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  • in reply to: tweets … 9/22 thru 9/24 #121583
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    Cameron DaSilva@camdasilva
    By just about every metric, the Rams’ pass rush has been one of the worst in the NFL.

    It’s the biggest question on what’s been an otherwise stout defense.

    ESPN’s pass rush win rate: 30th (32%)
    PFR pressure rate: 26th (15.7%)
    PFR hurry rate: 28th (4.5%)
    Total presures: 11th-fewest (14)
    Sacks: 10th-fewest (3)

    It’s early, but the pass rush has to be better

    Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
    Bills coach Sean McDermott (former wrestler who at times has picked the brain of legendary collegiate wrestler/coach Cael Sanderson) on Aaron Donald’s dominance: It all comes down to really one thing, if my information is correct…he was a wrestler!

    PFF LA Rams@PFF_Rams
    Troy Hill’s 72.9 NFL QB Rating when targeted from the slot ranks 6th among all secondary defenders (min. 25 coverage snaps)

    in reply to: around the NFL tweets after week 2 games #121582
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    in reply to: Goff talk … new thread starting 9/17 #121578
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    Cornell29

    Highest rate of catchable passes thrown 20+ yards downfield (min 3 deep-ball attempts)

    #RamsHouse
    Jared Goff (100%)

    #Seahawks
    Russell Wilson (83%)

    #GoBucs
    Tom Brady (80%)

    #GoPats
    Cam Newton (80%)

    #BillsMafia
    Josh Allen (78%)

    – Via @Ihartitz 💰 https://t.co/xa7LjqRw1o

    ***

    PFF under pressure stat

    22 Sep 2020, 11:26

    J. Goff vs #Eagles on Sunday..

    Under pressure:
    4-10, 37yd, 1TD, 1SK, 84.2 rating

    NO Pressure:
    *16-17, 230yd, 2TD, 158.3 rating
    (*ALL 16 comp resulted in first downs!) per @PFF

    ***

    Only two starting QBs without a turnover-worthy play in 2020:
    Aaron Rodgers
    Jared Goff https://t.co/mU5BICSOBV

    • This reply was modified 5 years, 11 months ago by Avatar photozn.
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    in reply to: tweets … 9/22 thru 9/24 #121568
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    PFF LA Rams@PFF_Rams
    Micah Kiser played 1 snap in 2019, but has come out of the gates in 2020 with a massive spark to the defense. Through 2 games, Kiser has:

    – 20 Solo Tackles (T-1st)
    – 13 Defensive Stops (T-2nd)
    – 2 Pass Breakups
    – 1 Forced Fumble

    Cameron DaSilva@camdasilva
    I know it’s early, but Rams RBs are being targeted on 4.1% more of Goff’s pass attempts than they were last year.

    from https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2020/9/22/21451417/rams-advanced-stats-jalen-ramsey-eagles-micah-kiser-missed-tackles

    According to PFR, Ramsey was targeted five times, allowing one catch for three yards. That would mean that Ramsey has given up 84 yards on 16 throws in his direction this season, if you believe PFR, which is as good as you’d expect from him.

    Goff has the fourth-most “pocket time” to start the year at 2.6 seconds and he’s number two in play action passing attempts.

    in reply to: Press sets up the Buffalo game #121567
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    in reply to: power rankings, week 3 #121559
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    He does the Rams at 4:15

    in reply to: power rankings, week 3 #121558
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    The Rams’ offensive turnaround through the first two weeks of the season is pretty remarkable, given the extent to which the rest of the league appeared to figure Sean McVay out and turn Jared Goff into a pumpkin as a result.

    Another way to put that is this: “The Rams’ offensive production is back to normal now that they have a healthy OL.”

    I know, I know…to-MAY-to, to-MAH-to.

    Nah I think it’s you saying tomato, and the pundit saying “red…thing…ish.”

    .

    in reply to: Tom Tomorrow #121556
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    This thread ain’t behaving properly. Hoping adding a response fixes it.

    Added by edit: and, it did.

    • This reply was modified 5 years, 11 months ago by Avatar photozn.
    in reply to: particle physics/astrophysics (update: dark energy) #121549
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    A Black Hole So Big It ‘Should Not Exist’

    https://www.quantamagazine.org/possible-detection-of-a-black-hole-so-big-it-should-not-exist-20190828/?fbclid=IwAR1Yfgp8pVsow6RStg5Kmu-_CvqJDjRsJDU4fLJa9wp-7Ol2bBrJ2q3Uc64

    Black hole physicists have been excitedly discussing reports that the LIGO and Virgo gravitational-wave detectors recently picked up the signal of an unexpectedly enormous black hole, one with a mass that was thought to be physically impossible.

    “The prediction is no black holes, not even a few” in this mass range, wrote Stan Woosley, an astrophysicist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, in an email. “But of course we know nature often finds a way.”

