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znModeratorI wonder if people noticed.
Roberson played for Johnson, and Joyner player for Gaines.
Gaines was hurt, but Johnson wasn’t inactive.
I’ll have to check game snaps, but it LOOKS like Johnson was just plain demoted.
znModeratorfrom off the net
==
diggity
The RAMS win this game if Hill doesn’t make the stupid pass to the DT.
Cunningham doesn’t fumble the ball at the goal line.
Cook catches the TD that went off his hand.
Jenkins stays with his man.
It’s not all about getting the perfect players.
I love the RAMS with every fiber of everything that keeps me together, but, with this team and the players that wear the Horns right now…even I get DIZZY when I think of all of the IDIOTIC and/or HORRIBLE PLAYS that can be added up throughout this season to have cost the RAMS drives, points, defensive plays, tackles, INTs and completed passes!
GO RAMS!!!!!
znModeratorI highlight particularly tough (as it looks now) away games:
Home: Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay
Away: Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle, Green Bay, Minnesota, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Washington
znModeratorJim Harbaugh, San Francisco 49ers mutually part ways
By Gregg Rosenthal
http://www.nfl.com/videos/san-francisco-49ers/0ap3000000450897/Jim-Harbaugh-
After months of speculation, the Jim Harbaugh era in San Francisco is over.
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday soon after San Francisco’s season-ending 20-17 win that Harbaugh and the 49ers are parting ways, according to a source involved in the situation.
Harbaugh was given the game ball and a Gatorade bath at the end of his team’s victory over Arizona on Sunday. It felt like a celebration, but the 49ers knew it was the end.
“I had the time of my life. It’s like that song,” Harbaugh said with a smile after the game. “I had the time of my life; I really did.”
The Niners missed the playoffs in eight consecutive seasons before Harbaugh took the reins in 2011. He instantly turned San Francisco into a perennial contender, leading the team to three straight postseason berths, including a Super Bowl appearance and two trips to the NFC Championship Game. However, his final season roaming the 49ers’ sideline was a disappointment: The team trudged its way to an 8-8 record.
Harbaugh didn’t try to hide the fact he was leaving in his postgame press conference, even before it was announced. Harbaugh was asked about possibly joining the University of Michigan as their next head coach.
“There will be announcements made concerning those things,” Harbaugh said.
Rapoport said on NFL Gameday Highlights that Harbaugh is “almost certain” to wind up as Michigan’s coach, with a salary ballooning north of $8 million. Harbaugh finishes with a 49-22-1 career record in San Francisco.
“I count up these wins, that’s 49 wins. It seems appropriate,” Harbaugh said
znModeratorRAMS VS. SEAHAWKS REPORT CARD – WEEK 17
Final report card sums up Rams’ futility. Jeff Gordon hands out the grades as the Rams close the season at 6-10.Quarterback: F
On a play that summed up the Rams’ futility, Shaun Hill tried to throw a pass into the ground and got intercepted instead. Repeat, HILL MISSED THE GROUND. Seattle defensive tackle Jordan Hill lunged to make a nice play on the ball, true, but a quarterback just can’t miss the ground at this level. Hill completed some decent throws in catch-up mode, but he also short-armed some early passes and doomed the Rams with his big mistake.Running Backs: D
On a play that summed up the Rams’ futility, Benny Cunningham dove for the pylon on a pass reception and got there … but not until after he fumbled the ball away for a touchback. Instead of getting seven points, the Rams returned the ball to the Seahawks on their 20. Cunningham and Tre Mason combined to catch 10 passes for 86 yards, but there was no payoff from that effort. Nor did they find anywhere to go on the ground.Wide Receivers: D
On a play that summed up the Rams’ futility, Stedman Bailey earned a costly holding penalty trying to block for his buddy Tavon Austin in the flat. That pushed the Rams from the Seattle 24 to the 34 and created a second-and-19 scenario – and that led to another turnover. Austin produced just 14 yards on four touches. Chris Givens negated a reception with an offensive pass interference penalty.Tight Ends: F
On a play that summed up the Rams futility, Lance Kendricks failed to secure a pass that slipped to Bruce Irvin instead. His 49-yard interception return capped Seattle’s comeback. Jared Cook was targeted seven times, but caught only three of those passes for 37 yards. Cory Harkey had no catches on two targets. The Rams needed much better from this group to win this game.Offensive Line: D
This was always going to be a tough matchup for the Rams. But it got worse when LT Greg Robinson and RT Joe Barksdale missed time in this game with injuries. G Mike Person had to fill in and G Rodger Saffold had to move around during their absence. The unit allowed four sacks and didn’t move the pile in the running game, which averaged just 2.2 yards per carry. At least C Scott Wells did a good job snapping the ball.Defensive Line: A
DT Aaron Donald capped a strong first-half Rams defensive performance by sacking QB Russell Wilson and jarring the ball loose. That ruined a last-second scoring bid. DE Robert Quinn forced a Wilson interception wit good second-effort pressure. The front wall didn’t dominate the Seahawks, but it contained them and gave the Rams a chance to win the game.Linebackers: A
MLB James Laurinaitis had a solid tackling game, including one fourth-down stop that turned the ball back over to the Rams. OLB Alec Ogletree forced another fumble, this time by Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch downfield after a reception. Ogletree also had a strong tackling game as the Rams’ front seven kept Wilson and Lynch from doing big damage.Secondary: B
It wouldn’t be a Rams game if CB Janoris Jenkins didn’t get beat for big plays, which happened twice Sunday. On the plus side, rookie CB Marcus Roberson stepped in for the injured E.J. Gaines and intercepted a Wilson overthrow. Rookie CB Lamarcus Joyner and veteran S Mark Barron earned sacks, S Rodney McLeod registered a tackle for loss and safety T.J. McDonald recovered a fumble.Special Teams: A-
K Greg Zuerlein kicked two field goals, including a 52-yarder. P Johnny Hekker was great as always, flipping the field with his 49.4 yard average. The Rams did a fine job in kick coverage, too, but OLB Will Herring pinned the Rams in their own zone with an untimely holding penalty on a kickoff return.Coaching: D
Credit the Rams for bouncing back from their Giants fiasco with a persistent effort Sunday in Seattle. Their defensive game-planning and execution were good enough to win this game, but a series of mind-boggling offensive blunders doomed them. Week after week, month after month, year after year such sloppiness has kept the Rams on the wrong side of .500. Will the suffering ever end?znModeratorThat is a fair summary, zn. Everyone else is welcome to add their thoughts.
