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znModeratorThey cut the trees into segments that I just need to split for firewood. The guy we hired suggested waiting a year to split them so that the wood is dry.
If you do it by hand get a maul.
When I was 11 my chore was splitting wood. I used an ax. But I like mauls, they make it much easier.
A maul is essentially a sledgehammer with a narrow sharpened end. Swing it right and it will split almost anything. I even split pieces with knots.
znModeratorWell, i hadn’t seen that survey (and of course Trumpists will deny its validity), but it doesn’t surprise me.
Having said that, I bet you could find 20 percent of Clinton voters believe in some pretty batshit-crazy stuff. Religion, etc.
But the pertinent question would be, would 20% of those voters be open racists.
It matters. It’s one of the big things. It can’t be made secondary or unimportant.
znModeratorIf Rams offense is off, is it time for Jared Goff?
Rich Hammond
http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20160917/if-rams-offense-is-off-is-it-time-for-jared-goff
LOS ANGELES >> In terms of the Rams’ offense, it’s too early to worry, but not to wonder.
The NFL’s highest-paid offensive coordinator got fired this week, two games into the season and one day after his team (Buffalo) scored 31 points. The Rams, in last week’s season-opening loss at San Francisco, were shut out, had 10 punts and 10 first downs and never crossed the 49ers’ 20-yard line.
That’s not to say Rams offensive coordinator Rob Boras is on the hot seat going into Sunday’s home opener against Seattle at the Coliseum, but so far, the Rams’ offense hasn’t met even mild expectations.
“For everybody across the board – playing and coaching – it just wasn’t good enough, it wasn’t up to our standards,” Boras said of last week’s loss. “We all need to do better, starting, obviously with me at the coordinator position. But I think, to a man, everybody recognizes that we have a lot more in us.”
Will it come out this week? The Rams face a Seahawks defense that allowed only 214 yards and 11 first downs in a 12-10 victory over Miami last week, and traditionally is tough against the run and the pass.
The Rams, meanwhile, will send out quarterback Case Keenum, who admitted that he was so rattled last week against a mediocre San Francisco defense that he was “seeing ghosts” when he looked at coverage. It’s a near-certainty that the Seahawks will force Keenum to prove he can play better.
It worked for the 49ers, who loaded up at the line of scrimmage and held star running back Todd Gurley to 47 yards on 17 carries. Keenum, with some often bland playcalling, completed 17 of 35 attempts.
“Offensively, we couldn’t make plays,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “It’s a combination of bad decisions at the quarterback position, and drops at the receiver position.”
More disturbingly, an anonymous 49ers player told NFL Network that, based on the way the Rams lined up and went in motion, the 49ers could determine which routes their receivers would run.
That sounds a bit far-fetched, and perhaps is a mental ploy, with the 49ers knowing that the teams meet again in December, but given how ineffective the Rams looked, it doesn’t seem impossible. Boras said he “did not have the perception” that the 49ers were jumping his play calls.
“Didn’t play up to our standard, didn’t coach to our standard, didn’t see it coming,” Boras said. “I think, across the board, coaches (and) players would say that we thought we had a great week of preparation and then obviously just didn’t live up to our standard, playing-wise (and) coaching.”
Boras might take some heat, but it’s not entirely deserved.
Formerly the Rams’ tight ends coach, Boras took over as coordinator last December after the firing of Frank Cignetti. Boras had never been an NFL coordinator, but in his four games last season, the Rams averaged 22.8 points and went 3-1. They had averaged nine points in Cignetti’s final four games.
Boras actually had the right idea last week. Knowing the 49ers likely would load up to stop Gurley, the Rams passed the ball on six of their initial eight plays. They actually moved the ball into 49ers territory, but then Keenum threw three consecutive incomplete passes.
The Rams never got going from there. They went a dreadful 3 for 15 on third down and Keenum was never enough of a threat to make the 49ers veer from their stop-the-run strategy.
So, Seattle could follow it. The Seahawks feature game-altering safety Kam Chancellor, who excels at creeping down toward the line of scrimmage and making plays. If the Rams can’t throw the ball against a talented Seattle secondary, Gurley once again might not find much running room.
“We’re going to have to take our shots,” Fisher said. “You make a couple of plays down the field, it changes things. But, we always subscribe to the philosophy that even if it’s loaded, we still have to find a way to (run the ball), especially at the end of the game.”
So, good luck, Case Keenum. The Rams already have elevated rookie quarterback Jared Goff to be Keenum’s backup this week. If Keenum, a former undrafted free agent and a practice-squad veteran, has another poor game, it’s reasonable to think the Rams might consider handing things over to Goff.
For Keenum and the Rams’ offense, it needs to be bounce-back time.
“I’ve got a chip on my shoulder,” Keenum said. “I’ve had it for a while. So, it’ll still be there, the same one.”
September 17, 2016 at 10:10 pm in reply to: reporters preview SEATTLE game (w/ Seattle views, which you should read) #53205znModeratorRussell Wilson completes full practice week, will play at LA; RG J’Marcus Webb questionable
GREGG BELL
RENTON Russell Wilson was full go all week on his rapidly healing sprained ankle and will play Sunday at Los Angeles.
Fill-in right guard J’Marcus Webb has a new ankle injury that kept him out of Friday’s practice, but the team is counting on his playing against the Rams, too. If he can’t, the Seahawks will have yet another new offensive line for a game in which they need a strong one.
That’s the news from coach Pete Carroll following Friday’s practice the day before the team flies to Southern California.
“He made it through everything we asked him to do. He did fine. He’s going to play,” Carroll said of Wilson, who will start for the 76th consecutive time in the regular season and playoffs for Seattle to begin his NFL career. “We expect him to play well.
“He did basically his normal workout,” Carroll said, adding there will be no limitations on his usually elusive, improvisational QB.
I asked Carroll if it is a surprise Wilson completed a full practice week on what apparently is a high-ankle sprain; Carroll told Seattle’s 710-AM radio on Monday when asked if Wilson had the more complicated high-ankle sprain that the injury was “a little bit of everything.”
“Yeah, I think it was a surprise that he was able to practice on Wednesday and all that,” Carroll said. “It showed the severity of it was that he could manage it and manage it well. So that was very fortunate.”
