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znModeratorThe Rams will look mainly to that group in their hopes of improving the offense without a traditional vertical passing game.
Well. That’s a fallacy. Rams have always managed to nail together a deep passing game. That’s regardless of the qb or the weapons.
Sure if you consider the QB and WRs being hammered. Last is last for a reason.
The facts of the matter are Rams qbs throw long. CK did it without getting hammered. I don’t know if Foles knew how to. When they get Goff in there it will be even more of strength.
znModeratorRams News & Notesz
Myles Simmons
POSITIVE MARKS FOR BROWN
Running back Malcolm Brown has been one of the brightest spots for Los Angeles this preseason, leading the team with 134 yards rushing through two games. Brown spent most of 2015 on the Rams’ practice squad, earning a few carries in the club’s Week 17 matchup at San Francisco. With that year of experience, Fisher said nothing Brown has done in these two weeks has been much of a surprise. But the running back has clearly worked hard in the offseason to make this kind of progress.
“One of the ways you evaluate young running backs — and all running backs, for that matter — is the yards after contact. We call them ‘the violent yards,’” Fisher said. “What happens after the first hit? You can see what’s happening with him — extending plays. You turn around and look and it’s 2nd-and-1 or it’s a first down.
“He’s running, breaking tackles,” Fisher continued. “He’s got great balance. He’s a heavy runner. It’s not something that we didn’t expect, we saw a little bit out of him last year in the preseason. He’s worked hard and he’s deserving of the success that he’s had.”
“Just trusting in everything — what the coaches are teaching me. And I’m trusting in the offensive line,” Brown said Saturday of what’s led to his success. “Just trust and just having confidence that I can get the job done.”
Brown has a chance to become an important depth pice for the Rams this season.
GAINES’ RETURN TO ACTION
Cornerback E.J. Gaines played in his first game since December 2014 on Saturday night after being sidelined last year by a foot injury. While Gaines’ reps were limited as the club is bringing him back slowly, Fisher said he was encouraged by what he saw on film.
“I was really pleased with what we saw out of E.J.,” Fisher said. “He sprained an ankle out here in practice a couple days ago, didn’t know if he was going to be able to go. Fought through it, went out, and made some really big-time tackles. Just kind of reminiscent of the E.J. that we had a couple years ago.”
Back from his foot injury, Gaines has had to work through a couple issues in training camp with his hamstring and ankle. But he has done it successfully.
“We’ll continue to increase his reps not only in practice, but also in the final two preseason games,” Fisher said.
Along with Coty Sensabaugh and Lamarcus Joyner, Fisher said Gaines is still in the thick of the starting cornerback spot opposite Trumaine Johnson.
WHO’S THE RETURN MAN?
Rookie wide receiver Pharoh Cooper has been taking first man up in the first two preseason games to return both kickoffs and punts, raising the question: Could he be the Rams’ new return man?
Not so fast, according to Fisher. The Rams will continue rolling with Tavon Austin for punts and Benny Cunningham for kicks.
“Tavon has done it before and he doesn’t necessarily need to do it [in preseason],” Fisher said. “I think we have one of the better kickoff returners over the last few years in the league, and that’s Benny.”
It is important, however, to have a contingency plan should one become necessary.
“We also need to have a backup,” Fisher said. “At times, we may have two back there to create some problems. We need to be comfortable with the backup returner, so that’s why we’ve given [Cooper] some reps there.
“Very impressed with his decision-making, his suddenness and he commits — when he commits he goes,” Fisher added.
WIDE RECEIVER COMPETITION
Last week, Fisher made a few waves when he called the competition at receiver “wide open” after Austin, Cooper, and Kenny Britt. He reiterated the point on Saturday, saying he’s seen progress from the group.
“You saw production out of Kenny — Kenny made some big plays for us,” Fisher said. “‘Coop’ had the big catch for the touchdown. Tavon didn’t get much, just because the way the game went, we didn’t have snaps and we took him out of the game. … The younger guys — we just didn’t get a whole lot of reps with them just because of the number of snaps. We’re seeing progression and improvement outside on the practice field.”
Fisher, however, did note that wideout Brian Quick had a pair of drops during this week’s game.
“Your receivers have to catch it, not drop it,” Fisher said. “He’s had too many drops, so he’s going to have to focus on that.”
TOO MANY FLAGS
In the first preseason game, the Rams had two flags. Saturday, they had nine — five of which were either offsides or neutral-zone infractions. Those are the kinds of pre-snap penalties that especially frustrate coaches.
“Those things completely overshadow the big plays that you make up front,” Fisher said. “Defensive offsides can’t be part of what you’re doing.”
Kansas City may have had a bit of an edge in that area, though, since their quarterback for much of the contest was former Ram Nick Foles.
“We know why it happened. Nick Foles is really good at it — at the hard count,” Fisher said. “And Nick knows — he’s been here, he’s seen these guys. He’s pulled them offsides all through last year through OTAs and training camp. And he knows that they’ve got a hair trigger, and he took advantage of it.
“It’s a good learning experience for our guys,” Fisher continued. “You’re going to have some [offsides penalties]. But yesterday, in my estimation, it got out of hand. It got frustrating.”
Better to have it happen in games that don’t count than ones that do. But no team can afford copious pre-snap penalties, which is why L.A. would like to nip this issue in the bud.
EXTRA POINTS
— Fisher noted one of the aspects of the offense he’s been most pleased with has been red-zone scoring.
“One thing that’s encouraging from an offensive stand-point, is that … we’ve had seven drives that have gone into the red zone, and we’ve come away with seven touchdowns,” Fisher said. “That’s a significant improvement over where we were last year. Being realistic, it’s still preseason, but we’re accomplishing what we want to accomplish as we go into the games.”
