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znModeratorI havent watched the Eagles. Why is
Bradford playing so poorly,
assuming he is ?w
vHe is. IMO? Basically the same reasons as Foles. OL not holding up, out of sync for various reasons, he’s not confident in the offense and is pressing. The big difference is, Foles has the run game, and the Eagles run game is kinda up and down but mostly mediocre.
znModeratorThat’s like hanging the winner of the Girl Scouts art contest in the Louvre.
Hey…cool idea!
znModeratorAll 22: Gurley’s 71-yard Touchdown
Rams Insider Myles Simmons breaks down Todd Gurley’s Touchdown against the 49ers.
znModeratorThat’s all true, and yet…they’ve been consistently bad. They’ve had camp, pre-season, and 7 games, and they aren’t even sputtering to life like a cold engine.
All fair and true, but remember that one of the problems with the defense last year early on was that under the new CBA, installs take longer. Less practice time. Combine that with having a lot of new and young players and the thing gets compounded.
I think it’s a combination of things. These are just my best guesses/hunches. —>
Versus last year, I think a young and inexperienced line will be up and down and capable of being worse at times than a veteran line with injured starters. I also think compensating for that line means cutting back on things the offense can do. In terms of the numbers, if I recall, the sack rate this year is lower but the hit rate is higher.
I also think Foles has flaws, but even with that, is capable of playing well. He can be a good qb. But getting pounded on makes him worse, for obvious reasons.
Why did most of the receivers drop off? Well they’re not great receivers in the first place but they have played better, all of them (except Tavon who clearly improved). I think Quick is still reeling from the injury mentally and isn’t back to what he was last year before being injured. Plus Foles and Quick don’t have much chemistry yet. In general this reminds me of 2011, where the issue was being comfortable in the new offense. Players making mistakes because they’re pressing and not confident.
Cignetti? First time coordinator. Schott was a coordinator since 2006—he was capable of fixing things overnight sometimes (example: in 2012 they didn’t like the redzone offense so changed it at the bye, and from then on the redzone offense stayed fixed). I wonder if it’s true that Cigz does the passing game and Boras the running game.
But either way, to me it;s everything at once. Like the defense for the first bunch of games last year. Just not in sync yet.
I don’t think Foles became worse than 2014, I think he’s in a worse situation than 2014. But then just like the defense last year, the situation can get better.
znModeratorthis line could be something else next year. it’s a slow simmer right now, but it could end up real good if we’re patient.
Yeah, it’s crazy, but, they added 7 linemen this year. OTs: Havenstein, Williams and Battle. Guard/Tackle types: Donnal and Reynolds. Guards: Brown and Wichman. That’s a lot. And the quality looks intriguingly good. It’s entirely possible that they just don’t need to take a lineman in the coming draft.
Plus of course there’s Barnes (who isn’t signed for next year), Robinson, Rhaney, and maybe even Saffold. That’s 11 so far and they will probably keep just 9. Who knows who else they might pick up as a UDFA or another “ronin” type vet who gets cut loose, like Person or Barksdale.
Heck it already kind of shows. 2 guys they let walk are starters elsewhere–Person is the starting center in Atlanta, and Barksdale is not only starting in SD, he played some left tackle to cover for injuries.
.
znModeratornew coordinator (who happens to be a rookie coordinator)
new system
quality of receivers
green olineplus as you say, new qb.
I am not sure the receivers are so bad, though. Cook, Kendricks, Britt, and Quick all played better last year. That means it’s at least in them to play at least that well this year. There’s something going on with chemistry, being in sync, and so on. Same thing happened last year at first with the defense.
znModeratorPractice Report 11/4: Starting Faster on Offense
Myles Simmons
The Rams have won their last two games by a combined score of 51-12, but that hasn’t stopped the club from being self critical in order to improve.
That goes especially for the offense. The emergence of running back Todd Gurley has certainly aided the production, as best evidenced by St. Louis’ 3-1 record since the running back became a starter. But as head coach Jeff Fisher has pointed out, getting first downs and third-down efficiency has to get better, especially at this time of year.
Having racked up only 104 first downs and 26 percent of third-down opportunities, there is some clear room for improvement. But with the Rams’ explosive plays, the offense comes in at No. 1 in average yards per carry, No. 3 in yards rushing per game, and No. 12 in overall yards per play.
Gurley, of course, has been at the center of those plays, having amassed runs of 52, 55, 48, and 71 yards in his first four starts. But the offense has gotten good explosive production from others as well. For instance, Tavon Austin and Jared Cook had receptions of 66 and 49 yards, respectively, against the 49ers.
But if there’s been one common theme over the last few weeks, it’s that St. Louis would like to start faster offensively. While opponents have outscored the Rams 40-19 in the first quarter, they have clearly been able to make adjustments. The team has outscored opponents 44-28 in the second quarter, and 38-16 in the third.
All of that encompasses the fact that St. Louis would like to get into a rhythm earlier in games. That, of course, is easier said than done.
“That’s something we’ve talked about this week because you’d like to start fast,” offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti said Wednesday. “So, you look at the scheme. You look at the personnel. It’s something we’re evaluating every day.”
As tight end Jared Cook put it, the Rams must continue to build confidence during the week that on the first drive, the ball will end up in the end zone.
“A lot of times, it does take time for an offense to kind of adjust and see how the defense is playing, and see what they’re running,” Cook said. “But most of the time, you know what they’re running. Defenses don’t change. So I just think it’s all about going out there and making the plays work.”
While it’s not an excuse, some of the struggles have just come from the team still getting used to playing with one another. After all, St. Louis did promote a new offensive coordinator, import a new quarterback, and insert three new offensive linemen into the starting lineup for the start of the season.
“We’re still working, we’re still building,” Cook said. “Nick [Foles] is still learning us individually — who we are, who our personalities are. And we’re going to continue to grow and get better at doing that. You can only simulate it so much in practice. The only way to really work on it is live games.”
To that end, Cook said the offense is continuing to jell the more Sundays they play together.
“Chemistry and timing is something that nobody can predict in the National Football League, and it’s hard to come by,” Cook said. “So that’s something that we’re all still working on.”
There has been clear progress, though, as evidenced by the club’s record. Cook credited Gurley’s emergence as a significant factor in that.
“To have a back who’s unlike anyone I’ve ever seen before with my own eyes — it’s special,” Cook said. “It’s something that we have to take advantage of on offense. It helps open up the whole game collectively as an offense. But, you have to make it work in terms of stretching the field, pushing the ball down the field.”
