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January 23, 2016 at 11:36 am in reply to: Players on moving – Farr, Warner, Bruce x2, Slater, Hekker, Holt, Gurley, Proehl #37925
znModeratorThe Fred Roggin Show
Todd Gurley: Fred and Todd talked about his big rookie year in the NFL and the team’s move to LA. Fred talked about Pete Rose getting inducted into the Cincinnati Reds hall of fame; Does he deserve to be in their hall of fame? Fred took calls asking whether or not Pete Rose belongs in the MLB Hall of Fame / Museum /// Vinny Bonsignore: Fred and Vinny talked about the latest news with the Chargers possibly moving to Los Angeles
January 23, 2016 at 11:31 am in reply to: Donald Named 2016 Pro Bowl Captain & yet MORE Donald recognition #37924znModerator101 Awards Honors Donald as NFC Defensive Player of the Year
Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald will be honored by 101 Awards as NFC Defensive Player of the Year, the organization announced Friday. The nation’s longest-running salute to professional football, the 101 Awards annually recognizes outstanding achievement in the NFL based on votes by a selection committee of national media.
Donald was named Rams team MVP after finishing the season with 11 sacks – the most of any inside player – 29 quarterback hits, 49 quarterback pressures and 22 tackles for loss. The first-time 101 Award winner also earned a perfect 99.9 rating from Pro Football Focus’ new ranking system, breaking J.J. Watt’s record for the highest grade ever given by PFF in a single season and receiving PFF’s title as the No. 1 player in the NFL regardless of position. Donald concludes his sophomore campaign with his second consecutive trip to the NFL Pro Bowl.
In total, six awards will be presented at a black-tie awards dinner in Kansas City and will be broadcast on NFL Network following the event. The 101 Awards, benefiting the University of Kansas Hospital, will stage its 46th annual awards gala on March 5.
January 23, 2016 at 11:24 am in reply to: Can St. Louis Rams PSL Holders Buy L.A. Season Tickets & other StL PSL isssues #37921znModeratorRams PSLs contained language regarding relocation, lawsuits
Mike Florio
As expected, the PSL agreements signed by folks who held the right to purchase tickets to Rams games in St. Louis contained language aimed at allowing the team to leave town — and preventing the PSL holders from suing.
Randy Karraker of 101 ESPN in St. Louis forwarded to PFT a copy of Section 12 of his PSL agreement, which states: “Licensee acknowledges that this Agreement remains valid only as long as NFL football is played at the Stadium by the Rams, up to a maximum of thirty (30) years. Licensee acknowledges that Licensee has no claim against the Rams with respect to this [PSL] and/or its termination whatsoever. Licensee understands and acknowledges the possibility that the Rams may not play its gams in the Stadium or St. Louis for the entire term contemplated by this License. Licensee expressly agrees not to sue the Rams for damages or injunctive relief relates to this [PSL], including without limitation should the Rams not play its home games in the Stadium or in St. Louis for any reason.”
The Rams will argue that this language defeats the lawsuit filed by PSL holders who believe they have rights to purchase tickets to Rams games through 2025. The plaintiffs likely will claim in response that Section 12 should not be enforced, since the entire agreement is what the law calls a “contract of adhesion.” The term refers to a contract that provides no opportunity to engage in meaningful negotiation and requires consumers to agree to any and all potentially onerous terms in order to purchase the thing they want to buy.
Ultimately, the question will turn on the manner in which a court in Missouri handles the situation. With the Rams leaving Missouri, that dynamic could work against the team, forcing it to potentially honor the rights that thousands had secured to attend Rams games for another decade.
znModerator
znModeratorWhat Rams football will and won’t bring to L.A.
Roger G. Noll
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-0122-noll-rams-football-deal-20160122-story.html
The late bookie Jimmy the Greek once said that no event involving human beings has odds longer than 20-1. Upsets can always happen. For the Rams, a lawsuit, an environmental impact report or even LAX flight path issues could still imperil their return to Los Angeles.
But this deal looks virtually certain to go through. Rams owner Stan Kroenke has a huge amount at stake in his development of the former Hollywood Park racetrack in Inglewood. Likewise, Inglewood officials are thrilled that the city isn’t shelling out direct taxpayer subsidies to get an NFL team.
Public subsidies for stadiums face stiff resistance in the current political environment, as evidenced by the earlier failures of the proposals to renovate the Rose Bowl for pro football and to build a downtown stadium. Consequently, sports teams now negotiate to get development rights to the surrounding area where public subsidies are indirect: mostly infrastructure investments and tax exemptions.
One settled issue in economics is that a professional football team produces no measurable benefit to the local economy.
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Kroenke’s deal for the Rams is the new champion among ancillary development rights associated with sports facilities. The plan calls for 2,500 residential units, a shopping mall, office buildings, a hotel and an upgraded casino — all abutting a lake and waterfall.This will be a revenue driver for Kroenke. But the stadium alone is expected to cost nearly $2 billion, making it the most expensive sports facility ever built. Can he make it pay off?
Second, Southern California is flush with wealthy people who can shell out tens of thousands for a personal seat license that secures the right to buy season tickets. The legitimate question is not whether the NFL can succeed in L.A., but why the league waited so long to take advantage of the opportunity.
