.@AsapPuka ANGRY RUNNIN'! 🤬 pic.twitter.com/Smprxpc70M

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 20, 2023

zn wrote:

..

Stu Jackson@StuJRams

Matthew Stafford took a massive hit to his midsection after that throw and got attention from medical staff.

..

Penalty? Yes or no? pic.twitter.com/krhmJXx4eP

— Allen Sales (@AllenSales) November 20, 2023

wv wrote:

Cant quibble with any of that. Though If i were to quibble, I’m not sure I’d have W.Tyler that high on the list.

You’re only lukewarm about Tyler because of your inexplicably irrational prejudice about fumbles.

“All great backs fumble.” Wendell Tyler, sometime in the late 7os.

Cappelletti was indeed everything you say he was.

Jared Goff goes from 2-INT first half to taking the lead in the first half. Nice rebound.

I guess after the media labels you a bust before you get a full season of starts and your coach scapegoats you, nothing much fazes you. pic.twitter.com/CisnzJzRDi

— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) November 20, 2023

.

Jared Goff ain’t your McVay scapegoat. pic.twitter.com/SyteOqQrwc

— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) November 20, 2023

Rodrigue: Rams say they’ll learn from Sunday’s win, so here are some lessons

By Jourdan Rodrigue

https://theathletic.com/5076294/2023/11/20/rams-win-lessons-learned-sean-mcvay/?source=emp_shared_article

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Music boomed and thudded through the Los Angeles locker room just minutes after a missed field goal by Seattle secured the Rams’ fourth win of the season, their first in November since 2020.

The celebration was tinged with some relief: The Rams scored just 17 points Sunday in their 17-16 effort, another sub-20-point outing for a team averaging only 19.5 points per game (No. 22 in the NFL) under its offensive-minded coach and veteran quarterback.

“There’s a lot of things that we can learn from, offensively,” coach Sean McVay said. “But it sure feels good to be able to do that after a win.”

Receiver Cooper Kupp left during the second quarter with an ankle injury and did not return. Kupp stayed out on the sideline in uniform, believing he might be able to come back in. McVay had no update about Kupp’s status.

In his absence, creativity with other receivers was a necessity (as was their need to step up). Lesson No. 1 of the day, on that side of the ball anyway. On the Rams’ two touchdown drives, there was a four-to-five run-to-pass play balance, and Stafford divvied the ball to four different targets per drive. Now, readers know I am not a strict “equal run-to-pass balance” person, understanding that the offense should also be fluid to capitalize where it sees leverages and advantages. However, the Rams, especially minus Kupp on both drives, needed to keep an expanded play-menu intact. Keeping the Seattle defense accountable for the run, and therefore opening the potential of moving Matthew Stafford’s pocket, was important.

Non-scoring drives revealed where this roster still has to go. On more than one occasion, including a couple of hits and throwaways, Stafford held the ball while searching for an open receiver and couldn’t always find one. The Rams opened the game with a three-and-out and got no push on the line of scrimmage inside Seattle’s 5-yard line on their second drive of a scoreless first quarter. That was after getting 59 net penalty yards on the drive — only to stall out on fourth-and-2 (a pass play, after three failed runs) instead of imposing physicality in short yardage.

“You have four (first-half) drives, I believe it was, you end up going three-and-out on two of them, so it’s hard to have any sort of rhythm,” McVay said. “We go right down the field (on the penalty-yards drive), then it wasn’t a really good call on fourth down. There were a couple of previous plays where I thought we could have executed better. So you come away with no points right there. So that’s tough.”

Offensive line will have to be an area of focus this spring, even after some personnel improvements last offseason. So, too, will receiver (another Kupp injury is a sobering reality, though the seriousness of his current situation isn’t yet known) and running back, though the Rams expect starter Kyren Williams to return from injured reserve next week. A harder topic to mull: Although Stafford reiterated that his still-recovering thumb did not limit what the Rams were able to call Sunday, he also admitted he is not “100 percent” and took a massive shot to the stomach/chest on an underthrown ball that was intercepted in the third quarter. The longer-term health of two of the players the Rams refer to as “weight-bearing walls” is constantly under scrutiny.

The hit seemed to fuel Stafford, though.

“I don’t know, I mean, it pissed me off,” he said, chuckling. “I don’t know if I need to take that level of a shot every week to get going.”

McVay added with a laugh, “Maybe we should punch him in the gut right before games, huh?”

A 32-yard dig concept to Puka Nacua later in that third quarter, threaded through double coverage that included star linebacker Bobby Wagner, was Stafford’s best throw of the game and helped set up the final go-ahead field goal.

“No. 9, the best in the world,” Nacua said, laughing. “The ability for him to hang in the pocket and put the ball anywhere.”

On defense, too, the team says it will keep learning, even in a strong finish. Cornerback Derion Kendrick was a good example Sunday. Kendrick all but lost his starting spot but got back the role because Cobie Durant was inactive Sunday with a shoulder injury. Kendrick had a rough start to the game — he had a penalty and was visibly frustrated with himself for miscommunicating on an assignment that ended up as a crucial second-down conversion on Seattle’s first touchdown drive — but batted down a Drew Lock pass attempt in the fourth quarter, and then intercepted Lock on a deep sideline one-on-one matchup with Tyler Lockett two plays later.

