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December 24, 2015 at 9:44 am in reply to: hey ag or anyone, is there anyway to copy these gifs to here? #36015
znModeratorznModeratorDo you think Fisher/cignetti made any obvious
mistakes with Foles in designing the offense
or dealing with the injuries, etc?
Could they have prevented the meltdown?w
vI don;t know but I doubt it.
It was just a perfect storm of bad things. YOung OL, it got injured, Cigz turns out didn’t help things that much. I am one of those people who thinks the GB short-circuited Foles a bit and shot his confidence all to hell.
Remember all those people who were down on Bulger when the offense fell apart around him? Marc stood up better to a couple of years of that than Foles did to a few games of that.
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znModeratorI think yes it’s possible Foles can return to at least what he was in 2014. Maybe even better.
I don’t know if it will be with the Rams.
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znModeratorWhere are the changes going to be next year? I wouldn’t be surprised to see new faces at the following positions…
Starting QB
Offensive Coordinator
Starting TE
KickerOf course, none of the players in the positions listed above are currently on the team.
I bet Boras stays.
znModeratorAMS’ AARON DONALD WORTHY OF DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
With a dominant performance on TNF, Donald is in the DPOY conversation with Kuechly, Watt, Mack, and Mathieu.
There is plenty of debate as to who will win the various awards in the NFL this season, including MVP, Comeback Player of the Year, and Defensive Player of the Year, but the latter might be the most difficult of the group.
At least with MVP, we know a quarterback will likely win—the debate there is between different QBs. For defenders, choices are all over the map. If you want a defensive back, you can pick between Josh Norman or Tyrann Mathieu, for linebacker there is Luke Kuechly, and if you want an edge rusher, there is Khalil Mack. However, if you want an interior lineman, Aaron Donald is proving himself to be the top candidate. He continued to demonstrate why he’s so deserving on Thursday Night Football, with another strong showing against the Buccaneers.
As a pass rusher, he has a 12.1 pass rushing productivity, second-best among defensive tackles and 3-4 defensive ends. He has 11 sacks, 20 hits, and 32 hurries on his 414 pass rushes. The only player ahead of him is Geno Atkins. He has the same number of sacks, 12 fewer hits, and 17 more hurries. You could argue you would rather have 12 hits than 17 hurries, which would make Donald the top interior rusher of the season. He continued that pace last night, with a three-hit, three-hurry performance.
In terms of stopping the run, Donald’s run stop percentage of 11.1 percent is fourth-best among defensive tackles. It’s worth noting that he is the only one in the top seven who doesn’t primarily play nose tackle. He had three stops in the run game against the Buccaneers, with all three of them registering as tackles for a loss.
Part of what makes him so impressive is his consistency. He has a positive grade in every game this season, and a grade of +4.3 or higher in each of his last eight games. In terms of just pass rushing, Donald has at least one pressure in every game, and at least three pressures in each of the last nine games. With only two missed tackles on the year, he has the right mix of making big plays (regardless of the opponent), while also rarely ever making a mistake.
Donald’s main competition on the defensive line will come from J.J. Watt, who currently has a PFF overall season grade of 95.6, compared to Donald’s own mark of 98.7 (on a scale of 1–100). Donald has a higher pass rushing productivity, which is especially impressive, considering Watt typically lines up across or outside the offensive tackle—while Donald typically lines up somewhere inside. Against the run, Watt owns 29 run stops, compared to Donald’s 33. Add in the fact that Watt has four more missed tackles and three more penalties, and the case adds up that Donald is clearly ahead at the moment.
While arguments could be made for players at other positions with different skill sets for Defensive Player of the Year, if the winner is going to be an interior defensive linemen, the choice is clear: Aaron Donald.
znModeratorVARIOUS RECENT THOTZ ON ROBINSON
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from off the net
jrry32
Robinson’s not playing like Joe Thomas but I’ve seen guys that were plain bad LTs. Robinson ain’t that. Robinson isn’t getting whooped from start to finish. He has a few plays each game where he makes mistakes/struggles. That’s inconsistency. Not a lack of ability. And as Bentley pointed out, that inconsistency is due to his mechanics. It’s fixable.
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PFF
– While there were struggles in this game as a run blocker, Rams left tackle Greg Robinson earned his first positive grade in pass protection since Week 8, not allowing a hit or sack for only the third time this season and the fourth time since moving to left tackle in Week 9 of last season. In the last two weeks, Rams’ fans will be eager to see Robinson show some signs of progress and perform well as both a pass blocker and run blocker in the same game. Robinson has only earned a positive grade as a run blocker and pass blocker in the same game once since his move to left tackle, exactly a year ago this week against the Cardinals.
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from off the net
73Ram
As for Greg Robinson, he had just that one penalty and zero sacks given up….I think he played pretty well. Tampa has a good defense, they are fast to the hole.
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from off the net
AlbaNY_Ram
If you look at weeks 7 thru 14 it more or less looks like GRob is trending up the last 8 games. Here’s hoping that trend continues …
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RamView, December 17, 2015
And look out now, but the Ram offensive line sort of knows what it’s doing. Even with the running game shut down, they had one of their better games. Funny how well a lot of plays work when you actually pay attention to keeping the back side blocked. Edge play after edge play worked this week because the Rams kept a good portion of the Buc defense bottled up in the middle of the field. . . . Greg Robinson and Garrett Reynolds were strong at times 1-on-1 in the running game but had some inconsistency. . . . They’ve still gone from getting pushed around up front to doing a lot of the pushing, and a young offensive line coming together at the end of the season is a natural reason for optimism next season.
