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znModeratorTwo players prominently featured on "Hard Knocks" — OL Eric Kush and WR Austin Hill — among Rams' cuts.
— Gary Klein (@LATimesklein) September 3, 2016
znModeratorper Turf Show Times:
TE Justice Cunningham
DE Morgan Fox
S Rohan Gaines
WR Duke WilliamsSeptember 2, 2016 at 6:35 pm in reply to: Fisher: Goff likely to open season as No. 3 quarterback #52051znModeratorAll of Goff’s throws from the Vikes game
Posted.
Here:
vids & visuals from Vikes game (including “every Goff throw from last nite”): http://theramshuddle.com/topic/vids-and-visuals-from-the-vikes-game/
But, thanks. It was a good thought.
September 2, 2016 at 5:08 pm in reply to: vids & visuals from Vikes game (including "every Goff throw from last nite") #52045znModeratorHe threw some nice balls and some shitty ones and he had a few that were dropped.
On that 30 yd pass and run down to the 2 yard line…wasn’t Goff like WAY past the LOS when he threw it? How was that play allowed to stand? I assume it stood because soon after he threw a 2 yd TD to Brit.
Yes he was past the LOS. He cheated on that one. Still, that’s a great throw. Next time he will have to be better aware of where the LOS is. It wasn’t allowed to stand, no ref noticed it is all. He got a freebie.
September 2, 2016 at 5:04 pm in reply to: vids & visuals from Vikes game (including "every Goff throw from last nite") #52044znModeratorThat TD pass at 0.37 in, that’s one beautiful pass.
znModeratorRams, Jared Goff end exhibition season on a down note in loss to Vikings
RICH HAMMOND
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/rams-727741-vikings-final.html
MINNEAPOLIS – The preseason is over. The Jared Goff revolution never materialized, but the Rams remained mostly injury-free and displayed some good depth on defense. All in all, call it a draw.
That’s how it will go down officially, as the Rams won twice and lost twice, and ended the warm-up portion of their schedule with a 27-25 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday at the new U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Rams led 7-0 after the first drive, then bumbled on offense and special teams – they allowed a 106-yard kickoff return for a touchdown – which negated a good showing by their defense. The Vikings turned four Rams turnovers into two touchdowns and two field goals and led 27-10 in the fourth quarter.
But if the preseason was meant to be a referendum on Goff, then it’s difficult to declare it a success. All along, though, the Rams insisted they would take a slow-go approach with their rookie quarterback, and against the Vikings, Goff showed why an immediate anointing probably wasn’t a good idea.
In fact, Coach Jeff Fisher indicated after the game that he will “probably” list Sean Mannion as his season-opening No. 2 quarterback, behind starter Case Keenum, with Goff as the third-stringer.
“You know, I think it’s going to take a little bit more time,” Fisher said of Goff’s potential to back up. “That’s not to say he can’t be a two or start, but if we were starting right now, I’d probably have Sean as the two. Because it’s all about being patient with him. He’s not frustrated or anything.”
Goff, who took the reins early Thursday as Keenum rested to prevent injury, looked great as he led the Rams on a seven-play, 62-yard touchdown drive to start the game.
Goff ended that drive with a nicely timed 1-yard touchdown pass to receiver Kenny Britt, and that proved to be the last great moment for Goff and the Rams’ offense, which slumbered throughout the game.
By the end of the first half, Goff had misfired on several attempts, and also fumbled and thrown an interception on consecutive plays deep in his own territory. That helped the Vikings take a 13-7 halftime lead, even though the Rams’ strong defense held Minnesota to 125 yards in the first half.
Goff played the first half and finished 6 of 16 for 67 yards, one touchdown and one interception. In four preseason games, Goff was 22 of 49 for 232 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
“I felt like I made good strides and made a lot of progress,” Goff said. “I feel like I’ve come a long way, through OTAs and summer and camp. I feel good about where I’m at.”
Thursday’s game had little else to analyze. The Rams played six starters: Britt, offensive linemen Jamon Brown, Rob Havenstein and Rodger Saffold, linebacker Akeem Ayers and safety Maurice Alexander.
The Rams gave major playing time to young players, with the knowledge that within the next two days, they must reduce their roster from 75 players to the league-maximum 53.
Perhaps a few players gave Fisher and General Manager Les Snead some tougher decisions to make Friday, but for the most part, the Rams didn’t change much from their first three games.
The Rams showed great depth among their defensive front seven. They recorded nine hits on the first 22 drop-back attempts by Minnesota starting quarterback Joel Stave and the game was a (late) coming-out party for lineman Morgan Fox, who had been quiet throughout the preseason but recorded three sacks.
The Vikings got a lot of help because of turnovers. Their four scoring drives started, respectively, at the Rams’ 19-, 9-, 28- and 6-yard lines, and resulted in two touchdowns and two field goals.
Minnesota’s Jhurell Pressley returned a kickoff 106 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, and the Rams muffed one punt and had another deflect off the leg of receiver Duke Williams for a turnover.
Goff figured heavily in two of the Rams’ miscues. He fumbled a shotgun snap late in the second quarter, which turned into a field goal that cut the Rams’ lead to 7-6. On Goff’s next play, he threw an interception, and the Vikings scored a touchdown on their next play to take the lead for good at 13-7
znModeratorznModeratorVikings earn bittersweet victory in overtime against Rams
The way it works, ag, is that game articles go in one thread, and our reactions in another. That way posters know where to look for which. (Which btw is not supposed to discourage posters from writing things in the articles thread.)
Vikes game articles go in this thread——>
media guys on the vikes game: http://theramshuddle.com/topic/media-guys-on-the-vikes-game/
I would have even moved it, but, right now the move function isn’t working.
znModeratorNo major injuries.
That’s all I wanted.
Bring on the 49ers and lets see what
we got here.w
vPS game 4 to me just indicated what the depth looks like. In terms of that, what we got last night was an angry Vikes team going after the guys who beat up 2 of their qbs in the game after they lost their starter for the season.
When the Rams gameplan for the starters against a real opponent it will be a completely different deal.
September 2, 2016 at 2:14 am in reply to: Fisher: Goff likely to open season as No. 3 quarterback #52017znModeratorCase Keenuim is starter; Jared Goff appears to be third option
Vincent Bonsignore
MINNEAPOLIS >> Words you never thought you’d string together in the same sentence one month ago: Take a seat, Jared Goff, here’s hoping we don’t see you start another game the rest of the 2016 season.