    Seven experts contacted by Quanta said they’d heard that among the 22 flurries of gravitational waves detected by LIGO and Virgo since April, one of the signals came from a collision involving a black hole of unanticipated heft — purportedly as heavy as 100 suns. LIGO/Virgo team members would neither confirm nor deny the rumored detection.

    [Update: On September 2, 2020, researchers confirmed that the colliding black holes had masses 65 and 85 times that of our sun. The resulting black hole was 150 times more massive than the sun.]

    Chris Belczynski, an astrophysicist at Warsaw University, previously felt so sure that such a large specimen wouldn’t be seen that in 2017 he placed a bet with colleagues. “I think we are about to lose the bet,” Belczynski said, “and for the good of science!”

    Belczynski’s former confidence came from the fact that such a big black hole can’t form in the usual way.

    Black holes — dense, paradox-ridden spheres whose gravity traps everything, even light — form from the contracting cores of fuel-spent stars. But in 1967, three physicists at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem realized that when the core of a dying star is very heavy, it won’t gravitationally collapse into a black hole. Instead, the star will undergo a “pair-instability supernova,” an explosion that totally annihilates it in a matter of seconds, leaving nothing behind. “The star is completely dispersed into space,” the three physicists wrote.

    A pair-instability supernova happens when the core grows so hot that light begins to spontaneously convert into electron-positron pairs. The light’s radiation pressure had kept the star’s core intact; when the light transforms into matter, the resulting pressure drop causes the core to rapidly shrink and become even hotter, further accelerating pair production and causing a runaway effect. Eventually the core gets so hot that oxygen ignites. This fully reverses the core’s implosion, so that it explodes instead. For cores with a mass between about 65 and 130 times that of our sun (according to current estimates), the star is completely obliterated. Cores between about 50 and 65 solar masses pulsate, shedding mass in a series of explosions until they drop below the range where pair instability occurs. Thus there should be no black holes with masses in the 50-to-130-solar-mass range.

    “The prediction comes from straightforward calculations,” said Woosley, whose 2002 study of this “pair-instability mass gap” is considered definitive.

    Black holes can exist on the other side of the mass gap, weighing in at more than 130 solar masses, because the runaway implosion of such heavy stellar cores can’t be stopped, even by oxygen fusion; instead, they continue to collapse and form black holes. But because stars shed mass throughout their lives, a star would need to be born weighing at least 300 suns in order to end up as a 130-solar-mass core, and such behemoths are rare. For this reason, most experts assumed black holes detected by LIGO and Virgo should top out at around 50 solar masses, the lower end of the mass gap. (The million- and billion-solar-mass supermassive black holes that anchor galaxies’ centers formed differently, and rather mysteriously, in the early universe. LIGO and Virgo are not mechanically capable of detecting the collisions of supermassive black holes.)

    That said, a few experts did boldly predict that black holes in the mass gap would be seen — hence the 2017 bet.

    At a meeting that February at the Aspen Center for Physics, Belczynski and Daniel Holz of the University of Chicago wagered that “black holes should not exist in the mass range between 55 and 130 solar masses because of pair instability,” and thus that none would be detected among LIGO/Virgo’s first 100 signals. Woosley later co-signed with Belczynski and Holz.

    But Carl Rodriguez of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Sourav Chatterjee of the Tata Institute for Fundamental Research in Mumbai, India, later joined by Fred Rasio of Northwestern University, bet against them, wagering that a black hole would indeed be detected in the mass gap, because there’s a roundabout way for these plus-size black holes to form.

    Whereas most of the colliding black holes that wiggle LIGO and Virgo’s instruments probably originated as pairs of isolated stars (binary star systems being common in the cosmos), Rodriguez and his co-signers argue that a fraction of the detected collisions occur in dense stellar environments such as globular clusters. The black holes swing around in one another’s gravity, and sometimes they catch each other and merge, like big fish swallowing smaller ones in a pond.

    Inside a globular cluster, a 50-solar-mass black hole could merge with a 30-solar-mass one, for instance, and then the resulting giant could merge again. This second-generation merger is what LIGO/Virgo might have detected — a lucky catch of the big fish in the pond. “This can really only happen in clusters,” Rodriguez said. If the rumor is true, he, Chatterjee and Rasio will each receive a $100 bottle of wine from Belczynski, Holz and Woosley.

    But there are other possible origin stories for the putative big black hole. Perhaps it started out in an isolated binary star system. After the first star collapsed into a black hole, it might have grown by stripping matter from its companion star. Later, the second star would have collapsed as well, then eventually the two would have collided and merged, sending gravitational waves cascading through the fabric of space-time.

    The LIGO/Virgo team quickly announces every potential gravitational-wave event and the region of sky from which it originated, so that other telescopes can swivel in that direction. But the tight-lipped team has yet to publish detailed information about any event from the current observing run that began in April, such as the inferred sizes of the colliding objects. The team plans to reveal all by the spring of 2020 at the latest. If the oversize black hole is among the results, the analysis should also reveal how fast the hole and its companion were spinning when they collided; this information will help favor one origin story or the other, or neither.

