Rodrigue, from https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5694672/2024/08/11/la-rams-53-man-roster-projection-depth-chart/?source=emp_shared_article

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — A preseason game with quite a bit of “bad” — four interceptions’ worth, and nearly a fifth that was called back due to a penalty — from third-string quarterback Stetson Bennett, also featured one great moment with just seconds to play and the Los Angeles Rams in a six-point deficit. Bennett flushed to his left at the 6-yard line, then slung a pass to reserve tight end Miller Forristall for the game-tying touchdown. Rookie kicker Josh Karty hit the game-winning extra point in the 13-12 victory (Karty was also 2-for-2 on field goals of 28 and 39 yards).

Bennett went 24-of-38 with 224 yards, the touchdown and the four interceptions for a 48.5 passer rating. While he made multiple bad choices with throws (and admitted as much postgame), he did look more confident getting in and out of the huddle and in setting up the actual offense in general. This was not at always the case in 2023, whether in training camp practices or the preseason.

“I thought I played well, and then just made a bunch of bad decisions if that’s possible,” Bennett said. “… I told myself today, ‘We’re gonna roll with the punches.’ My goal was to not make any mental errors, (it) was basically to run the offense correctly. I know the interceptions are different, but like, to run in and out of the huddle, execute. And I thought we did that for the majority of the day. There were some lapses, obviously. …

“Not overthinking it. You get a play in, you give a play, and then you do your job. I think last year I was kind of building it up to be more than that. I was trying to find the answer somewhere. The answer is, listen to (the coaches). They tell you what to do. Do it.”

The brightest moments of the day came from two rookies, receiver Jordan Whittington and Karty. Whittington looked at ease in coach Sean McVay’s offense, as “vanilla” as the preseason is, and showed his comfort with NFL contact (even backups) with a 31-yard catch-and-run slant during which he broke a tackle.

“He played like a grown man with the ball in his hands, (and) did a great job without it,” McVay said of Whittington. “He’s going to be a factor for us.”

Whittington has gotten a significant workload since spring OTAs, including with the first team and especially in the absence of Puka Nacua (knee).

…

Also notable: the second- and third-team defensive units did not allow a touchdown, despite playing so much of the game in sudden-change after Bennett’s turnovers.

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Davis had a very good preseason debut, with six tackles (one for loss) and a quarterback hit.

J.B. Long@JB_Long
Even for a McVay-coached team, seeing the Rams top two draft picks in street clothes — for all the right reasons — for Preseason 1 vs DAL tells you everything you need to know about the impression Jared Verse & Braden Fiske have made and the role they’ll have for this defense.

Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
What an ovation in here for Stetson Bennett who – of course on the move – finally throws the TD. Rams up 13-12 with four seconds left. Good for him.

Saw some solid things from a more comfortable-looking Bennett early on, plus a couple bad decisions – but now the turnovers are compounding as he throws his third INT.

INT No. 4 for Bennett – who will have some work to do to keep developing into QB3 here in LA.

Wrote about fans needing to keep an eye on Whittington after this year’s draft, based on his connection to Snead, to McVay’s offense and “heartbeat” label from Texas teammates. “He’s going to be a factor for us”, says Sean McVay about Jordan Whittington, among other comments.

ILB Jake Hummel wore the green dot for his group today, he told me. He felt comfortable in that role. He was proud of how clean the defense played overall.

Gregg Rosenthal@greggrosenthal
Jordan Whittington with a strong opening statement to the Preseason MVP voters

J.B. Long@JB_Long
Lot to like in that Rams first half.

As succinctly as possible, how about Les Snead & Co.’s 6th Round? All making a great first impression at SoFi.

…

From https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2024/8/11/24218250/rams-cowboys-winners-losers-jordan-whittington-stetson-bennett?utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_content=turfshowtimes&utm_source=twitter

Jordan Whittington, WR

Whittington was one of the players I was most excited to see in this game. He’s stood out in training camp practices and made a strong impression in his first game as a Ram. It’s worth noting that Les Snead’s son, Tate Haver, was college teammates with Whittington at Texas—giving the team as reliable as an inside source as you can get. Sean McVay is also close to head coach Steve Sarkisian, so it’s possible the NFL focused too much on early round receivers Xavier Worthy, AD Mitchell, and TE Ja’Tavion Sanders while overlooking
Whittington.

