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znModeratorI'm starting 2021 with some free advice for #NFL playoff teams: Hold. Hold everyone. It's not cheating if they're letting you do it, and officials have accelerated the season-long trend of ignoring offensive holding. Column: https://t.co/E2AWJZKD5V
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) January 1, 2021
January 1, 2021 at 2:17 pm in reply to: Wolford … Rams pre-season vids from 2019 & a vid-heavy draft report #126240znModeratorScout team and staying late: How Rams QB John Wolford earned teammates’ respect
Jourdan Rodrigue
https://theathletic.com/2291953/2021/01/01/john-wolford-rams-jared-goff/
Just before the Rams’ bye week in November, All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald was leaving the team’s practice facility to get some well-deserved rest when he heard a familiar voice saying, “All right, A.D.! See you later.”
Donald turned to see backup quarterback John Wolford with pads on, helmet in one hand and spinning a football with the other, on his way out to the field.
Wolford, the former Wake Forest and AAF quarterback, will make his first NFL start on Sunday against Arizona, but as Donald and several other Rams teammates earnestly noted this week, the “Wolford experience” — showing up early, staying late, working extra reps with receivers and smoothly running the scout team against the league’s top defense — is nothing new.
“John is literally one of the last guys leaving the practice field ever since he got here, getting the reps and getting the training in,” said veteran receiver Robert Woods, breaking into a smile.
Wolford runs the second-team and the scout-team offense but has sought ways to get time with the first-team receivers and tight ends, too.
Because quarterback Jared Goff, like every starting quarterback, is held to a specific “pitch count” during the week to help preserve his arm through the season, the Rams’ starting receivers sometimes need to get more catches in and don’t want to do so on the JUGS machine. Wolford is always ready.
“Whatever ball we want, he’s there for us delivering it,” Woods said. “Really, just as a quarterback, wherever you ask him to place the ball, he’s going to put it there for you.”
“Being able to get on the same page with your receivers, that’s a big challenge,” defensive coordinator Brandon Staley said, “because all the reps usually go to the starter. You have to prepare really hard to get those same throws in and that same timing to stay sharp, because so much of quarterback is rhythm and timing.
“To be able to have that same timing as a starter requires a lot of extra work. I mean, like a lot of intentional extra work. That’s something that is a real strength of John’s.”
All week, as the Rams have prepared Wolford to start in place of Goff — who had thumb surgery on Monday but is expected to return next week if the team earns a playoff spot — teammates have grinned, giggled and, frankly, gushed about Wolford’s attitude, mental dexterity, competitiveness and quarterback ability.
Wolford, 25, went undrafted out of Wake Forest in 2018, then signed with the New York Jets that year and was cut at the end of the preseason. After a season in the now-defunct AAF, Wolford signed with the Rams in April 2019 and spent last season on their practice squad.
“If you don’t like him, there’s probably something wrong with you,” head coach Sean McVay said. “Guys respect the way that he’s gone about his business, what he stands for and what he’s about, day in and day out. I tell the guys all the time, ‘Those who know, know.’”
“It’s not just coach-speak,” offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell said.
But it is rare to hear such an outpouring of support for a backup quarterback thrown into a high-stakes situation as Wolford is. The Rams, who need a win on Sunday or a Chicago loss to Green Bay in order to earn a playoff spot, will be without Goff, left tackle Andrew Whitworth (knee injury) and receiver Cooper Kupp, who was placed on the COVID-19/reserve list on Tuesday (followed by defensive lineman Michael Brockers on Thursday).
The depth of respect displayed by Wolford’s teammates this week is in part due to Wolford’s practice habits, but it’s also because they — particularly the first-team defense — understand the difficult task of running the scout team as the Rams install their defensive scheme each week.
It’s a unique job. A scout-team quarterback must get the necessary time with his own team’s playbook, but also learn core concepts from the opponent’s playbook each week so he can run them against his defense and help prepare them for the real thing. While sometimes a practice-squad quarterback or third-stringer doubles as the scout-team quarterback, Wolford goes a step further. First, he takes all the scout-team reps. Also, and especially in a season of COVID-19 concerns, in which the backup quarterback must be prepared to step in at any moment, he has to be able to effectively run the Rams’ offense — essentially working from two starting-quarterback playbooks per week.
Wolford sees this as a benefit.
“I just think those reps, they accumulate, and they help you to process things faster,” Wolford said. “I think in the NFL, you see (that) the best guys are doing those things. They’re processing quickly. They understand where the ball should go, when it’s cover-six, cover-four or cover-one (coverage). And so that tenth of a second is the difference between success and failure, so I’m grateful for those reps.”
The Rams also have faced a wide range of quarterback skill sets this season, from the tough-to-tackle, mobile Cam Newton and Josh Allen, to veteran pocket presence Tom Brady, to quick, difficult-to-contain Kyler Murray. (Wolford’s teammates, by the way, think he’s most reminiscent of Murray.) Wolford is a smaller, mobile quarterback, so the Rams especially have found his looks to be helpful against the NFC West opponents they face at least twice per year: The Seahawks (Russell Wilson) and the Cardinals (Murray).
In their playing days as quarterbacks, McVay, Staley and O’Connell each ran a scout-team offense at some point, so they understand just how much Wolford has to absorb, process and execute each week.
But it’s not just the act of doing so that, in their minds, sets Wolford apart. It’s how he does it.
“I think it says so much about how you approach the week from a mental standpoint,” Staley said, “knowing that you’re responsible for your own game plan because you’re one play away from being in the game and having to face whatever defense that you’re going to be facing. But, then it’s another thing to have command over the game plan of the other team and be able to perform as that quarterback is going to perform.
“You’re almost getting two different educations in a week. I think that that can be a big contributing factor to a quarterback’s development.”
Even the smaller details of mimicking an opposing quarterback can turn into hugely important factors in a live game. This season, in empty stadiums, quarterbacks have been using their cadence and hard counts effectively to get defensive linemen to jump offsides.
In scout-team situations, Wolford parrots the opposing cadence so that when the Rams’ defensive players hear it live, they’re more likely to recognize it and stay disciplined. This season, the Rams have been called for only two neutral-zone infraction penalties, which are the third-lowest in the NFL and well under the league average of 4.59.
The Rams’ defense ranks among the top units in the NFL in nearly every category, and of course, that’s who Wolford practices against every week: Donald, Jalen Ramsey, Leonard Floyd, John Johnson, etc. — and they don’t take reps off.
O’Connell thinks this unenviable task also makes Wolford more prepared and respected by his teammates.
“I think about John on a daily basis, playing and trying to get Jalen Ramsey a great look with Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers pushing the pocket, John Johnson reading his eyes on the back end,” said O’Connell, who sometimes ran the New York Jets’ scout team from 2009 to 2011.
“I always look at it as that’s where my greatest development happened.”
O’Connell said that, unlike some scout-team setups on other teams, Staley isn’t trying to set up positive plays for his defense in their drill periods. While Wolford and the Rams’ receivers are working off a script sheet, Wolford is asked to place stress on the defense in the same manner as a live opposing offense would. So in simulating Wilson, Murray, Newton or Brady, he is asked to try to extend plays or be as unpredictable as one of those quarterbacks would in an actual game.
The Rams’ defense loves it, just as the starting wideouts love Wolford making the extra time to work them out when they need it.
“I think that it’s very difficult in the NFL to earn (the) respect of your teammates when you have never gone in a game,” Staley said. “But John Wolford has the full respect of our entire team — coaches and players — because of how he performs on the practice field, in the meetings, in the weight room.
“I think that that’s a rare thing, when you can have full respect of your teammates without actually having performed in an NFL game. I think that should tell you about his character and about what he’s capable of.”