    The rumor is “pushing us to alternative formation mechanisms,” said Chris Fryer, an astrophysicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory who has studied binary black hole formation and the mass gap. “In any event it will be an exciting event — if it’s true.”

    As for Woosley, he still feels certain the mass gap exists, despite possible exceptions. “A likely outcome will be that when we have hundreds of black holes, we will indeed see a cliff at around 50,” he said, “but with a few events in the gap because nature abhors a vacuum.”

    in reply to: OL talk … September #121548
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    TexasRam

    Week 2 -Eagles

    I reviewed the game tape play by play reviewing the O-line. Below are my grades. There were some really excellent plays out there. I hope multiple people rewatch the game and focus on the blocking we are getting. I was critical of the coaching staff in the offseason not bringing in fresh blood, but so far their decision is paying off. Havenstein has been excellent, Corbett has turned the corner and turned into a nasty effective player. Blythe hasn’t been perfect but overall he has been really good. Edwards was excellent today when he came in, to my credit I have been a huge fan of his after watching his tape all last year. Whitworth has been Pro Bowl form.

    Havenstein Grade A – Totally dominant in the run game and responsible for several big runs. Pretty solid in this game in pass pro as well.

    Corbett Grade B+ – Plays with a nasty streak and really moves bodies. Sometimes has perfect second level blocks after first level blocks. Playing at Saffold level in my book right now. Still a little work to do in pass pro. No major breakdowns.

    Blythe – B Blythe has been showing more push in the run game and really solid overall. Gave up a sack in this game by failing to pick up the inside stunt by Graham. But that was a difficult block. Graham was lighting quick and Blythe was just a tad slow.

    Edwards A – Edwards improvement over Noteboom is so noticeable. He got excellent push and actually showed surprising burst to get out to the second level today. His biggest improvement over Noteboom is his ability to lock onto his block. This guy is so underated and might have a pro bowl or two down the road from what I can tell.

    Whitworth A – Still doing his thing. Not much to say. Even in pass pro he is showing perfect form.

    Everett was a little inconsistent. Him and Higbee tend to be inconsistent.
    Woods was real good again. Kupp improved over last week.

    The TE/WR blocking can often make or break a play, often time the scheme has them blocking bigger players in assignments that seem such a disadvantage, but the tradeoff is they are great decoys for those delay screens that Mcvay runs to them when the defense is thinking they are blocking.

    in reply to: OL talk … September #121547
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    from https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29939464/2020-nfl-pass-rushing-run-stopping-blocking-leaderboard-win-rate-rankings

    Team Run Block Win Rate

    1. Houston Texans, 75%
    2. Green Bay Packers, 75%
    3. New England Patriots, 73%
    4. Cleveland Browns, 73%
    5. Chicago Bears, 73%
    6. Indianapolis Colts, 73%
    7. Los Angeles Rams, 72%

    in reply to: tweets … 9/22 thru 9/24 #121545
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    Rams Wire@TheRamsWire
    Rams face one more test v. Bills before schedule eases up for a while
    Week 4: Giants (0-2)
    Week 5: Washington (1-1)
    Week 6: 49ers (1-1)
    Week 7: Bears (2-0)
    Week 8: Dolphins (0-2)

    ==

    in reply to: tweets … 9/22 thru 9/24 #121540
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    from https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29938681/week-3-nfl-power-rankings-1-32-poll-plus-surprise-early-fantasy-finds

    Under-the-radar fantasy standout: TE Tyler Higbee

    Higbee finished 2019 on a hot streak, accumulating 522 receiving yards over the final five games, though he wasn’t necessarily a go-to end zone target for Jared Goff, catching only two touchdown passes in that span. But after the Rams dominated the Eagles thanks to three touchdown receptions by Higbee — equaling his total touchdowns from the entire 2019 season — look for Goff to find the 6-foot-6, 255-pound tight end near the goal line more often. — Lindsey Thiry

    in reply to: Press sets up the Buffalo game #121536
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    from https://www.therams.com/news/rams-power-rankings-week-3-2020

    THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT’S RANKS — THE BUFFALO BILLS

    NFL.com — 6

    ESPN.com — 6

    Yahoo! Sports — 3

    Bleacher Report — 6

    in reply to: power rankings, week 3 #121534
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    Rams Power Rankings: Week 3

    Stu Jackson

    https://www.therams.com/news/rams-power-rankings-week-3-2020

    NFL.com, Dan Hanzus Rank: 8

    Last Week: 10

    Change: +2

    “The Rams are now 27-0 in games they’ve led at halftime under Sean McVay.”