As Fisher said, it’s preseason football, so this isn’t everything. But given the way the Rams fared offensively last year, it isn’t nothing.
Think of it this way: If the Rams weren’t scoring touchdowns in the red zone, it certainly would be a story.
— Finally, Fisher said starters are likely to get more playing time next Saturday against Denver for the third exhibition matchup. And that is a team that presents plenty of challenges.
“Traditionally, your ones play a little bit longer,” Fisher said. “Sometimes, in years past, we have gone through the halftime experience and come back out. For some of the guys, that’s a first-time thing. If you get used to just coming out and playing a quarter and sitting around — once the season starts, that doesn’t happen.
“So some of the guys will go through the halftime experience. I don’t know, at this point, how many of them will. But you’re going to see more reps from the starters.”
znModeratorGood News on Marquez
Myles Simmons
Wide receiver Bradley Marquez should be back on the field much sooner than originally expected.
The Texas Tech product went down after making a reception on a screen play early in the third quarter against the Chiefs on Saturday. After the game, head coach Jeff Fisher said the wideout needed more tests to determine an exact prognosis.
Those tests came back with positive results, according to Fisher.
“Suspected a little worse last night, but got really good news with respect to Marquez,” Fisher said at his Sunday press conference to wrap up the week. “Bradley may miss a week of practice, may miss a game. But considering where we were last night when we left the Coliseum, there was some concern. But today was a good day.
“It’s nice to get good news from the medical staff, the doctors, and the trainers,” Fisher added. “Hopefully he’ll have a chance to come back this week. If not, it’s not going to be an extended period of time.”
Marquez is a major special teams contributor, and his absence would create holes throughout the different units. Considering how the wide receiver left the field on Saturday evening, good news was certainly welcome for his injury status.
Defensive end Ethan Westbrooks also left the field due to injury against Kansas City, but Fisher said he’ll be fine. Westbrooks is expected to be able to practice this week.
znModeratorEarly impressions of Rams a mixed bag
VINNY BONSIGNORE
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/rams-726577-chiefs-quick.html
There is nothing more deceiving than NFL preseason games, which all too often send fans and observers toppling in one direction or another getting caught up in the good and bad emerging from games that are largely forgotten the moment the calendar flips from August to September.
So we will digest the Rams two wins to start the preseason mindful of the perspective it deserves. In other words, we’ll read into the results proportionately to the game planning going on by the teams involved.
Which is very little.
That said, there are valid takeaways from the first two weeks, and with the starters playing deeper into Game 2 than they did Game 1, a clearer picture of the Rams began emerging after Saturday’s 21-20 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
And as the picture comes into focus, here are some thoughts about what we see.
STARTING DEFENSE NEEDS WORK
The talent is there for the Rams to field at least a middle-of-the-pack defense, and if DE Robert Quinn is 100 percent healthy coming off back surgery and Alec Ogletree comfortably settles at middle linebacker after sliding over from outside linebacker, they have a chance to be really good.
But there are some concerns that need tending to.
The losses of starting cornerback Janoris Jenkins and safety Rodney McLeod to free agency meant backups being called upon to replace them. The Rams believe they have the necessary pieces to back fill the holes, but two weeks in and a couple of long drives later, the Rams secondary has yet to settle in. Lamarcus Joyner and newcomer Coty Sensabaugh have had trouble in coverage at cornerback. And with E.J. Gaines still working his way back from a serious foot injury, the job opposite Trumaine Johnson – who struggled Saturday in coverage – remains unsettled.
Maurice Alexander, who is replacing McLeod, did not play against the Chiefs, so gouging the back-end of the secondary is difficult.
Bottom line, two weeks into the preseason the first-team offenses of the Cowboys and Chiefs largely had their way with the Rams first-team defense, and the bulk of the damage was done in the pass game.
OFFENSIVE LINE HAS LOOKED EFFICIENT
Lost in all the hoopla of Jared Goff and the Rams returning from St. Louis is that LT Greg Robinson has had a solid camp. A disappointment his first two seasons after being selected second overall out of Auburn, Robinson approached camp with a sense of urgency and his play against the Cowboys and Chiefs reflects that. If he can solidify LT, it changes the narrative on a unit that’s struggled for years.
The Rams ran the ball efficiently against the Chiefs, and starter Todd Gurley and backup Bennie Cunningham consistently found plenty of room to operate in behind Robinson and the first-team unit.
Meanwhile, starting QB Case Keenum was well protected and most of Goff’s early struggles were on him and not the line.
Keep in mind starting RT Rob Havenstein still hasn’t been cleared to play while dealing with a leg issue. It looks like he’ll return to a unit that’s beginning to find its footing, let by Robinson at LT. If that’s the case, a long-term concern could be erased.
BENNIE AND THE JETS
The Rams offense is built around dynamic running back Todd Gurley, who is poised for an even better sophomore season after a fabulous rookie year in which he was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
But there is plenty of depth behind him, beginning with Cunningham, who averaged 9.5 yards per carry on four carries Saturday, and third stringer Malcolm Brown, who finished with 68 yards on 12 carries and added a touchdown reception from Goff to push the Rams over the Chiefs.
This is Gurley’s offense, but he’ll have some help in his fellow running backs.
QUICK FADING
Rams coach Jeff Fisher raised eyebrows this week when he didn’t mention Brian Quick while assessing the wide receiver depth chart, and when the Rams lined up in a three-receiver set on their first series Saturday it was rookie Pharoh Cooper on the field with starters Kenny Britt and Tavon Austin rather than Quick.
That’s a reflection of Cooper – who has been a hit in camp – as much as it is Quick, who simply hasn’t lived up to the hype after the Rams drafted him at the top of the second round four years ago. Quick played extensively Saturday and was targeted five times, but just two resulted in a catch and he dropped a pass he absolutely should have caught from Goff.