The rookie caught Bennett’s first pass of the game for an early first down. Perhaps his next catch was his best of the day, as he made a contested reception, broke a tackle, and then showed a burst of speed as he ran for 30 yards in total. An important ability in McVay’s offense is running after the catch, which is something Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp have made their living on, so this is a positive sign for the rookie.

Whittington finished with six catches on nine targets for 74 yards.

Jake Hummel, MLB

Hummel is usually LA’s defensive MVP in the preseason, and the first half against Dallas was no exception. He’s possibly LA’s best coverage player at linebacker and he made his presence felt in that facet early and often. It’s fair to wonder why the Rams haven’t felt compelled to use Hummel with the first-string, especially considering Ernest Jones and Christian Rozeboom’s struggles in coverage.

All-in-all he finished with three total tackles and one recorded pass breakup.

Josh Karty, K

This was the first time we saw Josh Karty in live action after the team selected him in the sixth round of this spring’s NFL Draft. He’s reportedly been strong in practice, but kicking in a live game with a rush is a different animal.

Still, Karty passed the test and converted both of his field goals with a long of 39 yards. He made the game-winning extra point attempt which you could argue came with some pressure.

Tyler Davis, DT

Seeing the trend here? The Rams made four selections in the sixth round of the draft this year, and Davis’ inclusion puts three of them on the “winners” list for this game along with Whittington and arty.

Davis flashed at times as a pass rusher and then made an impressive tackle for loss in the run game while Sean McVay was talking with the broadcast team. He’ll be an important player to keep an eye on over the final two preseason games to see if he can carve out a role when the games start to count.

Davis finished with six total tackles including one for a loss.

Highlights: Rams’ Top Plays vs. Cowboys Preseason Week 1 | Stetson Bennett’s Game-Winning Drive

In this game they talked to McV live during a defensive series, with him commenting on the action as it unfolded. That was a lot of fun.

Notes

Scott is good, they coach him in this system to run in much the same manner as Wms. (patience, sudden burst). Evans is okay, but is not as good as Scott.

The OL for the 2s (going against Dallas 2s) held up. It didn’t look like the confused mess we heard about in the Chargers practice. Tight, decent play.

Bennett juuuuusst missed a TD pass Stafford would’ve nailed. He also lofted one into traffic, almost an INT, but that looked like a “not on the same page” throw. He had an INT I didn’t see and then another one in the redzone I did see, which was just a dumb bad throw. He can complete fairly tight ones over defenders. They mostly rolled him out btw.

Pass rush keeps getting there but it’s 2s against 2s. The rookie NT Davis stood out.

Man the 2024 draft is full of players. A higher percentage than 2023, looks like. It looks like we can expect things from guys, either as starters or as good depth,  like Verse, Fiske, Corum, Kinchens, Davis, Whittingon, Karty, and Limmer. That would be a 80% hit rate, which is beyond exceptional.

I’ve got it on now.

Rams look better in joint practice with Cowboys, but offensive line gets sacked again

By Gary Klein

https://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/story/2024-08-08/rams-cowboys-joint-practice-offensive-line-sacks

During Thursday’s joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford scrambled to his left and threw a low pass near the goal line that was tipped twice.

“Stop!” coach Sean McVay said he thought to himself when he saw Stafford pursue the airborne loose ball.

McVay no doubt harked to last season at Dallas, when Stafford’s right thumb hit the turf after catching a two-point conversion pass in the end zone, aggravating an injury he suffered earlier in the game.

“Stop!” McVay thought. “Stop!”

But Stafford would not be denied.

The 16th-year pro grabbed the ball and stumbled into the end zone to complete the highlight play of the day.

“It was sitting on some dude’s helmet, and I was like, ‘All right, I’ll take it and try to sneak in,’” Stafford said. “I guess it worked. I don’t know: probably would have got tattooed to be honest with you.”

The Rams need Stafford, 36, to be ready for their Sept. 8 opener at Detroit. He is the key player for a team attempting to improve upon last season’s 10-7 record and playoff appearance.

There was no tackling during the practice in Oxnard, but what was Stafford thinking?

