Rams Wire@TheRamsWire
Andrew Whitworth could return in Week 17, but Rams targeting playoffs

from NFL General Manager Report: All 32 teams’ GMs by win percentage: https://theathletic.com/2253188/2020/12/18/nfl-general-managers-list-report/

4. Les Snead (.521): Snead will graduate into the 10-plus drafts bucket next year and will slot in behind the Cowboys’ Jones for winning percentage, with a higher recent trajectory. The Rams were 31-49 during Snead’s first five seasons, when Jeff Fisher was the coach and quarterback Sam Bradford was frequently injured. The Rams are 42-19 under current coach Sean McVay, tied with New England for third-best in the league behind New Orleans and Kansas City. Some of the team’s roster-building tactics have drawn criticism that increasingly appears misplaced.

Greg Beacham@gregbeacham
Rams DT Aaron Donald emphasizes the versatility of DC Brandon Staley’s schemes: “Every week it’s something different. Teams aren’t able to pinpoint what we’re going to do. I’m enjoying it.”

Rams coach Sean McVay says LB Ogbo Okoronkwo, OL Bobby Evans, S Nick Scott, C Brian Allen and OLB Justin Hollins weren’t in practice today for COVID-related reasons. No more info than that: “Hopefully this has as little an impact on the game as possible.”

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Ian Rapoport@RapSheet
The head coach buzz on Brandon Staley is legit. I would expect him to get some interviews. Young, but so was (is*) Sean McVay. twitter.com/LATimesklein/s…

from 2020 NFL pass-rushing, run-stopping, blocking leaderboard: Win rate rankings: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29939464/2020-nfl-pass-rushing-run-stopping-blocking-leaderboard-win-rate-rankings

Team Pass Rush Win Rate
1. Pittsburgh Steelers, 55%
2. Buffalo Bills, 53%
3. Atlanta Falcons, 52%
4. New York Jets, 51%
5. Washington Football Team, 50%
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 48%
7. Jacksonville Jaguars, 47%
8. Baltimore Ravens, 47%
9. Los Angeles Rams, 46%

Team Run Stop Win Rate
1. New York Jets, 34%
2. Atlanta Falcons, 32%
3. New England Patriots, 32%
4. Las Vegas Raiders, 31%
5. Tennessee Titans, 31%
6. Jacksonville Jaguars, 31%
7. Pittsburgh Steelers, 31%
8. Philadelphia Eagles, 31%
9. Houston Texans, 31%
10. Indianapolis Colts, 31%
11. Washington Football Team, 31%
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31%
13. Los Angeles Rams, 31%

Team Pass Block Win Rate
1. Green Bay Packers, 75%
2. Cleveland Browns, 70%
3. Arizona Cardinals, 69%
4. Buffalo Bills, 63%
5. Seattle Seahawks, 63%
6. New Orleans Saints, 62%
7. Kansas City Chiefs, 62%
8. Indianapolis Colts, 62%
9. Los Angeles Rams, 61%

Team Run Block Win Rate

1. Green Bay Packers, 74%
2. Philadelphia Eagles, 73%
3. Arizona Cardinals, 73%
4. Baltimore Ravens, 73%
5. Washington Football Team, 73%
6. Carolina Panthers, 72%
7. Cincinnati Bengals, 72%
8. Houston Texans, 72%
9. New England Patriots, 72%
10. Dallas Cowboys, 71%
11. Indianapolis Colts, 71%
12. New Orleans Saints, 71%
13. New York Giants, 71%
14. Cleveland Browns, 71%
15. Minnesota Vikings, 71%
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 70%
17. Detroit Lions, 70%
18. Chicago Bears, 70%
19. Los Angeles Rams, 70%

Most YAC per completion for QBs:
t1. Nick Mullens – 6.2
t1. Aaron Rodgers – 6.2
t3. Jared Goff – 6.0
t3. Philip Rivers – 6.0

Lowest:
1. Nick Foles – 3.5
t2. Andy Dalton – 3.9
t2. Daniel Jones – 3.9
t2. Tua Tagovailoa – 3.9https://t.co/cTKQZOT7Zp

— ProFootballReference (@pfref) December 17, 2020

aeneas1

this dude, ramsey, it’s impossible to overstate what he’s meant to the 2020 defense imo, not only is he elite in coverage, but he’s so fundamentally sound across the board, and he brings the wood game in and game out:

Here's another reason why the NFL has yet to embrace 17 regular-season games: They don't know whether to play two or three preseason games https://t.co/8uK92I2c4c

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) December 17, 2020

Two posts on the Rams ball control short passing game (that I mostly agree with)

…

NorCal RF

I think to question this offense right now is a lack of understanding what has for the most part been a efficient offense. To say well because we need to stretch the field commands a reply back of why? Corners cheating or not cheating hasn’t made a damn bit if difference in regards to this offense being efficient. We tend to forget that this team has probably the best two YAC receivers in the game. Why would you go away from that strength when it isn’t being stopped? Also how many times in a broadcast this year have we heard the Rams are so good in converting 3rd downs into first downs because they are constantly in 3rd and short which give McVay his entire playbook to call which is really hard to stop.