With Cooper seemingly overtaking Quick as the third wide receiver and youngsters like Nelson Spruce, Michael Thomas, Duke Williams and Bradley Marquez – who was injured Saturday – pushing for roster spots, Quick is in danger of losing more than just his starting role.
KEENUM NUDGING AHEAD
Fifth-year quarterback Case Keenum is showing he’s much more than just a placeholder for Goff, the first overall pick in last April’s draft. In fact, if the season were to start today it would be Keenum, not Goff, who deserved the starting job.
Just as he’s done throughout training camp and Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys, Keenum was decisive and efficient Saturday against then Chiefs while guiding the Rams to a pair of long touchdown drives. And in three trips to the red zone this preseason, he’s helped cash in on three touchdowns.
For a team that desperately needs to figure out a way to put points on the board after struggling for years offensively, production like that will mean Keenum remaining the starter for awhile.
znModerator(On how many more improvements he’s seen from the first team offensive line)
FISHER: “They’re playing better. From Week 1, I thought (T) Greg (Robinson) played well again last night. They’re playing better together. If you pay attention in the second half, we’ve got guys all over the place.
August 22, 2016 at 6:40 am in reply to: youtube party…post a song you like which you think is not that widely known #51361znModeratorPost at 1204. But change to this link=
Done!
Sorry about the problems.
I would have done this sooner but apparently I fell asleep before your last post.
August 22, 2016 at 12:34 am in reply to: youtube party…post a song you like which you think is not that widely known #51359znModeratorWhy do we get one try to edit posts…I’m totally confused by this archaic GUI…
Tell me what you’re trying to post. I’ll put it in.
znModeratorThe Rams will look mainly to that group in their hopes of improving the offense without a traditional vertical passing game.
Well. That’s a fallacy. Rams have always managed to nail together a deep passing game. That’s regardless of the qb or the weapons.
znModeratorThe chat room was fine. Ag brought his “A” game as usual and “as usual” ZN could barely contain his cheerleading efforts.
Remember, that was me responding to your statements about the soul-sucking empty pit of despair that yawns like an abyss beneath the feet of Rams fans everywhere, robbing them of all joy and sense of life. If I recall that was your response to a Brian Quick drop.
GUNN: Elevator just opened up into a howling abyss. You ever heard a howling abyss? Terrible.
znModeratorfrom Sam Bradford will start on Thursday
Gregg Rosenthal
August 23, 2010link: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/08/23/sam-bradford-will-start-on-thursday/
In two preseason appearances, Bradford has completed 12 of 27 passes for 81 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.
znModeratorIMO, some political visions can get closer than others, especially if we zoom in and focus on aspects like the economy, education, the environment and so on.
Depends on what you want from those things. And the answer to that will always be a vision of.
I try to operate from the starting points of rights and democracy. I think I can make a case that a genuine sense of human rights and a fully realized democracy will not be subject to the economic power of a few.
But on the other hand some counterpart of ours in the past humbly offered that fallen human nature must be ruled because it is corrupt, and therefore a just god ordained that there would be those who by blood, birth, and higher right were the patricians, protectors, and lawgivers of society at large.
I don’t think you can put either vision in an acid solution and declare the one that turns blue is true.
But at the same time I will fight for mine because I believe it is better.
znModeratoroff the net from Speed_Kills
GR played the entire 1st half ….handled 51 of the Chiefs and started to frustrate him as the half went on. Had a huge block on one of Cunnighams longer runs
Grob has looked so lost in the past his play the last two weeks has been very encouraging
znModeratorZN, is this really something you find yourself needing to say, even now? I guess I was really lucky growing up. Had two highly educated parents, with highly educated parents of their own, etc. etc. Most of the extended family was/is. Not monied — with a couple of exceptions. But very learned.
Well I am not clear what you mean by “need to say it.” The very way you put that makes me wonder if you got the actual point.
I said that as analysis of mass media news. My claim was that mass media news absolutely does not get that. I made that point because I thought it would be one most readers of this forum already knew and understood. So since we all get that race is cultural etc, isn’t it interesting that mass media news doesn’t get that.
Do we agree that mass media news doesn’t get that? That’s the point.
…
znModeratorAlso, Nietzsche and the double-edged sword:
When someone says straight up, in paraphrase, alludes to or echoes, etc. etc. that There is no truth, only perspective . . . . Well, that’s a perspective too and, ironically, a truth-claim.
So you can end up with a kind of infinite regress of sorts, with all kinds of shaggy dogs chasing their tales of woe and wonder.
That was clever and I enjoyed it. But, now, I am going to switch to pedantic mode.
I really don’t take the position than nothing is true. In fact there are logical truths. There are also empirical facts. They can be interpreted in various ways but their factuality is either established or not.
What I said in this thread was 2 things.
First, that no political vision—ie. ideas about the nature of human beings, about the ideal structure of society, or about modes of government—is “true.” I think they enter the domain of belief and persuasion. We believe certain things, we persuade others if we can. (Or kill them if they get in the way, but that’s the more advanced version of this.) (Kidding.)
Second, and far more importantly, and much closer to the actual point, it is my experience that the conversation goes better if people begin by acknowledging point 1. So instead of “you should vote libertarian because that is the truth,” it makes for a better conversation to say “because I am a libertarian who believes x, I think y on this issue.” Sort of approaching it as a “see how I see it” issue.
