🧵1

the vast majority of sacks given up by rams oliinemen thru wk 5 haven't been due to the guys getting out-muscled or out-skilled, instead it's because they've had no idea who to block, where/how/when to shift.

for example, 3rd & 11, 3rd qtr, rams on the move, still in it… pic.twitter.com/s7Vofk6m5L

— roberto clemente (@rclemente2121) October 12, 2022

zn wrote:

Oday Aboushi

Hope Aboushi will get the chance to show up in this way on sunday #HelpForStafford https://t.co/G0P9LS0PR9

— Henry Bear (@HenryBearT) October 11, 2022

headed into week 6
pass rush rankings
rams opponents

dal – #1
buf – #2
sfo – #7

car – #21
atl – #31
ari – #30

— roberto clemente (@rclemente2121) October 12, 2022

Yards per play this season:
28. Carolina 4.86
29. Colts 4.85
30. Steelers 4.83
31. #Bengals 4.81
32. Rams 4.80

— LanceMcAlister (@LanceMcAlister) October 10, 2022

wv wrote:

“The Rams’ 84 pressures given up through five weeks is their most in the PFF-era. Closest was the 2007 Rams that allowed 72.” I mean, what can ya say. w v

It’s not an entirely fair or valid comparison because in 2007, while their OL was damaged early and often, the Rams could still run the ball with Jackson in most of the first 5 games.

In their first 5 games of 2007, the Rams had 458 yards rushing, including 2 100+ yard games, with an average of 90.9 yards per game. Jackson just made a difference, you had to defend him no matter what, so there was less pressure by a certain small percentage.

In 2022, it’s 312 yards rushing in 5 games, or an avg. of 62.5 yards per game. That of course means a bit more pressure. In 2022, teams, as we know and can clearly see, can afford to play pass first against the Rams without defending the run the way you would if they had an in-his-prime Jackson.

That basically averages out to 2.4 more pressures per game in 2022 as opposed to 2007, fwiw.

From inside sources in the Panthers, the culture was AWFUL & many coaches wanted out! Hopefully this is the last “Rah Rah” college coach hired in the NFL.

Well wishes to the Rhule family. It’s hard to get fired for families, and football aside, I feel for them in these times. https://t.co/jCR8ecjd1U

— Brooke Kromer (@BrookeKromer) October 10, 2022

a look at where the rams opponent defenses currently rank in offensive pts allowed.

rams get a break with car (19th), but then face the #1 and #6 defenses immediately after the bye.

then the rams face 5 tms in a row that rank bottom half of the league in offensive pts allowed. pic.twitter.com/vr1swqTG19

— roberto clemente (@rclemente2121) October 10, 2022

pro football focus
rams team and player rankings
thru week 5, ahead of mnf.

kupp ranks #1 among 112 wr
donald ranks #1 among 123 dl
wagner ranks #2 among 78 ilb

the bad news: only 3 rams offensive players rank in the top half at their position: pic.twitter.com/1IKD0vneVm

— roberto clemente (@rclemente2121) October 10, 2022

Rams-Cowboys takeaways: Defending champs face some ‘challenging times’

GARY KLEIN

https://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/story/2022-10-10/rams-cowboys-takeaways-matthew-stafford-turnovers-sean-mcvay

The Rams were defeated by the Dallas Cowboys, 22-10, Sunday at SoFi Stadium.

Here’s what we learned from the Rams’ second consecutive loss:

McVay spins team’s plight as opportunity

After the defeat, coach Sean McVay said that he was “excited about the opportunity to grind through some challenging times.”

Sure.

There are, of course, lessons to be learned and confidence to be gained from overcoming adversity.

But this is not the way McVay envisioned his team’s performance heading into its final game before an open date.

Rams struggle against elite defenses

See if you can identify a pattern:

The Buffalo Bills held the Rams to 10 points and sacked Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford seven times.

