was just ready to play again, try to redeem myself.”
“It started off rough, as it always does against them in the run game,” head coach Jeff Fisher said. “Fortunately for us, we scored points, and we were able to stay with the run game in the second half. That’s when we broke out and [Gurley] made most of his plays, and then the four-minute run, which was extraordinary.”
Gurley had runs of 20, 23, 30, and 52 yards against the Cardinals in that Week 4 matchup, with three of those four runs coming in the fourth quarter. Aside from the 52 yarder, perhaps the most memorable was Gurley’s 30-yard sprint, as he slid down with just over a minute left in the game instead of continuing to the end zone.
“Gave up a touchdown,” Gurley said.
It was a savvy, veteran move for a 21-year-old rookie. The action sealed the Rams’ victory, as Arizona did not have any timeouts, leaving the offense free to take a knee to run out the clock.
“Going down on that [30-yard run], I could’ve got [a touchdown], but you know, just wanting to get out of there, and get in victory formation,” Gurley said. “But it’s definitely a good feeling, being in four minute – running the ball, able to get first downs at the end of the game. That’s what it’s all about.”
Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians said it wasn’t as if Gurley surprised his team in that matchup — after all, they did hold him to two yards rushing in the first half.
“Coming out of Georgia, we didn’t know how healthy he was when he played against us. But, he was obviously healthy,” Arians said this week. “Loved him coming out of Georgia, had a high, high grade on him. Nothing he’s done has surprised me, because I thought he was a top first-round pick.”
This week, the Rams are looking for a repeat performance as the club once again heads to the desert to take on the Cardinals in the fourth week of the season. Even the same broadcasters will commentate the game for FOX, Thom Brennaman and Charles Davis.
With the situational similarities, it’s hard not to reflect on what happened a year ago.
“A little bit, kind of when you’re going back and watching the film, things start showing up. And, obviously, you have the memory of it,” right tackle Rob Havenstein said. “But last year was last year. Different year, new team. Some different players, a lot of familiar faces. But it’s still a new year. So you kind of take it with a grain of salt, and it’s all about what you’ve done lately.”
Plus, Arizona had success going against Gurley in the second matchup between the two teams in December. In that game, the running back had only 41 yards on nine carries — in no small part because the rest of the offense could not get anything going.
“We came back again in [December], and we didn’t play well,” Fisher said. “We had some injuries, and they got that thing fixed.”
It’s all part of what makes Arizona tough to play, especially in their own building. The Cardinals have a lot of flexibility in what they can do defensively because of the physicality and athleticism of their players.
“They’re just physical,” Gurley said. “They have great linebackers, great defensive lineman, and their DBs can tackle — they want to tackle, and they have great ball skills. They’re just a great overall defense. They come with a lot of blitzes.”
And so L.A. will be challenged against a strong Arizona defense, striving to replicate past success. But if there’s one change the Rams would like to make from last year to this year, it’s being more productive in the run game in the first half.
“We need to get them going early and often,” Havenstein said of the Rams’ RBs. “We don’t want to have to wait until the third quarter or anything. So we want to get them at least a little crease early, because with those guys back there, they’re going to take a little crease and make it into a big crease.”
“They gave up some runs at Buffalo last weekend,” Fisher said. “They’re going to be determined not to give up any big plays, so we’re going to have to block better than we have.”
…
DONALD DOES IT ALL
Defensive tackle Aaron Donald played 86 percent of the Rams’ 90 defensive snaps last week at Tampa Bay — a significant amount for any defensive lineman. And because Los Angeles got down two defensive ends — Hayes to injury and Eugene Sims to ejection — Donald ended up playing some significant snaps on the outside of the DL.
On Friday, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams noted it’s essentially as if Donald played seven different positions last week — every spot along the Rams’ four-man, and three-man defensive front.
“I’ve said this before — every single player on defense has to play a primary position and backup position, he played a backup in seven different positions, and that speaks volumes for him,” Williams said. “He didn’t even bat an eye, he got out there and played for us and played very strong in those areas.”
Donald said this week playing at defensive end wasn’t too different for him, since he’d done it before in college. And the defensive end downplayed any notions of how rare and unique a talent that is.
“I’m just doing my job. A lot of guys went down, I needed to step up and help. So I just did my part,” Donald said. “Like I said, I did it in college, so it wasn’t nothing new to me. And coach needed me to do it. So it wasn’t a problem for me.”
Williams however, spoke glowingly of the DTs performance.
“He is such a good football player, he can do so many things I can’t even coach,” Williams said. “He’s so intelligent. He gives us a lot of pitches to be able to throw out there and he helped us in some tough situations at the D — injury position and then we lost one on an ejection. It was pretty good that he did that.”
znModeratorNot sure why, but I have been seeing alot of commercials with him in them. I hope will not affect his game. It is alright for an occasional one, but I worry being in LA could get into Todd Gurleys head. It is LA, Hollywood, and such.
Well…name an NFL player who did a lot of commercials and it DID affect his game.
Seems to me that really doesn’t happen.