That said, the NFL’s bonanza will not be an economic windfall to the L.A. metropolitan area. When cities battle to attract or retain a pro sports franchise, proponents frequently claim that a team will provide massive economic benefits — more jobs, new corporate headquarters, higher incomes, greater tax revenues. But it’s just not so. One settled issue in economics is that a professional football team produces no measurable benefit to the local economy.
NFL teams just are not big businesses. Stadiums employ fewer than 100 people full time, and a few hundred more who work less than 100 hours per year. Most of a team’s payroll goes to a small number of players, coaches and executives, who often don’t even live nearby. By comparison, a single Macy’s department store employs about 200 people.
NFL stadiums also aren’t magnets for commercial development. Bars, restaurants and retail shops do not locate near a facility that is rarely occupied. Ten NFL games, a few concerts and tractor pulls, and Sunday flea markets are not the stuff of which thriving local retail centers are made.
The design of modern stadiums actually worsens this problem. Their massive concession areas and sea of parking lots minimize spill-over foot traffic from ticket-holders. Kroenke’s retail and office development at Hollywood Park will, if anything, be weakened by the presence of a football stadium and its related traffic congestion.
Adding a second team to the stadium changes that equation very little for either Inglewood or the Rams. The NFL owners have given the Chargers an option to leave San Diego to become tenants in the Rams stadium, and talks already are underway.
The Los Angeles market is certainly big and rich enough to support two teams, and spreading the cost of building a modern NFL stadium over two teams makes sense. Still, as a business, a team prefers to have complete control of its stadium so that it can get a cut of the revenue from any other events held there. It also prefers not to have a direct competitor for fans, especially one playing the same sport in the same place.
If the Chargers come to town, the prices the Rams can charge for tickets, luxury boxes and personal seat licenses will have to drop a bit. The Rams probably will then seek compensation from the Chargers in high rent or control of some revenue sources from Chargers games. Add that to the $500 million the Chargers would have to pay the NFL to relocate in Los Angeles, and that deal has very long odds.
Expect the Chargers to stay in San Diego. If they move, its more plausible that they’ll end up in San Antonio or Las Vegas. Or even St. Louis.
As for what to expect from the Rams? Los Angeles shouldn’t anticipate a boom in job creation or real estate development. Turn your hopes instead to getting tickets — and a winning season.
znModeratorHang in there guys.
Been there. Last couple of years especially.
January 22, 2016 at 11:03 pm in reply to: Can St. Louis Rams PSL Holders Buy L.A. Season Tickets & other StL PSL isssues #37897znModeratorB, all articles have to have links with them (I put one in this time). Thanks.
znModeratorRams’ top priority for move is getting players settled
Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — Over the next few months, the Los Angeles Rams will begin moving their business and football operations to their new home in California.
Along with that, they have a roster full of players who have to move individually. In the interim, some players will have to sell homes in the St. Louis area and others will look to more permanently relocate from other parts of the country to southern California.
But according to Rams coach Jeff Fisher, the most important part of the process is making sure the players get settled in and are ready to go in time for the offseason program, which is slated to start in April.
“I don’t know if I can pick one,” Fisher said of the team’s priorities regarding the move. “It’s get the players settled. We have to figure out where we’re going to train and all those kinds of things. And then it’s get out in the community and make the players available, whether it’s rallies or whatever we want for those that are maybe on the fence to really get to know us because it’s going to be a special team.”
Reconnecting with the Los Angeles fan base hasn’t looked like much of a challenge so far. The Rams announced on Wednesday night that they’d already received 45,000 deposits for 2016 season tickets. Each of those deposits allows for the purchase of up to eight tickets, so depending on how many of those putting down deposit money follow through on the tickets, the Rams already figure to have a strong chance to sell out the majority of the seats for the Los Angeles Coliseum next season.
For now, the Rams plan to be in St. Louis through the end of March, when they’re expected to shutter Rams Park and make the actual move across the country. It’s expected that they’ll end up in Oxnard, California, from April to July, then move to a different practice facility for the season. They’ll locate the site and build a permanent practice facility after that, though it’s possible that won’t be in place until 2018.
With all of those moving parts, it figures to be difficult for Rams players to settle into the Los Angeles area until they know where they will be training and spending most of the offseason.
“The No. 1 goal is transitioning the guys that are most important, and that’s the players,” general manager Les Snead said. “So that when they do report for offseason workouts, it’s an efficient process, they’re comfortable and ready to work. So we can focus on the product that all of the fans are going to come see.”
Fisher has long been clear that he doesn’t care for the NFL’s rules on offseason programs under the most recent collective bargaining agreement. Teams already get less time with their players and it’s possible that the Rams will have to figure out ways to make attendance for the offseason program easier by offering players lodging.
“It’s interesting because in the NFL now, when our players check out for the offseason, we can’t have any contact with those guys,” Snead said. “They get a vacation, and that’s via the collective bargaining agreement. So the first time we can chat with those guys is obviously when they report back. But we can communicate with them via all of the technology and get them the best plans possible. And when they get back is basically April, when we will see our players again.”
The Rams already know the when but figuring out the where must crystallize sooner than later to maximize what’s going to be an important offseason.
znModeratorWill Rams reunite with Pat Shurmur?
Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/26186/will-rams-reunite-with-pat-shurmur
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The Los Angeles Rams are searching for ways to improve their lackluster offense any way they can during this offseason.
