Key PFF stats to know about the Rams

Brandin Cooks dominates intermediate routes

Cooks loves to run dig routes and intermediate crossers, and for good reason. He’s arguably the best in that area of the field and Jared Goff found him consistently on those patterns.

==

No one came close to Brandin Cooks' 82.1% intermediate catch rate last season pic.twitter.com/GKwxMQkdWL

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) May 31, 2019

NFL Officially Bans The ‘Oklahoma Drill’
https://www.stack.com/a/the-nfl-officially-bans-the-oklahoma-drill?fbclid=IwAR3s39MgZDfWaeDhXcFG4pnI-c5BHM6HXLNjIM_hQA0SCMf8z5Nxqdnwtt4

The Oklahoma Drill is no more—at least at the NFL level.

The ban comes after league officials noticed teams consistently reporting high rates of concussions during the early portions of training camp. This period is when exercises like the Oklahoma Drill are used most regularly. The old-school football staple has seen a general decline in its usage around the NFL in recent years, but teams like the Detroit Lions were still using it as recently as last summer.

Good to see fellow former @RamsNFL and newly retired @JOEL9ONE and a BIG THRILL finally meeting his dad Howie Long one of my boyhood idols! Chris welcome to the @NFLLegends community! pic.twitter.com/SZbzsG23Wz

— Tyoka Jackson (@Tyknowsfootball) June 1, 2019

The fellas putting in work at @VonMiller’s Pass Rush Summit! 💪

📸: @Broncos pic.twitter.com/nWCYUjj7na

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) June 1, 2019

==

Even the defensive player of the year is here adding tools to his toolbox 👀@AaronDonald97 @RamsNFL @nfl #PassRush pic.twitter.com/YyywHFMY8g

— D-Ware (@DeMarcusWare) June 1, 2019

==

Yooooo @TheRamsWire, Aaron Donald is getting tips from @DeMarcusWare at @VonMiller’s Pass Rush Summit. 👀

Scary that Donald could get even better. pic.twitter.com/sXr5vGNtiO

— Broncos Wire (@TheBroncosWire) June 2, 2019

Free of expectations, 49ers can grow

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001032418/article/state-of-the-franchise-free-of-expectations-49ers-can-grow

Members of the San Francisco 49ers organization, fans of the team worldwide and those who are here just to see George Kittle deliver a Stone-Cold stunner:

The 49ers franchise is one of the most storied of the Super Bowl era, the first in NFL history to win five Lombardi Trophies. But it’s been awhile since they’ve reached those heights. The Niners came tantalizingly close in Super Bowl XLVII (seriously, try Frank Gore at least once), but ultimately, San Francisco hasn’t won a title since the 1994 season. Well, at least in football. The Bay Area could celebrate the Giants’ Madison Bumgarner and Tim Lincecum, and in hoops, there’s the Warriors. But let’s talk Super Bowl.

How the 49ers got here

Let’s take a quick look at the ups and downs of 2018:

The highs:

— Beating the Raiders, 34-3, on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 9. Former practice-squad guy Nick Mullens was dealing, throwing for 262 yards and three touchdowns and compiling a passer rating of 151.9 while filling in for an injured C.J. Beathard, who himself had been filling in for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo, and it looked like perhaps Mullens was going to Matt Flynn his way to a huge contract in the offseason. Seriously, Mullens should have walked off after that. Because, like a microcosm of the Niners’ season, the rest of Mullens’ campaign did not live up to the expectations set by his debut. Setting that game aside, his numbers from 2018 looked like this: 63.5% completion rate, 10:10 TD-to-INT ratio and a passer rating of 85.0, with a 2-5 record.

— Beating the Seahawks in overtime in Week 15. Seattle had won four straight and was desperately trying to make the playoffs. San Francisco had won three games all season and had just been rolled by the Seahawks in a 43-16 loss in Week 13. And yet, the Niners hung on to beat Seattle for the first time since December of 2013. As late bright spots go in otherwise lost seasons, this was pretty solid.