Oh I see, I get the picture. I know what THIS is.
Board war.
znModeratori don’t think you start two rookies. my hope is that barrett jones can finally step in at guard. drafting another linemen lower would be with the idea that he gets a year or two to develop.
Though, again, there are any number of ways to develop a guard who can play, and be good enough to play his part in an overall good OL.
Maybe Bond or someone else they already have (Jones?) develops. Maybe they find a Barksdale. They could sign a low-market young FA who just needs a Boudreau to turn the corner (that’s the way they found Dahl in 2008 in Atlanta). Maybe a right tackle who is also in the ronin/low market FA position signs, and converts to guard. They could sign a more high-market FA guard.
They could surprise and start 2 rookies along with Robinson.
Or they could use lottsa different ways to scour up a player at guard. Maybe 2, so there’s depth.
Which approach should they take?
IMO…all of them. Simultaneously.
znModeratorDeja vu for Rams
Seattle clinches No. 1 seed, beats Rams 20-6
By Jim Thomas
SEATTLE • We’ve seen this one before. Rams fight hard, hang in game, then make a couple of costly mistakes that prove to be the difference.
“The difference between 10-6 and 6-10 is a couple plays in four ballgames out of 16,” quarterback Shaun Hill said. “And that’s a fact. That’s every year in the NFL.”
The Rams seem to have perfected the art of NOT making those plays. A 20-6 season-ending loss Sunday to Seattle, the defending Super Bowl champion, was merely the latest example.
“Well, we gave it our best shot, problem is that we didn’t finish,” coach Jeff Fisher said afterward, in what qualified as words we’ve heard before.
After taking an early 6-0 lead, the Rams couldn’t add to that point total even though they got as close as the Seattle half-yard line in the fourth quarter.
A busted coverage by — surprise! — cornerback Janoris Jenkins led to the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter.
That followed a play in which quarterback Shaun Hill tried to throw the ball into the ground for an incompletion but instead threw an interception. You know it’s not your day when a glorified spike ends up as a turnover.
Later, what looked like a completion to tight end Lance Kendricks became a fluky interception that was returned 49 yards for a victory-clinching touchdown by Seattle linebacker Bruce Irvin.
Trailing 20-6 after that “pick 6,” the last gasp came with 6 minutes to play when running back Benny Cunningham, lunging for the end zone and a TD, had the ball slapped away by safety Earl Thomas and out of the end zone. The result was a touchback, with Seattle taking over at its 20.
“For a second, I actually thought I was in the end zone,” said Cunningham, who had taken a short pass from Hill at the 6. “And then I saw the ref (signal) touchback. It’s a tough break. I really feel like I let the team down. In a situation like that, you’ve really got to take care of the ball.”
It was merely the last of a handful of game-deciding plays that went against the Rams, sending them into the offseason at 6-10, their worst record since Fisher took over as coach in 2012.
Seattle, winners of six in a row and nine of its last 10, finished 12-4 to earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC and home-field advantage. It was the 10th consecutive loss for the Rams at what is now known as CenturyLink Field.
On the strength of a pair of Greg Zuerlein fields goals, the Rams took a 6-0 lead into the locker room at halftime even though they were outgained 189 yards to 66. Two takeaways helped keep Seattle off the scoreboard, one on rookie cornerback Marcus Roberson’s first career interception and the other on a Marshawn Lynch fumble that was recovered by safety T.J. McDonald.
Seattle managed a couple of field goals to take the game into the fourth quarter tied at 6-all. And then, as frequently happens to the Rams, stuff happened. Bad stuff.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Rams tried to set up a screen pass to Tre Mason on second and 19 from the Seattle 34. But it was well-covered and Hill tried to throw the ball into the ground for an incompletion.
Alas, Seattle defensive tackle Jordan Hill managed to grab the football before it hit the ground.
When asked if his quarterback could’ve done anything differently on the play, Fisher answered with a touch of sarcasm: “Yes. He should’ve thrown that ball into the ground. … You try and throw it to the feet of the back. That’s what you try and do. He just didn’t make the play.”
