Ronnie Rivers (#30) with the sound eyes and finish in protection pic.twitter.com/Tv4ThRitxy

— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) August 16, 2023

Former Rams head coach Mike Martz believes a .500 season would be impressive for Los Angeles in 2023. https://t.co/8xNmOR2Pso

— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) August 17, 2023

10 Observations from Rams’ first joint practice with Raiders: Tre Tomlinson tested at outside CB, Tutu Atwell making plays, and more

Stu Jackson

https://www.therams.com/news/10-observations-first-joint-practice-raiders-tre-tomlinson-tutu-atwell?_debug=y&token=99ffc3fdc838d4e6077af99d50c663d3419f62d4f69c52690561e01a3448a37a&_version=Live

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The Rams held their first of two joint practices with the Raiders on Wednesday, a session highlighted by defensive back Tre Tomlinson, wide receiver Tutu Atwell and linebacker Ernest Jones’ performances.

Here are 10 things that stood out from it:

1) Rest day for Donald: Defensive tackle Aaron Donald had a veteran rest day and did not participate in today’s joint practice. McVay said the team doesn’t go back-to-back days with him in terms of managing him, and they also thought tomorrow would be a better day for Donald to go because of the work and schedule they have for tomorrow.

2) Noteboom only does some individual drills: Offensive lineman Joe Noteboom did not participate in team drills during today’s joint practice because he’s “dealing with a little something” right now, per McVay. Noteboom will not be practicing the rest of this week, according to McVay, who also said he didn’t have any details beyond that.

3) More trial by fire for Tomlinson: Just as the Rams did in the preseason opener, rookie defensive back Tre Tomlinson was getting reps at outside cornerback and tested. Matched up with all-pro receiver Davante Adams during 11-on-11 drills, Tomlinson pushed Adams out of bounds before he could complete a catch. Adams got Tomlinson back a few plays later on a nice catch deep down the left sideline, then Tomlinson responded not long after with a pass breakup in the corner of the endzone.

4) Tutu making plays: Wide receiver Tutu Atwell had a couple of impressive catches during Wednesday’s practice, hauling in a deep ball from quarterback Matthew Stafford near the sideline and also connecting with Stafford on contested catch in traffic off a play-action fake.

5) Byron bringing the heat: The were a few instances of rookie outside linebacker Byron Young putting his speed on display and generating pressure against the Raiders offensive line and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

6) Jones making his presence felt: It was hard to miss Rams linebacker Ernest Jones, especially during 11-on-11 drills. At one point, he blew up a Raiders run play to the outside. Shortly thereafter, he charged up the middle for another run stop. He also got very good pressure on Garoppolo, but Garopollo – who, like all quarterbacks, was wearing a red non-contact jersey – got the ball out just in time to deliver a deep completion down the left sideline to Adams.

7) Ahkello says hello: Defensive back Ahkello Witherspoon during 11-on-11 had a strong pass breakup on a Garoppolo pass intended for Adams.

8) Rookies team up for stop: In 11-on-11, defensive end Desjuan Johnson brought the pressure on Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell, and defensive back Tanner Ingle quickly took advantage with a timely pass breakup that got the Rams defense fired up.

9) More pressure: Nose tackle Kobie Turner and outside linebacker Michael Hoecht worked together to generate pressure on Garoppolo that would’ve resulted in a sack.

10) Akers, Crosby removed from practice: McVay didn’t see what happened between Rams running back Cam Akers and Raiders outside linebacker Max Crosby during one part of 11-on-11, but the altercation after a play resulted in both being removed from practice before it finished – Crosby returning to the Raiders sideline and Akers going back into the Rams’ facility. McVay said that’s the rule if that happens.

“If you’re involved in it, you know, we’re just kind of no tolerance,” McVay said.

After both players were separated and removed, practice proceeded without any issue, and McVay said they were able to get accomplished what they needed to.