Sounds harsh, right?
Almost inexplicable considering the spot in the draft Goff was taken and the price the Rams paid to acquire it.
It’s not often a team pulls aside the first overall pick at the end of the last exhibition game and tells him they’d rather not see him play again this year.
But then, why would the Rams really want Goff to play significant snaps over the next four months when doing so means two bad things happening? Losing too many games or starter Case Keenum suffering an injury. Especially after the wobbly performance Goff delivered Thursday against the Minnesota Vikings.
With a chance to take a decisive step forward and ease some concerns and maybe even close the gap on Keenum, he took two major steps backward with a forgettable and regrettable showing that raises some legitimate concerns he might not be ready to take the field at all this year.
Forget the starting job, at this point Goff might not even be the best option as the primary back up. Sean Mannion seems to be in line to get that job.
“If we were starting right now, I’d probably have Sean be the No. 2,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said, dropping a bit of a bombshell.
Goff seemed taken aback upon hearing that, but stressed he’s going to focus on getting better regardless where his name falls on the depth chart.
“I feel like I’ve made big strides and I’m on the way to being where I want to be,” he said.
Perhaps.
But that finish line seems a lot further away now that anyone could have imagined.
Who would have figured that would be the case when the Rams gathered in Irvine a month ago?
Hard to believe, but the way Keenum has played during training camp and, frankly, the way Goff hasn’t, only a worst-case scenario puts Goff and the field this year. That’s a situation the Rams not only want no part of, it’s something they simply can’t afford. Not in Los Angeles, St. Louis or anywhere else they could have called home.
The Rams need to win and Keenum gives them the best chance to do that.
They need to finally pull away from the 7-9 mediocrity they’ve been mired in the last few years and it’s Keenum, not Goff, the most capable of making that happen.
“It’s going to take time,” Fisher said of the process to get Goff ready to play significant snaps.
That might be hard to swallow for some.
A couple months ago you’d have gotten a few angry looks and some choice words for even suggesting such a thing.
L.A. beamed when the Rams moved up to the first overall pick to land the franchise quarterback that’s eluded them for more than a decade. They aren’t great at every position across the board, but they’re elite in some areas and more than enough capable in others. Put a better quarterback on the field and it changes everything.
Goff, it was assumed, would add to the Rams mix the very thing they’ve been missing.
Two things most of us missed: How far Goff really has to go to be a reliable NFL quarterback, and how hungry and determined Keenum was to fend off the rookie and hold onto the job he took control of over the last four games of last season.
Give Keenum credit, he won the job hands down. If he keeps it up, the Rams have a chance to turn the corner.
As for Goff, there’s no way you could have watched Thursday’s exhibition finale against the Vikings and walked away convinced he’s even remotely ready to take the field.
That’s as disappointing as it is obvious.
Making his first start of the exhibition season, Goff helped lead the Rams on a seven-play 62-yard touchdown drive to open the game, but it quickly deteriorated into a bunch of misfired passes and turnovers, culminating in a disastrous close to the first half in which he mishandled a perfectly delivered shot-gun snap from center to set the Vikings up at the Rams’ 7-yard line, then threw an interception on the next play to gift wrap the Vikings the ball at the Rams 28.
The Vikings thanked Goff by tacking on 10 points in just less than a minute to take a 13-7 lead into intermission.
Goff’s final line: 6 of 16 passing for 67 yards, one touchdown, a fumble, interception and a 45.6 QB rating.
It was every bit as bad as those stats suggest and it continued a disturbing trend of uneven play by Goff during training camp and the preseason.
“I was happy with how we started,” Goff said. “Obviously you want to finish the half better.”
You can argue some of the struggles were they result of playing alongside mostly back-ups and fringe roster players, this being the last preseason game and teams putting all their starters and key players in bubble wrap ahead of their season openers.
But that’s a two way street, isn’t it? He also was playing against a bunch of back-ups and fringe players.
The caliber of supporting cast and opponent had nothing to do with the passes that sailed high and wide past open receivers or dropping a snap that hit him square in the hands.
“I just took brought my eyes up, you can’t do it,” he said.
And it had very little to do with the poor throw he made on the subsequent screen pass, only for it to get tipped into the air by defensive end Justin Trattou and into the hands of defensive tackle Tom Johnson for an easy interception.
That was all on Goff.
From the get go, the Rams preached patience with their rookie quarterback. At this point that’s no longer even a decision.
The Rams have no choice anymore than to wait.
And it looks like it might be longer than anyone imagined.
znModeratorRams, Jared Goff end exhibition season on a down note in loss to Vikings
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/rams-727741-vikings-final.html
MINNEAPOLIS – The preseason is over. The Jared Goff revolution never materialized, but the Rams remained mostly injury-free and displayed some good depth on defense. All in all, call it a draw.
That’s how it will go down officially, as the Rams won twice and lost twice, and ended the warm-up portion of their schedule with a 27-25 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday at the new U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Rams led 7-0 after the first drive, then bumbled on offense and special teams – they allowed a 106-yard kickoff return for a touchdown – which negated a good showing by their defense. The Vikings turned four Rams turnovers into two touchdowns and two field goals and led 27-10 in the fourth quarter.
But if the preseason was meant to be a moratorium on Goff, then it’s difficult to declare it a success. All along, though, the Rams insisted they would take a slow-go approach with their rookie quarterback, and against the Vikings, Goff showed why an immediate anointing probably wasn’t a good idea.
In fact, Coach Jeff Fisher indicated after the game that he will “probably” list Sean Mannion as his season-opening No. 2 quarterback, behind starter Case Keenum, with Goff as the third-stringer.
“You know, I think it’s going to take a little bit more time,” Fisher said of Goff’s potential to back up. “That’s not to say he can’t be a two or start, but if we were starting right now, I’d probably have Sean as the two. Because it’s all about being patient with him. He’s not frustrated or anything.”
Goff, who took the reins early Thursday as Keenum rested to prevent injury, looked great as he led the Rams on a seven-play, 62-yard touchdown drive to start the game.
