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  • in reply to: tweets … 10/15 & 10/16 #123075
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    in reply to: tweets … 10/15 & 10/16 #123074
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    in reply to: press sets up the SF game #123073
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    in reply to: tweets … 10/15 & 10/16 #123057
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    in reply to: tweets … 10/15 & 10/16 #123056
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    in reply to: tweets … 10/15 & 10/16 #123055
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    SeattleRams@seattlerams_nfl
    The Rams special team, a strength for a number of years, now ranks 29th in ST DVOA.

    Do you think the Rams miss Coach Bones?

    ==

    from PFF Rankings: Ranking all 32 defenses ahead of NFL Week 6

    https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-rankings-ranking-all-32-defenses-ahead-of-nfl-week-6-2020

    4. LOS ANGELES RAMS

    Donald has been in his same dominant form in 2020 by generating 33 pressures in his five games (eight more than any player at the position) and winning on 26% of his pass-rush reps (4 percentage points higher than second). Simply put, Donald is still a game-wrecker, and when you pair that with a strong secondary like they have, it makes life difficult for the opposition’s passing attack. The Rams have allowed -0.15 EPA per pass play, which is significantly higher than second at -0.09 and the league average at 0.12. The play of outside corners Jalen Ramsey and Darious Williams has played a big role in that, as they are one of two tandems that rank in the top-15 at the alignment in coverage grade.

    ==

    Me note: from that same PFF defensive ranking, the Rams will play 3 top 10 defenses in the next 11 games: SF, Chicago, Tampa.

    What they have played against so far:

    Washington: 11
    Phil: 15
    Giants: 20
    Buffalo: 23
    Dallas: 24

    in reply to: tweets … 10/15 & 10/16 #123053
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    in reply to: tweets … 10/15 & 10/16 #123048
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    from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2020/10/15/rams-schedule-strength-nfl-remaining/

    According to Mike Clay of ESPN, the Rams have one of the five toughest strengths of schedule remaining, right there with the Jets, 49ers, Bills and Jaguars. Strength of schedule is based on record, and with six games against the NFC West still on the Rams’ calendar, it’s easy to see why their remaining games are so difficult.

    That’s not the only metric to show how tough the Rams’ remaining schedule is. Football Outsiders also has the Rams among the 10 most difficult with an average DVOA of 2.6% for their remaining opponents.

    DVOA measures a team’s performance over average, putting into perspective how a team performs on a play by play basis. The 49ers have by far the toughest remaining schedule based on DVOA at 12%, which is 4.9% higher than any other team.

    The Rams are fourth in DVOA at 25.5%, behind only the Ravens, Bucs and Seahawks, so the analytics paint a positive picture for L.A. – even if their opponents haven’t exactly been the toughest.

    ==

    RAMSey@LosRams2
    This next two weeks will shape what the country thinks of the Rams and Goff. Not that we care, but it will. Sunday night and then Monday night with the whole country watching.

    Rams Wire@TheRamsWire
    Aaron Donald is off to the best start of his career and on a historic pace

    NFLonCBS@NFLonCBS
    Only two NFL QBs have won more than 35 games since 2017:

    – Tom Brady
    – Jared Goff

    in reply to: around the league week 6 (Dak injured) #123047
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    in reply to: tweets … 10/15 & 10/16 #123046
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    in reply to: The Trump Thread: Pro? Con? Who cares? #123041
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    in reply to: power rankings week 6 #123040
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    from NFL Power Rankings Week 5

    https://theathletic.com/2132404/2020/10/14/nfl-week-5-power-rankings-ravens-raiders-titans/?source=dailyemail

    …

    7. Los Angeles Rams

    The Rams hit Washington with an avalanche of explosive plays and improved to 4-0 against the NFC East this season. Aaron Donald had four sacks and a performance that was so dominant you just felt bad for the Washington offensive linemen — if he had that game in Pop Warner, the coaches would have pulled him at halftime and made him play up a level or two. Donald has been great for a long time, but we might be seeing him at the peak of his powers right now. The Rams have a big one Sunday night at San Francisco.

    in reply to: around the league week 6 (Dak injured) #123039
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    Fred Dean was one of the best pass rushers I’ve seen play…. I don’t think SF wins their early Super Bowls without him.

    Yeah he was always pretty great.

