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znModeratorTravis Langer@Lang50
.@JaredGoff16 has an @NFL best 155 QB rating in the 4th quarter of games this season. Goff also averages a league-best 11.71 yards per passing attempt in the 4th quarter of the team’s first four games.He’s 19-of-24 for 281 yards with 3 TDS and no interceptions in the 4th quarter. His 12.5% 4th quarter TD percentage is second in the league only to Mahomes who is 21-of-31 for 243 yards with 4 TDs and a 130.8 QBR in the 4th quarter.
znModeratorHighest-graded QBs on third down:
1. Aaron Rodgers – 92.5
2. Jared Goff – 90.4
3. Justin Herbert – 89.8
4. Tom Brady – 79.1 pic.twitter.com/UprmW5h4UB— PFF (@PFF) October 7, 2020
znModeratorStu Jackson@StuJRams
Rams HC Sean McVay says they will have OLB Terrell Lewis active this week. He will be activated tomorrow.znModeratorRams QB Jared Goff is through his first four games, so what have we learned?
Jourdan Rodrigue
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — We know that Rams quarterback Jared Goff is on a diet and has been since early spring.
We know he spent a ton of time this offseason working with 3DQB on the specific mechanics that are necessary when throwing either on the move or under pressure inside the pocket.
We know that Goff and new offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell continued working on those techniques during practices through the beginning of this season, and they also worked to develop their relationship and communication style.
Four games into this season, have we seen that work translate into action?
Goff — who has completed 88 of 122 attempts (72.1 percent, which would be the highest of his career) with six touchdowns and two interceptions — thinks so, and his teammates and coaches certainly do, too.
“He’s just playing really well,” head coach Sean McVay said. “Just the way he’s seeing the field. … I can’t say enough about just the way guys are playing around him, but I’d also continue to give a lot of credit to (O’Connell and assistant quarterbacks coach Liam Coen) and the work they do with that quarterback room.”
With McVay able to delegate more of the quarterback work to O’Connell, the offensive coordinator has seen Goff throw himself into the minutiae of his work.
“When we first talked in the spring, it was about every phase of his game trying to get small percentages better,” O’Connell said. “He’s done a lot of really good things over the course of his first three years as a starter to really take inventory of all of that and kind of pinpoint some things. Maybe fundamentally, maybe from a decision-making standpoint, maybe within a game within NFL pockets, how do we make the most of every opportunity that we get in a 60-minute football game?
“And then, things off the field. Leadership, some of the things he’s done away from the field to improve himself, physically, mentally, all those things. I think a lot goes into it. That’s what we’re here for, and I want to give him all the credit in the world because he’s done a great job and he’s had a real kind of present mindset to have some goals to attack each and every day.”
But let’s break it down a little further. With a quarter of the season complete, what have we seen from Goff? And where does he still need to go?
How the O’Connell-Goff relationship has developed
McVay made an offhand comment following a narrow loss to the Bills in Week 3 that actually was pretty telling: “I don’t have to worry about the quarterbacks at all.”
McVay’s point was that O’Connell’s inclusion on the staff, and his relationship with Goff, has been pretty seamless, and that it has allowed McVay to delegate better as a head coach.
“I know how much confidence I have in Kevin and the feedback that he’s consistently giving (the quarterbacks),” McVay said. “Then he and I have great dialogue, in a lot of instances, or we’ll talk through certain things and he’s been great.”
Unlike some offensive coordinators who call a game from the coaches’ booth, O’Connell opted to stay on the field with Goff and McVay. In part, this is because O’Connell is coordinating the quarterbacks and offering in-game feedback to McVay, who still has playcalling duties.
But it’s also a more comfortable situation for O’Connell, who was a journeyman backup NFL quarterback for parts of five seasons (2008 to 2012). He simply can see and process a game better from field level, and he prefers to be with his position group so he can better grasp in-game rhythm and energy.
O’Connell, Goff and McVay are in constant communication throughout the game, O’Connell said.
“There’s really a strong line of communication always between Sean and myself,” he said. “Just how the game is going. I’d like to, a lot of times, be that voice in between on game day for Sean, and Jared allows me to kind of have a good communication pattern with both those guys.
“One thing I’ve noticed is, during the game, both Jared and Sean, their communication with one another, the rhythm of the game, what’s coming up next (and) maybe adjustments that need to be made — (I’ve noticed) just how smooth that process has been.”
McVay indicated that having someone around who is constantly hammering home the small details and operating as a sounding board for Goff — as well as a coach — has made a noticeable difference in Goff’s everyday process.
“He’s better than I had even thought,” McVay said of O’Connell. “A great communicator. He sees the game the right way, but I just think his ability to work with our quarterbacks has been something that’s been really special. There’s full ownership and autonomy of everything that we’re trying to get done really from a big-picture perspective but also from that quarterback. There’s so much that goes into every single snap, and for him to be able to just kind of have such a great grasp and command and good rapport with those quarterbacks, I think has been instrumental in some of the early success we’ve had.”
Goff — and O’Connell’s communication progression — was put to its toughest test at Buffalo in Week 3, when the Rams faced a 25-point deficit in the third quarter.
“You really find out a lot about your communication skills … when you’ve got to have some tough conversations, or you’ve got to try to attempt to push a player or just sometimes be there to listen to a guy,” O’Connell said. “There’s a lot of different dynamics to that sideline communication. I’d like to think that Jared and I, our relationship, even though we haven’t been around each other a long time, I would like to think it’s right where we want it to be.
“I know me, personally, he’s honest, he’s always got a great way about him to answer your questions without feeling defensive or anything like that. He’s always out for the best possible outcome to help not only himself but the other guys in the huddle with him (also) be in a great position the next time we go on the field to have success.”
Offensive line, run game helping Goff
The Rams’ pass blocking has been solid this season, led by left tackle Andrew Whitworth (who has been one of the highest-graded pass protectors in the league, according to Pro Football Focus), and especially since left guard David Edwards took over for the injured Joe Noteboom. Goff has taken six sacks, which is on pace for two more than he took last season, but he also has faced only 26 pressures (on average through this time, a quarterback would have taken approximately 44).
Goff is averaging the same time to throw within the pocket that he had in 2019 and, more notably, in 2018 (the Rams’ Super Bowl season), at 2.6 seconds per throw.