It starts with the coaching staff, where head coach Jeff Fisher has already made some big changes. He fired offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti with four games to go in the season and when the season ended, he parted ways with running backs coach Ben Sirmans, offensive assistant Jeff Garcia and wide receivers coach Ray Sherman.
There are plenty of indications that Fisher will ultimately leave the offensive coordinator duties in the hands of Rob Boras, who replaced Cignetti and helped the Rams to a small uptick over the final quarter of the season. But Fisher is also looking for ways to spark a woeful passing game. Which could mean the addition of a passing game coordinator.
Fisher spoke to former Browns offensive coordinator John Defilippo about that position, but he officially landed as quarterbacks coach for the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday. But the Rams could turn to a familiar face to handle their passing attack. That would be Pat Shurmur, the former Rams offensive coordinator turned Browns head coach turned Eagles offensive coordinator.
Shurmur first came to the Rams in 2009 as Steve Spagnuolo’s offensive coordinator before he moved on to Cleveland. But, as Vikings reporter Ben Goessling reported Thursday, there appears to be come competition for Shurmur’s services.
Minnesota intends to interview Shurmur on Friday and there are at least two other teams interested in him as well, according to Goessling’s report.
The Rams have already missed out on a couple of potential hires and it’s fair to wonder how difficult it will be for them to add to their staff with Fisher entering the fifth and final year of his contract.
znModeratorInside The Owners Meetings: How And Why The Rams Were REALLY Able To Move To L.A.
David Rosenthal, CBS Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Just hours before the NFL owners voted 30-2 to let the Rams and Stan Kroenke move to Inglewood, an “influential league committee” of owners handling the Los Angeles negotiations voted 5-1 in favor of the Carson project.
The six-man committee included Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, who supported Chargers owner Dean Spanos and backed the Carson project vehemently.
The committee was chaired by Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II and included New England’s Robert Kraft, Carolina’s Richardson, Kansas City’s Clark Hunt, Houston’s Bob McNair and the New York Giants’ John Mara.
Rooney also sided with the Carson project, while the lone dissenter of the six-man committee, Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, said he felt the NFL “would be best served by having less realignment.”
Several owners quietly supported Hunt’s dissent and that showed when they would vote 30-2 in favor of the Inglewood project.
“Carson never had the ‘wow’ factor,” one top executive told Sports Illustrated’s Peter King.
“The Rams project did, and sentiment for that project became a tsunami,” he added.
Once the owners heard the results of the committee’s 5-1 vote, it was their turn to vote.
For any proposal to pass, a three-quarters majority, 24 votes, was required.
Here’s where things got interesting.
According to King, Goodell was approached by six to eight owners who were in favor of a “secret ballot” for the vote.
“[Goodell] knew neither side had the votes to win, but he also felt owners needed to vote their consciences, so proposing the secret ballot was something he felt he had to propose,” one source told King.
Goodell proposed the secret ballot to the owners, needing a majority for it to pass.
When 17 owners raised their hands, and the secret ballot was instituted.
According to King, “There was something about the Rams/Inglewood project, while inconvenient for those who wanted the Chargers and Raiders stadium issues fixed in one fell swoop, many owners knew it was better for the NFL long-term.”
Think about it, the Inglewood stadium will put the Dallas Cowboys stadium to shame.
Construction of the stadium and the surrounding areas could reach over $3 billion.
The surrounding areas will have many office and media buildings, which the NFL and NFL Network plan to use.
The stadium itself will be a fine addition to the Super Bowl rotation, as well as providing a main base for “NFL West,” as King describes it.
Also accompanying the stadium is a 6,000-seat theater, with a similar atmosphere to that of L.A. Live.
The first vote (remember, a three-quarters majority is needed to pass) came out either 21-11 or 20-12, depending on what sources you ask, in favor of the Inglewood project.
The vote absolutely blindsided Chargers owner Dean Spanos, who was reportedly “Utterly shocked — white as a sheet.”
It became apparent that Kroenke’s Inglewood project, with all of its bells and whistles, was most preferred by the owners, who were using a secret ballot to cast their true opinions.
Kroenke’s commitment to throw billions into the project was something the Chargers and Raiders weren’t willing to do.
Since no three-quarters majority was reached on the first vote, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti suggested a compromise.
Bisciotti suggested giving the owners the option to vote for “Inglewood plus one other team” as well as just the Carson and Inglewood projects.
This kept the door open for the Chargers and possibly the Raiders to move to Los Angeles, appealing to the concerns of many of those who dissented in the first vote.
The six-man committee and Goodell decided the Inglewood project, while also giving the Chargers a one-year option to join the Rams in Inglewood, was the best possible solution for bringing back an NFL team (or two) to Los Angeles.
If the Chargers do not exercise that option, then the Raiders have one year to decide whether or not to join the Rams in Inglewood.
Also, the NFL agreed to give the Chargers and Raiders both $100 million if they could reach new stadium deals in their existing markets.
Kroenke reportedly wanted to have the Inglewood stadium to himself, but if allowing a team to join him meant having the league’s blessing for the project, Kroenke was all for it.
The Rams owner also agreed to a revenue split if a team does join him in Inglewood, which would allow the second team to keep all game-day revenue in and around the stadium.
He also agreed that the second team would receive 18.75 percent of all other “lucrative deals associated with the new stadium — such as signage and stadium naming rights.”