    From the wiki:

    NFL career

    San Diego Chargers

    Dean was drafted by the Chargers in the 2nd round (33rd overall pick) 1975 NFL Draft. Dean recorded 15½ sacks in 1978. In 1979, the Chargers won the AFC West division while leading the AFC in fewest points allowed (246) and Dean was named to the All-AFC team. The Chargers again won the AFC West in 1980, with Dean teaming with fellow 1975 Charger draftees Gary “Big Hands” Johnson and Louie Kelcher as the Chargers led the NFL in sacks (60). Dean had missed the first two games of the season after not reporting, but still finished the season with 10½ sacks. He and Johnson were named first-team All-Pro, with Kelcher being named second-team All-Pro. The trio, along with Leroy Jones formed a defensive front that was nicknamed the Bruise Brothers.

    San Francisco 49ers

    In 1981, Dean, was traded to the San Francisco 49ers due to a contract dispute with Chargers’ ownership. Dean contended that he was making the same amount of money as his brother-in-law who was a truck driver. The Chargers’ defense would not be the same afterwards, and Don “Air” Coryell’s Chargers teams are now most remembered for its high-scoring, pass-oriented offense that did not have enough defense to make it to a Super Bowl. In 2013, U-T San Diego called the Chargers trading Dean “perhaps the biggest blunder in franchise history”.

    Dean was acquired mid-season by the 49ers and eventually helped them win two Super Bowls in the 1980s. His first game as a 49er was a key match-up against the Dallas Cowboys. Dean played after only a couple of practices and was still able to apply pressure and repeatedly hurried Danny White when he was not recording one of his 6 sacks, in a game won by the 49ers, 45-14. His first action of the season as a 49er was noted by author Tom Danyluk as “the greatest set of downs I have ever seen unleashed by a pass rusher”. In what had been a game of possum, Bill Walsh, the 49er head coach, said to John Madden, who covered the game, “Fred (Dean) just got here . . . If he plays, he won’t play much”. But he played the whole game.

    His next home game for the 49ers was against the Los Angeles Rams. The game was won by the 49ers, and was the first win against the Rams in Candlestick Park, 20-17, as Dean sacked Pat Haden 5 times. He ended the season with 13 sacks, 12 with the 49ers and 1 with the Chargers before his trade to San Francisco.

    The 49ers went on to win the Super Bowl that year, and Steve Sabol (NFL Films) is quoted in 2006 as saying that Dean’s acquisition was the last meaningful in-season trade, in that it affected the destination of the Lombardi Trophy. Dean that year won UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year while playing in 11 games for the 49ers. San Diego’s defense collapsed when Dean departed, giving up 40 points in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the regular season, and 65 total points in playoff games vs. the Miami Dolphins and Bengals.

    “I can’t say how much it affected us, because we did make it to the AFC championship game,” said Johnson of the Chargers without Dean. “But I could say if we had more pass rush from the corner, it might’ve been different.

    In 1983, Dean recorded 17 sacks to lead the NFC and recorded a then-NFL record of 6 in one game, setting that mark during the 49ers’ 27-0 shutout of the New Orleans Saints on November 13, 1983. The 17 sacks was a Dean career high, bettering his 1978 total of 15½ with the Chargers.[14] He followed that 1978 season by adding nine sacks in 1979 and 10½ in 1980. He had recorded 6½ sacks as a rookie in 1975. Dean’s career sack total, with his unofficial numbers included, is 93.

    Dean was also a key player on the 49ers 1984 Super Bowl team, mostly used as a situational pass rusher. During the 1984 season, Dean was reunited with his Charger teammates, Johnson, Kelcher and Billy Shields.

    Dean was inducted into the Louisiana Tech University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990. Dean is a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. On August 2, 2008, Dean was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was inducted at the enshrinement ceremony where his bust, sculpted by Scott Myers, was unveiled. In 2009, Dean was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

    On October 14, 2020, Dean died of COVID-19.

    in reply to: tweets … 10/15 & 10/16 #123038
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    in reply to: tweets … 10/15 & 10/16 #123037
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    CRamsFly

    Whitworth has had an incredible career and has defied Father Time (let’s hope he continues). It’s amazing that not only has he had such a long career in a critical position, but also how well he is continuing to play (top 5 OT every year, including this season). When the Rams signed him a few years ago, I was just hoping that he could play decent enough for 1-2 years and never expected that he would play at an All-Pro level every year! :shock2:

    ==

    aeneas1

    offensive points scored, allowed, and differential:

    rankings – offensive categories:

    rankings – defensive categories:

    in reply to: press sets up the SF game #123035
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    This whole clip is about the Rams.

