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December 23, 2023 at 12:41 am in reply to: praise for Stafford after TNF (definitive article posted 1/9) #147854
znModeratorMatthew Stafford’s last 5 games:
🐏 1,388 passing yards
🐏 14 passing touchdowns
🐏 1 interception
🐏 114.6 passer ratingThe @RamsNFL QB is balling. pic.twitter.com/Y8RdJG7CLg
— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) December 22, 2023
znModerator"I think they're the most dangerous team in the league right now, next to the 49ers." 🔥@BaldyNFL on the surging Rams pic.twitter.com/LtLV4rCfc1
— NFL Total Access (@NFLTotalAccess) December 23, 2023
December 23, 2023 at 12:36 am in reply to: praise for Stafford after TNF (definitive article posted 1/9) #147852znModeratorMatthew Stafford has 4 games with a 90+ PFF grade this season.
Only Dak Prescott has more among QBs 👀 pic.twitter.com/lC59tZaGIl
— PFF (@PFF) December 22, 2023
December 23, 2023 at 12:35 am in reply to: comics, jokes, one-shot memes, funny tweets, etc. #147851znModeratorJoe Rogan is trending for this again basically 🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/umHz3NhhuS
— Quadcarl (@quadcarl_carl) December 22, 2023
December 23, 2023 at 12:22 am in reply to: praise for Stafford after TNF (definitive article posted 1/9) #147848znModeratorMatthew Stafford’s thumbprints are all over Rams’ resurgence and win over Saints
Sam Farmer
Matthew Stafford wasn’t a quarterback on this play but a receiver.
He stood in the Rams locker room in the immediate aftermath of a 30-22 victory over the New Orleans Saints, and coach Sean McVay, hoarse and striding back and forth, tossed game balls to the most impactful players.
Finally, the coach held a ball high over his head and announced: “Wouldn’t want anyone else in the world leading us,” and flipped an underhand pass to Stafford as the team erupted.
With 14 touchdowns and one interception in the last five games, Stafford looks so relaxed and precise in finding his targets, he might as well have a dart in one hand and a pint in the other.
“Just the throws he makes, we’re just on the sideline like, ‘How did he do it?’ ” Rams safety John Johnson III said. “With a flick of the wrist, he makes it look effortless. You give him time back there, he’ll dot up any team in the league.”
The Saints came into the game with a good pass defense and more breakups than any team in the NFL. Of course, the best quarterbacks they had faced to this point were Trevor Lawrence and Jared Goff. Those guys are good, but Stafford is at a different level.
“People don’t understand how much he was pushing through with the thumb,” McVay said, referring to the injury on Stafford’s throwing hand that sidelined him for 1½ games. “But this guy is a stud. He elevates everybody, myself included. He’s playing outstanding.”
With two games remaining and the playoffs within reach, the Rams need sturdy performances from Stafford at the New York Giants and at San Francisco to tighten their grip on an NFC wild-card berth.
Amazing how far this team has come. It was only a few months ago that outsiders were speculating that, in this rebuilding year, the Rams should just tank the season so they could draft USC quarterback Caleb Williams.
Now, McVay has assembled a remarkable coaching season, and Stafford has forced his way into the most-valuable-player conversation, though quarterbacks Brock Purdy, Dak Prescott and Lamar Jackson also have made compelling cases.
Remember the kerfuffle at the beginning of the season when people wondered if the 35-year-old Stafford might have problems relating to his younger teammates? His wife raised the topic on her podcast, and the quarterback laughed it off.
That certainly hasn’t been a problem. The Rams are among the youngest teams in the league, and two of their most impactful offensive contributors are rookie receiver Puka Nacua and second-year running back Kyren Williams. Stafford looks as if he’s been playing with them for years.
“He’s raising these youngsters up,” said Stafford’s former left tackle, Andrew Whitworth, who was at Thursday night’s game in his new role as an Amazon Prime color analyst.
“I actually sent him a text at about midseason. I was here for a game, and I knew a play didn’t go the way it was supposed to, and I saw him come on the sideline and saw how angry he was. Instead of lashing out, there was this moment where he sat down for a second and you could see his body language. He took a deep breath, set his helmet down and he walked over and put his arm around the kid and was gentle.
“When I see Matthew right now, I think he’s having the most fun being the big brother. He’s kind of the steady guy that they can all lean on for a million different reasons. And in the games, he gets to watch their energy and passion, and he gets to feed off of that.”
A video went viral last week of Stafford and his wife, Kelly, posing for a photo with their four young daughters, and the quarterback answered a question about that after Thursday’s game.
The youngest of the girls advised the quarterback: “Daddy, have a good game. Don’t get tackled.”
“It’s a special time in my life,” he said. “To be able to do what I get to do still, play at a high level and have them understand what’s going on and to watch and cheer. Obviously, my youngest is pretty dialed in, telling me not to get hit — she’s a smart girl.