And so as the season gets to its midpoint, Cook said he feels like the offense is growing and getting better together. Now it’s just a matter of putting things together and executing properly to start games by putting points on the board.
“It’s just about sustaining drives and starting fast from jump,” Cook said. “It’s knowing in everybody’s mind that lines up out there, we’re going to go right down and score.”
INJURY REPORT
The Rams had a few players appear on Wednesday’s injury report. Chris Long (knee), Robert Quinn (knee), William Hayes (thigh), Chase Reynolds (thigh), and Rob Havenstein (ankle) did not practice. T.J. McDonald (foot) and Tre Mason (ankle) both practiced on a limited basis.
Though Havenstein was sidelined Wednesday, Fisher was optimistic on the right tackle’s possible status later in the week.
“We’ve got him immobilized right now. He’s doing much better,” Fisher said. “We’re hoping to get him back on the field on Friday. So, we’ll see.”
WATTS SUSPENDED
Running back Trey Watts has been suspended indefinitely for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. Watts’ suspension begins immediately.
Fisher said the team has not yet made a decision on who may replace the running back on the active roster.
COACHING CONNECTIONS
Before Fisher began his long career as a player and coach in the NFL, he played his college football at USC. And that’s where the Rams’ head coach first got to know current Vikings’ offensive coordinator Norv Turner.
“Coach Turner and I walked on the USC campus together,” Fisher said. “I walked on as a freshman, and he walked on as an assistant coach. So, I’ve known him for that long. He actually coached me early in my career. Then, when I moved over to secondary, he coached the defensive backs our senior year there. So, then we kind of went on. Then, crossed paths in 1991 with the Rams for a couple weeks. He was a receiver coach, and then he went on to Dallas as the offensive coordinator. So, we’ve been basically facing him or facing each other or coaching against him really since ’91.
“By the way, he didn’t know what he was talking about in our senior year at SC, because the other three guys are all first-round picks. So, Norv never had to say anything,” Fisher joked. “He just let us play.”
znModeratorRams hope history doesn’t repeat itself vs. Vikings
Jim Thomas
As much as the Rams would like to burn the game from their memory, it can’t be avoided. Not this week.
In preparation for Sunday’s contest at Minnesota, in the film room they must relive last year’s 34-6 season-opening humiliation to the Vikings.
“I’d like to forget it,” defensive end Williams Hayes said.
The Rams veteran was coming off multiple offseason surgeries at the time, and had missed additional time in camp and the preseason because of a chest injury.
Looking at that game again this week, Hayes says it might be his worst performance since he arrived in St. Louis in 2012.
“I put a bad product on the field,” he said.
Small consolation, but he had plenty of company that day among his teammates. In fact, it would be difficult to imagine a worse start to what was a season of great expectations.
The storyline was that the third year would be the charm for the Jeff Fisher-Les Snead regime.
Instead, the embarrassing defeat foreshadowed another lost season of Rams football in St. Louis. Starting with that Minnesota game, the team stumbled to a 1-4 start and finished 6-10.
The margin of defeat that day matched the worst for a home season opener in franchise history. And you had to go all the way back to 1937, the inaugural year for the Rams in the NFL, to find that game — a 28-0 loss by the Cleveland Rams to Detroit.
“This is the exact opposite of our expectations. Period, point blank,” offensive lineman Rodger Saffold said after last year’s game.
“Nobody saw this coming,” defensive tackle Michael Brockers said after that contest. “It was like a snowball going downfield. It just kept rolling on …”
The Rams committed 13 penalties for 121 yards that day. Minnesota’s Cordarrelle Patterson, a wide receiver by trade, ran for 102 yards on just three carries, scoring on a 67-yard run on a play in which he lined up in the backfield.
By the start of the third quarter, the Rams were down to Austin Davis at quarterback. He had spent much of that preseason as the team’s fourth-string quarterback. Just 15 days after losing starter Sam Bradford to a season-ending knee injury, the Rams lost Bradford’s replacement — Shaun Hill — to a thigh injury against the Vikings.
So there was chaos at the QB position; Davis hadn’t thrown much to the Rams’ starting wide receivers when he entered the game.
“It was one of those things that happens,” Fisher said. “But I’d like to think we’re a little bit better in all three areas now.”
By the end of that game, it was hard to tell which was louder — the boos from the few Rams fans still in attendance or the chants of “Let’s go Vikings!” by Minnesota fans in the dome.
“It kinda spiraled out of control,” tight end Lance Kendricks said this week. “I remember we just got physically outplayed.”
About the only thing the Rams did well that day was keep the lid on the Vikings’ star running back — Adrian Peterson. He rushed for 75 yards but averaged only 3.6 yards per carry.
“After that game, I was so disappointed,” Peterson told St. Louis reporters Wednesday on a conference call. “Even though we got the ‘W,’ I was disappointed in how I allowed those guys to get free hits and stuff on me. They had me out of character.”
Because of that, Peterson said he is looking forward to playing the Rams this Sunday, in Minneapolis.
If there’s more motivation from Peterson, the same can be said for the Rams. They want to show themselves and the Vikings that they’re not the same team that was dominated last year.
“Yeah, definitely,” Kendricks said. “We took a beating that week. I think it’s important for us come out strong this week, and start fast. Because we’ve yet to start fast this year.”
Hayes said: “It’s a little bit more personal for me this week because the more I look at (that film), the more embarrassed I’m getting. So I’m just gonna go out there and try to put some good stuff on film this week.”
Twenty-two games have passed since then, but the teams still can learn from last year’s contest. They each have new starting quarterbacks. Nick Foles has replaced Bradford in St. Louis and Teddy Bridgewater has replaced Matt Cassel, who was last year’s opening-day starter for the Vikings.
There are new starters sprinkled throughout both lineups. But many familiar faces remain, and for the most part the coaching staffs and the systems are the same on offense and defense.
Fisher likened it to playing a division team the second time around in a season.
“It’s recent,” he said. “They game-planned up. We game-planned them. They made more plays than we did, so we gave up some big plays. We know Norv (Turner) very well. He’s an outstanding coordinator and he’ll have ’em ready to play.”
Turner, a former NFL head coach with Washington, Oakland, and San Diego, is Minnesota’s offensive coordinator.
If the Rams have learned anything from that game, it’s that they have to do more than just contain Peterson to win. And they can’t make the kind of mistakes they made last year, particularly the penalties, and expect to win.
“They’ve got a solid defense,” Kendricks said. “They’re very disciplined and sound in what they do.