— Signing Richard Sherman. In 13 games heading into the 2018 offseason, Sherman had collected 41 tackles, four interceptions and 11 passes defensed in 13 games against San Francisco. So it must have been nice for the Niners to add him to their side and snatch up a veteran leader who had reached four Pro Bowls for the division-rival Seahawks. If nothing else, it ensured more of those revenge games we love to scream about.

The lows:

— Jimmy Garoppolo tearing his ACL. The 49ers had high hopes heading into the season, but they were pretty much squashed when Garoppolo went down in the fourth quarter of a 38-27 loss at Kansas City in Week 3. We’ll delve further into this below, but for now, let’s just say the plan was not to have Mullens and Beathard combine to throw five times as many passes as Jimmy G. It didn’t help that, in addition to losing the quarterback, San Francisco also was without prized free-agent running back Jerick McKinnon, who tore his ACL before the season started.

— Reuben Foster getting released. When Foster was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence battery in November, it marked the third incident that resulted in criminal charges since the linebacker was drafted in the first round in 2017. The team subsequently released him, ending a Niners tenure that never really got off the ground. The second pick of the Shanahan-John Lynch era left the Niners with just 16 appearances, 101 tackles and zero sacks to his name. (The charge was later dropped, and Foster wound up with the Redskins before tearing the ACL in his left knee this month.)

— Getting swept by the Arizona Cardinals. On the season, San Francisco scored 117 more points than Arizona and gained 1,904 more yards. And yet, the Cardinals won both of their games. Add to this indignity the twist that Arizona — and not the team that lost twice to Arizona — ended up with the top overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, because San Francisco won four games to the Cardinals’ three. I mean, come on. Imagine if the Niners had been able to make the Cardinals pay through the roof for the right to draft Kyler Murray.

2019 VIPs

Head coach: Kyle Shanahan. He enters his third season with the 49ers after arriving with high expectations in 2017, as both the son of (soon-to-be Hall of Fame?) coach Mike Shanahan and one of the brightest offensive minds in the game. But Shanahan hasn’t translated that promise into wins. Yet. The 49ers overachieved down the stretch in 2017, which set expectations unrealistically high for 2018. And then all of the unpleasantness happened with the injuries, and we never got a true gauge of where this team is. I still believe in Shanahan, and I feel like if he were a free agent right now, he’d be gobbled up like free pizza in the breakroom.

Quarterback: Jimmy Garoppolo. He has progressed well from his injury, and he’s on track to be ready for training camp. He even took time away from reveling at the Kentucky Derby to speak to Tom Brady, his former Patriots teammate, who returned from a similar injury suffered in 2008. So that’s the good.

But Garoppolo, who signed a five-year, $137.5 million deal in February of 2018 after being traded from New England in October of 2017, is going to need to step up this season. He threw three interceptions in the season-opening loss at Minnesota, and he was fortunate that a potentially crushing pick-six was wiped out by a penalty in the team’s win over the Lions in Week 2. That said, he played really well against the Chiefs before suffering the ACL injury; in fact, he led the 49ers on three consecutive scoring drives before his season ended. Had he not been injured, could the 49ers have won that game, improving to 2-1 instead of embarking on a six-game losing skid? It’s possible.

I’m a huge believer in Garoppolo. But it’s fair to ask if he’s the guy who won his first seven NFL starts, including five to close out 2017, or the guy who stumbled out of the gate in 2018.

Projected 2019 MVP: George Kittle, tight end. The 2017 fifth-round pick was quite the revelation for the 49ers last year. Kittle finished 2018 with 88 receptions and five touchdowns — and, more importantly, he broke the long-standing NFL record for receiving yards by a tight end. You know, one of the most-storied marks in NFL history, a record you thought would never be broken: the record set by Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce less than an hour before Kittle snapped it.