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JT
A pretty good game. It helps having Garrett Reynolds over on Robinson’s side. I think this current unit with Wichmann at RG is starting to jell a little bit.
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alyoshamucci
G Rob still has some lunges, but for the most part I’m seeing real improvement … and the holding calls are gone now. He also had a really sick pancake on the Austin TD.
znModerator? What return man
made the pro-bowl ?Lockett and Sproles.
Full list:
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OFFENSE
Quarterbacks
Tom Brady, Patriots
Cam Newton, Panthers
Carson Palmer, Cardinals
Aaron Rodgers, Packers
Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
Russell Wilson, Seahawks
Wide Receivers
Odell Beckham Jr., Giants
Antonio Brown, Steelers
Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
A.J. Green, Bengals
DeAndre Hopkins, Texans
Calvin Johnson, Lions
Julio Jones, Falcons
Brandon Marshall, Jets
Tackles
Jason Peters, Eagles
Tyron Smith, Cowboys
Joe Staley, 49ers
Joe Thomas, Browns
Andrew Whitworth, Bengals
Trent Williams, Redskins
Guards
David DeCastro, Steelers
Mike Iupati, Cardinals
Zack Martin, Cowboys
Josh Sitton, Packers
Trai Turner, Panthers
Marshal Yanda, Ravens
Centers
Travis Frederick, Cowboys
Ryan Kalil, Panthers
Alex Mack, Browns
Mike Pouncey, Dolphins
Tight Ends
Tyler Eifert, Bengals
Rob Gronkowski, Patriots
Travis Kelce, Chiefs
Greg Olsen, Panthers
Running backs
Jonathan Stewart, Panthers
Adrian Peterson, Vikings
LeSean McCoy, Bills
Todd Gurley, Rams
Devonta Freeman, Falcons
Doug Martin, Buccaneers
Fullbacks
Mike Tolbert, Panthers
Marcel Reece, Raiders
DEFENSE
Defensive ends
Ezekiel Ansah, Lions
Michael Bennett, Seahawks
Chandler Jones, Patriots
Khalil Mack, Raiders
J.J. Watt, Texans
Muhammad Wilkerson, Jets
Defensive tackles
Geno Atkins, Bengals
Calais Campbell, Cardinals
Fletcher Cox, Eagles
Aaron Donald, Rams
Gerald McCoy, Bucs
Kawann Short, Panthers
Outside linebackers
Jamie Collins, Patriots
Thomas Davis, Panthers
Tamba Hali, Chiefs
Justin Houston, Chiefs
Von Miller, Broncos
DeMarcus Ware, Broncos
Inside / middle linebackers
NaVorro Bowman, 49ers
Luke Kuechly, Panthers
Clay Matthews, Packers
Bobby Wagner, Seahawks
Cornerbacks
Malcolm Butler, Patriots
Chris Harris, Broncos
Josh Norman, Panthers
Marcus Peters, Chiefs
Patrick Peterson, Cardinals
Darrelle Revis, Jets
Richard Sherman, Seahawks
Aqib Talib, Broncos
Free safeties
Tyrann Mathieu, Cardinals
Reggie Nelson, Bengals
Earl Thomas, Seahawks
Strong safeties
Eric Berry, Chiefs
Kam Chancellor, Seahawks
Charles Woodson, Raiders
SPECIAL TEAMS
Punters
Sam Koch, Ravens
Johnny Hekker, Rams
Kickers
Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots
Dan Bailey, Cowboys
Return specialists
Darren Sproles, Eagles
Tyler Lockett, Seahawks
Special teamers
Matthew Slater, Patriots
Justin Bethel, Cardinals
znModeratorPractice Report 12/22: Keenum Preparing for Seattle Challenge
Myles Simmons
Quarterback Case Keenum has gone through plenty of ups and downs in his first few seasons in the NFL. But he may not have played better in a victory than he did last week against Tampa Bay.
The quarterback was efficient, completing 14 of his 17 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns. That’s 13.76 yards per attempt, and a quarterback rating of 158.0 — just three tenths away from perfect.
Rob Boras said Tuesday he thought Keenum played outstanding in the coach’s second game since assuming the duties of offensive coordinator.
“I’m not sure what his numbers were, but the ball was complete. When it wasn’t there, he was smart and didn’t force it,” Boras said. “The whole offensive across the board — guys stepped up and it’s been that way, really, for the last two weeks.”
The more he plays, the more comfortable Keenum’s looked on the field. It’s a correlation that makes sense given the difficult nature of playing QB in the NFL.
“Game experience, especially at the quarterback position, is priceless in this league. You have to learn from it,” Keenum said. “You have to get better, and you’re going to go through tough times. It’s not a perfect science. Obviously, some guys have it figured out better than others and have had a lot more success. You try to take stuff from them and how they do the game, how they play the game, how they prepare, and you try to fit it to your own game and what works for you.”