znModeratorHead Coach Sean McVay, Offensive Coordinator Kevin O’Connell and DL Aaron Donald — December 31, 2020
***
Head Coach Sean McVay
(On if DL Michael Brockers will miss Sunday’s game due to being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list)
“Yeah, that’s the most likely scenario.”(On was this the situation he was referring to yesterday when speaking to media)
“No. There’s a lot of different things that are going on, a lot of different moving parts, but that’s really what this year has entailed and having to handle it. I think the thing that’s unfortunate is that guys like (DL) Michael (Brockers) and (WR) Cooper (Kupp), that are on the COVID list, that have really done everything right – that’s what you just realize, that some of these things are out of your control. There are certain things that, not with those two, but maybe people have made decisions that are putting themselves at risk, but both of those guys have epitomized handling things the right way. That’s what’s really just unfortunate in such a big game and they’re two key leaders. But they’ve been kind of involved from afar and I think their leadership, in their rooms and really with our team in general, has made us feel confident that the next people that will step up will do a nice job, really because of the way they pour into their teammates.”(On if there is a possibility that other players could be placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 ist due to contact tracing)
“I don’t anticipate that. I’m kind of learning about this on the fly as we kind of navigate through the new experiences, day-in and day-out. But I do not expect anybody else to be a factor of this with where we’re at right now.”(On if he expected more of the team to test positive due to a national and regional surge)
“I mean, just the surge in the area and you realize, these guys do a lot of stuff as far as their prep work to prepare and to feel as good as possible for the game. I mean, it might be something as seamless as you have a masseuse and the masseuse might not realize they were exposed to something. And even if they tested, there’s still a latency period. Then they might end up having it and they got their test and it said negative, so you feel good about getting a massage. There’s a lot of different things and I think it’s why it’s flipped our world upside down. So, I think our guys have handled it. We want to educate our guys as much as we can and still enable them to be able to live their lives, but use the appropriate measures. I think these are two instances where they’re certainly not at fault. It’s just more of a victim of the circumstances more than anything.”(On how practice went for QB John Wolford)
“He did a really nice job. He had great command, handled things really well. It was a step in the right direction.”(On RB Cam Akers)
“He looked good moving around early on. He didn’t participate in practice, but he was getting a workout in. You guys saw him on the early parts of the field, so he’s feeling good. I certainly am not ready to rule my man (RB) Cam (Akers) out by any stretch.”(On the process of onboarding QB Blake Bortles and his knowledge of the offense)
“He’s good. He has a great recall. He’s a really smart player that’s had a lot of experiences in this league. Foundationally our information and our verbiage are very similar to what it was last year. So, he’s come in and handled things really well. It’s been great having (QB) Blake (Bortles) around.”(On if he needs Akers to practice Friday and Saturday in order for him to feel comfortable playing him on Sunday)
“You’d ideally like that, but I think with the amount of experience that he’s gotten as of late, if you can have him in any capacity, you feel good about that. I do trust the way that he’s preparing, and I know (Running Backs Coach) Thomas (Brown) is meeting with him and getting some above-the-neck mental reps. So, you’d like to be able to get him some physical reps, but I think the approach that we’ll take this week will be use every moment that we have leading up to game time to make sure that you get him as healthy as possible and let’s not put him at risk for any potential setbacks. So, if he is able to go, it’ll be one of those deals that we’ll find out on game day, but don’t expect it to be any physical reps for him this week throughout the course of practice.”(On how important Sunday is to determine Akers availability)
“It’s important. I mean, we have to move forward as if worst case, you don’t have him. So that’s where (RB) Malcolm (Brown), (RB) Xavier Jones, ‘Ray’ (RB Raymond Calais) – those guys are getting a lot of invaluable reps, but Cam is right out there. He’s gotten a bunch of work, like I mentioned, especially after the bye week, the production kind of speaks for itself. Because of that experience that he’s accumulated, you definitely don’t minimize the importance of practice, especially for a younger player, but having him in any capacity, if he feels like he’s able to go, that’s going to be a good thing for the Rams.”(On what it’s like to have a lack of control over situations around COVID)
“I mean, I think it’s the epitome of controlling and worrying about the things that you can control and I think if you go in with the expectation and understanding that things can change at a moment’s notice and you’ve got to have that flexibility, the guys have to adjust whether you’re meeting virtually, whether you’re missing practice reps. I mean, there’s been a lot of different things that we’ve had to navigate through, but that’s consistent with the other 31 teams as well. I just think that’s a part of what this year entails and really just in general, you’ve got to be able to adjust and adapt whether it’s injuries. Really for us, I mean, we’ve had different things out here outside of COVID. I mean, a lot of the practices that we’re having down at SoFi (Stadium) have nothing to do with COVID, it’s the dang weather out here, where it’s so windy and before I jumped on this call, I’m maybe having to make adjustments for tomorrow because it’s supposed to have 30 to 40 mile an hour winds for tomorrow. So, it’s just a part of it. I just think you’ve got to be able to handle it accordingly and just seamlessly, keep it moving forward with what’s important and those are the things that you can control in a year that has more uncontrollables than ever.”(On if contact tracing is ongoing)
“Yes, so what I would say is, when you look at the work that goes on behind the scenes, like if (Vice President, Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie Scott got on here and explained to you guys the amount of work that goes on when you do end up having a positive, then you rerun it to confirm it’s a positive, then you do a PCR test the next day, then you start having to interview people, then you use the Kinexon information to try to track that and then you get with the league and all that stuff. I mean, it is amazing what a great job the people behind the scenes have done to just help us even get this thing off. So, we are done with that, because that’s immediately done and it’s right after the fact, and that’s where it’s important to do it immediately, so that if there are those high contact traces, they’re immediately removed from the ecosystem, to try to limit the exposure. And so, I kind of have been educated by Reggie, but the more I learn, the more I appreciate how many people are doing a bunch of great work behind the scenes to enable us to even get this thing off.”(On if he is surprised the league made it to Week 17 considering the pandemic)
“Yeah, it’s a good question. I don’t know if you want to say surprised, but I’ve just been impressed with the amount of work that’s gone on. Especially, when you see, like I’ve mentioned before, how volatile it is when it hits. You’ve seen some of the other teams that have had really tough situations where it really gets through your building. But fortunately for us, the ones that we’ve had, while they’ve been tough, it hasn’t been something that’s monumental where it goes through a bunch of people at once. I think it is a real credit to some of the protocols and I think the flexibility that’s been ongoing by the league and all 32 teams. We’ve had to move a couple of games, but to not miss any. Now here we are in Week 17. It’s amazing, it really is.”(On if he feels that the Rams have been affected less by COVID than many other teams)
“Well, I think we’re always in the moment and kind of dealing with what’s going on in the present. So, certainly you feel like it’s gotten us pretty good right now. But, it’s one of those deals, you’ve got to handle it. Guys will be asked to step up and there’s something to be said for kind of bonding together and being strong in the face of adversity. Let’s go compete to the best of our ability and not be afraid to see what happens if we put everything we’ve got into it.”(On if he has any plans for New Year’s Eve)
“Yeah. Getting the red-zone plan ready to go so we can score some more points.”(On if he’s happy to turn the page on 2020)
“You know, I just look at it as I have no life during the season, so, I’m getting ready for Week 17. Until you said it, I had no clue that it was the 31st and I’m looking down and it’s New Year’s Eve. You know what it is? It’s a Thursday in our game-week preparation, trying to go get our 10th win. Let’s go.”(On if he has a New Year’s resolution)
“New year’s resolution – start the year off with a win.”***
Offensive Coordinator Kevin O’Connell
(On if the approach this week is different with a different starting quarterback)
“Yeah, I mean, obviously when you’ve got a starter that you’re getting ready to play, I spent a lot of my time with that guy. But what’s made our group really special this whole year is having a guy like (QB) John (Wolford) as our No. 2, with the way he works and the way he prepares and always willing to put in extra time here and there when we can find it to spend some time together on the field post practice or in the meeting rooms or on some Zooms when we have to. It’s kind of just been an extension of that. Then obviously, now just getting him prepared to practice and getting him ready to be at his best as the week goes on here. Then just keeping him in a place where he feels confident, because he should based upon his work ethic and his preparation. Just build up a lot of positive momentum towards the weekend.”(On if they can do anything different on offense with Wolford’s skillset)
“The good thing is because of his preparation week-in and week-out, like he was the starter, he prepares every week. We go through scenarios where he has his favorite plays and preferred plays and things throughout each game plan, that really won’t change all that much this week. Obviously, we’ll want to call those things and get those things going for him. I think his skillset provides us with a lot of opportunity. But, at the same time, the reason why he’s here is he fits our offense, what we do. I think that’s a real positive and speaks highly of John as a guy. He maybe lacks experience, but at the same time, like I keep on talking about, it’s not coach speak, it’s not anything other than just speaking the truth about his preparation and his accountability towards his role on this team as our No. 2. Then if he was ever called upon, to a man, all 53 guys on our roster being confident John can take that preparation to the game.”(On if Wolford’s height is a concern for game planning)
“I think you always want to be calling plays that guys are comfortable with, that fit their eye. A lot of ways we’ll go through the preparation and the process of putting in a plan where we think we’re doing that for him. But, if the plays where John feels the best are plays where the ball is distributed over the middle of the field, or outside, it really comes down to his particular feel for a play within the concept that we’ve kind of put together as part of our game plan. You always want to do some things for some young quarterbacks that make them a little bit more comfortable, getting them into a rhythm. We do that for (QB) Jared (Goff) tried to do that as much as possible as well on a week-in and week-out basis. I know that there’s some really talented players in the league right now who aren’t my height and I’m sitting here coaching. So, I can tell you that I don’t think that’s as much of a big deal as maybe it was a perception. The perception of that just by the guys in this league that are doing it at a high level, no matter how tall they are.”(On what Goff needs to do to play with more consistency)
“Really, it’s the last two games, turnover. There was one with each team where you’re looking at that frustrated, because I thought he did get off to a good start, especially on third down against Seattle. We have a couple of conversions, where we’re in kind of those known-passing downs. He’s getting to his second and third progression a couple of times early on in that game, moving the team. They were playing with a level of physicality that we were getting into a groove, trying to get into a groove offensively. Then on both of his interceptions over the last two games have come on basically those earned first downs within a drive, where we have some momentum going and they happen to be on plays where we did move the spot, calling keepers to get him on the perimeter, which is a huge facet of our offense. So, I think for me, and in talking with Jared, it’s just a matter of making those good decisions now when we break the contain and we’re outside the pocket and understanding that even like he did many times in that game where things may have been taken away in our keeper game, he still pushed both the ball forward, getting three, four or five yards with his legs. Those are all positive plays, when you talk about how we drive the football, how we activate tempo, how we want to do things in our offense. What we can’t do is, obviously, we’re trying to eliminate any negatives, but those catastrophic ones that end drives and give the opposing offense a chance at either field position against our defense, or just ending our drive, which has been something that when we get those things going, normally, if we can just maintain positive output at the quarterback position, we’re going to go down and get some points.”(On RB Malcolm Brown and if it’s fitting he’s the last man standing for a Week 17 contest)