The rook makin' a play against the vet.👀 pic.twitter.com/BARZFkr8ck

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 16, 2023

Rams host Raiders: Byron Young’s best days yet and more from joint practice

Jourdan Rodrigue

https://theathletic.com/4781661/2023/08/16/rams-byron-young-raiders-joint-practice/?source=emp_shared_article

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Midway through training camp, Los Angeles Rams rookie outside linebacker Byron Young moved into the starting defensive rotation.

Now, Young is doing what he can to stay there — and the coaching staff is both testing his physical readiness and mental toughness, and encouraging him to try new things.

Young played a little more than 20 snaps in their first preseason game Saturday, which was “strategic,” said defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who wanted to assess Young’s situational awareness when he was tired.

“When he was fresh and healthy and ready to go, he looked awesome,” Morris said Monday, smiling. “When he was tired, he looked tired.”

“Just consistency,” coach Sean McVay added Wednesday, of what he’s hoping to see from Young as he gets his “NFL legs” under him. “Consistent get-off, being aligned right. Getting in the proper stance to be able to execute your technique within the framework of the call, based on the situations.”

Young, who was a third-round pick, responded to those snaps (and the clear challenge from the coaches) with his best two days of practice yet: Monday, and Wednesday’s joint session with the Raiders. On Wednesday, his speed popped a couple of times with multiple pressures in 11-on-11 drills, and it also seemed like Young’s energy stayed high even with a heavy workload on a hot day.

“I felt great,” Young said after practice, “felt like I had some good rushes and (was) getting off the ball well. … The preseason game, that conditioning, I liked the way they did that. I need to prepare my body for the regular season. The way they do that conditioning, I loved it. Next game I hope they do the same thing.”

Further, Young was working on several different types of pass rush moves Wednesday, including speed-to-power combinations, speed-and-leverage combinations and spins.

“In OTAs, I was kind of using the same moves,” Young said. “My coach (Joe Coniglio) challenged me over the break we had for a month. He said, ‘Byron, I want to challenge you to bring some more moves to the table. Don’t keep doing the same thing, change it up a little bit.’ … So since we’ve started camp, I’ve just tried new moves.”

Young’s favorite pass rush move is the ghost rush, where he fakes a long-arm against the lineman and then drops the arm and dips low without contact while bending around the outside. It takes a lot of speed and craftiness to execute well. Young tried it a little in the spring and at the beginning of camp, but over the last couple of weeks has been working on the move more so behind the scenes. He hopes to re-enter a better (and more well-conditioned) version of it into his arsenal in the coming weeks.

“I think that’s the best part about these things,” McVay said. “When you look at anybody that is successful at their craft, these are the times, without being reckless, to try some techniques and fundamentals to add to your tool belt. … That’s exactly what we want. We want guys who aren’t afraid to try that stuff.”

More notes and observations from the first of two Rams/Raiders joint practices:

• A light skirmish broke out in the latter third of the day, during 11-on-11s. Rams running back Cam Akers was finishing a run after the play was whistled to a stop, as the running backs are instructed to do. Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby chased Akers down and tried to swat the ball out of his hands, and the two players exchanged swings at each other as teammates rushed to intervene. Akers was kicked out of practice by McVay, while Crosby remained on the sideline but out of the scrimmage for the rest of the day (there would have been nowhere for him to go except the boiling-temperature buses sitting in the parking lot).

“I’ve never gotten that far down the field, to be honest, so, um, I’m not really sure what the rules are down there,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said dryly. “I’m usually sliding way before that. I don’t know what happened there, but joint practices get that way a little sometimes. I don’t have much experience in that area.

“I thought everybody did a great job today, the rest of the day was fine (and) event-free. I don’t have enough energy for all of that, to be honest with you,” he added, laughing. “But more power to those guys.”

• Receiver Tutu Atwell again stood out Wednesday. He had a long catch over his shoulder but also caught a tough ball amid some contact on an out-breaking route and drew a flag in the process.