“I hope he’s feeling more comfortable,” Boras said. “I don’t think the gameplan should take credit. It was a short week. He just believed what he saw. That’s what he kept telling himself, ‘I’m not going to overthink it. I’m going to see what I see, and I’m going to believe it and let it go.’ He did that.”
It looks like everything is coming together as Keenum has won both starts since getting back into the starting lineup. In his last two games, the Houston product has completed 71.8 percent of his passes for 358 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. That’s good enough for a 106.6 rating and 9.18 yards per attempt.
“I’ve always concentrated on getting better,” Keenum said. “That’s what being a veteran is about, is accumulating experience and experience is priceless. It’s just a matter of keeping battling through the tough times and enjoying the good times.”
Plus, some of Keenum’s decisions don’t directly show up in the stat sheet. Head coach Jeff Fisher has complimented the signal-caller’s ability to make the proper checks in the run game, and Boras mentioned how Keenum taking a sack in certain scenarios is also the right call.
“Case, even those he had to take a sack twice, those were in situations where he didn’t force the ball and [had] something bad happen,” Boras said. “So, sometimes it’s the decision when the ball wasn’t thrown that are the ones you compliment him for the most.”
But this week will present a significant challenge as the Rams head up to Seattle for their second matchup with the Seahawks. Since starting out the year 2-4, the two-time defending NFC champions have won seven of their last eight to bring their record to 9-5. And looking at both squads, plenty has changed when it comes to their on-field makeup — Keenum being one of them.
“It’s been a really long time, a full season,” Keenum said. “A few different players, but it’s Seattle and they’re still a really good defense. They still line up and run what they run.”
Still, there’s plenty to take not only from the Rams’ 34-31 overtime victory, but also the games the two teams have played in the past few years.
“We know who they are. They know who we are,” Boras said. “It just comes down to us doing what we do better than they do what they do. They haven’t changed a whole lot.”
Seattle’s known for running plenty of Cover 3 with its secondary and excelling at it with leaders like cornerback Richard Sherman, safety Earl Thomas, and safety Kam Chancellor. But the Seahawks can be just as formidable up front with players like Michael Bennett, who has 9.5 sacks and can move all around the defensive line.
“They line up to it different ways and they mix it up,” Keenum said. “They tend to mix it up against us sometimes, too. Divisional opponents you play twice, so it helps sometimes to mix it up. You still have to line up and play. You still have to line up and beat them. They’ve got some great players over there.”
The other challenge will be the crowd noise. CenturyLink Field has been known for a while as one of the loudest stadiums in the league, and often presents communication issues.
“We’re not going to be able to hear very much of anything,” Keenum said. “This will be my first time playing at Seattle. I played at Kansas City though. My first start was at Kansas City when they were going back and forth who was the loudest outdoor stadium. So I have an idea of what it’s like, but I’m sure it’s going to be really loud. It’s something we’re definitely going to have to deal with.”
Though the plays go directly to Keenum’s helmet from quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke on the sideline, Boras said there are plans for if something goes wrong.
“That’s part of the preparation that we’re going through now,” Boras said, “is to try to make sure that we have the contingencies in place, so if he can’t hear, we can still get him a play and we can still hopefully be effective.”
And so as Keenum continues to progress in the offense, Sunday will provide another test for him to show what he can do as a quarterback in this league.
“I’ve said it before, anytime you step on the field I think it’s a statement,” Keenum said. “That’s how we accumulate resumes in this league — it’s what you put on film. Anytime you do that, especially against a team like Seattle, who’s for the last few years have been playing a lot of really good football, so we’ve got our work cut out for us.”
“This will be a big challenge for him,” Fisher said. “I mean, it’s not easy to go in there and play. But, he’s got the personality that I think it takes to go in there and be successful.”
INJURY REPORT
There was no official injury report released on Tuesday, but Fisher did provide an update on linebacker Alec Ogletree. Last week, the head coach said Ogletree’s practice window would likely begin this week with the idea of the linebacker possibly being active for Week 17 against the 49ers.
While Ogletree did not get on the field for the week’s first practice, Fisher said the linebacker did some work inside.
“He’ll be out over the next couple of days,” Fisher said. “We’ll see how he moves and then we’ll kind of push him as best we can, but not going to put him in a position where if he’s not ready, we’re not going to play him.
“But, I want him to have the opportunity to potentially get a few snaps against San Francisco,” Fisher continued. “We’ll know early in the week next week.”
VISITING BAILEY
A number of Rams went to visit wide receiver Stedman Bailey in Miami during the long weekend, including wide receiver Tavon Austin and safety Rodney McLeod.
“It felt good to see my man,” Austin said. “It’s hard to see him like that, but he is definitely positive about the situation.”
“Just to be there and encourage him and lift up his spirits, if they were even down — it didn’t look like they were,” McLeod said. “It looked like he was very positive. We just wanted to take some time out and show him our support, and that we’re rooting for him.”
For more on the visit to South Florida, we’ll have a full story on the site on Wednesday
znModeratorBruce is disappointing.
On Tavon–it’s clear Bruce hasn’t watched him much this year. When asked about Tavon, Bruce just resorts to ordinary generalities.