“I think we’re such a different team now that I definitely think we’ll play up to our potential this week, especially being on a roll with two (victories) back-to-back. It’d be nice to kinda get out there and get after ‘em, and see if we can pull out a win on the road.”
znModeratorznModeratorWired: McDonald vs 49ers (00:05:55)
Listen to all the big hits from safety T. J. McDoandl in the Rams win over the 49ers on this weeks Wired
znModeratorPFF:
RANKING ALL 32 NFL OFFENSIVE LINES THIS SEASON
https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/11/04/ranking-all-32-nfl-offensive-lines-entering-week-9/
27. St. Louis Rams (25th)
Pass blocking rank: 25th
Run blocking rank: 28th
Penalties rank: 28th
Stud: First-year player Rob Havenstein (73.1) doesn’t look like a rookie.
Dud: Sophomore Greg Robinson (34.4) does look like a rookie.
Summary: There’s some talent on this offense, but this line is making them really max it out with their up and down efforts. We mentioned Robinson as the dud, but it’s a worry that he doesn’t seem to be progressing.
——-
FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS:
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol
Run blocking: 23rd
Plays stuffed: 26th
Power success: 3rd
Open Field Rank (ie. Yards which this team’s running backs earn more than 10 yards past the line of scrimmage, divided by total running back carries): 1st
Pass Protection: 12th
znModeratorSounds like most of them know as little about the Rams as we do about the Vikings.
That’s an old theme, isn’t it?
Remember the flame war barrage on the old blue board in 99 in the week before the Vikes playoff game?
We got lines like “gimmick offenses don’t work” and “you don’t have the talent to play us” and “you haven’t played anybody.”
I still have an old VHS of that game. Near the end in the crowd a Rams fan is proudly holding up a sign that says “we STILL haven’t played anyone.”
..
znModeratorWith Gurley, Austin rolling, Rams should look to the middle more
Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher has talked extensively this week about how running back Todd Gurley and receiver Tavon Austin have been able to have success in part because of each other.
That was abundantly clear in last week’s 27-6 win against the San Francisco 49ers. And while the Rams would love Gurley and Austin to continue to be the focal points of the offense, they also could use some help as they’ve contributed 50 percent of the offensive yards and 71 percent of the team’s non-defensive touchdowns to the mix.
So it stands to reason that if defenses have to worry about Gurley and Austin, something else should open up, right?
“I would think so, yeah,” Fisher said. “Competitively, I won’t go into details. But, yeah, Todd’s doing some good things, as is Tavon. We have to be creative offensively to create issues from the defensive standpoint.”
It’s certainly understandable that Fisher won’t get into his specific game plan for how his offense can capitalize on Gurley and Austin’s success, but here’s a modest proposal that could simultaneously help Gurley and Austin while bolstering the team’s ailing passing game: look to the middle of the field on a more consistent basis.
Overall, the Rams’ offense ranks last in the NFL in passing yards per game and their QBR of 39.0 is 29th. But they’ve been particularly ineffective throwing the ball between those hashmarks that break the field into three pieces.
In seven games, Rams quarterback Nick Foles has thrown for 87 yards between the hashmarks, which is just a single yard ahead of the Dolphins for the fewest in the league. That should come as little surprise since the Rams aren’t exactly attempting many passes between the hashes. Foles is seven-of-14 on such throws, with those attempts tied with Green Bay also for the second-fewest in the NFL.
While those numbers aren’t good, it’s interesting to note that of those seven completions in the middle of the field, four have gone for first downs and two have resulted in touchdowns.
The blame for those incompletions can’t all be put on Foles’ right arm. The Rams have struggled with drops all season and have three such miscues on pass attempts over the middle. One of the culprits has been tight end Jared Cook, who has two catches and two drops on throws between the hashes.
But that doesn’t mean the Rams should go away from Cook, who is the player on the roster best equipped to make plays over the middle of the field. At 6-foot-5, 254 pounds, Cook was signed to be a capable target over the middle. In his nearly two and a half seasons with the Rams, he’s averaged 17.2 yards per catch between the hashmarks, and before this season he’d caught two-thirds of the balls thrown his way in that area.
Cook also showed signs of getting back on track as a pass catcher against San Francisco, hauling in three passes on four targets, one of which went for 49 yards and another for a 2-point conversion.
Regardless of whether it’s Cook, tight end Lance Kendricks or someone else, if the Rams offense is going to continue to evolve, they’ll need to get players other than Gurley and Austin to help shoulder the load.
“If you’re concerned about Todd inside or on the edge, you may have to create a one-on-one with Tavon on the edge,” Fisher said. “So, those are the kinds of things that we’re working on.”
znModerator
znModeratorThis of course does not factor in 3rd down with the qb in obvious passing situations.
But…. FOLES: Passes over the middle
2013: 34 of 317 (10.7% of total attempts), 73.5% completions, 13.09 YPA, 154.7 qb rating
2014: 37 of 311 (11.9% of total attempts), 64.9% completions, 11.73 YPA, 141.0 qb rating
2015: 20 of 187 (10.7% of total attempts), 65.0% completions, 6.45 YPA, 101.9 qb rating
…
znModeratorfrom off the net
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RustyRay
Just watch Foles on 3rd downs and how many throws go outside the numbers. He is missing things in the middle of the field a ton.
He has struggled due to pressure and his 1st instinct is to always throw outside…he has a heck of a time keeping his eyes down the middle of the field.
People love to hammer on the Rams WR’s and TE’s….but in reality they are getting open more then people think…its a mixture of Foles failures to see them and of the Rams being able to pass block well enough for the deeper routes to come into play.
znModeratorfrom off the net
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fearsomefour
the play calling and kind of routes the team is running is revealing to me.
That was a great summary and insightful point of view….
how so? Ie clarify…thanks.
znModeratorfrom off the net
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Hazlet Hacksaw
Shotty loved the quick slants – they are gone from this offense.
The Rams staple now is to attack the short outside on third downs less than 10 yds. The results have been very poor. You can almost predict the 5-6 yd out route on 3rd down when they need 8 yds. Everything is to the sidelines away from the QB – the hardest throws – and usually short of the first down marker. I’m sure Cignetti has his reasons but the results are lacking so far. 1/19 or whatever it was the last two games on 3rd down wont cut it against the better teams they will face in the next few weeks.
We as fans will likely never know – all we do know is what they are doing so far has failed miserably on third down. For whatever reason, the middle of the field has not been friendly to the Rams receivers this year.
It has to be a bad combination of routes, receivers, protection and qb. There I figured it out. Seriously I’m going to look at the all 22 for third down Sunday and see.
I do like the fact that they went deep three times despite the lack of success.
znModeratorfrom off the net
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fearsomefour
the play calling and kind of routes the team is running is revealing to me.
