🚨 PFF Power Rankings Update! 🚨 https://t.co/ByTDcRKkBa pic.twitter.com/6dggpXJa16

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) November 3, 2018

Could Rams’ Todd Gurley break the NFL record for touchdowns in a season?
Gary Klein

http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-rams-report-20181101-story.html#nt=oft-Single%20Chain~Feed-Driven%20Flex%20Feature~~sub-topic-feed-0~~1~yes-art~automated~automatedpage

Are Rams close-game experts, or are they primed for a fall?
Rich Hammond

link: https://www.dailynews.com/2018/11/01/are-rams-close-game-experts-or-are-they-primed-for-a-fall/

Quotes & Notes 11/2/18: Kupp Named Honorary Captain for Week 9, Fowler to Play

https://www.therams.com/news/quotes-notes-11-2-18-kupp-named-honorary-captain-for-week-9-fowler-to-play

InvaderRam wrote:

when a guy gets double teamed almost twice as often as the next closest defender and he still leads the league in sacks? yeah. not even close.

I’ve said this before, but one analysis from last year had him facing multiple blockers more often–83% of the time. And last year he had 11 sacks.

PFF's preview of the #LARams @ #GoSaints is here! https://t.co/ipmMpVocyJ

— PFF LA Rams (@PFF_Rams) November 2, 2018

In this case look at the worst.

..

STOPPING THE PASS is the main focus of defensive coordinators around the NFL.#Browns #RavensFlock #Seahawks #DUUUVAL #Jets #DaBears #GoPats #ChiefsKingdom #GoBucs #OnePride pic.twitter.com/C6yE7OEpme

— NFL Matchup on ESPN (@NFLMatchup) October 29, 2018

Rams midseason report card: No, they didn’t get straight A’s (but it’s close)

Vincent Bonsignore

https://theathletic.com/626420/2018/11/01/rams-midseason-report-card-no-they-didnt-get-straight-as-but-its-close/

With​ the Rams hitting​ the halfway point​ of​ the 2018​ regular​ season at​ 8-0,​ it’s​ time​ to hand out​ some mid-year​​ grades. As expected, when you are undefeated, there are high marks across the board. That said, there are areas that need to bring their grades up.

Quarterback

Jared Goff has elevated his play to another level in his third year to emerge as a top-10 NFL quarterback. His 112.5 passer rating is the seventh best in the NFL, and he ranks ninth in completion percentage (67.6), third in touchdown passes (17) and seventh in passing yards per game (303.1).

The touchdowns and passing yards rankings are notable considering Goff, playing in one of the most balanced offenses in the league relative to run/pass ratio, ranks 15th in the NFL in pass attempts. Most importantly, he has led his team to an 8-0 record and two comeback wins after falling behind by 10 points while being a calming influence in the huddle and even on the sideline.
“His demeanor does help,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said of Goff. “I’m a little bit more wired than Jared, but he can help me even out a little bit.”
Goff is demonstrating all the necessary traits of a high caliber quarterback and, time and again, has made key plays when the Rams needed it. Whether it’s completing a big third-down pass or making up ground when they’ve gotten off schedule, Goff has shown the ability to command the Rams offense, see the field and distribute the ball to the open receiver. And as he showed in a wild shootout against the Vikings, when the Rams needed him to carry them, he is more than capable of delivering.
Grade: A

Running back

It’s getting harder and harder to come up with the appropriate superlatives to describe just how good, and valuable, Todd Gurley has been to the Rams this year.
The reigning Offensive Player of the Year has been just as dominant, if not more so, this year while producing a league-leading 800 yards rushing, 397 yards rushing after contact, 1,115 all-purpose yards, 11 rushing touchdowns and 15 touchdowns overall. He is also the best blocking running back in the NFL and versatile enough to line up in the backfield, slot or out wide. He is the true definition of a three-down back and, if he remains on this current track, will be an odds-on favorite to win league MVP honors.
“He’s, in my opinion, the best back in the league,” Goff said.
The dominance of Gurley leaves precious few opportunities behind him, but on the rare ocassion, he leaves the game for a breather, Malcolm Brown has been a valuable backup while rushing for 189 yards on 37 carries. A 5.1 yards per carry average is a testament to Brown’s vision and running ability.
The presence of Gurley in the run and pass game, coupled with Goff and his assortment of receiving weapons, has enabled the Rams to be one of the most balanced offenses in the league and also its highest scoring.
Grade: A