The last thing Shaun Hill expected was to see a 303-pound lineman get low to the groud and come up with the ball.
“I was surprised to see him make the play, yeah,” Hill said. “It was heck of a play by him. You’ve got to get the ball close to the running back’s feet. I can’t get it directly down, or else you get an intentional grounding penalty.”
Then came the Jenkins coverage bust, which resulted in a freebie for the other team; there have been a lot of those this season by the Rams’ secondary. The result was an uncontested 31-yard pass play to wide receiver Kevin Norwood to the St. Louis 9.
Jenkins initially was lined up over Norwood on the outside, but Jenkins totally ignored him after the snap, committing inside in the direction of slot receiver Doug Baldwin. That left Norwood wide open.
Fisher said he had no idea what Jenkins was doing on the play.
“I haven’t had a chance to talk to him about it,” Fisher said. “He should’ve been playing ‘thirds’ — outside thirds. (Baldwin) had an inside seam route running. That’s why he probably leaned towards the seam, and left the flat route out there. It was a good play by them.”
And a bad play by Jenkins, who had cleared out his locker stall and was unavailable to comment.
On the next play, Lynch scored untouched on a 9-yard rush up the middle for a 13-6 Seattle lead.
The backbreaker came on the Rams’ next possession when Hill threw what looked like a completion over the middle to Kendricks. But before Kendricks could get control of the ball it was poked out by linebacker Bobby Wagner, and grabbed in the air by Irvin for the interception.
“I caught the ball and I tried to tuck it,” Kendricks said. “As soon as I was pulling it down to tuck it, (Wagner’s) arm came around and hit the ball out. I did what I could. I was blind to it.
“The ball bounced right into his hands. I don’t know what to say. It might happen one out of a hundred times.”
Be that as it may, plays like that symbolize another lost season of Rams football.
“Yeah, in a sense,” Kendricks said. “Just like Benny’s play.”
Or just like the dozen or so others that spelled the difference between 10-6 and 6-10 for the 2014 Rams.
znModeratorRapid Reaction: St. Louis Rams
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/15007/rapid-reaction-st-louis-rams-28
SEATTLE — A few thoughts on the St. Louis Rams’ 20-6 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at CenturyLink Field:
What it means: Another losing season for the Rams comes to a merciful end with a three-game losing streak. Worse, the team’s 6-10 finish is a step backward from the seven wins of the previous two seasons under coach Jeff Fisher. There were some highs, including upset wins at home against Seattle and the Denver Broncos, but those were more than canceled out by clunkers against the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants. The Rams were once again inconsistent, but the big-picture results remain mediocre, at best.
Stock watch: QB Shaun Hill — Down. This isn’t breaking any new ground to say the Rams must find a way to upgrade at quarterback in the offseason. That’s a mission they’ll take on, along with about half the league, but it was a point driven home by what happened Sunday. The dormant Rams offense was finally driving in a 6-6 game with a chance to take a lead, but after a holding penalty, Hill threw another incomprehensible interception. The play was designed to be a screen, but the Seahawks had it covered. Instead of throwing it away, Hill tried to throw it into the ground, but it went right to Seattle defensive tackle Jordan Hill. Seattle scored the game’s first touchdown soon after, and the Seahawks never relinquished the lead.
Line dancing: The Rams had a couple scary injury moments. They lost left tackle Greg Robinson and right tackle Joe Barksdale at various points in the game. Both returned but the value of Rodger Saffold — himself an injury risk over the years — was again clear. Saffold filled in for both and played his usual spot at left guard. Not many in the league could move around the line like that, and it was much needed on a day when the Rams had just seven offensive linemen active.
Game ball: DT Aaron Donald was not only the Rams’ best rookie but also their best player in 2014. It took five weeks for Donald to elbow his way into the starting lineup, but once he did, he was one of the most disruptive defensive tackles in the league. It was no coincidence the ailing Rams pass rush that had set a record for sack futility in the first part of the season soon took off. Donald finished with nine sacks, including a streak of five games with a sack near the end of the season. Without Donald in the starting lineup, the Rams had one sack, gave up 152.5 rushing yards per game and averaged a sack on 0.9 percent of opponents’ pass attempts. In the 11 games since Donald entered the starting lineup, the Rams had 36 sacks, gave up 93 rushing yards per game and averaged a sack on 8.8 percent of opponent’s pass attempts.
What’s next: The Rams enter another offseason as postseason spectators with the major chore of finding a long-term quarterback solution and upgrading at other key spots, such as the offensive line and in the secondary.
znModeratori don’t agree that it’s easy to fix an ol
I don’t either, taken in the abstract.
What I am saying is that it’s easy to fix THIS OL. All they need is a center in a guard, and they have any number of ways of acquiring good ones for both spots. That is because, assuming they sign Barksdale, they already have 3 set pieces–JB, Saffold, and Robinson.
So is it difficult to go out and get a center and a guard?
One way to ask that is to I look at the top 12 graded guards and top 12 graded centers according to PFF, and check into how they’re acquired.
To do that I distinguish between high 1st round picks, let’s say 15 and above, and lower 1st round picks. I also use the “ronin” category–a young guy who bounces between teams in his first couple of years, like Barksdale. And finally I distinguish between high-market FAs (like Wells and Long) and low-market FAs who come in less expensive than those guys.