“A lot of (my success) is credit to the O-line,” Goff said this week. “It is truly about them being able to provide that pocket and doing such a great job there.”
Edwards said that when Goff rolls out, blocking responsibilities have been different, too.
“Especially when he’s either rolling out or dropping back, we have to block forever,” Edwards said. “We need to make sure we’re in good positions for him to step up or maneuver in the pocket, and just know that he’s going to find somebody downfield, whether that’s with his feet or (moving) inside the pocket. Just for us, don’t have a mental clock where you stop. Keep blocking forever, because you know he’s going to make a play.”
Goff and McVay also credit the Rams’ early rushing success to Goff’s efficiency in the passing game. The Rams rank No. 7 in the league with an average of 142 rushing yards per game (and were higher entering Week 4 before they totaled only 58 rushing yards against the Giants).
The consistency in the rushing game sets up Goff’s play-action, in which he thrives. This season, Goff has thrown the ball out of play-action 64 times on 122 attempts for 530 of his 1,063 yards, according to Pro Football Reference’s advanced statistics.
Play-action, combined with a good rushing attack, also sets up those motion plays and sweeps that McVay loves to incorporate in his offense. The Rams lead or rank in the top five in the league both in using pre- and-at-snap motions, which work on the outsides of the tackles if the defense is tightly inside to try to stop what it thinks will be a carry, or inside of the tackles with a run play if the defense is expecting the motion to result in a pass or sweep.
“I think, just this year being able to run the ball the way they have, has taken a lot of the pressure off of him,” Edwards said.
No clearer view of how the Rams’ run game sets up their passing game was available than at Buffalo when, down 28-3 in the third quarter, McVay refused to abandon the run. That in part helped Goff finally find his offensive rhythm, and the Rams scored 29 unanswered points before finally succumbing to the Bills on the last drive.
Where is the deep ball?
While the Rams have totaled 19 explosive plays through four games (a play of 20-plus yards), it’s notable that only two of those were air-yards plays.
To put it more clearly, Goff has attempted only five passes of 20-plus yards and completed two — one for a touchdown.
McVay, Goff and O’Connell all indicated that the lack of “deep ball” within the Rams’ offense thus far has more to do with opposing defensive schemes than a lack of personnel or ability on the Rams’ side.
“It’s a week-to-week thing, based on some of the coverage contours that we’re getting,” McVay said on Thursday. “We have called some of those shots. It’s just a matter of whether we have thrown them or not. We had some opportunities in the Buffalo game and even (against the Giants). But there are definitely some guys that are going down the field and it’s really not any different than what it has been in years past.”
It’s certainly not for lack of ability. Goff has been throwing long passes since training camp opened, and part of his activation and workout period each day in practice includes work on those types of passes. But O’Connell said the Rams will never try to force a specific in-game situation.
“I think Jared has been really, really good about being smart about putting the ball in play, throwing completions,” he said. “He’s been really accurate. As the season progresses, I’m sure those plays will present themselves. But it’s never anything you want to press or try to force because normally when you do that, the defense in this league can take advantage of that and bad things can happen.”
One thing to note is that the Rams do a lot of their field movement horizontally, using sweeps and motions, lots of screens (though the latter have not been effective in the last two weeks) and underneath work. Where that can be extremely beneficial is with the receivers’ ability to gain yards after the catch (YAC) on simple shorter routes. In this fashion, technically — though the yards have not been “air yards” — the Rams have been able to rack up explosive plays and “stretch the field” but in a different way than a vertical pass would.
I asked McVay this week whether the Rams consider all explosive plays to be in the same bucket. Or do they want to keep the air-yard explosive plays and YAC-yards explosive plays buckets separate and work to supplement the former?
“Yeah, I mean, as far as just the results, when you’re targeting it, it’s, ‘What’s the result of the play?’ — whether it’s a plus-30-yard gain and the ball travels (in the air) five yards or 30 yards. That’s the same to us,” McVay said. “(But) we are aware of some of the different things. Being able to see where the targets are, where the ball is being thrown, we’re very cognizant of that. And we want to make the defense defend the width and depth of the field, especially in the passing game.”
Activation and working under “chaos”
In the spring, mechanics experts Tom House and Adam Dedeaux at quarterback training facility 3DQB worked with Goff on the mechanics that come when a player is throwing while on the move, which they call “operating within chaos.”
“Where do you want your weight and energy going?” Goff said. “I think what we really focused on is keeping it going forward towards the throw. At times through my career … when you’re throwing, your energy and momentum is either going to go towards (the throw) or it’s going to leak away, or it’s going to leak in, and as much as we can, (we want to) go towards it and stay on that plane and get as much power from the ground as possible, while keeping a base that is not perfect.
“I think that’s where it becomes tricky and why some people are good at it and some people aren’t, and why I’m really trying to do my best to be as good as I can at it. But I think just keeping that energy from the ground through your feet, moving in the right direction in a bad base, really, and not a perfect base.”
I like to ask O’Connell questions about the “activation drills” that the quarterbacks do every day in practice because they are designed to start from the top of the body — the arms and shoulders — then work down through the torso and lower body (base). They get the blood flowing and each area working in synchronicity with the arm, the eyes and the brain. The drills range from short throws from a square base to midrange toss-and-catch to even getting the legs moving in agility pole drills and punchout drills.
And while the question has become kind of a running joke (“activation” being a weird word), the process clearly is working. Goff’s foot-to-brain coordination and body confidence when under pressure seems to be better this season, albeit with a small sample size.
“I think in practice, a lot of this stuff that we do pre-practice that you guys are able to see of us out there, I think has been beneficial,” Goff said.
Goff also has appeared to understand and trust himself more this season, even as the pocket breaks down. A few times against Philadelphia and Buffalo, Goff notably either stepped up into his pocket as the back half folded, or he stood tall and got the ball downfield.
“Just his command this year has been great,” Edwards said. “I think the confidence that he has shown in us, and then some of the throws he has made, just standing in there — some of the throws he made against Buffalo, standing in there and taking a shot, completing the ball downfield — just shows his confidence.”
When Goff is on the run, either by design on a rollout or under pressure, he believes his footwork is much better, as are the mechanics he worked on in matching his base with the throw.