However, since I also acknowledge that there are logical truths, I submit that saying that there is no “true” political vision (just different ones) is a factually and logically accurate claim. It’s a descriptive statement which describes how political discourse works. It can be logically true because it’s about the logic of how certain statements based upon belief tend to work. Why are they just “based on belief?” Because it is impossible to prove that this or that political vision is more real or true (you can make the case that this or that one is preferable for x or y reasons but then that’s a rhetorical move, not logical one.)
So saying that all political positions are visions and therefore not truths is a logically straightforward claim about how belief, perception, and desire work. Namely, no one holding a political position can ever demonstrate its truth, though they can try to persuade you to accept their position as for the best, or valid, or better, or worthwhile, etc.
So what’s not “true” but yet “believed” in political discussion is the basic vision.
At the same time of course facts matter, though they are always open to discussion and debate. So for example saying that fascist doctrine is socialist is false. Yet saying socialism is true and other views are lies is also false…a political vision cannot logically claim to be based on a demonstrable truth. It’s always a vision. Even when everyone believes it.
Again, my whole point was that we should just say that: “Speaking as a pre-maoist libertarian royalist, I believe x, and I think I can get you to see the value of believing x.”
znModerator————–
Do you agree or disagree that in the ‘cluster’ of ‘issues of domination’, in the mainstream-media,
CLASS is the one that gets minimized, marginalized, ignored, more than, say,
race, sex, gender…?As near as I can honestly tell (cause I haven’t watched tv news for a decade and am not a dedicated reader of a particular newspaper or news magazine) class is not only ignored it is aggressively deflected as an issue. Race and sexuality are not ignored but mostly distorted. (When I tell people, for example, that genetic science says there is no such thing as a race almost invariably they’ve never heard that before, even though the science on it goes back to the 70s. Knowing that race is a cultural/social/historical thing and not a biological thing should not be new.) Most mass media types would not know how to have an informed adult conversation about gender. For them it’s mostly about whether or not a physical female person does or does not get to do a certain thing.
In terms of you noting class more, I personally don’t believe there are hierarchies with this stuff. I think it’s all completely inseparable. But then at the same time (paradoxically) people have to go with what grabs them. It is very annoying to hear we’re all supposed to be these political purists, when more often than not it’s the purists who are the problem. It’s all so complex that it’s better to just let diverse voices speak for what they see and know. Let it all come forth, so to speak.
Just, personally, I do the “they’re all priorities” thing. But then it’s up to me to be persuasive that that approach has value and works.
znModeratorJared Goff throws first NFL TD pass as Rams edge Chiefs
By RICH HAMMOND
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/rams-726524-first-yards.html
LOS ANGELES – Minus the pageantry, the national television audience and the near-sellout crowd, things seemed more normal for the Rams on Saturday, and that’s not necessarily good news.
The Rams ran the ball well in their second preseason game, but the list of positives didn’t extend much further for either the first-team offense or defense. The Rams once again improved in the second half and beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 21-20, at the Coliseum.
Those waiting for a step forward by rookie quarterback Jared Goff – and perhaps more importantly, by the Rams’ secondary – had to wait a while, as Goff mostly struggled until the fourth quarter.
In his second professional game, Goff passed for only 42 yards on his first four series but then, early in the fourth quarter, led the Rams on a 67-yard touchdown drive. Goff completed all three attempts for 34 yards, including a 10-yard scoring pass to running back Malcolm Brown, to give the Rams a 21-20 lead.
Goff, who fumbled twice (and lost one), finished 8 of 12 for 82 yards and one touchdown. Starting quarterback Case Keenum completed 4 of 5 attempts for 53 yards and one touchdown and led the Rams to touchdowns on both of his series.
But just as they did the week before against Dallas, the Rams needed a strong fourth quarter to mask some deficiencies on both sides of the ball.
The Rams did a better job at the line of scrimmage in the first half, and that’s no small thing. The offensive line opened wide gaps for Rams running backs Todd Gurley, Benny Cunningham and Malcolm Brown, and on their first two series, the Rams rushed 10 times for 66 yards.
Gurley, in his first preseason action, played one first-quarter series and rushed four times for 20 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown. That was enough for Gurley, who already looked in midseason form.
Starting quarterback Case Keenum led the Rams to touchdowns on their first two drives – 81 and 79 yards, respectively – and a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter, but that’s when things went sour.
The Rams’ defensive front showed improvement, particularly in the first quarter, when the unit recorded one sack and held the Chiefs to an average of 2.8 rushing yards per play, but pass defense struggled.
Kansas City’s top two quarterbacks, Alex Smith and (former Ram) Nick Foles combined to complete 27 of 34 attempts for 270 yards and one touchdown, and often found receivers wide open down the field.
The Chiefs tied the game 14-14 early in the second quarter on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Jeremy Maclin.
Goff entered the game on the ensuing series and, on his second play, tripped over the foot of offensive lineman Cody Wichmann and fumbled. The Chiefs turned that turnover into a field goal and a 17-14 lead, then kicked another field goal on the final play of the first half for a 20-14 lead.
znModeratorDidnt see the game, just the highlites. Goff looked ultra-talented to me.
Just looks like the mental-game is not there yet, but he looked like a no.1 pick to me. Just a matter of time.Goff struggled. Obviously. But I think he is the answer we’ve been waiting for. We just have to wait longer. I’m fine with that
+1, as they say.
I did see the game and Goff is just all rookied up. But you can still see the bright lights shining through all those temporary clouds.
znModeratorEvery Jared Goff Throw | 2016 NFL Preseason Highlights
znModeratorTodd Gurley scores in L.A. debut as the Rams beat the Chiefs, 21-20
Gary Klein
http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-rams-chiefs-20160820-snap-story.html
The Rams want to see Jared Goff make strides and become the franchise quarterback they deemed him to be after choosing him with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.
Through two exhibition games, Goff has made some noticeable stumbles.