“I love getting to see them before games down on the sideline and then wave to them after we play. It’s a whole lot of fun.”
It’s clear that Stafford is enjoying himself, with a chance to extend the type of season few people envisioned. Sure, he’s in the back half of his career, but his play lately has been ageless.
znModeratorRams’ 2023 Rookie Class Keeps Rolling in One-Sided Win Over Saints
Los Angeles was prepared for a “retooling” year, but already finds itself well ahead of schedule because of an immediately impactful group first-year players.
GILBERTO MANZANOhttps://www.si.com/nfl/2023/12/22/rams-rookie-class-keeps-rolling-thursday-night-football-win-saints
Cooper Kupp had a rough opening half vs. the New Orleans Saints, with a few drops in the end zone and miscommunication with Matthew Stafford. But the Los Angeles Rams still went into the locker room up double digits Thursday night.
Last season, the Rams probably would have been down by 10 points, searching for their first touchdown and in need of healthy offensive linemen.
But these Rams are different from the 5–12 team from last season. They’re also drastically different from the 3–6 squad earlier this year. The Rams (8–7) are rolling behind a red-hot offense and an underrated defense, as they defeated the Saints, 30–22, to get one step closer to returning to the postseason.
Sean McVay’s 2023 team is winning and scoring often for a multitude of reasons, including a revamped offensive line that has remained mostly healthy this season. (They had 12 different offensive line combinations in the first 13 games last season.)
But Stafford is playing like an MVP candidate—and defensive coordinator Raheem Morris will gain head-coaching attention in the offseason—primarily because of a sensational 2023 draft class that’s led by wide receiver Puka Nacua, Stafford’s new No. 1 target. L.A.’s offense took off after McVay made Nacua and second-year running back Kyren Williams the focal points of the offense, a unit that has scored 27 points or more in five consecutive games.
With Drew Brees sitting in a suite with Saints owner Gayle Benson at SoFi Stadium, I remembered how vital the 2017 New Orleans draft class was during the final years of Brees’s career. Alvin Kamara, Marshon Lattimore, Ryan Ramczyk, Marcus Williams, Trey Hendrickson and Alex Anzalone (Yeah, that draft class was loaded) helped Brees and then-coach Sean Payton gain a few more cracks at winning a second Super Bowl in New Orleans. They came up short, but they made the playoffs in 2017 after a three-year drought, and advanced to the postseason for four consecutive seasons before Brees retired after the ’20 campaign.
The Rams’ 2023 draft class could have that type of impact to possibly give Stafford, Kupp, McVay and Aaron Donald more opportunities to win a second Super Bowl in Los Angeles.
Along with Nacua, offensive guard Steve Avila, edge rusher Byron Young, defensive tackle Kobie Turner, and punter Ethan Evans have contributed as rookie starters this season. Even Davis Allen, a fifth-round pick, filled in admirably for Tyler Higbee when the veteran tight end missed the shootout against the Ravens two weeks ago.
The Rams’ opening drive Thursday was a perfect example of the immediate impact the rookies have provided in this second act for Stafford and McVay. Avila, the 2023 second-round pick, created running lanes for Williams, while Nacua, a ’23 fifth-round pick, quickly got open for Stafford. Nacua ended the night with nine catches for 164 yards and a touchdown and would probably be the front-runner for Offensive Rookie of the Year if it weren’t for Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud.
With a balanced attack, McVay had the luxury of calling a variety of plays—14 to be exact on the opening touchdown drive that started on the Rams 5-yard line and ate nearly eight minutes off the clock. Four different pass-catchers caught at least one pass that went for 10 yards or more on the drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown reception to Nacua on fourth-and-goal.
Ol’ reliable Kupp could have closed the sensational opening drive, but dropped a pass in the end zone. He had a second drop in the end zone that led to the Rams taking a 10–0 advantage after a 20-yard field goal from Lucas Havrisik—another rookie, who went undrafted out of Arizona.
In Kupp’s defense, the two drops weren’t easy catches to make, especially the first one, with an awkward angle. But that’s what makes these new-look Rams dangerous offensively. The 2021 Offensive Player of the Year doesn’t need to do the heavy lifting, which was the case last season before Kupp had a season-ending ankle injury.
The 2022 Rams were boring and predictable as a one-man show with Kupp. The ’23 Rams are far from boring, with the trio of Kupp, Nacua and Williams, and many other options for Stafford, who has played as well as any other quarterback in the league the past month. Demarcus Robinson, the former Chiefs and Ravens wide receiver, has stepped up as a reliable third option for Stafford. Robinson feasted Thursday night, with Nacua and Kupp getting the bulk of the attention.