.
znModeratorBoras brings spark to Rams offense
Jim Thomas
Turns out Jeff Fisher wasn’t joking last week when he said Rob Boras vomited before his first game as the Rams’ offensive coordinator.
Boras said he threw up “a number of times” before the Rams’ 21-14 victory last Sunday over Detroit — his first game after replacing Frank Cignetti as coordinator.
“Yes, I excused myself one time in the press box,” Boras confessed. “We all have a lot of pride in what you want to do. Nobody wants to be embarrassed. You want to do what’s right for everybody. You get nervous.”
How nervous?
“Other than maybe the birth of our first child, that might have been the most nervous I’ve ever been,” Boras said.
Boras isn’t the first coach, Rams or otherwise, to get a little, uh, queasy before a ballgame. Rich “Big Daddy” Brooks, the first head coach for the Rams in St. Louis, was known to have an unsettled stomach on game day. Same for Dick Vermeil.
Fisher jokingly offered Boras a bucket after the Detroit game. But also gave him a game ball for his role in ending the team’s five-game losing streak.
“I like living in anonymity,” Boras said. “You guys have been around — I try to get keep my head down. … To me, that was for all of us. The whole offensive staff was unbelievable. Obviously, personally there’s a lot of pride with that, but that’s just a compliment to everybody and how everybody stepped up.”
Five days later came another game, and by all accounts, things went a lot smoother for Boras on Thursday night against Tampa Bay, a 31-23 Rams’ victory.
“He was much better. Much better,” Fisher said, smiling. “He’s still agonizing over the first-and-goal at the 2; second-and-goal on the 2; third-and-goal on the 2. That we didn’t get it in. But I told him that’s football sometimes.”
That was the sequence early in the fourth quarter against the Buccaneers after Benny Cunningham’s 102-yard kickoff return to the Tampa Bay 3. Three carries between the tackles by Todd Gurley advanced the ball only two yards. On fourth-and-goal from the 1, Fisher opted for a Greg Zuerlein field goal — taking a 31-13 lead — instead of trying for a touchdown.
“I was not gonna give (Boras) the fourth-down shot,” Fisher said. “We needed the points. Beyond that, he was much more at ease. He was in rhythm. There were no issues from a play-calling standpoint.”
It’s just two games in, but things certainly have clicked with Boras at offensive coordinator and Case Keenum at quarterback.
“I made the change for that reason — because I anticipated that,” Fisher said. “They work well together. Coach (Chris) Weinke had a lot to do with this, too.”
Weinke is the Rams’ quarterback coach.
“Chris is doing a good job with Case, and Case is enthusiastic in the way he practices and prepares,” Fisher said. “He’s relaxed and he was making throws on time (against Tampa Bay).”
During the Rams’ five-game losing streak, the team averaged 10 points and 275 yards a game. In the victories over Detroit and Tampa Bay under Boras, the Rams have averaged 26 points and 318 yards per game.
“It’s the scheme that Rob has implemented and the mindset that Rob has implemented,” tight end Jared Cook said.
Simple as that?
“Yeah,” Cook said.
Seven of those points came via the defense, on Trumaine Johnson’s interception return for a touchdown against the Lions. But Boras wasn’t complaining.
“When I saw Trumaine get that interception, I would’ve been happy if we won 7-0 — if we got shut out (on offense),” Boras said. “All we needed was to win. The whole building needed to win.”
After going 41 days without a victory, the Rams have now picked up back-to-back wins in just five days. But gaining 318 yards per game in those two victories, isn’t great — the league average is 353 yards per game this season.
The team needs to do better in the so-called 4-minute offense — when the Rams are trying to run down the clock with the lead. And the Rams’ third-down conversion efficiency still needs work. Going 4-for-11 on third down against Detroit was OK. Going 2-for-10 against Tampa Bay was not.
The quality of the competition also must be taken into account before getting too wild and crazy about the offensive revival during the past two games. Minnesota, Cincinnati, and Arizona — who accounted for three losses during the five-game losing streak — have a combined 29-10 record. The Bengals and Cardinals both have top-10 defenses.
Meanwhile, the Lions and Bucs are a combined 10-17. Tampa Bay is ranked 11th in the league in total defense, but was beat up physically entering Thursday’s game.
The Rams have put together some efficient drives under Boras, and more often than not, taken advantage of opportunities. The league average for points per game is 22.8 through 13 games, so at 26 points against Detroit and Tampa Bay, the Rams are in pretty good territory.
Scoring in the 20s, particularly the mid-20s, usually gives a team a good chance to win.
Beyond the numbers, it’s clear that switching to Boras has provided a spark to an offense, and to an entire team.
“Right now he’s got the juice, man,” defensive end William Hayes said. “I’m out there and I’m looking at the product and the plays he’s calling. He’s got the guys believing. And they’re playing. He’s calling a solid game right now.’
The degree of difficulty increases this weekend, with the Rams traveling to the Pacific Northwest to face Seattle’s No. 2-ranked defense. Yards and points have been difficult to come by for the Rams and everybody else in recent years in CenturyLink Field.