The San Francisco 49ers did not surrender a touchdown against the Rams and sacked Stafford seven times.

The Cowboys gave up one touchdown and a field goal and sacked Stafford five times.

Stafford continues to commit turnovers

When a quarterback is absorbing a nonstop pounding, it’s no doubt difficult to keep a grip on the ball.

And for the second game in a row, Matthew Stafford was under constant duress.

Stafford lost a fumble on the first series, and the Cowboys returned it for a touchdown. A fourth-quarter pass was intercepted in the end zone. He also lost a fumble in the final minutes.

No matter how many times McVay says he loves Stafford, the Rams simply cannot expect to defeat good teams if their quarterback continues to give up the ball.

Offensive line remains an issue

The Carolina Panthers, the Rams’ next opponent, rank near the bottom of the NFL in sacks.

That will come as welcome news to a Rams line that has given up 12 sacks in the last two games.

The Rams had been buoyed by David Edwards’ return from a concussion that sidelined him against the San Francisco 49ers. But Edwards left the game against the Cowboys and was being examined for another concussion.

Running game is running out of excuses

Against a Cowboys defense that was giving up 137.5 yards rushing per game, the Rams rushed for a whopping 38 yards in 15 carries.

McVay preaches that he strives for balance in his play-calling, but he has yet to achieve it consistently this season.

The line is a big part of the problem. However, running backs Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson are not helping.

Atwell can make a big play

Tutu Atwell, the Rams’ second-round draft pick in 2021, finally got his first NFL catch when he beat the Cowboys’ deep and caught a 54-yard pass from Stafford.

If the 5-foot-9, 165-pound Atwell continues to gain confidence — and run precise routes — he could give the Rams a viable deep threat.

Cooper Kupp caught seven passes on 10 targets for 125 yards, 75 on a catch-and-run touchdown. Tyler Higbee caught seven passes on 10 targets for 46 yards.

Ben Skowronek had six catches, Henderson four, and Allen Robinson caught three passes on five targets.

Defense is in a turnover slump

For the third consecutive game, the Rams failed to force a turnover.

That is not great for any team, especially one with a struggling offense.

The defense, for the second game in a row, also gave up a big play — a 57-yard touchdown run by running back Tony Pollard that erased the Rams’ brief 10-9 lead.

Special teams are struggling again

On the Rams’ second series, the Cowboys blocked a punt by Riley Dixon and converted the turnover into a field goal.

The Atlanta Falcons also blocked a Rams punt in Week 2.

On the positive side, the Rams showed some creativity when Dixon completed a second-quarter pass to Jake Gervase. But the Rams failed to capitalize.

Matt Gay’s 29-yard field goal in the first quarter made him eight for eight this season. But Gay missed a 51-yard attempt early in the fourth quarter.

JackPMiller wrote:

zn wrote:

JackPMiller wrote:

If you look at some of the guys that are out on our OLine, they have not been able to stay healthy. In other words, durability issues. It won’t be long, before, Joseph Noteboom, misses time. Again, that is based on his history.

You mean Allen? Who after Allen has a history of injuries? Shelton? Anchrum? Edwards? Jackson? Noteboom was injured in 2019. If I remember correctly, he missed 1 game in 2021.

Noteboom missed time in 2020,as well. Edwards has had some issues, as well,. I know he missed a couple of games, last year. We will have to make a decision on Rob Havenstein, he is an Unrestricted Free Agent, after this season. I assume, he’s gone. AJ Jackson, is going to take over the RT duties.

I haven’t looked too hard, but Edwards is listed as playing all 17 games in 2021 plus all 4  playoff games. He missed 2 games in 2020 (the first 2).

A win for the #49ers, but a costly one. Per coach Kyle Shanahan, CB Emmanuel Moseley is feared to have torn his ACL. DB Jimmie Ward broke his hand, Nick Bosa has a tight groin and K Robbie Gould likely has a knee contusion.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 9, 2022