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znModeratorGil Brandt, from top NFL divisions in ’19: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001079080/article/nfc-west-nfc-north-afc-east-among-top-nfl-divisions-in-19
1) NFC West
It’s amazing to think how far this division has come since 2010, when the Seattle Seahawks claimed the title with a 7-9 record. Today, it’s home to both the team that would claim the top seed in the NFC if the playoffs started today (the 9-1 San Francisco 49ers) and the conference’s top wild-card team (the 8-2 Seattle Seahawks). Don’t dismiss last year’s division winners, either — while their season hasn’t gone as smoothly as past years, the Rams are still at 6-4 and can make some serious noise if they get on a hot streak. And, of course, while the 3-7-1 Cardinals are firmly in last place, their season is shaping up to be a success, thanks to both the development of Kyler Murray into a difference-making quarterback and increased competitiveness over last year’s dismal squad.
znModeratorHow will the Ravens block Rams’ Donald? Rex Ryan trusts Greg Roman & Co. | Baltimore Sun
The Ravens and the Los Angeles Rams will be trading targets Monday night. The Rams want to keep an eye on Ravens second-year quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has become one of the most dangerous offensive players in the NFL.
znModeratorNewest member of the #NFL100 All-Time Team, @EricDickerson!
📺: Fridays at 5 PM PT on @nflnetwork! pic.twitter.com/bJvLJrlGKN
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 23, 2019
znModeratorPFF Week 12 NFL Power Rankings
https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2019-pff-week-12-nfl-power-rankings7. LOS ANGELES RAMS
Last Week: 8thThe Rams emerged as 17-7 victors from a desperately ugly Week 11 game, but it’s still concerning to see the differences between this year’s Rams outfit and last year’s eventual Super Bowl contenders. At this time last year, their offensive line had allowed just 94 total pressures and earned an 83.2 pass-blocking grade, Jared Goff‘s 122.1 passer rating on play-action ranked fourth in the league and the offense was generating 0.335 EPA per pass play. Through 11 weeks this year, their offensive line has allowed 145 total pressures and earned a 53.2 team pass-blocking grade, Goff’s 52.8 rating on play-action ranks 33rd among 35 qualifying quarterbacks and the offense is generating just 0.107 EPA per pass play. They’re still winning games, sure, but they’re far from dominating in the way we saw just a season ago.
znModeratorJim Thomas@jthom1
Why isn’t this man [Bruce] in the Hall of Fame?Howard Balzer@HBalzer721
Why do many players wait? It’s the byproduct of a system that has new first-time eligibles each year and selects 5 modern-day players, leaving 10 other finalists waiting. BTW, since 1970, the average wait for non-seniors is 8 years for those not elected as first-time eligibles.I believe Ty Law was helped by a discussion that also involved first-time eligible Champ Bailey and they both got elected. Hopefully, a not-as-strong first-time list this year will help Isaac and others that have been waiting.
znModeratorSorry, I misread. I thought you wanted to talk 2020 draft. I threw out some players in the 2020 draft, on who may slide to us in round 2 & 3. My bad.
No big!
Post on.
znModeratorCameron DaSilva@camdasilva
Lamar Jackson is WAY better vs. the blitz than a normal rush.15 TDs/1 INT vs. 4 TDs/4 INTs.
The Rams just happen to be No. 1 in pressure rate without blitzing. Getting to Jackson with 4 rushers is crucial
znModerator7 sacks in the last 5 games. And he's only warming up. https://t.co/TVBSewnt1o
— Bate™ (@NoPlanB_) November 21, 2019
znModerator𝒥𝒾𝓂 𝐸𝓋𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓉𝓉
✔
@Jim_Everett
Gonna tell my kids that this was their Dad.Im gonna tell my kids this was Kurt Warner pic.twitter.com/ybpvGliipV
— Tommy (@RamTommyInLA) November 22, 2019
znModeratorBrandin Cooks is coming back from another concussion, but should he?
Rich Hammond
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Brandin Cooks has started 28 NFL games since the beginning of February 2018. Four of them ended with Cooks being diagnosed with a concussion.