.
znModerator(On not announcing that Goff is going to be the starter from Day 1 like other teams have done in the past)
FISHER: “Well everybody is different. Jameis [Winston] is different than the next quarterback. We have always had the philosophy that we are going to play them when we think they are ready. We aren’t going to subject them to fail, so whenever that is you are going to see him under center. We aren’t going to come out Day 1 and announce that he is a starter. It’s going to happen pretty soon, sooner than probably later. We have some things to do coaching wise, he’s got to learn our offense, he’s got to get to know his teammates, get in sync with his receivers. So when that happens, I don’t know, but that has always been our philosophy.”
…
(On the expectations of Goff being the star of the team)
FISHER: “He may start the opener on Monday night, we don’t know, but that’s the goal. If he doesn’t, as it stands right now, [QB] Case [Keenum] will do it, and Case has won games for us. We understand the environment, believe me. He does too. We have had lengthy conversations about it. If I had concerns about Jared being able to handle this then we probably wouldn’t be talking about Jared right now. He can handle it, when he steps under center? I can’t tell you.”
===
I don’t know where this idea comes from that I see around the net that they definitively said back in April that they would start him day 1. It was pretty obvious that they were AVOIDING saying that (though they left it open as a possibility). What you see in the actual words is that they were avoiding getting locked in about when he would start.
znModerator“But Can He Make Music?” Thoughts on Rookie Quarterbacks
Matt Waldman
link: https://mattwaldmanrsp.com/2016/09/08/but-can-he-make-music-thoughts-on-rookie-quarterbacks/
I was wrong to think that Jared Goff was the most pro ready of the 2016 rookie quarterback class. I underestimated the difficulty of the transition from Cal’s Air Raid offense to the Rams’ West Coast system. But I don’t think this is a big deal if you’re focused on the true North of the compass for what matters most for a young quarterback:
Long-term development.
Most people aren’t oriented this way. What we see written and discussed in major media reinforces the fallacy that rookie quarterbacks need to perform well immediately. When a lesser-regarded prospect outperforms a player of higher regard, there’s often a one-to-one comparison of the two and there shouldn’t be.
Quarterbacks are a lot like musicians and it’s problematic to judge two rookie quarterbacks during the rehearsal process. They’re learning how to interact with their band and the performance environment and each band and environment has enough differences that most boom-bust conclusions are short-sighted.
Jared Goff is learning an entirely new system. Will Hewlett–a quarterback coach and consultant to high school, college and professional passers–says the transition from the Air Raid system at Cal to a West Coast system with the Rams is like learning Chinese.
If you’ve ever taken language lessons as an adult, it becomes apparent almost immediately that the process sublimate the winning traits of your personality. Learning Chinese? Forget having a quick wit or great sense of humor for months.
Are you known for your sensitivity? You’ll be so busy focusing on what people are saying that you only catch a glimpse of how they’re saying it. Facial expressions and tone of voice are like third and fourth reads for a quarterback at your opponent’s 45 on 3rd and 12 with 1:34 left on the clock, down by 3, and dealing with the potential for A-gap pressure and missing that DE dropping into the flat.
You’re still sensitive, witty, and intelligent. You still have those skills and others but they won’t show up nearly as often when first learning that new language. Goff’s stats show that he’s not handling pressure well and he’s make critical errors but to conclude that he’s lost these skills or analysts were wrong for ever seeing them, glosses over the realities of learning a complex system.
And the West Coast system is the most difficult offense to learn. It’s the most common one in the league because coaches have witnessed how unstoppable it can be when at its best. However, there are few quarterbacks who can run it at that level.
It’s like staring in one band as a tenor saxophonist and then being asked to perform a ballad like the one shown above on the soprano. There are multiple, subtle demands to evoking deep emotions from the audience and the main performer’s flaws are at much greater risk of exposure to the crowd.
Jared Goff’s learning curve is far different but he’s judged along the same standard. RamsWire writer Jeff Smith has done a good job of telling Rams fans to freak out that Goff is the No.3 quarterback after the preseason. Smith is correct that the Rams invested a lot of capital in Goff, analysts (like me) thought Goff was the most pro-ready quarterback in the class, and Goff’s statistics haven’t been good.
But the stats only show that Goff’s results are bad and they way they are presented, there’s a presumption that Goff should display the same qualities that made him productive at Cal. This is a bad presumption.
The Cowboys have asked Prescott to play his best ax as a part of a strong group of players and perform songs with strict time boundaries, comfortable tempos, and tightly rehearsed forms. The Rams want Goff to learn a similar but slightly different and temperamental instrument and perform songs that have a lot more variables.
Goff is doing a lot more thinking than performing and it’s why he’s the No.3 option. If the Rams ownership has a clue, Goff’s temporary tenure as the final backup on the depth chart is more annoying when answering media questions than it is in the locker room.
Jeff Fisher gets his share of media criticism as an overrated coach but he believed in bringing quarterbacks along slowly. He wanted Vince Young to rely more on his brains than his body but Young didn’t become a student of the game. After a great rookie year with the team working around Young’s talents, opposing defenses generated more demands for Young to succeed and he didn’t study enough to meet them.
Steve McNair was a student of the game and he evolved into one of the more underrated pocket passers of his time. McNair didn’t start immediately and there were concerns early on that McNair wasn’t worth the No.3 overall pick in the draft. Fisher and the Titans were patient and it paid off.
Brett Hundley was the No.3 quarterback last year. He’s now considered a promising backup with starter potential. The notable difference in perception between Hundley and Goff is that Goff was the No.1 overall pick and Hundley dropped to the middle rounds in 2015.