It’s worth noting that earlier in the season, Kittle was poised to set the record for most receiving yards in a game by a tight end — but Shanahan failed to make sure Kittle got the ball, and he ended the game a few yards short. It’s safe to say Shanahan wasn’t going to let something like that happen again.

It’s also worth noting that, while Kelce racked up his yardage total with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, Kittle played with a consortium of Mullens and Beathard. That’s kind of like winning the Daytona 500 in a Prius.

2019 breakout star: Nick Bosa, pass rusher. Forgive me for stating the obvious, but yeah — the No. 2 overall pick was considered the top prospect in the draft by some, and he addresses the biggest need for the 49ers, which is the pass rush.

Another rookie to know: Deebo Samuel, receiver. Being a wide receiver for the 49ers carries sky-high expectations, considering the lineage includes Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens. The current regime would be cool with the second-round pick being a more physical/versatile version of Pierre Garcon.

Free-agent addition: Kwon Alexander, LB. Like Garoppolo, Alexander is a key player coming off an ACL tear. San Francisco made him the league’s second-highest paid inside linebacker (average of $13.5 million per year) this offseason, so expectations are high, but he’s going to form a nice tandem with Fred Warner. They’ll be one of the NFL’s most athletic duos at ILB. Alexander relies a lot on his speed and can make players in coverage, hence the six career interceptions.

The 2019 roadmap

The competitive urgency index is: MEDIUM. With the Rams and Seahawks drawing attention at the top of the NFC West, the 49ers will be afforded the opportunity to float by, like one of those quiet house guests on “Big Brother” who just seems to hang around all season, before you realize they are going to end up in the finals. The 49ers were a hip playoff pick last year after winning five straight to close out 2017, even though there seemed to be some huge question marks about the team. This year, they’ll get a chance to actually play some regular-season games before folks begin making declarations about them.

Get to the quarterback? The 49ers tied for 22nd last year with 37 sacks. And that is where Bosa and Dee Ford (who was acquired in a trade with the Chiefs) should be able to help. Maybe the two of them can help inspire former first-round pick Solomon Thomas. Remember when people clowned on the Bears for moving up to get Mitch Trubisky at No. 2 overall by swapping spots with the Niners, who drafted Thomas at No. 3 in 2017? Yeah, well, Thomas has just 72 tackles and 4.0 sacks in two seasons since, so it’s time for him to start making some noise.

Get an interception from a cornerback? Seriously, the 49ers had two picks last year as a team — that was five fewer than the next closest team. And none of those interceptions were recorded by a corner. In addition to signing Sherman last year, the Niners re-upped Jimmie Ward (who suffered a broken collarbone last week but is expected to be ready for camp) and inked Jason Verrett to a one-year deal this year. Ultimately, you’d like to see 2017 third-rounder Ahkello Witherspoon take a step.

Find a role for Jalen Hurd? The selection of Hurd in the third round of this year’s draft was a frisky pick by the 49ers, who lack offensive firepower outside of Kittle, and Hurd could be a lot of fun for this team. He’s the kind of versatile offensive weapon Shanahan could truly take advantage of.

Three key dates

— Week 1 at the Bucs. The 49ers will see a familiar foe when they face new Bucs coach Bruce Arians, who used to face them regularly when he helmed the Cardinals. San Francisco’s first two games are on the road (at the Bengals in Week 2), providing a strong test for this team.

— Week 5 vs. the Browns. The 49ers get their bye in Week 4, then play host to the Browns, who are rolling into this season as this year’s version of the 2018 49ers: a team heavy on hope and hype but light on proven success.

— Week 6 at the Rams. It’s the old Ric Flair adage: If you want to be the man, you have to beat the man.