“I commend Derion,” inside linebacker Ernest Jones said. “He worked himself back into it. He wasn’t a starter at the beginning of the week, but the way he prepared and got himself going, he came out and he executed like we know all year — Derion, a few mistakes here and there. But when it’s time to go play, he’ll rise to the occasion.”

Seattle extended its opening drives with third- and even fourth-down conversions as the Rams offense couldn’t sustain anything. The Rams defense was on the field for almost 20 minutes in the first half — almost double its offense’s time of possession — but clamped down in the second half, holding the Seahawks to 1-for-8 on third down and just three points while flipping the time of possession advantage.

McVay gave the defensive captains game balls in the locker room after the win, among them Jones, saying repeatedly that the defense kept the Rams in the game.

“We were able to just keep everybody together,” said Jones, who led the Rams with 12 tackles, a half-sack and two quarterback hits, cradling his ball under his arm. “I pride myself on, when these guys get down or start second-guessing themselves, I want to lift them up, ‘Hey, you’re still a dog, you’re still a baller.’ This game ball means more to me than most, the most that I’ve ever gotten. I’m thankful.”

In the second half, the Rams mixed in new ideas on defense — a lesson in adjustments, in thinking outside the box with personnel even with a limited roster.

The Rams will have to address their cornerback position and sorely need to add pass-rushing help after this season. Midseason, they are working with and developing the guys they’ve got. That means trying new things.

Instead of bringing a third cornerback in to play the slot/star, they expanded a different sub package to include four safeties, two in hybrid “cover linebacker” roles and two in their usual single- or two-high look. They especially did this on known passing downs (third-and-medium or third-and-long) and had two stops in this look (the Seahawks converted a fourth down after one of them). Safety Russ Yeast also broke up a pass while covering in a hybrid role.

They also mixed up their pressures, including blitzes and even some funky pre-snap movement along their defensive line, which led to a sack.

“They were the key to the game,” McVay said of the Rams’ second-half defense. “It’s always a team game, (but) I thought for them not to be affected by some of the things we were struggling with and our offense was struggling with as a whole, they just kept playing. They kept competing. They kept it to a tight game.”

In a perfect world, the Rams aren’t depending on a missed kick by their opponent to secure a win. But they entered this season knowing they weren’t going to exist in a perfect world, nor with a perfect roster — or even one that is a player or two away.

They say they have learned a lot in their six losses; they gained a lot to chew on in their fourth win, too.

“There was a lot of things that didn’t go our way, but they just kept staying the course, they kept just learning from it,” McVay said. “I think learning how to win and learning how to identify those moments where the game pivots and you get a chance to be able to come away with (these) results, you’ve got to learn how to do that. Well, what’s the way to learn? You feel what these feelings feel like.”

Rich Eisen@richeisen
If the Seahawks somehow miss the playoffs, look no further than the LA Rams, who just swept the season series for the 2nd time in 3 years.

Rams Brothers@RamsBrothers
We have the opportunity to sweep Seattle and Arizona in back to back weeks. In a rollercoaster of a year, that’s a big win for everyone… except the tanking crowd.

J.B. Long@JB_Long
John Johnson an early appearance in the secondary, rookie Ochaun Mathis on the field at edge among the wrinkles we saw on defense from the Rams coming out of the bye.

Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
No update yet on Cooper Kupp’s ankle, per Sean McVay. Matthew Stafford saw Kupp in the locker room postgame and indicated he was still going through information-gathering process.

J.B. Long@JB_Long
Matthew Stafford’s first 4th quarter comeback since the Super Bowl, 35th career.

His second game-winning drive of 2023, 44th career.

Pretty good stuff after getting cut in half by Mario Edwards late. Didn’t miss a snap.

Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
Celebratory music booming from locker room as Rams celebrate first November win since I believe 2020.

ILB and captain Ernest Jones said that Sean McVay gave game balls to the defensive captains tonight. “We were able to just keep everybody together. I pride myself on, when these guys get down or start second-guessing themselves, I want to lift them up, ‘hey, you’re still a dog,

you’re still a baller.’ This game ball means more to me than most, the most that I’ve ever gotten. I’m thankful.”

Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams | 2023 Week 11 Game Highlights

.@_rayshawnnn_ SAID I'LL TAKE THAT!

📺 @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/d50ynME1WA

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 20, 2023

JASON MYERS MISSES THE KICK AND THE RAMS GET THE WIN OVER SEATTLE ‼️

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/VhiBFd5zdt

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 20, 2023

Billy_T wrote:

I wonder if the Rams ever tried to get him to adjust. He played most of his career before the NFL really took advantage of new tech, analytics,

Interesting discussion. When Stephen Davis was a Ram in 2006 after a long career playing in both Washington and Carolina, he openly talked about trying to teach SJ how to run lower, under his pads. Jackson did that for a bit in 2006 (one of his best years–in the last 6 games of that season, he had 151 carries for 725 yards and 8 TDs). But then Davis was gone after 2006 (and the OL fell apart due to injuries). After that Jackson never seemed to re-acquire the art of running lower and more under his pads. He remained the upright runner we all remember.