Some of that managing has included Wilson flying up one of his physical trainers from Los Angeles, Drew Morcos, to treat the ankle in the evenings after team trainers did it during the days.
“Ready to roll,” Wilson said on Thursday.
The team listed Webb as questionable to play Sunday. A backup right tackle coming out of the preseason, Webb started last week’s season-opening win over Miami for rookie right guard Germain Ifedi. Carroll confirmed Friday Ifedi has a high-ankle sprain, which usually take longer to heal — and that the rookie first-round draft pick has had the injury before and is “making good progress” in hopes of being able “to show something next week” before the Seahawks host San Francisco.
“We rested (Webb Friday). His ankle was a little bit sore,” Carroll said. “But he looks like he’s already started to come around a little bit and he looked much more comfortable. So hopefully he will make some progress there.”
Asked if Webb will play Sunday, the coach said: “I believe so. Counting on it.”
Indeed.
Webb’s primary assignment Sunday is the Rams’ best defensive player, tackle Aaron Donald. Webb’s new injury raises the possibility the Seahawks will sign Will Pericak from their practice squad to the active roster before the Saturday 1 p.m. deadline to do so, in time for him to be possibly active as insurance for Sunday’s game should Webb not be able to start. Rookie third-round pick Rees Odhiambo is another option as a backup guard, but he’s been practicing as a backup tackle for much of the last month.
But this is the wrong Sunday to be contemplating a Plan C on an offensive line that already has new starters in four of the five positions. The Rams’ defensive front, which has sacked Wilson 35 times in eight career games. That’s more than any other Wilson foe.
Running back C.J. Prosise is also questionable with the cracked bone in his hand. Carroll said the rookie third-round pick who made his debut as the third-down back last week will try out a protective device before Sunday’s game to see if he can catch the ball with it.
znModeratorAs if anybody pays any attention to guarantees anymore. Overuse has rendered it obsolete.
September 17, 2016 at 8:51 pm in reply to: Informal poll… will the Rams rebound against Seattle? #53200znModeratorMy heart (and history) sez, they bounce back,
but my head sez they got real problemsLet me ask you a personal question.
Are all Seattle fans as vacillating as you?
Just curious. No insult intended.
znModeratorWell I’ll tell ya, this trait you are talking about — ie, “ability to be effective behind a bad OLine” — that is a damn important and rare trait.
I’d say any QB that can do THAT is at least ‘near-elite’. Ya know.
I mean that is a helluva trait.Other than the ability to play well in the clutch or in the redzone,
I cant think of a more important trait.w
vWell except, again, there are qbs who ARE elite who don’t perform well behind badly beat up OLs.
The more important trait, IMO, is the ability to see the field an get off an accurate throw to the right spot, regardless what the defense is doing.
Actually in last year’s playoffs the Patz went up against Denver as you remember, and the Patz could not pull off going against a top defense with that OL. Brady reportedly got hit more times in that game than qb in any other game the entire season. He wasn’t as good that day.
.
September 17, 2016 at 7:24 pm in reply to: reporters preview SEATTLE game (w/ Seattle views, which you should read) #53192znModeratorKeys to Victory: Week 2 vs. Seahawks
Myles Simmons
The Rams will kick off professional football in Los Angeles for the first time in over two decades on Sunday against the Seahawks. Here are three keys for a Rams victory to even their record at 1-1.
1) More offensive production
‘The numbers from the Week 1 loss speak volumes: 185 total yards, 10 first downs, 3-of-15 on third down, and zero points. Clearly, the Rams need to increase their offensive production against the Seahawks in order to have a successful outing on Sunday.
While that certainly involves getting running back Todd Gurley going, Los Angeles must do a better job of making plays in the passing game in order to keep the Seahawks’ defense honest. Many times, the unit will plug in safety Kam Chancellor in the box to start out with eight players there. It’s one reason why Seattle led the league in rush defense last year, allowing just over 81 yards per game.
When the Rams beat the Seahawks in Seattle last December, a key play was wide receiver Kenny Britt’s 28-yard touchdown. L.A. could use a few of those explosive plays in order to open up some running lanes for Gurley.
2) Collapse the pocket, get after Wilson
One of the factors that makes quarterback Russell Wilson so effective is his ability to make something happen with his feet when a defender breaks into the pocket. He’ll run around, make a few men miss, and then fire a ball down the field to a receiver who has — somehow — gotten open.
Even with an ankle injury, Wilson remains a threat. The best way to combat that is to plug all open running lanes. Last week, quarterback Blaine Gabbert burned the Rams by scrambling up the middle, earning a few first downs that way. This week, Los Angeles has to ensure not only the middle is closed, but also the outside. And once that happens, if the Rams’ defense can surround him, they’ll be able to bring him down.
The Rams have had success with this in the past, as they sacked him a total of 10 times across two games last year.
3) Get turnovers, capitalize on them
The Rams are at their best when they get takeaways and then turn them into points. In last year’s home opener against Seattle, the Rams scored got a field goal off of cornerback Trumaine Johnson’s interception. Then in Week 16, the defense returned a fumble for a touchdown at CenturyLink Field.
Generally in 2015, the Rams had plenty of success scoring off of turnovers 15 times. If Los Angeles can replicate that — particularly if the home team can score on defense on Sunday — that should certainly help the club’s chances to win.
znModeratorSo are you on the Wilson bandwagon now? There was a time you did not think he was ‘elite’ — but if you are putting him in the same category as Brady, does that mean you have elevated him?
w
vWell I have double answer to that.
He always had the unique ability to get away with playing behind a less that spectacular OL. He used his legs, was elusive, and so on. It’s not just that he could run, he was elusive. He knew where to run.
So both he and Brady, in completely different ways, could still play behind bad lines. Brady actually usually has a good line but last year it was a mess. They could still play because he could run a very smart, very tight quick passing game.
Though they both shared that ability, for different reasons, Brady was still elite and he wasn’t.
But starting last year Wilson picked up his passing game. I would put him up there in a long list of good to very good qbs in the NFL right now. He has grown into being a very proficient passer.
It’s no longer the case where he is on a team where the defense and Lynch do most of the difference making. He is much more of what they do now.