That’s a staggering percentage. Serious questions would be asked if a player suffered ankle injuries that frequently. Or back, or shoulder or knee. That many injuries, in that short of a time period, to one body part is not normal. Cooks’ issue involves his brain, and isn’t that supposed to be cause for more caution?
There’s something a little uncomfortable about Rams practice this week. Cooks, a four-time 1,000-yard receiver, apparently has sufficiently recovered from the concussion he suffered in the Oct. 27 game against Cincinnati and is on track to play in a huge Monday night game against the Baltimore Ravens.
But should Cooks play? Is he risking his long-term health? Shouldn’t everyone who watches the Rams be concerned that Cooks is going to take another big hit and miss more time, or worse?
“It’s one of those things that I’m taking game by game but no, I don’t think you should be concerned, because I’m not,” Cooks said after Thursday’s practice.
Cooks was assertive — even politely defiant — when he spoke for the first time since his latest concussion. No, he isn’t worried. No, he’s not thinking about the possibility of another one. No, he didn’t have anyone — family, friends, teammates — in his ear, urging him to step away.
Cooks recently visited with a specialist in Pittsburgh, and while he understandably declined to go into specifics regarding his health, he said he was encouraged by what he and his wife heard. In so many words, Cooks indicated he had been told that he isn’t at any great risk and that he shouldn’t be worried about the frequency of his concussions.
“To be very honest with you, it was not really concerning at all,” Cooks said. “I understand it’s one of the things that is a part of the game, but at the end of the day, what’s going through my mind is, ‘OK, let’s get some answers and figure out what’s going on.’ It’s a blessing that I don’t ever have symptoms afterward, but it’s one of those things that’s a case-by-case thing. Mine is very unique. I’m grateful to be able to go get answers.”
Credit Cooks for taking an extra step by consulting with a specialist. And to be clear, nobody is doing anything wrong here. Cooks and the Rams have followed established protocol for dealing with concussions. He has been cleared and by all accounts is asymptomatic. Cooks is, as far as everyone knows, no more likely to suffer a concussion this week (or next week or next month) than any other football player in the country. Everyone seems to agree that Cooks can play, and he wants nothing more than to return. So he will.
But even independent from Cooks’ issue, there’s something of a helpless feeling when it comes to NFL players and concussions. With every new report about long-term health implications, fans cringe and some turn away from the sport. A few conscientious players retire early. The league takes steps, seemingly every year, to make games safer.
Yet in the micro, the cycle continues. A player suffers a concussion, goes through protocol, is medically cleared by an independent doctor and expresses his desire to get back on the field. The player returns and, too often, suffers another concussion weeks or months later. This has been Cooks’ life for the past 21 months.
Who is to blame? Anyone? The league has a protocol that it believes keeps players off the field until they are healthy. The Rams aren’t pressuring Cooks to return. They have no real say in the matter. They wait until Cooks is fully evaluated by, and consults with, an independent doctor, and when they’re told he can return, he returns. Imagine the fit that would be thrown by the players’ association if the Rams told Cooks he couldn’t (or shouldn’t) play.
So unless something goes wrong when the Rams return Saturday for their final practice, Cooks will play Monday, 29 days after the fifth documented concussion of his career. That’s a long break for Cooks, given his history.
Dec. 9, 2015: Cooks sustained his first NFL-documented concussion with New Orleans. He was cleared and did not miss a game.
Feb. 4, 2018: Cooks’ second concussion came during the second quarter of the Super Bowl with New England. He did not return to that game and was traded to the Rams two months later, with no apparent concerns.
Oct. 7, 2018: Cooks’ third concussion came in a Week 5 game against Seattle. Soon after, coach Sean McVay declared Cooks to be “symptom-free quickly after the game.” Cooks did not miss a game.
Oct. 3, 2019: Cooks’ fourth concussion came in a Week 5 game against Seattle. The next day, McVay said Cooks was “asymptomatic,” and Cooks did not miss a game.
Oct. 27, 2019: Just two weeks after his return, Cooks suffered his fifth concussion in a Week 8 game against Cincinnati. This time, he did not make a quick return, and after the ensuing bye week, he flew to Pittsburgh to consult with a specialist. Cooks returned to limited practice action shortly thereafter.