On Saturday night at the Coliseum, Goff tripped and fumbled on his second snap against the Kansas City Chiefs. He fumbled on the final play of his second series.
Goff mixed in several good passes, including a short touchdown pass to running back Malcolm Brown early in the fourth quarter that proved to be the difference in a 21-20 exhibition victory.
“I hope to just continue to improve,” Goff said. “I don’t want to set any statistical goals, just continue to improve and feel more comfortable.”
Coach Jeff Fisher said Goff was improving, but the former California standout does not appear to be near ready to start the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, or even challenge for the assignment.
And the Rams still have plenty of problems to fix before they head to Levi’s Stadium on Sept. 12
A week after they thrilled fans in a nearly sold-out stadium last week against the Dallas Cowboys, the Rams played before what appeared to be about half as many in a game that felt like a typical NFL exhibition.
The defense that is supposed to be the team’s strength struggled early for the second consecutive week. The secondary remains a major question mark.
And after committing only two penalties against the Cowboys, they were flagged eight times against the Chiefs.
On the positive side, an offense that ranked last in the NFL in 2015 once again showed signs of improvement.
Starting quarterback Case Keenum engineered two touchdown drives before giving way to Goff early in the second quarter.
Keenum followed last week’s confident and efficient effort against the Cowboys with another strong showing. He completed four of five passes for 53 yards and a touchdown.
Perhaps more telling: The fifth-year pro shows no sign of feeling a challenge from Goff.
“He put the ball in the end zone and has a good feel for what we’re doing,” Fisher said. “We’re keeping things simple but he’s making plays.”
The game also marked the season debut of star running back Todd Gurley.
Gurley, the 2015 NFL offensive rookie of the year, rushed for 20 yards and a touchdown in four carries during the first series.
That was it for Gurley, who spent the rest of the night with his helmet off on the sideline.
“I was a little sluggish,” Gurley said at halftime. “I felt like I could’ve done a lot better.”
Goff might feel the same way, though his statistical line looked fine. He played six series and completed eight of 12 passes for 82 yards and the touchdown — and at least two of his passes were dropped.
“Goff is doing a great job,” receiver Tavon Austin said. “Some days he’s going to be all right and some days he’s not going to.
“The good thing about it is he stayed strong in there, he didn’t look down and he kept on moving the team.”
Last week in his debut, Goff played only two series, an appearance that was cut short after he was hit hard twice during his 13-play stint. Goff was hit as he threw a pass that was intercepted and also was sacked on his final play.
But he inspired confidence by drilling a pass through tight coverage, only to have rookie receiver Pharoh Cooper drop the ball.
During practice last week, Goff worked with the first-team offense and bounced back from one of his most inconsistent workouts with one of his best.
But it did not seem to translate against the Chiefs. He came on with 10:01 left in the first half and struggled.
Working from under center, he dropped back and passed to receiver Brian Quick, but the pass fell incomplete. On the next play, Goff dropped back and then attempted to move forward in the pocket. He tripped and fumbled, and the Chiefs recovered at the Rams’ 16-yard yard line.
The Chiefs converted the turnover into a field goal and a 17-14 lead.
“It’s dumb,” Goff said of the play. “Ball security. You have to hold onto the ball there. That’s what the preseason is for and that what the reps are for — to make those mistakes and learn from them.”
Goff’s next series started better. He completed a 10-yard pass to Quick on the second play before Malcolm Brown carried on four consecutive plays to move the ball to the Rams’ 40.
But on third down, Goff moved out of the pocket to elude pressure and rolled toward the left sideline while looking for a receiver. Instead of throwing the ball out of bounds, he held it and was sacked by safety Daniel Sorenson. Goff fumbled the ball out of bounds and the Rams punted.
Meanwhile, former Rams quarterback Nick Foles played well against the team that traded for him before last season, benched him in favor of Keenum and then released him last month in the aftermath of trading up to draft Goff.
Foles came on late in the second quarter in relief of starter Alex Smith and completed 18 of 22 passes for 133 yards.
Last week, the Rams gave up a return for a touchdown on the opening kickoff. Against the Chiefs, Greg Zuerlein kicked the ball out of the end zone for a touchback.
Smith methodically moved the Chiefs down the field with a 13-yard drive that running back Spencer Ware ended with a two-yard touchdown run.
znModeratorRams remain resilient in second preseason win
By Joe Curley of the Ventura County Star
LOS ANGELES — Case Keenum looked ready for the regular season. Jared Goff felt like he was back in college.
And the Los Angeles Rams came from behind to win another preseason game at the Coliseum Saturday night, 21-20, over the visiting Kansas City Chiefs.
“Across the board, whoever is out there is fighting,” Keenum said. “It’s not always going to go your way, which we saw tonight and even last week.”
One week after the Rams dug out of a 24-7 halftime hole to beat the Cowboys, they reversed a 20-14 fourth-quarter deficit to improve to 2-0 in the preseason.
“To be able to battle through when the ball isn’t rolling your way can say a lot more about your team than when everything just happens to go your way,” Keenum said.
Keenum directed the offense to touchdowns on its first two possessions, completing 4 of 5 passes for 53 yards and a touchdown pass to Pharoh Cooper.
“I’m just playing football, man,” Keenum said. “I’m trying to do the best I can. We’re doing a pretty good job right now.”
Second-year running back Todd Gurley ran four times for 20 yards and a touchdown in the first preseason action of his career.
“It’s always nice to have Todd out there, as you can see,” Keenum said.
The offense didn’t run quite so smoothly under Goff, who took the field behind the first-team offensive line with the score tied 14-14 with 10:08 in the second quarter.
He promptly tripped over guard Cody Wichmann’s leg and fumbled the ball away.