But I am very withholding when it comes to tossing the word elite around.
That means that putting Brady and Wilson in the same category as qbs who can actually play with damaged or subpar lines (or damaged subpar lines) doesn’t mean I had them at the same level overall as qbs. I was just referring to that one thing.
There are actually very good qbs and in fact elite qbs who CAN’T play well under those conditions (bad OL). Manning couldn;t, Luck couldn’t.
In fact here’s a companion piece on Luck and his improved OL:
—–
from PFF: COLTS’ O-LINE IMPROVEMENT MAJOR FACTOR IN ANDREW LUCK’S HOT START
Andrew Luck recorded the league’s top QB grade in Week 1; Sam Monson breaks down the performance.Against Detroit, though, the gameplan hadn’t changed. Luck’s average depth of target against the Lions was 11.3 yards, and his average time per pass attempt was 2.66, identical to a year ago. The only changes were that Luck was once again back to his best, and that the offensive line was significantly better at protecting him.
The Colts have made investments in that line, with first-round rookie center Ryan Kelly the most notable, and it resulted in Luck being pressured on just 29.4 percent of his dropbacks against the Lions. If that rate holds up over the season, it would mark the first time in his career that the number has been less than 30 percent of his dropbacks. In fact, it would be the best figure by a clear six percent, as every other year of his career has been somewhere between 36.2 and 40 percent. The line still isn’t exactly good, but it’s at least taken a major step forward from bad.
While Luck may never have quite lived up to his potential in the past—and there has always been a greater volume of “bad Luck” in his play than people like to recognize—it’s impossible to accurately describe how much of that is influenced by poor protection on his offensive line. Not necessarily on any single play, but what effect the overall feeling of insecurity in the pocket has on him. Even if Luck doesn’t improve from the level we have seen in the past on a tangible, individual level, we may well see a significant improvement in his play if the O-line protecting him can sustain the development they showed in the first game of 2016.
September 17, 2016 at 2:36 pm in reply to: "if Fisher had his way Goff wouldn't play in 2016"… & other Fisher/Goff rumors #53161znModeratorAgreed. It’s these silly blogger kids.
Hey. I write for TST on occasion.
You watch yourself, mister.Well you’re not silly and you’re not a kid.
But you read this stuff around on the net. How much of it measures up?
And I would say certainly some does, but then, you have to be selective.
znModeratorBritt is a below average WR. Always has been. Unfortunately, he’s the best we’ve got.
Well the way I see Britt is, he’s just not a #1 WR or a complete receiver. He’s basically a keeper version of Givens. Home run threat who can run a few other routes. But he’s actually good at that role. He had the 2nd highest YPR in the league last year.
But, again, he’s a role player. Judging him against a more complete receiver, he’s lacking. Judging him as a deep threat who can do some other things too and he’s just fine.
….
September 17, 2016 at 10:18 am in reply to: "if Fisher had his way Goff wouldn't play in 2016"… & other Fisher/Goff rumors #53135znModeratorAgreed. It’s these silly blogger kids.
I like TurfshowTimes but I don’t post everything they write. I try to find the more newsy articles – those in which players, coaches and reporters are quoted instead of the emotional rants.
Here’s the actual discussion and you’re right the title of the article misrepresents what Silver says.
As I explained to zooey above, I inadvertently misquoted the headline.
Well I was too lazy to look at the title of the original and just assumed. So I perpetuated this sordid little misunderstanding. I too am responsible for any collateral damage and/or body count that results.
Thanks for posting stuff NR, it’s always appreciated.
znModeratoroff the net from jrry32
Goff and Wentz both had things going for them that arguably made them more “pro ready.” Wentz had his offensive scheme. Goff had his polished mechanics and mental acuity. From there, it all comes down to which one you think will be a tougher fix. Will it be tougher to get Goff up to speed on a NFL scheme or will it be tougher to fix Wentz’s lower body mechanics and inconsistencies with mental processing speed?
For me, I chose the former as the easier fix. Frankly, I still don’t believe it was the wrong decision. QBs like Goff typically take a little longer to get up to speed in the pros. It just means there is a bigger learning curve. When you look at some of the best rookie seasons, you’ll notice a common theme (outside of Dan Marino). The QBs are all supremely physically talented (RGIII, Russell Wilson, Marcus Mariota, Ben Roethlisberger, etc.). The thing about guys like that is they can come in and do damage quickly because NFL teams don’t have film on them. NFL teams have to adapt to their style of play. Goff is a traditional pocket passer. NFL teams have seen that before. Goff is the one who has to adapt to NFL defenses. It’s why guys like Jameis Winston, Peyton Manning, Derek Carr, Eli Manning, Joe Flacco, etc. weren’t as great as rookies. When you win with your mind, skills, and mental acuity, the NFL is a big transition.
However, what you find is that the longer careers go, the more you separate the wheat from the chaff. The guys who made an impact early due to their physical talent either learn to win with their arms and minds or they never become effective starting QBs for the long haul. On the other hand, the guys who win their minds and their arms just continue to get better the more experience they have.
Look at where Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston were last year, now watch their respective Week 1 games from this year. I’m not saying that Mariota is a bad player. I am saying that Winston started out well behind him and has now passed him because he overcame the mental learning curve.
In that vein, it is no surprise to me that Wentz is more capable of producing better numbers early on. He’s an athletic QB with a rocket for an arm. The true test for how good each will be will come down the road when both guys have an opportunity to overcome the mental learning curve and defenses have film on both.
I don’t think anyone would argue with the assertion that Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck are perhaps the two most pro ready passers of the past 20 years. Yet, Marcus Mariota and RGIII were both far more effective rookies. However, Manning and Luck improved significantly once they overcame the NFL mental learning curve.
The gist of this is that I expect Goff to be an upgrade on Keenum when he plays. However, he might not perform better than Carson Wentz as a rookie. That all said, I would be hesitant to take that as an indictment of Goff because that sort of thing will be more ascertainable in Year 2.
