Rams CB Trumaine Johnson working his way back quickly

Alden Gonzalez

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/post/_/id/31498/rams-cb-trumaine-johnson-working-his-way-back-quickly

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — On Oct. 9, in the fourth quarter of an eventual loss to the Buffalo Bills, primary Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson sprained his right ankle on a play that could’ve wound up tearing his knee. Twenty-four days later, he was flying around the field in practice, at one point intercepting a pass from No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff and laughing as he jogged to the end zone.

Johnson was limited while working out with the team on Wednesday, but only because the Rams held him back.

“He wanted more,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “That’ll give you some idea.”

Johnson, barely more than three weeks removed from being fitted for a protective boot, has a realistic chance of playing in Sunday’s home game against the Carolina Panthers. His presence would be a major lift against Cam Newton, the reigning MVP, and his two 6-foot-5 targets, tight end Greg Olsen and wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin. Without Johnson, listed at 6-2 and 208 pounds, the Rams would start three corners — E.J. Gaines, Lamarcus Joyner and the inexperienced Troy Hill — who stand no taller than 5-10.

“His experience and size factor and the matchup factor,” Fisher said of what Johnson would provide if he is able to play. “They’ve got big receivers and they can run, and he’s tall and he can play the ball.”

Fisher went on to say that he was pleased by the play of his other three corners in the Week 7 loss to the New York Giants in London. But it’s difficult to duplicate Johnson’s production. He tied for the fourth-most interceptions in the NFL from 2013-15 with 13, then tied for the NFL lead with seven pass breakups — a stat that combines batted passes with passes defended — through the first five weeks this year.

He’s also a fast healer.

“Sometimes that type of injury can set you back a little bit longer,” Fisher said, “but he’s worked really hard.”

Panthers visit Rams in meeting of struggling teams

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2016/11/03/panthers-visit-rams-in-meeting-struggling-teams.html

LOS ANGELES (AP) CAROLINA (2-5) vs. LOS ANGELES (3-4)

Sunday, 4 p.m. ET, Fox

OPENING LINE – Panthers by 2

More from FoxSports

RECORD VS. SPREAD – Carolina 2-5, Los Angeles 3-3-1

SERIES RECORD – Panthers lead 12-8

LAST MEETING – Panthers beat Rams 30-15, Oct. 20, 2013

LAST WEEK – Panthers beat Cardinals 30-20; Rams had bye, lost to Giants 17-10 on Oct. 23

AP PRO32 RANKING – Panthers No. 23, Rams No. 26

PANTHERS OFFENSE – OVERALL (7), RUSH (5), PASS (9).

PANTHERS DEFENSE – OVERALL (20), RUSH (3), PASS (30).

RAMS OFFENSE – OVERALL (30), RUSH (29), PASS (25).

RAMS DEFENSE – OVERALL (11), RUSH (15), PASS (12).

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES – Carolina makes its first trip to Hollywood. Panthers entered NFL in 1995, few months after Rams and Raiders simultaneously left nation’s second-largest city. … Coaches Jeff Fisher and Ron Rivera were teammates on 1980s Chicago Bears. … Teams met in divisional playoff game during 2003 season. Carolina beat Mike Martz’s 12-4 St. Louis team in double overtime. Rams haven’t had winning season since. … Panthers averaging sturdy 27.3 points per game, while Rams are 30th in NFL with 17.1. … … Panthers’ 30-20 win over Cardinals last week snapped four-game skid. They try to win back-to-back games for first time in defending NFC champions’ season. … Panthers’ stout run defense being betrayed by weak pass defense yielding 286.9 yards per game. … Carolina QB Cam Newton spoke with Commissioner Roger Goodell about concerns over big hits this season. Newton feels he isn’t being protected. … 2015 All-Pro DT Aaron Donald says Rams won’t change how they play after Newton’s concerns went public. … Rams come off bye week with three-game losing streak. … Rams finally get third real home game of relocation season. They’ve played at Coliseum just once since mid-September season opener. … Rams went 41-20-1 at Coliseum during November when they played downtown prior to 1979. … Rams struggling in passing game yet again with just 227.7 yards per game, despite showing signs of improvement from last season. Still aren’t ready to play No. 1 overall draft pick Jared Goff. … Fantasy Tip: Panthers had 12 sacks in first six games, but sacked Carson Palmer eight times last week. Rams QB Case Keenum has been sacked 16 times in seven games.