If Boras and Keenum can get something going against that outfit, well, then the Rams might be on to something
znModeratorSeahawks opponent outlook: St. Louis Rams
http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/seahawks-opponent-outlook-st-louis-rams/
By Seattle Times staff
The series: Seahawks lead it 21-13 overall and have not lost to the Rams in Seattle since 2004. However, the Rams have won two of the past three meetings, both in St. Louis. That includes a 34-31 victory in the season opener Sept. 13.
Early line: Seahawks by 13½.
Key players:
QB Case Keenum: The 27-year-old from Houston has replaced the benched Nick Foles — who led the Rams to the season-opening win over the Seahawks — and is coming off maybe the best game of his career, hitting 14 of 17 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-23 win over Tampa Bay on Thursday. He is 28 of 39 for 358 yards and two touchdowns in his past two games, both wins. Keenum is 4-9 in his NFL career as a starter, which includes going 0-8 with Houston in 2013.
RB Todd Gurley: A rookie from Georgia, Gurley has been everything the team expected when it took him with the 10th overall pick in the 2015 draft. Gurley did not play in the opener against the Seahawks while still recovering from a knee injury. But since entering the lineup in Week 3, he has 1,023 yards, joining Jerome Bettis and Eric Dickerson as the only players in Rams history to top the 1,000-yard mark as rookies. Gurley also has nine touchdowns and is considered a leading contender for the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
DL Aaron Donald: This season the second-year defensive tackle has enhanced his status as one of the best young players in the NFL. In fact, Donald this week has the highest grade for the season from Pro Football Focus for any player at any position. Donald has 11 sacks, the most for an interior lineman in the NFL, and 16 tackles for a loss. Donald made the key play in the opener against the Seahawks, teaming with Michael Brockers to bring down Marshawn Lynch on a fourth-down play that ended the game in overtime.
P Johnny Hekker: The Bothell High School grad is having another standout year, one good enough to possibly get him to his second Pro Bowl (he made it in 2013). Hekker leads the NFL in punts (85), is second in net punting (44.32) and is among the top four in percentage of punts inside the opponent’s 20- and 5-yard lines.
St. Louis’ keys to success: The Rams, regarded by some as a dark-horse NFC West contender when the season began (and especially after the season-opening win over the Seahawks) are finishing another disappointing season played against the backdrop of the uncertainty over their future in St. Louis. The Rams were eliminated from the playoffs Sunday and are playing only for the hope of winning the last two games to get to 8-8, which would be the team’s first non-losing record since 2006. Gurley’s addition and a good defensive front seven led by Donald had many thinking the Rams might break through this season. But the Rams have been waylaid by a typically tepid passing attack — they are last in the NFL in passing at just 176.5 yards per game. The Rams are 31st overall in total offense at 299.4. Gurley has helped the running game to 122.9 yards per game, seventh in the NFL. But scoring remains an issue — the Rams are 31st in scoring at 17.2 points per game. The Rams have not been great against the run, allowing 118.1 yards per game (23rd in the NFL) and they beat Tampa Bay on Thursday despite allowing more than 500 yards overall for the second time in three weeks (509).
znModeratorBump placeholder it’s technical
znModeratorbump, placeholder, technical
znModeratorBump. Placeholder. It’s technical.
December 22, 2015 at 3:54 am in reply to: Report: Patriots to sign veteran running back Steven Jackson today #35901znModeratorJackson gets deserved playoff shot with Patriots
Ben Frederickson
Steven Jackson always could make the impossible look easy. His latest act is another great example. He’s going to make us pull for the Patriots.
Yes, the Rams’ all-time leading rusher will now run for New England.
The man who logged 11 seasons, 2,743 carries and 460 receptions with just one playoff appearance to show for it will finally return to the postseason. And he didn’t even have to play a snap in 2015 to get there.
Jackson, 32, took to Twitter on Monday to confirm he has joined the running-back-depleted Patriots. He reportedly agreed to a one-year deal for the league minimum. Good for him.
When the Falcons in February released Jackson with one year left on his contract, many tried to force the workhorse into retirement. His 11,388 rushing yards rank third among active players, behind only Frank Gore (11,879 yards) and Adrian Peterson (11,504). He had nothing left to prove.
That doesn’t mean he had nothing left to offer.
His hope when he left St. Louis for Atlanta was that he would close his career carrying the Falcons toward trophies. It didn’t work out like that.
Injuries popped up. His touches went down. For the first time in his career, he averaged fewer than four yards per carry in back-to-back seasons. Mike Smith, the coach he signed to play for, was fired.
Jackson tried to tell us he wasn’t done.
“I can still punish a defense,” he wrote on his website after his release. “I still have a warrior’s heart. There are 1,000-yard seasons left in these legs.”
Right now, the Patriots need legs, period. They’re 12-2 and first in the AFC East despite an injury bug that makes Jackson the 75th different player to appear on the 53-man roster, according to NFL Nation reporter Mike Reiss. The running back position had become too thin after battering ram LeGarrette Blount went down with an injury. Insert the Battering Ram.
It makes a ton of sense. Jackson can still pound it. He doesn’t fumble. He is an outstanding teammate. This has the feel of a traditional Patriots reboot that will look brilliant when all is said and done.
Maybe Jackson was available in late December because teams questioned the tread on his tires.
Or, maybe he only wanted to return if it meant playing for a sure thing.