One storyline people are overlooking: The 49ers have a sneaky-good running back situation. Free-agent signee Tevin Coleman was a nice pickup from Atlanta. After all, Shanahan was part of the Falcons staff that drafted Coleman, so this is an obvious fit (and Coleman thinks Shanahan is even more creative than he used to be, which is cool). Because of Coleman’s arrival, the 49ers can ease McKinnon back into the rotation after his recovery from the ACL tear that cost him 2018. And then you also have Matt Breida and one of my favorite fullbacks, Kyle Juszczyk. It’ll be one of those situations where fantasy enthusiasts get really heated about not knowing which running back to start, but it’ll work out well in real-football terms.

One storyline people are overthinking: The potential of a rift developing between general manager John Lynch and Shanahan. Reports of such a rift were quickly dismissed by Shanahan. And there is no reason to doubt him. After all, Lynch played for Kyle’s father, and Kyle presumably had a say in Lynch’s hiring in the first place. But you can’t blame 49ers fans for being a little edgy when you consider the way the Jim Harbaugh era ended.

For 2019 to be a successful season, the 49ers MUST …

— Get to at least .500. After the team fell so far short of expectations in 2018, let’s try to hit this more attainable benchmark.

— Not lose to the Cardinals this year. Or at least, they can’t get swept again.

— Split with the Rams and Seahawks. I’m not saying the 49ers need to win the NFC West or make the playoffs. (Not that you would turn down any of those things.) What I believe 49ers fans would love to see is some progress, something tangible to point to and say, “Hey look, we’re almost there.” The 49ers’ roster isn’t as complete as those of the Rams and Seahawks. But there is the talent to compete. All the fans are asking for is to that have that one moment where they can laud a hard-fought victory over their friends. I mean, when the Bears were bad (so, so long ago) I wouldn’t let my Steelers friends hear the end of it when Chicago beat them. And sometimes that’s all you need. Those small victories.

In closing

The 49ers are in a great spot. People were too excited last year, and there was no way to deliver on those expectations. Now they’re back to being the quiet underdog, in position to under-promise and over-deliver. I know some of you will look back to 2017 and say this team should be a top-10 squad when everyone’s healthy. But there are a lot of areas of concern. I could easily see San Francisco winning 12 games or scuffling to seven wins. The most important thing, to me, is demonstrating that the Niners are moving in the right direction.

Five takeaways from the second week of OTAs

https://www.therams.com/news/five-takeaways-from-the-second-week-of-otas

1) SECONDARY STANDS OUT

Los Angeles’ secondary garnered a lot of headlines in the 2018 offseason, when the team traded for cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib. And while the Rams’ defense certainly had its ups and downs last season, there’s reason to believe it should be better in 2019 — with the secondary as its strength.

Safety Eric Weddle has clearly added a lot to the defense with his presence and his knowledge. There were periods over the course of the week where the secondary dominated — whether it was 7-on-7 or 11-on-11. And we know how difficult that can be against an offense that finished No. 2 in both points and yards in 2018, so you really shouldn’t take that as a negative for the offense.

After sets of plays, the secondary starters — Talib, Peters, Weddle, safety John Johnson, and I’d also count slot corner Nickell Robey-Coleman in that group — are often on the sideline together, diagnosing what they’ve just faced. They’re clearly jelling well as a group, and have a chance to be really good in 2019.

2) SECOND-YEAR STARTERS ON DEFENSE?

The Rams have to replace a pair of productive veterans in their starting defensive group in nose tackle Ndamukong Suh and inside linebacker Mark Barron. As of now, candidates to replace them include second-year defenders Sebastian Joseph-Day and Micah Kiser.

Joseph-Day, a 2018 sixth-round pick, was on the 53-man roster all last year but did not have a chance to suit up on gameday — mainly because Suh played 88 percent of the defensive snaps, meaning he barely came off the field for a rotation. As of now, Joseph-Day is one of the players working in at nose tackle in the base 3-4 defensive set. And he has a chance to own that role on a full-time basis if he continues progressing.

L.A. picked up Kiser in the fifth round last year, and he played significant snaps on special teams, but none on defense. He said this week that he’s been hitting the playbook as much as possible to improve his above-the-neck approach.