“Can’t do it,” Goff said. “I’ve got to hold onto the ball there.
“But that’s what the preseason is for and that’s what these reps are for, to make mistakes I won’t make again and that I can learn from.”
Goff played the better part of the final three quarters and combined with running back Malcolm Brown for the game-winning drive.
“It did take forever to kind of get in rhythm but once I did, I was happy I was left in there as long as I was,” Goff said.
Trailing 20-14 in the fourth quarter, Goff hit Brian Quick for a 17-yard pass and Brown raced 28 yards around right end to move the Rams to the Kansas City 15.
“When guys are ripping off runs like Malcolm was on that drive … it always helps,” Goff said.
Two plays later, Brown reeled in a 10-yard pass to put the Rams ahead 21-20 with 10:30 to play.
It was Goff’s first professional touchdown pass.
“It was exciting,” Goff said. “It didn’t really hit me until I hit the sideline. I was like, ‘Oh, that was my first one.’
“It kind of felt like a regular touchdown, like it was at Cal and high school. It was cool, but I was much more happy we won the game.”
The Chiefs were in position to take the lead after the two-minute warning, but Quinton Coples forced a fumble that Jabari Washington recovered in the red zone with 1:47 to play.
The Rams’ second- and third-team defense shut out its second straight postseason opponent after halftime.
“I thought Case did a nice job early on managing the game,” Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said. “The scoring drive was outstanding. You can see Todd’s value. I’m glad we got Todd in for the series.”
znModerator]Five Takeaways: Preseason vs. Chiefs
by Myles Simmons
The Rams have stared their first preseason back in Los Angeles with two wins, the latest of which came as a 21-20 victory over Kansas City.
But as is the case with all exhibition matchups, the final score rarely tells the whole story. With that in mind, here are five takeaways from Preseason Week 2.
1) Gurley’s just fine
Running back Todd Gurley played in his first ever preseason game and looked in midseason form on his one and only drive.
Gurley took four handoffs for 20 yards on the Rams’ first offensive possession. He started the series with a three-yard carry. After a 20-yard pass play from quarterback Case Keenum to wide receiver Kenny Britt and a 41-yard defensive pass interference penalty, Gurley did the rest. A carry from the Kansas City 17 went six yards. Then another went eight. And the Georgia product made it into the end zone with a final three-yard run.
“You can see Todd’s value,” head coach Jeff Fisher said. “I’m glad we got Todd in for the series.”
Keenum jokingly asked “Who?” when a reporter brought up the second-year running back in his press conference. But the quarterback knows and appreciates what Gurley is capable of on the field.
“It’s always nice to have Todd out there, as you can see,” Keenum said. “It was fun. He played really well. He ran the ball well.”
It seems safe to say Gurley’s first foray into preseason football was a success.
2) Keenum sharp again
Last week, Keenum completed six of his seven passes for 58 yards in a pair of drives. It was more of the same against the Chiefs on Saturday night, as Keenum finished four of five passing for 53 yards and a touchdown.
The quarterback showed good awareness, tossing a deep ball up to Britt in a one-on-one situation. While the pass was not completed, it did draw a defensive pass interference penalty from safety Ron Parker that advanced that ball into the red zone. Those are the kinds of plays Keenum showed he could do during his starting stint for the Rams last year.
And it’s part of why the club appears comfortable with him holding down the starting quarterback role until Jared Goff is ready.
The offense has been particularly efficient with Keenum under center in the first two games. His four drives have resulted in three touchdowns.
“I think we’re doing a good job staying on the same page,” Keenum said. “The operation between plays is good, communication within it, making sure that we are in the right play — we’re lined up right, we’re getting snaps on time. And then the guys are making plays.”
3) Middling performance from Goff
The Rams’ No. 1 overall pick started slow but finished strong in his second preseason game.
The good: On Goff’s best drive, he went three-of-three passing for 34 yards and a touchdown — a 10-yard pass to running back Malcolm Brown out of the backfield. Also on that drive, Goff hit wide receiver Brian Quick on a slant that went for 17 yards and tight end Justice Cunningham for a seven-yard pass over the middle.
The not as good: Goff fumbled in each of his first two possessions with the first-team offensive line, the first of which Kansas City recovered deep in Los Angeles territory. Goff was attempting to move up in the pocket when he tripped over left guard Cody Wichmann and put the ball on the ground. The quarterback’s second fumble came as he escaped the pocket and was attempting to throw the ball away when he was hit.
“I think that’s what the preseason’s for, and that’s what these reps are for,” Goff said, “for myself to make mistakes that I hopefully won’t make again and can learn from.”
What’s encouraging is as Goff continued to take snaps, he clearly became more comfortable as the game went on, finishing 8-of-12 passing for 82 yards and a touchdown. The quarterback was initially slated to only play into the third quarter, but difficulty stopping the Chiefs’ offense kept the Rams’ own offensive possessions to a minimum. Because of that, Fisher elected to keep Goff in for the duration.
“Game reps were vital today, and I was happy they left me in there,” Goff said. “Obviously, I want to play as much as I can and get as many reps under my belt as I can, and learn as quickly as I can. I was happy they left me in there and gave me reps.”
We’ll see if the benefits of in-game experience will carry over the next time Goff takes the field.
4) Cunningham, Brown providing key depth
Running backs Benny Cunningham and Malcolm Brown have done well in their first two preseason games, showing how they can be key depth pieces behind Gurley.
Cunningham registered four carries for 38 yards on Los Angeles’ second offensive possession of the game — his only series on Saturday — including a 19-yard burst through the middle. Then Brown came in to complete that drive with eight yards on two carries.