Goff ended that drive with a nicely timed 1-yard touchdown pass to receiver Kenny Britt, and that proved to be the last great moment for Goff and the Rams’ offense, which slumbered throughout the game.
By the end of the first half, Goff had misfired on several attempts, and also fumbled and thrown an interception on consecutive plays deep in his own territory. That helped the Vikings take a 13-7 halftime lead, even though the Rams’ strong defense held Minnesota to 125 yards in the first half.
Goff played the first half and finished 6 of 16 for 67 yards, one touchdown and one interception. In four preseason games, Goff was 22 of 49 for 232 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
“I felt like I made good strides and made a lot of progress,” Goff said. “I feel like I’ve come a long way, through OTAs and summer and camp. I feel good about where I’m at.”
Thursday’s game had little else to analyze. The Rams played six starters: Britt, offensive linemen Jamon Brown, Rob Havenstein and Rodger Saffold, linebacker Akeem Ayers and safety Maurice Alexander.
The Rams gave major playing time to young players, with the knowledge that within the next two days, they must reduce their roster from 75 players to the league-maximum 53.
Perhaps a few players gave Fisher and General Manager Les Snead some tougher decisions to make Friday, but for the most part, the Rams didn’t change much from their first three games.
The Rams showed great depth among their defensive front seven. They recorded nine hits on the first 22 drop-back attempts by Minnesota starting quarterback Joel Stave and the game was a (late) coming-out party for lineman Morgan Fox, who had been quiet throughout the preseason but recorded three sacks.
The Vikings got a lot of help because of turnovers. Their four scoring drives started, respectively, at the Rams’ 19-, 9-, 28- and 6-yard lines, and resulted in two touchdowns and two field goals.
Minnesota’s Jhurell Pressley returned a kickoff 106 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, and the Rams muffed one punt and had another deflect off the leg of receiver Duke Williams for a turnover.
Goff figured heavily in two of the Rams’ miscues. He fumbled a shotgun snap late in the second quarter, which turned into a field goal that cut the Rams’ lead to 7-6. On Goff’s next play, he threw an interception, and the Vikings scored a touchdown on their next play to take the lead for good at 13-7.
znModeratorGoff, Rams lose 27-25 to Vikings in preseason finale
Associated Press
http://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=400874794
MINNEAPOLIS — Rookie Jared Goff’s first start of the preseason for Los Angeles featured two turnovers and one touchdown, as the Minnesota reserve running backs led a 27-25 victory by the Vikings over the Rams on Thursday night.
Goff played the whole first half, finishing 6 for 16 for 67 yards. The first overall pick in the draft capped the first drive with deft touch on a 1-yard scoring pass to Kenny Britt, but ugliness ensued.
The Rams punted on the next four possessions. Then Goff dropped a shotgun snap for a fumble at his 9-yard line, setting up the second field goal for the Vikings by Blair Walsh. A minute later, Justin Trattou tripped Goff’s pass at the line and defensive tackle Toby Johnson made a diving interception at the 28.
Jhurell Pressley turned a short throw by Brad Sorensen into a 28-yard touchdown reception on the next play. Pressley also returned a kickoff 106 yards for a score, and C.J. Ham carried 15 times for 59 yards and a touchdown. After each score, the Vikings showed off their new stadium by dimming the lights, blaring Prince’s hit “Let’s Go Crazy!” and flashing purple and gold bulbs around the ceiling.
With Adrian Peterson, Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata well established as the running backs, there’s no room for the undrafted rookies Pressley (New Mexico) or Ham (Division II Augustana in South Dakota). But they each made a strong case for the practice squad or another team.
After losing Teddy Bridgewater for the season to a major knee injury just two days ago, the Vikings kept new starting quarterback Shaun Hill safely on the sideline. Joel Stave went 9 for 18 for 76 yards and left with a hand injury. Sorensen took over for the rest of the game.
Rob Havenstein started at right tackle for the Rams, after recently returning to practice from a foot injury.
ROOKIE WATCH
Rams: With the starting defensive linemen resting, DT Morgan Fox took advantage of the extra playing time with two sacks and four QB hurries in the first half. Fox was undrafted out of NCAA Division II school Colorado State-Pueblo.
Vikings: First-round draft pick Laquon Treadwell started at WR but dropped a pair of passes. He was targeted four times but didn’t record a reception.
POSITION BATTLES
Rams: Rookie WR Paul McRoberts, part of a large bubble at the position behind starters Britt and Tavon Austin and fourth-round draft pick Pharoh Cooper, caught a short TD pass from Sean Mannion midway through the fourth quarter. McRoberts was undrafted out of Southeast Missouri State.
Vikings: Sixth-round draft pick David Morgan, vying for a spot as a fourth TE, recovered a fumble and had two catches for 15 yards as well as an offensive pass interference penalty.
INJURY UPDATE
Rams: LB Bryce Hager, who started in place of Alec Ogletree in the middle, limped off the field after Minnesota’s second play from scrimmage.
Vikings: CB Jabari Price, a seventh-round draft pick in 2014 on the roster fringe, limped off in the fourth quarter unable to put weight on his right knee.
znModeratorRams’ Jared Goff finishes preseason on a sour note
Alden Gonzalez
In case you were still unsure, the Los Angeles Rams’ final preseason game confirmed it — Jared Goff is not ready.
The rookie quarterback and No. 1 overall pick led an impressive touchdown drive to open Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, but he completed only about a third of his passes and made a couple of key turnovers through the rest of the first half in the Rams’ 27-25 loss at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Aaron Green broke off a 26-yard touchdown run to pull the Rams to within two with just under two minutes left. The Rams then got the ball back at their own 39-yard line with 40 seconds remaining, but third-string quarterback Sean Mannion threw two incomplete passes and took two sacks to seal the loss. Prior to that, Mannion was 15-of-21 for 131 yards and a touchdown.
For the Rams, the game featured some ugly special-teams play, an impressive showing from their backup defensive linemen and important contributions from a bevy of wide receivers fighting for spots on the final 53-man roster. But the story was Goff, who didn’t come close to taking advantage of his first preseason start.