In regards to the OL yes at the start of this yea. McVay had no idea how this line was going to respond after last year and had to call plays accordingly. That though hasn’t been much of a case anymore. IMO he is now calling plays to the strength of his offense as well as adjusting constantly to what defenses are taking away/giving.

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Mojo Ram

I think time of possession is something McV has been focused on this season. We’ve all watched this offense. It is more short to medium area focused in the pass game. It’s more ball control and dictating the pace of the game than before. Quite a bit of high percentage stuff. The shift from 11 to 12 personnel late last season into this season, the defensive improvement this season…

I’ve looked at the average T.O.P. numbers since 2017. Here they are excluding overtime:

2017
29:39 (21st)

2018
30:46 (8th)

2019
29:00 (22nd)

2020
31:59 (3rd)

Three minutes per game improvement is HUGE when looking at T.O.P. That’s a result of a defense that can get off the field and an offense that can sustain drives and/or have more possessions per game i’d suspect (i haven’t looked at that).

I’ve read where (some) fans have been critical and a bit disappointed in the style of the Rams offense this year. No deep game, safe throws, far less quick strike scoring, less chunk plays etc. Is McVay protecting Goff etc. Lack of a deep speed WR etc. It could be some of that stuff i guess…but i’d be willing to bet that once McV got a feel for what his defense can do, he realized that longer, more deliberate drives gives Goff and company a better chance at finding that game rhythm he wants to get into.

…

Cape Horn, Chile:

The union of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans happens here.

At the point where they meet they come to touch but don’t mix — because the salinity and temperature are different.

It is known as osmolarity…pic.twitter.com/6dCMOCnOh8

— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) December 17, 2020

There's something going on in Washington @BaldyNFL @RDCSports pic.twitter.com/sPj92Dwnc7

— Dylan Burns (@DylanBurnsPro1) December 17, 2020

PARAM

Does Goff have a turnover problem?

He’s started 60 games for the Rams (42-18, .700 win pct). In 14 of them (23%) he’s had at least 2 turnovers and he’s 6-8 in those games. In 6 of them (10%) he’s had at least 3 turnovers and he’s 0-6. That leaves 8 games where he just had 2 turnovers and in those games he is 6-2. So when Goff keeps the turnovers at 2 or less (which he has done 90% of the time), he’s 42-12. That’s a .777 win percentage which equates to more than 12 wins in a season.

There’s not a huge difference in the Rams winning percentage when he turns it over only twice (6-2, .750) compared to less (36-10, . 782). Like I said, keep in at 2 or less, and he has in 90% of his starts, it’s a .777 win percentage.

Michael Giardi@MikeGiardi
The Bill Belichick/Sean McVay postgame handshake was captured by cameras Thursday night and the #Patriots coach was heard saying, “Great job. You [expletive] killed us. You had a great plan.”

Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
CB Darious Williams was asked by a reporter if he thinks DC Brandon Staley has the makings of a head coach.
“Oh, hell yeah. The dude is a genius.”

Sean McVay says he always roots for and supports his assistants getting talked about for new opportunities. He’s hopeful they have DC Brandon Staley for more than one year, of course, and jokes that if he were to get another opportunity elsewhere, “the Rams would get worse.”

Stu Jackson@StuJRams
Rams DC Brandon Staley on his name being brought up as a candidate for open head coach positions around the NFL:

“It’s humbling anytime you’re considered in those conversations,” but also representative of an example of the entire team and the way it is playing.

Can anyone dethrone #ChiefsKingdom? 🤔 🔝 pic.twitter.com/7iC4yKtkL0

— PFF (@PFF) December 16, 2020

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5. LOS ANGELES RAMS
Projected Win Total: 10.9
Playoff Odds: 99%
Highest-Graded Player: DI Aaron Donald (93.2)

@RamsNFL @thereal_cam3 had a breakout night behind terrific blocking from his supporting cast. When the #Rams run like this; how far can they GO GO GO? @FSUFootball #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/B6kEVGyiAY

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) December 11, 2020