“How just absolutely old I looked,” he said, chuckling. “I was asking the [Cowboys defensive backs] like, ‘Man how bad did that look?’ I was like … they can’t touch me or whatever, and they were just laughin’ at me. I’d have laughed at me too, but shoot, I guess it worked.”

Stafford’s catch stood out on a day the offense rebounded from its rough performance four days earlier against the Chargers.

In that practice, the Chargers took advantage of an injury-depleted offensive line and tipped multiple passes, intercepting several and batting down others.

Against the Cowboys, the same line Rams’ combination — center Steve Avila, guards Kevin Dotson and Zach Thomas and tackles Joe Noteboom and Warren McClendon Jr. — struggled early in attempt to contain edge rushers Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, who broke through for what would have been multiple sacks.

But an offense without injured star receiver Puka Nacua did not commit a major error while executing mostly conservative play-calls.

Stafford completed short routes or swing passes to receivers and running backs. Receiver Demarcus Robinson bounced back from an early drop and made several plays. Receivers Cooper Kupp, Tyler Johnson and Tutu Atwell and tight end Davis Allen also had moments, and running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum ran hard.

A spirited Rams defense, led by an aggressive front, tested Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

Prescott and veteran receiver Brandin Cooks combined for multiple completions, but lineman Kobie Turner, linebacker Troy Reeder and rookie safety Kamren Kinchens made plays that energized the defense.

At least three minor skirmishes broke out between the Cowboys offense and the Rams defense but none stopped the practice for more than a few moments.

The Rams play the Cowboys on Sunday at SoFi Stadium but McVay will not play starters or players expected to be major contributors.

Veteran back-up quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is suspended for the first two regular-season games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances list while playing for the Las Vegas Raiders. McVay said Garoppolo would “probably not” play in preseason games.

Garoppolo has plenty of experience and it is “important” for quarterback Stetson Bennett “to get a bunch of work,” McVay said.

“But if [Garoppolo] said that he wanted to, knowing that he’s going to miss those first couple weeks, I’d be open to it,” McVay said, adding, “I would not want to play him unless he told me he wanted to.”

Rams defense brings the energy in productive joint practice with Cowboys

Jourdan Rodrigue

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5690359/2024/08/08/la-rams-practice-defense-cowboys/?source=emp_shared_article

OXNARD, Calif. — The fights didn’t escalate, the injuries seemed minor and the energy was very high on the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive field as they practiced against the Dallas Cowboys’ offense Thursday.

Though the sides clashed on multiple occasions after some post-play extracurriculars (and plenty of trash talk, especially from rookie outside linebacker Jared Verse, and from an injured Derion Kendrick on the sideline to the point where defensive coordinator Chris Shula walked over to talk to him), nothing too intense happened and the joint session was extremely productive.

“It was good to be able to get the work,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “We got a lot of reps for our first group(s), ended up on both sides of the football and didn’t have any sorts of issues, and that was the goal.”

The only potentially concerning moment for the Rams came when rookie defensive tackle Braden Fiske, a projected starter who has had an outstanding camp, left the field with an athletic trainer. McVay said he was informed by vice president of communications Artis Twyman that Fiske got poked in the eye, and did not seem concerned. Fiske did not return to practice.

I stayed on the Rams’ defensive field for the entire practice (after spending last week’s joint practice with the offense). The Cowboys have more lenient rules for credentialed media in that the practice is fully open to film and therefore more details can be shared (where usually I would not be able to share specifics about play-by-play, position rotations, etc. during team periods). Also, it’s important to keep in mind that coaches agree upon camp rules in that players can’t tackle to the ground (significant on run plays) so there were a lot of first-contact “thud” plays without full wrapping from defenders.

Here were my notable takeaways and plays, mostly from the first-team Cowboys offense against the first-team Rams defense:

• Running back Rico Dowdle opened the first 11-on-11 period with a run around the left side, and quarterback Dak Prescott hit a quick pass to tight end Jake Ferguson on the next play. Prescott (who is missing No. 1 receiver CeeDee Lamb due to an ongoing holdout) connected with Ferguson on underneath concepts or passes in the flat several times. Verse ended the first series by breaking up a short pass to the left side — which was almost an interception.