QB depth chart: Goff led an impressive opening drive, going 3-of-4 for 54 yards and sealing it with a perfect back-shoulder pass to Kenny Britt for a 1-yard TD pass. And then it all came undone. The 21-year-old went 3-of-12 for 13 yards the rest of the first half and committed a couple of turnovers deep in his own territory, both of which led to Vikings scores. Goff dropped a snap from the shotgun, starting to drop back before securing the football, and gave the Vikings the ball inside the 10-yard line with less than two minutes left in the first half. On his next snap, Goff tried to set up a screen pass but had the ball tipped and subsequently intercepted by Toby Johnson. Goff, given eight first-half drives with starter Case Keenum sitting out, also overthrew his intended receiver three times on third down.
Starter status: The only defensive starters to play were linebacker Akeem Ayers and safety Maurice Alexander, who made a couple of nice tackles in the backfield. None of the Rams’ three running backs played, a list that includes Todd Gurley, Benny Cunningham and Malcolm Brown. Receiver Tavon Austin and tight end Lance Kendricks also sat. So did left tackle Greg Robinson, who is still going through the concussion protocol. Britt saw plenty lot of action in the first half, however. And right tackle Rob Havenstein, who spent most of training camp dealing with an injury to his right foot, was able to start his first game.
Who got hurt? The Rams have some tough decisions to make at linebacker, and a couple of them who don’t appear to have solidified spots came out of the game early. Bryce Hager was taken to the locker room, seemingly for a concussion, and Nic Grigsby was shown icing his left thigh on the sidelines. With halftime seconds away, offensive lineman Garrett Reynolds appeared to injure his leg.
Surprise player who impressed: Thursday may go down as the night casual Rams fans learned about Morgan Fox, the undrafted rookie defensive lineman out of Colorado State-Pueblo. Fox notched two sacks, two tackles for a loss and four quarterback hits, creating disruption throughout the first half.
Reason to be encouraged: Thursday’s game served as further proof of how dominant and deep the Rams’ defensive line can be. Fox was the star, but several others helped dominate the line of scrimmage in the first half. Ethan Westbrooks and Matt Longacre each recorded sacks, and Cam Thomas had a nice day creating pressure.
Reason to be concerned: Special teams was a mess, though it was composed mostly of backups. First there was a fumble on a punt, which hit Duke Williams in the leg. Then the Rams allowed a 106-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to Jhurell Pressley, who broke at least five tackles. And then Paul McRoberts muffed a punt, which led to a fumble deep in Rams territory and an ensuing score by the Vikings. This from a Rams team that began the preseason by giving up a touchdown on the opening kickoff at Los Angeles Coliseum.
Checking in on the wideouts: Special teams blemishes aside, Williams made a nice leaping catch on a throw across the middle and McRoberts made another nice leaping catch in the end zone, hauling in Mannion’s 2-yard pass. Mike Thomas had a couple of really good kickoff returns, while also making three catches for 38 yards. Austin Hill caught a 9-yard pass and Brian Quick dropped an early one on a crossing route, though Goff’s throw was slightly behind him. Rams receivers were statistically the worst in the NFL last season and will enter the season banged up. Pharoh Cooper (shoulder) and Nelson Spruce (knee) don’t figure to be ready by Week 1, and Bradley Marquez’s right ankle may still be bothering him.
Say what: One of the referees said “St. Louis” instead of “Los Angeles” when referring to the Rams on a challenge in the fourth quarter. That also happened in the second preseason game.
znModeratorFive Takeaways: Preseason at Vikings
By Myles Simmons
MINNEAPOLIS — With the Rams’ 27-25 loss to the Vikings, the 2016 preseason is now complete.
Like it is with all preseason games, the final score doesn’t quite tell the whole story. With that in mind, here are five takeaways from the contest.
1) Good start, not-so-good finish
Quarterback Jared Goff started his first game of the preseason and things went well for his opening drive. The rookie out of Cal completed three of his four passes, including converting both third downs the Rams faced. On the first — a 3rd-and-2 play — Goff recognized the rush and got off a quick pass to running back Chase Reynolds in the flat that ended up going for 22 yards. Then on 3rd-and-goal from the one-yard line, Goff hit wideout Kenny Britt with a back-shoulder pass on the right side of the end zone to cap the drive with a touchdown.
But from there, the quarterback struggled to find a rhythm, including a particularly rough stretch inside two minutes in the second quarter. On 3rd-and-7 from the Los Angeles 12-yard line, Goff dropped a shotgun snap that went right to his hands. The Vikings would recover on the L.A. eight, but managed only a field goal with some solid defensive play.
On his next play from scrimmage, Goff would throw an interception to diving defensive lineman Toby Johnson off a pass tipped at the line. This time, Minnesota would capitalize on the turnover with a touchdown.
Playing the entire first half, Goff finished 6-of-16 passing for 67 yards with a touchdown, an interception, and a fumble. His preseason ends 22-of-49 passing for 232 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
2) Vikings, meet Morgan Fox
Defensive tackle Morgan Fox may have been a relative unknown heading into the fourth preseason game. But you can be sure Vikings quarterbacks Joel Stave and Brad Sorensen will remember his name going forward.
The undrafted rookie out of Colorado State-Pueblo dominated the Vikings’ offensive line in the first half, racking up three tackles — two for loss — 2.0 sacks, and four quarterback hits.
His first outstanding play came when he sacked Minnesota quarterback Joel Stave. Fox beat the right guard with a swim move, bringing down the QB in another step or two. Fox had another run stuff midway through the second quarter when he beat the center off the line knocked down running back Jhurell Pressley for no gain. Later, Fox burst through the interior of the line to sack the second quarterback up, Sorensen — on his first play, no less.
Who knows how much Fox may have helped his case to make the initial 53-man roster, but he certainly didn’t hurt it.
3) Rushing the passer
By and large the Rams got after the Vikings quarterbacks well on Thursday night. In the first half alone, Los Angeles tallied 3.0 sacks and nine quarterback hits.
Ethan Westbrooks was the other Angeleno to take down a quarterback in the first half, sacking Stave to begin the second quarter with an eight-yard loss on third down. Westbrooks registered two quarterback hits in the first half.
Defensive end Matt Longacre got in on the action in the fourth quarter, taking down Sorensen for a six-yard loss on third down. As did linebacker Josh Forrest, who registered a sack for a four-yard loss with just over four minutes remaining in the contest.
Linebacker Akeem Ayers, linebacker Brandon Chubb, and safety Christian Bryant also recorded quarterback hits in the contest.