But Brown wasn’t nearly done. He played for much of the second half, recording a 28-yard run to put L.A. in scoring position before making his 10-yard touchdown catch from Goff. He made a nice adjustment on the ball in the air, as the pass came in a little hot from the rookie QB.
“Jared put it where nobody else can get it — put it on my back shoulder,” Brown said. “I had to make the play. I had to finish it off.”
In all, Brown had 68 yards rushing and two receptions for 17 yards and a touchdown.
Through two preseason games, Brown now leads the Rams with 134 yards rushing.
“Just trusting in everything — what the coaches are teaching me. And I’m trusting in the offensive line,” Brown said of what’s led to his success. “Just trust and just having confidence that I can get the job done.”
While Gurley is clearly entrenched as the Rams’ starter, knowing there are two capable backs behind him could help Los Angeles stay away from over-taxing the second-year RB. It could also bring up some more creative situations and formations for the Rams’ offense.
5) Extra points
— The Rams committed nine penalties in Saturday’s game, which is seven more than they had last week against the Cowboys. Five of those nine were either neutral-zone infractions or offsides — the kind of pre-snap penalties that can easily be prevented.
Plus, cornerback Lamarcus Joyner was ejected along with Chiefs wide receiver Jeremy Maclin after a scuffle.
“Last week I was talking about how proud I was about the penalty numbers and we had to penalties and we need to keep that going,” Fisher said. “And all of a sudden today it breaks out and we even got a player ejected, which should never happen.
“It’s a learning experience,” Fisher continued, “As I mentioned, we’d like to have them tonight rather than Week 3 or 4 of the regular season. So they have to learn from it.”
— Wide receiver Bradley Marquez left the game in the third quarter after suffering an ankle injury on a reception. Fisher said the Rams will have to do more tests in order to accurately determine Marquez’s prognosis.
“We will have to do some studies and some MRIs — things like that here in the next couple of days and have more information,” Fisher said.
Defensive lineman Ethan Westbrooks went down after a penalized chop block, but Fisher indicated he should be OK going forward.
znModeratorRams’ Jared Goff struggles early, gets comfortable late versus Chiefs
Alden Gonzalez
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Rams rookie quarterback Jared Goff had plenty of reps Saturday in the second preseason game, struggling initially with the first-team offense but seemingly getting comfortable as the night went on in the Rams’ 21-20 comeback victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Rams’ secondary struggled in the first half, but the defense held Kansas City’s reserves scoreless in the second. Star running back Todd Gurley played in his first NFL preseason game and scored a touchdown in his only possession, and Goff threw his first career touchdown pass for the winning score with a little over 10 minutes left in the game.
The Chiefs had the ball for 13 more minutes than the Rams.
“Not enough snaps,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “But we got a lot done offensively, especially in the run game.”
QB depth chart: Case Keenum — yes, he is still the starter — had another solid night, completing 4-of-5 passes for 53 yards and a touchdown. Goff finished 8-for-12 for 82 yards and a touchdown of his own — a 10-yard strike to Malcolm Brown, culminating a fourth-quarter possession that saw Goff go 3-for-3 for 34 yards. But Goff struggled with the first team, taking a couple of sacks and losing a key fumble.
Maybe that dude could start: Rookie wide receiver Pharoh Cooper might have already solidified himself as the No. 3 receiver. The fourth-round pick was used in early three-receiver sets, alongside Kenny Britt and Tavon Austin. On the Rams’ second possession, Cooper ran out to the flat, caught a pass from Keenum and stretched to the pylon for an 11-yard touchdown. Cooper is only listed at 5-foot-11, 207 pounds, but he is fearless and physical, and potentially great after the catch.
Who got hurt? Second-year wide receiver Bradley Marquez was helped off the field in the Rams’ first possession of the second half, hurting himself after catching a short pass from Goff, and was wearing a brace after the game. He was scheduled to undergo further testing. Less than two minutes later, defensive end Ethan Westbrooks was hurt on a chop block by the Chiefs but was able to walk off on his own power.
A surprise player who impressed: With Robert Quinn out, Matt Longacre initially rotated with Westbrooks at defensive end and looked good, consistently bringing pressure on Chiefs starting quarterback Alex Smith. The Rams’ defensive line is loaded, but Longacre — who played in five games for the Rams as an undrafted free agent last season — could crack the rotation if he continues to play well.
When it was starters vs. starters, the Rams looked …: Efficient on offense, dangerous on the defensive lane, and shaky in the secondary. Gurley played in only one possession, but it was a good one, rushing four times for 20 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown run. Star defensive tackle Aaron Donald consistently beat double teams, and Michael Brockers, Cam Thomas and Quinton Coples each recorded sacks. But Smith went 9-for-12 for 137 yards. On one possession, top cornerback Trumaine Johnson got beat downfield by Chris Conley for a 37-yard pass play and Jeremy Maclin easily caught a 20-yard touchdown pass across the middle, with a mix-up in zone coverage by the secondary.
One reason to be concerned: Goff did not look comfortable while playing with the first team. The 21-year-old fumbled on his first possession, tripping while trying to step out of the pocket and giving the Chiefs the ball at the Rams’ 16-yard line. On his second, he took a sack on third down. On his third, he scrambled to his left, was late throwing the ball out of bounds and instead took an awkward sack in which he also lost the football. Goff entered halftime with zero net yards.
Penalty woes: Fisher raved about the limited amount of penalties in Week 1 of the preseason. But the Rams — ranked in the bottom eight in penalty yards per game in each of Fisher’s four seasons as coach — committed nine of them in Week 2, the same as the Chiefs. At one point, Maclin and Rams cornerback Lamarcus Joyner
were ejected for fighting.Ground and pound: The Rams’ depth at running back showed once again, with Gurley, Brown and Benjamin Cunningham combining for 126 yards on 20 carries. They seem to be in good shape even without Tre Mason, who had several run-ins with police throughout the offseason and hasn’t been around the team all year.