This time, the vote passed by an overwhelming majority: 30-2.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was allegedly a major supporter of Kroenke’s Inglewood project.
Jones wanted to the deal to be about the owner who had the deepest pockets and the most commitment to making NFL in LA work.
Spanos now faces a difficult decision: to rid himself of all financial worry and move to Los Angeles, or to improve the stadium in San Diego and keep the team there.
January 21, 2016 at 8:58 pm in reply to: Players on moving – Farr, Warner, Bruce x2, Slater, Hekker, Holt, Gurley, Proehl #37861znModeratorFormer Rams WR Isaac Bruce chats with Andy Katz and Rick Klein about the Rams’ relocation to Los Angeles including the economic and emotional impact on St. Louis, team employees and former players living in the area. Bruce: The move itself is a good move for the Rams, but you leave heartbroken fans and some former players in St.Louis
znModeratorgabriel
Roman Gabriel is the son of a Filipino immigrant and the first Asian-American to start as an NFL quarterback. He played for the Los Angeles Rams from 1962-1972 and the Philadelphia Eagles from 1973-1977. He was the second overall pick in the 1962 NFL Draft and is widely regarded to have been one of the best quarterbacks of his era. The legendary Roman Gabriel joined Chris Myers and Wes Clements to talk about the return of the Rams and his own career post-football. Roman sang the old Rams World Champions song on the air as he was ecstatic about the team’s return to Los Angeles.
znModeratorI havent said this in a long time, but you guys — this small
group of outcasts and science-geeks, and atheist-mystics,
and dog-lovers, is a joy to post with. Yall are so
fucking funny, too.Gentlemen, I am honored, every day to be a part of your world.
I feel the same way. It took a few moves to get here (PD board to the blue board to various versions of the herd to the huddle board to the buzz board and then to the huddle 2 board).
Just a few more moves, and we ought to have this thing perfected.
January 21, 2016 at 4:29 pm in reply to: some PFF pieces heaping praise on various Rams (it's not just Donald & Gurley) #37838znModeratorAnother one, with another Ram.
Soon, I am going to name the official winner of the PFF’s Best Award Award.
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PFF’S 2015 SEASON SUPERLATIVE AWARDS
Best blitzer? Most elusive? Senior Analyst Steve Palazzolo answers these questions and more with PFF’s 2015 superlative awards.STEVE PALAZZOLO
https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2016/01/19/pro-pff-superlative-awards/
With an incredible amount of information in the database at PFF, we can dig up a unique perspective on every single player. While the overall grades tell a strong story, the complexion of the grade is just as important: What does a player do best? Who is the best deep passer? Best against the blitz? Best blitzer?
Those questions, and much more, can be answered with PFF data in our 2015 superlative awards.
Best Deep Passer: Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Deep passing stats are often skewed by the quality of the wide receiver, as downfield throws involve more tracking, hand fighting, and positioning than shorter throws. So looking at the stats is not always the best way to determine the best deep-ball thrower, but our grades take into consideration the timing and ball location of each throw, as well as crediting the quarterback for well-placed passes that are dropped. For that reason, Roethlisberger was the league’s best downfield thrower, as he consistently launched well-placed passes all season. He led the league with a +27.4 grade on passes thrown at least 20 yards in the air (0.0 is average).
Runner-up: Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals
Best Intermediate Passer: Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals
This is where Palmer dominated, grading at +45.1 at the intermediate level. Between the numbers, he was 58-for-79 for 998 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions, good for a passer rating of 130.1.
Runner-up: Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Best Short Passer: Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Brady is always among the league’s best in the short game, and he topped the grades again in 2015. His accuracy percentage of 84.4 percent ranked fifth in the league, and his 22 touchdowns led the NFL.
Runner-up: Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals
Best Under Pressure: Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals
Palmer’s +14.6 grade under pressure led the league, and his passer rating of 92.2 ranked second.
Runner-up: Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Most Elusive: Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Martin rejuvenated his career by grading as our top runner while also leading with an elusive rating of 65.7. He forced a league-high 57 missed tackles and picked up 3.1 yards after contact per rush.
Runner-up: Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints
Best Hands: Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys
With all due respect to Jeremy Maclin of the Kansas City Chiefs (two drops in the last two seasons on 184 catchable passes), Witten didn’t drop any of his 77 catchable passes, so he gets the nod. Credit Maclin, however, who turned his once perceived average hands into the league’s best among wide receivers.
Runner-up: Jeremy Maclin, Kansas City Chiefs
Best Deep Threat: Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars
No wide receiver helped his quarterback as much as Robinson, who led the league with 672 yards on deep passes, a PFF record dating back to 2007. Whether running away from defenders or leaping over them to extend a drive, Robinson made big plays happen all season long for the Jaguars.
Runner-up: Sammy Watkins, Buffalo Bills
Best Slot Receiver: Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks
Baldwin ran away with all of the slot awards this year, leading in yards (1,007), touchdowns (12), and yards per route run (2.46). He also caught a league-high 83.1 percent of his slot targets.
Runner-up: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
Most Disciplined: Andrew Norwell, Carolina Panthers
Norwell played 834 snaps without committing a penalty, the only guard to play at least 500 snaps and avoid any flags.