By no means is Cooks under any obligation to share what he learned from the specialist in Pittsburgh, but some details might be reassuring. He spoke in general terms on Thursday, about training his brain like a muscle, about “gray area” and “case-by-case basis” and his situation being “an anomaly.”Cooks was definitive about one thing. Asked whether he considered stepping away from the game after last month’s second concussion, he didn’t wait for the question to reach a conclusion.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “No doubt about it. When it happened, that never went through my mind. Even now, it’s not going through my mind. I’m just grateful for a great team around me and for me being comfortable to come out here and play.”
Again, there’s no evidence that Cooks is doing anything wrong, and surely doctors know more than reporters or fans. Might Cooks suffer another concussion this week? It’s possible. Might he go weeks (or months or even years) without another concussion? That’s also possible. Perhaps one day, medical advancements will allow doctors to better analyze or predict such things, but that day has not arrived.
Also, Cooks is an adult. He’s able to make decisions for himself, even some that might be risky. He’s not alone. Other people choose to race cars and skydive. If Cooks is making informed decisions about his life and isn’t being coerced into anything, it’s really not anyone’s place to tell him what to do. These are choices to be made by Cooks and his wife.
“That’s who I go home to,” Cooks said. “Seeing her comfortable during those meetings with me (in Pittsburgh) and being at ease, it’s such a blessing. When you go home, that’s who you’re dealing with the most, as far as questions asked. To see her comfortable and see her not as concerned is definitely helpful.”
On a basic level, it’s just difficult to ignore that Cooks is only 26 and just got married last year. He’s in the prime of his life and in the prime of his career, which should continue at a high level for no fewer than five more seasons. Should he be concerned about his long-term health?
“I don’t think he would go back out on the field if he was worried about that,” McVay said. “Football is a physical game and sometimes those collisions are inevitable. You hate that. You never want to see it. That’s the worst part about this game, is seeing any player get injured. You hate that, because of the work these guys put in, but I do think it’s really important that you go out there with a clear mind and just be able to compete to the best of your ability and not have to worry about those types of things.
“I don’t think he would go back out there if he felt like that was on his mind, and I think he’s really champing at the bit, excited to go.”
One problem is that Cooks isn’t a quarterback who can slide at the end of a scramble or throw the ball away to avoid a crushing sack. He’s not a running back who can skip out of bounds after a 12-yard gain. He’s not a defensive player who, for the most part, can determine the point of contact on a big hit.
As a receiver, Cooks is a target in every sense of the word. He has little say in when the ball is coming to him, or where, or the force with which he’s going to be taken to the ground.
All everyone can do is hope for the best. Cooks is confident and ready to play, he is under contract through the 2023 season and the Rams clearly see him as a huge part of their future. Right now, the best-case scenario isn’t a Rams victory over the Ravens.
It’s Cooks on the field, healthy, at the end of the game — win or lose.
November 21, 2019 at 7:46 pm in reply to: the one-shot tweets thread (diff'rent stuff, funny angry interesting) #108479znModeratorHey @Jim_Jordan,
1. No matter how often you say it, Trump didn't win "an electoral college landslide." His 304-227 margin stands in the bottom fifth all time.
2. Nixon *did* win an electoral college landslide (520-17), but that didn't stop the impeachment drive against him.
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) November 21, 2019
znModeratorLindsey Thiry@LindseyThiry
Rams injury report Thursday:
P Johnny Hekker – illness – DNP
WR Josh Reynolds – illness – DNP
RB Malcolm Brown – not injury related – DNP
RT Rob Havenstein – knee – DNP
DB Darious Williams – ankle – DNPznModeratorRams vs. Ravens: 5 things to know for Week 12 matchup
Cameron DaSilva
Rams vs. Ravens: 5 things to know for Week 12 matchup
Ramsey asks Michael Vick for tips to stop Lamar Jackson
link: https://larrybrownsports.com/football/jalen-ramsey-michael-vick-tips-lamar-jackson/524760
Rams call Ravens the best team, Lamar Jackson the best player in NFL
Rams call Ravens the best team, Lamar Jackson the best player in NFL
Rams are home underdogs for first time in 2 years with Ravens visiting
Rams are home underdogs for first time in 2 years with Ravens visiting
znModeratorznModeratorfrom Future QB Rankings: Rating all 32 NFL teams’ situations from worst to best: https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/2019/11/20/future-qb-rankings-rating-all-32-nfl-teams-situations-from-worst-to-best/6/
what about the quarterback situations of the future — and where each of the NFL’s 32 teams ranks in terms of preparedness at the game’s most crucial position.