Those in the know understand that Hundley was considered an early round talent entering his junior year. If he stayed at UCLA last year, he might have earned a high-round selection.
The public pressure on Goff and the Rams has greater intensity due to the number of picks the team traded to invest in the rookie. But if the Rams ownership and executive team is thinking clearly, they’ll look at Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady’s career arcs.
Neither players was remotely a No.1 overall pick in the draft. Brady began his career as the No.3. Most teams would have spent more on these two players in their prime than what the Rams spent on Goff.
So when readers ask me, “What do you think about Jared Goff and Dak Prescott now?” it’s all about my frame of perspective. For fantasy football, Goff is a player that I’ll monitor. He’s a potential waiver-wire player in re-draft leagues later in the year.
Prescott is at least a temporary starter with actual value in daily fantasy formats. He’s also capable of strong opening month in season-long formats.
In dynasty leagues, I’m still drafting Goff over Prescott and there’s no hesitation. If anything, I’m getting better value on Goff. The bump in Prescott’s value makes him a little less attractive although the opportunity to solidify his future as a starter is a lot more compelling in the immediate present.
Beyond the immediate fantasy implications of late summer and early fall, I stand by the process that led me to the results that I publish every April.
If the Rams give Goff the time the Packers and Patriots gave to their starters–or even Washington inadvertently gave to Kirk Cousins while rushing the process with Robert Griffin III–Goff has the talent to thrive. His pocket presence, accuracy, and feel for the game hasn’t left. The new system is forcing him to think rather than play.
If the Cowboys continue to surround Prescott with a strong band and can spotlight the rookie’s confidence and athletic ability, he’ll succeed this year. If they gradually feed him more options and responsibilities so he can grow into a well-rounded leader of an offense, he develop into a complete player.
Quarterbacking is like making music. Thanks to our digital age, most young quarterbacks have more access to technical coaching, nutrition and training programs, and football theory than their predecessors.
Look at their technique, athletic ability, and understanding of specific offensive ideas in a vacuum and they appear more pro-ready than in the past. But just like musicians who developed the optimal physical techniques to produce a good sound, memorized hot licks, and gained extensive knowledge of harmony, none of it matters if they can’t make it all sound musical.
znModeratorRams CB E.J. Gaines ready to help neutralize Cardinals WRs
Alden Gonzalez
HOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — This is probably as good a week as any for E.J. Gaines to return to the Los Angeles Rams secondary, and it looks like it will happen.
Gaines has spent the last two weeks practicing in pads and was not even given an injury designation on Friday’s report, an indication that there is not much doubt he will play at University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday. He’ll face anArizona Cardinals team with a loaded receiving corps, a group highlighted byLarry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, John and Jaron Brown. And he’ll look to help a defense fresh off allowing 405 passing yards to Tampa Bay Buccaneersquarterback Jameis Winston.
“As many DBs as you can have out there is better for us, considering how many wide receivers they have that can play,” Gaines said of the Cardinals. “Just making sure we can match up the right way and compete with these guys.”
The Rams are 17th in passing yards allowed through the first three weeks, a ranking largely affected by a 37-32 win in Week 3. The unit entered the season shorthanded, with cornerback Janoris Jenkins (New York Giants) and safetyRodney McLeod (Philadelphia Eagles) both departing in free agency. And they’ve missed Gaines as the outside corner who would line up oppositeTrumaine Johnson, with Coty Sensabaugh and Troy Hill doing their best to fill in.
The Rams are a yard shy of allowing three 100-yard receivers over the last two weeks, though they’re tied for first with 15 pass breakups.
Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said his safeties “have really come a long way” and noted that his secondary as a whole faces a tall task each week, because the Rams put a lot of pressure on them by defending the run so aggressively. It’s why Winston threw the ball 58 times against them.
“You can get hung up on all the analytics you want, but when you force somebody to throw it 58 times in a game, it’s because they can’t run it,” Williams said. “Those guys [the secondary] have a lot of heat on them at all times, and this league is a throwing league. There are some teams that’ll still try to pound you. One of them is coming up, the Arizona Cardinals. I have so much respect for [Cardinals coach] Bruce Arians. I’ve gone against him for so many different years at so many different spots. We’re going to have to play the run really hard, and they’ve got a quarterback that can take shots on you down the field.”
That would be Carson Palmer, whom Gaines will help try to neutralize.
Gaines started 15 games as the No. 2 corner during his rookie year in 2014, then spent all of 2015 recovering from foot surgery. This summer, he’s dealt with a nagging hamstring injury and then an ailment in his left thigh, which has kept him out of action since the third preseason game. Gaines said he was “pretty close” to playing last Sunday and feels even closer now.
“It was just kind of a game-time decision, whatever [Rams coach Jeff] Fisher wanted,” Gaines said. “It’s the same thing this week, as far as practicing and everything, just kind of what Coach Fisher and the training staff came up with for me. I’m just waiting for my chance.”
znModeratorBut the ‘way’ the few are doing it is interesting. The many have had their minds colonized.
That’s always been true.
Peasants didn’t accept the rule of lords solely through force of arms. They bought into the system.
That’s why we invented the theory of ideology.
Why do any majorities accept the rule of minorities? Which is how most of history works.