Runner-up: Rob Havenstein, St. Louis Rams
Iron Man: James Laurinaitis, St. Louis Rams
With 1,183 snaps, Laurinaitis saw more action than any linebacker in the league, and for the seventh straight year of his career, he played more than 99.0 percent of team’s snaps.
Runner-up: J.J. Watt, Houston Texans
Best Tackler: Corey Graham, Buffalo Bills
Graham had only three missed tackles on 104 attempts, one every 35.7 attempts. It was the best rate among linebackers and safeties.
Runner-up: K.J. Wright, Seattle Seahawks
Ball Hawk: Delvin Breaux, New Orleans Saints
Breaux had 15 passes defended and three interceptions, getting his hand on 22.0 percent of his 82 targets to lead the league.
Runner-up: Johnathan Joseph, Houston Texans
Best Blitzer: Dont’a Hightower, New England Patriots
Hightower led all linebackers with a 94.0 pass rush rating, picking up four sacks, two hits, and 18 hurries on 116 rushes. Even though some of that came as a pure edge rusher, few linebackers attack the “A” gap like Hightower.
Runner-up: Anthony Barr, Minnesota Vikings
Best run-stopping safety: Reshad Jones, Miami Dolphins
Jones set a PFF record with 38 run stops, and he finished with the top grade against run among safeties.
January 21, 2016 at 4:11 pm in reply to: Wagoner: Rams finish 28th in PFF's offensive line rankings #37835znModeratorPFF’s OL rankings.
I include the top 6 + the Rams.
Plus, just for fun…Seattle.
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RANKING ALL 32 OFFENSIVE LINES THIS SEASONKhaled Elsayed reveals the final offensive line rankings for the 2015 NFL season, with the Cowboys at No. 1.
https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2016/01/20/pro-ranking-all-32-offensive-lines-this-season/
It starts upfront. That’s the mantra we hear each and every year, insisting that a team’s fortunes on offense start with the success of their offensive line. Only, for some teams, it doesn’t so much as start up front, as it does finish.
When you have a line that can make things happen, whether buying your quarterback time or giving your running back big holes to gallop through, it can be a thing of beauty. So, we’re celebrating those offensive lines with our annual offensive line rankings. This isn’t the result of which team has the best five players starting, but looks at every player who played a snap on the line in 2015, and measures how well they did their job.
(Editor’s note: Last season’s ranking are noted in parenthesis.)
1. Dallas Cowboys (1st)
Pass-blocking rank: 1stRun-blocking rank: 1st
Penalties rank: 32nd
Stud: With studs at three spots on the line, it was hard picking a No. 1 guy. But left tackle Tyron Smith, our second-ranked lineman on the year, is that guy, with a tremendous season that has become the norm for him.
Dud: He was far from disappointing, but rookie La’el Collins was the weakest link on this line, simply by not being as good as the other guys on it.
Summary: That’s two years in a row atop our rankings for the Cowboys, who have reaped the rewards on their heavy investment in talent with first-round picks. All three of their former top picks graded in the top three at their respective positions, and even the less-heralded members were hardly poor. The Cowboys are our top offensive line for the second year in a row, and the truth is, it wasn’t even close.
2. Carolina Panthers (22nd)
Pass-blocking rank: 4thRun-blocking rank: 6th
Penalties rank: 7th
Stud: If Trai Turner looked good as a rookie, he looked great in his sophomore year. Well worth Pro Bowl contention (and the spot we awarded him), there are a lot of teams wondering just how he was allowed to get all the way to the 92nd pick of the 2014 draft.
Dud: When something went wrong in the running game, Michael Oher was usually at the center of it. He did a good job in pass protection, but no tackle came close to grading as badly as he did in the running game.
Summary: The tackles are the weak spot of this line, but not so weak where it really matters for them (pass protection). The strength is obviously the interior, where Andrew Norwell (building on a successful rookie year), Turner, and Ryan Kalil are amongst the best at their position. They’re a foundation for success on the line.
3. New Orleans Saints (11th)
Pass-blocking rank: 9thRun-blocking rank: 2nd
Penalties rank: 10th
Stud: This was the year that former second-round pick Terron Armstead proved he was a top-tier tackle.
Dud: Nothing overly terrible here, but Senio Kelemete had some issues in pass protection that shouldn’t be ignored.
Summary: The tackles are the most reliable players on this line, and the addition of Max Unger was certainly a good one (though you could debate whether the cost was worth it). Generally a really good run blocking outfit, let down only by their infrequent troubles protecting their QB up the gut.
4. Atlanta Falcons (26th)
Pass-blocking rank: 6thRun-blocking rank: 8th
Penalties rank: 3rd
Stud: One of the more unheralded players in the league, Ryan Schraeder is the kind of right tackle you don’t realize is as good as he is. A really solid player, you rarely notice him—which is a great thing at his spot.
Dud: The team lost faith in him eventually, with Mike Person’s continual problems snapping the ball playing a pivotal role in the Falcons’ second half collapse.
Summary: On paper, this line didn’t inspire confidence, but when you get guys doing what they’re good at, positive things happen. The introduction of Andy Levitre and Chris Chester, as well as the commitment to a zone-based scheme, worked from day one, with their work in the run game excellent. Are they a little lightweight against more powerful defenders? Yes. Are they much better than anyone expected? Definitely.