    ESPN.com Rank: 7

    Last Week: 10

    Change: +3

    7. Los Angeles Rams (2-0)
    Week 2 ranking: 10

    Yahoo! Sports, Frank Schwab: 7

    Last Week: 11

    Change: +4

    “Sean McVay did a great job self-scouting in the offseason. The Rams’ offensive revival has been due to many factors, including the use of faster tempo, spreading the ball around, less predictability in personnel groupings and also committing to making late 2019 breakout Tyler Higbee a focal point of the offense. There’s a reason McVay is so highly respected.”

    Bleacher Report Rank: 9

    Last Week: 12

    Change: +3

    USA Today Rank: 13

    Last Week: 14

    Change: +1

    “Since Sean McVay became the coach in 2017, L.A. has won all five of its 1 p.m. ET kickoffs and scored at least 30 points every time.”

    Sports Illustrated: 10

    Last Week: 9

    Change: -1

    CBS Sports: 8

    Last Week: 12

    Change: +4

    Washington Post: 8

    Last Week: 10

    Change: +2

    • This reply was modified 5 years, 11 months ago by Avatar photozn.
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    Head Coach Sean McVay – – September 21, 2020

    (Opening Statement)
    “Okay, give you guys a little injury update to start out. So, first off (RB) Malcolm Brown, he had a fracture in his pinky. He had a fracture in his pinky, so he actually had that fixed today. It’s not going affect his availability for the Buffalo game. We’ll be able to put a splint on there and he should be okay with that. With (OL) Joe Noteboom, he strained his calf pretty good. It was a grade-two strain. So, he’s definitely going to be out for the Buffalo game. He’s a possible candidate to put on the IR (injured reserve) with it being three weeks, but we’re going to wait to get a little bit more information. He’ll be out this week. That’s where he feel really good about the depth of your O-line and what a great job (OL) David Edwards did stepping in yesterday. (RB) Cam Akers separated some rib cartilage. He should be okay. But it was pretty painful in that area. We’re going to monitor him day-to-day and then (CB) Darious Williams did a great job yesterday, but he’s had little bit of tendonitis in that Achilles. We’ll probably rest him on Wednesday but expect him to compete and be ready to roll this weekend and practice on Thursday and Friday. Just giving him an extra day of rest. So, everybody else, your typical bumps and bruises, but those are the guys that we have some updates on.”

    (On the effect of utilizing the running backs in the passing game)
    “I mean, it’s big. I think the ability to be efficient on those early downs keeps us in third-and-manageables. I think that’s been a result of why we’ve been a little bit better on third downs. But we’ve talked about it a lot, we want to be able to use all five eligibles. Fortunately, all of our backs have those skills to be able to contribute not only as runners, but also as pass catchers. That’s a positive thing for us. We want to make them defend everybody, use those guys to our advantage and when we’re able to stay ahead of the chains and be in efficient down in distances, that kind of opens everything up. So, a long way to go. But, I think the first two weeks have been reflective of some things that we’ve wanted to focus on and being able to get a bunch of carries off is good because it means you’re able to control some of the possession as well, which I think has been good for our team.”

    (On the reason for the pivot to utilize the running backs in the passing game)
    “I think the pivot is you’ve got to really study yourself and be honest with some of the things that we didn’t do a good enough job. I think that’s clearly one of the things that I didn’t do a good enough job with, is getting those guys involved in the past game. There’s really nowhere else to look, but I’ve got to do a better job and that’s something that we focused on as a staff and really those backs aren’t limited in anything that they can do. You can get them involved in the screens, they can catch your check-downs. I mean, you see (RB) Darrell Henderson (Jr.) catch a rail route on third-and-nine yesterday makes a great catch over his shoulder. I think it’s just the more that you can present that defenses have to prepare for the better that, we’ll have a chance to kind of make it more difficult on them.”

    (On whether his description of Akers’ injury implies he will be able to play on Sunday)
    “That’s true. I feel like it’s better than a fractured rib because it’s not really the bone. There’s your cartilage in your ribs and then there’s the actual bone of your ribs and so I sound pretty technical right now, but he took a good shot there. He’s a tough kid. When you say like the fracture of cartilage that typically doesn’t resonate. So, figured separated cartilage would be a little bit more mild way of explaining it, but clearly that wasn’t how it was received. So, I missed the boat on that one. It is something that will be day-to-day. He’ll be able to monitor that and there is a chance that he’s going to play for sure.”

    (On whether RB Malcolm Brown fractured his left hand or right hand)
    “His left. His left one.”

    (On whether he feels fortunate to not have been subjected to the amount of injuries shared across the league in Week 2 and if he attributes any of them to no preseason)
    “I’m not really sure on that, because some of those injuries that occur are ones that whether you end up having a bunch of work or you don’t, just can’t be prevented. I just hate that for our game. You see some of these great players that go down and you never want to see that. I do feel fortunate that we’ve been able to stay relatively healthy or haven’t had anything significant, like you see the (49ers DE Nick) Bosas and the (Giants RB) Saquons (Barkley). Our game is great because of players like them. So, you never want to see that. I’ve always hated that part of the game because so much work goes in and it can so quickly be taken away from you, your season can be missed. That’s the thing that you hate the most. But I do feel fortunate to answer your original question. We’re going to continue to try to do everything in our power to control what we can as far as staying as healthy as possible. So far, so good.”