CENTER: 4 lower 1st round picks (18th, 21st, 29th, 31st); 2 2nd round picks; a 5th round pick; 2 6th round picks; 1 low-market free agent (avg. 0.795 a year), and 1 converted guard/ronin type.
I will say this about center. If someone is taken after round 2 or comes in as a ronin, usually they develop on the bench before starting. So this list says that if you need a center NOW, you need to use a low 1st or a 2nd round pick.
GUARD: 3 lower 1st round picks (16th, 20th, 27th); 2 2nd round picks; 4 3rd round picks; 2 4th round picks; 1 trade using a 7th round pick.
I don’t see a Guard or Tackle worth taking that high, unless we trade down, which is possible, because we only have 5 draft picks, barring any comp picks.
Yeah they could trade down. This then also raises the question, would they start 2 rookies on a line that already included Robinson?
as far as drafting one high, i think this happens to be the year that drafting one in the first round just makes sense. it’s supposed to be a strong year for the offensive line….at this point. offensive line in the first round just makes sense. it’s a position of strength in the draft that would fill a huge need.
BTW I should add, I have no objection to that. If they for example take a tackle high and play him at guard, I can see that…it’s one of those things where I don’t prefer it, but I wouldn’t sulk and complain if they did. I get that approach too.
Though again do they start 2 rookies on a line that includes Robinson.
znModeratorRams turn over final game to Seahawks
By Jim ThomasSEATTLE • We’ve seen this one before: The Rams fight hard, hang in the game, then make a couple of costly mistakes that prove to the be the difference.
After taking an early 6-0 lead on the defending Super Bowl champions, the Rams couldn’t add to that point total even though they got as close as the Seattle half-yard line.
A busted coverage by — surprise! — Janoris Jenkins led to the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter. That followed a play in which quarterback Shaun Hill tried to throw the ball in the ground but instead threw an interception.
The last gasp came with 6 minutes to play when Benny Cunningham, lunging for the end zone and a touchdown, had the ball slapped away and out of the end zone. The result was a touchback, with Seattle taking over at its 20.
The end result was a 20-6 loss that left the Rams at 6-10, their worst record since Jeff Fisher took over as head coach in 2012. Seattle, winners of six in a row and nine of their last 10, finished at 12-4 to earn home-field advantage in the playoffs.
On the strength of a pair of Greg Zuerlein fields goals, the Rams took a 6-0 lead into the locker room at halftime even though they were outgained 189 yards to 66 by Seahawks. Two takeaways helped keep Seattle off the scoreboard.
A late hit by Seattle cover man Ricardo Lockette on Rams punt returner Tavon Austin gave the Rams starting position at the 50 on their second possession of the game. Austin had signaled for a fair catch before being hit by Lockette.
The Rams were able to scratch out 35 yards on 11 plays to reach the red zone, before settling for a 33-yard field goal by Zuerlein and a 3-0 lead with 6:25 left to go in the first quarter.
Seattle’s top-ranked defense gave up yards grudgingly, but the Rams were able to put together three first downs on the drive before stalling out.
Seattle tested the Rams’ defense on its next possession, going for it on fourth-and-5 from the St. Louis 35 with 1:21 left in the opening quarter. But linebacker James Laurinaitis stopped tight end Luke Wilson about a half-yard short of the first-down marker, and the Rams took over on downs.
Then came the takeaways. Five minutes into the second quarter, with Seattle facing a third-and-8, a scrambling quarterback Russell Wilson made a rare bad decision under pressure. Just as he was getting hit by defensive end Robert Quinn, Wilson threw over the middle.
The hit affected the trajectory, and rookie cornerback Marcus Roberson came up with his first NFL interception. Roberson, playing in his first game since Nov. 2 at San Francisco, returned the ball 18 yards to the St. Louis 40.
The Rams couldn’t get anything going on that possession, but benefited from good field position after the Johnny Hekker punt. On second-and-2 from the Seattle 21, Marshawn Lynch took a screen pass from Wilson.
Lynch was heading for a first down and more when stripped from behind by linebacker Alec Ogletree. Safety T.J. McDonald scooped up the fumble and the Rams took over on the Seattle 34. Three plays, plus a false start penalty on Davin Joseph gained zero yards, but Zuerlein was true on a 52-yard field goal attempt that gave the Rams a 6-0 lead with 4:18 left in the half.
That’s the way the half ended, but Seattle got on the board on its first possession after taking the second-half kickoff. The big play on the drive was a 32-yard pass play from Wilson to wide receiver Paul Richardson.
Cornerback Jenkins was in good position on the play, a go route down the left sideline, but Richardson basically plucked the ball before it could get to Jenkins’ hands. That gave Seattle, which only had 117 yards passing in the first half, a first down at the St. Louis 26.
But the Rams’ defense stiffened and Seattle had to settle for a 42-yard field goal by Steven Hauschka, trimming the St. Louis lead to 6-3. With the crowd turning up the volume, momentum seemed to be shifting Seattle’s way.
After a 3-and-out in which the Rams lost six yards, Seattle took over on its 31 after a Hekker punt and moved quickly into field goal range. The big play was a 21-yard strike from Wilson to tight end Tony Moeaki, who was not picked up by a Rams defender on the play.
