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znModeratorNate Atkins@NateAtkins_
The Rams will NOT open the practice windows for Myles Garrett or Terrance Ferguson this week.Myles does not need another procedure and has not had any setbacks, Sean McVay said. He just isn’t ready yet.
“I know it’s frustrating,” McVay said.
znModeratorJared Smola@SmolaDS
Run Defense Power Rankings through Week 7znModeratorJackson Durham@JDurham_FBall
The Rams may have the best CB room in the NFL***
LAFB Network@LAFBNetwork
Do the Rams have the BEST cornerback room in football?THREE Rams CBs rank inside PFF’s Top 10 in coverage grade (McDuffie, Watson, Wallace)
No other team has more than one…
znModeratorVAS Live@vaslive12
The NFL has been some of its sloppiest and least competitive it’s ever been.We still see preseason football well into October.
Coaches can’t properly practice with the players; training and conditioning are weaker, which is why we see so many basic injuries; they took away 1 preseason game; many starters barely play in the preseason, if at all; and training camp is a joke.
Players are trying to go from zero to 100 instead of easing into the regular season. They do little, then wham, go full throttle when the season starts.
If Mahomes is hitting a wall, it’s not the league around him; it’s his style catching up with him, as it historically does with QBs who rely on physical play.
I said for years that each year he should slowly transition to a pocket passer if he wants to have a long, effective career.
He’s still relying on instinct and physical play to guide him, and because he is so good at that, he can still make it work to a certain extent.
But each year it will get tougher and tougher, especially now that he has that injury.
Mahomes’ best shot at longevity as a great QB is to transition to reading defenses and pocket passing.
Stop resorting to leaving the pocket after the first read breaks down.Mahomes is still an effective player. He has intangibles like leadership that help him greatly. With the Chiefs at 5-1, he’s still being effective and is still more valuable than most of the other QBs in the league.
But even that won’t be good enough over time if his abilities start to fade and he can’t make up for it in other areas.
znModerator
SFdata9ers@sfdata9ers
🚨 NEW: Composite Offensive Line Ranking 🚨I built a composite score using key OL metrics from
@FantasyPtsData
.
📊 4 pass-blocking + 3 run-blocking metrics. I combined their quantiles into an overall score, weighting each metric by importance.znModeratordank@cptdankkk
Alex Smith says he was ashamed of his leg and bitter toward football until rehabbing alongside wounded service members changed his life“In my rehab process, I’m so thankful I got this thing called the Secretary of Defense designation, which is this deal for civilians that are deemed to have what’s called a warlike injury. And so I got access to military medical care because there were no athletes for me to look to that had gone through something like this at that point. When I had half a leg and they’re moving body parts down and it was like, hey, so and so did this and came back to play. There was nobody. The only examples of any positivity were people in the military through the decades of wars in the Middle East and roadside bombs and IEDs that there were a lot of servicemen and women that had severe lower leg injuries, severe tissue loss, severe breaks. Which through the infection and the hit was kind of like where I was at”
“So I got to go down and do my rehab at this military center. It doesn’t matter what branch of the military you’re in. If you have a severe limb injury, this is where you go. And it’s in San Antonio, Texas. And it’s called the Center for the Intrepid. And it changed my life. Again, I was super ashamed of my leg. It was grotesque looking and I kept it covered. I was ashamed of it. It represented everything that I had lost. I was really kind of struggling with my new normal. And I’ll never forget going down there from day one. The military believes in this thing called group suck. Doing hard things, it’s better to do them together. And so when you go down to this rehab center at the Center for the Intrepid, there are no private rooms. There’s just one great big open room and it’s surrounded by windows and everybody does their rehab together”
“I’ll never forget my first trip there again. I couldn’t even stand on my leg. I got it all wrapped up. I’ve got this steel cage bolted keeping it together. And there’s double amputees, there’s triple amputees, there’s terrible burn victims. And nobody is hiding behind their scars. Everything’s out in the open and people are moving forward with their life. And the physical therapist, Johnny Owens, walks behind the desk and gets a football and comes back to me and he has me get down on my good knee. And again, mind you, I’m very bitter towards football at this point, and I got three young kids, two boys that love to play catch with their dad, and I have not touched a football from the day of my injury. And now this is four months later”
“He brings out a football, throws it to me again. I’m on my one good knee on the ground, and he has me start playing catch. And this is from 10 feet away. And I’ll never forget the light bulb going on of like, I can still play catch. Like, what else can I still go do. And it was the only place in the world where those guys were egging me on and goading me into you can do more… And that’s the first day I said I wanted to play again was that day”
znModeratorSeahawks just picked up an all-pro Guard (8 times). Quentin Nelson from the Colts.