    (On what it meant to get an extension done for WR Robert Woods)
    “Yeah, it was big. I mean, he’s one of the pillars of our program. You look at when we first got here in 2017 as a coaching staff and (OL Andrew) Whitworth and (WR) Robert (Woods) ended up being your first free agent signings. You talk about two guys that are reflective of everything you want to embody in addition to already having guys like (DL) Aaron (Donald), (QB) Jared (Goff), and (DL) (Michael) Brockers in place. So, that was really important for us. I just think, you guys know from covering him for a long time, I mean, this is a special guy and the way that he does stuff with the ball, without – I think just seeing his improvement. His energy and his toughness, I think it’s so good for our football team. When you just think about what a great guy he is off the field, but then the toughness that he plays with and you just pull clips and you just say, ‘Look at what Robert Woods is doing.’ I can’t say enough about just him and some of these guys and what they represent, you know, (WR) Cooper (Kupp) as well. I feel really fortunate and I was happy for Robert and that he ended up getting that extension. That’s well-deserved for sure.”

    (On how the team is getting deals done despite the salary cap) 
    “Elongated over the course of the deal so that it’s not 175 million or whatever the cap will be next year. So, a couple of years from now, we’ll see how it works out and maybe I’ll be sitting on the other end talking to the coach that’s sitting in my shoes if we’re in big trouble (laughs).”

    (On what went into the decision to move CB Troy Hill to cover the inside slot position and the importance of his versatility) 
    “It’s really big. That’s such an important part. I look at that as the equivalent to our slot receiver offensively, and we ask so much of our star position. (CB) Troy (Hill) is a guy that has the versatility to play inside, play outside, but I think you guys are starting to see the instincts, the ball skills, the toughness, a lot of the same things that made (Eagles Cornerback) Nickell Robey(-Coleman) such a good nickel for us for the previous few years is why Troy has translated and really transitioned into that spot so seamlessly. We’re doing a couple things differently schematically that do stress that position and I think Troy has done an outstanding job. He’s only going to get better, but when you look at all the nuances that we’re asking of him and how he’s played over the first couple of weeks, it’s definitely been a good move. I really credit (Cornerbacks Coach) Aubrey (Pleasant), ‘E’ (Safeties Coach Ejiro Evero) and those guys are doing an excellent job with our secondary.”

    (On the health of S Taylor Rapp) 
    “He is healthy. We have to just continue to find ways to get him on the grass because he’s such a good player. I think you see (S) Jordan Fuller played better than he did in Week 1. (S) John Johnson (III) is playing outstanding, and so those guys have done a really nice job. (S) Taylor (Rapp) is still going to continue to make an impression and he’s going to make a big impact on this team. Exactly what that looks like week in and week out, I think is to be determined.”

    (On what he has seen from ILB Micah Kiser and ILB Kenny Young and the entire linebacker group over the first two games)
    “Both those guys did a great job. I think (ILB) Micah (Kiser) has really built on a good Week 1 performance, played with toughness. He had a bunch of tackles. He was in on that first forced fumble on the third play of the game. You can see he and (DT Michael) Brockers really attacking at it. (ILB) Kenny (Young) ends up recovering it. Micah’s command, his toughness, both these players when they arrive at the point of contact, you feel them. I think there’s a second level of physicality that our defense has from those two in particular, where you’re making teams earn every yard. I thought our defense did a great job against…it was a good game plan where the ball was coming out. But you talk about two tight ends that have had as much production as anybody, when you look at what (Eagles TE Zach) Ertz and (Eagles TE Dallas) Goedert have done. For those guys to have 72 yards, I believe combined, I think is a real credit to what we did on the second level and the third level. But those two in particular did a really nice job. (Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers) Joe Barry’s done great with them and expect them to continue to improve as they just gain experience, which we know is so valuable for those younger players.”

    (On how he originally identified WR Robert Woods as a player he wanted on his team and how he projected the contributions he would make both on the field and from a leadership standpoint)
    “Really my first exposure to (WR) Robert Woods was when I was coaching the tight ends in Washington, studying (TE) Jordan Cameron coming out and really being impressed with him. And I’d say, I keep wondering, ‘Who the heck is this true freshman receiver that is balling on the tape?’ So, I’ve kind of always kept my eye out for him. Then you watch when he gets drafted to Buffalo and I’ve just always respected his game. I thought he does such a great job, he runs with such a great body lean. He makes every route look the same. You see him as a runner when the ball is in his hands. He just has a seamless ability to work edges on people. I bet he’d be a great running back if we put him at that spot. His toughness to compete – I didn’t know he was as tough as he is. You see the film and he puts good stuff on tape. But to say that I knew that he was as special as he is probably wouldn’t be accurate. He’s delivered in a big way and just what he represents for our football team and the consistent makeup and the mental toughness, all the things. He’s checking all the boxes and we’re very thankful for Robert.”