4) Run stuffs and TFLs
Maurice Alexander missed some time in the preseason due to injury, but made his presence felt when he was on the field.
On 2nd-and-7 from the Minnesota 35, Alexander knifed his way through the offensive line to stop running back C.J. Ham for a one-yard loss. A few plays later, Alexander earned another run stuff up the middle by halting a play for just a one-yard gain.
Overall, the Rams had eight TFLs on the night — two from Fox, and one each from Alexander, Longacre, Forrest defensive tackle Cam Thomas, and a team TFL.
5) Extra points
— Los Angeles held many major contributors out of this game, including Todd Gurley, Case Keenum, Tim Barnes, Lance Kendricks, Tavon Austin, and Benny Cunningham. Defensively, the only two starters on the field were Alexander and linebacker Akeem Ayers.
— Right tackle Rob Havenstein played a few series on offense for his first preseason action after being taken off the physically unable to perform list last week.
— Minnesota returned a kick 106 yards for a touchdown midway through the third quarter, marking the second score surrendered on a Rams kickoff this preseason. That’s an unusual mark for special teams coordinator John Fassel’s unit. Los Angeles also muffed two punts that the Vikings recovered inside the red zone.
znModeratorThe Rams game isn’t highlighted on NFL.com. The Rams site lists a 8 pm ET start. Is the game on another network?
No. It’s online only. It will be re-broadcast at another time but I don’t know when yet.
znModeratorI’m not sure about you, but pass rushing could be a killer. Outside of Robert Quinn, the rest of our DEs are a lot better against the run. Not strong pass rushers. Quinton Coples was supposed to be that other guy, but he was one of the first cuts. I was wondering if anyone else has the same concern. Also, can we count on Quinn staying healthy. I’m worried, how about you?
I think what you say applies to Sims. I don’t think it applies to Hayes, Westbrooks, or Longacre. None of them are Quinn but they do bring some pass rush production.
Here’s what PFF says about Longacre for example:
Longacre continues his impressive preseason run with another strong game
While it would be criminal not to mention Aaron Donald’s high game grade earned in just six snaps, this was another great night for Matt Longacre. After a hugely successful first preseason game, Longacre returned to that high level of play this week. He recorded three pressures while rushing the quarterback, and also recorded two solo run stops. Longacre currently ranks 10th in the league in pass-rushing productivity at his position—pretty good numbers for a guy going into his second season on an already-stacked Rams’ defensive line.
2. https://www.profootballfocus.com/pro-2016-cheat-sheet-los-angeles-rams/
Matt Longacre, DE
Year after year, the Rams have fielded a deep defensive-line rotation, and this season could be their best yet. With Chris Long no longer on the roster, there is an opportunity for Matt Longacre to earn more playing time. As an undrafted rookie, Longacre was PFF’s third-highest-graded 4-3 DE last preseason, thanks in part to his five hits and five hurries. On just 67 pass-rushing snaps in the regular season, he earned a 7.8 pass-rushing productivity mark—higher than Chris Long, Robert Quinn, and Eugene Sims. Longacre had an excellent start to the 2016 preseason with two hits and three hurries on 22 pass rushes against the Cowboys. The Rams’ pass rush was already scary enough with their starters, but being able to rotate a player like Longacre in makes the front-seven even more dangerous.
znModeratorRoster spots will be on the line as Los Angeles Rams take on Minnesota Vikings in exhibition finale Thursday night
Gary Klein
http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-rams-vikings-20160831-snap-story.html
Ian Seau knows the numbers. He can do the math.
After a first round of cuts, 75 players remain on the Rams’ roster. By Saturday, that number must be trimmed to 53.
Seau is one of 11 defensive linemen in a group that probably will be whittled to nine or possibly 10.
Seau and other players on the bubble will make their final push for roster or practice-squad spots Thursday night when the Rams play the Minnesota Vikings in their exhibition finale at U.S. Bank Stadium.
“This is my last opportunity to showcase and put something on my resume,” Seau said. “Hopefully, I’ll put some good stuff on tape so either the Rams or another team will take a chance on me.”
With the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers less than two weeks away, most Rams starters are expected to be held out to avoid injury.
This, for example, could be the first time that quarterback Case Keenum does not participate in an exhibition finale. In his previous four seasons with the Houston Texans and the Rams, Keenum was fighting for a spot.
Now, as the presumed starter, he could be tethered to the sideline as Jared Goff and Sean Mannion take snaps.
“If I don’t play, they’re going to have to hold me back,” Keenum said, laughing.
While veterans relax on the sideline, players trying to avoid the cut will try one last time to impress Coach Jeff Fisher and his staff.
“There are some decisions that are going to be made based on some performances” against the Vikings, Fisher said. “In addition to that, you’ve got some guys that we’re grooming to play in specific special teams positions when the regular season starts, so they need to get experience at those positions.”
Undrafted free agents are not the only players with something to prove.
Veteran receiver Brian Quick struggled with drops in the first two exhibitions and was called out by Fisher. The fifth-year pro responded with three catches last week against the Denver Broncos.
Receiver Michael Thomas and tight end Temarrick Hemingway, both sixth-round draft choices, also have dropped a number of passes.
Seau, who played at Nevada, had a sack in the first exhibition against the Dallas Cowboys and a tackle against the Kansas City Chiefs. He did not make a tackle at Denver.
The Rams cut two defensive linemen this week — veteran free agent Quinton Coples and undrafted free agent Zach Colvin — leaving the 6-foot-2, 250-pound Seau on the bubble.
Injuries and needs at other position groups also could affect the configuration of the defensive line after Thursday night.
The Rams feature veteran ends Robert Quinn, William Hayes and Eugene Sims, and they had signed Coples in March. So Seau realized what he was getting into when he signed with the Rams after the draft.
“I knew it was going to be tough to make the team, and there’s a still a chance, maybe, who knows?” he said. “It’s a business, and you see people come in and out every single day so you just have to look forward to going out there.”
Receiver Paul McRoberts also is fighting for a spot in a position group that includes fellow undrafted free agents Nelson Spruce, Duke Williams and Austin Hill, who was signed after training camp opened.
Spruce caught a team-best six passes against the Cowboys, one for a touchdown. He also suffered a knee injury, however, and was sidelined for the next two exhibitions and is expected to be held out again Thursday.