    …

    in reply to: on Staley & the NUMBER ONE RATED defense … VERY updated #123030
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    Rams hope ‘Aaron Donald effect,’ DL rotation can continue to unlock pass rush

    Jourdan Rodrigue

    https://theathletic.com/2133750/2020/10/13/rams-hope-aaron-donald-effect-dl-rotation-can-continue-to-unlock-pass-rush/?source=twittered

    Through five weeks, the Rams are tied for first in the NFL with 20 sacks, after a substantial boost from an eight-sack performance at Washington on Sunday.

    “Any time that you come out with eight sacks,” head coach Sean McVay said Monday, “that was as dominant of a defensive performance (that) I’ve been a part of.”

    What is more indicative of a pass-rush unit starting to find its groove, though, is the Rams’ 46 pressures (tied for fifth in the NFL) and their ability to bring this type of disruption while blitzing on only 20 percent of their defensive snaps, which ranks in the lower quarter of the league.

    Much of the Rams’ pressure and disruption is coming from the interior defensive line, and statistically, the bulk is coming from Aaron Donald, who led the team Sunday with an extraordinary four-sack performance. Donald has 7.5 sacks and 15 pressures through five games, putting him on pace for 24 sacks and 48 pressures this season (his single-season career highs are 20.5 and 70, respectively).

    But it’s important to recognize that Donald, and the way the Rams are scheming their interior defensive line this season, force a notable ripple effect. Aided by the supporting cast of Michael Brockers, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Morgan Fox and Greg Gaines, the pressure not only trickles into the second level, but it also contains elements that predict sustainability into the tough middle segment of this season.

    Donald is playing approximately 85 percent of the Rams’ defensive snaps this season. While that is the most among his colleagues on the interior line by quite a large margin (the next-closest is Brockers at approximately 64 percent), it’s still clear that Donald is not excluded from an efficient rotational plan devised by defensive line coach Eric Henderson and defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.

    “The more guys that you can play up front, I think, is an advantage,” Staley said. “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 matchups, 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.”

    A rotation, when operating correctly, helps players stay fresh, either in tight-game or late-game situations. In a too-close-for-comfort Week 4 win against the New York Giants, the Rams’ defense was stuck on the field for over 33 minutes. Staley and Henderson adjusted their scheme on the fly to increase the rotation, especially on the interior, in order to have a fresh front available in case of a crucial closeout opportunity.

    “We want to be good in the fourth quarter, when it counts,” Staley said. “…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 … and we certainly needed it the other day playing 33 minutes in that game. We needed all those guys fresh for the end.”

    A rotation, as Staley mentioned, helps confuse an offensive line. It usually takes a series or two for a decent offensive lineman to begin to key on specific “tells” given by the player opposite him. But if the Rams keep changing those guys, it takes the offensive lineman much longer.

    “Guys get a feel for the flow of the game,” McVay said, “and when you’re throwing a bunch of different guys that are lining over guards, over tackles, they don’t ever really get a feel for the different types of rushers that you’re going against. It’s very similar to where you can kind of be able to play three different (running) backs that all give you a little bit different element, and it’s a change of pace in a different way that you have to defend them.”

    The Rams also at times increase the frequency of their rotation on the interior defensive line, in part because a player such as Fox, an inside-outside defensive lineman, is producing very well while only given about 35 to 40 percent of the Rams’ snaps.

    Fox has two sacks, one of which forced a fumble, five pressures, 11 tackles and a batted pass through the first five games.

    “With Morgan, I think this guy’s got real toughness. This guy is a tough sucker,” Staley said grinning. “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 has 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.”

    Donald, as we know, especially draws extra blockers — more so, perhaps, than any other defensive player in the league — and so while a major point of Staley’s defense works to put Donald into isolated situations, it also attempts to turn his double-teams into advantages elsewhere.

    Sunday was a great example. As the game advanced, the Rams played reserve linebacker Troy Reeder closer to the line of scrimmage, instead of forcing him deeper into the middle of the field and putting him at risk of facing coverage situations, where he is inconsistent. They were given more flexibility to do this because, at times, Reeder’s coverage assignment was drawn in for blocking support to help deal with Donald. With Donald usually facing multiple blockers, the rest of the Rams’ defensive linemen were able to lock up their matchups, thus creating natural “green dog” blitz opportunities for Reeder.

    Reeder was able to wait a step behind the defensive line and, essentially, pause for a half-count as a rushing lane opened, and then he all but waltzed into the pocket for three sacks.