Because the thinking of the majority basically accepts the system they’re in. Ie…ideology.
September 30, 2016 at 12:59 pm in reply to: Greg Cosell comments on Carson Wentz, Aaron Rodgers, and Sam Bradford. #54147znModeratorCosell praised “steve spagnuolo and that Giant Defense”.
He also implied that the eagles offensive coaches were better than
the Rams offensive coaches.He also said Bradford had never been in a Norv Turner offense before,
and was playing really well. (But Norv’s offense is pretty similar
to one of the offenses Sam played in for the Rams…yes?)w
vWell Cosell said a lot more than that. His thing about the Rams offensive coaches was that they were not as experienced. Pederson has coached qbs before, and his qb coach Frank Reich has done that for a while. He also stressed that Wentz was doing all the stuff he’s doing now in college.
September 30, 2016 at 3:11 am in reply to: Greg Cosell comments on Carson Wentz, Aaron Rodgers, and Sam Bradford. #54137znModeratorThis one is from Sept. 29th
RTFP #507: Greg Cosell
http://player.fm/series/ross-tucker-football-podcast/rtfp-507-greg-cosell
znModeratorWith pads on, Marqui Christian gets to be himself
ADAM GREEN | August 2, 2016
link: http://arizonasports.com/story/750610/with-pads-on-marqui-christian-gets-to-be-himself/
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Marqui Christian was one of the stars of Arizona’s offseason practices, showing well in rookie camp, OTAs and mini-camp.
In fact, there was considerable buzz surrounding the defensive back, who was chosen in the fifth round of the draft out of Midwestern State, with many talking him up as the next small-school find by Cardinals GM Steve Keim.
While he had shown pretty well in the first couple training camp practices, it has been since the pads went on where Christian has been, well, himself.
“I was excited to put the pads on, I couldn’t wait,” Christian said after practice Monday, the team’s second straight in pads. “Coming out there yesterday with the pads on, it was fun just being able to fly around with the pads on with the guys.
“It’s been fun. I’m just trying to stack brick-by-brick every day, trying to improve day-by-day.”
Christian, who won the Cliff Harris Award as the nation’s top small-college defensive player in 2015, is known for bringing good speed and instincts to the table. As a senior, he tallied 95 tackles, three passes defensed, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two tackles for loss.
He is also known for being a big hitter, and therefore it should be no surprise that he is a different player with pads. After all, while he’s not out on the field trying to light anyone up, the ability to tackle — or at least hit someone — makes all the difference.
“He’s a hitter; that’s what we loved about him coming out,” Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said. “He’s a hitter and you’re not allowed to hit anybody in shorts. He’s one of those guys that looks real nice right now.”
Christian said he’s been learning as much as he can from his teammates, and is pleased to be on what he says is a special team that allows him to compete with so many great players. That has allowed him to pick things up quickly.
“Now we’re in the speed of things, we’re in pads, I feel like I’m playing comfortably, I’m being myself,” he said. “I know what I’ve got to do. I hear the play, I get lined up and I just play fast.”
The biggest challenge, Christian said, has been trying to get the playbook down, which comes with the territory of being a rookie. He understands there is a long way for him to go, noting how he’s only been threw a handful of training camp practices.
All Christian can do right now is put quality performances on film, and he’s confident he’s been doing just that as the feedback from his coaches has been “pretty good.”
He’ll most certainly still have his rookie moments, but as long as the good outweighs the bad, Christian may yet carve out a significant role. For him, though, this moment — his first NFL training camp — has not been too overwhelming.
“It is what I thought it would be,” he said, admitting he figured the speed would be a little faster once the pads came on and noting having a couple of practices before the veterans reported allowed the acclimation process to go smoother. “So ever since we stepped on the turf with everybody it’s just been football, like before.”
znModeratorhttp://www.ocregister.com/articles/rams-730645-defensive-well.html
INJURY REPORT
The Rams did not practice Thursday but, as mandated by the NFL, they released an injury report with the estimated status of dinged-up players.
Defensive tackle Dominique Easley and nickelback Lamarcus Joyner – held out of Wednesday’s practice due to illness and a broken toe, respectively – were upgraded to “limited” participation. Receiver Tavon Austin (shoulder) also fell into the same category.
Cornerback E.J. Gaines (thigh) and rookie receivers Pharoh Cooper (shoulder) and Nelson Spruce (knee), who have missed all three games this season, remained at full participation.
Hayes, who injured his left ankle in Sunday’s win at Tampa Bay, has not practiced this week.
September 29, 2016 at 11:47 pm in reply to: Donald having a better year than his numbers show #54130znModeratorBrockers: Rams’ Aaron Donald ‘pissed’ at lack of sacks
Kevin PatraStats can be misleading in football. They are especially deceptive when it comes to interior defensive linemen.
Disruption is production. A pocket caved in by a defensive tackle can discombobulate even the best quarterback, forcing missed throws and errant decisions. Yet all that disruption doesn’t necessarily lead to sacks. Box score scanners might be hard-pressed to see the difference between three quarterback hits by a defensive tackle manhandling double teams from a “sack” in which a defensive end was the closest player when the quarterback ran out of bounds for a two-yard loss.
Aaron Donald epitomizes the stat problem in 2016. The Los Angeles Rams’ defensive tackle tramples interior blockers, crumpling pockets. Yet he has zero sacks.