It is hard to tell watching a game with the normal tv view. Foles is late on a lot of throws or so it seems. The outs to the sideline the OC seems to favor protect the QB from having to make reads. It gives him a basket to throw into that is safe. If it is covered up it is an easy throw away. OCs protect QBs this same way with roll outs. One option or a throw away.
You don’t see the crosses, slants and intermediate stuff with the
Rams….the 15 to 20 yard cross. The Rams will run some stuff in the middle with the TEs but thats about it. That again is mostly scheme related trying to create some mismatches with LBs. The deep throws are usually one guy running deep with everything else underneath….again, no read here, there is usually one option, a predetermined deep shot. I like the deep shots and Foles throws a good deep ball.I really believe the coaches don’t trust Foles to read the D, be on the same page as his WRs and have the ability to find secondary guys. First and second down it is easier to run some plays where the receiver is predetermined. Third and 8 everyone knows you are passing. I don’t mind first down passes especially versus a loaded box.
I believe the issue is Foles and his shortcomings as a QB. The OC is using him as a manager and little else. Take a few deep shots a game to try and create a big play or two….which can work as we saw vs Cleveland….beyond that don’t throw picks and let the D and running game do their thing. This approach can certainly work.
It would be nice to have a full, grown up NFL passing game to complement what Gurley is doing.
November 4, 2015 at 12:19 pm in reply to: catch percentage, drops, and other bad things from the dark side #33506znModeratorfrom off the net
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gqscholar
Rams drops the ball at a rate of 7 percent which ties them with the panthers for biggest drop percentage in the NFL.
http://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/team-receiver-drops-percentage/2015/
Seattle who the Rams seems to be trying to copy, drops balls at one of the lowest rates 1.8.
Seattle receivers are nothing great but at least they hold onto the ball. The rams really need to hit the market hard next year for guys that can catch.
November 4, 2015 at 11:23 am in reply to: 101, 11/3 — Football Outsiders on Rams/Vikes + Clayton #33504znModeratorAaron Schatz tells why he and Football Outsiders have the Rams as clear favorites over Minnesota
from off the net
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LMU93
great interview and perspectives
Good insights on how the team has performed so far, Gurley, where the OL is, playoff chances and how they stack up vs. some other contenders,.
znModeratorOur early look at the Rams: Vikings will be looking in the mirror
St. Louis should look quite familiar considering two of its greatest strengths are a big, fast, explosive running back and a quarterback-busting pass rush.
By Mark Craig
The Vikings are 5-2 and riding their first three-game winning streak since a four-game playoff charge to end the 2012 regular season. They also return to TCF Bank Stadium, where they’re 3-0 this season and 8-3 under coach Mike Zimmer since the start of last season.
The opponent — St. Louis — should look quite familiar considering two of its greatest strengths are a big, fast, explosive running back and a quarterback-busting pass rush.
Here’s our early look at the Rams …
NEXT UP: St. Louis Rams, noon, TCF Bank Stadium. The Rams (4-3) have won two straight against Cleveland and San Francisco. They opened the season by upsetting the Seahawks 34-31 before losing at Washington (24-10) and at home to Pittsburgh (12-6). Another signature win came at Arizona (24-22) before a mostly lifeless loss at Green Bay (24-10).
KEY INJURIES: Left defensive end Chris Long (knee) has missed the last two games. William Hayes, who was questionable last week with a thigh injury, still started at Long’s spot. … Left guard Rodger Saffold missed the last two games and is on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. He has been replaced by Garrett Reynolds. … Right defensive end Robert Quinn started last week despite being questionable with a knee injury. Safety T.J. McDonald also started despite being questionable with a shoulder injury.
LAST TIME: The Mike Zimmer Era opened with the 2014 season opener at St. Louis. And what a debut it was. Cordarrelle Patterson had three carries for a team-high 102 yards and a touchdown, Matt Cassel threw two touchdown passes in a turnover-free game and free safety Harrison Smith returned an interception 81 yards for a touchdown in a 34-6 win. Adrian Peterson had 75 yards on 21 carries, but his season would end unexpectedly five days later when he became entangled in child-abuse charges.
A LOOK AT THE FILM …
OFFENSE: Wow, these two teams look a lot alike. The most obvious similarity is at running back, where the Rams have a 21-year-old version of Peterson. Todd Gurley, the 10th overall pick, is 6-1, 227 pounds. Peterson, the seventh overall pick, is 6-1, 220. Gurley is lighting up the league a year after suffering a torn ACL. Peterson lit up the league for 2,097 yards in 2012, the year after he tore an ACL. Gurley missed the first two games, didn’t start in the third game and then posted 566 yards in four starts, the most in a player’s first four starts since the merger in 1970.
Gurley is a power back with breakaway speed. And, well, you get the idea. The Rams’ offense ranks 30th overall, third in rushing, 32nd in passing and 28th in scoring. The Vikings rank 29th overall, fifth in rushing, 30th in passing and 24th in scoring.
Both teams have former big-name receivers (Kenny Britt/Cordarrelle Patterson) who have faded down the depth chart. Both have new preferred targets who have emerged this year (Tavon Austin/Stefon Diggs). Both have had to deal with injuries on the line. And both have quarterbacks who aren’t flashy but understand their teams, perform with poise, make good decisions for the most part and can lead successful late-game comebacks if they have to.
Teddy Bridgewater ranks 31st in passer rating (85.5) while Nick Foles ranks 38th (81.6). Bridgewater has thrown six touchdown passes and five interceptions. Foles has thrown seven TDs and five interceptions. Bridgwater is averaging 7.2 yards per attempt. Foles is averaging 7.0.
DEFENSE: The teams are similar here as well. The Rams rank sixth defensively, while the Vikings rank seventh. The Rams do stop the run more consistently, ranking ninth while the Vikings rank 15th but have improved while holding three straight opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing since their bye week.
Both teams rush the passer very well with extraordinary athletes and sound schemes. The Rams’ Robert Quinn and Aaron Donald rank second among end-tackle tandems with 29 sacks since the start of last season. The Vikings’ Everson Griffen and Tom Johnson rank fifth on that list with 25 sacks.
The Rams have 13 takeaways and 10 giveaways. The Vikings have nine takeaways and eight giveaways. The Rams have allowed only four field goals the past two weeks and rank fourth in points allowed (17.9). The Vikings are second in points allowed (17.4).
RANKINGS: Offense: 30th (3 rushing, 32 passing). Defense 6 (9 rushing, 10 passing). Scoring: 28th (19.3). Scoring defense: 4th (17.4).