• Cornerback Jerry Jacobs, who was signed in late July because starting cornerback Darious Williams is recovering from a hamstring strain, is already getting work in with the second team and even took a few snaps with the first team. Similarly, rookie safety Kamren Kinchens would often take the last snap or two in a first-team defensive series, then play the full second-team series.

Kinchens had one of the best practices of any player. He had a deep pass breakup while with the first-team defense, and a physical stop near the goal line in the red zone 11-on-11 period (also with the first team). He tipped a pass in the same period, but with the second team, that inside linebacker Troy Reeder slid under for a takeaway.

“He’s a really conscientious player already,” McVay said, “you look at the amount of ball production he had at Miami, you look at what a tough player he is. He understands the game, he recognizes concepts.”

• Verse had an extremely active day. In the second “1s” period, he looped around to help the inside linebackers fit one run and then dug inside on another. Verse was also one of the more vocal players on the field.

“He talks, which I like,” Prescott said, smiling. “He can talk. But he was a great player, he was back there. To be able to talk, you better be getting back there and making plays — and he did that. A little exchange, (I) told him, ‘Good job, keep playing.’ Obviously, he’s a young player. Very talented — that jumps off the tape.”

Veteran running back Ezekiel Elliott found a hole in the left side for a longer run, and then Prescott hit veteran receiver Brandin Cooks on a midrange crosser. Prescott and Cooks connected several times Thursday.

• More on the safety rotation: John Johnson III and Kam Curl started deep in one of the Rams’ typical/base looks. Safety Quentin Lake manned the “star” position, where he’s taken real ownership through camp (but has shifted back deeper at times as well). Kinchens and Russ Yeast appear to be the first two substitutions at safety and star. Yeast had a pass breakup from the slot on the second team but gave up a catch to receiver Ryan Flournoy.

• On the third “1s vs. 1s” series, the Rams’ defensive line stopped another Dowdle run at about 2 yards. Inside linebacker Ernest Jones made a savvy play on the next snap when he simulated a pressure, then dropped to where Prescott could see him in the middle of the field and moved laterally as Prescott moved his pocket to see if he could find a running lane (Jones’ positioning took this away). Prescott targeted Cooks again instead of scrambling, but the throw was incomplete.

• On the next play, tackle Chuma Edoga false-started and was pulled for a substitute, who was bulled by Fiske (the play was ultimately a run to the right side, away from Fiske). Prescott threw another incompletion after pressure flushed him right; his receivers were covered downfield.

• Johnson recovered a fumble by Elliott in the next series. Prescott connected with Cooks again as outside linebacker Byron Young got knocked down by a Dallas lineman. A few plays later, Rams defensive lineman Kobie Turner got into a light tussle with center Brock Hoffman. On the next snap, Prescott targeted receiver KaVontae Turpin down the right sideline with Lake in coverage, and the pass fell incomplete. Turner also batted a red zone pass.

• Prescott’s best throw of the day (to Cooks) was off a rollout to his left, and deep down the sideline with Cobie Durant in coverage. Durant also was very sticky in coverage against Cooks across the back of the end zone in a red zone period, but Prescott fitted the ball to Cooks for a touchdown. Jones got in the backfield on the next play but was flagged for a face mask foul on his run stop. Prescott hit receiver Jalen Tolbert on a quick underneath slant, then tried a deep shot to receiver David Durden that was a little long but might have been catchable had Curl not leaped high in the air with a hand outstretched to try to disrupt the ball. He didn’t touch it, but the movement blocked Durden’s vision on the ball. Elliott broke another run afterward.

• Overall, though it’s hard to completely tell without players being able to wrap completely on their tackles, the Rams had an up-and-down day against the run but were active and productive as a pass-rushing group as well as in their defensive backfield and didn’t allow many explosive pass plays. They are a better front with Fiske on the field and aligned next to Turner, but nose tackle Bobby Brown III has also had a really solid camp. Prescott also got the Rams’ defenders a couple of times on well-executed run fakes.

• In other news and notes, McVay said he would prefer that backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo not play in the preseason unless Garoppolo told him otherwise. McVay never risks injuries for starters or key backup players in the preseason. Third-string quarterback Stetson Bennett will get the bulk of the snaps.

Outside linebacker Brennan Jackson, left tackle Alaric Jackson, left guard Jonah Jackson and Williams did not practice though were present for the session. Right tackle Rob Havenstein, who is also injured, was not in attendance.