“I feel like my feet have been so much better through these four games, than really any time my career,” Goff said. “Just the consistency with my feet and the consistency with my eyes.”
McVay noted those mechanical differences on one play against Buffalo, a third-quarter completion to tight end Gerald Everett that went for 18 yards.
“If you look at how aggressively he had a hitch to his left, be able to reset his body and make the throw,” McVay said, “… those are high-pressure types of throws that he consistently made throughout the course of the day.”
znModeratorTurfShowTimes@TurfShowTimes
Rams-Washington: Chase Young returns to practice, could play SundayRandom Ramsdom: Rams are 8.5-point favorites over Washington
While the Washington front will likely be good for a splash play or two, the Rams defense should have one of its’ better days against a QB making his first start of the season.
znModeratorRussell Wilson: three games with a 90+ passing grade in 2020.
The rest of the league has five such games. pic.twitter.com/ECgfPKrcZl
— PFF (@PFF) October 9, 2020
znModeratorLMU93
some defensive numbers on Washington
Yards/play- 10th
Sack %- 3rd
QB pressure %- 13th
Pass Rating- 8th
Yards/pass attempt- 12th
Yards/Rush- 18th
3rd downs- 9th
Red zone scoring- 17thThey’re not great. But they’re hardly bad either. It’s their offensive numbers that are abysmal.
znModeratorfrom PFF Rankings: Ranking all 32 NFL offenses ahead of Week 5
https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-rankings-ranking-all-32-nfl-offenses-week-5
With a quarter of the 2020 NFL season now in the books, we now have a clearer picture of the teams that are poised to make a run at the playoffs. Below, you will find all 32 NFL offenses ranked based on expected points added (EPA) per play. As a refresher, EPA is the measure of a play’s impact on the score of the game.
This ranking is not a prediction of what’s to come, nor is it a list of our favorite schemes, systems or playcallers. These rankings solely reflect each offense’s performance on a per-play basis through the first four weeks of the 2020 NFL season. We must also note that we have removed all garbage-time plays so as to ensure that these rankings are as fair as possible.
5. LOS ANGELES RAMS
Sean McVay has had this offense rolling out of the gate in 2020, both through the air and on the ground. It’s been a welcome change from the down year of 2019.The Rams have generated positive EPA on 60% of their “scripted plays” — the first 15 plays of a game — and a big reason for the offensive success is the play-action-heavy offense. They’re currently using play action on 49% of snaps, which is a rate we have never seen before — no quarterback has finished a season over 43% since we began tracking dropbacks in 2012.
Jared Goff has taken great care of the ball so far this year, recording the third-lowest negatively graded throw rate and committing just a single turnover-worthy play.
znModeratorDianna Russini@diannaESPN
The Tennessee Titans all tested negative for COVID-19 per source. This is a great step towards getting Tuesdays game played. The Titans are trying to get into their facility by Saturday afternoon.znModeratorRams RB Cam Akers is on track to return this weekend at Washington https://t.co/al4jsehLvB
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 9, 2020
October 9, 2020 at 5:34 am in reply to: Rightwing violent-fringe, rightwing conspiracy theories, etc. #122689znModeratorKyle Griffin@kylegriffin1
Gov. Whitmer to CNN on whether Barr knew about threats against her: “If he didn’t, he’s incompetent. The fact of the matter is, I have raised this very issue with this White House and asked them to bring the heat down … I asked for their help and they didn’t do a darn thing.”==
Armed Michigan plotters hid their cellphones in a box to be safe but failed to check each other for wires
https://www.businessinsider.com/michigan-militia-kidnapping-wearing-wire-gretchen-whitmer-2020-10
Several members of an armed group who were charged with plotting to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan at her vacation home failed to thoroughly inspect each other for security breaches during a group meeting, according to a federal affidavit released Thursday.
Adam Fox, one of the six men who was charged in the plot, was said to have met with other accomplices at his business in Grand Rapids on June 20. According to federal investigators, Fox was aware of the risks and conducted the meeting in the basement that was “accessed through a trap door hidden under a rug.”
Fox then collected all of the cell phones in a box and put it upstairs “to prevent any monitoring,” the criminal complaint said.
Unbeknownst to Fox, however, one of the confidential sources who attended the meeting was wearing a recording device. The audio revealed that the group had plans to attack the state capitol and use Molotov cocktails against police vehicles.
All of the FBI’s confidential sources were vetted for reliability and none of them “were aware of the [others] involved with the groups in order to preserve the independence of their reporting.”
While the affidavit only relied on two confidential sources and two undercover employees, it used other sources during the investigation.
Six men were charged in connection with the kidnapping plot. The FBI said it became aware of the plans sometime in early 2020 through social media channels. Seven other men were charged with terrorism-related crimes.
“Several members talked about murdering ‘tyrants’ or ‘taking’ a sitting governor,” FBI agent Richard Trask II said in the affidavit. “The group decided they needed to increase their numbers and encouraged each other to talk to their neighbors and spread their message.”
Fox also claimed he needed 200 men to attack the capitol building in Lansing and take hostages, including Gov. Whitmer.
“Snatch and grab, man. Grab the f—in’ governor. Just grab the b—-,” Fox said during a July 27 meeting. “Because at that point, we do that, dude — it’s over.”
Whitmer has been criticized by conservative activists for the state’s response to the coronavirus. In April, Whitmer extended a stay-at-home order that imposed restrictions on businesses that were classified as essential. The order was later rescinded as part of the state’s reopening plans.
During a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Whitmer described the men as “sick and depraved.”
“Hatred, bigotry and violence have no place in the great state of Michigan,” she said.
znModeratorStu Jackson@StuJRams
Rams HC Sean McVay says OL Bobby Evans (shoulder) and LB Micah Kiser (groin) are the only players who will not participate in practice today.Barring any unforeseen setbacks, RB Cam Akers will be good to go for Sunday’s game at Washington.
If Kiser cannot play Sunday, McVay says Troy Reeder would be Kiser’s replacement.