5. Cleveland Browns (6th)
Pass-blocking rank: 3rdRun-blocking rank: 13th
Penalties rank: 17th
Stud: Our Bruce Matthews award winner for best lineman in the league, Joe Thomas has never let his high standard drop. This year was no exception.
Dud: First-round pick Cameron Erving had a rough time of things. He looked monumentally out of his depth in his 429 snaps.
Summary: The tackles were the highlight of the line, with both Thomas and Mitchell Schwartz playing extremely well. The interior play prevented this line from being any higher on the list, though both guards were far from disappointing, and Alex Mack never a liability. We’ve just seen them all play better, with it not coming together this year.
6. Oakland Raiders (16th)
Pass-blocking rank: 2ndRun-blocking rank: 18th
Penalties rank: 30th
Stud: After a good rookie year, guard Gabe Jackson cemented his status as a “hit” for Reggie McKenzie with an even better second year.
Dud: If this line had one weakness, and it did, it was J’Marcus Webb. A player who stood out for all the wrong reasons.
Summary: Nothing sums up the transformation going on in Oakland like their offensive line. The left side is particularly strong, with Jackson and Donald Penn ever presents. Sure, Rodney Hudson probably isn’t worth the money, but even his addition resulted in better play on the line.
…
28. St Louis Rams (31st)
Pass-blocking rank: 25thRun-blocking rank: 27th
Penalties rank: 22nd
Stud: Journeyman guard Garrett Reynolds came in and was particularly impressive in the run game.
Dud: Another year like this one, and Greg Robinson will be well on the way to bust status. It’s not just the penalties causing problems—it’s the consistent amount of pressure he’s allowing.
Summary: With so much young talent, it may take a while for the Rams’ line to come together. Unfortunately, it’s biggest risk (Robinson) isn’t paying off right now, but if there’s solace, it’s that Ron Havenstein looked the part as a rookie. This whole group needs to make a big leap in 2016.
…30. Seattle Seahawks (19th)
Pass-blocking rank: 27thRun-blocking rank: 29th
Penalties rank: 27th
Stud: It wasn’t the year he was hoping for, but Russell Okung continues to prove himself as starting-caliber left tackle in a league short of them.
Dud: The hope was that moving Justin Britt to guard might hide some of his weaknesses. The hope was wrong, with Britt having more issues at guard than he did at tackle.
Summary: It’s amazing that the Seahawks got as far as they did with a line that struggled to open many holes, and a pass protection unit that was sieve-like. It got better when Patrick Lewis came in, but their poor play serves to only highlight how good the backs were, and how talented Russell Wilson is at extended plays.
znModeratorI’m submitting a FOIA request for the contents of said email to be disclosed.
The board demands transparency.
Sure. Went like this.
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from: zackneruda@gmail.com
Nittany–I want to start a thread on the huddle about email notifications. You in?
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from: Nittany
zn–thank gawd this isn’t another one of your endless emails trying to sell me yet another one of your daughter’s woebegotten hand-knit scarves. For that reason alone, yes, I’m in. PS did you know that birds are really dinosaurs?
znModeratorJim Everett on Chris Myers
Myers mentions that he’s having Roman Gabriel on today
http://www.rams-news.com/former-rams-qb-jim-everett-celebrates-the-rams-return-audio/
znModeratorFred Dryer’s Radio Show
Weekly at on Wednesday at 4PM
http://crntalk.com/shows/podcasts/pm-show-with-fred-dryer/
Here’s last week’s show
znModeratorbrump
znModeratorI always loathed the Eagles.
I loathed the Eagles too.
znModerator“I don’t think anybody could’ve imagined that the boom in stadium development would’ve happened,” Rams lawyer Bob Wallace told the P-D.
Interestingly, the Rams fired Wallace.
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znModeratorno taxpayer money is expected to be used for the new stadium or its construction
That one keeps coming up, and, many people say it’s just not entirely true. What SK WILL get is exemptions, which means that while the city has to do things like handle the traffic, the streets, environmental impact, and so on, they don’t get the direct tax revenue that they do from other businesses.
It’s hard to be too clear about that because I haven’t studied it. It’s just a point that I see keeps coming up.
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January 20, 2016 at 7:17 pm in reply to: Players on moving – Farr, Warner, Bruce x2, Slater, Hekker, Holt, Gurley, Proehl #37764znModeratorJanuary 20, 2016 at 6:45 pm in reply to: Pro Football Writers of America name Gurley Offensive Rookie of the Year #37762znModeratorA Fond Farewell to Todd Gurley, Rookie of the Year
Bernie Miklasz
http://www.101sports.com/2016/01/20/a-fond-farewell-to-todd-gurley-rookie-of-the-year/
I don’t hate the “new” Los Angeles Rams. And that’s especially true of the players that are making the transfer from St. Louis to LA because of their employer’s desire to move his business. Rams players selflessly dedicated hours and hours of their personal time to community endeavors in the St. Louis area and were financially generous through their charitable foundations.
It wasn’t the players’ fault that they played for a football team that suffered from poor ownership, disappointing drafts, botched personnel decisions and mediocre coaching. Under the circumstances, Rams players did the best that they could. Some, like defensive tackle Aaron Donald, did exceptionally well.
Rookie running back Todd Gurley was another radiant light in a dark and depressing final NFL season in St. Louis.