    (On OL David Edwards stepping in for OL Joe Noteboom and his thoughts on the offensive line as a whole doing well in the run game and limiting sacks)
    “They really have. They’ve done an excellent job. What I thought was so good. You look back to some of the tough times that we experienced last year, but (OL) David (Edwards) got so much experience. And even though he wasn’t starting at the beginning of the season, I think his ability to approach practice the right way, where he was intentional about getting better, had a mindset and a mentality focused on that every single day. I thought that enabled him to seamlessly step in, played 29 snaps, did a really good job. You see even on his first snap when we ended up running, we ended up hitting (WR) Cooper Kupp on a crossing route for about 21 yards. Just the way that he jumps right in, great pass protection technique, did a great job on the 40-yard run that (RB) Darrell Henderson Jr. had to really spring it with a front side combination, with he and (OL) Austin Blyth. So, he will step in. I think his experience that he gained last year was invaluable. I’ve been really pleased with our group as a whole. You hope (OL) Joe (Noteboom) is able to recover quickly, but I think (Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach) Aaron Kromer and (Assistant Offensive Line Coach) Andy Dickerson and (Offensive Quality Control Coach) Zak Kromer, they’ve done such a good job of really developing those guys. You look at the depth we have on that group. When you do have injuries, typically you’re feeling really bad about it, but because of the depth that we have, David was able to seamlessly step in and I didn’t think we missed a beat yesterday.”

    (On expanding on his previous comments on RB Darrell Henderson Jr. gaining specific opportunities in the game against the Eagles)
    “I think the way he practiced. I think this really represented the first full week, this past week did, of being healthy where he was pushing through. He wanted to play so bad against Dallas that I don’t think he was really going to tell us, ‘Hey, I’m not feeling totally ready, totally able to really trust in it and open up,’ and I thought this past week’s practice was reflective of him really trusting it. He was really focused on the details and you can see, he’s always been a great guy that has the skill-set that we’re looking for, in terms of, the versatility. He’s really grounded as a runner and for a slasher, he’s a physical runner. I think when you look at his two-yard touchdown, what a great run, where he’s just really breaking a bunch of tackles, but then he’s got the speed to make the plays down the field on the long catch for the 40-yard run. It was just, kind of, a feeling and (Running Backs) Coach (Thomas) Brown had echoed the same thing and I have so much trust in him that it was one of those deals where you were excited about getting him involved. Even if you go back to some of the last significant touches he had last year and his first action against the 49ers, you kind of just feel him, where he’s got a burst and he’s got an explosion that’s exciting. Then he’s thick enough in his lower half and he’s got enough mass that he’s really a finisher when he gets going, he’s falling forward. So, I think that was just kind of just being projected on the good week of practice that he had and the confidence we have in him as a player when he’s healthy.”

    (On CB Troy Hill’s specific traits for moving him to play inside)
    “I think it’s just the instincts and the awareness, because a lot of times when you’re working on a guy, he’s got a two-way go, those lateral agilities that Troy possesses, and then, we’ll ask them to be involved. When you’re closer to the box, you have to get involved in some of the tackles, you’re part of the fit, based on the coverage structure that we’re playing, and I think just his toughness. You see him making some tackles in space, but he’s just got a good feel for negotiating traffic and being able to pick and choose his spot and come up with a body part and all those things are really some of the traits that you look for and he’s definitely got all those.”

    (On the secondary playing at a faster pace and if that is because of the players)
    “I think it’s exactly what you said. I think it’s number one – the players, and then – I really am just so impressed with our defensive coaching staff. The clarity, the ability to put in a game plan, their communication throughout both of these first two games. I think it’s really an awesome reflection of the collaboration of the unit, and when these guys know what we’re asking them to do, what the intent of the defensive coverage call or whatever it is that we’re trying to get done, they’re able to play faster. There’s a lot of instances too, where a lot of the plays that were run yesterday, were the exact ones that we had repped in practice. I think that gives confidence to the importance of the preparation, how that practice performance can equal game reality if you’re really focused on the right things. I think it’s a true reflection of the importance of coaches and players being connected, being on the same page and ultimately those are the guys that are getting it done during the games, but I think it really is a really cool reflection of the coaches and the players working in unison and you see it show up yesterday, especially against a really tough outfit in the Eagles.”

