Isaac Bruce, Don Coryell among Hall of Fame finalists

https://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/isaac-bruce-don-coryell-among-hall-of-fame-finalists/article_76c32338-07f5-5625-89a2-edd23122eff7.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share

Former St. Louis Rams receiver Isaac Bruce and former St. Louis Cardinals coach Don Coryell are among the finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2019.

First-time eligibles Tony Gonzalez, Ed Reed and Champ Bailey are also among the finalists.

They will be joined in balloting on Feb. 2 by Lutheran North High’s Steve Atwater, Tony Boselli, Alan Faneca, Tom Flores, Steve Hutchinson, Edgerrin James, Ty Law, John Lynch, Kevin Mawae, and Richard Seymour. Although previously eligible, Flores — who coached two Oakland Raiders teams to Super Bowl titles — and longtime defensive lineman Seymour are finalists for the first time.

Bruce is the only wide receiver on this year’s ballot.

Also being considered for induction are senior committee nominee Johnny Robinson, a star safety for Dallas/Kansas City from 1960-71, and contributors finalists Gil Brandt, former personnel director for the Cowboys and now the NFL’s top draft consultant, and Broncos owner Pat Bowlen.

A maximum of eight new members can be elected, five from the modern-era group. Inductions will be Aug. 3 in Canton, Ohio.

Bruce, third-time finalist, spent 13 seasons with the St. Louis Rams and 16 in the NFL. He made the Pro Bowl four times and had 1,024 career receptions for 15,208 yards and 91 TDs. He was the 1996 NFL pass receiving yardage leader.

Coryell, who coached the high-powered offenses of the Cardinals and Chargers in the 1970s and ‘80s, is a five-time finalist.

Gonzalez played 17 seasons with the Chiefs and Falcons, but never made a Super Bowl. No matter: he holds the career record for catches by a tight end with 1,325, second overall behind Jerry Rice, and gained 15,127 yards while scoring 111 touchdowns. His string of 211 straight games with a catch lasted from 2000-13.

Reed spent 12 seasons with the Ravens, Texans and Jets, winning an NFL title in 2012. He’s one of two players to lead the NFL in interceptions three times (2004, 2008, 2010) and was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2004.

Bailey played 15 seasons with Washington and Denver and was a three-time All-Pro. Considered one of the game’s best cover cornerbacks, he had a career-high 10 interceptions in 2006.

Lynch, a standout safety for Tampa Bay and Denver, becomes a finalist for the sixth straight year.

At Lutheran North, Atwater starred in football as a quarterback and also played basketball, baseball and ran track. He was also the school’s Post-Dispatch Scholar-Athlete in 1984. He made the transition from QB to safety at Arkansas, where he was a three-time all-conference player and a two-time All-American. Drafted 20th overall in 1989 by the Denver Broncos, the hard-hitting Atwater was named to eight Pro Bowls and won two of the three Super Bowls he appeared in. A member of the NFL’s 1990’s All-Decade team, he was a first-team All-Pro in 1991 and 1992 and earned second-team honors in 1996, Atwater spent 10 of 11 NFL seasons with the Broncos, finishing up in 1999 with the New York Jets. He wrapped up his career with 1,074 solo tackles and 24 interceptions.

In all there, are three safeties, two cornerbacks, two offensive tackles, two coaches, one guard, one center, one tight end, one running back, one wide receiver and one defensive lineman as finalists.

Bill Barnwell@billbarnwell
I have now seen people call Antonio Brown a pre-Madonna and a prima Madonna in my mentions and I’m excited to see what comes next

Here we go… https://t.co/ySPQFbkgpL

— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) January 4, 2019

Greg Beacham@gregbeacham
Todd Gurley loves football, but he “hates” being at football games when he isn’t playing: “It’s definitely different on the sideline just looking. But we’ve been getting wins, so that makes it much better. If we didn’t win, I would think it was my fault.”

Gurley says CJ Anderson has “been doing better than me. He’s been killing it.”