But once again, the Seahawks had to settle for three points, this time on a 45-yarder by Hauschka that tied the game at 6-6 with 4:45 left in the third quarter. Rookie defensive back Lamarcus Joyner helped keep the Seahawks out of the end zone by registering his first NFL sack on third-and-4 from the St. Louis 21.
Following that kick, the Rams put together what at the time was their best drive of the day. Hill completed five passes, including a 12-yarder to Jared Cook for a first down to the Seattle 25.
After a one-yard gain by Tre Mason and a holding penalty against Stedman Bailey, the Rams faced a second-and-19 from the Seattle 34 on the first play of the fourth quarter.
The Rams tried to set up a screen pass on the first play of the final quarter, but intended receiver Mason was well-covered. So Hill attempted to throw the ball into the turf to kill the play. Instead, Seattle defensive tackle Jordan Hill grabbed the ball before it hit the turf for an interception.
Hill returned the ball eight yards to the Seattle 46. The Seahawks subsequently faced a third-and-7 from the St. Louis 40, when a busted coverage by Jenkins led to a 31-yard gain by Kevin Norwood to the 9.
Jenkins initially was lined up over Norwood on the outside, but Jenkins totally ignored him, committing inside in the direction of slot receiver Doug Baldwin. That left Norwood wide open.
On the next play, Lynch scored untouched on a 9-yard rush up the middle _ defensive tackle Kendall Langford wasn’t even in his stance when the ball was snapped _ and that was that for any hopes of a Rams victory.
So trailing 13-6, the Rams got the ball back, and gained a couple of first downs to their 43. But on first down from the 43, a pass from Hill to tight end Lance Kendricks was poked loose before Kendricks could establish control but grabbed in the air just a few feet away by Seattle linebacker Byron Irvin.
Irving made the interception a “pick 6” when he returned it 49 yards for a touchdown and a 20-6 Seattle lead with 9:50 left to play.
znModeratorFYI: Hill’s qb rating against the Seahawks was 65.5
Do you think Davis would have done better in Seattle, with an ailing OL?
There were stretches today where Hill performed well enough for them to win, and what killed them was mistakes on both offense and defense. He made one of those mistakes (grounding the ball into the hands of a d-lineman). I think that was equally true of the Giants game.
I thought Davis completely melted down and that has me wary of him. I would not want to see Davis in Seattle, with the Seattle homefield advantage, against the league’s #1 defense.
znModeratorI don’t know that I’ve ever seen an interception by a lineman when the QB was trying to throw the ball at the ground.
How do you miss the turf? Pretty big target.
Yes you haven’t seen that before, but, seem to assume it was the Rams that caused that. That was just a weird heads up play by the DL and you’re right it has basically never happened before.
December 28, 2014 at 2:30 pm in reply to: from the leaked Patriots scouting report on Manziel #14833znModeratorThe Browns also fined Manziel on Saturday for being late for treatment on his injured hamstring, a source told ESPN. Less than 24 hours later, rookie cornerback Justin Gilbert was deactivated for Sunday’s season finale against the Baltimore Ravens after missing a team meeting the previous night, a source told ESPN.
Both Manziel and Gordon were absent from the Browns’ walk-through on Saturday morning, and the team had trouble locating them, a source close to the team told ESPN.
Manziel had to be present for either the walk-through or, since he was on injured reserve, treatment on the hamstring. When he did not show for either, the team had to search for him. Browns security visited Manziel’s home Saturday morning to check on the rookie quarterback about his treatment, sources told ESPN.
znModeratorHow I see it: absolutely, of course they have improved, though sometimes it shows up in stumbling fits and starts. They’ve improved in spite of the fact that their starting qb has played only 23 of 47 games in the last 3 years, and in spite of the fact that they have had to play 15 different linemen in that stretch.
znModeratorput off watching highlights of this game cuz it just hurt too much. but i just saw a clip on nfl network.
depending on the angle it actually looks like odell starts pulling ogletree’s mask BEFORE they go out of bounds dragging him out of bounds.
of course i could be biased.
starting at 1:25
http://www.nfl.com/videos/st-louis-rams/0ap3000000447410/Giants-Rams-scrum-spills-over-onto-sideline” rel=”nofollow”>http://www.nfl.com/videos/st-louis-rams/0ap3000000447410/Giants-Rams-scrum-spills-over-onto-sideline
That;s the clearest view yet. Watch the whole vid (for those who haven’t seen it yet: this one has different angles on it).
.
December 28, 2014 at 11:27 am in reply to: from the leaked Patriots scouting report on Manziel #14819znModeratorI always felt he would be boom or bust.
It’s looking like bust.
I thought of him as either bust or complete hilarious meltdown.
So far he is holding at bust, but it’s not over yet.
znModerator7 things to watch: Rams at Seahawks
By Jim Thomas
CONTAINING LYNCH IS KEY
The formula has remained the same almost since the trade in 2010 that brought him to Seattle: In order to have a chance against the Seahawks, you better contain running back Marshawn Lynch. He ranks third in the NFL in rushing yards this season with 1,246. He trails only Dallas’ DeMarco Murray (1,745) and Pittsburgh’s Le’Veon Bell (1,341). He leads the league in touchdowns with 16, a career best. “Obviously, he’s very hard to get down,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “He’s quite a player.” The Rams held Lynch to just 2.9 yards per carry and 53 yards when the teams met Oct. 19 in St. Louis, which was a 28-26 Rams victory. Since then, Lynch has averaged 92 yards a game and scored 10 of those 16 TDs. The Rams have been far from stellar against the run the past two weeks, yielding a total of 271 yards to lesser runners in losses to Arizona and the New York Giants.