Slater on …

the running game

(best thing that happened to Dickerson was the Rams OL)

Cam Newton

his coaching career (including a stint with the Raiders)

zn wrote:

Agamemnon wrote:

Anyway there are variety of penalties and some are better or worse than others.

I think that’s true and I think that’s a good breakdown.

.

Also.

Rams, penalties, last 3 games, according to Teamrankings.com: https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/penalties-per-game

17th (ie. 16 teams have fewer).

I assume they mean last 3 games the Rams played, not last 3 game weeks in general, because otherwise they would be counting a bye week, with zero penalties.

Also

Top 10 in most penalties, last 3 games.

Oakland
Miami
Washington
Baltimore
Jacksonville
Philadelphia
Buffalo
Denver
Arizona
Dallas

Practice Report 11/1: After the Bye, Rams Prepping for Panthers

Myles Simmons

http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-practicereport/Practice-Report-111-After-the-Bye-Rams-Prepping-for-Panthers/b3cf5aca-7a74-4774-a25f-29c4cd62612d

After four consecutive days off for the bye week, the Rams were back at the facility for meetings on Monday, and their first practice of the week on Tuesday.

“The players took advantage of the break. We didn’t have any issues. A lot of guys stayed behind. As I said, where else would you go? It was great,” Fisher said. “We got some guys back — guys who stayed behind, that needed treatment — and we’re close.”

For players like defensive end William Hayes, the bye provided a chance for recovery, with Hayes still nursing an injured ankle that caused him to miss two games.

“Yeah, it kind of gave me a little longer to give me a little more time to help me get my ankle back right, so it came at the perfect time,” Hayes said. “Well-needed, so I feel a little bit more refreshed and ready to go.”

But now Fisher said he can sense players are ready to get back on the field, particularly at home. And they will do their best to combat any sort of bye week hangover.

“There are statistics associated with the week off, penalties tend to increase a little bit after a week off. You have a tendency over the years, at times, to start a little slower,” Fisher said. “But I don’t anticipate that with our guys, they’ve played hard, they know how to practice. I’m kind of excited to get back on the field, it seems like we’ve been out of the Coliseum forever right now.”

Indeed, the last time the Rams played at home was Oct. 9 against the Bills. And they’ve only had two true home games this season — though they were considered the home team against the Giants in London.

Los Angeles will make its return to the Coliseum against a Carolina team that has a likely deceptive 2-5 record. The Panthers beat the Cardinals on Sunday 30-20 — a score that does not necessarily reflect the ways in which Carolina dominated the game. The Panthers recorded eight sacks on Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer, returning an early fumble by the signal-caller for a touchdown. At one point, the Panthers led 30-7.

“It’s hard to look at the tape and see that they only won two games, but it’s a good football team,” Fisher said. “We get a sense for watching them match-up against Arizona, because we know Arizona very well, and it’s a dominating game. It was a great effort by them, and a much needed win for them.”

“You just look at the history they had last year — the plays they made and the plays they’re making this year, too,” defensive tackle Aaron Donald said, “they can hurt you in a lot of different ways. So we’ve just got to try to contain those guys. And [we’ve] definitely got to stop the run, and definitely the deep threat that they throw at us.”

Fisher said he does notice some of the same traits in the Panthers that come through in many of the NFC West teams. It’s the way they’ve been assembled to run the football on offense and play tough, physical defense.

“Our focus and our goal going into this week is we’re going to have to play the best run defense we’ve played all year, just because of the way they’re built, and the way they commit to it,” Fisher said. “That puts a lot of pressure on your secondary, but we’re going to have to commit there.”

That starts with quarterback Cam Newton, who is a load to handle at 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds.

“He’s like a defensive end with running back athletic ability, and he can throw the ball,” Donald said. “So he’s just a special type of guy we’ve just got to get to and try to bottle up.”

“He’s a quarterback that’s just as big as defensive ends, and he’s running just as good as a running back, and he can throw — he’s probably got one of the strongest arms in the NFL,” Hayes said. “So you put all of that together, you’ve got a man [that you’re] trying to hit. He’s an outstanding football player.”