“You know how pissed he is right now!?” Rams defensive tackle Michael Brockers said, laughing, via ESPN.com. “I would be livid right now!”
Through three games, Donald has nine tackles, three stuffs and two passes defensed. Even without a single sack, he grades out as the top interior defender by Pro Football Focus. Donald received a 95.8 pass rush grade from the analytics website, Fletcher Cox (named September defensive Player of the Month) was the No. 2 defensive tackle with an 81.4 grade. PFF counted 17 quarterback pressures from Donald.
You could understand why frustration might mount over the lack of sacks, but Donald still has his sense of humor. At a recent meeting with coaches, the DT cracked: “Why won’t these quarterbacks take their sacks like men?”
“He’s getting double-teamed and he’s getting all those scheme things that you get offensively,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “It creates other opportunities for someone else. We have to keep moving him around a little bit and create the one-on-ones. Even though his numbers aren’t reflecting it, he’s very productive.”
Numbers deceive. With or without the sack stats, Donald is one of the most disruptive defensive players on the planet. When it comes to Defensive Player of the Year discussions, anyone leaving out Donald is clearly only checking box scores.
znModeratorRams’ offense takes ‘a step,’ still has work to do
Alden Gonzalez
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The Los Angeles Rams’ offense is in no way great, but it is improving. The unit has gone from 185 yards from scrimmage in Week 1 to 283 yards in Week 2 to 320 yards in Week 3. On Sunday, in a 37-32 win against Tampa Bay that made them 2-1 for the first time in 10 years, the Rams not only became the last team to score a touchdown; they scored four on offense.
“It’s a step,” Rams quarterback Case Keenum said. “I think each week is. We’re trying to get better. I think for us, it’s not something that we dwell on, not scoring touchdowns. Maybe you guys [the media] probably did a little more than we did; just a little bit. That’s something we came here to do, and we’re all used to doing. Everybody in that meeting room, we’re used to scoring touchdowns. It felt normal, felt right, felt good.”
The Rams face a big test at University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday, against an Arizona team that has beaten them four of the past five times and will be eager to avenge a lopsided defeat against hapless Buffalo in Week 3. Even in the midst of a surprising 1-2 start, the Cardinals rank within the top 10 in points per game. And the Rams’ offense will have to be at its best to keep up.
It’ll be up to Keenum, who has played better of late — 32-of-56 for 429 yards, two touchdowns and an interception — but still has the worst Total QBR among the 31 qualified quarterbacks. And it will be up to the offensive line, which must do a better job opening up holes for Todd Gurley, who ranks 39th out of 45 running backs in yards per carry.
Rams coach Jeff Fisher has continually said Gurley is “very close” to breaking off big runs.
“The cliché that it’s a game of inches has been around for a long time for a reason,” Rams offensive coordinator Rob Boras said. “There’s a lot of those where you can see — whether it’s a couple inches or a foot, whatever it is — where it’s potential to being an explosive run. We’re just going to be patient with it, and they’re going to come.”
The Cardinals are the team Gurley broke out against last season. It was Week 4, which marked his first NFL start, when Gurley rushed for 146 yards on 19 carries, on his way to an unprecedented four-game stretch to begin his carreer. But those same Cardinals held Gurley to 41 yards on nine carries when they met again in Week 13. And if you go back to his past 11 games, Gurley has gained triple-digit yardage on the ground only once.
The Rams attained more points and more rushing yards in Week 3 than they did in their first two weeks combined, but they have still managed an NFL-worst three trips to the red zone, after getting into the red zone an NFL-worst 36 times last season.
Boras simply called Sunday’s win “another step” for his offense.
“I think it was a step in the right direction. There’s a lot of positives that we’re going to try to build on. And just like any time you play a game, there’s a lot of things there that were mistakes or things that we left out there that we know we can do better. It was, again, a step — probably a bigger step than it was the week before — and we’re going to continue to get better.”
Some additional notes coming out of Wednesday’s practice …
The Rams acquired defensive back Marqui Christian off waivers from the Cardinals. To make room on the roster, defensive back Isaiah Johnson was waived. Christian is from Midwestern State and was drafted in the fifth round this year.Receiver Tavon Austin was limited in practice with what the team called a shoulder injury. Cornerback E.J. Gaines was a full participant, as were receivers Pharoh Cooper and Nelson Spruce, a strong indication that all three will debut in Week 3. Defensive end Will Hayes (ankle), cornerback Lamarcus Joyner (toe), and defensive tackle Dominique Easley (illness) were held out.
Defensive tackle Aaron Donald on Houston Texans star J.J. Watt, who might not play again this season after re-injuring his back: “It’s tough for him. You never want to hear about a guy being injured, missing a season. Definitely not a guy who plays at such a high level as that guy. … He’s a playmaker. Any time a guy is flying around, making plays like that, he’s going to be a fun player to watch. Definitely somebody you respect and you tune in to watch.”