“‘Malc’ (RB Malcolm Brown) has just been so reliable from a standpoint of leading that group in the meeting room, on the practice field, through their preparation. Those two young guys have done a great job for us this year, in addition to what Malcolm’s done for us. He’s such a rock when it comes to handling the protections and doing all the different things that we ask the back to do across the whole landscape of our offense. There’s no doubt he can handle the workload. There’s no doubt that we have a lot of confidence in Malcolm. If he has to carry that load, that’s something that we know he’s fully prepared to do.”(On if he feels running the scout team as a quarterback offers a broader view of the league)
“One hundred percent. I think a lot about the similarities for John and myself. When I was in New York for those three years, I think our defense may have been top five in the league all three of those years. You’re practicing against guys like (CB) Darrelle Revis, the (LB) Bart Scott’s, (LB) David Harris and these players that played at such a high level. I think about John on a daily basis playing and trying to give (CB) Jalen Ramsey a great look with (DL) Aaron Donald, (DL) Michael Brockers pushing the pocket. (S) John Johnson (III) reading his eyes on the backend. I always looked at it as that’s where my greatest development happened. Especially, because of what I love about (Defensive Coordinator) Brandon (Staley) and his defensive staff, they want John to play the play. They don’t try to determine where the ball is supposed to go. They don’t try to force positive looks. They really try to stress their guys and what that allows John to do is yes, they’re working off of a card, our receivers are running scripted routes and things like that. But once that play takes place, whether John’s been simulating (Seahawks QB) Russell Wilson, (Cardinals QB) Kyler Murray, (Buccaneers QB) Tom Brady, we’ve played a lot of really good quarterbacks this year. He gets to kind of provide his own stamp and that’s where I think that what Brandon’s talking about, of giving a great look. But also, his own personal development within running some plays that maybe we do not have in our offense, or maybe they’re slightly different. It’s a great question. I think it’s a huge part of why those guys on that side of the ball are so confident in John to go out and play well this Sunday, because they’ve seen him for 15-straight weeks now in preparation.”(On if he could explain how the scout team portion of practice is structured)
“It’s hard. It’s hard to say just based upon the game week, short week, long week, how the practice schedule for that day has been altered to fit where our team is at. It’s a tough thing to say, but it’s definitely the one thing I can tell you is it’s a (inaudible) feel. Especially, the way our defense practices it’s enough for him to feel the speed of the game at which there are front plays with, the backend plays with. I never miss a rep to try to watch what’s going on over there. Even if I’m preparing Jared for the next period, I always want to be watching so that we can use that as coachable reps for John moving forward. It’s been a really positive process. I do know he’s taken every single one of them that have been available all season long.”***
DL Aaron Donald
(On DL Michael Brockers being placed on Reserve/COVID and the potential impact of that on Sunday’s game)
“He’s a playmaker, he’s a leader. You definitely want him out there, but we just got to hold it down while he’s gone. We know that (DL Morgan) Fox is going to step up and continue to play at a high level, like you’ve been doing all year. As far as what we expect is still high expectations from Fox and we know he’s going to fill the shoes and do what he got to do as far as being productive and helping us win this game. But we just have to hold it down for (DL Michael Brockers) ‘Brock’ if he doesn’t play this week and get him rested up so we can try and make this playoff run.”(On what this week has been like with injuries and players being placed on Reserve/COVID)
“It’s a part of football, it happens. You got to move with it and understand that it’s like next man up. If one guy goes down, if it’s from injuries or from COVID, you know guys are prepared and ready to step up and make some plays.”(On why he feels the team has been so fortunate with very few Reserve/COVID moves)
“I don’t know, I’m just like you. We waited the last game of the season, we’re trying to make this playoff run and this happens. I don’t know, it just happened how it happened, I guess”(On how he has approached COVID and physical distancing away from the facility and if he has felt safe)
“Yeah, because all I do is work and I’m at the house anyway. I don’t really do too much, do too much movement. Once I leave here, I’m at the house and in the house all day.”(On if the Cardinals look any different this game, specifically Cardinals QB Kyler Murray)
“Same team, same players, but obviously we know as far as what they’re going to come at us with is going to be different, so we were expecting that. Same mindset, we just got to go out there and do our job, try to dominate, try to make plays, trying to bottle (Cardinals QB Kyler Murray) up. He’s a good quarterback that can make some good throws. A mobile quarterback that can hurt you with his feet. We got to rush a little bit more controlled, as far as not getting too high and getting him seams to step up and make things happen. We know what we got to do as far as that. We just got to try to put pressure on him, make him uncomfortable.”(On what’s lead to DL Morgan Fox’s jump in production this year)
“He’s getting his opportunities. He’s going out there and playing at a high level. It started with this offseason, I know he worked his butt off, a lot of training, a lot of working on his technique and it’s showing. For him to put the body of work, he had opportunity that to step up and play a huge role on this defense, he’s doing it. He’s playing confident, playing comfortable, playing strong. The sky’s the limit, so Fox is going continue to get better, just having a relationship I got with Fox and talking to him, I’m happy for him and I’m happy for the success he’s been having this year, but I know he can do that much more.”(On how good this defense is)
“I think it’s one of the most consistent defenses I’ve been a part of. I feel like from a week-to-week standpoint and playing at a high level, this defense has been doing it. Hiccups here and there, but overall, I’ve been happy with the performance as a whole. We got to continue to build off that, continue to keep playing, but this is definitely a special group.”(On what he’s seen from QB John Wolford at practice)
“I’ve been a fan of his, honestly. Just his preparation, just watching him work, the routines he goes through every single day, you would think he was the starting quarterback already, honestly. He’s got his routines to do every day before the game, warming up during practice. Again, I believe in hard work pays off. I saw him work, you know, I seen during the bye week, when I was walking to my car about to leave, he was walking out with a helmet and shoulder pads, holding football spinning on his hand saying, ‘All right, AD, see you later.’ He’s getting his opportunity to step up and play a huge role to help us win his game. I’m confident. Like I said, the abilities he had that I’ve seen through camp through practice. The way he prepares, the way he gets himself ready. There’s no doubt in my mind that this guy is going to go out there and play at a high level and do what he needs to do to help this team win.”(On how contract tracing works and the steps taken once a guy is placed on Reserve/COVID)
“You’re just hoping that it isn’t going to get to the point where you got to miss days and things like that. They got to do what they need to do, as far as not letting it spread to the point where other guys get it to the point we got to shut down. I think they got things handled the right way. It’s definitely frustrating at times, because if somebody gets it and they feel like all they did was at work and back home. Then you got to try to trace your steps back and where you were, who you were around where you think you got it from. It’s definitely a headache from that point.”(On what it’s like having stuff happens out of the team’s control and if that leads to some of the frustration)
“Exactly. That’s what it is, because it’s like, you want everything to be normal, but it’s not. That’s the reality of it. That’s just how 2020 has been to us. You just got to try to adapt to the changes and hopefully in the near future, this thing is going to be over with, to the point where everything will be back normal and we don’t have to worry about wearing masks and things like that. It’s just been a tough year for us overall, as far as what this COVID and things like that.”(On OLB Leonard Floyd and if he feels people are sleeping on Floyd)
“I wouldn’t say sleeping on him. You can say he’s not talked about like the other pass rushers he should be just because the productions he’s having this year. But he’s got to continue to do it, he’s having a great year, he’s got to finish this year strong and come back even better next year. You have to continue to build off the success you have and continue to have more and more years like that. Team’s know when they watch film who he is. But to get that household name, you got to do it consistent year-in and year-out. I think he’s got the ability to do that. Right now, probably if you ask somebody who ‘Flo’ (OLB Leonard Floyd) is, they might not know. I’m pretty sure that guys watching film on him and studying and getting ready to play against him know exactly who he is and that’s all that matters.”(On what it’s like to play with Floyd)
“It’s been been good. Like I said, he’s been productive. I think we play good. Learning how to play off each other. If I get high, you understand the rapping and sometimes you come in free with a good set or him just working his technique, beating his guy around the edge to get the sack. Having the ability to do that and work with a guy that understands football and knows how to play off guys, it’s been huge for us, man. We got to take that (inaudible) going into this to this week. We need another big game from him.”(On losing two captains to the Reserve/COVID list and the loss of production and leadership)
“They’re leaders, they’re playmakers. But at the same time, we got to hold it down for them guys. I trust the guy that are stepping up behind them that have been playing all year, being productive here as well. We know where you’re going as far as no big drop-off as far as production, as far as the guy that are going to step in. I’m confident that these guys going play at a high level and do what they need to do know to help them help us win this game.”(On where he’s at as far as accomplishing his personal goals this season in terms of sacks and whatnot)
“Honestly, I’ve never set myself goals like that. I was blessed and have accomplished a lot in a short amount of time of playing in the NFL. A thing that I didn’t accomplish is winning the Super Bowl. My main focus is honestly winning. This week is going out there, playing at a high level, trying to fly around and make as many plays I can to help this team to win this week, so we have the opportunity to continue the season. All we need is our foot in the door, once we’re there, that’s the on us to get to where we’re trying to get to. It starts with this week, we got to finish this week off strong. If we win this game, sky’s the limit. That’s my focus. We get to the playoffs, you ask me that again, then I’ll give you an answer. But right now, I’m not satisfied yet.”znModeratorThe MVP drama is over… @AaronRodgers12 is the clear choice. And the @packers possess the right mentality to help him get the trophy he REALLY wants. From NFL Now, on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/2u4kUBsQob
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) December 31, 2020
znModeratorBernie Sanders just went off on the GOP’s whole “socialism for the rich” narrative.
It’s worth your time… pic.twitter.com/CTdvcJ4nkH
— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) January 1, 2021
znModeratorRams-Cardinals Game Preview: It all comes down to Week 17
J.B. Long
https://www.therams.com/news/rams-cardinals-game-preview-it-all-comes-down-to-week-17
Just a few hours into the New Year. How are we doing on those resolutions?
Anyone else broken a few, already?
I’ll offer a few suggestions for the Los Angeles Rams in 2021 in a bit. But first, I want to acknowledge what a tough year it’s been. Can only hope that football has provided an outlet for you – to celebrate, to vent frustration, to distract – in whatever manner that’s been needed.
In the less serious context of football, it’s been much the same for the Rams, as we know. Tumultuous.
And here they are in Week 17 – a game that was in no way guaranteed back when this season kicked off – with a chance to extend their journey.
Adversity has struck on multiple fronts. I’m sure there’s physical, mental, and emotional weariness that all teams experience this late in a campaign – all the more so following five months of daily nasal swabs.
But there’s too much upside in this group for it to end here.
The prime years of Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey’s careers deserve the playoffs. Andrew Whitworth’s been rehabilitating for the chance to suit up again. Career seasons from so many – including John Johnson, Darious Williams, Sebastian Joseph-Day, and Leonard Floyd – have to be rewarded with a berth.
Can’t wait to see if the Rams can play their way in against the Cardinals.
Wishing you all health and happiness in the New Year. On to the Rams Resolutions.
No Scoreboard Watching
In Week 17, you have to handle your own business. Don’t worry about the Packers and Bears game that kicks off at the same time.
Always Put 30 On Arizona
The Cardinals have yet to hold McVay’s Rams under 31 points in seven meetings. No reason to stop now.