STORYLINE: By kickoff, Peterson will have had his fill of being referred to as the second-best running back in the game. Or the old running back in the game. Meanwhile, Gurley will be extra motivated to wrestle the so-called torch from Peterson’s vice grip in his own stadium in front of his own fans. This should be a special showdown, especially for those old enough to remember when great running backs shared the league spotlight with quarterbacks.
STAT OF THE WEEK:
— 8-23
The combined record of the teams the Vikings have beaten this season. They’ve yet to beat a team with a winning record. The Rams have beaten four teams with a combined record of 14-18, including Arizona (6-2) on the road.
TURNOVER MARGIN: Plus-3 (T-8)
They have 13 takeaways and 10 giveaways.
znModeratorTodd Gurley vs. Adrian Peterson: That’s Entertainment
Bernie Miklasz
http://www.101sports.com/2015/11/03/todd-gurley-vs-adrian-peterson-thats-entertainment/
Sunday’s game at Minnesota between the Rams and Vikings is intriguing for a number of reasons. Though both teams are in contention for their respective division titles, this contest will have a direct impact on the formative NFC wild-card race. The Vikings have won three in a row to move up to 5-2. The Rams have won three of their last four games to stamp the franchise’s first winning record (4-3) seven games into a season since 2006. This game amounts to a head-to-head credibility check of two improved teams, with the winner getting a bump in status. Moreover, the Rams and Vikings are similar in composition. Both have offenses that struggle to score — and rigid defenses that refuse to yield.
That’s all swell — but c’mon, admit it …
If you’re a casual NFL fan, you’re probably more interested in the matchup of charismatic running backs.
And that’s understandable. For entertainment value, this is hard to resist: Rams rookie Todd Gurley — so often compared to Adrian Peterson — will be running on Peterson’s home turf for the first time. Gurley, quickly having a breakout season, just notched his first national endorsement contract — for Jolly Rancher candy. Hey, Marshawn Lynch can keep his Skittles.
Obviously, Gurley and Peterson won’t be dueling each other. Gurley won’t be tackling Peterson, and AP isn’t going to be playing safety for the Vikings when the Rams break the huddle. The backs’ real matchup is having to wrestle with the other team’s defense. The Vikings will overpopulate the line of scrimmage in an attempt to become the first NFL defense to prove that Gurley is indeed stoppable over four quarters. And NFL defensive coordinators have spent many a sleepless night trying to figure out a plan to prevent Peterson from threatening their job security with one of his huge rushing days.
Of course, none of this matters. We’ll still be tracking the Gurley vs. Peterson yards on Sunday.
The battle of the backs is undoubtedly the feature attraction here.
And they were meant to share this field on Sunday.
The Vikings chose Peterson from Oklahoma with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft and have no regrets, with AP compiling 10,823 rushing yards as part of his total 12,645 yards from scrimmage and 94 career touchdowns. Peterson has been voted to six Pro Bowls and selected first-team All-NFL three times, but he’s been sidetracked by problems on his route to Canton and induction onto the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
There was the 2011 knee injury that cut Peterson’s season to 12 games — followed by a remarkable comeback of 2012, when Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards. There was last year’s controversial suspension handed down by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after Peterson pleaded no contest to misdemeanor reckless assault for “abusive discipline” of his 4-year-old son.
Peterson didn’t play in the final 15 games of 2014, but he’s made a strong return to reaffirm his elite pedigree among the league’s running backs. Peterson is 3rd in the NFL with 633 yards rushing on an average of 20 carries and 90.4 yards per game.
No question, Peterson is still a prime back. But he reached age 30 earlier this year, a time when runners begin to slow because of age, heavy usage, and bodies that absorb too many collisions.
It’s probably too soon to know, but we may be seeing some signs of that with Peterson. I’ll point to some relevant stats in a couple of minutes.
First, let’s reintroduce Gurley — the late-model version of Peterson.
Like Peterson, Gurley went early on in the NFL draft, with the Rams picking him 10th overall (out of Georgia) in May.
Like Peterson, Gurley stands 6-1 in height — but at 226 pounds is listed nine pounds heavier than Peterson.
Like Peterson, Gurley had to overcome a serious knee injury — and is thriving in the aftermath.
Like Peterson, you can see Gurley’s name high on the NFL leader board. And just as Peterson did in his first NFL season (2007) Gurley is making an instant and dramatic impact as a rookie.
Despite missing the first two regular-season games while his mended knee passed all of the necessary tests, Gurley has zoomed to fifth in the NFL with 575 yards rushing.
Gurley evidently is in a hurry to reach Peterson-level status. Since entering STL’s starting lineup four games ago, Gurley has averaged 142 yards rushing per game, 6.45 yards per carry, and has scored three touchdowns. The Rams are 3-1 since launching Gurley as their starter.
Who does Gurley think he is — Adrian Peterson?
Yeah, maybe so.
The Vikings have noted the similarities.
“This guy, Todd Gurley, he’s special,” Minnesota cornerback Captain Munnerlyn told TwinCities.com. “He’s Adrian Peterson all over again. People don’t realize how big he is. He can hit you with the home-run speed. He’s a young Adrian Peterson, but I like our Adrian Peterson better.
As they should.
Gurley, after all, has four NFL starts to his name.
Gurley has a lot to prove — with his long-term endurance and viability at the top of the list.
Peterson ranks 22nd in NFL history in career rushing yards and is 14th with 89 career rushing touchdowns. Peterson’s career average of 97.5 yards rushing per game has been exceeded by only two NFL backs, and both are legends: Hall of Famers Jim Brown (104.3 yards) and Barry Sanders (99.8 yards.)
But as we mentioned earlier, Peterson is 30.
Gurley is 21.
Gurley already is chasing Peterson in the ways that he can. Gurley, for instance, is trending to become the first NFL back to average at least 6 yards per rushing attempt since Peterson in 2012.
“Obviously a big physical guy that has great acceleration and vision,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said of Gurley. “We’re going to have to make sure we have a lot of people at the ball … he runs with violence.”
The sample size isn’t enough to fill one of Gurley’s Jolly Rancher candy bags. But Gurley has outperformed Peterson in some illuminating categories so far this season. As usual, I went to Pro Football Focus to check the data that shows more detailed information on a running back’s effectiveness in eluding tacklers — and in gaining yards after contact.
— Pro Football Focus gives a “Breakaway Percentage ” rating to each back. It’s simply calculated: of a running back’s total rushing yards, what percentage of the yards came on runs of 15+ yards? The answer: Gurley has nine runs of 15+ yards which has accounted for 57.2 percent of his rushing total. Peterson has eight rushes of 15+ yards, and a Breakaway Percentage of 42.5 percent. Gurley and Peterson rank No. 1 and No. 2 in the league in breakaway percentage.