Case Keenum was already three quarters of the way to the finish when Goff started the race. A lot of backup caliber QBs “beat out” top picks, but their team opted not to start them because they recognized that it wouldn’t take much game action for the rookie to pass them. Same is true here imo.
znModeratorGoff is Rams’ backup QB for now, but his former coaches believe he’ll work out long term
By JACK WANG / STAFF WRITER
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/goff-729272-tried-quarterback.html
THOUSAND OAKS – Less than five months ago, Sonny Dykes was the picture of optimism. Jared Goff, the only quarterback he’d started in three years at Cal, was not only entering the NFL, but doing so as the No. 1 overall pick.
“He’s ready,” the coach told Bay Area television station KTVU in April, shortly before the draft. “He’s one of those kids – you don’t ever know how somebody’s going to transition from college football to the NFL – but I can’t imagine anybody’s going to be as ready as he is.”
But earlier this week, in a stadium roughly 70 miles south of his high school, the Rams’ prized rookie was stuck on the sideline, a first for a top-drafted quarterback since 2007. He didn’t even dress in what turned out to be an embarrassing 28-0 loss to the 49ers, relegated to street clothes as the team’s third-string signal-caller.
Goff could still turn into a franchise player. But if it happens, the journey will likely consist of small steps rather than giant leaps. On Friday, Rams coach Jeff Fisher announced that Goff will back up veteran Case Keenum on Sunday against the Seahawks, jumping Sean Mannion on the quarterback depth chart. That this represents a promotion has forced those who once coached Goff to reconsider his developmental timeline – though it has not shaken their faith in their former pupil.
“He’s right where I thought he’d be,” Dykes said this month, in an act of revisionist history. “He’s 21 years old. I knew there’d be a period of adjustment.”
Mazi Moayed, Goff’s coach at Marin Catholic High School, was more forthright.
“It was surprising at first,” he said, “but it makes sense that he’s not (the starter) right now. I think in the long run, it’s going to help him.”
Goff himself has echoed those sentiments. On Friday, he insisted that he has prepared exactly the same way for the past several weeks. Monday’s game, which he watched in a white hoodie, simply meant a chance for him to absorb the game from a different angle.
“I tried to just take it into perspective,” he said. “Just tried to learn, tried to see everything from the sideline, tried to understand things.”
Offensive coordinator Rob Boras praised Goff’s study habits, saying that the quarterback hasn’t relaxed his study habits at all. A good sign, now that there’s a chance Goff could actually enter the game.
“They’re always one snap away,” Boras said. “It’s hard when you’re 21 years old to recognize that.”
The stakes are higher now. Fisher has long insisted that he will not rush Goff’s development, but there is pressure that comes with the Los Angeles spotlight. Against the 49ers, Keenum went 17 of 35 for 130 yards, throwing two interceptions along the way. If he puts up similar numbers Sunday against a more formidable Seattle defense, it may be difficult to justify leaving Goff on the bench.
Would the rookie, who had plenty of preseason struggles, be ready?
“I just remember a calm, skinny kid,” Moayed said, recalling the first time he met Goff. “I was like, ‘That guy can just play catch.’ He’s out there, he’s just calm, cool, he’s in control. Just playing catch with the guys, making it look easy.
“God willing, he’ll be doing that before long at the stage he’s at. I don’t see it being any different at that level. It’s just a matter of time.”
September 17, 2016 at 12:46 am in reply to: "if Fisher had his way Goff wouldn't play in 2016"… & other Fisher/Goff rumors #53127znModeratorFisher already feeling the heat in LA
Jim Thomas
Jeff Fisher’s performance in St. Louis was a mere sidebar over much of the Rams’ last two seasons in the Midwest. The overwhelming storyline here was whether the team would move to Los Angeles or not.
We all know how that one turned out.
Fisher and the Rams left the humidity of St. Louis summers for the balmy breezes of the Pacific Ocean. But after a colossal dud of a season opener against San Francisco, Fisher is feeling the heat.
You can bet on anything these days, and the oddsmakers at BookMaker Sportsbook and 5Dimes Sportsbook — to name a couple — now say Fisher is the “favorite” to be the first NFL coach fired in 2016.
Which makes sense. Most NFL coaches don’t survive three consecutive losing seasons. Fisher has survived four. And season No. 5 with the Rams didn’t get off to a roaring start. The 28-0 loss to the 49ers sparked widespread speculation about Fisher’s job security.
But this is the Rams we’re talking about, an alternate universe in terms of logic. According to multiple reports, the Rams are close to a contract extension for Fisher, who has a 27-37-1 record with the team. The extension reports have been around for a while — dating all the way back to the 2015 season in St. Louis.
But there has been no official announcement by the team. And to do so after a 28-0 loss — well, as the saying goes, that wouldn’t be a good look.
“I never talk about my personal stuff or my extensions, or non-extensions or anything,” Fisher told Los Angeles media Thursday. “That’s between me and the organization.”
The team’s performance, on the other hand, is out there for everyone to see. On the HBO “Hard Knocks” series chronicling Rams training camp, Fisher chastised his team on one episode, saying he was tired of “7-9 bull-(bleep).”
Alas, the Rams’ play against a less-than-stellar 49ers team was so bad it looked more like 3-13 or 4-12 “bull-(bleep)” than the 7-9 variety.
For the most part, the Rams were off the radar during their final few seasons in St. Louis. On a national scale, nobody really noticed the team. Nobody really cared. But now the team is in Los Angeles, and this was Monday Night Football on opening weekend. A big stage.
After the game, Fisher told reporters the team wouldn’t use the relocation as an excuse, a note he has struck repeatedly during the offseason and preseason. But then in the same breath, he did just that.
“We’ve moved four times in the last seven months, OK?” Fisher said.
Again, not a good look. Despite his laid-back demeanor, it makes you wonder if Fisher is feeling the heat.
And as the Los Angeles Daily News pointed out, it’s actually only three moves: St. Louis to Oxnard (for OTAs), to Irvine (training camp), to Thousand Oaks (regular-season facility).
Adding to the craziness, former NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson said on “The Stephen A. Smith Show” this week that Fisher was forced to take quarterback Jared Goff in the draft. He cited as sources “outside people and the inside people I know with the Rams.”
The NFL Network’s Mike Silver, a long-time Fisher supporter, countered by pointing out that Fisher told him long before the draft that he wanted Goff.
Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft last spring, was the Rams’ No. 3 quarterback against San Francisco, and as such was on their pregame inactive list. As of Thursday, Fisher was noncommittal on whether Goff would be inactive in the Rams’ home opener against Seattle.
znModeratorYeah, just because zn doesn’t believe in ghosts, doesn’t mean
Keenum didn’t see one, floating around in the intermediate zones.
Frankly, if you look closely at the highlight vid — the one where Keenum is getting buried by pass rushers — way off to the side, almost out of the screen…if you look close…you can see a green monkey. Glaring. And laughing.Well it’s true that all opinions can be brought into question by careful film study.
But you overestimate the power of green monkey ghosts. Rules changes have made them more or less obsolete.
…
September 16, 2016 at 11:41 pm in reply to: "if Fisher had his way Goff wouldn't play in 2016"… & other Fisher/Goff rumors #53125znModeratorhttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2016/09/latest-on-potential-jeff-fisher-extension
Thanks to the Rams’ season-opening debacle on Monday, head coach Jeff Fisher‘s future with the team looks less certain. Fisher and owner Stan Kroenke met after the Rams’ 28-0 loss to the 49ers, according to Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole, who adds that the contract extension Fisher was supposed to receive isn’t in play at the moment. video link: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2663705-insider-buzz-talk-of-jeff-fisher-extension-quiet-after-mnf-meltdown
One major problem for the Rams in Week 1 was the performance of quarterback Case Keenum, who completed 17 of 35 passes for 130 yards and two interceptions against a San Francisco club that went 5-11 a year ago. Fisher will go forth with Keenum for the time being, but other coaches on the Rams’ staff feel first overall pick Jared Goff gives them a better chance to win, per Cole. video link: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2663411-insider-buzz-rams-staff-feels-offense-would-be-better-with-jared-goff?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=web-des-art-top-16
znModerator
The Sporting News’ Alex Marvez reports the Bills’ front office forced coach Rex Ryan to fire OC Greg Roman as a “sacrificial lamb” following Thursday night’s embarrassing home loss to the Jets.
Per Marvez, the front office “leaned on” Rex to make a “significant change” in hopes of “appeasing a disgruntled fan base.” Ryan couldn’t fire himself — and certainly wouldn’t fire his brother Rob — so he fired Roman, who took the Bills’ offense from No. 26 in offensive DVOA in 2014 to No. 9 in 2015, and scored 24 points Thursday night against a tough Jets defense. Meanwhile, Rex’s defense finished No. 24 in DVOA in 2015 after ranking No. 2 under Jim Schwartz in 2014, and coughed up 37 points at home to the Jets. Marvez also confirms Rex himself “is feeling the heat” following an 0-2 start. The Bills are set up to start 0-4 with the Cardinals and Patriots next on the schedule.
Source: Sporting News Sep 16 – 3:58 PMSeptember 16, 2016 at 10:21 pm in reply to: "if Fisher had his way Goff wouldn't play in 2016"… & other Fisher/Goff rumors #53120znModeratorJeff Fisher DOES have his way. So whether Goff plays or not is 100% up to him, as far as we know.
What Silver actually said – since you have misquoted him in order to get hits and increase your revenue – is this:
“Well, I think ideally he might not play all year, if Jeff Fisher were doing what he philosophically believes is best.”
Which means that “ideally” he would have a red shirt year. But there are factors at play such as the play of Keenum, and the Rams’ record, and whatever. So he may reach the decision that he has to throw Goff in before he would like to “ideally.”
Agreed. It’s these silly blogger kids.
Here’s the actual discussion and you’re right the title of the article misrepresents what Silver says.
Silver: My source – in February, in March, in April, now – is the same source on this. The source is Jeff Fisher. Jeff Fisher really, really, really wanted to draft Jared Goff. That was his guy. So let’s put that one to rest first of all.
Secondly, I think the larger point is that there’s this hysteria going on because Jared Goff is not in uniform and did not play in the first game. I take issue with that whole premise as well.
We’re living in a time – beginning with ’08 and Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco – where things have changed dramatically from prior NFL history and now you are seeing a lot of top quarterback picks playing right away. Some, including the two I mentioned, have had surprising success, and others have not. And yet, we certainly have guys in the league – Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers, Carson Palmer – who sat and watched as top picks and it turned out to be a great pick for them.
So I reject the premise that if you draft a guy high, it’s the best thing long-term for that quarterback and for your franchise to play them right away.
I know Jeff Fisher and have known him for more than a quarter century, and I know what his philosophy is. He believes – and this is the philosophy founded on the experience with Steve McNair, who was brought along slowly and had an awesome career, and others – he believes it’s better to have these guys absorb it, take a look, get thrown in in practice a little bit and then eventually be worked into the lineup. He’s doing what he believes is best for Jared Goff and for the long-term interest of the franchise, even as it possibly quarrels with what would be best for Jeff Fisher right now – because he certainly is under pressure to produce in his first year in L.A.
…
Gottlieb: Alright, So when is Goff gonna play? Best guess.
Silver: Well, I think ideally he might not play all year, if Jeff Fisher were doing what he philosophically believes is best. Now we all saw that atrocity on Monday night. If it keeps looking like that for much longer, I don’t know that they’re going to have a choice.
znModerator38 million people in California. I don’t think it’s a stretch to think 3% of them are Ram fans.
I do.
“Fans” means devoted enough to pay particular attention and to regularly act on that devotion. Most people are just “hey they won, yay, pass the salt.”
3% would be a million.
Do you really think there’s a million californians willing to go online to vote on facebook about the Rams?
I doubt even the Dodgers or 9ers would get interest like that.
znModeratorRight. That’s where I am on that. Maybe the 9ers ARE better than people expected, and maybe they DID have the element of surprise because it was a new coaching staff all the way around, but a good team doesn’t lose that way, even to another good team.
Sure they do. In fact there are several Rams victories over the last few years where the Rams were the ones who looked good in a game like that…against good teams. Heck on the other side of the coin, even the 70s Rams suffered some inexplicable blowout losses like that.
What good teams DON’T do is do is lose like that constantly during a season.
znModeratorThat would be cause for concern if they had lost to the best team in the league, and they lost to one of the worst.