    “In some ways, we’re clearing it up for him,” Brockers said after the game. “Taking on the double-teams where he doesn’t have to engage somebody right away. He can kind of pad his feet and then hit the hole whenever he needs to. He did a great job of green-dogging us on blitzes today, you know, where you go get two guys on (Donald) and everybody else is singled. If he blitzes, you know, he’s open. … Taking care of his opportunities, and he’s doing his job.”

    Obviously, the attention Donald gets also means players such as Reeder can rack up a few sacks when the moments present themselves.

    It means that other defensive linemen such as Fox get more opportunities to create pressure, too.

    The Rams hope that this turns into symbiosis: As the season progresses, if Fox shows up enough on tape, that actually helps Donald because teams will become more hesitant to leave Fox in single-matchup situations.

    “It (means I am) able to do my job,” Fox said. “When situations like that happen, when you have a player like Aaron or a player like Brock that people want to slide to, you have to be able to win on the back side, or win on the opposite side of them to make sure that a team is successful. You want to make sure you win your one-on-one and do your job.”

    On a very basic level, it’s kind of analogous to having shutdown corner Jalen Ramsey on one side of the field. A quarterback will throw to the opposite cornerback more often to avoid the guy they know is the top threat. It’s the same with Fox. When Donald is getting doubled or even tripled, it’s his time to make something happen.

    “Guys like Fox, as long as they keep making plays, I’m happy,” Donald said with a laugh. “As long as somebody is making a play, we’re getting the job done.

    “Eventually I will get more opportunities because they’ve got to start paying attention to other guys. I’m going to just keep playing ball, and when plays present themselves to me, I’ve just got to take advantage of it.”

    in reply to: around the league week 6 (Dak injured) #123029
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    in reply to: around the league week 6 (Dak injured) #123028
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    in reply to: comics, jokes, one-shot memes, funny tweets, etc. #123027
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    in reply to: animal bits #123026
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    in reply to: tweets … 10/13 & 10/14 #123025
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    in reply to: tweets … 10/13 & 10/14 #123022
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    Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
    Barring a setback, ILB Micah Kiser is on track to play on Sunday. Team will gradually increase his workload the next two days.

    This quote pretty much describes DC Brandon Staley to a tee: When asked about Aaron Donald’s ability and success even as teams do whatever they can to try to stop him in their game plan, he grins and says, “Well, we’re game-planning too.”

    WR Robert Woods, on Jared Goff’s spike attempt – cracking up: “Yeah he cant be putting that on tape anymore.”

    Rest days for Andrew Whitworth and Aaron Donald today. Sean McVay mentioned that he liked getting Donald those midweek rest days because he has seen him able to be really charged up late in games while playing the bulk of the DL snaps, so that will likely continue.

    PFF LA Rams@PFF_Rams
    Fuller went the entire game without a negatively graded play and ended up with the best PFF grade of his rookie season

    Not bad for a 6th round rookie

    in reply to: tweets … 10/13 & 10/14 #123021
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    in reply to: tweets … 10/13 & 10/14 #123015
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    J.B. Long@JB_Long
    Updates from @RamsNFL HC Sean McVay:

    Jordan Fuller – Aggravated stinger. I/R gives him a shot to come back healthy after the bye.

    Obo Okoronkwo – Elbow procedure not going to be season-ending. “Like 4 weeks.”

    PFF@PFF
    Leaders in total pressures:

    T-1. Aaron Donald/ Myles Garrett – 33
    T-3. Joey Bosa/ Khalil Mack – 27
    5. Shaq Barrett – 26

    ==

    Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
    So Rams DC Brandon Staley brought the “star” position – which is the variation of the nickel that we see CB Jalen Ramsey in at times – with him to LA from John Carroll after going back through Ramsey’s high school and college tape. The way he saw it, it would be crazy to not

    have a guy like Ramsey playing in what is, in Staley’s defense, one of the most important positions on the field and a space where he can cover a lot of different things including blitz packages and run support as a very sure tackler. Of course, this package can vary if, say,

    Ramsey is needed against a true WR1 on the outside. At that point we have seen Troy Hill in there. Additional depth includes David Long, who would play it in a prototypical “nickel” type of role, and Terrell Burgess, who plays it in more of the hybrid safety/linebacker role.

    This is something they were able to install immediately in Staley’s first year, and is unfolding more and more as the season continues, because of the versatility and all-around savvy within the defensive backs room.