Embrace Next Man Up Mentality
The Rams play this weekend without their leading passer, receiver, and potentially their top two rushers. Plus a defensive captain.
Not ideal.
But perhaps players like John Wolford, Van Jefferson, Malcolm Brown, Xavier Jones, and even A’Shawn Robinson can seize the moment.
Don’t Turn it Over
15 games into this season, and the Rams have at least one giveaway in each of them, a demerit they share with only the Denver Broncos. No time like the finale to secure “The Duke,” and finally put together a clean performance.
Finish Drives
If any one of five consecutive plays from inside the Seattle 10-yard line scores last week, we might be having a much different discussion. Perhaps Wolford’s mobility gives them a red zone wrinkle that can produce touchdowns when the field gets condensed.
Go Deep
In their past six contests, the Rams went 1-of-12 with a couple giveaways on throws beyond 20 yards, according to NextGen Stats. That’s a very difficult way to score points and win games.
And it’s not just a Jared Goff stat. Getting vertical – like most things in football – takes all 11. From the play call to the protection, no matter who’s throwing or targeted, it’s time to connect on a few.
znModeratorAaron Donald is defensive player of the year. Again.
🗣️ @PFF_Sam pic.twitter.com/5j8zS7MTBH
— PFF (@PFF) January 1, 2021
January 1, 2021 at 9:13 am in reply to: Wolford … Rams pre-season vids from 2019 & a vid-heavy draft report #126229znModeratorJohn Wolford – Rams Hype Mix ᴴᴰ – pic.twitter.com/OhhOCyFT82
— Rams Tapes (9-6) 🤕 (@ramstapes) December 31, 2020
znModeratorHappy New Year everyone.
Have some Rams cake.
.znModeratorYea the @ramsnfl will be without Goff this weekend-I still think they can win-And this is how I envision McVay getting that done. @latimesfarmer @espnnfl pic.twitter.com/T07PEKeRql
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) December 31, 2020
znModeratorJourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
Sean McVay says he doesn’t anticipate any additions to the Covid/reserve list via the Rams’ contact-tracing process at the moment.McVay adds that the Rams have concluded their contact trace process
Stu Jackson@StuJRams
Sean McVay said Cam Akers worked out today, didn’t practice. However, “he’s feeling good. I’m certainly not ready to rule my man Cam out” for Sunday’s game vs. Cardinals.Los Angeles Rams@RamsNFL
“This team’s beaten us seven times in a row, so there won’t be any sort of overlooking what they’re capable of, or how many points they can score.”Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury on preparing for a Rams offense with possible personnel changes
RamsNewsNow@RamsNewsNow
John Wolford’s start vs. Cardinals will be an NFL first in the Super Bowl eraAccording to ESPN Stats and Info, Wolford will become the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era, which dates back to 1966, to make his first career start in the final game of a season with his team still having a chance to make the playoffs.
December 31, 2020 at 5:27 pm in reply to: Excellent book: Universality and Identity Politics #126214znModeratorBasically, the conservative accusation that the left is mired in “identity politics” is a projection/confession scenario. McGowan sees “identity politics” as fundamentally a right-wing project, the term misused, misapplied, etc. etc.
Identity formation needs external limits and “othering” to various degrees. When it hits the point of identity politics, it needs enemies. A true “universalist” project can’t have them. Potential converts, yes. Enemies, no. That’s another way McGowan thinks the left and right are so different.
Yeah okay, interesting.
znModeratorRams injury report: LA’s offense will look much different vs Cardinals https://t.co/LLUzjKNPlv
— TurfShowTimes (@TurfShowTimes) December 31, 2020
December 31, 2020 at 2:02 pm in reply to: Wolford … Rams pre-season vids from 2019 & a vid-heavy draft report #126208znModerator"John Wolford, wow. That's impressive."
🔜 #AZvsLA | @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/hn41PxBfZv
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) December 31, 2020
December 31, 2020 at 1:58 pm in reply to: Excellent book: Universality and Identity Politics #126207znModeratorI got this from the amazon description.
Todd McGowan argues that universals such as equality and freedom are not imposed on us
I’m sure it’s a good and interesting book, but–I get a strawman quality from that statement right there.
Who says “equality” and “freedom” are “universals” that are “imposed on us”?
The entire concept of rights says that by virtue of simply being human and living as a social being among other people, we all have rights. All of us, regardless (though they can be limited as a consequence of being legally and fairly convicted of committing crimes against others.)
(Though admittedly the word “equality” harbors all sorts of sneaky issues, some real and some not, but then saying we are all as human beings equally endowed with rights? Who besides right-wingers and fascists disputes that?)
I don’t think that that stuff has much to do with the philosophical questioning of humanist universals. As I understand this stuff, that’s a completely different and unrelated thing.
Human universals are tricky cause we are genetically determined to be culture bearing animals, and cultures differ throughout history and across the globe. Like the cartoon I post below demonstrates. And that makes many humanist universals tricky.
But I don’t think anyone disputes the idea that all human beings have or deserve to have rights.
Anyway the cartoon. It’s a well known one.
December 31, 2020 at 1:30 pm in reply to: Wolford … Rams pre-season vids from 2019 & a vid-heavy draft report #126205znModeratorOld 2018 draft report on Wolford. Full of gifs but I can’t make them appear here, just click each gif link or follow the main link to the article & see them all there.
==
2018 Scout Camp: John Wolford
Jan 26, 2018
* https://theriotreport.com/2018-scout-camp-john-wolford/
Each week this offseason, we’ll be focusing on one position and how the Panthers may choose to address their needs; whether they’re in the market for an upgrade at starter or just a reliable backup, every player on the 53-man roster is going to be important in 2018.
This is Quarterback Week.
While the Panthers almost certainly won’t draft a quarterback in the early or middle rounds, they could well take a chance on a quarterback either late in the draft or as a priority UDFA. While such players generally have very low success rates, there are numerous examples of undrafted quarterbacks having success in the NFL; eight undrafted quarterbacks threw a pass last season, four started games and since the merger, two undrafted quarterbacks have made the Hall of Fame, with Tony Romo having a chance to join them in the coming years. With that in mind, who might the Panthers be able to get as an undrafted free agent or late-round pick who might be able to stick around in the NFL?
Enter John Wolford.
Arm Talent
A major factor in most undrafted quarterbacks not being taken earlier is their lack of arm talent. While NFL quarterbacks don’t necessarily need to have huge arms to be successful, they do need to have sufficient arm strength to prevent defenses compacting the field. While Wolford’s arm would be nothing exceptional at the NFL level, he does have enough power to make most throws. While the long deep ball is always nice to see from a quarterback, the more consistently relevant use of arm strength is on the velocity a quarterback uses on short and intermediate throws, especially to the outsides of the field; the windows for completing such throws gets a lot smaller in the NFL.
On both of these throws to the sidelines, Wolford shows a good level of velocity while maintaining a reasonable degree of accuracy. Throws such as these are some of the most vulnerable to being intercepted at the NFL level due to the length of time they can spend in the air; the speed with which Wolford gets the ball out there should do a lot to cut down on the potential risk. Wolford also shows good velocity on some longer outside throws, such as the following:
While the deep ball wasn’t a huge part of Wake Forest’s offense, Wolford does at times show the required arm strength to push the ball down the field, such as on the following throw:
On this throw, Wolford shows not just the arm strength to make a forty-five yard pass, but also the touch to weight it perfectly, allowing only the receiver to make the catch. This touch is also a significant issue for many late-round quarterbacks; while this is a skill that can be taught to a certain degree, far more throws in NFL offenses require placing the ball at a certain depth rather than simply hitting an open target with a line-drive. On the following throws, Wolford demonstrates his ability to weight passes well in order to allow for effective completions.
While Wolford doesn’t posses elite arm talent, his combination of good velocity and touch with an ability to hit the deep ball when needed is more than adequate for an NFL quarterback. This creates a high ceiling for Wolford as a late-round prospect, as many other quarterbacks who fall beyond the middle rounds will likely be unable to ever progress beyond mediocre backups due to their limited arm talent. For a late-round quarterback, Wolford actually shows a lot of potential.
The Details
Although some prospects who fall to later rounds, like Russell Wilson, do so due to sheer incompetence of NFL executives, most of them spur reasonable doubts about their ability to perform at the pro level. For quarterbacks this is either due to a lack of arm talent, as discussed earlier, or because teams doubt their ability to adjust to an NFL offense, either because of the increased requirement for accuracy or because of their need to adapt to a pro-style offense.
In terms of accuracy, Wolford is good but not great. He very rarely actively missed receivers in his collegiate career; but his ball placement, while generally quite good, is sometimes inconsistent. On both of the following throws he shows an ability to lead his receivers, thereby allowing for yards after the catch.
However, there are also examples on tape where, although not completely inaccuracte, a throw behind the receiver makes the catch harder than it hard to be, which does sometimes lead to incompletions to at least partially open receivers.
On balance, Wolford is accurate on throws like this more often than not, and is generally an accurate passer. That being said, his accuracy will be something that any prospective employer will want to work on to some degree, as he doesn’t quite reach the level that would be described as good by NFL standards. What is promising though, is the awareness Wolford shows for where the ball needs to go in order for it to be completed. On the following throw, he places the ball high and away from the defender, allowing only the receiver to get the ball, while not over-leading the receiver, which might have allowed for the safety to make a play.
He shows that same awareness on both of the following throws, throwing the pass slightly short of usual in order to allow the receiver to catch the ball without the defender over the top being able to make a play on it:
Of course, these plays are only a small number of those that Wolford attempted during his senior season; based on the tape available, it does seem as though this is more than just a few anomolous plays, but rather a wider understanding of where the pass needs to be in order to lead to a completion.
The major concern with Wolford, as with almost all quarterbacks, is their ability to learn and eventually master an NFL offense. Wake Forest ran a fairly simple passing offense, with a number of the reads being made pre-snap. Because of this, the Panthers would likely need to spend some time with Wolford in order to determine his understanding of scheme and reads. On tape, he does show some ability to make basic progressions, such as on the following two plays, but it is hard to make any form of strong statement based off of these.