Brandon Thorn@BrandonThornNFL
Quenton Nelson is the quintessential leader and teammate while also being the prototypical guard. A guy with sky-high expectations who has met them all. And one of the most important OL in the game since I got started studying the position in 2014/15. Surreal to see him traded.znModeratorLAFB Network@LAFBNetwork
Kyren Williams-LEADS the NFL in broken-tackle rate
-ONLY RB with fewer than 100 carries among the top 10 rushers.Chasing a 4th straight 1,100+ yard season…
znModerator1st & Tuna@1standtuna
Jon Rhattigan: Some quick notes on the Rams newly signed LBaqui esta otra para Rhattigan pic.twitter.com/l4qG7anAsV
— 1st & Tuna 🏈 (@1standtuna) October 27, 2026
znModeratorLAFB Network@LAFBNetwork
Do the Rams have the BEST cornerback room in football?THREE Rams CBs rank inside PFF’s Top 10 in coverage grade (McDuffie, Watson, Wallace)
No other team has more than one…
znModeratorJon Rhattigan | Special teams clips | 2025 #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/X9tws3LeG9
— 1st & Tuna 🏈 (@1standtuna) October 27, 2026
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1st & Tuna@1standtuna
Jon Rhattigan: Some quick notes on the Rams newly signed LB:6’0” ~230lb linebacker who will engage and shed with force on special teams coverage.
What I like about Rhattigan’s play on special teams from a quick watch this afternoon:
➡️Respects his coverage lane, repositions even when tracking the ballcarrier
➡️ Has a plan when he’s engaging through a block, I see him run around guys to make a play or work through them
➡️ Willing to take on double teams but not sit in defeat, does it to muck up a wall attempt.
➡️ Has some REALLY good plays where he’s tracking the ballcarrier while navigating through traffic…
has good tape of being able to track a returner while navigating blocks to be in the right place to make a tackle.
➡️ Saw a clip of him running upfield in punt cover, the guy next to him was too tight, you see him tell his teammate to get outside more to cover the cutback lane.znModeratorThe Los Angeles Rams made three practice squad moves on Tuesday, including signing linebacker Jon Rhattigan, a former Army graduate and six-year NFL veteran who should provide immediate help on special teams. Rhattigan has played over 1,200 special teams snaps in his career with the Seahawks, Panthers, Steelers, and Raiders.
To make room for Rhattigan, the Rams released linebacker Eli Neal and cornerback Nyzier Fourqurean from the practice squad.
Rhattigan went undrafted in 2021 and signed with the Seahawks, appearing in 14 games as a rookie. He is not considered NFL defense material, having only spent 20 career snaps at linebacker, but is a valuable special teams contributor.
Of course, the Rams are ranked 32nd in special teams for the second year in a row. Rhattigan, who played 236 special teams snaps in 12 games with the Raiders last year, could be elevated for a role there as soon as this weekend against the Chargers.
znModerator[on practices before the Raiders game]
“No one was down about our record,” third-year tailback Blake Corum told me. “No one thought about our record. No one thought about, Are we going to win Sunday? It was more so one day at a time. Like, how tough and how focused can we be today? How hard can we work today? We really didn’t think about wins and losses. It was more so just improving on our game, on our skill. And I think that’s what made it so great.”
znModeratorCurt Sandoval@abc7curt
The Los Angeles @RamsNFL all-time leading rusher is NOT Hall of Famer Marshall Falk or Erik Dickerson. It’s Steven Jackson.znModeratorSosa Kremenjas@QBsMVP
I think, ultimately, the Rams won’t trade for anybody. And that’s fair, given all of these guys will return at some point:Myles Garrett (!!!)
Trent McDuffie
Terrance Ferguson
Kobie Turner
Davante AdamsThat’s ….. a ton of quality being added to the mix. They have minimal cap space + draft comp to work with. Nvm needing to re-sign half the roster after the season.
znModeratorWho the hell is Ty Hamilton?
w
vwiki:
Listed height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight 301 lb (137 kg)
College Ohio State (2020–2024)
NFL draft 2025: 5th round, 148th overall pickFrom September:
Defensive coordinator Chris Shula singled out second-year nose tackle Ty Hamilton as a pleasant surprise following a disappointing rookie season. Shula stated Hamilton was challenged this offseason, rising to the call by playing free and loose.