Wide receivers

Robert Woods, Brandin Cooks and Cooper Kupp have combined for 111 receptions for 1,753 yards and 10 touchdowns, and that’s with Kupp missing the last two games after suffering a sprained knee. Woods and Cooks are on pace to exceed 1,000 yards receiving, and Kupp would have been as well if he had not gotten hurt. All three might still get there.
That would represent an incredible amount of production for a heady group equally adept at footwork off the line of scrimmage, route concepts and defensive coverages. And to illustrate how in tune they are with Goff, they’ve combined for 635 yards after their catches. That means Goff is getting them the ball in stride and in position to do damage.
Josh Reynolds stepped in for Kupp the last two weeks and now has seven catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns. He’d be a starter on many other teams.
When the Rams let Sammy Watkins walk as a free agent, they immediately replaced him by acquiring Cooks from New England for a first-round pick. At the time, they felt the polished, productive veteran would be the perfect fit in their offense in a way Watkins simply wasn’t. Cooks has been everything they imagined and then some, blossoming into a short and intermediate threat to his already top-level deep game. And his presence has helped form one of the most dangerous, versatile wide receiver groups in the game.
Grade: A

Tight ends

The Rams talked about becoming more of a one-back, two-tight end team — or playing in 12 personnel — after being a heavy 11 personnel team last year (one running back, one tight end and three wide receivers).
Two things have hampered that development. The Rams have become such a dominant 11 personnel offense as a result of the production of Gurley, Woods, Cooks and Kupp in the run and pass game. And Gerald Everett and Tyler Higbee have been unable to show they can be a dominant duo while paired together on the field.
It’s hard to determine which is the more prevalent cause. But the Rams’ production out of 11 personnel — and opposing defenses’ lack of an answer to it — does seem to be the leading culprit.
Everett, Higbee and Johnny Mundt have combined for 16 catches for 168 yards and one touchdown. However, all three have shown a propensity in run blocking, and that’s been an asset in the Rams’ top-ranked rushing attack.
The Rams have not involved their tight ends much in the passing game. Higbee has the best chance of the three to emerge over the second half of the season as a viable threat, but to do so, he’ll have to take advantage of limited opportunities to show he deserves more.
Grade: C

Offensive line

The offensive line has dipped a bit in pass protection over the last three weeks, specifically the games against Denver and Green Bay in which they gave up 10 sacks. To put that in perspective, the line yielded only seven sacks in their other six games.
Against the Packers, the Rams seemed a bit unsettled by some early blitz looks but made adjustments to improve pass protection. The Broncos game was more a case of a breakout game by rookie Bradley Chubb, who had three sacks while attacking the Rams from both sides of the line of scrimmage.
Moving forward, it’s worth monitoring whether those two games were mere blips on the screen or a blueprint for upcoming opponents.
For the most part, the offensive line has been as good as any in the league and features two of Pro Football Focus’ highest graded tackles in left tackle Andrew Whitworth (84.3, fourth) and right tackle Rob Havenstein (82.4, fifth). Right guard Austin Blythe is grading out as the best overall guard by PFF at 80.3, and left guard Rodger Saffold is third-best at 79.2.
Center John Sullivan is not as highly graded by PFF at his position, but the cerebral veteran’s leadership and intelligence have been assets in getting the Rams into the right blocking calls.
The Rams released veteran Jamon Brown on Tuesday to make room for new outside linebacker Dante Fowler. It’s a clear sign they are comfortable with the progress of rookie Joe Noteboom and Brian Allen as reserves.
Blips aside, the offensive line is blowing open holes for the most productive run game in the NFL and the third highest scoring offense while keeping Jared Goff mostly well-protected.
Grade: B+

Defensive line

Needless to say, this group begins and ends with Aaron Donald, the single most destructive defensive force in the game today.
Donald has 10 sacks through eight games despite playing a position not necessarily known for getting to the quarterback at that kind of level. He is also producing that much havoc while also being one of the most dominant run defenders in the game. And if that doesn’t put his play in perspective, keep in mind Donald is being double-teamed a league-high 70 percent of the time, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. That’s nearly twice the 46 percent of J.J. Watt, the second most double-teamed defender in the league.
Donald is, to put it bluntly, the best defensive player in the game. And he plays alongside two other productive forces in Ndamukong Suh and Michael Brockers, both of whom are playing at above-average levels, according to PFF. They have been the starting point of a defense that is ranked eighth in yards allowed per game (331.4), sixth in points allowed (19.4) and eighth in sacks (22).
The Rams haven’t gotten much from backups John Franklin-Myers and Ethan Westbrooks, although both have been solid as rotation players.
Thanks to Donald and partners Brockers and Suh, the Rams go into every game at a decided advantage against most offensive lines. The pressure they generate — starting with the hammer that Donald is — sets the tone for a top-10 defense.
Grade: A