New England, winners of four Super Bowls since 2000, is the closest thing to a guarantee.
Jackson’s lone postseason experience came as a rookie, when the 2004 Rams (8-8) beat the Seahawks in the Wild Card before losing to Atlanta. He didn’t know back then that he would spend the next decade watching the playoffs from his couch. Now, finally, another shot.
Rams rookie running back Todd Gurley’s recent milestone reminded us just how good Jackson was here. Last Thursday, Gurley became the first Ram since Jackson to rush for 1,000-plus yards in a season. Jackson did it from 2005 through 2012. Only three backs — Emmitt Smith (11), Barry Sanders (10) and Curtis Martin (10) — reached the milestone more consecutive times.
If that doesn’t justify Jackson jumping on board with one of the favorites to win it all, how about this?
His 158 regular season games were third-most in NFL history by a player who never played on a team with a winning record, according to Elias Sports.
If Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and Co. seize another ring, Jackson’s presence will at least make it easier to swallow.
If Jackson helps carry the Patriots to glory, how could you not cheer?
znModeratorToo bad Quinn got hurt. This line will be hell on wheels with both of them in there.
TNF Storylines: Aaron Donald’s Domination
NFL Media’s Solomon Wilcots discusses the force Aaron Donald is creating along the defensive line for the Rams.
znModeratorJosh Norman vs. Odell Beckham Jr. (Week 15) | Panthers vs. Giants | NFL Highlights
znModeratorTavon Austin’s Awesome Catch-‘n-Run TD! | Buccaneers vs. Rams | NFL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obveYCMiENA
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Todd Gurley Highlights (Week 15) | Buccaneers vs. Rams | NFL
znModeratorCase Keenum Highlights (Week 15) | Buccaneers vs. Rams | NFL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whNplfU6IPw
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Benny Cunningham’s Incredible 102-yard Return Comes Up Short! | Buccaneers vs. Rams | NFL
znModeratorBuccaneers vs. Rams | Week 15 Highlights | NFL
znModeratorNo we’re not. You claim Gurley can be good regardless of the supporting cast, because of his innate skills.
Bnw, no I did not claim that.
In fact, given how I view football, I would never claim that.
You misread something.
I was DESCRIBING his innate skills, compared to say Jackon’s and Faulk’s. Who has this skill, who has that skill. I never said he could thrive by himself without a supporting cast. You can see those skills, however, regardless of how well the player produces in a given game or season. Faulk had incredible vision and micro-gears that allowed him to shift his lanes and angles instantly. That’s just true of Faulk, AS A PLAYER. It doesn;t mean he can thrive without a supporting case. But you can still see the skills, even if the offense doesn;t support him. His skills are his skills. BUT that is not the same as saying he will always produce no matter what, which I did not say of any RB in this thread and have never said of any RB in any thread.
So yeah you’re misreading. Which itself is not big deal, misreading is common on the net. But I wasn’t discussing production, just innate skill sets.
…
znModeratorRams go wide receiver in Todd McShay’s first mock draft
Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — Yes, in a strictly mathematical sense, the St. Louis Rams are still in the playoff race. But while those faint hopes still exist, the reality is that we’re probably better off looking ahead to the NFL draft than its postseason.
So it was that ESPN NFL draft analyst Todd McShay posted his initial mock draft late last week. It’s worth noting that McShay’s mock was posted before the Rams’ victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so while he has them slotted at No. 10 in his mock draft, they’ve actually already moved further down the list after that win. At 6-8, the Rams look to be headed right toward the middle of the draft pack once again.
In need of an impact receiver, the Rams could target Laquon Treadwell of Ole Miss in the 2016 NFL draft.
In this first attempt at a mock, McShay struck a familiar chord in once again slotting a top wide receiver to the Rams. This time, it’s Ole Miss’ Laquon Treadwell. Early returns indicate that Treadwell is the top wideout in this year’s class and many believe he has the tools to be an elite, No. 1 type of wide receiver in the NFL.Treadwell doesn’t come without concerns after a season-ending leg injury in 2014, but he has bounced back well this year. At 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, Treadwell draws a comparison to Dez Bryant from McShay.
Undoubtedly, Treadwell would be a great addition to a Rams offense that is still searching for a true No. 1 option in the passing game. That has been a huge hole in the roster since the heyday of Torry Holt and it’s the reason that the likes of me have advocated for players like DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins in recent drafts.
Of course, with Treadwell looking like the clear-cut best receiver in the draft if he declares, there’s a good chance he won’t be available by the time the Rams pick. There’s also a strong chance the Rams would again choose to ignore the position in favor of something else. And even if the Rams added Treadwell or another top wideout, the biggest question would still be who is going to throw him the ball?
The Rams desperately need a franchise quarterback, but McShay has the two best players at that position — Memphis’ Paxton Lynch and California’s Jared Goff — going in the top five to Cleveland and San Francisco, respectively. Theoretically, the Rams could reach for the next best quarterback or move up to secure one of those two, but neither necessarily moves the needle as the instant quarterback solution the Rams need.