To help form these opinions, we consulted with a blue-ribbon panel of one former head coach, two former general managers and one current general manager. They were asked for their thoughts on each team’s quarterback situation. They provided insight to inform our rankings.
…
10. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams already have shown an enormous amount of faith in Goff. They signed him to his second contract — four years for $134 million. “Even though they got to the Super Bowl last year, I’m not convinced he’s the kind of guy who can carry you to a championship,” one panelist said. “He’s fine with a good team around him. Was he worth that contract? I’m not sure. But the market is what it is.” Nevertheless, the Rams have a talented roster, and they have Goff locked up through 2024.
znModeratorStu Jackson@StuJRams
Rams DC Wade Phillips on preparing for the Lamar Jackson-led Ravens offense: “If I didn’t already — they’d give me white hair playing against teams like this, but I’m already
there.”Two quotes that stood out from Rams DC Wade Phillips on Ravens QB Lamar Jackson:
“He’s certainly the MVP so far this year.”
“This era’s Michael Vick, maybe plus. Michael Vick-plus.”
Phillips was the Falcons’ DC during Vick’s second and third seasons in Atlanta.
Lindsey Thiry@LindseyThiry
Robert Woods is at the Rams facility today and will practice, Sean McVay says. As far as playing Monday night? “We’ll see,” McVay said.Gary Klein@LATimesklein
McVay: “other than this week I’m a fan of Marcus Peters.”==
1996 was the first time the Rams franchise played the Baltimore Ravens. @IsaacBruce80 put on a clinic! 11 catches for 229 yards and a touchdown. His second of three 200+ yard games in his career. Bruce would go on to lead the NFL in receiving yards this season #ReverendIke pic.twitter.com/pTA5oQYpoL
— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) November 20, 2019
znModeratorPFF LA Rams@PFF_Rams
#LARams Troy Hill and Nickell Robey-Coleman have stepped up big over the last 5 games 🔥🔥🔥Among Corners in Weeks 6-11 (min. 100 snaps):
Hill ranks 1st in Overall Defense and 9th in Coverage Grades
Coleman ranks 3rd in Overall Defense and T-3rd in Coverage Grades
==
PFF, from Underrated players on every NFL team: https://www.pff.com/news/underrated-players-on-every-nfl-team
LOS ANGELES RAMS: CB TROY HILL
One may think Jalen Ramsey is the best cornerback on the Rams, but really, the best performing corner on the roster has been Troy Hill, who is currently eighth in PFF grade at 79.9. Hill has been the secret superstar of the Los Angeles Rams, as he is locking down his opponent in coverage, allowing a catch rate of just 47.1% (sixth-lowest). Hill was given starting duties back in Week 6, and since that week, he is PFF’s highest-graded cornerback.znModeratorAdam Schefter@AdamSchefter
In an appeal with the NFL, Browns’ DE Myles Garrett alleged that Mason Rudolph called him a racial slur prior to last week’s brawl on Thursday Night Football, sources told ESPN’s Josina Anderson and me, an accusation the Steelers’ QB strongly denies.mike freeman@mikefreemanNFL
Garrett issued a written apology to Rudolph.
If I’m called a racial slur, I ain’t apologizing. F–k that. I don’t speak for all black people (that job doesn’t pay enough) but I don’t know a single black person who would apologize. They would also say: f–k that.NFL found no evidence to support Myles Garrett's claim of racial slur https://t.co/8T8Kw9tVJE
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) November 21, 2019
znModeratorIt is really interesting what Kromer says about Edwards. He sounds pretty advanced.