Tight end Hunter Long appeared to bang up his hand on a special teams play so I will keep an eye out for him at Friday’s practice.

Cornerback Tre Tomlinson and running back Boston Scott had good reps as return specialists in the new kickoff format. The Rams are trying a few players there, including Scott and Tomlinson, receivers Tutu Atwell, Tyler Johnson and Xavier Smith and running back Kyren Williams. There is a long way to go for every NFL team in figuring out that phase.

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Ten Rams takeaways after conclusion of training camp, first joint practice

Jourdan Rodrigue

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5685024/2024/08/07/la-rams-camp-takeaways-matthew-stafford-braden-fiske/?source=emp_shared_article

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Yes, you read that dateline correctly.

The Los Angeles Rams are back at their (former?) temporary (yet still lingering?) practice facilities for at least a little while longer since permitting delays have kept them out of their new (also semi-permanent) facilities in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Trudging up the snakehole-pockmarked front drive in 94-degree heat only reiterated the point: Training camp is over. The real “dog days” are here. This time last year was when head coach Sean McVay really built his 2023 team, which far exceeded the expectations placed upon it entering the season. Between grueling days at Cal Lutheran — importantly, away from fans’ cell phone videos and prying eyes — and upcoming joint practices with Dallas, Houston and again with the Chargers, these semi-nomadic Rams will get their most crucial schematic and conditioning work of the entire year throughout the next two weeks.

Training camp at Loyola Marymount, plus their first joint practice in El Segundo, Calif., against the Chargers, still provided a lot to chew on. Here are 10 things I think:

1. I think I’m more worried about ankle injuries to offensive linemen — and starting left guard Jonah Jackson’s shoulder — than I am about receiver Puka Nacua’s knee.

McVay confirmed that Nacua will be week-to-week after landing on a bursa sac (a small fluid pocket in the knee) and bursting it during Sunday’s joint practice. He expects Nacua to be ready not just for the season opener against Detroit, but also for the game prep beforehand.

“Nothing serious, nothing structurally — he’ll be in good shape and he’ll recover,” McVay said after Tuesday’s practice. “We’ll be ready to go, no threat of anything for Detroit.”

McVay was less definitive about the three injured starters on the offensive line — left tackle Alaric Jackson (ankle), right tackle Rob Havenstein (ankle) and Jonah Jackson.

“I’m going to take it a little bit at a time,” said McVay, when I asked him whether he believes all three linemen would be back by the opener. “I certainly am not ruling that out, so that’s a good thing.”

Backup right tackle Warren McClendon is playing through an ankle injury (also suffered Sunday). Depth guard KT Leveston has an ankle injury as well, and left Sunday’s practice in a walking boot after accidental contact from a teammate. The Rams signed tackles Conor McDermott and Matt Kaskey, and interior lineman Alec Lindstrom on Tuesday.

2. I think the Rams’ safeties are going to be very, very good.

Because Kam Curl has a huge range at the position, and because the Rams could field veteran John Johnson III or rookie Kam Kinchens (who really put things together in the final few days of camp) alongside him, they can deploy Quentin Lake in a variety of roles including where he showed major potential in 2023: dime linebacker and “Star.” They have depth here, too, because Johnson or Kinchens could back up a more traditional two-high look between Lake and Curl, while giving Lake position flexibility when they get on the field. All of the safeties have been making plays and covering a lot of ground in practice. That speaks to one of the strengths of defensive coordinator Chris Shula, who used to coach the position and help scouts with talent identification.

3. I think after this season quarterback Matthew Stafford will either come back to the table with the Rams, or work with them to explore his options elsewhere.

The recent adjustment to Stafford’s contract (which prevented a holdout), per Over the Cap, moved $5 million forward from 2025 and lowered the cap charge for 2024 by $3.33 million, although his cap number is $46.1 million. Stafford also received $40 million fully guaranteed at signing (which includes his $23.5 million salary in 2024), and a $4 million roster bonus in 2025.