That will be the focus as the Rams get ready for the defending NFC Champions.

“We got a good start on the plan and we’re playing an outstanding opponent,” Fisher said. “We have a big week ahead of us.”

CONCERN WITH LOW HITS?

After Sunday’s win over the Cardinals, Newton was critical of some of the low hits he’s taken inside the pocket. So, being Newton and the Panthers’ next opponent, are the Rams concerned they might fall victim to an overcorrection?

“I’m not concerned about it, because there’s no rule changes, and our players understand the rules — as do their players understand the rules. So I’m not concerned about it at all,” Fisher said. “I’m more concerned about him extending plays with his legs and making plays with his arm. He was an MVP for a lot of reasons last year.”

“We’re just going to play the way we play football,” Hayes said. “We don’t go out there to play dirty, we just play physical and fast. We’re not going to target him because he’s complaining about being hit.”

That said, both Fisher and Hayes said they understood Newton’s frustration with the particular hit that went unflagged, as Arizona defensive end Calais Campbell hit the quarterback low and in the pocket.

“I think some of those hits he was talking about were kind of questionable,” Hayes said. “But to say we’re not going to try to go after him, that would be false.”

“Across the league, it happens all the time,” Fisher said. “The league’s priority, from a safety standpoint, starts at the quarterback position. I’ve done a lot of work, through the [competition] committee over the years, protecting the quarterback – there’s going to be things that just aren’t called. At the same time, there are hits on quarterbacks that are legal that are called fouls. The league’s doing the best they can to protect them.”

INJURY UPDATE

No official injury report on Tuesdays, but Fisher did have good news on both cornerback Trumaine Johnson and defensive tackle Michael Brockers.

“They were out today, so they’re coming on,” Fisher said. “Probably will be a game-time decision. We’ll have an injury report for you at the end of the week.”

PA Ram wrote:

Eh. I’m not so sure I’m impressed with your list, zn.

After 5 other teams, Collins ended up with the Titans and had one good season. He was replaced the following year. So I’m not sure why you think Collins had his best years under Fisher. While Bradford may have had his best year under Fisher, he never had a GREAT year–which is what you want from a #1 pick.

Foles melted down. It happens. It happened under Fisher.

Fisher has not(besides McNair) impressed me with QBs. So I stand by my point. Fisher does not have a great history with QBs–especially with no running game.

I will say I like what Keenum is doing with his limited ability. And I thought Mannion looked better in pre-season.

But we’re talking about the #1 pick in the draft. He has to be a top tier guy. He has to be. You don’t draft a “game manager” at #1. If you give up all those picks you do it for greatness.

I hope you’re right. I hope that Goff is all of that. He has to be because if they missed on him they will suffer for years.

I hope you’re right.

But I just look at Fisher and his history and think it would have been wiser to take the most pro-ready guy. No one disputed that was Wentz.

But I get it–the Rams are playing the long game. If Goff becomes Montana I can sit down and shut up and smile. And breathe s sigh of relief. And laugh at how silly my post was when I questioned the pick. And I’ll love every minute of it.

Well you;re not impressed with the list because there’s no Brady, Warner, or Rodgers on it. But that’s just the luck of the draw. Frankly BB is lucky to find Brady.

Nevertheless, McNair played well.

Collins’s best season was with the Titans. He was a pro bowl qb in 2008.

Bradford played well for the Rams in 2012-13 when he didn’t have a banged up OL (a problem that has re-surfaced in Minn). Doesn’t matter where Bradford was picked–he was never going to be elite, I always said he was in the Flacco/Eli class.

And Foles crashed. I put that on Foles.

The rest were either Vince Young or #2 types, with Keenum being the best of that lot.

None of that gives me pause in terms of a coach developing a qb. I instead assume that Goff is a good pick and will do well.

So we just differ.

Which is fine. We could use a good board war around here.

Rams won’t hold back against Carolina’s Cam Newton

By Gary Klein

http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-rams-panthers-newton-20161101-story.html

Cam Newton complained about alleged illegal hits and his voice presumably reverberated all the way to the NFL commissioner’s office.

Not that the Rams seem to care all that much.

As they prepared to play Newton’s Carolina Panthers, Rams defensive linemen Tuesday said they did not plan to change a thing in their pursuit of the reigning NFL most valuable player Sunday at the Coliseum.