McRoberts has been targeted seven times and has five catches. His best opportunity to impress against the Vikings might be as a punt returner. McRoberts said he did not return kicks until his final two games at Southeast Missouri State. He gained more attention at the Senior Bowl, where he caught four passes and returned a punt after a week of workouts in front of NFL scouts.
Against the Broncos, he returned three punts for 11 yards.
“It would be crazy to actually take one to the house,” he said of his opportunity against the Vikings.
McRoberts, like Seau, knows the numbers. Tavon Austin returns punts. So does fourth-round draft pick Pharoh Cooper, who is sidelined because of a shoulder injury.
McRoberts is undeterred and said he would not overthink his situation.
“It’s a big opportunity to go make something happen and really show them why they should keep me,” he said. “It’s kind of in your control, but I don’t have any control over it as well.”
Seau and McRoberts said they would hold nothing back against the Vikings. Their goal, of course, is to make the roster or practice squad.
But there is other motivation.
“Just to show all the guys on this team that I can play and get some of their respect,” Seau said. “So if you do leave they’re like, ‘Aw man, we let a good one go.’”
znModerator‘Hard Knocks’ details Rams’ recent fight
Alden Gonzalez
ESPN Staff Writerhttp://www.espn.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/30470/hard-knocks-details-rams-recent-fight
IRVINE, Calif. — Los Angeles Rams running back Benny Cunningham was trotting harmlessly down the field after finishing his route in a practice drill when suddenly middle linebacker Alec Ogletree threw his right shoulder and leveled him to the grass. That sparked the fight that broke out at Rams practice last Wednesday, which finished with superstar Todd Gurley on the ground and was captured by HBO’s “Hard Knocks” cameras in Tuesday’s episode.
Shortly after the incident involving Ogletree and Cunningham, Gurley caught a pass from Case Keenum and went right after Ogletree, then sprung up and wrestled him down. Several players went at it again. And at one point, running back Chase Reynolds was swinging his fists at linebacker Brandon Chubb despite being without a helmet. When Rams coach Jeff Fisher gathered his players in a circle, he told them the following:
“Let’s start out by saying this — this is a practice script, OK? We can’t get enough f—ing reps as it is because of the way this whole thing is set up. Every f—ing rep means something. Every single call, every single rep. You young guys aren’t getting reps. Some of you guys aren’t even getting into a game. Practice is f—ing important, and when you get into that s— there, you’re not thinking about a rep, you’re not thinking about practice — you’re thinking about bulls—! And I’m not standing for that. Take a deep breath, get your s— together, and we’re going to finish this practice. Now let me see your poise, let me see your respect for each other. We’re going to finish this day.”
The Rock says: The star of Episode 4 was Rock Gullickson, the longtime strength and conditioning coach who is in his eighth season with the Rams and has now been in the NFL for 17 years. Gullickson is the coach who spends the most time with players, guiding them through their workouts and even snapping the ball for the quarterbacks. The episode included footage of Brett Favre’s Hall of Fame speech, during which he thanked Gullickson, who coached for three years in Green Bay.
When the Rams make cuts, Gullickson is the one who informs the victims they need to see Fisher in his office. Gullickson was shown summoning tight end Benson Browne, kicker Taylor Bertolet, center Brian Folkerts, defensive tackle Zach Colvin and defensive back Michael Caputo, five of the 15 players waived by the Rams when they officially trimmed their roster to 75 players on Tuesday.
“What are you always looking at me for?” Gullickson told undrafted receiver Austin Hill and a group of other players. “You guys are all clear. Take a deep breath.”
The final cuts are on Saturday, though.
Growing pains: Remember Jared Goff’s first drive in Saturday’s preseason loss to the Broncos, which ended with the rookie quarterback trying to run for a first down but coming up just short with an awkward-looking slide? Keenum chimed in from the sidelines: “Hey that might have been the worst slide I’ve ever seen, bud.”
Goff explained that the brace on his left knee got caught in the grass.
Earlier in the show, quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke told Goff: “I know that you know this stuff, but you’re not an expert at it yet. Not that anybody is an expert, but for example, Case has been around it longer. The more reps you get, the wider your vision becomes, the slower the game is for you. It doesn’t just happen; it has to happen through reps and experience.”
Mermaids and dinosaurs: Veteran defensive end William Hayes was noticeably excited to spot the mermaid who came to see him at practice. But he was skeptical and sarcastic while taking a personal tour at a dinosaur exhibit in Orange County. Hayes was told about the tyrannosaurus rex and said, “You don’t see how ridiculous that sounds?” He was shown a dinosaur egg and said, “It’s a rock.” And then he was led to pieces of dinosaur feces, a development so unfathomable Hayes had to share it with teammate Eugene Sims via FaceTime.
“There’s no way this even logically makes sense,” Hayes said as he walked out.
Off to the side: Scrappy, 5-foot-8 cornerback Lamarcus Joyner was upset that he did not receive first-team reps during practice and was shown watching those reps off to the side by himself and pouting. The assumption here is that those reps instead went to E.J. Gaines that day.
“That’s how you gonna act?” secondary coach Dennard Wilson asked as Joyner walked away. “That’s how you gonna act?”
Previously, Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was shown saying Joyner is “one of the best press-cover guys I’ve ever coached.”
Surf’s up: Special teams coordinator John Fassel knows how to make an entrance. He arrived in the meeting room one day lying flat on a surfboard, carried by several of his Rams players, with a bucket hat on his head, sunscreen on his nose and fins on his feet. Then he led “Special Teams Jeopardy” for the fifth straight year. Sims (“fajita”) and left tackle Greg Robinson (“lasagna”) misspelled words and were thus ridiculed.
znModeratorBased on pass-protection rate (the percentage of plays in which the offense controls the line of scrimmage on dropbacks from the quarterback), the Rams ranked 23rd out of 32 teams last season. Their adjusted sack rate (sacks per pass attempt, adjusted for down, distance and opponent) ranked 24th. And, heading into 2016, Pro Football Focus ranked their unit — basically unchanged over the offseason — second-worst in the NFL.
It’s hard to watch Mr. Gonzalez, Wagoner’s replacement, learn about the team. Most well-informed fans know more than he does at this point.