    (On if it’s an accomplishment to play that fast considering this year’s offseason and the defensive scheme that the Rams utilize)
    “I think it is, and like I said, I think it’s just such a good reflection of the unit and that’s coaches and players alike. There are two teams that have given up less than 20 points each of the first two weeks – it’s the Rams and the Ravens. What I tell those guys is, ‘I’m not surprised, but you don’t take it for granted,’ and I think that’s what you see day-in-and-day-out. We know that there’s a long season. Let’s see if we can take it to a Buffalo offense that’s been playing really good through these first couple of weeks and a quarterback who is red hot.”

    (On how much of an influence CB Jalen Ramsey has on making opportunities for other guys to make plays such as CBs Troy Hill and Darious Williams)
    “Yeah, I think he does. In a lot of instances when you’re going against an elite corner and you say if you’ve got to, kind of, pick a side plays or you feel like you have a feel on where he’s going to be, you’re going to say, ‘Let’s not decide to just go at (CB) Jalen (Ramsey) unnecessarily,’ but then to his credit, he’s really tapped in when their targets have come his way. It does lead to some more opportunities when you’ve got a player like that, but I think those guys made those plays. You look at that pick. What a pick by (CB) Troy Hill. I thought that was really the play of the game, (CB) Darious’ (Williams) interception, just for the momentum and the feel of the game when it’s 21-16, they’re driving, they had just got a first down, that’s a first-down interception. (Eagles QB Carson) Wentz is ready to drive the ball in, kind of, a double move type post. That thing was humming, and you could see even (S Jordan) Fuller had a great break where he was going to make it a bang, bang, play if Darious doesn’t undercut it, but those two plays were huge. I think they are going to get a little bit more opportunities and I think you saw that even reflected as soon as we got Jalen last year with the amount of work that Darious and Troy both got just playing opposite of Jalen and how teams typically would say, ‘We’re not going to go at Jalen, unless we feel like the look is really good,’ and based on how he’s playing, there’s not a whole lot of those.”

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    in reply to: tweets … 9/22 thru 9/24 #121530
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    Jeremy Fowler@JFowlerESPN
    Blake Bortles is signing a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos this week, per source. Should be finalized this week.

    𝕋𝕠𝕞 – 𝕃𝔸 ℝ𝕒𝕞𝕤@TL_LARams
    Don’t worry that the Rams got 0 sacks against the Eagles when Washington got 8. The majority of Washington’s sacks came from Wentz not feeling pressure, not getting the ball out and trying to do too much. He did this far less against the Rams.

    ==

    in reply to: power rankings, week 3 #121529
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    from https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/09/22/nfl-week-3-power-rankings-seahawks-chiefs-ravens

    4. Buffalo Bills (2-0)
    Last week: Win at Miami 31-28
    This week: vs. Los Angeles Rams

    Raise your hand if you expected Josh Allen to be leading the NFL in passing through Week 2. On one hand, I’m tempted to say: please show me how they perform against teams that aren’t the Jets or a banged-up Dolphins. On the other, this is exactly what you try and do with developing QBs—you create a runway and build confidence.

    10. Los Angeles Rams (2-0)
    Last week: Win at Philadelphia 37-19
    Next week: at Buffalo

    Sean McVay’s offense is evolving to again puzzle the defenses that rose up to stop him in 2019. If Jared Goff gets comfortable enough to go vertical consistently, the NFC West will solidify itself as the toughest division in football.

    in reply to: Press sets up the Buffalo game #121528
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    in reply to: power rankings, week 3 #121527
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    ==

    in reply to: view of Rams after 2 games #121521
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    posted by aeneas1

    PFF – THROUGH WEEK 2

    High ranked Rams.

    + secondary: williams 11th, ramsey 14th, & johnson 15th

    in reply to: tweets … 9/22 thru 9/24 #121520
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    from https://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/post/_/id/42015/jared-goffs-red-hot-start-three-tds-to-tyler-higbee-gets-rams-to-2-0

    Eye-popping NextGen Stat: Talk about a lockdown cornerback. Wentz stayed far away from Jalen Ramsey in the first half. Ramsey played every snap, but was not the nearest defender to any targeted receiver, according to Next Gen Stats. Ramsey finished with one tackle and was only targeted twice. The Eagles did not complete either pass. Ramsey lined up opposite DeSean Jackson and Jalen Reagor more often than anyone else.

    in reply to: the press reviews the Eagles game #121519
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    Jared Goff’s red-hot start, three TDs to Tyler Higbee get Rams to 2-0

    Lindsey Thiry

    https://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/post/_/id/42015/jared-goffs-red-hot-start-three-tds-to-tyler-higbee-gets-rams-to-2-0

    Jared Goff found receiver Cooper Kupp, then went to tight end Tyler Higbee. Not long after, receiver Robert Woods walked a reverse into the end zone, and eventually the Los Angeles Rams walked out of Philadelphia with a dominant 37-19 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles inside an empty Lincoln Financial Field.