What is promising to see is his ability to anticipate where the open man will be, and his knowledge of where the receivers are meant to be. On the next play, he recognizes the blitz and quickly gets the ball to the open man for a first down.
What is more interesting is that even when the play breaks down, he shows an ability to continue to look to pass, recognizing where the open man should be. This allows him to make plays such as the following:
These plays are merely indications that Wolford might stand a chance of being successful in an NFL offense, but for many quarterbacks coming out of college this has been the case. For Wolford to have success in the NFL, he will need to develop the mental side of his game; given what he has shown on tape, he has about as good a chance of learning an NFL offense as any other player coming out of such an offense.
The Added Extra
While Wolford isn’t the most obviously athletic player, he is surprisingly shifty and can pick up yards with his feet if needed. While Wake Forest possible over-used his running ability at times, it is certainly a useful feature of his game for any team that involves quarterback runs in their offensive scheme. This is clearly a part of the Panthers scheme with Cam Newton and while Wolford is unlikely to be running QB power anytime soon, his mobility would certainly allow for some read-option plays to be part of the offense.
As a late round pick or potential UDFA, Wolford is certainly not a polished pro-ready quarterback. However, he has a decent arm for an NFL quarterback with good touch and shows some promise when it comes to mastering the finer aspects of being an NFL quarterback. Should the Panthers look to add some quarterback depth late in the draft, then Wolford could certainly be one of the players they consider.
December 31, 2020 at 12:41 pm in reply to: Wolford … Rams pre-season vids from 2019 & a vid-heavy draft report #126203znModeratorRick Neuheisel on Rams quarterback John Wolford: “I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t win.”
Here’s that article:
===
Rick Neuheisel, who coached John Wolford, swears backup QB will be hero for Rams
SAM FARMER
A desperation heave by the Rams. A human Hail Mary.
That’s how a lot of people see backup quarterback John Wolford, who has yet to throw a pass in an NFL game yet will be starting Sunday in place of Jared Goff in a do-or-die finale against the Arizona Cardinals.
Rick Neuheisel is not one of those doubters.
“I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t win,” said Neuheisel, the former UCLA quarterback and coach who had Wolford as his starting quarterback with the Arizona Hotshots of the Alliance of American Football. “I’m just telling you, Johnny Wolford is going to come through.”
Now, that could be the rosiest forecast this side of Pasadena, especially when things have been so bleak for the Rams lately. However, Neuheisel, who knows quarterbacks in microscopic detail, is convinced Wolford is going to distinguish himself in his debut.
Goff will miss the first meaningful start of his career Sunday, having undergone surgery Monday for a broken thumb on his throwing hand. Coach Sean McVay said he’s hopeful Goff will be able to return if the Rams make the playoffs, his team having lost consecutive win-and-they’re-in games against the New York Jets and Seattle.
Rams’ Jared Goff has thumb surgery; John Wolford to start in showdown vs. Cardinals
Neuheisel is convinced the Rams did not make a mistake by failing to have an experienced veteran backing up Goff, and instead going with the 6-foot-1 Wolford, who was signed by the Jets as an undrafted rookie in 2018 and was on their practice squad before the Rams signed him in April 2019.
“In McVay’s offense, and with Wolford’s knowledge, he’s going to go in there, give three claps, and that offense is going to go,” Neuheisel said.
Neuheisel said as much in a text to Wolford late Sunday night after hearing Goff probably wouldn’t be available to play.
“I just said, ‘Stars close the show. It’s time for you to deliver,’ ” Neuheisel said.
The coach didn’t read back Wolford’s specific response, only saying the quarterback was “very encouraging that he’s ready for this deal.”
Now, of course a young player is going to be excited and encouraged about getting his first opportunity, especially on such a grand stage. If Wolford were wracked with doubt, the Rams would be more concerned than they actually are. And let’s be realistic, it would be a monumental upset if Wolford were anything more than a cautious caretaker, looking to not make a mistake and letting the Rams defense dictate the outcome.
Yet Neuheisel is convinced that the player who led the AAF in touchdown passes (14) and excelled in the run-pass-option scheme at Wake Forest is going to surprise people.
“The first time I talked to him, I said, ‘I just want you to know that you’re the pick I wanted,’ ” Neuheisel said. “He said, ‘You’re going to be glad you wanted it, coach.’”
Neuheisel compared Wolford’s arm to that of Case Keenum — respectable, and able to make the required throws — and his intellect to that of Pat Haden, lofty praise considering Haden was a Rhodes Scholar.
“From our first practice, and we practiced for three weeks, this guy had it,” Neuheisel said. “More than just having it, he was also cerebral enough to come in and offer tweaks as we were putting in RPO stuff, because he came from an RPO background. Honest to God, this guy could be a great coach.”
The AAF isn’t the NFL. Not even close. Yet, Neuheisel is convinced that even in this compressed preparation period, McVay will find ways to move the ball with Wolford.
Rams backup quarterback John Wolford warms up before a scrimmage at SoFi Stadium on Aug. 22, 2020.
RAMSRams backup quarterback John Wolford says he’s ready to step in if needed
“Maybe more stuff on the edges [than with Goff] because you might be worried about John’s size,” Neuheisel said. “Maybe more full play-action, where you’re rolling right, rolling left. And a lot of RPO. He comes from a world of RPO.”
One of Neuheisel’s early memories of working with Wolford was the quarterback lying flat on his back in the meeting room to watch film. Wolford wore special glasses that had mirrors in them that allowed him to have his head pointed toward the ceiling yet his eyes focused on a screen in front of him.
“I’d say, ‘What sort of weirdo are you?’ ” Neuheisel recalled with a laugh. “He goes, ‘Coach, you should try these.’”
Wolford discovered a different way of looking at the world. Now he has a chance to change the way the football world looks at him.
December 31, 2020 at 10:42 am in reply to: Wolford … Rams pre-season vids from 2019 & a vid-heavy draft report #126200znModeratorI don’t know anything about Wolford. But I’m almost to the point of giving up on Goff.
Not me. He had bad games this year but rarely (if ever) was it just him. He also had far more solid to good games. I think they can straighten that out.
December 31, 2020 at 9:24 am in reply to: Wolford … Rams pre-season vids from 2019 & a vid-heavy draft report #126197znModeratorAdvice to Cardinals: Don’t Sleep on John Wolford
The Arizona Cardinals must win Sunday to be in the playoffs and they are facing John Wolford, a quarterback making his first NFL start.HOWARD BALZER
https://www.si.com/nfl/cardinals/news/cardinals-can-not-underestimate-john-wolford
It was the middle of January, 2019, and The Alliance of American Football was holding training camp for all eight of its teams in San Antonio, Tex.
At the time, I was doing contract work for the AAF website, and one of the first visits I made was to an Arizona Hotshots practice where Trevor Knight was believed to be the favorite to be the team’s starting quarterback.
I learned differently during a conversation with Hotshots general manager Phil Savage, a longtime NFL personnel executive who had been the executive director of the Senior Bowl for six years before leaving for the AAF. He is currently a senior football advisor for the New York Jets.
It didn’t take long for Savage to tell me privately, even though it was early in camp, that the team’s likely starter would end up being John Wolford.
“There’s just something about him that’s special,” Savage said. In the league’s quarterbacks draft the previous fall, Knight was selected seventh overall and Wolford 11th, mainly because Savage and head coach Rick Neuheisel believed Wolford would be available in the second round.
My attention for the rest of practice that day and in the one preseason game each team played was on Wolford. What Savage said was easily noticeable.
Wolford won the job and when the league suspended operations on April 2, he signed with the Los Angeles Rams nine days later.
Rams head coach Sean McVay recalled the decision to add Wolford to the roster.
McVay said Wednesday, “We had brought him in with a couple other guys that had NFL experience, or guys that were high priority college free agents. You could just see the way the ball jumps out of his hand. Just the upper and lower half movement. He’s a twitchy athlete.
“I thought he did a really nice job in his workout and you’re out there and you’re thinking, ‘Man, I don’t care what the size (6-foot-1) says, this looks like it’s supposed to in terms of the base, the balance, the body position and being able to speed it up at the top.’ I was at that workout and he definitely earned his spot based on how he performed.”
Wolford spent the 2019 season on the practice squad and this year earned a spot on the 53-man roster as the backup to Jared Goff. Now, in Week 17, with Goff out because of a broken thumb, Wolford will try and lead to the Rams to a playoff spot, one they would achieve with a win or a Chicago Bears loss to the Green Bay Packers. A loss to the Cardinals coupled with a Bears win would end the Rams’ season.
When McVay was asked earlier this week about the decision to eschew a veteran backup quarterback and ride with Wolford, he said simply it was “the confidence in John. What he had shown with the opportunities – whether it be preseason, competitive reps in practice, all the stuff that you’re just evaluating every single thing that he does. We felt good about that. So, really it was a reflection of the confidence in John. Looking forward to the opportunity that he’ll have this weekend.”
The reality is that Wolford has a chorus of supporters wherever he’s played. When it was noted to McVay that former coaches have described Wolford as “uncanny,” McVay said he has seen that.
“He loves it,” McVay said. “I mean, he eats it up. He does a great job. He’s got a great feel. I think uncanny is a good way to describe it, in terms of just being able to recognize things, understand, based on only being able to play with 11 (players on defense), if these guys are there, then what’s the potential of a certain blitz coming from this side and what are the tools that you can activate to get it picked up? Or what are the ways that you can do different things that make people pay?
“So, I think he’s got great wide-field vision. I think he’s got a great feel for the game and all those things that his coaches have said, we definitely feel that here as well.”
Neuheisel is a one-man admiration society.
“I just have immense confidence in John Wolford,” Neuheisel told Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. “The guy is a diligent learner, he is very perceptive as to what’s going on within a defense. I guarantee you, he’s partially an assistant coach right now for Jared Goff in his role as the backup for the Rams, and now that he’s getting to play, I just know the stage won’t be too big for him. He rose to the occasion more often than not in my time with him with the Hotshots. I think the world of him and I think he’s very capable.”