Kromer (from the 11/20 Rams press conference, which is here http://theramshuddle.com/topic/mcvay-kromer-goff-11-20-transcripts/ ):
(On what the coaching staff did to simplify things for the younger players like OL Bobby Evans to have a successful game against the Bears)
“David Edwards playing next to him (OL Bobby Evans), believe it or not, after a couple of starts that he’s had, is really an intelligent football player. He was able to help Bobby a lot – in any kind of mental gymnastics he might have within the schemes. He did a good job.I think it’s David Edwards coming into himself, into his own with having a couple of starts under his belt – even though it was left guard, right guard and all that. I think he gets football and he’s a good player.
znModeratorMatt Waldman, from https://subscribers.footballguys.com/apps/article.php?article=2019-top-10-week-12
After watching several weeks of Todd Gurley, I think it’s safe to conclude that he looks slower. At the same time, I wouldn’t get carried away with that conclusion and write him off as a fantasy commodity—especially when the Rams have adjusted its blocking scheme to suit its offensive line.
znModeratorfrom https://subscribers.footballguys.com/players/player-all-info.php?id=GurlTo01
RB TODD GURLEY – LOS ANGELES RAMS
From the upgrade/downgrade report (Mon Nov 18): Gurley had a strong game vs. the Bears with little else working for the Rams offense. He’ll likely get a big workload again vs. Baltimore for as long as his team can hang in the game.
WEEK 12: VS BALTIMORE RAVENS
All RB vs BALFBG says: Neutral matchup. The Los Angeles Rams’ ground game has been one of the most disappointing rushing attacks in the NFL, ranking 24th in the league in yards per carry after last year’s impressive showing. Todd Gurley, the team’s number-one running back, has seen a stark drop off in both volume and production this season. Through the first 10 weeks of last year’s campaign, Gurley had 5 20-carry days to go along with 5 100-yard rushing days to his name. This season, through the first 10 weeks, Gurley has yet to record a 100-yard performance, while last week was his first 20+ carry game of the year. Gurley still dominates the snaps and carries in the Rams’ backfield in close games. However, running behind one of the NFL’s worst offensive lines, the Rams’ rushing attack as a whole has been one of the league’s weakest units week-in and week-out. The Baltimore Ravens’ defense has salvaged respectable metrics against the run because it has defended the 3rd-fewest rushing attempts in the league while allowing 4.4 yards per carry, which ranks 20th in the NFL. Baltimore’s defense has allowed four different backfields to surpass the century mark on the ground this season, but those numbers are offset by three especially weak rushing performances elsewhere. In Week 1, Kenyan Drake mustered just 12 yards on 4 carries. Then, in Week 2, David Johnson posted only 14 rushing yards on 7 carries, and lastly, Joe Mixon accumulated 10 total rushing yards across his 8 carries in Week 6. Baltimore’s defense is a relatively-untested unit as a whole that lacks impactful run-stoppers outside of their strong defensive line. Thanks to a run-heavy offensive attack that consumes the game clock and scores points in bunches, Ravens’ opposition has frequently been behind the eight-ball trying to mount a comeback through the air rather than on the ground. The Los Angeles Rams showed a renewed commitment to Todd Gurley on the ground in Week 11 after admittedly underutilizing him in the team’s Week 10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Should the Rams turn to Gurley once again in Week 12, he should post an efficient rushing day with the potential for his first 100-yard rushing day of the season.
November 21, 2019 at 10:03 am in reply to: the one-shot tweets thread (diff'rent stuff, funny angry interesting) #108459znModeratorCop in California legit tried to arrest a black man bc he was “illegally eating.”😳
My mind can’t even begin to comprehend the arrogance needed to justify this nonsense
pic.twitter.com/cwlobWkRo2— Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@QasimRashid) November 10, 2019
znModeratorTrench Warfare podcast 🔊
Week 11 scouting notes then my interview w/Rams C @BAllen65_.