Familiar faces: Nick Foles, who started 11 games for the Rams last season and was cut in late July, had a nice night, going 18-for-22 with 133 yards. Foles methodically led the Chiefs down field toward the end of the first half, going 85 yards on 16 plays before a field goal.
znModeratorKeenum has beaten Goff for No. 1; Rams need to make it official
By Vincent Bonsignore, Los Angeles Daily News
I don’t know about everyone else, but I’ve seen enough already to make the call.
Take a seat, Jared Goff. It’s over there on the Rams’ sideline.
Someday the keys to the kingdom will be bestowed on you. The honor will have been earned rather than yielded.
But that day doesn’t appear to be coming anytime soon.
Certainly not by the time the Rams open the regular season against the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 12.
And if Case Keenum keeps driving the Rams to touchdowns like he has the first two preseason games, the apprenticeship might be a prolonged one.
The Rams are Case Keenum’s team. For the present and immediate future.
And it’s probably about time the Rams made that call official.
No need to wait.
No reason to delay the inevitable.
Enough with the suspense. Just do it already.
It’s been clear through the first three weeks of training camp that Keenum is the superior quarterback to Goff. And he’s only solidified that belief with crisp performances against the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs in two preseason games.
Keenum has looked poised and in command while Goff is playing like a quarterback still very much a work in progress.
That’s not an unusual look for a rookie quarterback, although a bit disappointing for a first overall pick and a player who draft observers billed as the most NFL-ready quarterback available last April.
The last five quarterbacks taken first overall started for their teams from Day One – Matthew Stafford, Sam Bradford, Andrew Luck, Cam Newton and Jameis Winston.
It doesn’t appear Goff will extend that streak.
Hardly the end of the world, but certainly a bit disconcerting.
Part of the Rams’ rationale for taking Goff ahead of the higher ceiling of North Dakota’s Carson Wentz was Goff would see the field sooner.
That might still end up the case as Wentz nurses a broken rib and develops behind Sam Bradford in Philadelphia.
But it’s obvious that Goff has a ways to go before he can be trusted as a starting NFL quarterback. And with the Rams needing to take a decisive first step in their new home in Los Angeles – and we’re talking about winning games here, folks – Keenum is the safer bet against the 49ers to open the season and against the Seattle Seahawks six days later at the Coliseum.
History will reveal one day whether the Rams would have been better off betting on the upside of Wentz rather than the readiness of Goff. Now that it appears they have to wait on Goff just as they might have on Wentz, the rationale seems moot.
But that’s a discussion for another day.
Goff has shown nothing to suggest he won’t be a quarterback worthy of the first overall pick and the six draft picks the Rams traded to get him. And as his 8 of 12 passing for 82 yards and a touchdown on Saturday clearly revealed, the necessary tools are there to work with.
He just hasn’t shown enough to justify the Rams pushing him ahead of Keenum and giving him the job to start the season.
Especially during early work against NFL roster quality players.
After throwing an interception and taking a sack over his only two series against the Cowboys last week – and going 4 for 9 for 38 yards and a 17.5 quarterback rating – Goff coughed the ball up on a fumble in his first series against the Chiefs.
He later mishandled a snap that led to a three-yard loss, then followed that up with a delay of game penalty when he couldn’t get the offense lined up correctly.
“It’s something to learn from,” Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said about Goff.
It wasn’t all bad. Goff helped lead the Rams on a five play, 67-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to put the Rams ahead 21-20. The go-ahead score came on Goff’s 11-yard pass to Malcolm Brown, who helped his quarterback out by hauling in a pass thrown over the wrong shoulder and carrying it into the end zone.
Still, the strong finish was a step in the right direction for Goff. Something to build on.
It’s just not enough to overtake Keenum.
The fifth-year quarterback out of Houston has a way of growing on you. He doesn’t have many stand-out qualities, and he’s certainly more of a grinder than a star. But there is value in the good, sound football he plays and the way the Rams seem to rally behind him.
Keenum backed up a solid performance against the Cowboys with another crisp outing against the Chiefs while leading the Rams on two long touchdown drives against Kansas City’s first-team defense.
Keenum finished 4 of 5 for 53 yards and a touchdown on Saturday – the touchdown coming on an 11-yard pass to Pharoh Cooper – and his stats would have been better had Kenny Britt not been manhandled by Chiefs cornerback Ron Parker on long pass attempt from Keenum.
Parker was called for pass interference, resulting in a 41-yard pick up. The throw by Keenum was on the money regardless.
In two games, Keenum is 10 of 13 for 111 yards and a touchdown.
He hasn’t turned the ball over once, and in three trips to the Red Zone this preseason he’s cashed in on three touchdowns.
With the Rams struggling so mightily over the years putting points on the board, getting 21 points on three Red Zone visits can’t be overlooked.
It’s a quality you need from your starting quarterback.
Some day soon the Rams will be Goff’s team.
But for now, the job belongs to Keenum.
znModeratorI made good salsa.
Goff TD pass
why didn’t you just come to the chat room?
we saved you nachos
Cuz I expected a formal invitation delivered by a crow GOT-style. Besides, those Pepperidge Farm nachos you have in Maine aren’t *real* nachos. More like butter cookies with guacamole.
Now don’t be bad mouthin ag’s salsa.
znModeratorznModeratorhalf-time…if you come in now you will be seeing Goff for at least a quarter
znModeratorafter many misadventures (and penalties) rams hold them to a FG, now 20-14 KC
znModeratorjoyner and maclin both ejected, fighting
znModeratormore flags for the rams today, last week was 2 total
znModeratorFoles in for KC
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