So, last year, one of the most inexperienced OLs any of us have ever watched in the NFL also got clobbered by a mid-season injury epidemic. A total of 10 OL played last season, and 5 of those got injured.
That combination of elements might explain the problems they had.
.
znModeratorRams OT Robert Havenstein ‘still a little rusty’
Alden Gonzalez
IRVINE, Calif. — Los Angeles Rams offensive tackle Robert Havenstein had his second full day of practice Tuesday, running through drills after spending most of training camp sidelined with an injury to his right foot. The 24-year-old out of Wisconsin is “still a little rusty, but it’s all steps in the right direction.”
Havenstein is unlikely to play in the final preseason game Thursday against the Vikings in Minnesota but the Rams are hopeful that he will be ready by the Sept. 12 regular-season opener against the San Francisco 49ers — a development that could provide a lift to an offensive line that could use one.
Based on pass-protection rate (the percentage of plays in which the offense controls the line of scrimmage on dropbacks from the quarterback), the Rams ranked 23rd out of 32 teams last season. Their adjusted sack rate (sacks per pass attempt, adjusted for down, distance and opponent) ranked 24th. And, heading into 2016, Pro Football Focus ranked their unit — basically unchanged over the offseason — second-worst in the NFL.
But Havenstein, the first of four offensive linemen drafted by the Rams last year, could help change those stats by continuing to make strides.
The 6-foot-7, 321-pound behemoth of a man was pressed into 13 starts as a rookie and was the only offensive tackle to play 12-plus games and not give up a single sack in 2015. Havenstein believes having a year of NFL experience can have “a lot of impact” in his development.
“Obviously you kind of have a better understanding of the inner workings of just the NFL as a whole,” Havenstein said. “But at the end of the day, it’s still football. You have to go out there, prepare and perform. I guess that doesn’t change from year to year.”
August 31, 2016 at 11:15 am in reply to: A cross between Huey Long, Pinochet, David Hasselhoff"? #51953znModeratorLots of good quotes, as per usual, by Taibbi. Taibbi writes about the corporate media as much as Trump and the alt-rights.
Yeah that’s a good one.
August 31, 2016 at 11:14 am in reply to: A cross between Huey Long, Pinochet, David Hasselhoff"? #51952znModeratorAnd what will Taibbi write when Trump is elected president?
“In a different universe, there was a different outcome.”
znModeratoroff the net fromNERamsFan
Great episode, arguably my favorite one!
Hayes and the whole dinosaur thing should be it’s own tv show lol…
The contract extension with Tavon was awesome and his appreciation for Kroenke was truly awesome. I almost got choked up watching him have a moment with Coach Fish.
Rock is arguably the most respected head strength and conditioning coach in the league. Would love to see him have Favre guest visit at a practice, would be great for Goff.
And finally, the whole Austin Hill saga NEEDS to end. I truly have had enough of his side story, can’t wait to see his selfish ass get cut… Sorry I just can’t root for the kid.
Please Lord no injuries!!!
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znModeratorHard Knocks Season 11, Episode 4 Recap
By misone
Episode four of Hard Knocks with the Los Angeles Rams was a feisty one, as well as a reality check…
First and foremost, Aqib Talib ain’t shit….
We finally got some more airtime for Los Angeles Rams Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Rock Gullickson. This guy is intense as all hell at the scouting combine year in and year out, but it took four weeks for HBO to realize this. Someone needs to be fired. I kid, I kid.. However, the timing makes a lot sense, considering his role in collecting playbooks. There’s no bigger reality check these young players have had in life than that long walk to the head coaches office with your dream on the line.
Rookie franchise QB Jared Goff called a play and didn’t know what it was. That’s not what bothered me.
What bothered me was Offensive Coordinator Rob Boras took the blame saying that he should have been in the huddle with him. To hell with that. Did we draft him to coddle him? What happened to the expectations of learning the damn plays? When was saying “I don’t know the plays” a good enough excuse to get the coach to say I should have been there holding your jock strap? How about you ask someone in the huddle what the play is, or will you get in a game and call a play and not know where you are going with the ball?
WR Tavon Austin — one of the smallest players not only on the team but in the league — continues to have one of the biggest personalities on the show. His mouth coupled with his tough guy demeanor keeps the cameras on him regularly. This time pretend fighting with DE William Hayes.
But when you are four weeks into camp and emotions are high, and you have LB Alec Ogletree on your team, pretend fights eventually become real ones. Tree absolutely lowered the boom on RB Benny Cunningham for no reason other than boredom. That caused Cunningham to immediately charge him sparking a team brawl. Moments later, RB Todd Gurley being the good teammate and friend he is went after Tree on his next rep. Tree didn’t take it too kindly sparking an even bigger brawl. However, Head Coach Jeff Fisher didn’t stop practice on the first brawl, but clearly Gurley, who isn’t be touched, caused a delay. Who can blame him…
The bright side to the brawl is we found out that you should never expect Jared Goff to have your back in a brawl…though that’s probably a smart career move.
DE Eugene Sims has no clue how to spell fajita, which was awesome considering how comfortable and confident he was in his error.
You have to love to see Austin embrace Rams Owner Stan Kroenke before the game against the Denver Broncos. It was a surreal moment as you realize just how much playing this game can change a guys life. His appreciation was evident, and he even said as much during the embrace telling him, “Thank you. You changed my life.”
That’s what this show is all about. Showing the stuff that goes on when the helmet is off that you don’t always catch during the game.
Random Stat of The Week:
DT Aaron Donald finished his college career with 66 tackles for loss and 315 yards, as well as 29 sacks.
Now only two years into the NFL — yes, the NFL…you know, the game’s highest level — he already has 38 tackles for loss (good for second best in the NFL over the last two seasons), for 166 yards, and 20 sacks. Granted you play more games in the NFL than college, so lets look at the game totals. He played 51 games in college which breaks down to 1.3 tackles for loss a game and .56 sacks a game. But in the NFL, the elevation in talent has not slowed him one bit. In fact it looks like it has made him even greater. In 32 games he has averaged 1.2 tackles for loss and .62 sacks a game. And from a year to year basis, he has improved on each by 6 for tackles for loss, and by 2 for sacks. By my count, the world should be expecting a huge year from Mr. Donald.
znModeratorCuts provide “Hard Knocks” some much-needed juice, drama
Zac Jackson
Cuts provide “Hard Knocks” some much-needed juice, drama
In a “Hard Knocks” series that’s provided little in the way of drama or must-see characters, it was almost like the show needed the always compelling and sometimes numbing roster cut scene that closed Tuesday’s fourth episode.