Vincent Bonsignore@VinnyBonsignore
#Rams Todd Gurley says the plan is to practice next week. It’s not final that he will but that’s plan and the preference

The #Rams averaged an #NFL best 6.82 ypp on first downs this year while running it 272 times to 241 passes. The were 132/131 runs to passes on 1st down in 1st halves while averaging the second most yards at 7.15. Balance is so important for them on that down

In their losses to #Bears and #Eagles they were 42 passes to 17 runs on 1st down – averaging 4.92 and 4.88 ypp. In wins over #Cardinals and #49ers the last two games it was 46 runs to 22 passes on 1st down and they averaged 7.69 and 5.94 ypp

Here's @billbarnwell writing the Super Bowl story for each playoff team (thanks for the bump on my playoff comparable teams work) https://t.co/xw9PwTAEN9

— Jason Lisk (@JasonLisk) January 3, 2019

DeAndre Hopkins talks about why he's sharing his playoff check to help the family of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes, who was killed Sunday in a drive-by shooting. (via @HoustonTexans) pic.twitter.com/YInVAZypRT

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 3, 2019

Being able to pressure the QB without blitzing is huge for a defense.

2018 best/worst teams at doing that.#LARams #Jaguars #Steelers #GoPats #ChiefsKingdom #RavensFlock #Dolphins #49ers #DaBears #Seahawks #Raiders pic.twitter.com/WMVUPALlBT

— NFL Matchup on ESPN (@NFLMatchup) January 3, 2019

Challenge: find one statement in here where he answers the question. (In case you’re wondering, not criticizing, just having fun.)

—

(On what he thinks he learned from the playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons last season)

”Well, I think, really, every game offers a learning opportunity. I think that atmosphere was certainly something that was special. I think there were some similar ones, but you can never truly mimic and emulate those playoff game-like atmospheres. I think for us being a young team, specifically my first year in the role, you certainly can learn. I think there was a lot of things that you can draw on that from a positive to be able to play a home atmosphere, play a playoff game in that home stadium and be able to use those things to learn from. But, I would say that, really, each season’s such a new deal. I think what you learned is, you get valuable spots, specific to Jared and some of our other key players that have played in these games. So, it’s not the first time. I think they’d probably be able to better answer that question from their perspective. But, I know for me, it’s about doing the best that you can, getting guys ready to go and try to put them in good spots. Like any other game, I think you can learn from those. But, it was a great atmosphere and an environment – something that we’re excited to hopefully have the same type of feel when the divisional round comes around here in a couple weeks.”

Baker Mayfield would never pic.twitter.com/N1tuB4Uo5H

— Eliot Crist (@EliotCrist) December 28, 2018

ICYMI — With their defense rounding into form, the Rams look ready for postseason run https://t.co/dYjhoXGZYi

— Joe Curley (@vcsjoecurley) January 2, 2019

These offenses generated the most EXPLOSIVE PLAYS this season.
#ChiefsKingdom #FightForEachOther #LARams #GoBucs #Browns #49ers #GoSaints #Steelers #Bengals #Seahawks #Panthers #Falcons pic.twitter.com/fTqyVPKckr

— NFL Matchup on ESPN (@NFLMatchup) January 2, 2019

RamsNewsNow@RamsNewsNow
Injury Report 1/2: Gurley, Whitworth and Joyner expected to be ready for playoffs

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BUILT DIFFERENT. Coming 🔜 2K19 #LARams pic.twitter.com/Le7VMTtmwY

— Rodger Saffold (@Rodger_Saffold) January 3, 2019

Joel Corry@corryjoel
I dealt with a lot of disgruntled players as agent for close to 2 decades. Antonio Brown handled the situation poorly.

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Ignore all other 2018 numbers.

THIS is the @NFL stat of the year:@DeAndreHopkins:
115 receptions
0 dropped passes

— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) December 31, 2018

Jared Goff lost his playoff debut. So did both Mannings, Brees, Rodgers, Rivers, Ryan and Luck. Now he gets another chance: https://t.co/DkRICT2VnZ

— Rich Hammond (@Rich_Hammond) January 3, 2019

Top-5 Graded Rams Players 2018 (Pos. Rank):

Aaron Donald – 95.5 (Highest PFF Grade at any Pos.)
Robert Woods – 88.0 (8th)
Jared Goff – 85.5 (8th)
Rob Havenstein – 84.4 (3rd)
John Johnson III – 84.3 (6th)

— PFF LA Rams (@PFF_Rams) January 2, 2019