This is the assumption I question.
The media said they were one of the worst but they had no good reason for it.
Kelly has gotten things out of qbs before people were dismissing. (Eg. Sanchez’s best games were all with Kelly).
And that defense was far better than its record under Tomsula/Mangini
That defense did not play like one of the worst ones in the league.
I often see this, where people are dismayed the Rams lost to a team so bad, and then turns out they were just wrong about that team being that bad.
Now that’s not to say the Rams should have lost and should have looked that bad doing it, but in this case, like many cases in previous year, I question the extra added lamenting that comes from assuming a team was “one of the worst” when in fact there’s good reason to doubt that it was.
..
September 16, 2016 at 1:17 pm in reply to: Trees are intelligent, have emotions and tree friends #53087znModeratorMillions of Rams fans.
Millions of fans on Facebook, if they exist (they don’t for any other team) have not voiced the view that Fisher should be fired.
And as I said no team has MILLIONS of fans in the first place.
.
Cowboys have millions of fans. St. Louis Cardinals have millions of fans. So do the Yankees.
Maybe but I doubt it.
Even if they did…the Rams don;t. The Rams don’t have millions of fans any more than the Falcons do (to pick a random example).
September 16, 2016 at 9:33 am in reply to: reporters preview SEATTLE game (w/ Seattle views, which you should read) #53071znModeratorThis week’s Rams opponent: Seahawks
http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20160915/this-weeks-rams-opponent-seahawks
Jack Wang
The Rams’ triumphant return to Los Angeles is starting to look anything but.
Sunday marks the last major milestone in what has been a months-long reunion tour for the NFL in this city: the first regular-season game in more than two decades. It’s just that, well, the Rams don’t look much like a pro team at the moment.
Jeff Fisher and company laid an egg on Monday night, failing to even reach the red zone in a 28-0 loss against the 49ers. For their home opener at the Coliseum, the Rams (0-1) will welcome the Seahawks (1-0), who are only a year removed from back-to-back Super Bowl appearances.
But recent history does provide hope. The Rams have won three of their last four meetings against Seattle, including a 23-17 road upset last December. And as bad as Los Angeles looked in Santa Clara, its defensive front could still haunt a porous offensive line.
“They’ve just been a problem for us,” said Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. “We’re hoping to put that behind us. What happened in the past doesn’t mean anything to me. It’s what we’re going to do now. And that’s how we’re dealing with it. They have had good success and we respect them for that.”
WHO’S COACHING THE SEAHAWKS?
Carroll needs no re-introduction to Los Angeles. This was the city in which the 65-year-old revived his coaching career, turning himself from a former NFL vagabond into the man who restored the USC football brand.
He parlayed his successful run with the Trojans into another shot in the pros in 2010, and has since proven himself to be one of the league’s best coaches. Carroll has guided the Seahawks to five playoff berths in six years, a stretch that has included a pair of Super Bowl appearances and one Lombardi Trophy. Only one of his six predecessors, Mike Holmgren, had ever led Seattle to the game’s biggest stage.
BY THE NUMBERS
530 — Number of tackles Marshawn Lynch broke in his nine-year career
222 — Days since Lynch announced retirement with mid-Super Bowl tweet
110.1 — Russell Wilson’s passer rating in 2015, the highest among starters
5 — Quarterbacks drafted ahead of Wilson (third round, No. 75) in 2012
81.5 — Average rushing yards allowed by Seahawks in 2015, lowest in the NFL
83 — Rushing yards Seahawks allowed Todd Gurley in 23-17 loss to Rams
PLAYER TO WATCH
Last Sunday, Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh stepped on Russell Wilson’s ankle, putting the quarterback’s streak of 75 consecutive starts into apparent jeopardy. By Wednesday, however, Seattle fans could breathe easy — Wilson participated fully in practice, showing off nary a limp.
Good thing too, as the Seahawks need him now more than ever.
The 27-year-old is already a three-time Pro Bowler, but his team is now entering the post-Lynch era. Without the bruising tailback, this offense will go as Wilson goes. That makes it even more crucial for him to build on what was a brilliant second half to the 2015 regular season, one in which he threw for 25 touchdowns against just two interceptions.
“You can’t do that unless you’re just lights out,” Carroll said. “Hopefully he can pick up where he left off. He did a great job finishing the game last week to get us a win, when he was kind of hobbling around and still got it done kind of in dramatic fashion.”
WHAT DID HE SAY?
“I haven’t done it yet. I don’t know. I’ll let you know afterwards.”
— Carroll, on what it will feel like to walk down the Coliseum tunnel again
znModeratorBonsignore: No sense rushing into an extension for Rams coach Jeff Fisher
Vincent Bonsignore
At the beginning of training camp last month Jeff Fisher told me he planned to be the coach of the Rams for a long, long time.
The declaration was in response to a question about a contract extension he and the Rams were reportedly closing in on. As he and general manager Les Snead approached the final year of their five-year contracts, there was hope and expectation within the club the relationships would soon get extended.
That was then and this is now.
The extension hasn’t materialized — at least not in the form of an officially agreed upon signed contract anyway.
And after the debacle Monday night in the Rams’ season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the sense now is the club will take more time before officially renewing vows with their coach and general manager.
It’s their only choice, really, lest they create an immediate and intense public relations fiasco one step into their first season back in L.A.
Imagine telling your fan base — and the fans you are trying to cultivate as you ease back into the second-biggest market in the country — you just re-upped with your coach immediately after an embarrassing meltdown on national television?
The optics could not have been worse. The message any more convoluted.
The right thing to do is wait.
There’s no real justification rushing a decision that will set the course of the franchise the next three years. Especially after the events that unfolded Monday night in the Bay Area.
There’s too much at stake as the Rams settle back in L.A.
And plenty of time to sort it out.
Fisher wants to be here. So does Snead. Knowing that — and understanding neither are going anywhere — why not wait to let this season play out before cementing their long-range tenures?
One way or another, it should be clear whether they deserve the opportunity to continue at their positions.
Or not.
If the Rams finally move past the 7-9 purgatory they’ve been sentenced to the last few years, they stay.
If not, it’s time to move on.