These Rams might be a top-five offense in the NFL, a development that transpired after the 3–6 start. But let’s not overlook the work Morris has done with an inexperienced defense that was labeled as “Aaron Donald and a bunch of nobodies.”
Turner, a third-round pick, had a critical sack on fourth down during the first half against the Saints. Young, also a third-round selection, has provided consistent pressure, along with Michael Hoecht, a 2020 undrafted free agent that moved from defensive tackle to edge rusher last season. There’s also linebacker Ernest Jones and safety Jordan Fuller—two defenders who made notable plays Thursday night. And add cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon to the list of quality, bargain free-agent finds for GM Les Snead, who should be in the mix for Executive of the Year. Offensive guard Kevin Dotson is another impactful newcomer—the veteran was acquired in a trade with the Steelers.
Snead kept calling this a retooling year, not a rebuild year after the Rams parted with Jalen Ramsey, Bobby Wagner, Leonard Floyd and many other notable veterans in the offseason. The Rams paid the tab on the salary-cap debt they accumulated to win the 2021 Super Bowl. Now they’re armed with $43 million in cap space next year, according to Overthecap.com.
These Rams are a year ahead of schedule thanks to an impactful 2023 draft class, and appear capable of making noise in the NFC postseason as a wild-card team. Once the postseason arrives, not many teams will want to face a team that has Super Bowl experience with a new crop of stars.
znModeratorznModeratorznModeratordo i think they will? i have a hard time imagining it. but this fo is known for doing some unconventional things.
Yeah it’s not an unreasonable argument by any means. And you guys (you and BT) make a valid case.
It’s just that fwiw, I’m just a bit more on the other side of the line on this one.
znModeratorAll the respect in the world to @Bigaj77. Remembering last year when he was vocal about offensive line changes and was confident in himself to be able to consistently man the LT position and protect Stafford’s blindside. Always been an underdog and grew into a true asset 💪 pic.twitter.com/3lEohivEOq
— Rams Brothers (@RamsBrothers) December 22, 2023
znModeratorKyren Williams…is averaging the third-most scrimmage yards in the league this season with 114.5, behind only Christian McCaffrey and Tyreek Hill, both of whom are in the MVP conversation.znModeratorBlaine Grisak @bgrisakTSTFor a second consecutive week, Ernest Jones was the Rams’ highest graded defender via PFF. He’s the best blitzing LB in the NFL. Led the Rams with 5 pressures. Also had a PBU. Big players show up in big time games. EJ showed up.znModeratorBlaine Grisak@bgrisakTST
Puka Nacua with a career-high 92.5 PFF grade. Also had a 92.1 run-blocking grade.Had 4.69 yards per route ran. Led the Rams with a 14.5 average depth of target. Somehow, he just keeps getting better.
J.B. Long@JB_Long
Notable PFF grades from @RamsNFL TNF win:Puka 92.5^
Jones 92.3*
Stafford 91.8*
Donald 90.6+
Hoecht 90.3^
Lake 89.2^
Dotson 89.1
Havenstein 87.1*
Robinson 82.1*
Turner 81.4^
Jackson 75.8
Shelton 75.7*Season-high
^Career-high
+Just another day at the officeznModerator.@RamsNFL offensive line is playing as well as anyone in both tge run game and in protection. Merry Christmas to Jackson; Avila; Shelton; Dotson;and Havenstein. Job well done. @AndrewWhitworth @BigDuke50 #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/hZ4SidX61f
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) December 22, 2023
znModerator.@RamsNFL @AaronDonald97 still attracts a ton of attention; it allows the others to enjoy a good meal. Defense is playing well. Youngins coming along. Dangerous TEAM. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/4o21AMAm27
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) December 22, 2023
znModeratorI still can't comprehend how this toss/catch was made last night.
Stafford credited with 4 big time throws from PFF. pic.twitter.com/RudmQq3EeL
— J.B. Long (@JB_Long) December 22, 2023
znModerator.@RamsNFL the offense is cooking and Stafford is throwing it as well as he ever has. Fine Wine. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/dtwatSNrJb
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) December 22, 2023
znModeratorThese Rams OGs are becoming MUST watch film assignments each. Rookie LG Steve Avila and RG Kevin Dotson have changed this Rams OL.
Dotson is a bully. pic.twitter.com/o9TPhdWqb7
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) December 22, 2023
znModeratorWe seriously need to stop acting like Patrick Mahomes invented the side arm 3/4 arm slot throw . Stafford has been doing this since 2012 and any qb who played baseball past age 12 can do this https://t.co/ka72f7IFbz
— John (@iam_johnw) December 22, 2023
znModeratori mean i know everyone knows the names. gurley, woods, goff, ramsey, etc… the more i think about it yeah. the rams totally would but would it even be possible cap wise?