==
A'Shawn spotting I'm sure he's been out there doing what he can do the past few wks..Lewis getting reps with the ones.. pic.twitter.com/QsYT3xxmgU
— Harry Ramstein (@Berendsen88) October 8, 2020
znModeratorHighest-graded WRs against single coverage:
1. Adam Thielen – 93.9
2. Cooper Kupp – 91.4
3. D.K. Metcalf – 91.3
4. Calvin Ridley – 90.6 pic.twitter.com/LYAYKmNIbp— PFF (@PFF) October 8, 2020
znModerator"California is gonna have to ration water. You wanna know why? Because they send millions of gallons of water out to sea, out to the Pacific. Because they want to take care of certain little tiny fish, that aren't doing very well without water." — Trump pic.twitter.com/g0PrXZRgOq
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 9, 2020
znModeratorThanks. No it wasn’t here. But people should always feel free to post things, even if it turns out it was up before. There’s never any harm in that. Easy to fix.
And yes that’s a great post, thanks again. I enjoyed that.
znModeratorIMO GOP voters are intentionally stuck in the sand and either want to go back or at least slow the forward movement down as much as they can. When you add to that malaise the racists, truly ignorant, evangelicals, and wealthy business and corporation owners who want nothing more than getting rid of regulations so they can profit more-well there you have the GOP. I suppose you can add to that Nazis who want to take over the country and now I have to take a nap.
Yeah that’s a good summary.
znModeratorRandom Ramsdom: Two more Titans players test positive Wednesday morning https://t.co/tXvpHHbahj pic.twitter.com/OeBPcfeUE8
— TurfShowTimes (@TurfShowTimes) October 7, 2020
znModeratorAlso why, when I quoted WV did the emoji become gigantic???
It’s just a dumb thing in this software. Either just edit it out after the fact or quote only by blueing out the bits you want to quote and then hit quote.
znModeratorPFF LA Rams@PFF_Rams
NFL Week 4 QB Review: Top Performances of the Week and PFF QB RankingsSo far this season, Jared Goff has the 3rd-lowest percentage of negatively graded plays and turnover-worthy play percentage
—
from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2020/10/08/rams-goff-mcvay-brady-belichick-comparison/
Ron Rivera has been impressed by the Rams’ duo, likening Goff and McVay to the great tandem of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.
“As soon as those two guys get together, I mean, who knows? You could have a relationship there, like they have in New Orleans between Sean Payton and Drew Bree,” Rivera said Wednesday, before continuing on. “That’s the kind of relationship you could see. I mean, a young guy developing with another young coach and those two could be there together for 10, 15 years and you can have a dynamic duo. That’s what they have in New Orleans. I mean, it’s as good a duo as a quarterback and head coach that I’ve seen since Belichick and Brady.”
znModeratorPFF LA Rams@PFF_Rams
PFF’s First-Quarter NFL All-Pro Team is Out!Two Rams make the cut at the quarter-mark of 2020. Find out which players they were and what company they keep: https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-first-quarter-all-pro-team-2020
LT ANDREW WHITWORTH, LOS ANGELES RAMS
Andrew Whitworth is almost 39 years old, but he has been as good as any tackle in football for the first month of the season. Those two statements are not supposed to go together. While the rest of the Rams’ offensive line has taken a big leap in performance, that leap just allowed Whitworth to return to his level of elite play. He has yet to surrender a sack or a hit and has allowed just three hurries across four games and over 130 pass-blocking snaps. As if that wasn’t good enough, his run blocking has been dominant, particularly in Week 1 against Dallas when he opened a yawning chasm for one rushing touchdown.DI AARON DONALD, LOS ANGELES RAMS
It looked for a moment like the unthinkable was going to happen, and Aaron Donald wasn’t going to make this team. There are other interior linemen out there with better PFF grades through four weeks, but all of them have either played a fraction of the snaps, missed time or played against Minnesota’s Dru Samia, which has totally skewed their grade in small sample sizes. Donald has been uncharacteristically mortal by his standards this season, but even so, he is tied for the league lead with 27 total pressures and has a PFF pass-rushing grade above 90.0.znModeratorNew COVID-19 cases in past week:
Vietnam – 5
Taiwan – 9
Yemen – 10
New Zealand – 25White House – 34
— Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) October 8, 2020
znModeratorHighest-graded tackles through Wk4 💪 pic.twitter.com/N5EZfX1H3u
— PFF (@PFF) October 6, 2020
znModeratorMost passes gaining 20+ yards:
1. Dak Prescott – 22
2. Josh Allen – 21
T-3. Aaron Rodgers/Jared Goff – 18 pic.twitter.com/kHb3oO6DoV— PFF (@PFF) October 7, 2020
znModeratormerlin
this is how it looks when you have a good OL
They had trouble blowing the Giants’ DL off the ball but the difference is there weren’t opposing defensive players camping out in our backfield. The penetration problems the line was plagued with last season are gone for the most part.
I give the Giants’ front a lot of cred too. Their NT is excellent. They came to play, were well prepared by the staff to snuff out screens and the run game.
znModeratorPFF’s highest-graded offenses this season:
1. Seahawks – 87.0
2. Packers – 86.4
3. Browns – 86.2
4. Rams – 86.1 pic.twitter.com/AcLFlZtEJ1— PFF (@PFF) October 8, 2020
znModeratorArkansas Republican County Chair Dies of COVID-19 Weeks After His Committee Hosted Maskless Gathering
* https://mashupmd.com/arkansas-republican-county-chair-dies-of-covid-19-weeks-after-his-committee-hosted-maskless-gathering/=
Fauci says growing number of COVID-19 cases among White House staff is ‘not a hoax’ and ‘could have been prevented’
https://www.businessinsider.com/fauci-says-white-house-covid-19-cases-are-not-hoax-2020-10=
White House Quietly Told Vets Group It Might Have Exposed Them to COVID
https://www.thedailybeast.com/white-house-quietly-told-vets-group-it-might-have-exposed-them-to-covid==
October 8, 2020 at 12:55 am in reply to: press & others set up the Washington game (articles, vids etc.) #122625znModeratorRams travel to Washington Football Team aiming for NFC East sweep
https://www.therams.com/news/first-look-rams-washington-week-5
Following a brief return to SoFi Stadium, the Rams (3-1) head back on the road to face the Washington Football Team (1-3) on Sunday in Week 5, seeking to go 4-0 against the NFC East this season. Kickoff from FedEx Field is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. pacific time on FOX.