The Pro Football Writers Association of America did a smart thing this week by voting for Gurley as the NFL’s Rookie of the Year for 2015.
There were other fine candidates, but Gurley prevailed in the balloting. Before Gurley motors his way to the West Coast to continue his promising career, I wanted to congratulate him and thank him for being a wonderful source of entertainment. Other than the Blues’ Vladimir Tarasenko, Gurley was the best show in town last fall and into the winter.
Gurley, completing his rehab from knee surgery, didn’t play until the Rams’ third game and didn’t start until the fourth game. But he maxed out during his limited time, finishing third in the NFL in rushing with 1,106 yards. Gurley rumbled in for 10 touchdowns, and gained at least 100 yards in five of his 12 starts.
Gurley’s breakaway capability only enhanced the excitement. He finished second in the NFL with 11 runs of 20+ yards and was tied for first with three rushes that went 50+ yards.
Bulk yards are one way of counting a running back’s production, but how do we measure his true impact?
With Gurley, look to the fourth quarter. And take a hard look at the fourth quarter of close games, when a running back has the opportunity and the power to greatly influence the outcome.
Gurley was a closer, a finisher, a punisher that put away defenses. That was the most inspiring feature of Gurley’s performance. Gurley’s peak form often emerged late in games, with the result in doubt.
By a difference of 11 yards (414 to 403) Gurley was second to Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson in fourth-quarter rushing yards in 2015.
In the Rams’ six wins with Gurley as their starting back, he rushed 41 times in the fourth quarter for 256 yards, an average of 6.2 yards per attempt. He also had three touchdowns and eight carries that generated 10+ yards.
And in the fourth quarter of close games — with 7 points or fewer separating the teams — Gurley was arguably the finest back in the league. In those “money” situations he ran by, or through, NFL defenses with an astounding average of 8.5 yards per rushing attempt. Gurley had 262 yards rushing in the fourth quarter of close-game scenarios; no other RB had more than 221. And keep in mind that defenses were loaded up to stop him. The Rams’ feeble passing game posed no real threat, so with the game on the line the defense had one thing to worry about: stop Gurley, stop the Rams, and win the game. But Gurley wasn’t easy to control. In those fourth-quarter, close-game situations he gained 10+ yards on 30 percent of his carries.
You know a back is special when the defense does everything within its power to smother a running back — and he conquers them, anyway.
The regret, of course, is that we only saw the first chapter of Gurley’s NFL career here in St. Louis. It left us wanting to see more, and he’ll be running for an LA audience now. If Gurley can stay healthy, there are no limits in what he can achieve.
Gurley’s outstanding 2015 season was an appropriate capper to our town’s 49 seasons of NFL football.
The St. Louis football Cardinals and St. Louis Rams didn’t win very often, combining for only 16 winning records and eight playoff seasons over those 49 years. There were a few superb quarterbacks, especially Kurt Warner and Jim Hart. some talented wide receivers, ranging from Mel Gray to Isaac Bruce; Roy Green to Torry Holt; Pat Tilley to Ricky Proehl. A long list of offensive linemen was topped by Hall of Famer Dan Dierdorf. And STL had a Hall of Fame tight end in Jackie Smith. Two defensive players made it to the Hall of Fame, safety Larry Wilson and cornerback Roger Werhli. Same with CB Aeneas Williams, who finished his career here after developing into a star for the Arizona Cardinals.
But when I think of the St. Louis NFL experience, one position stands out:
We had the pleasure of watching a lot of talented running backs gallop through our town.
The roll call would include …
Marshall Faulk.
Ottis Anderson.
Terry Metcalf.
Steven Jackson.
Jim Otis.
Johnny Roland.
Stump Mitchell.
John David Crow.
Jerome Bettis.
Theotis Brown.
MacArthur Lane.
Willis Crenshaw.
Prentice Gautt.
And I could name a few others … some personal favorites including Willard Harrell.
After 49 seasons, the last running back standing in St. Louis — standing in the end zone — was Todd Gurley.
It was a brief but scintillating existence for Gurley in St. Louis.
The Rookie of the Year.
Long may you run, No. 30.
znModeratorI agree with every single word Bob Costas says here.
I agree with a lot of what he says. But…not all of it. Sometimes I don’t agree with what he says, sometimes with how he says it.
znModeratorActually I read up the history on that clause. Shaw didn’t put it in there, the St. Louis side did. It was in lieu of something else Shaw actually wanted, which apparently was for the city to guarantee picking up regular maintenance on the site.
I heard from a local media person on a radio show that Shaw added the “top tier” clause as almost a last-second addendum and pretty much expected it to be rejected, and he was surprised when it was accepted.
Two different versions, each from a 2nd hand source.
Wonder which is right, or indeed if either of them is?
Not a big deal, just noticing an interesting difference. Fwiw.
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znModeratorThat little ‘clause’ has certainly
made a difference in NFL history.Actually I read up the history on that clause. Shaw didn’t put it in there, the St. Louis side did. It was in lieu of something else Shaw actually wanted, which apparently was for the city to guarantee picking up regular maintenance on the site.
Plus of course, as part of the history, this could have been khan’s team, not SK’s. Basically SK had a right of first refusal when the team was for sale. He reportedly asked Khan for 150 M to waive that right. Khan refused so SK exercised that right. Presumably if Khan had come through with the 150 M it would have been his team.