If the Rams cut or traded Kupp this off-season which IMO they’re not going to do (that’s just an opinion):
Pre-June 1 cut: 47 M dead money, including a 0 savings & 17.2 M deficit
Post-June 1 cut: 29.7 dead money, 0 savings
Pre-June 1 trade: 27 M dead money, 2.7 M savings
Post-June 1 trade: 9.7 M dead money, 20 M savings
Remember Stafford was beat up last year, and many spoke of him as if it were the end, but look at him now. Kupp IMO just needs an off-season to straighten out. Again this is all opinion, but, they’re not going to find another WR who draws the attention he does, understands the offense at such a high level, all while also being a first-rate blocker. Even in a diminished role with shorter routes and less being asked of him, Kupp can be valuable.
When Gurley’s knee went full arthritic, he had less to offer as a player, and basically was nowhere near as useful anymore. Whatever is going on with Kupp, it’s not like that–it just takes away part of his game but he still has a lot of value.
znModeratorJourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
The Rams lead the league in missed FGs but Sean McVay says today they won’t bring in yet another a new kicker. “There’s a lot of layers to it. We want to look at everything that makes our operation tighter.”
McVay also notes not having LS Alex Ward active has been significant.McVay also noted today that the level of inconsistency in that phase should lead to adjustments in how he calls and manages late-down situations.
znModerator.@RamsNFL @Kyrenwilliams23 “sound tge sirens Kyren”. Leads all NFL RB averaging 95 yards/Game. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/i3yxrhfeqF
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) December 22, 2023
znModerator.@RamsNFL @Kyrenwilliams23 coming out of the endzone; or finding the endzone…Kyren is #1 in NFL averaging over 96 yards/game. What a beast. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/wCgqXZiC71
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) December 22, 2023
znModerator.@RamsNFL @AsapPuka can someone help me get my helmet on straight so I can continue to rip this NFL apart. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/Wlztr0Kuji
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) December 22, 2023
znModeratorSosa Kremenjas@QBsMVP
It’s funny how much better Demarcus Robinson is than Allen RobinsonRams Brothers@RamsBrothers
Puka Nacua has now surpassed Randy Moss and is 5th all-time in rookie receiving yards with 1,327 on the seasonCameron DaSilva@camdasilva
Havrisik is now 2-for-6 from 40-49 yards. That’s the money range. Can’t survive making 1/3 of your kicks from that distance.SDG@LARamsOnly1
So Kobie Turner and Byron Young are both playing better than Jalen Carter but neither will get DROY?Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigueAfter the blocked punt, New Orleans got the ball back at the LA 35 and scored, then got the two-point. Crowd very displeased with the contact there as was sideline. Two weeks in a row, special teams errors keeps the other team in it late.znModeratorIn what was assumed to be a rebuilding year after shedding veterans and going incredibly young on defense, McVay, Stafford and defensive coordinator Raheem Morris have L.A. on the brink of the postseason. Right now, they’re clearly the club battling for a wild-card spot no division winner wants to face.
“That’s something that we’ve been trying to build here since the offseason. We have had such a young team this year, and I think we’re finally at the point where we go into games expecting to win,” tight end Tyler Higbee said. “We can close out games a little bit better, try not to make them as close when we got these teams on the ropes. Throw an uppercut and put them away, but again, it’s part of learning and we’ll learn from it and be better for it moving forward.”
znModeratorMatthew Stafford just showing off now. pic.twitter.com/AkTzk18o7e
— NFL Fashion Advice (@fashion_nfl) December 22, 2023
znModeratorGreg Beacham@gregbeacham
The Rams’ Kobie Turner now leads all NFL rookies in sacks (6.5) this season, passing Byron Young of the Los Angeles Rams (6.0)Matthew Stafford has thrown multiple TD passes in 5 straight games for only the 3rd time in his 15-year NFL career. His record is 7 straight games.
“He makes it look effortless. You give him time back there, he’ll dot up any team in the league. He’s a one-of-a-kind player. The arm angles, the accuracy, just unbelievable.” -Rams S John Johnson on Matthew Stafford
Kyren Williams becomes only the second 1,000-yard rusher Matthew Stafford has played with in his 15 NFL seasons, joining Reggie Bush in Detroit.
J.B. Long@JB_Long
28+ pts in 5 straight games for the @RamsNFL. Tied for the NFL’s longest active streaktechnically the longest now, but SF gets a chance to answer over the weekend
*4th straight game with a TD for DRob (career-best)
*5th straight game with multiple TD tosses for Stafford (longest run as a Ram, longest active streak in NFL)
*Ernest Jones with a sack in 3 straight games.
znModerator.@RamsNFL the “sit route” at the goal line on 4th & 2! Precision to @AsapPuka #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/J3nRKV7DSD
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) December 22, 2023
znModerator.@RamsNFL Stafford keeping the play alive. DRob been a great addition to the offense in last month. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/LJpNAqCGPq
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) December 22, 2023
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