— Pro Football Focus gives an “Elusive Rating” to each back. The quickie explanation from PFF: “The elusive rating boils down to a runner’s success beyond the point of being helped by his blockers.” Gurley ranks 8th among NFL backs with an elusive rating of 57.1. And Peterson is 20th with an elusive rating of 32.0. That number is notable because Peterson hasn’t had an elusive-rating score less than 45.5 in a season. Peterson’s 2015 elusive rating, at least to this stage, is a big drop from his career norm.
— Pro Football Focus charts yards gained after contact by the defense. Gurley is averaging 3.13 yards after contact this season, which ranks sixth. Peterson is down on the list, ranking 23rd among backs with an average of 2.16 yards after contact. Peterson has never averaged less than 2.92 yards after contact during a season.
I’m personally more interested in seeing if the Rams are ready to go on the road and drag home a win against a surging Minnesota team that’s on the rise, trailing first-place Green Bay (6-1) by a game in the NFC North standings.
Agreed, Gurley vs. Peterson is an enticing draw. It’s fantasy football.
Peterson will be fired up to show the rookie a little something: that the NFL’s top running back still resides — and presides — in Minnesota. Maybe so. Maybe not.
Either way, Gurley is coming
znModeratorAdrian Peterson-Todd Gurley matchup pits NFL’s present against its future
Ben Goessling and Nick Wagoner
MINNEAPOLIS — They’ve been compared to one another for reasons beyond their prodigious returns from knee surgery. They both rank in the NFL’s top five in rushing despite being at opposite ends of the career spectrum. And on Sunday, Adrian Peterson and Todd Gurley will get a chance to outdo one another on the same field.
The Minnesota Vikings veteran and the St. Louis Rams rookie will face off Sunday at TCF Bank Stadium in a game that could prove pivotal to the playoff chances of two of the NFC’s up-and-coming teams. Both Peterson and Gurley have quelled the uncertainty about them with strong first halves; Peterson is third in the league with 633 yards after returning from last year’s suspension, while Gurley has averaged a whopping 6.1 yards per carry to post 575 yards on 94 carries after a cautious return from a torn ACL.
To get ready for the matchup between one of the NFL’s great backs of the present and a presumptive star of its future, ESPN Vikings reporter Ben Goessling and ESPN Rams reporter Nick Wagoner put together a tale of the tape on Peterson and Gurley.
VITALS
Peterson is 6-foot-2 and 217 pounds, with a muscular frame carved through years of notoriously fierce workouts. It’s debatable whether Peterson has the same top-end speed he had in his younger years (he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds at the NFL scouting combine in 2007). But the running back still has a haymaker of a stiff-arm.
Listed at 6-foot-1, 226 pounds, Gurley cuts the shadow of a classic, big physical back but with sprinter’s speed. Although he didn’t run the 40-yard dash at the combine, Gurley’s estimated time is 4.4 seconds, but he believes he can run faster. The 21-year-old rookie is not even a year removed from the torn ACL he suffered last year at Georgia.
RUNNING STYLE
Peterson dropped to seventh in the 2007 draft in part because of concerns that his upright running style would lead to injuries, but he’s been relatively durable in the NFL while taking his fair share of contact. Peterson is as likely to go through you as around you, and though he might not be the most disciplined back, he runs with a violence that makes him difficult for defenders to handle when he hits the line of scrimmage at full speed.
Gurley has been compared to everyone from Peterson to Marshawn Lynch to Eric Dickerson but the large cross-section of comparisons makes it hard to nail down a simplistic way of describing his style. Gurley has a unique ability to make himself small and quick through the hole but big and powerful against would-be tacklers.
Todd Gurley
Todd Gurley has gained 6.1 yards per carry in his rookie season, accumulating 575 yards despite being brought along slowly.
WHAT HE DOES BESTPeterson has some shiftiness, and certainly made much of his living on cutback runs in the Vikings’ old zone blocking scheme, but his straight-line speed and power make him difficult to bring down. On his longest run of the season — a 75-yarder against the Detroit Lions — he extended the run by about 20 yards after driving his left arm into Glover Quin’s chest, knocking the safety to the ground before Ezekiel Ansah dragged Peterson down.
Gurley prides himself on his ability to keep his legs moving and gain yards after contact. Against Cleveland on Oct. 25, Gurley had 97 yards after contact, the most by any back this season. That ability to break tackles leads to a lot of explosive plays, including a league-leading four runs of 45 or more yards this season.
REASON FOR OPTIMISM SUNDAY
Peterson had one of the biggest days of his career against the Rams three years ago, romping for 212 yards in Week 15, and said he was especially fired up to play the Rams because of how much their defenders talk during games. Peterson has surpassed five yards per carry in four of his last five games.
While Minnesota is 15th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game, the Vikings are yielding 4.39 yards per carry, which ranks 25th in the league. Interestingly, the Vikings have been among the best in the league at limiting the types of big plays Gurley is used to making, which means that yards per carry average is a product of giving up yards in shorter but still positive bursts. That means Gurley and the Rams could be more consistent in this matchup.
STRONG RETURN FROM KNEE SURGERY
Peterson’s return in 2012 is now the stuff of legend. He tore his ACL on Christmas Eve 2011, and by the end of May 2012, Peterson was beating Percy Harvin in a few sprints up the hill at the Vikings’ training facility. He started Week 1, and ran for 1,353 yards in the final eight games of 2012 while playing with a sports hernia. He finished just eight yards shy of Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record, ending the season with 2,097 yards.
When Gurley was recovering from his knee injury, he used to go on YouTube to watch anything he could find on how players like Peterson and Kansas City’s Jamaal Charles rebounded from the injury. Gurley didn’t bounce back in the nine months that Peterson did, taking about a month and a half longer, but he’s actually been better in his first five games back. Gurley’s 575 yards and three touchdowns are better than Peterson’s 420 yards and two touchdowns upon returning.
ONE THING YOU DIDN’T KNOW
Peterson was an elite high school sprinter in Palestine, Texas, and his coach has said he could have competed in the Olympics had he not played football. Peterson told ESPN last December he had considered retirement during his absence from the NFL, contemplating an attempt at a 2016 Olympic bid in the 200- and 400-meter dashes.
