NFL fined Bucs’ OT Donovan Smith $28,075 for this hit Sunday on Rams’ CB Marcus Peters, per league source. pic.twitter.com/i2eSEfA96s

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 4, 2019

Lindsey Thiry@LindseyThiry
Rams WR Brandin Cooks has been placed into concussion protocol, Sean McVay said. McVay added that he has been asymptomatic.

The #Rams’ TEs were both top performers among the offense last night! pic.twitter.com/jET1NefXUS

— PFF (@PFF) October 4, 2019

"Jared Goff, at the end of that game was excellent… He looked like Tom Brady in a playoff game." @ColinCowherd on why Jared Goff is not the problem for the Rams pic.twitter.com/jrc9fL0TKv

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) October 4, 2019

Los Angeles Rams UK@LARams_UK
I think (hope) the offense turned a corner tonight. It wasn’t perfect, but it was the best performance of the season.

If the defense can regroup in the long week and iron out some things, this is a playoff team imo.

DOWNTOWN RAMS [DTR]@DowntownRams
– Goff looks better. Still missing throws hes capable of hitting but he played a solid game tonight.

– Gurley is still Gurley.

– The TE’s Everett and Higbee need to be featured more.

– Reeder didn’t look out of place as a starter

– OL is still struggling but appeared to play better than I anticipated.

– 2nd half adjustments were huge for the Rams.

– JoJo Natson not fielding the punt which allowed Seattle to pin it at the 2 was detrimental to the Rams field position battle.

– Rapp is missed

Blaine Grisak@bgrisakPFN
Goff started at the 7 in one of the most hostile environments in the league and put his team in position to win

Doug Farrar@NFL_DougFarrar
That may be the worst roughing the passer call in a long and interesting history of horsecrap roughing the passer calls in recent NFL history.

—

Clay Matthews using his shoulder to hit Russell Wilson’s shoulder is a penalty apparently. pic.twitter.com/EvVGrDT19G

— Jordan Dajani (@JordanDajani) October 4, 2019

Rich Hammond@Rich_Hammond
I’m not trying to start something. I’m not.

I’m seriously not.

But Greg Zuerlein has two FG misses from inside 45 yards this season, on nine attempts. He was 26 of 27 from inside 45 last season, and 26 of 27 in 2017.

Los Angeles Rams UK@LARams_UK
Going for 2 was the absolute correct call at the time, but man it looks dumb now when you see the score.

ESPN Stats & Info@ESPNStatsInfo
The Seahawks improve to 18-2 at home in prime time over the last 10 seasons, the 2nd-best record in the NFL behind only the Ravens.

Lindsey Thiry@LindseyThiry
Rams CB Marcus Peters declined to talk with reporters after the game.

Omar Ruiz@OmarDRuiz
“I thought Russell played one of the best games I’ve ever seen him play,” Pete Carroll on Wilson’s performance tonight.

That’s a good vid (and thanks for posting) but I disagree with Carter on Goff. I think even in a bad loss Goff showed last game that he has progressed. Beat the hell up, throwing every down, coming from several scores down, playing behind a struggling line against a top pass rushing defense, he got them close…to the point where a couple of times in the game, I thought, they’re going to take this one. That was only and solely because of the passing game…while everything else, especially the defense, was crashing and burning.

Geoff Schwartz@geoffschwartz
I went back and watched the last three games worth of run snap for the Rams. They are struggling at guard in the zone game. Penetration is the death of the zone run game and it’s happening too much. When they mix it up, like pull a OG, it’s tough as well

Someone is missing a block, not always at OG either. The Rams have NO misdirection runs, unless I missed them. No scissors, stutter, windback, whatever… nothing. And when they can’t run the ball, they put the offense behind the sticks, which doesn’t help Goff

stlramz

Just ran into Weddle’s family. To a person they said the team is really fired up after the embarrassing loss. The players have been hearing the chatter and they plan on showing who the top dog is in the west tonight.

From their lips to gods ears!

With the trade deadline 26 days away, teams tightest to the cap, per this AM's cap report …

1) Vikings $227K
2) Patriots $1.823M
3) Rams $2.076M
4) Giants $2.353M
5) Saints $2.491M
6) Falcons $2.703M
7) Steelers $3.946M
8) Cardinals $5.840M
9) Bucs $5.978M
10) Jets $6.367M

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) October 3, 2019

Philip Tucker Jr.@PTeezie
How is Henderson coming along? When will he begin to add meaningful snaps on offense?

Gary Klein@LATimesklein
Reporters are not allowed to watch team drill portion of practice so difficult to assess. But to this point, it does not appear they trust him enough. Perhaps that will be new wrinkle tonight.

Derek Stefani@Dawkdizzle
Rams O-line is ranked near last to last? Is there any plan to fix it or are we stuck watching a weak run game and Goff under pressure?