DEFENDING WILSON
In quarterback Russell Wilson’s five starts against them, the Rams have had success getting him to the ground — they’ve sacked him 22 times. Nonetheless, Wilson has been very successful against them, with a 115.5 passer rating in the last four meetings. That’s partly because he’s taking care of the football. Since being intercepted three times in his first contest vs. the Rams in 2012, Wilson has gone 96 passes without an interception over the next four meetings.
NOT PEDESTRIAN
Seattle’s receiving unit dubbed itself “The Pedestrians” last season, making light of critics. But even after losing Golden Tate to Detroit, these guys are getting it done. Speedy Doug Baldwin, who had a 49-yard catch against the Rams in October, is having a career year (63 catches for 782 yards). Out of the backfield, Lynch has career highs for reception yards (331) and touchdown catches (four). Jermaine Kearse, who also was having a career year, is out with a hamstring injury.
SECONDARY CONCERNS
The Rams can’t afford to take any wide receiver lightly, not after last week’s performance against the Giants — a major meltdown of coverage breakdowns and silly penalties. The most consistent Rams cornerback this season, rookie E.J. Gaines, is doubtful because of a concussion. As a result, rookie Lamarcus Joyner is expected to have a lot of work, and possibly rookie Marcus Roberson as well. Can Trumaine Johnson return to form after a brutal day against the Giants?
LEGION OF BOOM
It’s not as dominating by the numbers. For example, the Seattle defense has a modest 11 interceptions this season, compared to 28 in 2013. But the “Legion of Boom,” also known as the Seattle secondary, is still getting it done. Cornerback Richard Sherman, as well as safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas, all were picked again for the Pro Bowl. Sherman has a league-leading 24 interceptions since the start of 2011, including four this season. Rams quarterback Shaun Hill needs to take care of the football.
CAREER REVIVAL
Less than a year ago, Kenny Britt’s future job prospects looked tenuous at best. But re-joining his former Tennessee coach — Jeff Fisher — has put Britt’s career back on track. The Rams relied on him more after Brian Quick’s season-ending shoulder injury in Game 7, against Kansas City. He has responded with 44 catches for 710 yards. With 66 receiving yards and just two catches against Seattle, Britt would establish career highs in both catches and yards.
FOOL ME ONCE…
In 2012, the Rams fooled Seattle and coach Pete Carroll with a fake field goal that turned into a TD pass from holder Johnny Hekker to wideout Danny Amendola. This October, the Rams converted a key fourth down on a fake punt and got a 90-yard punt return for a score by Stedman Bailey on a play in which Tavon Austin snookered the Seahawks as a decoy. The Seahawks vow to be ready for anything this time. “Obviously, we’re going to be tuned into it,” Carroll said.
znModerator
znModerator
Rams need more magic to pull off upsetBy Jim Thomas
No doubt about it, the Rams have pulled some rabbits out of their helmets this season.
There was that 28-26 home victory over Seattle in mid October, six days after getting shut down in the second half of a frustrating 31-17 Monday night loss to San Francisco.
On the heels of a 34-7 second-half meltdown at Kansas City, a game in which the Rams lost left tackle Jake Long and wide receiver Brian Quick for the season because of injuries, they rode out of San Francisco with a 13-10 victory over the 49ers in early November.
And then came the ultimate. Following a 31-14 fourth-quarter collapse at Arizona, they dominated — yes, dominated — Denver 22-7 in quarterback Shaun Hill’s return to the starting lineup in mid November.
But if they could somehow, some way pull off the upset Sunday in Seattle over the defending Super Bowl champions, well, that would top them all.
Kickoff is 3:25 p.m. (St. Louis time) in the season finale for the Rams (6-9) and the regular-season sign-off for Seattle (11-4).
“It’s the last one,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “It’s important to us, and we’re taking it very seriously.”
After last week’s bitterly disappointing 37-27 loss to the New York Giants, Fisher said part of his message to the team was, “We want to go into this offseason and offseason program playing good football. That’s very important to us.”
The Rams have lost nine in a row in Seattle; they haven’t won there since a wild-card playoff victory during the 2004 season.
Perhaps defensive end Chris Long best framed the Rams’ motivation for this one.
“I’m as excited about our future as ever,” he said. “The future starts this weekend. If you want to be somebody competing for the division (title), you’ve got to be able to go to a place like Seattle and win.
“If we’re up there next year playing for something big, which we plan on doing, you want to be able to say, ‘OK, we’ve done this before.’ So it’s important to us. I really do think we’re getting better and better every year. We’ve just got to get over the hump.”
Winning there is more like scaling a mountain than a hump.
Counting playoff games, the Seahawks have won 23 of their last 25 games at the home of the 12th Man.
“Yeah, it’s an exciting place,” Fisher said. “It’s a challenge. It’s different than most places in the league. That ‘12th Man’ is unique and special. It’s hard to hear and they force mistakes and they take advantage of it.”