    Goff utilized every weapon at his disposal Sunday and had the Rams’ offense appearing reminiscent of its 2018 form, utilizing misdirection and play-action throughout the game. Seven Rams ran the ball, while six recorded at least two receptions.

    Goff completed 13 consecutive passes to start the game before his first incompletion, which amounted to a career-best start for the fifth-year quarterback, who had never completed more than five passes to start a game, acording to ESPN Stats & Information Research.

    He finished 20-of-27 for 267 yards and three touchdowns, all to Higbee, as the Rams improve to 2-0 and now return to L.A. before flying to the East Coast again next Sunday to play the Buffalo Bills.

    Pivotal play: With momentum shifting to the Eagles early in the second half, cornerback Darious Williams made a heads-up play when he undercut the receiver and intercepted a pass from Carson Wentz in the end zone. The Eagles were in scoring position at the Rams’ 21-yard line. Instead, Goff orchestrated a 16-play drive that resulted in a field goal, stretching the Rams’ lead to 24-16.

    Breakout performance: The inside linebackers were considered the defense’s biggest question mark entering the season because of a lack of experience. A week after missed tackles defined much of their performance, Micah Kiser proved himself as a playmaker. Kiser forced Eagles running back Miles Sanders to fumble on the opening drive. Kenny Young recovered the fumble and the offense quickly converted the turnover into a touchdown to take a 7-0 lead. Kiser also made a crucial third-down stop in the first quarter that forced the Eagles to settle for a field goal. Kiser finished with 11 tackles and a forced fumble. Young had three tackles and a monstrous quarterback hit.

    Breakout performance II: Higbee ended the 2019 season on a hot streak and picked it up again Sunday. Higbee caught five passes for 54 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first Rams player to have three receiving touchdowns in a game since Torry Holt in 2006, and the first Rams tight end with three receiving touchdowns in a game since Damone Johnson in 1988, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

    Silver lining: Rookie running back Cam Akers suffered a rib injury on the Rams’ opening series, when he rushed for 5 yards from the Eagles’ 9-yard line. But with the Rams moving to a committee approach this season, their run game did not miss a beat. Veteran Malcolm Brown and second-year pro Darrell Henderson Jr. were threats out of the backfield in Akers’ absence. Brown rushed for 47 yards on 11 carries and Henderson broke out for 81 rushing yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. He also caught two passes for 40 yards.

    Eye-popping NextGen Stat: Talk about a lockdown cornerback. Wentz stayed far away from Jalen Ramsey in the first half. Ramsey played every snap, but was not the nearest defender to any targeted receiver, according to Next Gen Stats. Ramsey finished with one tackle and was only targeted twice. The Eagles did not complete either pass. Ramsey lined up opposite DeSean Jackson and Jalen Reagor more often than anyone else.

    in reply to: the press reviews the Eagles game #121515
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    so… during the rams cowboys game were they piping in cowboys fans’ cheers?

    lol

    in reply to: the press reviews the Eagles game #121514
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    from CBS: NFL Week 2 grades

    https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-2-grades-tom-brady-and-buccaneers-get-b-raiders-get-an-a-for-winning-first-game-in-las-vegas/%5DCBS Sports

    L.A. Rams 37-19 over Philadelphia

    A – Rams

    Sean McVay has been criticized for never beating Doug Pederson. Well, he owned the Super Bowl winning coach Sunday by confusing Jim Schwartz’s defense with play action passes and wide receiver counter runs to take a commanding 21-3 first half lead the Rams would never relinquish. McVay and the Rams offense are showing they are back to the 2017/2018 form that earned them two NFC West titles and an NFC Championship while averaging 31.4 points per game. Goff completed his first 13 passes and Los Angeles racked up over 450 yards of offense in crushing another NFC East team. The L.A. defense is pretty legit too, forcing three Eagles turnovers and preserving the early lead it earned. The NFC West is loaded and Los Angeles is a contender for the division title.

    F – Eagles

    Philadelphia is just not a good football team. There’s no other way to put it. A team that got younger and faster this offseason had no answer for McVay’s play action passes and bootlegs as Jared Goff threw just seven incomplete passes on the day. Los Angeles also averaged 5.4 yards per carry (before kneel downs) and finished 7 for 11 on third down, showcasing how outmatched the Eagles defense actually was. The Philly offense isn’t any better, as it finished with three turnovers and failed to score over 20 points for the second consecutive week. Carson Wentz is inconsistent and Pederson didn’t take any shots downfield with speedsters DeSean Jackson and Jalen Reagor. Outside of Miles Sanders, this team doesn’t have much to work with. I’m not sure if they can beat the Bengals next week.

    in reply to: Goff talk … new thread starting 9/17 #121510
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    i remember a couple years ago there was that controversy of mcvay talking to goff on the headset right up until communication got cut off.

    too much was being made of it at the time, but i do wonder if mcvay still does that. or is goff pretty much on his own now. does it even matter?

    It looks to me like the headset talk has died back.

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