“The guy that really stuck out to me was Ty Hamilton,” said Shula on Monday. “I thought he did an awesome job where in camp, it was like Giff (Smith), his position coach, really challenged him to play physical, play fast, play tough. As a rookie, we thought he was kind of thinking and hesitating a little bit too much, and you saw that show up on the tape. He was definitely a pleasant surprise for us, for sure.”
Hamilton was drafted in the fifth round for his ability to shoot gaps and cause overall disruption in run defense, eliciting a trade-up by the Rams in 2025. His improvement allowed the Rams to give him a roster spot on a loaded unit, while veteran Larrell Murchison and rookie Tim Keenan III failed to make the 53-man roster.
From after Raiders game:
Hamilton recorded one pressure and two tackles in place of Poona Ford at nose tackle.
from https://ramblinfan.com/shaun-dolac-leads-4-rams-auditioning-larger-roles-next-season
Hamilton was a slow starter, but he is coming into his own. And with nose tackle Poona Ford out for the remainder of 2026, Hamilton finds himself finally getting a healthy portion of defensive snaps. Better still, he is proving worthy of his new level of work.
While he was limited to two tackles and one quarterback hit in Week 7, Hamilton finally flashed his true potential. He is a Kobie Turner padawan, a versatile line-him-up-anywhere d-lineman who will leave it all on the football field.
He only played 131 defensive snaps as a rookie in 2025. He’ll draw far more work than that this season. And with more experience, Hamilton will develop rapidly.
From 2023 draft report (https://www.nfl.com/prospects/ty-hamilton/32004841-4d36-0450-ee10-d4ae78ee2bb2 ):
Lance Zierlein
Overview
Twitchy interior defender built with good lean mass who plays bigger than his measurables. Hamilton is first off the snap and first into contact with sudden hands and feet. He plays with excellent leverage and a solid anchor at the point. He lacks ideal mass and length for the NFL game but it shouldn’t sink him. He can play in gaps and has above-average range as a tackler down the line. Despite his foot quickness, Hamilton rushes with an unimaginative, down-the-middle approach that fails to consistently threaten the pocket. He’s a consistent run defender capable of disruption and playmaking who could outplay his grade if he improves as a pass rusher.
Strengths
Lateral quickness to beat interior lineman to the spot.
Snaps hands and hips into initial contact to stack the block.
Good with hands and works quickly off block to tackle his gap.
Able to dart around blocks and find the gap for disruption.
Above-average pursuit range adds to his tackle totals.
Foot quickness to succeed for gaming rush front.Weaknesses
Slightly undersized with shorter arms.
Can be turned out of his gap by size and power.
Slow to get rid of blocks once they sink in.
Rushes the passer like he’s pushing a sled in front of him.
Predictable rush path needs more edge-to-edge threat.znModeratorDavid J. Gautieri@GuruFantasyWrld
Kenneth Walker is officially no longer leading the NFL in broken-tackle rate.That title now belongs to Kyren Williams (.42 MTF/attempt).
znModeratorRight now they have 3 winnable games before 2 things happen–they start getting IR players back, and then they have a bye week.
I think the ARZ game was a big anomaly that came from several factors.
First, injuries. That’s my “duh” entry for this post.
2nd, both last year against Carolina and Atlanta and this year against both SF and ARZ, Rams can stumble when they go up against a former coach that knows them. Like LaFleur and Morris.
3rd, all ARZ really did was beat up on the Rams, both running the ball and defending the run. They just “out-physicaled” them. That works if the D can’t get off the field.
Rams regrouped and took it out on Oakland, both defending the run and running the ball.
Granted it was Oakland, but it’s not a bad start.
And the bye always matters with the McV Rams. He makes better use of the bye to re-assess and change things up than any coach I can think of.
To be honest, deep down I never really liked the “Ram as super bowl favorite” designation. I much prefer what we could be starting to get now–a contender that has a chance to get it together and peak at the right time.
…
znModeratorthis is written after the Raiders game
Higbee is clearly the glue guy to the offense. The team has said it before, and when he’s on the field, Stafford looks comfortable working through his progressions. He helps everything flow.
Parkinson is the most reliable playmaker. He has his drops here and there, but that doesn’t negate the fact that following his breakout 2025 campaign, he has refused to make a business decision in a contract year, battling through injuries to an extent that the team is cautious to even allude to. That’s championship quality. Championship teams need tight ends ready to put their body on the line, and the Rams have a stable of them. Despite his pain, he’s still producing.