Cardinals coach Bruce Arians called the Rams’ defensive line “one of the best” and identified Donald and defensive end Robert Quinn as “two complete game-wreckers.” Arians called Alec Ogletree “a perfect “Mike” linebacker for that system, because of his speed. He can hang on the pass, and then still make up for it on the run.”
znModeratorRams QB Case Keenum quiets critics after solid outings in back-to-back victories
RICH HAMMOND
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/keenum-730481-rams-yards.html
THOUSAND OAKS – After his fourth-quarter touchdown throw Sunday, Rams quarterback Case Keenum faced his sideline and did a quick fist-pumping, foot-stomping celebration. It had to feel cathartic.
Keenum had been awful, not only in the opener two weeks earlier but three quarters earlier, when a misread led to a Tampa Bay interception and touchdown. After a couple weeks of criticism, Keenum came through and, at least for one week, quieted the questions about when Jared Goff might take over.
Keenum completed 14 of 26 attempts for 190 yards and two huge plays, on touchdown passes to Brian Quick (44 yards) and Tavon Austin (43), the latter accounting for the Rams’ winning margin over Tampa Bay.
“Any time you score touchdowns, I tend to get pretty juiced up, especially when you throw them,” Keenum said after Wednesday’s practice at Cal Lutheran.
A funny thing happened after Keenum struggled mightily in the Rams’ opener: he improved quite a bit. The bar was low, given that in the opener against San Francisco, Keenum had a 34.2 quarterback rating and averaged 3.7 yards per attempt. That’s about as bad as it gets for a starting quarterback.
In his past two games – victories over Seattle and Tampa Bay – Keenum compiled ratings of 85.3 and 87.0 and has averaged 7.7 yards per attempt, not jaw-dropping but certainly respectable numbers. Keenum also threw the two touchdowns after being blanked in the first two games.
“I think I’m getting better,” Keenum said. “That’s what I’ve got to do, that’s what I concentrate on. Getting out of my own way at times has helped, and just trusting what I’m doing and trusting my guys. I think we’re on a good path right now, and I want to continue that.”
That’s not to say Keenum has been immune to major mistakes. In the first quarter against Tampa Bay, Keenum made a poor read and threw the ball directly to linebacker Kwon Alexander, who returned it 38 yards for a touchdown. Keenum rebounded with the big fourth-quarter touchdown, though.
“He just had to play,” offensive coordinator Rob Boras said. “There was a lot of football left. We all saw what happened. It was obviously a mistake, but there was a lot of football left.”
znModerator
znModeratorThe only real problem is that they get him “cheap” for four years. So take one of those years away–in terms of watching him perform, him getting the on field experience, etc.
Five years. You can exercise an option with first round picks. I think they’re thinking, we want him or we wouldn’t have drafted him…so we will develop him our way. I doubt it enters their minds that in a few years they will have to decide whether they want to keep him.
znModeratorTo me this comes down to whether you think Fisher and his offensive coaches are Idiots,
or not. I mean, Fisher and his coaches see the kid every day, And they see Keenum every day.Its just not an issue to me, yet.
w
vThat’s how I vote.
znModeratorJared Goff’s slow progress with Rams reminds Arizona’s Carson Palmer of his own long wait
JACK WANG
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/palmer-730500-season-goff.html
Thirteen years ago, Carson Palmer sat and waited.
He had been the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 draft, the Heisman winner out of USC, and the best hope for the Cincinnati Bengals to turn themselves around from a run of 11 losing records in 12 seasons.
And still, he sat and waited. Through his entire rookie season, the quarterback never appeared in a game. Instead, the Bengals took a slower route with Palmer’s development, letting Jon Kitna mentor him while the team waddled its way to an 8-8 record.
More than a decade later, the Rams are doing the same with top-drafted quarterback Jared Goff, plopping him on the bench while journeyman Case Keenum tries to turn around what has been one of the league’s most anemic offenses.
This Sunday at University of Phoenix Stadium, when the Cardinals host the Rams, Palmer will stand within sight of Goff – at once a symbol of what could lie ahead, and of a more patient, bygone era.
In the early 2000s, it was not at all out of style to sit rookie quarterbacks. Even on the day of the draft, there was little expectation that Palmer would contribute immediately.
But Goff, who has yet to appear in an NFL regular-season game, is now a glaring exception, becoming the first top-drafted quarterback not to start a season opener since Jamarcus Russell in 2007. Not only that, four other rookies have already been thrown into the fire this season, the best of whom is No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz, who has led the Eagles to a 3-0 start.
This youth movement around the league has not changed Jeff Fisher’s approach with Goff, who struggled in the preseason.
“I’m happy for young quarterbacks when they have success,” the Rams coach said this week, “but we have our own sense of timing here with him.”
Fisher added that the four others have been thrust into action due to injuries, whether on their team or elsewhere. Wentz moved up to first string after Philadelphia traded Sam Bradford to the Vikings, who had lost Teddy Bridgewater to a dislocated knee and torn ACL. Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Jacoby Brissett (Patriots) and Cody Kessler (Browns) – all of whom were either third- or fourth-round picks this spring – have been injury replacements.
Palmer seems inclined to side with Fisher. “You either throw the guy in there or you let him sit back and rest,” he said Wednesday. “Only the coaches know what’s going on within the building, know what’s best for the team.”
That Palmer waited a full year to start certainly did not hurt his career. The Santa Margarita High graduate made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2005 and 2006, and won an AFC North title. A severe knee injury set him back, but after an acrimonious split with the Bengals and an unproductive stint in Oakland, Palmer staged a comeback last season by providing MVP-caliber play for Arizona.