Atwell has expanded what he’s able to do within the Rams’ offense through this spring and summer. McVay went so far as to say that he is “playing big” — a significant compliment toward the smaller-framed, third-year wideout.

“He is super smart. … I think he’s playing physical at the catch point, too,” McVay said.

Stafford looked sharp in 11-on-11s, including a long period where he did not miss a throw except for a drop by Brycen Hopkins. He also threw a nice ball to tight end Tyler Higbee down the right sideline and hit Van Jefferson on a tough crosser through traffic (that usually goes to teammate Cooper Kupp) over the course of the practice.

• Rams offensive lineman Joe Noteboom, who was competing at left tackle before moving into the competition at right guard late in the week, went through individual drills but did not fully practice Wednesday.

“He’s dealing with a little something right now,” McVay said, declining when pressed to share more details. “He won’t be practicing the rest of the week.

Noteboom tore his Achilles last season and was still rehabbing into OTAs but went through a full training camp. He did not play in Saturday’s preseason game. The Rams have still not publicly determined what their “best five” offensive line combination will be, but Alaric Jackson has taken over the bulk of the left tackle reps, and Tremayne Anchrum was back at right guard, where he started camp before Noteboom eventually began rotating with him.

“It’s a constant learning thing, we’re trying to figure out what we’re gonna be good at, what our certain guys are good at,” Stafford said. “I thought they did a nice job setting their pads in the run game, had some nice creases in there.”

The offensive linemen had a pretty mixed day overall. They were not consistently winning one-on-one drills against the Raiders’ defensive linemen and pass rushers early in practice, and there were some clear misses in pass protection in team drills. Stafford did get pressured some around the right side when Crosby was still participating pre-skirmish (right tackle Rob Havenstein and Crosby spent some extra time together after practice). Stafford joked that it might not always be what it looks like … or sounds like.

“For the most part, I had some time back there. Now, Crosby is a heck of a player and was in the backfield a few times,” he said, “I’ve got to go watch the tape. Anytime he gets within five feet of me he’s yelling ‘SACK’ in my face, so I have no idea if those are real. I mean, I’m not just an absolute statue back there, I can move a little bit. But, so I’ve got to go check it out and look at it. … Fun guy to practice against.” (For the record, Crosby would have sacked Stafford twice, by that math).

• Rookie cornerback Tre Tomlinson was thrown into the fire often against star Raiders receiver Davante Adams, who was back practicing fully after missing a little time, among other cornerbacks who had the tough matchup. Adams, for the most part, looked every bit of his elite status.

But Tomlinson, who is 5-foot-9 yet plays mostly on the outside for the Rams, kept attacking. In the full-field, two-minute period at the end of the day, Adams smoothly won a long catch down the left sideline with Tomlinson in coverage. But a few plays later, Tomlinson broke up a would-be touchdown attempt to Adams in the back left corner of the end zone.

“In these types of settings, it’s great for us as coaches and our players to go out and compete,” McVay said. “One of my favorite things was, they were going to make a couple plays, but I liked the way (Tomlinson) finished.”

There was also a scary collision on a deep throw by Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo early in the day, between Adams, Tomlinson and safety Jordan Fuller. The pass was incomplete, and Adams’ helmet popped off from the contact, but he was able to return to practice. Garoppolo hit Phillip Dorsett for a touchdown on a similar concept a few moments later.

• Backup quarterback Stetson Bennett was challenged frequently by the Raiders’ defense, and his play continues to fluctuate. Bennett did have two excellent throws in separate 11-on-11 periods. The first was an off-platform missile to Demarcus Robinson up the middle of the field, but it was followed by a botched snap and then an interception. The second was a precision throw down the left sideline to Ben Skowronek.

• Rookie offensive lineman Warren McClendon missed OTAs with a knee issue, but his workload has gradually increased through training camp. After making his preseason debut, he’s now fully in the mix with the second team and playing both tackle spots with the reserves (one of his best reps of the day came in pass protection as a left tackle).