Gurley nearly didn’t play football in high school because he decided that basketball was his first love. After moving to Tarboro, North Carolina, Gurley was a Duke basketball fan and spent more time watching hoops than football. He only took up football because he walked onto the football field looking for a ride during the 2008 season and the coaches badgered him into it
znModeratorfrom off the net
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LMU93
FootballOutsiders: Week 8 ratings and key takeaways
The Rams rise to 13th overall this week, with their offense ‘improving’ to 28th, defense now 4th, and special teams dipping down to 16th.
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/dvoa-ratings/2015/week-8-dvoa-ratingsNote that while Minnesota is 5-2 they are rated 27th overall (their strength-of-schedule so far this season is dead last). They are rated 26th against the run.
Amazingly, 5 of the Rams final 9 games are against teams ranked 26th-32nd…
Notes this week:
– the Rams are the only defense rated in the top 5 vs. both the pass and run
– the Rams special teams rating is pulled down by their 29th ranked FG/XP unit…
– Nick Foles: 26th among 32 ranked QBs
– Todd Gurley: now 9th among 35 ranked RBs
– the Rams ‘highest’ rated WR is Tavon Austin- 59th out of 66 ranked WRs…
– Kendricks and Cook are 24th and 29th, respectively, out of 37 TEs
– The Rams OL is 23rd in run blocking and 12th in pass blocking
– The Rams defensive line is rated 3rd in run defense and 4th in pass rush/adjusted sack rateznModeratorfrom off the net
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jrry32
I pulled some stats on Pro Football Reference to investigate how often we were using our HBs in the passing game on first and second down (I felt they are being under-utilized when those sort of throws are often safe and generate positive yardage). However, I found something very interesting.
Here are Nick Foles’s stats on first and second down only:
78/116
67.2% Completion%
946 yards
8.2 YPA
2 TDs
1 Int
94.3 QB Rating
9 Sacks
7.2% Sack%Aside from the abnormally low QB Rating, these are outstanding numbers.
Here are Foles’s stats on third down only:
32/69
46.4% completion%
364 yards
5.3 YPA
5 TDs
4 Ints
62.7 QB Rating
2 Sacks
2.8% Sack%It’s very weird to me to see that sort of change in a QB’s numbers. It’s also very weird that his TD% jumps to the extent it does on 3rd downs. But still, what is it about 3rd down that transforms Foles from a (in terms of stats) Matt Ryan type QB to a Brandon Weeden like QB?
I recognize that the receivers, OL, and coaching all share blame. But it just seems so odd how different these numbers are.
In fact, the average drop in QB Rating on 3rd down by starting NFL QBs this year is 5.9 points. Foles’s QB Rating drops 31.6 points. The greatest drop by a starter is Matthew Stafford with a drop of 61.7 points. Including backup QBs that have starts under their belt, the average drop is 8.5 points and the greatest drop is E.J. Manuel at 97.7 points. Josh McCown has the greatest increase of any QB at 57.8 points.(his passer rating jumps 57.8 points on 3rd down)
It’s interesting that Foles’s drop is five times greater than your average starting QB. I wonder what the cause of this is.
Getting to the HB point, here are the HB numbers on 1st and 2nd down (as well as their percentage of overall production):
17/24 (21.7% of completions and 20.6% of attempts)
70.8%
159 yards (16.8% of the yards)
6.6 YPA
0 TDsAnd on 3rd down:
13/15 (40.6% of completions and 21.7% of attempts)
86.6%
101 yards (27.7% of the yards)
6.7 YPA
0 TDsWhere am I going with this? With HB passes being high percentage plays and generating solid yardage, I wonder why we don’t incorporate more of these throws and check downs on early downs to help us get into 2nd and manageable and 3rd and manageable.
znModeratorRobinson, Reynolds blending on the left side
Jim Thomas
Greg Robinson has yet to play a full season’s worth of left tackle in the NFL, but he has already had four different linemates at left guard.
Chronologically, he has gone from Davin Joseph, to Rodger Saffold, to Jamon Brown, and now Garrett Reynolds on his immediate right. On a unit where chemistry, communication, and trust is of the utmost importance, Robinson has been doing a blocker’s version of speed-dating since he made his first start at left tackle last Nov. 2 at San Francisco.
And at first, Robinson thought it might be an adjustment with Reynolds at left guard.
“Because our playing style is a lot different,” Robinson said.
How so?
“He admits it,” Robinson explained. “He says, ‘Greg, you’re a lot more athletic than me.’ I can just move a little faster than him.”
Reynolds doesn’t dispute the point.
“I tell him that all the time,” Reynolds said. “He’s got more athletic ability in his leg than I do in my body. But that is completely fine with me. I’m just there. I tell him he’s the athletic guy, I just try to get in the way.”
They are miles apart in terms of pedigree. Robinson was the No. 2 overall pick out of Auburn in the 2014 draft. Reynolds was a third-day guy, taken by Atlanta in the fifth round in 2009.
One reason why the Rams selected Robinson instead of other highly-touted offensive tackle prospects in the ’14 draft such as Jake Matthews of Texas A&M or Taylor Leewan of Michigan was that athleticism. They felt he had a higher ceiling than the other prospects.
So now here he is in his second NFL season, paired with Reynolds — an odd couple if you will on the left side of the line.
“We balance each other out I guess you could say,” Reynolds said, smiling. “But it’s been good working over there. And it’s exciting to see where we’ll go.”
Having just turned 23 (two weeks ago), Robinson is still learning his craft in the NFL.
“I feel like I haven’t really reached full potential, but I’m still building,” Robinson said. “Run-blocking’s really just all effort, I feel. Pass-blocking’s more technique, just taking the proper steps that the coaches stress.
“Like our hand placement on run-blocking, because when we’re playing guys that two-gap it’s kind of hard to really get a feel because you don’t know which direction they’re going.”
After Saffold’s season-ending shoulder injury against Green Bay, the Rams switched Brown to right guard from left, and brought Reynolds off the bench to play left. The reason?
In large part, to help make Robinson better faster. Coach Jeff Fisher summed up the reason for putting a veteran on Robinson’s side in two words.
“The communication,” Fisher said. “Greg’s a long ways away from things out there at left tackle, so it’s good to have Garrett in there communicating with him.”
There is no substitute for experience, and because Reynolds has been in the league for seven years — although not usually as a starter — he can help with line calls, checks, and just overall recognition.
“I believe (experience) is the biggest resource that he has,” Robinson said. “I feel like it can only help me just by him being beside me. I can learn from him, and learn how to break things down.”
Robinson said when he gets ready for a play, “I have to wait for things to line up” and then go through a sequence of things in his head. More often than not, Robinson said Reynolds knows what to expect before it even happens.
“It’s pretty impressive,” Robinson said.