As the offseason program continues, both players know there’s significant opportunity in front of them — but they also realize how much they have to earn it.

3) EVERETT EMERGING

Tight end Gerald Everett has shown plenty of signs of promise throughout his young career. But as he moves into his third season, he’s looked good throughout OTAs — particularly in the red zone.

Just this week, Everett snatched a pass over two defenders during 7-on-7 to come down with a pass in the back of the end zone. And he also caught a pass with one arm while hugging the right sideline in the end zone for another scoring-strike from Goff.

A 2017 second-round pick, Everett looked like he was headed for a breakout season this time last year, but a shoulder injury suffered in training camp set him back as Week 1 approached. He ended up with 33 receptions for 320 yards with three touchdowns in 2018.

If there’s one detail of the Rams’ high-scoring offense to nitpick over the last couple years, it’s been the unit’s execution in the red zone. If Everett can become a consistent target inside the 20-yard line, that will really set him on course to become a breakout player in 2019.

4) DEFENSIVE VERSATILITY

One noticeable aspect of Los Angeles’ defense through these two weeks of practice has been the versatility of the defense.

Players like Weddle, Johnson, safety Marqui Christian, and rookie safety Taylor Rapp can line up all over the defense — helping disguise exactly what the Rams are planning to do on any given snap. Then there’s linebacker Clay Matthews, who is another sort of wild card player in known-passing situations.

Giving an offense so many varied looks can disguise what’s coming. The Rams’ defense could become quite effective in 2019 when it comes to deception.

5) PLAN FOR GURLEY

Running back Todd Gurley has not been on the field for OTAs, but that’s part of a plan that was previously set out, according to head coach Sean McVay.

“That was what we felt like was best when Todd and I sat down,” McVay said this week. “And it’s been really good so far and we feel good about that.”

McVay noted that the Rams have been pleased with Gurley and his training this offseason. And part of the reason why the league’s leader in touchdowns two years running has not been as heavily involved as he’s been in the past is because the Rams played so much longer in 2018.

So as the 2019 season approaches, McVay said that this is the best course of action for Gurley to be at his best for training camp and Week 1 against the Panthers.

Elvis

Listening to Snead on ESPN, he was asked why the Rams were quiet about Gurley’s condition when there were so many reports about it and one of the things he mentioned was it was Gurley’s personal info.

That’s consistent with my take on the situation, why the Rams wouldn’t directly answer the arthritis question. The Rams are calling it wear and tear.

Dr. Chao’s article on the subject which he said he still stands by when we asked him about the Gurley recently says that arthritis in the knee is not a career ender but his workload would likely have to be managed. And that’s exactly what we’re seeing.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/profootballdoc/sd-sp-pfd-todd-gurley-arthritis-knee-rams-0302-story.html

This doesn’t necessarily signal the end of Gurley’s career.

He was, after all, clocked as the fastest player on the field during the Super Bowl.

This does explain his usage at the end of the season and in the playoffs. It also signals a high likelihood he won’t have the 250-plus rushes (and 300-plus touches) he has had each of the past three seasons, as his workload will have to be managed.

Despite all the histrionics and drama around this issue, the picture is fairly clear and consistent: Gurley has something going on with his knee whether you call it wear and tear or arthritis. It’s not career threatening but we will see Gurley operating under a managed workload in 2019.

from Top 25 NFL players under age 25

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/top-25-nfl-players-under-age-25-mahomes-no-1-in-landslide-all-pro-running-back-misses-cut/

…

11. Rams QB Jared Goff (24)
A year ago, Goff was the only quarterback on the list. He proceeded to throw for 4,688 yards and 32 touchdowns. So, why is Goff the lowest-ranked quarterback on this list? Future projection.