The Cardinals have stumbled out of the gate this season, losing two of their first three games despite being one of the preseason favorites to reach the Super Bowl. But Palmer, whom Arizona’s Bruce Arians described as the most “resilient guy that I’ve ever coached,” has seen it all already.
He was also 24 years old when he made his first NFL start. Goff is still two weeks shy of 22.
Sitting out his first year, Palmer said, gave him a chance to learn the ropes.
“You have a chance to watch how this league is – how you prepare as a starter, how you go about your business as a starter, especially if you’re coming from a very non-pro style offense,” Palmer said. “Seeing how offenses prepare, seeing the different pressures you’re going to see and the different defenses you’re going to see.
“It’s tough if you’re not ready and you get thrown in there. If you struggle, it can linger.”
September 29, 2016 at 1:47 am in reply to: Arians on some Rams defenders (& on other stuff, in the thread) #54083znModeratorCardinals head coach Bruce Arians says one of the problems the team has is the lack of young leaders on the roster, “we have young followers that ain’t following.”
I don’t follow.
Well I saw the vid (don’t know if you did) and I just took him as saying that some of the younger guys aren’t preparing the way they should.
That’s one of the problems I guess of drafting players for a team that’s been winning. Sometimes kids don’t realize how much it takes.
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September 29, 2016 at 1:27 am in reply to: Arians on some Rams defenders (& on other stuff, in the thread) #54080znModeratorCARDINALS’ BRUCE ARIANS: THERE’S NO YOUNG LEADERS, THAT’S THE PROBLEM
Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians says one of the problems the team has is the lack of young leaders on the roster, “we have young followers that ain’t following.”
znModeratorDonald may now be the best defensive player in the NFL.
Reading that makes this Rams fan proud.
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znModeratorhttp://arizonasports.com/story/652985/marqui-christian-aware-of-the-hype-but-focus-is-elsewhere/%5DMaqui Christian preseason article
But while a lot of the conversation about him might seem like hyperbole given that Christian played collegiately at Midwestern State, his 4.46-second 40-yard dash time and other Pro Day numbers did raise some eyebrows in the NFL community prior to the draft, and his production — Christian won the Cliff Harris Award as the nation’s top small-college defensive player in 2015 after recording 95 tackles, three passes densed, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two tackles for loss — are nothing to sneeze at.
znModeratorhttp://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/marqui-christian?id=2556277
SS MARQUI CHRISTIAN
5’10”
196 LBS.OVERVIEW
Christian won the Cliff Harris Award as nation’s top small-college defensive player in 2015.PRO DAY RESULTS
40-yard dash: 4.46 seconds (with the wind)
Vertical: 35 1/2 inches
Broad jump: 10 feet
Short shuttle: 4.27 seconds
3-cone: 6.85 seconds
Bench: 14 reps of 225 poundsANALYSIS
STRENGTHS Ran a faster 40 than scouts expected at his pro day and there is an outside shot that he has another gear to access. Instinctive and a tape eater. Shows feel for the flow of the play. Reads quarterbacks fairly well and recognizes pattern development. Will restrict windows in zone coverage. Tough and has the stomach for box work. Loves to hit. Has ability to physically reroute and bang tight ends off the line of scrimmage. Will come downhill to stick his nose in as a run supporter.
WEAKNESSES Could be limited in his scheme fit. Played some single-high safety in college, but tape shows a lack of range and desired play speed to be trusted as a center fielder on the next level. Average to below average man cover skill. Ball skills are just average. Doesnt have the plus burst or break on the throws to impact enough catches.
BOTTOM LINE While Christian might be somewhat limited to box safety duties, he’s got the toughness and instincts for the position and has the ability to handle box responsibilities on an NFL level. His angular frame looks like it can handle even more muscle and he has the attention of teams who are looking for a player with his skill set. Christian has a good shot of hearing his name called on day three and of making an NFL team as a backup safety with kick coverage ability right out of the gate.
znModeratoralyoshamucci
It was a nail biter that shouldn’t have been, but I’ll take the W. I had to watch it on my phone so I missed a lot of the grit of the line play … so anyone who wants to fill me in on the big uglies, please do.
The Great
1) Quinn Returns … having him threatening with that speed and closing ability means we have two of the most feared linemen on one line.
2) Team held its focus during an hour delay at the end of the game. I thought we’d lose, honestly.
3) Confidence in Gurley inside the 5 … I haven’t been so sure of TDs in a long time.
4) Everything about the Barron pick. The hit the rallying to the ball and the focus.
5) Bennie’s 3rd down and long conversion .. I swear someone has to be keeping track of how many times he’s converted on a throwaway play.
The Good
6) Quick’s double move was a thing of beauty.
7) Troy Hill playing good football … very curious to see how/if Gaines overtakes him.
8) Playcalling was pretty solid.
9) Britt playing really consistently .. our first 1000 yard WR in a decade?
10) Westbrooks best game as a pro? Yes he was Johnny on the spot for the TD, but his whole game seemed at a higher level of intensity.
11) Brockers consistent push.
The Bad
12) Evans can’t go off on us .. I am not blaming TruJo because the coverages looked like they were being switched up often, but man.
13) Joyner, Humphries is your guy, you gotta figure out how to cover kids like that.