As for Wolford’s mental approach, Neuheisel said, “He’s the kind of guy that comes up to you and says, ‘OK, coach, here’s what they’re doing. Here’s what we should do. Here, we can just tweak this.’ Whether it was a blocking scheme that he saw in run game, whether it was a corner’s eyes that he thought were jumping on something that he noticed when he passed up on one choice to move to another. And he could come over and say, ‘Hey, we need to double-move this.’
“And I can’t tell you how often he was right. I mean, the guy just sees the game in slow motion. And because of it, while he doesn’t look anywhere NFL-ish in physical stature, his arm strength and his accuracy coupled with his mental acuity for the game makes him very dangerous. And I think that underestimating him would be a very big mistake.”
To a man, the Rams appear to have confidence in Wolford. Said McVay, “Anybody that’s been around John; he’s got a nice way about him, he’s got a great charisma, a great presence, he’s a fiery personality, but I think the way that he goes about his business week-in and week-out, day-in and day-out has earned the respect of his teammates.
“He’s done a great job giving great looks for our defense all year. Then when he’s had his opportunities to run our offense, I think he’s done a really nice job. A lot of those things kind of have been behind the scenes just based on the COVID restrictions and without the preseason. I think all those things have led to why he is revered by his teammates without a doubt.”
Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley has noticed.
“I think that it’s very difficult in the NFL to earn respect of your teammates when you have never gone in a game,” Staley said. “But John Wolford has the full respect of our entire team – coaches, and players because of how he performs on the practice field, in the meetings, in the weight room. I think that that’s a rare thing when you can have full respect of your teammates without actually having performed in an NFL game. I think that should tell you about his character and about what he’s capable of. I think we’re all excited for him and his opportunity this weekend.”
Anything specific? Said Staley, “I think the way he goes out on the field. I think our guys enjoy watching him. I think in the pro game, you’d be surprised. There’s so many good guys out there at one time, it’s hard to stand out, but I think that John, when he gets on the field, he’s a guy that people enjoy watching because I think he’s a competitor. I think you can tell real competitors when they take the field with how they play, how they perform. He’s got a spirit about how he plays, and he’s got a play-style that I think stands out.
“I think that he’s also a professional. He may be a young player, but he doesn’t conduct himself like one. He conducts himself like someone that’s been doing this a very long time. Someone that expects to be successful and that has been successful, you know? I think that you can’t minimize what he’s accomplished as a player before coming to the NFL and how he accomplished it. I think that those are all good things for him.”
For Wolford, he understands the many challenges he will face, but knows “the most important thing is you can’t make the critical errors. I have got to put us in a position to win. We have a good defense and we can rely on them in some aspect. Then I start getting heated up, we can start moving the ball and score some points to win the game. So, every single play is a challenge in the NFL and it’s about making the right decision and giving us the best chance to win.”
The Cardinals surely realize that thanks to some of the critical mistakes they have made has put them in the position they’re in, approaching a truly must-win game against a team without its starting quarterback, one of its best receivers and a compromised running back situation.
That could be an asset for Wolford with players he’s practiced with like rookie wide receiver Van Jefferson and undrafted rookie running back Xavier Jones.
But Wolford doesn’t appear to be sweating things while knowing this is the biggest game he’s played.
He said, “Your first NFL start; it’s something you kind of dreamed about your entire life. So, it would be fair to say that, but I’m not going to get too caught up in the moment. I’m not going to be on social media. I’m not going to read all the headlines, whatever it may be. I’m just going to go about doing my job. If I put my head down and work to the best of my ability, at the end of the day whatever happens, I’ll be able to sleep at night. I’m just looking forward to the opportunity and have a calm, level-headed mindset going into the game.”
Speaking of sleep, he even had some advice for the media after being asked if he’s been able to get any sleep this week.
“I feel good. I’ve been sleeping fine,” he said. “The first night I found out, I slept a little bit less than normal, but I think sleep is super important. I read a book called “Why We Sleep” (by Matthew Walker). You guys should read it if you haven’t read it and if you’re not avid sleepers. So, I’m always trying to get my sleep.”
Along those lines, the Cardinals are advised not to sleep on John Wolford. If they do, they’ll have plenty of time to rest starting Monday.
znModeratorLindsey Thiry@LindseyThiry
Brandon Staley says Aaron Donald contributes to everyone’s success, but that OLB Leonard Floyd’s performance on the outside stands alone. “He’s having as complete of a season as ANYONE in the NFL,” Staley says. “And the best is yet to come.”==
The Rams defense does such a great job of varying up their pass rush with games and twists, especially on 3rd down. On Sunday they would utilize these to bait Russell Wilson into fool's gold scramble lanes to some success. pic.twitter.com/pkJIkPoZoi
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) December 30, 2020
znModeratorObnoxious anti-masker in Georgia causes a scene at UPSpic.twitter.com/xdeKUnawXz
— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) December 30, 2020
znModeratorRams’ playoff hopes now depend upon Brandon Staley’s boundary-pushing defense
https://theathletic.com/2292820/2020/12/30/rams-playoffs-defense-brandon-staley/?source=twittered
When Brandon Staley first met Sean McVay, it didn’t take long for them to realize they were cut from the same cloth. Then the 37-year-old outside linebackers coach for the Broncos, Staley traveled to L.A. last offseason to interview for the Rams’ vacant defensive coordinator job. Early in the conversation with his potential new boss, Staley did his best to articulate the overarching philosophy and value system of the defense he wanted to run in Los Angeles.
“When he asked me, philosophically, as you’re getting into an interview, ‘OK, what’s important to you on defense,’ just from a schematic standpoint, my big belief system is 1-on-1s in the run game and 2-on-1s in the passing game,” Staley told me earlier this month. “It all starts there.”
That may seem like a simplistic way of thinking about the game, but Staley’s core belief in building a numbers advantage on defense whenever possible perfectly aligned with McVay’s own philosophy on offense. “(Football is) 11 on 11, but the best teams week in or week and week out — where it’s offensively or defensively — do a great job of changing up the math and the numbers,” McVay told me earlier this season.
As Staley outlined the specifics of his scheme and described the ways he planned to use Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey, and other personnel, it was clear to both men that they’d found a kindred football spirit. If McVay had been searching for his defensive counterpart, as The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue wrote earlier this season, he’d found it in Staley. “That kind of gets to the essence of why our relationship, from a football standpoint, has fit so well,” Staley says. “If we were coaching the other side of the ball, that’s what it would look like. There’s an ultimate respect. And there’s an ultimate collaboration because you’re able to help one another take your side of the ball to its highest potential. We really believe that, because of that creativity and collaboration, we’re able to see the game very similarly.”
For all the chemistry and sparks between the two, Staley was still relatively unknown to people outside the coaching world, and the 30-something, first-team coordinator was set to take over for a living legend in longtime defensive mastermind Wade Phillips. How the Rams defense would look — and play — remained a mystery. And even the most optimistic observers couldn’t have predicted this. Through 16 games, Staley’s defense ranks third in points against (19.3), second in weighted Football Outsiders DVOA, and first in Expected Points Added per play.
By any measure, the Rams have fielded one of the best defenses in the league this season, and they’ve done it by pushing boundaries and testing limits in ways we rarely see at the NFL level. Staley has held to his axiom about flipping the math and taken it further than any defensive coordinator in recent memory. In the process, he’s created a system that could help redefine modern defense in the NFL. With Jared Goff nursing a broken thumb and other offensive starters like Cam Akers, Cooper Kupp, and Darrell Henderson potentially sidelined for a must-win game with the Cardinals in Week 17, Staley’s surging defense now looks like the last, best hope for the struggling Rams to break into the postseason.
Before coming to the Rams, Staley spent the past three seasons as the outside linebackers coach on Vic Fangio’s staffs in Denver and Chicago. The reliance on two-high safety looks is an obvious Fangio influence on Staley’s defense (the Rams and Broncos use them at the highest rate in the league, by far), but the truth is Staley had been fascinated by Fangio long before he ever worked with him.
“I’d studied Vic since I first became a coordinator at Hutchinson Junior College, when he was at Stanford,” Staley said. “I felt like I’d been coaching for Vic since 2010. I joke with people about that, but I’m actually quite serious, because that’s how far back I went studying his stuff. And then I was able to be with him on an intimate level for three years, and then I could kind of pick up more context and learn all the ways that he had been shaping that defense.”
In early 2017, Fangio was then the coordinator in Chicago and looking for a new outside linebackers coach — his area of expertise — that he could train and groom. Staley had recently won a Division III Ohio Athletic conference championship as the defensive coordinator at John Carroll University and wasn’t an obvious choice for an NFL staff, but luckily, his friendships in the football world included a connection on the Bears’ staff. Chicago’s then-quarterbacks coach was Dave Ragone, who, like Staley, was originally from the Cleveland area. Ragone had played at St. Ignatius High School with Tom Arth, a close friend of Staley’s who was the head coach at John Carroll University.
“Dave thought I would be a good fit,” Staley said. “He knew that I had studied Vic. He knew that our defense at John Carroll, there were so many elements of Vic in those defenses. So I was fortunate that I got an opportunity to interview.” After Staley was hired, Fangio initially led the outside linebackers meetings before handing over the reins about halfway into the regular season. “He was a very impressive guy,” Fangio told me. “He’s got very good football knowledge, and he’s a football savant in that he loves the game, loves the historical aspect of the game, loves to research it and be up on all the new things.”
Working closely with Fangio gave Staley the chance to learn every minute detail of a defensive system that he’d long admired from afar. Picking Fangio’s brain about how he structured the defense year to year provided context about why certain aspects looked the way they did, and most importantly, helped Staley understand the importance of shaping a defense around your personnel from season to season. “We worked so closely together,” Staley said. “I was able to say, ‘Hey, going into this opportunity, this is the way I would do it.’ I think that’s something that’s been a hallmark of Vic’s success, is that he was able to evolve and be who he needs to be based on the players that he has. Going from San Francisco to Chicago to Denver, we were different teams. And certainly just when I was with him, our three defenses, we were different every year.”