“He probably needs to slide a little bit faster,” end William Hayes said.

“The whole point of the game is for 11 people to hit 11 people,” tackle Dominique Easley said.

Newton complained Sunday after the Panthers’ 30-20 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. The quarterback said that defensive lineman Calais Campbell should have been penalized for an illegal hit below the knees.

“It’s really taking the fun out of the game for me,” Newton was quoted after the game. “At times, I don’t even feel safe. And enough is enough.”

Newton said he planned to speak to Commissioner Roger Goodell about the issue.

On Monday, Panthers Coach Ron Rivera said the 6-foot-5, 245-pound Newton was victimized by what he described as “a little bit of the Shaquille O’Neal treatment” from officials.

“He’s a bigger guy for that position as opposed to some of the smaller quarterbacks of stature,” Rivera told reporters in Charlotte. “When they get hit, they roll around to the ground. When he gets it, he absorbs them and it doesn’t look as bad.”

Rivera also said he had contacted Goodell.

Rams Coach Jeff Fisher said Tuesday that Newton “overreacted” to Campbell’s hit “but I can understand his frustration on that.”

Fisher noted that illegal hits are missed by officials in every game, including “half a dozen or so” on Rams quarterback Case Keenum this season.

The Rams have been penalized 68 times this season and have had two defensive players ejected from games.

Tackle Aaron Donald was tossed from the season-opening loss against the San Francisco 49ers. End Eugene Sims was ejected against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Donald was also fined for unnecessary roughness penalties at the end of the game against the Detroit Lions.

Asked if they were concerned that the Rams might come under greater scrutiny in the immediate aftermath of Newton’s comments, Fisher and Rams players said no.

“I’m not concerned about it at all,” Fisher said. “I’m more concerned about him extending plays with his legs and making plays with his arm. He was an MVP for a lot of reasons last year.”

Newton, who led the Panthers to the Super Bowl last season, is completing 57% of his passes, eight for touchdowns, with six interceptions.

On Sunday, he passed for 212 yards and rushed for 43 in a victory over the Cardinals that ended a losing streak at four games and improved the Panthers’ record to 2-5.

“He’s like a defensive end with running back athletic ability and he can throw the ball,” Donald said.

Donald said “you’ve got to bring your big boy pads if you’re going to tackle him,” but the Rams would not change the way they play.

Hayes concurred.

“We’re not going to out there to play dirty,” he said. “We just play physical and fast.

“We’re not going to target him because he’s complaining about getting hit.”

Easley took issue with Newton complaining about not feeling safe.

“I don’t think they should be playing the game if you’re worried about being safe,” he said.

Quick hits

Offensive lineman Jamon Brown, who was sidelined against the New York Giants because of a left hand injury, said he underwent surgery Oct. 25 and is ready to play against the Panthers. … Cornerback Trumaine Johnson (ankle) and defensive tackle Michael Brockers (thigh) worked out. Fisher said they probably will be game-time decisions. … Fisher on rookie quarterback Jared Goff, who took first-team reps during the bye week: “He’s good and he benefited from it, no doubt. We’ll continue to give him the same reps we’ve given him the last few weeks, work him in with the 1s during the preparation week.”

wv wrote:

zn wrote:

And the obvious problems remain.
No running game,
up and down defense.

————

Yeah, No Running game,
Inconsistent D, and
Huge Turnovers (pick6’s)

So what’s the cause of each one of those,
and are any or all of them fixable ?

w
v

IMO.

The D has to stay healthy.

Depending on the qb, the pick 6s are mostly (not always) about a qb who was not supposed to be in that position carrying the team and pressing.

He was supposed to be not the main weapon but an effective game manager on a team that can run and play defense. Then no need to put the entire offense on the qb, no need to press.

In fact given that he was pushed into that role, Keenum IMO has done far better than anyone had any right to expect. Look at my list of “last 5 or last 3 games” improvements. Many of those things are better than they have been in YEARS.

So it all gets down to the running game. Yet this team has run the ball before. No one else got anything out of Stacy. Gurley was great last year. So who knows what is happening, though it’s probably a long perfect storm style list of things. There are different theories, and IMO every theory has a part truth in it.

If they can get that running game up and going, they have the makings of a good team here. Even before Goff gets in there.

.