For the second year in a row, the Rams close a season against a Seattle team with much to play for. As was the case in 2013, the Seahawks are in position to claim the top seed in the NFC and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a victory. Or possibly fall to the No. 5 seed and open the playoffs on the road as a wild-card team with a loss.
In a scheduling quirk that gets more peculiar as each season goes by, it’s the third year in a row the Rams have played their season finale in Seattle, and the fourth time in the last five seasons.
“The NFL does love putting us up there, it looks like, in the last week of the season,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “Just take ‘em as they roll, I guess. Got to go up there sometime.
“Last year they were playing for home field. And this year they’re playing for home field in the playoffs. So they’ll have plenty of reason to play ball. So do we.
“So it’ll be a fun Sunday.”
Last Sunday was no fun at all for the Rams, especially on defense — the secondary was awful and the Giants piled up 514 yards.
“We (allowed) four of five explosive plays on third down that’s just uncharacteristic of us because we’ve played so solid,” Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said.
He further described the breakdowns as: “Head-scratching. I’m not going to use the bad words, but very irritating.”
Suffice it to say, Williams used several of the “bad words” in the defensive meeting room during the week.
“It’s not something where anybody does it on purpose, but there were just some hesitations and some miscommunications, and a couple different guys playing that haven’t been playing in a while,” Williams continued. “All of a sudden you lose your comfort zone on expecting people to do things.”
Williams also thought there were several occasions in which Rams defenders let a bad play linger in their heads, or “travel” with them for the next several plays against the Giants.
“When we let a play travel with us four or five plays later, all of a sudden it compounds, then dominos,” Williams said. “You’ve got to be able to stop the avalanche. You’ve got to be able to stop the mistake that’s going on and do it the right way.”
If the Rams’ defense doesn’t do it the right way Sunday, things could get extremely ugly. Last week, Seattle’s ninth-ranked offense piled up an astounding 596 yards against the rugged Arizona defense — at University of Phoenix Stadium, no less.
The Seahawks had running plays of 79 and 55 yards in that contest, and passing plays of 80 and 49 yards.
“I mean, 596 yards against the Arizona defense, at Arizona, says a lot for an offense,” Fisher said. “(Plus the Seahawks) have the best defense in the National Football League.”
Yes they do.
During their current five-game winning streak, they’ve allowed only 33 total points against some pretty good teams. (Arizona twice, San Francisco twice and Philadelphia.)
The Seahawks’ defensive scheme isn’t all that complicated schematically and doesn’t change much from week to week.
So much so that Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer joked, “They’ve probably been home for Christmas all week. They don’t do too much. They do what they do, and they do it well.”
Better, in fact, than anyone in the NFL.
znModeratorzn wrote:
HILL games 8-15 (includes games against 2 top 10 defenses):
qb rating 91.6, TDs 4.4%, Ints 2.2%Just wondering. What is Hill’s record against the two top 10 defenses?
Against the 2 top Ds —
Actually right now that’s 2 top 11 Ds. SD is now 11th. The other is Denver.
Using the same criteria as before…qb rating, TD%, INT %.
Can’t do just the avg. because the 2 games are so completely different. The avg. on its own would mask the difference.
DEN = qb rating 102.7, TD% 3.44%, Int% 0
SD = qb rating 54.2, TD% 2.8%, Int% 5.6Avg. qb rating 78.4, TD% 3.1%, Int% 3.1
znModeratorI wouldn’t call him the black James Bond.
I’d call him a good or bad James Bond based on how well he played the role.
James Bond wasn’t fucking BLOND, either, btw… remember all the uproar over THAT?
Well, after Skyfall, which is arguably the best Bond movie, EVER… not many are arguing about Daniel Craig as a legitimate Bond.
If Idris Elba knocks it out of the park, it won’t matter.
But… the minute Idris Elba kisses a white woman, some folks will lose their shit…
And frankly, I have dark thoughts about those people…
I remember getting into a discussion of Idris Elba playing Heimdell in Thor.
A couple of guys were saying the Norse gods were not black. They were white. So this is an insult.
There were a lot of things I coulda said, and didn’t. What I did say was “well they didn’t speak English either, you know, so….”
True story.
I watched Pacific Rim only because Elba has such presence.
znModeratorSomething we didn’t know.
In practices, Britt wears Quick’s #83 Jersey.
znModeratorHere’s a little discussion of Bryant.
From a few months back.
He came out of school injured…so…
I think they think he has promise.
…
Mackeyser wrote:
Christian Bryant is a difference maker….If he gets healthy, I think Bryant somehow makes the team… Probably displacing Matt Daniels.
If I recall, Demoff kind of said…indirectly…that Bryant was a “redshirt.” That is they got him now, thinking a healthy Bryant was worth more than a 7th, but knew he would not really be ready for 2014.
.
znModeratorRams-Seahawks: Matchup breakdown
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/14936/rams-seahawks-matchup-breakdown-3
EARTH CITY, Mo. — A look at three individual matchups to keep an eye on when the St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks meet at 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday.
Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree vs. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson
The Rams’ defense played just well enough to beat Seattle in the first meeting with plenty of help from the special teams but the Seahawks nearly pulled off a second-half comeback largely because of Wilson’s performance. Wilson finished with 313 yards and two touchdowns in the air with no interceptions, but it was the damage he did with his legs that really gave the Rams problems.