The warning signs that Goff is a product of Sean McVay’s system and can’t handle intense pressure (from pass rushers, not the moment) are evident. Goff struggled over a three-game stretch in December against the Lions, Bears, and Eagles, seeing his average yards per attempt plummet to 5.6 and his passer rating fall to 54.8 in those games. Then, in three playoff games against the Cowboys, Saints, and Patriots, Goff completed 55.7 percent of his passes, averaged 6.7 yards per attempt, threw one touchdown, got picked off twice, and accumulated a 71.7 passer rating. 2019 will be a revealing season if Gurley is hampered by his knee and if the offensive line worsens (Andrew Whitworth is a year older and the Rams parted ways with Rodger Saffold).

Regardless, Goff has been damn good over the past two seasons and he plays the most important position in football. There’s no way around that. He deserves a spot on this list, just not as high as the other three quarterbacks.

zn wrote:

Field Yates@FieldYates
The Rams.

FG TraSh_Legend@TraSh_Legend
Rams. Core is great too to bottom if it weren’t for the injury they would’ve had all 3 receivers over 1,000

“Rams” was the minority answer. Based on a quick glance, just in twitter in response to this one thread, Eagles and Vikings appeared to take the lead and Rams were a respectable but distant third. Tampa got some mention.

It was good.

Baratunde Thurston explores the phenomenon of white Americans calling the police on black Americans who have committed the crimes of … eating, walking or generally “living while black.” In this profound, thought-provoking and often hilarious talk, he reveals the power of language to change stories of trauma into stories of healing — while challenging us all to level up.

==

Geoff Schwartz@geoffschwartz
I’ve argued that momentum isn’t totally real. The feeling is confidence in your ability, or the ability of your team to succeed on that play. More positive plays in a row increases your confidence and you play better.

NFL Update@MySportsUpdate
#Packers HC Matt LaFleur suffered a torn Achilles while playing basketball on Wednesday night, per @MikeSilver. LaFleur will have surgery on Sunday and coach from a cart during OTAs.

==

NFC West franchise quarterbacks: Who is the best Rams signal-caller of the common-draft era? (via @AliBhanpuri)https://t.co/lMl6kWRAZh pic.twitter.com/ZkSASLRJGR

— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) May 31, 2019

The full 2018 All-Clutch team is out, taking a look at the league's highest-graded players in the fourth quarter of one-score games.

A team led by Tom Brady.

For more on every other position:https://t.co/DbfNe3QcVD pic.twitter.com/67LOq36hYV

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) May 31, 2019

DI – AARON DONALD, LOS ANGELES RAMS & KAWANN SHORT, CAROLINA PANTHERS
Second Team: Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia Eagles & Kenny Clark, Green Bay Packers
If there is an NFL list of any kind, it’s a safe bet to pencil in Donald at interior defender. The guy is a one-man wrecking crew in the passing game, as his absurd 25.1% pass-rush win rate in clutch time can attest. No other interior defender with 50 or more pass-rushing snaps came within 4% of that rate. Short was second-best with a rate of 20.8%, which is impressive in its own right, and he was a stopper in the run game, as well: his run-defense grade of 90.4 ranked second behind only Jurrell Casey.

10 Observations from OTA No. 6

https://www.therams.com/news/10-observations-from-ota-no-6

1) At the beginning of each practice, run game coordinator/offensive line coach Aaron Kromer leads his position group in some basic technique work — getting out of a stance and taking the first few steps in a particular play based on whatever the individual’s position is. On Thursday, Kromer gave a little individualized instruction to rookie Bobby Evans, using a pen to hone in on the details of where the young OL’s foot should be.

2) During individual drills, quarterbacks were in the middle of the field practicing throwing while keeping a solid base. With two bags set up, the QBs had to keep their legs on either side while moving in the pocket, and then had to throw an intermediate pass to different parts of the field — left, over the middle, and to the right.

3) For your weekly fashion update, defensive tackle Aaron Donald had on more player-themed socks — but this time he was also sporting himself. Donald had on a Todd Gurley sock over his right foot, and his own “Donald” sock on his left.