– 1/3 brothers to play OL at MSU
– All 3 were state champ wrestlers
– What translates from wrestling to OL
– Learning from Whitworth, Sullivan, & coach Kromer + more:https://t.co/Pqko50MweN pic.twitter.com/pmPc8atWeY— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) November 21, 2019
znModeratorEric Weddle has the inside info to the Ravens defense. But he won’t be sharing it with the Rams. https://t.co/4Q0r3FmnWB
— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) November 21, 2019
znModeratorfrom https://www.therams.com/news/rams-pro-football-focus-tidbits-heading-into-week-12
HILL HELPING THE SECONDARY
Since entering the starting lineup, CB Troy Hill has been in asset to the Rams’ secondary in the eyes of PFF.
The scouting service says he’s been targeted 34 times over the Rams’ last six games, allowing just 16 receptions. In other words, opposing receivers are only catching passes from their quarterbacks 47.1 percent of the time.
Against the Bears, opposing receivers caught only three of their seven targets against Hill.
November 20, 2019 at 9:54 pm in reply to: Obama warns democrats about moving too far to the left #108451znModeratorAdolph Reed Jr on the Obama-Centrist statement. (Nice to see Adolph Reed get some air time for a change.)
That was good.
.
znModeratorsarina@sarina
Brandin Cooks got the thumbs up. He will play on Monday.Adam Caplan@caplannfl
#Rams HC Sean McVay on WR Brandin Cooks (concussion): “He’s excited to be able to play. He’s felt good for a couple weeks, so when he’s feeling good and we’ve gotten the thumbs up from everybody else, that makes us all feel good. He’s going to play and we’re excited about that.”==
Lindsey Thiry@LindseyThiry
Big week for Rams scout team QB, who will play the role of Lamar Jackson at practice: “John Wolford’s going to do a great job for us,” Sean McVay said. “We’ll see if he found some extra speed this week, too.”Andrew Siciliano@AndrewSiciliano
John Wolford is one of my favorite players in the @NFL. The man who left his job on Wall Street to play for the Jets. The man who dominated the AAF. The man who took a pay cut to play in the NFL. John Wolford is Lamar Jackson.Mina Kimes@minakimes
WOLFORD CAN SCOOT==
jonah@j_OH_nah
I just thought you should know that despite being double and triple teamed, Aaron Donald has more QB pressures (40) and more TFL (16) than any other Defensive linemen. His 8 sacks are also more than any other defensive tackle.Stephen White@sgw94
Of course everybody wants to double team Aaron Donald on most passing plays, but he’s so good and he moves around so much before *and* after the snap, that its much easier said than done as the Bears found out on Sunday Night Football.Mina Kimes@minakimes
We shouldn’t take Aaron Donald (who ranks first in pass rush win rate amongst DTs….by a lot) for granted==
Maurice Jones-Drew, from http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001078929/article/rb-index-week-12-most-important-rbs-down-the-stretch
Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams: This season, Gurley is averaging five touches and 40 scrimmage yards per game fewer than he did in 2018. The thing is, although his touches have decreased, his production is similar. Last week against the Chicago Bears, Gurley had a season-high 25 carries (his previous high was 18 back in Week 7) and was a major reason the Rams won that game. With the Rams currently holding the seventh seed in the NFC playoff picture, it’s time Sean McVay starts to utilize Gurley’s abilities to the fullest. I understand that he’s been banged up over the last year, but Super Bowl windows are only open for so long. The Rams must do everything in their power to get back to the promised land, and it all starts with giving your best player the ball.
znModeratorMost rush yards in a game by a QB this season:
152 Lamar Jackson vs. Bengals
120 Lamar Jackson vs. Cardinals
116 Lamar Jackson vs. Seahawks
93 Kyler Murray vs. Bengals
86 Lamar Jackson vs. Texans
70 Lamar Jackson vs. Steelers— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) November 21, 2019
znModeratorRams vs. Ravens: 5 things to know for Week 12 matchup https://t.co/fNe8PsNQQV via @theramswire
— RamsNewsNow (@RamsNewsNow) November 21, 2019
znModeratorSunday night was the best the Rams OL has blocked in the run game all season. They went away from zone blocking and tried to build in double teams so they could get push. This Duo play was blocked extremely well. pic.twitter.com/ohpbKTHkRJ
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) November 20, 2019
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