Such is life under coach Jeff Fisher, where the Rams have never been good enough to make the playoffs but never bad enough to be in position to find the answer at the game’s most important position
December 20, 2015 at 2:00 pm in reply to: Miklasz & Thomas: Offense Perks Up With Boras, Keenum #35852znModeratorBoras brings spark to Rams offense
Jim Thomas
Turns out Jeff Fisher wasn’t joking last week when he said Rob Boras vomited before his first game as the Rams’ offensive coordinator.
Boras said he threw up “a number of times” before the Rams’ 21-14 victory last Sunday over Detroit — his first game after replacing Frank Cignetti as coordinator.
“Yes, I excused myself one time in the press box,” Boras confessed. “We all have a lot of pride in what you want to do. Nobody wants to be embarrassed. You want to do what’s right for everybody. You get nervous.”
How nervous?
“Other than maybe the birth of our first child, that might have been the most nervous I’ve ever been,” Boras said.
Boras isn’t the first coach, Rams or otherwise, to get a little, uh, queasy before a ballgame. Rich “Big Daddy” Brooks, the first head coach for the Rams in St. Louis, was known to have an unsettled stomach on game day. Same for Dick Vermeil.
Fisher jokingly offered Boras a bucket after the Detroit game. But also gave him a game ball for his role in ending the team’s five-game losing streak.
“I like living in anonymity,” Boras said. “You guys have been around — I try to get keep my head down. … To me, that was for all of us. The whole offensive staff was unbelievable. Obviously, personally there’s a lot of pride with that, but that’s just a compliment to everybody and how everybody stepped up.”
Five days later came another game, and by all accounts, things went a lot smoother for Boras on Thursday night against Tampa Bay, a 31-23 Rams’ victory.
“He was much better. Much better,” Fisher said, smiling. “He’s still agonizing over the first-and-goal at the 2; second-and-goal on the 2; third-and-goal on the 2. That we didn’t get it in. But I told him that’s football sometimes.”
That was the sequence early in the fourth quarter against the Buccaneers after Benny Cunningham’s 102-yard kickoff return to the Tampa Bay 3. Three carries between the tackles by Todd Gurley advanced the ball only two yards. On fourth-and-goal from the 1, Fisher opted for a Greg Zuerlein field goal — taking a 31-13 lead — instead of trying for a touchdown.
“I was not gonna give (Boras) the fourth-down shot,” Fisher said. “We needed the points. Beyond that, he was much more at ease. He was in rhythm. There were no issues from a play-calling standpoint.”
It’s just two games in, but things certainly have clicked with Boras at offensive coordinator and Case Keenum at quarterback.
“I made the change for that reason — because I anticipated that,” Fisher said. “They work well together. Coach (Chris) Weinke had a lot to do with this, too.”
Weinke is the Rams’ quarterback coach.
“Chris is doing a good job with Case, and Case is enthusiastic in the way he practices and prepares,” Fisher said. “He’s relaxed and he was making throws on time (against Tampa Bay).”
During the Rams’ five-game losing streak, the team averaged 10 points and 275 yards a game. In the victories over Detroit and Tampa Bay under Boras, the Rams have averaged 26 points and 318 yards per game.
“It’s the scheme that Rob has implemented and the mindset that Rob has implemented,” tight end Jared Cook said.
Simple as that?
“Yeah,” Cook said.
Seven of those points came via the defense, on Trumaine Johnson’s interception return for a touchdown against the Lions. But Boras wasn’t complaining.
“When I saw Trumaine get that interception, I would’ve been happy if we won 7-0 — if we got shut out (on offense),” Boras said. “All we needed was to win. The whole building needed to win.”
After going 41 days without a victory, the Rams have now picked up back-to-back wins in just five days. But gaining 318 yards per game in those two victories, isn’t great — the league average is 353 yards per game this season.
The team needs to do better in the so-called 4-minute offense — when the Rams are trying to run down the clock with the lead. And the Rams’ third-down conversion efficiency still needs work. Going 4-for-11 on third down against Detroit was OK. Going 2-for-10 against Tampa Bay was not.
The quality of the competition also must be taken into account before getting too wild and crazy about the offensive revival during the past two games. Minnesota, Cincinnati, and Arizona — who accounted for three losses during the five-game losing streak — have a combined 29-10 record. The Bengals and Cardinals both have top-10 defenses.
Meanwhile, the Lions and Bucs are a combined 10-17. Tampa Bay is ranked 11th in the league in total defense, but was beat up physically entering Thursday’s game.
The Rams have put together some efficient drives under Boras, and more often than not, taken advantage of opportunities. The league average for points per game is 22.8 through 13 games, so at 26 points against Detroit and Tampa Bay, the Rams are in pretty good territory.
Scoring in the 20s, particularly the mid-20s, usually gives a team a good chance to win.
Beyond the numbers, it’s clear that switching to Boras has provided a spark to an offense, and to an entire team.
“Right now he’s got the juice, man,” defensive end William Hayes said. “I’m out there and I’m looking at the product and the plays he’s calling. He’s got the guys believing. And they’re playing. He’s calling a solid game right now.’
The degree of difficulty increases this weekend, with the Rams traveling to the Pacific Northwest to face Seattle’s No. 2-ranked defense. Yards and points have been difficult to come by for the Rams and everybody else in recent years in CenturyLink Field.