Gary Klein@LATimesklein
They will always be looking to add depth. Can’t expect line to not break down when QB is dropping back 68 times. And they haven’t really given line extended opportunities to block for Gurley.

Philip Tucker Jr.@PTeezie
What’s up with Greg Gaines? Would like to see him get some run in his return to Washington.

Gary Klein@LATimesklein
Think at this point it’s just a matter of Sebastian Joseph-Day doing a pretty good job. And let’s remember, no matter what the build-up, it is not easy for most rookies to play right away.

DVH@d_v_h
Does McVay have a voice in his headset from upstairs that provides information? I assume so, so can they not remind him Gurley is kinda good?

Gary Klein@LATimesklein
He can indeed hear what’s happening. I’m surprised in this day and age that no one has hacked into the system and told him that.

Scott Rhodes@Halftrojan
Is this Gurley situation one of the most bizarre things you have covered in your career?

Gary Klein@LATimesklein
No. You have to remember that I covered USC from 2002-2014 so there was plenty of bizarre to go along with all the other compelling stories. But this is definitely an interesting storyline.

Marco@Starchild1328
That clown Nick Wright said today that Gurley is finished and Gurley knows it.

Gary Klein@LATimesklein
Gurley looked pretty good on touchdown runs this season and on late drive vs. Panthers when they gave him the ball consistently.

Will Rams division dominance continue?

J.B. Long

https://www.therams.com/news/will-rams-division-dominance-continue

For the first time since Sean McVay was hired, the Rams do not hold at least a share of first place in the NFC West. For the moment, at least externally, they’re no longer the favorite.

They have a chance to change that over the next two games, head-to-head against the Seahawks and 49ers. And perhaps division rivalries are just the tonic they need following an embarrassing home loss to Tampa Bay.

All the shortcomings they got away with against the Panthers, Saints, and Browns were laid bare at the Coliseum in Week 4. Chief among them, what’s the identity of this 2019 group?

In a sense, the Rams are victims of their own success. When you score more points than any franchise in football over the course of two seasons – and do so in perfect run/pass equilibrium – there’s only one way you can go from there.

At the quarter pole, it’s clear these are not the 2017-18 Rams. At least not yet; at least not offensively. And that’s fine! It’s a truth that doesn’t need to have negative connotations.

Perhaps it’s time we stop comparing them to the two-time defending division champions of years gone by, and allow this group of Rams to figure out who they’re going to be and how they’re going to three-peat.

Contrast in Styles

The Seahawks have a future Hall of Famer at quarterback at the top of the MVP conversation as the calendar turns to October. Yet, they insist on being a run-first offense, and in fact were the only team in the NFL to attempt more runs than passes last season.

Conversely, the Rams have an All-Pro tailback and a recent Offensive Player of the Year in Todd Gurley, but have thrown it on 65% of their offensive snaps so far.

This isn’t the space to tease out all the various reasons why those dynamics are real. We’ll just point to the paradox and predict that despite their tendencies, both Seattle and Los Angeles will go as their superstars go.

Rethinking Thursday

Speaking of Gurley, his stance against Thursday Night Football is well-documented and widely-shared around the league.

Nonetheless, the Rams have to convince themselves that they won the lottery with this TNF assignment.

First and foremost, it’s early in the schedule and the Rams are relatively healthy, which is huge. Second, even though it’s on the road, it’s in the same time zone. Third, it’s against a familiar division opponent that played on the road last week. And finally, being in Seattle Thursday gives you a four-day head start on the 49ers, who host Cleveland in the final game of Week 5.

Yes, for the third time this season, the Rams next opponent will play Monday Night Football before taking on Los Angeles.

It may not feel like it now, but the Rams got a scheduling break. Especially if they capitalize with a win.

Thursday Night Fireworks

The Rams have authored two of the most entertaining Thursday games in recent years.

In Santa Clara in 2017, Goff and Gurley orchestrated a 41-39 barnburner.

Then, home to the Vikings in 2018, the Rams prevailed 38-31, on the back of a perfect quarterback rating.

That leaves Goff with two wins, eight touchdowns, and zero interceptions in a pair of Thursday games since 2017.

If tonight is anything like those performances, we should be in for a good one.

InvaderRam wrote:

and i don’t buy what simms says.

We just have to differ on this one IR. I think Simms nails it…when it comes to how Goff played in that game.

Vincent Bonsignore@VinnyBonsignore
They scored more points at this time last year on fewer plays. They threw for more yards and touchdowns on far fewer throws while running the ball more, and for better run yards. They had less turnovers. Yes, the O-line is an issue. But so too is the throw/run ratio.

==

#Rams' woeful offensive line play could cost the team a Super Bowl if not improved

📰: https://t.co/glMfxV4CCT@PFF_Sam details why the Rams' o-line could cost Jared Goff and Sean McVay another shot at a Super Bowl run. pic.twitter.com/oScqVoFKNi

— PFF (@PFF) October 3, 2019