At the time, Fangio’s defense was a different beast compared to the rest of the league. Pete Carroll’s success in Seattle had made systems with a single-high safety all the rage in the NFL. But as Staley surveyed the landscape, he had his doubts about the staying power of a system that limited the coverage menu a defense could play (namely Cover 3 and Cover 1). “So much of the NFL was trending to Seattle and that scheme,” Staley said. “I knew that it wouldn’t last. I knew Vic was so different, and there wasn’t really anybody like Vic. It’s because of the depth that we play with. And it’s not like Tampa Bay 2, which is way different because there’s too much air in the coverage. We just play with more depth. When you start with that premise, you can really open your thinking to play the way you need to play to stop people.”
The same year that Staley took the job in Chicago, the Rams hired McVay, whose offensive system filled with play action and deep crossing routes was specifically equipped to take advantage of the single-high, Seattle-based defenses that emerged around the league. Without playing a two-high structure, cutting crossing routes becomes a significant challenge, and the Rams (and offenses influenced by them) shaped their play-action systems around that central idea.
When Staley was the defensive coordinator at John Carroll in 2016, he implemented a two-high system heavily reliant on Fangio’s principles, but the motivation for that approach was different at the college level. “In college, with the RPO game, you have to play split safety to get the overlap with the QB running the ball,” Staley said. “You can’t play single-high with the QB as a runner and the running back as a lead blocker. When they have all 11 guys that they can use, and you only have 10 because one of those guys is in the middle of the field, you’re gonna get torn up. That’s why you see the defenses being played in college get exposed.”
A lot of the defensive structures that Staley used at John Carroll (above) look eerily similar to ones he’s used with the Rams this season, only now, the two-high structure is designed to slow down a different aspect of opposing offenses. “Transitioning to the pro game, you know that it’s more about the passing game,” Staley said. “Just taking that same process and applying those principles — with more variation, certainly — to the passing game in the NFL.”
The result has been a defensive approach that looks similar to Fangio’s, with the dial cranked to 11. According to Next Gen Stats, the Rams have lined up with a light box on 83 percent of plays, the highest rate in the NFL. Fangio’s Broncos are second at 78 percent, and no other team is above 72. By consistently lining up in two-high looks, Staley is able to create those 2-on-1 looks in the passing game that are central to his core defensive philosophy. And by playing a variety of coverages out of those looks (and not the static Quarters coverage that sometimes come with two-high alignments in college), the Rams have been able to eliminate some of the vulnerabilities that occasionally emerge with more static zone defenses.
“The more match (coverage) you are, the more the coverage truly splits,” Staley said. ”When you study a lot of people who play quarters, the coverage really splits and you have these independent worlds happening. To me, that’s the easiest way for offense to create matchups. You don’t want that. We want as much overlap in your defense as possible. That’s something that’s a staple of ours.”
Some of the benefits of lining up with two-deep safeties are self-evident. With more bodies deep in the defensive backfield, the Rams are able to insulate themselves from explosive plays in the passing game. According to Next Gen Stats, Rams opponents are just 10-for-44 with five interceptions on deep passes this season (22.7 percent completions, which is the second lowest mark in the entire league). Staley’s unit has allowed just four touchdown passes of 10+ air yards (four less than any other defense) and a passer rating of just 29.2 on deep throws (first in the league). The way that Staley allocates his resources makes it difficult for any defense to push the ball down the field, but playing out of two-high looks also gives the Rams an element of unpredictability that gets lost with single-high defenses.
Even when the Rams are lined up with two high safeties, they often spin to Cover 3 or other single-high looks, making it difficult for quarterbacks to extract much information before the ball is snapped. Take this game-sealing interception from the Rams’ win over the Bucs earlier this year. The Rams are initially lined up in a look that might lead Tom Brady to believe he’d get some sort of two-high coverage. But at the snap, safety John Johnson III spins into the box and rookie Jordan Fuller rotates to the deep middle of the field. Based on his initial read on the alignment, Brady tries to fit a ball to Chris Godwin up the seam — and throws it right to Fuller to end the game. “What it forces the quarterback to do is operate post-snap,” Staley said. “He has to work once the ball hits hands. Being in the shotgun, one thing you do lose is time, because you have to look at the snap. When you’re receiving the ball, if something happens after the ball is truly snapped, we feel like that’s an advantage.”
A reasonable follow-up question at this point is, “Why wouldn’t other defenses try this?” And the answer is fairly simple. Even in today’s pass-happy NFL, most defensive coaches think about their defensive fronts first and coverages second. Playing in single-high looks and a heavy box is the only way to ensure that every gap in the running game is immediately accounted for, and most defensive coordinators will tell you that stopping the run is their first priority. Staley has flipped that thinking, and his defense has benefitted from it.
When I asked Staley why he thought he could get away with playing this style of defense in the NFL, his answer was somehow obvious yet shocking, considering the typical discourse around defense. “I know that the quickest way to lose is to give up explosions in the passing game,” Staley said. “It takes a lot of 4- and 5-yard runs to add up to a 50-yard pass. If you truly believe that explosions are how you lose in the NFL, you really need to start there in your philosophical structure and how you construct your defense.” On its face, that point makes a lot of sense, but for anyone who’s listened to mainstay NFL coordinators talk about defense, it’s still jarring.
The reason that teams have avoided light boxes and single-high structures in the past is that it makes them vulnerable to gashes on the ground, and that’s forced the Rams to get creative with the way they line up and play against the run. At the college level (and for Staley’s defenses at John Carroll), there’s been a large-scale movement to what are known as “tite fronts.” With tite fronts, there are no open B gaps like there typically are with traditional four-man fronts. Defenses line up with three linemen stuffed into the interior, with a head-up nose tackle and two other linemen lined up on the inside shoulder of the tackles.
The approach has been all the rage in college in part because it acts as a deterrent to RPOs, but the Rams have also used them to steal back gaps in the traditional run game. Through alignment and coaching points, Staley and his staff teach their defensive linemen to play a gap and a half in the running game, which allows them to split the difference between a typical two-gap system and a penetrating one-gap defense. “We feel like we can gain overlap in the run game because of our front mechanics,” Staley says. “By doing that, it’ll be really messy in the run game. You don’t want to create a system where runs hit you directly. You want those runs to have to slow down, and what that does is that it allows the second and third level to get there. So it really starts up front with the way we teach our d line and our edge players.”
This 4-yard gain from the Rams’ Week 16 loss to Seattle is a useful example of what Staley is talking about here. Nose tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day and de-facto defensive end Michael Brockers manage to each play more than one gap as they clog up running lanes and provide time for safety John Johnson and others to flow toward the ball. Considering how they distribute their players on defense, the Rams’ success with this strategy against the run is probably the most impressive aspect of their defense in 2020. Despite lining up in light boxes more often than any other team in the NFL, the Rams rank first in rushing EPA/play allowed and third in run-defense DVOA. According to Next Gen Stats, just 26.7 percent of rushing plays against the Rams have been above expectation — the third lowest rate in the league.
When trying to flip the math in your favor and asking your players to play multiple gaps at once, it helps to have guys like Aaron Donald — who’s always the equivalent of one and a half players on defense. During his first conversation with McVay, Staley wanted to communicate the different ways he planned to use Donald and Jalen Ramsey, specifically, as the focal points on his defense.
“Coaches say that, but as you know, they don’t mean it,” Staley said. “They have a system, and they don’t really practice what they preach. I just knew that coming here to L.A., I had a vision for how we were going to use Aaron, Jalen, John Johnson. I really felt like we could mold something unique. Fortunately, Sean believed in me.”
With Donald up front, the Rams have a true queen on the chessboard that can unlock their entire plan. By sending five-man pressures in defined passing situations, the Rams can scheme one-on-one matchups for the best player in football. In other moments, Staley has been able to use the threat of Donald to create openings for other players, like this sack by Joseph-Day on Sunday against the Seahawks. “It’s like, “How are we going to have to defend the run game that particular week, and can we put him in a spot that gives him a chance to be successful?” Staley said. “Create as many different looks to isolate him against a particular player. That’s been a lot of fun to construct.”
Donald may be the best defensive player in football, but Staley says that when he’s creating specific plans on defense, he often starts with Ramsey and works backward. Ramsey plays the “Star” position within the Rams defense, which means that along with playing outside cornerback, he also moves inside to the slot when the situation dictates. “It’s just getting him where the action is,” Staley said. “Where he can impact the game, whether it’s pushing the coverage away from him, or whether it’s getting him closer to the action and make more plays from the slot, impact the game that way by being literally closer to the action. We feel like that’s where we start normally.”
Against teams with a true no. 1 receiver, Ramsey has consistently shadowed that player and been left locked man-to-man on the back side of what are otherwise zone coverages. That’s a typical strategy against 3×1 alignments, but Staley can breathe much easier knowing that Ramsey is the one locked up one-on-one against guys like D.K. Metcalf. Take a look at this incompletion from the first time the Rams played Seattle earlier this year. With Ramsey locked up with Metcalf, the Rams are able to create significant overlap on the back end of their defense and easily thwart a long throw to Tyler Lockett.
Along with flipping the math and pushing limits schematically, the Rams have also done it with the way they allocate their finances defensively. With Donald ($22.5 million) and Ramsey ($20 million), the Rams have two of the eight highest-paid defenders in football by AAV. Their defensive depth chart has become a fascinating study in positional value and how a team thinks about spreading out its resources on defense. By using Ramsey and Donald to create numbers advantages, the Rams feel comfortable skimping on some positions (namely, inside linebacker and edge rusher) in ways other teams might not.