Plus unlike practically every back the Rams have now, SJ did not have superior contact balance. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t superior. That seems to be the common trait of every current Rams RB, from Wms to Henderson and so on. Not elusiveness, not power, not speed–contact balance.

1.

Rams Tapes@RamsTapes
LA Rams Transactions:
• Activated, from Reserve NT Bobby Brown

2.

from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/lists/rams-pff-grades-defense-2023-season-first-half/

Here’s a list of the five highest-graded defenders for Los Angeles in the first half of the season (min. 100 snaps played).

DT Aaron Donald: 89.1
LB Ernest Jones: 72.1
DT Kobie Turner: 70.4
OLB Byron Young: 69.1
NT Bobby Brown III: 68.9

Brown was playing well before he got hurt, clogging up the middle of the line with his size as a run defender.

wv wrote:

Well, I dunno, but I just cant see any way the Palestinians can achieve any kind of justice/land by peaceful means.   Can you imagine Israel budging an inch on any of this?

I can see a return to the 2-state proposal if Israel can get out from under its right wing. Remember Rabin was moving toward that and was assasinated by an Israeli right-wing militant. I think it’s no accident that Netanyahu and his types supported Hamas, financially and in other ways–they didn’t want a unified Gaza/West Bank Palestinian front that could push for the Rabin solution. That of course is counter to the settlers pushing the West Bank, but then one way Israel gets away with that is by supporting Hamas’s power in Gaza, dividing the Palestinian bloc.

And I didn’t say only peaceful means. But what I can’t justify is slaughtering civilians, and that’s whether the KKK does it for the sake of white supremacy or if Hamas does it for the sake of Palestinian rights (though I doubt that’s why they do it). There;s always someone who feels they fight for what’s right and true and just so it’s not terrorism. To me it doesn’t matter if it’s “their guys for the wrong cause” or “our guys for the right cause.” Both defend their actions the same way with the same rhetoric and I have always believed all of them doing that are wrong. So I absolutely condemn Hamas totally and to me that is completely separate thing from us supporting Palestinian rights.

Remember, when the Israelis fought Hezbollah years ago and we discussed it on an early version of this board, and I defended Hezbollah in the context of that conflict. Hezbollah did not act like Isis or Hamas. In fact to me it’s obvious that Hamas is bad for Palestinians–in Gaza, they suppress elections and torture and execute their Palestinian critics.

Los Angeles Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks Week 11 Preview: Can Rams Spoil Seattle’s Season?

https://www.si.com/nfl/rams/news/los-angeles-rams-seattle-seahawks-week-11-preview

In Week 1, the Los Angeles Rams put the football world on notice, dismantling the Seattle Seahawks 31-13.

Seattle, coming off of a season where the offense exploded into its post-Russell Wilson era, was silenced in the second half. Los Angeles, despite meager projections coming into the season, found itself 1-0 with a divisional win on the road.

Since then, things have mostly gone back to the consensus preseason expectations. The Rams have lost three straight and four of their last five contests, beleaguered by offensive injuries and defensive inexperience. The Seahawks, meanwhile, are fighting for a spot atop the NFC West, but have shown some warts.

At 3-6, Los Angeles’ season could be over with basically any additional loss. But that doesn’t mean the Rams can’t make an impact on the NFC playoff picture.

Can they pull off another upset?

For starters, Seattle is on the road on Sunday. Los Angeles has won just a single game at SoFi Stadium, but the Rams will welcome the advantage that comes with playing on their home turf, even if they haven’t cashed in on it this season.

Most importantly, Los Angeles is expected to have quarterback Matthew Stafford back under center. A thumb injury forced him out of Week 8’s action against the Dallas Cowboys and he missed Week 9 against the Green Bay Packers, a 20-3 loss.

With Stafford back and a bye week giving head coach Sean McVay time to make some badly needed adjustments, Los Angeles could very well retain its early-season potency.

They won’t hold Seattle to 12 yards in the second half again, meaning it will be on Stafford to come back with a bang. Against a Seahawks defense that has allowed more than 27 points per game in the last three weeks, the opportunities should be present for the Rams to keep this one close. The minuscule spread seems to agree.

A Rams upset could send Seattle into a tailspin, with perhaps the league’s hardest schedule down the stretch. It’s on McVay and the offense to make their rival’s playoff hopes that much cloudier.

Steven Jackson was just a generational talent in his prime. To be that big at a legitimate 240 lbs and be that explosive & quick on his feet.

A Hall Of Fame worthy player who would have been in the MVP conversation for a 5 years if the Rams were in contention

vs Seattle 2007 pic.twitter.com/wzehVZEZGY

— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) November 18, 2023