Allen had himself a day. Two touchdowns, and his blocking skills are a critical factor in what the Rams want to do….
Klare’s inactive status, even with the plan of using their tight ends heavily, proves a rookie cannot come into the system and immediately contribute at that position.
znModerator.@RamsNFL @Raiders the Rams went to their TE OFFENSE; and it's the best the offense has looked all year…There is nothing that Allen; Higbee, and Parkinson couldn't do. 13 personnel is here to stay #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/ehXrzevV0W
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) October 27, 2026
znModeratorGary Klein@LATimesklein
McVay on whether Rams will open window for Myles Garrett and Terrance Ferguson to return from IR: “I’m not sure yet. Have not decided on those things.”znModeratorTy Hamilton fights double team, and clogs area, Dolac slips in for the tackle.
When the front does its job, the defense works
this is pure Fangio front, a Penny Front, a 5-1, five man surface with one LBer, this us 2020-21 kind of thing pic.twitter.com/uRXUpJ0Vl1
— Jim Youngblood 53 (@53_jim70721) October 26, 2026
znModeratorKickoff coverage falls short again
While new kicker Brandon McManus had an uneventful first game with the Rams, making all five of his extra points in Sunday’s 35-21 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, the Rams’ special teams still proved vexing for McVay. Specifically, the kickoff coverage unit.
On the game’s opening kickoff, Dylan Laube returned the ball 36 yards to the Raiders 38. Laube took the Rams’ second kickoff 42 yards to midfield before McManus kicked four touchbacks to end the game.
Kickoff coverage has been an issue for the Rams all season. Through the first six weeks, McVay and special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone both pointed to individual lapses in execution for why teams had gotten good returns. McVay said the explanation for what happened against the Raiders didn’t go any deeper than that.
“No, it was the same,” McVay said. “It was not good enough and we’ve talked about this a lot and it’s just got to get fixed. It’s not good enough and we cannot allow ourselves to do that. That was a great return unit that we were going against, [current Raiders and former Rams special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis] and those guys have done a really good job. But we have to be much better. You can’t give up the first two times that you cover that kind of field position.”
As for what can be done to fix that unit seven games into the season, that remains to be seen.
“I gotta figure that out. It’s one of those deals that it’s driving me crazy,” McVay said. “So we gotta figure it out and we haven’t yet.”
znModeratorDefense understood the assignment 🙂↕️
📺 More highlights on https://t.co/d9sXTdTW10 pic.twitter.com/vK4xLcliXN
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 26, 2026
znModeratorStu Jackson@StuJRams
Some additional context to the Rams run game’s Week 7 performance that I found interesting from Next Gen Stats, especially about the effectiveness of man-concept carriesznModeratorRams PFF grades: https://theramswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/rams/2026/10/26/rams-pff-grades-raiders-week-7-best-worst-players/92442179007/
Top 5 offense
WR Puka Nacua: 86.8
RB Blake Corum: 86.0
RT Warren McClendon Jr.: 75.2
RB Kyren Williams: 71.5
QB Matthew Stafford: 70.5znModeratorEast Coast Rams Pod@EastCoastRams
#Rams Week 7 Top Defensive PFF Scores:Jaylen Watson – 90.7
Shaun Dolac – 84.3
Omar Speights – 83.5
Josh Wallace – 78.7
Ty Hamilton – 77.3znModeratorRams Wire@TheRamsWire
Jaylen Watson was dominant in the Rams’ win over the Raiders on Sunday, becoming only the 2nd CB with these stats in 2026.Next Gen Stats@NextGenStats
Jaylen Watson allowed just 2 receptions on 10 targets in coverage against the Raiders, recording 4 passes defensed.The only other player to allow 2 or fewer receptions & 4+ passes defensed in a game this season is teammate Trent McDuffie (Week 2 vs NYG).
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Watson is quickly proving himself as a trusted teammate and lockdown cornerback. In 2026, he has 20 total tackles, two tackles for a loss, nine pass deflections, and one interception.
znModeratorDaniel Jeremiah@MoveTheSticks
The Rams WR’s put on a blocking display against the Raiders. Puka, Whittington & Mumpfield getting after it on just about every big run. That is evidence of a really good culture. Unselfish.Stu Jackson@StuJRams
When you hear the excitement Puka speaks with blocking for duo or any other run concept, you’d think enjoys that more than catching a passznModeratorLockdown coverage from E-Man on fourth down 🔒
📺 @NFLonFOX | #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/NdR9JxSpFT
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 25, 2026
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