    To me this says a few things – one, scheming your players for the range of their abilities, which we see McVay do on the offensive side, and two, giving pretty much complete autonomy to your first-year NFL DC (though he would remind us that he’s been doing this for awhile, ha)

    Anyway, a lot of the time we don’t always have all the answers/see the whole picture right away – especially when you factor in gamesmanship and keeping things held back -but the best part of beat writing is putting all of the little clues and details together bit by bit.

    in reply to: power rankings week 6 #123014
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    from PFF Power Rankings ahead of Week 6

    https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-power-rankings-week-6

    8. LOS ANGELES RAMS
    Projected Win Total: 10.1
    Playoff Odds: 83%
    Highest-Graded Player: DI Aaron Donald (90.1)

    in reply to: tweets … 10/13 & 10/14 #123009
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    Lindsey Thiry@LindseyThiry
    “He’s not just a corner, they play him all over,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan says about the way the Rams are using Jalen Ramsey this season.

    “Robert, he’s a stud, I’ve watched him since he came out of college,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan says about Robert Woods, adding he’s among the most talented receivers in the league.

    Matt Maiocco@MaioccoNBCS
    Kyle Shanahan did not include Jimmy Garoppolo on the list of the team’s injured players. He said he expects Garoppolo to have a full practice today, which puts him solidly on pace to start Sunday night vs. the #LARams.

    in reply to: political tweets #123004
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    in reply to: power rankings week 6 #123003
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    Rams Power Rankings: Week 6

    Stu Jackson

    https://www.therams.com/news/rams-power-rankings-week-6-2020

    NFL.com, Dan Hanzus Rank: 8

    Last Week: 9

    Change: +1

    “After an ugly win over the Giants in Week 4, the Rams were back to looking like a balanced, high-functioning unit in a 30-10 win over Washington.”

    ESPN.com Rank: 7

    Last Week: 8

    Change: +1

    Yahoo! Sports, Frank Schwab Rank: 8

    Last Week: 7

    Change: -1

    “The Rams had some explosive plays in the passing game, as Jared Goff threw for 309 on just 30 attempts, and most of that happened in the rain. Whatever happened in last week’s lackluster win over the Giants, the Rams seem to have shaken it off.”

    Bleacher Report Rank: 8

    Last Week: 9

    Change: +1

    USA Today, Nate Davis Rank: 3

    Last Week: 7

    Change: +4

    “As well as QB Jared Goff and DL Aaron Donald are once again playing, a big reason Los Angeles is winning again is the underappreciated resurgence of its offensive line.”

    Sports Illustrated, The MMQB Rank: 5

    Last Week: 11

    Change: +6

    Note: The MMQB staff rotates who compiles the Power Rankings each week. This week, it was columnist Gary Gramling’s turn.

    “With the exception of the slow start in Buffalo, the Rams have done pretty much exactly what they want to do against every opponent they’ve faced this season. And the fact that they clawed back against the Bills—it was fair to question whether or not Jared Goff could—was plenty encouraging. It seems like the coach has things figured out.”

    CBS Sports, Pete Prisco Rank: 10

    Last Week: 11

    Change: +1

    “They have dominated the NFC East to get to 4-1 to open the season. Sean McVay has this team playing well, and they are the class of the NFC West.”

    Washington Post Rank: 7

    Last Week: 8

    Change: +1

    THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT’S RANKS — THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

    NFL.com – 21

    ESPN.com — 17

    Yahoo! Sports — 19

    Bleacher Report — 21

    USA Today — 20

    Sports Illustrated — 21

    CBS Sports — 21

    The Washington Post — 24

    in reply to: tweets … 10/13 & 10/14 #123002
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    Cameron DaSilva@camdasilva
    Aaron Donald already has 7.5 sacks, which is more than he had through Week 5 of the last three seasons *combined* (6.0)

    He’s never had more than 3.5 in the first five weeks.

    J.B. Long@JB_Long
    Some clarity on uniforms for SNF at SF.

    Niners chose their white throwbacks in July. Not a decision made this week to mess with
    @RamsNFL
    3-0 record in Bone. LA graphic from the summer was simply incorrect re: Week 6.

    Rams will be in Royal on Sunday. No controversy here.

    Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
    on this week’s episode of 11 Personne @Rich_Hammond and I talk about Goff’s intended air yards per throw versus the YAC his receivers accumulate – lots! – and overall conservative throw decisions by design – O’Connell! – to this point, and more)

    —

    ==

    ==

Viewing 30 posts - 19,051 through 19,080 (of 48,476 total)