4) Following the conclusion of the special teams period, quarterbacks and the skill players worked on making off-schedule plays in the red zone. Each QB would drop back before a coach acting as a pass rusher would flush the signal-caller out of the pocket — first to the right, later to the left. After that, the quarterbacks had to fit a pass into what was usually a decently tight window on the run. Wide receivers coach Eric Yarber was stationed near the end zone to give the QBs and pass catchers another obstacle to avoid.

5) After that drill, the tight ends were working on catching low passes with position coach Wes Phillips. The players would shuffle their feet quickly for a few yards, then run up to where Phillips would underhand a ball to about the shin area and the TEs would have to catch it.

6) Later on in practice, there were a good number of competitive periods. While the starters were going through 11-on-11 drills on one field, reserves were participating in 7-on-7 on the other. Undrafted rookie wideout Jalen Greene made arguably the catch of OTAs so far, when he reached back with his right hand and reeled in a deep pass to the end zone — Odell Beckham Jr. style. Even the defensive players trying to stop him were impressed. It was honestly a great play.

7) At one point, head coach Sean McVay announced to the team that cornerback Troy Hill had received a new two-year contract to keep him with the team through 2020. Everyone on the field with the starters gave him some applause, and special teams coordinator John “Bones” Fassel came up and gave him a hug.

“He gave me my first shot, because when I first came here I was on special teams,” Hill told therams.com just after signing his new deal on Thursday. “I love ‘Bones’ for real and I respect him and everything that he does. And that’s family now.”

On the next play, Hill nearly came up with an interception in the defense’s front-left corner of the end zone. It was almost as if the QB had grooved it to him — like Cal Ripken Jr. at the 2001 All-Star game. But Hill couldn’t quite make the catch, instead batting it out of bounds.

8) Los Angeles’ starters finished with a red zone 11-on-11 drill, during which both offensive and defensive players came up with some strong plays. The first came from safety John Johnson, who tipped a pass out of reach from tight end Gerald Everett in the offense’s front right corner of the end zone.

9) Then slot corner Nickell Robey-Coleman made a sliding interception in the back of the end zone, preventing wideout Robert Woods from getting his hands on the ball. Robey-Coleman and Woods have had some solid battles throughout OTAs. “Iron sharpens iron,” as the saying goes.

10) Finally, Everett made a terrific catch hugging the right sideline in the end zone. Rookie safety Taylor Rapp had good coverage, but Everett was able to get the ball just in the nook of his right arm, securing it for a touchdown. McVay congratulated Everett on the strong play as the TE came back to the huddle.

Geoff Schwartz@geoffschwartz
Lots of chatter about “establishing the run” in the NFL and how data shows that’s an outdated way to think/call an offense. I agree. However, I’ve always thought as a player that “ETR” was about asserting physical dominance over the opponent. Body blows over a game

There’s a fine line between running the ball just to run the ball, especially if it’s not working. But those body blows on defenders slow them down against the pass. It grinds on them so when you’re winning in the 4th and you’re running to grind out the clock, they are weak

The ball is thrown so quickly now that I think the idea that OL prefer run blocking is going away a bit.

==

TurfShowTimes@TurfShowTimes
OTA report for all 32 teams according to beat coverage:

– Every team got better
– All free agents look good
– Players that were injured last year look healthy
– Rookies are really impressive
– Players in contract years not worried, just focused on “playing my best”

Vincent Bonsignore@VinnyBonsignore
This isn’t even close to accurate.

Right, because we’ve all written that Todd Gurley is completely healthy. Or that he doesn’t represent an unknown. And none of us have written that until Noteboom and Allen prove themselves, they are question marks. Or that ILB and NT will likely be filled by unproven newcomers

By the same token, I’m not going to apologize for the honest observations I’ve made about a team that’s won more games than any team in the NFL the last two years. I write what I see.