Ramsey and Donald justifiably get most of the attention within Staley’s defense, but the other position that plays a unique role within this scheme is safety. Johnson (who’s hitting free agency this spring) and Fuller might not be household names quite yet, but they’re both brilliant, instinctive players that perfectly fit what the Rams do defensively. By playing so many light boxes (and often taking the nickel cornerback out of the run fit to create even more overlaps in coverage), Staley asks his safeties to pick up a ton of slack in the running game. But the most important demand he puts on that position is the mental work in the passing game. Traditionally, defensive coaches tell their safeties to play one of two ways, depending on the type of coverage. In man or pattern match defenses, DBs are taught to read the distribution of routes and react accordingly. In typical zone coverage, safeties are instructed to read the quarterback’s eyes. Staley asks his safeties to do both. “I think we ask them to see a lot more than most NFL defenses,” Staley said. “I think they’re responsible for seeing more. There’s a coaching saying that says, ‘If you see a little, you’ll see a lot. And if you see a lot, you’ll see a little.’ It’s basically saying, ‘Don’t try to look at everything because then you’ll see nothing.’ Well, I don’t believe that. At all. Especially at safety. The more you see, the more chances you have to affect the game back there.”
Take this pass breakup by Johnson against the Bucs earlier this season. After initially lining up in a two-high shell, the Rams quickly spin to a single-high look with Johnson in the middle of the field. As other guys on the Rams defense key on the route distribution to match coverage, Johnson is fixed on where Brady is looking to go with the ball. The QB’s eyes take him to Rob Gronkowski, and he’s able to easily knock away the pass for an incompletion. “We feel by picking up the QB, especially, you have a chance to make more plays,” Staley says. “Because he’s going to tell you where you need to go. Yeah, we match patterns and we’re aware of the routes and how they distribute. But we’re also aware of where the QB is, and that’s how you truly change the math. You get more overlap.”
Those overlaps, and the subtle ways that Staley and the Rams have been able to flip the numbers in their favor, have made this unit arguably the most effective, cutting-edge defense in the entire league this season. And against the Cardinals on Saturday, with a playoff berth on the line, Staley’s defense — not even through his first season with the franchise — may have to carry the Rams to the postseason.
December 30, 2020 at 6:36 pm in reply to: Wolford … Rams pre-season vids from 2019 & a vid-heavy draft report #126182znModeratorThe vibe on Wolford seems to be good.
We’ll see if that means anything.
He has a Jamie Martin/Case Keenum arm though.
But you can win in a situation like this, with that. They did.
…
December 30, 2020 at 6:19 pm in reply to: Wolford … Rams pre-season vids from 2019 & a vid-heavy draft report #126180znModeratorLindsey Thiry@LindseyThiry
Rams WR Robert Woods laughs — he hasn’t seen John Wolford in a regular-season live-action NFL game but says he’s pulled up Wolford’s highlights on YouTube.“John is not a guy lacking confidence,” — Rams WR Robert Woods on John Wolford, who will start Sunday vs. the Cardina
“John [Wolford] is prepared. He has been waiting on this day.” Robert Woods continues… “It’s exciting for us. He’s an exciting player.”
“John Wolford has the respect of our entire team and that’s rare when you’ve never performed in an NFL game,” — Rams DC Brandon Staley, adding that it’s Wolford’s prep and practice routine that has earned him respect of teammates
Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
“If you don’t like him, something is probably wrong with you.” Sean McVay, commenting on the way Rams teammates have not been able to contain their smiles to this point as they have talked about John Wolford. My sense is they love this moment for him, and want to step up.Stu Jackson@StuJRams
Rams HC Sean McVay on QB John Wolford in today’s walkthrough: “I thought he did a nice job. Great communication, great command of what we’re trying to get done.”znModeratorLindsey Thiry@LindseyThiry
Rams LB Micah Kiser has been activated from injured reserve, the team announced, along with LT Andrew Whitworth returning to practice.So wild that Rams LT Andrew Whitworth left the field on a cart on Nov. 15 with a torn MCL and PCL, and a little more than six weeks later the 39-year-old has been designated to return from injured reserve.
Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
McVay said this week that a Whitworth return could happen as early as next week, if the Rams are still eligible.znModeratorRampage2K
Speaking of Jets game, I ran into a couple Rams fans at the bank of all places yesterday. As I was leaving I hear the lady that works there talking to a customer as I walk by and she says “oh there’s another one” as she points at me, I’m like huh? She says Ram fan….I was wearing my Rams hoodie, dead give away I perked up, heck yeah! So we all start talking Rams football of course and she mentions that the guy she is talking to works for them…he actually gets to be on the field for all the home games, he basically said he is in charge of taking care of the refs … found out after I talked a buncha crap about them (Buffalo and Jets calls) haha…
Anyways, he said it was exactly what many of us talked about in the loss to the Jets…Zero energy!!! He said the week before vs Patriots was night and day difference…said they were so hyped up and riled up all night for the Patriots game and then the Jets came to town and said they were yawning and very very quiet. He said he could tell right away after kick off they were in for a fight but never brought the energy they needed……I just hope McVay and this team never forget the lesson the Jets gave them that Sunda
December 30, 2020 at 12:29 pm in reply to: Kupp on covid list … & is out, he tested positive #126172znModeratorIan Rapoport@RapSheet
#Rams WR Cooper Kupp was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list because of a positive test and he’s out for Sunday, source said. So, no Jared Goff and no Cooper Kupp vs. the #AZCardinals.
==
Cooper Kupp tested positive for COVID-19, according to @RapSheet, so he is OUT for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals https://t.co/WkpHbSuw5O
— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) December 30, 2020
December 30, 2020 at 11:47 am in reply to: Wolford … Rams pre-season vids from 2019 & a vid-heavy draft report #126170znModeratorWho is John Wolford? A look at the quarterback Rams are pinning their playoff hopes on in Week 17
L.A. fans are hoping to witness the birth of a star this SundayThe Los Angeles Rams are on the brink of clinching a playoff spot, but there’s one problem: starting quarterback Jared Goff is unlikely to play in the regular-season finale against the Arizona Cardinals due to a thumb injury. The former No. 1 overall pick reportedly suffered a broken and dislocated right thumb, and underwent surgery on Monday. All the Rams have to do on Sunday is beat the Cardinals and they officially clinch a postseason spot. So who is Sean McVay pinning his playoff hopes to? The answer is John Wolford.
Wolford is an undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest who has never thrown a pass in an NFL regular-season game, but there is plenty to like about this kid. From a famous coach who showed early interest in him to future NFL MVPs he once defeated, Rams fans are hoping they witness the birth of a star this weekend. If you’re unfamiliar with John Wolford, let’s get you caught up.
Recruited by Lincoln Riley
Wolford attended Bishop Kenny high school in Jacksonville, Florida. According to his 247Sports Composite Rating, he was a three-star recruit but did have a famous suitor. Former East Carolina offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley saw something in Wolford, and unsuccessfully tried to recruit him to ECU. That’s right, the four-time Big 12 champion and the 2018 Big 12 Coach of the Year was interested in Wolford. He did end up heading north to the state of North Carolina, but attended Wake Forest instead.
He once out-dueled Lamar Jackson
Wolford had a pretty successful college career. He set school records as a senior with a 157.98 efficiency rating, 3,192 passing yards, 29 touchdown passes, 3,875 total offense yards, 39 touchdowns responsible for in a season and 78 total in his career, according to Wake Forest’s official website. Wolford also set Wake Forest bowl game records with 49 passing attempts, 32 completions, 400 yards and four touchdown passes in a win over Texas A&M in the Belk Bowl. One of the more notable performances he registered in his career was leading the Demon Deacons to a 42-32 win over Lamar Jackson and the Louisville Cardinals. Wolford completed 28 of 34 passes for 461 yards and five touchdowns in the statement win, and he will potentially have another chance to down a Heisman Trophy winner in Kyler Murray this Sunday.
All eyes will be on former @WakeFB QB, John Wolford as he makes the start for the Rams on Sunday! 👀🎩
We've got some highlights for you @RamsNFL fans!#ACCFootball | #GoDeacs pic.twitter.com/X4XdDbjEBB
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) December 29, 2020
A “Hotshot” from the start
After Wolford went undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft, he got a shot with the New York Jets, but they ended up parting ways with him prior to the regular season. Wolford then decided to go another route, and signed up to play in the brand new Alliance of American Football. He was selected by the Arizona Hotshots with their second-round pick and eventually won the starting job over Trevor Knight. Wolford’s four-touchdown performance in the Hotshots’ first regular-season game earned him the Week 1 AAF Offensive Player of the Week, and it appeared early on that he was going to be one of the more notable names in this new football league.
John Wolford is the early frontrunner for AAF QB1
275 yards (No. 1 among QBs)
9.5 Y/A (No. 1)
4 TDs (No. 1)
8 rush attempts (No. 1) pic.twitter.com/mS1WmV021N— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) February 12, 2019
A preseason highlight reel
Wolford has created some incredible highlights during his short time with the Rams. After the AAF folded, he signed with Los Angeles and ended up securing a spot on the Rams practice squad. He did enough to earn a reserve/future contract, and found his way to the active roster. Wolford hasn’t thrown a pass during a regular-season game, but check out some of these highlights from the preseason:
🎯🎯🎯
John Wolford delivers a PERFECT throw on the run to TE Kendall Blanton for a @RamsNFL TD #LARvsHOU pic.twitter.com/t3Sq3bOBCe
— NFL (@NFL) August 30, 2019
Wolford out here droppin’ DIMES. pic.twitter.com/749v6wZ2iY
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 30, 2019
🗣 @VanJefferson12 for SIX‼️ pic.twitter.com/qpVCaWOU5M
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 18, 2020
It would be quite the story if Wolford was able to lead the Rams to the playoffs in his first career start. It speaks volumes that McVay has confidence in this former undrafted free agent to step up and play well when the team desperately needs a win.
December 30, 2020 at 11:45 am in reply to: Wolford … Rams pre-season vids from 2019 & a vid-heavy draft report #126167znModeratorJohn Wolford provides playmaker at QB for Rams if Jared Goff can’t play https://t.co/tZ7cw4BJbe
— RamsNewsNow (@RamsNewsNow) December 28, 2020
znModerator𝕋𝕠𝕞 – 𝕃𝔸 ℝ𝕒𝕞𝕤@TL_LARams
Rams win they are in, no matter what else happens.
Bears lose and Rams are in, no matter what else happens -
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