Linebackers

The Rams made massive changes at linebacker this year by parting ways with outside linebackers Robert Quinn and Connor Barwin and inside linebacker Alec Ogletree. The disruption has been apparent on the outside, where new starter Samson Ebukam, a second-year player out of Eastern Washington, has struggled to produce big numbers.
Also, Morgan Fox and Dominique Easley, who were expected to form a rotation opposite Ebukam, were both lost to season-ending injuries. That forced Matt Longacre into extended action after coming back from back surgery, and he simply has not been up to the task.
The result has been pedestrian-level pressure off the edge. Ebukam has come up with just nine tackles and two sacks, prompting the Rams to trade a 2019 third-round pick and a 2020 fifth-rounder to Jacksonville for outside linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. Once he gets settled, Fowler will start opposite Ebukam and add some much-needed heat off the edge.
It’s a different story inside. First-year starter Cory Littleton has smoothly replaced Ogletree and provided an upgrade with a team-leading 66 tackles to go with three sacks, eight passes defended and an interception. Opposite Littleton, Mark Barron has settled in to help with run support and pass coverage after missing the first four games with an Achilles injury.
The Rams hope Fowler can solidify their pass rush issues off the edge, but until that happens, the linebacking corps is playing just average football. It helps that it plays behind a dominant defensive line, but the Rams need more. Maybe Fowler will provide it.
Grade: C

Defensive backs

The Rams remade the perimeter of their defensive backs group by trading for ball-hawking cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters. That dynamic duo — paired with dependable backup Troy Hill, slot specialist Nickell Robey-Coleman and a healthy Sam Shields — were expected to give the Rams one of the most feared defensive backfields in the league.
It hasn’t quite worked out that way.
Talib got injured in the third week of the season and won’t be eligible to begin practicing against until Week 12. Peters has struggled to fit into Wade Phillips’ 3-4 scheme and has been the victim of a number of big plays. He has rebounded the last two weeks but needs to be more consistent.
The Rams also need more consistency from Hill, who replaced Talib in the starting lineup and, like Peters, has been hot and cold. Robey-Coleman has been a steadying presence in the slot and Shields has been solid in his playing time. But overall, the group hasn’t been what the Rams envisioned.
At safety, second-year starter John Johnson is tied for second in the NFL in interceptions with three and has been solid in run support. Lamarcus Joyner has been quiet as far as production, but the Rams are happy with his play in the system.
The Rams are fine at safety, but they simply have not seen the cornerback play they had hoped for. There is still time to get it turned around, and getting Talib back will help. But until then, the current group needs to play better.
Grade: C

Special teams

When healthy, Greg Zuerlein is as solid as any kicker in the game. And once again, Johnny Hekker is playing as well as any punter in the NFL.
The Rams lost return specialist Pharoh Cooper to injury after the first game, but the combination of JoJo Natson as a punt returner and Blake Countess as a kick returner have made up for that loss. The Rams have also gotten a blocked punt, forced a key fumble on a kickoff return and converted a first down on a fake punt.
As usual, this group is flourishing. And at times, it has been the difference between winning and losing.
Grade: A

Coaching

In his second year, Sean McVay has emerged as one of the best coaches in the NFL, having surrounded himself with experience in defensive coordinator Wade Phillps and special teams coach John Fassel.
The innovative, energetic staff has created a culture of accountability and insisted — and gotten — players to buy into a system that is driven by process rather than results. They’ve also given the players freedom to have a say in the process to create an ownership of it.
The Rams are as prepared as any team in the league. McVay and his staff also have shown a key ability to adjust to situations, putting players in better positions to succeed as games go on.
The team is 8-0. While the majority of that record goes to the players, the coaches deserve a ton of credit, too.
Grade: A

…

6️⃣ sacks in 2️⃣ weeks 🔥

All-22: Breaking down @AaronDonald97's second sack of Week 8. pic.twitter.com/HbKeitmtjy

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 1, 2018

InvaderRam wrote:

he’s amazing.

There’s more.

What we’re seeing I think is historic.

===

Aaron Donald is the highest graded player on the defensive interior so far this season. pic.twitter.com/UaBUdu2yW9

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) October 31, 2018

==

from PFF: https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-ranking-the-nflstop-defenses-after-week-8

While they have earned the fifth most pressures of any defense in the NFL, over a third of them have come from Aaron Donald alone. The defensive tackle is playing the best football of his entire career and his 28.4 percent win rate as a pass-rusher would be the highest we’ve seen from any player – interior or edge – for a single season.