…
znModeratorUnfortunately, I know a little about this subject. I lost my wife to breast cancer in September of 2014 and my sister in law is terminal.
The article and PA have a few things right. We are making advances. Some cancers can be cured, even metastatic- testicular, for example. The problem is, it’s not going to be a one-size-fits-all cure. That’s impossible. Seven billion unique examples of the species is another obstacle. Cancer presents and kills in so many different ways. And each patient is unique. Some can fight stage 4 for years. Others last weeks or even days. My wife died 28 days after her metastases was diagnosed.
I was happy to hear this news- I hope a “moonshot” approach is carried through to cures. Or at least bring it to the chronic level, just as we have accomplished with HIV\AIDS. I have visceral hatred this disease. For what it has robbed me and my family, as well as just about everyone one else.
My condolences on your loss, Ozone. I lost my sister to cancer last summer, so I have some sense of what this is like. Not much I can say but I genuinely am sorry for your family’s suffering and your losses.
znModeratorThe pros and cons of sharing Los Angeles for the Rams
Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — Speaking to their fans in Los Angeles for the first time in person last Friday, Rams owner Stan Kroenke and chief operating officer Kevin Demoff mostly received loud cheers.
Kroenke, who is now public enemy No. 1 in St. Louis, even heard chants expressing love to him for returning the team to the city. But there were a couple of moments that left the Rams fans in attendance not so happy. Namely, any time Kroenke or Demoff mentioned the possibility of the San Diego Chargers or Oakland Raiders joining the Rams in L.A.
On Tuesday, representatives from the Rams and Chargers — though not the owners — had their first meeting to discuss options for the Chargers to make the move to the City of Angels. Nothing substantial came from those conversations but they’re expected to continue at some point. The Chargers have until Jan. 15, 2017, to decide if they want to partner with the Rams in Kroenke’s Inglewood stadium project.
That decision could be made sooner than later, though, as the Chargers have many reasons to not wait, not least of which is the fact that every day the Rams re-plant their roots in Los Angeles is a chance to build their fanbase further.
With that in mind, here’s a quick look at the pros and cons of the Chargers (or Raiders) joining the Rams in Los Angeles:
Pros
Falling in line with the rest of this relocation process, the No. 1 reason it wouldn’t be a bad thing to have a partner in the stadium is money. Simply put, if the Chargers decided to join the Rams as a full partner in the stadium, it would mean that Kroenke gets someone to share in the cost of a project that comes with a price tag that is apparently growing by the day. With interest, some estimates have that cost coming in somewhere in the $2.6 billion range. Kroenke can afford to foot the bill on his own, but a partner that could offset the cost of the project wouldn’t be the worst thing and the Rams and Chargers could still sell personal seat licenses independent of each other to help recoup their investments. It would also mean additional money from the league’s G4 loan similar to what the Jets and Giants got for MetLife Stadium. Keep in mind, a partner would only be sharing in the cost and revenue of the stadium, which only accounts for about a quarter of the project. Kroenke would still reap the rewards of the surrounding development.
In one option, the Chargers could come aboard as a tenant in the Inglewood stadium, which would mean the Rams let the Chargers play there for a presumably reasonable or even cheap rate. It would also mean the Rams could potentially have access to some of the revenue streams for all games played in the stadium, which means, yes, more money for Kroenke.
The sooner an agreement gets done, the sooner the Rams can begin selling PSLs, suites and the rest of their premium seating inventory. As it stands now, the Rams have to wait until 2017 unless they come to an agreement sooner. While the addition of the Chargers would bring competition for those dollars, it would give the Rams extra time to begin selling and, presumably, give both teams enough time to sell most of that before the Inglewood stadium opens in 2019.
While Rams fans understandably want Los Angeles all to themselves, there could be something fun about having a natural rivalry with an AFC team playing in the same building. The schedule wouldn’t always allow for a Rams-Chargers game but even if it didn’t happen in the regular season, it could be something the teams explored as an easy preseason game every year without the travel.
Cons
Just as sharing the stadium can be considered a positive for the Rams, it could also be viewed as a negative. Not so much for the stadium itself but for sharing the market. The Chargers currently claim that about 25 percent of their season ticket holders come from the Los Angeles area. The Rams have much deeper ties with the city but having the Chargers in town would mean competing for fans and their dollars. While San Diego hasn’t exactly been a dominant team recently, the Chargers have been far more competitive than the Rams over the past decade. If the Chargers came in and started winning while the Rams continue to languish in mediocrity, the Rams could find themselves lagging behind.
The main focus for the NFL in returning to Los Angeles was to find a way to make the country’s second-largest market work long-term. Immediately putting two teams back in Los Angeles would run the risk of over saturating a market that might not be willing to embrace multiple teams. At last week’s owners meetings, it was reported that Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt was against having two teams in Los Angeles, at least right away. While some fans could view the options as a good thing, it’s just another team competing for fans with the many teams already there in addition to the Rams.
There’s no doubt that moving to Los Angeles should make the Rams more appealing to free agents, especially those who are young and single. Although state income taxes will increase dramatically from Missouri, Southern California sells itself in a lot of ways. The Chargers would still be competitive in that regard in San Diego but the size of the Los Angeles market makes it more appealing from an endorsement standpoint. Having another team there means even more competition for a team that hasn’t really been a destination for free agents in the past.
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