14) Have to open bigger holes for Todd. Have to find way of getting him out on routes too.
15) Can we get one game with no drops? Should I offer to throw a party?
16) Higbee the penalty on the goalline, lord. That’s your ONE. And can we get him the ball?
The Ugly
17) Sims, seriously dude. I’d not dress him next game and bring Longacre up to give him the message.
18) Case, the pick 6 … that’s twice this year I couldn’t tell if you were blind or not.
Couple Questions
19) Is the rubbery nature of the interior O line due to Barnes lack of pop and power? Can he not get to where he needs to go before he’s thrown off?
20) Has anyone seen our FSs?
21) Is Cam Thomas doing as good a job as it looks like?
I expect to see Spruce this week. Or Cooper. We need something that hasn’t been on film yet walking into a recently embarrassed Cardinal team. If we don’t bring our A game, they are going to eat us alive.
znModeratorCarson Palmer, Cardinals seek bounce-back performance vs. Rams
By Alden GonzalezLOS ANGELES — Perhaps you don’t quite recognize this year’s version of the Arizona Cardinals, a team widely expected to contend for an NFC Championship. They were just dismantled by a bad Buffalo Bills team on Sunday, their defense allowing 208 rushing yards and their quarterback throwing four fourth-quarter interceptions. The Cardinals have now lost four of their last six games dating back to 2015, three of them by 15-plus points.
The Los Angeles Rams hope they don’t suddenly come to life this Sunday, in a Week 4 matchup from University of Phoenix Stadium that kicks off at 1:25 p.m. PT. The Rams are coming off a thrilling 37-32 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, moving to 2-1 — good enough for first place in the NFC West — for the first time in 10 years. Now they’ll face a tough road test against a divisional opponent that has beaten them four out of the last five times.
Below are six opposing players to watch, courtesy of ESPN Cardinals reporter Josh Weinfuss.
Bruce Arians and Carson Palmer are searching for answers after a disappointing 1-2 start.
OFFENSEWR Larry Fitzgerald: He’s off to a blazing start with 20 catches for 218 yards and three touchdowns, showing there’s still plenty of life left in his 33-year-old legs. He’s coming off a 60-yard outing against the Bills, but Fitzgerald has shown he’s still capable of exploding for a big game. He hasn’t eclipsed 100 yards receiving just yet, but it’s coming.
QB Carson Palmer: When Palmer can find a rhythm, he’s one of the toughest quarterbacks in the NFL to defend — but he didn’t find one often on Sunday. He bounced early passes into the hands of John Brown and he threw four fourth-quarter interceptions as he tried to force the Cardinals back into the game. But in between, Palmer looked calm — as he always does when Arizona is losing — and was able to orchestrate a couple of long drives that resulted in points. But even at 36, Palmer still needs to figure out ways to eliminate bounce passes.
RB David Johnson: If somebody in the stands has paid to watch Johnson, they’ll be getting their money worth. He played 79 of 82 snaps against the Bills and has become a staple of the Cardinals offense through three games. Despite Arizona’s offensive line struggling to block the Bills’ front seven, Johnson still ran for 83 yards and two touchdowns, and caught another three passes for 28 yards, making Sunday the third straight week Johnson went over 100 all-purpose yards.
DEFENSE
OLB Chandler Jones: He’s on pace to have the best season of his career — and no, it’s not too early to say that. Jones is tied with Markus Golden, his fellow outside linebacker, with a team-high three sacks. While he hasn’t been flashy early, he’s been consistent, and Jones causes headaches for offenses who have to game plan around one of the league’s top young pass rushers.
S Tony Jefferson: The undrafted veteran safety has emerged as the Cards’ top defender through the first three games with a team-high 30 tackles as he plays closer to the box, filling Tyrann Mathieu’s role as the Honey Badger continues to strengthen his right knee, which he injured late last season. Jefferson is one of four Cardinals with a sack and he had a forced fumble last week against Buffalo. Where Jefferson causes problems for offenses is his versatility. He can blitz, play nickel corner or retreat to deep safety and patrol the secondary.
OLB Markus Golden: The biggest beneficiary of Arizona trading for Jones may be Golden, who is tied for the team high in sacks with Jones with three. His pressure gives Arizona a bookend of talented young pass rushers. He’s quick and strong, despite being 6-foot-2, and his ability to get to the quarterback has been on display.
znModeratorI will buy the theory that they are not using Tavon as a decoy so much. But, mostly I think it is the Offensive Line. Not that they aren’t good enough, but that they haven’t really settled in on the starting 5. They just didn’t get time together as a set unit.
I would put it this way…if it’s the line, it’s because they;re out of sync. It’s still young (2 2nd year players, that is if you count Brown/Wichmann as one guy, and a 3rd year LOT combined with a center who has actually only played 1 whole season plus 4 games before that). They didn’t get Hav back till near the end and that moved Saffold to guard just before the season.
So yeah it could be the OL is out of sync.
znModeratorI would have to watch the entire game again. My impression is that the SF defense is far better than people wanted to believe.
And it is possible that the 9ers defense is just much better than many assumed.
So much for that theory.
Right now (ie. a couple of days after the Tampa game), this looks like it was just a bad game. For reasons I don’t think anyone has quite got a handle on yet.
I have some theories and speculations. But they’re just that, theories.
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