In advance of the contest, here is your first look at Rams-Washington on Oct. 11, including notable Washington additions, some of Washington’s top statistical performers in Week 4 and key storylines:
Notable Washington additions
Drafted defensive end Chase Young second overall in this year’s draft. The Ohio State product made 8 total tackles and 2.5 sacks before sustaining a groin injury in Washington’s Week 3 loss to the Browns. That same injury also kept him out of their Week 4 game against the Baltimore Ravens. Washington head coach Ron Rivera told reporters last week that Young would be re-evaluated this week.
Signed cornerback Kendall Fuller to a four-year deal in March. Though he missed the first two weeks of the season due to injury, Fuller has quickly made up for lost time. Just recently, he had a pair of interceptions in Washington’s Week 4 loss to Baltimore and was named to Pro Football Focus’ Team of the Week for his overall performance. Those two picks lead Washington’s defense on the season.
Top Performers in Week 4
QB Dwayne Haskins completed 32 of 45 pass attempts for 314 yards in Washington’s 31-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. He did not throw a touchdown or an interception.
Rookie RB Antonio Gibson paced Washington’s backfield with a team-high 13 carries for 46 yards and one touchdown. He also did damage as a receiver with four catches for 82 yards, second only to WR Terry McLaurin’s 118 on 10 catches.
Besides Fuller’s two interceptions, veteran linebacker Jon Bostic’s 14 combined tackles led Washington’s defense.
On special teams, kicker Dustin Hopkins made 1 of 2 field goal attempts and both of his extra point attempts.
Early storylines to watch, and what they mean for the Rams
The Washington Football Team, in some ways, is similar to the Giants.
Like the Giants, Washington has struggled with giveaways. Its eight so far are tied with the Giants and the Denver Broncos for third-most in the league. At the same time, Washington has still been able to create takeaways – its six through four weeks are tied with the Bills, Rams, Titans and Jets for ninth-most in the league.
Washington’s offense also has two dynamic playmakers who can stress defenses in McLaurin and Gibson. McLaurin has averaged 15.5 yards per catch in 18 career games so far, while Gibson took a screen pass 40 yards against the Ravens last week.
So while the Rams’ defense will have its opportunities to force turnovers, of perhaps greater importance will be their offense’s ability to score points off those turnovers and take care of the football, simultaneously keeping the ball out of the hands of McLaurin and Gibson.
Additionally, Young’s status will be important to monitor. If he is in position to return against Los Angeles, it would provide a big boost to Washington’s pass rush and obviously impact L.A.’s pass protection plans.
October 8, 2020 at 12:37 am in reply to: McVay, Staley, Goff, Edwards … 10/8 … vids + transcripts #122624znModeratorHead Coach Sean McVay, Defensive Coordinator Brandon Staley, QB Jared Goff
***
Head Coach Sean McVay
(On if he thinks there will be punishment for teams that violate the COVID-19 protocols)
“Oh, yeah. There’s some very strict policies that the league is serious about implementing and I think we all realize how volatile this thing is. So, to answer your question, yes.”(On what a fair punishment would be for teams that have disregarded the league’s protocols)
“I don’t know that.”(On if it’s frustrating as a head coach to see other teams not take the COVID-19 protocols as seriously given the measures that the Rams have taken)
“You know what, that’s not for me to comment on. I think what’s important is I think everybody, all 32 teams would say that the goal is to be able to have a season, keep our players and all their families and everybody in each organization safe from this coronavirus and do everything that we can to be able to keep this season rolling and have a full season and ultimately be able to get to the playoffs and get through crowning Super Bowl champs. So, that’s where our focus and concentration is, is doing those things the right way. Then getting ready for the – man, I had to correct myself – Washington Football Team this week. Old habits are hard to break. Almost said it.”(On Washington making a change at quarterback and how that impacts their preparations)
“It doesn’t change much. You go back and you look at the 12 games that he (Washington QB Kyle Allen) played for Carolina last year. A lot of good tape on him. He did a lot of good things. He’s got some comfort and familiarity with (Washington Offensive Coordinator) Scott Turner and running the system that they want to be able to activate. So, Kyle was a good football player. We’ll be ready. It doesn’t change too much except for you’re going to go back and you’re going to look at that inventory more than maybe you would have otherwise.”(On if it surprises him that Washington Head Coach Ron Rivera made that move)
“I would say this, I don’t know the history of everything that’s gone on with (Washington QB) Dwayne (Haskins). I just know that they’ve got two capable quarterbacks, really, three if you include – we know what a great player (Washington QB) Alex Smith has been in this league as well. So, we’re just going to get ready for the guy that they’re planning on playing, but you also have to have a plan for Dwayne Haskins as well.”(On what it means for him emotionally to go back to Washington and what were some of his greatest memories)
“I had a great experience there. A large part of the growth of my coaching career occurred there and so many people that were so good to me that I care a lot about. Unfortunately, a significant amount of them aren’t there anymore. So, it really doesn’t change much for me. I genuinely say that because so many of the people that were so important to me, there’s still a couple people that are there. But, a large group of the people that I worked so closely with, they’re really not there anymore. I don’t know a lot of these players. I don’t know a lot of these coaches and it’s definitely not going to be like going back and playing in front of the hometown crowd either. It’s important for us to go get our fourth win. We know that we’re going to have to have a great week of preparation and that’s the honest to God truth.”(On injury updates and whether LB Terrell Lewis will be activated this week)
“Yeah, we’re going to wait and see on that. We’re going to see how today goes, how tomorrow goes and be able to make a decision a little bit later this week. (OL) Bobby Evans will be out today as will (LB) Kenny Young and (LB) Michael Kiser. We’ll be smart and hold those guys back. Then (OL Andrew) Whitworth and (DL) Aaron (Donald) will have rest days, veteran rest days.”(On what strikes him about OL David Edwards and his personality)
“He’s got a great demeanor about himself. This guy understands football. I think it really came natural to him. You could see he’s been trained the right way, going back to his college days. And the versatility I think has been really impressive. He got a lot of experience playing on the right and the left side last year. When we brought him in, he was playing all over the place, but I think he’s really settled in. I think left guard is his most natural spot. I think he’s played outstanding since he stepped into the lineup against Philly. He’s really done a great job of continuing to improve from last year. Used that experience, having a good training camp and he’s playing at a really high level. I love (OL) David (Edwards) out there at the left guard spot for us.”(On the versatility of Edwards who has experience playing at multiple spots on the O-Line as well as tight end and quarterback, and if he has ever seen an offensive lineman with his resume)