Spice things up by showing guys get their dreams crushed? Hey, whatever it takes.
If you’ve been watching — this year or in prior, more entertaining years — you could see it coming at the beginning of the fourth episode when the show’s producers introduced Rams strength coach Rock Gullickson, who serves as the team’s turk.
When cut day comes, Gullickson is the guy who tracks down the players and takes them for a walk to see head coach Jeff Fisher. The show’s narrator even pointed out that in 2016, “cuts are high tech” as Gullickson checked his phone for a text message informing him which players he needed to escort out of the weight room.
Across the league, teams had to cut their preseason rosters from 90 to 75 by Tuesday afternoon. By Saturday, every team has to be down to 53 players. “Hard Knocks” showed Fisher cutting a handful of players, and the producers also caught candid shots of journeyman wide receiver Austin Hill believing that Gullickson was coming for him.
“Hard Knocks” promises full access and raw stuff fans normally don’t see, and the cut scenes provide both. Fisher told the cameras he’s personally released every player his team has cut since he’s been a head coach in the NFL, and in his conversation with recently released tight end Benson Browne he told the story of a player trying to get the team to pay for his flight to Hawaii.
“But he wasn’t from Hawaii,” Fisher said.
One player told Fisher he didn’t know his next move. Another asked for a candid opinion from Fisher on whether he should continue to pursue football. Fisher told center Brian Folkerts that the good news was that a lot of teams are looking for interior linemen right now.
“Anytime you release any player, it’s not easy,” Fisher said. “Some will come to the realization that their childhood goal is over and I need to go on with my life.”
Said Gullickson: “You do feel it deep inside that these kids have dreamed about this since they were small kids and all of a sudden it may be over.”
Overall, Hard Knocks is limping to the finish. But Austin Hill is still around — “he survives another week,” cameras caught Fisher saying at the end of this episode — and so are the HBO cameras.
At least for a few more days.
znModeratoroff the net from Ramborumble
I was away all weekend so I missed the game live. So on Sunday I read the papers, listened some some “experts” on tv, and saw some comments online. I was thinking after reading and hearing all this that Goff looked lost, confused, and totally not ready. Then, last night, I caught the replay of the game on NFL network. After watching with my own eyes, THE REALITY is that Goff actually looked the best he’s looked yet this entire pre season, and this was a road game. He stood tall in the pocket, threw multiple times downfield, and one thing is for sure – THIS GUY HAS A GUN FOR AN ARM. His one problem in the game is the same problem that has plagued all Ram QB’s last few years – DROPS. Ram WR’s just can’t hold on to the ball. And this was even with Goff sticking it right on the numbers. Mike Thomas, hands of stone. Ditto Duke Williams. Had those two caught the balls Goff lasered to them, Goff’s stat line and the ensuing comments from the “experts” would be a lot different after that game. Those experts clearly just read the stat line and didn’t bother watching the actual game.
More observations I came away with – While Mike Thomas had some bad drops, he was excellent on kick coverage special teams. Was always first guy down the field. Now I know he is stepping in for Marquez there, but maybe Thomas sticks on the roster because of this? The release of Coples maybe signals they will keep another wr instead?
Rams starting defense dominated. Did you see Ogletree tackle CJ Anderson for a loss and Anderson left bleeding? DID YOU SEE OGLETREE’S CLOSING SPEED ON THAT PARTICUALR PLAY? That is a play that JL55 never made, he was not the athlete Ogletree is and never was. The violence of that tackle was Ray Lewis like and dare I say Mike Singletary, who is Tree’s new mentor. It may take Ogletree half the season to really get comfortable at middle linebacker but in second half of season this guy will dominate and become a household name like Donald has.
The Denver announcers loved the Rams defense and said if Keenum can continue to play well this team can be an 11 win team even in the NFC west. That’s their quote. Rams need a good start to season because as it wears on their defense will get better and better and like I said I think Alec Ogletree is the key to the whole thing and the defense making the leap from good to elite.
znModeratorI totally disagree. I think it does help things, and will contribute to the much-needed
discussion in a positive way.w
vHate to be skeptical. But, if there is a lot of evidence of that, I would be happy to see it.
Lefties putting out blog stuff about the anthem’s lyrics won’t cover that, in my mind. That’s just the same pre-ordained percentage talking to itself again.
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Well I dont think it will help much at all. But i think every little iota of leaning-toward-the-light helps. You didn’t just write it wouldnt help, but you wrote it would hurt. “divisive” etc.Yeah, it’ll cause divisiveness, but it’ll cause other things too. All in all, I think its a ‘positive’ thing, despite the divisiveness.
Do you think the Carlos/Smith act was meaningless or divisive?
I like the fact it was aimed at Grid-iron fans. Gridiron fans get HEAVY dose after dose after dose of the usual pro-authority, pro-system crap. I am in favor of them seeing another point of view on that.
w
v
That was a great moment.
To me, this wasn’t. To me, this was just more of CK not thinking things through.
znModerator“I look back to that year (2014) where I tore my ACL in Cleveland, I think it was one of the most frustrating things ever just because I felt like I was playing really well. Probably the best football I’ve ever played
I remember hearing, thinking, and saying that at the time.
That in 2014, back from the injury, he was just lookin smokin good on the field. Camp reporters were saying that too. Yes it was preseason but his game had a new zip. Up until the injury.
znModerator
In contrast I defended the “hands up” gesture by the Rams players. I don’t think it was the same thing. They did it during intros, which just in terms of the overall dynamic made it a different thing.
znModeratorI don’t care if he plays Frisbee during the national anthem. It’s a free country
At this level, heck not even the NFL is arguing he did not have a right to do it.
I agree with you. The issue was whether not Colin Kaepernick of all people is going to generate genuinely useful discussion with this particular kind of political theater.
For example, the fact that it was him and not someone else alone, I am afraid, tilts that toward the negative.
I don’t know, maybe something good will come of this? Who knows. As I said I am skeptical.
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