Maybe from one.
Perhaps even both.
And if it’s a new coach they eventually go looking for, here’s something to chew on: University of Houston coach Tom Herman, who’s made immediate and prolific improvements to every offense he’s ever coached — grew up in Simi Valley and played football at Cal Lutheran University.
Think about it: The hottest young coach in the country grew up a stone’s throw from the Rams’ home base and played football at the stadium adjacent to their practice field.
The Rams have a talented young quarterback to groom in Jared Goff and an offense that needs a dose of sophistication and updating.
You could do worse than the guy who just whipped Oklahoma, is now 15-1 in two seasons with the Cougars and who Urban Meyer entrusted his Ohio State offense with.
Remember, Meyer, Herman and the Buckeyes won a national championship together in 2014. They were down to their third-string quarterback.
Just saying.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
For now, Fisher and Snead deserve a chance to get things squared away the next 16 weeks.
Where do things stand?
Upon doing some poking around, pretty safe to assume the parameters of new deals are in place. And on some level, there is justification and prudence in giving the Fisher and Snead more time to complete the jobs they were tasked with.
The roster is significantly better than when they arrived, with young stars Todd Gurley and defensive tackle Aaron Donald to build around. The defensive line is among the best in the NFL and the offensive line has shown improvement.
If Goff eventually develops into the quarterback Fisher and Snead counted on upon taking him first overall, they will have a franchise quarterback in place.
As a result, there’s a sentiment within the organization that Snead and Fisher deserve the chance to see their rebuilding job through its conclusion.
And considering the enormous distractions the Rams dealt with as a team in limbo the last two seasons, there is an appreciation in the organization for how Snead and Fisher kept it all together.
Based on those dynamics, contract extensions might be in order.
On the other hand, this is a results-oriented business.
The one thing the Rams haven’t done under Fisher and Snead is turn the proverbial corner. They’re stuck in 7-9 limbo, having gone 27-37-1 over their four-year tenure.
Meanwhile, Fisher’s coached five teams to the playoffs the last 15 years — the last in 2008 — and gone 2-5.
That doesn’t encourage a lot of confidence. In fact if there’s one thing the St. Louis and Los Angeles fan bases agree on, it’s that the Rams can do better than the current coach.
And that was before the fiasco on Monday when Fisher didn’t have his team ready to play against the 49ers.
It’s one thing to lose, but the Rams wilted under the pressure of the Monday Night Football stage and got beat up in the trenches by offensive and defensive lines they were expected to easily handle.
The failure falls right at the feet of Fisher, who then compounded the problem by using the move from St. Louis to Los Angeles as a potential excuse.
After consistently preaching the last eight months the move would not be a crutch this year, he immediately reached for it after a Week 1 beatdown.
It wasn’t a good look at all.
But it’s still just one game.
Fisher and the Rams have plenty of time to turn things around.
If they do, maybe he earns a chance to stay on.
But no sense rushing such an important decision.
Let the results be the guiding light.
znModeratorMillions of Rams fans.
Millions of fans on Facebook, if they exist (they don’t for any other team) have not voiced the view that Fisher should be fired.
And as I said no team has MILLIONS of fans in the first place.
.
znModerator.
In a nutshell:
NFL quarterbacks have to learn protections. They have to learn where the hot guys are and which adjustments to make.
Goff…was never asked to throw hots. He was never asked to see the coverage and understand who you’re throwing against. Cal’s system is based on progression – you throw it here or you throw it here. Cal isn’t worried about what coverage the defense is in. They’re not worried about protections. Cal’s plan: Our scheme is going to beat what you run….it doesn’t help you as far as understanding where to go against two-man, where to go against Cover Three, what routes beat certain coverages.
…that piece is huge in the NFL because you’re going to get tested to see if you know your protections, to see if you know where to go against a blitz and if you haven’t had those reps, like Goff hadn’t, you’re behind
I quoted this cause I see it that way. He has to catch up on reading defenses, knowing when to audible and what to audible to, calling protections, and understanding sight adjustments.
That’s why he’s behind IMO, not coaching.
.
September 15, 2016 at 11:57 pm in reply to: reporters preview SEATTLE game (w/ Seattle views, which you should read) #53055znModeratorSeahawks fans … better not let those Rams fool you
http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/seahawks-fans-better-not-let-those-rams-fool-you/
There’s something about the NFL, bounce-back games, and the Rams that should make Sunday’s showdown particularly perilous for the Seahawks.
To watch the Rams on Monday night was to watch a stoppable force become an immobile object. Offensive ineptitude is one thing, but that was offensive inertia.
For four quarters, the revived Los Angeles franchise failed to move the football with an iota of efficiency, averaging 3.36 yards per play in a 28-0 loss to the 49ers. But beware, 12th men, that might have been the worst result possible for the Seahawks.
At first glance, such a pitiful performance would give the impression Seattle is going to blow by the Rams like they’re a 46-man yield sign Sunday. That wasn’t a typical shutout loss — it was the equivalent of an NBA team scoring 41 points.
But there’s something about the NFL, bounce-back games, and the Rams that should make Sunday’s showdown particularly perilous for the Seahawks. More succinctly put: Both teams could wind up 1-1 by day’s end.
One need only go back to the 49ers’ 2015 opener to see how deceiving one epic fail can be. In their 20-3 loss to San Francisco last season, the Vikings looked almost as hopeless as the Rams did Monday.
The thing is, that Minnesota team went on to win 11 of its 15 games before Blair Walsh’s hooked field-goal attempt gifted the Seahawks a playoff win. As for the Niners? They lost 11 of their next 15 and ended up with the worst point differential in the NFC.
“They’re pros. They can go out there and change people’s minds. That’s the thing about professional sports,” said Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman when asked about the Rams. “Anything can happen on any given Sunday.”
And, as Sherman knows — any given Saturday.
It has been several years since Seattle coach Pete Carroll wore a headset on the Los Angeles Coliseum sideline, as he will do Sunday. But in 2007, he watched Sherman’s Stanford team beat his top-ranked Trojans despite the Cardinal entering the game with a record of 0-3.
The Rams snatching a win from the Seahawks wouldn’t send shock waves across the country in quite the same fashion, but the point is — there are countless precedents for this sort of thing.