“You’ll have to tell him that, it’ll make him feel good, man. He’s a long time from playing quarterback (laughs). He’ll run around and look like an athlete and throw it around in any case. But you do see the natural athleticism with a guy that’s played skilled positions with the ball in his hands, but I think he’s settled in pretty nice at the left guard spot.”(On if he has any theories on why teams are scoring at a higher rate this season)
“You know, it’s hard to say. I think when you look at four games, it’ll be a better sample size once you get a little bit more through the season and have a bigger inventory. But I do think it’s a big deal that the absence of having to use your silent cadence and some of the get off. I think so much of defensive football is predicated on that energy from sometimes the stadium. If you said, what’s the main difference why I think you want to wait until we get a little bit more of an inventory to see. But, if I had to put my thumb on something in particular, I think it’s the ability to use your verbal cadence and not have to use your silent count on some of these tough road atmospheres that ends up being a big deal that offenses aren’t having to deal with.”(On how he noticed Offensive Coordinator Kevin O’Connell reaching out to QB Jared Goff and the rest of the quarterbacks in order to start building personal relationships in that regard)
“I think that’s probably something that he did on his own. You guys are getting to know (Offensive Coordinator) Kevin (O’Connell), he’s extremely personable, got a really warm engaging way about himself, but a command in a capacity for the game of football. So, I just think he’s a guy that’s easy to get along with. He’s a great person, really smart, and he’s got a great humility about himself too. So, I think time is the best way that you can build and develop relationships, and I know that he spent a lot of time away from things that I’ve even been exposed from just developing a rapport with those quarterbacks and you can see it’s showing up with the way that they’re playing on the field as well.”(On how much they prepare for Washington QB Alex Smith and thoughts on him being able to play based on what he’s already gone through with the injuries)
“You always have to be ready for the players that are one play away. When I hear the specifics of what went on, especially when you talk about listening to Kevin or have a good relationship with (QB) Colt McCoy who was there. I’m not sure if you guys saw the E:60 special on him. What an unbelievable man this guy is. You talk about – similar to what we were talking about with (Head) Coach (Ron) Rivera – I mean, to overcome some of the things that he’s overcome to put himself in a position to just be able to have full utilization of that leg, let alone be playing NFL football. All I can really say is, wow. The respect I have for this guy is through the roof. I don’t know him personally, but everybody that I respect and that I really hold their opinion in high regard, just loves this guy and can’t say enough good things about him.”***
Defensive Coordinator Brandon Staley
(On how he is preparing for Washington QB Kyle Allen)
“Not a lot’s going to change. You’re still defending an offense. I think that they still have an offense that you have to defend. Certainly stylistically, he’s a different player than (Washington QB) Dwayne (Haskins Jr.), so you just have to go back and inventory his career in Carolina and there will be elements that are different, stylistically between the two players, but from an offensive standpoint, you still have to defend the other 10 guys and you, kind of, have an inventory of 12 games from Carolina to see how he was featured within that offense and then just move forward from there.”(On how he would assess how the defense is doing so far)
“I think my comments after the Dallas game would still prove true, we are encouraged, but far from satisfied. I think we’ve shown a lot of good moments in all four of these games. I’m excited about the type of group that we have, the type of men that we have on our defense. I think that we’ve experienced a lot of close games. All four of our games have come down to the last quarter and some to the last drive of the game. So, I think we’ve found out a lot about the caliber of people that we have – coaches and players – but I think there’s just so much work to be done. There’s so much that we’re seeing and experiencing for the first time and you can never stop learning, you can never stop improving. I think that after four games, that’s probably the truest statement, is that there’s a lot to cover. There’s a lot of ground that we have to cover together and we’re excited to keep doing that.”(On breaking down specifics that he would like the defense to get better at)
“I think that we can get more comfortable with some of our alignments within all the different packages that we play. I think being able to see more of the run and pass concepts from around the league, I think that’s one of the things without the preseason, is you’re not seeing a lot of the NFL. You’re not practicing against anybody. You’re not playing against anybody. So, every game you’re seeing something for the first time. We get so used to playing against our people and (Head Coach) Sean (McVay)’s inventory is obviously being widely used around the NFL, but there’s a lot of things each week that are specific, that we’re seeing for the first time. But I think that just the little things – just alignments, little fundamentals within each play. It’s not anything big, it’s just these little things that add up to a lot of big things. We’re just trying to fine tune all those little things, so that we can continue to execute and perform to our capabilities.”(On rotating the defensive line)
“We want to be good in the fourth quarter. I think for front guys, we want to be good in the fourth quarter when it counts. The more guys that you can play up front, I think is an advantage. We kind of look at the front like a basketball team. The more rotations that you can have, it’s going to allow new guys to come in. I think it’s stressful on the offensive line, because you’re getting guys that are different speeds. You can get used to blocking the same guy the entire game. Sometimes when you have to block a different guy, that just changes the pace on an offensive lineman, but certainly the depth creates, I think, strength later in the game, more energy. Then I think the more depth you have, the more you can isolate match-ups, kind of the game within the game, use the personnel groupings that you feel like are best in that game. So, we feel like that’s a strength of ours and we’re going to continue to do it. (Defensive Line Coach) Eric Henderson and (Outside Linebackers Coach) Chris Shula do both an outstanding job with that.”(On DL Morgan Fox’s NFL journey so far)
“I think we have special places in our heart for good players, that have good makeup like him. He just embodies all the things that you would want in a football player – his toughness, his football acumen. I think his dedication to his teammates, he’s a great teammate, guys love being around him and I think that when you see guys like (DL Michael) Mike Brokers and (DL) Aaron Donald, guys who’ve been around a lot, they’ve seen a lot, the way they are with Morgan Fox will tell you all you need to know, because those guys are no-nonsense guys and they’ve seen it all in the NFL. I think Morgan just has a really great way about him and then as a football player, it’s been exciting, I think, for him and for us, is he’s healthy, you can see that his knees feeling great. I think he’s been able to express himself as a player, probably to his full potential and we’re just excited. He does a lot of things for us. He can play a lot of different positions and gives us really a lot of options in there. So, he’s been a joy to coach and I’m excited to continue to see him improve.”(On how to coach the mentality to close out a game)