“I’ve seen these looks and situations more than he has,” Reynolds said. “That’s where I can kind of help out. It might be a look, like, ‘Oh yeah, this happened to me a couple years ago.’ You’ve been in the situation in the heat of the moment and in the speed of the game.”
But Reynolds says there have been times in their two games together where he’s had what he calls a “frozen moment” and Robinson has bailed him out.
“So that’s where we do a good job of just communicating together and working together,” Reynolds said. “I think we’re improving play by play, just getting more comfortable with each other.”
Obviously, the emergence of Todd Gurley at running back has made every blocker on offense look better. He’s that kind of back. But Robinson has made strides as a run blocker as the season has progressed. His athleticism helps him get those second-level blocks that turn short gains into bigger ones.
Against Cleveland, for example, he had a couple of kick-out blocks that helped pave the way for runs of 10 yards-plus by Gurley.
His pass-blocking remains a work in progress, with Robinson occasionally committing too early when it comes to engaging the pass-rusher and getting off-balance.
“Greg’s been a little inconsistent at times, that’s the nature of that position,” Fisher said. “Left tackle’s a hard position to play. I think Garrett’s been a good influence on him.
“Garrett’s playing well, he’s playing solid. He’s finishing plays. Getting down field. Doing all those kind of things.”
Pulling from his left guard position to the right, Reynolds threw one of the key blocks on Gurley’s 71-yard touchdown run against San Francisco.
“I saw him zip by, blinked my eyes, and he was 30 yards down field,” Reynolds said. “So he just takes off.”
The vast majority of Reynolds’ playing time in the NFL has been on the right side — either right guard or right tackle — so he’s still getting used to playing on the other side in terms of footwork and balance.
“It’s something where you keep getting used to it,” Reynolds said.
Just like playing next to Robinson.
znModeratorPFT’s Week Nine power rankings
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/11/03/pfts-week-nine-power-rankings/
8. Rams (4-3; No. 11): The Cardinals should be more worried about St. Louis than Seattle.
November 3, 2015 at 9:08 pm in reply to: SI: Gurley proving he’ll join NFL’s elite RBs sooner rather than later #33485znModeratorVikings on Gurley: He’s Adrian Peterson all over again
The Vikings know they’re seeing a star player in Todd Gurley this weekend, mostly because he reminds them of one of their teammates.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/san-francisco-49ers/0ap3000000571794/Next-Gen-Stats-Todd-Gurley
“This guy, Todd Gurley, he’s special,” Minnesota cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said Monday, via TwinCities.com. “He’s Adrian Peterson all over again. … People don’t realize how big he is. … He can hit you with the home-run speed. He’s a young Adrian Peterson, but I like our Adrian Peterson better.”
Gurley and Peterson are almost exactly the same size, but the production is likely what Munnerlyn is referring to. Outside of a ho-hum, six-carry debut, Gurley has been the most productive back in football averaging 141.5 yards per game off 22 carries. He’s scored three touchdowns and in that span, the Rams are 3-
He’s exactly the player the Rams hoped he’d be when they selected him at No. 10 this past year, with the only concern being the typical wear and tear associated with an NFL running back. Gurley is also coming off an ACL tear he suffered in college.
Peterson finished his rookie season with more than 1,300 yards rushing, 12 touchdowns and 5.63 yards per carry. Through his first five games, he was well over six yards per touch, which is the current pace Gurley is setting for himself now.
We’ll see if both up their game on Sunday in what promises to be an old-fashioned affair. Can the new Adrian Peterson upstage the original?
November 3, 2015 at 9:07 pm in reply to: SI: Gurley proving he’ll join NFL’s elite RBs sooner rather than later #33484znModeratorTodd Gurley’s 71-yard touchdown put Niners away early
Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — A look back at the turning point play in the St. Louis Rams’ 27-6 win against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday:
The situation: After yet another slow first-quarter start offensively, the Rams found themselves trailing the Niners 3-2 when they got the ball back with 10:35 to go in the second quarter. Despite attempting to jump-start the offense in the first quarter by going no-huddle on the opening drive, that unit again failed to produce much of anything. In the first quarter, the Rams had 53 yards of offense and just two first downs. On the one drive that had some promise, receiver Tavon Austin fumbled it away after a 24-yard gain.
Running back Todd Gurley had six carries for 15 yards going into the Rams’ sixth possession as they took over at their 29 following a 30-yard punt.
This TD by Todd Gurley on Sunday helped 4-3 St. Louis move above .500 in November for the first time in nine years.
The play: The Rams have been unafraid to mix up their approach offensively this year, especially in the run game. They’ve used plenty of outside zone and misdirection and have also worked in some power concepts. On first down from the 29, they offered a look at a power run out of a look that normally wouldn’t portend one.With Gurley set up to quarterback Nick Foles’ left, two receivers split wide, one to the left and a tight end attached at the right side of the line, the Niners had four defenders at the line of scrimmage with all three corners also at the line, two linebackers at normal depth and two safeties 10-plus yards beyond the line.
In a bit of a different look, offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti had this play set up with the intent to not only spread out the defense but get some of the Niners’ bigger run defenders off the field, which worked as they switched to a nickel package. At the snap, the Rams’ offensive line immediately created big holes by using favorable angles to their advantage. Left guard Garrett Reynolds pulled from his spot through the hole on the right side created by center Tim Barnes blocking down on the nose tackle and Jamon Brown doing the same to the end. That allowed right tackle Rob Havenstein to surge to the second level with Reynolds close behind. Havenstein easily wiped out the approaching linebacker and Reynolds took out the other one. The receivers and tight ends did their job in getting hat on hat with their defenders as well.
Gurley, who is unafraid to press the hole with his speed, wasted no time turning on the accelerator, running through the angle that looked to be there for safety Eric Reid and outracing him untouched to the end zone for a 71-yard touchdown run. Really, there wasn’t much fancy about the play, but it was effective in part because it combined a very simplistic idea with a bit of a misleading formation.
The fallout: Gurley’s 71-yard touchdown run is the longest of his young career and spurred him to his fourth 100-yard rushing effort in as many starts. It also helped him to an NFL record as the most prolific rusher in his first four NFL games since the AFL/NFL merger.
More importantly, the touchdown gave the Rams an 8-3 lead that might not have seemed insurmountable at the time but considering San Francisco’s offensive struggles and the Rams’ defensive dominance, it was. The Rams tacked on plenty more to win by three touchdowns, but Gurley’s score turned out to be all that they would need as they improved to 4-3 on the year and sit with a record above .500 in November for the first time since 2006.
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