Functionally, while the contract guarantees more guaranteed money this year, it leaves future years much more up in the air. If Stafford stays healthy and plays well in 2024, he could re-negotiate again with the Rams and I believe they would be open to that — although within reason in accordance with their own salary cap. The team will have multiple contracts coming due after the 2025 season, including starting center Steve Avila, starting defensive linemen Kobie Turner and Byron Young, and starting receiver Nacua. They will have to seriously consider how much they are willing to pay a quarterback who will be 38 years old entering the 2026 season.

However. I believe that Stafford’s camp leaking to NFL Network back in April that he wanted more guaranteed money on his deal (equating to more guaranteed years), which McVay confirmed was true at that time, was a signal to the Rams and 31 other teams that Stafford feels he will earn those guarantees for multiple seasons with his play. If he doesn’t stay healthy in 2024, that mindset could change. But if he feels good, I think he will want to play football — and he’ll be able to find a fit, whether in L.A. or elsewhere.

4. I think Braden Fiske had the best training camp of any Rams player (but that certainly doesn’t take away from a strong showing by rookie outside linebacker Jared Verse).

Camp obviously started with no pads. So I watched Fiske’s feet (ultra-fast) and hands (usually correct in their placement and leverage). When pads came on, Fiske was as-advertised and used a combination of speed, technical work and power to make multiple plays each day. Meanwhile, Verse’s size and speed make him look like a seasoned professional. The Rams have three outside linebackers who impressed in camp (Verse, Byron Young and Michael Hoecht) and on the inside, Fiske and Turner are playing well together while Bobby Brown III has also had a solid camp. Desjuan Johnson’s play energy also stands out, though he will always have a steep hill to climb as a former “Mr. Irrelevant” draft pick.

5. I think the Rams need to do what they can to keep Avila at center, despite health concerns along the line.

Avila has spent the entire offseason working at understanding the position as a professional player, though previously excelled there in college. McVay said the Rams aren’t afraid of potentially moving him back to left guard as needed, in light of injuries and depth concerns at multiple positions along the offensive line. Avila told me he has gotten a much better grasp of all of the calls and adjustments he needs to make as a center, and he and Stafford have not had any issues with the exchange overall.

But it’s one thing to get a handle on a position change that significant, and another to build confidence and even an edge at the position against live opponents. Avila will be a franchise offensive lineman for the Rams, but in my opinion consistency and sustainability at such a core position is good for both team and player. Just because they can move him, doesn’t mean they should.

6. I think inside linebacker is far too thin behind Ernest Jones.

Jones is backed up by Christian Rozeboom and Troy Reeder, both of whom have plenty of experience but in a vacuum would not be full-time players. Jake Hummel has a lot of speed, while Olakunle Fatukasi, the second-year linebacker out of Rutgers, has notable size at the position and has flashed potential more than once.

7. I think injuries elsewhere and a very strong tight ends room will continue to push McVay toward more 12 and 13 personnel.

The Rams have three versatile tight ends, all who were very active either in rotation or combination throughout camp. Even when the linemen return, helping them onboard back into active games may mean they get more help from capable blockers at tight end and receiver, and without Nacua on the field right now Stafford will look for other targets — he clearly trusts Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen.

8. I think I can handicap the wide receivers room, if the season started today:

Cooper Kupp, Nacua, Demarcus Robinson, Tutu Atwell, Jordan Whittington, Tyler Johnson, Xavier Smith.

The Rams may only need to roster three tight ends for now, because Tyler Higbee (Physically Unable to Perform list) is expected to return middle-to-late season. For that reason, they potentially could get away with sneaking Smith onto the initial roster. He has had a great camp and could be a return specialist.

This is a crucial year for Atwell to make his presence more felt on the field in a consistent manner. The Rams received trade calls on Atwell ahead of last year’s deadline, multiple league sources said at the time.

9. I think the Rams could keep four running backs on the roster, because veteran Boston Scott and third-year player Ronnie Rivers are solid depth behind Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, and also because Scott and Rivers excel on special teams.

10. I think the Rams have found their kicker.

At LMU, the kicking unit was usually on the makeshift partial field behind the main field and out of the view of fans and reporters. Only Sunday and Tuesday (and moving forward, now that the Rams are back at CLU) could rookie Josh Karty truly be observed. He did not miss a kick on either of the two days — 7-of-7 from a variety of distances including 48-plus and 50-plus yards. Time will tell how he (or any kicker) will handle the new kickoff.