“I think you’ve got to train really hard. You have to take walk-thrus, meetings, practices very seriously and that’s what we do here. We don’t operate like it’s some big situation, because we do it all the time in practice. That practice, performance, equaling game reality, we really believe in that here with Sean and in our football program. So, we’ll just try to put our guys through as many experiences and practice as possible, so that they’re comfortable in those ‘got to have it’ situations. I think our players will tell you that we put those guys through a lot of those situations the best we can, so that they can be themselves and play to their full capacity, because so much of those situations, is just you being able to execute your assignment and technique at a high level, understanding how the opponent’s trying to attack you. It’s one of those things where we’ve been in a bunch of those situations and I’ve been pleased with the way the guys have handled it.”(On DB Darious Williams’ progress and his thoughts on giving S John Johnson III signal calling duties)
“To answer your first part about (DB) Darious (Williams), I think when I got here, I was attracted to his play style. I thought that this guy has a lot of tools at corner that you’re looking for. I think he’s got outstanding cover skills. He’s got movement, he’s got deep speed, meaning he can run with these guys that can really get it on the outside. He’s a really great leaper. He’s not a tall guy, but he’s got an outstanding vertical jump. He feels bigger than his height and he’s a confident guy. He’s calm. You’ve got to have that outside and I think what he’s shown everybody through the first four games, is he also has ball skills. He can also finish plays. He can get you the football, which is rare on the outside. So, he’s a young player. Every single day, this guy sees more, he improves and we think he’s got a bright future and I think he’s showing the NFL what he’s capable of, but the purest measurement of success is consistency and him being able to establish that, down in and down out, every single day, that’s going to be the key to see how far he can take this, but certainly excited about the way he’s playing and what a way to finish that last game. Then your part to John Johnson, I think that every team is just a little bit different. You’ve got to go with what you feel like, who you feel like is best to run the show for your team. The way we play, there was some things with the linebacker situations we didn’t know exactly is one linebacker going to be the game all the time. So, I think that we knew John Johnson is going to be in the game the whole time and I think that when you meet this guy, he’s got all the qualities that you could ever want in a signal caller. I know I’ve been telling you guys, but I love talking to John Johnson on that headset. All right, it gives me so much confidence knowing that he’s on the other end of that line and he’s so steady, he’s so calm. He’s such a competitor, can take the game plan and the way you say it to the guys matters, too. Sometimes it’s coming into the headset, you guys could probably imagine Sean McVay, how he sounds sometimes and me sometimes – sometimes it’s translating that with the right spirit, the right emotion, and being able to say things the right way and give that last extra reminder to the guys. He’s just been awesome. I can tell you that I’m surprised and that would not be the truth because he’s just, he’s the best and has given us a big lift in that role.”(On the offensive line rotation and if that is always the plan going into the game)
“I think that’s an excellent point. I think that certainly you get a feel for it during the game, the amount of possessions that you have to defend and certainly at halftime, you take a look at it and then the flow of the game. Some of those longer drives like, ‘Hey, if this is a 12 play drive, you need to be able to, kind of, recalibrate, maybe within that series’, and then certainly the next drive, like, ‘Hey, if these guys had to play a bunch that the last series, Hey, we need to get a fresh set of guys in here,’ you know? Certainly, knowing that you want to be your best at the end. That’s something that as coaches, you constantly have to be communicating with your players and with one another, coach to coach, and we’re certainly searching for that right balance. I think if you look at those snap totals from that game, it’s reflective of that balance that we shoot for and we certainly needed it the other day playing 33 minutes in that game. We needed all those guys fresh for the end.”(On further thoughts on DL Morgan Fox and the snap counts with OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and OLB Samson Ebukam)
“With Morgan, I think this guy’s got real toughness. This guy’s a tough sucker, now. I would describe him as that, and then from a skillset standpoint, he gives you a lot of quickness inside. Guards aren’t used to dealing with a guy with his type of quickness and obviously, Aaron has that as well. Usually you’re dealing with maybe a bigger, stronger guy. Morgan’s got really good quickness in there and he’s got really good pass rush ability from the inside, so I think that that’s something that he does really well. He also knows how to play off people. You’ll hear me say that a lot – the guys that know how to figure it out on the field, cause it’s not perfect, he can fix problems up there in the front. He’s a problem solver and that’s always very helpful, as a defense, to have a guy like that. As it relates to (OLB Ogbonnia Okoronwko) Obo and (OLB) Samson (Ebukam), that’s just the way it worked out. Obo’s been practicing well, and we feel like he gives us something different off the edge. Those guys are competing, and we feel good about both of them and the more Obo plays, the better he gets. Samson has been playing his tail off, too, improving, So we’re just going to keep that healthy competition going and we’re going to need all those guys to be successful.”(On the thought on why teams are scoring at a higher rate this season)
“I think these players in this league are really good and I think defending offensive football is tough nowadays, with the advent of these quarterbacks, with how talented these quarterbacks are from a movement standpoint. These guys aren’t a sitting target, these guys are a moving target and they’re difficult to defend with all the motion, with all the personnel variations. I think it’s just tough with some of the rules with contact and things like that. But the players, they’re difficult to defend in this league and I think that that’s what you’re seeing more than ever. And then, when you don’t have the offseason, Spring, Summer, bunch of practice, bunch of experience to get connected at the beginning, I’m sure that that factors into it some, too. It’s a combination, of course, but I think that you’ve got to tip your cap to some of the players in this league and they’re tough.”***
QB Jared Goff
(On what he can take and build on from the first four games of the season)
“I thought upfront, we were so good. We were really good upfront, both in the run and in the pass. I think that’s one area that I know those guys take a lot of pride in and that they want to be known as one of the best in the league and I think up to this point, they have been. They’ve been really good and anytime that happens, it makes my job a lot easier. It makes our running backs jobs a lot easier and they’ve done a great job.”(On what Offensive Coordinator Kevin O’Connell did to initiate relationships with the players especially during the virtual part of the offseason)