If Boras and Keenum can get something going against that outfit, well, then the Rams might be on to something.
znModeratorFaulk excelled at everything. Gurley has a chance to be as good as Faulk assuming Gurley has the supporting cast Faulk had here. That is a tall order for this Rams front office.
I think Gurley can be good regardless of the supporting cast.
Besides I was talking about raw talents. Regardless who was around him Faulk had certain basic, innate skills. They showed up in losses and bad games as well as wins.
All RBs need a good O line to create holes to run through. Gurley doesn’t look that good with this supporting cast. Sometimes he breaks an occasional big run which reminds me of Jackson. Faulk had the ultimate supporting cast. Give that to Gurley and he will get his yards and more importantly the team will get wins. Get Gurley in open space and he will be as elusive as Faulk. Neither Faulk nor Gurley run over people like Marshawn Lynch, but even Lynch had a decent O line.
Again…we’re just talking about completely different things.
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znModeratoralyoshamucci
Was moving last week so Im gonna go ahead and smash these together …
Couple things to note up front … I think Fisher and Snead aren’t going anywhere, I’ve been saying that a while, and when we play well I THINK it’s pretty clear the kind of talent they have put together over of the years. We still have a couple huge holes I think that could use some playmakers … and how we resign and manage this offseason is something Im looking forward to seeing … also … we’re not ruled out of the playoffs yet so I still have that in the back of my mind also.
The Great
1) Aaron Donald … I could probably put him up at the top every week but my expectations are high now so he gets up here when he’s really played lights out. 3 sacks on Detroit. 3 stuff and 3 bug hits in the FIRST HALF of the Detroit game. He single handedly took Jameis out of the game mentally … I have to say he’s simply the fastest football player for his size and maybe one the best players I’ve ever seen. He actually is physically as talented as Gurley, and that’s insane.
2) Barron’s shift to WLB. I saw on the stat sheet they posted for Donald that Barron, when combining “stuffs AND sacks” is tenth in the NFL … that’s crazy because he only has 1.5 sacks. That’s 15 TFL, more than one a game. Wow. I’m betting we can sign him for something that makes sense and keep him and Tree and have the fastest OLBs in football.
3) Trumaine … ugh it hurts to think of how many millions he makes each time he comes down with the ball or breaks up a play. But what a two game stretch for him too. Shutting down CJ and then coming back strong the following week. I think we can onl;y keep one of the two guys, and now the “who” I would keep may be even at 50/50 between the two. (I know many prefer him, but I see Jenks freak athleticism and hips and have been putting him above)
Thoughts? Jenks at 11 million a year and Tru at 8 … who would you keep? Any guesses on how much they get?4) Gurley … not at all upset by his slow games. His goalline awareness is some crazy Quantum theory superpositioning stuff … he knows the exact spot on the field he can get the nose over the endzone from … he’s like the Chris Carter of RBs. I am so impressed with his ability and his focus.
The Good
5) Case played within himself, made the right reads, and didn’t make any major mistakes … I have NO idea what our QB situation is going forward, but IM glad I get to watch him the rest of the year vs. Foles.
6) Mcleod is really solid. Watching him come up and play the face version of patty-cake with Doug Martin over and over was inspiring. I mean he’s giving up 30 pounds. Seriously. Contract #s? Ideas, thoughts? I’d love to keep him. Im finally all on board with that.
7) Cook played his best game as a Ram IMO. He made contested catches and and ran through tackles … I have no idea what to do with him at the end of the year if he keeps this up.
8) Britt is playing like he wants to keep his job. My bet is Quick walks and Britt stays to tutor and play his career out here as a slowly fading vet.
9) Roberson is solid depth, pretty impressive find with him.
10) Wichmann is the guy I want at OG next year rather than Saffold. He’s dependable with heavy hands and is developing better pass pro every game.
11) G Rob still has some lunges, but for the most part I’m seeing real improvement … and the holding calls are gone now. He also had a really sick pancake on the Austin TD.
12) Austin seems to have a home, 10 TDs is real.
13) Boras called a solid, imaginative game … gotta wonder why Cignetti was promoted over him, but hey, Boras still has a few more games to not do well and I could change my mind.
14) Backup line played pretty well …
The Bad
15) Barnes needs to be upgraded. I’m sick of seeing guys run all the way around him and through him. Garrett Reynolds too.
16) Quick has not come back from the injury, that’s just a bummer.
The Ugly
17) ST penalties. the guys need to get it in their heads that Austin can get away from the guys they hold.
18) Nick Foles’ contract going into next year.
December 19, 2015 at 7:13 pm in reply to: 101, 12/19 … Clayton, Wagoner, Casserly, Sean Salisbury #35839znModeratorIMO the Wagoner is good. Informative, covers a bit of ground.
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znModeratorfrom off the net
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Mitchhit234
Just a little video I put together to show support for Stedman.
Tribute to Stedman Bailey, great wide receiver who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Pray for him to make a full recovery and hopefully play in NFL again one day.
znModerator
znModeratorAnd should be tied for 4th.
These are TA’s composite numbers:
Runs: 390 yards, 9.1 YPC, 4 TDs
Catches: 427 yards, 5 TDs
Returns: 249 yards, 1 TD
Offense only: 817 yards, 9 TDs
Total: 1066 yards, 10 TDs -
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