Then again, you don’t have to tell the Seahawks that.
Over the past four seasons, Seattle has a combined regular-season record of 46-18. The Rams, meanwhile, have gone 27-36-1. And yet the series between these teams over that span is 4-4, with the Rams winning the past two as well as the past three out of four.
Think of the Seahawks like a cobra and the Rams like a mongoose. The cobra is deadlier to most everyone else it comes across, yes, but for whatever reason, always struggles against that one furry foe.
There are plenty of reasons to think that trend will continue Sunday.
For one, nobody is quite sure how Russell Wilson is going to look. The Seahawks quarterback suffered an ankle injury after Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh stepped on his foot last Sunday, which will likely hamper the mobility that distinguishes Wilson from every quarterback in the league.
For two, the Rams have one of the best defensive lines in the NFL — which doesn’t bode well for Seattle’s inexperienced offensive line. There were times Sunday in which nitrogen and oxygen protected Wilson just as well as his teammates did, and if the O-line doesn’t improve drastically in Week 2, a victory will be hard to come by.
For three, the Rams seem to enjoy these situations. Last year, they scored a combined 16 points in Weeks 2 and 3 before knocking off the eventual NFC-champion Cardinals in Week 4. And their Week 16 win in Seattle came after Wilson had what might be the best five-game stretch in NFL quarterbacking history.
Doesn’t matter if they have been struggling or if their opponent has been sizzling, the Rams seem to find a way. Don’t be surprised if it happens again Sunday.
It’s been 22 years since the Rams played a regular-season game in Los Angeles. Rarely have they been so inclined to put on a good show.
September 15, 2016 at 11:50 pm in reply to: reporters preview SEATTLE game (w/ Seattle views, which you should read) #53053znModeratorLA Rams offense will try to get well against Seahawks
Rich Hammond
http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20160914/la-rams-offense-will-try-to-get-well-against-seahawks
THOUSAND OAKS >> Perhaps the most appropriate moment Monday came when quarterback Case Keenum slowly took a knee on the final play to put a merciful end to the Rams’ dreadful season opener.
The pain finally could stop. Now the Rams’ offense needs some healing, and fast, and it won’t be easy.
After a loss in which they were shut out and totaled only 185 yards, the Rams must now play Seattle, which is akin to asking someone with a toothache to chew taffy. In their home opener, Sunday at the Coliseum, the Rams face a Seahawks defense that consistently has been fierce under coach Pete Carroll.
“We’ve played them a bunch of times and we’ve got a lot of film on them,” Keenum said after Wednesday’s practice at Cal Lutheran. “They just do it well. They’ve got great guys. Their secondary is one of the best, and their front seven or eight, with (safety Kam) Chancellor coming down in the box, it’s a great run-stopping unit, too.”
The Rams practiced Wednesday without star running back Todd Gurley, although the team declared it a rest day and said Gurley would return Thursday. They’ll need him against Seattle, and need much more from their offensive starters than they got Monday at San Francisco in their first shutout loss since 2011.
Nothing the Rams tried on offense worked. Gurley had no inside running room, as the 49ers loaded up on the line of scrimmage and dared the Rams to throw the ball. Gurley had 17 carries for 47 yards, and most of those yards came when he bounced outside and attempted to outrun linebackers.
By every measure, things were ugly for Keenum on Monday. Among the 32 quarterbacks who played in week 1, Keenum finished last in quarterback rating (34.2) and yards per attempt (3.7) and 31st in passing yards (130) and completion percentage (48.6). Keenum also threw two interceptions.
Keenum said he over-thought things, tried too hard and was “seeing ghosts” among the 49ers’ defense, rather than slowing things down and trusting his skill players.
“That will change this week,” receiver Kenny Britt said. “It was only the first game and everyone is always over-excited when you come into the first game. You over-think stuff because you don’t want to miss stuff. I know things will calm down for him.”
Keenum’s only real success when he connected with Britt over the middle for two medium-range catches. Otherwise, the Rams couldn’t get any of their major offensive weapons going.
Big-play receiver threat Tavon Austin was targeted on 12 of Keenum’s 35 pass attempts, but Austin caught only four passes for 13 yards, and none for longer than five yards. Fisher pointed to the Rams’ futility on third down and said the Rams simply didn’t run enough plays.
“Sixty snaps is not ample to get the ball spread around to your playmakers,” Coach Jeff Fisher said. “We just have to continue to work on that.”
It will be a challenge against Seattle, which allowed only 214 yards last Sunday in a season-opening 12-10 victory over Miami. Last season, the Seahawks allowed only 3.6 yards per rush (tied for third-best in the NFL) and allowed the NFL’s second-fewest passing yards.
There is some hope for the Rams, who went 2-0 against the Seahawks last season, and it probably would involve following the model of their December victory.
Keenum passed for only 103 yards in that game, but Gurley rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown and, more importantly, the Rams scored a touchdown on a fumble return. The Rams won 23-17.
INJURY REPORT
The Rams’ official injury report designated Gurley’s lack of participation Wednesday as “rest.” Gurley was photographed, during Monday’s game, with what appeared to be a heating pad taped to his back.
Starting defensive tackle Michael Brockers missed practice with a thigh injury and cornerback Lamarcus Joyner (foot) was limited. Cornerback E.J. Gaines (thigh) and receivers Pharoh Cooper (shoulder) and Nelson Spruce (knee) remain out of practice.
SEIZING THE MOMENT
Fisher said he didn’t plan to address Britt and defensive end Robert Quinn about their protest Monday night, when each player raised a fist during the national anthem.
Asked why he waited until the first game, and didn’t take action during the preseason, Britt said, “It’s a big stage. Monday night. Everybody’s watching us. Why not take that stand and speak for people that don’t have a voice?”
MAKING MONEY
The Rams, according to one evaluation, doubled in value during the time they moved from St. Louis. Forbes released its annual study of NFL team finances and reported that the Rams are worth $2.9 billion, up from $1.45 billion last season.
Stan Kroenke, per various published reports, bought 40 percent of the Rams for $80 billion in 1995, then bought the remaining 60 percent for $450 million in 2010.
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