And nobody struggled more in that situation than Ogletree, who was drafted in large part because the Rams wanted a linebacker who could keep up with athletic quarterbacks like Wilson. In that first meeting, Wilson exploited Ogletree’s propensity for over pursuing and falling for misdirection to the tune of 106 yards on seven carries with a 19-yard touchdown and a 52-yard run both coming in Ogletree’s direction.
Since that time, Ogletree has been more disciplined and played much better over the final half of the season. But he’ll need to be at his best for the Rams to have a chance on Sunday.
Rams right tackle Joe Barksdale vs. Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett
For the many things the Seahawks’ defense does well, posting sacks isn’t necessarily at the top of the list. But Bennett is the best on the roster with seven sacks and is generally able to create pressure on a consistent basis. Barksdale did well against Bennett in the first meeting this year as Bennett had three tackles but no sacks.
With unrestricted free agency awaiting in the offseason, this is Barksdale’s last chance to state his case for big money when he hits the open market. Faring well against Bennett won’t guarantee anything but it certainly couldn’t hurt. It would also go a long way toward helping the Rams move closer to an upset.
Rams safety T.J. McDonald vs. Seahawks tight end Luke Willson
The Rams have been outstanding defending tight ends this season, regularly taking away the middle of the field and forcing the action to the outside. Opposing tight ends have managed just 64 catches for 661 yards, eighth best in the NFL, against the Rams this season. Of course, opponents have had much more success but with Willson emerging as one of Wilson’s top targets, the Rams will have to find a way to slow the tight end down.
Willson had three catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns against the Cardinals last week but hasn’t been a consistent threat for most of the season. Still, it’s easy to imagine that Willson is playing with more confidence than he has at any point in his career. McDonald spends plenty of his time in the run box and isn’t always back in coverage but he has proved better in coverage than initially suspected when he entered the league. According to Pro Football Focus, McDonald has been targeted 58 times this year, allowing 42 receptions for 472 yards and six touchdowns. Most of that damage came early in the season but it’s worth keeping an eye on McDonald in coverage after a rough outing last week against the Giants.
znModeratorChristian Bryant? He’s on the practice squad, if we’re thinking of the same guy.
znModeratorW2W4: St. Louis Rams
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/14924/w2w4-st-louis-rams-20
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks kick off Week 17 on Sunday at CenturyLink Field. Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET on regional Fox coverage.
Here are three things to watch for from the Rams’ end:
1. Getting after Wilson: The Rams have been one of the league’s best pass-rushing teams over the past three seasons when it comes to sacks, but for whatever reason they seem to have even more success when it’s Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson on the other side. In five games against Wilson since Jeff Fisher arrived in St. Louis, the Rams have 22 sacks, including a combined 10 in two games in Seattle. And the Seahawks are banged up on the offensive line, with center Max Unger and left tackle Russell Okung dealing with injury issues. That pass rush must rebound from a shoddy performance against the Giants and continue to create pressure on Wilson for the Rams to have a chance.
2. Deeper in the bag: The Rams left no stone unturned when they pulled off the upset of Seattle earlier this season. They perfectly executed a fake punt to seal the game and a tricky punt return that went for a 90-yard touchdown. When you’re overmatched by another team, some trickery is always useful and the Rams will probably need to once again dig deep to find something that they can use. Of course, Seattle will almost certainly be more prepared for such tactics this time but that doesn’t mean the Rams can’t figure out some ways to take advantage. To keep this one close, they’ll likely need another play or two that falls outside the normal box to work.
3. Running in place: It’s been incredibly difficult for teams to move the ball against Seattle’s defense over the past five or six weeks. It was hard anyway but that group has been even better with the return of linebacker Bobby Wagner and safety Kam Chancellor from injury. But for the Rams’ offense, which hasn’t done much against top defenses this season, to have any chance, they have to figure out a way to run the ball consistently. In the first meeting, the Rams didn’t exactly run all over the Seahawks but they were good enough that they could stick with it and finished with 102 rushing yards on 27 carries. That at least kept the Seahawks honest and allowed for some opportunities in the passing game. With Wagner and Chancellor back (only Wagner missed the first meeting), the Seahawks are even more difficult to work against. But the Rams have to find a way or they’ll end up stuck in the mud like their recent loss to Arizona.
znModeratorRush Limbaugh says, Idris Elba can’t be James Bond, Bond isn’t black.
Idris Elba says, if it happens, I do not want to be called the “black James Bond.”
Idris Elba
December 26, 2014 at 9:19 pm in reply to: Santa (family) was good to me! Guess I was a good boy this year. #14759znModeratorMerry Christmas!
Good Rams fan story.
I see you’ve been very active on the Public House board.
znModeratorWhat’s more disturbing is that Witness #40, if I read correctly is not only a White Supremacist, but lied to the Grand Jury (it can be proved that she wasn’t even in the area at the time and lied about crucial details) and DA McCulloch knowingly put her in front of the Grand Jury even though the FBI thoroughly discredited her.
So, she was guilty of perjury and DA McCulloch was guilty of suborning perjury.
Details that much of the Conservative media have seized on have been provided by this witness, btw.
It’s disgusting.
What ever happened to truth?
It’s some awful stuff.
Really is.
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