• The Rams’ defensive line is under scrutiny after a less-than-ideal first preseason game against the Chargers. On Wednesday, Kobie Turner and Michael Hoecht (who was playing outside linebacker) combined to “sack” (no contact allowed) Garoppolo and drew a lot of praise from coaches on the sideline.

• A couple of the second-team defensive backs made splash plays late in the day: Cornerback Cameron McCutcheon and safety Tanner Ingle broke up consecutive passes by Raiders backup quarterback Aidan O’Connell. However, O’Connell got a nice ball to receiver Kristian Wilkerson, which, in a live game, would have been a catch-and-run touchdown, and had time in the pocket later in the series against the reserve defensive line and pass rushers to get a throw downfield to receiver Cam Sims.

• Rookie kicker Tanner Brown was kicking on the “skinny poles” Wednesday, meaning the portable field goal setup that is much narrower than the official posts. At the end of the two-minute period, Brown missed a kick wide left that would also have been missed on a regulation-size set of goal posts. He then hit a kick over the top of the left pole and barely missed a third kick left (both would have been good in a game).

• Aaron Donald had a rest day but will be back Thursday. Tight end Davis Allen (hamstring) got back onto the field after missing training camp, but Hunter Long (groin) is still out. Cornerback Derion Kendrick (hamstring) is still out. Kupp (hamstring) could be back next week for joint practices against the Broncos. Safety John Johnson III, who is getting onboarded gradually after not having OTAs while unsigned, got more reps in team drills with the second group.

Zooey wrote:

Is there any Rams player who was more screwed than Steven Jackson? A great player on a terrible team.

+1

69RamFan

on the preseason telecast, big Whit said Hav would love to have Noteboom’s size next to him…

With the run game, those two big guys could clear up some space for our RBs

Our OL with:
AJ/6-6, 330, Avila/6-3, 332, Shelton/6-4, 300, NB/6-5, 321, RHav/6-8,330

This would be a powerful OL to clear up some running lanes for the RBs

All three inside linemen can pull for trap plays.

I have faith in our OL this year.

If we stay injury free, this OL can build on cohesiveness & contiunity to be a dominant OL, IMO

The QB carousel continues to be the talk of the town in 49ers country.

Is a 'good enough QB option' actually good enough to win a championship?

📺: @FanDuelTV | @heykayadams | @StatsOnFire pic.twitter.com/yhSu0RA7k7

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) August 14, 2023

joemad wrote:

John Eastman, the guy who orchestrated the idea of the Jan 6 coup by rejecting the Electoral College vote was the Dean of Law at Chapman University. These So Cal / Orange County schools have administrations with this ideology.  My middle kid recently graduated from Chapman and my niece graduated from Harvey Mudd (Clairmont School).

Fyi and fwiw the wikipedia entry on Eastman is long and detailed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Eastman

An entire small-town police department in Kansas raided a newspaper's offices and its reporters' homes because the paper got a tip about a well-connected person's DUIhttps://t.co/nsfmsVBwfX

— Jason Hancock (@J_Hancock) August 11, 2023

Zach Evans rides the wave of this cutback for nine and nice little micro movement with outside shoulder to get through the crease. #Rams pic.twitter.com/c57gverDYG

— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) August 14, 2023

Mature decision vs defense by Zach Evans on this 2nd&5 #Rams pic.twitter.com/JOZV0EUFPI

— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) August 14, 2023

from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2023/08/13/rams-preseason-sean-mcvay-quote-expected-chargers/?taid=64d92e29b029ae000127db17&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter

Sean McVay said…as poorly as the Rams played in some aspects, he sees their mistakes as being “very correctable.”

“A lot of things we can learn from. A lot of guys getting their feet wet for the first time, and that’s exactly what we kind of expected,” he said. “I thought there was some positives, I thought there was some things that are very correctable that we can clean up but when you’ve got that many new things – and really, this is a good chance for us to get our ducks in a row as far as our operation on game day. We’ll look at the film, we’ll clean it up and we’ll continue to keep it moving.”