“We stayed in touch pretty regularly when he got hired. Obviously, we weren’t allowed to be in person much, but stayed in touch over text and over calls and obviously over FaceTime for OTAs and whatnot, but he did a good job setting up different meetings on Zoom to stay in contact with us and keep that dialogue open.”(On if O’Connell is a small talk guy or keeps it professional and if they will be able to have a friendship)
“Yeah, I think for sure. I think he’s definitely demanding of a lot, which I love and keeps the high standard for me, which is awesome, but at the same time, he’s able to keep it light and we’re able to joke around and have fun. We’re both from California. We know a lot of the same people and we have a good time.”(On if there’s one moment where he thought, ‘Wow, Coach McVay is a football degenerate’)
“I’m not really sure what that means. I hope that’s a compliment (laughs).”(On when he realized that Coach McVay is crazy about football)
“Oh, sure. Yeah. He is. God, one particular moment? No, I can think of a hundred over the years, and I’m sure we’ll have a hundred more over the span of our career together, hopefully. He’s great. He obviously loves it. He’s obviously way into it. There’s a reason he’s one of the best head coaches in this league and, he cares so deeply, not only about the game, but about each and every one of us and coaches us hard and keeps us accountable. But yeah, he is a football degenerate, I guess, and is obsessed. Absolutely.”(On how much he and the offense has grown over the last four weeks to where the team is now)
“Yeah, I feel good. I think we’ve come a long way. I think, you know, from that Dallas game until last week – we obviously didn’t play our best – but even through the Buffalo week, we grew a lot. We found some things that we like to do. We found a little bit of an identity for ourselves offensively. I feel like I’ve moved the ball down the field pretty well. Our receivers are playing well up front and talked about how good they’re playing. I think the main thing is, is the identity that we’ve found, you know, in ourselves in both the run and in the pass, and a lot of stuff to keep getting better with, which is the best part. We’re 3-1 with a lot of room to improve, and it’s exciting.”(On what it takes mentally and physically to close out close games and get a score when needed)
“I think it’s just a matter of having a group that believes in each other and we do. We’re a veteran group at this point and we know at any point our offense can kind of pop and explode. You know, like last week we’re in that last drive and I said to everyone, ‘You know, I don’t care what’s happened up to this point. Let’s go out and let’s score to win the game here.’ And we did. I mean, we got it when we needed to, and ultimately that’s not how you always want to finish games. You’d like to win by more than that. But, at the end of the day, we were our best when our best was required. Something that Sean (McVay) talked about on Monday, and, we got it done.”(On challenges he sees from Washington’s defense)
“Yeah, they’re good upfront. They’re really good upfront, we’ll see if (Washington DE) Chase Young plays. He’s a great player. He provides a lot of challenges for us, but the rest of their D-line is also challenging and provides, you know, plenty of thoughts for us on where we want to go and how we want to handle it, but they do a good job. They’re good in the secondary, they’re good at linebacker. They’re a really good defense and it’ll be a challenge for us.”(On not taking a deep shot down the field and if the reason is due to the situations presented in the game and by the opposing defense or a personal decision by the team not to do so)
“Yeah, I would say just situationally. We haven’t really had the ops that we we’d really like to. I mean, we missed the one last week. I missed the (WR) Van (Jefferson) just a little bit outside of him, that would have been probably a 40-yard gain. But yeah, I just haven’t had necessarily the opportunities there. We hope to, but, haven’t had to up to this point.”(On Washington Head Coach Ron Rivera comparing Goff’s relationship with McVay to other NFL quarterback-head coach relationships such as Sean Payton-Drew Brees and Tom Brady-Bill Belichick, and if he agrees and sees that happening)
“Yeah, that’s a huge compliment coming from him, and I appreciate that. Yeah, we’ve got a long way to go. Those guys have obviously won Super Bowls together. Me and Sean have to win one first and then we can start, you know, hopefully having a long career together. But we’ve got a lot of work to do and we feel good about where we’re at. I’ve obviously loved Sean as my head coach, and I feel he feels the same way about me, but it’s been great, and we hope to keep growing.”(On if the start to this season feels like the start of the 2018 season)
“Yeah, no doubt. I think that’s part of it – every year you look at those close games and it’s either one or two plays that people mostly point to that are the difference. And usually it’s a culmination of plays throughout the whole game but when you’re able to tip the scales one way consistently, that’s kind of the science of a good team. Right now, we’re 3-1 it’s so early to even think that we are there yet. But, we have displayed that and a lot of these games that have been close, we have displayed tipping the scales that way, for one reason or another, whether it’s a defensive play, whether it’s an offensive drive, whatever we’ve done. We have shown that and that’s good.”(What’s been working for him personally and areas he’d like to still grow)
“I feel like my feet have been so much better through these four games, than really anytime my career. Just the consistency with my feet and the consistency with my eyes. A lot of that is credit to the O-line. I know you just asked to not talk about them, but it is truly about them being able to provide that pocket and doing such a great job there. But yeah, I feel good. I feel like we’ve made some strides offensively and I feel like I’m just trying to do my part and, and keep it going.”(On this 3-1 feeling different than last year’s 3-1)
“I think we’re just playing a lot better at every spot, like every phase. Last year, I can’t even remember what the first four games were, but we got beat pretty bad by Tampa on both sides of the ball. And right now through four games, we really haven’t had something like that. Buffalo took care of us in the first half and then we came right back and played well. Us and the Giants were close, all night and then we finished it. We came out with a drive and finished it. Us and Philly, we were pretty close all game and we came out and finished it. The same thing with Dallas. So that’s probably the difference is that each game we’ve had that opportunity go out there and put ourselves in a position to win and we have. I know last year we had the same record at this point, but I just believe that the way we were winning the games is differently.”(On picking up the tempo on the final scoring drive and if they’d done that earlier in the game)
“We had maybe done it a time or two earlier in the game, but that was the first time we’d done it probably for that many plays in a row, yeah.”znModeratorPressures in 4 games v. Rams offense
Giants: 8
Bills: 7
Eagles: 7
Dallas: 4It’s early, but–
2019 record when pressured 7-8 times: 2-4 (33% Ws)
2020 record when pressured 7-8 times: 2-1 (67% Ws) -
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